Living with Diabetes

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  • So do I walk or not?

    I have to decide in a hurry — August 13 is our graduation. I guess one thing to find out, is if they make robes and hoods big enough… I could call in the morning.

    I should explain … I have been working on my master’s degree for a long time. I took my first master’s classes back in 1990. Of course, I didn’t intend to get a degree then, I was working on a post-Bachelor’s degree teaching certification.

    I had decided that I should take a few extra classes and get certified in Math, which has helped in flexibility, especially getting my first teaching job.

    When I finished those classes, my advisor was looking at my transcript and said, “hey, if you take x number of classes and write a thesis, you could have a Master’s in Math”. Well, I took the classes, and couldn’t get going on the thesis.

    A few years later, I got the bright idea of getting my master’s in Computer Science. Unfortunately I switched university’s — I’m not even sure the other one offers a Master’s in CS — and that department wasn’t teacher friendly.

    Then I decided I wanted a technology certification. I could do it with 4 online courses. Better yet, after I signed up for the first two class, the university refunded my tuition. Long story.

    In the middle of the last two classes, I found out I qualified for a program my district was putting on. When I turned in my degree plan, they gave me credit for two classes and I figured out I could finish this August if I took two classes this summer.

    So I’m about done. I hope. I still have an assignment and a paper for one class, and an annotated biography, a “final exam”, and 5 more weeks of discussions.

    My husband says he’ll come watch. I haven’t heard from my mother. I don’t know who else I’d invite. I really don’t know any of the other people who are graduating in August — the group from the district doesn’t finish until this spring.

    Regalia costs $100. So I just don’t know right now, but I need to decide if I’m going to soon.

  • So do I walk or not?

    I have to decide in a hurry — August 13 is our graduation. I guess one thing to find out, is if they make robes and hoods big enough… I could call in the morning.

    I should explain … I have been working on my master’s degree for a long time. I took my first master’s classes back in 1990. Of course, I didn’t intend to get a degree then, I was working on a post-Bachelor’s degree teaching certification.

    I had decided that I should take a few extra classes and get certified in Math, which has helped in flexibility, especially getting my first teaching job.

    When I finished those classes, my advisor was looking at my transcript and said, “hey, if you take x number of classes and write a thesis, you could have a Master’s in Math”. Well, I took the classes, and couldn’t get going on the thesis.

    A few years later, I got the bright idea of getting my master’s in Computer Science. Unfortunately I switched university’s — I’m not even sure the other one offers a Master’s in CS — and that department wasn’t teacher friendly.

    Then I decided I wanted a technology certification. I could do it with 4 online courses. Better yet, after I signed up for the first two class, the university refunded my tuition. Long story.

    In the middle of the last two classes, I found out I qualified for a program my district was putting on. When I turned in my degree plan, they gave me credit for two classes and I figured out I could finish this August if I took two classes this summer.

    So I’m about done. I hope. I still have an assignment and a paper for one class, and an annotated biography, a “final exam”, and 5 more weeks of discussions.

    My husband says he’ll come watch. I haven’t heard from my mother. I don’t know who else I’d invite. I really don’t know any of the other people who are graduating in August — the group from the district doesn’t finish until this spring.

    Regalia costs $100. So I just don’t know right now, but I need to decide if I’m going to soon.

  • “Brittle” Diabetics

    A new commenter brought up the term “brittle” diabetic. Well, it reminded me of a comment today.

    I just posted about how I hate teacher workshops, that sitting in one place all day always makes my blood sugar go up and that I’ve finally figured out that maybe 30%+ temporary basal might handle it.

    Well, today, I didn’t have the pump cranked up high enough, so I was doing lots of corrections and lots of testing. Finally, middle of the afternoon, the person next to me asked if I were a “level 3” diabetic.

    So I took a moment to explain that sitting still made me blood sugar go up, and makes me extremely ill when it does, so I was trying to keep it low.

    I’ve got two days of workshops coming up in two weeks, and I’m planning on upping the temporary basal to 30%+ That means I’m going to have to do a lot of testing, just to make sure I don’t over do it.

    Wonder what the person next to me will come up this time?

  • More on the Omnipod

    I just thought of another reason not to like this pump.

    Have they figured out a way to keep a hot tub from killing it or at least the insulin?

    I do our hot tub at least 5 days a week, even in July and August, and right now, disconnecting is enough. However, the temperature of a hot tub is going to kill the insulin if it is kept on at the site.

  • Tekakwitha saw a new pump

    The ‘betes: Focusing on the pump

    As I posted on her blog though, I’ll keep mine, thank you

  • I hate teacher workshops!

    The problem is that I sit too still. Two hours after breakfast, one and half hours in the workshop, I’m at 165. Normal for me then with that meal, is 135-145.

    Before 11:00 I’m at 185 without eating anything! So I did a correction and cranked up the basal 10% and I’m at 165 at 12:00. Eat lunch, test 2 hours, and I’m up to 185 again. Basal had run out so I cracked up to 20%.

    Next time, going in, I’m just going to do the 20% and be done with it.

    FYI: Before the pump, I’d hit 300-400 at a teacher workshop and be sicker than a dog at the end of the day, so I’m doing better.

  • Watch your dosages!

    I just blogged on this last week — and seems I got bit.

    Here’s the deal — if you are a Type 1 diabetic you need two vials of symlin a month. However, if you are a Type 2 diabetic, you’re on twice the dose, so you need 4!

    Guess what, when I got my Symlin, I got two vials.

    Imagine my panic this weekend when I realized I had almost gone through one vial in one week. I did the math, and I got four vials, not two.

    I was so freaked, that I called Amylin — nice people and asked and they verified that yes, I was supposed to have 4.

    So I called the pharmacy and found out that they filled it wrong. Script was written one month’s supply, 20 units. Which is right, but they filled with 2 vials.

    So I ran by and picked it up and whew, have my 4 (I still can nurse at least one dose out) vials.

  • Death by Diabetic Complications

    That’s probably going to be in my obituary and it has been in the news lately.

    Amy blogged about it in talking about Luther Vandross’s death at Diabetes Mine: Salute to Luther Vandross, Divabetic

    It’s in the news again with Hank Stram’s passing. This article in the Indianapolis Star
    indicates that he died of diabetic complications.

    It’s dangerous to assume that when someone dies of diabetic complications that the person isn’t taking care of themselves.

    People, even my OWN health care providers (but not the diabetic ones), often make the assumption that I don’t take care of myself.

    However, there is a treadmill downstairs and free weights, and I just finished over 40 minutes on the treadmill and a short weight session.

    My A1C ranges from 6.0 – 7.0, mostly at the lower range.

    I test my blood sugar over 8 times a day, and I work hard to keep it as low as I can but remain safe.

    You can tell from the dog photos that I’m having weight issues, and they are something I think about constantly. The weight issues interfer with my way of life and my ability to do things that I want to do.

    In my opinion, every one needs to be screened for diabetes, everyone at risk for diabetes needs to be educated about it and everyone needs a health care team that listens and helps them to achieve their goals.

    No one deserves to be blamed for their condition though. By anyone.

  • Happy Fourth of July!

    We had our neighborhood parade today.

    I actually walked in the parade this year, which I think may be a first, but certainly it has been at least 3 years since I walked it.

    This is something I really think is cool. Our “block” faces a park, and the neighbors who have been here the longest have been organizing it. I think they are ready to pass it on to the younger generation, and I’m hoping the younger moms will take it on.

  • DLife

    Unfortunately I missed last week. I think a lot of Dr. Bernstein, I’ve got two of his books.

    I expected tonight to be a rerun, but was pleasantly surprised.

    I think the words of the person who was bringing out the new products was the best piece of advice I’ve ever heard and something I live by — do the best you can with the tools at hand to control your diabetes, so you’ll live long enough to take advantage of the newer technologies.

    Anyway, the latest episodes are heads above the beginning episodes.