I finally, finally got my blood test results from my doctor’s visit. My cholesterol is very good (thanks to the low-dosage of Lovastatin I’m on, which helps fight genetics). My thyroid levels (Graves Disease!) are okay, with one number being a little low—that means when the new endo looks at it, I might or might not get bumped up a dosage level. (Not a big deal. The Levothyroxine (generic Synthroid) dosage is always a balancing act; my dosages last for a year or two, then get switched.)
And then there’s my HbA1c. Sigh.
It’s a good number. A really, really good number. It’s lower than it was last summer. I should be happy. I should be jumping for joy. And a part of me is. It’s just that I’m not really sure it’s an accurate representation of what’s been going on with my body. It’s an average of what my sugars have been doing over the last three months. An AVERAGE. So if I wake up at 60 every morning, and go to bed at 160, the average would be 110. 110 would give me a good HbA1c. Doesn’t mean that waking up at 60 and going to bed at 160 is good.
My lows are too low, my highs are too high. Hence, why I’m going to my endo armed with tons of information. For three separate weeks (every other week until my appointment in April), I’m doing the testing every hour. I’m keeping detailed accounts of what I eat (I find taking a picture with the phone on my camera to be an excellent record-keeper). And I’m marking down every bit of exercise and when I do it. The doctor will be able to see every high and every low, and what may or may not have caused it, and when the numbers just happen because they happen.
I know I’m a “Type A” person. I like things very controlled, very organized. I want everything to be as close to perfect as it can be, and that includes my diabetes. I’m learning to let go a little bit and just let life happen as it does (thanks to weekly therapy sessions, in part), but I’m built the way I am and I can’t completely hang free. I know there are diabetics out there who would be perfectly happy with my numbers. But I’m not that person. I want, I need, I have to make sure I’m doing absolutely everything in my power to keep my numbers in the range I’m most comfortable with.
My doctor was happy with my HbA1c. I’m hoping my endo will pay attention to me when I tell her I need more. I want the HbA1c number I have now, but I want to make sure the daily numbers behind it are deserving of it.
Plus, just every now and then, I’d like to eat more than cheese for dinner.
As always, more to come…
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Unvirtuous
I wanted my next post to be about my blood test results from my Friday the 13th doctor’s visit.
I was hoping by now he would have called to share all the numbers with me, numbers about my cholesterol, my thyroid, my diabetes.
But no call as of this morning. So I’m hoping that by writing, it will trick him into calling. Like when you’re in a restaurant waiting for your food to come, if you get up to go to the bathroom, it will be there waiting for you when you come back.
So I’m writing now, in hopes that by the time anyone reads this, the call will have come.
I have no patience.
As always, more to come…
I was hoping by now he would have called to share all the numbers with me, numbers about my cholesterol, my thyroid, my diabetes.
But no call as of this morning. So I’m hoping that by writing, it will trick him into calling. Like when you’re in a restaurant waiting for your food to come, if you get up to go to the bathroom, it will be there waiting for you when you come back.
So I’m writing now, in hopes that by the time anyone reads this, the call will have come.
I have no patience.
As always, more to come…
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Hole-y Arms
My life is being run by little bells.
After writing down all my numbers to bring to the doctor last week, I realized that I’m not always testing when I should. Wanting to improve my testing habits, and wanting to bring some sort of number chart that actually means something to my new endo in early April, I decided to take stricter action.
So I set up “appointments” on my computer calendar at work, and every hour on the half hour, little bells ring and a box pops up on my screen that says “TEST! Now.” I leave my test kit next to my keyboard and I faithfully poke my arm with a needle.
Before and after work, I’m also trying to test on the half hours. The morning isn’t so different from what I usually do—I test when I wake up around 6:30, then again around 7:30 after I work out and before I eat breakfast, to determine how many carbs I need to last until lunch. By 8:30 I’m already at work and the bells are going off. At night, I get home around 6:45 and I normally test right away to see what’s for dinner. I’ve been bad about testing beyond that, so I’ve been making a conscious effort to test at 7:30, 8:30 and about 10pm (before I got to bed). That’s a total of 16 tests per day. (Wait. Did I do that math right? English major admitting mathematical deficiencies.)
Just to make it clear right here and right now, I do not intend to continue testing 16 times a day for the rest of my diabetic life. I’m thinking this week, one week in March, and one week at the beginning of April right before the endo should give me a plethora of information.
I will say I’m surprised by some of the numbers. I wasn’t often testing in the afternoon after lunch, and I found out I tend to run a little high there, but come down fairly quickly—in time for when I do test toward the end of the workday. I wasn’t catching those highs at all.
I’m also surprised by how much my numbers can shift in an hour. I can drop from 130 to 85 within 60 minutes. It almost makes me think I should test every half-hour, or every 15 minutes to get a better reading. But I’m not that crazy, or that rich (16 test strips a day, plus at least one bum one already means $$$).
I’m currently at 45 units of Lantus at night, with no other insulin. The only way I have to control my sugars between doses is by carb counting. I’m low, I eat, I wait until the number drops; rinse and repeat. If I’m too high, I don’t eat, or I exercise until I can. If I’m hovering, I have to decide how many carb units I can eat without shooting me too high and not dipping me too low. (Again, complicated equations for an English major.)
I’ve been grateful to only have to shoot one insulin once a day, but based on my numbers, I think this chapter of my diabetes life might be coming to a close. I’m running too low at times and too high at others. Too much Lantus for some points in the day, not enough for other moments. I need a better balance, and I’m hoping the detailed numbers will help my new endo see this.
Oh, and have you seen the movie Holes? Where boys are digging hole after hole in the dessert to look for a treasure? And you look at the screen and see thousands of craters across the landscape? That’s what my arms look like. Another reason 16-times a day will not be a permanent testing number.
As always, more to come (still waiting for that HbA1C result)…
After writing down all my numbers to bring to the doctor last week, I realized that I’m not always testing when I should. Wanting to improve my testing habits, and wanting to bring some sort of number chart that actually means something to my new endo in early April, I decided to take stricter action.
So I set up “appointments” on my computer calendar at work, and every hour on the half hour, little bells ring and a box pops up on my screen that says “TEST! Now.” I leave my test kit next to my keyboard and I faithfully poke my arm with a needle.
Before and after work, I’m also trying to test on the half hours. The morning isn’t so different from what I usually do—I test when I wake up around 6:30, then again around 7:30 after I work out and before I eat breakfast, to determine how many carbs I need to last until lunch. By 8:30 I’m already at work and the bells are going off. At night, I get home around 6:45 and I normally test right away to see what’s for dinner. I’ve been bad about testing beyond that, so I’ve been making a conscious effort to test at 7:30, 8:30 and about 10pm (before I got to bed). That’s a total of 16 tests per day. (Wait. Did I do that math right? English major admitting mathematical deficiencies.)
Just to make it clear right here and right now, I do not intend to continue testing 16 times a day for the rest of my diabetic life. I’m thinking this week, one week in March, and one week at the beginning of April right before the endo should give me a plethora of information.
I will say I’m surprised by some of the numbers. I wasn’t often testing in the afternoon after lunch, and I found out I tend to run a little high there, but come down fairly quickly—in time for when I do test toward the end of the workday. I wasn’t catching those highs at all.
I’m also surprised by how much my numbers can shift in an hour. I can drop from 130 to 85 within 60 minutes. It almost makes me think I should test every half-hour, or every 15 minutes to get a better reading. But I’m not that crazy, or that rich (16 test strips a day, plus at least one bum one already means $$$).
I’m currently at 45 units of Lantus at night, with no other insulin. The only way I have to control my sugars between doses is by carb counting. I’m low, I eat, I wait until the number drops; rinse and repeat. If I’m too high, I don’t eat, or I exercise until I can. If I’m hovering, I have to decide how many carb units I can eat without shooting me too high and not dipping me too low. (Again, complicated equations for an English major.)
I’ve been grateful to only have to shoot one insulin once a day, but based on my numbers, I think this chapter of my diabetes life might be coming to a close. I’m running too low at times and too high at others. Too much Lantus for some points in the day, not enough for other moments. I need a better balance, and I’m hoping the detailed numbers will help my new endo see this.
Oh, and have you seen the movie Holes? Where boys are digging hole after hole in the dessert to look for a treasure? And you look at the screen and see thousands of craters across the landscape? That’s what my arms look like. Another reason 16-times a day will not be a permanent testing number.
As always, more to come (still waiting for that HbA1C result)…
Friday, February 13, 2009
White Coats
I had my new-doctor visit this morning. I like him. He was nice, he paid attention, he appreciated my medical resume. He asked questions. He refilled my prescriptions. He said we should see each other every three or four months until we establish a good record with each other, then we can space it out. I liked that idea—a doctor who actually wants to get to know my body and what it’s doing so he can make informed decisions when it really matters.
I didn’t go in with any complaints or specific issues; I mostly went in to establish the relationship, get a good endo referral—and to get a whole lotta bloodwork, since I haven’t had any since May (my bad). It’s funny, but it’s not actually the doctor’s visit that reveals anything; it’s the phone call a week later with the test results (TSH, HbA1c, cholesterol, etc.) that has an impact.
And here’s a fun fact about Lora. I have “white-coat syndrome.” As everyone knows, when you go see a doctor, they always take your blood pressure pretty much right when you walk into the inner sanctum. My blood pressure is always high. However, if they take it again when the appointment is ending, it’s normal. A couple nurses have told me it’s called white-coat syndrome—just the idea of being in the doctor’s office raises my blood pressure. I’ve had experience with this before, so the doctor re-checked my blood pressure at the end, and sure enough, I went from “Whoa,” to normal in the span of 35 minutes. Go figure.
And on the endo front, I made my appointment—which isn’t until April 10. I’d rather it was next week, but I guess I can wait. Maybe this is the universe’s way of saying I need to keep some better records to present. That tidy list of numbers I created really doesn’t say anything, and I doubt my HbA1c is going to give a clear picture either. I think I need to do an exercise/food intake/more frequent blood sugar thing for a few weeks. Maybe I’ll even borrow my mom’s PC and hook my meter up to it, since my meter doesn’t like my MAC.
For now, though, I’m just going to psych myself up for removing the Band-Aid from my very sensitive inner elbow skin where they drew the blood. It always hurts like a bitch.
As always, more to come…
I didn’t go in with any complaints or specific issues; I mostly went in to establish the relationship, get a good endo referral—and to get a whole lotta bloodwork, since I haven’t had any since May (my bad). It’s funny, but it’s not actually the doctor’s visit that reveals anything; it’s the phone call a week later with the test results (TSH, HbA1c, cholesterol, etc.) that has an impact.
And here’s a fun fact about Lora. I have “white-coat syndrome.” As everyone knows, when you go see a doctor, they always take your blood pressure pretty much right when you walk into the inner sanctum. My blood pressure is always high. However, if they take it again when the appointment is ending, it’s normal. A couple nurses have told me it’s called white-coat syndrome—just the idea of being in the doctor’s office raises my blood pressure. I’ve had experience with this before, so the doctor re-checked my blood pressure at the end, and sure enough, I went from “Whoa,” to normal in the span of 35 minutes. Go figure.
And on the endo front, I made my appointment—which isn’t until April 10. I’d rather it was next week, but I guess I can wait. Maybe this is the universe’s way of saying I need to keep some better records to present. That tidy list of numbers I created really doesn’t say anything, and I doubt my HbA1c is going to give a clear picture either. I think I need to do an exercise/food intake/more frequent blood sugar thing for a few weeks. Maybe I’ll even borrow my mom’s PC and hook my meter up to it, since my meter doesn’t like my MAC.
For now, though, I’m just going to psych myself up for removing the Band-Aid from my very sensitive inner elbow skin where they drew the blood. It always hurts like a bitch.
As always, more to come…
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Avoid Void
So, in preparation for my new-doctor appointment tomorrow, last night I keyed in all my numbers that I had written in my notebook so they made a tidy list on a sheet of paper.
I want to be able to show the doctor that my numbers are high at night, that I have a hard time keeping a cap on them after dinner, and that I’m having to eat less and less (I’m down to one carb unit) in order to keep things even somewhat in check. I’m already pushing the maximum units of Lantus (45-47 each night) I can handle without continuously dive-bombing during the day, so I’m thinking it might be time to work in another insulin at night, before I eat dinner.
Unfortunately, that tidy list doesn’t show a lot of my high-at-night numbers. Not because I don’t have any, but because, as I realized last night, I haven’t been checking my numbers at night.
It’s a case of avoidance, in the worst way. I know the number is going to be high. The high number gives me stress, makes me worry, and there’s not a whole helluva lot I can do at 10pm at night to make it drop (no, I am NOT hitting the treadmill right before bed). So rather than take the test and see the high number, I just don’t test. My tests stop around 7pm, right before I eat dinner. There’s only a handful of numbers that show up around 10pm.
Also, I realized that while I test multiple times a day, I tend to test when I know I’m low, just as a confirmation. I don’t really feel highs, so I don’t think to test at other times of the day. I think I need to start testing two hours after I eat, just to see what’s going on. Do you think testing every 15 minutes for two days is overkill? Just to get a better handle on where my numbers are really at?
So, I’m not sure how much help my tidy list of numbers is going to be when explaining things to the doctor. I can point out the few high numbers from when I did test, and I can point out that I’m not testing at night, but I’m wondering how far that will take me.
It’s an internal medicine doctor I’m seeing tomorrow, but I’m planning on making an appointment with an endo next. Maybe I will try that 15 minutes thing, or at least stop avoiding seeing that high number and actually testing after dinner.
As always, more to come…
I want to be able to show the doctor that my numbers are high at night, that I have a hard time keeping a cap on them after dinner, and that I’m having to eat less and less (I’m down to one carb unit) in order to keep things even somewhat in check. I’m already pushing the maximum units of Lantus (45-47 each night) I can handle without continuously dive-bombing during the day, so I’m thinking it might be time to work in another insulin at night, before I eat dinner.
Unfortunately, that tidy list doesn’t show a lot of my high-at-night numbers. Not because I don’t have any, but because, as I realized last night, I haven’t been checking my numbers at night.
It’s a case of avoidance, in the worst way. I know the number is going to be high. The high number gives me stress, makes me worry, and there’s not a whole helluva lot I can do at 10pm at night to make it drop (no, I am NOT hitting the treadmill right before bed). So rather than take the test and see the high number, I just don’t test. My tests stop around 7pm, right before I eat dinner. There’s only a handful of numbers that show up around 10pm.
Also, I realized that while I test multiple times a day, I tend to test when I know I’m low, just as a confirmation. I don’t really feel highs, so I don’t think to test at other times of the day. I think I need to start testing two hours after I eat, just to see what’s going on. Do you think testing every 15 minutes for two days is overkill? Just to get a better handle on where my numbers are really at?
So, I’m not sure how much help my tidy list of numbers is going to be when explaining things to the doctor. I can point out the few high numbers from when I did test, and I can point out that I’m not testing at night, but I’m wondering how far that will take me.
It’s an internal medicine doctor I’m seeing tomorrow, but I’m planning on making an appointment with an endo next. Maybe I will try that 15 minutes thing, or at least stop avoiding seeing that high number and actually testing after dinner.
As always, more to come…
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
My Medical Resume
I have an appointment with a new doctor on Friday morning. I’ve had four doctors since my dx, and I’ve had to give a detailed history to each one.
I’ve finally gotten smart.
Knowing I’m going to have to give my story all over again, I decided to write everything down. When the doctor asks, I’m just going to give him the sheet of paper. I’ve written down my childhood conditions that might be pertinent today, my teen/early 20 issues and everything about my current conditions, the two biggies being diabetes and Grave’s disease.
I wrote down who my other doctors currently are (gyno, dentist, eye doctor, therapist), what prescriptions I’m on (seven) and what dosages.
I wrote down what my HbA1Cs have been over the past years and what my numbers have been in general.
I’ve written down any procedures I’ve had and any hospitalizations.
I might even call my mom and get some background history on what the grandparents all had (they’ve all passed from various issues which I generally know about, but not the specifics), and on what mom and pop are currently dealing with (I inherited the Grave’s from dad, but what else is looming on the horizon?). I should have all this info anyway, and it’s about time I act like I’m a responsible 40-year-old and write it all down.
I do have some of my medical records, and I’m in the process of tracking down the rest of them, but I’m thinking that even if I hand the new doctor a four-inch thick stack of papers at our first meeting, he’s not going to sit down and read everything while I wait (it will take him way longer than that to decipher the various handwritings). He might, however, read a couple pieces of paper and be fairly caught up to speed.
So now, in addition to having a professional resume, I now have a medical resume. How important am I?
As always, more to come…
I’ve finally gotten smart.
Knowing I’m going to have to give my story all over again, I decided to write everything down. When the doctor asks, I’m just going to give him the sheet of paper. I’ve written down my childhood conditions that might be pertinent today, my teen/early 20 issues and everything about my current conditions, the two biggies being diabetes and Grave’s disease.
I wrote down who my other doctors currently are (gyno, dentist, eye doctor, therapist), what prescriptions I’m on (seven) and what dosages.
I wrote down what my HbA1Cs have been over the past years and what my numbers have been in general.
I’ve written down any procedures I’ve had and any hospitalizations.
I might even call my mom and get some background history on what the grandparents all had (they’ve all passed from various issues which I generally know about, but not the specifics), and on what mom and pop are currently dealing with (I inherited the Grave’s from dad, but what else is looming on the horizon?). I should have all this info anyway, and it’s about time I act like I’m a responsible 40-year-old and write it all down.
I do have some of my medical records, and I’m in the process of tracking down the rest of them, but I’m thinking that even if I hand the new doctor a four-inch thick stack of papers at our first meeting, he’s not going to sit down and read everything while I wait (it will take him way longer than that to decipher the various handwritings). He might, however, read a couple pieces of paper and be fairly caught up to speed.
So now, in addition to having a professional resume, I now have a medical resume. How important am I?
As always, more to come…
Thursday, February 5, 2009
1, 2, 3, 4…
I’m playing a different sort of numbers game today…
17 the number of days it took Saturn of Glenview to fix my car (Saturn sucks!)
70 the route number of the city bus I took to get to work for 17 days
7 the approximate age of the girl on the bus who had a runny nose and kept wiping at it with her hand, then rubbing her hand EVERY WHERE
99.8 my fever this morning from the cold/flu I’ve managed to fight off all winter, until, well, see the three above
3 the number of “really great” doctors my gyno recommended for me to try (Saturn sucks, my gyno is fabulous)
5 is how many pounds I’ve lost so far this year—yay me!
6 requests are waiting for me on Facebook. I’m just not sure I want to get into the whole fairyland, blue cove thing…
2,312 the number of vacation days I’m ready to take right now. Somebody send me a plane ticket and a million dollars and I’m gone, baby, gone
2 is the number of requests I’ve made to St. Mary’s of Nazareth Hospital for my medical records from my DKA stay with them. I’m hoping this second time does the trick
1 day is all I have to left to endure before it’s Saturday and I can sleep in, watch Tivo, share my overstuffed chair with my dogs and eat popcorn (which, surprisingly, doesn’t have that big of an effect on my sugar—go figure)
As always, more to come…but NO MORE BUS!!!
17 the number of days it took Saturn of Glenview to fix my car (Saturn sucks!)
70 the route number of the city bus I took to get to work for 17 days
7 the approximate age of the girl on the bus who had a runny nose and kept wiping at it with her hand, then rubbing her hand EVERY WHERE
99.8 my fever this morning from the cold/flu I’ve managed to fight off all winter, until, well, see the three above
3 the number of “really great” doctors my gyno recommended for me to try (Saturn sucks, my gyno is fabulous)
5 is how many pounds I’ve lost so far this year—yay me!
6 requests are waiting for me on Facebook. I’m just not sure I want to get into the whole fairyland, blue cove thing…
2,312 the number of vacation days I’m ready to take right now. Somebody send me a plane ticket and a million dollars and I’m gone, baby, gone
2 is the number of requests I’ve made to St. Mary’s of Nazareth Hospital for my medical records from my DKA stay with them. I’m hoping this second time does the trick
1 day is all I have to left to endure before it’s Saturday and I can sleep in, watch Tivo, share my overstuffed chair with my dogs and eat popcorn (which, surprisingly, doesn’t have that big of an effect on my sugar—go figure)
As always, more to come…but NO MORE BUS!!!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Fear Itself
I have an Accu-Chek Multiclix lancing device and I really like it.
Except I have this fear that when I'm inserting a new cartridge into the device, that all six needles are going to spontaneously spring forward and stab my thumb, leaving me with much hurt, much blood and a circle-shaped scar.
I have other, deeper, worse, nightmare-type fears, but this one seems like a nice little containable fear to have about diabetes. You know, until the spontaneous springing thing actually happens.
As always, more to come...
Except I have this fear that when I'm inserting a new cartridge into the device, that all six needles are going to spontaneously spring forward and stab my thumb, leaving me with much hurt, much blood and a circle-shaped scar.
I have other, deeper, worse, nightmare-type fears, but this one seems like a nice little containable fear to have about diabetes. You know, until the spontaneous springing thing actually happens.
As always, more to come...
Monday, January 26, 2009
Pizza Support
I've been having a rough day. First and foremost, it's Monday.
Beyond that, my car sputtered to a stop a week ago last Friday. After much back and forth with the dealer, the bottom line is I need a new engine that will cost me a small fortune. It was supposed to be ready Saturday, then again today. Now they're saying tomorrow. I'm on bus detail for work and have been trapped *TRAPPED!* inside my house for the last two weekends.
My medical ID bracelet broke (yet another one) and I have to take it in to get it repaired.
I have to give my dog her shot tonight. I had to crunch numbers at work today and I hate doing that. I was sluggy all weekend and all I can think today is about how I should've cleaned the bathroom, done laundry, etc.
Basically, I'm being beaten up by everyone, including myself. And when that happens, I turn to comfort food. Pizza. Mushroom pizza. And then a cookie. A Samba cookie. I blew my diet, but it felt good (except for the heartburn I'm having right now). I've been trying to train myself to turn to exercise as comfort, but it's not as tasty.
So now, three hours after my meal, I'm a little afraid to test my blood. I know it's going to be higher than it should be, but I'm thinking it may be lower as well. I've been exercising pretty regular lately and have been having some pretty good numbers.
I used the pizza as support earlier, now I'm using my blog as support while I test my sugar. Here goes...
Alcohol swab.
Prep lancet.
Wave at arm to dry alcohol.
Stick strip in meter.
Poke arm and push down for blood.
Put stick into blood and wait for beep.
Beep.
Wait for double beep with number.
Double beep.
Cover number with fingers before looking, then reveal one number at a time.
There's a 1.
There's a 0.
There's a 6.
Unfortunately, not in that order. 160.
It is done.
As always, more to come...
Beyond that, my car sputtered to a stop a week ago last Friday. After much back and forth with the dealer, the bottom line is I need a new engine that will cost me a small fortune. It was supposed to be ready Saturday, then again today. Now they're saying tomorrow. I'm on bus detail for work and have been trapped *TRAPPED!* inside my house for the last two weekends.
My medical ID bracelet broke (yet another one) and I have to take it in to get it repaired.
I have to give my dog her shot tonight. I had to crunch numbers at work today and I hate doing that. I was sluggy all weekend and all I can think today is about how I should've cleaned the bathroom, done laundry, etc.
Basically, I'm being beaten up by everyone, including myself. And when that happens, I turn to comfort food. Pizza. Mushroom pizza. And then a cookie. A Samba cookie. I blew my diet, but it felt good (except for the heartburn I'm having right now). I've been trying to train myself to turn to exercise as comfort, but it's not as tasty.
So now, three hours after my meal, I'm a little afraid to test my blood. I know it's going to be higher than it should be, but I'm thinking it may be lower as well. I've been exercising pretty regular lately and have been having some pretty good numbers.
I used the pizza as support earlier, now I'm using my blog as support while I test my sugar. Here goes...
Alcohol swab.
Prep lancet.
Wave at arm to dry alcohol.
Stick strip in meter.
Poke arm and push down for blood.
Put stick into blood and wait for beep.
Beep.
Wait for double beep with number.
Double beep.
Cover number with fingers before looking, then reveal one number at a time.
There's a 1.
There's a 0.
There's a 6.
Unfortunately, not in that order. 160.
It is done.
As always, more to come...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Bits of Tissue
My arm looks like I cut myself shaving.
I was trying to test my blood via my forearm and I got a bum test strip. So I threw the strip out and pricked again with my lancet, looking for a rounder, richer bead of blood. I got one.
And now I have a bleeder.
And I’m wearing a white, long-sleeve shirt.
I couldn’t get it to stop and my arm is cold (it is winter in Chicago, after all). So I stuck a piece of Kleenex on it. Just like the men in the movies do when they cut themselves shaving.
Only they never show you what happens next. Guess I’ll just wait a few minutes and peel it off and see what happens.
I hope the bleeding stops. I’d really like to push down my sleeves.
As always, more to come…
I was trying to test my blood via my forearm and I got a bum test strip. So I threw the strip out and pricked again with my lancet, looking for a rounder, richer bead of blood. I got one.
And now I have a bleeder.
And I’m wearing a white, long-sleeve shirt.
I couldn’t get it to stop and my arm is cold (it is winter in Chicago, after all). So I stuck a piece of Kleenex on it. Just like the men in the movies do when they cut themselves shaving.
Only they never show you what happens next. Guess I’ll just wait a few minutes and peel it off and see what happens.
I hope the bleeding stops. I’d really like to push down my sleeves.
As always, more to come…
Monday, January 19, 2009
Another Number Post
Okay. So despite putting forth my best technical effort, I can't get my meter hooked up to my MAC to upload my numbers. The cable I bought is one part of a complicated patch I'm not prepared to deal with and my disappointment and aggravation caused a ripple I'm sure was felt 'round the universe.
I went old-school and last night I hand-wrote all the numbers stored in my meter, starting with yesterday afternoon and going back until October 30, where the memory ended. I wrote them down in a composition notebook with a pencil. Triple-checked each entry by number, date and time and made sure everything was written down correctly. Then I looked them over.
I don't remember waking up at 5:09 am on November 9 to a 58, but I must've drank some juice or something because I tested again at 5:38 and was starting to climb at 64. I was low all day: 62 at 8:55am, 76 at 1:34 pm.
I can't tell you much about 11/21, 11/27, 12/2, 12/14 or 12/26--all days I chose to only test once. I can, however, give you details on about two dozen other days where I tested more than five times.
Unfortunately my meter doesn't show what I ate or how much I exercised on any day and my personal memory certainly doesn't go beyond what I did yesterday, and even that's a bit sketchy. So the numbers are just numbers (except for the first one of the day, which I always do right when I wake up; no exercise or food involved). But they do paint an interesting picture.
I have an appointment with my very favorite, very nice gyno in the first week of February. He's in my new insurance network. I'm going to him armed with a list of doctors and endos also in the network and getting his honest and trustworthy opinion on who he recommends. I figured this is a better alternative than just picking a name out of a book that sounds interesting. I thought it would be nice when I finally do go see the new doctor (hopefully in February), if I could bring a numbers list to him/her so he/she could see where I'm at.
So until meter technology hits the MAC world, I'm going to keep recording in my composition book my numbers and maybe I'll even take some notes on exercise and food so I have a better log to present.
As always, more to come (more numbers, numbers, numbers)...
I went old-school and last night I hand-wrote all the numbers stored in my meter, starting with yesterday afternoon and going back until October 30, where the memory ended. I wrote them down in a composition notebook with a pencil. Triple-checked each entry by number, date and time and made sure everything was written down correctly. Then I looked them over.
I don't remember waking up at 5:09 am on November 9 to a 58, but I must've drank some juice or something because I tested again at 5:38 and was starting to climb at 64. I was low all day: 62 at 8:55am, 76 at 1:34 pm.
I can't tell you much about 11/21, 11/27, 12/2, 12/14 or 12/26--all days I chose to only test once. I can, however, give you details on about two dozen other days where I tested more than five times.
Unfortunately my meter doesn't show what I ate or how much I exercised on any day and my personal memory certainly doesn't go beyond what I did yesterday, and even that's a bit sketchy. So the numbers are just numbers (except for the first one of the day, which I always do right when I wake up; no exercise or food involved). But they do paint an interesting picture.
I have an appointment with my very favorite, very nice gyno in the first week of February. He's in my new insurance network. I'm going to him armed with a list of doctors and endos also in the network and getting his honest and trustworthy opinion on who he recommends. I figured this is a better alternative than just picking a name out of a book that sounds interesting. I thought it would be nice when I finally do go see the new doctor (hopefully in February), if I could bring a numbers list to him/her so he/she could see where I'm at.
So until meter technology hits the MAC world, I'm going to keep recording in my composition book my numbers and maybe I'll even take some notes on exercise and food so I have a better log to present.
As always, more to come (more numbers, numbers, numbers)...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Soy To Me (And To The World)
Sometimes my job is just that: my job. I have good days and I have bad days. I do some fun stuff and I do some boring stuff. This week, my job was more than just a job; it was inspiring.
I did an interview with Ingrid Newkirk, one of the founders of and the current president of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). While we talked some about her book, One Can Make A Difference (awe-inspiring; read it if you haven’t), we also talked about becoming vegetarian or vegan.
Even though my brother has been a vegetarian for over 10 years (the boy orders vegan shoes from the UK), and has been spouting its virtues forever, there’s something about hearing Ingrid talk about it that makes it seem do-able, at least on some level. She’s funny, articulate, compassionate and not the militant YOU MUST person I half expected.
While I don’t think I’m ready to completely give up meat, and I know for sure I’m not ready to give up cheese, I am now convinced there are a few small changes I can make. My first venture: soy milk.
I have to admit that changing my milk isn’t going to be a big sacrifice. I’m not a big milk drinker; you won’t see me pouring a glass as a refreshing beverage. Milk is usually only involved in doughnut or cookie scenarios. And cereal—although I don’t drink the milk at the bottom of the bowl (yeccch).
What the big question was in this decision is soy milk and diabetes. I’ve done some research on the World Wide Web and from what I can see, as long as I choose the unsweetened variety, the carb count can actually be less than regular milk. And I haven’t seen any documentation on it being bad for diabetics in any health sense. I’m currently between doctors and don’t expect to see one between now and when my current gallon of regular milk runs out or expires, so my consultation with him/her will have to wait.
When I go grocery shopping this weekend (that is, if the weather in Chicago rises above the -2 its supposed to be tomorrow and I’m brave enough to venture into the ice that is my atmosphere), I’ll pick up a carton, and I’ll be extra sure to check my sugar levels before and after drinking it for the first few times to make sure everything is copacetic (I won’t even eat the cookies to make sure everything is on the up and up). And if all goes well, I’ll make my change permanent.
Soy, I guess that’s it. (Ooo. Another fabulous reason for going soy—so many great puns and wordplay possibilities!) I’ll keep you posted on how things go, because I know everyone who reads this blog is teetering right here next to me on the brink of excitement over my foray into the world of soy.
As always, more to come (now with more soy!)…
I did an interview with Ingrid Newkirk, one of the founders of and the current president of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). While we talked some about her book, One Can Make A Difference (awe-inspiring; read it if you haven’t), we also talked about becoming vegetarian or vegan.
Even though my brother has been a vegetarian for over 10 years (the boy orders vegan shoes from the UK), and has been spouting its virtues forever, there’s something about hearing Ingrid talk about it that makes it seem do-able, at least on some level. She’s funny, articulate, compassionate and not the militant YOU MUST person I half expected.
While I don’t think I’m ready to completely give up meat, and I know for sure I’m not ready to give up cheese, I am now convinced there are a few small changes I can make. My first venture: soy milk.
I have to admit that changing my milk isn’t going to be a big sacrifice. I’m not a big milk drinker; you won’t see me pouring a glass as a refreshing beverage. Milk is usually only involved in doughnut or cookie scenarios. And cereal—although I don’t drink the milk at the bottom of the bowl (yeccch).
What the big question was in this decision is soy milk and diabetes. I’ve done some research on the World Wide Web and from what I can see, as long as I choose the unsweetened variety, the carb count can actually be less than regular milk. And I haven’t seen any documentation on it being bad for diabetics in any health sense. I’m currently between doctors and don’t expect to see one between now and when my current gallon of regular milk runs out or expires, so my consultation with him/her will have to wait.
When I go grocery shopping this weekend (that is, if the weather in Chicago rises above the -2 its supposed to be tomorrow and I’m brave enough to venture into the ice that is my atmosphere), I’ll pick up a carton, and I’ll be extra sure to check my sugar levels before and after drinking it for the first few times to make sure everything is copacetic (I won’t even eat the cookies to make sure everything is on the up and up). And if all goes well, I’ll make my change permanent.
Soy, I guess that’s it. (Ooo. Another fabulous reason for going soy—so many great puns and wordplay possibilities!) I’ll keep you posted on how things go, because I know everyone who reads this blog is teetering right here next to me on the brink of excitement over my foray into the world of soy.
As always, more to come (now with more soy!)…
Monday, January 12, 2009
Free Style Recycling
I use a Freestyle meter and test strips. The test strips come in these really sturdy little containers with a flip top and they close really securely.
As such, and being the “must use this item again” person that I am, I save every one of them and stick them in a drawer that is now overflowing. Every now and then, I actually find a use for one of them, or someone else in my family does.
Just in case you have a drawer-full too, here are a few of the ways myself and others I know have used them…
* Drill bits. I come from a family who does construction and my brother had some really expensive, smallish drill bits. And wouldn’t you know it? They fit in a Freestyle test strip container.
* After-shave stick. My husband bought this stick thingy that you rub on your cuts after you shave to make them feel better. He usually just kept it on a little dish in the bathroom, but when we went travelling, he wanted to bring it. It’s now permanently stored in a Freestyle test strip container.
* For my wedding, I wanted to carry some sugar-free Tums in my bag for my way-too-often heartburn. I pasted some pretty Japanese art paper around the outside of the container and slid in my Tums. Works perfectly and looked pretty inside my wedding bag. Now I just use a non-decorated one to throw a few Tums in and put them in random bags I carry. (Also great for Tylenol and other small pills.)
* Balsamic vinegar. This morning I made a salad to bring to work. I usually put my vinegar in a tiny Glad container you buy at the grocery store. However, my dog Molly thinks these containers are like dog bones and chews through them whenever she gets the chance. I didn’t have any tiny containers left, so I grabbed a Freestyle container, washed it out really, really well and put my vinegar in there. Didn’t leak even a drop. Quite possibly my new most favorite usage, just for the sheer inspired genius of it.
I’m still thinking that on top of the practical uses I’ve found, there has to be an art project in there as well—some sculptured piece I can create and hang on the wall. I’m still mulling that one over.
I’ll keep you posted on any other good uses I come across, and feel free to share if you’ve come up with something good.
As always, more to come (perhaps in a Freestyle test strip container)…
As such, and being the “must use this item again” person that I am, I save every one of them and stick them in a drawer that is now overflowing. Every now and then, I actually find a use for one of them, or someone else in my family does.
Just in case you have a drawer-full too, here are a few of the ways myself and others I know have used them…
* Drill bits. I come from a family who does construction and my brother had some really expensive, smallish drill bits. And wouldn’t you know it? They fit in a Freestyle test strip container.
* After-shave stick. My husband bought this stick thingy that you rub on your cuts after you shave to make them feel better. He usually just kept it on a little dish in the bathroom, but when we went travelling, he wanted to bring it. It’s now permanently stored in a Freestyle test strip container.
* For my wedding, I wanted to carry some sugar-free Tums in my bag for my way-too-often heartburn. I pasted some pretty Japanese art paper around the outside of the container and slid in my Tums. Works perfectly and looked pretty inside my wedding bag. Now I just use a non-decorated one to throw a few Tums in and put them in random bags I carry. (Also great for Tylenol and other small pills.)
* Balsamic vinegar. This morning I made a salad to bring to work. I usually put my vinegar in a tiny Glad container you buy at the grocery store. However, my dog Molly thinks these containers are like dog bones and chews through them whenever she gets the chance. I didn’t have any tiny containers left, so I grabbed a Freestyle container, washed it out really, really well and put my vinegar in there. Didn’t leak even a drop. Quite possibly my new most favorite usage, just for the sheer inspired genius of it.
I’m still thinking that on top of the practical uses I’ve found, there has to be an art project in there as well—some sculptured piece I can create and hang on the wall. I’m still mulling that one over.
I’ll keep you posted on any other good uses I come across, and feel free to share if you’ve come up with something good.
As always, more to come (perhaps in a Freestyle test strip container)…
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Intervention
I watch a lot of television, I admit it. My husband doesn’t watch nearly as much as I do, but he has a few favorites, one of them being “Intervention” on A&E. Sometimes I watch it with him—it’s television, after all, how bad can it be?
Intervention is exactly what the title says it is—an intervention. Each one-hour episode features a person who thinks they’re being filmed for a documentary, but are really being set up for an intervention by their family, led by a professional intervention leader. About 45 minutes of the show details the person’s life—how they grew up, what they’re doing now. The last 15 minutes is the actual intervention. The goal is to get the person into a rehab or treatment facility of some kind. It’s not a “reality” show in terms of sensationalism, but rather a mini-documentary on a person’s life.
I’ve seen episodes where the person has issues with the “usual” stuff you’d expect, like alcohol, heroin, crack and the like, but they also cover other topics such as eating disorders, sexual addictions and I even saw one episode about a video-game addiction.
So, this week’s intervention? Diabetes. Here’s the description from A&E:
“Episode 76 – John C
John has type one diabetes but refuses to be diligent about checking his blood sugar, or taking his insulin. A social misfit and an outcast for many years, John wants to be considered a regular guy, and pretends to be one by eating whatever he wants without regard for his illness. He has been in a near-coma and hospitalized multiple times. His parents want to stop enabling his self-destructive behavior, but won't kick him out of the house because they fear he'll die without their supervision.”
I thought it was an interesting twist on an intervention.
If you’re interested in watching it, they have the episode online. Go to www.aetv.com/intervention and hit the “episode guide” section. Look for Episode 76 – John C.
I’m not a reviewer, so I’ll just let you watch and make up your own mind about what you think about the episode. Let me know.
As always, more to come…
Intervention is exactly what the title says it is—an intervention. Each one-hour episode features a person who thinks they’re being filmed for a documentary, but are really being set up for an intervention by their family, led by a professional intervention leader. About 45 minutes of the show details the person’s life—how they grew up, what they’re doing now. The last 15 minutes is the actual intervention. The goal is to get the person into a rehab or treatment facility of some kind. It’s not a “reality” show in terms of sensationalism, but rather a mini-documentary on a person’s life.
I’ve seen episodes where the person has issues with the “usual” stuff you’d expect, like alcohol, heroin, crack and the like, but they also cover other topics such as eating disorders, sexual addictions and I even saw one episode about a video-game addiction.
So, this week’s intervention? Diabetes. Here’s the description from A&E:
“Episode 76 – John C
John has type one diabetes but refuses to be diligent about checking his blood sugar, or taking his insulin. A social misfit and an outcast for many years, John wants to be considered a regular guy, and pretends to be one by eating whatever he wants without regard for his illness. He has been in a near-coma and hospitalized multiple times. His parents want to stop enabling his self-destructive behavior, but won't kick him out of the house because they fear he'll die without their supervision.”
I thought it was an interesting twist on an intervention.
If you’re interested in watching it, they have the episode online. Go to www.aetv.com/intervention and hit the “episode guide” section. Look for Episode 76 – John C.
I’m not a reviewer, so I’ll just let you watch and make up your own mind about what you think about the episode. Let me know.
As always, more to come…
Monday, January 5, 2009
I Resolve...
Yes, I’m the type of person who makes resolutions at the beginning of each year. Are you surprised?
I choose really nice stationery, get one of my fountain pens in working order and sit down to write everything out. When I’m done, I read through it and pick a key word that seems to summarize what I’ve written. “Improvement,” “Success,” “Relax,” and “Control” are a few words I’ve used in the past. I put my resolutions in an envelope, seal the envelope, write the year on it and put my word on it. I tuck it away and never look at it again during the year.
I know it may seem weird, but me just sitting down, thinking about what I want to accomplish during the year, what I want to experience, what habits or hobbies I want to cultivate and what emotions I’d like to indulge in, is enough. I don’t make a checklist of my resolutions, I just sort of make a plan in my head and in my heart and keep it there through the year.
I also make sure that in addition to the big, long-term resolutions, I put a few “dreamer” ones on there—things I hope to do one day—and a few small ones that I know I’ll definitely accomplish—take the Christmas tree down by January 10. Some of my dreamer ones I’ve actually filled; granted, not in the year I wrote them, but still, climbing in a pyramid in Egypt was worth the resolution I wrote years ago.
This year, I’ve decided to make separate resolutions for my diabetes. And instead of my pretty stationery, I’m using my pretty blog page. So here goes…
1. Check my blood sugar more. There are days when I go by feel, as opposed to pulling out my meter and doing an actual test. While I’m usually pretty good at knowing where I’m at by how my head and my body feel, there are times when I surprise myself when I actually do do a test. As they say on D-Life, “Test, don’t guess.” And it really would help me chart what’s going on if I had actual numbers to chart. Which leads me to…
2. Hook up the cable on my meter to my computer. I’m a MAC girl, and, unfortunately, the electronic diabetic community seems to be mostly PC based. I’ve had a hard time finding the right cables and software to hook my meter up to my computer, but I ran across something a few months ago that I think might work. I ordered the cable in great excitement, waited patiently for it to arrive in the mail. Ripped it out of the package when it came. Then promptly set it on a shelf and forgot about it. I will, I will, I will hook that cable up and make it work.
3. Exercise better. This should just be branded permanently on my forehead, in ambulance mirror type so I see it every morning when I brush my teeth. It’s probably been on every resolution list I’ve made since 1987 and it’s something I always struggle with. Each year I start out fantastically, then fade out, then renew, then stop, then start, then sit on the couch, then run three miles a day for six weeks straight. It’s not that I don’t exercise, it’s that I’m not as consistent with it as I need to be. So I’m going to try to find a way to exercise better—find a program or system or agenda or schedule I can actually stick with.
4. Make more doctors’ appointments. I’m horrible with checking in with my doctors—in 2008 I only went four times for a check-up (or was it three?). I only saw my endo once. It could be because I wasn’t really impressed with any of my doctors, but I now have new insurance and my choices are better. So after I find someone I like, I’m going to actually go see them every couple of months. And I might even try to get a diabetes educator. Wouldn’t that be something?
5. Find a balance. Sometimes I’m too hard on me—mentally chastising and scolding myself for bad numbers, not checking my sugars or not making doctors’ appointments. And sometimes I let myself get away with too much. I’m looking for a balance this year where I’m taking care of myself the way I should be, but in a way that doesn’t infuse guilt, disappointment or anger into my system.
6. Be more creative with food. I’m an expert baker. I’m not a bad cook. I have a huge assortment of cookbooks. And, I really love grocery shopping (actually, to the point where people think it’s strange). There’s no reason I should be eating the same 10 things over and over again. I can do low-carb creatively—and without excessive amounts of cheese. I declare this the year of the mushroom!
So there it is, in black and white and read all over. My keyword for this list: Positivity (even though spell-check tells me this isn’t an actual word). Because I’m going to have a positive view about my diabetes this year.
May your 2009 be everything you want it to be—and a little bit more.
As always, more to come…
I choose really nice stationery, get one of my fountain pens in working order and sit down to write everything out. When I’m done, I read through it and pick a key word that seems to summarize what I’ve written. “Improvement,” “Success,” “Relax,” and “Control” are a few words I’ve used in the past. I put my resolutions in an envelope, seal the envelope, write the year on it and put my word on it. I tuck it away and never look at it again during the year.
I know it may seem weird, but me just sitting down, thinking about what I want to accomplish during the year, what I want to experience, what habits or hobbies I want to cultivate and what emotions I’d like to indulge in, is enough. I don’t make a checklist of my resolutions, I just sort of make a plan in my head and in my heart and keep it there through the year.
I also make sure that in addition to the big, long-term resolutions, I put a few “dreamer” ones on there—things I hope to do one day—and a few small ones that I know I’ll definitely accomplish—take the Christmas tree down by January 10. Some of my dreamer ones I’ve actually filled; granted, not in the year I wrote them, but still, climbing in a pyramid in Egypt was worth the resolution I wrote years ago.
This year, I’ve decided to make separate resolutions for my diabetes. And instead of my pretty stationery, I’m using my pretty blog page. So here goes…
1. Check my blood sugar more. There are days when I go by feel, as opposed to pulling out my meter and doing an actual test. While I’m usually pretty good at knowing where I’m at by how my head and my body feel, there are times when I surprise myself when I actually do do a test. As they say on D-Life, “Test, don’t guess.” And it really would help me chart what’s going on if I had actual numbers to chart. Which leads me to…
2. Hook up the cable on my meter to my computer. I’m a MAC girl, and, unfortunately, the electronic diabetic community seems to be mostly PC based. I’ve had a hard time finding the right cables and software to hook my meter up to my computer, but I ran across something a few months ago that I think might work. I ordered the cable in great excitement, waited patiently for it to arrive in the mail. Ripped it out of the package when it came. Then promptly set it on a shelf and forgot about it. I will, I will, I will hook that cable up and make it work.
3. Exercise better. This should just be branded permanently on my forehead, in ambulance mirror type so I see it every morning when I brush my teeth. It’s probably been on every resolution list I’ve made since 1987 and it’s something I always struggle with. Each year I start out fantastically, then fade out, then renew, then stop, then start, then sit on the couch, then run three miles a day for six weeks straight. It’s not that I don’t exercise, it’s that I’m not as consistent with it as I need to be. So I’m going to try to find a way to exercise better—find a program or system or agenda or schedule I can actually stick with.
4. Make more doctors’ appointments. I’m horrible with checking in with my doctors—in 2008 I only went four times for a check-up (or was it three?). I only saw my endo once. It could be because I wasn’t really impressed with any of my doctors, but I now have new insurance and my choices are better. So after I find someone I like, I’m going to actually go see them every couple of months. And I might even try to get a diabetes educator. Wouldn’t that be something?
5. Find a balance. Sometimes I’m too hard on me—mentally chastising and scolding myself for bad numbers, not checking my sugars or not making doctors’ appointments. And sometimes I let myself get away with too much. I’m looking for a balance this year where I’m taking care of myself the way I should be, but in a way that doesn’t infuse guilt, disappointment or anger into my system.
6. Be more creative with food. I’m an expert baker. I’m not a bad cook. I have a huge assortment of cookbooks. And, I really love grocery shopping (actually, to the point where people think it’s strange). There’s no reason I should be eating the same 10 things over and over again. I can do low-carb creatively—and without excessive amounts of cheese. I declare this the year of the mushroom!
So there it is, in black and white and read all over. My keyword for this list: Positivity (even though spell-check tells me this isn’t an actual word). Because I’m going to have a positive view about my diabetes this year.
May your 2009 be everything you want it to be—and a little bit more.
As always, more to come…
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Tree For All
I don’t put Christmas lights outside my house. I don’t hang a wreath on the door. I don’t have bed linens with holly or couch throw pillows with Old St. Nick needlepointed on them.
What I do have is a tree. A real, giant tree. And I’m a little fanatical about it (filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, according to the dictionary—and my husband).
This year’s piney confection is an eight-footer (not including the extra couple inches the star on top adds). I’ve gone larger in the past, but I wanted it to fit in the living room this year, and eight feet is my ceiling limit. I’m also on a holiday budget this year, and the taller the tree, the more expensive it is. This little gem only cost me $20 at my local grocery store, a fact I’m very proud of. (Okay, yes, it looks like someone took a bite out of it at the top, but I filled the hole with lots of shiny ornaments, so from across the living room, you can hardly tell there’s no pine branches or needles in that general region.)
Since I’ve being seeing everyone else’s trees, and admiring them very much, I thought I would return the favor and show mine, along with a few of my favorite ornaments. Ready for the tour?
This is the tree without the flash…
This is the tree with the flash…
I have kind of a thing for the Wizard of Oz,
and this ornament is a replica of the
balloon that takes Dorothy back to Kansas.
My mom made all sorts of sequin ornaments in the late ‘70s and early ‘8
0s. She was a stay-at-home mom at that point, and she said making the ornaments helped her from going crazy. She’s not big into Christmas trees, so I’ve early inherited a lot of them. I like them not only because she made them, but because they sparkle a lot under the lights.
In the Christmas meme making the rounds, I answered that one of themes on my tree is stars and moons. I don’t have a “perfect” tree with all the same ornament and color-coordination, but when I see an ornament in the shape of a moon or star, I tend to pick it up.
This is one of my favorites. I have one sister and one brother and my sister and I found these ornaments when we were together and laughed hysterically like only sisters can. We each have a brother and a sister one and I still laugh each time I hang it up.
I also have my share of kid-made ornaments, including a gingerbread boy my brother made when he was in kindergarten—that’s a ’75 in the corner for the date. He doesn’t currently have a tree, so I’m hanging on to it for him and hanging it until he does. I also have a few from my niece through the years; she’s 15 now, 16 in February, so I think I’m probably done with the kid stuff for now.
I should probably also mention the lights. That dang Martha Stewart. I watched a show years and years ago where she demonstrated how she put lights on her tree; she wraps each individual branch with the strings so every inch is covered. I’ve been doing it that way ever since. I think my light string count is hovering near 20 this year and it took me four hours to do it. Just the lights. No ornaments included in that time period. (And you’d think I would burn carbs doing it that way, as it involves ladders and twisting and turning and kneeling and bending, but nope. Sugar stayed the same.)
I like looking at my tree. It’s pretty. Lora has pretty tree. Lora likes tree. Lora hopes you like tree, too.
As always, more to come…
What I do have is a tree. A real, giant tree. And I’m a little fanatical about it (filled with excessive and single-minded zeal, according to the dictionary—and my husband).
This year’s piney confection is an eight-footer (not including the extra couple inches the star on top adds). I’ve gone larger in the past, but I wanted it to fit in the living room this year, and eight feet is my ceiling limit. I’m also on a holiday budget this year, and the taller the tree, the more expensive it is. This little gem only cost me $20 at my local grocery store, a fact I’m very proud of. (Okay, yes, it looks like someone took a bite out of it at the top, but I filled the hole with lots of shiny ornaments, so from across the living room, you can hardly tell there’s no pine branches or needles in that general region.)
Since I’ve being seeing everyone else’s trees, and admiring them very much, I thought I would return the favor and show mine, along with a few of my favorite ornaments. Ready for the tour?
This is the tree without the flash…
This is the tree with the flash…
I have kind of a thing for the Wizard of Oz,
and this ornament is a replica of theballoon that takes Dorothy back to Kansas.
My mom made all sorts of sequin ornaments in the late ‘70s and early ‘8
0s. She was a stay-at-home mom at that point, and she said making the ornaments helped her from going crazy. She’s not big into Christmas trees, so I’ve early inherited a lot of them. I like them not only because she made them, but because they sparkle a lot under the lights.
In the Christmas meme making the rounds, I answered that one of themes on my tree is stars and moons. I don’t have a “perfect” tree with all the same ornament and color-coordination, but when I see an ornament in the shape of a moon or star, I tend to pick it up.This is one of my favorites. I have one sister and one brother and my sister and I found these ornaments when we were together and laughed hysterically like only sisters can. We each have a brother and a sister one and I still laugh each time I hang it up.
I also have my share of kid-made ornaments, including a gingerbread boy my brother made when he was in kindergarten—that’s a ’75 in the corner for the date. He doesn’t currently have a tree, so I’m hanging on to it for him and hanging it until he does. I also have a few from my niece through the years; she’s 15 now, 16 in February, so I think I’m probably done with the kid stuff for now. 
This is a Hallmark ornament or something of the sort. You pull on his tassel and he makes a ribbit sound as he gets a big grin on his face.
I should probably also mention the lights. That dang Martha Stewart. I watched a show years and years ago where she demonstrated how she put lights on her tree; she wraps each individual branch with the strings so every inch is covered. I’ve been doing it that way ever since. I think my light string count is hovering near 20 this year and it took me four hours to do it. Just the lights. No ornaments included in that time period. (And you’d think I would burn carbs doing it that way, as it involves ladders and twisting and turning and kneeling and bending, but nope. Sugar stayed the same.)
I like looking at my tree. It’s pretty. Lora has pretty tree. Lora likes tree. Lora hopes you like tree, too.
As always, more to come…
Friday, December 19, 2008
Ho Ho How
We’re having our holiday party at work today. It’s a big, giant brunch at a very fancy hotel.
I’ve been working for the same company for 15 years, and the holiday party is always the same, so at least I know what’s on the menu.
It starts at noon and there are a ton of things to eat and the champagne flows freely.
I checked my sugar this morning when I woke up, chugged a small V-8 and ate a 1/3 or a NutriGrain bar for breakfast (my dog is on antibiotics and I had to hide her pill in 1/3, then give my other dog 1/3 so he wouldn’t be jealous; why is it medications are always so complicated, even for dogs?). That’s about 1 carb unit total.
I’m taking a slight chance that I might tumble lower than I’d like before we get to the brunch, but I know that if I’d ate a full 3 carb units for breakfast, I’d be too high to eat much of anything but cold salmon and roast beef. And they have really good shortbread cookies…
So here’s to guessing and hoping that 15 years knowledge of the menu, six of them as a diabetic, will play in my favor. Sometimes educated guessing is all you can really do.
As always, more to come…
I’ve been working for the same company for 15 years, and the holiday party is always the same, so at least I know what’s on the menu.
It starts at noon and there are a ton of things to eat and the champagne flows freely.
I checked my sugar this morning when I woke up, chugged a small V-8 and ate a 1/3 or a NutriGrain bar for breakfast (my dog is on antibiotics and I had to hide her pill in 1/3, then give my other dog 1/3 so he wouldn’t be jealous; why is it medications are always so complicated, even for dogs?). That’s about 1 carb unit total.
I’m taking a slight chance that I might tumble lower than I’d like before we get to the brunch, but I know that if I’d ate a full 3 carb units for breakfast, I’d be too high to eat much of anything but cold salmon and roast beef. And they have really good shortbread cookies…
So here’s to guessing and hoping that 15 years knowledge of the menu, six of them as a diabetic, will play in my favor. Sometimes educated guessing is all you can really do.
As always, more to come…
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Trashy Girl
I keep my diabetic supplies in the office, right off the living room. Before I go to bed, I step in the office to take my shot and grab supplies to fill my blood kit. I have a garbage can right below my diabetes drawers for easy disposal of all the packaging that seems to come with diabetic supplies.
I threw away a syringe last night and laughed when I looked at my garbage can. Here's a picture.
One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you tell me which thing is not the like the other?
As always, more to come...
I threw away a syringe last night and laughed when I looked at my garbage can. Here's a picture.
One of these things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong. Can you tell me which thing is not the like the other?
As always, more to come...
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
The Big Switch
My husband recently got a new job. We've been on Cobra insurance for the last three months, keeping on his old work plan until the new insurance at the new job kicks in. (No insurance at my job; since the diagnosis I'm uninsurable on my own; thank god for marriage.)
As of January 1, I'll have to pick a whole new slew of doctors, as from what I've seen, none of my current doctors are on the new plan.
While I do consider this a slight pain in the butt and something I wish I had a personal assistant for—to do the research, figure out the hospitals, etc.—I can't say I'm entirely disappointed to see my doctors go.
My primary care physician is a nice lady, but she doesn't go above and beyond the normal check-up. She's good for prescriptions and for getting an HbA1c, but beyond that, I don't really think she's all that (and certainly not a bag of chips).
My endo is a nice, quiet guy. He looks at my numbers and tells me to keep doing what I'm doing. The encouragement is nice, but sometimes I'm not really sure he's hearing what I tell him. The one, big, giant reason I do like him is because I have his e-mail address and he actually answers me when I e-mail him. He won't diagnose me over sbcglobal.net, but he will tell me what the generic is for a prescription I'm taking, and he'll let me know if the new Lantus pen is in the office and who I can call to set up an appointment to get one.
I almost feel like they're both a little on the robot side—they do what they're told when I press the right buttons. I think I'm ready for a fresh team who might have some good advice and who can help me see a really old age in fairly decent shape. I'd also like a diabetes educator. Sometimes I think I'm doing okay, but other times I have a million questions. It would be nice to have someone I can ask without waiting three weeks for an appointment.
So. I have a task ahead of me. To find new doctors in my new network. Let the research begin.
As always, more to come...
As of January 1, I'll have to pick a whole new slew of doctors, as from what I've seen, none of my current doctors are on the new plan.
While I do consider this a slight pain in the butt and something I wish I had a personal assistant for—to do the research, figure out the hospitals, etc.—I can't say I'm entirely disappointed to see my doctors go.
My primary care physician is a nice lady, but she doesn't go above and beyond the normal check-up. She's good for prescriptions and for getting an HbA1c, but beyond that, I don't really think she's all that (and certainly not a bag of chips).
My endo is a nice, quiet guy. He looks at my numbers and tells me to keep doing what I'm doing. The encouragement is nice, but sometimes I'm not really sure he's hearing what I tell him. The one, big, giant reason I do like him is because I have his e-mail address and he actually answers me when I e-mail him. He won't diagnose me over sbcglobal.net, but he will tell me what the generic is for a prescription I'm taking, and he'll let me know if the new Lantus pen is in the office and who I can call to set up an appointment to get one.
I almost feel like they're both a little on the robot side—they do what they're told when I press the right buttons. I think I'm ready for a fresh team who might have some good advice and who can help me see a really old age in fairly decent shape. I'd also like a diabetes educator. Sometimes I think I'm doing okay, but other times I have a million questions. It would be nice to have someone I can ask without waiting three weeks for an appointment.
So. I have a task ahead of me. To find new doctors in my new network. Let the research begin.
As always, more to come...
Monday, December 8, 2008
I Want My Two Dollars
Ever seen the movie Better Off Dead? It has John Cusack in it, and as a teen who grew up in the ‘80s, I had a crush on John and watched every movie he’s ever been in and even own several of them on DVD.
Anyhow, in Better Off Dead, there’s a paper boy who’s trying to collect. John answers the door and blows him off (his girlfriend had just broken up with him, how can you blame poor John?).
The paper boy proceeds to stalk John throughout the rest of the movie, chasing him on a Huffy bike sneering, “I want my two dollars.”
Today, I’m stealing the sneer and the phrase:
FREESTYLE, I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS.
Two test strips, in a row, dead before I even inserted them in my meter. Wouldn’t take my perfectly shaped round bead of blood and give me a number. I had to go through three test strips to get the number, and I didn’t even like it. One buck per dead strip, two strips total. I want my two dollars.
As always, more to come…
Anyhow, in Better Off Dead, there’s a paper boy who’s trying to collect. John answers the door and blows him off (his girlfriend had just broken up with him, how can you blame poor John?).
The paper boy proceeds to stalk John throughout the rest of the movie, chasing him on a Huffy bike sneering, “I want my two dollars.”
Today, I’m stealing the sneer and the phrase:
FREESTYLE, I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS.
Two test strips, in a row, dead before I even inserted them in my meter. Wouldn’t take my perfectly shaped round bead of blood and give me a number. I had to go through three test strips to get the number, and I didn’t even like it. One buck per dead strip, two strips total. I want my two dollars.
As always, more to come…
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