Friday Five: 8 October 2010

Welcome to another edition of Friday Five!  Today's post is about diabetes management with the cooler weather which involves more rotating site changes, new sensors, managing insulin sensitivity, and getting some diabetes nirvana. 

1. With the cooler weather upon us, I have taken out all my long-sleeve shirts and sweaters in my closet.  This also means that I get to take advantage of the 4' pump tubes for some arm sites.  I had great success with my arm site a couple months ago, and I know I need to rotate my sites more in order to avoid dead absorption sites.  
2. I got a new order of Dexcom sensors last week, which means I've been wearing Constance for 3 months now!  I really can't believe how fast the time has gone.  One of the things I'm looking forward to is using the software in my upcoming endo appointment and see what my doctor things about this software.  He was rather reluctant to CGMs, so I'm hoping I can help other patients have success in getting approval from him.  
3. A new project for me is in the works for my job.  I'm really excited about this upcoming opportunity, but it does involve some lab work, which includes 10-hour days in a lab with no food or drink (I get a lunch break, at least).  I expressed some concern with my boss about being in a lab that long without food, so we're looking into having a sealed bottle of juice for me in case I get low in the lab.  I am excited about the work, but the diabetes limitations still worry me at this point.  
4. I'm still having issues isolating my increase in insulin resistance that seems to be in sync with the fall season.  It seems I need to increase every single one of my basal rates by 0.1 units, and my insulin:carb ratio has increased from 1:12 to 1:10.  Constance is helping me isolate these incidents, but my total average (from Arnold and Constance) is still around 140 mg/dL so I'm not totally frustrated. 
5. But sometimes, all this maintenance and frustration leads to something known as diabetes nirvana, when everything seems to line up and diabetes behaves:  

Like getting matching Captain 100s with a nice streamline on the Dexcom.  =) 

 Have a great weekend, everyone!