Wednesday, May 30, 2012

new sets and new sites

today my order from Animas came through.  skin tac has arrived.  today is a very cool day, weather-wise.  no worries about sweating swimming my site off, since neither of the grandkiddies has any interest in going in the pool today.  oh well, at least i have it for next site change (which is going into uncharted real estate i think! LOL!). 

i am waiting on a delivery of a few different infusion sets.  i spoke with a couple of different suppliers in my area and they are sending me samples.  i will be trying the Cleo 90 and the Rapid D infusion sets.



do any of you out there use either of these sets?  i would be interested in your opinions, and how they work for you.  what areas do you use for insertion?  like i said, i am looking for new real estate.
gotta give my tummy a rest i think. 

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

ahh summer, i remember you

seems as though summer is here.  the temperatures have been in the high 20's (80+).  i am not a "summer girl".
i like fall.  i seem to have forgotten what summer was like last year.

last summer was my first with a pump.  i remember now how that went.  i had to get used to having something "stuck" to me 24/7.  and i had to have help getting that "something" to stick. especially because we have an inground pool and my grandkids love to swim.  EVERYDAY.  after speaking to a really nice lady at Animas, this is what she recommended last year.

and since i am currently using the Contac-D infusion set, it's 2 things stuck to me.

with the weather so hot and humid, i am not having much luck getting this to stick.  i have it covered with a Tegaderm patch, but i am getting a raised, itchy area around the outside of the patch.  i got on the phone to Animas and ordered a box of SkinTac Wipes.  they should arrive tomorrow.  and i can't wait.  i am seriously considering removing the Tegaderm and going with duct tape! 

hopefully this will be just what i need to keep my inset stuck, and delivering properly.  i may need to look for some new real estate, but i'm a little nervous.  i have only being using my stomach but i think i have a bit of scar tissue built up.

where do you guys wear your sites?  i was thinking about moving them around to the back of my hips, but i'm afraid that they may get pulled (or pushed) out when i pull up my pants/jeans/shorts.

perhaps i just need to go shopping for a few new sundresses (with pockets), and then i wouldn't have to worry about ripping them out!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

D-HEROES ride like the wind!!


Let’s end our week on a high note and blog about our “Diabetes Hero”. It can be anyone you’d like to recognize or admire, someone you know personally or not, someone with diabetes or maybe a Type 3. It might be a fabulous endo or CDE. It could be a d-celebrity or role-model. It could be another DOC member. It’s up to you – who is your Diabetes Hero??
When i first read today's topic my mind started swirling.  I thought "well this is a tough one". 

The first hero i thought of was, of course, Dr. Banting.  He has to be at the top of my list, because without his discovery, well you all know what life without insulin would be like.  Slow, painful death.

But then i started thinking about all the little kids.  They are definitely heroes.  They suffer through finger pokes, and injections/site changes/cgms, and they do it for the most part without a word.  YOU KIDS ARE HEROES!

The parents of diabetic children are heroes.  They do everything other parents do plus.  I don't know how they do it.  One of my fears when my children were small was that they would develop diabetes.  I didn't think I would be able to do what had to be done.  MOMS AND DADS, YOU'RE HEROES!

I have a T2 friend at work who would do anything to avoid being put on insulin because she's afraid of needles.  She is also a hero.  She has started exercising, and eating healthy.  She checks her BG's many times a day now instead of a few times a year.  She works hard at staying healthy in order to avoid her fear.  T2'S YOU ARE HEROES!

All diabetics, no matter what "type" we are,  are heroes.  We do what has to be done and carry on.  We have good days and bad days.  Some days we want to give in.  And perhaps, for a little bit, we do.  But we get back on our bikes and ride like the wind!

And for that, I applaud you!  

D-Blog Week Day 6 - for your viewing pleasure


Back for the third year, let’s show everyone what life with diabetes looks like! With a nod to the Diabetes 365 project, let’s grab our cameras again and share some more d-related pictures. Post as many or as few as you’d like. Feel free to blog your thoughts on or explanations of your pictures, or leave out the written words and let the pictures speak for themselves

my everyday stuff

my trusty scale

one of the books i use when i'm not sure

Can I let you in on a little something?


Today let’s borrow a topic from a #dsma chat held last September. The tweet asked “What is one thing you would tell someone that doesn’t have diabetes about living with diabetes?”. Let’s do a little advocating and post what we wish people knew about diabetes. Have more than one thing you wish people knew? Go ahead and tell us everything.

There are several things I would like to tell people that don't live with Diabetes.
They all have questions, and for the most part they are all the same.

"Can you eat that?"
"How did you get Diabetes?"
"Is it the bad kind?"
"Well what if you exercised more? Would it go away?"
"I bet you ate a lot of candy as a kid didn't you?"

Or they all "know someone" who had "it" and terrible things happened to them. 

"My best friends uncle's second wifes mother's aunt's cousin had that, and their leg fell off after they went blind"

I've been thinking about going to Staples and having some business cards made up.  Instead of trying to answer their questions, I'll just hand them a card.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Fantasy Diabetes Device

Today let’s tackle an idea inspired by Bennet of Your Diabetes May Vary. Tell us what your Fantasy Diabetes Device would be? Think of your dream blood glucose checker, delivery system for insulin or other meds, magic carb counter, etc. etc. etc. The sky is the limit – what would you love to see?


today's topic is a hard one.  reason being...everyone wants a cure! 

i've been mulling this over for most of the morning.  between shopping, and making lunch, and looking for a play kitchen for my granddaughter, i have been thinking about something that would make life with diabetes easier. 

right now, for me, life with diabetes is immensely easier than it ever has been.  and being a grown-up (well mostly!), and having lived with this for a long, long time, i can pretty well handle whatever it might throw at me.

but after going to the George Canyon and friends Diabetes Heroes Tour the other night and seeing so many little kids with diabetes and knowing how tough it can be sometimes, my Fantasy Device would be something that would make it easier for them. 

they are all such strong, incredible little people.  there were things beeping and buzzing during the evening and everyone was checking pumps and George Canyon was actually checking his own at one point when a little girl piped up from the audience and said "it's just me, i'm bolusing for my popcorn". 

the crowd all laughed because we all understood, but somewhere inside me, i cried.  because little girls and boys shouldn't have to do that.  they should be able to eat popcorn with thinking about how many carbs, and blood sugar numbers and all that jazz.  seriously.

so my Fantasy Device would be an Insulin Pump/Glucometer Combo.  it would be small and wireless.  there would be no lancet, or strips.  the child would just have to touch it with a finger, it would read the blood sugar.  they would then just eat whatever it was they were going to eat and the pump/meter would deliver the correct amount of insulin for the food AFTER they ate, knowing exactly what it was and how much without having to program it.  pretty much exactly how a real pancreas would work. 

farfetched?  perhaps.  but if it weren't for a farfetched idea called INSULIN,  we'd all be dead wouldn't we?

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

One thing to improve...

Yesterday we gave ourselves and our loved ones a big pat on the back for one thing we are great at. Today let’s look at the flip-side. We probably all have one thing we could try to do better. Why not make today the day we start working on it. No judgments, no scolding, just sharing one small thing we can improve so the DOC can cheer us on!
You may have noticed that yesterday's post was actually posted today.  There's a reason for that.  Let me explain.

Yesterday was an exciting day for me.  It began with laundry, then on to grocery shopping,  running the dishwasher and tidying up.  Sounds exciting?  Well all this was just in preparation for the evening to come!  As some of you may know, i dislike driving.  Well not driving exactly, but I don't like to drive on BIG highways.  Highway 401 and Hwy 400 are BIG highways.  I was challenging myself today to do just that.  I was driving from Peterborough, to Barrie (about a 2 1/2 hour drive).  This would entail doing a little driving on the 400.  Now i wouldn't do this for just anyone.  I would do this, however, for George Canyon!!

For those out there that have no idea who I'm talking about, George Canyon is a Country Music Artist.  A Canadian.  A Type 1 Diabetic.  He is also an Inspiration.
 

Last night I had the honour of attending a special show.  George is travelling to 5 cities across Canada over 5 days.  He is doing this to advocate for Diabetes, and to show kids (and grown ups!) that there is nothing you can't do because of Diabetes!  He has a group with him too.  The Diabetic Heroes.  They are a group of outstanding individuals all living with Type 1, who have accomplished their dreams despite of, or perhaps because of Diabetes!

Go here to the Facebook page, to see pictures, videos and comments about the show!  Click the "like" button!

After the show, as i was driving home, i realized that i need to do more to advocate for Diabetes.  I have lived with this disease for 37 years, and i have never participated in a walk, or volunteered my time.  I have donated money to the CDA, and items to the Diabetes Clothesline,  but i need to do more.  I need to get out there and become involved!
If i can help just one person understand Diabetes better, encourage just one PWD to look after themselves and live their life to the fullest, to avoid the complications that i live with, then that's what i need to do! 
me and george canyon!! can you believe it?!!



one great thing


Living with diabetes (or caring for someone who lives with it) sure does take a lot of work, and it’s easy to be hard on ourselves if we aren’t “perfect”. But today it’s time to give ourselves some much deserved credit. Tell us about just one diabetes thing you (or your loved one) does spectacularly! Fasting blood sugar checks, oral meds sorted and ready, something always on hand to treat a low, or anything that you do for diabetes. Nothing is too big or too small to celebrate doing well!


For me, after years of living haphazardly with Diabetes,  i have become a little OCD about the whole disease.  I will not beat myself up over the past, but i will give myself a pat on the back for finally getting my act together. 

In getting my act together, testing has become something i did "once in a while", to something i do obsessively  at least 6 times a day and some days as many as 12 times! It is one of the things that i do
really well for my diabetes!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Introducing.................



Today is Day 1 of the 3rd annual Diabetes Blog Week.  I am super-excited to be participating again this year.  Last year was my first year, in fact it was my first week at blogging!!  I was able to find many of your blogs through Karen's great idea!

Today's prompt is about connecting.  In Karen's own words, "It seems the most popular thing about Diabetes Blog Week is that it helps us find blogs we weren’t reading yet and connect with some new blog friends. With that in mind, let’s kick off Diabetes Blog Week by making some new connections. Think about the d-blogs you read that you think we may not know about and introduce us to one that you love!! Let’s all find a new friend today! (Special thanks to Gina, everybody’s Diabetes BFF, for helping me title this post!)"

I'm not really sure how I found this blog.  I do know that I have been reading her for quite some time.  She is a T1 Diabetic.  Has been for many years.  However, her blog is not specifically Diabetes related.  She slips it in now and then, but mostly she just writes about her life.  I find her dry sense of humor to be refreshing.  She is "real",  and this comes through in her writing.  She lives in Australia, has grown children, a husband, and likes to travel. 

May I introduce you to Fraudster, of Fraudster's Musings.  I hope you take a peek, and enjoy her musings as much as I do!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Wishing all of you a Happy Mother's Day. 

I am off to spend it with my mom. 

Back tomorrow for D-blog week!

Friday, May 11, 2012

"on the cover of the rollin' stone" sorta =)

today's post is short and sweet.  recently i was contacted by  Diabetes Resource Page,  to see if i would have any interest in taking part in a feature interview on the site, as part of their pageTurner program. 
of course i checked out the site and found i rather liked it.  they have news, lots of info, free samples,  and interviews with people living with diabetes.  it's a fairly new site,  so i decided to go ahead with the interview.  it's not long,  just a few questions really, but hey, what the heck!  so pop over here and take a look around!  =)

Thursday, May 10, 2012

it was just a small cut

this morning i had my annual appointment with my vascular ultrasound clinic.  sometimes i get a little nervous about these appointments, but this time i felt quite relaxed. 

way back in 2004, when i was not such a  "good" diabetic, i did something really stupid.  something i had been doing myself for many years, without much thought.  oh i knew that if i wasn't careful, "things" could go wrong.  but i was always careful, and besides, nothing could happen to me!

it's okay, i can see you shaking your heads.  i know what you're thinking.  "oh my, what was she thinking?"
well here's what happened.  it was july.  sandal weather.  a time when feet need to be pretty.  scrubbed and creamed and polished.  so i set out to give myself a pedicure.  something i had done many times in the past.  i soaked my feet in warm water, and then proceeded to scrub them with a loofah.  i had a few spots where calluses had built up and so i brought out my weapon of choice.
this weapon of destruction, the callus plane, had been used before, and i never had a problem.  this time however, i was in a bit of a hurry i guess, because i nicked the side of my left big toe.  it bled quite a bit, but i just applied pressure and finally it stopped.  i continued with my pedicure, painting my nails, and applying cream.  i covered the small cut with little bandaid, and didn't think much of it.

over the next couple days, my toe started to hurt.  it was a bit red, but seemed to be healing.  we had our family reunion that weekend, and i went to the beach with family.  i didn't swim but i did walk along the waters edge.  later that evening, my toe was really red, and throbbing.  i cleaned it with peroxide and polysporin and covered it with another bandaid. 

by the next day, monday, it hurt so bad i could barely walk.  my boss at work told me i should go to emerg and have them look at it.  the toe was swollen, but so was my foot.  and the whole thing was a bright red.  i promised her i would have it looked at.

after dinner, my husband and i went to the emergency department and proceeded to wait.  it was a very busy night, and after a couple of hours it was finally my turn.  the doctor asked the usual round of questions, and after i told him about being diabetic he became a little more concerned.  they did some blood work, and decided that i would need to be put on an IV antibiotic.  i figured that this would take about an hour and then home i would go.   WRONG!  what i had was called Cellulitis. 
a bacterial infection, that spreads under the skin, affecting the soft tissue such as the skin itself, and the fat underneath it.  There are several bacteria that can cause cellulitis. Streptococcus and Staphylococcus are the two most common species. The actual type of bacteria causing the infection depends on the nature of the exposure, such as infections resulting from a cut, a cat or dog bite, or swimming in salt or fresh water with broken skin.  it seems mine was caused by the lake water.

so i was admitted to hospital and put on complete rest, with leg elevated,  and IV antibiotics.  during my stay, i quit smoking.  i also found out that i had numerous blockages in the arteries in both legs.  i saw a vascular surgeon, and it was decided that i would have a stent put in my left groin in hopes that this would help with the circulation.  it didn't.

in november it was decided that in order to help with the circulation and to hopefully lesson the peripheral neuropathy i had been suffering with, that i would undergo an aortobifemoral graft surgery.  in short they would attach an upside down Y shaped graft made of gortex to my aorta and then the ends to the femoral arteries just below the blockage.  this would hopefully allow better blood flow to my lower extremities.


so today's ultrasound was to determine if the grafts were holding up.  making sure there were no blockages building up in them.  the reason i wasn't too nervous was simply because i was having less pain with walking.  it used to be that i could barely walk a block without having to stop and rest.  the pain in my lower calves and sometimes my butt or behind my knees would be so bad that i couldn't continue.  i was told that walking would make it better.  but how do you walk when it hurts??  well i have been walking and noticing that i can now walk much further without pain.  they told me that the arteries are like rivers and when they thin out and fill with debri and such, tributaries will grow allowing the river (blood) to bypass the blockage and continue to the sea(lower legs).

every year i have an ultrasound done, and so far nothing has changed.  the grafts are still working well.  i walk further with less pain.  things are good.  so until next year,  i will continue to walk and build up those tributaries! 

Monday, May 07, 2012

a few of my favourite things

today i signed up for the 3rd annual D-Blog Week over at Bitter-Sweet.  Karen had this great idea 2 years ago, and it has been a huge hit.  She gives us 7 topics, one for each day of the week, and we write a post pertaining to that topic.  there are 2 wild card topics just in case the days topic doesn't tickle your fancy.    Last year, when i joined up, it was my first week of blogging.  it was awesome to have topics, cause i really didn't know if blogging was for me.  well, apparently it was, cause i'm still here!  i "met" a lot of other bloggers through this  amazing challenge.  i am really looking forward to it.  if you're interested too, and think you might like to join, click here to sign up.  you can even check out last years participants. 


my painting classes have ended for the summer.  i'm kinda sad about that but they start back up in september.  2 of the girls i go with and myself will try to get together each week at each other's houses to continue painting.  nothing formal, just testing out some techniques and practicing. 
i decided yesterday to paint a picture for my mom for Mother's Day.  i will have it matted and framed for her. 
blogging and painting.  my two relaxing pastimes.

Saturday, May 05, 2012

playing nice (or not) and blogging

So after a couple days hiatus, i'm back.  for some reason, this week has seemed very long.   perhaps it's because i have been working ALOT!  the days are very long.  i am usually up at around 7 (which i know to some is not early) and my work day usually ends around 10:15pm.  of course by then i am so amped up that i can't go to bed.   it's usually midnight before i climb into bed.  i find it hard to turn the day "off", and get to sleep.  i don't feel like i've had a day off in forever!  for the last little while, i have been getting tuesdays and wednesdays off from the grocery store, but i still have my grandchildren during the day, so not really a day off. 

there have been a couple of days this week where diabetes has not been playing nicely either.  that lends to me feeling more tired than usual.  and grumpy.  when bg's aren't being fair, i tend to get grumpy. 
two times this week, i have woken to BG's in the 20's (mmol's that is).  then because they are very stubborn, i am doing a little rage bolusing and i end up dropping to the 3's.  so naturally i must eat everything in sight!!  "oh! look, little oranges, lets have a couple of those.  mmm maybe i should have a juice box just to be sure.  ew and i see some of the candy coated sweet tarts.  yup lets have a couple of them"
CAN YOU SAY GLUCOASTER?!!!

i have also missed being told what to write about.  i am looking forward to this month. Karen  at   http://www.bittersweetdiabetes.com  hosts a week-long blogging bonanza.   

last year was the first time i participated and i am really looking forward to being a part of this again.

right now, i think i'm off to bed.  i have a headache, and i have to get up for work in the morning.  oh please let my lotto numbers come in!   

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

I Cant Believe I Did It!!!!



OMGoodness!  HAWMC 2012 30 Day Challenge is over.  And I did it!  It was an awesome experience!  30 posts in 30 days. 
There were so many wonderful posts, by so many.  It was hard to read them all.  I was introduced to some new blogs, and not all were about Diabetes.  It is interesting to read others words,  and realize that they are not talking about diabetes, and yet we all struggle with the same sorts of things. 
In participating in this, i was also able to step outside my comfort zone a little, and explore some of the things i had been storing inside for a while.  I learnt some new tools on the computer and hope to use them in some future posts!

Not all of the prompts grabbed me so i chose some of the Early Bird Specials (haha!).  That madlib thing just didn't work for me.  I wasn't sure if i was supposed to make a "real" poem out of the result, but it kinda looked insane!

And to top it all off, I was nominated for A Best of the 'Betes Blog Award, and won for Best Diabetes Art!  Thanks for the nomination!!  I really appreciate it!
Well it's the start of a new month, and i can't guarantee another 30 in 30, but you never know!!
Goodbye April, Hello May!!  May you be filled with sunshine,  and warmth would be nice!!