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I’m a bit different than most of the diabetes bloggers.  I have Type 2, and use quite a few medical devices.

The first is an insulin pump — and there are other Type 2’s with pumps.  I also have a CPAP machine and finally a lap band.

Yes, I am overweight.  I have both genetic and environmental reasons for obesity, and there is a chicken and egg thing going on here, because I have had obstructive sleep apnea for at least 20 years as a result of a car accident. There is a link between obstructive sleep apnea, over weight and insulin resistance.

The genetic component is very strong — my father died of cardio vascular complications of diabetes as did his parents.  All before they hit 65, in fact, my father was 46.  The good news, I know this.  My mother was diagnosed with diabetes in her 70s.

The environment component is very strong too.  Grew up eating steak and potatoes, and of course, gravy.  I’m a much healthier cook than my mother was, since my father was diagnosed young.  I still have problems with choices.  Thus the lapband.

The good news, is that I’ve lost 40 pounds since the lap band.  The bad news is that it has taken a year to lose that 40 pounds.

As a result of diabetes and the insulin pump, I spend a lot of time checking my blood sugar and a lot of time at an endocrinologist office.  Insulin also makes it heard to lose weight.

I try to be active — I run dog agility — right now competing with one dog and just started training the other.  I haven’t taught them to alert but it does seem to affect them.  Hey, one has only been with me for a week, give her time.

I am at my lowest weight again from when all this started – slightly over 40 pounds total. 

I am coping with this restriction well.  I know what I can eat and what I can’t.  I’m still not good at how much but doing better.  I think I tend to eat part fullness, which I would like to end.

I think the puppy has helped too.

I mentioned on Facebook – I was rear ended about 6:00 pm last night in Fort Worth. 

Let me tell you I was MAD!  I took out every single bit on anger on the woman, and let me tell you she deserved it.

I was sitting at a light, it had changed and I was just easing forward when BANG! 

I don’t see visible damage, but I’m going to run it by my dealership and make sure they agree.  Truck seems to drive the same too.

Woke up extremely stiff so will have to see chiropractor as soon as possible too. 

Honestly didn’t need this on top of everything else.

My original plan for this weekend was to leave school behind about 3:30 pm and not think about it again until Monday morning, maybe Sunday night.

Those plans were nixed by a special ed parent who goes hot and cold on the progress of her student.  She’ll go a few days without bothering us, then is in our face every second.  She decided we had to have a meeting after school on Thursday — the results of  the meeting: I ended up with a day and a half of work.

Got the majority of it done yesterday, finished up this morning.  School computer is off. 

Made a major mistake in packing – when traveling I usually package my medicine in little bags, marked by day (you can get them at Walgreens).  This time i didn’t.  Big mistake, left the medication at home.

Had to go back and get it and a few others Friday morning.

I’m tempted to go home tonight.  Depends when we get done – I am at an agility trial and we had a large entry yesterday and I finished about 5:00 pm  We have a bigger entry today, so I’m figuring even later since I’m in the last class.

We’ll be at least two hours earlier, maybe even 2 1/2 since there is a smaller entry and there is no FAST.

I'm wearing the smallest skirt and smallest shirt that I've worn in about 3 years.  Yes, it is one that I saved, and does have some stretch.

One of the reasons I resorted to it, was that I am out of clothing.  Packed for three days of dog showing (and yes, I run in skirts — pants don't fit me — I keep trying).

This is a tough restriction but I am getting food down and I am dealing with it.

I got on the scales this morning and I am losing weight.  This restriction is working well.  I am having to slow down my eating even more, make better choices, and work harder on it all together.  BUT it isn’t too much.

I’ll also attribute losing more weight to my new dog — Dulce — writing about her at my other blog:  http://www.kweaver.org/adventures_in_training_th

I’m a bit more active — have another extra class a week, and making sure everyone goes outside every hour or more often.

We’ll see.  My band anniversary is soon.

This restriction is tough, but I am losing weight.

Yesterday was interesting because I had trouble drinking a slim fast in the morning.  Really need more warm liquid!  Had some soup for lunch, and heading out to see the puppies.  Ended up bringing home a dog.  Okay, she is under a year old.

I stopped at my absolute favorite — Krystal's — southern White Castle, worked there as a teen for a while — got two burgers and an order of fries.  Took me a good hour to eat the burgers, and ate about 5 fries and lots of catsup.  Good to get reminded of the taste.  Finally had diet gourmet dinner late, but that's the last time in a long time that I eat that dinner.  I was even having trouble heating it up as I have had some much trouble with it.  Not enough sauce, I think.

It's been a process for me.  I use food for a lot of things, and do some binging especially when things are not going well.  I can still binge with the lap band, but I have to do it differently and it does end up being lower calorie foods.

Baby steps — and learning.

This is the second (maybe third …) year I’ve managed to really come out good with the charges for my mental health care.

I’m not sure how it works, but apparently we pay 20%/80% until we meet our out of pocket, then the health care is no charge.

I’ve met my out of pocket.

I’ve been authorized for 10 visits, which get me past all this mess.

So, I got 6 visits free through the Employee Assistance plan and then 10 visits free with the regular insurance.

Not bad.

Plus got a new CPAP out of the deal.  Which reminds me that I need to check on my mask status.  I think I might be due a new one.

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And yes, I am and they will be shipping it on Monday after they check my benefits.

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The biggest reason I’m seeing a mental health professional is to learn how to deal with my co-workers in a way other than coming home and eating all evening.

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Examples: 

Special ed coworker keeps doing little things that stress me and my principal out.  I’m trying hard to make sure I’m not part of that issue and keeping control of the situation.  Can say much more but the whole situation may wind someone in court.  Maybe even me. 

Testing this week.  Way too many instructions to keep them all straight and every day I’ve made a minor mistake   Like today didn’t have the kids names, student ids, and test booklet numbers on a form.  Yesterday didn’t have the test booklet numbers on the answer sheets.

Found out today that I have to do an extra week of training – first week of June, and I can almost guarantee it will be a waste of time, as they are having the PreAP CS teacher in PreAP Math sessions.  Also over the last two days, I’ve been told I can’t do my AP training which I haven’t done in three years and they’ve done major revisions on the test and I have 4 students working on AP.

Being told portables had been broken into and computers stolen.  No emails, no specifics, just a heads up.  That means major paperwork, but okay.

Little things that add up.

Good news, it’s been months since an adult had a temper tantrum in my room (well, I might have had one in front of my 8th period class when they were acting up last).

I’m on my first day of mushies — had Tom Thumb Broccoli and Cheese soup and it was very good. 

I am definitely feeling more restriction, and I’m a touch worried that it might be too much restriction, but I won’t know until Wednesday evening.

Anxious to lose more weight though.

I go to mushies after 4:00 pm today.

I’ve done better on this round of liquids after a fill, precisely because I have been very careful to make sure I have liquids available and going down my throat every minute.  Helps the hunger though I think this fill is helping too.

Forgot that I wanted to say more about this fill.  I had a fill back in December of 1 cc.  I got in the middle of a stress festival and wasn’t able to eat, even having trouble getting liquids down.  I had an unfill of half, or 1/2 cc.

I was afraid the tech would want to go to a full full of 1cc.  I wanted to go to a fill of 1/2 cc.  Funny thing, is that she was thinking of going to .4 cc  and was relieved that I was happy with the 1/2 cc.