What I Advocate

So for No-D Blog Day, I wanted to talk about something that's really near and dear to my heart. To be honest, I'm a crappy diabetes advocate. I've been to one JDRF walk in the almost 5 years I've been diagnosed. I haven't contacted to my local congressman to talk to him about funding towards a cure or the artificial pancreas project. For the most part, the only time my husband and I discuss my diabetes is when it is extremely evident via a scary low or high.

But there is something that I'm a real advocate for and that's adopting rescue animals. When Trey and I discussed getting a puppy to add to our 2 person, 2 cat family, we tossed around the choices of breeds we wanted. He wanted a boxer, I wanted an English bulldog. However, after researching breeders in the area and realizing the amount of rescue shelters there were in town, we decided to get a rescue.

We were lucky to pick out an 8-week-old, 10 lb. ball of fur at PetsMart, because most rescue dogs are older and have some type of behavior problems. Roscoe's momma came to the shelter pregnant with him and his 7 siblings. And we got to pick him out when they brought them to the store that day. Half Labrador retriever, half Siberian husky, my Roscoe is all love! Loyalty is his middle name, because he's never more than 3 feet from me. I love that big ball of mess.

Missy we adopted as a roughly 1-year-old boxer/lab mix, or a boxador as I call her. She came to us with some neglect issues, because we noticed that she wants nothing more than for someone to pet her and play with her ears. We gave her all the love we could and balanced it with enough discipline to make her a great dog. She has the shortest attention span of any dog I've ever met, especially when she sees a squirrel. She's our little sweetheart. 

Our family at the local Dog Fair

So if you're looking to add a furry animal to your mix, I extremely advocate looking at rescue animals. There are millions of dogs and cats in our country that are waiting for someone to give them a chance. And after a few years, the old saying is really true, "Who rescued who?"

Stress and Diabetes

The past 2 weeks have been super stressful, feeling like I've been stretched at every limb.  Multiple projects at work combined with house renovations going on at home has me searching for a hole to crawl in to avoid them all.  It literally feels like I have a ball of wires strapped around my neck, and the wires have choked me to point I can barely breathe.  Monday was really bad because I was searching for a boarding kennel for the pups for a trip out of town this weekend.  They've never been boarded before, so I was stressing out about trying to find the best one in town. 

And thanks to the tornadoes that came through in April, we've had the joy of getting our roof replaced and some drywall redone.  For both of these events, I was at home "supervising" the contractors (re: I hid in the guest bedroom with my Nook) while listening to the banging and sawing on all sides.  Then, when I would come out of my escape, I would see the house in a mess.  Nothing stresses me out more than strangers causing a mess in my house.  NOTHING!  After the drywall contractors left, Trey and I had to leave for a movie date (Harry Potter, DH2) so I couldn't immediately start cleaning up like I wanted to. 

I started noticing the stress in my numbers when I was waking up in the 170s.  I knew I had 2 options:  increase my basal or try to reduce my stress level.  I can tell when I get really stressed because I become physically exhausted.  And it hasn't helped that I haven't been able to work out as much with everything going on the work/home fronts.  I was able to make my softball game last night, and even though we lost, I could instantly feel some relief from all the stress.  My numbers felt the relief, too, because I cruised in the 70s overnight.

Unfortunately, the stress isn't over yet.  Between the trip this weekend, family visiting next weekend, and trying to stay above water at work, I need a game plan.  I've decided that I am going to workout on my new Total Gym first thing when I get home, regardless of how much I just want to plop on the couch and not move a muscle.  I need to clean the house.  I need to get the carpets cleaned.  I need to make sure we have enough towels for 8 people being in my house all at once.  However, I first need to take care of me, and that includes taking care of my diabetes.  But I also need to take care of my mental health. 

The correlation between diabetes and depression is too strong to ignore.  I feel so much better when I can strap on my earbuds and jam out to P!NK while busting it out on the elliptical.  I can feel the tangled ball on my neck begin to loosen and I feel like I can handle things better than before.  I just need to keep in mind that this season of stress is only temporary and my beach vacation is only 5 weeks away.  I need to staple that vacation pamphlet to my forehead. 

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!  =)

Sleeping Alone

Yesterday, Trey had to work on 2nd shift (2-12 PM, yuck!), which meant that I would be going to sleep alone.  I never like going to bed without him, I'm a huge cuddler.  (Reader:  *cough*  Ummm, Holly, that information is a little TMI.  What's the point?)  But the other reason I don't like going to bed alone is the whole diabetes/plummeting-scary-lows thing. 

I lived alone for about a year between my roommate moving out and getting married before Trey and I got married.  At that point, I had never heard of "dead in bed" syndrome nor did I have a CGM.  I also was not that great about checking my blood sugar before I went to sleep.  I was towing a dangerous line and didn't know it!  Admittedly,  I would snack heavy before bed, both for staving off any lows and simply out of enjoyment.  I probably went to bed high a lot of nights, but I hardly had any paralyzing/wake-me-up lows, either. 

Now that I have a husband and a CGM, I'm more aggressive about getting my night time basal rates on a streamline around the low 100s.  It's led to some sleepless nights correcting lows, but I always catch them in the 60s before it gets too bad.  Trey is usually the one who wakes me up from the CGM going off. 

But last night, I felt the anxiety kick in about going to bed without my trusty husband/CGM alerter.  So I reverted back to my old habits of snacking before bed:  cookies and milk.  I had overbolused for dinner, so I was plummeting towards the low 70s fast.  I set a temporary basal of 50% for 2 hours and tried to go to sleep.  Not an hour later, I woke up that I was still low.  So I got up and had some juice, with Roscoe not far behind.  I finally went to sleep around the time Trey was getting off work. 

Because he was too tired and I never hear the alarms, I woke up this morning to a 198 mg/dL.  A far cry from the 80s and 90s I have been seeing.  I knew this would happen, but at the same time I'm too scared of lows to simply trust my basal rates and IOB to level out.  And too many stories of diabetics dying in their sleep ring in my ear.  I simply can't go to sleep and feel confident that I'll wake up every time. 

Maybe one day I'll get to where I can sleep soundly without relying on my husband or my CGM, even though that's what they're there for.  Either way, I hate sleeping alone. 

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? 

Calgon, Take Me . . . to Low Blood Sugars?

Last night, I had the rare opportunity of having an hour of nothing to do (what?!).  So I decided to use the occasion to take a bubble bath using my lavender-scented body wash and bath salts.   I tuned my iPod to my favorite radio station, and cranked the water to one degree below boiling, just how I like it.  And I enjoyed having the hour to myself (oh and Elvis the cat, who decided to hang out on toilet next to the tub.  totally.  awkward.). 

After I was done, I went into the living room to catch up on a little Facebook stalking before bed.  But before I could sit down on the couch, Constance was bzzzzzzing from my robe pocket.  "Low BG.  70 mg/dL" with a southeast arrow.  Then I finally took stock of how I felt:  racing heart, maybe sweaty but couldn't tell from just getting out of the tub, kinda fuzzy in the mind.  So I made a glass of milk and grabbed some Elf Fudge cookies before taking to Twitter to discuss this phenomenon. 

This isn't the first time that a hot bath or shower has induced a low blood sugar.  It could be the temperature of the water, which is well above my body temperature.  So, I'm basically boiling myself like a lobster, causing my heart to race--possibly causing the hypoglycemia?  You'd think being disconnected from Arnold for over an hour would have the opposite effect. 

Like this?

When I was first diagnosed, my mom (a nurse for 30+ years) told me that hanging out in the hot tub helps my dad (T2) with his blood sugar.  So, guess where I was the first 3 weeks of my diagnosis?  Do you think purchasing a hot tub could be written off as medical equipment?  (A girl can dream, right?) 

So has anyone else experienced this hypoglycemia phenomenon or managed to harness its power for good?  Like taking a bubble bath when having a stubborn high?  Or hanging out in the hot tub while eating pizza instead of taking a bolus?  The possibilities are endless! 

But regardless, I like Dayle's response.  "still waiting for my endo to prescribe more bubble baths! ;-)"  Me, too, Dayle.  Me too.  

iWorkout @ Home

I feel like I've talked a lot about food here at A&M, but not a lot about exercise.  That's because my exercise regimen was pretty much nothing in 2010.  And I still haven't really established a "routine", but I do want to keep a schedule of working out at least every other day. 

The only time I've ever had a consistent workout routine (other than softball) was pre-D.  My college sophomore roommate and I liked to do these walking videos first thing in the morning.  We liked doing the 2-mile workout, which was 30 minutes of walking, kicking, and shuffling while carrying weights.  It was the perfect workout to do for two busy college students.  But after we moved out of that dorm room, so went the workout regimen (even though I was the holder of the tapes, meh). 

I've always liked working out at home for several reasons: 

• I can wear whatever I want!  Including my My Little Pony pajama pants and my ratty softball jersey.  No need to buy a whole wardrobe of workout clothing to wear at the gym.  I can go straight from waking up to working out. 
• No gym membership costs.  Yes, you have to buy the initial home equipment or videos, but I can stay on one video or game for several months before I get bored with it.  So I'm spending roughly $20 every 6 months rather than $30-$50/month at a gym. (See also:  Holly is cheap.) 
• Low blood sugar treaters close at hand.  This is strictly a diabetes thing, but I like working out at home because I know exactly where my juice boxes or glucose tabs are located.  If I go to a gym, it's like packing for a vacation.  I have to make sure I have extra juice or glucose tabs, syringes, meter, etc. 

I'm sure for every pro that I come up with for working out at home, there is a con.  "You'll be held more accountable to working out if you're paying for it."  "A gym trainer can help you figure out why you're not losing weight."  "Workout clothes are soooooooo cute!"  All I can say is that I feel more comfortable working out at home, trying to do the tree pose by myself, awkwardly, in my own living room.  Oh yeah, another pro, no embarrassing moments of frustration by comparing yourself to the perfect physique next to you.

Enter Wii Fit Plus!  I had the Wii Fit for 2 years and worked out with it, opening all the advanced games and routines.  I was getting bored with it, especially the aerobic routines, so I upgraded to Wii Fit Plus.  It has the same workouts as the regular Wii Fit, but with more games and a feature where you can set up your own routines.  I love the My Wii Fit feature because you can select what areas you want to workout in (i.e. arms & shoulders, legs, posture, aerobic, etc.) and it automatically goes through selected workouts in those areas!  No need to go back and forth between the yoga, strength training, or aerobic "rooms".  You keep selecting areas and it tells you about how much time your workout will take.  I love things that do the "thinking" for me! 

Also, the Wii Fit Plus keeps up with roughly how many calories you burn with each workout.  This feature is great for me since I'm using MyFitnessPal to keep up with how many calories I eat/burn per day.  (It's also great to see how much I have to workout to "earn" that beer with dinner.)  And since I'm a small person, it takes a long time for me to burn the calories I need to keep up a "lose weight" metabolism. 

On the diabetes front, the workouts have never been strenuous enough that I've needed to disconnect the pump.  And I like that I can pause at any time to check my blood sugar, if need be.  That would be a little awkward to do in a gym class, not to mention I'd miss some exercise time doing the test (ding:  another pro!). 

So there it is, my workout regimen at home.  I'm definitely not anti-gym.  In fact, I've signed up to use the gym for free at work, but that's strictly for breaking up the routine a little bit.  And for when I get tired of trying to do sit-ups while the dogs are licking my face each time I come up (OK, working out at home con).  I still feel self-conscious and awkward in a typical gym setting.  Everybody is different, and every PWD's diabetes is different.  My exercise regimen is what works for me, and some people are lifetime gym rats.  Whatever gets us moving for better diabetes management is the ultimate goal anyway! 

(Note:  Neither Nintendo nor the Wii Fit people asked me to write this blog post.  I simply love the Wii Fit and have no problem talking about a good product if I believe in it.)   

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!

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!

Patty Cake.  PATTY CAKE!!!!!

I apologize for the language, but I this cracks me up everytime.  Plus I'm a sucker for English accents. 

Thinking About Resolutions

Welcome to December, this wonderful time of year where we break out the Christmas decorations, moisturizer, and extra large insulin reservoirs for all those holiday feasts!  (What?  Just me?)  But as we enter the last month of 2010 (wow, really? already?!), I'm already starting to think about my resolutions for 2011.  Some of them are diabetes-related and some aren't (or ain't for those of you near my neck of the woods). 

I try to make resolutions that are challenging but realistic at the same time.  If I vowed to lose 20 lbs every January 1st, I'd be in the negative for that goal every year.  Most of my resolutions are things I've already thought about throughout the year, but feel the need to establish a concrete goal for it.  Here's what I have so far: 

• Get the freak back to working out!  This is probably a somewhat typical resolution, but I know I really need to establish a workout routine.  Unfortunately, I love being outdoors so I try to take my workouts to walking in my neighborhood or bike riding.  But I need a routine for indoors that doesn't need a lot of equipment.  We have a Nintendo Wii and the subsequent Wii Fit, but I asked Santa (yeah, I still believe) for the Wii Fit Plus to add some spice to my Wii-ness.  But I've also signed up for the fitness center here at work, but I need to get a doctor's physical done in order to start going there.  
• On that note, I have several doctor's appointments that I've been putting off that I've scheduled for 2011.  One of those is an eye doctor appointment.  I must confess, in the almost 4 years I've been diabetic, I've never been to an eye doctor.  I went to one before I started college, but I had such a bad experience that I refused to go to another one unless I had to (the doctor I saw was extremely forceful with my eyes and wasn't friendly at all, the tears I had after the appointment were not just doctor-induced).  But I've finally made another appointment and I'm hoping to tell them how apprehensive I am.  
• I also need to start the hunt again for another primary care physician.  I really don't want to go back to the one I saw a couple months ago for my knee, but the office where she was has several doctors.  So I'm going to ask for a switch.  I need to get a physical done in order to use the gym at work, but I also want to have a good doctor that I'm comfortable with for things non-D.  
• Less coffee, more water.  My job is great, but I believe it has helped get into the not-so-great habit of constant coffee drinking.  My 30-40 minute commute combined with 9-hour workdays is really draining, and I'm relying more and more on coffee to keep me going.  But as lovely as coffee is, it's a bad diuretic--it dehydrates me, and I'm seeing the effects of dehydration on my currently cracked knuckles.  I want to at least have as many cups of water as I do coffee, however this also might mean more trips to the restroom, which may help my first bullet point.  
• Establish an organized, house cleaning routine.  I love our house!  But it is big, and the extra space makes keeping things organized not so easy because I generally will organize and clean things when they start getting in my way.  "That pile of important mail?  Oh just move it over here and I'll think about it again in a few weeks."  The same with cleaning.  I will wait and wait and wait until the mess starts to frustrate me and I declare, "That's it!  I'm cleaning!"  And I begin a rage-fueled cleaning spree that may result in me trying to vacuum the cats because they are ultimately the root of the problem anyway.  This rage also results in a low because I don't think about the exercise involved in a 2-hour cleaning spree.  I imagine if I had an established weekly cleaning routine, I could plan for the drop in BG and (maybe) spare the cats from the vacuum. 
• And finally, my last resolution but the one I'm most excited about:  read the Bible in a year.  I grew up in church and have been a Christian for 18 years, but I've maybe read only half of the Bible, overall.  I'm looking at several "read the Bible in one year" plans and I'm hoping to settle on one before December 31st.  If I don't keep any of my other resolutions, I'm determined to keep this one. 

So those are my resolutions.  Have any of you established any yet?  Any advice for the ones I've chosen, especially the house cleaning routine one?  

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). 

1. I've lived almost 4 years with diabetes and am still as healthy as day #1.  
2. 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.  
3. I have wonderful, supportive parents who make a pot of crawfish boil and strawberry cheesecake for my birthday because they know me.  
4. I have a great extended family who loves me and is flooding my text message inbox with birthday messages.  
5. Someone bought pumpkin spice latte creamer and put it in the coffee room at work!  
6. I'm thankful for my wonderful job that has given me opportunities to use both of Super Nerd degrees.  
7. Today is Monday which means that I have a new lancet to start the week.  
8. I just bolused for a pomegranate Greek yogurt and I'm salivating waiting for my insulin to kick in.  
9. I have wonderful friends who I consider to be more like family.  
10. Even though they drive me crazy, I have 4 furry friends who are always happy to see me when I get home.  
11. 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!  
12. Christmas 2011 has unofficially been declared to be held at our house.  I'm totally psyched and freaking out at the same time.  
13. Auburn is #1 in the BCS standings!  
14. I'm finally joining the 21st century and getting an iPod.  It should be here later this week or next week.  
15. 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! 
16. It's been 30 minutes since I typed #8.  Excuse me for a moment . . . 
17. It was delicious!  
18. 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."  
19. 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.  
20. 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!). 
21. 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.  
22. Roscoe only puked once in the 5 hour trip to south Alabama.  Poor puppy does not handle car rides very well.  
23. 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.  
24. I'm celebrating my birthday by doing a little shopping after work.  I'm so excited!  
25. I love my mint flavored chapstick!  It makes me feel like I just got done brushing my teeth but not really. 
26. 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".  

Oh, and one to grow on . . .

   27.  I'm so happy to share this birthday with all of you.  Love you guys!  =)

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. ;-)
 

Diabetes at the Beach

Hello!  I'm back from my trip to the beach, and we had a great time!  I want to thank everyone who guest blogged in my absence.  It turned out to be a great source of inspiration for me to see what other people come up with.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! 

Now that I'm back from the beach, there are so many things I want to share.  For the most part, my blood sugar levels stayed on track while we were there.  My average was 146 mg/dL for the week, according to Constance.  Considering it was a week long vacation with plenty of SWAG bolusing, I'd say that was pretty good.  I had some major highs, mainly from not waiting 30 minutes after taking my insulin to eat (and who wants to do that on vacation, pssht!).  I also had some lows, especially after battling the waves in the beach and jet skiing.  Constance saved my butt on those occassions because the adrenaline from those activities overshadowed my  hypo unawareness, so I was catching a lot of lows in the 60s with no symptoms.  But that's the extremely shortened version of the trip. 

On Saturday we drove down to lovely Cocoa Beach, making a lunch stop in Savannah, Georgia to meet a friend.  I've never been to Savannah, but our short lunch stop made me want to go back!  The beautifully restored houses along cobbled stone streets right on the water made me feel like I was in a place where time stood still.  Were it not for the tourist trolly and the many people carrying smart phones (myself included), I would have thought we were somewhere in the 19th century!  I fully expected to see Scarlet O'Hara passing by me in a sun dress with an umbrella.  What made the trip even more memorable was the fact that I chose to read listen via audiobook during our trip to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt, which is a nonfiction novel about a murder that happens in Savannah.  Now that I'm done (awesome book, by the way!), I want to go back and visit all the places mentioned in the book.  Guess I'll have to settle for renting the movie. 

On Sunday, we went to orientation where we received a rundown of the beach clubs' activities for that week, and then we made our way to the beach.  The water was warm and clear the whole week, we couldn't have asked for better conditions.  The waves were nice and playful, too, if waves could be such things.  I've always enjoyed jumping over and into waves when they break, but Trey introduced me to a new activity--boogie boarding!  He taught me how to jump on top of the waves right as they're breaking and how to remain stiff as a board while the water carried you to shore.  Once I got the hang (ten!) of it, I loved it!  We played in the water for about 45 minutes before I started feeling fuzzy.  I brought my OneTouch Mini with me for easy testing from the beach bag.  Sure enough, I was in the low 100s and dropping.  Breaking waves is a perfect exercise for bringing down my BG. 

Cowabunga, Dudes!

That night we went to Port Canaveral and had dinner while we watched the Carnival, Royal Caribbean International, and Disney cruise ships leave the port.  I experienced grilled mahi mahi for the first time and it was delicious!  We also saw the happiest weimaraner dog who hung out on the front of his owner's boat while he cleaned fish. 

View from our table looking at the Royal Caribbean ship, the biggest of the three.  

Just chillin' out, maxin', relaxin', being all cool. 

Another BG lowering event took place on Tuesday when we rented jet skiis.  Igor was beginning to churn up the waves along the Atlantic Coast, so our ride was quite choppy and bumpy.  We even went completely air born a few times.  When we got back, my legs were shaking so bad I thought I was having an extreme adrenaline rush.  I might have been, but I was also low--test resulted at 61 mg/dL post-skiing.  Unfortunately, I forgot my little bag of glucose tabs and had to run to the nearest establishment with sugar.  Luckily, the closest place was a smoothie and sandwich restaurant, so I boosted my BG with a peanut butter and blueberry treat.  I actually passed on the protein supplement because I thought it might have tampered the sugar absorption.  (Note:  Drinking a smoothie really fast while low results in multiple brain freezes.  Ouch!) 

On Wednesday, Trey decided he wanted to go golfing and I tagged along.  When we got to the place, they had a big sign that said, "No Personal Coolers."  I looked at my little blue cooler filled with drinks and candy and asked Trey, "What are we gonna do?"  "You're diabetic, we're taking the cooler."  I hate having to pull the D-card like that, but we just implemented the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.  We stuffed the cooler in the back of the cart behind Trey's clubs, and no one was the wiser.  Fun note:  Trey got paired up with an Irishman named David, and I loved hearing him talk!  I'm sure our accents were just as atrocious (especially mine), but I must admit I giggled a little everytime he talked.  He and I actually talked diabetes for a few minutes and he told me he had a friend who died of type 1 at 26 because she never took care of herself.  "Huh, well I'm 25, almost 26.  But I have an insulin pump and a CGM."  I showed him my bionic parts and he was amazed.  "Aye, I bet that's much better to manage then, isn't it?"  Giggling, "Yes." 

The golfers out on the course, notice the inlet river in the background.

The rest of the week was mainly spent around the beach club/beach/pool, with ventures to go out to eat or shopping.  I got sunburnt while listening to my book on the beach, awesomeness!  Our last day we went out to downtown Cocoa and shopped in their little village.  I picked up a cruise ship charm for my charm bracelet to commemorate the trip.  On Saturday we checked out and drove up to my parents' for the night for dinner and the Auburn game, which about gave me a heart attack (overtime and a field goal!).  We finished the trip on Sunday where we were greeted to lots of slobbery kisses from the dogs.  The cats just sniffed us and jumped in our laps. 

Greetings from our condo patio!

Now for the daunting task of trying to unpack . . .

Holly-Ology

Inspiration for a new post is lacking today.  It could be I'm exhausted from playing 3 softball games in two days, or this extreme heat is draining my brain, or I'm just blonde (hey, it's OK for me to say it).  So, meme to the rescue!  This meme comes from Cara!  =)

Let others know a little more about yourself, re-post this as your name followed by "ology".

***********FOODOLOGY***************
What is your salad dressing of choice? - I really go back and forth on this, depending on the salad, but I switch from Ranch, Balsamic Vinagerette, and Caesar

What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? - Macaroni Grill, maybe, or a local Mexican restaurant here called Rosie's

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? - right now it's avocados, they don't stay in the fridge long

What are your pizza toppings of choice? - bacon and mushroom, yum!

What do you put on your toast? - peanut butter, I love the way it makes it smoothy and melty


***********TECHNOLOGY***************
How many televisions are in your house? - Two, but we only watch TV on one, the other is strictly for the Wii.

How many computers? - I only have one laptop, but Trey has 3 . . . in one place . . . and he's been known to use them all at the same time

What kind of cell phone do you have? - Blackberry Storm

Do you have an iPod? - no, I must confess, I have never owned an MP3 player, I'm so lacking in technology


***************BIOLOGY******************
Are you right-handed or left-handed? - Rightie

Have you ever had anything removed from your body? - tonsils, wisdom teeth, and tubes from my ears

What is the last heavy item you lifted? - a big skillet I thought about buying, but I don't like buying something that could break my foot

Have you ever been knocked unconscious? - Yep, one time warming up for a softball game, my throwing partner threw it when I wasn't looking, I don't remember getting hit or falling, I just remember being on the ground.


************BULLOLOGY**************
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Ummm, no, surprise me!

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? - I probably wouldn't change my name, I think Holly is unique and I don't see it very much today

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? - no thanks, not worth the heartburn.


************DUMBOLOGY******************
How many pairs of flip flops do you own? - two

Last time you had a run-in with the cops? - In Knoxville about this time last year, got pulled over on the way to a wedding

Last person you talked to? - my officemates.

Last person you hugged? - my friend Jessica who is moving =(

Last person you kissed? - you'd think it would be Trey, but he left before I did, and I got a big smooch from Roscoe before I left


**************FAVORITOLOGY****************
Season? - Fall:  football, cool weather, and chili!

Holiday? - Thanksgiving, actually, it seems more family-oriented than material-oriented like Christmas

Day of the week? - Saturday or Sunday, both involve sleeping =)

Month? - November--my birthday month, it's fall, and Thanksgiving (see answers above).


***********CURRENTOLOGY*****************
Missing someone? - Am I? Where'd they go? lol

Mood? - Kind of tired and moody, can I go back to bed?

What are you listening to? - Rick & Bubba

Watching? - Ummm, this screen?

Worrying about? - Getting the house clean.


***************RANDOMOLOGY*****************
First place you went this morning? - to the bathroom

What's the last movie you saw? - Sorcerer's Apprentice, it was surprisingly good

Do you smile often? - I actually don't think I do, but my smile is usually followed by a laugh, so only when I think something's funny

Sleeping alone tonight? - Nope, I am joined by my wonderful husband, two snoring dogs, and bed-hogging cats, definitely NOT alone.


***************OTHER-OLOGY*****************
Do you always answer your phone? - Depends on the situation, I won't answer if I don't feel like talking, but I promise I'll call back.

If you could change your eye color what would it be? - no, I like my bluish-green eyes

Do you own a digital camera? - Yep, and it's full of house-remodeling pictures

Have you ever had a pet fish? - Sadly, yes, and none lived longer than a month, I'm a murderer

Favorite Christmas song(s)? - Mary Did You Know? And that one by the Transiberian Orchestra (sp?). I like the darker Christmas songs

What's on your wish list for your birthday? - I've actually already told Trey I'd like an Auburn hoodie, surprisingly, I don't have one

Can you do push ups? - ummm, girly ones?

Can you do a chin up? - Sure, see, "chin up, chin down, chin up"  Hehe

Does the future make you more nervous or excited? - How about anxious?

Do you have any saved texts? - I think I have saved all of them, I'm the same with email, haven't deleted a lot there, either.

Ever been in a car wreck? - Thankfully, no, just fender benders.

Do you have an accent? - Why do you think I've yet to do a vlog? 

What is the last song to make you cry? - "Boys of Fall" by Kenny Chesney

Plans tonight? - Dinner and watch Seven Pounds

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? - Oh yeah.

Name 3 things you bought yesterday? - Nothing, I was too busy to even look at a store

Have you ever been given roses? - Yes, but I prefer tulips.

Current worry? - BG needs to come up, but that's always a worry

Current hate right now? - nothing, not worth the energy to hate anything

Met someone who changed your life? - "I think everyone you meet changes your life in some way." I'm stealing Cara's answer cuz I likes it

How will you bring in the New Year? - Probably shooting fireworks

What song represents you? - "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson

Name three people who might complete this? - no idea, I just can't think of what to write

Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? -Absolutely, but I think not doing so has made me a better person

Have you ever dated someone longer than a year solid? - Yep, all of my relationships were pretty long

Do you have any tattoos/piercings? - my ears and a cartilage ring in my left ear

Will you be in a relationship 4 months from now? - Yes! This marriage thing if forevah! =)

Does anyone love you? - Yep, lots of people.

Would you be a pirate? - Arrrrrrrrr (yes).

What songs do you sing in the shower? - I usually don't, but if I do, "Singing in the Rain"

Ever had someone sing to you? - just the birthday people at restaurants.

When did you last cry? - yesterday, but it was a long day.

Do you like to cuddle? - Yes *smirk*.

Have you held hands with anyone today? - Today? not yet

Who was the last person you took a picture of? - Myself and my new Dexcom sensor

What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school? - All 4 One, my first CD

Do you believe in staying close with your ex's? - They're called ex's for a reason . . .

Are most of the friends in your life new or old? - Mostly new

Do you like pulpy orange juice? - Ewww, no, I'm drinking juice, not liquid sand

What is something your friends make fun of you for? - my obsession with trashy reality shows, lol

Well that was fun!  =)

The Perfect Storm

The title of this post is kind of ironic because I actually sleep the most soundly during a storm.  And there's one passing over us right now, making for a very sleepy Monday morning.  Especially after yesterday morning's "storm".  

It had been a fun night the night before.  I made homemade pizza, and we had some friends over for pizza, beer, and Phase Ten.  We stayed up until 10:30 PM; Trey was the victor in the Phase Ten game.  But it was still fun, one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday night. 

However, the pizza/beer combination wreaked havoc on my blood sugars as soon as my head hit the pillow.  I'm learning so many things aboug my BG trends with Constance.  For example, the combination of high fat, high carb, and alcohol lingers in my blood stream for not just four hours, but six.  Therefore, my square bolus of 4 hours worked great while we were awake.  But my bolusing ended as soon as our evening did, which meant my BGs began their mountainous climb, blessing me with high alarms every hour starting at midnight.  As I've mentioned before, I'm horrible at actually waking up with the alarms.  I snooze at least once, usually twice, before I finally get up and correct.  This means that I woke up to a nice BZZZZZZZZ every hour until 3:00 AM when my BG was well over 300 mg/dL.  I corrected and tried to savor the 5 hours I had to sleep until we had to get up for late service. 

But not only do I live with a disease that never sleeps, I also live with 4 animals (2 cats and 2 dogs).  Our latest edition, Missy, is a 1-year-old lab/boxer mix.  She's a lovable little thing, but she has her own clock that wakes up everyday at 4:30 AM.  So, after finally sleeping for an hour and a half following my correction, I get up and let both dogs out for their morning potty and play time. 

Back to bed, but not for long until my long-haired tabby Elvis comes into our bedroom meow-screaming his head off.  "Did I give him water last night?"  In the chaotic fun that was our evening, I don't think I filled up his water bowl, which means he was surely letting me know I forgot.  Several attempts to shush him went by the wayside, he kept coming back. 

It's about 6:30 AM now and the dogs have arrived back from their time in the yard, and Roscoe is whining at the back door.  About this time, Constance goes off with a low alarm--can't really snooze on those because a low is a very unpleasant adrenaline rush to wake up to, sweat and all.  *sigh* "I guess I'm up," I groaned. 

After chugging some juice, giving Elvis some water, and letting the dogs in for their breakfast, I made some well-deserved coffee.  I grabbed my sugar-free French vanilla creamer and the biggest mug in our cabinet, filled the cup up to the brim, and shuffled to the couch.  The dogs were already passed out on the couch for their post-breakfast nap, and the cats were content in their tower once again. 

The storm was over, and the house was quiet again, minus the sound of the hubby and I chomping on our cereal.  Still an hour before the scheduled alarm. 

. . . 

Time for a second cup. 

The More You Know . . . about a CGM

So I'm half-way done with my first Dexcom sensor.  I have learned so much in the past few days about my diabetes and how food affects my numbers.  I couldn't pin-point one particular nugget of knowledge to focus on for a blog post, so I'd thought I'd go bulleting with all my knowledge nuggets: 

• My Novolog takes about 30-45 minutes to actually start affecting my BG.  The first 2 days I noticed that I was spiking to 250 almost 300 mg/dL when I bolus at the same time as I start eating.  So, this weekend I started testing, bolusing, and waiting 30 minutes before eating.  This is really easy to do on the weekend because I can enjoy a cup of coffee while I'm waiting on my insulin to kick in.  But I had to start a new routine this morning before work to give it the same amount of time.  I have begun testing and bolusing before my shower, then after my shower and getting dressed I will eat--giving my insulin at least 30 minutes.  I feel like this change alone will affect my A1c the most. 
• It takes more than 15 grams of carbs and more than 15 minutes to bring me up from a low.  My current low alarm setting is set at the default of 80 mg/dL.  I like this setting because I feel safer catching the lows before they get too bad.  I understand the 15/15 rule is the same for any person experiencing hypoglycemia.  However, when insulin is involved (type 1 or type 2), you're fighting more than just a lack of sugar in the blood.  It's a lack of sugar combined with sugar-fighting insulin on board.  I'm noticing it takes like 30 grams of carbs and 20 minutes before I start to feel normal again.  Everytime I do the standard 15/15 rule (which states, "After 15 minutes, if your BG is still not normal, take 15 g more of carbs."), I always end up taking more. 
• My nighttime numbers are crap.  I've only had one evening where I stayed in range around 140 mg/dL the whole night.  Otherwise, I ususally start out going to bed with a low alarm, correct, and end up high around 3:00 AM (which does not a happy Holly make).  I'm thinking some basal tweaking is in order, but I'm waiting the full week to get a better idea.  
• Speaking of nighttimes, I am not very good at getting up when an alarm goes off.  Everyone hears it--my husband, both dogs, and the cats scatter, but I have already developed the bad habit of grabbing the receiver, hitting "C" for cancel, and going back to sleep.  The ultimate goal is to get my basals down to perfection so these alarms don't happen, but until then I need to get up and correct for the alarms.  Last night, I snoozed 3 high alarms before finally getting up--meaning I was high for 3 hours before finally getting up, not good.  
• I need to also do some more tweaking for bolusing for high fat/high carb meals like lasagna and mexican (which I had for the past 2 nights).  My standard bolusing is to do a dual bolus 40/60 ratio with a 2-hour square bolus.  This usually puts me back at normal 2 hours later, but Constance has shown me that I continue to drop for another 2 hours.  So, I need to extend my square bolus for longer or just do a square bolus throughout the whole duration.  
• Finally, this little device and all its fixin's, is expensive!  See the following:  

 Good thing because . . . 

it's over $1600 out of pocket.  Thanks, insurance!  

This also means between my pump (including tube, reservoir, and insulin), Constance and her sensor, and my phone, I'm easily walking around with close to $10K just on my hips!  Bionic woman, indeed!  Plus, with all these attachments, I feel like I need a toolbelt just to walk around. 

Friday Five: 2 July 2010

Today is a special edition of Friday Five because it's my parent's 39th wedding anniversary.  So today I will give 5 fun facts about my parents, their marriage, and our family.

1. When my parents first met, Dad was actually dating someone else.  They met at a church cookout where Dad asked Mom to make him a hot dog, to which Mom replied, "Why don't you get your girlfriend to make you one!"  Ahhh, I love that story.  
2. My Dad was almost late to their wedding.  He had just started his job at the radio station the day before, and he had to wait for the afternoon guy to come take his place.  I'm not sure how late he left from the radio station, but he obviously made it in time.  I'm sure my mom was sweating.  
3. Shortly after they were married, Mom's engagement ring's band broke.  So she just wore her wedding band for a long while.  For their 25th wedding anniversary, Dad bought her a ROCK!!!  But Mom eventually had her engagement ring fixed, and now she wears that ring instead of her 25th anniversary ROCK, even though her engagement ring was a fraction of the size of her ROCK.  Just goes to show how special that ring was to her.  
4. About 4 years ago, my dad had to have knee surgery.  Mom had to take care of him in more ways than a lot of people have patience for.  Including picking his leg up and off the recliner over and over and over.  At Thanksgiving, Dad made this speech that had everyone in tears about how much he loved my mom and couldn't have made it without her.  This was one month before my D diagnosis, and I learned what it meant to say "in sickness and in health". 
5. After 39 years, 2 kids, 2 kids-in-law, 2 grandsons, and retirement after 30+ years in their careers, they are still very much in love.  It's so rare these days to meet a couple who's been married this long.  But it's even more rare for a couple to still love (and like) each other.  They are enjoying their time alone together camping and boating and spoiling one crazy Shih-tzu.  

 Riding bikes together.  (Yes, that's a dog in a stroller--their 3rd child and my dog-sibling, Bo.)

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!  May you have many, many more.

May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. ~Psalm 5:18

First Impressions from a Bionic Woman

Yesterday around 4:00 PM I received an automated email from FedEx telling me that my package, my Dexcom CGM starter kit, had been delivered to my house.  I had already alerted some coworkers that I was going to leave whenever I got this email.  I gathered my things and began my commute home, which seemed twice as long as it normally does. 

When I arrived home, the package was sitting on the doorstep.  "Rather small box," I thought.  I went ahead and requested to have 3 months worth of sensors, and the box was smaller than my Medtronic refills.  I took the box inside and began opening it.  All of the sensor boxes were on top (or bottom, I may have opened it upside down), so I dug down until I found the box holding Constance.  The egg, as Kerri affectionately calls it, was a lot smaller than I had imagined.  I don't know why I expected it to be like a little Nerf ball, but my Blackberry is bigger than this little device. 

I already knew that the receiver needed to be charged for 3 hours before I could use it.  So, I plugged it in next to the coffee pot and proceeded with my daily ritual chores.  I took care of the cats, fed the dogs, emptied out the dishwasher, and took out the trash.  All the while, I'm checking the receiver to see if it was charged (as if it would be fully charged in one hour, but I was kind of hoping).  I then flipped through the User's Guide and Start-up pamphlet.  I had already watched the tutorials online and Kerri's video for several weeks before Constance's arrival.  Now I just had to wait for it to charge (longest 3 hours, ever!).

I had some distractions in the form of going to pick corn and visiting some friends who recently adopted 2 adorable kittens.  Finally, 3.5 hours after I plugged it in, we arrive back home.

Next, I programed the date/time, made sure the transmitter ID was correct, and prepped  myself for the sensor insertion.  I grabbed a sticky alcohol wipe from my pump stash, pulled out a sensor from the FedEx box, and took a deep breath.  Opened the sensor packaging, peeled off the tape (I concur with Kerri, very tricky that sticky tape), and placed the sensor on the left side of my stomach parallel with my belly button.  Pressed down on the tape to make sure it was stuck to my skin, and took off the safety.  Using my right hand, I pressed down with my thumb on the plunger to insert the needle, and pulled up the other plunger with my index and middle fingers removing the piercing needle.  It kind of hurt going in, but I think it hurt because I was nervous about it, making my muscles tense.  After I took out the piercing needle, I barely felt it.  The hardest part for me was putting in the transmitter!  It took me several tries before the latch inserted the transmitter into the sensor.  Go figure, it wasn't the whole inserting a needle into my body thing, it was putting the transmitter in (but I was never that good with Legos, which is what it's like).

Next, I began the sensor calibration which takes 2 hours.  This happened about 9:15 PM, which is typically my bed time these days.  I tried staying awake by watching The Office and Family Guy, but alas, I fell asleep on the couch before the end of the Family Guy's intro.  Luckily, I woke up with 10 minutes left in my calibration.  I started watching the receiver like a hawk anticipating the two blood drop calibration request screen.  BZZZZZZZZZZ!  "Enter two BG readings."

I entered two readings from the same finger (and the same prick, too. yay, a bleeder!):  216 and 201 mg/dL (I'm not sure why I was high because it had been over 6 hours since I ate dinner, but like I've mentioned before, I test at the same every day.  And 11:15 PM is not a typical test for me; therefore, I have no idea what goes on during this time.)  Immediately after I entered the two BG's, the tracking screen came up with 204 mg/dL followed by a High alarm.  "Well, the alarm works."   

Exhausted from it being after 11:00 PM and the general excitement from it all, I headed off to bed.  However, almost as soon as walk to the bedroom, I get the "???" error on the screen.  "Great, what did I screw up?"  I get back up and go look at the starter pamphlet and read the "???" error description.  It said that this error is normal and to just wait.  No problem.  Sleepy time! 

I vaguely remember waking up in the middle of the night to a High alarm:  323 mg/dL.  But since it was just a few readings surrounded by "???", I ignored it.  The sensor came back to life around 3:00 AM and showed a little snake-like action around 250 mg/dL.  I'm not sure how much stock I'd put in the numbers, but it did show a trend where my BG starts to spike (thank you, dawn phenomenon).  This made me happy, and hopeful, that I could eventually conquer this DARN phenomenon!  It went back out again to "???" until about 5:30 AM after I started eating my oatmeal breakfast.  It was kind of perfect timing, because I started seeing a major spike about an hour afterwards around 280 mg/dL and a decrease starting about 30 minutes after that.  "Hmmm, I guess I SHOULD take my insulin a little while before eating." 

 Kind of crappy resolution and glare, but you can see the spike from my oatmeal.

First impressions:  it was a little frustrating when I couldn't even put the transmitter in!  I called my engineering husband over to help me investigate, but immediately when he started walking towards me I got it in.  (He's my force field of positivity. *smile*)  I also didn't anticipate having so many "???" for the first 6 hours or so, but I've heard this is pretty common and the numbers are more accurate after 24 hours (or so I've read via the DOC).  But once it started working this morning, I was giddy.  I was checking it after every step in my routine.  Brush teeth, check Constance, dry hair, check Constance, pack lunch, check Constance.  On the phone with Trey going into work I said, "I am such a nerd right now."  I could hear him rolling his eyes on the other end of the phone.  "Bionic woman, eh?"  "Yep," I exclaimed. 

 The obligatory belly picture:  Dexcom sensor and receiver on the left, insulin site and tube on the right.

Bionic woman!

P.S.  Just did a test.  Meter:  96 mg/dL.  Constance:  121 mg/dL.  I'll take that.  =)

A Meme for My Mushy Brain

For those that don't know, today is D-day for our company.  My brain is nowhere near where it should be.  What is a blogger to do in times like this?  Why, a meme!  This meme is from Olivejooice previously from Six Until Me.

“Can you fill this out without lying? You’ve been tagged, so now you need to answer all the questions HONESTLY.”

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth? Office coffee with half-n-half.

2. Where was your profile picture taken? The one on my blog is from my friend Jessica's wedding.  Photographer thought me putting on lipstick would make for a good picture. 

3. Can you play Guitar Hero? Oh goodness no, the one time I tried I failed on the Beginner level.  I spend the rest of the night playing with our friends' cat. 

4. Name someone who made you laugh today? It's only 8:00 AM, but the Rick & Bubba Show.  They make me laugh every morning. 

5. How late did you stay up last night and why? 9:00 PM after watching Legend of the Seeker on Hulu with the hubby. 

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you? No way, I love our new house and we've put too much work into it to move. 

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks? Absolutely, in Chattanooga at their downtown park, with my then-future-hubby. 

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on your FaceBook list? Either Donald & Maxie or BJ & Sarah. 

9. Do you believe exes can be friends? Somewhat.  "Friends" on FB, sure.  Friends in real life, be careful!

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper? Not crazy about him, but love his skinny relative, Diet Dr. Pepper.

11. When was the last time you cried really hard? Yesterday on the way home, I've pretty much cried everyday since Monday two weeks ago.

12. Who took your profile picture? Jessica's photographer, I don't know his name.

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of? Person?  No idea.  I've taken so many more pictures of my pets.

14. Was yesterday better than today? Ask me tomorrow.

15. Can you live a day without TV? Yes, in fact, I have. I went on a 30-day sabbatical from TV last year.  I should probably do that again.  Way too many things to do. 

16. Are you upset about anything? That's easy.  Possibly losing my job and losing some really great coworkers.  =(

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it? Absolutely!  Ask anyone who's been married for 50 years.

18. Are you a bad influence? No idea.  Probably in some way.  ;-)

19. Night out or night in? Night in, with a pizza and a movie, cuddled up on the couch.  Heaven!

20. What items could you not go without during the day? Meter, insulin pump, and sunglasses B-)

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? My friend Jennifer after she gave birth to her beautiful daughter.  =)

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say? Never got to ask u about tomorrow cookout. U free?


23. How do you feel about your life right now? Right now at this moment? anxious. Overall? I love my life and feel very blessed.  Regardless of everything going on, I have a peace with whatever happens. 

24. Do you hate anyone? No, nobody's worth that much brain time.  ;-)

25. If we were to look in your Facebook inbox, what would we find? A whole bunch from my mom, because she doesn't like to do wall posts.

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass? Traditional drug test? Yes. Otherwise, I'm constantly getting a fix on insulin.  ;-)

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before? My coach once called my GPA perfect cuz I made all A's in high school.  Yeah, I know, nerd! 

28. What song is stuck in your head? Nothing right now, my brain is saturated with Rick & Bubba. =D

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., a secret lover or George Clooney? Probably our dogs because we have a door going to the back yard from our bedroom.  It's happened before. 

30.Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50? If I were pregnant right now (which I'm not, Brenda!), our child would be 21 when we would be 50.  So, physically it could be possible.  Would I want that?  Only if that's what our child wants. 

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow? Go buy more cat litter before we leave for our trip this weekend. 

32. Do you think too much or too little? Way too much.  I should stop. 

33. Do you smile a lot? A lot?  Probably not.  I smile when I'm happy or something's funny. 

Bonus Round…

34. How many hours a day do you spend on the computer? Counting work, about 10, that's sad.


35. If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you be? A dog trainer. It's my back-up career choice and I'd like to try it for a day. 

36. Facebook or Twitter? Personal life stuff is mainly Facebook.  D-stuff is mainly Twitter.  But I have some D friends on FB, and that's just awesome!

37. Chicken or Beef? Ramen

38. Mac or PC? The only Mac I've ever used is my roommate Jennifer's in college.  It was OK.  But I would purchase a Mac to keep those "Helly, I'm a Mac.  And I'm a PC." commercials going.

39. Have you ever punched anyone in the face? I don't think so.  I've only ever been in one physical fight, and it was mainly pushing and shoving.

40. Last music received or purchased? I'm horrible at purchasing music.  I still have yet to own an MP3 player.  I guess our wedding video was the last music that I purchased.  

That was fun.  Your turn!  =)