Category: Blog

This is my first endo appointment since my lap band surgery.  My weight is down 17 pounds from my last visit, my A1C is down from 8.1 to 7.9 but my lipids are bad.  We expected that as I can’t take my Vitorian, it’s too big.  But the endo looked and there is a formula of Vitorian that is lower dose and smaller so I’m on it.  I’ll be back there on October 19th.

I got home last night after 11:00 pm  — Yes, I drove hard to get here.

The workshop was over at 3:00 pm there time and I dropped my suite mate (a really nice lady) off at the airport and headed for home.  Made lots of short little stops — gas, restroom, picking up dinner, etc. but decided to drive until I couldn’t.

Ended up stopping i Athens, Tennessee at a Motel 6.  Wasn’t bad, but that meant that I wouldn’t be spending the night at my mother’s. 

Got up at 6:00 pm, did drive through breakfast, and again, lots of little stops.  Lunch was in Tuscaloosa and was really good.  Grilled snapper and fried crab legs (little crabs, not Alaskan crabs, probably gulf coast).

Stoppped at mom’s for about 1/2 hour and visited her.

Headed out, and drove most of the evening.  Even sat down at a restaurant in Monroe for dinner.

Really glad I went.

Saw lots of cool things, lots of the country I hadn’t.  Learned what I can and can’t eat, lost a little weight, and generally had a good time.

Good workshop too.

Day 8 sucked.  I got into a really bad mood when I was “moved” yesterday.  Part of that was my suitemates’ fault, I was following along with her and we ended up at the workshop place later that I wanted.

No major problems but I really hate to sit and listen to people talk.  I want a hands on workshop.  Food was difficult all day after breakfast.

Was away from my car pretty much all day, but could at least see it. 

I got really pissed off when a lady said "she saw me testing".  First, I thought she said, "texting", and I thought that was really rude.  But she was so f’ing ignorant about diabetes I saw that there was no hope in talking to her.  Finally just said, I am really offended you got into my medical space.

I’m happier today, but more about that later.

I am never very happy when my routine or life is disrupted. It’s tough enough to keep all the balls up in the air as it is.

So traveling isn’t easy but I do even have a routine for traveling — and workshops.

I am careful to get there early, find a place that I don’t feel trapped, a place where I can take care of my issues without disrupting the people around me. 

I did that yesterday.  I had a place that worked really well.

They rearranged the furniture yesterday so everyone felt free to move. I’m now in a place where I can’t do any of the above and I am very upset.  To the point I am very close to tears.

The walking is getting to me, I have 3500 steps on my pedometer this morning.  I put it on after I got up and dressed, so it is 3500 steps to walk to breakfast and then to walk to our workshop.  Tomorrow, I’m getting up at 6:00 am, getting dressed, getting my truck, loading everything, and then driving to breakfast.  Then I’ll drive to the workshop.

By the way, I’m a bit disappointed by the workshop, because so far it has been 1 day of lectures, and it looks like it will continue to be that way.  We lecture way too much in CS.

And while I am ranting — one of my classmates completely freaked out over my taking a shot at dinner.  EXCUSE ME!  Grow up, my students deal with it fine each day.  He’ll really freak out when I test my blood sugar around him.

I am tired.

Workshop didn’t start until 11:00 so my suitemate and I went and looked for Monticello after breakfast, we found it, she bought a mug and we didn’t do much else since we didn’t have much time.

Workshop has been good.  Food has been good and I have been able to find something to eat.  I do a lot of deconstructing sandwiches, but that is okay.

I have been a tad worried about going low and have hit the temp basal twice — once when I got up this morning before breakfast, and once this evening.  I also haven’t done a lot of bolusing — some in the afternoon when I ate some junk food.

I miss having my car close but it’s okay. We have to be out of our rooms before the workshop starts on Thursday, so my plan is to get car, load it, drive to breakfast and then drive it back to the parking lot.  I’ve got a map somewhere but we have long walks between each place.  I do have some Slimfast I need to remember I have it.

Today’s workshop topics were on why diversity, why incorporate women and then a good presentation on an introductory course.  I like mine better, but he has some good ideas that I’ll probably incorporate.

I do work my children to death, but busy children don’t have time to get in trouble.

Just had a snack a while before — blood glucose is 236

By the way, this is the boring part of the trip.

Woke up this morning and should have stayed in bed, but I ended up getting online and checking my paycheck (we get paid on the 15th, and the pay information is available on the 13th).  Went back to bed dozed awhile. Ate breakfast, starting packing and finally left the hotel around 11:00 and ran by an Avenue store to pick up a few things I thought needed (and did).  I would have done better if I had stayed in bed.

Followed the GPS to Charlottesville and got here about 2:30.

Okay, the street the dorm is off of is one-way.  Oh, and it’s illegal to park here and is a tow away area.  I park about 4 blocks away, but at least the meeting place is close to the parking lot. I think they are trying to get us better parking as there are a few spaces around the building.

The dining hall is even further away but I think only one breakfast is there and dinners.  Not sure.  We still haven’t seen an agenda.

My suite mate is really cool, and so far the people here are cool.  I’ve got one neighbor who teaches near me but it’s a private school and I get the feeling she doesn’t get why I teach in Dallas.  I don’t some days either, but that’s okay.

We (suite mate and I) went to the dining hall when it was open – 4:30 and had dinner.  It wasn’t bad, I had ham and mixed vegetables, a small slice of turtle pie and snuck an orange out.  Which I just remembered and I need.  I have used 10 units of bolus insulin today between no carbs and lots of walking.

I’m having clothing issues — thankfully I brought a smaller size of skirts, as I am pretty sure I am going to need them.

We (suite mate and I) drove around town — wish I’d know about Monticello but it closes at 5:00 — I’m going to drop by there on the way out.

We’re settled in for the night through we still have people coming into the dorm.  Plan is to get up and go to the dining hall around 7:30.  Workshop starts at 11:00 — hey, maybe we can go to Monticello in between.

Yes, the fill I had before the trip is working.  I’ll probably cancel next weeks fill, but want to wait until it gets closer.

I am noticing a major change in my eating habits. I am definitely eating LESS food and I am definitely seeing a change in my body.  No scales here (haven’t checked the fitness center, I might tomorrow), but luckily, I packed the size smaller skirt in my bags, as the size I was wearing is getting too big, and I can comfortably wear the new size.

Whew!  And I have a ton of clothing at this size. I was at this size for almost 2 years.

Man, 5 days.  Yikes!

I woke realizing that I was

• having fun
• missed my husband and dogs
• sleeping well

I went to the Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport — free to get in, $15 in parking, not bad for a family.  Very nicely done and I’ll upload pictures later.

It is basically several large hangers with planes arrayed from top to bottom and from side to side.  From balloons to gliders and sail planes, to beginning to current times.  I think there was a Mooney displayed — I couldn’t get close enough to see, and the part that was disconcerting was that it was white and red, Mooney’s are notorious for coming in hideous colors — we flew two of identical Moonies that were orange and cream.  Sounds good on paper, but odd in real life.

I had a good time.

Accomplished a goal — had seafood for lunch — Joe’s Crab Shack and had some of the best food and service on the trip.  Worth the charge (unlike the Shoney’s in Bossier City — don’t go there).

The rest of the day has been about resting, relaxing and gearing up mentally to go to work.  Got my nails done, and have just been hanging out at the hotel.

Looking forward to the rest of the week, may do some tweeting.

I am happy and sad at the same time.  My fill is working.  I can’t eat much. This is a good thing. It is something I am going to have to get used to.  It is a bad thing too.  I am still working on learning how to eat right.

Proteins are tough, breads are tougher, veggies are still okay but haven’t had much of a chance to eat them.  I’m going out and getting something to eat with the plans of having the leftovers in the room to eat tomorrow.

It will be interesting to see how things go from now on.