I remember the days when I could just run in a car, not think twice, and go anywhere I randomly decided to go, stay as long as I wanted and not look back... OH, those were the days....before kids! WRONG! WRONG!
I HAVE NEVER HAD ONE OF THOSE DAYS! Being diabetic takes a LOT more planning than that...There is no random road trips (no surprises) on the adventure of life. I remember actually planning, packing and starting out on a particular journey! Got about 45 minutes into the drive when I realized I had left my diabetic meter behind. WE HAD TO TURN BACK...can't live without the meter (even worse would be my insulin or pump---oh the horror!).
It's even more of elaborate planning when a long trip is involved. I have to plan JUST HOW MUCH MEDICINE I will be taking with me. I realize this isn't really THAT big of a deal, EVERYONE has something to do to a degree (however, if I forget diapers, I can just run to the store and get them).
I should just be happy with what I do have. I only bring this up cause I do remember random trips with old college friends in which they would call me up and say "Hey, let's go to Vegas this weekend, get in the car." But, instead of just being easy going with it, I have to ask how long we are specifically going to be gone. I have to know if there will be a place to keep my insulin cool and not freezing. I think by the time I have everything packed to go with all my medicine, I have killed the buzz of the trip...It was just suppose to be a fun little escapade...
Not to mention, I have learned to plan for the unknown as well. Not only have I been on a trip, and my insulin broke, but during 9/11, I was so low on supplies, my supplies barely reached me when I needed them where I was staying in Chicago at the time! Things like that tend to make you want to pack Extra--and lots!
I was thinking about this today simply because we are planning a trip to the zoo today. I have to plan my gals out, but also myself. I have to pack enough "low food" (I can't stand paying what people ask at the zoo if I do get low), and make sure I have my medicine. (The link for low food makes me laugh. Really, glucose tabs? They taste like what I envision CHALK would taste like---when I am low, that is my chance to get some yummy food (not that you can't ever have the yummy food--a common misconception people think) and walking around the zoo all day long tends to cause sugars to get lower than usual).
I am so grateful that meters today aren't what they were when I first was diagnosed with diabetes. Not only are they half the size ( I am already bulky enough with my UHAUL Diaper bag), but they take half the time!
Hopefully it won't be too hot at the zoo today so my meter won't fry and not work (happens a LOT in the summer time). Wish me luck...will keep you posted how this adventure turned out!
Showing posts with label low. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low. Show all posts
Friday, June 18, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Where is it?
Ok, the truth of the matter is, I misplace things all the time. I drive my husband crazy with the many times I say something like "where did I put my keys?" Or "where is the diaper bag, I need something from it." There is no reason for it, I just get distracting by something like my kids being cute and forget where I put things, or my brain goes somewhere else. Or maybe, I really am not that organized at all and never will be.
It is one thing to misplace your keys, or even your wallet for some matter...But when it is your meter (in our house we actually call it "momma's medicine-"--for some reason when we call it medicine, my daughter understands that we don't play with it, and it is JUST FOR MOMMA), or any kind of thing that has to do with helping your diabetes, it is just a whole other level.
This isn't something that just happened today or yesterday, it happens EVERY SINGLE DAY. Sometimes, more than once a day. The worst is when you are feeling sick (either knowing you are hi or low and just need to know exactly how much so you can fix it, and fix it NOW). (ps...the picture of the meter cracks me up, (that is my actual meter btw) the counts are ALWAYS perfect, as if that's what a diabetic is EVERY TIME they test their blood ---I don't know about fellow diabetics, but when I test my blood, I am ALWAYS 102 (yeah right)).
What is truly great is that I have a very patient fam who always helps me find it. Even my little 3 year old knows how to look for "mom's medicine in her black case." Even the times (and I mean time(s) with a big fat S) when we have been out of our house and lost it.
One time several years ago I was in Chicago and we went out to Giordanos. Our group was walking all over town when I realized my meter was missing? Our whole group split up and backtracked all over the city, and we luckily found it back at the restaurant ( I still feel bad for making our day end early for our little hunt to begin).
Another favorite is when I was 14 years old and I was at Classic Roller Skating and Slides. I hid my meter in my towel ( everyone lays their towels on the grass) . I come to look for it (back then, I put everything in my meter, my money, my id's and EVERYTHING), and it is GONE. Now I know it was there. I tell a manager, and LONG STORY SHORT---someone had stolen it!
I actually laughed--and hard. What a surprise they are about to get when they open it up and find medicine they can't use! What a disappointment. We actually ended up finding the thief, and he had it open and had a look of shock on his face. So funny to me!
I think it is funny that I am even posting about how upset I get about losing my meter cause years ago (child and teenage years) I would give anything to lose my meter. I didn't care about testing my blood (it actually did take a lot longer and a much bigger process instead of just five seconds--in fact, when we first found a meter that did it in 30 seconds by just pricking your finger and putting it in, I thought I was in heaven).
I have since learned the importance of testing your blood, and come to appreciate the leaps forward in technology with this. It really does make life simpler. I mean, nowadays, you can actually have your insulin just connected to you (my pump) instead of several injections ( I still have FUN times with that one every day---another post another day). So I will leave this post on a positive note of gratitude for all those people in my life who have helped me look for me meter! Some of you have devoted several hours of your life to this task and I appreciate it!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Can't I just have one NORMAL DAY?
I can't believe that is the title of my post cause I hate that word NORMAL ( I think it is all relative). But, anyway...Today I woke up and was feeling really really dizzy and confused. Well, after 24 years of dealing with different types of feelings in the morning, I could chalk it up to either being sleep deprived, or more likely that my blood sugars were too low. So, I tested my blood (gotta love technology allowing me to do it in 5 seconds...when I first got diabetes it was three minutes and a whole, swipe blood, put in and swipe again kind of thing--Another day story), and did find out, in fact, that I was 45.
--Let me just pause for a second to clear up the COMMON MISCONCEPTION that diabetics cannot get low blood sugars or ever eat any sugar at all! For some reason this is one of my diabetic pet peeves (I have quite a few of those that will unravel throughout different posts, among them are people assuming I have type 2 diabetes, and also people thinking I don't take care of myself when they HAVE NO CLUE). People with diabetes can in fact, and often have low blood sugars (I usually just say I am having a "reaction" and people know what I mean) . And it isn't as simple as saying they don't have control of their diabetes (another pet peeve of mine--whenever your blood glucose isn't in the PERFECT range, people call you out of control or say you can't handle it---ANY diabetic will testify that sometimes the boxes we are suppose to be put in are hilarious--you will jump in and out of them on occasion and that doesn't mean anything is wrong with you). When a diabetic does get low, they must eat something to rectify that and help them get back to the "normal" range--and yes, sometimes that MIGHT be some sugar if that is what is available--so GET OVER IT if you see a diabetic eating sugar. YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON!
--Back to my morning--
Enough experience of this has shown me that morning lows are the HARDEST for me the weirdest. There is no medical description of why that might be, just my own thoughts (and no one knows your body better than yourself).
I think they are hard cause I am still sleepy. Sometimes I have been low in the morning just coming out of a dream,and, like anyone, your brain is slow to determine it is awake sometimes...or even to realize you aren't in a dream. These times my dreams have been so real it has been scary. When this has happened, I truly have a hard time distinguishing what is real and what isn't (in the past I dreamt I had eight arms, and woke up low and really FELT my eight arms, no one could tell me they weren't there).
Thankfully, in those really scary moment, I have had people around to help me. Today was not one of those days in which someone else needed to help me.
I simply ran downstairs and found a granola bar to eat quickly (another thing that is hard about morning lows, as many people who have lived with me can attest is since you aren't thinking clearly, you just grab whatever you see--I have had friends come down in the morning and see every cupboard open and say "You got low this morning didn't you?"), and shove it in my mouth.
All I want to do is go back to sleep and get even a few more minutes...But, I not only have to wait until my counts are normal, but once again---I hear the familiar "Mommy, Mommy." Oh well, there is nothing more beautiful than that! One of these days I will write something other than what is happening in my mornings--I promise.
Just today, with your morning starting wrong, already being tired, and waking up early ( I am one of the few blessed people who can wake up from being low---others don't tend to be as lucky as me--not sure why I can though, probably cause I really never sleep in the night), but to add I get wiped out from being low (and diabetes in general can just cause fatigue), and can be wiped out the rest of the day...I thought writing about it would help my day get better and start my day off better...So on to my day...
--Let me just pause for a second to clear up the COMMON MISCONCEPTION that diabetics cannot get low blood sugars or ever eat any sugar at all! For some reason this is one of my diabetic pet peeves (I have quite a few of those that will unravel throughout different posts, among them are people assuming I have type 2 diabetes, and also people thinking I don't take care of myself when they HAVE NO CLUE). People with diabetes can in fact, and often have low blood sugars (I usually just say I am having a "reaction" and people know what I mean) . And it isn't as simple as saying they don't have control of their diabetes (another pet peeve of mine--whenever your blood glucose isn't in the PERFECT range, people call you out of control or say you can't handle it---ANY diabetic will testify that sometimes the boxes we are suppose to be put in are hilarious--you will jump in and out of them on occasion and that doesn't mean anything is wrong with you). When a diabetic does get low, they must eat something to rectify that and help them get back to the "normal" range--and yes, sometimes that MIGHT be some sugar if that is what is available--so GET OVER IT if you see a diabetic eating sugar. YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON!
--Back to my morning--
Enough experience of this has shown me that morning lows are the HARDEST for me the weirdest. There is no medical description of why that might be, just my own thoughts (and no one knows your body better than yourself).
I think they are hard cause I am still sleepy. Sometimes I have been low in the morning just coming out of a dream,and, like anyone, your brain is slow to determine it is awake sometimes...or even to realize you aren't in a dream. These times my dreams have been so real it has been scary. When this has happened, I truly have a hard time distinguishing what is real and what isn't (in the past I dreamt I had eight arms, and woke up low and really FELT my eight arms, no one could tell me they weren't there).
Thankfully, in those really scary moment, I have had people around to help me. Today was not one of those days in which someone else needed to help me.
I simply ran downstairs and found a granola bar to eat quickly (another thing that is hard about morning lows, as many people who have lived with me can attest is since you aren't thinking clearly, you just grab whatever you see--I have had friends come down in the morning and see every cupboard open and say "You got low this morning didn't you?"), and shove it in my mouth.
All I want to do is go back to sleep and get even a few more minutes...But, I not only have to wait until my counts are normal, but once again---I hear the familiar "Mommy, Mommy." Oh well, there is nothing more beautiful than that! One of these days I will write something other than what is happening in my mornings--I promise.
Just today, with your morning starting wrong, already being tired, and waking up early ( I am one of the few blessed people who can wake up from being low---others don't tend to be as lucky as me--not sure why I can though, probably cause I really never sleep in the night), but to add I get wiped out from being low (and diabetes in general can just cause fatigue), and can be wiped out the rest of the day...I thought writing about it would help my day get better and start my day off better...So on to my day...
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Doctor says I am "SWEET."
How it all began---
--I was 6 years old and I will never forget--That was the year that changed my life forever! I have type 1 diabetes, and here is my story....
--Pre-Diagnosis--
--I started out living a pretty normal life like any other child...Nothing to worry about, and I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted (as long as my parents thought it was ok of course), and EAT what I WANTED!
One summer day, I came down with some form of the flu. I was in bed being sick for a week. After my little "spout" it felt like my body was different. I was so hungry, so very very hungry all the time...People would watch me eat and say I sure ate alot for a 6 year old, rivaling my dad who was a BIG EATER (he now has type 2 diabetes).
My mom was so upset because I was ALWAYS using the bathroom, it seemed like that was all I ever was doing really. I barely slept cause I was using the bathroom ALL night long. I almost got afraid to tell people when I had to go, cause I knew they were talking about it.
I never noticed this one myself, but my mother relates to me that everyone said I was very thin--especially for a girl who ate so much, it seemed like I was losing weight. My mom didn't seem to notice and chalked it up to good metabolism (if only).
It was nearing the end of July and my family wanted to hike Mt. Timpanogas with all of our relatives. I remember being very very very thirsty and very very very tired. I didn't understand why I couldn't really keep up with all of the other kids.
--Deciding there was a problem & diagnosis---
most of this is from my mom's perspective of what she told me, but I will relate m own vivid memories
My Aunt was a nurse and pulled my mom aside and told her I looked sickly and bad and needed to be checked out! My mom didn't really want to think that anything was wrong with her daughter, but thought that at least she could take me in to my dad's lab (my dad is a medical technologist and did a LOT of blood work).
All I remember is my daddy drew my blood because they thought I was sick ...I had no clue what was going on, just did what I was told.
I remember it was the middle of the day and I was in the bathtub getting clean and ready for a parade my mom had promised me, when I heard the phone ring. I don't know what happened, but I heard my mom scream and yell "get Jamie out of the bathtub."
From this point, I just remember being yanked out of the tub, hearing a prayer or two and being whisked in a car (later on in life I learn that my dad had called my mom and said to rush me to the hospital since my blood glucose level was 755).
Everything was a rush of a blur for me from that point. There just seemed like so much was happening and so many people around me and I didn't understand what was going on. The next thing I remember was a doctor coming in and telling me that I had something called DIE---A- BEEE--Tees!
All I heard was the word DIE! I was really confused. Am I going to die? The next thing I know I am being put in a hospital gown, hooked up to some machine. Later, who knows how long, I remember they say I can eat and they will bring me some food. It just happened to be FISH. I was thinking " Fish is not my favorite food, and that's what they are giving me to eat as my last meal ( I really did think this and to this day I won't eat FISH).
I stayed in the hospital for a week being trained on how much my life was going to change. Being taught to test my blood, recognize when I had low blood sugars, and that I was just going to live a completely different life from now on. Told over and over again that I was still me and nothing had changed, I just had to be responsible.
--Moving on....Why I am starting this blog--
That was a week before my 7th birthday. I am now 2 months from my 31st birthday. I am married and I have 2 children and would love to have some more. That day 24 years ago truly changed my life forever. There have been times where I have let diabetes control my life and get me down, and other times where I truly have seen a blessing in disguise.
Living with diabetes has not been easy, not at all...It also has not been that horrible. It just is a life adjustment, a change, and alot of love, patience and understanding from me and from those who encircle my life. There have been many trial and errors along this path.
The truth is, like any life threatening disease ( and I am not even going to pretend that this is the hardest thing anyone can have and there aren't far worse things out there, there are plenty!), it cannot be ignored and changes how you run your day and your life. It makes you view things differently.
I have learned that there is a LOT of life to live. One thing that inspired me as a child was finding a fellow diabetic who had five children of her own. It gave me hope that diabetes wouldn't stop me from living my dreams and getting all my desires (yes, I may have to work a little harder for them and go about them in a different way, but I can still do it).
That is how I started this blog...I want to use it as an outlet mainly for myself, and hopefully for some others to show how to get what I want out of life with diabetes, and maybe not only give myself a pat on the back and a boost, but hopefully another as well.
I might do some venting of my own as I start on this adventure, but that is part of the personality of this blog. Get out of the system. I invite you to read along with me, and comment openly with ANY words of encouragement, suggestions, or anything someone has to offer!
--I was 6 years old and I will never forget--That was the year that changed my life forever! I have type 1 diabetes, and here is my story....
--Pre-Diagnosis--
--I started out living a pretty normal life like any other child...Nothing to worry about, and I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted (as long as my parents thought it was ok of course), and EAT what I WANTED!
One summer day, I came down with some form of the flu. I was in bed being sick for a week. After my little "spout" it felt like my body was different. I was so hungry, so very very hungry all the time...People would watch me eat and say I sure ate alot for a 6 year old, rivaling my dad who was a BIG EATER (he now has type 2 diabetes).
My mom was so upset because I was ALWAYS using the bathroom, it seemed like that was all I ever was doing really. I barely slept cause I was using the bathroom ALL night long. I almost got afraid to tell people when I had to go, cause I knew they were talking about it.
I never noticed this one myself, but my mother relates to me that everyone said I was very thin--especially for a girl who ate so much, it seemed like I was losing weight. My mom didn't seem to notice and chalked it up to good metabolism (if only).
It was nearing the end of July and my family wanted to hike Mt. Timpanogas with all of our relatives. I remember being very very very thirsty and very very very tired. I didn't understand why I couldn't really keep up with all of the other kids.
--Deciding there was a problem & diagnosis---
most of this is from my mom's perspective of what she told me, but I will relate m own vivid memories
My Aunt was a nurse and pulled my mom aside and told her I looked sickly and bad and needed to be checked out! My mom didn't really want to think that anything was wrong with her daughter, but thought that at least she could take me in to my dad's lab (my dad is a medical technologist and did a LOT of blood work).
All I remember is my daddy drew my blood because they thought I was sick ...I had no clue what was going on, just did what I was told.
I remember it was the middle of the day and I was in the bathtub getting clean and ready for a parade my mom had promised me, when I heard the phone ring. I don't know what happened, but I heard my mom scream and yell "get Jamie out of the bathtub."
From this point, I just remember being yanked out of the tub, hearing a prayer or two and being whisked in a car (later on in life I learn that my dad had called my mom and said to rush me to the hospital since my blood glucose level was 755).
Everything was a rush of a blur for me from that point. There just seemed like so much was happening and so many people around me and I didn't understand what was going on. The next thing I remember was a doctor coming in and telling me that I had something called DIE---A- BEEE--Tees!
All I heard was the word DIE! I was really confused. Am I going to die? The next thing I know I am being put in a hospital gown, hooked up to some machine. Later, who knows how long, I remember they say I can eat and they will bring me some food. It just happened to be FISH. I was thinking " Fish is not my favorite food, and that's what they are giving me to eat as my last meal ( I really did think this and to this day I won't eat FISH).
I stayed in the hospital for a week being trained on how much my life was going to change. Being taught to test my blood, recognize when I had low blood sugars, and that I was just going to live a completely different life from now on. Told over and over again that I was still me and nothing had changed, I just had to be responsible.
--Moving on....Why I am starting this blog--
That was a week before my 7th birthday. I am now 2 months from my 31st birthday. I am married and I have 2 children and would love to have some more. That day 24 years ago truly changed my life forever. There have been times where I have let diabetes control my life and get me down, and other times where I truly have seen a blessing in disguise.
Living with diabetes has not been easy, not at all...It also has not been that horrible. It just is a life adjustment, a change, and alot of love, patience and understanding from me and from those who encircle my life. There have been many trial and errors along this path.
The truth is, like any life threatening disease ( and I am not even going to pretend that this is the hardest thing anyone can have and there aren't far worse things out there, there are plenty!), it cannot be ignored and changes how you run your day and your life. It makes you view things differently.
I have learned that there is a LOT of life to live. One thing that inspired me as a child was finding a fellow diabetic who had five children of her own. It gave me hope that diabetes wouldn't stop me from living my dreams and getting all my desires (yes, I may have to work a little harder for them and go about them in a different way, but I can still do it).
That is how I started this blog...I want to use it as an outlet mainly for myself, and hopefully for some others to show how to get what I want out of life with diabetes, and maybe not only give myself a pat on the back and a boost, but hopefully another as well.
I might do some venting of my own as I start on this adventure, but that is part of the personality of this blog. Get out of the system. I invite you to read along with me, and comment openly with ANY words of encouragement, suggestions, or anything someone has to offer!
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