Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Trying to get back on TRACK

BG[CGM]: 80

I took a vacation to NY and visited my family there. GREAT time. GREAT company. Wacky sugars. I only ate out a few times, and really tried to keep things even, but I think my sugars are starting to have issues with the new baby. I don't think it's my behavior as much as circumstance that is rocking my boat.

Well, what can you do. I expected some wackiness. Tomorrow I meet with my CDE and OB/GYN for a week 14 check up. Should be able to get things back on track.

BTW, if you ever get the chance to do a food tour in NYC, GO FOR IT! It was wonderful. The food, as you can imagine, was WONDERFUL! The historian tour guide engaged me and captivated me with her stories and knowledge. I could really tell she loved the city. It was a job, but it was more. That made it special.

Hope everyone is doing fine out there with their D-lives.
Take care,
Bethanne

Friday, May 14, 2010

Leg Abuse

BG[CGM]: 95

After some discussion on tudiabetes, I was surprised to find that people are wearing their CGMS sensor and transmitter combos on their legs and even their arms!! *Gasp* I know!! So, I took a leap today and went with my leg.

So far so good. I did have one moment when I ran into the short counter in my kitchen and rapped the transmitter. OUCH! It ended up causes some pain and a WEAK signal, which shot me over to the Start screen, but I'd just experienced that with a previous sensor so I sorta knew what to expect.

The only thing I'm having trouble with right now is finding a place to hang my pump with maternity clothes on. Pants are just not the same without a waistband! I have several of the variety that are soft in front with a regular waist on the back, but there's a new variety on the market since I was pregnant five years ago...

SOFT ALL THE WAY AROUND! It's like a band of stretch material that goes around your belly. It's going to be an interesting hurdle.

Well, take care out there.
~Bethanne

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

A day late...

BG[CGM]: 94

I just can't keep up. Seriously. I'm always a day late on this D-blogging stuff. I did hear about an 'event' this week... a blogging event. I'm going to assume there are different themes for each day. I don't know how people do it--keep up with what everyone else is doing. :D LOL

Anyhoo... Kerri is talking about low glucose kits of today and the past--but mostly the past. I too remember the chalky tablets, and I've had my share of glucagon injections [but those came a little later in life when my hormones ruled everything about my life and my husband was already taking on a task that he probably would never have asked for if he'd really known about it beforehand]. Okay, I value myself more than that... still, I wonder if he ever wondered what he was getting himself into.

What I remember MOST as a kid were the nights my parents would shove a tube of decorating frosting into my mouth, bits at a time. I understand why they had to do it. I wouldn't hold a cup of juice. I couldn't chew or even hardly swallow. But that frosting would just get absorbed into my body as soon as it hit my mouth, eventually most of it going down my throat. I hated it. I hated waking up with blue everywhere... But that was the life, you know?

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Nursing School

BG[meter]: 86
BG[CGM]: Sensor Error *shrug* I don't know. I just started the damn thing over again, and hope for a better run. I am on day 4, so calling the company would be pointless. Their sensors are tested for a 3 day run, no more. Anymore finagling is up to me.

After reading Holly's blog today, I got to thinking about when I was diagnosed and the upheaval/emotional rollercoaster it put into motion. Oh, I wouldn't ever look back and call it upheaval. I definitely remember ups and downs. I can easily commiserate with other d-bloggers who share my experience, but overall I had a pretty happy childhood.

Hind sight being 20/20, now that I've touched the d-community online, I can see how I missed out on sharing my disease, sharing who I was with people who really understood. No one really gets it unless they get it... you know? All the books in the world [like, I am not my Illness, which I never did read. Sorry Mom!] are not going to make a person feel less alone. God helps in that instance, but God also gave us to us...he gave us community, family, church, knowing that in our humanity we would need other people.

I had a lot of people in my life to support me and love me. I just didn't have diabetes people. I never did get to a diabetes camp. Hmm. Maybe I'm forgetting something. I do remember a gal in high school who had diabetes, but I went to a LARGE high school, and we never really connected. My neighbor friend was diagnosed with diabetes, but we moved. Pfft.

Now, I have my husband Matt who understands me when my disease is front and center. When my facial expressions are just a hair off because my sugars have dropped or my pump is beeping at me because my sugar is high. He keeps up with the new stuff and is interested in keeping me working correctly. It's like we were made one... oh that's right. We were. :D

Wow, there was a time, I never would have even admitted high sugars existed. I'm one of those people who didn't understand that it wasn't my fault. I would fudge logs, lie about numbers when asked... [it's amazing that I can't remember having any A1c's over 8 in my adult lifetime] Highs happen, even when I do everything right. It's freeing to admit that, and oddly enough it makes the highs that ARE my fault [forgetting to bolus, overeating] easier to be accountable for.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Lots of Blood Work

BG: 78

I met my new OB/GYN last week. I was extremely pleased with the visit. Dr. Rodrigo inspired confidence by making me comfortable. He addressed my concerns all the while confirming that he knew what he was doing. Since I've done this a few times, it was nice to hear him speak of things of which I am familiar. And even better news, he's okay with going for a natural [and by natural, I mean vaginal] delivery, IF everything is still honky-dory at that point in the pregnancy. So, that's my goal... to keep things going smoothly as much as is possible and in my hands. Which reminds me, this week: get blood work taken care of. An ungodly amount of baseline bloodwork. Whooppee!

When it comes down to it though, if that can't happen, I'll be pleased to have Dr. Rodrigo in charge of cutting me open. :D

Have I lost anyone yet? hahaha.

Diabetes plays a role in my life, no matter what. My sugars have been keen for the last few weeks. I'm quite happy with them, even though I've been quite unhappy with my CGMS. It works well for what it's guarantees...and I guess I shouldn't ask more than that except for when I hear Kerri Sparling's delivery story and she says that she had to remove her CGM prior to the C-section...and the removal was on day FIFTEEN!!! Why does she get fifteen days... IN HER LEG?! If I put my CGM anywhere besides my abdomen, sides and part of the back, I no longer have that guarantee. So SUCKY! The longest I've pulled from a Minimed sensor is 6 days, but by then, it was starting to itch and irritate under all that irritating tape.

So, I have to think back to why I chose the Minimed over the Dexcom--thank God for Blogger. And I remember, I really wanted the integrated system. I was more comfortable on the Minimed than the Dexcom after trying both of them. I still love that about the Minimed. But I'll tell you something, when the warranty is up on this Minimed, if Dexcom and Animas FINALLY have a system set up together, I'll be looking to make some more comparisons. I'll be looking for that pie in the sky. ;-)