Category: Blog

Seriously.

We were at the Mall of America.  Loud, busy place, especially on a Saturday afternoon.

Microsoft store.  Popcorn  on the floor, children around, even really nice handicapped children who asked to pet the puppy.  She was doing the normal Tesoro beagle thing to do, acknowledging her adoring public and looking for the person handing out ribbons.  Not as obnoxious as it sounds, they are pretty gracious at it.

So I’m talking to an employee about buying a computer (price is a bit too rich for this school teacher), when she jumps on my leg. 

Whoa!

This is NOT normal Dulce behavior.  She does NOT jump on my leg.  In fact, when we’re out in public unless I have cookies, she’s working the public.

So I excuse myself to check the blood sugar, and yes, it is dinner time.  In fact, as far as it was to decent dinner, it was just in the nick of time.  So I excuse myself, and we head for the nearest restaurant.

They were great, I would have rather have been in the back, but they put me next to the iron railing which was perfect to tie someone’s leash too.  Dulce was very public, but we did find some extra bread crumbs in our way.  She did get a bit of the risotto (risotto with chicken, corn and heirloom tomatoes).  And a perfect 150 after.

Thank you Dulce, because a full out crash wouldn’t have been fun.

Blood sugar was in range all day.

Had no trouble traveling with Dulce. Two comments about not being able to bring pets in but were retracted as soon as I reminded them she was a service dog.

Seriously her vest is as big as she is.

Sent from my Windows Phone

Here’s one with the dog.

Notice that the average is smoother, and there are more readings.

Here’s a blood glucose chart from my pump before I started working with the diabetic alert dog.

She is really good at picking up the knot on the leash when she smells the sample of “high” scent.  She hasn’t put it together with my being high. 

However, when my blood sugar is high, she pulls “stubborn” beagle on me.   And I think it’s more the process of an escalating blood sugar than an actual high.

She does the same then when I have a crashing low.  I get “stubborn” beagle. 

By the way, I’ve seen “stubborn” beagle before.  You have to understand that I have beagles that listen to me, do what I tell them to do, but when my health isn’t right, I get stubborn beagle.  Stubborn beagle won’t listen, won’t do what I want them to do,

In her case, she won’t stay in the open cage, pulls on the leash, doesn’t want to stay near me.  Means it’s time to check my blood sugar, lock her in the cage, and ignore her until things normalize.  Pretty interesting.

Be nice when we have a communication system going.  I think it will come soon.

She is well behaved in public.  Usually snoozes when we are in workshop situations.  Walks nicely on a leash, and when people are watching, puts on her runway walk.  Does pretty good at restaurants, though all bets are off when someone drops food on the floor (no self-respecting beagle ignores the opportunity to eat calories).  Cafeterias are hard, and its best if we pick a quiet corner.

So far, no issues with access.  Of course, walking in with confidence and 100 degree plus days helps.

So I am finally going in the right direction and am at lightest in a long while.  Not at my smallest, still carrying a lot of weight in my midsection, and I am not physically feeling the weight loss.  Weird.

Stress level is good.  House is organized, almost finished with the staff development of the summer and at a good place at curriculum development for the district.

I’ve got about three more weeks of summer, and headed to the far north of the country for almost a week.

Weight is going down at a nice slow steady pace.

It’s nice.

They have been slow drops, not panic causing, and easily fixed.  I've also been able to get training samples on two of them.

We haven't taught a formal alert for lows.  Dulce was trying to tell me that I was going low, and didn't know how.

Listen to the dog!

May have to start teaching it, as I've headed towards low daily now.

You go low.

I’ve been running around with my blood sugar way too high for two years.  For the past three to four weeks, I’ve made an effort to change that and I’m checking my blood sugar, doing boluses when I should and in other words, not ignoring the fact I’m diabetic.

I’ve gone in the low range three days in a row at the gym.  Not treatable on Thursday, not even low enough for dog training samples.  Definitely treatable and dog training samples today and yesterday. 

So the good news, is when I get back from Milwaukie, I’ll have something to work with.  Today I even did a temporary basal which helped, but not enough.  I’ll have to think on this.

I didn’t used to really have to worry about it.

I’ll take hints.

Well, not really, but I had been out with Dulce at the local Discount Tire when I found out my tires were bad.  Each of the store staff had to hear the story.  At least only one of the guys had to know why she wasn’t with me – I’d given her the day off.

I know better than to not take her to my gym – I have to go to another gym if I want to work out without her. 

Thursday is when the district will first meet after receiving the paperwork.