The Last of a Trilogy: Hail to the Chief

Washington's digs aren't nearly as big as Jefferson's or even James Madison's. But he
had alot more land/various outbuildings.
(plus, at Mt. Vernon there is an actual food court in the visitor's center...ice cream sure hits the spot, much more so then a lukewarm cola from some vending machine)

Anyway, we finally made it up to Mt. Vernon on Memorial Day. Place was packed,as usual.(its open 365 days a year)
It was the final stop on the "3 Presidents" tour, having been to Monticello and Montpelier over the past 2 years.



Washington preferred simplicity, but even he would have balked at this:



Family Bible:




Washington family pew:



Watering can:




A cooking pot so large you could take a bath in it:



Washington is watching you:(this was pretty freaky, as you moved his eyes moved with you)


His surveying equipment:



The dock:(during spring fishing, they could catch up to 1.6 million herring in just 6 weeks!)

href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Umm4FAhrHoTzrV30yusewRw2nYA1dy6e4BWzRj-rf5ofYw4U6NhcPjCNhae0yGi2TCVk_6Mq1aCj12m4IfpZ_lGrKq5exOcuMyk8d8dNNfLQ7RyEGKy7DBvJ-EWGB0zDw_X5VA/s1600-h/potamac.jpg">




This is how they got around:(riding chair, which was apparently much more comfortable then the carriage)



and a carriage:



His tomb:


Inside the main house, of course, no flash photography was allowed. We also took the audio tour(headphones,device) and that was definatly worth it,found out alot of extra stuff that guides weren't around to tell us.
All in all, I must agree his assessment of the place:



I would love to live there...situated on a hill RIGHT above the Potomac River, thus breezy + a temperate climate. I would not love to be bled four times before dying, but apparently Washington died of the throat infection(went out riding, got sore throat, it progressed, had difficulty breathing/fever, his doctors bled him four times the day he died, he suffocated-it was a 36 hour illness) Today, they theorize that antibiotics would have cleared it right up. Horrid way to go.
Interesting fact..his only surviving(well, the only one who had kids) offspring(a step great-grand daughter) married Robert E. Lee, they had 7 kids(none of whom died,during the Civil War) and I'm sure that's how the Custis-Washington legacy survived. Kudos to Lee, even if you don't like how he fought for the South.


"First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.." he was truly a great leader, without which the United States may not have come into existence. And he could have been President for life, how many leaders today would voluntarily step down after just two terms?

Memorial Day Weekend

Tomorrow promises to be very, very interesting... in more ways then one. I'm excited about meeting other OC bloggers, but the thing that's got me worried will I ever FIND the place.(point #11,I'm horrible with directions. And maps. I always get lost the first 1-2 times till it sinks in the o'le memory bank)
My one consolation, close to the Atlantic, you can't TOO lost, there are only so many roads, all of which will lead you back to major highways in a comfortingly familiar SW direction. So I may be a little late but I plan to get there.

The only thing that would make this even better, is if sense of taste would return. I might as well be eating gruel, for the sensation is the same. So very dead. I usually eat all the disgustingly healthy things I cannot stand otherwise,(during such times)because A. I need it and B. I'd never eat it otherwise. I'm beginning to get concerned,its gone on a little long + the congestion isn't horrible enough to warrant all of that.(sinus infection,maybe?)

drawkcaB dellepS emeM

#1 I eat pizza, pie, and all triangular shaped foods from the crust, to the tip. Precisely opposite from the way most people do it. I started doing this as a teenager, after hearing the story about an American spy in WWII who got caught because of the way he ate his pie. No one is ever going to indite me on something, based on the way I eat. Now its just 2nd nature to eat them like that.

#2 I dislike sweet and salty ingredients in the same dish. Pineapple pizza? yuck. Waldorf Salad? can't stand it. I eat cottage cheese packs one section at a time.(CC first, put jam on bread) because mixing it tasted disgusting. Sweet salad dressings- no go, I prefer salty.

#3 My first car was a '89 Pontiac Grand Am. My second, a '95 Dodge Spirit. Both of them lasted an average of 2.5 years before being I totaled them. Hoping to get more mileage out of car #3.(2 years, 5 months, currently)

#4 I love motorcycles, wish I owned one.(to be a black leathered chick racing down the freeway at 80 mph is a reoccurring fantasy of mine.) My life is pretty dull, in that regard.

#5 I've lived 9 places in 26 years, mostly the result of landlord's offspring getting married + repossessing the houses. Getting married=large scale reproduction plans(especially in Old Order Mennonite country) so we had to move around alot.

#6 I want to give blood in each of the 50 states, before I die.(which also requires actually visiting said states...)

#7 I dislike cooking immensely, I'd rather clean up. I think it has to do with the inconvenience of reading glasses, having to whip them on/off half a zillion times during the process is pretty annoying and I'd rather just heat something up in the microwave to avoid all that. Top Chef, I am not.(but I do enjoy everyone else's cooking..)

#8 I don't wear red, it brings out the zits. Apparently, those teenage hormone's are still runnin' strong and the zits..they never really leave.(been there, tried that)

#9 I have a famous ancestor,(well,kinda,he wasn't married) which unfortunately I can't even blog about due to what he was famous for. (think highly mortifying) Regardless, I hope someday that the billions in royalties will find their way across the Atlantic + to our branch of the family tree(and if it crosses,it will) and we'll all be set, for life.If that happens, I'm going to hire my own researcher and get myself cured.(plan #1)

#10 I wrote my first book at the age of 11. I'm still writing,(nothing published, yet) but my spelling doesn't seem to have improved at all since then. I have atrocious spelling. I once lost a spelling bee in which there were only two people(me, the other kid) and the other kid was 1.5 years younger then I.

Season Finale(s)

I feel a little more alive now.. the fever broke this morning. Yes,it was the flu(not a cold). Haven't had a cold (since last August) and the last time I had the flu was 4-5 years ago so I guess I was long overdue. There's one interesting fact about the flu..hypos are never an issue, you could bolus for a meal, not eat the meal,and still be high 4 hours later. The body requires a lot of insulin when there's a fever.

So anyway, as I was hanging out w/all my paraphernalia last night, alternately watching/crying/sneezing through the season finale of "House" it occurred to me how utterly repetitious and boring season finales have gotten.
First, it was Meredith of Grey's Anatomy going into a coma/near death experience.(talking to Denny Duqette)

Then, it was Eli Stone going into a coma/ near death experience.(talking to George Michael)

Now, it's House/going into a coma/not quite death experience.(talking to now deceased ex-girlfriend)

I can't wait for tonight..maybe one of the Davids in the American Idol Season finale will sing/bore the other one into a coma/and when he wakes up, he'll figure out that there are so many other MORE worthwhile things that he could be doing..
(sorry, a bit of sarcasm there)
Or I'll be bored into one myself. I'm sure I'm missing some of the coma finales, because I really don't watch alot of tv shows but this is just a trend I've noticed.

7 Excellent Reasons to Hang at 300+ Mg/Dl

#1
While attempting a reservoir swap this morning, I cracked the cartridge case+ a piece came off.(on top-you can see the hole) Called Deltec, because it wasn't cooperating(stuck on a certain screen)-put in another cartridge and that worked. Unfortunately, when you chip the cartridge case, it can't hold in the reservoir of insulin and it becomes unsafe to use.(envision 300 units of insulin being jolted into your body) Replacement cap should be here by noon tomorrow, (Fed-Exed)but its back to shots for me. They really should make those things tougher.

#2 I have a cold. Or something. Not allergies, throats don't feel this way for no good reason. Besides, its been raining + my husband also has the bug(which he kindly gave to me) + the pollen count is essentially zip around here. Gonna be a fun weekend.

#3 I'm craving Chinese food, chocolate,ice cream, and pizza. Feed a cold, starve a fever(so the old adage goes) + despite the fact that its about the worst possible thing to eat when you're well, much less sick, high carb stuff is about the only thing I want right now. Really weird.

#4 This.


Just the earth transcending heavenly scent, is enough to put you in full-blown DKA.

#5 It's almost a full moon.

#6 Speaking of months and moons, its simerarily that difficult, basal rates need doubling, week.

#7 Narnia opens this weekend..and Indiana Jones the next. Can't see either, because we're going to go with friends(who are,maddingly, on vacation). Cannot wait.

Hope your weekend is better then this.

My Van Gogh

(click picture for close up)
It may not look like much, but after 3 years and 3 months of periodically slaving away at the thing it is finished. (Hurrah!) This is entirely free form, nothing was off a pattern. The poem is original too. Now to get it framed(but not at Micheal's prices, they quoted me $260+.)While I think this item is valuable, its more of the sentimental kind. I may frame it myself. I intend to enter it the county fair this August. (the murky smudges is the camera's fault.. the actual piece is flawless) I wanted to give it to my EMS instructor(originally) but it took too darn long to complete..

The Wisdom of the Juice Box

Especially as it pertains to difficult-to-treat hypos.

Tucking in the Tubing

In keeping with the "arm sites" experiment, I'm also trying more convenient places to put my pump. There are the obvious places..and if I had really long hair(I don't) I could even put it in there. But right now, my favorite is the Schwarzenegger look:



Pump carrier: ipod arm band. The tubing tucks up nicely, and I look like muscle girl when I pull down my shirt sleeve.(hmmm, maybe I should do the same for my Dexcom on the other side, to match)

Inspirational quote of the day:

"Diabetes is a marathon, not a sprint." I need to remember that, when I get obsessed with doing everything exactly right/right now, the big picture is, you need to balance it with all the other obligations in your life. D will likely be around for many more years(much as we all hope for a cure), this super marathon has many more miles left in it.

Made of Honor

A year ago today, I said yes to the most wonderful man in the world. It's been a life changing, wonderful year..and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
(now to go watch Made of Honor..very appropriate movie to watch, on one's 'versary, sooo romantic)

A Pumping First

That River in Egypt

This has been a very exhausting week, and if I never again set foot in a Kmart/Sears store it will be too soon. I completely abhor them.

It makes me just about ready to sign up for THIS, the ultimate lazy excuse. (the only problem, you have to be a perfect physical specimen to participate) I sure could use $17,000. But the strict schedule(being awake 16 hours, asleep 8) would be extremely difficult, if I'm in bed, I want to go asleep. It would be ok if they just induced a 90 day coma and did what they wanted to me. Wake me up, hand me the check, and I'd leave.

My car got flooded several nights ago(windows open, thunderstorm, dead sleep= several inches of water inside) so its been kind of disgusting/smelly. Great thing is, I still had to drive all over the place..and its still rainy, so nothing is really drying out. I hope next week is sunny.

The blood sugars have been a mystery, fairly ok but sometimes when they're just sitting on 90-130 and you feel hypo it drives you absolutely nuts. Because you aren't hypo, multiple checks have confirmed that. And you're also not dropping, so that's not to blame. Effects of caffeine..maybe, who knows. I don't drink caffeinated coke everyday though, and its been happening everyday.(and on some of the real hypos,come out of the blue) I have to learn to deny myself the urge to treat/eat.(not very easy)

Tomorrow is Mother's Day.. go out there and do something special for the moms in your life! (wife,mother, grandmother, etc.)

A Chapter Meeting of D.E.S.A.

Long, long ago, the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association was named I.D.A.A.(International Diabetic Athletes Association) They dropped the diabetic and the international parts for the sake of political correctness. Anyway, I learned that and a whole slew of other goodies at last night's founding chapter(Baltimore D.E.S.A) Doug Dressman(Executive Director) and Rick Philbin(Animus, diabetes exercise guru) were on hand to kick things off, and then a local CDE falicitated the meeting. (held, where else, at the most humongous health club I have EVER seen, it was like a Super Walmart with two stories. If it weren't so far, I'd consider joining it.)

So...it was inspiring. All these triathletes/marathon runners/cyclists/mountain climbers/parents of kids with D, and about 7 CDE's from every hospital in the state.(And just plain me..there to learn, from the pros) I think it will be a good group, DESA is not just about type 1's. It's for the type 2's, parents, and anyone who knows someone with diabetes. DESA is about "hookups", (not that kind, mind out of the gutter, please)matching people to people with similar interests. (type 2, type 1, CGMS users, etc)

The DESA International Conferance will be held in Toronto this year. Of course, that's totally infeasible to attend but the entire schedule sounds really amazing- not only do
you learn from the experts, you get a darn workout every day(whether you were planning to just kick back, eat yourself into a stupor, and fall asleep during the lectures) or not. Then on Sat..they have a soccer tournament.(Italy vs The World)
I love soccer, have played it since I could walk all the way through high school. Never got any awards, because kids on homeschooled teams just don't, but I'm still good.(to toot my own horn) It would be cool to play on a team again.

Refreshments: tofu sandwiches and water. I've never had tofu sandwiches before, they were actually good.

Now.. I want to get a Running on Insulin t-shirt, it will inspire me to greater heights. That's one of the cool things about diabetes..we get to wear t-shirts like that! Non D's don't.

Remember Me, part 1

This is military appreciation month.. go here for ideas on how you can show support. Some of us fight battles within ourselves, and some of us fight the external battles-its a good thing everyone doesn't have diabetes.(not sure which is more difficult, but I rather suspect the diabetes wars are) I wonder if people in other countries(like Israel, where military service is mandatory) who have type 1 can be in the military. Anyway,I am grateful for their sacrifices..and just wish that so many of them didn't have to pay the ultimate sacrifice.(that doesn't make me bitter about current administrations though)Freedom isn't free,and if someone I loved died defending this nation I'd have to honor that.(through the pain)

Golden Tickets

The night air, slightly nippy, had the pollination enrichment impact of a swarm of honeybees over a field of flowers. Pollen, pollen, everywhere, reeking havoc upon the sinus systems of the individuals who suffer from seasonal allergies.

"Please just open," the girl in front of us moans.

Ahh,Choo! I sneeze, grab a tissue from my pocket, and nod my agreement. 7 more minutes till we get to go in. Hope the tissue stash lasts that long.

"Ticket?" a store employee inquires.

"You bet!" (that is one of the reasons I'm here...)

7:30 pm. The doors spring open, and as we, the favored few dash through the entrance, the employees(lined up on both sides) cheer us madly. Very, very, bizarre. I've never been cheered like that before.(I could totally dig the celeb paparazzi life, it was nice)

First, we head for the stockpile of Wii's...obtain one, wander about the store, husband goes off to get us some drinks. I'm browsing in the video section when a women asks me if I'm staying and gives me her raffle ticket. Look at the stoves/ranges + get a cheaper one, but still nice.(ours is pretty old) Hang around store, until...

8:58 pm. "Will ticket number #20019006 please come up to the front, you've won a $50 gift card."

I start jumping up and down. "That's me!" (the ticket the women had given me, not like I ever win anything otherwise) Last drawing of the night. Pick up gift card, check out. Use the gift card I already had, save the one I just got.

Get home, and realize we'd failed to get the freebies that you were supposed to get as you walked out. Winning that gift card made me so excited I forgot about the other stuff.(I'm going to try to call about it today and see if I can still get it, since I have the ticket) Head for the Claritin, which (in addition to the adrenalin still pumpin') revs me up so much I don't get to sleep till 1 AM.What a night.

------------------------

And the results are in.. 35 minutes with the endo.(5/5/08)

Blood Pressure: 135/89 (I'm never that high???)
Thyroid antibodies: positive, I apperently have Hashimoto's but the levels are normal for now.(so I don't need any meds) Weird..because at diagnosis, the antibodies were negative but the levels were screwed up so I had to take thyroid medication for a year.
Cholesterol:(LDL) barely normal, but normal, thankfully
Kidneys: fine for another year, no protein
Hemoglobin A1c: 9.0. (up 0.5) Hasn't been that bad in awhile.

Give me a gold star, someone. I can fully explain the 9.0(had a run of 300-500's for over a week) but it is still embarrassing. Back to trying..weird thing is, numbers have been pretty great over the last week and endo didn't have to make many adjustments(just overnight).

Weight: Lost 6 pounds. Guess that's good.

Another Role Model

# May 1, 2008 8:27 pm US/Mountain

Jay Cutler Reveals He Has Type 1 Diabetes
CBS4 Broncos Insiders Sign Ups: Get Broncos Email Updates or text 4broncos to 66247 for free wireless text updates
Reporting
Vic Lombardi
DENVER (CBS4/AP) ―

Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, he told CBS4's Vic Lombardi Thursday.

Cutler's business manager Marty Garafalo confirmed the illness Thursday night to the Associated Press.

Cutler told CBS4 he dropped eight to ten of pounds towards the end of the 2007 season and that he was not throwing the ball with as much force as he had in the past.

"I"m just excited about this year now that we know what the problem was," Cutler said. "I'm not the first person to get it and I won't be the last person to get it."

CBS4 medical editor Dr. Dave Hnida said Cutler may actually see improvement in his play now that he has a diagnosis and is getting treatment.

"He should look for a long and healthy [life]," Hnida said. "New things are popping up every day and the disease will one day be curable. It's just a blessing he caught this one early and I bet his advice to you would be to get screened if you have any signs or symptoms. You don't need to be an NFL quarterback to beat diabetes." (Read more in Dr. Dave's Blog)

The 25-year-old Cutler found out about two weeks ago that he was diabetic and needed daily insulin injections, Garafalo told The Associated Press.

He said Cutler was managing his disease and "in no way is his football career jeopardized."

Some 21 million Americans have diabetes, meaning their bodies cannot properly turn blood sugar into energy. Either they don't produce enough insulin or don't use it correctly. With the Type 1 form, the body's immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreatic cells, so that patients require insulin injections to survive.

"It's something that he's dealing with and something a lot of other people have," Garafalo said. "Even though it's a serious condition, it's a condition that can be managed. That's the way he's treating it right now.

"Everything's fine," Garafalo continued. "His condition is fine."

Cutler, entering his third NFL season, threw for 3,497 yards and 20 touchdowns last season after supplanting Jake Plummer with five weeks left in the 2006 season.

The 6-foot-3, 233-pound Cutler was taken by the Broncos with the 11th overall pick of the 2006 draft, becoming the first Vanderbilt player taken in the first round since 1986.

Cutler is expected to hold a news conference Friday.

Three other notable NFL pros have played with Type 1 diabetes. Jay Leeuwenburg played for the University of Colorado Buffaloes and went on to have a 9-year NFL career. Wade Wilson, currently a quarterback coach for the Dallas Cowboys, played in the pros for 17 years. Cornerback Mike Echols of the Tennesse Titans also has the disease.

Other athletes who have competed with diabetes include Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke, Charlotte Bobcats forward Adam Morrison, golfers Scott Verplank, Michelle McGann and Kelli Kuehne and Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr.

(in for the haul..its amazing how upbeat/positive he is just two weeks after diagnosis,when I'm sure it still feels like the end of the world!) it's nice to have role models, but I wouldn't wish anyone that I admire/respect get this disease. It's the toughest.
(my humble opinion, two weeks after my diagnosis I was doing my darnedest to prevent people from learning I had it)

Oysters on the Bay

There's a semi-annual event we like to attend, a seafood extravaganza of sorts.. located at a gazebo-type place next to (where else) the Chesapeake Bay. (The Bay is huge, so I trust I'm not giving away private info with that statement) Anyway,last weekend we show up, get our tickets, and start right in on the ham/beef sandwiches(sliced right there, I've never seen one of those slicers) on choice of rye/wheat bread, find our assigned table and socially mingle. Beer, tea, coke, diet coke, and water is free, and flows in abundance as the DJ blasts out canned dance music at the top of the decibel scale, strobe lights streak across the floor. It was impossible to hear oneself think, so the only recourse was to keep eating + drinking (until you either popped or passed out). Go back for more..some sort of sweet fish dish, mashed potatoes, green beans/carrots, chicken leg. By which time, I'm rapidly approaching satiety and haven't even yet gotten to the piece de' resistance, the oysters.(kind of the entire point of the event)

I get in line again.

"You look like an oyster fan!"

Hmm, interesting assumption. "I've had them approximately three times in my life, I'm not sure I'm at the "fan" stage yet."

"But you love 'em, right?"

"They're ok." (try to block out painful memories of the oyster soup of two years ago)

"How many?"

"Two."

"Plates? or pieces?" Laughs.

"Err, pieces. Oh ok, make that three, they look small. Thanks."















Blood sugar at 159 mg/dl. (a safe number, if these don't stay down.) Eat oyster #1, just like I remember it..like eating ketchup covered, crunchy-snot-dotted eggwhite. (the red stuff is not even ketchup..its salsa)Not even much taste, the sensation is what's annoying about it. By number three, I'm glad to have only gotten three. Guess I'm just not a raw food sort of person, I can't believe people pay top dollar for these.

Pic of the Bay:














Go back inside, finish up with cake(definatly stuffed to the gills at that point).
Around 9 pm we left..it was fun.(any later and the number of drunken individuals would probably have made it not so fun) Only it was odd that the oysters came from Louisiana, NOT the Chesapeake Bay. It wasn't exactly a genuine Bay party, but it was 95% of the way there.

Random Blogging Thoughts on the Smart Pix & Apidra

Several years ago,I participated in a research study..and the end result, was this. At that point, it definatly wasn't a plug-in device, it was a computer program on a PDA that you had to manually enter the info.(blood sugars, hypo treatment, how you felt symptom-wise on a 1-5 point scale) Took way too long,it was a pain in the butt. And it took an entire week to spit out a number.(up to 0-50?) Most of the time..I was on the "Extremely Variable" range, though by the end of the study I'd worked that down to a "Slightly variable" range. Seeing those numbers inspired me in a way that my a1c didn't, it was real, it was now, and there was a chance to make it better. Now I'm wondering...would getting such a device be worth it? of course I have five million meters (including Accucheck) so that's not a problem. The scientist in me likes trying out new toys..I may get one with part of the tax stimulus check.(based on my SS#, should be in my checking account by May 16) And I think I heard a rumor that Dexcom will soon be compatible with all the meters.
(someone correct me if I'm wrong) Not having to use a Ultra all the time will be more convenient.

Also..does anyone out there use Apidra,(or have tried it) and why did you switch/love/not love about it? No insulin is "fast" enough, if the effects can still be seen up to 4 hours post-bolus.(though Novolog has proved the best(out of Regular,Humalog,and Novolog) thus far. Novolog, has this lovely little tail that drops me in the final hour-half/hour and its annoying sometimes.(when one is high, it's ok but when you're normal and not expecting a drop it's not welcome)

And one final thought..don't the individuals in this article look kind of young to be practicing medicine? The doc,in particular,I'm not sure if he could even grow a beard.
(this is a not a commentary on how well they do their jobs,from the sounds of it, they are very caring and up-to-date on things) They just look, really,really young.

Date my Diabetes: A 24/7 proposition

Ever seen that new tv show Date my House? Prospective home buyers get the chance to "try" out the house, before purchasing it. Anyhow, on the show there are ten cardinal rules to "dating" a house.

Top 10 Rules for Dating a House

1. The first impression matters, so beautify your house before any prospective dates check it out.
2. Attractive houses that have put in a little extra effort always get more dates.
3. You can look and you CAN touch.
4. Don’t just judge on looks; get to know more of the house’s potential on your date.
5. Go ahead – find out what your friends really think of your date.
6. Shoes and shirt not required on your date!
7. Don’t keep your hands to yourself – check out my frame and my plumbing.
8. You should get intimate and spend the night with your date right away - make sure the house fulfills all of your needs.
9. Give your date a chance. You might just fall in love after you get to know the house.
10. Even if your date needs some improvements, it doesn’t have to be the end of the relationship!

Here are some rules for dating when diabetes is involved:

1. First impressions matter..so never delve into the horror stories on the first date.Act like you are in control.(even if you don't really feel like it)
2. The people with the matching pump cases always get the best dates.
3. You can look but you'd better ASK before you touch. Someone's life is at stake, and they don't want you adjusting their pump settings if you don't know what the heck you're doing.
4. Don't just judge on looks..insulin pumps aren't the most attractive items, you should get to know the person.
5. Go ahead, find out what your friends would do if you checked the other person's bg when they were lying on the floor unconscious. Scream? Pass out? You need to get some new friends..
6. Shoes are required on the date..proper footwear is something every D needs to keep in mind.
7. Don't keep your hands to yourself..cook them something.(healthy + delicious)
8. You should get intimate and learn about their toys(pump, meter) right away. It's a tremendous turn-on, for a D.
9. Give the (person with diabetes) another chance. Try to overlook the bright red spot of blood adorning the bottom of their shirt, accidents(gushers) happen.
10. Even if your diabetes care truly sucks, you're not out of the game yet. (as the book of Ecclesiastes says, better a live dog then a dead lion) Get back in there and give it another whiz.

I'm so glad I'm married and don't have go dating with diabetes all over again. That was a real trip, at times.

Now dating my endo...(trying them out) is a whole other story, that would (with one of them)have been a horror series right there.

The Wallflower

"Diabetes care..has come a long way since the induction of insulin, in 1923. Some of you,(who he's known forever)in this room, remember testing your urine for sugar. And some of you(looks pointedly in my direction) are younger then the pump technology, you've always known convenience. But its changing, and five years from now, blood glucose testing won't be the same as we know it today. CGS's will be more accurate, more trustworthy."

My hands shake, my heart races, a fine sheen of sweat evaporates from my forehead(soon to be replaced by the all over sensation that I'm pouring off liters of the stuff). Not an insulin reaction, not here, not now.

"When I was a medical student, I participated in a study(they had just started to be able to measure the amount of cpeptide in the blood) to see if the body started secreting insulin just looking at food. We were starved for 24 hours, and sure enough, just looking at food was enough to send the body into I-want-it-mode. Problem is,a closed loop system won't really tell when/how much you've eaten, there's got to be some sort of user input to tell the body that."

Thunk, thunk. Decision time, why is it there are rarely any carb laden snacks at pump club meetings? I so need juice, before I become the main attraction here. But I can't drink it here..without everyone noticing.

"Questions?"

That's my cue to sneak out. I'd rather hoped, that the room would be dark + he'd be presenting a slideshow(instead, I'm a mere 3 seats away so they entire table is looking in my direction) but no such luck.

"I'm on a cgms, etc....."

Lurch up, across the room, to doors. Medtronic rep gives me the puzzling eye (like he knows I'm low) Or at least that's just my hypoglycemic paranoiac perception. Bathroom,juice, get steady. Return to discussion.

"Other experiences?"

Wave hand...

"Yes?"

"Yeah, I was on the Guardian for a research study..I think there is a tendency to trust them too much,slack off on the testing. It really changes your diabetes care(not always for the better) If you get to trusting them too much..and your meter says 100 and you're really 180, and only test twice a day because you're just going off the CGS that is a real detriment ion to your diabetes care."

He smiles. "You must be one of those perfectionists about your diabetes care."

"Not really. I'm about as unperfect as you can get, and the CGMS(which I wasn't wearing that night) just gives a chance to further exercise my irresponsibility. I'm a horrible diabetic."

Laughs. "Well, that's interesting..I agree with you that they aren't perfect, and they require the user being on top of things, but I think they're going to get better."

Further discussion, discussing dual chamber(glucagon,insulin, amylin), biological cures(whether islet cell transplantation will hit the market before the closed loops systems), the role of symlin, etc.

Escape to refreshment table, the shrimp is gone. Only carrot sticks/broccoli remain.Darn. Blood sugar, 159. CDE sitting on my right looks over my shoulder(and thankfully, doesn't comment). That's a nice number. Should be good to brave the Inner Loop with.

"Hey, I thought you might be interested in this."

A flyer, it seems the Diabetes Exercise and Sports Association(Rick Philbin) is starting up a Baltimore chapter.(orginization meeting, May 7) Cool. I just might check that out..

Revert to I'm-the-preteen-wallflower-at-this-party mentality, not that I want to be that but I'm just not good at inserting myself into conversations that I perceive to be private. And, they've known each other for eons and who am I to demand someone talk to me, when they'd rather talk to their friends?

So I stand against the wall, hoping something will happen.

Dr. Saudek passes by, and takes pity on me.

"And what's your name?"

"Heidi."

"New to the group?"

"Yes. You probably know my ex-endo, a GB..."

"Yes, he and his wife and son are good friends of our family. We were co presidents of the ADA one year."

"Yeah, great guy. I really miss UVA."

"How long have you lived up here?"

"Five months."

"Welcome to the area."

"Thank you. I'm still getting used to it."

Grab a diet 7up,slowly filter out with the rest of the group. Not every meeting is the "letting it all out" kind, at least the discussion/talk by Dr.Saudek was good. And I think maybe,the reason alot of them don't talk to me is they don't think they have much in common(and I respect that). It just feels like a waste of time, if I don't have at least one good conversation with someone.

Five Minutes for 100 Test Strips

Click:

Found this in a forum I frequent, you can get 100 Freestyle Lite test strips for the initial(and followup) surveys.

they even had my docs name in their database,after as I typed out the first two letters!toooo weird.

22 Actions on a not-so-lazy Saturday

Today, I have...


1. Got up. Tested. Got shocked, because I was 196 mg/dl. (expect the worst and get pleasantly surprised)Swigged a diet pepsi, chucked a fruit bar, and husband + I drug out yard sale items to the tarp/tables/ironing board in the front yard, spend next 30 minutes getting it all set up.

2. Gave away 7 free blood glucose meters, feeling warm and fuzzy because one gentleman couldn't stop thanking me. He was truly grateful. Why can't the meter companies give them all away free..instead of charging $70+ to older folks who STILL have to buy the strips? Geez...
(every diabetes conference, I obtain too many of these things)

3. Sold 58 cans of diet(cherry) and cherry pepsi. Now I only have 36 cans of diet pepsi to get rid of.(I can handle that, but glad to get rid of the regular since we don't drink that)

4. Drank 5 cans of diet pepsi, 1 glass of water, 1 cup of chocolate milk over the course of 5 hours.

5. Listened to an elderly gentleman complain that I was taking away all his Social Security money, and replied that he can feel better since he's contributing to MINE. (item is cheap enough..no one is forcing you to buy this, sir)

6. Saw another insulin pumper.(who bought 2 items) Yeah, I know another reason why I like pumpers-they know a deal when they see one!

7. Testing again, 3 hours later. 176. Yay, for the effects of the boiling hot sun.

8. Listened to an elderly women complain that I shouldn't be selling a pan for .25, it should be free. Listened to similar complaints for the next 10 minutes, wanting to tell her that it was my yard sale, not hers, but she was buying stuff so I had to smile and bite my tongue.

9. Gave away 20 bottles of Boost. I don't drink it anyway.(not unless its a research study, and they're paying me to do it) Did happy dance that the stuff is finally GONE.

10. Walked down the street, bought a bag of 12 fabric paints for $1.

11. Watched in slack jawed amazement as someone cleared out 1/4 of my Bath and Body Works merchandise.(paying generously)

12. Replied 10 times that no, we can't take $7 for two brand new, worth $20 apiece pillows.

13. Finally took $4 for one of the pillows...

14. Replied 20 times that no, we weren't selling our two awesome white rocking chairs that we were sitting on. (Just bought 'em)

15. Sold 15 bags of Halloween-Easter-Christmas candy.

16. Sold 3 cds, did not sell 75. Crudddddddddddddd.(can't even sell them on Ebay)

17. Got acquainted with the neighbor lady who almost bought our house 17 years ago, and still absolutely loves it.

18. Watched husband cart over a weight set from the neighbors across the street. They were free...but rusty/dirty enough to be from the last century. Oh well.

19. Sold extremely ugly (fashionably) cracked candle holder(that was a wedding gift). Yes, we appreciate the individual's thoughtfullness who gave it, no, we cannot keep it.

20. Sold 2 of the pans/griddles that we got as wedding gifts.(we got about 10, no joke) Not enough storage space to keep them all. (nice as they are)

21. Packed up about 1 pm, dug out a few things for the last person lurking 'round who couldn't make her mind about what she wanted(putting everything back, getting it, putting it back, getting another item, putting former item back, repeat). I did my best to help "It's better to have this on hand-then need it, and not have it" but she was more undecided then everyone else combined. Yay, for the yard sale finally being over.

22.Checked again.(150 mg/dl) Ate lunch, counted profits, blogged about it, and took a nap...
Love them yard sale days. I could never make this much money,(in one day) with the exception of in-patient research studies. Kind of like a mini tax rebate check.
(time to do a little shopping...+ pay a few bills) I was pretty surprised how many people showed up, our street only had about 8 people doing yard sales on it. We were the first house-so prime time location, that definatly helped.

Flambe' de Baked Alaska

Fueled by this:


















for an instant pyromaniac high:(watch the tablecloth catch fire)


and a blood sugar high too,
but given the amount of alcohol soaked into the cake it came down without too much argument. Stuff was strong.(but very good)

Meme "Needs"

Weird, weird meme circling around the blogosphere:

Heidi needs: to shut up

No, I don't. I'm generally the quietest in the group. I'm told I should talk MORE.

Heidi needs: to finish her latest novel, and make it very very good, in order to land that agent.
I sure do, although I have 2 currently in the works + another book that I should have finished years ago.

Heidi needs: nine girls that look like her to help model the clothes.

Absolutely not, I wouldn't wish my body type on anyone.

Heidi needs: chocolate

like oxygen...couldn't live without it.

Heidi needs: prayer

We all do.

Heidi needs: royal visitors

Not really, can't see how that would benefit me.

Heidi needs: to crawl back into that hole she oozed out of

Nah. Life is good, in the sunshine.

Heidi needs: to develop her skills in using materials and processes and to think more creatively about how these are used.

Yep-I need to grow + develop as a writer.

Heidi needs: money

Don't we all?

Heidi needs: to wake up

3 Diet Mountain Dews should "dew" the trick.

The National Cherry Blossom Blizzard

It goes without saying, there are some places that you definatly don't want to go low. Not the type of worry that you'll just wake up in the ambulance..because you're still in civilization + the 911 system operates very effectively. No, this would fall under "if they can even get to me,it will be WAY to late" category of worry. Nothing can go wrong, or you're toast.














Let me explain. You're looking at a up close and personal view of the Jefferson Memorial...not from the opposite side(flanked by the most gorgeous cherry trees in the city) but from the middle of the Tidal Basin.



Yep, last Saturday my husband(after some hardcore coaxing) and I rented a paddle boat and for the next hour,explored the entire basin via our own four feet +a two person peddle boat. It was definatly a check-the-dexcom-every-five-minutes sort of trip, and I broke the rules by bringing juice/food galore.(only diabetics can break those rules)Started out at 220..and I didn't I'd ever drop,(basal rate was 0.2) but that sort of exercise will drop anything. Dropped 50 points. Wore us both out..it was really hard exercise. I would recommend it to anyone, it was both fun & healthy. Just slightly un-nerving for someone with diabetes, as there aren't any motorboats on the Basin + if you go hypo, it will be a good 15-20 minutes before someone can get to you. Freaky.
Then, I got to thinking about the #1 place a person should not go low-a place where,if you dared,you'd be locked up forever(if not immediately shot).Coincidentally, the very next historical marker we want to go visit. I'm not sure it will happen, but if it does..you aren't allowed to have any bags,needles,briefcases,food/drink,ANYTHING but your keys and an umbrella. There are also no vending machines on the premises.And this place,is not going to bend the rules for some diabetic.(they could be terrorists too)I'm going to have to either get special permission + have my very own FBI agent on my heels the entire time, or I will not get to go. We'll see.


So anyway...after our boat ride, we snapped some more pics and went back to the Smithsonian. (hoping to get supper) Everything was closed by that point(it was 6 pm), including the street venders so we had to go all the way back on the Metro, that took another 2.5 hours. We were both ravished and stopped at a mall for Chinese.Blood sugars shot straight up, but I didn't much care.It was a really fun day.


Here are some pictures...(earlier in the day, we went to the Museum of Natural History) Where, I also saw someone with a Medtronic pump,and got twice as excited as I already was.
Smithsonian:(art-art,most of it extremely boring and not something I want to see)













Flower arrangement:















Marie Antoinette's earrings:















The Hope Diamond:
(it was so jammed packed with people in that room I'm not sure it was worth the wait)













A dinosaur:















A fossil:














Triceratops:















Another Jefferson Memorial shot:














Other side of the Tidal Basin:














A duck:














Unfortunately, we missed the rained out parade
but got rained on enough as it was. Being alternately petaled(pun intended) by raindrops and blossoms was definatly memorable. I got a lapel pin and a Smithsonian elephant pin to add to my collection of place pins.It was a great trip.

Raise Your Voice:My Type 1 Diabetes Plug

It's expensive. Verrrry expensive, as I finish wading through the multiple tax forms.(yep, I'm one of the procrastinators)
Prescriptions:$825
Premiums:$860
Medical Conferences:$150
Copays to docs/hospitals:$860
Eye surgery copay:$100
Dentist: $350
Durable medical supplies:$710
Cost of gas:ALOT...
Hypo supplies/ADA membership/all things assundry and related:Who knows.Diabetes just keeps taking.

Summary: One of the most expensive diseases on the planet, and that's JUST for maintenance. The sky is the limit..and unfortunately, the costs will go up in time.No one can afford healthcare,these days.

Hurry up and find a cure,people. Heck,I'd pay alot for a cure(a relatively safe one)..a lifetime without diabetes would be going-into-debt valuable.(you'll likely end up going into debt anyway,as time goes on)

Socially Acceptable

Warning: This is rant about body parts.

I hate my hair. Really, really, hate it. On a good day, it looks like Dolly Parton.. on a bad, it looks like this.
It has a mind of it's own.
So yesterday, I decided to get me a professional cut/straightening(something I've not done in forever) Got the cut,straightened(wanted to use caustic chemicals but got there too late for that). I want highlights, next time.

Now, I look something like this. Only, envision it extremely light, puffy,not braided,and with enough static electricity to full a small city. The hairdressers LOVED it,and my husband loved it, I hate it. I think my hair will never look good. If it were up to me, I'd shave it off entirely and wear hats for the rest of my life. No kidding. Another problem-when the hair actually looks acceptable, it highlights my rather plain,ugly,zitty face + that looks all wrong.(I can't do makeup right)If I hadn't have gotten D,I'd have gone to Virginia Military Institute + they shave everyone shorter then short there.No one would care what I looked like.
And, speaking of odd looking things, someone saw my tubing today and asked if I was wearing a cardiac monitor. Hmmm, never been asked that before.
Well, that's my rant for the day on the ugliest parts of my body.On to happier subjects.
My freebie tshirt, for giving blood 4x in 2007:(I have them from 2003-2007)Look forward to getting them every March/April.

Scarred

Meet the fingers:












Unfortunately, my Blue Cross infusion set appeal came back-marked no such street address. Thank you, unhelpful service rep. Back to square one. Someone kindly offered to give me a box of Cleos. (waiting in great anticipation)I am using Silhouettes, because that's what I've got in stock. They are so unreliable (failing every chance they get), leave ugly pitch marks + high bgs that I think I'd be better off on Lantus. Now I remember why I was so desperate to get Cleo's, Sils just do not work. I think I will call up the Deltec rep and attempt to charm a few off of them.
I have been losing my better lancing device with an alarming frequency(99% of the time), using torture devices(the needle STICKS out of them) hence the above picture of my right hand. Wow, I need to get on another Pelikan trial.
What's new: my mouth is falling apart. Apparently, my former dentist did a less-then-optimal job with my fillings and they are all sprouting new cavities. One, two,three, four. Root canal #1 is still waiting on the crown, which can't be put in till we take care of all the cavities. One other filling is in wait and see mode,as to whether it will also need a root canal. I've been there every week for the past month.(both dentists now know me on a first name basis)Don't get white fillings people, unless you're a movie star. They mask new cavities, and do not bond well with the tooth. What this will cost when all said and done I can only imagine. Dentist says I need full xrays,because of all the stuff that's going on. I love my new dentist, they're open till 8 pm and Saturday's(been there, done that too)just wish everything wasn't falling apart at once.
I've decided on a name for my new blog, now all I have to do is decide what blog engine I want to put it in. Those are the hardest decisions about the blog that I'll have to make.(everything else will be easy..)
I've got so much stuff I want to blog about..and just not enough time.(sigh)

Mr. Tambourine Man

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm too sleepy, for my bg is just forty-two
Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
On another, clearer morning I'd be following you.

Though I know quite vaguely that something's not quite right
Control is way too tight
Leaves me dazed, confused, but still not sleeping
My weariness amazes me, I'm dead upon my feet
I'm whiter then a sheet
And the crowded, busy street suddenly empty as I start dreaming.

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm too sleepy, for my bg is just forty-two
Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
On another, clearer morning I'd be following you.

Take me on a trip, filled with coke and chips galore
As my hands bounce off the floor,and my head smacks hard the door
My feet too dead to step, wait only for the couch
Before I'm falling.
I'm ready to eat anything, I'm ready for to fade
Back into time and space, leave behind this daze
I'm ready to go through it.

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm too sleepy, for my bg is just forty-two
Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
On another, clearer morning I'd be following you.

Though you might hear mumblin', yellin',stumblin' mindlessly along
It's not something to take hard, it's not right, and it's not wrong
The things we say when low are not for real.
And if hear loud crashes, would you please just get the kit
For its not a song we need, sugar is the only thing to heal
And don't pay it any mind,if we struggle and resist
For a hypo, is like being in a mist.

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm too sleepy, for my bg is just forty-two
Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
On another, clearer morning I'd be following you.

Then punch me, pour me orange juice,patch the neurons in my mind
As the time rolls right along,but drags against the clock
Frozen, and yet faster then a reckless, speeding car
A man is not a castle, nor a steady, crushless rock
And it's just beyond the limits of what's considered par.
Yes, to dance again to music, with a normal, great bg
Not endowed with shaky knees, or a spinning, whirling head
That if you'd describe it, feels like heavy, molten lead
Feels so good to be so free, into tomarrow.

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
I'm too sleepy, for my bg is just forty-two
Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man, play a song for me
On another, clearer morning I'd be following you.

Midnight Oil

Diabetes care can be a little too OCD, sometimes.

Case in point: If blood sugar goes up 40-50 points overnight(11-5:30 AM) and then goes down 40-50 points(5:30 AM-8:30 AM) leaving you within 2-5 points of the original overnight
blood sugar, and this goes on for 3 consecutive nights-what the heck is the problem? Do I even want to touch those basils? Ending up normal is what its all about.(that, and getting enough sleep)Sometimes messing with them does more harm, then good.

'Toon of the Day

Gotta love them onions. I've been considering starting another blog..most of what I discuss on here is decidedly OT from diabetes and really needs some place else to grow, flourish, and impact humanity in a meaningful way. Big hang up though, I have no idea what I'd name it.(the idea for this one came relatively easily, but the new one has to encompass the other parts of my life/personality)

A Night Out with the Pancreas

I like my pancreas(es)-both my old, worn out, c-peptide dead one and my spanky nice, (relatively) new, blue one. Both of them serve their respective roles.(one for the digestive enzymes, one for the insulin)

What I don't like, is a night in which both of them flunk out.

10 PM- Dex has me at 78, and its been going on for the better part of 1.5 hours,flirting with the 70-80 range.(meter confirms this) I'm feeling low, so I swig some glucose + figure I'll recheck in about an hour. Regretfully, I haven't yet reconnected to my pump + I fall asleep...

3 PM- Shrieking Dex wakes me up,telling me I'm low. NOT in this lifetime, not unless I've spontaneously regenerated islet cells overnight. But I'd better check anyway.

Ultra: 406.(should have put my pump back on last night)I shoot 4 units, resume slumber. Since the Dex is so screwed up, put it somewhere else to chill out those whacky readings.

5:30 PM- Very, very, high. I can tell this, without consulting the meter. Meter confirms, at over 500 mg/dl. I think I must have shot air, not insulin, that first time... Shoot 6 more units.(this isn't the time to be worrying about set reliability)

400

300

200

I start to dream, intense dreams(does the body do that, the more worn out one is?)
I'm low in those dreams and someone is pouring OJ down my throat.(I hate oj, so this is a nightmare) I recover, enter a surfing competition and win first place.(I've never surfed in my life)
A long time(in dream hours) later..

Wake up, 186. Perhaps the title of this post should have been, A Night With(out) the
Pancreas. I am impressed, though, that my correction factor was still so strong even as high as I was, even with no basal.(1/60)In the future, I'm going to program a temp basal NOT take my pump off, going slightly low is much better then waking up 500's and feeling like you've been 10 rounds with Mohammad Ali.It's beyond a yucky feeling,its pure exhaustion.(you just want to curl up and sleep for 12+ hours)

Just Six?

I've been tagged by Minnesota Nice, so here goes..
The Rules:
1) Write your own six word memoir;
2) Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like;
3) Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere;
4) Tag at least five more blogs with links; and
5) Don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

"Don't take your body for granted."

Every part is amazing...a fact you may not fully appreciate until various parts start malfunctioning, and you have to do x, y, and z to make up for it. Appreciate
the health that you have.

If you haven't yet participated in this meme, I tag YOU.

Moments of Truth

I am the world's worst diabetic.On second thought..I am the world's second worst diabetic. My hero, is a Reality Check Aussie bloke who wore an infusion set for 30 days, no problem. I will be in a state of permanent awe over that.
I went to another insulin pump meeting tonight + they were discussing changing infusion sets/reservoirs every three days. And when their infusion set goes bad, before three days, they still do a complete set-reservoir change. Some of them throw away 30-50 units of insulin because of that.

This is how I do infusion set/reservoir changes-when the 300 unit cartridge runs out, I put a new one in. I prime a new tubing line every couple cartridges.(twice a month) Infusion sets, I leave in till they're dead.(varies from 5-7 days, I once left one in for 15 days) I have never had an infection,(in 7 years)and because I rotate, I rarely get scar tissue.(and it goes away, within a month) I have been preached at endlessly through the years to change every three days and I do not feel the need because of the above factors.

Tonight, I had one of those "wow" moments,as I realized I am probably the only pumper on the planet to do it that way. Followed by another "wow" moment when someone on a Medtronic cgs complained about feeling guilty for an 6.2 a1c, she thought she should do better on a CGS. My jaw just about hit the floor, one should not look a gift horse in the mouth.(my own a1c is far from that,though it is improving) I do
not belong in this group, most of them had a1cs under 7..
A guilt rush soon followed, maybe if I did change my sets on a set schedule my a1c would be better. There's a "site change" alarm on my pump, and for the first time ever, I'm going to start using it. I don't like changing every three days, one has to worry every time whether the site is good but there may be something to this theory of better bgs with regular changes. Even if I am the world's weirdest diabetic, as I don't get scar tissue. It's worth a shot,trying it. When I said how I did it I got the usual passioned pleas to stop destroying my skin/life, and maybe, they have a point. Skin can only take so much abuse.

Great meeting, as usual, this pump group has been around for 10 years (pretty impressive, the pumps of 10 years ago were very different and the CDE's have really had to adjust to a lot of changes).

Testing by Nationality

An Italian, a German and an American are wandering through the desert.

"I'm tired and I'm thirsty," the Italian said. "I must have wine."

"I'm tired and I'm thirsty," the German said. "I must have beer."

"I'm tired and I'm thirsty," the American says. "I must have diabetes."

(very lame joke, but I think it's funny!)

25 Products to Rock Our Lives(part 1)

#25 A futuristic syringe, designed off the stinger on a mosquito. No pain. I'm not one to
complain about needles,but I've got to admit there are some fairly body-numbing
ones out there.(not diabetes related,the ones I mind are about 3 inches long and suck half the blood from your body) The less pain in that regard, the better.

#24 The New Ice Breakers cubed gum..(or at least, new to me)
(2 carbs,5 calories) Be still, my heart. It is so
good.Almost makes having diabetes worth while.

#23 Dual Blood Pressure- Blood Sugar monitor. Watch them both go up the longer you think about it..

#22 The Kit Bag.

#21 The Pelikan Sun Wannabe
(yes, its good, but do the math.. its .15
per test! (with shipping) And you're changing
that 'bleepin' thing every 1-2 days, depending
on how much you test.. it sure adds up.

#20 The 60's Child

For the wild child in ya.. dude,that decade wasn't
the greatest for D-advancements. Oh well.

#19 Never be caught unprepared

How long till this hits the shelves, I want one..(not in me, but near me)

#18 Glucose Spray
Haven't figured this one out yet- is it meant for treating hypos, or for a sweetener alternative? No carb counts anywhere on the package.
(your thoughts needed, before I try it)

Deliver Me...

(..from the hands of any physician who would blame a person for less then stellar control at the most crucial, support-needing time in her life. Noncompliance?? what planet are they from? This is the hardest thing a women with diabetes will ever go through.)

Tune in tonight at 10 pm EST. All the hype, jazz, blame you could wish for..perhaps a true-to-life diabetic pregnancy in the making.Should be interesting.

Pumpers Anonymous

"Hello, my name is Heidi, I've had diabetes for about 10 years.(Insulin addiction all the way) This is my husband, G, and we're obviously new to the area-showing up over an hour late, Baltimore is a huge place + we got lost getting here. I've been a "pumper" for almost 7 years."

I sit down, feeling selfconsious but in a good way. These people "get it", even if most of them probably think I'm just a baby-faced rookie.(you missed the pediatric meeting, sweetie) Which I definatly feel like, when I meet people who have had diabetes since the days of huge syringes + urine checks. But no one can say I'm a rookie pumper,+ that makes me feel slightly better. I am a veteran, in that regard.

"We're so glad you could join us," the CDE, smiling, gracious, welcome, responds. "Too bad you missed the speaker, he was in the previous hour, but we're glad nonetheless!" (speaker was an Omnipod rep)

Talk shop(pump, diabetes stuff) for another 40 minutes. I don't know how most pump groups do the seating stuff..in my former group, it was a circle, or rows of chairs.
This one sits around a huge, long table. Thus, impossible to hear what someone at one end is saying when you're sitting at the other end, and several conversations were going on at once. Everyone else is a Medtronic pumper(I'm the odd person out, once again), but that is the pump company most people go with. I try not to take it personally, nor deliver my true opinion on that subject.(my beef with MM is another post) I meet a couple of people, a relatively new pumper and his wife. He frequently contracts work in the town we're in, so its possible to run into them at any weird time... And, I met someone from the CWD chatrooms. She had told me about the meeting in the first place. She was really nice, its always interesting to meet someone you've chatted with for years.(at least) Around my age, too.


A final "door prize"...


















It was challenging, lugging it home(got some weird looks on the monorail) but diet coke, is diet coke. (worth the trouble) Altogether, it was a good session. Original scheduled speaker was canceled(which I'm glad of, really wanted to hear him) and rescheduled for April. Can't wait for the next meeting!
(which I think I'll drive to, public transportation is a massive headache, and there was plenty of parking at the site.)

My name is Heidi...and I'm an addict to pumping. No hope for me, I'll never overcome it.(unless there's a cure, and then I'll probably still go to Former Pumper's Anonymous.)

An Open Letter to Guinness

March 14, 2008
Dear Guinness:

I realize you're horrifically busy, dashing all over the world to validate great human feats/records. And I realize, that not every "record" is truly something that you want your readers to try at home.
But since you've already published various diabetes feats(highest blood sugar(somewhere over the edge of reality, at 5000+ mg/dl) and the most number of injections(70,000+, some Scottish bloke who's had diabetes since 1926) I think you should consider another category.
I hold(or,at least I hope I do) the record(for anyone still living) for the highest hemoglobin a1c.(average blood glucose, over a 3 month period) Not quite something to proud of, but a part of
my infamous past.(the sole reason for growing rapid cataracts + going blind in 3 days post diabetes diagnosis,but thats another story) And I think I deserve recognition for still being alive.
Enclosed, you will find hospital records of the said fact. (Date of records: 12/10/98-12/13/98)

(A1c: 23.9)

Sincerely,

Another Annoying Reader

The Littlest Rock Star(ette)

I'm an Aunt!(once again) Little Hannah entered the world at 12:30 pm,EST, yesterday afternoon. My brother says she wasn't named for Hannah Montana...regardless,she'll be getting much more attention then said star in our households!! Hopefully will get to see her this weekend...

Yay!:-))

Photo of the Week(3/10/08)

I wonder how many people would ride in his taxi, its not wise to put bumper stickers of any sort on your vehicle if you're a professional driver.(you-will-offend-someone.Depend upon it)

The Art of Customer Service

It's amazing how completely un-helpful your insurance company can be.

Scenario: I send in rx's to new mail order supply place.(for cartridges + Cleo infusion sets). The cartridges, they mail me back 20 (partial box) and charge me $35. Ugh. Should have gotten the doc to write it 3 boxes for a 3 month supply.Another thing about Medco, they grill you about how many you actually use in a 3 month period.(really none of their business, if the doc writes the rx for that number)
The Cleos, they say it isn't covered under the mail order portion of my plan and send back the RX. Now the new mail order supply place is Medco, switched from Caremark on Jan.1. But the retail pharmacy portion is still processed through Caremark. I call BCBS to see about getting appeal forms, Medco has informed me that the only infusion set covered under the MO portion is a MM set.(NOT luer lock, and not compatible with my pump) How much sense does it make to cover the pump cartridge and not the infusion set?? BCBS rep practically immeadiently hands me off to the Medco rep again.(not interested in answering my questions about the appropriate forms at all) Medco rep suggests going to a durable medical supply company and trying to get them there, processing it through the retail portion. I call all of the durable medical supply places around here, and none of them have insulin pump supplies.(I don't know if any do..) Medco rep also gives me the phone numbers to BCBS appeal places(she was more helpful then the BCBS rep!) Medco can't give me the info for retail, that has to come from Caremark.Register for the Caremark website, and call Caremark to see if any infusion sets are covered under retail. They say they don't have access to that information,refer me to a covered benefits PDF(no mention of any pump supplies), and switch me right back to the Medco rep. Hang up, this isn't going anywhere.
(very productive day,and its now 5 pm)
On the Caremark website, there's an option to check drug coverage(and several infusion sets listed) but all of them spit out the following:

"We're sorry; this drug is NOT COVERED by your benefit plan OR may NOT BE THE APPROPRIATE REGIMEN as defined by your plan. For more information, please refer to your benefit materials or contact your benefit administrator (Error Code 70)."

Looks like I will have to appeal(once I get the info to do that). They don't even make that easy, BCBS rep wouldn't tell me how and there are no forms on the website.
I'll have to call that number the Medco rep gave me. I also want to get the ball rolling for sensor coverage + that will take a long time.(if ever)
I'm really not sure I like this insurance, certain parts are good but the rest is a nightmare..We could switch every year,my husband has alot of options and I thought I'd picked out a winner(D-cost-wise) but apparently not. My former BCBS plan was much easier to deal with. And, I have about 5 infusion sets left so unless they last a month each,I'm going to have to go back on shots.

Bread, Soup, and a Root Canal

To my knowledge, only Catholics,Lutherans,and Eastern Orthodox celebrate Lent. Every Wednesday during Lent, they hold a soup + bread supper. Representing simplicity. I wasn't raised Lutheran but my husband was, so tonight we went to a soup supper.

Perfect timing, really, because I now have a second reason to live off soup.(other then the gastro stuff) The ever-so-slight tooth pain that has been nagging me for a day and a half grew to epic proportions. I did not have a dentist,(yet) I had an appointment for a cleaning.(next week)But I knew I couldn't wait till then. I called them up and begged them not to let me die. And they said, how about now? and I was exceedingly grateful. My old dentist would have never squeezed me in. I put petal to the medal and rushed over there.

15 minutes later, they do an xray of the bottom right corner(that was fine), and an xray of the upper right. The dentist is a really nice guy, more personable then my last one(who I think I just never hit it off with, she just inflicted too much pain + seemed aloof no matter how much she tried not to) And this guy, well he was gentler.(that helped)He actually cared about how comfortable I was. While waiting on the results of the 2nd xray, he stuck a Novocaine needle in my gums to numb me up because it was obviously going to show something. Show something it did,a cavity around an existing filling(why do cavities like to grow in the exact same teeth??) necrosis, infection, a glorified mess. After telling me how much it would cost(around $700) he commenced to operating. Removed the cavity,the (dead)nerve, and put a temporary cap on it while the yuck drains. The infection was relatively minor so he didn't prescribe any antibiotics. But, unfortunately, because the yuck has to drain he couldn't do it all at once. So he'll put on the crown next week. More good fortune, dental insurance will cover most of it and it'll only be like $275.(I've had much, much, worse bills) And my blood sugar, despite the Novocaine, was absolutely perfect(106) afterwords.(another first)
So that's my first root canal..at the ripe old age of 26. I've got to work out a better cleaning system, because the amount of diet coke I consume is going to put me in dentures before I'm 40, at this rate.

A "Yes" Moment

"Yesssssssssss!"

I hang up, and start dancing around the house with unbridled joy.(while the cats stare,quickly lose interest, and shuffle off in search of more interesting things to look at(like food) The gastroenterologist has just informed me of the results of the latest test, a gastric
emptying study.

"Normal."

He'd sounded confused, maybe even a bit disappointed with that. Like he was hoping to
read me the riot act(once again) about my blood sugars. This from a doc who asked me if my blood sugar ever goes over 200.
(try daily, at least. Every large meal must have its over 200 zenith before plummeting) I don't think he gets many type 1's in his practice.

As for me, I'm just glad that diabetes hasn't won. No complications for me.(beyond the cataract stuff) And that feels good.

Like I'm standing on the top of Mt. Everest, and diabetes can't touch me.
(blissful naiveté maybe, but wonderful, nonetheless) I'm no closer to finding out whats causing the problems, but at least I know what its not.I guess, if it still won't heal the next step will be to re-investigate a gallbladder connection with an ERCP.