"Sorry I'm late," I mumble, as the RC's face lights up and she exclaims,"There she is!"(telephone in hand) It's 6:15, and I'm pushing the limits of having to reschedule the entire thing.
"Well, you are coming from far away-it's ok."
"Traffic was bad..."
"Don't worry about it."
Uncerimoniously dump overnight bag on floor, go off with nurse to have vital signs checked. 10 minutes later, time for blood sugar test(and supper). Sign RC's second consent form and she takes off for 3 weeks of blissful undisturbed solitude somewhere in the country of Spain. Well deserved(I might add), if I had to work nights and weekends I'd be ready for such a vacation too. Nurse puts in IV access #1, draws blood, lets me know my bg(167) and supper arrives.
Lemon pudding
1/2 baked potato
broccoli
steak strips
diet lemon lime soft drink
"I've got to see you bolus for it," the nurse announces, firmly.
"WhaaaTTTT? You mean, all at once? Can't I split it up?"
"No, Dr. A. said you've got to bolus for all of it at one time."
This isn't good, my body isn't going to take to well to 9 units hitting En Masse,Immeadiente. I would do it if the endo were here, but she's not. I don't know if this nurse can handle hypoglycemia-I envision getting low,overeating,and skyrocketing from all the supper carbs catching up. I don't really need that (on the eve of the research study).
But I can't very well refuse. I bolus, she nods her approval, and I proceed to inhale my supper at warp speed. Pudding, potato,broccoli, steak. And juice, because I still think I'm going to get low.
At 9 pm, the resident doc comes in, gives me my black Cozmo, inserts the Guardian sensor into my abdomen, enters the first bg.(124) At 11:15, she enters the 2nd bg(130) and the numbers start appearing on the screen. I watch them march steadily upward till 12(170), and fall asleep.
3 am- "Wake up, you're high. Dr. A. wants you to bolus 2 units."
4 am- Something is shrieking, and I know its not my pump.(or rather, their pump)It sounds very simular to a dead battery alarm(on the Cozmo), but it has to be the Guardian. Flip light switch. Yeah, my sensor is having connectivity problems.(I forget the exact term) Notify nurse, turn off the alarm somehow.Clip the Guardian directly over the abdominal sensor. Sleep well, little one.
6 AM-"Wake up, you're still high.Dr. A wants you take another unit."
I bolus, resume slumber.
6:30 AM- More blood, another IV access put in. Give up on getting any more sleep.
7 AM- BG check(160)
7:15 AM-150
7:30 AM-142
7:45 AM-136
8 AM- Everyone's there by now: the endo,2 vampire nurses, blood runner, person running bg machine, and the graduate student.
"Morning, Heidi.You were sort of high last night- what's your basal?"
"O.6."
"The nurse has got 0.5 on here." She glances down, puzzled. "Are you sure?"
"That's what its supposed to be since 6 AM- 0.6. I haven't checked it on this pump."
"Give me your pump." She reviews the basal profile. "Oh, this is programmed for PM, not AM."
"You mean I've been getting the wrong rates since 9 PM?? No wonder I'm high, 0.2 units/hr is NOT me at 1 AM. I have pretty strong dawn phenomenon."
"She must have got them mixed up."
Great. Thank you, Dr.K.
"You're fine now, 130. We're going to try to keep you at that till exercise. We'll turn off your basal rates, and give you frequent boluses based on the algorithms."
This incites a small pandimonium as everyone has to adjust their timing to the time of the caught mistake. Takes a good 30 minutes to get straight.
Bg stays a nice 120-130 till 9:30, when the breakfast(1/2 bagel,a few scrambled eggs) sends it up to 190(despite an adequate bolus)
The nurse slides the needle into the port, fills a tube, discards that, fills another one-squirts it into small vial,caps it off, and yells "Bullet!" to the runner. That's my blood, headed to the bg machine. A bullet of blood. (Weird what they call some things)Two more tubes, get stuck in a container of ice to test endogenous and exogenous insulin levels. Every five minutes, till 1 am.
Time to calibrate the Guardian.
One Touch Ultra-170
Hospital machine-130
Guardian-80
Lovely, it's at least 50+ points off.I'm not sure what I am, now-I leave it to the endo to decide that. She feels that putting the One Touch bg in the Guardian, will at least get it closer to the actual bg.
The hours pass, and "Top Chef" marathon fills the time. Unfortuantly, my bg isn't going down(stays near 200) and I have the urge to shoot a good 3 units but I'm not allowed to do that. It is stress that keeps at that range, despite frequent small boluses of 0.2-0.4 units.I'm not sure that Dr.A realizes that IOB isn't accurate,I don't think there's any insulin left(based on my bg not going down). I sure won't go low doing this. El Guardian has me in the 110-130 range, I want to shoot the thing.(I know I'm near 200,heck,I'm thirsty) Dr.K.shows up. I try not to think about food, but the food on "Top Chef" looks SO good. When my 4-H group took a tour of the Washington DC Culinary Arts School(and were subsequently cooked an exquisite dinner, I couldn't tell that it was cooked by students(it was all awesome). I know I have an untrained palate, but I think the judges on those shows are pretty rough on the contestants(it doesn't taste like compost,I'm sure).
1 pm- blood draws decrease to every 10 minutes.
1:30 pm-Exercise prep time. Strap on STS polar moniter, chest leads. Go down the hall to exercise room.Exercise physiologists show up.Attach leads to machine.
2 pm-2:45 pm.Ride exercise bike. Somehow survive.(the seat is hard,the moniter tight, and the room is about a million degrees)Definatly the worst part.
3 pm- Just an hour remaining. Graduate student leaves. Bg checks every 10 minutes. We continue watching Hour #6 of "Top Chef", having run out of things to talk about.(Weather, Weddings, and Whatever Else having been discussed Ad Nauseum)
4 pm- Dinner arrives.(salad,fruit salad, rice/mixed veggies, chicken, diet Lemon Lime) Despite being starved, its still way too much food! Food person asks me if I'd like some dessert. I cast a wary glance in the direction of the medical professionals and reply that fruit is a perfectly fine dessert. No one believes me, so they ask again later on, but I don't particurally like pound cake so I decline. Finish dinner, review discharge sheets, remove hardware.(it wasn't so hard giving up a Guardian that wasn't very accurate).
I'm not an expert, but I think if it had be calibrated more often it would have been closer to the actual bg. I also expected to see more numbers, not just a line and one bg on the screen. I think I'd like to try a Dexcom(I have no idea how, though,my D clinic doesn't have any) The Guardian, didn't exactly live up to my expectations.
The amount of blood taken(overall) was as much as a standard blood donation, so I can't give for a couple of months.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Youtube(How to test your cat)
I found this to be quite informative-heck, I don't know much about diabetic animals.
The only time I ever anything to do with one was during a brief summer job
stint in a vet's office.(and that was just checking the urine for sugar) I think
that animals,like humans,deserve better then that!
(and what do you feed a hypoing cat,anyway?)
The only time I ever anything to do with one was during a brief summer job
stint in a vet's office.(and that was just checking the urine for sugar) I think
that animals,like humans,deserve better then that!
(and what do you feed a hypoing cat,anyway?)
Friday, September 21, 2007
3,2,1- outta here
It is over.
(Thank God)
That's all I have to say about that for the present, I am exausted. CGMS certainly was nothing like I'd expected.
(Thank God)
That's all I have to say about that for the present, I am exausted. CGMS certainly was nothing like I'd expected.
Monday, September 17, 2007
A Freudian Self- Analysis
I had a dream last night
Dreaming about tomarrow.
And while the needle, jammed into my flesh
Demands that fantasy, mix with pain
I'll still believe in Tomarrow.
Bittersweet, this nightly transendence
Into the mind's eye
Leaving the cares, the sorrows, the tears behind
However briefly.
But dreams don't stop reality from rushing in
Like an icy wave, slapping against the naked chest
Taking your breath away.
Wide awake- the pain now has a name
An infusion set gone south.
Yank cannula from leg,
And as bright red blood spurts against the once-white sheets
(Old Faithful-look at that gusher!!!)
the stress of the dream melts away.
Well, since I'm already awake, might as well check the o'le blood sugar
After changing the bedclothes.
No high, no low, graces that early morning scene.
132 mg/dl- precisely where it should be.
And yet, I marvel at the abilitity of diabetes
To steal shut-eye in another unusual way.
Sometimes, I know I have diabetes (in my dreams)
it manifests itself by frantic eating (lows)
and drinking water (highs)
Some weird form of ESP, no doubt
but this dream was just a sense of un-nameable pain
that I couldn't fix, couldn't help, couldn't wake up from.
I think that dreams,(be they subconsious, or conscious) in general, must cope with
said "thorns in the flesh"
reality bites, but life's like that.
They must coexist- you may never be a millionaire, might not make it to 100.
(statistically speaking,just not likely to happen)
Yin and Yang- pleasure and pain.
Because you can't stop dreaming, even if you wanted to.
Dreaming about tomarrow.
And while the needle, jammed into my flesh
Demands that fantasy, mix with pain
I'll still believe in Tomarrow.
Bittersweet, this nightly transendence
Into the mind's eye
Leaving the cares, the sorrows, the tears behind
However briefly.
But dreams don't stop reality from rushing in
Like an icy wave, slapping against the naked chest
Taking your breath away.
Wide awake- the pain now has a name
An infusion set gone south.
Yank cannula from leg,
And as bright red blood spurts against the once-white sheets
(Old Faithful-look at that gusher!!!)
the stress of the dream melts away.
Well, since I'm already awake, might as well check the o'le blood sugar
After changing the bedclothes.
No high, no low, graces that early morning scene.
132 mg/dl- precisely where it should be.
And yet, I marvel at the abilitity of diabetes
To steal shut-eye in another unusual way.
Sometimes, I know I have diabetes (in my dreams)
it manifests itself by frantic eating (lows)
and drinking water (highs)
Some weird form of ESP, no doubt
but this dream was just a sense of un-nameable pain
that I couldn't fix, couldn't help, couldn't wake up from.
I think that dreams,(be they subconsious, or conscious) in general, must cope with
said "thorns in the flesh"
reality bites, but life's like that.
They must coexist- you may never be a millionaire, might not make it to 100.
(statistically speaking,just not likely to happen)
Yin and Yang- pleasure and pain.
Because you can't stop dreaming, even if you wanted to.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
CGMS & ME ( Part II)
The piece of black leather lies lifeless before me, waiting to be cut, shaped, and sewn into some useful accessory.
"Think of what features you'd like to have, and incorporate those impulses. Experiment, have fun!" the group leader's voice inflects wildly, attempting
to channel her excessive charisma into group spirit.
I sigh heavily- the materials I have aren't sparking any creative genius.(as of yet)
Perhaps I should check out what other people are doing, it may give me a few ideas.
To my left, a teenager has ditched Project #1 entirely and is now meticulously arranging minuscule red and white sequins in an American Flag pattern.(to be applied to Project #2) Cute, but I think I'm a little old for decorations of that nature. And across the table, an engineer dad is building his pre-teen son the best sample pump case I've ever seen-ever bit as good as the real thing.(side packs,able to stand up on the table by itself) None of us can match that, least of all me. This session(in Friends 4 Life,2007) is not exactly the most popular, only about 15 people in the room. We are the ones who chose this class by process of elimination(Carb Counting 101, "Strike the Spike", and Managing Diabetes During Sick Days were not really something we'd wanted to sleep through for the next 2 hours). Few of us have much of an idea of what we're actually supposed to be doing. In the absence of inspiration, I leave Project #1 and go to Project #2(decorating the provided nylon clip-on case) I boldly apply red and green fabric paint, and leave it to dry.5 minutes later, I knock the case on the floor and it smears together into a Impressionalistic, Picasso wanna-be creation. Rather then start over, I just back to Project #1- decorating obviously just isn't my thing.
The teenager, 3/4's done with applying the decorations on her own case, looks over at mine.
"Can I see yours?"
"I dropped it on the floor," I reply, showing it to her."Not going to do it over."
Predictably, she isn't impressed, and returns to her own work.
Now to think of what I want in a pump case...
Material: Leather. Gotta be durable.
Color: Black. I don't like wild stuff.
Style: Waist-pouch. I don't have any, and on certain occasions it would come in
handy.
Other features: Clear plastic over the case, so I can see through to bolus/change
basils.Zippered pull. Monogrammed.
I can't design, and I can't draw, but between the sheet of paper and crudely constructed prototype, I manage to convey my wishes. I include my phone # though(just in case they have questions).
Several months later..
Tues., Sep.4. I return from my holiday travels to find a large package from Pump Wear sitting on my front porch. Rip it open, and there it, the case I designed! Not exactly(no monogram) but I'm pleased that A. they sent it and B. it looks pretty good, for something I created. Just what I want. The case, slides around on the belt. And it will come in really handy for the below scenario.It's functional, and that's precisely what I want.
------------------
Friday, was the initial meeting at the RC(Research Center), about 3:30 pm. Stuff was winding down for the weekend, and I was the last scheduled patient. The nurse took all the standard vital signs and EKG and then, the research coordinator came in to go over the entire consent form. Since they changed the amount of blood drawn from 18, to 19 tablespoons they have to make up an ENTIRELY new consent form(also to be signed). Seems pretty stupid to me,but I don't make the rules. Well, I discovered that graduate students are going to be suggesting my insulin doses based on their algorithmic models-which will either be accepted/rejected by the study physician, I'm still not to enthralled by the whole idea. She'll probably be pressured to accept at least some of their calculations,(part of the point of the study) and I'll go low and have to chug juice. Whereas, last time I was in blissful ignorance of my blood sugars/insulin doses, this time I will not be.(CGMS will tell all) Still, I can't make my own adjustments, the study doc will be doing that(someone else fiddling with the pump, weird concept)based on the grad students calculations. My new case will make it easy for her to access the pump.
Also discovered I have to do another blood draw since I'm not on Humalog.(and have to be on it 24 hours prior. Which means, getting up at an insanely early hour(3:30-4 pm) to be able to get there and back before work begins.(Tues.morning) Ugh.(I'm not a morning person)
The study doc came in, rehashed a few things, checked feet, etc. I don't particularly enjoy peeling off my (usually cotton) socks-weird white fuzzies
always fall out and I'm embarrassed. I'm sure endos don't enjoy the process either.
Then we got down to the #1 concern on both of ours' minds.
"You know, you can't be in it if your magnesium or potassium is to low."
Yeah, I know.Ever since she walked through that door,I've been expecting this.
"How's that been?"
"Ok, I haven't had it checked recently. I do have to take the supplements periodically but I've not had a bad dip in the levels in a long time.You know I've
got that leak, like Bartter's Syndrome.I guess I never told you that officially, since the end of that study."
"Last time, the real problem with the sudden drop in your levels was from the IV insulin clamp-with the pump, that won't be so much of an issue. I want you to really load up on those supplements, to further minimalize those chances. Also, your iron levels were a bit low last month so we need to recheck that, you can't be in the study if those are too low either."
CGMS alarms will be off, so I guess I won't know if I'm low/high from any of the alarms..The bg goal is 130 all morning, and 100 all afternoon. She said their next study will be with the Navigator/Cozmo- a closed loop system.(no time frame on when that would be) I bet that will be interesting.
Levels came back acceptable, so I'm on for Thursday night at 6 pm!
"Think of what features you'd like to have, and incorporate those impulses. Experiment, have fun!" the group leader's voice inflects wildly, attempting
to channel her excessive charisma into group spirit.
I sigh heavily- the materials I have aren't sparking any creative genius.(as of yet)
Perhaps I should check out what other people are doing, it may give me a few ideas.
To my left, a teenager has ditched Project #1 entirely and is now meticulously arranging minuscule red and white sequins in an American Flag pattern.(to be applied to Project #2) Cute, but I think I'm a little old for decorations of that nature. And across the table, an engineer dad is building his pre-teen son the best sample pump case I've ever seen-ever bit as good as the real thing.(side packs,able to stand up on the table by itself) None of us can match that, least of all me. This session(in Friends 4 Life,2007) is not exactly the most popular, only about 15 people in the room. We are the ones who chose this class by process of elimination(Carb Counting 101, "Strike the Spike", and Managing Diabetes During Sick Days were not really something we'd wanted to sleep through for the next 2 hours). Few of us have much of an idea of what we're actually supposed to be doing. In the absence of inspiration, I leave Project #1 and go to Project #2(decorating the provided nylon clip-on case) I boldly apply red and green fabric paint, and leave it to dry.5 minutes later, I knock the case on the floor and it smears together into a Impressionalistic, Picasso wanna-be creation. Rather then start over, I just back to Project #1- decorating obviously just isn't my thing.
The teenager, 3/4's done with applying the decorations on her own case, looks over at mine.
"Can I see yours?"
"I dropped it on the floor," I reply, showing it to her."Not going to do it over."
Predictably, she isn't impressed, and returns to her own work.
Now to think of what I want in a pump case...
Material: Leather. Gotta be durable.
Color: Black. I don't like wild stuff.
Style: Waist-pouch. I don't have any, and on certain occasions it would come in
handy.
Other features: Clear plastic over the case, so I can see through to bolus/change
basils.Zippered pull. Monogrammed.
I can't design, and I can't draw, but between the sheet of paper and crudely constructed prototype, I manage to convey my wishes. I include my phone # though(just in case they have questions).
Several months later..
Tues., Sep.4. I return from my holiday travels to find a large package from Pump Wear sitting on my front porch. Rip it open, and there it, the case I designed! Not exactly(no monogram) but I'm pleased that A. they sent it and B. it looks pretty good, for something I created. Just what I want. The case, slides around on the belt. And it will come in really handy for the below scenario.It's functional, and that's precisely what I want.
------------------
Friday, was the initial meeting at the RC(Research Center), about 3:30 pm. Stuff was winding down for the weekend, and I was the last scheduled patient. The nurse took all the standard vital signs and EKG and then, the research coordinator came in to go over the entire consent form. Since they changed the amount of blood drawn from 18, to 19 tablespoons they have to make up an ENTIRELY new consent form(also to be signed). Seems pretty stupid to me,but I don't make the rules. Well, I discovered that graduate students are going to be suggesting my insulin doses based on their algorithmic models-which will either be accepted/rejected by the study physician, I'm still not to enthralled by the whole idea. She'll probably be pressured to accept at least some of their calculations,(part of the point of the study) and I'll go low and have to chug juice. Whereas, last time I was in blissful ignorance of my blood sugars/insulin doses, this time I will not be.(CGMS will tell all) Still, I can't make my own adjustments, the study doc will be doing that(someone else fiddling with the pump, weird concept)based on the grad students calculations. My new case will make it easy for her to access the pump.
Also discovered I have to do another blood draw since I'm not on Humalog.(and have to be on it 24 hours prior. Which means, getting up at an insanely early hour(3:30-4 pm) to be able to get there and back before work begins.(Tues.morning) Ugh.(I'm not a morning person)
The study doc came in, rehashed a few things, checked feet, etc. I don't particularly enjoy peeling off my (usually cotton) socks-weird white fuzzies
always fall out and I'm embarrassed. I'm sure endos don't enjoy the process either.
Then we got down to the #1 concern on both of ours' minds.
"You know, you can't be in it if your magnesium or potassium is to low."
Yeah, I know.Ever since she walked through that door,I've been expecting this.
"How's that been?"
"Ok, I haven't had it checked recently. I do have to take the supplements periodically but I've not had a bad dip in the levels in a long time.You know I've
got that leak, like Bartter's Syndrome.I guess I never told you that officially, since the end of that study."
"Last time, the real problem with the sudden drop in your levels was from the IV insulin clamp-with the pump, that won't be so much of an issue. I want you to really load up on those supplements, to further minimalize those chances. Also, your iron levels were a bit low last month so we need to recheck that, you can't be in the study if those are too low either."
CGMS alarms will be off, so I guess I won't know if I'm low/high from any of the alarms..The bg goal is 130 all morning, and 100 all afternoon. She said their next study will be with the Navigator/Cozmo- a closed loop system.(no time frame on when that would be) I bet that will be interesting.
Levels came back acceptable, so I'm on for Thursday night at 6 pm!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Power of a Low
Last night, I had a low. And it wasn't so much the actual blood sugar number, it was the amount of carbs I had to eat/did eat to feel right again.
Like most lows, there wasn't much of a reason for it-I'd bolused .5 to correct an 188 an hour previously.(Those numbers can go either way) That was the only bolus I'd had since lunch(4 hours before).
Sweats, wake up from nap. Stumble out to kitchen, eat entire (72 carb) bag of cotton candy. I'm aware that I should stop now, I've just overtreated this low by 42 carbs. But my brain says to keep eating, and I figure I can just make this an early supper too.
BG: 70 mg/dl. Some people wouldn't even consider that low..
Get started on monster-sized bag of potato chips, polish off 1/2 of that. Ham sandwich- why not. A tomato-cottage cheese sandwich sounds great as well. And grapes, shoot, can't leave those out. Topped off by a Diet Coke. At some point, I cease to care what the resulting fallout bg will be, I just need to eat.
In the end, I've consumed over 300 carbs(about 1.5 days worth in a single meal) to treat this low. And the final bg...
350. It should have been worse, much worse. I've never in my life eaten that much.(I think the last time was 120 carbs for a 19 mg/dl, 5 years ago)
It was really freaky.(after eating the cotton candy, I didn't even feel low anymore-just hungry!)
Like most lows, there wasn't much of a reason for it-I'd bolused .5 to correct an 188 an hour previously.(Those numbers can go either way) That was the only bolus I'd had since lunch(4 hours before).
Sweats, wake up from nap. Stumble out to kitchen, eat entire (72 carb) bag of cotton candy. I'm aware that I should stop now, I've just overtreated this low by 42 carbs. But my brain says to keep eating, and I figure I can just make this an early supper too.
BG: 70 mg/dl. Some people wouldn't even consider that low..
Get started on monster-sized bag of potato chips, polish off 1/2 of that. Ham sandwich- why not. A tomato-cottage cheese sandwich sounds great as well. And grapes, shoot, can't leave those out. Topped off by a Diet Coke. At some point, I cease to care what the resulting fallout bg will be, I just need to eat.
In the end, I've consumed over 300 carbs(about 1.5 days worth in a single meal) to treat this low. And the final bg...
350. It should have been worse, much worse. I've never in my life eaten that much.(I think the last time was 120 carbs for a 19 mg/dl, 5 years ago)
It was really freaky.(after eating the cotton candy, I didn't even feel low anymore-just hungry!)
Monday, September 10, 2007
The Diabetic Dummy
It is the night of the State Test, and already, the line stretches to the set of double doors.
No, not THAT line. That line has several hundred extremily nervous, nail-biting, coffee-chugging maniacs in it. This is the other one- the volunteer line. And only slightly less nervous then the test takers.
"Come with me, please," one of the instructors, his cold, beady eyes sweeping the assorted mob, snaps out. "Probably can't use you all, but we'll see what we can do."
Heels clatter, shoes stomp, following him down the narrow middle school corridor-and we enter a teacher's lounge,now converted to a makeshift strategy room.
Victim #1 is chosen, receives her instruction sheet and moves off to an adjoining room for makeup. The rest of us stare in nervous fascination at the "gunshot wound with bone protruding" job on her right leg. Bone and blood ooze together in a very realistic representation of the real thing. (We are students, and impress easily)
Victim #2 is in anyphlactic shock.Multiple brown dots adorn his cherry red face.
And I am Victim #3. As I receive my instruction sheet, my eyebrows shoot up(practically to the hairline) and I think it is something more then coincidence that I will be role-acting the hypoing diabetic. (not that I'm not VERY good at it, I've had so much practice) It must be true, I must really look like one..Either that, or its because I'm small(and more easily lifted).
My makeup job is a chalkwhite face, complete with beaded drops of glycerin rolling off the forehead(to simulate sweat). I look very much the part(and am just sorry that Halloween was over two weeks previously, I could have had some fun with this).
As I leave the room with the designated scenario instructor, my EMT teacher looks at me and laughs. "Did you tell him you really are D, Heidi?"
I hadn't quite gotten that far in the intros- I glance over at the instructor, who is standing stock still(a glazed expression spreading across his pained face).
"Really????"
"Yes. I promise I'll do this RIGHT."
"I bet you will, but please don't do it for real!!!!!"
(Cross my heart, hope to die. NOT likely.)
We get to the classroom, finalize certain instructions, and the fun begins.(After confirming that I'm nowhere near hypoglycemia, at 149 mg/dl)
The first two test takers enter the room. They are exceeding nervous, as am I. I'm doing this for the experience, but I don't know what their instructor has(or failed to) taught them.
"Hey, we're Jack and Jill*- what's your name?"
The instructions say I'm allowed to state my name, the last meal of the day, and that I take insulin. Other then that, I'm supposed to act confused/answer the questions wrong.
So I respond, and promptly shut my eyes. Fake reactions are so much easier then real ones. I can moan + thrash around to my heart's content, make these kids really nervous. I can't simulate the shaking though. Jill takes my blood pressure, which is off a good 30 points from what it is actually. Not good to guess on ANYTHING, instructors know all. You'll fail the scenario.(they did)
Every group is different with the questions asked, procedures performed. One group thought an adequate treatment for my shock was a pillow under the head. While being thoughtful, it wouldn't have done anything for the hypoglycemia. I had a hard time not waking up from my coma and telling them they'd just killed me. (that was just the one group, all the others made the correct diagnosis) Another group of firefighter guys asked me what kind of insulin I took.(that's not exactly a crucial piece of info-most emergency personal leave it at "Are you on insulin?" My diabetic autopilot spat out "Novolog" before I could consider if I was supposed to answer that for real. They didn't know, but it obviously marked me as a REAL D. It was a timed test, with alot of steps to cover.
At the end, my own blood glucose rang in at 329 and I was somewhat cranky at the blood pressure cuff torniquet attempts, shined lights in eyes, and the stress of lying on the hard floor for 2 hours. Yes,I'd learned enough to be more relaxed/expectant of what my own test would be like(the following month) but if you're going to be the dummy patient for a group of (any) students, don't be the diabetic dummy. Go for something more cushy...like a broken leg.(as long as you don't have to backboarded)
And speaking of life on the other side of the gurney,I've got to complete all my continuing education(CE) hours(to be turned in by Dec.2008) so I don't lose my certification.(I do not want to go through another 3 month class/state test) If I can't get accepted to any of the spring nursing programs, I will definatly be completing the CE stuff.(at least)
No, not THAT line. That line has several hundred extremily nervous, nail-biting, coffee-chugging maniacs in it. This is the other one- the volunteer line. And only slightly less nervous then the test takers.
"Come with me, please," one of the instructors, his cold, beady eyes sweeping the assorted mob, snaps out. "Probably can't use you all, but we'll see what we can do."
Heels clatter, shoes stomp, following him down the narrow middle school corridor-and we enter a teacher's lounge,now converted to a makeshift strategy room.
Victim #1 is chosen, receives her instruction sheet and moves off to an adjoining room for makeup. The rest of us stare in nervous fascination at the "gunshot wound with bone protruding" job on her right leg. Bone and blood ooze together in a very realistic representation of the real thing. (We are students, and impress easily)
Victim #2 is in anyphlactic shock.Multiple brown dots adorn his cherry red face.
And I am Victim #3. As I receive my instruction sheet, my eyebrows shoot up(practically to the hairline) and I think it is something more then coincidence that I will be role-acting the hypoing diabetic. (not that I'm not VERY good at it, I've had so much practice) It must be true, I must really look like one..Either that, or its because I'm small(and more easily lifted).
My makeup job is a chalkwhite face, complete with beaded drops of glycerin rolling off the forehead(to simulate sweat). I look very much the part(and am just sorry that Halloween was over two weeks previously, I could have had some fun with this).
As I leave the room with the designated scenario instructor, my EMT teacher looks at me and laughs. "Did you tell him you really are D, Heidi?"
I hadn't quite gotten that far in the intros- I glance over at the instructor, who is standing stock still(a glazed expression spreading across his pained face).
"Really????"
"Yes. I promise I'll do this RIGHT."
"I bet you will, but please don't do it for real!!!!!"
(Cross my heart, hope to die. NOT likely.)
We get to the classroom, finalize certain instructions, and the fun begins.(After confirming that I'm nowhere near hypoglycemia, at 149 mg/dl)
The first two test takers enter the room. They are exceeding nervous, as am I. I'm doing this for the experience, but I don't know what their instructor has(or failed to) taught them.
"Hey, we're Jack and Jill*- what's your name?"
The instructions say I'm allowed to state my name, the last meal of the day, and that I take insulin. Other then that, I'm supposed to act confused/answer the questions wrong.
So I respond, and promptly shut my eyes. Fake reactions are so much easier then real ones. I can moan + thrash around to my heart's content, make these kids really nervous. I can't simulate the shaking though. Jill takes my blood pressure, which is off a good 30 points from what it is actually. Not good to guess on ANYTHING, instructors know all. You'll fail the scenario.(they did)
Every group is different with the questions asked, procedures performed. One group thought an adequate treatment for my shock was a pillow under the head. While being thoughtful, it wouldn't have done anything for the hypoglycemia. I had a hard time not waking up from my coma and telling them they'd just killed me. (that was just the one group, all the others made the correct diagnosis) Another group of firefighter guys asked me what kind of insulin I took.(that's not exactly a crucial piece of info-most emergency personal leave it at "Are you on insulin?" My diabetic autopilot spat out "Novolog" before I could consider if I was supposed to answer that for real. They didn't know, but it obviously marked me as a REAL D. It was a timed test, with alot of steps to cover.
At the end, my own blood glucose rang in at 329 and I was somewhat cranky at the blood pressure cuff torniquet attempts, shined lights in eyes, and the stress of lying on the hard floor for 2 hours. Yes,I'd learned enough to be more relaxed/expectant of what my own test would be like(the following month) but if you're going to be the dummy patient for a group of (any) students, don't be the diabetic dummy. Go for something more cushy...like a broken leg.(as long as you don't have to backboarded)
And speaking of life on the other side of the gurney,I've got to complete all my continuing education(CE) hours(to be turned in by Dec.2008) so I don't lose my certification.(I do not want to go through another 3 month class/state test) If I can't get accepted to any of the spring nursing programs, I will definatly be completing the CE stuff.(at least)
Friday, September 07, 2007
Dashboard Confessional
I'm really, really psyched- my years of being a guinea pig have climaxed up to fufillment of The Dream Come True.(Kinda)
The phone rang, the 4th call in 10 minutes. Sigh. Pick up.
"Hi, Heidi. This is "X"- would you be interested in doing another study?"
As she explains what all is involved, it occurs to me this will be the very last study I'll be able to do for them. Darn, I'm gonna miss that. Plus the pay, of course.Bethesda studies don't pay at all.(good research place, they just don't pay their participants!)
"You're one of the very few(12, to be exact) people to qualify for this study, based on the one you did in 2002 AND the Boost Test. If you had a cpeptide, you wouldn't qualify."
"That's good, I'm glad I don't have a c-peptide."(mild sarcasm)
Visit #1- paperwork, bloodwork. The usual.
Visit #2. Overnight(23 hour) admission to the Research Center. Gotta use their pump(Cozmo, with Humalog). I am a Novolog girl myself but it won't kill me to use Humalog. It'll just be, interesting. Haven't used it in like 4 years. IV, heart moniter attached.
But I get to wear a Medtronic REALTIME Guardian!(or a Dexcom-its a random decision) for 21 hours.(more or less) I don't think I'll sleep, I'll be too busy looking at my beautiful blood sugars.
And I can see what its like.
Next morning, its the typical overkill testing(ever had your blood sugar taken every bleepin' FIVE minutes? for 6 straight hours) that I went through in 2002 so I know what to expect. Then,from 2 pm-2:45 I ride an exercise bike and at 3:45 I get "lunch"(if you could call it that,more like an early supper) and that's the end.
I only wish I could keep the CGMS....
The phone rang, the 4th call in 10 minutes. Sigh. Pick up.
"Hi, Heidi. This is "X"- would you be interested in doing another study?"
As she explains what all is involved, it occurs to me this will be the very last study I'll be able to do for them. Darn, I'm gonna miss that. Plus the pay, of course.Bethesda studies don't pay at all.(good research place, they just don't pay their participants!)
"You're one of the very few(12, to be exact) people to qualify for this study, based on the one you did in 2002 AND the Boost Test. If you had a cpeptide, you wouldn't qualify."
"That's good, I'm glad I don't have a c-peptide."(mild sarcasm)
Visit #1- paperwork, bloodwork. The usual.
Visit #2. Overnight(23 hour) admission to the Research Center. Gotta use their pump(Cozmo, with Humalog). I am a Novolog girl myself but it won't kill me to use Humalog. It'll just be, interesting. Haven't used it in like 4 years. IV, heart moniter attached.
But I get to wear a Medtronic REALTIME Guardian!(or a Dexcom-its a random decision) for 21 hours.(more or less) I don't think I'll sleep, I'll be too busy looking at my beautiful blood sugars.
And I can see what its like.
Next morning, its the typical overkill testing(ever had your blood sugar taken every bleepin' FIVE minutes? for 6 straight hours) that I went through in 2002 so I know what to expect. Then,from 2 pm-2:45 I ride an exercise bike and at 3:45 I get "lunch"(if you could call it that,more like an early supper) and that's the end.
I only wish I could keep the CGMS....
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
The Element of Glucose
Not to belabor the obvious, but the homeostatic range of human glucose is tight. Very tight. And I'm not just saying this as an individual with type 1 diabetes.
Normal people have highs(temporary) + lows too. Case in point: my fiance, who suddenly
needed to eat when were out shopping. I would have whipped out my meter to check his blood sugar, but he was already buying something and eating it. This is a guy who gets regular (yearly) physicals and is exceedingly healthy.(no D, or hypoglycemia problems) Probably nothing to worry about.(as a one time occurance)
You don't appreciate the fine tunings of the human body until something goes wrong.
When oxygen is like liquid gold, you just can't get enough.
When water is guzzled in gallons, to replete that 75% percentage body weight.
When various minerals need repleting, before body organs start malfunctioning.
And glucose, in its many forms, is no less essential. 20 mg/dl off, and the brain goes into fritz, the body starts shaking, and the urge to eat is stronger then beating of your heart. Conversely, 60 mg/dl in opposite direction and the kidneys start excreting the excess, dehydration creeps in and the excess sugar starts damaging organs,nerves,the whole enchilada.
If it were up to me, I'd make the "normal" range 60-250 mg/dl. That way, I'd be in range 99% of the time... It's such a fine balance, I wish it weren't. Attempting euroglycemia is like playing Russian Roulette between the brain(lows) and the kidneys(highs). Sometimes, you take a bolus + you know full well you'll be fighting hypoglycemia withing the hour but what else can you do, you just ate and gotta take SOMETHING. How much of that something depends on existing IOB, current exercise, bg, and sensitivity. Maybe I need overhaul my insulin carb ratio.
You just can't get away from it, just like breathing, if somethings not right the body lets you know it. It's great to be in range most- all of the time, mentally, it's so relaxing and a non-D just doesn't understand that but its just so wonderful. Having come down from Cloud Nine. Would be that this streak lasts awhile. When I get a CGMS, I will be a much more relaxed, energetic individual-normal bgs are so great.
Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone!
(goodbye, 25, it was nice knowing you!)
Normal people have highs(temporary) + lows too. Case in point: my fiance, who suddenly
needed to eat when were out shopping. I would have whipped out my meter to check his blood sugar, but he was already buying something and eating it. This is a guy who gets regular (yearly) physicals and is exceedingly healthy.(no D, or hypoglycemia problems) Probably nothing to worry about.(as a one time occurance)
You don't appreciate the fine tunings of the human body until something goes wrong.
When oxygen is like liquid gold, you just can't get enough.
When water is guzzled in gallons, to replete that 75% percentage body weight.
When various minerals need repleting, before body organs start malfunctioning.
And glucose, in its many forms, is no less essential. 20 mg/dl off, and the brain goes into fritz, the body starts shaking, and the urge to eat is stronger then beating of your heart. Conversely, 60 mg/dl in opposite direction and the kidneys start excreting the excess, dehydration creeps in and the excess sugar starts damaging organs,nerves,the whole enchilada.
If it were up to me, I'd make the "normal" range 60-250 mg/dl. That way, I'd be in range 99% of the time... It's such a fine balance, I wish it weren't. Attempting euroglycemia is like playing Russian Roulette between the brain(lows) and the kidneys(highs). Sometimes, you take a bolus + you know full well you'll be fighting hypoglycemia withing the hour but what else can you do, you just ate and gotta take SOMETHING. How much of that something depends on existing IOB, current exercise, bg, and sensitivity. Maybe I need overhaul my insulin carb ratio.
You just can't get away from it, just like breathing, if somethings not right the body lets you know it. It's great to be in range most- all of the time, mentally, it's so relaxing and a non-D just doesn't understand that but its just so wonderful. Having come down from Cloud Nine. Would be that this streak lasts awhile. When I get a CGMS, I will be a much more relaxed, energetic individual-normal bgs are so great.
Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone!
(goodbye, 25, it was nice knowing you!)
Sunday, August 26, 2007
The Top Twelve Indicators that Your Diabetes Control is Sub-optimal(aka, sucks)
Top 12 indicators that your diabetes control sucks
1. You know every member of the rescue squad by name.
2. Hospital food tastes good, you've gotten used to it.
3. Your blood sugar meter has gotten quite friendly of late as it greets you with frequent "HI's.”
4. Your blood sugar meter goes on strike and refuses to work anymore.
5. You never have any money- it all goes to co-payments to your health insurance company.
6. Your endocrinologist uses you as a "reverse" poster child an example of what every diabetic should NOT be.
7. You break down bawling when your endocrinologist asks how you've been.
8. You can't remember what it feels like to have a normal blood sugar and not crash low 15 min. later.
9. You are checking out medical center's pancreas transplant programs like normal people research for the car of their dreams.
10. You'd give your right arm to have a day that type 2's consider "bad". (6- 10 mmol/l, aka 108- 180 sounds just fine to ME)
11. You know your Medic Alert number like your social security number and can recite it frontwards, backwards, + while waking up from a massive hypoglycemic event.
12. The local convenience store apologizes for being out of chocolate bars. (you are their most loyal customer)
All of my bgs for the past 2 days have been over 350, and there have been 3 HI's(over 600) in the past week. Needless to say, I canceled my scheduled endocrine appointment + don't think I should reschedule till I have a month of solid good numbers under my belt to offset the impending disastrous a1c. I think, at some point,my pcp will communicate with the endo + there will be heck to pay but right now, I really don't even FEEL like being a good diabetic.(I'll settle for under 200)
1. You know every member of the rescue squad by name.
2. Hospital food tastes good, you've gotten used to it.
3. Your blood sugar meter has gotten quite friendly of late as it greets you with frequent "HI's.”
4. Your blood sugar meter goes on strike and refuses to work anymore.
5. You never have any money- it all goes to co-payments to your health insurance company.
6. Your endocrinologist uses you as a "reverse" poster child an example of what every diabetic should NOT be.
7. You break down bawling when your endocrinologist asks how you've been.
8. You can't remember what it feels like to have a normal blood sugar and not crash low 15 min. later.
9. You are checking out medical center's pancreas transplant programs like normal people research for the car of their dreams.
10. You'd give your right arm to have a day that type 2's consider "bad". (6- 10 mmol/l, aka 108- 180 sounds just fine to ME)
11. You know your Medic Alert number like your social security number and can recite it frontwards, backwards, + while waking up from a massive hypoglycemic event.
12. The local convenience store apologizes for being out of chocolate bars. (you are their most loyal customer)
All of my bgs for the past 2 days have been over 350, and there have been 3 HI's(over 600) in the past week. Needless to say, I canceled my scheduled endocrine appointment + don't think I should reschedule till I have a month of solid good numbers under my belt to offset the impending disastrous a1c. I think, at some point,my pcp will communicate with the endo + there will be heck to pay but right now, I really don't even FEEL like being a good diabetic.(I'll settle for under 200)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Ditzy with a "D"
One Word: Ace Inhibitors are NASTY. One other word, never start taking them when another medical issue is rearing up its head.
I am dizzy, and the AI hasn't really dropped my blood pressure but when you stuff 5 differant (potent) drugs into your patient, attempting to problemsolve its probably no wonder you're dizzy. Discharge,I made it to the door before the security guard drug me back to the lobby + told me to rest, got a blanket + no one bothered me for the rest of the night. Dizzyness is the pits.
Off to the restroom to puke, then call my gastro doctor.
I am dizzy, and the AI hasn't really dropped my blood pressure but when you stuff 5 differant (potent) drugs into your patient, attempting to problemsolve its probably no wonder you're dizzy. Discharge,I made it to the door before the security guard drug me back to the lobby + told me to rest, got a blanket + no one bothered me for the rest of the night. Dizzyness is the pits.
Off to the restroom to puke, then call my gastro doctor.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
My Tax-Free Weekend
As you're probably aware, several states had their sales tax-free weekend last weekend.(and Texas, will be having theirs the weekend of the 17-19th)
Prime oppurtunity to go spend some cash-it was like Black Friday all over again. And, as an employee of Company X, I got a 20% discount that weekend(another excuse to go shopping).
First stop:
Kmart #1. The theme music from Mission Impossible dancing through my head, I grab a cart and zoom toward the pharmacy, where I deposit the RX to be filled. Next, I grab 2 Zest soaps+ an AA 8 pack and head toward electronics, where I'll shortly find out whether I'll be in this store for the next 2 hours.
"Here you go," the cashier hands me the soaps,batteries, AND the $10 gift card.
Darn. I'm going to be here awhile.
Head back to the pharmacy, where I pay for the transferred rx with the gift card and get another $30 gift card.(Kmart honors competetitors coupons)
Fill up with more soaps, batteries. Head for checkout. Cashier can't scan coupons,so I end up spending an extra 45 minutes at Customer Service, but when its all said and done I've got another $50 in gift cards.
Next stop: CVS.This goes considerably smoother, and I'm out of there in 15 minutes.It's a favorite, because they've always got coupons and Extra Bucks
to cut down on the cost. $2.36 gets me $26 worth of stuff.
Go to Kmart #2. Try out battery offer with electronics cashier, but it gets squashed when they call up front and find out the deal is dead.(at this Kmart)
Oh,well.Stock up on clearanced priced clothes, made sweeter by the $5 off coupon in the paper. Pay with gift cards.
Go to Target, Staples,TJMaxx,Walmart. Stop in at 5 Guys. Feel Re-Act-ion-Y, drink real coke while waiting for the burger. Eat peanuts.Shake.Wonder why, since the meter reads 100.Figure the hot weather has something to do with it. Eat burger, feel better.
Go to Barnes & Noble, spend the next 2 hours deeply engrossed in the latest book on the British royal family.At some point,every teenage girl develops a crush (on the king-to-be) That,of course,is now a pointless exercise(for anyone single) since he's (most probably) taken. It looks pretty solid for him and Kate.(since breaking up, and getting back together)
Got home around midnight. I hope to make enough gc's off the Kmart deal to get a new digital camera.
Prime oppurtunity to go spend some cash-it was like Black Friday all over again. And, as an employee of Company X, I got a 20% discount that weekend(another excuse to go shopping).
First stop:
Kmart #1. The theme music from Mission Impossible dancing through my head, I grab a cart and zoom toward the pharmacy, where I deposit the RX to be filled. Next, I grab 2 Zest soaps+ an AA 8 pack and head toward electronics, where I'll shortly find out whether I'll be in this store for the next 2 hours.
"Here you go," the cashier hands me the soaps,batteries, AND the $10 gift card.
Darn. I'm going to be here awhile.
Head back to the pharmacy, where I pay for the transferred rx with the gift card and get another $30 gift card.(Kmart honors competetitors coupons)
Fill up with more soaps, batteries. Head for checkout. Cashier can't scan coupons,so I end up spending an extra 45 minutes at Customer Service, but when its all said and done I've got another $50 in gift cards.
Next stop: CVS.This goes considerably smoother, and I'm out of there in 15 minutes.It's a favorite, because they've always got coupons and Extra Bucks
to cut down on the cost. $2.36 gets me $26 worth of stuff.
Go to Kmart #2. Try out battery offer with electronics cashier, but it gets squashed when they call up front and find out the deal is dead.(at this Kmart)
Oh,well.Stock up on clearanced priced clothes, made sweeter by the $5 off coupon in the paper. Pay with gift cards.
Go to Target, Staples,TJMaxx,Walmart. Stop in at 5 Guys. Feel Re-Act-ion-Y, drink real coke while waiting for the burger. Eat peanuts.Shake.Wonder why, since the meter reads 100.Figure the hot weather has something to do with it. Eat burger, feel better.
Go to Barnes & Noble, spend the next 2 hours deeply engrossed in the latest book on the British royal family.At some point,every teenage girl develops a crush (on the king-to-be) That,of course,is now a pointless exercise(for anyone single) since he's (most probably) taken. It looks pretty solid for him and Kate.(since breaking up, and getting back together)
Got home around midnight. I hope to make enough gc's off the Kmart deal to get a new digital camera.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Weekday Bump
I need a bumper sticker that describes my frustrations with the lack of funding/D in general. Didn't find what I was looking for on Cafepress.com, so I'll have to design it myself.
And, in other news, my doc's office has decided to stop being personally responsible for their patients when they're admitted to the hospital. I guess the workload was too great. Now, you're turned over to a "hospitalist"(the latest and greatest of 21st century medical care) who will provide whatever medical care you may need. You can read about my experience with THAT system here. It was a grand and glorious disaster,and if I'd have listened to that dude for my diabetes care I'd have spent much longer in the hospital.
I've made up my mind that, at any point,my doctor decides to admit me it won't be to that hospital. Said hospital has an even worse reputation then the one I live near.
Especially not since my doc wouldn't even be looking after me-I would never go there. If I needed hospitlization,I'd head over to the medical center where I know I wouldn't have to worry about anything diabetes related.(they're tops) They've got their disadvantages though(long drive,and its a teaching hospital)
Health care is more of a business these days, and hospitals are starting to wake up to that fact. The ones around here,just need to wake up faster.
The coffee vendor at work is running a promotion this week(unlimited free coffee,out of the machine)and its been extremely popular.(as you can imagine) I didn't take into account that the optional "sweetener" button meant sugar, so I've had quite a few really high blood sugars the past couple of days. Now, I know.(bolus ALOT beforehand)By the time I try all 30 flavors, I'll have my boluses down to a T.
Wedding plans are bumpin' right along- I've got tons to do, and its probably not going to end till its over! The date/time/rehearsal dinner/place/honeymoon plans/and cake have all been decided on. This week, I've gotta order the invitations + start checking out flower shops.
102 days,folks.
(eeeeeeeeeeek)
And, in other news, my doc's office has decided to stop being personally responsible for their patients when they're admitted to the hospital. I guess the workload was too great. Now, you're turned over to a "hospitalist"(the latest and greatest of 21st century medical care) who will provide whatever medical care you may need. You can read about my experience with THAT system here. It was a grand and glorious disaster,and if I'd have listened to that dude for my diabetes care I'd have spent much longer in the hospital.
I've made up my mind that, at any point,my doctor decides to admit me it won't be to that hospital. Said hospital has an even worse reputation then the one I live near.
Especially not since my doc wouldn't even be looking after me-I would never go there. If I needed hospitlization,I'd head over to the medical center where I know I wouldn't have to worry about anything diabetes related.(they're tops) They've got their disadvantages though(long drive,and its a teaching hospital)
Health care is more of a business these days, and hospitals are starting to wake up to that fact. The ones around here,just need to wake up faster.
The coffee vendor at work is running a promotion this week(unlimited free coffee,out of the machine)and its been extremely popular.(as you can imagine) I didn't take into account that the optional "sweetener" button meant sugar, so I've had quite a few really high blood sugars the past couple of days. Now, I know.(bolus ALOT beforehand)By the time I try all 30 flavors, I'll have my boluses down to a T.
Wedding plans are bumpin' right along- I've got tons to do, and its probably not going to end till its over! The date/time/rehearsal dinner/place/honeymoon plans/and cake have all been decided on. This week, I've gotta order the invitations + start checking out flower shops.
102 days,folks.
(eeeeeeeeeeek)
Sunday, July 29, 2007
A Million Wishes for a Cure
What do you wish for?
(I wish that the blame game would just stop-and people would understand the facts about each type of diabetes.Being understood isn't a cure,but it would make our lives so much easier.)
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Postmortem
Won't do anything, I've tried to reboot it in "safe"(and every other)mode. It either got a virus or blew out over the insufficient memory.
It truly is, dead. Served me faithfully for 4 years.(which is pretty good considering how cheap it was to begin with)
Can't afford another computer, so I'll be doing everything at the library for awhile.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Revenge of the SuperBolus
Whenever I take a particularly large amount of insulin, it seems that normal bolus ratios don't apply. There are a couple(or more,depending on the dose) of units in there that I have to deduct or bam, after 2 hours I'm low.
Due to this "fudge factor", I'm a little leary about bolusing everything up front, preferring to dual wave it(and suspend basal for a period of time) on particularly challenging meals. Normally,I just bolus after I eat, and only after I'm 120+. Insulin works very quickly in me.
Ate a rather large stickybun on Thursday for breakfast,took only 6 units(instead of 8) and still
got low. I don't know if the sole alcoholic drink I'd consumed the night previously had anything to do with it, I hope not. How can anyone drink alcohol on a regular basis when it screws up the blood sugar so majorly? The rest of the day, I ran between 90-163(even with cutting my boluses in half) It's called dumb luck, and its why I rarely drink. I don't have that kind of luck on a regular basis-and I need a new medical ID.
------------------
Friday morning,July 13.
Scene: Coronodo Ballroom,H Section. Coronodo Springs Hotel, Orlando,Fl.
Time:8:50 AM.
I load my plate high with scrambled eggs,bacon, sausage,hashbrowns,and fruit, grab two chocolate milks/cup of coffee and slide into a back table-intent on eating my breakfast/waking up before heading off to another thrilling(boring) session.
"May I sit here?"
The family at the table smiles in gracious assent, so I sit down and start working on my breakfast.
9 AM, they're finished, head off. I'm 1/2 way through with my own breakfast but I think I'll stay around for John Walsh's "Strike the Spike",I don't feel like hurrying.
"May we sit here?"
I say yes, because there's only one person at the table and I don't wish to be unsociable.But why they chose my table out of all the other (more) interesting ones I don't know. I'm as socially scintillating as a block of wood.
"Dad, can I have some chocolate milk?" the little girl asks her father.
"That's not really..."
"Pleaseee,Daddy? I want some."
"Ok, I'll get you some." He looks helpless, in the face of such unmeasurable cuteness. And after all, its healthier then poptarts.
Casting a ruthful glance at the 2nd of my chocolate milk bottles, I sigh. No saving it for later- they need it more then I do.
"Here, take mine."
"Thank you," he says, gratefully. And they commence to eating their own breakfasts.
"It's soo good," the little girl says.
"Yep, its good sugar," I say.
"Good sugar?" her dad winces.
Slap forehead, mentally. How do I get in these conversations- I must seem like a real brainwave.
Chocolate milk is not the healthiest of options.
The dad takes the little girl off to childcare.
I strike up a conversation with the lady on my
right.
"So, do you have a child with diabetes?"
"No, my husband has diabetes."
Yeah, that's right. She'd mentioned that, when she sat down next to me.
"And you?"
"I've got diabetes. No kids."
We have a very good conversation, and at the end of it, I've learned something. Just because one is the the Surgeon General doesn't mean diabetes is a piece of cake. In some respects, it must be more difficult when you're famous(you can't get support in the usual methods).
And its a good thing we were sitting in the back of the room, because by the end of the John Walsh presentation my sides hurt from laughing so hard(and it was time to check damage control from the breakfast)
"Great meeting you."
"Same here." I smile, and though I'm still tongue tied the instant her husband came up I hope I'm not too bad.
200 mg/dl. Not too bad. I go to the Exhibit Hall, browse around.
11 AM- My stomach is rolling and I go back to the room for a nap, prelunch.
1:30 PM- Get up, go back to buffet for lunch. Look at lunch + decide the only thing I want is sugar free punch. Go to
joint Nicole Johnson/Fran Kaufmann "D and Pregnancy" discussion group.
"Now, I'm not going to ask if anyone here is pregnant;
(my stomach lurches) but I just want to say that its entirely possible to have a healthy baby with diabetes..." Nicole J.Baker is giving the opening remarks.
Darn it, I'm not going to make it. Need to get back to the hotel room before I hurl. At least I got to see Nicole.
10 minutes later, I stumble back out + back to the hotel room I go. Become a recluse for the rest of the day, while the disagreeable food made its way out of my system.(I think it was the sausage) Dissapointing, because I'd planned to attend the Young Adults dinner(with Will Cross) that evening but that didn't happen. Ah well,such is life.
Due to this "fudge factor", I'm a little leary about bolusing everything up front, preferring to dual wave it(and suspend basal for a period of time) on particularly challenging meals. Normally,I just bolus after I eat, and only after I'm 120+. Insulin works very quickly in me.
Ate a rather large stickybun on Thursday for breakfast,took only 6 units(instead of 8) and still
got low. I don't know if the sole alcoholic drink I'd consumed the night previously had anything to do with it, I hope not. How can anyone drink alcohol on a regular basis when it screws up the blood sugar so majorly? The rest of the day, I ran between 90-163(even with cutting my boluses in half) It's called dumb luck, and its why I rarely drink. I don't have that kind of luck on a regular basis-and I need a new medical ID.
------------------
Friday morning,July 13.
Scene: Coronodo Ballroom,H Section. Coronodo Springs Hotel, Orlando,Fl.
Time:8:50 AM.
I load my plate high with scrambled eggs,bacon, sausage,hashbrowns,and fruit, grab two chocolate milks/cup of coffee and slide into a back table-intent on eating my breakfast/waking up before heading off to another thrilling(boring) session.
"May I sit here?"
The family at the table smiles in gracious assent, so I sit down and start working on my breakfast.
9 AM, they're finished, head off. I'm 1/2 way through with my own breakfast but I think I'll stay around for John Walsh's "Strike the Spike",I don't feel like hurrying.
"May we sit here?"
I say yes, because there's only one person at the table and I don't wish to be unsociable.But why they chose my table out of all the other (more) interesting ones I don't know. I'm as socially scintillating as a block of wood.
"Dad, can I have some chocolate milk?" the little girl asks her father.
"That's not really..."
"Pleaseee,Daddy? I want some."
"Ok, I'll get you some." He looks helpless, in the face of such unmeasurable cuteness. And after all, its healthier then poptarts.
Casting a ruthful glance at the 2nd of my chocolate milk bottles, I sigh. No saving it for later- they need it more then I do.
"Here, take mine."
"Thank you," he says, gratefully. And they commence to eating their own breakfasts.
"It's soo good," the little girl says.
"Yep, its good sugar," I say.
"Good sugar?" her dad winces.
Slap forehead, mentally. How do I get in these conversations- I must seem like a real brainwave.
Chocolate milk is not the healthiest of options.
The dad takes the little girl off to childcare.
I strike up a conversation with the lady on my
right.
"So, do you have a child with diabetes?"
"No, my husband has diabetes."
Yeah, that's right. She'd mentioned that, when she sat down next to me.
"And you?"
"I've got diabetes. No kids."
We have a very good conversation, and at the end of it, I've learned something. Just because one is the the Surgeon General doesn't mean diabetes is a piece of cake. In some respects, it must be more difficult when you're famous(you can't get support in the usual methods).
And its a good thing we were sitting in the back of the room, because by the end of the John Walsh presentation my sides hurt from laughing so hard(and it was time to check damage control from the breakfast)
"Great meeting you."
"Same here." I smile, and though I'm still tongue tied the instant her husband came up I hope I'm not too bad.
200 mg/dl. Not too bad. I go to the Exhibit Hall, browse around.
11 AM- My stomach is rolling and I go back to the room for a nap, prelunch.
1:30 PM- Get up, go back to buffet for lunch. Look at lunch + decide the only thing I want is sugar free punch. Go to
joint Nicole Johnson/Fran Kaufmann "D and Pregnancy" discussion group.
"Now, I'm not going to ask if anyone here is pregnant;
(my stomach lurches) but I just want to say that its entirely possible to have a healthy baby with diabetes..." Nicole J.Baker is giving the opening remarks.
Darn it, I'm not going to make it. Need to get back to the hotel room before I hurl. At least I got to see Nicole.
10 minutes later, I stumble back out + back to the hotel room I go. Become a recluse for the rest of the day, while the disagreeable food made its way out of my system.(I think it was the sausage) Dissapointing, because I'd planned to attend the Young Adults dinner(with Will Cross) that evening but that didn't happen. Ah well,such is life.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Under the Pelikan Sun: A Love Affair with a Lancing Device
9 days and many memorable experiences later, and THIS is what I've gotta post about first. It made the entire trip worthwhile. Unfortuantly, I'm not able to post pictures or links(weird computer quirk of the day) so for the time being,you'll just have to read about it here:
http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/17/2728/pelikan-sun/
The thing is every bit as wonderful as the diabetes web guru David Mendosa says it is. Its only drawback is its the size of two cellphones. (it will not fit in your meter case!) And its mine to trial for 90 days.After that, the company says they'll be offering it at a "reduced" price for purchase. And I just might buy it, the thing is absolutely the best darn LD on the market. (and I think I've tried them all, the scars on my fingers bear testimony to that fact) You don't feel the pricks at all.(it's also going for $250+ in Australia,should you wish to shell out for one now)I think that everyone who attended FFL must have gotten one, it was a very popular booth.
Never thought I'd be saying this..but I love this lancing device!!!!!!!!!
http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/17/2728/pelikan-sun/
The thing is every bit as wonderful as the diabetes web guru David Mendosa says it is. Its only drawback is its the size of two cellphones. (it will not fit in your meter case!) And its mine to trial for 90 days.After that, the company says they'll be offering it at a "reduced" price for purchase. And I just might buy it, the thing is absolutely the best darn LD on the market. (and I think I've tried them all, the scars on my fingers bear testimony to that fact) You don't feel the pricks at all.(it's also going for $250+ in Australia,should you wish to shell out for one now)I think that everyone who attended FFL must have gotten one, it was a very popular booth.
Never thought I'd be saying this..but I love this lancing device!!!!!!!!!
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Leavin' on a Jet Plane....
Just as soon as I:
-Go to the laudrymat and wash,dry,and iron 7 loads of laundry.
- Eat up everything in the 'fridge set to expire in the next 8 days.
- Pack, pack, pack! The only thing I can AFFORD to forget, would be my diabetes supplies. As weird as that sounds, I could go sans everything + hundreds of complete strangers would volunteer whatever I needed. I am sure that I'll forget something else though(I always do) and be kickin' myself the whole week.
- Make a run by work + clear up a little discrepency about the number of vacation days I have left.(magically halved,last Thursday) Because they're wrong,I had to readjust the remaining personal days to cover this vacation + I'm not amused at this latest glitch in the "never let her finally get away" conspiracy.
- Go to the gym. Its going on 3 weeks since I've last been,and I'm going to a diabetes conferance,for pity's sake.I need to feel like I'm attempting good management(on some scale).
-Take my youngest brother out to eat-when I get back, his leave will already be over
and nothing is as important as family. I love him & I'm proud of him + every moment counts when dealing with the uncertainty of war.
- Sleep. If there's time,and if I'm not too excited, before my flight
takes off at 6:40 AM Tuesday morning. It's gonna be so cool to see various
people again-and meet some new ones from Tudiabetes.
See ya'll!
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
The Sorenson Project: Roadmap to the Future
This article:
reminded me of the Scrubs rerun:
Fascinating concept,that. Quote:
"The aim of putting all this technology into the Intelligent Toilet is to improve quality of life by keeping a continuous check on symptoms indicative of "lifestyle" diseases, such as diabetes. Such diseases often go unnoticed until the patient goes to the doctor's for a check-up, by which time the symptoms may have progressed."
If you have-get sugar in your urine,that can cue you in to get yourself to a doctor + not be ignorant of the situation for the next 20+ years.Maybe a device like this would be worth the $5,000 sticker price to those who ARE at a strong risk for the disease. I'm more interested in the diabetes angle of this device- getting people diagnosed early will save many millions of $$'s in the long run.(I don't know if its still around,the article is from several years ago) What America needs- is diagnostic abnormal urine detecters on every single sanitation disposal device out there. And they've got to be cheap. No one wants to pay $5,000 for a toilet.
And speaking of other research projects for the greater good,check this out. The ultimate goal, is to be able to trace the ancestry of every single person in the world, via maternal or paternal dna.
The MAP of
so-far participants is quite impressive,this is a global project.(albeit
a bit..difficult).You request the "kit",and they send you a mouthwash sample/geneology forms to fill out. Yep,there's issues of privacy, but ANYTHING can get hacked + I believe they're doing their best NOT to let that happen. This is a really cool project!(in my opinion)
reminded me of the Scrubs rerun:
Fascinating concept,that. Quote:
"The aim of putting all this technology into the Intelligent Toilet is to improve quality of life by keeping a continuous check on symptoms indicative of "lifestyle" diseases, such as diabetes. Such diseases often go unnoticed until the patient goes to the doctor's for a check-up, by which time the symptoms may have progressed."
If you have-get sugar in your urine,that can cue you in to get yourself to a doctor + not be ignorant of the situation for the next 20+ years.Maybe a device like this would be worth the $5,000 sticker price to those who ARE at a strong risk for the disease. I'm more interested in the diabetes angle of this device- getting people diagnosed early will save many millions of $$'s in the long run.(I don't know if its still around,the article is from several years ago) What America needs- is diagnostic abnormal urine detecters on every single sanitation disposal device out there. And they've got to be cheap. No one wants to pay $5,000 for a toilet.
And speaking of other research projects for the greater good,check this out. The ultimate goal, is to be able to trace the ancestry of every single person in the world, via maternal or paternal dna.
The MAP of
so-far participants is quite impressive,this is a global project.(albeit
a bit..difficult).You request the "kit",and they send you a mouthwash sample/geneology forms to fill out. Yep,there's issues of privacy, but ANYTHING can get hacked + I believe they're doing their best NOT to let that happen. This is a really cool project!(in my opinion)
Saturday, June 30, 2007
"Blowin' in the Wind"
"Blowin' in the Wind"
(because sometimes I want a cure so bad I'd do anything..and I mean ANYTHING. Seriously, I think my insurance company would sooner cover a transplant then a CGMS)
How many lows must a type 1 go through
Before, you can call him a man (or woman)
Yeah, and how many hearts will be broken in two
Before, we finally understand
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many times must a white cloud set sail
Across a retinous sea
Yeah, and how many a1cs must I fail
Before, this is the death of me.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many times must a shot break the skin
Before, they're forever banned?
Yeah, its do-or-die, do this and you’ll win
50 more years- and a ton of adoration.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many years can a mountain exist
Before, it is washed to the sea?
I’m certainly no mountain- how some people exist
Many decades- is certainly beyond me.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many moms and dads will be told
That their two year old just got D
Yeah, and when they go and catch a rather virulent cold
Worry most about ketones in their pee.
Yes, and how many times will a man look up
Into the face of the local paramedic
Yeah, and if you weren’t already feeling down on your luck
That’s quite enough to make you feel real sick.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many deaths will it take till they know
That too many people have died
Yeah, it’s a disease of the high, and the low
Its quite enough to make you fit to be tied.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many parts of me will they patch
Before, they say its just no use.
Yeah, this thing called dia-bet-es just hasn’t any match
Through shots and blood and tears and lows and juice.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
I hate my diabetes- the tears in the night
My life, is going down the drain
Kidneys, nerves, BKA, heart, and my sight
The thoughts, are driving me insane. (Gee, another complication!)
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many times must I say I want cured
Before, they take me seriously
Yeah, I guess they must really need to be reassured
That a transplants the only hope for me.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
I’m trading in my ‘beates for a million pills
I’m sure, I got the better deal
Yeah, cuz I’ve got an awesome life and I’ll live it still
I can’t explain how it makes you feel
The answer, my friend, you’ll finally understand
The day you quit trying to understand.
(because sometimes I want a cure so bad I'd do anything..and I mean ANYTHING. Seriously, I think my insurance company would sooner cover a transplant then a CGMS)
How many lows must a type 1 go through
Before, you can call him a man (or woman)
Yeah, and how many hearts will be broken in two
Before, we finally understand
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many times must a white cloud set sail
Across a retinous sea
Yeah, and how many a1cs must I fail
Before, this is the death of me.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many times must a shot break the skin
Before, they're forever banned?
Yeah, its do-or-die, do this and you’ll win
50 more years- and a ton of adoration.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many years can a mountain exist
Before, it is washed to the sea?
I’m certainly no mountain- how some people exist
Many decades- is certainly beyond me.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many moms and dads will be told
That their two year old just got D
Yeah, and when they go and catch a rather virulent cold
Worry most about ketones in their pee.
Yes, and how many times will a man look up
Into the face of the local paramedic
Yeah, and if you weren’t already feeling down on your luck
That’s quite enough to make you feel real sick.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many deaths will it take till they know
That too many people have died
Yeah, it’s a disease of the high, and the low
Its quite enough to make you fit to be tied.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many parts of me will they patch
Before, they say its just no use.
Yeah, this thing called dia-bet-es just hasn’t any match
Through shots and blood and tears and lows and juice.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
I hate my diabetes- the tears in the night
My life, is going down the drain
Kidneys, nerves, BKA, heart, and my sight
The thoughts, are driving me insane. (Gee, another complication!)
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
How many times must I say I want cured
Before, they take me seriously
Yeah, I guess they must really need to be reassured
That a transplants the only hope for me.
The answer, my friend, is not blowin’ in the wind
The answer, we’ll never understand.
I’m trading in my ‘beates for a million pills
I’m sure, I got the better deal
Yeah, cuz I’ve got an awesome life and I’ll live it still
I can’t explain how it makes you feel
The answer, my friend, you’ll finally understand
The day you quit trying to understand.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Red, White, and Blue: These Colors Don't Run
Noteable Things that happened this week:
- I joined TuDiabetes. Finally. I'm probably the only blogger who HASN'T joined, at this point. I'm not much of a social networker but I could get into something like this.
- I've been high. Really high, 99% of the time. And I don't know why. Infusion set= check, new insulin= check, not sick=check, everything else= check. I'm afraid to really go to town on the insulin because I'm afraid it will all majorly crash on me + cause hypos. So, I'm being too cautious + I'm still really high + in major grump mood. Why can't diabetes be its normal unpredictable, instead of completely unpredictable? I'm not in the mood for this. I just want my blood sugars to come back to earth so I can get everything done.
-My brother flies in tonight, on a 2 week leave from the Marines. His last leave, before heading to Iraq.
- I fell for my Semi-Annual Ebay scam + had to reset all my passwords, usernames, clean out my entire cookie collection, etc. to prevent said scammer from gaining access to them. Boy, did I feel stupid. I will say that I don't fall for the same ones...so I've got to be getting better at recognizing them. Maybe I can blame the brain fog.
-The place we'd finally decided to get married at, cancelled. Nothing was in writing,discussing it was in the immeadiete future though. Back to looking...
On second thought, perhaps stress could be playing a minor role in the less then pristine diabetes control.
- I joined TuDiabetes. Finally. I'm probably the only blogger who HASN'T joined, at this point. I'm not much of a social networker but I could get into something like this.
- I've been high. Really high, 99% of the time. And I don't know why. Infusion set= check, new insulin= check, not sick=check, everything else= check. I'm afraid to really go to town on the insulin because I'm afraid it will all majorly crash on me + cause hypos. So, I'm being too cautious + I'm still really high + in major grump mood. Why can't diabetes be its normal unpredictable, instead of completely unpredictable? I'm not in the mood for this. I just want my blood sugars to come back to earth so I can get everything done.
-My brother flies in tonight, on a 2 week leave from the Marines. His last leave, before heading to Iraq.
- I fell for my Semi-Annual Ebay scam + had to reset all my passwords, usernames, clean out my entire cookie collection, etc. to prevent said scammer from gaining access to them. Boy, did I feel stupid. I will say that I don't fall for the same ones...so I've got to be getting better at recognizing them. Maybe I can blame the brain fog.
-The place we'd finally decided to get married at, cancelled. Nothing was in writing,discussing it was in the immeadiete future though. Back to looking...
On second thought, perhaps stress could be playing a minor role in the less then pristine diabetes control.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Steel Magnolias- Color me a Reformed PWD
"I'd rather have a little bit of wonderful then a lifetime of nothing special."
-Shelby, the diabetic heroine, Steel Magnolias
And so, as you all know, she had her baby + shortly thereafter expired from kidney failure.(failed transplant) Fulled the "diabetics shouldn't have babies" rumor mills for all time.
I like that quote- simply because it embraces the challenges, doesn't give the dream up. I don't like it for the woefully inaccurate portrait (of diabetic pregnancies) it presents. I want to live like that- no matter what the future holds, and what diabetes might throw at me, the point is life is(to some extent) what you make it.
Now for the reformed part.
This (hopefully) being the last Summer of the Singlehood, I feel the urge to do something that most married people, and especially diabetics, would not participate in. Happily married people feel the need to stick around for each other, and fellow PWD's understand what said activity does to the blood sugars.
I know that that said activity has the potential for overstuffed stomach, extremily high blood sugars, and the instant stamp of Endo dissaproval.(no,I don't recommend asking them about it) Because, I've done it before + it was not the pretty sight. Ketchup, mustard, relish- the area was like a war zone.
I will say that after 5 hotdogs(and buns),1/2 a gallon of water + pepsi(to queall the rolling stomach) the dubious distinction of "5th place" was not enough to give me any dreams of going professional. Nope, I went home + swore off hotdogs for an entire month. And its been several years since I did this.
But(come the 3rd of July), I'd like to do again- because I never will again
+ hey,its a way to get a free supper. (plus half a gallon of ice cream, for participation) Just gotta remember to prebolus 10 units.
After that-someone else can have my place. My wildchild days will be over.
-Shelby, the diabetic heroine, Steel Magnolias
And so, as you all know, she had her baby + shortly thereafter expired from kidney failure.(failed transplant) Fulled the "diabetics shouldn't have babies" rumor mills for all time.
I like that quote- simply because it embraces the challenges, doesn't give the dream up. I don't like it for the woefully inaccurate portrait (of diabetic pregnancies) it presents. I want to live like that- no matter what the future holds, and what diabetes might throw at me, the point is life is(to some extent) what you make it.
Now for the reformed part.
This (hopefully) being the last Summer of the Singlehood, I feel the urge to do something that most married people, and especially diabetics, would not participate in. Happily married people feel the need to stick around for each other, and fellow PWD's understand what said activity does to the blood sugars.
I know that that said activity has the potential for overstuffed stomach, extremily high blood sugars, and the instant stamp of Endo dissaproval.(no,I don't recommend asking them about it) Because, I've done it before + it was not the pretty sight. Ketchup, mustard, relish- the area was like a war zone.
I will say that after 5 hotdogs(and buns),1/2 a gallon of water + pepsi(to queall the rolling stomach) the dubious distinction of "5th place" was not enough to give me any dreams of going professional. Nope, I went home + swore off hotdogs for an entire month. And its been several years since I did this.
But(come the 3rd of July), I'd like to do again- because I never will again
+ hey,its a way to get a free supper. (plus half a gallon of ice cream, for participation) Just gotta remember to prebolus 10 units.
After that-someone else can have my place. My wildchild days will be over.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Another Meme
THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Heidi
2. Peggy(blame my brother for this one,and yes, you will be in deep trouble if you ever try it out!as I particularly hate it)
3. Adel-Head (also a sibling favorite)
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My hair. Sometimes.Most of the time, it is too time consuming to get to look right.. so I settle for convenient.
2. My smile.
3. My ears(not too horribly big).
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My height.(tooo short)
2. My shyness(wish I was more of a people person)
3. My inability to tan- just burn.
THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Scottish
2. French
3. German
THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. The electricity going out at work- when it does, its so pitch black in there you don't dare move + you start to wonder what to do if it doesn't come back on.
2. Big dogs. Well, average sized ones too, they just don't tend to like me very much.
3. Nypos. (nightime hypos)
THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. My ipod
2. My insulin pump
3. Chocolate Milk.
THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. blue tshirt
2. white jean shorts
3. one inside-out, cotton sock
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE MUSICALS:
1. The King and I
2. Oklahoma
3. Annie
THREE OF YOUR [sort of current] FAVORITE SONGS:
1. Something Beautiful- Newsboys
2. Burn for You-Toby Mac
3.Pass the Flame-(No clue)
THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
1. Love
2. Respect
3. Trust
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS THAT YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE:
1. Waterfalls
2. A chilled bottle of diet coke, for the sole D in the group
3. A neat,organized individual(opposites attract..)
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Collecting Red Cross memorabalia.
2. Crosstitch.
3. Writing down stupid license plate names.
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. Sign the contract(or whatever) on the place that took 2 weekends to finally find/agree on, so I can get on with planning the rest of the wedding!
2. Be at the 2007 FFL conferance- and the joint Disney World vacation. (so, so bad-will I make it till then?)
3. Find my cellphone charger.
THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING:
1. Nursing.
2. Stay-at-home-Super-Mom
3. Journalist
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. Niagra Falls
2. The Swiss Alps
3. Australia
THREE KIDS NAMES YOU LIKE:
1. Jason
2. Jesse
3. Melody
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. See a cure for diabetes.
2. Stop biting my fingernails.
3. Finish my degree.
THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A CHICK:
1.I've been thinking about future kid's names since before time...and have the lists (dating from the early 90's) to prove it.
2. I cry at every single movie(in a theator), no matter what it is.
3. I like to shop.
THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY:
1. I'd rather eat, then cook.
2. I like firearms, and target practice. Not sure I could ever be in law enforcement though.
3. I don't read manuels, even if I have no clue how to put something together. I prefer trial/error.
THREE CELEB CRUSHES:
1. Noah Wyle.
2. George Clooney.
3. Brad Pitt.
1. Heidi
2. Peggy(blame my brother for this one,and yes, you will be in deep trouble if you ever try it out!as I particularly hate it)
3. Adel-Head (also a sibling favorite)
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My hair. Sometimes.Most of the time, it is too time consuming to get to look right.. so I settle for convenient.
2. My smile.
3. My ears(not too horribly big).
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My height.(tooo short)
2. My shyness(wish I was more of a people person)
3. My inability to tan- just burn.
THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Scottish
2. French
3. German
THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. The electricity going out at work- when it does, its so pitch black in there you don't dare move + you start to wonder what to do if it doesn't come back on.
2. Big dogs. Well, average sized ones too, they just don't tend to like me very much.
3. Nypos. (nightime hypos)
THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. My ipod
2. My insulin pump
3. Chocolate Milk.
THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. blue tshirt
2. white jean shorts
3. one inside-out, cotton sock
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE MUSICALS:
1. The King and I
2. Oklahoma
3. Annie
THREE OF YOUR [sort of current] FAVORITE SONGS:
1. Something Beautiful- Newsboys
2. Burn for You-Toby Mac
3.Pass the Flame-(No clue)
THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
1. Love
2. Respect
3. Trust
THREE PHYSICAL THINGS THAT YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE:
1. Waterfalls
2. A chilled bottle of diet coke, for the sole D in the group
3. A neat,organized individual(opposites attract..)
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Collecting Red Cross memorabalia.
2. Crosstitch.
3. Writing down stupid license plate names.
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. Sign the contract(or whatever) on the place that took 2 weekends to finally find/agree on, so I can get on with planning the rest of the wedding!
2. Be at the 2007 FFL conferance- and the joint Disney World vacation. (so, so bad-will I make it till then?)
3. Find my cellphone charger.
THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING:
1. Nursing.
2. Stay-at-home-Super-Mom
3. Journalist
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. Niagra Falls
2. The Swiss Alps
3. Australia
THREE KIDS NAMES YOU LIKE:
1. Jason
2. Jesse
3. Melody
THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. See a cure for diabetes.
2. Stop biting my fingernails.
3. Finish my degree.
THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A CHICK:
1.I've been thinking about future kid's names since before time...and have the lists (dating from the early 90's) to prove it.
2. I cry at every single movie(in a theator), no matter what it is.
3. I like to shop.
THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY:
1. I'd rather eat, then cook.
2. I like firearms, and target practice. Not sure I could ever be in law enforcement though.
3. I don't read manuels, even if I have no clue how to put something together. I prefer trial/error.
THREE CELEB CRUSHES:
1. Noah Wyle.
2. George Clooney.
3. Brad Pitt.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Blurred Yellow: A Morning With a Surgeon
Five minutes down the road, my insulin pump beeping out a cheery "Low Resevoir" alarm, I pull into the gas station to check my pump.
0.1 units remaining. Capitol UGH.
I need gas, so I take care of that first. Check blood glucose. 466 mg/dl.
Darn it, I'm going to be late...
Back up shot of 8 units, as there doesn't seem to be any spare resevoirs in my car. No time to go home + grab a new one. Got to get to the 4 month eye followup.
The eye clinic, is, as usual, crowded to the gills + though I'm 2 minutes early, it hardly matters when the docs are running behind so much. 20 minutes, tops, before I can even get registered.
Register, go back to seat.
At least the other wait is much shorter. 10 minutes, and Resident Wonderful calls me back.
"So, how have you been doing?"
"Ok."
He looks at my chart, asks me some questions. I can tell from his expression that he thinks I have Very High Matenience Patient emblazoned all over me + there's no way in heck he'll be tampering with my case.
There are too many horrible factors.
Standard checks. Up,down,left,right. Charts.Glasses on. Glasses off. Goes out.
My surgeon comes in, does some more preliminaries.
Assistant comes in. Drops, pressure, out to waiting room. Back to testing room. Green/Red goggles for Hess Test-all too familiar by now.
Back to waiting room. Back to exam room. Surgeon comes in.
"Although the left superior oblique is doing very well(thanks to Surgery #1) your left lateral rectus is still overshooting and that's why you've still got the right quadrant doubling. Thing is, we can't just go in and trim up the left lateral rectus because it's not as versatile as the other muscle. If you had that corrected,you know the risks. Your decision- it's your eye."
I stare at my surgeon, FRICK he can't be serious. Of course, they told me (pre-surgery #1) that anything was possible but I'd hoped,as it was doing better, that I would not have to come back to this place(ever, I guess-and eye wise, not for a year).
Seems it is not to be. It is regressing too much on the right side. Back to the OR it is. Diabetes wise- my eyes are just great + everyother wise, its just such a tangled web.
0.1 units remaining. Capitol UGH.
I need gas, so I take care of that first. Check blood glucose. 466 mg/dl.
Darn it, I'm going to be late...
Back up shot of 8 units, as there doesn't seem to be any spare resevoirs in my car. No time to go home + grab a new one. Got to get to the 4 month eye followup.
The eye clinic, is, as usual, crowded to the gills + though I'm 2 minutes early, it hardly matters when the docs are running behind so much. 20 minutes, tops, before I can even get registered.
Register, go back to seat.
At least the other wait is much shorter. 10 minutes, and Resident Wonderful calls me back.
"So, how have you been doing?"
"Ok."
He looks at my chart, asks me some questions. I can tell from his expression that he thinks I have Very High Matenience Patient emblazoned all over me + there's no way in heck he'll be tampering with my case.
There are too many horrible factors.
Standard checks. Up,down,left,right. Charts.Glasses on. Glasses off. Goes out.
My surgeon comes in, does some more preliminaries.
Assistant comes in. Drops, pressure, out to waiting room. Back to testing room. Green/Red goggles for Hess Test-all too familiar by now.
Back to waiting room. Back to exam room. Surgeon comes in.
"Although the left superior oblique is doing very well(thanks to Surgery #1) your left lateral rectus is still overshooting and that's why you've still got the right quadrant doubling. Thing is, we can't just go in and trim up the left lateral rectus because it's not as versatile as the other muscle. If you had that corrected,you know the risks. Your decision- it's your eye."
I stare at my surgeon, FRICK he can't be serious. Of course, they told me (pre-surgery #1) that anything was possible but I'd hoped,as it was doing better, that I would not have to come back to this place(ever, I guess-and eye wise, not for a year).
Seems it is not to be. It is regressing too much on the right side. Back to the OR it is. Diabetes wise- my eyes are just great + everyother wise, its just such a tangled web.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Vanilla Zero- Color Me Happy
I've tried Zero..and Cherry Zero(hey, it doesn't take much to please this palate) but gosh darn it, I just love it when a previously undiscovered (or new) flavor makes it to this part of the world. It's soooo good.
(in my opinion)
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Grass Green: Color My Yard Sale
The grass was freshly mowed.
The stash of Diet/Regular Mt.Dews stood by the door, throughly chilled and ready for human (and cat? but this isn't mine, adorable photo though) consumption.
And the morning 72 mg/dl had been improved upon, by a horribly un-D-friendly Tastycake cupcake. (it was good,though..)
Fortuanatly, I hadn't yet set up the vast majority of my items(just the tables + a fan), it had rained the night previously. The tabletops were soaked, and had to be dryed off.
An hour of predawn preperation- dragging/carring everything across the street, setting up in the big parking lot (people tend to ignore you, if you're not in a highly visable spot + that wasn't a chance I was going to take this year. Need other people around.)
My mom showed up to help me organize- put ice/drinks in coolers, set up stuff.
As soon as it was really light- they (the early morning crowd) showed up in droves, intent on getting the best deals possible.
I keep an eye on the big guy raffling through my extra glucose moniter collection-he's been there awhile. In fact, its the 2nd time he's been there, and back again.
"$10 for the whole box?"
If I'd have been drinking anything, it most certainly would have shot out my nose. Heck, no- there are two Ultras,1 Ultrasmart,1 Ascensia,and 1 Aviva in that box, all New in Package. (CVS deals + freebies) All glucose moniters should be cheap, but not that cheap + I think its priced pretty conservativly at $2-$5 each already. My level of altruism doesn't extend that far- I did have to pay for the gas to go get these + I think I should be reimbursed for that.
"Uh, NO. They're worth $75 each."
The guy knows that- and grunts, as he moves back to study the box again. There's no way he wants 5 glucose moniters just to moniter his own D, he's looking to resell some of them.
His wife is already one of my favorite customers, cleaning up a good $25 worth of stuff.
"Ok, this one." He pulls out the Ascensia.
Thank goodness he made a decision.
(plus,I thought I'd have to give that particular one away. Who uses Ascensia any more?)
The morning progresses, and the crowds keep coming, cleaning out my stash of candles/dvds/B&BWorks items/drinks/miscellanious. I go down the street, and find some more junk(to replete what I got rid of,haha), lug it back to the house(it weighs a ton, craft stuff). Should have had it delivered- its only half a mile away!
Bg afterwords- 213.
An hour later, as I'm walking in the opposite direction, its low. I duck into the VFW post, buy a hotdog, and set my basal down to 0.0. Hot weather certainly works wonders on high blood sugars.Take a hotdog back to my mom.
By 12:30, the crowds are pretty much gone + its time to pack up.
Bg: 71. Rip off pump in frustrated exaustion, go take nap.
5:30 PM- wake up from nap. 325. No surprise there, that's what happens when you're off the pump for 4 hours. At least its a change from being low.
Very productive day, cleared several hundred $$'s. If only my blood sugars were as wonderful. I overestimated some things(such as the number of drinks people would buy)so now I've got a bunch of regular drinks(in addition to diet) that I'll have to find normal people to drink them...Two Ultras also remain. There was a fire fighter looking at them,but he didn't buy any(it isn't the protocal meter anyway).
The stash of Diet/Regular Mt.Dews stood by the door, throughly chilled and ready for human (and cat? but this isn't mine, adorable photo though) consumption.
And the morning 72 mg/dl had been improved upon, by a horribly un-D-friendly Tastycake cupcake. (it was good,though..)
Fortuanatly, I hadn't yet set up the vast majority of my items(just the tables + a fan), it had rained the night previously. The tabletops were soaked, and had to be dryed off.
An hour of predawn preperation- dragging/carring everything across the street, setting up in the big parking lot (people tend to ignore you, if you're not in a highly visable spot + that wasn't a chance I was going to take this year. Need other people around.)
My mom showed up to help me organize- put ice/drinks in coolers, set up stuff.
As soon as it was really light- they (the early morning crowd) showed up in droves, intent on getting the best deals possible.
I keep an eye on the big guy raffling through my extra glucose moniter collection-he's been there awhile. In fact, its the 2nd time he's been there, and back again.
"$10 for the whole box?"
If I'd have been drinking anything, it most certainly would have shot out my nose. Heck, no- there are two Ultras,1 Ultrasmart,1 Ascensia,and 1 Aviva in that box, all New in Package. (CVS deals + freebies) All glucose moniters should be cheap, but not that cheap + I think its priced pretty conservativly at $2-$5 each already. My level of altruism doesn't extend that far- I did have to pay for the gas to go get these + I think I should be reimbursed for that.
"Uh, NO. They're worth $75 each."
The guy knows that- and grunts, as he moves back to study the box again. There's no way he wants 5 glucose moniters just to moniter his own D, he's looking to resell some of them.
His wife is already one of my favorite customers, cleaning up a good $25 worth of stuff.
"Ok, this one." He pulls out the Ascensia.
Thank goodness he made a decision.
(plus,I thought I'd have to give that particular one away. Who uses Ascensia any more?)
The morning progresses, and the crowds keep coming, cleaning out my stash of candles/dvds/B&BWorks items/drinks/miscellanious. I go down the street, and find some more junk(to replete what I got rid of,haha), lug it back to the house(it weighs a ton, craft stuff). Should have had it delivered- its only half a mile away!
Bg afterwords- 213.
An hour later, as I'm walking in the opposite direction, its low. I duck into the VFW post, buy a hotdog, and set my basal down to 0.0. Hot weather certainly works wonders on high blood sugars.Take a hotdog back to my mom.
By 12:30, the crowds are pretty much gone + its time to pack up.
Bg: 71. Rip off pump in frustrated exaustion, go take nap.
5:30 PM- wake up from nap. 325. No surprise there, that's what happens when you're off the pump for 4 hours. At least its a change from being low.
Very productive day, cleared several hundred $$'s. If only my blood sugars were as wonderful. I overestimated some things(such as the number of drinks people would buy)so now I've got a bunch of regular drinks(in addition to diet) that I'll have to find normal people to drink them...Two Ultras also remain. There was a fire fighter looking at them,but he didn't buy any(it isn't the protocal meter anyway).
Friday, June 08, 2007
The Me (Meme)
1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
If I was a celebrity- I'd have to have makeup on, even in jail.
2. How much cash do you have on you? Cash? you must be joking..
3. What's a word that rhymes with DOOR? de-jour. As in, some weird French word that I have absolutely no clue what it means.
4. Favorite planet? Mars. I have an ongoing interest in the place my fiance is from.
5. Who is the first person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
My cellphone provider, reminding me of my due bill.
6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
Got this phone(a month ago) and I haven't even personalized my ring tones to my contact list! So I can't say I've got a favorite.(yet)
7. What shirt are you wearing? sleeveless blue cotton, in keeping with the 95 degrees + haven't yet had the ac put back in my windowsill theme.
8. Do you label yourself? yes, but "diabetic" is not
really one of my favorites.
9. Name the brand of the shoes you're currently wearing: White Stag sneakers.
10. Bright or Dark Room? Dark room. It's easier to catch a nap.
11. Why is there always a missing question?
Because human beings aren't perfect.
12. What does your watch look like?
I don't wear a watch. (usually) I've got a pump w/ has a perfectly functioning timepiece.
13. What were you doing at midnight last night? chatting.
14. What did your last text message you received on your cell phone say?
Sorry, your code is invalid. Please resubmit to Coke Rewards.
15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
Less then 1/2 a mile away. And its a favorite hangout.
16. What's a word that you say a lot? Oh-kay.
17. Who told you he/she loved you last? My fiance.:-)
18. Last furry thing you touched? The moldy thing growing in my refridgerator-(that I throughly cleaned out today, yay me!) it reminded me of a giant dust bunny. And it left a trail of green slime, as it dragged against the kitchen floor/porch. So after cleaning the 'fridge, I had to scrub the floor.
19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
Two. And only one was the injectable kind.
20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
None, but I do have 1,132 digital photos that I need to sort through/upload/order online before this computer kicks the dust.
21. Favorite age you have been so far? 15. (pre-D)
22. Your worst enemy? people who stress me out.
23. What is your current desktop picture? My fiance.
24. What was the last thing you said to someone? Yep, I'll be there. 5 AM, baby.
25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly, what would it be? A million bucks. I'm with Kerri- I'm not really into flying.
26. Do you like someone? yeah, I like alot of people.
27. The last song you listened to? Basics of Life/4Him.
28. What time of day were you born?
12:47 AM,on the first of September. Just narrowly missed being an August baby.
29. What's your favorite number? 98. It's a pretty versatile number-bodytemp, blood sugar, room temp wise. And if you've lived that long, that's pretty cool too.
30. Where did you live in 1987? Jackson,MS, I was in the first grade.
31. Are you jealous of anyone?
people who smoke like a chimney + still live to 110.
32. Is anyone jealous of you? several people at my job, who would love to get married + up & quit theirs...
33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
At work, bemoaning the state of my alternator-fried vehicle.
34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
A. Scream at it.
B. Go back to table, to acquire more change.
C. Fill out refund request.
(this usually happens at work)
35. Do you consider yourself kind? In most respects, yes. Everyone has bad days though.
36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be? Probably on my left shoulder.
37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be? Spanish.
38. Would you move for the person you loved? I'm about to do just that. (move to the ends of the earth...)
39. Are you touchy-feely?
no
40. What's your life motto?
If life hands you lemons, make lemonade + swap with someone who's life has handed them vodka.
41. Name three things you have on you at all times:
(usually) my pump
Medical ID
my engagement ring
42. What's your favorite town/city?
I love Washington DC- but then again, I haven't been very many places.
43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
paper towels at Target.And I didn't pass out this time.
44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
A looooooooong time ago.
45. Can you change the oil on a car? Yes.
46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
That he has a better job, but not any luck in the S.O. department.
47. How far back do you know your ancestry?
1066 A.D. One ancestor came over with William the Conquorer, to clean up Merry Old England.
48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy? For my sister's wedding, I wore this pink dress.(and pink is really not me)
49. Does anything hurt on your body right now? just my head, because its so hot outside.
50. Have you ever been burned by love?
Been there, done it, got the tshirt.
51. Do you have a crush on any bloggers? heck yeah, but I don't think they're blogging anymore. (joint blog, by three resident doctors)
52. Where would you like to live? Every place has its advantages/disadvantages, and I haven't figured out where that might be.
If I was a celebrity- I'd have to have makeup on, even in jail.
2. How much cash do you have on you? Cash? you must be joking..
3. What's a word that rhymes with DOOR? de-jour. As in, some weird French word that I have absolutely no clue what it means.
4. Favorite planet? Mars. I have an ongoing interest in the place my fiance is from.
5. Who is the first person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
My cellphone provider, reminding me of my due bill.
6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
Got this phone(a month ago) and I haven't even personalized my ring tones to my contact list! So I can't say I've got a favorite.(yet)
7. What shirt are you wearing? sleeveless blue cotton, in keeping with the 95 degrees + haven't yet had the ac put back in my windowsill theme.
8. Do you label yourself? yes, but "diabetic" is not
really one of my favorites.
9. Name the brand of the shoes you're currently wearing: White Stag sneakers.
10. Bright or Dark Room? Dark room. It's easier to catch a nap.
11. Why is there always a missing question?
Because human beings aren't perfect.
12. What does your watch look like?
I don't wear a watch. (usually) I've got a pump w/ has a perfectly functioning timepiece.
13. What were you doing at midnight last night? chatting.
14. What did your last text message you received on your cell phone say?
Sorry, your code is invalid. Please resubmit to Coke Rewards.
15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
Less then 1/2 a mile away. And its a favorite hangout.
16. What's a word that you say a lot? Oh-kay.
17. Who told you he/she loved you last? My fiance.:-)
18. Last furry thing you touched? The moldy thing growing in my refridgerator-(that I throughly cleaned out today, yay me!) it reminded me of a giant dust bunny. And it left a trail of green slime, as it dragged against the kitchen floor/porch. So after cleaning the 'fridge, I had to scrub the floor.
19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
Two. And only one was the injectable kind.
20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
None, but I do have 1,132 digital photos that I need to sort through/upload/order online before this computer kicks the dust.
21. Favorite age you have been so far? 15. (pre-D)
22. Your worst enemy? people who stress me out.
23. What is your current desktop picture? My fiance.
24. What was the last thing you said to someone? Yep, I'll be there. 5 AM, baby.
25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly, what would it be? A million bucks. I'm with Kerri- I'm not really into flying.
26. Do you like someone? yeah, I like alot of people.
27. The last song you listened to? Basics of Life/4Him.
28. What time of day were you born?
12:47 AM,on the first of September. Just narrowly missed being an August baby.
29. What's your favorite number? 98. It's a pretty versatile number-bodytemp, blood sugar, room temp wise. And if you've lived that long, that's pretty cool too.
30. Where did you live in 1987? Jackson,MS, I was in the first grade.
31. Are you jealous of anyone?
people who smoke like a chimney + still live to 110.
32. Is anyone jealous of you? several people at my job, who would love to get married + up & quit theirs...
33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
At work, bemoaning the state of my alternator-fried vehicle.
34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
A. Scream at it.
B. Go back to table, to acquire more change.
C. Fill out refund request.
(this usually happens at work)
35. Do you consider yourself kind? In most respects, yes. Everyone has bad days though.
36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be? Probably on my left shoulder.
37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be? Spanish.
38. Would you move for the person you loved? I'm about to do just that. (move to the ends of the earth...)
39. Are you touchy-feely?
no
40. What's your life motto?
If life hands you lemons, make lemonade + swap with someone who's life has handed them vodka.
41. Name three things you have on you at all times:
(usually) my pump
Medical ID
my engagement ring
42. What's your favorite town/city?
I love Washington DC- but then again, I haven't been very many places.
43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
paper towels at Target.And I didn't pass out this time.
44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
A looooooooong time ago.
45. Can you change the oil on a car? Yes.
46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
That he has a better job, but not any luck in the S.O. department.
47. How far back do you know your ancestry?
1066 A.D. One ancestor came over with William the Conquorer, to clean up Merry Old England.
48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy? For my sister's wedding, I wore this pink dress.(and pink is really not me)
49. Does anything hurt on your body right now? just my head, because its so hot outside.
50. Have you ever been burned by love?
Been there, done it, got the tshirt.
51. Do you have a crush on any bloggers? heck yeah, but I don't think they're blogging anymore. (joint blog, by three resident doctors)
52. Where would you like to live? Every place has its advantages/disadvantages, and I haven't figured out where that might be.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Sheet White: X Marks the Spot
I am tired, so very tired, standing in the Target checkout line. And getting progressevly lower, though I don't believe I'm all that low. Just need a little something to pep me up, get me through checkout, and over to my parent's house for supper. Temp basal is already set on 0.0 for an hour.
No Peeps.
No juice.
No glucose tablets.
I grab the package of Reese's Pieces off the shelf, rip them open, and eat them, determined not to repeat the gas station incident.
The cashier scans my items + wades through my stack of coupons(which, predictably, will not scan). She is telling me something.
I want to sit down. I need to sit down. Now. To heck with groceries and coupons and nosey cashiers. So I slump down against the counter + start to shake. Stupid low.
The lady behind me (in the checkout) is talking to me. "I saw your insulin pump, are you low?"
I don't ask how she knows that. I'm just grateful that she does.
"Yes."
"You ate some candy-do you need anything else?" "No,I'll be ok." "Want me to call the squad?" "No, it'll be ok in a few minutes."
"Drink this."
Pepsi, real Pepsi. Automatically swallow, spill, repeat. Lay down. As with many of my lows, it gets worse before it gets better. Apethetic daze time.
Pepsi is slowly kicking in when the squad shows up on the scene.
"Hey, Heidi. Open your eyes. It's Ike."
"I didn't know she was diabetic." (Another familiar voice)
Squad buds.(dude,those were the good old days) Back when I had time to do stuff like that. Back before life got so busy.
"Low, huh?"
"Yeah." I'm so shaky, I'm not convinced my blood sugar has gone up much. Some InstaGlucose might just do the trick.
In the ambulance, a bg check rings in at 109.
"Still think you're low?"
"Yes."
"You know yourself better then this meter. Have a tube of glucose." Suck it dry.
"Another?" "Yes." Suck 2nd tube dry.
Bg check=118.
"I think we better go to a dextrose drip." He puts it in. "Cold?"
"No."(I'm always this shaky when I'm recovering from a major hypo)
Get to ER. Blood glucose after (more) juice, supper, and 3 hours...
401 mg/dl.
Do I feel stupid now, or what- why is it, by the time you get to the ER your blood sugar is normal again.(soon to be high) Of course, you don't know that it is going to go up but most eventually do. Sigh. Five minutes being seen by the ER doctor("We'll keep an eye on you/you're fine") and 15 being berated by ER nurse #2 for crimping the tubing("You're an EMT, you should know better!") I utterly despise ER's. I will never work in one. (as a nurse)
Got home, got to sleep, and had another low at 12 AM. I was working my way through a jar of peanuts when it occured to me that I might be low, better check. 53. Time for more juice. Back to the 300's again this morning, I need to get this smoothed out.
(*Note to insurance company: See why I need a CGMS????*)
No Peeps.
No juice.
No glucose tablets.
I grab the package of Reese's Pieces off the shelf, rip them open, and eat them, determined not to repeat the gas station incident.
The cashier scans my items + wades through my stack of coupons(which, predictably, will not scan). She is telling me something.
I want to sit down. I need to sit down. Now. To heck with groceries and coupons and nosey cashiers. So I slump down against the counter + start to shake. Stupid low.
The lady behind me (in the checkout) is talking to me. "I saw your insulin pump, are you low?"
I don't ask how she knows that. I'm just grateful that she does.
"Yes."
"You ate some candy-do you need anything else?" "No,I'll be ok." "Want me to call the squad?" "No, it'll be ok in a few minutes."
"Drink this."
Pepsi, real Pepsi. Automatically swallow, spill, repeat. Lay down. As with many of my lows, it gets worse before it gets better. Apethetic daze time.
Pepsi is slowly kicking in when the squad shows up on the scene.
"Hey, Heidi. Open your eyes. It's Ike."
"I didn't know she was diabetic." (Another familiar voice)
Squad buds.(dude,those were the good old days) Back when I had time to do stuff like that. Back before life got so busy.
"Low, huh?"
"Yeah." I'm so shaky, I'm not convinced my blood sugar has gone up much. Some InstaGlucose might just do the trick.
In the ambulance, a bg check rings in at 109.
"Still think you're low?"
"Yes."
"You know yourself better then this meter. Have a tube of glucose." Suck it dry.
"Another?" "Yes." Suck 2nd tube dry.
Bg check=118.
"I think we better go to a dextrose drip." He puts it in. "Cold?"
"No."(I'm always this shaky when I'm recovering from a major hypo)
Get to ER. Blood glucose after (more) juice, supper, and 3 hours...
401 mg/dl.
Do I feel stupid now, or what- why is it, by the time you get to the ER your blood sugar is normal again.(soon to be high) Of course, you don't know that it is going to go up but most eventually do. Sigh. Five minutes being seen by the ER doctor("We'll keep an eye on you/you're fine") and 15 being berated by ER nurse #2 for crimping the tubing("You're an EMT, you should know better!") I utterly despise ER's. I will never work in one. (as a nurse)
Got home, got to sleep, and had another low at 12 AM. I was working my way through a jar of peanuts when it occured to me that I might be low, better check. 53. Time for more juice. Back to the 300's again this morning, I need to get this smoothed out.
(*Note to insurance company: See why I need a CGMS????*)
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Dark Blue: Color me Lonely
Two ships on a stormy sea
Two D's in a city of normal pancreas people)
Flash their mirrors
(Recognize each other by their same brand insulin pumps)
A beacon of safety + trust
(Karma, period.Eventually, you'll finally run into some one who gets it)
In this tumultuos storm
(High, low, high, low- will it ever end?)
Going down again
(Low again?)
But nothing will sink this old ship.
(I'd trust you, even more then an MD-Paramedic)
-------------
Ok, I admit, I don't get out much. No support groups for type 1's/pumpers around here (by "around here", I'm referring to the Endocrine group in the city, and even that is a nice little drive, much less back here in Smallville, USA) and I've seen another type 1 precisely twice.(around here, not pumpers)Although my endo is also a type 1, she's all doctor(doesn't talk about herself any, I wish she would) Although I'm sure they do exist. I see the names scrawled into the syringe purchase book, whenever I have to buy backup syringes + some of them are probably type 1's. Doctors are the only people who know lots of type 1's.
Which explains why I go a little nuts when I come in contact with another type 1.
CVS parking lot, 6 pm. I'm in my car, they're getting back into their car and I catch a glimpse of their clipped on gadget- it suddenly registers that said device is NOT a cellphone. Nope. It's a blue Deltec Cozmo, in the black plastic-less case(exactly what I've got).
WOW....
As I'm digesting this shocking scene, they drive away. No chance that I'll get to throw myself on them, thanking them profusely for reaffirming my hopes that this town isn't quite as backward as I'd previously believed. I'm not the only one with class around here.
Where I'm moving, diabetes support groups abound- and that will be something to get used to. (a good used to,though)
Two D's in a city of normal pancreas people)
Flash their mirrors
(Recognize each other by their same brand insulin pumps)
A beacon of safety + trust
(Karma, period.Eventually, you'll finally run into some one who gets it)
In this tumultuos storm
(High, low, high, low- will it ever end?)
Going down again
(Low again?)
But nothing will sink this old ship.
(I'd trust you, even more then an MD-Paramedic)
-------------
Ok, I admit, I don't get out much. No support groups for type 1's/pumpers around here (by "around here", I'm referring to the Endocrine group in the city, and even that is a nice little drive, much less back here in Smallville, USA) and I've seen another type 1 precisely twice.(around here, not pumpers)Although my endo is also a type 1, she's all doctor(doesn't talk about herself any, I wish she would) Although I'm sure they do exist. I see the names scrawled into the syringe purchase book, whenever I have to buy backup syringes + some of them are probably type 1's. Doctors are the only people who know lots of type 1's.
Which explains why I go a little nuts when I come in contact with another type 1.
CVS parking lot, 6 pm. I'm in my car, they're getting back into their car and I catch a glimpse of their clipped on gadget- it suddenly registers that said device is NOT a cellphone. Nope. It's a blue Deltec Cozmo, in the black plastic-less case(exactly what I've got).
WOW....
As I'm digesting this shocking scene, they drive away. No chance that I'll get to throw myself on them, thanking them profusely for reaffirming my hopes that this town isn't quite as backward as I'd previously believed. I'm not the only one with class around here.
Where I'm moving, diabetes support groups abound- and that will be something to get used to. (a good used to,though)
Monday, May 28, 2007
Harsh Pink: Color Me Stupid
You live with the consequences of your actions. Always. (Especially on holiday weekends)
Checked my blood glucose probably 6 times in 3 days(really, really, not like me) ate
whenever/wherever everyone else was, took off my pump last night and woke up with a blood glucose of 501(purple ketones for that one) and I would say, wasn't very responsible. (at all) Many of the blood sugars were ok, but when I'd get high, I'd just bolus rather then take the time to check. Five positive ketostix in 3 days.
I was trying not to inconvenience anyone..(by stopping and fooling with D stuff) but as usual, it would convenience them even more when you get in trouble with highs. I've got to stop worrying about everyone else's feelings + pay enough attention to the D.
Ketones make me want to scream!
(its being high,cranky,and thirsty and those buggers don't clear out very easily either) I hate ketones.
Checked my blood glucose probably 6 times in 3 days(really, really, not like me) ate
whenever/wherever everyone else was, took off my pump last night and woke up with a blood glucose of 501(purple ketones for that one) and I would say, wasn't very responsible. (at all) Many of the blood sugars were ok, but when I'd get high, I'd just bolus rather then take the time to check. Five positive ketostix in 3 days.
I was trying not to inconvenience anyone..(by stopping and fooling with D stuff) but as usual, it would convenience them even more when you get in trouble with highs. I've got to stop worrying about everyone else's feelings + pay enough attention to the D.
Ketones make me want to scream!
(its being high,cranky,and thirsty and those buggers don't clear out very easily either) I hate ketones.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
We're Diabetic
For a little bit of good old fashioned D-pride, click here.
Rah, Rah.
(time to wear my "I run on Insulin" tshirt..:-)
Rah, Rah.
(time to wear my "I run on Insulin" tshirt..:-)
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Jamestown Story (Part 2)
Part 2-because Sat. was a story unto itself. This is what happened on Sunday.
7:30 AM- After a "Let's-get-DKA-high" breakfast of waffles/syrup, yogurt, 3 glasses of oj(what can I say, I was thirsty) and the subsequent bolusing of 15 U Novolog(not enough), my fiance and I take off for the "Yellow" lot, where we'll catch a bus to Jamestown.
8:45 AM After driving aimlessly around a seemingly deserted Eastern State(mental facility, twin cousin to Western State(joint on my side of the state) we arrive at the Yellow Lot(an empty field). Still early, we're only the 4th line of cars. Directly ahead lies a fleet of school buses, from every district in the Richmond-VA beach area. It begins to drizzle, and its a relief to board the Newport News bus.
Our driver greets us with a cheery "Good morning!" as we file in and fill the seats.
3 minutes later, as we're going down the road, the driver makes an unexpected lurch into the left turn lane.(did I mention there were no seat belts on the buses?)
The guy of front of us frowns. "Hey, you need to go straight here."
"I do?"
"YES."
"I don't know, I'm not from the area and I'm just doin' what they tell me too."
The hair on the back of my neck prickles at the news. Not good, a driver who has no clue where we're going...
The guy in front, though, has the situation well under control. "I know where to go-just keep going straight."
Audible sigh of relief heard. (by 60+ inhabitants of bus)
10 minutes later, we arrive at the Jamestown Anniversary site and unboard, as Marines direct traffic and assist little old ladies off buses.
It's still sprinking, and a bone-piercing chilly wind is blowing, adding to the uncomfortableness of the situation. The security lines are very long,as every handbag/backpack/etc. is throughly searched.
Metal detecter. Gulp. Lambo JR. frequently sets them off, and that's really not something I need today...
But when it's my turn, I pass through(uneventfully).
It's 10:30 by then, so we head for the information booth to buy "Script", the official currency of the festival.
Buy lunch, and head over to the main stage, where various dignitaries are warmin' it up with the expected long wided speeches. State delegates. The Secretary of the Interior. Sandra Day O'Connor. (who has been famous since before I was born..talk about history!)
Suddenly, a pair of fighter jets scream overhead. (giving us all mild heart attacks)
Finish lunch. The sun comes out, it quits raining. "Hail to the Chief" starts up, and we all stand up. (the sea of blue is the 10,000 member choir)
The governor is being quite cordial (remarkable, considering they're on opposite sides of the political spectrum)
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States!"
In the interest of PC, I won't delve into what he said, as you can (or did) read about it in the newspapers. Gave speech, directed the band for about 3 minutes which got a big laugh from the audience. Then the director of the festival, him/First Lady, 3 local kids stood around this Time Box and put some stuff into it(No telling what they put in-that's for tonight, boys and girls)and as the band still played, they left the stage. (followed by the dignitaries)
People begin pouring out of Festival Park, toward the Ship Area. One or two SS agents remained around the Secured Area, as the various helicopters took off. You could tell they were Secret Service from the microphone thingies in their ears(they didn't look like Men in Black). Having never seen a Secret Service agent in person, it gave me a weird weak feeling in the knees.
I'm feeling high(and thirsty). Meter reads a cranky 350, so I shoot 6 units(rather then worry about changing my infusion set(I'm way too busy for that). Combining that with walking around all afternoon should both take it down and take care of the basal
rate(I won't need much).. Get a diet pepsi. Head for the Ship Area.
Went on board the 2 larger ships. (the one was so tiny it barely could be called a ship...)
The Anchor(on the biggest ship):
We then head over to the reconstructed Fort area.(not the actual site-that's being dug up)
Stop #1:
This was a canoe making demonstation- after the Indians had cut down a tree, they'd set a series of small fires of top of it(burning the inside out). Then, they'd use clam shells to scrape out the ash and shape the canoe. When the settlers showed up(with metal tools) the Indians just about went nuts with happyness(they're clam-scrapeing days were officially over). Pretty interesting.
Stop #2. (The Fort)
Splitting boards:
How they amputated someone's limb:
(they were very good at this,the person lost less then 1/2 a pint of blood) The person had to stay in bed for awhile afterwords though.
Curing tobacco:
(Marlboro Light,anyone?)
A house:
Various other things, we didn't have time to see it all. Went back to the Visitor Center where we caught a bus for the original site.At the original site, we viewed a short documentary on the graves they'd found, saw the reconstructed church, saw the
dig site,and stood in line for 1.5 hours for the artifact museum. By then, it was hot
and people were not in the best of moods. The Archiological president + someone else came around to cheer us up, pass out water + sunblock,tell us that it was well worth the wait, and apologize for it being so long. And to tell us stories of how the Queen of England(the week previously) could go all over the area in high heels(at 82, that's pretty good) but then again, the Queen of England didn't have to wait 90 minutes on a moderatly hot summer day. Blood sugar was dropping, so I set a temp basal of 0.0 for an hour and hoped it would stay stable.
We finally got to the museum, and I was low, there was still a line(it would have taken another hour to see the graves) so we did a quick walk around and got out of there so I could drink juice.(nothing was allowed in the museum,and I wasn't about to get kicked out after waiting all that time) Saw a few things of interest.(the graves were just the big attraction)
Got back on the bus, for Anniversary Park. It was after 6 pm by then, so we got some supper, hung around the main stage area.
At 7:30 pm, there was a play about the founding of Jamestown. Very well done.
8 PM- My cellphone and digital camera both die.
At 8:30 pm, Govornor Kaine reappeared for the grand finale- to tell everyone what the president had put in the Time Box(some cds,a cd player, and a power cord + some stuff from Queen Elizabeth) In 50 years- cd players might be obsolete...
Then the govornor,his wife and 3 kids put some more stuff in the Time Box.They told him just 1 thing, but being the govornor, he chose to ignore that advice.
#1 A Virginia Tech hat
#2 I forget..
#3 Happy Birthday helium balloon, which didn't quite fit and they had to really push + scrunch it in there.
The grand finale was the fireworks, which were beyond description (REALLY awesome). The Virginia Symphony Orchestra played the theme music(Star Wars, Stars and Stripes Forever, some other stuff) for 30 minutes and I wish I could have taken some pictures of them. They (the fireworks) were the best I've seen in 22 years. After that, we reboard the bus back to the Yellow Lot, the end to a perfect day. And the driver, knew where she was going.Getting out of there wasn't so bad, they really planned it out well.(with people being designated to park in a certain lot, it wasn't a traffic disaster for any certain area)
7:30 AM- After a "Let's-get-DKA-high" breakfast of waffles/syrup, yogurt, 3 glasses of oj(what can I say, I was thirsty) and the subsequent bolusing of 15 U Novolog(not enough), my fiance and I take off for the "Yellow" lot, where we'll catch a bus to Jamestown.
8:45 AM After driving aimlessly around a seemingly deserted Eastern State(mental facility, twin cousin to Western State(joint on my side of the state) we arrive at the Yellow Lot(an empty field). Still early, we're only the 4th line of cars. Directly ahead lies a fleet of school buses, from every district in the Richmond-VA beach area. It begins to drizzle, and its a relief to board the Newport News bus.
Our driver greets us with a cheery "Good morning!" as we file in and fill the seats.
3 minutes later, as we're going down the road, the driver makes an unexpected lurch into the left turn lane.(did I mention there were no seat belts on the buses?)
The guy of front of us frowns. "Hey, you need to go straight here."
"I do?"
"YES."
"I don't know, I'm not from the area and I'm just doin' what they tell me too."
The hair on the back of my neck prickles at the news. Not good, a driver who has no clue where we're going...
The guy in front, though, has the situation well under control. "I know where to go-just keep going straight."
Audible sigh of relief heard. (by 60+ inhabitants of bus)
10 minutes later, we arrive at the Jamestown Anniversary site and unboard, as Marines direct traffic and assist little old ladies off buses.
It's still sprinking, and a bone-piercing chilly wind is blowing, adding to the uncomfortableness of the situation. The security lines are very long,as every handbag/backpack/etc. is throughly searched.
Metal detecter. Gulp. Lambo JR. frequently sets them off, and that's really not something I need today...
But when it's my turn, I pass through(uneventfully).
It's 10:30 by then, so we head for the information booth to buy "Script", the official currency of the festival.
Buy lunch, and head over to the main stage, where various dignitaries are warmin' it up with the expected long wided speeches. State delegates. The Secretary of the Interior. Sandra Day O'Connor. (who has been famous since before I was born..talk about history!)
Suddenly, a pair of fighter jets scream overhead. (giving us all mild heart attacks)
Finish lunch. The sun comes out, it quits raining. "Hail to the Chief" starts up, and we all stand up. (the sea of blue is the 10,000 member choir)
The governor is being quite cordial (remarkable, considering they're on opposite sides of the political spectrum)
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States!"
In the interest of PC, I won't delve into what he said, as you can (or did) read about it in the newspapers. Gave speech, directed the band for about 3 minutes which got a big laugh from the audience. Then the director of the festival, him/First Lady, 3 local kids stood around this Time Box and put some stuff into it(No telling what they put in-that's for tonight, boys and girls)and as the band still played, they left the stage. (followed by the dignitaries)
People begin pouring out of Festival Park, toward the Ship Area. One or two SS agents remained around the Secured Area, as the various helicopters took off. You could tell they were Secret Service from the microphone thingies in their ears(they didn't look like Men in Black). Having never seen a Secret Service agent in person, it gave me a weird weak feeling in the knees.
I'm feeling high(and thirsty). Meter reads a cranky 350, so I shoot 6 units(rather then worry about changing my infusion set(I'm way too busy for that). Combining that with walking around all afternoon should both take it down and take care of the basal
rate(I won't need much).. Get a diet pepsi. Head for the Ship Area.
Went on board the 2 larger ships. (the one was so tiny it barely could be called a ship...)
The Anchor(on the biggest ship):
We then head over to the reconstructed Fort area.(not the actual site-that's being dug up)
Stop #1:
This was a canoe making demonstation- after the Indians had cut down a tree, they'd set a series of small fires of top of it(burning the inside out). Then, they'd use clam shells to scrape out the ash and shape the canoe. When the settlers showed up(with metal tools) the Indians just about went nuts with happyness(they're clam-scrapeing days were officially over). Pretty interesting.
Stop #2. (The Fort)
Splitting boards:
How they amputated someone's limb:
(they were very good at this,the person lost less then 1/2 a pint of blood) The person had to stay in bed for awhile afterwords though.
Curing tobacco:
(Marlboro Light,anyone?)
A house:
Various other things, we didn't have time to see it all. Went back to the Visitor Center where we caught a bus for the original site.At the original site, we viewed a short documentary on the graves they'd found, saw the reconstructed church, saw the
dig site,and stood in line for 1.5 hours for the artifact museum. By then, it was hot
and people were not in the best of moods. The Archiological president + someone else came around to cheer us up, pass out water + sunblock,tell us that it was well worth the wait, and apologize for it being so long. And to tell us stories of how the Queen of England(the week previously) could go all over the area in high heels(at 82, that's pretty good) but then again, the Queen of England didn't have to wait 90 minutes on a moderatly hot summer day. Blood sugar was dropping, so I set a temp basal of 0.0 for an hour and hoped it would stay stable.
We finally got to the museum, and I was low, there was still a line(it would have taken another hour to see the graves) so we did a quick walk around and got out of there so I could drink juice.(nothing was allowed in the museum,and I wasn't about to get kicked out after waiting all that time) Saw a few things of interest.(the graves were just the big attraction)
Got back on the bus, for Anniversary Park. It was after 6 pm by then, so we got some supper, hung around the main stage area.
At 7:30 pm, there was a play about the founding of Jamestown. Very well done.
8 PM- My cellphone and digital camera both die.
At 8:30 pm, Govornor Kaine reappeared for the grand finale- to tell everyone what the president had put in the Time Box(some cds,a cd player, and a power cord + some stuff from Queen Elizabeth) In 50 years- cd players might be obsolete...
Then the govornor,his wife and 3 kids put some more stuff in the Time Box.They told him just 1 thing, but being the govornor, he chose to ignore that advice.
#1 A Virginia Tech hat
#2 I forget..
#3 Happy Birthday helium balloon, which didn't quite fit and they had to really push + scrunch it in there.
The grand finale was the fireworks, which were beyond description (REALLY awesome). The Virginia Symphony Orchestra played the theme music(Star Wars, Stars and Stripes Forever, some other stuff) for 30 minutes and I wish I could have taken some pictures of them. They (the fireworks) were the best I've seen in 22 years. After that, we reboard the bus back to the Yellow Lot, the end to a perfect day. And the driver, knew where she was going.Getting out of there wasn't so bad, they really planned it out well.(with people being designated to park in a certain lot, it wasn't a traffic disaster for any certain area)
Friday, May 18, 2007
5 Months and Counting
I dreamed last night that my a1c was around 7 (only in my dreams, apparently). Fact is, I've had the paperwork labsheet sitting in my Too Urgently Do desk drawer for a full week now. After re-finding it, buried under a car mat post-doctor appointment. (it'd been there for over a week)
It also has a fasting cholesterol test, so I couldn't just quickly take care of it after work. Nope,its gotta be an early morning, fasting since midnight affair. As said lab is 30 minutes away and not open at 5:30 in the morning, the only day I can possibly do it is Saturday..They're open nice and early on Saturdays,7:30 AM.
My diet..quite frankly, hasn't been the best. People in love have much more important things to think about, then getting the RDA of the major food groups. But people in love, can't function(very long) off cheeseburgers and Diet Mountain Dew, so I'm going to try to start cooking veggies, eating fruits because that's what I'm supposed to be doing. My ring is being resized, it was about 1.5 sizes too large (my finger isn't "average") I only had it 2 days before I had to take it back in. It won't be back for two weeks. I miss it.
Cranky, cranky me... I'm dying to show everyone, but not just a pic. I've held off telling people at work, because I'm waiting for that ring.
At work the other day, our supivisor was asking us about special dietary needs for
the upcoming Ice Cream Social(June 1). Two of my coworkers, asked for no sugar ice cream and the supivisor looked around, asked "Anyone else?"
I look at the floor.
Everyone in the department looks at me, waiting for me to announce my request for no sugar ice cream.
I wasn't going to declare any such thing, this was my decision and none of their business. Aside from the fact, that I'm a type 1 and I take insulin for everything anyway.
"Heidi?" pipes up coworker #1.
I resume looking at the floor.
"Do you want it?" asks my supivisor.
"No."
"She'll eat it and end up on the floor," says coworker #2.
I shoot a glare in her direction.
"I work it off, thank you very much."
"No, you'll just shoot insulin for it."
At this point, I get really, really mad and decide to defend myself.
"Ah yes- you're the expert. I've had it 10 years and I more then know what I'm doing by now."
"Well, my mom had it. And h----, I don't care if you end up on the floor."
"If you don't care, why are you even talking about it?"
Coworker #2 is also very angry(at this point). Tells me something that I won't repeat. And I decide, that the ignorance/callous unfeeling of some people is just not worth it.I don't have to defend myself to this jerk, whose sole claim to Experthood lies in the fact that her mom had diabetes + probably died just to get away from her daughter.
They get diabetes, and sugar is forever Evil and shots are an excuse to be a bad diabetic, etc. So they don't take shots(though they need them), they don't eat sugar(instead, they eat all this high carb sugar free stuff) and they don't check their blood sugars and they think they're being good diabetics when in reality, that's the worst thing they can do for themselves. And they get complications, and wonder why.
I don't blame her, though I did spend several hours wishing she'd get type 1 diabetes and have a low, a bad one.(just so she'd learn that it's not eating enough, rather then overeating, that causes one to "end up on the floor." My job is very physical, and I do have to reduce boluses majorly sometimes. It did hurt though, being the topic of discussion in front of the entire dept. No one says anything,but its obvious that I'm the devil-may-care irresponsible bad diabetic.
Reason #145 why I'm glad to be leaving my job. I have good friends there, but when you've had a few lows on the job it forever fuels the rumor mill.
(5 Months and Counting...before I bid it adeau)
It also has a fasting cholesterol test, so I couldn't just quickly take care of it after work. Nope,its gotta be an early morning, fasting since midnight affair. As said lab is 30 minutes away and not open at 5:30 in the morning, the only day I can possibly do it is Saturday..They're open nice and early on Saturdays,7:30 AM.
My diet..quite frankly, hasn't been the best. People in love have much more important things to think about, then getting the RDA of the major food groups. But people in love, can't function(very long) off cheeseburgers and Diet Mountain Dew, so I'm going to try to start cooking veggies, eating fruits because that's what I'm supposed to be doing. My ring is being resized, it was about 1.5 sizes too large (my finger isn't "average") I only had it 2 days before I had to take it back in. It won't be back for two weeks. I miss it.
Cranky, cranky me... I'm dying to show everyone, but not just a pic. I've held off telling people at work, because I'm waiting for that ring.
At work the other day, our supivisor was asking us about special dietary needs for
the upcoming Ice Cream Social(June 1). Two of my coworkers, asked for no sugar ice cream and the supivisor looked around, asked "Anyone else?"
I look at the floor.
Everyone in the department looks at me, waiting for me to announce my request for no sugar ice cream.
I wasn't going to declare any such thing, this was my decision and none of their business. Aside from the fact, that I'm a type 1 and I take insulin for everything anyway.
"Heidi?" pipes up coworker #1.
I resume looking at the floor.
"Do you want it?" asks my supivisor.
"No."
"She'll eat it and end up on the floor," says coworker #2.
I shoot a glare in her direction.
"I work it off, thank you very much."
"No, you'll just shoot insulin for it."
At this point, I get really, really mad and decide to defend myself.
"Ah yes- you're the expert. I've had it 10 years and I more then know what I'm doing by now."
"Well, my mom had it. And h----, I don't care if you end up on the floor."
"If you don't care, why are you even talking about it?"
Coworker #2 is also very angry(at this point). Tells me something that I won't repeat. And I decide, that the ignorance/callous unfeeling of some people is just not worth it.I don't have to defend myself to this jerk, whose sole claim to Experthood lies in the fact that her mom had diabetes + probably died just to get away from her daughter.
They get diabetes, and sugar is forever Evil and shots are an excuse to be a bad diabetic, etc. So they don't take shots(though they need them), they don't eat sugar(instead, they eat all this high carb sugar free stuff) and they don't check their blood sugars and they think they're being good diabetics when in reality, that's the worst thing they can do for themselves. And they get complications, and wonder why.
I don't blame her, though I did spend several hours wishing she'd get type 1 diabetes and have a low, a bad one.(just so she'd learn that it's not eating enough, rather then overeating, that causes one to "end up on the floor." My job is very physical, and I do have to reduce boluses majorly sometimes. It did hurt though, being the topic of discussion in front of the entire dept. No one says anything,but its obvious that I'm the devil-may-care irresponsible bad diabetic.
Reason #145 why I'm glad to be leaving my job. I have good friends there, but when you've had a few lows on the job it forever fuels the rumor mill.
(5 Months and Counting...before I bid it adeau)
Monday, May 14, 2007
Ballad of a Beta Queen
Dream on, Dream on, Beta Queen
Weirdist girl we've ever seen
There's a story in our town
Of the weirdest girl around
Brunette hair, and a meter true
Which she'd use, to pitch at you.
People 'round her, liked her more
When she stayed out of the candy store
She'd get high, and cranky too
Getting high will make you blue.
She had glucose tabs to share
Pump so blue, an endo too
Not a care, this Beta Queen
(Not a care, this Beta Queen)
Dream on,Dream on, Beta Queen
Weirdest girl you've ever seen.
Though some guys would take her out
It was clear, they had their doubts
Diabetes was too real
They'd be getting too raw a deal.
Dream on, Dream on, Beta Queen
Better make some more ka-ching.
Then one day, she wrote a book
Publisher came, to take a look
Got the money, got the fame
Yet her life was still the same.
Dream on, Dream on, Beta Queen
Nothing's ever as it seems.
But the years, when passing by
Left this Beta Queen less shy
Diabetes lessons learned
Fewer times she would get burned.
Dream on, Dream on, Beta Queen
Maybe yet you'll get a ring.
Do I have to tell you more
She said yes to the boy from the shore..
And it's plain, they both adore.
I've joined the ranks of engaged OC'rs... Yes, the weekend was all so
amazing + I'll be blogging about that but I had to tell you guys the most important news first!!!!!!!! It happened in a resteraunt in Williamsburg,(Sat.night) and I've still not come back to earth.
Weirdist girl we've ever seen
There's a story in our town
Of the weirdest girl around
Brunette hair, and a meter true
Which she'd use, to pitch at you.
People 'round her, liked her more
When she stayed out of the candy store
She'd get high, and cranky too
Getting high will make you blue.
She had glucose tabs to share
Pump so blue, an endo too
Not a care, this Beta Queen
(Not a care, this Beta Queen)
Dream on,Dream on, Beta Queen
Weirdest girl you've ever seen.
Though some guys would take her out
It was clear, they had their doubts
Diabetes was too real
They'd be getting too raw a deal.
Dream on, Dream on, Beta Queen
Better make some more ka-ching.
Then one day, she wrote a book
Publisher came, to take a look
Got the money, got the fame
Yet her life was still the same.
Dream on, Dream on, Beta Queen
Nothing's ever as it seems.
But the years, when passing by
Left this Beta Queen less shy
Diabetes lessons learned
Fewer times she would get burned.
Dream on, Dream on, Beta Queen
Maybe yet you'll get a ring.
Do I have to tell you more
She said yes to the boy from the shore..
And it's plain, they both adore.
I've joined the ranks of engaged OC'rs... Yes, the weekend was all so
amazing + I'll be blogging about that but I had to tell you guys the most important news first!!!!!!!! It happened in a resteraunt in Williamsburg,(Sat.night) and I've still not come back to earth.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Stories
I just can't stop watching this... love the song, love Greys Anatomy, and it basically just "fits" right now..
If you spot an odd looking individual on your tv this weekend- it would be me, I'll be the Au Naturale Wrinkled One. No ironing.(unless I can convince my mom to do some of it)
Next up: Jamestown '07.
(400th Anniversary Weekend)
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