Was she…
On vacation?
Stuck in the black hole of youtube?
Abducted by aliens?
In jail?
Busy conceiving?
Wellll….if you chose “Busy Conceiving”, you are correct! I am happy to announce that Baby G will be making his or her debut on November 11. It’s been a fun ride for the past 17 weeks and I’ll tell you more about that later. But for now…
I am excited to be back and active in the DOC and am looking forward to catching up!
Some of the 5 worst times to get a low
(Is there ever a good time to get a low?)
5. After brushing your teeth. Colgate + Juice of choice/glucose tabs does not = tasty.
4. In the middle of the night. I hate getting out of my comfy snuggly bed to treat a low. And the 15-15-15 rule goes out the window at 3am, leading to early morning highs and a day of feeling like doodie.
3. After eating a big meal. You’re already full and you have to eat/drink more? *unbuttons pants*
2. During/Before/After exercise. It drives me bonkers when I’m all geared up to work out or riding the high of endorphins after a good sweat session and I have to reverse all my hard work to treat a low.
1. During sex. ‘Nuff said.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Five Reasons Why I’ve been Slacking on Blogging, Tweeting and General DOC-ing
1. I got a new job and I’m a lot busier here than I was at my previous job. I may or may not have done most of my blogging at work previously. Shhhh, don’t tell anyone. But when I come home from work now, I’m legit worn out and sick of looking at a computer. So, I have little motivation to blog.
2. There is nothing really new to report in my D life. Things are stable other than some random weird BGs. I’m adjusted to being a complete cyborg. No news is good news, right? I just can’t think of anything interesting or clever to write about in relation to diabetes. Topic ideas are welcome, but I’m not promising anything.
3. I feel like there is a lot more going on in life right now than Diabetes. Which is good. However, nothing exciting enough to share here.
4. There are so many great blogs and twitter folks that I follow that I feel like I need to read every single post from every single blogger/tweeter and I feel bad if I don’t have the time or motivation to do so. So I just ignore everyone and go into my Homeland-watching, wine-drinking, Secret-imaginary-baby-pinteresting hole.
5. Sometimes talking about diabetes all the time can be overwhelming. There’s a lot more to my life than diabetes and every now and then I just need to take a step back and focus on other things. Right now is one of those times.
So. I will post when I have something fun and interesting to say. I am hoping to catch up on the Photo-A-Month posts since I’ve majorly dropped the ball on that and they don’t require too much creativity. And they are fun.
I hope everyone is doing well!
Five Reasons Why I Like Having Diabetes
(Thanks for the topic suggestion, Doug!)
1. I don’t have to feel like a jerk if I start eating before everyone at the table is served. (Although I really, really try to wait).
2. It gives me an excuse to buy new purses. “But I need something bigger to carry around all my D-gear!”
3. I feel like I’m a whiz at math. Sometimes. Not always.
4. Flu shot? Pfffft, that’s child’s play.
5. I’ve met some pretty awesome people because of Diabetes.
Have a great weekend!
Did you know that this week is Invisible Illness Week? I didn’t either until this blog post came across my reader. Thanks Rose! I used to love filling out the old email surveys way back in the day, so why not? Here’s an easy chance to learn a little more about me and my diabetes. Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz at the end.
1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 Diabetes
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1998, 4 days after my 18th birthday!
3. But I had symptoms since: Not long before diagnosis. Maybe a month before? I lost weight (Yay!) and was peeing a lot (Non-yay when there wasn’t a bathroom on my floor in the dorms!) but I didn’t think anything of it.
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Testing my blood sugar, injecting insulin/wearing a pump, and carrying all the crap ever around – wherever I go.
5. Most people assume: That diabetes is just having to test my BG and taking insulin before meals. I don’t think people realize how serious it is and how I am constantly aware of what my BG is/how my body feels/how my actions affect my numbers.
Or, that my foot is going to fall off.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Giving up cereal. My BG hates it. No matter how I try to bolus. I miss you Cocoa Puffs.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: Grey’s Anatomy. I’m one of the 4 people who still watch it.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My Dexcom CGM. Seriously my most favorite Diabetes device ever! I credit it for helping me get my a1c down to 6.8 and I always say I’ll give up my pump before I give up my Dexcom. It has given me a sense of security and much more awareness of my diabetes.
9. The hardest part about nights are: Deciding if I need a snack before bed. Seriously. Food is hard.
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins: 2 Pills – Sythroid and Vitamin. I’m usually on Vytorin but my doc took me off of it in preparation for baby making. Also, continuous insulin via the pump.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: Think they have their place. Although, with T1D there really aren’t any alternatives to insulin. But I think there is nothing wrong with seeking out a natural treatment for more common ailments like the common cold if that’s what you choose.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Invisible. I don’t like my diabetes being made a huge deal of and I imagine if I had a visible illness I would feel uncomfortable much more often.
13. Regarding working and career: I’ve been working in some capacity of another since before my diagnosis. I don’t think that Diabetes has affected my ability to get and keep a job. I’ve really only missed maybe 3 or 4 days of work because of wonky blood sugars. In 14 years, that’s not too bad. I do feel guilty sometimes for having to miss time for doctor’s appointments, but I supposed that is what PTO is for!
14. People would be surprised to know: We really don’t want to hear stories about how your best friend’s cat has diabetes, or that your uncle “died from diabetes” or that your former boss’s mother’s sister lost her foot because she was diabetic. Really. Not helpful.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: My reality isn’t really “new” but back in college, the toughest thing to accept was that this is permanent. At least for the next 5-7 years until there’s a cure, right?
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: I got nothing. Ask me again in a year or so and hopefully my answer will be “Have a baby.”
17. The commercials about my illness: Annoy me.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Eating without thought. I miss not having to test, figure out my insulin, not having to wonder how this meal/snack will make me feel in the next 15 minutes, hour, 3 hours, etc.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: One piece bathing suits and low cut dresses. Female pumpers will understand. Oh, and cereal. And money. Diabetes is expensive, yo.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Blogging. This is a really new hobby!
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: Eat all the pasta without a worry in the world.
22. My illness has taught me: A lot of stuff.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: See number 14.
24. But I love it when people: Ask questions and actually listen when I explain what I live with, my pump and CGM, etc.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: Tomorrow will be a better day.
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: Diabetes is a pain in the ass, there’s no sense sugar coating it (Pun intended). But it is manageable and even though it seems like you are being inundated with information right now, in just a short amount of time, all of this will become second nature. You can do this. And if you feel like you can’t there are tons of people both online and in real life who are happy to support you, answer your questions, or listen if you need to vent.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: That even though there are people around for support, it can be very isolating. That’s why I am so grateful for the DOC and IRL D-friends I have. They “get it”.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: My college roommate took me to the hospital and sat with me for hours in the ER on what was a pretty useless ER visit (Something I could/should have handled on my own, another blog for another day). Also, my husband does nice things all the time – getting my meter for me, checking my CGM receiver when he thinks I’m not looking, grabbing me some juice, starting dinner when he’s not hungry yet so I can eat/won’t go low, etc. I’ll keep him.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: My blog isn’t so invisible, so why not?
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Happy and hopeful that you weren’t terribly bored.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Five things only a PWD has to think about:
1. When buying a new purse…”does this have enough room for all my D supplies”?
2. When wearing a dress…”Is the cleavage too low for the between boobs pump clip-age?”
3. Before a workout…”Do I need to consume calories in order to burn calories?”
4. When purchasing a bathing suit…”Tankinis. Need to find all the tankinis”. (I don’t know if any other female PWD feel this way, but I feel like one piece suits are a massive PITA when it comes to the pump.)
5. All the time…”When was the last time I ate? Do I need to check my BG? Is that headache because I’m annoyed with work or because my BG is off? I’m thirsty – am I high? Did I remember to throw those glucose tabs in my purse? Should I rage bolus or use a temp basal to get my BG down? Do I really have to do all this again tomorrow?”
Five things that (irrationally?) worry me about a future pregnancy with Type 1
1. What the heck am I going to drink? This makes me sound like a lush, ha. Seriously, though. My CDE said I can have 2 artificial sweeteners per day. I use Stevia, which, according to my reliable resources on the interwebs, is safe during pregnancy. Awesome. I can have brewed Iced Tea sweetened with Stevia (right?). Of course I don’t want my future baby born with 3 eyes or anything, so I will do my very best to eliminate/strictly limit all artificial sweeteners and caffeine. *gasp*. Bye bye coffee. Hello….water? Milk? What else is there? Should I ween myself now? I have no problems with giving up wine and beer (although, nachos just don’t taste the same with water!), but I fear that giving up coffee will make me a nightmare to live with. It’s going to be a long 40 weeks! Sorry in advance for the crankiness, husband. ♥ you.
2. Is my job going to hate me with the 900 million doctors appointments I will have? My Endo’s and future OBgyn’s offices are a good 30-40 minutes away and as far as I know, do not offer evening appointments. However, I’m not willing to change because I love my endocrinologist and her team and I especially love my CDE. Luckily my CDE is very responsive via email so I am hoping that maybe, possibly, she will continue to help me adjust my rates and answer my questions via email when I am pregnant. Taking a lot of time from work to go to the doctor is something I already feel self-conscious of. I really am nervous that my coworkers will be frustrated when the time comes and I have so many more doctor’s appointments. However, I think that my direct supervisors will be more than understanding, as one of them recently herself had a high risk pregnancy. But still, I don’t want people to think I’m a slacker.
3. Working, period. Diabetes is a full-time job. My job is a full-time job. Being pregnant will be a full-time job. I’m tired.
4. Keeping the secret. The hubs and I have agreed that we don’t want to tell anyone until I’m 12-16 weeks along, however this may prove difficult. I imagine I will tell my sister sooner since she lives close by and I see her frequently. And I was the first to know (after her husband, of course!) with all of her pregnancies. (Neener, neener Mom! Haha!) But there are going to be challenges, depending on when we conceive. It could be a non-issue, in that we wouldn’t see our parents for the first 12 to 16 weeks due to schedules, when holidays fall, etc. Or there could be lots of time spent with parents in which I’ll have to lie my tender boobies off. It is pretty important to me that we don’t tell anyone until after the first trimester so we will just have to do our best. I’m looking forward to having a little secret with the husband. ♥
5. Guilt. I’ve read about this on so many different blogs of D-mommies/mommies-to-be. The guilt they feel when their BGs aren’t in range. I really want to enjoy my future pregnancy and be as laid back as a pregnant PWD can be, but knowing myself and how much I already love our future baby, I just have a feeling I will be super hard on myself if I am out of range. I hope I can find a good balance.
6. Judgement from others. (OK, it’s friday fives plus a bonus!). I’ve never been pregnant. I am scared, nervous, excited for that day when I see two lines on the pee stick. I have no idea what it will be like, how it will feel to hear my baby’s heartbeat for the first time, to feel the flutter of movement, etc. I am researching pregnancy with type 1 as much as I possibly can in an effort to educate myself so I can kind of know what to expect. I know that it’s going to be hard. I know I’ll have to make sacrifices (see #1). I know that there’s a decent chance I’ll have to have a Cesarean section. I just worry that people will judge me based on their experiences and what they think is right. I know my husband will have my back and I will just remind the judgey McJudgersons that although they may have been pregnant, they’ve never been pregnant with type 1 and I’m doing the best that I can for my unborn child. And if all else fails, I’ll break out some kickboxing moves and show them who’s boss.
I am thinking about this stuff more and more lately as the day when we start “trying” doesn’t seem as far off as it did a few months ago. I am so inspired by the type 1 women who have had successful pregnancies and know that my pre-worrying is a bit on the cuckoo side. But I also know it’s normal as we PWD can’t just throw caution to the wind and have to actually really plan and work hard for our pregnancies. In the end when I hold that little life, it’ll all be worth it.
Five things that are annoying about traveling with diabetes:
1. The amount of space diabetes stuff takes up in your bag – Pump supplies, snacks, batteries, extra test strips, CGM sensors, Insulin. This is valuable clothes-packing real estate!
2. The wonky blood sugar levels that always seem to happen with long car rides.
3. Feeling guilty about not bringing copies of your Rxs like every good travelling diabetic should.
4. Attempting to test your blood sugar in the car – why is it that we always hit a bump just as I’m about to prick my finger?
5. Being out of your diabetes comfort zone.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
5 average blood sugars, according to my Dexcom:
1. 90 day average = 168
2. 60 day average = 163
3. 30 day average = 150
2. 10 day average = 144
1. 3 day average =128!!!!!
I think I’m moving in the right direction! I am so, so happy I bit the bullet and got this tool. It has made me understand my diabetes and my body so much better. I am actually excited to get my A1c result next month!!
Happy Friday!
1. This week has been fairly “easy” on the dieting front. I haven’t given it much thought – logged my calories and moved on with my day. I haven’t been overly hungry or feeling annoyed that I can’t shouldn’t eat XYZ. I’m feeling confident going into the weekend. I wish every week could be like this on the weight loss-front!
2. Sometimes, when I have a day that shows yellow on my CGM graph, I’ll change my high threshold just to see if it’s really that bad. My current high threshold is 170, so if I change it to 200, voila! Those pesky yellow lines disappear and I feel like I’m not the world’s worst diabetic. 🙂
3. I really want to start going to some of these awesome Diabetes conferences! Definitely a goal for 2014. Hope everyone’s having fun at the Friends For Life Conference in Orlando!!!
4. Apple with PB is my new favorite snack. Yum yum!
5. I cannot wait to see what my A1c is next month. However, I worry that if it’s at or below 7.o I’m gonna be all, “Let’s make a baby NOW!” when I know that logically, it’s not quite time yet.
Happy weekend DOC!
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