So Friday was my birthday. I got a double whammy as far as diet goes. Thanksgiving and Birthday back to back. Normally, I wouldn't have cared and I would have gourged myself and splurged like it was nobodies business. But I didn't. I actually played it incredibly safe on Thanksgiving... all things considered. My numbers were really good all day.... until I had a fatty banana cream pie and a fatty pecan pie. Oh then my downfall hit on Friday.
I scored such great deals on Black Friday... Yes, I went... do not judge... I finally have pants that fit me and aren't 2 sizes too big. I also have proper running shoes and oh yeah, my daughter is finally fully clothed for winter, and just in time. So before you go, I can't believe you would go out shopping so early, it was worth every penny and every annoyance standing in lines and being up that early. BUT besides the point. I woke up and didn't want to take insulin, so I had one of my Greek yogurts. It is roughly a 1:1 ratio for protein to carbs and so my body slowly burns the carbs and I don't have to have insulin to help use the sugars because it's slowly being released and so my body can used what it's only slightly making to burn that off. And then it was down hill from there.
Rob took me to Chick-fil-a... I grew up with it and I LOVE chick-fil-a especially since I can feel slightly less guilty giving it Autumn since their chicken nuggets are whole meats and not processed squished chicken. I splurged and got the chicken nuggets and fries; instead of my healthy option of a wrap. And then for dinner... oh my dinner was delish! Rob made me my new favorite pizza. Salami, mushrooms, and red onions. nummer nummer nummers! Anyway... this is where I made my BIGGEST mistake. I had changed out the vial in my pre-filled pen and forgot to try the needle out before sticking myself. So I essentially gave myself air instead of insulin. And so I ate pizza and cake without any insulin... :( SOOOO not good. Anyway about 5 units, 3 tests, and 12 hours later, my numbers came back down from around 300 to 100... Phew...
But the mistakes don't end there. I forgot to take my long acting insulin Saturday morning. YIKES!!!!! My numbers were running so high! around 160 before dinner and barely under 180 after... oh I could not for the life of me understand why I was running so high, until I almost forgot to take my night dose of long acting insulin... I felt so Stupid! But yesterday, I was finally able to get my numbers under control and back where they are suppose to be. It was a very scary couple of days.... especially after what I learned at the doctors yesterday.
I had my 3 month check up with my primary doctor yesterday. He did a foot exam on me. It's where he had this tool that he hit and made it vibrate and then stuck it against my big toe and asked me to tell him when I couldn't feel the vibrations any more. I made it 12 seconds! This is good... because at 10... I can't go barefoot anymore. That means that nueropathy has set in and my feet are in a HUGE world of trouble. apparently nueropathy happens regardless of how in control of my blood sugars I am. What is nueropathy? It's when you loose all feeling in your feet. So I could step on a nail and not know it. Then I will be more prone to infections because I won't be able to heal as quickly... so many issues!!!!! I hate diabetes! Anyway, the doctor did say that if I can keep my blood sugars in control, the likely hood of me getting nueropathy in 5 years is lower... but instead it might take 15 or so years.... not quite old enough for me since I will only be 39 in 15 years and not quite ready to give up my barefoot days.... I really hope that I can put this off for longer than 15 years.... time will only tell.
Anyway I had a fantastic birthday regardless of my highs, but I'm happy that I can still enjoy cake and pizza on my birthday. But now to be good every day this month... except for holiday parties and the Christmas itself. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
The Delinquent Pancreas Club
Last night was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much fun. I can't stop talking about it, it was so much fun. About 2 months ago, I stumbled upon this awesome support group called "The Delinquent Pancreas Club". The last couple of events we weren't able to attend because one was a really long hike and Autumn wouldn't have liked being in the back pack for that long. And the other was a Sunday brunch thing at a restaurant. Anyway, last night they had a potluck dinner called "Fakesgiving". It was essentially a Thanksgiving dinner but not on Thanksgiving. And it was AWESOME!
It was so awesome to be able to sit around with other Type 1 diabetics and discuss our diagnosis and how we were handling things and complaining about other people that just didn't understand what we were going through. What was awesome was seeing the spouses or significant others of those supporting their diabetic counter parts. I just felt so at ease and finally felt normal!
This group of people were amazing and just genuinely nice people. I normally don't like these kinds of things because I tend to be really awkward or I don't know how to act or know what to say. I was tend to be a social recluse and try to hide and just observe. But these people really cared about what I was going through and wanted to help and wanted to support. They let me vent about how my diagnosing doctor was probably the most incompetent doctor when it comes to diabetes.
Anyway, there were about 4 of the 7 diabetics there last night that were diagnosed when they were adults too. It was so awesome to meet other people that knew what I have been going through. I've known type 1 diabetics before, but they had all been diagnosed when they were children... So naturally I have felt VERY alone in that I didn't know anyone else diagnosed when they were an adult. I really envied those that had been diagnosed as children because there are camps and other big support group type of things that they can go to and meet other Type 1 diabetics. I don't get the opportunity. But this group, it replaces the need for the camps or anything else like that. AND I get to make more friends.
I just can't get over how fun last night was and can't wait to meet other diabetics and have more meet ups! I'm just so happy! Well and there is also the fact that it was probably dumped about 1 1/2 feet to 2 feet of snow here in the last 3 days. It's so beautiful and I'm excited to go snowboarding!
It was so awesome to be able to sit around with other Type 1 diabetics and discuss our diagnosis and how we were handling things and complaining about other people that just didn't understand what we were going through. What was awesome was seeing the spouses or significant others of those supporting their diabetic counter parts. I just felt so at ease and finally felt normal!
This group of people were amazing and just genuinely nice people. I normally don't like these kinds of things because I tend to be really awkward or I don't know how to act or know what to say. I was tend to be a social recluse and try to hide and just observe. But these people really cared about what I was going through and wanted to help and wanted to support. They let me vent about how my diagnosing doctor was probably the most incompetent doctor when it comes to diabetes.
Anyway, there were about 4 of the 7 diabetics there last night that were diagnosed when they were adults too. It was so awesome to meet other people that knew what I have been going through. I've known type 1 diabetics before, but they had all been diagnosed when they were children... So naturally I have felt VERY alone in that I didn't know anyone else diagnosed when they were an adult. I really envied those that had been diagnosed as children because there are camps and other big support group type of things that they can go to and meet other Type 1 diabetics. I don't get the opportunity. But this group, it replaces the need for the camps or anything else like that. AND I get to make more friends.
I just can't get over how fun last night was and can't wait to meet other diabetics and have more meet ups! I'm just so happy! Well and there is also the fact that it was probably dumped about 1 1/2 feet to 2 feet of snow here in the last 3 days. It's so beautiful and I'm excited to go snowboarding!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
National Diabetes Awareness Month
So November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and I couldn't think of a better month for lots of reasons... primarily it's also my Birthday month! Happy diabetes and birthday month to me! I'm not going to write a blog every day with some interesting factoid mainly because that would be a LOT of writing and I just do NOT have the time for that, but also because I'm sure that I would continue to loose viewership on my blog. If I wouldn't want to read about that every day and have that filling up my news feed, I doubt a lot of other people would too... But anyway...
First and foremost, November 14th is World Diabetes Day and they are having a "Go Blue" campaign this year. All around the world countries will be lighting up different monuments with a blue light, such as the Sydney opera house, the Empire State Building and other famous landmarks and buildings. Some will even light a blue candle at work or put a blue light bulb in their house lights outside as a sign. I probably won't do this mainly because I can't light candles at work and well I rent a basement and don't have a home that is a) visible to the general populace and b) my landlord probably wouldn't like that all that much.At any rate, I will be wearing blue for sure on November 14th with a sign on cubicle at work. I might even make a button to wear or something.
Now, I know that Type 2 will get the most attention because let's face it, 90-95% of all diabetics are Type 2. But please remember that Type 1 is equally, if not arguably, more important. Type 1 affects only 5-10% of diabetics, but it is still an issue that needs research done for a cure. Type 1 diabetics did not have the choice. Their bodies decided to attack their pancreas. We are just not insulin resistant. It's not that we can't use the insulin we produce, but we don't produce any. Also 80% of all Type 1 diabetics do no have a family history of Type 1 in their family. I fall into that 80%. This was a huge surprise to me.
Interesting factoid that my endocrinologist explained to me. As many of you know, I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with Autumn. It wasn't the gestational diabetes that caused my Type 1 diabetes, but rather my Type 1 diabetes that caused my gestational diabetes. It took a few more years for my diabetes to fully onset, but it would. So regardless of me getting pregnant or not, I would have eventually become a Type 1 diabetic. That was how it was always going to be and there was nothing I could have done to stop it.
Now I know that it seems like I rip on Type 2 diabetics a lot, but they need help too. The general populace needs to know how to care for their bodies. Diabetes needs to be more of a concern for people. Please know that if you take care of your body by eating a healthy, well balanced meal and work out that your risk for Type 2 diabetes decreases significantly! There is always a case where genetics plays a part and I know that can't really be helped, but you can help control your diabetes as well by simply eating healthy and exercising. Please remember that diabetes is a very serious disease and that we need to help educate people to make healthy decisions and make people aware of the seriousness of the disease. If you have any questions regarding the effects of diabetes on your body, or diets for diabetics, let me know! I'm more than happy to answer questions where I can.
Remember! Go Blue!
First and foremost, November 14th is World Diabetes Day and they are having a "Go Blue" campaign this year. All around the world countries will be lighting up different monuments with a blue light, such as the Sydney opera house, the Empire State Building and other famous landmarks and buildings. Some will even light a blue candle at work or put a blue light bulb in their house lights outside as a sign. I probably won't do this mainly because I can't light candles at work and well I rent a basement and don't have a home that is a) visible to the general populace and b) my landlord probably wouldn't like that all that much.At any rate, I will be wearing blue for sure on November 14th with a sign on cubicle at work. I might even make a button to wear or something.
Now, I know that Type 2 will get the most attention because let's face it, 90-95% of all diabetics are Type 2. But please remember that Type 1 is equally, if not arguably, more important. Type 1 affects only 5-10% of diabetics, but it is still an issue that needs research done for a cure. Type 1 diabetics did not have the choice. Their bodies decided to attack their pancreas. We are just not insulin resistant. It's not that we can't use the insulin we produce, but we don't produce any. Also 80% of all Type 1 diabetics do no have a family history of Type 1 in their family. I fall into that 80%. This was a huge surprise to me.
Interesting factoid that my endocrinologist explained to me. As many of you know, I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with Autumn. It wasn't the gestational diabetes that caused my Type 1 diabetes, but rather my Type 1 diabetes that caused my gestational diabetes. It took a few more years for my diabetes to fully onset, but it would. So regardless of me getting pregnant or not, I would have eventually become a Type 1 diabetic. That was how it was always going to be and there was nothing I could have done to stop it.
Now I know that it seems like I rip on Type 2 diabetics a lot, but they need help too. The general populace needs to know how to care for their bodies. Diabetes needs to be more of a concern for people. Please know that if you take care of your body by eating a healthy, well balanced meal and work out that your risk for Type 2 diabetes decreases significantly! There is always a case where genetics plays a part and I know that can't really be helped, but you can help control your diabetes as well by simply eating healthy and exercising. Please remember that diabetes is a very serious disease and that we need to help educate people to make healthy decisions and make people aware of the seriousness of the disease. If you have any questions regarding the effects of diabetes on your body, or diets for diabetics, let me know! I'm more than happy to answer questions where I can.
Remember! Go Blue!
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