Gimme Drugs, Gimme Drugs

(Warning: Digression ahead)

So there’s this Welcome Back, Kotter episode where the Sweathogs are once again scheming and if memory serves me correctly (it’s been a while since I’ve seen this one), each one is acting out some stereotype of what a “Sweathog” is supposed to be. Vinnie Babarino is acting like a drug addict, so he’s walking around, bent over, looking dazed (and hot, because John Travolta was hot when he was 20), with his hands out and repeatedly saying, “Gimme drugs. Gimme drugs. Gimme drugs.”

While not in the hot category (at least not since my 20s), I do feel his dialogue to match my mind frame right now. Give. Me. Drugs.

I’ve got pings and twinges and aches and weird echoes and no less than six doctors appointments scheduled within the next three weeks, only one of which actually has to do with a twinge.

I’ve got sinus issues, which I’ve had since my first major sinus infection at age 16. I’m used to the sinus stuff. Take OTC meds until I’m completely dried out, bang my head against a few walls (lightly, but I swear it helps) and listen to Nine Inch Nails at a deafening level in an effort to quell the skull-cracking pain that accompanies sinuses gone whack. The harsh stuff usually only lasts about a week, and if I can catch it in time, only a few days.

Aye, but here’s the rub. Throw some diabetes into the mix and I’m all confused. See, my sinus symptoms and my low-sugar symptoms are a whole lot a like. They’re actually almost identical. Headache, fuzziness, bizarro comprehension skills, the inexplicable feeling of wanting to take a nap right here, right now.

So I keep checking my sugar, because I don’t know if my sinuses are attacking, or my diabetes is. If it’s the sinuses, my sugars are actually a little high (I can also tell if I tip my head upside down, because it’s like the weight of my entire house suddenly lands on my frontal lobe).

Given my latest meter reading, and my readings throughout the last couple days, it appears I’ve caught the sinus thing a little too late. And despite my aversion to popping more pills than necessary, I’m all about sinus drugs right now. With painkillers included. Gimme drugs. Gimme drugs.

As always, more to come (gimme)…

My Education

Having been on the NovoLog for a full two weeks now, I’m in various stages of learning how to dose for certain foods and the like. Luckily, I already know how to carb count and I’m pretty good at it. That helps a ton. If I had to learn how to dose and carb count at the same time, I think I’d be in tears.

Things I think I’ve figured out:
Bread. I have officially begun eating real sandwiches, with real bread. A whole two carb units! I’m so excited. Something real to support my turkey and swiss, finally!

Jay’s Pizza. My husband makes an awesome homemade pizza crust that he grills. It’s really good. And he made it this past weekend. And I didn’t skyrocket bang-zoom to the moon.

Things I’m still working on:
Pasta. Always a little tricky, but I didn’t do so bad the one time I ate it. I think I can do some adjusting and eventually get it right.

Morning vs. Afternoon vs. Dinner. I’ve always run lower in the morning and higher at night. It’s taking some time to figure out how to incorporate what I know about Lora-on-Lantus-only with Lora-on-Lantus-and-NovoLog. The time of day and how it effects me is one of those things.

Things I suck at so far:
Ice cream. I scream. I can’t get this right. And it’s summer. And I love ice cream. And I must be able to figure this out. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Remembering the shot. Duh. At least three times I’ve been in mid-chew and done an Oh, sh*t. Gotta get that routine ingrained in my head.

Things I’m afraid to try yet:
Bagels. My arch nemesis. The one thing I’ve never been able to handle. A bagel in the morning pre NovoLog meant nothing else to eat for the entire day. They scare me.

Exercise. I have yet to jump on the treadmill for actual exercise, although I can already tell this is going to be a sticky wicket. I did some heavy-duty raking and gardening this weekend and watched my numbers do a dance. I can only imagine what 45 minutes on the treadmill will do. Must tread lightly (hah! tread!).

Things I don’t care about:
Shooting in public. I even hiked my dress up to shoot in the stomach at a Potbelly’s. (Okay. I was in a corner and I had tights on. No one saw a thing. But if they did? So what.)

High numbers. I do care, but I’m not freaking out. My endo told me the numbers would be off for a while, and not to worry about them so much. So I’m not. I’m only caring enough to fit them in as pieces of my puzzle.

Things I do care about:
Bruising. I’m a bruiser. Always have been, always will be. Shooting the Lantus would give me the occasional bruise, but I could generally avoid it with doing only one shot a day. Now that I’m shooting 4-5 times a day, it’s harder to avoid getting bruised, and harder to find prime real estate to shoot in. I’m experimenting with different-sized needles in different body parts, but I still look like a pin-cushion. With nickel-sized purple spots (with a tinge of yellow).

Things I didn’t expect:
More needles. If I’m giving myself more shots each day, it only stands to reason that I would need more pen needles. Despite this obvious deduction, I was surprised when my supply started dwindling at an alarming rate. I’ve since re-stocked with the appropriate amounts and gotten a better grip on this portion of reality.

Things I’d like to learn:
Coordination. So shooting my saddle bags would be easier. And I could attempt to shoot in the back of my arm. Long live dreams…

As always, more to come (because there’s always something more to learn)…