Good news about these lows
July 30, 2012
They have been slow drops, not panic causing, and easily fixed. I've also been able to get training samples on two of them.
They have been slow drops, not panic causing, and easily fixed. I've also been able to get training samples on two of them.
We haven't taught a formal alert for lows. Dulce was trying to tell me that I was going low, and didn't know how.
Listen to the dog!
May have to start teaching it, as I've headed towards low daily now.
You go low.
I’ve been running around with my blood sugar way too high for two years. For the past three to four weeks, I’ve made an effort to change that and I’m checking my blood sugar, doing boluses when I should and in other words, not ignoring the fact I’m diabetic.
I’ve gone in the low range three days in a row at the gym. Not treatable on Thursday, not even low enough for dog training samples. Definitely treatable and dog training samples today and yesterday.
So the good news, is when I get back from Milwaukie, I’ll have something to work with. Today I even did a temporary basal which helped, but not enough. I’ll have to think on this.
I didn’t used to really have to worry about it.
I’ll take hints.
Well, not really, but I had been out with Dulce at the local Discount Tire when I found out my tires were bad. Each of the store staff had to hear the story. At least only one of the guys had to know why she wasn’t with me – I’d given her the day off.
I know better than to not take her to my gym – I have to go to another gym if I want to work out without her.
Thursday is when the district will first meet after receiving the paperwork.
It takes VmWare Player at https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads and a valid copy of Windows XP as an .iso file.
Had to install all the updates and give it a decent sized screen, but once I did, I’ve got a working Windows XP machine on my Windows 7 box and I have ExManager running in it, with the USB doggle on Com 7.
If the world is really interested I can provide more information, but it not hard to and fairly portable. I’ve been concerned that my last Windows XP machine would die and sure don’t want Vista laying around if I can help it.
Diasend in good, but lets face it, you can’t do anything with the pump settings and manual is painful.
Got the basic information from the #IBMInnovationSummerCamp with some conformation from the IBMer’s, so thanks guys.
After running way too high for far too long, I’m finally running around with normal blood sugar. Did a bit of a oops today, went to the gym and worked out without taking any allowance on the insulin. I usually either drop my temporary basal, or ingest some carbs before I go to the gym.
I hit a 79 according to the meter, but held it all together and gathered 3 samples, saved them and labeled them properly. Treated it with a glucose tablet and an ice cream cone – which was sort of my list of things to do today anyway – and went on my way.
I want to concentrate on the high blood sugar samples until we get that down – I’m more likely to be high and I have plenty of those samples.
Dulce and I are doing three to four training sessions a day with the high blood sugar samples and I’m keep her with me most of the time. I did give her and I a break today at the IBM camp tour. It wasn’t going to be a normal situation for us, and I didn’t want to take anything away from what they were trying to accomplish.
All and in all good week, and I’m probably much more healthier than I’ve been in the past two years.
Here’s a quick activity to get started with clicker training:
Start with a really good dog trainer, an older dog with decent manners who is operant and some imagination. Also do some internet research and have some conversations.
I have been collecting scent samples when I am out of range. I have been using 2x2 gauze pads, rinsing my mouth with water, then putting them in my mouth. Put them in a zip lock bag and then freezing them.
To train a scent dog, you need identical containers that will release scent. You want some containers to have scent and some not. I am using salt shakers, really tiny ones from a restaurant supply store. They are about $1.00 a shaker. They already have holes.
I started by clicking her whenever she looked at the scent one. Then I started hiding them in my pockets. I also used to, a scent one and a non-scented one, and clicked whenever she showed interested in the scented one.
At the same time, I worked on the alert. I want her to pick up her leash whenever she senses I am out of range. I tied a knot in the leash so that she would know that there was something different and clicked when she nosed the knot. Once she was consistent nosing the knot, I progressed to open mouth, then grabbing knot, then picking up knot. All basic clicking 101 stuff.
I also take her everywhere I go now, reinforcing good behavior, verbally correctly atrocious behavior and taking her out on a regular basis. Just basic stuff.
Now that I have an alert, I’m just reinforcing alert behavior whenever it is appropriate. If my blood sugar is high, we do sessions without the shaker, if my blood sugar is in range we use the shaker.
Today was much calmer at the workshop and after three days, the environment much more familiar, so I had the cage door open the majority of the day. The goal is to not have the door on the crate at all. Gives Dulce boundaries, and gives her added safety from getting stepped on as she snoozes the majority of the day. Yes, people, your dog spends most of its day snoozing.
At lunch, I went without cage (and dummy me forgot she had put a carbineer on her belt loop for this purpose) to the cafeteria, and managed to get lunch and drink without spilling any. I actually had a meal without her in the crate. We did move to the back of the room as she wanted to each plate of food when it came in.
I did end up with a high blood sugar and took it as a training opportunity. Unfortunately when you still cheesecake from a friend, it still has carbs.
We have been at the IBM Innovations Summer Camp this week, and while the kids were taking a tour of UTD, I stayed in the lab with Dulce. Took some time to work on our indication, and I am going to get someone to take a photo tomorrow as it is beyond freaking cute.
What I have been wanting is for Dulce to pick up her leash when my blood sugar is high. To make it easier, I’ve tied a know.
For several sessions she’s been touching the knot, but since before lunch she has been consistently picking it up. In fact this afternoon I started adding my scent as a cue for the pickup and doing some scent discrimination work. She seems to get it.
It helps that she is extremely operant. It helps that she already knows when my blood sugar is high. Put the two together and it doesn’t take much.
And yes, I’ve very proud of my smart girl!