i am so impressed! i have been doing a lot of reading lately. blogs. lots and lots of blogs. and it seems i am falling in love with them all! it all started when i decided to join this wonderful blogging community. i lurked a wee bit, then decided, that perhaps i could add a little bit to this great big family of PWD and those that take care of them and love them. so i started this. after reading about D-Blog week over on Karen's blog @ Bitter~Sweet, i decided to join in. i could write about a certain topic each day. and i did! and i loved doing it! and over the past week i have loved reading everyone's posts. it is such a relief to me to find, that after many, many years, there are others out there dealing with the same things i have been dealing with! unexplainable lows, and highs, and all in the same day! feeling like crap, and not being able to explain to anyone why, or at least so as they could understand. having to explain to "people of little knowledge" that "yes, i can eat this", and "no, it won't kill me". today, i was reading one of my favourite sites DiabetesMine. the post was called "it's contextual, stupid", and i just sat there nodding my head at everything AmyT said!! it was funny because my husband was watching me read, and was laughing at me sitting there nodding away as if i was in conversation with someone. and in fact, i felt i was, cause there i was, agreeing with everything, and nodding like she could see me!! 8) i was alone, but it felt like i had known AmyT for years, and we were having a coffee and discussing this phenomenon i call the "need to know" person!
you'll have to read the article. it's great, and i've wondered how others handle this situation, but not knowing another diabetic, personally, never had anyone to ask.
now i know that i can ask anything on here, and someone will answer! cause we are all living the D-life and going through/or have already gone through, similar things! thanks everyone! enjoy your weekend!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
well.....update on the Inset30 infusion set
today was a "lazy" day. i didn't do a whole lot. i did have a little person here with me. my 15mth old granddaughter. she is a little sweetie. she makes me laugh with the faces she makes. my husband and my grandson went to visit our son, and do a little fishing. so it was girls day! no boys today!
which really doesn't mean a lot! the house got just as messy, and there was just as much noise. this leads me to believe that perhaps it's not the boys that make all the mess! however, we did have fun! and after yesterday morning, i needed some. 8-)
yesterday, was not such a fun day. well it certainly didn't start fun. it started "stupid" and will definately be on a "bloopers" list someday in the future.
as i think i have mentioned before (probably 100 times!), i have recently started using an Animas Ping pump. so far things have been pretty good. i love how it tracks things, and i don't really have to do any math (other than carb counting which i can do sleeping!). so i have tried a couple different infusion sets, and as i mentioned the other day, i was going to try the Inset30. now i had read the book, and watched the little video. i thought i had it all down pat. perhaps i was still a little sleepy. i didn't think so. i had driven my hubby to work, and left plenty of time before the grandkids arrived to do the site change, and even make a coffee!
then Murphy arrived. Murphy and i are not really close, and he always arrives when he is least wanted. he really should call first and then i would tell him that i didn't have time for a visit from him!
so i disconnect from the pump. i take out the old cartridge, and fill a new one. all is good. i rewind, i load cartridge, perfect. i choose a new site and i begin the 'procedure'. i am following the instructions in the book to a T. i get to the part about insertion, and here i go.
"Position Inset30 with its legs level (flat) on the skin to ensure an insertion angle of 30`. Make sure to maintain a 30` angle while inserting and gently squeeze once to insert Inset30."
and as i am doing this my eyes skip to the row of words above this one which reads "Immediately before insertion, carefully remove the needle protector. Be sure the tape is not stuck on the introducer needle"
i look down and think "where is that little plastic shield? is it in me??" with that thought barely formed, i have ripped the Inset30 out of my body, and dropped it on the table. there is now blood gushing out of me. and why wouldn't there be? there is a little tiny blue plastic bit stuck somewhere under my skin acting as a tube of some sort to assist in the gushing!!!! grabbing kleenex, dabbing my wound (the needle on the Inset30 is HUGE!) i begin to look for the little blue needle protector. now you all know what i am talking about don't you? i know you do. on every single infusion set that i have used (totalling 3 different ones), there has been a little tiny blue plastic bit covering the needle.
so i decide at this time (7:15am) to call Animas helpline. oh, all their representatives are busy, please hold. still holding 15min later, a woman comes on and says that i should leave my name and number and she would have someone call me back within 10 minutes. okay fine.
and so i wait. and wait. and wait. my grandkids get dropped off every day at 7:45. i am still waiting for a call. i feed them breakfast, and i am still waiting. teeth are brushed, still waiting. finally after gettting them settled in front of the tv (bad gramma), i decide to attempt this again. but before i do, i turn on my computer and watch the video. AHA!!! there is no little blue piece of plastic covering the needle!!! there is a big blue piece of plastic and it basically falls off all by itself when you pull back the spring to load the device!!!!
so now i go ahead and actually insert the Inset30, without too much panic, and without any major bleeding (none infact) and no pain!...i now can prime the tubing, and attach and prime the cannula, do a blood test (14.9 ~ a little stress?) and bolus for breakfast with a correction in there also!!
then the phone rings. i had forgot Animas was going to phone back. now i feel like a fool. but i spoke with a very helpful lady, who apologized for taking sooo long to call back. it seems that alot of the techs work from home and with the storms, they have no power, no phones, no internet. this made me feel better in an odd way. i told her about the stupid little blue cover, and how i thought it was stuck somewhere in my belly. she did not laugh at me (at least while i was on the line), and she answered all my questions. she was very helpful, and told me i was not the first, nor would i be the last to think they "had stuck a little blue plastic bit in my body". good to know!
i ordered some supplies, and decided to stay away from the Inset30. not a big fan. nor am i a fan of Murphy. 8-{
which really doesn't mean a lot! the house got just as messy, and there was just as much noise. this leads me to believe that perhaps it's not the boys that make all the mess! however, we did have fun! and after yesterday morning, i needed some. 8-)
yesterday, was not such a fun day. well it certainly didn't start fun. it started "stupid" and will definately be on a "bloopers" list someday in the future.
as i think i have mentioned before (probably 100 times!), i have recently started using an Animas Ping pump. so far things have been pretty good. i love how it tracks things, and i don't really have to do any math (other than carb counting which i can do sleeping!). so i have tried a couple different infusion sets, and as i mentioned the other day, i was going to try the Inset30. now i had read the book, and watched the little video. i thought i had it all down pat. perhaps i was still a little sleepy. i didn't think so. i had driven my hubby to work, and left plenty of time before the grandkids arrived to do the site change, and even make a coffee!
then Murphy arrived. Murphy and i are not really close, and he always arrives when he is least wanted. he really should call first and then i would tell him that i didn't have time for a visit from him!
so i disconnect from the pump. i take out the old cartridge, and fill a new one. all is good. i rewind, i load cartridge, perfect. i choose a new site and i begin the 'procedure'. i am following the instructions in the book to a T. i get to the part about insertion, and here i go.
"Position Inset30 with its legs level (flat) on the skin to ensure an insertion angle of 30`. Make sure to maintain a 30` angle while inserting and gently squeeze once to insert Inset30."
and as i am doing this my eyes skip to the row of words above this one which reads "Immediately before insertion, carefully remove the needle protector. Be sure the tape is not stuck on the introducer needle"
i look down and think "where is that little plastic shield? is it in me??" with that thought barely formed, i have ripped the Inset30 out of my body, and dropped it on the table. there is now blood gushing out of me. and why wouldn't there be? there is a little tiny blue plastic bit stuck somewhere under my skin acting as a tube of some sort to assist in the gushing!!!! grabbing kleenex, dabbing my wound (the needle on the Inset30 is HUGE!) i begin to look for the little blue needle protector. now you all know what i am talking about don't you? i know you do. on every single infusion set that i have used (totalling 3 different ones), there has been a little tiny blue plastic bit covering the needle.
so i decide at this time (7:15am) to call Animas helpline. oh, all their representatives are busy, please hold. still holding 15min later, a woman comes on and says that i should leave my name and number and she would have someone call me back within 10 minutes. okay fine.
and so i wait. and wait. and wait. my grandkids get dropped off every day at 7:45. i am still waiting for a call. i feed them breakfast, and i am still waiting. teeth are brushed, still waiting. finally after gettting them settled in front of the tv (bad gramma), i decide to attempt this again. but before i do, i turn on my computer and watch the video. AHA!!! there is no little blue piece of plastic covering the needle!!! there is a big blue piece of plastic and it basically falls off all by itself when you pull back the spring to load the device!!!!
so now i go ahead and actually insert the Inset30, without too much panic, and without any major bleeding (none infact) and no pain!...i now can prime the tubing, and attach and prime the cannula, do a blood test (14.9 ~ a little stress?) and bolus for breakfast with a correction in there also!!
then the phone rings. i had forgot Animas was going to phone back. now i feel like a fool. but i spoke with a very helpful lady, who apologized for taking sooo long to call back. it seems that alot of the techs work from home and with the storms, they have no power, no phones, no internet. this made me feel better in an odd way. i told her about the stupid little blue cover, and how i thought it was stuck somewhere in my belly. she did not laugh at me (at least while i was on the line), and she answered all my questions. she was very helpful, and told me i was not the first, nor would i be the last to think they "had stuck a little blue plastic bit in my body". good to know!
i ordered some supplies, and decided to stay away from the Inset30. not a big fan. nor am i a fan of Murphy. 8-{
Monday, May 23, 2011
tomorrow i try the Inset 30
i am a little sad. right now, the site i am using is working great. the set i am using is the Contact-detach, and although i didn't like it the first time i used it, i am liking it now. it hasn't hurt, or itched, or got caught on anything (like a bar of soap, or a bath scrunchie thing, OR my granddaughter!).
tomorrow is site change day. i may have a "free shower", and that will be nice. i am nervous however, about using another infusion set. i have never tried this one before. it's called the Inset 30, it goes in on a 30 degree angle. apparently good for skinny people and sporty people. neither of which is me! these are free samples that came with my pump. and perhaps i will like them. i watched a video on how to use them, cause i was having a brain fart trying to figure it out, by reading the booklet. it seems easy as long as i keep the "feet" in the right position. should be easy peasy!! (i am trying to think positively here!!)
i will let you know how it goes.
wish me luck!
tomorrow is site change day. i may have a "free shower", and that will be nice. i am nervous however, about using another infusion set. i have never tried this one before. it's called the Inset 30, it goes in on a 30 degree angle. apparently good for skinny people and sporty people. neither of which is me! these are free samples that came with my pump. and perhaps i will like them. i watched a video on how to use them, cause i was having a brain fart trying to figure it out, by reading the booklet. it seems easy as long as i keep the "feet" in the right position. should be easy peasy!! (i am trying to think positively here!!)
i will let you know how it goes.
wish me luck!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
math for diabetics
i had a friend ask me about my pump the other day... i was explaining to her how it works. how i only have to "poke" myself every 3 days now instead of 4x/day. she asked what the advantage to that was. as i tried to explain this to her, i started to do the math. i had, until 2wks ago, been doing an average of 4 injections daily for the past 10 years. that's 120/mth ~1440/yr ~14400 over 10 years!!! i had never really done the math before! then add the 1/day for the 26yrs previous to that ~ 9490 thats over 23000 injections!! mind boggling!!
so after i told her the math stats, her first words were "i could never do that" and my reply
"you could if you had to"
not sure why every non-PWD says that, but there it is. and not sure why that was my reply. wish i thought of something better!
so after i told her the math stats, her first words were "i could never do that" and my reply
"you could if you had to"
not sure why every non-PWD says that, but there it is. and not sure why that was my reply. wish i thought of something better!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Hello long weekend!!
well it's friday, and the weekend is here!!!
i think it's going to be a busy weekend. we will be celebrating Mother's Day, at my house on Saturday. we had to attend a funeral on the real Mother's Day weekend, so i decided to invite my mom (and dad) over for a Mother's Day dinner.
the weekend will begin with grocery shopping. i work in a grocery store, so you'd think i would just do it while there, but no...i work till closing so no shopping for me. the next stop is my grandson's Lacrosse game. he is 5 and he is just beginning to get the game. he and his dad have been throwing the ball around for ages, and he can cradle and spin. but there are real kids and they all want the ball!!! it's a little bit of organized chaos!!!
then, we will have a light lunch. perhaps quiche and salad. not sure. working on low carb here. dinner will be potato salad, mini sliders (both chicken and beef mini burgers), and perhaps some grilled zucchini. i love zucchini!! almost as much as potato salad!! (not so low in the carb dept!!)
i believe if the weather holds, we may have a fire later in the evening while wating for the fireworks. they do a huge display this weekend, as it is the opening of our Little Lake Music Festival, which brings in great talent, and performs free concerts each Wednesday and Saturday evening during the summer. last year, fellow diabetic, and Animas pumper, George Canyon played here!!!
sunday, i work in the afternoon, so perhaps someone else will do the cooking and it will be ready when i come home at 5pm!!
monday will be a relaxing day. hope to sleep in a little and just laze around. perhaps do a little reading and relaxing outdoors in the sun.
hope you all have a great long weekend!!
i think it's going to be a busy weekend. we will be celebrating Mother's Day, at my house on Saturday. we had to attend a funeral on the real Mother's Day weekend, so i decided to invite my mom (and dad) over for a Mother's Day dinner.
the weekend will begin with grocery shopping. i work in a grocery store, so you'd think i would just do it while there, but no...i work till closing so no shopping for me. the next stop is my grandson's Lacrosse game. he is 5 and he is just beginning to get the game. he and his dad have been throwing the ball around for ages, and he can cradle and spin. but there are real kids and they all want the ball!!! it's a little bit of organized chaos!!!
then, we will have a light lunch. perhaps quiche and salad. not sure. working on low carb here. dinner will be potato salad, mini sliders (both chicken and beef mini burgers), and perhaps some grilled zucchini. i love zucchini!! almost as much as potato salad!! (not so low in the carb dept!!)
i believe if the weather holds, we may have a fire later in the evening while wating for the fireworks. they do a huge display this weekend, as it is the opening of our Little Lake Music Festival, which brings in great talent, and performs free concerts each Wednesday and Saturday evening during the summer. last year, fellow diabetic, and Animas pumper, George Canyon played here!!!
sunday, i work in the afternoon, so perhaps someone else will do the cooking and it will be ready when i come home at 5pm!!
monday will be a relaxing day. hope to sleep in a little and just laze around. perhaps do a little reading and relaxing outdoors in the sun.
hope you all have a great long weekend!!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
my first low blood sugar ever!
today i decided to lighten the mood, so to speak. yesterday was a day of a couple lows and that got me to thinking about them in general.
i was diagnosed in 1974 at the age of 12. the first low BG i really remember, was probably about 4yrs after diagnoses. i was 16 (this i remember because i was dating my now-husband). i may have had some slight lows during those 4 years but this was a "call the ambulance" kind. the story goes something like this ~ my alarm clock is going off....i am not hitting the snooze button....my sister comes in and says something to me, but i am not aware...she apparently goes to get my mom...dad comes in and does his usual thing he does to get me out of bed when i am just being lazy...he pulls the pillow out from under me and wacks me on the head, gently of course. my response? nothing....dad yells at mom to bring OJ...which she does. they manage to get me sitting up and then the alarm goes off again...dad rips it from the socket...mom forces OJ into my mouth, which i promptly spew all over my dad. yup, his nice suit (he works as a bank manager) is now covered in orange juice. i then swear at him, telling him to eff off (and i never swear in front of my parents, EVER!). and i am not pleasant. mom decides to call the ambulance because its obvious they are not going to be able to do anything about this one. a little later, i wake up in the hospital. BG is now back to normal and i have a raging headache. my parents tell me about my behaviour, and i apologize. dad says if i spoke like that to him while i was "in my right mind" he would have "smacked me a good one"! LOL!! that's the first time i ever did not wake up in the morning due to low blood sugars.
that has happened many, many times over the years, with several calls for the ambulance. now my husband is pretty experienced with these events and can tell before it gets that bad. i also have a glucagon kit now so we're all good.
one other time, and this one is kind of funny, my kids were probably about 12,10 and 6. i have a really good friend, who the kids always called if i went low, and i wasn't listening to them. (i have a habit of being a tad beligerent at times like this. heehee!) anyway, over she comes, and she knows that i hate when she tells me she's going to call the ambulance, and that usually gets me to cooperate. this time, i am slouching on the couch, and she leans in to tell me she is going to call the ambulance, and i decided that this was the perfect opportunity to........PUNCH HER IN THE SIDE OF THE FACE!!! now believe me, i had never, ever hit another person in my life!!!!
the next day, i take my kids to school, like always, and there she is, my BFF, and she has this awful bruise on the side of her face. i ask her what the hell happened, and she says "that's where you hit me" with a perfectly straight face. i, of course do not believe her. but my kids assure me that this is in fact, true. i am sooooo embarassed. she is laughing and telling me not to worry about it. she knows i didn't truly mean to punch her and then she tells me that if hadn't "been such a little thing" she would have just "sat on me and shovelled sugar in my mouth" but she didn't want to hurt me!!!!
i (we) can laugh about this now, but at the time it really wasn't funny. these actions, are not the actions of a sane, rational individual. these are the actions of a crazy person!!
and i thought for years, that i was the only one to ever suffer these kinds of lows. i have since learned differently, and am very happy to know i am not alone!!!
i was diagnosed in 1974 at the age of 12. the first low BG i really remember, was probably about 4yrs after diagnoses. i was 16 (this i remember because i was dating my now-husband). i may have had some slight lows during those 4 years but this was a "call the ambulance" kind. the story goes something like this ~ my alarm clock is going off....i am not hitting the snooze button....my sister comes in and says something to me, but i am not aware...she apparently goes to get my mom...dad comes in and does his usual thing he does to get me out of bed when i am just being lazy...he pulls the pillow out from under me and wacks me on the head, gently of course. my response? nothing....dad yells at mom to bring OJ...which she does. they manage to get me sitting up and then the alarm goes off again...dad rips it from the socket...mom forces OJ into my mouth, which i promptly spew all over my dad. yup, his nice suit (he works as a bank manager) is now covered in orange juice. i then swear at him, telling him to eff off (and i never swear in front of my parents, EVER!). and i am not pleasant. mom decides to call the ambulance because its obvious they are not going to be able to do anything about this one. a little later, i wake up in the hospital. BG is now back to normal and i have a raging headache. my parents tell me about my behaviour, and i apologize. dad says if i spoke like that to him while i was "in my right mind" he would have "smacked me a good one"! LOL!! that's the first time i ever did not wake up in the morning due to low blood sugars.
that has happened many, many times over the years, with several calls for the ambulance. now my husband is pretty experienced with these events and can tell before it gets that bad. i also have a glucagon kit now so we're all good.
one other time, and this one is kind of funny, my kids were probably about 12,10 and 6. i have a really good friend, who the kids always called if i went low, and i wasn't listening to them. (i have a habit of being a tad beligerent at times like this. heehee!) anyway, over she comes, and she knows that i hate when she tells me she's going to call the ambulance, and that usually gets me to cooperate. this time, i am slouching on the couch, and she leans in to tell me she is going to call the ambulance, and i decided that this was the perfect opportunity to........PUNCH HER IN THE SIDE OF THE FACE!!! now believe me, i had never, ever hit another person in my life!!!!
the next day, i take my kids to school, like always, and there she is, my BFF, and she has this awful bruise on the side of her face. i ask her what the hell happened, and she says "that's where you hit me" with a perfectly straight face. i, of course do not believe her. but my kids assure me that this is in fact, true. i am sooooo embarassed. she is laughing and telling me not to worry about it. she knows i didn't truly mean to punch her and then she tells me that if hadn't "been such a little thing" she would have just "sat on me and shovelled sugar in my mouth" but she didn't want to hurt me!!!!
i (we) can laugh about this now, but at the time it really wasn't funny. these actions, are not the actions of a sane, rational individual. these are the actions of a crazy person!!
and i thought for years, that i was the only one to ever suffer these kinds of lows. i have since learned differently, and am very happy to know i am not alone!!!
wednesday already??
i cant believe wednesday has come and is almost gone! what happened to it? it started with me not wanting to get out of bed. just wanted to sleep. BG 3.0. how does this happen and why?? who knows. everything was fine when i went to bed. i have been under a wee bit of stress lately, but i thought i was handling it. apparently not as well as i thougth.
my phone rings at 8:10am. it's my Cardiologist's office. could i possibly come in at 10:45am today? sure, not a problem. really?? what was i thinking? my appt was originally for May 25 then they moved it to June 22. so, of course, there must have been something wrong with my stress echo.
4 months ago, i underwent triple bypass surgery. a bit of a surprise. for over 7 months i thought the burning in my chest was heart burn/indigestion. WRONG!!
anyway, of course i start wondering what could be wrong. you wouldn't just move the appt up unless there was something wrong, right???!! stress again! turns out they just had a cancellation, and knew i lived close, so thought i might want to come early. met my new Cardiologist. seemed nice. my regular is on maternity leave. everything is good as far as the ticker goes. all tests came back good. cholesterol good...thyroid good. only thing to watch out for is blood pressure. a little high. NOT SURPRISING, i tell him. i look after 2 small busy kids, and my husband is not working right now. my drug plan is maxed out, and i just started on the pump (which is covered by our Ontario gov), but i did not know that there would be a possible 3 mth wait for coverage on the pump supplies 8( i guess i could have time all this a little better. oh well, live and learn.
so BG after appt is within norm. but then by dinner low again. and this time i could tell. slight problem~~empty box of test strips~~~i thought for sure there was at least one more bottle. okay so i cant test, but i can eat!! and so i did. skittles, and lots of them. then pork chops, yellow beans and fries!! yes, fries. i did count them though and i only had 16. yup 16 fries.
went to the drug store to buy strips, and tested. 9.5 - not too bad considering the skittles!
so, today for the 1st time since i started the pump, i ate first and bolused after.
NOTE TO SELF: order supplies when you open the last bottle, not when you use the last strip!!
my phone rings at 8:10am. it's my Cardiologist's office. could i possibly come in at 10:45am today? sure, not a problem. really?? what was i thinking? my appt was originally for May 25 then they moved it to June 22. so, of course, there must have been something wrong with my stress echo.
4 months ago, i underwent triple bypass surgery. a bit of a surprise. for over 7 months i thought the burning in my chest was heart burn/indigestion. WRONG!!
anyway, of course i start wondering what could be wrong. you wouldn't just move the appt up unless there was something wrong, right???!! stress again! turns out they just had a cancellation, and knew i lived close, so thought i might want to come early. met my new Cardiologist. seemed nice. my regular is on maternity leave. everything is good as far as the ticker goes. all tests came back good. cholesterol good...thyroid good. only thing to watch out for is blood pressure. a little high. NOT SURPRISING, i tell him. i look after 2 small busy kids, and my husband is not working right now. my drug plan is maxed out, and i just started on the pump (which is covered by our Ontario gov), but i did not know that there would be a possible 3 mth wait for coverage on the pump supplies 8( i guess i could have time all this a little better. oh well, live and learn.
so BG after appt is within norm. but then by dinner low again. and this time i could tell. slight problem~~empty box of test strips~~~i thought for sure there was at least one more bottle. okay so i cant test, but i can eat!! and so i did. skittles, and lots of them. then pork chops, yellow beans and fries!! yes, fries. i did count them though and i only had 16. yup 16 fries.
went to the drug store to buy strips, and tested. 9.5 - not too bad considering the skittles!
so, today for the 1st time since i started the pump, i ate first and bolused after.
NOTE TO SELF: order supplies when you open the last bottle, not when you use the last strip!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
infusion set changes
it's tuesday. it is gray and very cool. not very spring-like, i must say. this morning i changed my infusion set. interesting.
last friday, after being on the pump for 3 days, i went to my DEC and the girls walked me through my first site change. during my trial runs i tried 3 different sets, with 3 different pumps. my first day on the pump (real time), i tried the InsetII 9mm. i like it. so last friday, as i mentioned, i went for my first site change. i decided to try the 8mm Contact-detach. this is the straight metal one. this does not have a handy device that inserts for you. nope. you just jab this one in all by yourself. worse, really, than giving yourself and injection with a pen. the pen tips i used were 4mm. very tiny. this seemed HUGE! well aside from some slight resistance and hearing a slight popping sound, it seemed okay and i was done. home i went. things seemed to be okay. BG was elevated, but i figured perhaps just nerves. kept an eye on things and it was not too bad. a little high, but not bad. after supper, BG was 8.4. my target is set for 8 right now. i left for work. i tested at work 2hrs after dinner. 18.2mmols!!!! so i bolused. an hour later 19.8!!! OMG! so i bolused again. i was beginning to smell javex. not a good sign. now i know i need to do a site change. that little popping sound was haunting me. i remembered that sound from the pen. sometimes it seemed as though a little summin summin gots stuck in the tip, and the insulin just wouldn't budge. could this be what happened? does this ever happen to anyone else? am i crazy???
so as soon as i got home from work, i got out everything i needed to do another site change. i didnt change the cartridge, but i did add to it a little. i used the InsetII 9mm again and everything went off like clockwork. bolused and it seemed like almost right away my BG started coming down. thank god!!
so this morning i am doing site change #3. things did not progress as smoothly for some reason. there was lots going on at home this morning. my daughter making her breakfast, my granddaughter running all over the kitchen, my husband chasing my granddaughter around. not the best environment for doing this for only the 3rd time. needless to say, i messed up. i went to pull the protective cap off and pulled the whole thing apart! now i can't get it back together, and i am frustrated. and so i yell, and then i feel like crying. but i get myself together, get out another set, and fire away. SUCCESS!!!!
YAY ME!!!! patience is a virtue...one of which i may be a little short on. but i'm learning!!
have a great day! see ya tomorrow!!
8-)
last friday, after being on the pump for 3 days, i went to my DEC and the girls walked me through my first site change. during my trial runs i tried 3 different sets, with 3 different pumps. my first day on the pump (real time), i tried the InsetII 9mm. i like it. so last friday, as i mentioned, i went for my first site change. i decided to try the 8mm Contact-detach. this is the straight metal one. this does not have a handy device that inserts for you. nope. you just jab this one in all by yourself. worse, really, than giving yourself and injection with a pen. the pen tips i used were 4mm. very tiny. this seemed HUGE! well aside from some slight resistance and hearing a slight popping sound, it seemed okay and i was done. home i went. things seemed to be okay. BG was elevated, but i figured perhaps just nerves. kept an eye on things and it was not too bad. a little high, but not bad. after supper, BG was 8.4. my target is set for 8 right now. i left for work. i tested at work 2hrs after dinner. 18.2mmols!!!! so i bolused. an hour later 19.8!!! OMG! so i bolused again. i was beginning to smell javex. not a good sign. now i know i need to do a site change. that little popping sound was haunting me. i remembered that sound from the pen. sometimes it seemed as though a little summin summin gots stuck in the tip, and the insulin just wouldn't budge. could this be what happened? does this ever happen to anyone else? am i crazy???
so as soon as i got home from work, i got out everything i needed to do another site change. i didnt change the cartridge, but i did add to it a little. i used the InsetII 9mm again and everything went off like clockwork. bolused and it seemed like almost right away my BG started coming down. thank god!!
so this morning i am doing site change #3. things did not progress as smoothly for some reason. there was lots going on at home this morning. my daughter making her breakfast, my granddaughter running all over the kitchen, my husband chasing my granddaughter around. not the best environment for doing this for only the 3rd time. needless to say, i messed up. i went to pull the protective cap off and pulled the whole thing apart! now i can't get it back together, and i am frustrated. and so i yell, and then i feel like crying. but i get myself together, get out another set, and fire away. SUCCESS!!!!
YAY ME!!!! patience is a virtue...one of which i may be a little short on. but i'm learning!!
have a great day! see ya tomorrow!!
8-)
Monday, May 16, 2011
i dont like mondays(or rain) 8-\
so that's not entirely true. i don't dislike mondays any more that any other day of the week. it's just that today will be day 6 of 7 in a row at work. now don't get me wrong, i am not really complaining. i like my job, i am just extremely tired!!! exhausted almost. it has been 5 months since i have been at work, and i started back last monday. short shifts (just 4hrs), evenings and weekends, working the self checkout at our biggest grocery store. it's not hard, it does not involve heavy lifting, or anything stressful (except sometimes the customers themselves LOL!), but i am soooo tired.
add to that, the fact that i watch my 2 grandkids during the day, for my middle child, and i pick my youngest up from her job at midnight. plus i started using my Animas Ping pump last tuesday so i have become a little OCD in the testing department. where before i would hardly ever get up in the middle of the night to do a test, i find myself testing every 2 hours. day and night. night and day. will it ever stop? will i go back to just 4 times a day? will i sleep through the night? it's like having a newborn! and i guess in a way, it is my newborn. i sort of miss the old days. the days of sticking myself 4 times a day with a needle. oh, don't judge me! i know its weird, its just been so many years of it, that i still find myself looking for my pen after a meal, just because i did it forever! this too shall pass, i'm sure!
well happy monday everyone!!!
add to that, the fact that i watch my 2 grandkids during the day, for my middle child, and i pick my youngest up from her job at midnight. plus i started using my Animas Ping pump last tuesday so i have become a little OCD in the testing department. where before i would hardly ever get up in the middle of the night to do a test, i find myself testing every 2 hours. day and night. night and day. will it ever stop? will i go back to just 4 times a day? will i sleep through the night? it's like having a newborn! and i guess in a way, it is my newborn. i sort of miss the old days. the days of sticking myself 4 times a day with a needle. oh, don't judge me! i know its weird, its just been so many years of it, that i still find myself looking for my pen after a meal, just because i did it forever! this too shall pass, i'm sure!
well happy monday everyone!!!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
things i've learned
a post about stuff we've learned from other blogs or the experience of coming together online...
i have only been doing this a very short time, but i must admit, it has a really nice feeling to it. and by that i mean simply that after many, many years of feeling alone, in this Diabetes thing, i feel like i have finally come home. the blogs i've "lurked", and there have been quite a few in a short period of time, have opened my eyes! i realize, finally, i am not alone. there are others out there, going through the same things and they understand exactly what i'm going through! i love my family and they are truly understanding about the Big D, but they don't always get it!! and all of you do!!!! whether you are d-rents, type 1's yourselves, or type 2's, you get it!! i thought that perhaps i was the only one whose lip does a funny little thing when i'm low, or whose tongue seems to sometimes go numb. i know now that i'm not!! i don't know any other diabetics personnally, so this is the next best thing! i have decided, because of this community, to become more involved with diabetes in my own community. i have lots of things to offer, and have kept them to myself, for different reasons. perhaps one of which was, as much as my mother did during the early years, diabetes was not really spoken of. extended family asked how things were going, but no details were shared. "she's doing fine" was the standard answer. so i suppose as a kid that sort of stuck with me. for years i went along "dealing" with, and "doing fine"(but not really) with diabetes, but not talking about it with others or sharing my thoughts and feelings.
here, i have found a voice, and i'm thankful for that!!!
i have only been doing this a very short time, but i must admit, it has a really nice feeling to it. and by that i mean simply that after many, many years of feeling alone, in this Diabetes thing, i feel like i have finally come home. the blogs i've "lurked", and there have been quite a few in a short period of time, have opened my eyes! i realize, finally, i am not alone. there are others out there, going through the same things and they understand exactly what i'm going through! i love my family and they are truly understanding about the Big D, but they don't always get it!! and all of you do!!!! whether you are d-rents, type 1's yourselves, or type 2's, you get it!! i thought that perhaps i was the only one whose lip does a funny little thing when i'm low, or whose tongue seems to sometimes go numb. i know now that i'm not!! i don't know any other diabetics personnally, so this is the next best thing! i have decided, because of this community, to become more involved with diabetes in my own community. i have lots of things to offer, and have kept them to myself, for different reasons. perhaps one of which was, as much as my mother did during the early years, diabetes was not really spoken of. extended family asked how things were going, but no details were shared. "she's doing fine" was the standard answer. so i suppose as a kid that sort of stuck with me. for years i went along "dealing" with, and "doing fine"(but not really) with diabetes, but not talking about it with others or sharing my thoughts and feelings.
here, i have found a voice, and i'm thankful for that!!!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Saturday Snapshots
this is my new pump, and a couple of reasons for my new pump!
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| my 1yr old granddaughter <3 |
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| my 5yr old grandson <3 |
Friday, May 13, 2011
now i'm even more confused!
so now my posts from wednesday and thursday are showing up. i will add them to the links and see if they work. wish me luck!
Awesome things 8)
hmmmm......this one is a little harder for me than the others. 10 things i hate about diabetes? no problem, although that post seems to have disappeared for some strange reason. bloopers? got lots, and that one also ~ poof ~ gone. but Awesome things i have done because of D??? despite diabetes is an easy one.
3 fairly easy pregnancies, resulting in 3 wonderful, healthy, happy children (28,25, and 21 y/o).
i guess that because of diabetes, i have learned to look after myself. i have grown to be more understanding of people's ignorance regarding diabetes. i have become more self-reliant than i may have otherwise been. i have learned my limits, and learned to live within them(although at times i rail against them!)...and i have learned to love myself and my disease, even if it did take me a really long time to get to this place.
3 fairly easy pregnancies, resulting in 3 wonderful, healthy, happy children (28,25, and 21 y/o).
i guess that because of diabetes, i have learned to look after myself. i have grown to be more understanding of people's ignorance regarding diabetes. i have become more self-reliant than i may have otherwise been. i have learned my limits, and learned to live within them(although at times i rail against them!)...and i have learned to love myself and my disease, even if it did take me a really long time to get to this place.
i'm confused
okay so i have been working hard to add to this weeks Blog Week Topics. i have done so everyday, and added them to the link, but for some unknown reason they have disappeared! only two of them are actually visible on my blog. if you go to the link page on Bitter~Sweet, you will see them there, but if you click on them they say "page not found"....that would be wednesday and thursday's additions. 8(
i am disappointed needless to say. anyway, i will try to work on todays topic ~Awesome Things, and hopefully that will post to the link for anyone out there interested in reading it!!!
i am disappointed needless to say. anyway, i will try to work on todays topic ~Awesome Things, and hopefully that will post to the link for anyone out there interested in reading it!!!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Things i hate about you, Diabetes
as i may have mentioned, i have been Diabetic for what seems to me, a reaaally lonnng time. 8-D
in all this time, i have never made a list of the things i hate about it. so i started thinking, and because it's so "old hat" to me now, i think i will make my "hate list" about the things i used to hate about it. this is the list i would have wrote, 36 years ago, if i had thought about putting pen to paper! so here goes!
why i hate diabetes
1. i hate that you picked me!!!
2. i hate that because of you, i am the skinny kid with no boobs!!!
3. i hate you because i hate milk and now i have to drink 12oz of it 3 times a day!
4. i hate you because i cant sleep in anymore
5. i hate you because my mom worries about me all the time, even though she does a great job of hiding it 8-(
6. i hate you because everything is "on schedule" and i cant do things like stay at my friends for dinner because their mom's dont know how to measure everything.
7. i hate you because now i have to eat even when i am not hungry.
8 i hate you because you are dumb
9. i hate you because you are stupid
10. i hate you because you are ruining everything!!!
luckily, with age comes wisdom. the list would be much shorter now, and would be more about the disease and its effects on others. the list of things i like (or have grown to like!) about being diabetic
would include things like ~ it has made me a survivor. it has made me more compassionate. it has made me appreciate things and it has taught me (slowly) not to stress because tomorrow is another
day, and i will win!!!
in all this time, i have never made a list of the things i hate about it. so i started thinking, and because it's so "old hat" to me now, i think i will make my "hate list" about the things i used to hate about it. this is the list i would have wrote, 36 years ago, if i had thought about putting pen to paper! so here goes!
why i hate diabetes
1. i hate that you picked me!!!
2. i hate that because of you, i am the skinny kid with no boobs!!!
3. i hate you because i hate milk and now i have to drink 12oz of it 3 times a day!
4. i hate you because i cant sleep in anymore
5. i hate you because my mom worries about me all the time, even though she does a great job of hiding it 8-(
6. i hate you because everything is "on schedule" and i cant do things like stay at my friends for dinner because their mom's dont know how to measure everything.
7. i hate you because now i have to eat even when i am not hungry.
8 i hate you because you are dumb
9. i hate you because you are stupid
10. i hate you because you are ruining everything!!!
luckily, with age comes wisdom. the list would be much shorter now, and would be more about the disease and its effects on others. the list of things i like (or have grown to like!) about being diabetic
would include things like ~ it has made me a survivor. it has made me more compassionate. it has made me appreciate things and it has taught me (slowly) not to stress because tomorrow is another
day, and i will win!!!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
"I thought you did" "not me, i thought you did"
okay, so it's 1976. my family and i have been "dealing" with diabetes for almost 2yrs now. We frequently travel to my grandparents house for weekends. they live about 2 1/2 hours away from us. i am, at this time, only taking 1 shot/day. a mix of R and Lente insulins. first thing in the morning. its been a long week for my parents. both work full time, and they are looking forward to going away for the weekend. my sister and i are responsible for packing our own clothes and stuff to take to our grandparents. i choose books, and some word puzzles. i remember loving word find puzzles. it's friday night and we hit the road.
we arrive probably around 9ish. and so begins another boring weekend. i must admit that i hated visiting my grandparents. not because i didn't love them, but it was just sooooo boring! no kids lived on their street. my cousins lived across town, and could only be reached via car. they were definately not the cool grandparents my husband and i are!!! anyway, the evening goes like this....
"kim, go test your urine, while i make your snack"
"okay mom." and off i go in the direction of the bathroom. i hate doing this. i am a brat and i very rarely do it. and so, i go into the bathroom, but rather than do the test, i brush my hair, look through the magazines and come out and tell her it's fine. i probably made up something that sounded good.
my dear, dear mother has made me my "bedtime snack". same thing night after night after night. melba toast with peanut butter. mmmmm yum...NOT 8\
i go downstairs to the "tv room" and work on some word puzzles. bedtime rolls around and i drift off the sleep, listening to the sound of my sister snoring.
morning comes and as usual, my mother is up bright and early. she wakes me up at 8am like she does every saturday morning. diabetes has a ritual that must be followed and never deviated from. she has the orange juice on the table, the bread waiting patiently to be put in the toaster and eggs boiling on the stove.
"kim, did you grab your insulin out of your suitcase?"
"no, i don't have it, i thought you did"
"not me, i thought you did. are you saying you didn't pack it?"
"nope i didn't pack it, mom you always pack it"
"OH MY GOSH!!!! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO???? HOW COULD WE NOT PACK IT??? WAIT A MINUTE, IF WE DIDN'T BRING IT HOW EXACTLY DID YOU DO YOUR URINE TEST LAST NIGHT??? YOU LIED TO ME DIDN'T YOU??" and on, and on, until finally my dad says,
"lets just take her to the hospital and get them to give her a shot."
"oh, oh, yes that's a good idea lets do it, come on kim, get in the car, we have to go now!and you better be prepared to do that urine test!!!!" says my mother.
and so off we go to the hospital, to explain to the nurses in the ER why i needed them to "give me a shot".
they suggested we wait til the pharmacy opens and just buy the supplies we need, but my mother insists that "DIABETES IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE MESSED WITH SO JUST GIVE HER THE DAMN SHOT!!, and by the way, would you mind if we dropped by tomorrow as well? perhaps a little closer to 8 though so as not to throw things off too much?? thanks!"
and that my friends, was the first blooper of my 36year friendship with D.
we arrive probably around 9ish. and so begins another boring weekend. i must admit that i hated visiting my grandparents. not because i didn't love them, but it was just sooooo boring! no kids lived on their street. my cousins lived across town, and could only be reached via car. they were definately not the cool grandparents my husband and i are!!! anyway, the evening goes like this....
"kim, go test your urine, while i make your snack"
"okay mom." and off i go in the direction of the bathroom. i hate doing this. i am a brat and i very rarely do it. and so, i go into the bathroom, but rather than do the test, i brush my hair, look through the magazines and come out and tell her it's fine. i probably made up something that sounded good.
my dear, dear mother has made me my "bedtime snack". same thing night after night after night. melba toast with peanut butter. mmmmm yum...NOT 8\
i go downstairs to the "tv room" and work on some word puzzles. bedtime rolls around and i drift off the sleep, listening to the sound of my sister snoring.
morning comes and as usual, my mother is up bright and early. she wakes me up at 8am like she does every saturday morning. diabetes has a ritual that must be followed and never deviated from. she has the orange juice on the table, the bread waiting patiently to be put in the toaster and eggs boiling on the stove.
"kim, did you grab your insulin out of your suitcase?"
"no, i don't have it, i thought you did"
"not me, i thought you did. are you saying you didn't pack it?"
"nope i didn't pack it, mom you always pack it"
"OH MY GOSH!!!! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO???? HOW COULD WE NOT PACK IT??? WAIT A MINUTE, IF WE DIDN'T BRING IT HOW EXACTLY DID YOU DO YOUR URINE TEST LAST NIGHT??? YOU LIED TO ME DIDN'T YOU??" and on, and on, until finally my dad says,
"lets just take her to the hospital and get them to give her a shot."
"oh, oh, yes that's a good idea lets do it, come on kim, get in the car, we have to go now!and you better be prepared to do that urine test!!!!" says my mother.
and so off we go to the hospital, to explain to the nurses in the ER why i needed them to "give me a shot".
they suggested we wait til the pharmacy opens and just buy the supplies we need, but my mother insists that "DIABETES IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE MESSED WITH SO JUST GIVE HER THE DAMN SHOT!!, and by the way, would you mind if we dropped by tomorrow as well? perhaps a little closer to 8 though so as not to throw things off too much?? thanks!"
and that my friends, was the first blooper of my 36year friendship with D.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Dear You-then,
Hi, it's Me-now. I just wanted to let you know, that despite your best shot you did not manage to defeat diabetes by ignoring it. It is an insiduous little creature. It hid well. It managed to keep itself at bay for many years, working quietly in the background. Destroying things you knew nothing about, nor cared to acknowledge. You got away with lots of things for a long time. You didn't always look after yourself. You didn't test as often as you should have. You didn't always take your insulin like you should have. You ate what you wanted and drank what you wanted for many years. Oh, but you were lucky. You got married, had 3 wonderful, healthy children, worked hard, and lived life as if nothing could go wrong. Then one day, you noticed that walking with the kids was not as easy as it used to be. Your legs hurt and your feet burned at the end of the day. "No worries" thought you. Then, you began to see little, funny dots in your eyes. "Hmmmm" said you. "Better get that checked." And yes, DIABETES was starting to raise it's ugly little head. So you had laser surgery for the "little dots". You went to your endo-then, and went from 1 shot/day to 4. Oh that was fun. But, you decided it was time to start looking out for you. Little did you know, but things were not all sunshine and roses inside. There were things hiding in there. High Cholesterol was there, along with High Blood Pressure. You started to be afraid of these things. You wanted to do something about them. Thats when Me-now began to emerge. Me-now went to an new endo. Endo-now helped Me-now get things in perspective. Me-now started to take the right pills, test regularly and eat better. Me-now started doing "things right"...but was it to late?? Maybe a little. But great things start with little steps. Together, we have gone from 1 shot/day to 4. Testing 1/wk to 4-6x/day. We have undergone triple bypass surgery, and today we began a new chapter. Pumping!!! So, I just wanted you to know, that although we took the long road, we have evolved and I plan on being here for a long, long time. See ya later You-then.
Love,
Me-now <3
Hi, it's Me-now. I just wanted to let you know, that despite your best shot you did not manage to defeat diabetes by ignoring it. It is an insiduous little creature. It hid well. It managed to keep itself at bay for many years, working quietly in the background. Destroying things you knew nothing about, nor cared to acknowledge. You got away with lots of things for a long time. You didn't always look after yourself. You didn't test as often as you should have. You didn't always take your insulin like you should have. You ate what you wanted and drank what you wanted for many years. Oh, but you were lucky. You got married, had 3 wonderful, healthy children, worked hard, and lived life as if nothing could go wrong. Then one day, you noticed that walking with the kids was not as easy as it used to be. Your legs hurt and your feet burned at the end of the day. "No worries" thought you. Then, you began to see little, funny dots in your eyes. "Hmmmm" said you. "Better get that checked." And yes, DIABETES was starting to raise it's ugly little head. So you had laser surgery for the "little dots". You went to your endo-then, and went from 1 shot/day to 4. Oh that was fun. But, you decided it was time to start looking out for you. Little did you know, but things were not all sunshine and roses inside. There were things hiding in there. High Cholesterol was there, along with High Blood Pressure. You started to be afraid of these things. You wanted to do something about them. Thats when Me-now began to emerge. Me-now went to an new endo. Endo-now helped Me-now get things in perspective. Me-now started to take the right pills, test regularly and eat better. Me-now started doing "things right"...but was it to late?? Maybe a little. But great things start with little steps. Together, we have gone from 1 shot/day to 4. Testing 1/wk to 4-6x/day. We have undergone triple bypass surgery, and today we began a new chapter. Pumping!!! So, I just wanted you to know, that although we took the long road, we have evolved and I plan on being here for a long, long time. See ya later You-then.
Love,
Me-now <3
Monday, May 09, 2011
Admiring our Differences
i decided to join Blog Week, because i am new to blogging and i thought it would be a great way to start. i have been reading alot of blogs lately, and the ones that always strike me are the ones by parent of children with diabetes. i was diagnosed at 12 years old, and i had never really given much thought to what my family, mainly my mother, had to do. it has been through reading the blogs of these wonderful parents, that i have come to understand what my mother must have been going through. she worked full time, had 2 children, a husband and a house to run. she didn't have family close, nor did we know anyone with diabetes, and there was no internet, so no online community. now remember that was 36 years ago,(don't do the math!!) and things have come a long way, with meters and pumps and MDI's. also, i was 12 so was expected to do certain things myself, but she was still "in charge", and doing it alone. i guess she was what some now would call a Type3!
i have 2 grandchildren, ages 1 and 5, who i look after every day, and i honestly couldn't begin to think about having to prick their tiny fingers, give them shots, or figure out carbs, and boluses. i will start using a pump tomorrow, and i am sure it will be a giant leap! but if i had to do that for my child?
it's not as if kids arent enough of a handful at times! but to add diabetes on top of it?
all i can say is....
parents of children with diabetes ~ you are heroes!!! and i commend you for it!!
and ps ~ mom, thanks for putting up with me, and thanks for being there and thanks for STILL being there! you are my hero and i love you <3
i have 2 grandchildren, ages 1 and 5, who i look after every day, and i honestly couldn't begin to think about having to prick their tiny fingers, give them shots, or figure out carbs, and boluses. i will start using a pump tomorrow, and i am sure it will be a giant leap! but if i had to do that for my child?
it's not as if kids arent enough of a handful at times! but to add diabetes on top of it?
all i can say is....
parents of children with diabetes ~ you are heroes!!! and i commend you for it!!
and ps ~ mom, thanks for putting up with me, and thanks for being there and thanks for STILL being there! you are my hero and i love you <3
Sunday, May 08, 2011
hello out there!
hi! i'm kim, and i am a diabetic. type 1 for 36yrs. about to be a pumper. i am new to this whole blogging thing. i have been reading alot of diabetes blogs lately. i have a few that i keep coming back to. they are all full of information and i look forward to reading them. i grew up as an only diabetic. what i mean by that is simply this. i was (and still am) the only one in my family with diabetes. i was diagnosed at age 12. i do not know any diabetics. well not personally anyway. but after joining TuDiabetes i now have many diabetic friends! i am not a doctor, nor medically trained in any way. whatever you read here on my blog are just my musings, my opinions, and they must not be taken as anything other than that. 8-)
looking forward to chatting to you!
looking forward to chatting to you!
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