Day 17

If Tuesday was Day 12, then today, Sunday, is Day 17. SEVENTEEN!!! Hello, immune system, where are you!? I'm convinced that what I've had all this time has been at least 2 colds, the first being bearable and the second and more current being the pain in the butt! I've tried every type of medication that I have. I went out and bought Mucinex, hoping that it would ease some of the discomfort--it has. If I don't feel better by tomorrow, I'll need to make a doctor's appointment. I've also noticed that I rarely get any vitamin C and most likely lack in a lot of other vitamins as well, so I probably need a daily multivitamin as well. I've never taken any--Does anyone have any recommendations? Vitamins seem to be one of those things where there are far too many choices!
My blood sugars have been normal. The highs are results of misbolusing or some other explainable circumstance. I've only had one low, I think. So, whatever the sickness is, it's not affecting my blood sugars...or my appetite!

I have maintained, so far, my 5lb weight loss. All I can hope to do right now is not gain more.

I'm off now to track down the tissues--Mucinex is in full swing!

Day 12

Today is day 12 of sickness. A week ago today I didn't think I was sick anymore, but every other day, sickness has been verified with symptoms. At first is was just the onset of a cold. By day 6, I was nauseous and was sure I was going to vomit. Day 7 brought back the cold and away went the nausea. Today, day 12, ushered in the sore throat.

I think what has happened these past 12 days, is that I've gotten a little bit of everyone else's sicknesses. My body refuses to commit to just one illness!

I've taken sudafed, dayquil, nyquil, advil, and a sinus/allergy med, throughout. Trying different meds at different stages. Tonights med of choice: Sugar-free robittusin with codeine.

Bring it on.

It's De-lurking Week! Celebrate it by leaving me a comment if you've never left one before. I know that you stop by, but I want to know who you are, why you're here, and if you have a blog of your own!

(On topic with the whole weight loss thing--Why is bacon so bad for you? I could eat a pound of it!)

I feel healthier!

I feel as though I've been extremely busy lately! So, as this blog is about me, I'm going to tell you about me. :)

I did join the OC New Me Challenge. From here on out referred to as OCNMC. I was unsure before, but I decided to suck it up and stop assuming that I would fail. I'm a highly competitive person (I'm sure I've mentioned this before), so a little challenge shouldn't hurt me. My goal: 25 pounds. I bet $30 I could do it. I'm excited to see a final list of participants and know who's with me.

The truth is that I had started this all about 2 weeks before Christmas. I wasn't proactive about losing the weight, but I gave up soda (gasp!). Previous to this decision, I'm not sure a day went by without me sipping a diet pepsi or diet coke. In the morning, on my way to work, I would stop at Dunkin Donuts at least once a week and purchase a 20 oz diet pepsi. Throughout the day, I would grab a soda from the community 12-pack. I had gotten down to one a day previously. This was cool. There was no real motivation behind it. But, then I decided:

No AM soda
No PM soda
Soda is only acceptable at or around noontime.
And if I do have a soda, I am limited to one a day.

If you had laid these rules in front of me even just 2 months ago, I would have laughed. I've admitted that I don't even think it tastes good, but I drink it because it has no sugar, it provides caffeine, and I'm not paying for water. Flash forward to mid-December--I'm over it. The soda thing was really easy for me. I think this is because I wanted to do this. I'm sure glad I did. I'll be better off for it. As a matter of fact, I think it's significantly contributed to my losing some weight already!

Dropping soda has lead me to drink lots more water and diet snapple. Drinking more water means I pee more often (not my favorite side effect). Drinking more snapple has increased my random trivia knowledge (Did you know that if you lined all the street lights up in NYC, they would reach to Japan?!).

I feel healthier.

I signed up for calorieking.com's diet software thing. I don't consider that I'm on a diet, but I really wanted something to track calories, so I could be more conscious of what I am eating. I signed up the week before Christmas and then I took the week between Christmas and New Year's off, but I've been logging consistently since the 2nd. My appetite has decreased significantly since then as well. I think I embarassed myself with what I was eating and how much, if that's possible.

I feel healthier.

This morning I weighed myself. The number I saw was 10 lbs lighter than my highest weight during the weeks before Christmas. It also indicates 7lbs lost since the start of the year and the OCNMC. I attribute this to both the lack of soda in my body (I haven't had one in days) and the consciousness of calorie intake. I still need to work on calories out. I play wallyball for 2 hours each week, but I'd like to see myself walking more, so it's not just one day of intense exercise and 6 of laziness.

I feel healthier.

Less food means....

Less insulin. I mentioned a number recently that I was not so proud of. 131 The units of insulin I took in one day. It's 11pm on Monday night right now... here are my most recent daily totals including today's:
Mon: 56.65
Sun: 57.80
Sat: 59.30
Fri: 76.60 (this is what a low day used to look like just a few days ago)
Thurs: 58.40
Wed: 88.20
and then they get worse or similar.

I went four FULL days without changing my pump site (It didn't bother me and I had the insulin). FOUR DAYS. wow! And I threw out about 20-25 units.

Did I mention, I feel healthier?

I don't like to get my hopes up or get too excited ahead of time, but I'm making some progress and I'm excited about it!

New Year, New Beginnings

Accomplishments & Happy Thoughts from '06

• Maintained a respectable A1C. Latest: 6.7
• My nephew was born in October
• I changed endocrinologists and feel like I'm finally getting top notch care again.
• I moved in with my father and have the shortest commute to and from work that I could possibly dream of.
• I managed to remain injury free despite playing wallyball once a week (bad ankles plague my family).
• I started this meager little blog and became an anonymous voice and gained the anonymous support of our community.
• I spent 5 days in North Carolina preparing Christmas Gifts to be sent to children around the world. Relationships were built and lives were definitely changed. It was a vacation well spent.
• The list could go on and include other personal accomplishments not related to diabetes.

Things I wouldn't exactly deem worth to "write home about" and what I plan to do about them!

• Weight. I've gained weight. I just typed how much and then I erased it. I'm wrestling with the whole idea of the OC challenge. I don't know that I've ever lost weight outside of my diagnosis at age 5 of course. Not very reassuring. I'm beginning to take steps towards this goal. I'm ok with slow and steady. I'm not ok with moving backwards at this point. There needs to be forward progress. Thanks Allison for the OC New Me Challenge!
• All other disappointments are not worth mentioning.

I guess it's full steam ahead on the losing weight and getting healthy goal! That's about as concrete as you're going to get out of me. If I choose to participate in the OC New Me Challenge (I'm leaning in that direction), I may set a goal of 20 pounds. I don't even know if this is reasonable for a year? I'd be curious to know what other people are setting for the OCNMC weight goal. What is reasonable?

(Oh, perhaps I should also resolve to be more timely with these types of posts (only 3 days late) and post a little more frequently. I feel as though I have things to say, just not the time to say them!)

Here's to 2007. It's going to be a great year for the OC. Let's do it!

I celebrate Christmas, but I know that quite a few of you DOC bloggers are Jewish, so I'll happily wish you a belated Happy Hanukkah!

Things should prove really busy from here until the other side of Monday. This seems to be the trend :) I have wrapping to finish and gifts to assemble. I have a full day tomorrow and I'm sure it'll be a late night on Sunday.

The best part of Christmas for me is spending Christmas morning with my nieces and nephew. Emily is old enough know to rip open presents along with her older sister, Catherine. They're very funny and should be quite the site this year.

Goodluck to those of you also crunched for time finished up Christmas responsibilities and good luck to all who are trying to be conscious and diet/stay away from sweets/not take in more than double your normal amount of insulin for this holiday! We can do it!

I've mislead you...

Oh boy. I've gone and mislead you all into thinking 131 represented a blood sugar. Oh no, the other numbers were the blood sugars lately. The 131 was another number and while as a blood sugar it doesn't thrill me as much as a good ol' 100 will, I'd take a million 131s over the crap I've been seeing lately.

It's just over the number of carbs I had while indulging on Papa John's Amazing Spinach Alfredo Pizza and Parmesan Bread Sticks.

But it's the exact number of units of insulin that I took in one 24 hour period of time. Yes, the same day that I ate the PJ's ASAP and PBS. Also the same day I experienced and obvious pump tubing kink or something of the sort resulting in some wonderfully lovely ketones accompanied by high blood sugars. And sure, I don't blame myself for the pump kink aspect here, but everything else about that number was under my control and if I'm going to be really honest--the pump kink didn't account for the 50 units of insulin that I would like to have seen not be a part of my day.

As you may have inferred from this information, I am not the most sensitive to insulin. As matter of fact, I believe that I am about as resistant as anyone I've ever heard of.

Something MUST be DONE!!!

131

That number represents failure to me. So do 324 and 287 and 304 in the a.m. Where's the easy button!!!!

Why are all the amazing foods and beverages so stinkin' bad for us?
and if you're in New England, don't settle for any other brand. Hood is well worth the price! This is a huge symbol of Christmas for me. When I was little my mom and I used to make our own, but it was never THIS good.

The holidays certainly do throw a wrench in all efforts to become more healthy. I'm coming to grips with this. I consider myself in the planning stages of action. I'll get there, but it's just not my moment yet.

-----------------

Today, I was lazy (this laziness thing has something to do with our previous topic). Had I bolused for breakfast I would have been completely out of insulin (including the 11 units they don't tell you about). Not feeling like changing my site at my desk, I injected. I did the same for lunch and changed my set when I got home from work. I loathed injections before my pump. They were the cause of the majority of my diabetes angst! Now, I opt for injections over site changes. All things in perspective, I suppose.

I've been short on time lately. So this is a very quick post to bring to your attention, alana-mireille apparel.

Alana-Mireille was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 2 years ago this past week. Even more recently, she was diagnosed with celiac disease. Alana is an adorable little girl, whose parents were not satisfied with the restrictions placed on her wardrobe by her pump! Motivated by their desire to see Alana comfortably wearing her favorite dresses again, they designed a special pocket and have launched their own clothing line. Right now they only have the dresses, a shirt, and two accessories on the site, but I've been told that a line of cargo pants will be available after the new year and they will continue to add to their line.

What's so special about their pocket, you ask?
From the website: "There are insulin pump pockets on both sides of the dress. Each pocket can be accessed either underneath the dress or the side pocket. You use the side pocket to pull out the insulin pump to deliver the insulin and you use the underneath pocket to hold the pump and the tubing. Therefore the pump isn't going to come out while jumping and playing and the tubing is concealed so it won't snag."

Another great aspect of their products is that they are donation portions of their profits will go to JDRF and the Diabetes Association Inc. in Fall River, MA (not the ADA). The Diabetes Association Inc. offers a camp for children with diabetes as well as support groups and also works towards prevention of diabetes in the community.

So, head on over to alana-mireilleapparel.com and spread the word. Just because they have specialty pockets doesn't mean a child without diabetes wouldn't enjoy one of these adorable dresses! And if you have a boy, be patient, the cargo pants are coming!

a warm welcome

Surf on over to Liz' blog at pumplover.blogspot.com

Liz is a Type 1 diabetic and brand new blogger! I have the privilege of knowing Liz through work (and her father was my high school trig teacher). But really, I know her because of work.

She just started blogging after months of reading your blogs (she hadn't found mine yet, but I went out on a limb and so now she knows where I'm at--Hi Liz).

So, go on over and be sure to leave a comment!

Getting it done

I'm slipping.
And they say it's a slippery slope.

You see, way back when, I'd debate whether or not to take an injection before going to sleep. A dangerous question if answered wrong. Most times I took the shot. A few times, I didn't. Oh well, I wake up a little thirsty, right. And 20 years down the road loss of vision. ugh.

Tonight, I sit here really comfortable-like and the beeping of my pump reminds me that my reservoir is low and has been for hours. The dashes an indication that I'm scraping the bottom.

I'm tired. I'm sick and tired of site changes and insulin vials, of beeping machines attached to my body, of counting carbs and of this disease.

But it's the unknown complications and battles that the future holds that dictate the necessity of dragging my butt off this couch, digging out a reservoir and a site, finding my blue inserter device and getting it done.

Isn't that what it's all about, every day--Getting it done?

Time for Bullets

• This is my first post from my new laptop and my ever so friendly neighbor's unsecured high speed internet (I have DSL, but with his to use, I don't have to bother installing DSL software).
• Kevin has given up sweets for 3 months! Kudos to him. No, I am not going to join him, because I don't honestly eat many sweets, so to give them up seems like the least of my worries.
  
• NaBloPoMo is over for me when I hit that little orange "Publish" button. Not so sure that I would call it fun or wonderful, but it's over. Good Enough.
• Today should be photothursday, but I'm slacking.
  
• My thought is, now that NaBloPoMo is over, I will try and concentrate a little more on something for the weight loss. (Have I said this already. Geez, I feel like I might have, so I'm gonna stop).
• I managed to get the D blogs on my "to read" list down to 41. Stop posting people!
  

That's all. I wonder with what frequency you'll hear from me now... hmm.

catching up...

I have 170 unread Diabetes Blogs to read... I think the number is a little steep, so my suspicion is that a few people republished their blogs and didn't actually write 25-30 blog entries while I was on that short little vacation.

Had some annoying blood sugar issues while I was gone, but I must say that today was just wonderful. 156 isn't a non-diabetic number, but for a diabetic like me 156 makes me smile on a day filled with hard work and travel!

I am really happy to be home and to sleep in my own bed tonight. Speaking of that...

I'll be back tomorrow with another mediocre post to fulfill my commitment to Naplobomo *how is that spelled again :)

After that post, it's back to random posts at random times, but the good news is that I can start thinking about this weight lose initiative idea thing that's been floating around. If we're going to do it, let's do it right! Email me with thoughts. orsa.aetas [at] gmail [dot] com

Had a miserable blood sugar day. Woke up in the mid 300s. Took me until lunch to get to 110. Then I got to deal with lows :) First low: juice. Second low: FRUIT PUNCH tabs. My professional opinion-yum. Back up to 214 by 4pm. Then a big dinner and now I'm in the mid 200s again. Bolus and sleep should help.

One more day. I fly home tomorrow. yay.

It's the simple things...

that keep me happy sometimes. I packed the glucose tabs small container and the large backup, so I wasn't in need when we arrived at Wal-mart, but we happened to walk through the diabetes aisle (we have our own stinkin' aisle--Granted half the items are protein bars and splenda, but whaever). It caught my eye. FRUIT PUNCH GLUCOSE TABS!!! Where have you been my whole life?!

I HATE the BD orange tabs. I get bored with the normal ones, but I use them and the taste isn't entirely offensive to me. BUT a new flavor! I could not resist.

The problem now is taste testing the new tabs. I certainly don't hope for a low and I'm not gonna just eat one, but I really really want to know! It's quite the conundrum. Inevitably, like death and taxes really, there will be another low and the new fruit punch tabs will be tucked away for trying! I can't wait, or can I?

In North Carolina. Only 2 miles from South Carolina. Longest two driving days of my life!!!!!! I'm going to bed! :)

Remember This? And then I called Joslin to have them send me my results and get them over the phone?

Well I received the first set of results very shortly after calling. Another set the next day and my third set yesterday morning.

I think Joslin is trying to punish me for calling; Too bad they're taking it out on a tree.

(I packed and leave in 1 hr 39 mins. :) )

.black friday.

I've left the house three times today...to do laundry. No full contact shopping for me! It was so much easier to dial dell and order over the phone (Thanks Dad!--cashing in on my bday and Christmas combined present, right smack dab in the middle of the two "holidays"). A big "Way to Go" goes out to Phillip over at Dell. Not only is he working today (how quickly I forget what it's like to be in retail), but he also had the misfortune of meeting me via phone this morning. He really was exceptional though; checked all my prices and processed my super-duper 20% off coupon code (Thank you Internet!) AND he didn't seem annoyed at all. :)

I have a bigger task today, however. I need to pack. I'm a last minute person by nature, but I have a special, "oh poop, this is the time!" talent. It's that minute when I need to start the task at hand or else it won't be finished. I have yet to reach that point. I want to be at that point, really, I do. Just like I tried to write those three 15-20 page papers ahead of time in college, but I couldn't, so I wrote 2 one night and the third the other night. Yep, I am a procrastinator and I am good at it. I'm down to 4.5 hours to pack, hit Walmart for any needed "stuff" and get to the movies--Anyone seen Happy Feet yet?--for 7pm. I did have the presence of mind to find my doctor's note for traveling ahead of time. I'm sure there aren't many people willing to write me a note today!

So, NaBloPomo... is gonna be a stretch these next few days, as it won't be my priority. The intention for this exercise was not to wow you with my prose or to win prizes (although, I wouldn't mind), but was more for the self-discipline exercise, so I feel as though I've accomplished the goal with or without a full month's worth of posts.

North Carolina here I come! oh, right, once I've packed... hmmph!

Thanksgiving PhotoThursday

I am most thankful this November for my two nieces and my nephew:


My oldest niece, Catherine. She's the ham and the photogenic one. She's also taking after her aunt and can be seen running around the house with someone's digital camera, snapping pictures and ordering people to smile or sit with whoever the subject is. It's great.


The middle child, Emily. T-r-o-u-b-l-e Also, the wild woman and when you get her started giggling, she just keeps going and going, but watch out if she's sick of misses mommy, she's a terror!


The baby and future spaceman, Aidan. Weighing in at 4 lbs and 3 oz at birth (4 weeks early), he is up to 6 lbs and 3 oz now. Seemingly no adverse health effects from being a premie, Thank God!

I'm including a more up to date photo of him outside of his bubble and at his current weight (18.5 inches!)...


And one of the proud sisters dressed in orange for orange day at Catherine's school.



photo credit: 1st 2 photos: me. last 3 photos: my brother/his wife