Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Entertainment. Show all posts
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tube Meet Wires
How in the world does this happen?! The wires for my earbuds get linked with my pump tubing that's tucked into my pants. Two pieces of technology, reaching out for each other?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Rest of That Week
About 2 weeks ago, I promised to recap the rest of the week after the April 27th tornadoes that came through our area. So what has happened since then that has prevented me from doing so? I've been locked away in a lab doing some high voltage tests on flight instruments, unable to keep up with the social media world. (I'VE MISSED YOU GUYS!!!) But I do want to give you guys a small recap, because diabetes was in the mix during all that mess. Then I can get back to regular diabetes shenanigans.
The morning after the storms was like camping. We broke out the Coleman stove and our camping kitchenware and made fried eggs and oatmeal. We were also able to make coffee using boiled water and our French press (I knew that thing would come in handy one day). After breakfast, we attempted to begin the cleanup process. Trey began cleaning up the yard, and I proceeded to cleanup . . . the house?! As strange as it sounds, it made me feel better during all the chaos to keep a clean house.
Soon after we cleaned up, we got a call that a relative of ours had an extra generator they could lend us. So we hopped in the car with barely enough gas to get us there and back. We attempted to get gas while we were out, but most places were either without power or had lines over 2 miles long. You'd waste more gas sitting in line than what you would get. While we were out, I got in touch with most of our friends to make sure they were OK, but cell phone connection was spotty at best.
Back at home, we hooked up the generator and plugged in all our necessary appliances: refrigerator, freezer, coffee pot, the essentials. We also plugged in the radio, which was our main source of communication to the outside world. Callers would tell the DJs where there was gas, generators, food, etc.
And when we weren't outside cleaning up debris, we were inside listening to the radio and getting by on our own entertainment. Trey would play one of his non-online games on his laptop, and I would lose myself in the book Helter Skelter. I've always wanted to read this book, and this week provided the perfect opportunity. It's been such a long time since I read a book for fun, and with nothing else to do all day, I would camp out on the couch and read until there wasn't anymore light. I would even go outside and read on the patio to get the last few minutes of daylight that I could. I finished the book on the last day before we got power back.
We eventually settled into a routine each day where we would get up, turn on the generator, make some breakfast, clean up our yard or help out our neighbors with their yard, fix some lunch, hang out listening to the radio while reading or playing, make dinner, and go to bed with the sun around 8 PM. Showers became something I looked forward to and feared at the same time with temperatures around, oh, freezing. As some restaurants became open (on generators), we would spend most of our meals out just to escape the house for awhile. This lead to the decline in my diabetes control.
The first part of the week, my numbers were awesome. We were spending most of our time pretty active in cleaning up the branches and tree limbs in our yard. But towards the end of the week when were just hanging out and going out to eat, my numbers started creeping up. Also, I was missing one thing pretty vital to my diabetes management--routine! I was so out of sorts without exercising and carb counting. I bumped up my basal rates towards the end of the week to account for the creeping, and they've stayed there ever since. I'm hoping that they can start to come back down now that I can keep a steady routine.
Six days later we got power back, and 13 days later we got cable/internet. The debris is (mostly) gone and life has gotten back to (somewhat) normal. And I've learned several things that I need to be better prepared for another natural disaster: a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, back-up to my back-up D supplies (thankfully, I just did a pharmacy refill right before the storms), and always ALWAYS have a good book on hand.
As the cleanup here still goes on and we see the saddening effects of other storms in Joplin and other areas, I hope we all take a moment to be better prepared and remember those who lost their lives. We were EXTREMELY lucky during all this to only have lost a tree and some meat in the freezer. Some people lost everything! I still get a little choked up on my ride home where the horizon of pine trees has been lost to what looks like toothpicks with no branches. Thanks to everyone who sent me texts and emails asking if we were OK. Above everything else, I'm so glad to have the love of the DOC!
The morning after the storms was like camping. We broke out the Coleman stove and our camping kitchenware and made fried eggs and oatmeal. We were also able to make coffee using boiled water and our French press (I knew that thing would come in handy one day). After breakfast, we attempted to begin the cleanup process. Trey began cleaning up the yard, and I proceeded to cleanup . . . the house?! As strange as it sounds, it made me feel better during all the chaos to keep a clean house.
Soon after we cleaned up, we got a call that a relative of ours had an extra generator they could lend us. So we hopped in the car with barely enough gas to get us there and back. We attempted to get gas while we were out, but most places were either without power or had lines over 2 miles long. You'd waste more gas sitting in line than what you would get. While we were out, I got in touch with most of our friends to make sure they were OK, but cell phone connection was spotty at best.
Back at home, we hooked up the generator and plugged in all our necessary appliances: refrigerator, freezer, coffee pot, the essentials. We also plugged in the radio, which was our main source of communication to the outside world. Callers would tell the DJs where there was gas, generators, food, etc.
And when we weren't outside cleaning up debris, we were inside listening to the radio and getting by on our own entertainment. Trey would play one of his non-online games on his laptop, and I would lose myself in the book Helter Skelter. I've always wanted to read this book, and this week provided the perfect opportunity. It's been such a long time since I read a book for fun, and with nothing else to do all day, I would camp out on the couch and read until there wasn't anymore light. I would even go outside and read on the patio to get the last few minutes of daylight that I could. I finished the book on the last day before we got power back.
We eventually settled into a routine each day where we would get up, turn on the generator, make some breakfast, clean up our yard or help out our neighbors with their yard, fix some lunch, hang out listening to the radio while reading or playing, make dinner, and go to bed with the sun around 8 PM. Showers became something I looked forward to and feared at the same time with temperatures around, oh, freezing. As some restaurants became open (on generators), we would spend most of our meals out just to escape the house for awhile. This lead to the decline in my diabetes control.
The first part of the week, my numbers were awesome. We were spending most of our time pretty active in cleaning up the branches and tree limbs in our yard. But towards the end of the week when were just hanging out and going out to eat, my numbers started creeping up. Also, I was missing one thing pretty vital to my diabetes management--routine! I was so out of sorts without exercising and carb counting. I bumped up my basal rates towards the end of the week to account for the creeping, and they've stayed there ever since. I'm hoping that they can start to come back down now that I can keep a steady routine.
Six days later we got power back, and 13 days later we got cable/internet. The debris is (mostly) gone and life has gotten back to (somewhat) normal. And I've learned several things that I need to be better prepared for another natural disaster: a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, back-up to my back-up D supplies (thankfully, I just did a pharmacy refill right before the storms), and always ALWAYS have a good book on hand.
As the cleanup here still goes on and we see the saddening effects of other storms in Joplin and other areas, I hope we all take a moment to be better prepared and remember those who lost their lives. We were EXTREMELY lucky during all this to only have lost a tree and some meat in the freezer. Some people lost everything! I still get a little choked up on my ride home where the horizon of pine trees has been lost to what looks like toothpicks with no branches. Thanks to everyone who sent me texts and emails asking if we were OK. Above everything else, I'm so glad to have the love of the DOC!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Little Close to Home
This post discusses the movie Soul Surfer that came out this past weekend. Thus, it may contain some spoilers that may or may not reduce your own personal enjoyment of the film. You've been WARNED!!!
This past weekend was the best weekend I've had all year. Mexican dinner Friday night with friends, dog park on Saturday followed by a steak dinner at home while watching The Town (excellent movie!), and Sunday was church followed by a matinee movie. The movie we saw was Soul Surfer--the story of pro-surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her left arm in a shark attack when she was 13-years-old.
I was initially drawn to this movie because of Bethany's outspokenness about her faith, something that I struggle with all the time. While I'm definitely not a pro-surfer, there was one scene in the movie that felt eerily close to me. The day after the shark attack, Bethany is laying in the hospital bed with her dad sitting in the chair next to her. She wakes up and notices her dad crying and she tells him, "Dad, don't cry." Her dad covers his face and says, "I'm not crying." Yeah, right.
That scene took me back to that hospital room in early December 2006 when my dad walked into the room, took one look at me, and turned around to cover his face. "I'm OK, Dad. Don't cry." It didn't matter, though, because my dad had already lost it. I'm pretty sure I looked like death with a tube in my nose, IVs in my arm, and hair that hadn't been washed in 3 days. My dad drove 5 hours to see his daughter like this, a hard site for sure.
After watching Soul Surfer, I got to see my diagnosis from the point of view of my loved ones. I could never imagine how Trey felt when he had to carry my lifeless body to the hospital after I had collapsed into DKA. I can't imagine what my parents thought when they saw me giving myself shots, wanting to help, but not wanting to interfere because they knew I had to do this on my own . . . for the rest of my life. I never knew how many countless prayers and phone calls were made on my behalf. I never knew or saw the worry; I was just trying to recover. But Soul Surfer brought me to the other side, and watching it was almost too much.
What really struck me about Bethany was her constant positive attitude. Only once did she get frustrated and give up on surfing, but it was for a short while. She gave God the glory to the fact that she was still alive and was given the public platform of professional surfing to give hope and inspiration to countless others. She took her tragedy and turned it into her testimony.
I'll probably never have the platform that Bethany has, but I still wonder how my having diabetes is supposed to fit into my testimony. I've written how having diabetes makes my soul stronger, but how can I use that for God's glory? Other than this blog, I haven't really shared how my diabetes and faith fit together. But I definitely feel a kinship to Bethany because we both lost something. Her loss is more evident, whereas mine is invisible. Her positivity, even through her actress playing her character, was infectious and I hope I can be as much of an inspiration as she is.
This past weekend was the best weekend I've had all year. Mexican dinner Friday night with friends, dog park on Saturday followed by a steak dinner at home while watching The Town (excellent movie!), and Sunday was church followed by a matinee movie. The movie we saw was Soul Surfer--the story of pro-surfer Bethany Hamilton who lost her left arm in a shark attack when she was 13-years-old.
I was initially drawn to this movie because of Bethany's outspokenness about her faith, something that I struggle with all the time. While I'm definitely not a pro-surfer, there was one scene in the movie that felt eerily close to me. The day after the shark attack, Bethany is laying in the hospital bed with her dad sitting in the chair next to her. She wakes up and notices her dad crying and she tells him, "Dad, don't cry." Her dad covers his face and says, "I'm not crying." Yeah, right.
That scene took me back to that hospital room in early December 2006 when my dad walked into the room, took one look at me, and turned around to cover his face. "I'm OK, Dad. Don't cry." It didn't matter, though, because my dad had already lost it. I'm pretty sure I looked like death with a tube in my nose, IVs in my arm, and hair that hadn't been washed in 3 days. My dad drove 5 hours to see his daughter like this, a hard site for sure.
After watching Soul Surfer, I got to see my diagnosis from the point of view of my loved ones. I could never imagine how Trey felt when he had to carry my lifeless body to the hospital after I had collapsed into DKA. I can't imagine what my parents thought when they saw me giving myself shots, wanting to help, but not wanting to interfere because they knew I had to do this on my own . . . for the rest of my life. I never knew how many countless prayers and phone calls were made on my behalf. I never knew or saw the worry; I was just trying to recover. But Soul Surfer brought me to the other side, and watching it was almost too much.
What really struck me about Bethany was her constant positive attitude. Only once did she get frustrated and give up on surfing, but it was for a short while. She gave God the glory to the fact that she was still alive and was given the public platform of professional surfing to give hope and inspiration to countless others. She took her tragedy and turned it into her testimony.
I'll probably never have the platform that Bethany has, but I still wonder how my having diabetes is supposed to fit into my testimony. I've written how having diabetes makes my soul stronger, but how can I use that for God's glory? Other than this blog, I haven't really shared how my diabetes and faith fit together. But I definitely feel a kinship to Bethany because we both lost something. Her loss is more evident, whereas mine is invisible. Her positivity, even through her actress playing her character, was infectious and I hope I can be as much of an inspiration as she is.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Relaxing on the Weekend
Managing diabetes is best done on a consistent routine. As such, I'm very diligent about my diabetes management during the week. I eat the same thing for breakfast almost everyday, and it's easy for me to count my carbs using my handy dandy MFP app. I also have an accommodating job that allows me to hear Constance and test whenever I need to. Barring some 2-hour long meeting or the random tornado warning that sends the entire office down into the basement (like maybe today?), diabetes and me work well during the week.
However, the weekend is a totally different story. My weekends start as soon as I leave the office on Friday afternoons, because we usually go out to dinner with friends. Then, on Saturdays we hang out around the house, consuming a big breakfast and 2 pots of coffee while watching some home remodeling shows. If we don't have any immediate plans, I will spend a few hours cleaning the house, so there's some exercise. I try to be diligent about testing at least before meals, but I admit I rely on Constance to alert me to a high or a low. On Sundays, we head to church, have lunch, and I spend the afternoon doing laundry and getting ready for another week. Again, I test before each meal, but I forget to check 2 hours later to see if I'm still in-range. This is pretty much my routine for every weekend we are in town. And if we happen to go out of town to visit family or family comes to us, then diabetes management all but goes out the window.
This is something I'm trying to nip in the bud, especially since I'm planning for pregnancy and I can't take a break on the weekends with a little bud growing inside of me. I'm pretty sure if you did an average of my BG readings per day of the week, it would be around 120 mg/dL on Wednesdays and 180 mg/dL on Saturdays. If you take the average of these weighted by the day of the week (cuz I'm a math nerd), that gives me an average of 137 mg/dL. I'm either going to have to lower my average during the week (which I don't want to do, especially since I've got the exercise thing going on), or try to wrangle in these weekend numbers.
I've tried to do some things like increasing my protein intake for those big Saturday morning breakfasts or having a lighter lunch in preparation for the larger dinners. I'm also trying to sneak in an exercise session on Sunday afternoons like bike riding or walking the dogs, something that I enjoy that's not as intense as my exercises during the week. This past weekend, I was getting really frustrated with seeing my 24 hour line hanging out around my 180 mg/dL threshold that I thought I had a bad site or bad insulin. But this morning I woke up at 133 mg/dL and dropped to 60 mg/dL by the time I got to work. Nope, it wasn't a bad site or bad insulin, just bad diabetes management or what I like to call "User Error."
However, the weekend is a totally different story. My weekends start as soon as I leave the office on Friday afternoons, because we usually go out to dinner with friends. Then, on Saturdays we hang out around the house, consuming a big breakfast and 2 pots of coffee while watching some home remodeling shows. If we don't have any immediate plans, I will spend a few hours cleaning the house, so there's some exercise. I try to be diligent about testing at least before meals, but I admit I rely on Constance to alert me to a high or a low. On Sundays, we head to church, have lunch, and I spend the afternoon doing laundry and getting ready for another week. Again, I test before each meal, but I forget to check 2 hours later to see if I'm still in-range. This is pretty much my routine for every weekend we are in town. And if we happen to go out of town to visit family or family comes to us, then diabetes management all but goes out the window.
This is something I'm trying to nip in the bud, especially since I'm planning for pregnancy and I can't take a break on the weekends with a little bud growing inside of me. I'm pretty sure if you did an average of my BG readings per day of the week, it would be around 120 mg/dL on Wednesdays and 180 mg/dL on Saturdays. If you take the average of these weighted by the day of the week (cuz I'm a math nerd), that gives me an average of 137 mg/dL. I'm either going to have to lower my average during the week (which I don't want to do, especially since I've got the exercise thing going on), or try to wrangle in these weekend numbers.
I've tried to do some things like increasing my protein intake for those big Saturday morning breakfasts or having a lighter lunch in preparation for the larger dinners. I'm also trying to sneak in an exercise session on Sunday afternoons like bike riding or walking the dogs, something that I enjoy that's not as intense as my exercises during the week. This past weekend, I was getting really frustrated with seeing my 24 hour line hanging out around my 180 mg/dL threshold that I thought I had a bad site or bad insulin. But this morning I woke up at 133 mg/dL and dropped to 60 mg/dL by the time I got to work. Nope, it wasn't a bad site or bad insulin, just bad diabetes management or what I like to call "User Error."
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| "I'll be right here if you need me." |
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
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!
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!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
As if I Need a Reminder
But then last night gave me a stiff reminder that yep, I still have diabetes. I went out to a girls' night, wine and cheese party/Christmas gift exchange. There were 6 different kinds of cheese and 4 different kinds of wine (I sampled 3). It was a great night of laughing and hanging out (and keeping two almost 1-year-olds from tearing every ornament off of the tree). I gained a bag of lavender bath stuff, which is perfect for de-stressing during the holidays.
I bolused for all the crackers that came with the cheeses, and a British cake dessert that I've never heard of before but was delicious. When I tested before bed, I was 85 mg/dL and dropping. So I ate a banana and slipped into bed. But I completely forgot that alcohol does a rollercoaster on my numbers. I had conquered the pizza/beer super bolus, but wine is a completely different story. See example:
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| Yep, still have diabetes. |
I was woken up at 1 AM to a high alarm of 355 mg/dL and going up. A test confirmed I was 315 mg/dL. Lovely. I took a correction and tried to get back to sleep. Well, I've been noticing that a correction in the middle of the night is different than a correction in the middle of the day. If I correct in the middle of the night, I always wake up low. And this morning I woke up at 70 mg/dL (need to adjust my correction factor for nighttime). I sipped some cranberry juice before my shower, trying to decipher if the shakes I felt were from my dropping blood sugar or the cold.
Nothing like a night of wine and cheese to remind me I still have diabetes.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Lost in Translation
Yep, it's Friday! And I am so drained from this week. I don't know if it's been because of the cold weather or the persistent lows I've been having, but all I want to do is climb into my bed (which now has 3 blankets on it plus an electric blanket, I'm a wuss) and sleep. However, I did have the energy to put up the Christmas tree last night! Pictures will come soon after we finish decorating the rest of the house.
So what gets me through an intense week? Why funny videos of cat translation, of course! (P.S. The cat in the second video kind of reminds me of a skinny Abby, right Kerri?) Enjoy!
So what gets me through an intense week? Why funny videos of cat translation, of course! (P.S. The cat in the second video kind of reminds me of a skinny Abby, right Kerri?) Enjoy!
Patty Cake. PATTY CAKE!!!!!
I apologize for the language, but I this cracks me up everytime. Plus I'm a sucker for English accents.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Twenty-Six Reasons
Today's my birthday, and I've got 26 reasons to be happy (which is perfect because that's how old I am).
27. I'm so happy to share this birthday with all of you. Love you guys! =)
- I've lived almost 4 years with diabetes and am still as healthy as day #1.
- I have a wonderful husband who puts up with my silly, emotional self, especially when I spend most of the day over 200 mg/dL, and he rubs my back as I sit on the edge of the bed and cry myself into his soaked T-shirt. Just for example.
- I have wonderful, supportive parents who make a pot of crawfish boil and strawberry cheesecake for my birthday because they know me.
- I have a great extended family who loves me and is flooding my text message inbox with birthday messages.
- Someone bought pumpkin spice latte creamer and put it in the coffee room at work!
- I'm thankful for my wonderful job that has given me opportunities to use both of Super Nerd degrees.
- Today is Monday which means that I have a new lancet to start the week.
- I just bolused for a pomegranate Greek yogurt and I'm salivating waiting for my insulin to kick in.
- I have wonderful friends who I consider to be more like family.
- Even though they drive me crazy, I have 4 furry friends who are always happy to see me when I get home.
- I get to decorate our new house with all the Christmas decorations I bought last year. And I actually have a fireplace to put my stockings on!
- Christmas 2011 has unofficially been declared to be held at our house. I'm totally psyched and freaking out at the same time.
- Auburn is #1 in the BCS standings!
- I'm finally joining the 21st century and getting an iPod. It should be here later this week or next week.
- I'm glad I live in Alabama because I'm a total wuss when it comes to this cold weather thing. It was 48 F this morning and I thought I was going to die!
- It's been 30 minutes since I typed #8. Excuse me for a moment . . .
- It was delicious!
- I'm so thankful to have the DOC! It's so great to have people who instantly become friends over the phrase, "You? Yeah, me too."
- I got to ride my cousin's four-wheeler this weekend and only screamed a couple thousand times. This made Trey fold over in laughter.
- My dad has been doing some research on our family and apparently people live to be fairly old (respective death ages range from 86 to 104!).
- On that historical note, I'm so thankful to live in this age of technology and to have a pump and CGM to help me manage this disease.
- Roscoe only puked once in the 5 hour trip to south Alabama. Poor puppy does not handle car rides very well.
- I bought new gray work pants in my Saturday shopping, but I just realized they have faux pockets. So Arnold and Constance are going clipped today.
- I'm celebrating my birthday by doing a little shopping after work. I'm so excited!
- I love my mint flavored chapstick! It makes me feel like I just got done brushing my teeth but not really.
- I got a fancy new KitchenAid mixer as my birthday present! And yes, I asked for it, so it's OK for me to get a "kitchen gift".
27. I'm so happy to share this birthday with all of you. Love you guys! =)
Sunday, November 28, 2010
What?! Bloggers don't get Holidays?!
Yeah, yeah, I know. I totally blew it for NaBloPoMo this year by not blogging the past 3 days. I took my laptop with me to south Alabama with all intents and purposes to blog each day. But Thanksgiving Day was such a rush after sleeping in too long and trying to make it my aunt's house on time. And my post on Constance being my guide totally failed because she gave out on me as we were sitting down for dinner. I knew she was getting close to being done, but I put off changing the sensor until after Thanksgiving dinner. She gave me the "???" salute before, during, and after dinner, guess she couldn't handle the pressure.
Then Friday, also known as Black Friday, was the day of the Iron Bowl which is an unofficial holiday for Alabamians. All the world stopped to watch #2 Auburn (my team) and #11 Alabama challenge each other for the 75th time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. And between being completely depressed during the first half when Alabama jumped to a 24-7 lead, then screaming my head off in the second half when Auburn came back to win 28-27, I was completely spent for the rest of the day. Then my parents made me a wonderful birthday dinner that included a crawfish boil and cheesecake. Perfect!
And Saturday . . . I have no excuse. My mom and I went shopping, then we helped them retrieve Christmas decorations before going out to dinner. All the while sat my poor laptop on the floor in my bedroom. I didn't even open my phone for very long to check text messages. I must admit, it was nice to take a break from all the social technology. So I didn't make NaBloPoMo this year, but I'm surprised I even made it this long. My posts were beginning to sound like, "Oh yeah, need to post something today, blah blah blah."
I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Then Friday, also known as Black Friday, was the day of the Iron Bowl which is an unofficial holiday for Alabamians. All the world stopped to watch #2 Auburn (my team) and #11 Alabama challenge each other for the 75th time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. And between being completely depressed during the first half when Alabama jumped to a 24-7 lead, then screaming my head off in the second half when Auburn came back to win 28-27, I was completely spent for the rest of the day. Then my parents made me a wonderful birthday dinner that included a crawfish boil and cheesecake. Perfect!
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| My parents got me this awesome hoodie for my birthday! |
And Saturday . . . I have no excuse. My mom and I went shopping, then we helped them retrieve Christmas decorations before going out to dinner. All the while sat my poor laptop on the floor in my bedroom. I didn't even open my phone for very long to check text messages. I must admit, it was nice to take a break from all the social technology. So I didn't make NaBloPoMo this year, but I'm surprised I even made it this long. My posts were beginning to sound like, "Oh yeah, need to post something today, blah blah blah."
I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
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!
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!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Just What I Needed
After a crappy couple of days on the diabetes front, it was great to work out the stress in a 7 mile bike ride this morning. The weather was perfect, sunny with a high of 70 F degrees with a slight breeze. I set Arnold on a temporary basal an hour before the ride at 25% and left it there for the entire bike ride, which lasted about an hour, and for an hour afterward. My beginning BG before the ride was 149 mg/dL and 75 mg/dL when we were done. So I probably could do a slightly less basal rate next time, like maybe 10-15%.
I love riding my bike, and haven't done a good ride like that since we bought the house in January. Trey and I are already talking about going again tomorrow. We passed other bikers, walkers, babies in strollers, and dogs on leashes while we went through the wooded trail and the wind blew the leaves off the trees. My legs wanted to give out on the gravel hills, but I pushed through and built up a nice sweat in the process. And since diabetes always comes for the ride, I figured I could show you guys how nicely all my D-stuff fit in my tiny Camelpak.
This is probably the last time we'll get to ride before it gets frightfully cold, but I'm definitely looking forward to getting on the trail more. And I'm off to go see Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows 1! Time to ruin that bike ride with some good movie popcorn.
I love riding my bike, and haven't done a good ride like that since we bought the house in January. Trey and I are already talking about going again tomorrow. We passed other bikers, walkers, babies in strollers, and dogs on leashes while we went through the wooded trail and the wind blew the leaves off the trees. My legs wanted to give out on the gravel hills, but I pushed through and built up a nice sweat in the process. And since diabetes always comes for the ride, I figured I could show you guys how nicely all my D-stuff fit in my tiny Camelpak.
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| Top pocket has my One Touch Mini meter, cylinder of glucose tabs, phone, and ID. |
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| Constance fit perfect in the front mesh pocket next to the water pak. It was easy to get her out and check my levels as we were riding. |
Thursday, November 18, 2010
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. =)
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. =)
Saturday, November 13, 2010
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*
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*
Friday, November 12, 2010
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. ;-)
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. ;-)
Monday, October 4, 2010
Diabetes at Auburn
This past Saturday, we went down and enjoyed the Auburn game. It was a great day that ended with an Auburn victory. I got to watch Nova the eagle fly right over my head (TWICE!) before landing on the "AU" symbol midfield. I also got to watch 1700 high school cheerleaders run all over the field at halftime like opening day at a new mall. 1700 screaming girls made a screaching sound beyond my decibel level. But diabetes always comes along for the ride, and always causes trouble.
Since the game started at 11:00 AM, we had to get up at 5:00 AM in order to get there on time, accounting for game traffic and pregame activities. After stopping to get breakfast at good ole McD's, I bolused for 61 g carbs but wasn't able to wait the standard 30 minutes before consumption. So I peaked in the 200s before finally coming down; however, I started falling too fast because I was 75 when we got to Auburn. I know for some diabetics, stress causes them to get high. Well, I somehow am blessed to have the opposite effect, so the stress of trying to find a parking spot, my parents, then the stadium (not to mention also walking to the stadium) made me start dropping . . . quick. Luckily, we were able to catch a transit from our parking spot to the stadium where I was able to consume 4 glucose tabs. Constance was warning me I was in the 60s and dropping, but I was just trying to get to our seats and then worry about food.
When we got into the stadium, we found out we were on the complete wrong side from where our seats were located. We begin walking to the right, figuring the direction didn't matter, before being told we had to turn around thanks to a blockade of security guards. We were a quarter around the stadium before we were told to turn around. So we all turn around and begin to fight the crowd again, doubling back. Trey looked back at me at one point and said, "Are you OK?" (He heard Constance going off earlier.) I looked down and saw I was still in the 60s but with a northeast arrow. "I'm fine. I'm coming up. Let's just find our seats." We make our way through the stadium, and I couldn't figure out if my sweat was coming from walking or from being low.
We finally get to our seats, and Trey didn't even sit down before he asked, "What do you want?" "Uhhh, I guess a diet coke, hot dog, and a Snickers bar if they have one." He turned to walk away and I said, "Wait, you're gonna miss the eagle." He gave me this look that said 1) that's not that important to me and 2) you're diabetic and it's lunch time. I knew the game was probably going to be a blow-out (and it was), so I knew seeing the eagle fly down the field was going to be the highlight of the game for me. And it was, the eagle was released and flew over our section towards the band, then doubled back over our section again before diving down to midfield. I was clapping, smiling, and screaming all at the same time.
I knew my BG was still dropping, so I didn't even bolus for the hot dog and the handful of M&M's (grrrr, no Snickers). But around the 3rd quarter I was craving a frozen lemonade, so was Mom. My dad and Trey went down and got 2 for all of us. But when Trey opened it, I saw the syrup-y remnants on the lid (high-fructose corn syrup) and fulling expected to bolus a truckload for this snack. Total count: 71 g carbs. There was no way I could wait even 15 minutes for this snack because if I did I would be drinking it instead of enjoying it frozen. So, I hate to say this, but I just expected to peak above 250 mg/dL (and I did) and just wait it out. I bolused and tried to nurse it, but I could only savor so much before it started melting. I hate that. I knew I would go high and I did, but dangit I wanted a frozen lemonade!
The game ended and we made our trek back home, but we stopped for dinner where I experienced diabetes nirvana: I was able to SWAG bolus my way through a chicken strips and fries and stayed on a 130 mg/dL streamline for 6 hours! After a crazy high-low-high day, diabetes and I ended on a good note.
Since the game started at 11:00 AM, we had to get up at 5:00 AM in order to get there on time, accounting for game traffic and pregame activities. After stopping to get breakfast at good ole McD's, I bolused for 61 g carbs but wasn't able to wait the standard 30 minutes before consumption. So I peaked in the 200s before finally coming down; however, I started falling too fast because I was 75 when we got to Auburn. I know for some diabetics, stress causes them to get high. Well, I somehow am blessed to have the opposite effect, so the stress of trying to find a parking spot, my parents, then the stadium (not to mention also walking to the stadium) made me start dropping . . . quick. Luckily, we were able to catch a transit from our parking spot to the stadium where I was able to consume 4 glucose tabs. Constance was warning me I was in the 60s and dropping, but I was just trying to get to our seats and then worry about food.
When we got into the stadium, we found out we were on the complete wrong side from where our seats were located. We begin walking to the right, figuring the direction didn't matter, before being told we had to turn around thanks to a blockade of security guards. We were a quarter around the stadium before we were told to turn around. So we all turn around and begin to fight the crowd again, doubling back. Trey looked back at me at one point and said, "Are you OK?" (He heard Constance going off earlier.) I looked down and saw I was still in the 60s but with a northeast arrow. "I'm fine. I'm coming up. Let's just find our seats." We make our way through the stadium, and I couldn't figure out if my sweat was coming from walking or from being low.
We finally get to our seats, and Trey didn't even sit down before he asked, "What do you want?" "Uhhh, I guess a diet coke, hot dog, and a Snickers bar if they have one." He turned to walk away and I said, "Wait, you're gonna miss the eagle." He gave me this look that said 1) that's not that important to me and 2) you're diabetic and it's lunch time. I knew the game was probably going to be a blow-out (and it was), so I knew seeing the eagle fly down the field was going to be the highlight of the game for me. And it was, the eagle was released and flew over our section towards the band, then doubled back over our section again before diving down to midfield. I was clapping, smiling, and screaming all at the same time.
I knew my BG was still dropping, so I didn't even bolus for the hot dog and the handful of M&M's (grrrr, no Snickers). But around the 3rd quarter I was craving a frozen lemonade, so was Mom. My dad and Trey went down and got 2 for all of us. But when Trey opened it, I saw the syrup-y remnants on the lid (high-fructose corn syrup) and fulling expected to bolus a truckload for this snack. Total count: 71 g carbs. There was no way I could wait even 15 minutes for this snack because if I did I would be drinking it instead of enjoying it frozen. So, I hate to say this, but I just expected to peak above 250 mg/dL (and I did) and just wait it out. I bolused and tried to nurse it, but I could only savor so much before it started melting. I hate that. I knew I would go high and I did, but dangit I wanted a frozen lemonade!
The game ended and we made our trek back home, but we stopped for dinner where I experienced diabetes nirvana: I was able to SWAG bolus my way through a chicken strips and fries and stayed on a 130 mg/dL streamline for 6 hours! After a crazy high-low-high day, diabetes and I ended on a good note.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Friday Five: 1 October 2010
Welcome to the first October edition of Friday Five! This week, I thought I'd share what I love about Auburn Football because I have the privilege of attending tomorrow's game (woo hoo!). Seeing the game on TV is one thing, but being there is completely different. For those of you new to this blog, yes, I am a female who loves football. Some (including my husband) might say I'm even a little crazy about it.
1. Watching an eagle fly around the stadium! One of the pregame traditions is to have a bald eagle fly from the top of the stands, around the stadium, down to the 50-yard line to his trainer. It is truly a beautiful thing to watch this magnificient animal. The crowd continues to shout "WARRRRRRRR" until the eagle lands and they end with, "EAGLE, HEY!". Even if you aren't a football fan, you can enjoy and appreciate this beautiful scene.
2. Aubie! Aubie is the Auburn mascot who provides entertainment and skits during the whole game. He also makes appearances at other venues, including running the 40-yard dash at the R&B show. It is impossible to not smile when you see Aubie. When the game gets boring or becomes a blow-out, I love to watch Aubie and his craziness.
3. The Band! This is one of the reasons why I love college football more than professional. It just doesn't feel like a football game to me without a band. What can I say, I did marry a band geek, too.
4. The game. I can't list what I love about Auburn football if I didn't mention that I love the game itself. I've loved football since I was a kid, must be a genetic thing by growing up in the south. I love it so much that I play intramural football and kick major hiney! If Trey and I end up having a boy (later on), and he wants to play soccer, I may just die!
5. The spirit. I've been to almost every corner of this country (haven't made it to the northwest . . . yet), and it's such a cool thing to see someone else with AU clothing or jewelry and shouting "War Eagle" and getting a "War Eagle" back. It's like saying "hello", only it goes much deeper. Something I've always respected about Auburn University is the spirit of comradery it instills in its students. I didn't go there as a student, but my brother did and I still see the spirit alive in him. When it comes to college football, Auburn is home.
Now that I've fully endulged in a football only post, I know I must yield. I'm sure there're some UA fans reading this who might delete me from the RSS feed now. I promise I will get back to diabetes stuff next week . . . until the Iron Bowl!
1. Watching an eagle fly around the stadium! One of the pregame traditions is to have a bald eagle fly from the top of the stands, around the stadium, down to the 50-yard line to his trainer. It is truly a beautiful thing to watch this magnificient animal. The crowd continues to shout "WARRRRRRRR" until the eagle lands and they end with, "EAGLE, HEY!". Even if you aren't a football fan, you can enjoy and appreciate this beautiful scene.
2. Aubie! Aubie is the Auburn mascot who provides entertainment and skits during the whole game. He also makes appearances at other venues, including running the 40-yard dash at the R&B show. It is impossible to not smile when you see Aubie. When the game gets boring or becomes a blow-out, I love to watch Aubie and his craziness.
3. The Band! This is one of the reasons why I love college football more than professional. It just doesn't feel like a football game to me without a band. What can I say, I did marry a band geek, too.
4. The game. I can't list what I love about Auburn football if I didn't mention that I love the game itself. I've loved football since I was a kid, must be a genetic thing by growing up in the south. I love it so much that I play intramural football and kick major hiney! If Trey and I end up having a boy (later on), and he wants to play soccer, I may just die!
5. The spirit. I've been to almost every corner of this country (haven't made it to the northwest . . . yet), and it's such a cool thing to see someone else with AU clothing or jewelry and shouting "War Eagle" and getting a "War Eagle" back. It's like saying "hello", only it goes much deeper. Something I've always respected about Auburn University is the spirit of comradery it instills in its students. I didn't go there as a student, but my brother did and I still see the spirit alive in him. When it comes to college football, Auburn is home.
Now that I've fully endulged in a football only post, I know I must yield. I'm sure there're some UA fans reading this who might delete me from the RSS feed now. I promise I will get back to diabetes stuff next week . . . until the Iron Bowl!
Have a great weekend and WARRRRRRRRRRRR EAGLE, HEY!!!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Friday Five: Labor Day
This past weekend I was hosting my parents for the long weekend, so I skipped out on my Friday Five (not on purpose, though, promise). But I did want to post a Friday Five that I am excited about: things in September that I'm looking forward to!
Welcome to September and the best time of the year!
- College football! Yes, I know I've been sounding like a broken record with this lately, but I love college football. My team is the Auburn Tigers, and this weekend they won against Arkansas State 52-26. We cooked steaks, grilled vegetables, steamed corn, and baked homemade bread for the 6:00 PM game. It was the best way to start off the season; I also initiated it with a Sam Adams' Octoberfest in hand. It was a great day, and I'm looking forward to a great year!
- The Office Season 6 DVD comes out tomorrow. We started a Netflix account a few months ago, so I got caught up on all the episodes from Seasons 1-5. Season 6 has been waiting in my que for several months and I can't wait to get caught up before Season 7 (goodbye, Michael Scott *sniff*).
- We'll be leaving for a week-long beach vacation this week. I've got some great guest posts coming up while I'm away. And I'm sure I'll have plenty of blog-friendly stories from our trip. It seems we can never go on a vacation without a story brought back with us.
- The fall season officially starts this month, but there's already been a scent in the air of the cooler, crisp weather. I can already see some trees in our yard where the leaves are turning in a slight red hue. And the stores already have Halloween decorations out, which means we get to give out candy in our new neighborhood.
- Finally, and kind of related to #4, I can't wait to use our new fireplace. One of the reasons we bought our new house was for the fireplace. It's a wood-burning, stone fireplace with a gorgeous mantle. It will be the best day of my life when we have a fire in the fireplace, chili in the crockpot, and a hot chocolate in my hand. I love this time of year!
Welcome to September and the best time of the year!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Perception is Art: Diabetes Art Day
For Diabetes Art Day, I decided to take the somewhat easy way out, but still profound. If I could, I wish I had diabetes glasses for non-D folks to wear whenever we encounter something diabetes-related in our daily life (which is pretty much everything). Since I was diagnosed as a young adult, I have the privilege of remembering what it was like to simply go through a day without thinking anything diabetes. My mind was carefree(ish) and (mostly) silent. Now, I wish I could shut my mind off or at least hit the MUTE button. See examples below:
What a normal person sees:
What a diabetic person sees:
What a normal person sees:
What a diabetic person sees:
What a normal person sees:
What a diabetic person sees:
What a normal person sees:
What a normal person sees:
What a diabetic person sees:
What a normal person sees:
What a diabetic person sees:
What a normal person sees:
 | |
| "Time to brush my teeth." |
What a diabetic person sees:
|
| "I better brush my teeth because good oral hygiene is essential to good diabetes manag . . . oh crap . . . I'm going low. *sigh* I'll brush after I've eaten some glucose tabs." |
What a normal person sees:
 | ||
| "Oh, look at that, a yummy slice of pizza." |
|
| "OK, so this is a pretty big piece of pizza. I better bolus 3 units for it, but I'm kind of hungry so maybe I'll have two slices. So, 6 units total with a 40/60 dual wave bolus extending the square bolus over 6 hours. I hope that doesn't send me low later, though. That's OK, I have a full jar of glucose tabs in my purse." |
 | |
| "Such a nice day for a workout. iPod and water bottle in hand, that's all I need." |
|
| "I've already turned my basal down to 25% when I got here to the gym and got dressed. Was that enough time before getting on this thing? Wonder if anyone knows how to use a glucagon kit if I pass out. I have my meter, CGM, bottle of Gatorade if I get low, bottle of water for hydration, and I have my iPod but I forgot my earplugs!" |
 | |
| "Oh, there's my keys. Let's go!" |
What a diabetic person sees:
|
| "I better test before I start driving." |
What a normal person sees:
 | |
| "Oooooooooh, yummy!" |
What a diabetic person sees:
|
| "Ohhhhhhhh, don't even go there!" |
What a normal person sees:
 |
| "Oh cool! Look at that Shuttle!" |
What a diabetic person sees:
|
| "Wow, even with diabetes, she aims for the stars." |
Friday, August 27, 2010
Friday Five: 27 August 2010
Once again, it's been a stellar week among the DOC (diabetic online community). There have been several posts that have made me life and (nearly) cry. Enjoy!
- The first post is a tear jerker. I certainly understand where George is coming from when you're fighting a low but trying to be discreet at the same time. His poem about a stranger who offered him a granola bar (without guilt) really tugs at my heart strings, especially the part when he said "And not every person you meet in the world is a member of the Diabetes Police." I wish everyone had that much compassion. Great post, George!
- This next post is just funny, absolutely funny. It's about a rubber duckie that goes on a beach trip with Chris. Every picture gave me a giggle, but the one about Duckie having crabs made me let out a huge guffah! Very creative, Chris!
- Jacquie does a great internal dialogue (or at least I hope it was internal) post about her . . . interesting yoga class and its participants. I can say that I couldn't get over the idea of exercising your sphincter. So, so funny.
- Kim does a great post about a confessional to her Father Diabetes about some of her "sins" involving diabetes management. I think everyone in the DOC has experienced all of these at one point or another. Guilt, it's the ultimate complication.
- And finally, Kerri posted a video this morning about her pregnancy with an interview with Johnson&Johnson. Kerri does a great interview, but the ultimate jewel of the video is some action of BSparl. I had to watch it twice because the first time I kept staring at BSparl and forgot to listen! (Sorry Kerri . . . )
Friday, August 20, 2010
Friday Five: 20 August 2010
Welcome to another edition of Friday Five! This edition includes some diabetic bloggy bits, my high school, and football (which starts in 2 weeks!).
- I'm anxiously awaiting my order of Tegaderm dressings to come in. I've ran out of the ones my friend gave me to try, but they were too small to completely go over all the tape on my Dexcom site. So my tape would just cover the top and bottom of the site, but not the sides because the Dexcom site is more oval than square. So I looked for some Tegaderm dressings that are slightly bigger so it will completely cover my site. These dressings are currently on a HUGE discount for 50/box, so basically a year's worth. Another piece to add the diabetic shelf in our linen closet.
- Diabetes Art Day is September 1st. I haven't decided what I want to do yet. Craft was never really my forte' in school. The only crafty class I had that I really liked was a photography class I took in college. It was fun because it was old school photography, dark room techniques and everything. So I may break out some Hitchcock-esque photos of strips or something. Who knows . . .
- My high school starts school next week. That's not a big deal usually, but for my high school it will be the first day in their brand new high school following the deadly EF-4 tornado that destroyed the high school and killed 8 students on March 1, 2007. I am so proud to be from my hometown because they have shown such character in how they've persevered these last 3 years. I can't imagine spending my high school days taking classes in a trailer at the community college. I have a ribbon magnet in my office that is constant reminder to me to pray for my hometown: "MAY WE NEVER FORGET. 03. 01. 07. EHS".
- I know I'm probably sounding like a broken record now, but college football starts in 2 weeks!! I am so excited because the weather has taken a turn for the cooler this week (highs in the 90s instead of the 100s), and a couple of cool breezes have given the slight hint of fall. I'm ready to break out my chili recipes and give some new ones a try. I'm also excited to light up a fire in my fireplace in our new house.
- I'm getting my hair cut today! I'm kind of nervous because it's going to be really short. But my hair has gotten too long to do anything with and it's sort of an anniversary gift to Trey (he likes my hair short). The style that works best for me is a combination of Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama and Alice from the Twilight movies.
No chance for a pony tail with this cut. What will I do?
Have a great weekend everyone!
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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.