Monday, June 25, 2007

The Knoxville Zoo


A last minute trip was made last weekend. My mother, my baby sister (she's 11), & myself took a trip to Knoxville to the zoo. I hadn't been since I was about 8 and I didn't remember anything about the zoo, other than the gift shop. That would be what an 8 year old would remember.


This impromptu trip was a lot of fun, but I was having a few diabetes crazy days. My blood sugar on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday has been bouncing up and down more than a yo-yo.

I was beginning to wonder if I was getting sick.


The morning started off at 300! Yikes! Down a few hours later to a reasonable 186. You have to remember, it was about 95 degrees outside & we were going to be walking all day long. So I just took it for what it was and didn't bolus.


About 2 hours later I was 60. Figures. An ice cream sandwich, bag of gummie snacks & a hot dog later.... (I am totally thinking I have over treated!) and I check my blood sugar 2 hours later & I am 86. And still dropping.


By the time we got to the restaurant to eat I was 76. And later that night, I spiked back up to 284.


Luckily, I had a blast at the zoo with my mom & sister. And my blood sugars leveled back out by Monday night. Just another crazy few days and back to a semi-normal diabetes life.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes


Well, I've done it... I have registered to do the Walk for Diabetes on September 29th in Nashville, Tennessee. I am excited and scared and a little bit stressed!

This will be the first walk I have done. I have never tried anything like this. I set my goal a little high. I want to raise $1000. I think I can do it, but I have my doubts sometimes. This will be something that I can do for diabetes. And that makes me happy. I want to be able to say I helped in the cure for this disease that is such a part of my life and who I am. I want to be able to say I am no longer a diabetic.

So wish me well and if you want to donate, send me a message. I would be very thankful for any help toward reaching my goal.

Monday, June 11, 2007

My Profile Picture

The picture on this page was taken of me in January of this year. I was a the famed Sardi's in New York City, after spending a wonderful evening watching Mary Poppins on Broadway! This was most definitely a wonderful evening with a good friend, the most expensive food I've ever eaten in my life, a wonderful play that I would recommend to anyone, and a night filled with diabetes drama.

The morning had started out at 5 am in a suburb of Washington DC. I was visiting a friend and we got up early to catch a bus to NYC. When we got into New York we checking into our hotel & set out to explore the city. I carried a backpack loaded down with snacks, extra diabetes supplies, a map, and a camera. All day long we walked & took the subway.

I was on Park Place AND Broadway in the same day. He, he, he! Take that you Monopoly nuts!

At around 5:00 we headed back to the room to get ready for the play. We had planned our fancy outfits (as you see from the picture) and fancy make-up. We were like little girls playing dress up! But it was fun. Until I checked my blood sugar and it was 48. I still have times of hypo unawareness. This was one of those times.
Immediately I started to eat food. You all know that panic mode that we diabetics hit sometimes when we are low. We eat whatever's around and don't really think about it until we have done the worst thing....over treated.
During this time I was also getting ready for the play. We ran out of the hotel room with only about 45 minutes to catch a cab & get to the New Amsterdam Theater. During the rush & the craziness I didn't re-check my blood sugar. And I didn't bolus for all the carbs I ate to correct my low blood sugar.
For the next 3 hours I was completely enthralled by the wonderful show I was witnessing. My blood sugar levels never crossed my mind until the second half of the play when I realized I was thirsty & had a slight headache. Due to low light during the show, I couldn't see to check my blood sugar. So I waited.

When we got to Sardi's, my blood sugar was in the 400's. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw that. I immediately bolused a great deal & asked for water. I must have downed 5 glasses of water before our appetizer even got there. With the sugar levels that high I also had a sick stomach. I ate very little for dinner, even though the food was delicious. I tried to eat almost no carbs, and stuck mostly to the meat & vegetables that I ordered instead.
I hated my diabetes at that moment. It had almost ruined what could have been a perfect night. Before I went to be that night I re-checked and was down to the low 200's with plenty of IOB to take care of the rest of the high blood sugar levels. But it doesn't make it any easier to swallow. The high blood sugar was completely my fault. Due to my negligence. I hope that that doesn't ever happen again, but I have to face the reality that it very well may.
My next purchase... a small keychain flashlight for taking blood sugar in the dark.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Update on the New Infusion Site

So, I wanted to give an update on my new infusion site. The thigh site is working wonderfully. I am actually working on my third thigh site now & am loving them! I can see why people would want to use their stomach (I'm sure I will again), but being able to rotate to my thighs, and giving my stomach a much needed break, is wonderful! It makes me wonder why I waited so long.
On another note, I am trying to get some ideas for a public awareness campaign. Anyone who would be interested, please share some of your stories or experiences regarding the general public and their knowledge of Type 1 & Type 2 diabetes. If you have had an interesting or frustrating experience, let me know. It may spark an idea for how to educate the public.

Monday, June 4, 2007

Can you eat that?

What is it about diabetes that makes people think we aren't normal? Is it the occasional low blood sugar? Is it the need to put your health ahead of whatever other insignificant thing might be going on at the moment? Although I haven't had any recent experiences with people thinking I am strange, I have been dealing a whole lot more lately with the "Can you eat that?" thing.

It is frustrating. I realize that only 5 - 10% of diabetics are Type 1. So people most often hear about Type 2 and controlling your diet, but seriously people! I don't go up to strangers (or even acquaintances) and tell them they shouldn't be smoking. Or drinking. Or whatever else stupid it is they are doing. It is their life. They live it every day. They know the consequences of using tobacco or consuming alcohol. So why would they need me to remind them of that? They don't. So WHY do people insist on giving me dietary advice??

If you are a close friend or family member, this does not apply to you. Most of you don't do this. Or you don't do it often. And you know that I know what I am doing. So, if you occasionally ask me about something I am eating, don't fret. I won't yell at you.
It is the random strangers that I am referring to.

Some times it seems to bother me worse than other times. Here lately I have been on my soapbox about the differences between Type 1 & Type 2. I still don't know where to start. I feel like I can't change anything. I want to be able to tell people about the differences. About the fact that Type 1 isn't something I got from bad diet or no exercise. I want the general public to be more aware of this.

Type 1's may only be one tenth of the diabetics in the world. But we are here. And we do count! It is obvious in most public service announcements that they are putting information out to the public about Type 2. The announcements that are made regarding Type 1 don't mention adults with Type 1. Just children.

Let this be a statement from all Type 1's across the United States! We are here. We are not all diagnoised as children. And those of us who were...we DO live to see adulthood.

If you are a Type 1 diabetic and you feel this way, start talking. Post on blogs, write your congressman or representative. Talk to members of your community. And talk to the strangers when they ask, "Can you eat that?" Let people know that you are alive. Let people know that there is a "lost" group of us out here.

Maybe, someday, the average non-D citizen will understand a little bit more about this illness.