We Did This!

Today is a very special day for my friend Kim who started the You Can Do This project on this day last year.  YCDT is a movement for members of the DOC to post videos of their journey with diabetes for other people with diabetes to relate to, be inspired by, or simply not feel alone.  It's a great website to visit for those days when diabetes becomes too much to handle.  I know a lot of people will join me in thanking Kim for this awesome movement and what's meant to all people affected by diabetes.  

I've yet to make a video, but my idea for one is in the works.  First, I need to by some shotgun shells and a movie poster to "Steel Magnolias".  You feel me? 

So I have this idea . . .

Ever since I came up with the term no-hitter in regards to going 24 hours without an alarm on a CGM, I've had a bunch of hits on that post.  I've seen the term show up in a lot of places, and it's made me proud to see that.  And since the term refers to baseball (and it's opening day), I've decided to create the No-Hitter Hall of Fame. 

The idea is pretty simple:  let's post our no-hitters in one place as a place of encouragement and honor.  Include your name, date of your no-hitter, your personal high/low thresholds, and what you were doing on the day of your no-hitter (like "eating salad all day and doing nothing" or "ate pizza then ran a 5K").  Very rarely do we get medals for "winning" at diabetes (unless you've been living with it more than 50 years, and I've got very long to go before that), and what better way to feel like a winner than to be part of a hall of fame?!

You can email me your no-hitter at arnoldandme at gmail dot com.  So far I've added mine and Stacey's no-hitter, and I would love to get more! 

Things on My Radar

Yesterday I had my yearly female appointment with my gynecologist.  Even though his office is labeled as OB/GYN, I like to invert the two and add an "O" making him my "GYNOOB" (pronounced "guy"-"noob"), cuz I'm mature like that. 

I know most women can't say this, but I love my gynecologist!  Of all my doctors, he is definitely the nicest and most encouraging one I have.  Yes, you may have to wait over an hour past your appointment time to see him, but it's worth it when he takes your time with you and treats you like you're the only patient in the world.  (And especially with this kind of appointment, sensitivity and patience is key.)

He always makes a point to ask me, with genuine sincerity, about my diabetes.  I usually tell him, "Fine," but I know I could say, "It's a pain in the arse," if I wanted to.  When he asked me what my last A1c was and I said 6.3, he looked up from his chart and smiled, "Good for you!  That's awesome!"  "Thanks, I just try to keep up with it," I shrugged. This (A1c) point led to an interesting topic between us:

Me:  "So, what would be your threshold for, say, pregnancy?"

Dr. (smiling):  "Oh that's a great topic!  I would want you to stay under 7.0, but that will be controlled by you and your endo.  Who are you seeing for that?"

Me:  "Dr. [insert name here], the one with the 'special' sense of humor."

Dr. (stomping his foot and laughing):  "That is so true, he's definitely unique."

Nice to know even another doctor notices my endo's dry personality.  Should make April feel better.  ;-)

So after this nice little chat and my *ahem* exam, he looked me in the eye and told me I was just as healthy as any other woman who desires children.  "That's what I wanted to hear," I said and he walked out the door.  And before I left the room, I paused and held onto his words like they were charms on a bracelet:  "just as healthy".  Even though we're not trying for a baby right now, I like knowing that we could.  Like the power of my diabetes is harnessed and chained, under my control.  I couldn't help feeling a little empowered, like some goddess of femininity wielding a pump and CGM.

Trey and I talk about having kids all the time, like they're already here or something.  And sometimes I forget that having diabetes makes that dream a little more of a nightmare.  I'm not afraid of the lab-rat-type testing I'll undergo, or even the constant warnings of complications due to high blood sugars.  The one thing I'm afraid of more than anything:  motherhood itself.  I know I want kids, and I desire them more than anything.  I get all teary-eyed at posts like this one and get chills thinking about someone calling me, "Mommy."  But I'm a little anxious about the 180 life-change that will follow.  It's the same anxiety I felt before college, getting married, buying a house, or adopting another dog.  It's the anxiety of not being prepared for something very important, only to realize there's NO WAY to be fully prepared to begin with.

It's so strange to desire something that you're terrified of, like WANTING to be bitten by a snake (who would want that?!).  To be responsible for a life, a soul, that will rely on you to know how to walk through this life.  Hoping that they find God's love, and praying you're not going to screw it up!  And wondering how can you love someone so much that you haven't even met!  (CC:  Facing the Giants)

I don't know, we're so far ahead of the literal pregnancy/diabetes stuff that I'm still focused on the big picture.  All I can say is that I'm excited and terrified, especially now that I've added a new label to my blog:  pregnancy.

Whoa!  Things are starting to get too real around here.  So to level things out, here's a picture of my dog gassing me with one of her rancid farts. 

Aaaaaaaand, we're back!  =)

Peanut Butter Buddy

I love my dogs!  I've always claimed to be more of a cat person, but there's just something about a dog.  The way they wag their tails incessantly when I come home, their cuddly antics whenever I sit on the couch, and their mental obsession with chasing the squirrels in the backyard.  They're goofy, lovable creatures that provide so much company and noise to our home. 

We currently have 2 dogs, Roscoe and Missy.  We got Missy last year as a playmate for Roscoe when we moved into our house.  But we got Roscoe about 2 years ago when he was an 8-week-old ball of fur. 

Let the "Awwwww"s commence . . . 

Roscoe was the first dog I've had that I've gone through the proper puppy training with.  Sure, I had dogs growing up, but they were either mainly outside dogs that didn't require much training or my parents took it over.  And I learned that there is a special bond that happens when you are training your dog.  I can't explain it, but there's a trust that develops and the dog would rely on you for everything, even its life. 

And mine. 

So I've always been diabetic with Roscoe, but I've never thought he caught on to Mommy's disease . . . until recently.  Roscoe always has to be in the same room where I am.  If I am cooking, he takes a spot on the floor in the doorway to the living room.  If I am folding clothes in the bedroom, he lays in his bed watching me until I leave the room.  Never in the way, just always around.  He's not like this with Trey, just me.  I thought this dog had some serious attachment issues, but there's possibly something more. 

For my nighttime lows where I am awoken by Constance, I make my way into the kitchen to pour a glass of juice.  Of course, Roscoe follows me and sits in the doorway wagging his tail.  Once I feel my body start to settle out from the shakes and my mind is clear, I retrieve the peanut butter from the cupboard to get some protein in me.  Well, Roscoe knows the smell of peanut butter, it's one of his favorite snacks.  He especially likes when I smear some over an apple slice or a baby carrot for him.  The dog loves peanut butter.  So when I get done eating my 2 spoonfuls of peanut butter, I point the spoon in his direction and let him finish it off. 

Lately, when I start to feel low (sometimes before Constance alerts me), Roscoe will come up to me and start wagging his tail.  "Why are you excited, Roscoe?"  BZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!  "Low > 70 mg/dL"  Uh huh.  "Is it peanut butter time?"  His tail shakes faster and he lets out a little yelp.  I fear I am training this dog to get excited about my lows. 

I've heard of diabetic alert dogs, I even follow a great blog of one who looks just like Roscoe.  And I've heard of other domestic pets alerting their owners of nighttime lows.  But I never thought that one of my pets would be one of them.  I suppose one CGM is better than two, right?  Even if one is a 62 lb lab mutt with a whip for a tail. 

I can haz peanut butter? 

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!!!

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. 

• 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!  

You can see the excitement in my eyes. 

Hope you all have a great, healthy start to 2011!  

Meme for 2010

So 2010 is coming to an end.  I have thought about all the things that have happened this year, and there's been enough to make even a normal person go "Whew!"  I'm also thinking about what I have planned for 2011, diabetes-wise and not.  I'm also extremely scattered brained from coming down from the holidays and all the food, so my 2010-ending post will be a year-recapping meme. 

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Ummm, help remodel a house!  I mainly helped in the clean-up process, but I also learned how to tape, mainly trim, and apply painter's tape. 

2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions from last year and will you make any for 2011?
I don't think I made any concrete ones for this year, but I am planning some for 2011 like reading the Bible in one year and creating my own D365 photo set. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I had a lot of friends give birth this year, but no one in my family. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not that I knew personally, but I always get sad when another T1 dies regardless if I knew them or not. 

5. What countries did you visit?
LOL, no countries, but I did go to Colorado and Florida for vacations

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
I honestly can't think of anything that I truly need that I didn't have in 2010, guess I'm blessed. 

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory...and why?
January 25, 2010, the day we closed on the house. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Traveling down to KSC for my job and seeing the Shuttle in person.  It was so surreal and I reflected on how much I had come in my education/career. 

9. What was your biggest failure?
Never fail, just keep trying.  ;-)

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I'm still getting over a cold, but other than that just the usual cuts and bruises from my own clumsiness. 

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Probably my Dexcom CGM.  OK, insurance bought most of it, but I'm making the quarterly copayments for the sensors. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I definitely have to Kerri because of her post from yesterday.  Her real perspective of being an adult with type 1 diabetes is so refreshing because it's not all good all the time.  But it's something we can all relate to, and I appreciate anyone who keeps a raw perspective about this beautiful mess called life. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
There's always the groups of people who continue to display their ignorance about diabetes, but it's become so commonplace that I don't feel appalled anymore. 

14. Where did most of your money go?
House stuff, house stuff, and more house stuff. 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My CGM, I freakin' cried when I heard that my insurance would cover 90% of it. 

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
I don't know about all of 2010, but I'm really digging "Avalanche" by Manafest. 

17. Compared to last year, are you...
...happier/sadder? much happier
...thinner/fatter? truthfully, fatter, but by like 5 or 6 lbs, meh. 
...richer/poorer? both, poorer because of house, but richer from the investment. 

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Ride my bike.  I really missed it. 

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Stressing, I feel like I didn't sit down enough and relax this year. 

20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?
Shooting fireworks and hanging out with our marriage mentors and their family. 

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I always fall in love with my husband again and again and again.  ;-) 

22. How many one-night stands?
Ummm, this meme knows I'm married, right? 

23. What was your favorite TV program?
I must confess, Teen Mom, I was totally addicted to that trashy show. 

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I didn't hate anyone last year, and I don't hate anyone now. 

25. What was the best book you read in 2010?
The two books I read were Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The Devil in the White City.  Between those two, I liked Midnight more, but I've heard that Leo DiCaprio is making a movie of Devil, and that excites me!

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
My favorite band of this year was definitely Skillet. 

27. What did you want AND get?
Constance.  =) 

28. What did you want and NOT get?
If there was anything, I can't remember, so it must not have been that important. 

29. What was your favorite film of the year?
I can't remember all the ones I saw, but the first one I thought of was Eclipse. 

30. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
On my actual birthday, I went straight home from work to avoid the rain, and hung out watching movies on Netflix, I am 26-years-old. 

31. What ONE thing would have made your year immensely more satisfying?
Getting to meet more people from the DOC in person. 

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Slowly transitioning from poor grad student to young professional. 

33. What kept you sane?
My husband, but he always keeps me sane. 

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I kind of developed a crush on Eddie Izzard, which is weird since he's an executive transvestite. 

35. What political issues stirred you the most?
The main one that stirred me was a local law saying all dogs deemed "dangerous" needed to be leashed or fenced.  I don't like knowing the government is defining "dangerous" and how they're going to implement it. 

36. Whom did you miss?
A certain gal pal in Denver.  ;-)

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Everyone in the DOC.  Seriously, y'all are the best. 

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson that you learned in 2010.
It really doesn't help to stress, it's better to either tackle the problem and if you can't, let it be.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
From "More Like Falling in Love" by Jason Gray, "Cause all religion ever made of me was just a sinner with a stone tied to my fee."  I've been really reflecting on this song because I've been wanting my faith to be more real in my life, not just Sundays.

So if you're feeling burnt out from the holidays and all the food, take this meme to finish out 2010!

Texting a Guest Blog Post

Today I have the honor of guest posting over at Kim's blog.  I love Kim!  She is so funny, quick-witted, and insightful.  I've really enjoyed getting to know her on Twitter, and I really look forward to hopefully meeting her one day.  She and I are challenging each other for the perfect pre-baby A1c. 

I posted about my never-ending curiosity to test the blood sugar of nonPWDs.  So hop on over to her site today and check out my post. 

Have a great weekend! 

Just Talking with Spartacus

Monday night I had the privilege of recording a podcast with Chris.  We talked about everything from diabetes to home remodeling to storm chasing.  It was a lot of fun and the hour went by really quickly!  So head on over to Chris' site and take a listen.  And thanks Chris, I had a blast! 

I am busy today cleaning, packing, and preparing for a 5 hour drive with 2 big dogs in tow (oh my!).  I know a lot of people are traveling today, so please be safe everyone! 

Oh yeah, and have a great Thanksgiving!  

Made of Steel, But not a Magnolia

If you haven't seen the movie Steel Magnolias, I'm about to ruin the plot for you.  So if you want, scroll past this paragraph, and I'll continue with my regularly scheduled blogging.  Basically, a type 1 diabetic woman dies from being pregnant and having a kid.  Everyone is sad.  The End.

Well, I had my first "Steel Magnolias" experience the other week when my parents were visiting.  Someone who worked with my mom asked her if the reason Trey and I don't have kids (yet) is because I'm diabetic.  My mom quickly rebutted that reason and said that I am perfectly able and capable of having kids on my own.  And that our reasons for waiting were ours alone and had nothing to do with diabetes.  (Go Mom!)

Yes, it's true that Trey and I are waiting, but not on diabetes.  My last A1c got the "green light" from my endo, and I'm aiming to get even lower.  But more importantly, I'm reading more and more stories everyday of type 1 moms having healthy babies.  The stories are so, so encouraging, but they still fade in the light compared to Steel Magnolias.  I really think someone should make a Steel Magnolias 2, where Shelby's granddaughter who has type 1 has like 1,000 healthy babies with her insulin pump and CGM.

But the point of this post is to say that I have every hope and intention of having kids one day, and not dying in the process.  I have no fear of the pregnancy process because I have researched and googled everything that's going to happen from preconception to birth to breastfeeding.  Those things, I can prepare for.

What I can't prepare for is someone seeing me all round-bellied, sporting an insulin pump, and thinking that I'm basically committing suicide by having kids.  I'm really not very patient when it comes to other people's ignorance.  Does anyone have that book, you know, "What to Expect When You're Expecting Comments from Ignorant People about Your Type 1 Diabetic Pregnancy"?  Because I sure could use a copy about now.  I'm pretty sure those comments can bounce off of me like steel, but I'm not sure I can respond sweetly and in kind like a magnolia.  I can handle a type 1 diabetic pregnancy, I can handle the hundreds of doctor's appointments leading up to birth, and I can even handle all that while being called "Shamu".  But I can't, CAN.NOT handle other people telling me it can't be done. 

Perhaps is the southern woman stubborn part of me, but nothing makes me want to do something more than other people telling me that I can't.   

Of course, I still have some diabetic goals before getting pregnant, like achieving a perfect baby-building A1c like this here chica.  =) 

I Didn't Move

Today is World Diabetes Day!  When I was thinking of what to write for a post for this day, I thought back to a significant Sunday last year.  Last fall, when the health care swing was in full debate, my pastor did a great sermon about not relying on man to fulfill our needs, but to rely on God.  The message was great, but what really got to me was the closing invitation.  My pastor asked if anyone had a chronic condition, cancer, or even the sniffles that they wanted to have prayed for to come to the front for the staff to pray for them. 

I thought about going down, but my hands stayed clenched to the pew in front of me.  I don't know why I didn't walk down, but I continued to sing the song the music minister was leading.  Then singing led to just mouthing, and before I knew it tears were streaming down my face.  Then I was full on crying.  Forget crying, I was sobbing, snot running down my nose, Blair Witch-esque bawling.  I could feel the eyes of the congregation on me, then Trey's arm around my waist.  I hadn't really "come out" to my Sunday School members around us, so they didn't know why I was so emotional.  In reality, neither did I. 

It's not that I don't want a cure, I do.  But at that moment I felt the extreme presence of God wrapping His arms me and giving me strength in that moment.  I felt strength in being diabetic, and I didn't really understand why.  That's why I didn't move that day, because I felt God telling me that I was meant to have this disease, for His glory. 

It wouldn't be until a year later that I would really understand why.  My pastor was preaching another sermon on healthcare titled "Why God Doesn't Heal".  And the highlighted scripture was 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10: 

 ⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

 ⁸For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

 ⁹And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

I love these verses by Paul, especially the "thorn in the flesh" in verse 7.  Some historical theologians believe his "thorn" was blindness, some believe it was leprosy, some even believe it was even a nagging wife!  But I believe that he left it as an ambiguous analogy for a reason so that anyone can insert their own iniquity into the passage.  But I love the phrase "thorn in the flesh" in particular because it reminds me of the literal thorn canula in my flesh. 

But most of all, I love the whole theme of the passage because it tells me that I am a stronger person for having diabetes.  Physically, I am a little weaker because I have a broken pancreas, but my soul is stronger for it.  And so are all of you, members of the DOC.  I love you and feel so blessed to "know" all of you through this disease.  I hope you find strength on this day, World Diabetes Day, and everyday. 

And That's Why I Didn't Post Today

Seriously?!  How do other bloggers get through NaBloPoMo?!  I feel like I'm struggling to even open up my laptop today.  So with the (very) few minutes I have available, I'm gonna post why I wasn't able to write a coherent post today.  Here is a schedule of a pretty typical Saturday for me: 

6:30 AM:  Wake up to two dogs wrestling on the floor beside my side of the bed.  Let them out the back door to go potty. 

8:30 AM:  Wake up again to two whiny cats, no doubt begging for food and water, whining dogs at the back door, and a husband whining "Pancakes!"  Good morning to you, too, dear . . .

9:00 AM:  Finish eating pancakes and cleaning up the kitchen while hurriedly downing some necessary coffee.  Go get dressed in work clothes in order to go retrieve firewood from some friends who recently had a tree cut down in their yard. 

10:00 AM:  Arrive at destination to pick up firewood.  Spend the next hour loading cut pieces of tree into a trailer. 

11:00 AM:  Make the longest trip back home going 30 mph with a trailer loaded with firewood, including about 10 stump pieces. 

11:30 AM:  Head to the grocery store to pick up materials for indoor smores to take a friend's house to watch the Auburn/Georgia game. 

12:15 PM:  Arrive back home and make indoor smores and go get a shower (finally!). 

1:15 PM:  Eat a hurried lunch of Chobani's pineapple Greek yogurt, finish getting ready, and head out the door with a bag of BBQ chips to round out my lunch.

2:00 PM:  Arrive at friend's house for the Auburn game.  Friend also happens to be T1, and it was so cute when his 6-year-old daughter said, "My daddy has one of those," when I pulled out my pump to bolus for chips and dip.

2:30 PM:  Watch Auburn get ahead, get way behind, then come back with an on-side kick, then secure the lead for a win over the Dawgs!  War Eagle!  But UGA sure was cute (I love bulldogs).

7:00 PM:  Arrive back home, feed the dogs, change the cat litter (eww!), and finally sit down for the first time today to watch the Alabama/Miss St. and S. Carolina/Florida games while snuggling up to Missy.

10:00 PM:  Go to bed (hopefully) and wonder where in the world this day went!

And that's why I didn't post today.

*collapse*   

How Sad!

I'm only on day #12 of NaBloPoMo, and I'm already memeing it up.  But my thoughts are not coherent enough for a descent blog post, plus I've got my thoughts churning on my post for World Diabetes Day.  So I took this meme from Kerri. 

1.  Were you named after anyone?  I don't know if I was named after anyone specifically, but my great-grandmother asked my mom to have a great-granddaughter named Holly.  Good thing, though, because my parents wanted to name me Candy.  How ironic would that name have been for a diabetic?!

2. When was the last time you cried? The other night.  I couldn't get under 200 mg/dL to save my life.  Trey's shoulders were happy to oblige, though. 

3. Do you like your handwriting? I like my cursive better than my print.  I loathe forms that say "Please fill this out in print."  Grrrr . . .

4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Is chicken salad considered a lunch meat?

5. Do you have kids? Furry, yes.  Human, no. 

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? I think so.  I'm more of that "dependable" friend than the "life of the party" friend. 

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot? No, I only use it a little.  ;-) 

8. Do you still have your tonsils? Nope.  Got them out in first grade.  Unlimited popsicles and ice cream were worth it, though!


9. Would you bungee jump? I have.  When I was 17-years-old.  My dad had to sign a release form since I was underage.  LOL! =D

10. What is your favorite cereal? Taking diabetes out of the equation, I love me some Cookie Crisp. 

11.  Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? The only shoes with laces on them are my sneakers, and no. 

12. Do you think you are strong? No, I think I'm an absolute weeny. 

13. What is your favorite ice cream? Eddy's French Silk is THE only ice cream!

14. What is the first thing you notice about people?  If they are smiling or not.
 
15. Red or Pink? *looks down at pink hoodie and pink sweatpants* I'd say pink.

16. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?  So. Freakin'. Emotional!


17. Who do you miss the most?  Probably Jessica.
 
18. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Pink and purple (house shoes). I took today off from work, which means getting dressed is delayed. 

20. What was the last thing you ate? Some Kashi cereal.

21. What are you listening to right now?  The news in the background.  


22.  If you were a crayon, what color would you be? White because I would stay sharp. ;-)

23. Favorite smells? The remnants of burnt wood in the fireplace.

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Dad. Was discussing Thanksgiving plans.

25. Favorite sports to watch? Auburn football. Gotta beat them DAWGS tomorrow. 

26. Hair color? Blonde, but hopefully I don't act like it.

27. Eye color? Greenish blue.

28 .Do you wear contacts? Nope.

29. Favorite food?  Anything with pasta.


30. Scary Movies or Happy Endings?  I've gotten to where I can't sit through scary movies anymore. We only made it halfway through Quarantine before turning it off.  So happy please?


31. Last movie you watched? Alice in Wonderland, the new one with Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter.

32 What color shirt are you wearing? Underneath my hoodie is a yellow shirt. I'm feeling bold.

33. Summer or winter? Neither, fall please.

34. Hugs or kisses?  Ummm, only kisses from my husband.  I'm good with hugs if you are.
 
35. Favorite dessert? I'm always game for a good cheesecake.  =P


36. What is on your mousepad? I'm using my laptop, so I don't have a mousepad.  I cheated. 

37. What did you watch on TV last night?  Alice in Wonderland on Netflix.


38. Favorite sound? Currently a purring kitty in my lap.  But I want to go get more coffee.  Decisions, decisions.

39. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Not really a fan of either.  Sorry. 

40. What is the farthest you have been from home? Absolute farthest is probably Phoenix, AZ.

41. Do you have a special talent?  I can imitate a pancreas like nobody's business. ;-)
 

Six Questions on D-Blog Day!

Today, November 9th is the 6th annual D-Blog Day!  This year's topic is "6 things you want people to know about diabetes".  But since I like to put my own spin on things, I'd like to answer the 6 most common questions I hear about diabetes. 

 

1.  Does it hurt?  

 By far the most common question I get.  Answer:  sometimes.  Testing my blood used to hurt a lot at first when I was diagnosed.  But I got used to it and learned where to test on my fingers so it doesn't hurt as much.  It also hurt when I first gave myself shots, leaving bruises all over my stomach.  But then I got Arnold and the Quick Serter makes it not hurt so much.  The needle for Constance kind of hurts going in, but once the needle is out and it's just the sensor left, I can't feel it at all. 

2.  What can you eat?  

Most people believe that diabetics should only eat meat and vegetables.  Although these are healthy choices, our bodies do need carbs for everyday functions (like, the brain).  I am of the philosophy that you can eat anything in moderation, as long as you plan and take your insulin properly.  Some foods are worth the hassle, to me, like pizza and beer.  Others, like donuts and cake, aren't.  

And just because something says "sugar-free" on it, doesn't mean that it's safe for diabetics to eat.  The entire nutritional gamut needs to be considered:  calories, fat, carbs, and protein.  Regardless of your pancreatic function, I believe we all should eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. 

3.  Do you have to wear the pump all the time? 

I wear the pump continuously throughout the day unless I'm in the shower or going swimming because it can't get wet or if I'm exercising.  (Yes, sex is considered exercise.  I've actually gotten this question more than I ever thought I would.)  

4.  Insulin is a cure, right? 

*sigh* No.  Insulin is a necessary hormone that converts glucose in the blood into energy for the muscles.  However, too much insulin causes low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, which can cause someone to go into a seizure or coma.  In extreme cases, it can even cause death.  Any medication where the side effects include "seizures, coma, death" is not considered a cure to me.  

5.  Isn't type 1 like the bad type 2?  And type 2 can be "cured" with diet and exercise? 

No and no.  All people with diabetes have a genetic predisposition to the disease.  Type 1 diabetes is where the pancreas doesn't produce any insulin, whereas in type 2 diabetes the pancreas produces some insulin but not enough to properly maintain normal blood sugar levels.  Type 2 diabetes can be controlled enough in some patients with just diet and exercise, but they are always considered diabetic.  They are two completely different diseases, not different levels of the same one. 

6.  Will you have it for the rest of your life? 

I've pretty much succumbed to the idea that I will be diabetic as long as I live in this earthly body.  It's not that I've given up hope for a cure, certainly not!  But I don't want to sit around waiting for a cure while life passes me by.  If a cure is found in my lifetime, wonderful!  If not, then I want to plan to live my life to the fullest potential that I can, diabetes regardless. 

Happy Change Your Lancet Day!

Last night we all changed our clocks to get an extra hour of sleep, checked our smoke detector batteries (thanks, @iam_spartacus!), and changed out our lancets, right? 

I've actually gotten into the good habit of changing out my lancet once a week for my UltraLink meter, since that's the one I use the most.  But I keep my pink One Touch Mini in my bathroom for those bookend tests.  (Note:  bookend tests = first thing in the morning when I wake up and last thing before I go to bed.)  Since I only use this meter twice a day, I don't change its lancet as much as the UltraLink.  In this case, I try to make sure that I change the lancet whenever I get a new vial of strips for its case. 

And thanks to Stacey, I'm getting another One Touch Mini in my favorite color:  purple!  More than likely, this meter will permanently go in my travel bag or gym bag.  Whenever we go out of town, I bring my UltraLink, of course.  But it's nice to have another meter to leave by the bed for those Constance-induced nighttime checks.  And when we go for walks, I like to bring a small backpack full of glucose tabs, syringes, cell phone, keys, and an extra meter. 

So between all of my meters, that's a lot of lancets to change!  How often do you change your lancet?  Every week, every day, every test (oh my!), or at the beginning/end of daylight savings time? 

November Happenings

Wow!  There is a lot going on in the month of November.  And the best way I can list them all out is in a bullet list.  Considering November is also the beginning of deer hunting season here in the south, it seems appropriate.  *pew pew pew*

• Today is SAE it Loud Day!  Inspired by Sarah at Sugabetic, today members of the DOC will be writing great posts on advocacy for diabetes.  But this is just the start for all things diabetes in November.  
• November 9th is D-Blog Day where all the members of diabetes blogging community will share why they blog and/or how blogging has been an integral part of their diabetes management.  I know it's helped me a ton!  
• November 14th is World Diabetes Day!  This is the biggie as far as November and Diabetes awareness month, including the Big Blue Test.  I have a great post churning for this day, and I can't wait to write it. 
• And in honor of November being Diabetes Awareness Month, some members of the DOC participate in NaBloPoMo where they post a blog entry every day for the month of November.  I'm honestly not sure if I'll be able to pull this off.  I'm struggling lately to post something every weekday.  Add weekends and the holidays into the mix, and that'll be a real struggle.  I like to give out quality posts or those that inspire me to write something, and I really don't want a month of Memes.  We shall see . . . 
• And finally, November 29th is my birthday.  /end shameless birthday plug 

 November is a happenin' month!  But I feel blessed to share in this month of diabetes awareness.  I'm certainly not the advocate that I should be.  Some members of the DOC are way better at that than me, but I'm really looking forward to the posts coming up this month. 

I Get High in the Morning

Don't let the title of my post confuse you, I'm talking about my blood sugar.  Several members of the DOC have mentioned about having to up their insulin in the last week.  I don't have any scientific research that proves that changing seasons messes with insulin sensitivity, but this all seems very freaky. 

In the last two weeks, I have up both my morning basal rates by 0.1 units.  My total daily basal insulin amount has gone up from 15.0 units (I love when it is exact like that!) to 15.9 units.  This morning I woke up at 103 mg/dL and that's much better than the 150s-160s I had been waking up to.  I've also had to give up my routine morning cereal because it seems I can't keep from peaking above 250 mg/dL, even if I take my insulin 30 minutes beforehand. 

So, this morning I decided to change things up a bit and see if I can keep below 200 mg/dL until noon.  I decided to have a whole grain waffle with peanut butter and a glass of milk, a total of 32 grams which is only 1 gram less than my Kashi cereal.  So far I've peaked at 150 mg/dL and started going slowly down (currently 133 mg/dL 2-hours post-prandial).  And thanks to Sara, I gave myself 0.5 units before I got in the shower this morning, which seemed to help that initial spike after I wake up and the dawn phenomenon. 

Now that's a breakfast curve!

I'm hoping things have settled out a little bit with this crazy weather change.  I've got several activities coming up and I need diabetes to behave.  Also, I'm getting my flu shot tomorrow morning (boo!  I hate needles unless I'm the one handling them.).  The last thing I need messing up my favorite season is a pesky flu. 

Guest Post: Shopping Under the Diabetic Influence

Today's guest post comes from Jacquie and she talks about some low shopping.  I have to admit I've been in this situation too many times to count.  Perhaps I'll do my own post on it later, but I won't steal Jacquie's thunder.  Take it away, Jacquie!  

In the last 20 years of my diabetic life, I like to think that I've mastered the art of doing almost everything -- sleeping, beachgoing, driving, exercising -- with diabetes at my side.

To this day, however, there's a glaring absence in that list of skills: shopping.

I kind of hate shopping for clothes anyway, diabetes aside. There are always too many people wandering around, all the stores seem to have the same ugly clothes (Jeggings? Really, everyone?), the music is too upbeat and the saleswomen are too attentive.

And then, there's the crippling case of hypoglycemia that never fails to join me in the dressing room at my third or fourth stop. I don't know if it's the sensory overload or the stress of not being able to find pants that aren't at least 11 inches too long, but something about the shopping experience renders me incredibly insulin sensitive for several hours.

The best part about it is that I'm usually too freaked out about the prospect of shopping itself to remember to bring any emergency eats with me. A few weeks ago I was forced to buy a pound of jellybeans at the gift store next to Ann Taylor LOFT because I didn't have enough change to get a 20-ounce Coke out of the machine. Let me tell you: nothing puts you in the mood to buy a new pair of pants more than digging into a pound of candy in a dressing room.

Not to mention the actual physical challenges of taking the pump on and off with every skirt or shirt I want to try on -- and trying not to snag the tape on my sensor with a price tag or a rogue zipper. Lately I've taken to completely disconnecting the pump and tossing it in my purse while I'm trying stuff on. It works -- especially if my blood sugar's tanking -- but there's always that moment of panic when I'm convinced I left the pump in the dressing room. (I haven't yet, thank goodness.)

Soon, the weather will start to cool, one of my pairs of jeans will spring a hole, and I'll be forced to return to the stores to stock up on shirts that don't make me look like a sausage and pants with enough pocket space to hold my insulin pump. I'm going to try to experiment with some temporary basal rates and some solid, protein-filled pre-shopping meals. And I'll make sure I bring some glucose tabs or granola bars along for the ride.

Anything to avoid that moment when the saleslady knocks on the dressing room door to ask how I'm doing, and I respond: "Can you bring me this shirt in a large? And 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates?"

Nice top.  Did you get this while low shopping? 

 

Guest Post: Weird Low Symptoms

Today's guest post comes from my favorite diabetic across the pond (Atlantic Ocean), Becky.  Becky tweets and blogs over at Instructions Not Included, a perfect title for a dblog!  Today she talks about having weird low symptoms (aren't they all?!) and deciding when to test.  I must agree, when in doubt, TEST!  

A lot of us second guess ourselves. I think it's natural. The thing I've found, though, is that I tend to think twice over a lot of things now that I previously would have taken for granted.  A prime example is the weather. I've always been one for not gauging it properly, and then dressing completely inappropriately for the temperature (layers are your friend, by the way). However, waves of heat on my legs are actually one of my (more peculiar) hypo symptoms. As is shivering. So when I find myself feeling particularly hot or cold, there's always the question in my mind as to whether it's totally natural, or if it's a hypo-related thing. It gets annoying.

Earlier today, I was feeling really tired. Which is perfectly understandable, as I've been busy working  on a project, and I've had more than a few late nights recently. But of course, it was actually because I was hypo, and I'd slipped down to 3.3mmol/l (59mg/dl). Lovely.

There are days when I get more than a little frustrated at having to think things over. Is the train I'm going to be on likely to be delayed? If so, by how long? Do I need to put cereal bars or similar in my handbag? Am I feeling dizzy because I'm low, or did I just stand up too fast a moment ago, and now have a head-rush? Is the fact I'm really thirsty because I haven't had enough to drink, or it's too warm, or I've just eaten something salty, or am I high?

I could go on listing, but if you're reading this, you most likely know the score. Sometimes you have to stop yourself, and go 'hang on a minute, you're drinking a lot because you just ate that bacon (or something equally salty)', and you'll be right. The thing that is harder is when the answer isn't quite so clear cut. Then you've got to test and be sure. You could ignore it, but what if you're wrong? That's the worrying point. Sometimes it does pay to think twice.

Guest Post: Another Bionic Woman

Today's guest post comes from Adriana who blogs and tweets.  She's channeled her inner bionic woman and blogged about when she went on the pump 18 years ago and had to be hospitalized.  Wow!  Thanks, Adriana for sharing this story. 

Hey! I’m Adriana and I blog over at Living Life with Diabetes. I’m excited to be guest posting for Holly while she is off at the beach. I’m so jealous!

While I was thinking about what to write about for this blog post the idea of “bionic woman” kept coming to mind. Holly has talked a lot about being the bionic woman what with Arnold her trusty pump and now Constance her new CGM.

At age 7, in 1988, I was diagnosed with diabetes.  It came as a huge shock to the family but we all adjusted as best we could. In July 1992 at age 11 my endocrinologist put me on an insulin pump. At the time I was the youngest person in the area to have been put on the pump. This meant that I didn’t know anybody else who was on the pump. In fact it would be a few years until I met somebody who also wore a pump.

I remember pulling into the hospital that would be my home for the next week while I adjusted to the insulin pump and learned how to use it. Yes, I was admitted into the hospital! Looking up at the hospital all I could see was a jail. In my 11 year old mind that was what the hospital was. I wanted to be hanging out at the mall with my friends instead of being in hooked up to some machine 24/7 and spending a week in the hospital. You could say I didn’t have the greatest attitude.

Over the course of the next week my mom and I learned all about carb counting (such a new thing at the time,) basal rates, infusion sites, and all the blood testing involved. One day I was given a get-out-of-jail-free card for 2 hours so my mom and I went to Michael’s and bought arts and crafts supplies. Standing in the parking lot I felt different. I felt like I belonged in the hospital.

That feeling of belonging in the hospital took a long time to go away. I hated and loved the pump. Sometime in my early twenties I started to feel like my insulin pump was just another body part. Up until November of last year I only wore my pump hidden away in my bra so nobody could see. I would stick my hand down my shirt wherever I was to pull it out to bolus but never felt comfortable wearing it anywhere else. For some reason since November it is on my belt or pocket all the time. I don’t care anymore.

I wish I could tell my 11 year old self that just because I wore an insulin pump it didn’t mean I belonged in a hospital. The insulin pump has been amazing for me and I’m so glad and proud I’ve been on it for 18 years. I do wonder what 11 year old me would think about my CGM?

Adriana's pink Animas Ping insulin pump.  Pretty!