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I have a love-hate relationship with Symlin. I’ve been on it almost 4 months.

I hate it because I have to deal with a vial and syringes again. I hate it because I have to inject again, but at least I have the short needles. I also hate it because it works best if I take it 30 minutes before meals.

I love it, because I’ve been losing weight, and I don’t have the constant hunger with it. I eat a lot less since I’ve been on it. I’m not sure exactly how much as I haven’t been tracking food closely lately. I am starting to though.

What would really make things better would be to have it in a pen needle. I’m going to start a campaign of complaining about that this week. I plan to call their 1-800 number and ask. And their rep is coming to an interest group meeting, I think this Tuesday.

Right now, things are a bit unmanagable. I have approximately 30 students in each class. The good news, is that on any given day, 1/3 of the Algebra I repeaters are not that. Well, that is not really good news, because it takes forever to take roll, and I’m never sure I have it right.

The non-English speakers are very good attenders.

The good news, is that they are supposed to be relieving my schedule. I am hoping they will take away at least 1 of the repeaters class, but not all, because I’m afraid if they take all, they will take my Infocus machine and my Agilemind account. But if they do, maybe the ESL department will get me one.

I can actually teach the non-repeaters without it, but I’d rather not. I think they need the visuals.

I don’t want to lose the non-English speakers though. I am really enjoying teaching them.

Yes, I teach non-English speakers Algebra. My dog training years are paying off. Here’s the thing, dogs don’t speak English either. To teach a dog a task, you have to break down as small as possible, rewarding every little bit. The non-English speakers are the same way. Something I’d do in one class period with normal Algebra I students, I might take 2-3 days with the non-English speakers and only teach them one thing. We really ought to do that with the normal kids too, but oh, well, no one asked me.

I draw lots of picture and give lots of feedback. The feedback is almost impossible though with 30 students. I really need 15 in each class, to teach these kids right. That means finding another teacher AND another classroom, both of which might be impossible.

I am trying not to think hard about any of that though. Getting though each day can be challenge enough.

The good news, is that I am starting to adjust to the new teaching schedule. Last week, I was able to do at least 25 minutes of cardio each day. I was also able to do my scheduled weight training each day.

Even better news is the weight loss. According to my scales, I’ve lost 10-15 pounds since school started and I’m starting to see a new decade. I’ll confess. I was seeing 28x on the scales for a LONG LONG time. Lately I see 269.x once in a while. When I weighed in this morning I was at 270.2 pounds.

Again, big hint — use scales that show the 10th if you are trying to maintain a slow weight loss. That’s helped me more than anything.

In other related good news, my insulin usage has continued to stay low. It’s the combination of weight loss, symlin, teaching schedule, and exercise. The last two days, I’ve been under 32 units a day. That’s from a high of 120 units a day! My average insulin usage right now is 36 units a day.

I’ve had to titrate down my boluses and corrections again, and have to keep a close watch on my blood sugar so I don’t go low.

My body fat percentage hasn’t changed much, but I am okay with that.

I am starting to see some improvements — yesterday I did an agility demo, didn’t bring out my chair and was able to stay on my feet longer without pain (foot and back). Again, that’s something I’ve been seeing every day.

I’m still not seeing much in the reduction of gastric reflux disease, and I really wish that would dimenish. Part of the problem, is that it is worse when I am low carbing, and I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.

You really need to get a new CPAP mask from time to time. I got my last one, last spring, and I called the doctor’s office and asked for a new one last week.

Thankfully, the doctor did not require me to come in this trip, though I would have, just would have put it off until the end of the month.

The DME came by yesterday and delivered it. Good news! They have changed the model I like slightly — which is the Fisker-Paykel HC431A. It used to come with two sizers, medium and large. The medium wasn’t bad but now they have three in the box, and the small is pretty close to perfect.

It might even be perfect.

Of course, any little change, plus probably eating a bit later than usual last night, made me wake up twice — but I managed to stay in bed. I do see a bit of difference in how I felt this morning, and I suspect I’ll see more as I get used to it and I actualy sleep all night.

For Dry Eye Sufferers, Lots of Tears Bring Major Relief – New York Times

I had a major problem with dry eye last year, not sure why, but a few months of Restatis cleared it up. I had a bout with an eye lash infection before the dry eye. Of course, that could have been caused by the dry eye.

Anyway, I posted this because it was well written and because a friend of mine needs it.

I’m starting to get a handle on things though — I took ownership of my classroom — I have felt like I was borrowing my room, which is just silly. Part of the reason, was that I didn’t make a lot of changes — and I rearranged things on Friday afternoon, and I can already find things easier. I’m still rearranging AND arranging, but I actually got through 7th period with everything I wanted at hand. I was spending 7th period searching for things.

Here’s part of the reason — I teach the same subject 1st and 2nd, and then teach a different subject, 3rd, 4th, and 6th. (I’m off 5th). By 7th, I’ve misplaced everything I used 1st and 2nd.

If I could just get internet access, I’d be fine, but I can operate with the Bluetooth.

Did a one day workshop today, and tried the 50% basal setting — it worked better than most, but my timing was off with the Symlin, etc. and the after lunch slug hit me. The weird part, is that I tested when I felt the worse and was at 180, but later when I was actually feeling better was at 230. I am sure part of that is due to forearm testing, but man, I hate finger testing.

It was a good workshop — it was on teaching English for Math. The presenter was very good, and she was very nice to us. She cleaned out her garage, and gave us a bunch of posters, etc.

We let the evacuee from New Orleans take most of the stuff. She got hired on Friday and sent to the workshop today. I did get urked because she took a bunch of math related posters but kept saying that she was going to go back and tell them that she wanted an English post instead of English for Math.

I’m going to have to work hard tomorrow, so I’m taking this evening to take care of me.