When I woke up this morning my meter, a syringe, and a bottle of insulin were all in bed with me, an open bottle of water was next to my bed, and my blood sugar was 60. No readings in my memory show any tests during the night, but I remember getting up once last night thinking I should test and feeling dizzy. I must have fallen back asleep before I could test. Kinda funny. Luckily my bs wasn't lower than 60, and the rest of the day has been great bs wise.
Anyone else ever wake up with random diabetes supplies in bed with them?
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Monday, March 20, 2006
How old am I?
| You Are 24 Years Old |
 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax. |
Real age= 20 years old
Sunday, March 19, 2006
My Reasons for Wanting a Pump Soon
Several comments have asked why I think a pump would benefit me now. So I present to you, my top reasons.
1. Insulin sensitivity- My insulin carb ratio is either 1/20 or 1/30 (depending on time of day) now, so since you can't take below .5 units in syringes, I could bolus much more specifically with a pump.
2. Different basal rates- I'm more resistant during the day than at night, so rather than accommodating that with different carb ratios now (a work around), I could actually set different basal rates and have less lows and highs.
3. Exercise- Setting a temp basal to prevent lows rather than eating would be so nice, and help me lose weight, since I would not have to eat more just to exercise. I seem to have lows after exercise as well as during.
4. Turning off pump during lows-My lows can be very hard to recover from, and sometimes go on for hours. Setting a temp basal would help this.
5. Eliminate weekend highs- My records show I'm way higher on weekends than weekdays, I could use different basal rates to help this.
6. Gastroparesis- Square bolus could match up the timing of the insulin to the timing of my stomach better than shots.
7. Hectic lifestyle- Bolusing with a pump iseasier than taking shots on the run, and less planning involved.
8. Some days I just seem to run low- Setting a temp basal would help this as well.
9. My schedule is going to be even more hectic in the fall then it is now, and over the summer. A pump would make things easier in several ways. Bolusing can be done “on the run,” plus, the pump would handle most of the logging.
10. My insurance co-pay for a pump goes up in July significantly, so if I want one, now is the best timing.
11. Pumps can keep track of insulin on board better than I can by myself.
Yes, I plan on taking this list to the doctor with me.
1. Insulin sensitivity- My insulin carb ratio is either 1/20 or 1/30 (depending on time of day) now, so since you can't take below .5 units in syringes, I could bolus much more specifically with a pump.
2. Different basal rates- I'm more resistant during the day than at night, so rather than accommodating that with different carb ratios now (a work around), I could actually set different basal rates and have less lows and highs.
3. Exercise- Setting a temp basal to prevent lows rather than eating would be so nice, and help me lose weight, since I would not have to eat more just to exercise. I seem to have lows after exercise as well as during.
4. Turning off pump during lows-My lows can be very hard to recover from, and sometimes go on for hours. Setting a temp basal would help this.
5. Eliminate weekend highs- My records show I'm way higher on weekends than weekdays, I could use different basal rates to help this.
6. Gastroparesis- Square bolus could match up the timing of the insulin to the timing of my stomach better than shots.
7. Hectic lifestyle- Bolusing with a pump iseasier than taking shots on the run, and less planning involved.
8. Some days I just seem to run low- Setting a temp basal would help this as well.
9. My schedule is going to be even more hectic in the fall then it is now, and over the summer. A pump would make things easier in several ways. Bolusing can be done “on the run,” plus, the pump would handle most of the logging.
10. My insurance co-pay for a pump goes up in July significantly, so if I want one, now is the best timing.
11. Pumps can keep track of insulin on board better than I can by myself.
Yes, I plan on taking this list to the doctor with me.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Why Not?
Sometimes I feel like I am one of the only type 1s who doesn't pump. Obviously this is not true. While it's obvious I really want to pump, I think sometimes I get so focused on that I look only at the positive and do not consider it in a well rounded sense. So I know there are people who choose not to pump. And for those of you- why not? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
New Endo
Today I finally got some blood work done. Oddly enough, they just wanted me to get blood drawn for a glucose sometime when i was high, cause for some odd reason they have absolutely no proof I have diabetes (I guess besides the fact that I'm on insulin- WTF?). Sometimes my healthcare amazes me. All they needed me to do was go sometime when my bs was above 200. I was 200 when I got home from school today, so I went. I got the blood drawn, then went out to my car and clocked in at 198. Whoops- maybe they will decide I don't have diabetes? I gave myself 4 units and was 130 by dinner. Yay!
Anyways, I decided it's time to get a pro-pump endo. A person I go to school with has a pump, but she still goes to her peds endocrinologist, so she couldn't really help me. Minimed.com has a section on finding a doctor, and there is one whole doctor listed in my area, so that made the decision easy ;) I called and turns out it's a whole practice, so I asked to see the nicest, pro-pumpist doctor right away. Receptionist blurted out immediately, "Oh, you want to see Dr. C" Okay, that was encouraging. SO I see Dr. C is 4 weeks.
Right now my main goal in my diabetes care is getting a pump. I see so many advantages- different basal rates, square boluses to help cope with gastroparesis, and smaller dosing (so I can actually dose for something below 15 grams of carb)! I'm seriously so excited.
So to help with this process, I'm doing everything I can do to speed up the process. I've researched ad nauseaum, and decided with the Animas or the Deltec, I can't decide which. So I'm going to bring the paper work with me for both companies, with the health history section filled out with the stuff I know I can fill out, and ask endo if he has a preference. Since this is a whole diabetes center, I know they have CDEs, and I might even be able to see them there. I have seen the animas and minimed, and like the way both look (but I limited minimed for not being waterproof), but I want to see the Deltec up close and personal.
I also have revamped my logging. I now am logging all insulin doses, all carbs, all exercise, and all blood sugars on a chart. I'm going to make copies to give new endo.
Finally, I am having all my blood work sent to me so I can bring copies with me.
I'm going to put blood work results, logs, pump paperwork, and a list of ways a pump would benefit me in a folder to give to new endo. I hope it goes well!
Can anyone think of anything else I can do to speed things up? My insurance changes in July, and my pump co-pay will jump for $10 to $1200 then, so time is of the essence.
Anyways, I decided it's time to get a pro-pump endo. A person I go to school with has a pump, but she still goes to her peds endocrinologist, so she couldn't really help me. Minimed.com has a section on finding a doctor, and there is one whole doctor listed in my area, so that made the decision easy ;) I called and turns out it's a whole practice, so I asked to see the nicest, pro-pumpist doctor right away. Receptionist blurted out immediately, "Oh, you want to see Dr. C" Okay, that was encouraging. SO I see Dr. C is 4 weeks.
Right now my main goal in my diabetes care is getting a pump. I see so many advantages- different basal rates, square boluses to help cope with gastroparesis, and smaller dosing (so I can actually dose for something below 15 grams of carb)! I'm seriously so excited.
So to help with this process, I'm doing everything I can do to speed up the process. I've researched ad nauseaum, and decided with the Animas or the Deltec, I can't decide which. So I'm going to bring the paper work with me for both companies, with the health history section filled out with the stuff I know I can fill out, and ask endo if he has a preference. Since this is a whole diabetes center, I know they have CDEs, and I might even be able to see them there. I have seen the animas and minimed, and like the way both look (but I limited minimed for not being waterproof), but I want to see the Deltec up close and personal.
I also have revamped my logging. I now am logging all insulin doses, all carbs, all exercise, and all blood sugars on a chart. I'm going to make copies to give new endo.
Finally, I am having all my blood work sent to me so I can bring copies with me.
I'm going to put blood work results, logs, pump paperwork, and a list of ways a pump would benefit me in a folder to give to new endo. I hope it goes well!
Can anyone think of anything else I can do to speed things up? My insurance changes in July, and my pump co-pay will jump for $10 to $1200 then, so time is of the essence.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
The Classroom
I sit in Professor Glycemia's classroom everyday. It is my most dreaded class- by far the hardest of any classes I take. Everyone in the college is required to take it, but few people seem to struggle with it. While a small group of us shows up for class everyday, study, and discuss topics, most people just show up on the day of exams- just once a year. While most people take the exams once a year, this small group of students take them 4 times a year.
Today is an exam day. Slowly the people other than the usuals show up. This test is going to be it! I know I know the material. I studied the equations. I know the vocab. I discussed. I quizzed myself. I learned everything. I am going to pass.
I took the exam.
I did everything I could.
I passed. But barely. Surprisingly, there were questions I knew the answer to, that I got wrong. "1 + 1 = ?" the question read. 2 I put down confidently. But it was wrong. Professor Glycemia stated the answer was 3. After class, furious, I run up to professor and demand an explanation. "There isn't one. I simply changed my mind. 1 plus 1 now equals 3."
"How can that be?" I demand.
"It just is."
My paper has a 6.9% written on it. On this test lower is better. My exam paper has a big fat "See me after class." label on it.
Slowly the students that just show up once a year leave. Big gold star stickers grace their exam papers, along with grades like 5.0%. How is this so easy for them?
Slowly is strikes me. Their exams had no questions. All they had to do was show up to get a perfect grade.
The injustice overwhelms me. "Why?" I beg to know.
"It just is. Deal with it." Comes the answer from Professor Glycemia.
Slowly I realize that after each test, more join the ranks of those of us who must work hard at passing Professor Glycemia's class. And we bond. And we share experiences. Professor Glycemia gives us and only us pop quizzes. And while Professor Glycemia's class is never on most student's mind, it is always on ours. And we learn to work. And we learn to appreciate when we pass. And we learn to laugh when we fail. And we bond.
Monday, March 06, 2006
It's not about the needles
I was recently asked for my opinion on stem cell research. My immediate answer was, "There is no way I could be against it, since I have type 1 diabetes." It makes sense that I would want to be cured to everyone, however, many peoples response to this is, "Yes, I imagine it stinks having to stick your fingers and take shots." Well, sometimes it does. But that is not at all where my fraustrations lie.
It's because I never know when my blood work will show my kidnies or heart failing.
It's because driving with low blood sugar is scary.
It's because low blood sugar is just plain scary.
It's because one second my bs can be 39, the next 379 for no apparent reason.
It's because every high bs does damage.
It's because I want to live to see grandchildren.
It's because I want to wake up feeling well in the morning.
It's because I want to do well in school.
It's because I want a healthy immune system.
It's because I get sick of fighting with insurance companies to get the meds I need.
It's because millions of people deal with these same issues.
It's because I don't want any child I have to spend the first hours of their lif on a glucose IV.
It's because I like being able to see.
It's because I like my legs just how they are.
It's because I want to be able to exercise without worrying about going low.
It's because realizing your bs is 59 and you have two units on board sucks.
It's because diabetes is expensive.
It's because everyone deserves to be healthy.
It's because I never know when my blood work will show my kidnies or heart failing.
It's because driving with low blood sugar is scary.
It's because low blood sugar is just plain scary.
It's because one second my bs can be 39, the next 379 for no apparent reason.
It's because every high bs does damage.
It's because I want to live to see grandchildren.
It's because I want to wake up feeling well in the morning.
It's because I want to do well in school.
It's because I want a healthy immune system.
It's because I get sick of fighting with insurance companies to get the meds I need.
It's because millions of people deal with these same issues.
It's because I don't want any child I have to spend the first hours of their lif on a glucose IV.
It's because I like being able to see.
It's because I like my legs just how they are.
It's because I want to be able to exercise without worrying about going low.
It's because realizing your bs is 59 and you have two units on board sucks.
It's because diabetes is expensive.
It's because everyone deserves to be healthy.
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