Living with Diabetes

Blog

  • Agility this weekend

    Let me start out by saying I’ve been exhausted lately and I’m not entirely sure why. This morning I was hoping it wasn’t my blood sugar, but it’s probably just the work stress.

    So it was really hot by the time Macy’s runs were up.  She’s got a thick coat, and she was definately hot when we started.  She tried really hard though, staying with me most of the time.  She did try to get a ring steward to save her from the dog walk — I’m pretty sure she thought it was the teeter.

    Her JWW’s run were the best, moving pretty well and putting together some good obstacles.

    I think her biggest problems is the state of my health and weight, plus she’s not entirely sure she’s going to get paid for her efforts.  That takes repetition.

  • Surviving — Barely

    Horrible week, knew it was going to be bad.  Basically we had some computer misdelivered at my school — some people had two new computers, some didn't and guess who had to fix that?
     
    One of the computers had been vandalized over the summer, and that was a paperwork nightmare, and affected me harder than I thought.
     
    I'm still maintaining.
     
    I've made a couple of decisions.
     
    I'm in the process of retiring my older agility dog.  I think.  I left her home today and didn't compete with her, primarily because of the weather, she doesn't do storms well, and in a metal building — yeah right.
    I haven't decided about tomorrow, but I'm inclined to leave her home again.
     
    I've also decided to stop worrying about eating during the day.  It's just too frustrating, and just focus on getting liquids in.  So basically, I'm planning on doing a liquid diet during the day.
     
    I'm also going to get a fill on Friday.  Not losing weight, eating too much in the evenings. And I think I'm mentally ready for it.
    Wish me luck on all of the decisions.
     
    And Macy had a pretty good dog agility day.  No Q's, but she tried hard.
     
    Jumpers was her best run — she was running in the same direction most of the time, and even did a couple of obstacles in a row.
     
    It got to hot for her to do standard — she did everything, not exactly the way I wanted — I had to really work hard to get her in the chute and the teeter, and she finally put her feet on it.

  • Typical day at work (school)

    So today was pretty typical.

    I arrive at school pretty close to 7:30 — today a little less close as I stopped at McD's for a Mocha — that's one of the only ways I can get fluids in me that early.  I need to find a way to have hot water in my room easily and a low fat way to drink chocolate flavored caffeine.

    Sometime before 8:15 I get hit with a major crisis — today, it was letting Dell know that they didn't put decals on the new 54 computers, and how to get the Decals.  So far, I've convinced everyone in the district that Dell didn't put the decals on, and have identified which computers, but not their exact location (don't worry, they have "lo-jack" installed if they get stolen).  It took getting a phone call from them (but I didn't talk to them), and two emails to them. 

    2nd period was going really well when suddenly two of my students were facing off in the middle of the room (near my projector), and a third student was trying to get them to stop.  I know I needed to

    a) get help

    b) stop them before something or someone got broken

    Managed it, and at one point had just about every adult with a radio in the room. 

    They are out until Tuesday.

    So I finally ate lunch during the last half of my lunch period, at my desk, reading emails.

    Didn't eat again until after my planning period, sometime after 3:30.

    Notice no water got drank, okay, maybe two sips during study hall.

    Ate dinner when I got home — but since I was going to support group dinner, only ate the protein and tossed the rest.  Also drank a protein drink before I left.

    Went to support group, ate the inside of a Muffeleta (and it wasn't as good as Jason's usually is), and some Jason's softserve ice cream.

    Now I'm sucking on raspberry tea.

    My problems — not enough calories during the day, not enough water, and too much in the evening, but I same to be at least maintaining my weight and I was gaining about 5 pounds a week this time last year.

    Also didn't get to the treadmill, but do most of the time.

  • Pom Tea

    The wonderful people at http://pomwonderful.com/ (sorry for the pun), have sent me another box.

    This is a line of teas, and I am drinking the first bottle, Pomegranate Blackberry Tea.

    Now, I like the Pomagranate juice they sent me, and still have some in the frig.  My deal is that it is just too high carb, and too intense in taste to drink it straight out of the bottle, but I have found it is great to spike other drinks with.

    This tea is great though.  I'm drinking "regular" right now, and 20 carbs per serving.  They did do the think that irks me, and put two servings in the bottle.  Please, mark the serving size on the side, or make it on serving and do the math for me. 

    It is bolus worthy though, and I would buy this tea.

  • Been avoiding scales

    It's been rough since school started.  I usualy don't get to breakfast until the end of the day, but have made up for it a few times with a McD's Mocha.  Hey, at least I got liquid in.

    I'm also not drinking enough.

    However, last year at this time, I was gaining massive amounts of weight, and this year I"m maintaining my weight.

    This is a good thing.

    I think I need another fill, but I'm not ready for it.  I stll have a lot of meals where things get "stuck" and I've had a few meals where things come up.  I don't want to do anything until I"ve adjusted to this fill.

    Agility is going MUCH better, though I am not making it through the whole two classes.  That's typical for this time of year.  I missed the first Monday with kids entirely, and then last Monday left after Maggie ran a full course.

    I'm getting there and yes, things are already better than last year.

  • Yet another Protonix/Medco disaster

    My prescription plan has a weird exception when it cmes to GERD drugs.  I think they want it on over the counter Prilosic but not sure.  I also don't think there is enough Prilosic available to solve my GERD, I break through Protonix, and Nexium does nothing for me.  I don't think Prilosic does anything either….

    Just found out that the prescription was automatically "skipped" without telling me.  Well, found out two weeks ago.  Sent email to Medco about it, and it looked like we had it solved without using the phone.  WRONG.

    That just got one of the precerts done.  I need two.

    So I had to do the second precert over the phone.

    Here's the real stressor.  I got an phone message saying the meds were approved, their phone system said I was approved but when I tried to order the meds yesterday, the guy on the phone said it wasn't and that the doctor said I didn't need that much.  I was so mad, I was spitting tacks, seriously.  But decided to wait until I saw Dr. next week to find the answer.

    I actually didn't hear the phone message until I got home and it said I was approved so I called Medco back.  This time I got a person who actually looked at their computer and read their screen, and sure enough it was approved.

    Hopefully the pharmacists actually put the order in — it's not showing up on the Medco website, and it's on its way.

    Good news: my plan restarts on September 1st, including my flexible spending.

  • Eyesight is better

    Having the right contact in, really helps — and is a bit of a pun, since it is the right that is giving me such problems.

    Now I need to either get my brain to reset — which is why we're waiting until Wednesday to try any changes, or get a different contact for the left.

    I've got a bit of fuzz on that side.

  • Eyesight

    I literally haven't been able to see for weeks.  I was upset but thought it was my blood sugar control — however, the weird part my eyesight was bad, even when my control was good.

    I decided to go ahead and see my eyedoctor this weekend, rather than waiting until after labor day and I am really glad I did.  I've "lost" a whole unit of astimigatism and it was as if I was "wearing someone else's contacts".

    However, then the doctor added that she'd only see that in patients who were developing cataracts.  However, she didn't see any problems with the retinal mapping machine.

    So I've got the new prescription in, and it's amazing how much better it is to be able to see!  I really want to go  back to correcting both eyes though, if we can.  I just feel better though having the right eye corrected properly makes a huge difference.

  • Animas Skins and Lens Film

    First, let me say that it's a shame that Animas has to produce a lens film for the pump.  I know first hand there is a problem with the materials that the pump is made of, I managed to completely ruin one by rubbing it in my pocket — I had it for a week.

    I also think it should be free.

    However, I got my lens film yesterday, and it comes in a kit, with three films.  We'll see how long they last.  Immediately pulled the cheap stuff I had on it, cleaned the pump and applied it.

    Application was easy.

    The skins are nice too, and having the added protection is nice.  They are a rubberized material, I got one in black, red and blue so I can change colors.  My Ping is black.  They are a tad expensive, but there is a limited customer supply.

  • The week from hell

    As I predicted, this was a bad week.

    We reported on Monday, and everyone proceeded to abuse me because they all got new computers.  Most just could not cope with this at all.

    Plus the people who wired our portables, almost finished the job and the wireless network was a bit flaky.

    When I left Friday, people were calmer but not by much.

    I also left without having my things done, but I am getting most of them done here at the dog show in Fort Worth.  I got a good start in this morning, spent the afternoon cleaning up my email, and will finish tomorrow. 

    I did get to see Paul McCartney and I think I even got a blog post in about it.

    Tuesday was the worst day, I had not brought my own food and drink and the hotel was just hideous.  Now I understand that I'm not easy, I don't like water, tea, or coffee and can't drink carbonated beverages.  I should have at least brought my Crystal Light Powder.  Lunch was even worse, soup, icebert lettace salad and dry sandwiches.  If there were any kind of condiments, I never found them.

    Principal didn't want me using my netbook and we had a bit of a fit over that.  Excuse me, but I do take notes.

    I'm learning though — take my own food and drink.  Free food isn't free!