Doctor Office Shenanigans

(warning: Rated...don't let your kids watch this!)




Try this the next time you're waiting for your endo.. Funny, between the Socks + Shoes Sign and the thyroid models, I feel right at home!

10 Things on a Tuesday

#1 Had f/u appointment with eye doctor, that went ok.Seems a portion of my vision has reverted back to funky(but it is better then completely funky), and the incision is healing well. And yeah, you can still see the black blob of stitches, those should be absorbed sometime in the next month. With this type of surgery,sometimes you just take what you can get + the eye doc isn't going back in. The surgery corrected 3/4 of the double vision.(which is nice) On the wall of the exam room, there was a framed cross stitch for one of the eye docs.(The Retinopathy guru) That was kind of interesting- perhaps one of his patients was so grateful that he'd saved their vision that they made him that. Another f/u in 3 months. I won't have to have a dilated exam in awhile..as he'd done that(sometimes w/all the drops they put in, its difficult to tell what they're doing)


#2 Marched on down to the cafeteria, where I devoured my very healthy Caesar salad w/no fat dressing + low fat milk. They didn't have any other choices, or you'd have bet I'd chosen them.(like chocolate milk + artery clogging Ranch)Stupid hospital food.

#3 Flirted with the parking garage attandent. (not to worry, he's got grandkids)

#4 Drove across town to the endo's office, where I demanded my a1c results as it's been a month + anyone has yet to call me back/send it in the mail...Nurse promises she'll discuss it today w/my endo,even if she has to spend all day on the intercom.
How am I supposed to work on that a1c,if I don't even know what it is?

#5 Drove to Walmart(oil exchange) + groceries.


Five Things I need to get done today:
- Post office(supply pickup,mail stuff)
- Fax Deltec upgrade + other needed pump stuff to Endocrine(she's gonna hate me, when she gets finished with all of that..)
- Pour Drano down my kitchen sink, and hope that it works(not come bubbling up the garbage disposal)or the landlady will not be happy.
- Continue watching Northern Exposure, Season 6..
- Go to the gym. It's been a solid week, since I've last been. (lazy, lazy me)

Compact vs. Ultra

It was awesome.
It was amazing.
It was about to rock my teenage world.

So, when the CDE handed me an One Touch Ultra,
promising me I'd love it, I took her word for it +
tried it out. After all- it was the era of change, and
I wasn't particularly emotionally attached to my brick
of an AccuChek.
5,4,3,2,1. Whoo Baby, I'm sold. Have 508, have latest
meter-I'm going places.

6 years later,I've pretty much stuck w/my Ultra +
Ultrasmart, tried the Freestyle(and the Cozmo
attachment), but my insurance company doesn't cover
those strips(at all) + I figure, it's not really a
battle worth fighting. I like my Ultras,+ I'm lucky to
have good coverage on them.
Even if I won the (Freestyle strip)appeal, the out of
network copay would still be too expensive for me to
afford..

I've heard of the Accuchek Compact, when I saw a deal
at the local drugstore, I bought it. Yeah, I know
you're NOT supposed to spend any money on a meter but
I'll get the $10 back anyway(mail in rebate). And it
comes with 17 strips. (check out retail strip prices-
+ this is actually cheap...)

Will it be big?
Will it be bulky?
Will it be a blood sucking vampire from the Black
Lagoon?
Will the bg values correlate well to my Ultrasmart?

Check it out:















Not much bigger then an Ultrasmart.(Although, you can't tell that from the picture)

The size of the strips:
(Compact versus Ultra)















And the stabber isn't bad at all- I was able to get a
big enough drop out of the 2nd depth setting. It takes
about half as much blood as the Ultra.

On the back, there's a test strip counter(showing how
many strips are left in that particular drum):















I think this might be a good "work" meter, I'm always
forgetting my lancet device/and/or/strips. All you
have to remember is the meter,and maybe a backup drum
of strips(if the counter is running low that day).
Very convenient.

Ultra vs. Compact:

119 mg/dl- Compact


123 mg/dl- Ultra

On Ebay, strip deals abound, and these are cheaper then many
(100 for under $30) cost wise, it's defiantly a keeper.
Although I am not totally ditching my Ultra, the
Compact may yet find a spot in my heart. This thing is EASY- you just push a button, the strip pops out/meter turns on, you stab your finger, hold it up to the strip + 8 seconds later, there's your reading. Punch the button again-and the strip pops out/meter turns off.

My YouTube attempt

My Time Warp

It was 12 PM all day, according to the work clock.They hadn't switched the time yet, and then the battery died. Highly disconcerting when you just want the day to end..

Straight out of "Scrubs"
(aka "My Monday")

3 AM- Wake up hypo, devour pre-Easter candy, fall back asleep.
5:30 AM-296. Not surprisingly, bolus correction
6:30 AM- 25 carbs(really a light breakfast, all things considered. Bolus for that)
7:30 AM- I'm parched. If I had to guess, I'd say that my blood sugar must be in the upper 400's..but that's impossible, I just bolused for everything. 3 cans of Diet Coke later..
8:30 AM-280. Well, that partially explains it, although I'm not generally this thirsty on a 200's number.
9:30 AM- Rolling nausea, figure my set is probably toast and I should check for ketones. Eat light snack.
9:15 AM- Hypo time. Eat another snack, take light bolus.
10:00 AM- 200. Still feel low. My meter must be lying to me today.
10:30 AM- Supivisor tells me to go to another dept.
11 AM- Get settled in to other dept., commence work.
11:30 AM- Another hypo. AuGggHHHHHHHHHH. Package of yogurt raisens down the hatch.
11:50 AM- Lunch.
Meanwhile, my new coworker is taking bathroom breaks on the half hour, and stays there 10-20 minutes each time so not a great deal is getting done on our end of things. This is because of a hangover, he'd already vomitted in one of the department's trash cans. Supivisor told him that if he goes to the bathroom one more time, he'll have to go home(its been going on all morning.)
So what does he do?
Yep, parks himself right in front of trashcan #2, not 10 feet away from where I'm working, and commences upchucking-going back to work-going back to the trashcan.
Right in front of everyone.
I've had enough of that, I'm just doing most of his job anyway + the department is quickly filled w/the lovely aroma of alcoholic vomit. I inform the supivisor, and the supivisor tells the guy to go home.
Since things still smell pretty aweful, I move to the opposite side of the dept. to try and get away from the smell.
Final Blood Sugar of the Day:
497.
Yay, me.Skip supper,change set, crash into bed.
-------------
I'm going to call about my a1c results, they still haven't gotten here + I figure the week couldn't be any worse anyway.
Today's Agenda:
Dentist.
At least it's a balmy 70 degrees outside.

Breaking the Silence

Youtube has alot of whacko D videos, but there are some pretty interesting/informative ones on there.

I'm in the mood for Blog(ging)

Computer update: Still on the fritz, I think it's due to a virus. My computer is so buggy(and slow) it's only a matter of time before it dies entirely.

7 things to do before I die:

#1 Get an a1c under 7.
#2 Finish up my RN degree.
#3 Travel the world- go scuba diving off Australia, skiing in the Alps, and mosquito-slapping in the Amazon.
#4 Finish my book.
#5 Find the right guy..get married, have 2-3 kids. (or more)
#6 Donate blood 100+ times.
#7 Be a contestant on Jeopardy. Man, I would so love to be on there...

7 things I CANNOT do:

#1 Cook
#2 Be organized.
#3 Disregard moral views, for the sake of anyone. Not even for a cure.
#4 Understand why supposidly wonderful parents smoke around their kids.
#5 Enjoy minus zero degree temperatures.
#6 Stop wishing for a cure.
#7 Play basketball, I'm just too short.


7 things that attract me to men:

#1 All men(present company excluded) are scum, and I'd rather not discuss the 7 most important(nonexistent) qualities at the moment. Or perhaps its the fact that I must be the anti-thesis(whatever)
to those 7 most important characteristics.

7 things I say:
#1 Alrighty, then.
#2 Hey you!
#3 Oh puh-lease.
#4 Been there, done that.
#5 Way to go.
#6 Do I look stupid?
#7 Crud.

7 Books that I recommend:
#1 Whatever you want, it's fine with me. I haven't read 7 books in the past year- I'm not much of a reader.
7 Movies that I like:
#1 The Sound of Music
#2 Ladder 49
#3 Cars
#4 Flightplan
#5 Catch Me if you Can
#6 The Notebook
#7 Yours, Mine, and Ours
------------------------------------------------


SUPPORT THE FAIRTAX! (the only way we'll be able to pay for SS and the rest of those 'essential' government programs)

Destination: Weekend

Eight Tips to Appearing on TV

(inspired by the D-life Nose-Picker Episode)
#1. Don't pick your nose. Seriously. A million people are watching you, even if you're in the studio audience + think no one could possibly be videocamering you. IT WILL COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU.
#2 And if you do pick your nose, do so in a delicate manner. Use a tissue, and make it appear as if you are just blowing your snozz, not digging it.
#3 Don't faint.This is easier (to do)then you may realize, and at times you will feel like there is no possible way that you're going to survive a minute longer. Take a deep breath, smile, and relax. Nothing lasts forever. If you faint, the first thing you'll be hearing is "Are you LOW?"
#4 Make sure you get the ok from a responsible adult, before you inflict your clothing choices on the tender eyes of a waiting nation. You may think you look like hot stuff-meanwhile, by the end of the night, your family has completely disowned you.
#5 Do not snort, guffaw, burp, wheeze, or make any other disgusting body sounds. (at least not when the camera is on you.)
#6 Do not say UHHHHHH. This does not sound intelligent, and does not convince anyone that you deserve to be up there. (this also goes for radio, from personal experience)
#7 Keep talking, even if you have nothing more(on the subject) to say.Bluffing always works.
#8 Do not, if you check your blood sugar on tv, suck the blood off your finger. Most non-D people will vomit, and even some PWD's might be shell shocked.
----------------
It's been an interesting week, my computer has some serious problems.(attempting to sign in to my gmail account, the page keeps refreshing in an endless loop) WHY???(please help me, computers are not my forte) Hence, I am writing this at the library.
And on the Ebay front, I have had it with one of my buyers, went and left negative feedback. For doing this,I am (no doubt) a nasty,horrible, non-understanding person. This makes the 3rd negative feedback I've ever left, (in 7 years) I am usually fairly understanding about these things + don't wish to scar another's FB reputation. I would want someone to do the same for me.
1 month.
2 invoices + 5 emails.
No response from buyer.
File NPB(non-paying bidder) report.
1 week.
Buyer emails that they'll pay me soon.
Respond, ok. 5 days.
Email buyer.
4 days.
No response. Give up, leave negative feedback. I've had it with this guy.
Buyer sends payment that evening. WHATTTT? Now I feel somewhat guilty, as I just neg'd him. Annoyed, because this is just too draining + he's saying he never even knew he won the auction. Refund payment.I'm not dealing with this.
2 days later... Buyer emails, asks for item(gift certificate code). Says he payed.
Email buyer-inform him that payment was returned, check email(s) for reason why.
Close NPB dispute. Now I'm thinking that I may have been a bit too rough on someone who obviously is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.(doesn't check email,paypal,or My Ebay..hmmm) Either that,or he has a good reason for lying. He had a good fb record(short as it was)till it came to this transaction. If he negs me, it would be highly unbelievable as I've got a perfect record + have been around much longer then he has. Ahh, the joys.
The research study check finally came(at just the right time, dude,I thought I'd have to take a trip to Turkey + sell a kidney) I'm pretty happy about that. It's nice when stuff actually
comes on time.
On Monday, my first intelligent action of the day was to break off a windshield wiper on the ice-so I can't go anywhere till it quits raining. Highly inconvenient.(supposed to be a nice weekend,though) I also set fire to my breakfast (in the microwave), and dropped a 30 lb.wooden pallet on my right foot so it was a fairly disastrous day.
Today was pretty interesting- I got to see someone giving just plasma. (at the blood donor center) It looked like a regular IV bag of fluids. (plasma is the clear, watery part of the blood) Plasma, unlike other blood components, can be frozen/saved for up to a year (for use in vaccines,etc.) so its pretty unusual stuff. Their donation took awhile, though(more then the 30 minutes I was there). PWD's aren't allowed to give anything except whole blood(believe me,I've asked) something about reduced immunity + the IV dextrose they give(for one of those special donations). Such is the policy at that blood center. So I just gave #32, and watched them. I guess whole blood donations are enough of a challenge, they could be right(who knows how taking specialized components might screw up a PWD) . Oh well.
Have a great weekend, everyone.

Purple Top

Psst. Hey, you.

Yeah, you. 3rd from the bottom, over 2.

This is your ex-speaking. I know we haven't been on real good terms lately, but I could never
dump you entirely. Every day, I still hope for the impossible. You were such a big part of me.
And for one magical day, you were at your best and I was a star.

I have just one small request...

Could you pleazzzzzzzzzzze come back under 8? That isn't asking for much. And it would
make me more motivated to reach my OC Goal.

My endo has hope, says that one bad patch won't necessarily screw up any chances of that
happening. But I look at the logbook, and can only hope that the number of lows will cancel out
the number of highs + it won't come back worse then last time.

But if that doesn't happen...

I need a plan. A plan to aggressively treat those highs. A plan to NOT spend overnight in the 200's.(as Scott pointed out, that's a third of the day right there) And accountability to someone, checking in numbers ever so often. And lastly, I need to be changing my infusion set every 3 days, not 6. That might help.

So Purple Top, if you do your job, I'll do mine. I promise.

The Dark Side

Deep, dreamless sleep.
Abrupt ascent back towards reality...
I was thinking about oxygen,and it's over already?

"You're awake,c'mon, let's get a sugar."
Darn. How do they always know?
Can't a person catch a few more ZZ's?
Ok, 357. Infusion set is probably dead,
as I bolused a correction prior to surgery.
Request 5 units IV,
which isn't a major deal(Anesthesiologist quickly approves)

I'll never join the dark side, never!!!!!
"It is your destiny- especially if you keep running blood sugars like that,"
Darth Surgeon drily remarks.
I want to say something, like shut up you idiot..I just had surgery, what do you expect?
but I think my (listening)parent would be overly shocked/horrified if I said that. Besides, it's not nice to insult the person who just did surgery on you, even if it's true.
Open eye. "Surgery isn't exactly conducive to normal blood sugars, you know."
That was ok, just the right touch of overt sarcasm mixed with the stinging overlay of truth. And really not that rude, either...
"Yes, but if you go on like that, etc...."
I've heard enough, time to tune out. Close eye. Everyone's an expert in Endocrinology. If
you think you can do better, you're more then welcome to get a pancreotomy and see what
a total joyride diabetes is.

4 PM-Clinic time, time for the grand ripping off of the patch.
And, wow. Never seen that before, door and wall melt into one fantastic 3-D image. The door is covering the entire wall-yet it is on top of it. I was expecting something of the sort, so its not overly freaky.
"Ok, we've got that wayyy overcorrected, I see." Adjust a few stitches.

Things are looking straight again. Stagger off for an eye test, just to make sure things are good before the surgeon cuts the stitches. Pass eye test. Come out of test room, fall face first onto carpet. Maybe its the anesthesia that's making me so loopy, but stuff is periodically doubling every few feet + I'm not used to this. I'm ok, just dizzy. Get transported to exam room + scowling resident checks my blood pressure. "You're fine." I don't think he enjoys checking blood pressures.
Surgeon comes back in. Resident holds me down, while surgeon sets to work adjusting the stitches. The drops + tears flood down my face, run down the back of my throat, numbing my tongue, while it's tie, snip, and adjust to the perfect specifications. Cataract surgery was such a cakewalk, this is so differant. Surgeon says stuff might still double off/and on for the next few days, thats normal.
Geez. It's finally over. Finally, finally over. Eye is doing ok, the last of the anesthestics have exited my system + my blood sugars are (kind of)back on earth. I wasn't back to work the day after,though. I need to wear sunglasses-coworkers have been asking me A. who beat me up and B. do I have pinkeye. It isn't looking too pretty yet.
And why do Endocrine appointments always seem to fall on highly atypical blood sugar weeks?
(Either you've got really awesome #'s, or everything is complete crud + you're asking yourself where the heck you begin with it all..)
I don't wanna go, but I guess I gotta.

Presidential (Day) Treatment

Early Afternoon....
Caller ID: Unknown flashes across the screen, but I know exactly who's calling, and that I'll have to call them back ASAP.(whether I want to or not) At least they waited till a respectible time, not during the church service, so there won't be any prompted jokes about phone calls from Heaven later on.

"Hi, it's X, checking back about the message you left."

"6 AM-Surgical Family Suites, nothing to eat after midnight. You're his first patient of the day."

Surgical Family Suites, what an utterly stupid name for the most unromantic of places. It's raw guts and blood, not flowers, champeigne, and nurses dabbing at your fevered brow(whensoever you wish it)

But on the plus side, diabetes has, once again, secured the coveted
lets-just-get-this-over-with-NOW spot in line. Even if I'm not on shots. Even if I'm perfectly able to adjust basal rates + keep things in check.

I'm of the opinion, that 99% of surgeries should be spur of the moment decisions, so that one doesn't have the time to obsessivly worry about it. The longer you have to think about it, the less likely you are to go through with it.. We've talked about it. And talked about it. And talked about it some more. We've been discussing it for over 2 years.And I'm still not sure I'm going to go through with it.

Because its my eye. And the consent form you sign, lists every known complication in the book. Anything could happen. But to be able to back up a car, judge periphial blobs, and to know the differance between a D thing versus weird eye thing would be great. (weird eye thing is NOT diabetes related)

When I am very nervous, I can only do two things...

Clean:

Cook + Eat:

Perhaps it all makes up for post-surgery, when all you want to do is sleep. Hopefully, I will be back to work the next day, but it depends on whether they can get it right the first time + not have to reoperate.

------------------
Just a reminder.. Tues, Feb. 20 is International Pancake Day. Go to IHOP, and score a free shortstack. (if you're so inclined)

We Didn't Start the Fire(revised)

Nicole Johnson, Gary Hall, Endo Conferance in Krakow

Banting, Best, and Collins too-Got my D News from The View

Sutherland, Elvis P, All the news at CWD

Atkins, cals, and carb counting; Elliott Yamin sure can sing

Brett Michals, Team Type 1 ; A women’s work is never done

Ketostix, DKA- that is all I did today!

Glucose tabs, jelly beans, Holy Cow I’m hypoing

Glucagon +vomitting, Wish I understood this thing

Dextrose drip, needles, pain; yeah by now I’m quite insane...

ADA , BGAT, BMI (you’re way too fat)

Terroism all the time; syringes on an airline

Panic Room, ER, Check before you drive your car

NPH, urine test, Now we’ve got the very best

Marathons and Ironmen, alcohol and even gin

Lantus, Novo, CGM- Let’s go workout at the gym

Resolutions in the air, C’mon take the OC Dare!

We didn't start the fire

It just started burning

And our world's been churning

We didn’t start the fire

No we didn't light it

But we sure do fight it.

A1cs go over 8, Complications crowd your plate

Joslin, juice, a future mate; diabetes on a date

"Forecast" in ‘48, Diagnosed in ‘98

Wishin’ I could wipe this slate; till it becomes too late!

Ebay, spark of sunshine in your day

Marriage, love and kids too- don’t let "D" define you

On my honor, Dead in Bed, R is for the color Red

Quilt for Life, jobs + more, diabetes is a chore

Wish I had a million bucks, help to pay for all this stuff!

Basal rates, bolusing, meters really aren’t my thing

Test strips flying everywhere; here’s some coke, I wanna share..

Drama in the workplace, curious about blood’s taste..

Insulin (the golden Key)

Cataracts, surgery; glasses aren’t enough for me

Floaters, bleeds, Retin-o-P

Drops and doctors tinkering, Now my kidneys go ka-ching..

We didn’t start the fire

No, we didn’t light it, but we sure did fight it

We didn’t start the fire

But when we’re gone

will it still go on, and on, and on, and on..

(till there’s a cure?)

Pizza for V-Day

(No, this isn't a romantic post. Not even close..sigh. So if you were expecting one, I apologize.)

My car sat in the driveway, encased in two solid inches of sheetrock ice. This wouldn't be so bad if the temperature were higher...but at 10 degrees, any water I might use to thaw things out would likely freeze, not melt, the ice.
One lovely, frozen blob.
I didn't have 2 hours to make a decision, I had exactly one hour to make it to work, and the state of the roads were likely trecherous anyway. So I bundled up, slipped on my bright green(hidiously ugly) safety vest, and waddled out for the early morning workout. The roads were just as bad as I'd assumed they'd be.
30 minutes later, I arrived at work, sweating profusely despite the frigid temperatures. About 50 other people made it in...this out of 800. Much to my dissapointment, the walk didn't budge my high bg one iota so I still had to bolus extra.
Ah, work. They've only closed their doors once in 22 years of operation, and that only because the state police came in and made them do it. (there was 2 feet of water outside) State of emergencies hardly matter to them.
Anyway, they gave us a big pizza party at lunch...for being such dedicated little employees, and that was good. Almost made it worth it.
Coworker gave me a ride home, so I didn't have to walk back. Went to work on my car, discovered that the state inspection expired in Jan. (I probably wouldn't have noticed that till March, otherwise), freaked a bit, but because the vast majority of my vehicle is still covered in ice, I doubt the cops will notice(and I can get it taken care of quickly).
Happy V-day,everyone.

The Gray Ribbon

Found this poem on CWD, and there doesn't seem to be any copyrights on it( it was written by a kid). Anyway, it got me all choked up, tearyeyed, and all of that. It deserved a spot on the JDRF crosstitch. Said cross stitch is nowhere near completion, I wanted to put all three pumps/2007 calander/other things and a border around it, the only other thing I've done so far is the outline of a pump. I use a computer program(PC Stitch) to put the picture on a pattern and then print it out- I'm way too dumb to not plan it all out before hand. Free-Stitching is not a good idea, when you're doing counted cross stitch. I have ruined many a piece doing that. (yanking/cutting threads out repeatidly gives it a worn look)
It (hopefully) will look better, once I complete, wash, iron, and frame the thing. (doesn't look like much now)
There probably will be a cure, by the time I get this thing finished.

Today is not Your Day

(and tomarrow isn't looking very hopeful, either!)

I am so over trying to be helpful, it just gets me in trouble. Reps(reputation points) down on Slickdeals- + nasty comments from a coworker(after I'd worked hard 6 hours, finally getting all the old orders out) and when I got to do an easy order...about "cherry picking." Thanks, folks, I love ya too. No, I will not be volunteering for 5 hours of similar bliss on Sat. morning. Just seems like everything I've done lately, has come back completely screwed up(and would have been better if I hadn't gotten involved)

And my diabetes doesn't take to "being fixed" either...
this morning, further attempts to figure out the (Morning) Continuous Hypo Saga(w/out going high) weren't overly
successful:
6:11-115
8:37-157
10:54-228
12:09-148
1:52 pm-312
4:23 pm-286
6:08 pm- 167
10: 29 pm- 89
This morning, I'd cut the basal down to 0.2 between 6am-1 pm, which prevented me from the 8:30 hypo- so, I'd put a temp rate of 0.0 from 10-11 am, trying to prevent any pre-lunch hypos as well. I'm pretty sensitive during this time. Well, that was obviously a bad idea, promptly skyrocketed to 228 so I bolused 1 unit and continued the 0.0 rate, continuing to be cautious. I dropped 80 points on that, about twice as much as I had expected(I'm glad I was cautious). Conservativly bolused for lunch(not enough), had to correct at 4:30. Supper was late(went out to eat, restaurunt was busy) and though the SWAG bolus was obviously enough, I still have a unit of insulin floating around so I'll have to put on a 2 hour temp rate(0.0) and check at least once tonight(overnight basil needs tweaking down as well) to make sure I don't get low.
I really wish this were easier. With a $5,000 pump- it should be!

Secrets of the (Perfect) A1C Revealed

I've got this nagging feeling that I have, at some (extremily distant)moment in the past, already posted this but I can't find it in the draft box- so I'll just do it again.

How to Find Your Dream Hba1c:
(shamelessly stolen from Reality Check)

1. Think of a number between 1-10.

2. Add 80. (What your endo charges for a 5 minute consultation)

3. Multiply by 25. (How long you've had to wait for that 5 minute consultation)

4. Add 5 if you've already had your D day this year(D-day, day you were diagnosed) or 4 if it's still to come. (The time of the year you were diagnosed affects your Hba1c..as does Jupitors position in the southern sky in relation to the the constellation depicting the Norse Thunder god)

5. Take away the year you were diagnosed. (For determining the style of torture-er-treatment you were subjected to, in the early years of your D)

6. Add 160. (Cost of 2 bottles Novolog-if you go to the cheapo pharmacy..)

7. Take away the number of full years you've had D. (Either very important or completely irrelevant when it comes to working out your chance of complications, depending on who you talk to)

8. Divide by 5. (How far away the cure was, when you were first diagnosed)

9. Take away 4. (The average number of injections the standard pen/injection user goes through each day)

10. Divide by 5. (How far away the cure STILL is...)

11. Take away the number you first thought of. (Because there are some tasks that make no sense, but you still have to do them)

And please post your results..
(My dream a1c=5.4, a number I'll likely never see)

Mi Pequeño Amigo

My backup meter has suddenly switched to Spanish...















And I have no clue how to get it back. The following menus are in Spanish- of which, I know approximently five words.("La Bomba" being two of them)It doesn't change the outcome, still reads in mg/dl, and on the plus side, I'm learning sooo much(that could come in handy, some day). "Aplique Sangre" sounds much more cultured then "Apply Blood."

Your Endo: Your Friend

On some level, there's something just unnaturally odd about an endocrinologist going to see another endocrinologist for diabetes. I mean, if you're an endocrinologist, you've been there, done it, and got the tshirt. You've been dubbed an official member of the Cool Kid's Club, and you know more about the disease then the average PWD could learn in five lifetimes. Why on earth should you consult anyone, when you're the expert yourself?

There's a medical saying, that the disease you choose to specialize in will be the disease that ultimately kills you. Whether you had it to begin with, or if, after x number of years on the job it finally becomes yours, there's some truth in that statement. Doctors make lousy patients.
If you're having a seizure or heart attack or whatever, though, it really doesn't matter WHAT you are, you'd better put your pride on the back burner and get the appropriate medical help. But with diabetes, it's different- most of it is self management, and the rest of it is being passed around to other various specialites. Diabetes is so many differant diseases.
What an endocrinologist really does, is try and help you address all those dramatic sidetrips into other parts of the body, along with said pancreotic issues. If you were an endo w/diabetes, all the basic medical tests + such could be done by a general practitioner who'd be in such awe of your hiarchial rank that he'd leave the diabetes well enough alone. Of course, you still need a doctor but it wouldn't need to be another endo.

There is an exception to this, though(the need for an endo, reason #2) one I didn't realize till I was in that situation. If you're ever admitted to a teaching hospital, and you don't have an endo, you're fair game for anything- whereas, if said endo is one of the top spokes in the Endocrine Dept., suddenly, they'll be alot more respectful(the OMG, this is one of Dr. X's patients! response) of you, and your diabetes. Never underestimate an endo's power toward decent diabetes care, when you, as a patient, can't change anyone's mind. And I imagine this applies to any patient-whether or not you're also an MD is of no consequence. I am grateful for my endo, and thankful that she can help in such situations that warrant rank over idoicy. So, everyone w/D should have an endo..when it comes to situations like that, although if your primary care doctor can also pull off that, they'll do too. Point is, you need an advocate, one with power.

It's bitterly cold this weekend, as in most other parts of the country. With the windchill, -10 degrees, and I realize I should be grateful for this(you guys up north are probably seeing -30's + other insane temps)
but I just want to get back to the good o'le 40's, I can't believe how warm it once was. (just 2 weeks ago!) I WANT SPRING. I've been pretty lazy this week, though I went to the gym twice, I basically just existed + walked on the treadmill at a snail's pace until my SIL was ready to go and I'm ashamed of that. The 500's number (Wed.) was compliments of my infusion set, which had fallen out during the research study(and I didn't realize it till 4 pm). It didn't come completely down + ketone free till 10 AM the next morning, and I took FMLA time for that too. Also something I felt guilty about, but I made up for it by working today.

Chocolate, Vanilla, or Strawberry?

Three Choices.




Lined up before me like a hepatatic glucose-producing smorgasboard, it was time to make a decision. And be quick about it- as my stomach demanded some sort of instant caloric appeasement. (fasting for 9 hours prior)

" Heidi?" Gabrielle, the research nurse, was waiting for my decision.

"Strawberry." The only one I've never tried(you know, this is a popular drink at ADA + other diabetes conventions) and thus, the only one I don't automatically hate.

"Strawberry it is. Want a cup- or will it be straight out of the bottle?"

"Bottle's fine." She comes back in, carrying 2 bottles of water. Unscrew. Hold nose. Take swig.
Emi, the other nurse, glances across the room. "Why are you holding your nose?"
"Tastes bad. I can't stand nutitional drinks."
"Really- most people say it tastes pretty good."
(I have my own theries about those types of people, but I keep those opinions to myself)
"Not me, I'm afraid." Down rest of bottle, take 3 swigs water.

"So, what's her glucose now?"
"Starting glucose was 174. We need to get this IV access (thingie) in."

Poke around on left arm. Poke around on right arm. Encase right arm in hot water balloon(gloves). Go back to right arm. Blow elbow vein. Go to left arm, blow hand vein. Call in reinforcements.
Senior nurse walks in.
"Ach, I remember you- you're the gel who ran over the poor cow." (driving simulator, several years ago)
"Yeah, that's right." Laugh. "I'm a much better driver, now,though."
Back to the right arm. Try for hand vein. Meanwhile, Gabrielle is poking my finger for a blood sugar and the onslaught of both arms seeing painful action is having me do cartwheels in the bed. "Just calm down, you're ok."
I am not ok. I am in pain...
Senior nurse gets it in. Do blood draw #1. "That should do it, dear, but don't you move a muscle. Hear?"
"Yes."

3o minutes later- time for the next blood draw. More trouble on the access site. Heparin flush- call other reinforcements back in. Poke needle back in left arm. Give up on left arm- go back to failed hand site and get that one to work.
2 more blood draws, both non eventful.

Research coordinator shows up and congradulates me on my starting blood sugar of the morning. (124) Apparently, some people are on their 4th time at coming in for this, because their morning blood glucoses refuse to cooperate(most too high). One guy, was 320 coming in,
they tried for an hour to get him down(via exercise) but he only dropped 10 points. The research doctor, apparently, was upset over that..

Final blood glucose- 390. Ah, the joy (apparently, I have no residual cpeptide production) Bolus well for that, eat provided lunch. Fill out pay forms. Turn in meter/pda to be downloaded. RC gives me some more strips/lancets to keep me going for a little while. D studies are sporadic things.

It is not such a horrible thing to be a guinea pig, if you can ignore the aftermath. You get to lie in bed, watch tv, and chug down Aqua while making bouques of moolah. Beats my job, any day.

Your research dollars at work. (Thank you, thank you very much!)

3 PM- I'm now 523 mg/dl, have the mother of all migraines, and after I take a shot, am going to bed. I can figure out what is going on later(I changed the set last night, and it worked like an utter charm all night, this is utterly ridiculous).

A Mother's Wish