Living with Diabetes and Lapband

I'm in Austin, sitting at a table all day working on computer / book work. Complete change of routine, food, etc.

My mantra is: the diameter and cords are all shorter than the circumference of the circle. I'm in the Hilton Airport Hotel, there are two elevators positions (4 total). My room is closest to the grass (this is good), and the work area is on the lowest level on the opposite side of the building. I can take the diameter or the cords. Math, even bad math comes in handy (remember, while I am certified in math, I teach CS, and I get kids to pass math tests).

Both early Monday morning and Tuesday morning Dulce woke me up crying. Checked and sure enough was dropping fast. Quick sugar fix, quick walk outside, and we were back to bed.

While it is a pain to keep up with cages, dog food, bowls, toys and other dog paraphilia, it's also nice to know that she's not going to let some poor maid find a dead body. Or someone in some type of coma.

Now if I can just get the humans to take turns giving dictation instead of doing it both at once…..

There have been two stories in the news and Scott Johnson shared both of them on Facebook. Once was a diabetic woman who got beat up by cops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LfNjwVQcp4&utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=bufferf8ace&utm_medium=facebook

And one was about a man who killed a child: http://abcnews.go.com/US/diabetic-driver-fatally-hit-girl-previous-accident/story?id=19677565&utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer03d79&utm_medium=facebook

Here's how type 2 usually works. The patient slowly gets more and more insulin resistant over time. At some point, they show up at the doctor's office and they have accumulated diabetes symptoms over several years. Remember, it's a gradual onset, nothing dramatic or sudden. So they didn't realize they were having problems. They are seeing a typical primary care physician who is over worked and has 15 minutes per patient. Most say, oh, we can fix this with diet and exercise, and send them home with a diet. If they are lucky they get an A1c, but are not told the results. Most are over 10.

And guess what the biggest symptom of high blood sugar they are having? Sugar cravings!! Can they stay on that diet. NO! (Remember, I live this and have the sugar thing going on right now).

If they are lucky they will go back to the doctor a couple of times before the doctor gives them a pill. Oh, and they probably haven't seen a meter yet either.

The good news, is first pills thrown at newly diagnosed diabetics rarely cause lows. They also don't do anything about highs, remember that blood sugar craving.

Oh, and when they are given the meter, they are only given one test strip a day. Typical protocol is to test two mornings a week, two days before lunch, two days before dinner, etc. Is this going to give anyone any worthwhile data?

They are really lucky if they ever see a CDE and ever given any real education on diet and exercise.

Why am I not this kind of diabetic? My dad was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 42, died of congestive heart failure of 48. I was also diagnosed at 42.

Good news. I'm 53 right now.

Decided to pack light, so brought down just my room key, computer cord, the dog, her cage, and her Likety Stick, my phone, key, and my blood sugar test kit. Whoops – I just ran out of test strips and meant to put new strips in the kit. Guess who forgot. Fortunately they have a group of people helping us and one of them is trying to find my box of test strips in my room. So far, she brought me my tape for my infusion sets, so I may have to go up yet, but we are scheduled for a break soon.

And yeah, that's traveling light.

That will teach me.

She had me up last night and sure enough my blood sugar was dropping faster then it should.

Ate some sugar, walked her and back to bed.

Snarl that my management wasn't better but there you go.

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Climbing up on soapbox. You say you want a service dog to help you out.

via blackdogsrule.com

They are absolutely right. While Dulce has made my life easier in some ways, she also makes it harder.

Yesterday I finished another CGMS Sensor -- swapping out pumps solved my problems, I believe.

Here's my latest report -- and I am definitely testing more, and I have a better picture of what is going on with my blood sugar so I am accomplishing my goals.

Had my annual Saturday.

Didn't need to change anything, but did that a month ago. No signs of complications or other eye disease.

My doctor's office does retinal imaging and has over a decade of pictures.

So far this summer, consuming 40 carbs, bolusing none and walking on the treadmill and fixing later has been working.

However, I end up with a bit of a high.

Since the CGMS , consuming 40 carbs, bolusing half and walking on the treadmill and not having to do much of a fix has been working.

BUT

40 carbs = a lot of calories. I would like to eliminate those calories.

Yesterday I tried cutting my basal to half for an hour. 40 minutes in, Dulce said I should quit. I stuck it out until 45. Made it to a Sonic for an ice cream cone but didn't make it through Tom Thumb to get lunch. I think I ended up eating MORE calories.

Then my lap band had to get into the act.

I felt like crap for the rest of the day.

Wish me luck. Today, I'm doing 0 insulin for an hour, no insulin for 9 carbs, and half insulin for 19 carbs.

Sunday morning (sometimes Saturday) is when I usually organize my medications for the week (okay, I usually work a week ahead).

And since I'm going out of town soon, I'm going ahead and preparing today. Following my WWSHD plan (What would Scott Hanselman do), and the fact I am going to be gone for a week, I'm packing one small bag of medical supplies. That includes extra meters, emergency supplies and the like. I also put my gym clothing, night clothing, and swimsuit in that bag, leaving a large bag with my actual wardrobe.

It's easier to start out with unopened boxes, so I do that as much as possible, though I stick to taking just one back each of needles.

I also plan for an extra day of medication.

One of things I am adamant about is that I don't ever run low on meds, and I always have at least a full week of meds on hand. I really end up with at least two weeks, but that's great, because sometimes it takes Medco (now Express Scripts) that long to get me medication.

I also don't actually pack everything but put it in a pile, so I can see if I am missing anything. And it includes things like extra contacts, back up glasses (since I forgot mine the last trip),etc. Anything that will be a PITA is I don't have and even harder to replace.

I was ready with new infusion set, insulin, etc when the UPS guy arrived.  Good news, it was time to switch out and the sensor was only a few hours old.

I got everything programmed except the low insulin warning, couldn't find that setting, and wasn't sure how they wanted the old pump, so called in for help.  Found the setting while we were waiting on his computer.

Everything is up and working again, including the sensor and the old pump is dropped off at Office Depot.

I am suspecting this is the cause of my issues.