Diabetes is a family condition

Even the oranage cat is checking out my numbers and looking for patterns.

Love is a new meter

It's been a crazy week. 2006 budget due for work, economics exam, and two econometric assignments, and a Joslin appointment.

Ahhh.

Not to mention my computer fried my Paradigm meter last Friday as I was down loading my pump information for the impending Joslin appointment. Friday afternoon to be exact. No big deal- called BD and they shipped me a new one. But I needed a new meter to get me through the weekend.

On many diabetes websites, message boards, email groups, I heard a lot of complaints about the paradigm link meter. I was thinking about it as well. Not that it really gave me an problems- but have to say, I never really felt close to it.

Seemed like a sign to change. So I went back to a One Touch product, the UltraSmart.

I am in love again!

I should have never left the One Touch family. I still remember the amazement at moving from my first meter (Accu-Check II) to the original One Touch. No wiping, 60 seconds for a result. It was the greatest thing ever. Then the came out with the One Touch II. Made it even smaller, and faster, 45 seconds. I had it with me for four years of high school and three in college. It went all over England when I studied there. By the time I was finishing school, One Touch had out done themselves again. The FastTake. 5 Seconds- seriously! They had cut 1 minutes and 55 seconds in sugar testing. That's crazy.

Two years ago, Minimed replaced my trusty 508 with a shiny new 512 pump that spoke with their BD meter. I never really liked the new meter- but gosh, it talked to my pump. It had to be better, right? Nope. It had all these fancy features outisde of speaking ability, but they were far too much of a hassle to use.

In this brave new technical world, the one thing no had figured was how to make recording data easy. I have been carrying around sheets from the Minimed site for the past year. But if I can have a PDA and phone in one device (Treo 600) why can't I get my meter to record info as well? My pump recorded some stuff, but then I had to down load on the computer- and it is hard to read off the computer program. Why can't a meter be a log book that is easy to use?

One Touch did it, and I shouldn't be surprised. Meter happiness once again.

And to boot, I got a fancy new Kate Spade comestic bag to carry it around in. I am a whole new diabetic.

The question

Why does it always happen that the week you go back to the gym your co-worker brings you back a cupcake from the best bakery in the metro Boston area?
(I had even managed to pass up free pie day at the State House on Monday.)

D Weight

I went back to the gym Monday night. And it's been a long journey back.

In the spring of 2001, I found myself suddenly single. One day - POOF my social structure had disappeared. So I started to run.

I ran a lot. Joined a running club, made friends, ran a marathon for the American Diabetes Association, ran another just to prove that I could. The following spring I even put a toe into the dating pool.

One problem. My A1C was hovering around 12.

Then I met A., by far the luckiest day in my life. Not only would she end up as my wife but she also would be the one who healed my broken diabetic soul.

So here I am, three and a half years later, more in love than ever, A1C hovering in the high 7's, and 25 pounds heavier.

Everybody knows that relationships and marriage travel with about 10 pounds of nesting weight, but I also gained 15 pounds of what A. and I called diabetic weight. When running an A1C of 12, it's really hard to keep weight on.

That first summer of A., she had rented a little place in Ptown for the season. It would be the summer I finally got in touch with "queer eye" side. I was known to be a little preppy. A.'s first comment to friends about me, "Well, she wears a lot of pink." That summer, A. introduced me to the world of cool gay boy clothes and the Lilly stayed in the closet.

That would also be my last summer of wild blood sugars swings, ketones that would leave me feeling like hell all day, and day long periods of not testing.

But eventually the leaves started to fall, the A1C started to drop, and I became a nester. By next summer I had gone up a few pant sizes and my fun gay clothes stayed in the box under the bed. I've been through two summers now without my G-Star capri's.

It's really the only thing I miss about our first summer in Ptown.

So Monday, I was back at the gym and A. was there with me.
(A. is doing it for her back, I'm there for the D, and we're both there for the pants.)

Thanks, and welcome

Thanks to both Six Until Me and A Shot in The Dark for their comments this morning. I was not expecting to be picked up so quickly. I find this whole DOC community amazing.

A little history. I was diagnosed in April of 1987 with Type 1, and brought straight to the Joslin DTU. For those of you who are new to the diabetes world- the DTU was an inpatient clinic at Joslin where you went for a week after diagnoses, to learn how to be a diabetic; nutrition, exercise, what is diabetes, how to give a shot, etc. To this day, I am sad that it closed down. It was almost like camp in the city. BTW- I too am a barton girl.

19 years later, I'm still here. Got married in May to a wonderful girl. We are a happy little family with two cats, and maybe someday soon, a new non-furry family member. Off to Joslin next week. A little nervous- I haven't been since early last spring. Appointments are so hard to get now. I called in May and the middle of November was the earliest available.

Shiny new things

So far it's been a day in the ones.
92 - 7:30a
155 - 9:00a
167 - 12:00p
98 - 2:45p
Nine hours to go.

The problem arises in planning for Friday night activities. A. is getting her hair done tonight at Fanieul Hall, right next to the North End. The question arises - do we grab an early dinner there post hair? In the recent planning for our Italy trip I have been craving some really good authentic Italian food.

How do I maintain a really good sugar day with a great Italian meal? Do I trust that I'll cover right? Or do I chance it and over cover a bit with the possibility of sending my self low and starting to roller coaster? How important is my day in the ones? Do I hold my self back from something I really want to do?

It's note been a great diabetic week- thanks to Halloween candy? By skipping the Italian food I am not really depriving my self of anything- I had my fill of sugar raising food by Wednesday. Would scrap the North End plan if Capote was playing anywhere but the Boston Common theatre.

I fear I am getting a little over obsessed with the current fascination of my diabetic self. As A.'s has mentioned - I am like the orange cat. Something new and shiny will grab my complete attention for a period then I lose interest and really don't care that I have lost my new shiny toy under the piano.

Is this blog just a new shiny toy?

Update. I did end up in the North End for dinner- and it was wonderful. Went the over-covering route and ended up low. Thankfully, at that point, we were having after dinner coffee at Mike Pastries on Hanover Street. I treated the low with a large piece of Cheesecake. Yummm. And I managed a whole day in the ones!

Also- Went to see Capote Saturday night. Highly recommend it.

Low at starbucks ....again

As I got to Starbucks this morning after my walk to work, I started to feel low. I think about 25% of my walks to work leave me low. (Note to self- test right before you leave the house.) Grab the OJ as I am ordering my latte. Still have a five minute hike up Beacon Hill to get to my office.

But it's Thursday. I am running late because it is cleaner day. Do I really have time to check and down the juice before heading out the door. I know it's the smart thing to do but it's 9:30 already. Then I think about it some more. I know I am dropping. I could just down the juice with no BS check and maybe save a minute. But I don't want to do that. Trying not to just cover lows- trying to be aware of what I'm doing.

My answer. Will check when I get to my office and drink the juice then. In the meantime I'll just have some of my latte on my way up the hill.

Course I felt like I was plummeting walking up the hill, shaky and over heated. But at least I was a couple of minutes earlier for work.

Sometimes the diabetic mind is a silly thing. Thanks A. for help keeping my perspective 95% of the time.

Take two

Alright. I thought this was a good idea. Yet Another idea that I haven't followed through with. Maybe I just wasn't ready yet. I'm not much of a writer- one more thing to work one.

Here is how things stand today. Joslin appointment coming up on the 17th. Been keeping some records. Would love to have good details for the next 15 days.

I have also been looking at the New Omnipod. Would never leave the pump- but it could be nice to be untethered.

Anybody know if that is a word?