Wordless Wednesday 10.2.13

Have a great Wednesday, DOC!

 

Wordless Wednesday 9.25.13

This is what I did during my two overnight lows last night – at least I was productive?  Right?  Clipping coupons and looking at food circulars while trying not to eat all the food…oh, the irony.

Wordless Wednesday -9.18.13

Monday was a tough BG day.  I felt like no matter what I did, I could not get above 100.

Wordless Wednesday – August 21

I’m still super pumped about my A1C results.  I love that Duke
lets you see everything online – it’s so nice to see that downward trend.
I’ll stop talking about it now, I’m just excited since this is the best A1C
I’ve had since, I don’t know, around diagnosis?  :o)

Wordy Wednesday

I’ll get back to Wordless Wednesday next week.

Today I had my much-anticipated endocrinologist appointment.  This was the first appointment in which I’d get my a1c since going back on the pump and starting with my Dexcom CGM.

I was called back by the nurse and she took my vitals.  I told her that I was super excited about getting my a1c and was hoping it’d be around 7.0.  After doing her thing, my a1c still wasn’t ready so she sent me back to the waiting room and told me she’d come out and let me know what it was.  A few minutes later she came out with a huge smile on her face and whispered in my ear….

….

what do you think?

Did I do it?

……

Did I hit 7.0?

Well, I didn’t hit 7.0.  I knocked it out of the freaking park!  6.8!!!!!  Sixpointfreakingeight!  I haven’t had an a1c that low since…never.  I honestly can’t remember having an a1c in the sixes throughout my 14 1/2 years with diabetes.  I may have when I was first diagnosed, but not in the last 8-10 years, I know that much.

I almost started crying.

I am so happy that my a1c has shown all of my efforts.  And, I was texting with my friend and made the realization.  It has been tough, sure, but it’s not like I’ve stopped living my life in order to reach this goal.  I’ve made small adjustments and just made my diabetes management a priority.  The Dexcom has helped tremendously.  I no longer fear going low as I have faith that it will alert me if I need to take action.  And when it tells me I’m higher than I’d like to be, I adjust.  The constant contact with my CDE and her feedback have also been an enormous help.

So, back to the appointment.  My endo walked in and also had a big smile on her face.  She asked me if I wanted to hear the good news.  I said, “6.8!!!”  She was bummed that the nurse told me, haha.  She said that she is so proud of me.  When I first started with her last June, I was 8.9.  My last a1c in April, I was 7.9.  I’ve made diabetes my bitch.

I had a long list of questions for her regarding a (hopeful) upcoming pregnancy.  Here’s a rundown:

• Given my current numbers/a1c, when can I start TTC?

  • NOW!

• What are my pre/post meal BG goals during pregnancy?

  • Pre – 60-90

  • 1 hour post – below 140

  • 2 hours post – 100-120

• When should I start taking pre-natal vitamins?

  • Now.  (I already did.  I win)

• Vytorin – when should I stop taking it?

  • NOW!  She was adamant about this.  Guess I gotta lay off the steak and other cholesterol-y foods from now on.

• What about synthroid?

  • Keep taking and call her AS SOON AS I have a positive pregnancy test.  (She said, “don’t even tell your husband, CALL ME!”)  Haha.  I guess as soon as I find out I’m pregnant, I need to take extra synthroid that week and adjust my dosage.

• How long before we start trying should I stop taking pills?

  • She said that although “they” say it takes about 3 months, it can happen the first month so she suggested a month or two before, but “Be ready” for a positive result!

• Caffeine/artificial sweetener intake during pregnancy?  What is safe?  When should I give it up/start limiting it?

  • She is OK with small amounts of caffeine – in her words a cup of coffee with stevia and half and half is OK.  She said one additional drink with artificial sweetener is OK.  I think I’ll switch to half caf and possibly go to decaf.

• How often will I have to go to the DR?

  • Endo appointments – monthly.  Email BGs weekly.

  • OBGyn – probably about twice/month, more towards the end (obviously)

  • CDE – communicate via email, appointments as needed.

• If BG is high/low, what is the best way to correct?  does the 15-15-15 rule still apply?  Bolus or increased temp basal?

  • 15-15-15 rule still applies.

  • She said most women bolus but if they remain high, then they will do a temp basal.

• What is my carb intake goal at meals?

  • She was telling me something about the rule of nines – 2/9 of my carbs will be at each meal (so 6/9 total) and 1/9 at 3 snacks.  Although she didn’t give me my daily carb intake.  But did say that I will be meeting with a nutritionist.

• Daily calorie range?  How much weight gain is expected/realistic?

  • 300 additional calories per day.  25-35 pounds is normal, but since I’m fat already (my words), I’ll have to be careful and shouldn’t gain as much.

• Any foods I should stay away from other than the usual for pregnant ladies?

  • She didn’t say anything specific.

She wants me to make an eye doctor appointment within the next few months.  We also made some adjustments to my I:C ratios – lunch went from 1:9 to 1:8 and dinner went from 1:8 to 1:6 to prevent some of those mid afternoon and post-dinner spikes.

Soooo, there you have it.  As soon as the hubs and I are ready, we can get down to business.  Eeeeeeek!  I’m so excited/nervous/scared/happy/about to poop my pants!

Here’s your picture for WW – my “Oh shit!” face!

Wordless-ish Wednesday – 8/7 My Bug-Out Bag!

Inspired by my husband’s guest post about prepping with diabetes, I have made a Bug-Out Bag.  OK, fine.  I traveled last weekend and left all my supplies packed to be my B.O.B. This bag is something that has enough supplies to get me through a few days with Type 1, should there be a fire or other emergency which makes us have to escape our home quickly.  In it I have:

• 100 test strips
• Glucose Tabs
• 4 infusion sets/reservoirs for pump site changes
• Alcohol swabs
• 2 CGM sensors
• Syringes
• Old box of insulin with Rx info

So should there ever be an emergency, all I really need to grab is insulin.  I used packaging that sheets came in and I really like that it’s clear so I can see what is in there, has a zipper so stuff won’t fall out, and is plastic so at least water-resistant.  And it has a handle.  Woohoo!  It would be great to also throw in a Rx for Lantus, extra battery, and glucagon.  But, this is a start and with the addition of insulin, would be enough to get me through a week or so until we received help from outside sources like the Red Cross.

Wordless Wednesday 7/24: Just a spoonful of sugar…

Is probably all that’s missing from my Mary Poppins Bag Purse…

The contents:
-Wallet
-2 Checkbooks
-Coupon Wallet
-Keys
-3 Smashed Granola Bars
-5 Pens
-5 Syringes
-1 Dead Apidra Pen
-HUGE bottle of Aleve
-Pepto
-Eye Drops
-Glucometer
-Statement from Endo’s office
-2 packs of gum
-CGM
-Glucose Tabs
-2 lip glosses
-Chap Stick
-Concealer
-Compact
-Brush
-2 hair ties
and the thing I am most proud of…
-Only ONE random test strip!

What’s missing?  The only thing that jumps out at me is a backup infusion set and batteries for my pump.

Wordless Wednesday – Perspective

A day with my current settings of 75/170. I don’t like that yellow!

Changing my high setting back to the default (200) makes me feel much better about my day. 🙂

 

I currently have my Dexcom settings on 75/170 but sometimes, if I go over the 170 high threshold, I change the threshold back to the default (200) to see if the day was really that bad.  Sometimes, it makes me feel much better about my sugars, which may be needed after a particularly mentally challenging Diabetes Day.  A little mental boost goes a long way.

 

(Don’t worry, I always change it back to 170.)

Wordless Wednesday – Mmmmm, Bacon.

A diet without bacon is not the diet for me.

Wordless Wednesday – Pizza Party Pooper!

Pizza is a party pooper!

 

OK, not so wordless post, but my pretty-ish little graph needs an explanation.  On Friday night the hubs was getting home from traveling and instead of being an awesome wife and cooking a home-cooked welcome home meal, I decided to order pizza.  Since Pizza + Diabetes = Pain in the bolusing behind, I decided to do a combo bolus of 75% (6 units) pre-meal and 25% (2 units) 90 minutes post meal.  Didn’t work so hot.  I think next time I’ll try a 60/40 split with the second bolus 2-2.5 hours post-meal.  Oh, pizza, why do you have to be so good but so bolus-confusion-worthy?