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Leann thinks that traveling for diabetics might be interesting after the recent incident.  Try flying with a CPAP, it was a PITA last year.

An aside for those that don't know, a CPAP is for treating obstructive sleep apnea, and if I don't sleep with one, there is a possibility that I'll stop breathing in my sleep and die.  Just a minor life function.

Let's say I want to go to a typical three day teacher workshop.  Like the one I did in Missouri.  I need to take:

• Laptop (I do teach computer science, I DO need a computer)
• Phone
• CPAP Machine
• Diabetes supplies for 6 days (remember, I pump, and can't just get spares at a local pharamacy
• •  6 cartriges
  • 6 sets
  •  Meter and test strips, at least 3 vials
  • Insulin – 2 vials (I also use an insulin that is usually not in stock)
• 3 days of clothing

I want to take and usually do

• toileties
• emergency battery for CPAP (at least twice when traveling this has saved my butt)
• MP3 player and accesories (listening to music helps me sleep in a strange environement)
• Camera and accessories

First, I dare you to get that all in one carry on — oh, the good news, is that since I have a medical reason, I get three carry-on.  I usually put everything but the CPAP machine in one bag, carry a large Ameribag, and the CPAP bag. 

You DO have to call the airlines ahead of time and tell them that.

You also have to put everything into three bins when you go through TSA.  Which wouldn't be a huge problem, except that

• you hold up the line
• until last summer TSA wasn't good at keeping things together

I have to patiently and nicely requst that the keep everything together as they pat me down — I invariably set off the medical dectector, as the aggrate metal in my clothing sets off their machine.

What I try to do, is stake out an area with my three bins, get as many people that can go around me, and then try to go through the screening by myself as much as possible as I am terrified that someone will take something out of one of the bins.

Or I'll forget something (I have, the laptop!).

Trust me every time I've gone through TSA some type of minor delaying disaster has happened.

Broken insulin vials
Lost laptop
Someone picks up my bin by mistake.

Oh and don't forget they have to hand swab my CPAP machine (gross, remember I have to breath through that thing all night and I really don't like strangers near it).

I know now that the weight loss that was triggered by my Christmas Eve illness is "permanent" and not caused just by the illness.

As of this morning, I've lost more than 10 pounds since my fill on December 1st.  That means I've lost a total of over 35 pounds. 

I've also see a coorresponding decrease in insulin use.  See previous entry I posted last night.  Plus a cooresponding dip in my blood sugar. 

Yes, I'm extremely happy.

And still cautionously playing with my pump since I don't want the dip in blood sugar to cause an increase in eating and weight.

This is the last two weeks of TDD (total daily dosage) of Insuiln

And the Christmas Eve illness seems to have jumpstarted things.

One of the things that has bugged me the most since I've had lapband surgery is that  I had been running high.

Probably one of the reasons I wasn't losing weight or a side effect from not losing weight.

My A1C has absolutely sucked — over 8.0 which really disturbs my endo, as I hadn't had an A1C that high most of the time he's treated me.  I think I started hitting that when they made me Campus Technologist, but might have been before then, I might ask at my next appointment.

The good news, is that since I got so sick, I've been running low.  And it's challenging my pumping skills as I don't want to gain any of the weight I've lost.

Here's what I've been doing when my blood sugar is under 140, especially post pranial — turning my temp basal to 50% down.  So far it is working, though I should get around to eating lunch at some point, and stop playing with new toys.

I really wanted to lose 10 pounds over the Winter Break and I think I'm going to.  So far, every day I've been off I've managed to walk on my treadmill at least 40 minutes (except for Christmas eve).

 And the best sign, is that my TDD has dropped from 100 units a day down to the high 50's.  I might be able to start changing my set/etc. every three days again, instead of every two.  In fact, I was able to do that today.

I think I've finally solved my manicure problem. 

Sounds a bit nuts, but I am really into having good looking hands.  Probably one of the few things I have control over. 

I go through phases, and since about the time I had my surgery, I've been getting regular manicures and pedicures.

However, the place I had been going to changed management, and they are quite rude to customers.  Don't tell you how long the wait is, don't really like walk-ins, etc.  And are even rude if you have an appointment and you're 5 minutes late.

So I found a place off of 635, but they were more expensive, farther away, and I didn't like some of their people.

Then I found Hawaain Nail Bar, which I love but are even more expensive.  They also offer a lot of services which they try to sell you when you're not in the mood for more.  Plus the receptionist is a bit rude, odd, since I've been going about every week and most of the time have an appointment.

So today, I finally decided to try a place that is around the corner, literally from the house and it has new management.  Much cleaner — which is one reason I stopped going, expanded, AND a girl I used to go to down the street is working there.

She did a beautiful job.  Much better than the more expensive manicure I got last week.

My blood sugar this morning is #bs 102.  Weight is still down, too, which is fabulous.  Not the way I recommend to lose weight, as it has been no fun at all, but it's good.

Instead of eating something, I just put in a temporary basal of -50%, and we'll see how it goes.  I don't do welll with food in the morning, especially carbs.

I managed to keep down some chicken soup last night and slept all night without waking up.

My plan today is to slowly introduce solid food.  Physically I feel much better, which verifies my food poisoning guess.

Really good news:  My weight is down 10 pounds since my last fill.  Do I believe I'll stay that low?  No, and I also don't recommend losing weight this way.  However, if I can just gain three pounds I'll be happy.  That would mean that I had lost 35 pounds. 

So I'm starting with peppermint tea and slowly adding more solid food.

I also don't recommend this as a way to start Christmas.

And am important reminder to me, watch my blood sugar as my TTD is down.  My morning blood sugar was 110, which is the lowest I've seen in ages.  Yesterday my TTD was 58, and it was 65 the day before.  I think the safest thing and best way to keep any weight off is to up my carb and corection ratios by 1.

This is something I've learned losing weight before — insulin and your body wants you to maintain your weight — if you keep your basal rates the same, you end up having some lows, and you have to eat food to get over them.  It's better to run slightly high (not massively, like I have been since surgery), than to have to deal with the lows.

It's a balancing act, because if you keep the blood sugar too high, you crave sugar.

And there is nothing worse for both diabetes and lapband patients to have gastro-intestinal distress. 

I woke up at around 2:00 with bad diarrah — then up at 3:00 with it, when I really wanted to vomit but was able to manage to avoid at.

At 4:00, I was up again, but this time was spitting up.  Got my husband up, told him we had two choices, PepmoBismal or the hospital.  He was very good, didn't ask any questions, picked some up and brought it back, also feed the dog so she wouldn't have me up — his dog doesn't care, and is hiding because we've been storming.

I'm going to hit the Pepto again, and probably back to bed.  And cancelled our dinner reservations as I know I am not up for that.

Good news–I'm seeing a decade on the scales I haven't seen before.  Bad way to do though. 

One of the goals I have for this break is to reduce the amount of insulin I take.  One way to do that is to walk after I eat, rather than take insulin.  I've been able to avoid bolusing for three meals in a row, and I've gotten my walking time up to 20 minutes.

However, my knee is very tight for quite a while afterwards.

The longer I teach, the more I value quiet time which is something I've definately gotten this break.  And I'm enjoying every moment of it.

I did get my teeth cleaned yesterday.  My dentist is doing quite well, he's doubled his office space and upgraded everything.  It's very nice.  He is Korean, has been in this country since a teenager, and services English-speaking, Spanish-speaking and Korean patients.  Biggest plus is he takes my district dental insurance.