Target: Target

Target is anti-diabetes. Target is a magical place,filled with with many,many things to buy & inhaled insulin pumped through the ventilation system so that inevitably, you will go low.


Target, during the holiday season, is even more magical. Long lines,tantalizing treats to stuff into your mouth to offset any blood sugar discrepancies, etc.etc.etc. Target, seemingly,is the only thing that can drop a 34 week's pregnant, waddling women with diabetes' blood sugar. I think I spent about four hours there,and consumed 67 uncovered carbohydrates (to roll out a "110" by trip's end) It was my own private version of "Extreme Couponing"...

Stats:
Time Spent: 4.5 hours
Number of receipts: 23 (and no, I did not conduct back-to-back transactions...I have too much respect for other shoppers to do that!)
Number of coupons used:20
Total saved with coupons: $183
Total brain cells left: 1
Blood Sugars taken:3
Carbohydrates consumed: 67
Shoppers Who Took pity & let me move ahead in line: 0
Status of back: Regretfully,Target didn't have any of those to buy or I totally
would have.
Status of Christmas List: Done,finished, taken care of.(as well as a few birthday & miscellanous odds and ends) And that's one good thing. I spent alot, but I was going to buy it anyway...so proportionally,it was still a win.

Happy Holidays! (I think they call it "Target" because that's exactly what your blood sugars are, while you're shopping there)Obviously, I love to shop but I can't do any of those marathon type sessions anymore...deal or no deal.My back,feet,and blood sugars all rebel.

Out of the Blue

There are places in this world that clearly, are a very bad idea to go low at.

In the middle of a lake....(one example)

It's been a week of firsts, I've gotten low at two brand-new places. First, at the movie theater. I have never gotten low there and I've been to quite a few movies in the 10.5 years I've had diabetes. (usually high, or barely not high)Bolused too aggressively for the popcorn. Fortuantly, I had juice and gel and was able avoid stumbling down the stairs in search of a sugary drink.It was an emotional low too, and as soon as the theater cleared I let it all out as I'd also lost my hat and it was all too much to handle.We were with some friends, so by the time my husband came back to see where I was, the glucose was back up to 73, the hat was found, and I was ready to be drug off the the Food Court to drown my sorrows in Diet Coke/Chinese food. Thankfully, nothing involving strangers and 911 calls.

The second, was at my dentists. Novocaine is another one of those drugs that pretty solidly seals the 200+ mg/dl post-session numbers but...

"Aheeock?"

"Yes, Heidi?"

(theme music from Karate Kid I is playing softly in the background while the dentist debates his assistant on whether or not Michael J.Fox's wife is really going to leave him.I like my dentist's office + my dentist(just not being there)

"Ahedoheckaheudoooah!"

"What?" he inquires, withdrawing a tortuous looking implement from my mouth.

"I think I'm low and I need to check my blood sugar."

"Go ahead." He patiently waits.

68.

"Yes I'm low I gotta drink juice, sorry!!"

"It's ok, do what you have to do."

Down goes the juice, here comes another cavity! (but I guess dentists have seen it all)

It really goes to show you can't ever just mentally check out and assume you're safe from a low, those lows can come from anywhere and everywhere and you've always got to be on the lookout, check/treat promptly, so they don't turn into major affairs.

On a Friday Streak

On my way out the door this morning, my pump tubing got caught. This was a first- in terms of that this door was the front door and I'd already locked it. I had to leave the pump there, go get my keys from the car, and unlock the door. I wasn't wearing the pump, I've had alot of extreme sensitivity nights and last night I just took it off, it was so impossible to get my blood sugars up. Suffice to say, not a great idea- I still needed some insulin. Fell asleep, woke up high, took a slight bolus and took the pump back off. Woke up 150. Off I went to the infusion center, to get my magnesium infusion and I bolus for breakfast. Dexcom shows a steady trend up to 210,(at the time of bolus)I don't correct for that. Goes up to 300, and then it tanks right on down to 152. For the second time this week, the IV lock comes loose and blood starts to seep into the pillow and blanket. Delightful.(on Monday it blew blood all over the bathroom) Fortuantly, I'm sitting down and it doesn't seep much before a nurse comes to my rescue. This doesn't seem to be my week for luck with IV's and mini IV's.
Anyway, getting back to the blood sugars-I know that bolusing anything at bed is a horrible idea, even if I'm high.(I'll get low) I think I need to cut everything 50% around the board, starting at 11 pm, and post-supper run it on 0% or take my pump off. I'm glad to finally have more sensors, my last bunch expired before I could use them all and I haven't been able to afford any for the past month. CGM's make diabetes so much easier. (goal for new year..get insurance to COVER sensors, a battle I've been too busy to fight) I use my sensors till they absolutely don't work anymore, + get about 2-3x the normal useage out of them. I do get my money's worth but its money that the insurance company should be shelling out, not me.

Friday's Goodie:
(if you're a coffee person- you don't have to be a B&N member to use the coupon)

Have a good weekend,everyone.