Category: Blog

I will be honest- I write a lot of good blog posts in my head that never made it to the blog. Life gets busy, and often I get on a path that I didn't necessarily choose. 

However, my blog just happens to be the longest living diabetes blog.  

There re was a time when I was a very active blogger and I was a very good diabetic.  My A1c was never over 7 and usually under 6.4

Due to a lot of life problems I did a lot of slippage.  Some of it was burnout. Some of it was due to some life events.  I actually haven't felt control of my life for quite a while. 

I had a job I loved, teaching a subject I was passionate about, though the working conditions were pretty bad.  Old building, poorly maintained and the victim of people who didn't care. I always felt bad for the students. 

Now I am semi retired, teaching those same subjects, remotely, online which I do truly love. I have a volunteer job I really like, and people I like working with. I have a monthly income, and while it isn't a lot, I could make it if something happened to my husband. I have good health care.  

So I try not to dwell too much on the past and should haves. 

I have recently lost 20 pounds with Jenny Craig and got my own to 6.4. I am doing everything I can to keep from surgery especially orthopedic.  I work out pretty close to every day and have a good reason for not. 

I make use of my tools, especially my diabetes alert dog   And just keep going on as best I can. 

I am at the airport, waiting for my flight.  So far, things are going well.  Left my car in covered parking at Patk N Fly. Only one problem, got picked up so fast I forgot record where I parked.  I know it was at the end about row 3 facing away from home. 

TSA was its normal pain, the AA assistance person reminded me of the laptop, but I forgot that the have to go through the CPAP.  It also took them awhile to find a female assist.

So now we wait.  

I’m traveling for at least 10 days, maybe 2 weeks.  Taking 3 dogs to the National Beagle Club Specialty.  I’m competing in agility only since I forgot to measure the horse beagle (Jamie’s new nickname)

—–

• CPAP
• 2 gallons of distilled water
• Emergency battery
• Diabetes supplies
• Insulin – 2 vials, 1 pen
• 1 box of infusion sets
• 1 box of cartridges
• 1 package of syringes
• Pen needles
• Medication
  • Pillpacks for as long as I have – may need to get some shipped to me on the road 
  • Allergy Meds
  • Neupro patches – full box
• Dog supplies
• 6 bowls (food and water)
• puppy food
• adult food
• 3 sets of cages – one in the car, one at the show site, one at the place we are staying
• Clothing
• Workout clothing
• Pajamas (suitable for walking the dog in the middle of the night
• Business casual outfits for at least a week (will need to find laundry)
• Clothing for showing in agility
• Luau clothing
• Shoes
• Workout
• 3 pairs of business casual shoes
• Toiletries
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Floss
• Brush
• Hair dryer
• Hair straigther (hot iron or brush)
• Makeup kit
• Electronics
  • iPhone / cable
  • iPad     / cable
  • Mac Notebook / cable
  • cable for Apple Watch
  • Surface / cable
• Food
• Jenny Craig travel food

Yeah, it’s a lot.  Nice thing is that i can get Jenny Craig food in Ocala.

I was pretty sure I could share but I am going to Diabetes Linkup on AstraZeneca's dime. 

They have us completely booked, flying in Thursday afternoon, dinner and then all day Friday.  Back home that evening.

Slightly disappointing since I would have liked to have lunch with my bosses but I will get there someday. 

I am am looking forward to the event and getting back to active blogging.

I

I keep tweaking my overnight traveling post.  I won't start the almost 2 week traveling checklist until I get back.

I did contact American Airlines and made sure that they knew about the dog and that they had me marked down to use the mobility assistance.  Every time I use it I don't feel like I need it but then when I don't, I have issues.

Like our last cruise, I decided I could walk off the boat, and then there was a two hour wait for the bus.  Not exaggerating.

And especially after I fussed at a friend for not using it.

My endo is leaving private practice and going to work at the Dallas VA.  I am shocked but glad they are getting such a good doctor.  He gave me two names.   I get to see him one more time.

At the same time, my pump warranty is up in a few weeks, while I am traveling. I reached out to the local rep and not only did he reassure me, but he helped me decide which of the two endos to pick. He knew one, she is closer to my house, and didn't know the other.  

I will be getting the new Medtronic pump and I am really looking forward to it.

Still feeling very sad and scared about the endo. He also made the second issue leave my brain.  

I’m finally starting to do some traveling – one of my goals for retirement. My husband’s head injury almost two years ago got in the way. Along with a few other stressors. Though we have gone on two cruises and I’ve visited my family some since his head injury so I have done some.

First the second cruise taught me that I am very much dependent on the service dog.  And I have started to train the second.

So the first trip is an overnighter next week, and for a diabetes function.  I’m sure I’m supposed to disclose this but I don’t know how much yet.

Also an agility friend told me that I needed to start making checklists so here’s a check list for an over night trip.

—–

• CPAP
• Diabetes supplies
  • Insulin
  • 2 spare infusion sets
  • 2 cartridges
  • Syringes
• Medication
  • Pillpacks for 3 days
  • Allergy Meds
  • Nepro patches – 2
• Service dog supplies
  • Crate
  • 2 bowls
  • Food for 6 meals
• Clothing
  • Workout clothing
• • Pajamas (suitable for walking the dog in the middle of the night
  • Business casual outfit with shoes
• Toiletries
• • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Brush
  • Makeup kit
•  Electronics
  • iPhone / cable
  • iPad     / cable
  • Surface (not sure which one yet) / cable
  •  cable for Apple Watch
• Food
  • Salad with Jenny Craig Salad kit
  • Snack for evening
  • Jenny Craig shake

Planning just in case we get hit with a flight delay.  And I’m already forgetting things.

I rushed out of the house today without replacing the test strips in my purse last night after using the last one.  I wasn’t really worried, as I knew I had a stash of supplies in the car.

Whoops the expiration date was 2016/5.  Replacing those next!

(And checking if the links to the blog work right).

BTW, I’m getting ready for two trips.  More on the first one in a later post.

Totally forgot two more important victories:

A scale one – I mentioned that I am seeing a new decade on the scale, but I am also over 70 pounds lost since the lap band surgery. 

And a non-scale one.  I purchased and successfully wore a skirt in the smallest size since the lap band surgery.  I wore a bigger top, because I have to run in the outfit.

Very happy dance.

First, my labs were back, and I didn’t realize this was possible.  Back in June, my A1C was 8.6.  Drum roll please – my A1C is 6.4!  The Jenny Craig plan is definitely working.  I have had a few rough weeks, but I’m back to losing two pounds a week.  Better yet, I’m in a new decade now on the scale.  Also my cholesterol is almost in range without a statin drug.  The statin pain seems to be gone, but I’m dealing with other pain now.

I’m getting ready to go to the National Beagle Specialty which is a big deal for me.  All three dogs are entered, but not sure how many are going or competing.  Macy is only entered in two classes, but she hasn’t done well in competition lately.  Very slow.  Dulce is entered in all possible classes, but she hasn’t seemed to wanting to be in the ring.  I’m contributing it to my pain level and am really trying to get that under control.  Jamie is in Sweepstakes and his regular class in conformation.  He still has a major issue to overcome.

The Specialty is in Ocala, Florida, a two day drive.  One of the things that was bothering me about the trip was staying in a hotel room for 5 days with three dogs.  One of my beagle Facebook friends came up with a really good idea: AirBNB.  I really wanted to share a house with her – she found two possible – they are guest houses on horse farms.  Whoever, they were concerned about the number of dogs.  With my three, and at least two others – yes, it could be a problem.

But her idea was really great, so I looked into finding something similar for one person.  Found one for $60 a night, studio apartment with a fenced in yard for the dogs!  Win! Win!  Between cages, puppy pen, and the yard, it should be doable and fun.  Also, Jenny Craig food should be doable, and its 20 minutes from the show site.  My plan during the day is to work the Rescue table when I’m not showing and keep the dogs in one large crate with me.  Using my wagon to transport “stuff”.