Living with Diabetes

Blog

  • Testing

    Just updated the mobile blogging software.

  • So why am I losing weight now?

    I really wish I understood it, because I don’t want it to end.

    For about 4 years, I alternated struggling to exercise every day, and struggling to eat correctly everyday and just couldn’t do it. Now, most of the time it isn’t a problem.

    Yeah, I had trouble with doing any cardio on Monday and today. I’d opened up a blister on the back of my foot this weekend, and while I taped it up and was able to walk on Sunday, I just couldn’t get up and do that the last two mornings.

    I am confident I can tomorrow morning.

    I’m actually having trouble getting enough to eat during the school days, just don’t have time. Plus I’m really burning it off, running errands and taking care of stuff.

    The biggest contributer though, I think is that I have all my health problems under control. While I’m getting heart burn pain, it isn’t waking me up at night like it was. I’m sleeping most of the night, and not having trouble waking up through out the night, and most nights can even go to bed on time.

    It’s good. Very good.

  • So why do I work so hard?

    Today is one reason. My blood sugar was fairly stable today. It was 180 post pranial (2 hours after meal), and I’m not sure if that was calculations, or what, but it certainly was better than last year at this time.

    I will admit that last Monday-Wednesday, I went home and went to bed for at least an hours nap. But that’s pretty normal for most teachers. I’ve spent the summer doing summer teacher things, and they certainly aren’t as stressful nor do they take as much energy.

    But tonight, I came home late after helping a new teacher, and needed dinner, but gee, it after 5:30 pm! and I had not eaten since 1:00 pm.

    But today went well. I wasn’t too exhausted to deal with any students, though I admit I’ve paced myself a bit, and made sure that I wasn’t spending the WHOLE class period, all 6, on my feet helping students. I’ve got good assignments, occupying students most of the class period. Plus most of them can logon by themselves now, though I am getting a few new students each class period.

    Also don’t feel the need to nap. So all and all, I’ve doing much better than this time last year. In fact, I’m about to go out and do a few errands.

  • Olympics Dispatch III

    Olympics Dispatch III: Victorious

    My husband doesn’t GET why I care about this, but I do. Of course, he isn’t a diabetic, he isn’t fanatical about having as good as blood sugar as possible, and doesn’t understand how hard it is.

    It is SO cool that this doctor cares so much.

    Sometimes I feel like the little kid in first grade when I’m interacting with my doctors, trying not to be on their nerves and trying hard to have the best blood sugar possible.

    Athens Airport, 5:00 AM, Saturday, August 21, 2004 — Gary won the gold. Unbelievable. He did it. He did it for himself, his family and friends, and for all people with diabetes. He says he’ll give his gold medal to the person who finds the cure. I hope he has to give it away soon. But for now he inspires; he inspires me and all of the people in the world who live every day with the disease that is diabetes.

  • Still looking

    I am still looking for Type 2 diabetes to participate in a research study.

    This is the information from the researcher:

    Several months ago we had exchanged email concerning this research
    project that I am doing with diabetes. We have evaluated 4 groups of
    physicians – housestaff, internal medicine faculty, endocrinologists,
    and private primary care physicians. They each performed a series of
    pairwise comparisons assessing the relative importance of 4 indicators
    of diabetes management.

    While we hope to make the task a bit more complex in the near future, we
    would first like to compare our physician results with a group of
    patients. We are looking for type II diabetics who have computer
    literacy. If you could assemble a group of 10 or so, we would be very
    grateful. We believe that patients may have different priorities than
    physicians, and want to test that hypothesis.

  • This is neat

    Olympics Dispatch II: August 19, 2004

  • Recruiting Type 2 Diabetics!

    I’m looking for 8 diabetics who are Type 2 and are computer savvy for a study for a doctor.

    If you would like to participate, please send me your email address. Send it to kathleenw at gmail . com (spaces inserted on purpose) with the subject line: Diabetic Study and I’ll add you to the list.

  • Animas IR1200

    This is the first time I’ve seen the pump — I’m at an insulin pumper user group meeting and the local rep is showing it off.

    Basically the features are a calculator and it lets you calculate everything (carb, correction, and even combo bolus) and let’s you adjust it on the fly.

    I may yet upgrade….

  • One Month Pump Aniversary!

    52 weeks ago, I was hooked up on my pump today.

    It has been a very good experience. I’ve been posting about this in bits and pieces, so I’m going to try to tie some of the accomplishments together.

    I’ve gone from around 100 units of insulin a day to 40 units.
    I’ve gone from an A1c of 7 with lows, to an A1c of 6.2 without lows. I will not deny eating extra food to avoid lows, but I haven’t had an emergency, treatable low since on the pump.
    I’ve lost around 10% of my body weight.

    But the best thing, is that I feel better. And everyone has noticed.

  • Getting there

    Part of losing weight is to have a mind set that you are ready to lose weight.

    I’ll be honest, I have to work at it. I have to physically make myself get up and do the treadmill thing and exercise. I have to write down all my food, I really do it twice, and I have to remember all day that I am losing weight.

    It DOES get easier. Your mind and your body adjusts to the new calorie level. That’s not to say I don’t prefer NOT doing exercise on my off days. I really do.

    But feeling better is worth it.

    AND be patient!