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  • Dulce’s Week in Austin

    I always feel bad when we have to travel because Dulce doesn’t get much time off. Austin is nice, because there is at least one dog park that we’ve gone to that works out well for us, but it isn’t the same as being at home.

    I also have some very strict hotel rules, because I’ve suffered from people’s lack of respect – she is never left in a room by herself – she never made any noise or bothered anyone when we lived in the apartment and besides, she’s with me because I need an alert dog.

    She had absolutely no accidents, which has been a concern, because she has eliminated twice in the ring doing agility lately. I think it is my stress.

    The hotel helped by putting us as close to the grass as they could. We were two rooms from the elevator, and the elevator was close to the pool.

    I was also really good at taking breaks during the day, almost every day but Thursday and Friday.

    She alerted Sunday night and Monday night – probably because I spent some time in their pool. I didn’t do that again, because I didn’t want to take that chance. She also alerted on Friday during the day.

    She whined once Thursday – letting me know that she needed out. Yes, I can honestly tell the difference between an alert whine and a I need out whine. Also no one else heard either whine.

  • Access Issues.

    Met Tara and Duchess finally. They apparently get denied access a lot which is sad, as she needs Duchess much more than I need Dulce.

    I think I know why – first of all I'm older and have more presence – I am a 50 something, school teacher. I am not taking crap off of anyone. Plus I'm often limping. She's a cute, bubbly young adult. She doesn't look like she needs help.

    There is also the dog difference. Dulce is a cute little beagle. Duchess is a cute, little Lab. Who outweighs Dulce by 4 times.

     

    It's a shame really, because Duchess does much more than Dulce can because of her size.

    I've only been denied access twice, now.  Though in the early days did a lot more arguing (but won), then I do now.

  • Dulce and the Austin Hilton Airport at the State Textbook Committee

    Dulce and I have been at the Austin Hilton Airport all week.

    I am on the State Textbook Committee and I have been doing whatever it is we do. I’m not sure what it is we do, but it sure is a lot of work.

    She has been the perfect Diabetes Alert Dog. She had to wake me up the first two nights because my blood sugar was dropping to fast. Unfortunately we couldn’t do any work on high, because we ended up eating too may carbs. Her, me and my table mates.

    She has had absolutely no accidents. She has only whined she needed or wanted out, and only I heard her.

    The hotel staff adored her and in fact, I made sure she had an opportunity to say good bye to her fans today.

    No access issues at all.

    We met Tara and Duchess which was quite fun.

    I’m exhausted.

  • Dulce has saved me from two lows

    I’m in Austin, sitting at a table all day working on computer / book work. Complete change of routine, food, etc.

    My mantra is: the diameter and cords are all shorter than the circumference of the circle. I’m in the Hilton Airport Hotel, there are two elevators positions (4 total). My room is closest to the grass (this is good), and the work area is on the lowest level on the opposite side of the building. I can take the diameter or the cords. Math, even bad math comes in handy (remember, while I am certified in math, I teach CS, and I get kids to pass math tests).

    Both early Monday morning and Tuesday morning Dulce woke me up crying. Checked and sure enough was dropping fast. Quick sugar fix, quick walk outside, and we were back to bed.

    While it is a pain to keep up with cages, dog food, bowls, toys and other dog paraphilia, it’s also nice to know that she’s not going to let some poor maid find a dead body. Or someone in some type of coma.

    Now if I can just get the humans to take turns giving dictation instead of doing it both at once…..

  • Type 2 Diabetes – Typical Treatment and why it causes problems

    There have been two stories in the news and Scott Johnson shared both of them on Facebook. Once was a diabetic woman who got beat up by cops: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LfNjwVQcp4&utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=bufferf8ace&utm_medium=facebook

    And one was about a man who killed a child: http://abcnews.go.com/US/diabetic-driver-fatally-hit-girl-previous-accident/story?id=19677565&utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer03d79&utm_medium=facebook

    Here’s how type 2 usually works. The patient slowly gets more and more insulin resistant over time. At some point, they show up at the doctor’s office and they have accumulated diabetes symptoms over several years. Remember, it’s a gradual onset, nothing dramatic or sudden. So they didn’t realize they were having problems. They are seeing a typical primary care physician who is over worked and has 15 minutes per patient. Most say, oh, we can fix this with diet and exercise, and send them home with a diet. If they are lucky they get an A1c, but are not told the results. Most are over 10.

    And guess what the biggest symptom of high blood sugar they are having? Sugar cravings!! Can they stay on that diet. NO! (Remember, I live this and have the sugar thing going on right now).

    If they are lucky they will go back to the doctor a couple of times before the doctor gives them a pill. Oh, and they probably haven’t seen a meter yet either.

    The good news, is first pills thrown at newly diagnosed diabetics rarely cause lows. They also don’t do anything about highs, remember that blood sugar craving.

    Oh, and when they are given the meter, they are only given one test strip a day. Typical protocol is to test two mornings a week, two days before lunch, two days before dinner, etc. Is this going to give anyone any worthwhile data?

    They are really lucky if they ever see a CDE and ever given any real education on diet and exercise.

    Why am I not this kind of diabetic? My dad was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 42, died of congestive heart failure of 48. I was also diagnosed at 42.

    Good news. I’m 53 right now.

     

  • Then you just screw up

    Decided to pack light, so brought down just my room key, computer cord, the dog, her cage, and her Likety Stick, my phone, key, and my blood sugar test kit. Whoops – I just ran out of test strips and meant to put new strips in the kit. Guess who forgot. Fortunately they have a group of people helping us and one of them is trying to find my box of test strips in my room. So far, she brought me my tape for my infusion sets, so I may have to go up yet, but we are scheduled for a break soon.

    And yeah, that’s traveling light.

    That will teach me.

  • Dulce came in handy

    She had me up last night and sure enough my blood sugar was dropping faster then it should.

    Ate some sugar, walked her and back to bed.

    Snarl that my management wasn’t better but there you go.

    Sent from my Windows Phone

  • You Say You Want A Service Dog | Black Dogs Rule

    Climbing up on soapbox. You say you want a service dog to help you out.

    via blackdogsrule.com

    They are absolutely right. While Dulce has made my life easier in some ways, she also makes it harder.

  • CGMS Still Helping

    Yesterday I finished another CGMS Sensor — swapping out pumps solved my problems, I believe.

    Here’s my latest report — and I am definitely testing more, and I have a better picture of what is going on with my blood sugar so I am accomplishing my goals.