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| God Bless You, Challenger |
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Not-Fun Kind of Roller Coaster
I love roller coasters! There has never been a roller coaster that I've glanced at and thought, "Nah." Oh no, I will take 3G (gravity, not cell phone network) turns with upside-down flips, all while hanging from my pony tails. I am a lover of adrenaline and danger! (And for the record, my favorite roller coaster is the Superman at Six Flags Atlanta.)
One roller coaster I am not fond of, however, is the glucose roller coaster (also known as the "glucoaster"). And for the past 24 hours, that's where I've been. I'm currently on the last reservoir refill from my latest insulin vial, which means there is a good possibility my insulin is going bad. This has happened to me several times before, and I've thought about chunking the vial once I get down to less than a reservoir's worth of insulin. But the conservative side of me begins screaming, "That's wasteful!" So I refill my reservoir like I always do, and spend the next 3 days coasting out some major BAHs. It's not that the insulin has completely crapped out, it just takes longer for the insulin to really kick in to my bloodstream.
The other side of this glucoaster involves some homemade eggrolls I made last night. In my humble opinion, I make the best eggrolls. I can't stand ordering them from a Chinese restaurant because I'm very picky. So when I feel the need to fulfill that eggroll hole in my heart, I make them myself. Each eggroll only contains 12 grams of carbs, but they pack a mean delayed punch. I forgot about this. So when I bolused and ate 4 eggrolls while watching Date Night for our date night, I went to bed with a perfect reading of 100 mg/dL (score!). But I woke up this morning to 298 mg/dL, with Constance showing that I had been over my high threshold for more than 3 hours. (Why, oh why, do I never wake up?!)
So I dialed in a correction before my shower, and downed a bottle of water while I was getting ready. Keeping an eye on Constance, it seemed I was dropping, FAST. I checked an hour after my correction bolus and saw that I was 120 mg/dL! (So much for the insulin being bad.) So I quickly scarfed down some cereal between putting on my blush and mascara. (Don't worry, I totally didn't try to eat my mascara brush and put the spoon to my eye. Nope, nuh uh.) Things seemed to have settled out now. I'm currently 99 mg/dL with a straight arrow. But I did delay leaving for work for 20 minutes to make sure I didn't crash.
I'm so exhausted after these last 24 hours, and all I've done is live my life! Most roller coasters are fun, but sometimes I need a break. Now, where's the funnel cake stand?
One roller coaster I am not fond of, however, is the glucose roller coaster (also known as the "glucoaster"). And for the past 24 hours, that's where I've been. I'm currently on the last reservoir refill from my latest insulin vial, which means there is a good possibility my insulin is going bad. This has happened to me several times before, and I've thought about chunking the vial once I get down to less than a reservoir's worth of insulin. But the conservative side of me begins screaming, "That's wasteful!" So I refill my reservoir like I always do, and spend the next 3 days coasting out some major BAHs. It's not that the insulin has completely crapped out, it just takes longer for the insulin to really kick in to my bloodstream.
The other side of this glucoaster involves some homemade eggrolls I made last night. In my humble opinion, I make the best eggrolls. I can't stand ordering them from a Chinese restaurant because I'm very picky. So when I feel the need to fulfill that eggroll hole in my heart, I make them myself. Each eggroll only contains 12 grams of carbs, but they pack a mean delayed punch. I forgot about this. So when I bolused and ate 4 eggrolls while watching Date Night for our date night, I went to bed with a perfect reading of 100 mg/dL (score!). But I woke up this morning to 298 mg/dL, with Constance showing that I had been over my high threshold for more than 3 hours. (Why, oh why, do I never wake up?!)
So I dialed in a correction before my shower, and downed a bottle of water while I was getting ready. Keeping an eye on Constance, it seemed I was dropping, FAST. I checked an hour after my correction bolus and saw that I was 120 mg/dL! (So much for the insulin being bad.) So I quickly scarfed down some cereal between putting on my blush and mascara. (Don't worry, I totally didn't try to eat my mascara brush and put the spoon to my eye. Nope, nuh uh.) Things seemed to have settled out now. I'm currently 99 mg/dL with a straight arrow. But I did delay leaving for work for 20 minutes to make sure I didn't crash.
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| I'm ready to get off. |
I'm so exhausted after these last 24 hours, and all I've done is live my life! Most roller coasters are fun, but sometimes I need a break. Now, where's the funnel cake stand?
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Calgon, Take Me . . . to Low Blood Sugars?
Last night, I had the rare opportunity of having an hour of nothing to do (what?!). So I decided to use the occasion to take a bubble bath using my lavender-scented body wash and bath salts. I tuned my iPod to my favorite radio station, and cranked the water to one degree below boiling, just how I like it. And I enjoyed having the hour to myself (oh and Elvis the cat, who decided to hang out on toilet next to the tub. totally. awkward.).
After I was done, I went into the living room to catch up on a little Facebook stalking before bed. But before I could sit down on the couch, Constance was bzzzzzzing from my robe pocket. "Low BG. 70 mg/dL" with a southeast arrow. Then I finally took stock of how I felt: racing heart, maybe sweaty but couldn't tell from just getting out of the tub, kinda fuzzy in the mind. So I made a glass of milk and grabbed some Elf Fudge cookies before taking to Twitter to discuss this phenomenon.
This isn't the first time that a hot bath or shower has induced a low blood sugar. It could be the temperature of the water, which is well above my body temperature. So, I'm basically boiling myself like a lobster, causing my heart to race--possibly causing the hypoglycemia? You'd think being disconnected from Arnold for over an hour would have the opposite effect.
When I was first diagnosed, my mom (a nurse for 30+ years) told me that hanging out in the hot tub helps my dad (T2) with his blood sugar. So, guess where I was the first 3 weeks of my diagnosis? Do you think purchasing a hot tub could be written off as medical equipment? (A girl can dream, right?)
So has anyone else experienced this hypoglycemia phenomenon or managed to harness its power for good? Like taking a bubble bath when having a stubborn high? Or hanging out in the hot tub while eating pizza instead of taking a bolus? The possibilities are endless!
But regardless, I like Dayle's response. "still waiting for my endo to prescribe more bubble baths! ;-)" Me, too, Dayle. Me too.
After I was done, I went into the living room to catch up on a little Facebook stalking before bed. But before I could sit down on the couch, Constance was bzzzzzzing from my robe pocket. "Low BG. 70 mg/dL" with a southeast arrow. Then I finally took stock of how I felt: racing heart, maybe sweaty but couldn't tell from just getting out of the tub, kinda fuzzy in the mind. So I made a glass of milk and grabbed some Elf Fudge cookies before taking to Twitter to discuss this phenomenon.
This isn't the first time that a hot bath or shower has induced a low blood sugar. It could be the temperature of the water, which is well above my body temperature. So, I'm basically boiling myself like a lobster, causing my heart to race--possibly causing the hypoglycemia? You'd think being disconnected from Arnold for over an hour would have the opposite effect.
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| Like this? |
When I was first diagnosed, my mom (a nurse for 30+ years) told me that hanging out in the hot tub helps my dad (T2) with his blood sugar. So, guess where I was the first 3 weeks of my diagnosis? Do you think purchasing a hot tub could be written off as medical equipment? (A girl can dream, right?)
So has anyone else experienced this hypoglycemia phenomenon or managed to harness its power for good? Like taking a bubble bath when having a stubborn high? Or hanging out in the hot tub while eating pizza instead of taking a bolus? The possibilities are endless!
But regardless, I like Dayle's response. "still waiting for my endo to prescribe more bubble baths! ;-)" Me, too, Dayle. Me too.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Just Blah
I wouldn't necessarily call it burnout, I'm not quite there yet. But lately I've just felt like I've been going through the motions with diabetes (and life). I'm testing, counting, bolusing, exercising, but I just don't have any emotion behind any of it. The other night, Constance said that I soared to over 350 mg/dL before my insulin kicked in, and I just blinked at it. And I'm waiting out my lows longer than I should: I'll see that I'm low, wait the 30 minutes for the "snooze" to see if I will come up on my own, then correct if I'm still low.
I don't know what's causing this "blah"-ness. It could be the constant cold weather that's starting to wear on me and causing some winter blues. It could be the fact that I've stuck to my resolution of working out at least every other day and I've oscillated between +/- 2 lbs. It could be that college football is officially over (can I start the countdown yet?). And it could be just because diabetes is a constant disease regardless of my ambition or spirit to keep it under control.
Sometimes the blahs or burnouts can be a good thing. I haven't stressed out over a blood sugar reading over 250 mg/dL because I know the insulin will kick in eventually. But I haven't hooked Constance up to the Dexcom software since before my endo appointment back in October. And honestly, I'm afraid to. Between a sinus infection that left me cruising in the 300s and all the holiday snacking, I think my last A1c of 6.3% is long gone.
I'm just in this weird in-between phase right now because it's too cold to go bike riding or play softball (or to at least enjoy it). So I find myself going from home to work to home, trying to keep warm in the process making soup after soup (I'm running out of soup recipes), and working out with the Wii. Trey cut up a cantaloupe the other day, and I got the sweetest hint of spring with its taste. I'm so ready to see the sun and feel its warmth, rather than seeing my breath in the sky.
I've got the winter (and diabetes) blues. *cue jazz harmonica*
I don't know what's causing this "blah"-ness. It could be the constant cold weather that's starting to wear on me and causing some winter blues. It could be the fact that I've stuck to my resolution of working out at least every other day and I've oscillated between +/- 2 lbs. It could be that college football is officially over (can I start the countdown yet?). And it could be just because diabetes is a constant disease regardless of my ambition or spirit to keep it under control.
Sometimes the blahs or burnouts can be a good thing. I haven't stressed out over a blood sugar reading over 250 mg/dL because I know the insulin will kick in eventually. But I haven't hooked Constance up to the Dexcom software since before my endo appointment back in October. And honestly, I'm afraid to. Between a sinus infection that left me cruising in the 300s and all the holiday snacking, I think my last A1c of 6.3% is long gone.
I'm just in this weird in-between phase right now because it's too cold to go bike riding or play softball (or to at least enjoy it). So I find myself going from home to work to home, trying to keep warm in the process making soup after soup (I'm running out of soup recipes), and working out with the Wii. Trey cut up a cantaloupe the other day, and I got the sweetest hint of spring with its taste. I'm so ready to see the sun and feel its warmth, rather than seeing my breath in the sky.
I've got the winter (and diabetes) blues. *cue jazz harmonica*
Thursday, January 20, 2011
iWorkout @ Home
I feel like I've talked a lot about food here at A&M, but not a lot about exercise. That's because my exercise regimen was pretty much nothing in 2010. And I still haven't really established a "routine", but I do want to keep a schedule of working out at least every other day.
The only time I've ever had a consistent workout routine (other than softball) was pre-D. My college sophomore roommate and I liked to do these walking videos first thing in the morning. We liked doing the 2-mile workout, which was 30 minutes of walking, kicking, and shuffling while carrying weights. It was the perfect workout to do for two busy college students. But after we moved out of that dorm room, so went the workout regimen (even though I was the holder of the tapes, meh).
I've always liked working out at home for several reasons:
Enter Wii Fit Plus! I had the Wii Fit for 2 years and worked out with it, opening all the advanced games and routines. I was getting bored with it, especially the aerobic routines, so I upgraded to Wii Fit Plus. It has the same workouts as the regular Wii Fit, but with more games and a feature where you can set up your own routines. I love the My Wii Fit feature because you can select what areas you want to workout in (i.e. arms & shoulders, legs, posture, aerobic, etc.) and it automatically goes through selected workouts in those areas! No need to go back and forth between the yoga, strength training, or aerobic "rooms". You keep selecting areas and it tells you about how much time your workout will take. I love things that do the "thinking" for me!
Also, the Wii Fit Plus keeps up with roughly how many calories you burn with each workout. This feature is great for me since I'm using MyFitnessPal to keep up with how many calories I eat/burn per day. (It's also great to see how much I have to workout to "earn" that beer with dinner.) And since I'm a small person, it takes a long time for me to burn the calories I need to keep up a "lose weight" metabolism.
On the diabetes front, the workouts have never been strenuous enough that I've needed to disconnect the pump. And I like that I can pause at any time to check my blood sugar, if need be. That would be a little awkward to do in a gym class, not to mention I'd miss some exercise time doing the test (ding: another pro!).
So there it is, my workout regimen at home. I'm definitely not anti-gym. In fact, I've signed up to use the gym for free at work, but that's strictly for breaking up the routine a little bit. And for when I get tired of trying to do sit-ups while the dogs are licking my face each time I come up (OK, working out at home con). I still feel self-conscious and awkward in a typical gym setting. Everybody is different, and every PWD's diabetes is different. My exercise regimen is what works for me, and some people are lifetime gym rats. Whatever gets us moving for better diabetes management is the ultimate goal anyway!
(Note: Neither Nintendo nor the Wii Fit people asked me to write this blog post. I simply love the Wii Fit and have no problem talking about a good product if I believe in it.)
The only time I've ever had a consistent workout routine (other than softball) was pre-D. My college sophomore roommate and I liked to do these walking videos first thing in the morning. We liked doing the 2-mile workout, which was 30 minutes of walking, kicking, and shuffling while carrying weights. It was the perfect workout to do for two busy college students. But after we moved out of that dorm room, so went the workout regimen (even though I was the holder of the tapes, meh).
I've always liked working out at home for several reasons:
- I can wear whatever I want! Including my My Little Pony pajama pants and my ratty softball jersey. No need to buy a whole wardrobe of workout clothing to wear at the gym. I can go straight from waking up to working out.
- No gym membership costs. Yes, you have to buy the initial home equipment or videos, but I can stay on one video or game for several months before I get bored with it. So I'm spending roughly $20 every 6 months rather than $30-$50/month at a gym. (See also: Holly is cheap.)
- Low blood sugar treaters close at hand. This is strictly a diabetes thing, but I like working out at home because I know exactly where my juice boxes or glucose tabs are located. If I go to a gym, it's like packing for a vacation. I have to make sure I have extra juice or glucose tabs, syringes, meter, etc.
Enter Wii Fit Plus! I had the Wii Fit for 2 years and worked out with it, opening all the advanced games and routines. I was getting bored with it, especially the aerobic routines, so I upgraded to Wii Fit Plus. It has the same workouts as the regular Wii Fit, but with more games and a feature where you can set up your own routines. I love the My Wii Fit feature because you can select what areas you want to workout in (i.e. arms & shoulders, legs, posture, aerobic, etc.) and it automatically goes through selected workouts in those areas! No need to go back and forth between the yoga, strength training, or aerobic "rooms". You keep selecting areas and it tells you about how much time your workout will take. I love things that do the "thinking" for me!
Also, the Wii Fit Plus keeps up with roughly how many calories you burn with each workout. This feature is great for me since I'm using MyFitnessPal to keep up with how many calories I eat/burn per day. (It's also great to see how much I have to workout to "earn" that beer with dinner.) And since I'm a small person, it takes a long time for me to burn the calories I need to keep up a "lose weight" metabolism.
On the diabetes front, the workouts have never been strenuous enough that I've needed to disconnect the pump. And I like that I can pause at any time to check my blood sugar, if need be. That would be a little awkward to do in a gym class, not to mention I'd miss some exercise time doing the test (ding: another pro!).
So there it is, my workout regimen at home. I'm definitely not anti-gym. In fact, I've signed up to use the gym for free at work, but that's strictly for breaking up the routine a little bit. And for when I get tired of trying to do sit-ups while the dogs are licking my face each time I come up (OK, working out at home con). I still feel self-conscious and awkward in a typical gym setting. Everybody is different, and every PWD's diabetes is different. My exercise regimen is what works for me, and some people are lifetime gym rats. Whatever gets us moving for better diabetes management is the ultimate goal anyway!
(Note: Neither Nintendo nor the Wii Fit people asked me to write this blog post. I simply love the Wii Fit and have no problem talking about a good product if I believe in it.)
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Guess Who's Behind Door No. 2?
Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment to get a physical done so I could use the gym at work (yay, free gym!). I went to the same office where the bad doctor works, but I requested to see another doctor. Well, in the frenzy of traveling for my grandfather's funeral, I had to reschedule the appointment. But when I rescheduled, I didn't make a point to say I wanted to see another doctor. I thought they would give me the same "new" doctor from my first scheduled appointment.
I signed in, and managed to snap a pic for the Waiting with Diabetes Flickr group before my name was called.
The nurse in bright pink scrubs (seems to be the dress code for this place) took my weight and lead me to my room. She asked me about my current medications, and when I said, "Novolog," she asked me how much. "Oh, I think like 40 units/day, whatever my pump gives me." "Oh, you're on an insulin pump?" she asked. She made a few more notes and told me the doctor would be in shortly.
I waited a few minutes before I hear a knock on the door. "Hello." And there she was, the same doctor who gave me grief for having an A1c of 6.5! At first I couldn't believe it, I just felt my eyes get wider and wider. I kept thinking about how I was going to complain to the office when my appointment was over. I had specifically requested a different doctor, and I ended up with the same one!
But.
I still needed to get my physical done, and I figured she could at least do that without berating me about my diabetes. She went through the little checklist: checked my BP (which was 128/84--I totally blame white coat syndrome along with it being THAT doctor again), ears, stomach, nerves, etc. She saw the nurse's chart about me being on an insulin pump and became very gentle and sincere. "You know you need to carry something when you work out. Do you wear a medical ID?" I pulled up my sleeve and showed her my medical bracelet that I've been wearing since I got out of the hospital. "Good. Just be careful."
Wow, so we go from passive-aggressive, berating doctor to overly nice, mothering doctor?! All because it dawned on her that I wear an insulin pump?! I don't know if it's because she already put a bad taste in my mouth from the last visit, but I still didn't like the way she asked me if I carried something with me, like I was diagnosed yesterday. I guess it just comes with the territory of not having a GP that knows me yet, but I didn't like feeling "mothered" by my GP about carrying sugar with me at all times. Either way, I want to feel comfortable with my GP, and I just don't feel comfortable with her.
I don't plan on seeing that office again anytime soon, but when I do, I will make sure to say, "I, Holly, 26-years-old, type 1 diabetic-diagnosed for 4 years, DO NOT want to see Dr. XXXXX XXXXXXX. Even if she is the only doctor there!" I'm all for second chances with anybody, but sometimes you also just need to go with your gut feeling. And my gut is not happy with this doctor.
I signed in, and managed to snap a pic for the Waiting with Diabetes Flickr group before my name was called.
The nurse in bright pink scrubs (seems to be the dress code for this place) took my weight and lead me to my room. She asked me about my current medications, and when I said, "Novolog," she asked me how much. "Oh, I think like 40 units/day, whatever my pump gives me." "Oh, you're on an insulin pump?" she asked. She made a few more notes and told me the doctor would be in shortly.
I waited a few minutes before I hear a knock on the door. "Hello." And there she was, the same doctor who gave me grief for having an A1c of 6.5! At first I couldn't believe it, I just felt my eyes get wider and wider. I kept thinking about how I was going to complain to the office when my appointment was over. I had specifically requested a different doctor, and I ended up with the same one!
But.
I still needed to get my physical done, and I figured she could at least do that without berating me about my diabetes. She went through the little checklist: checked my BP (which was 128/84--I totally blame white coat syndrome along with it being THAT doctor again), ears, stomach, nerves, etc. She saw the nurse's chart about me being on an insulin pump and became very gentle and sincere. "You know you need to carry something when you work out. Do you wear a medical ID?" I pulled up my sleeve and showed her my medical bracelet that I've been wearing since I got out of the hospital. "Good. Just be careful."
Wow, so we go from passive-aggressive, berating doctor to overly nice, mothering doctor?! All because it dawned on her that I wear an insulin pump?! I don't know if it's because she already put a bad taste in my mouth from the last visit, but I still didn't like the way she asked me if I carried something with me, like I was diagnosed yesterday. I guess it just comes with the territory of not having a GP that knows me yet, but I didn't like feeling "mothered" by my GP about carrying sugar with me at all times. Either way, I want to feel comfortable with my GP, and I just don't feel comfortable with her.
I don't plan on seeing that office again anytime soon, but when I do, I will make sure to say, "I, Holly, 26-years-old, type 1 diabetic-diagnosed for 4 years, DO NOT want to see Dr. XXXXX XXXXXXX. Even if she is the only doctor there!" I'm all for second chances with anybody, but sometimes you also just need to go with your gut feeling. And my gut is not happy with this doctor.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Thanks (and an Update)
This past week has felt like it has gone by in a blink. But first, I want to give everyone a HUGE thank you for all the comments on my Dear Papa post, text messages, and emails for the passing of my grandfather. I felt so much comfort from my online family, you guys certainly deliver. I also wanted to give you guys a quick update on what's been going on this past week.
Trey and I traveled to south Alabama for my Papa's funeral. We met with my family and extended family shortly before the funeral, and it was amazing to catch up with some relatives that I hadn't seen in 10 years. Then it was time for the funeral, and I still don't know how that many people fit in that tiny church. My Papa had been going to the same little Baptist church for over 40 years, and the pastor was also his neighbor. He talked about how my papa never said a harsh word to anybody and praised him for his gentle spirit.
I didn't cry until they presented my aunt with Papa's US flag for his service in the Navy. The tears flowed all the way until the grave site. The pastor gave me a hug and said, "Don't you worry about him, he's in a better place wearing smile. He's not saying much, but he's wearing a smile," again referring to my Papa's quiet nature. We said our goodbyes to him and the rest of our family, and the funeral was over.
The rest of the week we spent going through Papa's house, visiting with family, and just relaxing. Mom's home cooking contributed to me gaining 2 lbs during our trip (but I'm not complaining). I also experienced my usual traveling/stress high BGs. So as much as I enjoyed visiting with family and getting some time off, I'm looking forward to getting back to my normal routine--including more precise carb counting (i.e. not SWAG bolusing) and exercising.
I've got a doctor's appointment this afternoon (but not with the bad doctor) to get a physical done and have my knee looked at again. I'm also looking forward to getting started with the Wii Fit Plus, so look for my opinion on that later. I'm looking forward to getting back to regular diabetes blogging (and catching up on all the blogs I've missed, whoa!).
But again, THANK YOU!!!
Trey and I traveled to south Alabama for my Papa's funeral. We met with my family and extended family shortly before the funeral, and it was amazing to catch up with some relatives that I hadn't seen in 10 years. Then it was time for the funeral, and I still don't know how that many people fit in that tiny church. My Papa had been going to the same little Baptist church for over 40 years, and the pastor was also his neighbor. He talked about how my papa never said a harsh word to anybody and praised him for his gentle spirit.
I didn't cry until they presented my aunt with Papa's US flag for his service in the Navy. The tears flowed all the way until the grave site. The pastor gave me a hug and said, "Don't you worry about him, he's in a better place wearing smile. He's not saying much, but he's wearing a smile," again referring to my Papa's quiet nature. We said our goodbyes to him and the rest of our family, and the funeral was over.
The rest of the week we spent going through Papa's house, visiting with family, and just relaxing. Mom's home cooking contributed to me gaining 2 lbs during our trip (but I'm not complaining). I also experienced my usual traveling/stress high BGs. So as much as I enjoyed visiting with family and getting some time off, I'm looking forward to getting back to my normal routine--including more precise carb counting (i.e. not SWAG bolusing) and exercising.
I've got a doctor's appointment this afternoon (but not with the bad doctor) to get a physical done and have my knee looked at again. I'm also looking forward to getting started with the Wii Fit Plus, so look for my opinion on that later. I'm looking forward to getting back to regular diabetes blogging (and catching up on all the blogs I've missed, whoa!).
But again, THANK YOU!!!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Dear Papa
Dear Papa,
Before I knew you, you were a hero. A WWII Navy Veteran who served at Pearl Harbor. You saw things that you never talked about with us. I loved hearing your stories about steering the admiral's ship. And you always looked so handsome in your pictures wearing your uniform.
What I always remembered about you was your gentle spirit and your quiet nature. I never heard you say a harsh word to anybody. You never stressed about anything, and you always had a smile. I believe this was one of the reasons you thrived so well in life.
But you weren't without your ailments, though. For as long as I can remember, you suffered from restless leg syndrome, often causing your veins to bulge. And in the last few years of your life, you were confined to a wheelchair. But you never complained.
My favorite memory of you is when you came to watch me play softball in a nearby tournament. I had no idea that you were coming, and when I took my position behind the plate like I always do, I never expected to see you behind the fence. I have no idea if we won or lost that game, I was just so proud to have you there.
This past Saturday, while Mom and Dad were visiting, Dad received a call that your breathing has slowed to critical levels and that you might not make it through the night. And at 1:45 AM Sunday morning, you passed in your sleep. Just as gently as you entered the world, you left it.
It's hard to believe that you're gone, because I'm so used to you being around. I was blessed to be able to see you over Thanksgiving, and you smiled when you recognized it was me. You remembered that I moved into a bigger house, and we watched the birds chirp outside. Mom told me you were having a good day, but I never saw you have a bad day. You will be missed, but never forgotten.
I love you, and I'll see you soon.
Love your favorite granddaughter,
Holly
Before I knew you, you were a hero. A WWII Navy Veteran who served at Pearl Harbor. You saw things that you never talked about with us. I loved hearing your stories about steering the admiral's ship. And you always looked so handsome in your pictures wearing your uniform.
What I always remembered about you was your gentle spirit and your quiet nature. I never heard you say a harsh word to anybody. You never stressed about anything, and you always had a smile. I believe this was one of the reasons you thrived so well in life.
But you weren't without your ailments, though. For as long as I can remember, you suffered from restless leg syndrome, often causing your veins to bulge. And in the last few years of your life, you were confined to a wheelchair. But you never complained.
My favorite memory of you is when you came to watch me play softball in a nearby tournament. I had no idea that you were coming, and when I took my position behind the plate like I always do, I never expected to see you behind the fence. I have no idea if we won or lost that game, I was just so proud to have you there.
This past Saturday, while Mom and Dad were visiting, Dad received a call that your breathing has slowed to critical levels and that you might not make it through the night. And at 1:45 AM Sunday morning, you passed in your sleep. Just as gently as you entered the world, you left it.
It's hard to believe that you're gone, because I'm so used to you being around. I was blessed to be able to see you over Thanksgiving, and you smiled when you recognized it was me. You remembered that I moved into a bigger house, and we watched the birds chirp outside. Mom told me you were having a good day, but I never saw you have a bad day. You will be missed, but never forgotten.
I love you, and I'll see you soon.
Love your favorite granddaughter,
Holly
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| My Papa and I, last Memorial Day. He was 94-years-old when he passed. |
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Breakfast Starts in the Evening
I have a love/hate relationship with breakfast cereal. I love it enough to eat it everyday. It's been my favorite choice for breakfast for as long as I can remember. It's fast and easy to make, especially during the work week. I had 22 years to get used to eating it and making it my breakfast habit. And I'm such a stubborn creature of habit that I refuse to make anything else for breakfast during the week.
Enter diabetes:
Most breakfast cereals cause a major spike in blood sugar, even those with the least amount of sugar. So I try to pick a cereal that is high in fiber and protein to hopefully combat the spikes. My favorite cereal choice is Kashi Go Lean Original, and I usually eat 3/4 cup with 3/4 cup skim milk. However, I still see the spikes, like shoot up into the 250s for 2 hours spikes. I don't see these spikes all the time, but I have everyday this week. I never really could explain why I saw them sometimes and sometimes not.
Until this morning.
This morning didn't really start out any different, I woke up and tested: 138 mg/dL. I dialed in a correction and bolused for my cereal: 33 g. Then I hopped in the shower (oh yeah, don't forget the 0.5 u bolus to combat the dawn phenomenon). I get out of the shower, feed the dogs, water the cats, and then filled my bowl with the carefully measured 3/4 cup of cereal and milk (roughly 30 minutes have passed by now since the bolus). I usually see the spike begin about the time I start to dry my hair. But I kept waiting, and kept waiting, and kept waiting, but nothing. I looked down at Constance to see that she has barely crested 100 mg/dL (I actually went low down to 70 mg/dL before the cereal kicked in). But I didn't even peak past 150 mg/dL.
So what happened to cause this non-spike spike?
Last night I exercised for 35 minutes on the Wii Fit and followed it with a protein-filled dinner of taco salad. I have heard that the blood sugar effects from exercise last as long as a day, but I had never really seen it in action. I have stuck to my resolutions (so far) of trying to exercise at least 3 days/week or every other day. And the exercise that I did wasn't that strenuous, either. I hardly broke a sweat and didn't even disconnect Arnold, and no low followed.
I have always been a proponent that diabetics can and should be able to eat anything that they want. It just takes lots of testing and tweaking to figure out how to keep your numbers stable. I have conquered the beer/pizza super bolus, and now I can check off "breakfast cereals" on my list, too. So now I know that when I start to see the spikes from my cereal in the mornings, I need to get my butt up and exercise in order to avoid them.
Diabetes win!
Enter diabetes:
Most breakfast cereals cause a major spike in blood sugar, even those with the least amount of sugar. So I try to pick a cereal that is high in fiber and protein to hopefully combat the spikes. My favorite cereal choice is Kashi Go Lean Original, and I usually eat 3/4 cup with 3/4 cup skim milk. However, I still see the spikes, like shoot up into the 250s for 2 hours spikes. I don't see these spikes all the time, but I have everyday this week. I never really could explain why I saw them sometimes and sometimes not.
Until this morning.
This morning didn't really start out any different, I woke up and tested: 138 mg/dL. I dialed in a correction and bolused for my cereal: 33 g. Then I hopped in the shower (oh yeah, don't forget the 0.5 u bolus to combat the dawn phenomenon). I get out of the shower, feed the dogs, water the cats, and then filled my bowl with the carefully measured 3/4 cup of cereal and milk (roughly 30 minutes have passed by now since the bolus). I usually see the spike begin about the time I start to dry my hair. But I kept waiting, and kept waiting, and kept waiting, but nothing. I looked down at Constance to see that she has barely crested 100 mg/dL (I actually went low down to 70 mg/dL before the cereal kicked in). But I didn't even peak past 150 mg/dL.
 |
| Constance graph showing about the time I woke up (5 AM), the low before my cereal kicked in, then the "spike" under 150 mg/dL. |
So what happened to cause this non-spike spike?
Last night I exercised for 35 minutes on the Wii Fit and followed it with a protein-filled dinner of taco salad. I have heard that the blood sugar effects from exercise last as long as a day, but I had never really seen it in action. I have stuck to my resolutions (so far) of trying to exercise at least 3 days/week or every other day. And the exercise that I did wasn't that strenuous, either. I hardly broke a sweat and didn't even disconnect Arnold, and no low followed.
I have always been a proponent that diabetics can and should be able to eat anything that they want. It just takes lots of testing and tweaking to figure out how to keep your numbers stable. I have conquered the beer/pizza super bolus, and now I can check off "breakfast cereals" on my list, too. So now I know that when I start to see the spikes from my cereal in the mornings, I need to get my butt up and exercise in order to avoid them.
Diabetes win!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Nothing to Fear
I had my very first eye appointment as a diabetic yesterday. (Reader: "Wait? Haven't you been diabetic for 4 years?!") Yes, reader, I have. I know that going to a yearly eye doctor is something I'm supposed to do, but I had such a bad experience with my one (and only) eye appointment about 6 years ago. Long story short, the doctor I saw was extremely forceful and unfriendly.
So I've been putting this appointment off for as long as I could, until I started noticing that it was becoming more difficult to read words on the TV from the couch and reading presentation slides from the back of the conference room. Trey kept noticing me squinting and said, "You're going to the eye doctor." I reluctantly agreed, because I knew this was something I need to do.
I arrived at the office yesterday afternoon, signed in, filled out the standard new patient form, and sighed as I circled "Diabetes" under current illnesses. While I was waiting to be called, I was able to snap a picture for my D365 project and the Waiting with Diabetes group:
I got called back and made my way into a dark room with several chairs with chin rests. The tech told me to look into the little black box where I saw a picture of a green field with a red box in the middle. She did some adjusting to the lenses, then all of a sudden . . . PSSHT! . . . I get sprayed with this stuff into my left eye! WTH?! I had no idea what that was, the tech told me it was some type of spray, but I couldn't understand her. Perhaps I should have told her at the beginning that this was my first appointment in 6 years, maybe she would have told me what to expect.
Then I was escorted into a smaller room with one chair. The tech gave me a huge black spoon to put over my eye and told me to try to read the letters in the mirror in front of me. I really struggled with the first few lines she gave me, which kind of got me down. I thought I would get the easier letters first and then go down, but apparently we were going backwards. So the later lines she gave me I could read a lot better. She sat down at the computer and asked me what medications I was taking. "Novolog and Prilosec." This was the first time diabetes was even mentioned in this appointment. She asked me if I was type 1 or type 2, then told me how important it is to come in for a yearly appointment. I kept feeling like I was saying over and over in my head, "I know, I'm sorry, I know."
She told me the doctor would be in shortly and left me in the room by myself. Two seconds later the doctor came in, and she was unlike any doctor I've ever had. About my height (5'2"), a little portly, wearing a leopard print skirt and textured tights. I smiled and thought she must be really cool. She introduced herself and looked at my chart. "How long have you had diabetes?" "Just passed four years," I said. "Well even with controlled diabetes, it's still very important to get your eyes checked once a year because we want to check to the back of your eyes and look at your nerve function, not necessarily your vision." Repeating in my head, "I know, I'm sorry, I know."
Then she dilates my eyes, and I go pick out some glasses to cater to my near-sightedness brought about by my eye exam. I pick out some frames, and sit back down in the lobby waiting for my eyesight to get fuzzy. She calls me back in and she shines a light in my eye as I my a circle looking around the room. "OK," she says as she rolls back from my chair. I was thinking, "OK what?! What?! Tell me!!" She finally says, "Your eyes look perfectly healthy." "Oh," I said,"that's a relief." "Yep, I see nothing wrong." She leads me out and I head out on my merry way.
It was in that moment that I realized that we don't get a huge prize in avoiding complications, other than the avoidance itself. I felt elated that I dodge a huge bullet in avoiding this appointment for four years, but all I could do was sit in the chair in the dark room and breathe a huge sigh of relief. I called my mom and told her, and told Trey when I got home and they were both happy for me. I just hate that I feel like I'm getting congratulated for something that's supposed to be mine at some point in my life. I don't want it, and I'll keep passing that plate each time it comes by me. Until then, I'll be rocking some sexy kitten-heel frames.
So I've been putting this appointment off for as long as I could, until I started noticing that it was becoming more difficult to read words on the TV from the couch and reading presentation slides from the back of the conference room. Trey kept noticing me squinting and said, "You're going to the eye doctor." I reluctantly agreed, because I knew this was something I need to do.
I arrived at the office yesterday afternoon, signed in, filled out the standard new patient form, and sighed as I circled "Diabetes" under current illnesses. While I was waiting to be called, I was able to snap a picture for my D365 project and the Waiting with Diabetes group:
 |
| I sat next to the tile foyer, ready to make my escape. |
I got called back and made my way into a dark room with several chairs with chin rests. The tech told me to look into the little black box where I saw a picture of a green field with a red box in the middle. She did some adjusting to the lenses, then all of a sudden . . . PSSHT! . . . I get sprayed with this stuff into my left eye! WTH?! I had no idea what that was, the tech told me it was some type of spray, but I couldn't understand her. Perhaps I should have told her at the beginning that this was my first appointment in 6 years, maybe she would have told me what to expect.
Then I was escorted into a smaller room with one chair. The tech gave me a huge black spoon to put over my eye and told me to try to read the letters in the mirror in front of me. I really struggled with the first few lines she gave me, which kind of got me down. I thought I would get the easier letters first and then go down, but apparently we were going backwards. So the later lines she gave me I could read a lot better. She sat down at the computer and asked me what medications I was taking. "Novolog and Prilosec." This was the first time diabetes was even mentioned in this appointment. She asked me if I was type 1 or type 2, then told me how important it is to come in for a yearly appointment. I kept feeling like I was saying over and over in my head, "I know, I'm sorry, I know."
She told me the doctor would be in shortly and left me in the room by myself. Two seconds later the doctor came in, and she was unlike any doctor I've ever had. About my height (5'2"), a little portly, wearing a leopard print skirt and textured tights. I smiled and thought she must be really cool. She introduced herself and looked at my chart. "How long have you had diabetes?" "Just passed four years," I said. "Well even with controlled diabetes, it's still very important to get your eyes checked once a year because we want to check to the back of your eyes and look at your nerve function, not necessarily your vision." Repeating in my head, "I know, I'm sorry, I know."
Then she dilates my eyes, and I go pick out some glasses to cater to my near-sightedness brought about by my eye exam. I pick out some frames, and sit back down in the lobby waiting for my eyesight to get fuzzy. She calls me back in and she shines a light in my eye as I my a circle looking around the room. "OK," she says as she rolls back from my chair. I was thinking, "OK what?! What?! Tell me!!" She finally says, "Your eyes look perfectly healthy." "Oh," I said,"that's a relief." "Yep, I see nothing wrong." She leads me out and I head out on my merry way.
It was in that moment that I realized that we don't get a huge prize in avoiding complications, other than the avoidance itself. I felt elated that I dodge a huge bullet in avoiding this appointment for four years, but all I could do was sit in the chair in the dark room and breathe a huge sigh of relief. I called my mom and told her, and told Trey when I got home and they were both happy for me. I just hate that I feel like I'm getting congratulated for something that's supposed to be mine at some point in my life. I don't want it, and I'll keep passing that plate each time it comes by me. Until then, I'll be rocking some sexy kitten-heel frames.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Injured List
Without even thinking about it, I touched the tip of my right index finger to the very hot stove, trying to clean off some spillage. I was on the phone with my dad and immediately said, "Ow!" "What's wrong?!" he asked. "Oh nothing, just burned myself on the stove. This was about 2 weeks ago. My clumsiness strikes again.
A couple days later, the blister that had formed and swelled finally busted and allowed me to peel back the dead skin. (I'm sorry, I know this is very TMI on a Monday morning.) But the finger is still not well enough to use for testing. I've written before about how between the regular 6-8 tests/day along with calibrating/quieting Constance, I am testing a lot more. So I've had to expand my finger testing arsenal to all 10 fingers, including the very sensitive index and thumb fingers.
You'd think that having only 9 fingers available instead of 10 wouldn't be that big of a deal. But just like on a sports team when one player is out, the rest of the team has to pick up their slack. And I can tell that the other 9 fingers are ready for the other finger to come back on the field. The poor middle and ring fingers take the brunt of the testings (especially the middle of the night tests when I don't have the mental alertness to check all fingers for the least calloused). And with getting through the holidays with all the carb-loaded goodies, testing has been at an all time high. So it was like going into the championship game with a tired team.
I'd say the injured finger still has a couple of days before it returns to the rotation. And even then, it will have a few days of physical therapy, if you will, so it won't come back full force. We diabetics always hear about how we're supposed to take care of our extremities, especially our feet. But I think special care needs to be given towards our hands, as well. Because when you're testing as much as 8-10 times/day, having one finger out of commission makes for a very weak testing team.
A couple days later, the blister that had formed and swelled finally busted and allowed me to peel back the dead skin. (I'm sorry, I know this is very TMI on a Monday morning.) But the finger is still not well enough to use for testing. I've written before about how between the regular 6-8 tests/day along with calibrating/quieting Constance, I am testing a lot more. So I've had to expand my finger testing arsenal to all 10 fingers, including the very sensitive index and thumb fingers.
You'd think that having only 9 fingers available instead of 10 wouldn't be that big of a deal. But just like on a sports team when one player is out, the rest of the team has to pick up their slack. And I can tell that the other 9 fingers are ready for the other finger to come back on the field. The poor middle and ring fingers take the brunt of the testings (especially the middle of the night tests when I don't have the mental alertness to check all fingers for the least calloused). And with getting through the holidays with all the carb-loaded goodies, testing has been at an all time high. So it was like going into the championship game with a tired team.
I'd say the injured finger still has a couple of days before it returns to the rotation. And even then, it will have a few days of physical therapy, if you will, so it won't come back full force. We diabetics always hear about how we're supposed to take care of our extremities, especially our feet. But I think special care needs to be given towards our hands, as well. Because when you're testing as much as 8-10 times/day, having one finger out of commission makes for a very weak testing team.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Plans for 2011
Welcome to 2011! I hope you all had a great New Year's celebration and bolused appropriately for that sparkling grape juice. I have a couple of plans (resolutions, if you will) for 2011 that I wanted to share with you guys to start out 2011 for A&M.
Hope you all have a great, healthy start to 2011!
- I am planning on reading the whole Bible this year. I have settled on the Christ's Church of the Valley reading plan. I chose this plan because it has an Old Testament and New Testament reading for each day, and it follows a plan of reading just during the weekdays. This reading plan will hopefully allow me to catch up on days that I miss and establish a reading schedule during the week. Let me know if you're doing this plan or any other "Bible in One Year" plans; I could sure use accountability/support.
- Establishing something of a food diary and workout routine. We all know how important these things are to good diabetes management, but I admit that I really slacked off on both of these in 2010 between working on the house (which I tried to count as working out) and getting used to 40-hour/week job schedule. I was never able to establish a schedule to work out nor did I have the energy. But thanks to my handy dandy iPod, I am using the MyFitnessPal application to track my food and workout routine. I've been using it sparingly since the summer, but more so in the last month to get in the habit. After I write this post, I plan to go start up the Wii and get yelled at by my virtual trainer (yay?).
- I am so excited to participate in the D365 project this year. Since I started my blog in April, I didn't get too into the project. But I set a reminder on my iPod for everyday at 6 PM to take a picture for the D365 project. I'll keep the set on my Flickr account for viewing, as well as keeping the D365 tab on the top left column of my blog. I've already taken the first picture for this year!
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| You can see the excitement in my eyes. |
Hope you all have a great, healthy start to 2011!
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About Me
- Holly
- My name is Holly and I live in north Alabama with my hubby, two cats, and a dog.