Author: kathleen

I actually THOUGHT that yesterday was the 9th.  But just in the evening.  Think I was wishing for Friday.  But then, since I was probably the first diabetes blog and certainly the oldest dblog maybe posting early was a good idea.  Besides, the way that life is lately, I might not have gotten to it today.

FYI, my first post was in February 2003!  That’s OLD in blog years.

I got into blogging because one of my dreams is to write a textbook for my students.  I haven’t decided which group of students, but that’s okay, it will come some day.  Teachers write textbooks when they are frustrated with the ones in existence.  And I have written much of the curriculum for my kiddos.

Everything I’ve read about writing, is that you have to practice the skill, just like any other skill.  I know I’m not a story telling.  That’s okay, because the writing I’ve done all my career has been technical writing, and textbook writing AND this blog is just an extension.

Career — technical writing — yeah, I identify myself, first and foremost as a programmer.  As I tell my students, if you can’t document what you do as a programmer, you might as well not.  I am quite sure that over 60% of what I did professionally involved writing documentation, not code.

Picking diabetes  and my overall health secondary was a good choice.   It allows me to vent when I get frustrated and allows me to collect information and share it.  Lots of times I’ve been a pioneer in using something.  Both Symlin and Dexcom come to mind.  Especially since I’m often one of the first Type 2’s to try new technology.

Anyway, blogging has been good.  I’ve tried and do have blog about teaching, but there are a lot of things I just can’t blog about when it comes to my teaching life. 

I can’t say Happy when it comes to diabetes, especially since for me, it’s a dark shadow that follows me always.  Watching someone die of diabetes was NOT fun.

It’s definitely screwing me up, but then it doesn’t take much. 

How many of us woke up Monday morning this week an hour earlier than the actual time because our bodies were still on Daylight Savings Time? Millions, probably.

Sleep Disorders

I’ve been very disappointed with my IR2020.  I got the silver one, and have always had a black pump before.

Though the biggest disappointment should have anything to do with the pump color the screen has been scratching badly.  Which is odd, because I keep my pump in my bra.

So yesterday I called — I also wanted to verify when my pump warranty expires since I’m seeing the endo a week from Tuesday.  I let them know what I thought and they immediately offered to send a new pump — surprising because there has been times lately when they seemed to be hesitant, but it just might be who answers the phone.

I switched back to the black, and received the new one today. 

The really nice thing was how quick I was in action.  Downloaded the old pump, downloaded the settings and the food database.  Uploaded the settings and then the food database and back in business.

I’ll be sending the silver one back tomorrow evening.

In honor of D-Blog day, a few thoughts on being diabetic.

I’m most probably a Type 2.  I was diagnosed when I was 42.  Same birth year that my father was diagnosed.  I’m rabid about taking care of the diabetes as best I can since he passed away at birth year 48 with congestive heart failure, probably due to diabetes complications.

Here’s the good news.  I’ll be 48 in December.  So far, I’m doing well.  Recently had a retinal map, no signs of complications.  Still feel my feet and my hands are doing well.  I’m still running dog agility so I’m doing infinity better than he was.

I thank the technology.  I started testing religiously as soon as I was diagnosed.

Went to insulin very early.  Within in a year when on an insulin pump.  Am currently on CGMS. 

Still, I feel the clock ticking.

 I’ve been there.  In fact, I’m sort of there today. Husband left at around 4:00 am this morning and I couldn’t go back to sleep.  Not only am I cranky, but I hurt.

Experience tells us that sleepless nights can lead to overwrought emotions. Now scientists have uncovered some of the first evidence of how this occurs. Their imaging studies show that lack of sleep can lead to greater activation of the brain’s emotional centers and disrupt the brain circuits that tame emotional responses.

Source: Sleep Education.com

It’s really disturbing to a Type 2 diabetic that relies on both technologies.  I’d like to see a blog post from someone who was there, but there is what Amy has to say.

who came across as “dismissing the technology that in particular people with Type 1 diabetes use to keep healthy — insulin pumps and glucose monitors,” a number of influential attendees tell me.

Diabetes Mine

And she’s right.  It’s been difficult getting coverage on the pump, and still haven’t on the CGMS, but it makes my life so much easier, I’m paying for it out of pocket.

Very disturbing indeed.

I’m also an early insulin adopter.  I started on insulin within two months of diagnosis.  The biggest drawback is I really had trouble with weight gain, but that has been solved since I was pumping.

Jo talks about her decision here: 

In October 2005, I went on insulin to assist in my control of Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin : Jo’s Cafe

This was in our local paper today, in an article about diabetes.

Two of the family’s dogs are beagles, the breed from which scientists first extracted insulin. “I feel as if beagles saved my life,” Ms. Middlebrooks says. Kris shared some of his feelings:

For some youths, managing diabetes is part of daily life | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Life/Travel: Health

It bothers me.  As a long time beagle owner and even breeder of two litters, I know that beagles are frequently used as lab animals.  They are easy keepers, many easy to care for, easy to breed etc.  I also know that the beagles bred for lab use are not related to my girls and haven’t been for many, many generations.  However, they do look like my girls.

What a weird coincidence if it is true though I didn’t make the choice of beagles — my husband did.  We have other breeds of dogs but we’ve always had at least one beagle since we’ve been married.

Ignore it.

Seriously.  It helped that husband was sick and wanted to sleep, but I didn’t buy any candy this year.

Someone did bring in some candy for the teachers, and I did eat a bit of it, but my blood sugar has been much better than it usually is around a food holiday.

I’m going to do close to the same Thanksgiving.  We’ll go to Steak and Ale, but I’ll get one of their regular prime rib dinners and stay away from the carbs.