Living With Diabetes

Posted by at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by at 7:38 AM | Permalink

Posted by at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My blood sugar has been normal for the last day and a half. Blood sugar was actually at 126 in the morning, only exciting if you realize that my fasting blood sugar has been around 170 if not higher.

I actually got to get on the treadmill and walk tonight and able to skip my dinner bolus.  Something I haven't been able to do in months.

Starting to wonder if I have been sick for months, not just days or weeks.  Of course, there is the chicken and the egg thing, which came first, the illness or the high blood sugar. 

Posted by at 8:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's real article -- I was interviewed for this back before World Diabetes day but they decided to save it for a later time, since they were focusing on children and mostly Type 1 at the time.

When Kathleen Weaver got her Type 2 diabetes diagnosis five years ago, she started the fight of her life. The disease that took her father wasn't about to get the best of her.

Source: Health blogs provide a port in life's storms | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Life/Travel

Posted by at 9:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm in the Dallas Morning News, not a great thing when you work for Dallas ISD, but at least it's about blogging and not school ... 

But even blogger Kathleen Weaver, a diabetes patient, admits that the Internet can take her only so far.

"If it's a real question and I'm really worried about it, I e-mail my doctor first," she says. "I have a really good endocrinologist who e-mails back."

Source: Don't look for a diagnosis online | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Health | Dallas Morning News

Posted by at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What's a Chumy?  See http://www.chumby.com -- or better yet, see my Chumby here:

It's an internet appliance that can replace your clock rado/ alarm clock, and is a whole lot easier to set than a real one.  It could be easier yet, and probably will be some day -- I still want to be able to program the alarms on the internet and lots of people want to program them using something like Google Calendar.

I love mine, but husband thinks I'm nuts.

Posted by at 10:53 PM | Permalink

The second time, I think in about 4 months that I had decent blood sugar readings.  It's been driving me nuts, screwing up my vision, and probably caused the bronchitis.  I finally just bit the buillet and upped the afternoon boluses to match the morning, since I haven't been able to work out in the evenings....

I am definately still feeling the bronchitics.  It takes forever for the lungs to heal.

Posted by at 10:38 PM | Permalink

Posted by at 11:04 PM | Permalink

Tihs blog has existed for 5 years as of this week. My first entry was on February 28th, 2003.  Oddly enough, I will be traveling on that date.  I'm hoping to have time to write a good blog entry on the plane, and post it before I get on the ship.

I started this blog a few months after being diagnosed with diabetes, and the primary reason I started the blog was because I wanted to get better at writing and I needed a topic to write about.  Also, I teach computer science and I find myself on many different computers during the day, and having information about my diabtes on the internet was helpful.  WhenI need some information, i can just do a search on the website, and don't have to keep track of the data.

I've never really meant it for others -- though i have been considering opening up a bit.  I rarely participate in activities designed to build links -- basically I've believed that if you need something here, you'll find it.

Lately though, I've been wondering if I should reach out more in my life.... There are lots of reasons for me to feel that way.

By the way, you can track my diabetes control on how active I am here -- when it is not good and I can't get it together, I don't post much. 

Lately part of the problem is that I try not to blog at school -- even though I do have some time periods when my students are working on projects, and I'm basically staying out of their way so they can get something done.  If I talk to much, I take up their time, plus they don't listen to me.  Usually on the first few days of a project, they don't need me.  In fact, if I do a good teaching job, they shouldn't need me at all through the project, but that never happens. 

I'm also working on a website for the district so that does take up a lot of my time, both during school AND after school. 

This lately blogging has been very sporatic, but I'm hoping it will get better soon.

Posted by at 10:11 PM | Permalink

Yes, I am getting ready for the cruise.  I've gotten everything together in advance that I can.  Student schedules are made out until the end of the week next week, all of their grades are in the gradebook except those from today, software is downloaded in preparation....

i've got my check in  bag packed.  That was hard, I wanted to take a smaller case, but I just can't.  In fact, I had to unzip the expansion part of the bag and make it bigger.

I cut my supplies in half, hoping that would help, but it didn't give me enough room.  I also tossed as many boxes as I could, but all the medical stuff needs to have their orignal labels from what i understand.

I'm starting to feel a bit better from the bronchitis, and finding it a bit easier to breath.  It's no fun though.

Posted by at 9:28 PM | Permalink

I suspected it and it was true.  I had a horrible coughing fit while I was trying to get ready this morning, so I requested a sub, left an email with instrucutions, called in, and then when back to bed.  Slept a couple of hours and then got into the primary care's physician office for a diagnosis and left with a prescription of antibotics.

Spent the entire day just relaxing and not exerting any effort and hoping to be good enough for tomorrow.

Posted by at 10:12 PM | Permalink

Posted by at 9:49 AM | Permalink

And yes, I am thrilled Uno won. 

Everyone I know has asked my opinion on it and ...

First, he is truly the prettiest beagle I've ever met -- though Macy's father is right up there, however, I didn't meet him in his prime and ready for the show ring. He's also got the most personality I've ever seen in a show beagle, and I've even been to two national specialities.  Between those two fact, yes, I think he deserved to win, and I think he'll deserve to be Number 1 15" beagle of all time.  He's not yet but I'm quite sure if they show him enough, he will be.  Heck, he's only 2 1/2.

Second, he's related to Macy.  Macy's father -- the winnest 13" beagle of all time -- is his father's grandfather.  So in some weird way, Macy and he is related.  Funny, because Uno is only 5 months older than Macy.  And now you know why 13" and 15" beagles are born in the same litter -- they are ALL related.

Third, his co owners are spot on good people. I think I was introduced to the Austin woman when I was showing Macy.  However, I have met the male co owners -- there are two, and they have always been very kind and gracious to me.  Back in the day when I was showing U-CDX Weaver's Peppermint Patty UD in obedience, the co-owners, the handler and the rest of the handler's family used to come and watch Patty in obedience.  I also used to go watch the handler show when he was in Jr's.  Patty and he both won awards at the National speciality the same year, so I know we were at least introduced then, but remember visiting ring side with all of them in the past.

So I'm very pleased that some deserving people won, and also believe that he's a purty little dog. FYI:  Yes, that's how I pronounce pretty when it's a male and it's a beagle winning.  He's just flat out purty.

By the way, Macy isn't quite a pretty but she has his attitude.

Posted by at 6:25 PM | Permalink

I like to portion out my medication in the 7day strips -- I do the same for the dogs and that way I know if I have taken (or given) the meds for the day.  On trips, I like to use the pouches from EzDose.  The strips come open in your luggage, at least mine do, and taping them is a pain.  However, that is not exactly legal, you're supposed to have the original labels.

On the other hand, I don't want to carry the 90 day bottles. 

I wish Medco would just send out extra labels like Caremark did when we used them, but no going.

So here's my compromise.  Medco sent me extra 90 bottles for most of my meds.  The ones they didn't send, I already had two bottles of, so just dumped the meds out of one bottle into another.  Yeah, lots are mixed now, but shouldn't be a huge deal.

However, that's a lot of bottles to carry but I've got the pouches in a 1 guart ziploc bag, and then the 90 bottles and that bag in a 1 gallon ziploc bag.  It fits in the large outside pocket of my carryon fine.

I also realized I hadn't packed pen needles, so added a box to my checked baggage back.  It's easier to deal with the unopened box, then it is with partial.  I still have two vials to use on the Symlin so am not thinking pen needles.  I also need to toss in a couple of bags of syringes for just in case, though I have a feeling in a true emeregency they would have some.

So far I have the following packed:

• Pill medication (liquids will go in last)
• Formal wear, including bag, shoes and hair stuff
• Exercise shoes (bought new)
• Nightwear and brushes (bought new for the trip)
• Extra pump batteries (in carry on)

My next on the list is exercise wear.  I want to take two sets of exercise wear.  I also want to put in a laundry bag to put my used clothing in.  I believe I have a collapsible one (or two), that will fit in my checked luggage.

So my plan is to have in my carryon: medication, one complete full outfit, which I will wear on the way back, extra pump, extra pump supplies in bag, and CPAP machine.  I'll have my travel papers and regular medications in my "purse".

Everything else will go in the checked bag.

And I have less than two weeks to go on the trip. In fact, two weeks from today I'll be in Mexico.

Posted by at 9:18 AM | Permalink

My luggage and packing cubes have arrived.  I've started packing.

I've put my medicatoin in packets and am trying to get some documentation for it. I am going to ask my doctor today (Have an appointment in a few minutes) and might go by the local pharmacy to get some help.

I've got my formal clothing, shoes, and bag packed -- won't need that until the cruise.  Also have a new pair of walking shoes, same as the ones I own, ready.  Also have spares of all my medical stuff ready to go.  That's going to go in the checked bag.

I'm planning that the medication, one outfit, nightgown, CPAP and spare pump goes in the carry on.  That's another thing -- I've got a loaner pump coming.

Posted by at 8:13 AM | Permalink

My last sensor lasted almost two weeks. I put it in two weeks ago last Thursday and it finally came out yesterday evening.    Only one problem -- it wasn't as accurate as others.  Trend was okay, but not great.

I've got about two weeks until my trip, so I might not put another sensor in until the Tuesday before I go.  Can't decide, but I do think giving my skin and body a rest is a good idea and cheaper.

Posted by at 8:04 AM | Permalink

I had one good run today.  Unforunately still have high blood sugar so still exhausted, can't see, etc.

However, I got a LOT done.  I'm strating to get ready for my trip.  I have been researching the plane trip and discovered the TSA are now letting us put our CPAP machines in plastic bags, so I stopped by Walmart and got two sizes.  The 2 1/2 gallon size worked well for my Responics, and a 2 gallon might work, but I'm happy with it.  Wrote my name, phone number and address on it, and MEDIzCAL DEVICE.

Got new shoes, love the current treadmill shoes, New Balance is still carrying them so bought a pair.

Hot new skirts.  That's been a huge problem, as I  didn't have any winter skirts that fit.  I'm down to two heavy skirts that I am swapping out a lot.  Avenue has really cute cargo style skits with lots of pockets.  I picked up 2 in black, olive and khaki. They are a good weight for the whole year, so I'm good.  I have plenty of summer weight, but just can't wear them this time of year.

I've also packed my medication -- but that was mostly to make sure I have enough of everything I need -- since I do most mail order, it's at least 1 week before it's in my possession after i ordered, two if the doctor has to get involved.

Posted by at 7:27 PM | Permalink

My blood sugar hit 352 this evening.  I don't know why.  I do know how I feel when I'm at 352.

I can't see.

I really want the chocolate downstairs but it hurts to much to go downstairs.

Oh, and everything hurts.

And sadly, I really just want to die.

I know it's the sugar.  I just don't know how to fix it. 

The good news, Macy loves me.  I think Marcie does too, not sure about Maggie, but then she's a mess too.  -- oh, those are my beagles.

Posted by at 6:01 AM | Permalink

To be very blunt, very few of the people who have written about this study so far, are as affected by this study than I am. I'm the closest to the demographic -- being Type 2.

Quoted from http://public.nhlbi.nih.gov/newsroom/home/GetPressRelease.aspx?id=2551:

NHLBI - Press Release

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health has stopped one treatment within a large, ongoing North American clinical trial of diabetes and cardiovascular disease 18 months early due to safety concerns after review of available data, although the study will continue.

 

Here's my take on it.  Right now, my blood sugar is the worst it's been in ages and it's been that way for months. I'm about to move up my endo's appointment if it doesn't get better soon.

My blood sugar has been bouncing up and down and has been in the 200's most of the day.  This affects my day to day living:

My vision is blurred. I am very cranky and hard to get along with. I say things I don't mean, or at least wouldn't say if I was in my normal state.  I'm exhausted most of the time.  I am not sleeping well.  I am hungry all the time and crave food.

So I'm trying to get back to my normal good control because I am SICK.  Not sick enough to call in sick but certainly not well --and I've even said that to students two or three times this week.

So for me, tight control is the right thing.  If it causes a major cardio vascular event, so be it, frankly I'm hoping for the sudden, major event that kills me, since I watched my dad die a slow and often painful death.

Oh, yeah, and I'm depressed too....

Posted by at 8:07 PM | Permalink

Posted by at 8:41 AM | Permalink