Sunday, September 30, 2012

No D day!



I was on a roll this weekend! I was the "House Keeping Queen". I moved two bookcases to two new locations in the house. Had to make room to relocate the two bearded dragons to the dining room. Vacuumed and cleaned the carpet under everything that was moved and got a little crazy and did most of the other  carpet in the house. Then I washed the blood from many walls and closet doors. Thank god Ruger's ear is now healed, and my house will no longer look like a crime scene.

That was just yesterday. Today, I cleaned out the spare bedroom. While it isn't done, it is amazingly better than when I started. It now has a floor that you can see! And the bathroom is now sparkling!

My poor dogs didn't quite know what to do with theselves as I ran in and out of the house. They just knew I had to be getting ready to leave, and finally, they gave up and just laid in front of the door. I just know they would have had a fit if I had grabbed my keys!

If I ever doubted what Dingo and Pogo (the bearded dragons) could see outside their glass cages, I have no doubt now. They are now placed about 18 inches from one of my aquariums. And here's Pogo:


His beard is black because he is ready to go hunting. For the fish...

 
 
I think that one. And honestly, the fish are never just "hanging out" on that side of the tank, so I think they were curious or teasing. I'm leaning toward teasing. The brats!
 
 
 
In case you are wondering why I'm waxing poetic about a clean house and goofy pets, today, Monday October 1st, is No D Day. I'm not mentioning D today. Just the other amazing things in my life. For other No D posts, check out the list here for some other great blogs NOT talking about the D!


Friday, September 28, 2012

Public Speaking Sucks

I am an instructor at my local community college in what is called the Medical Careers Exploration Program. We teach HS age kids and introduce them to the wide variety of careers in the medical profession. (Bet you figured that out from the name...) We have guest speakers come in to talk to the kids, go on tours of different types of medical facilities and give them all the tools they need to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. It is a way cool, super fun job.

Last year we had a guest speaker unexpectedly bail out on us. (Can we say "No call/No show"?) So in a pinch, I stepped up and talked for an hour (without any preparation) about dealing with diabetes and the things I need to do to remain healthy. It was nerve wracking (I don't like speaking in the public) but real fun. I showed off my D stuff and talked about how hard it can be at times.

The lead instructors were so impressed that they asked if I would do it again this year. How could I possibly say no? (After all, they are my "bosses") Now, I have two weeks until I speak and I still haven't figured out how I can possibly fill an hour of time talking about it. I had a tough time when I took Speech in HS and college trying to do a 5 minute speech on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!

On the other hand, I have some wicked cool "Show and Tell" stuff. I saved all my D trash for a month to show how much garbage we generate. (Non recyclable I might add) and a couple of insulin vials. I also have an old Dexcom site, sealed in a baggie, and the trial Omnipod. And while I'm not using it just yet, I can show off my pump and hopefully an infusion set too.

I thought maybe a slide show of D-memes and cartoons up on the screen and trying to find ways to engage discussion would be helpful too. Any ideas from you all? I'd love to hear any. I kinda feel like it's a chance to educate and advocate.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Smile in Your Pancreas

I'm nearing the end of the book "eat pray love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. If you haven't read this book, I highly recommend that you find it and read it. Somewhere in the 88th chapter she writes "I like the meditations he has taught me, the comic simplicity of  'smile in you liver' and the reassuring presence of the four spirit brothers." I bolted upright in my chair when I read it. It resonated like a bell chime up my spine. The Balinese healer told her, "To meditate, only you must smile. Smile with face, smile with mind, and good energy will come to you and clean away dirty energy. Even smile in your liver."

I'm struggling not with how to control my diabetes, but how to pay for my diabetes. I don't have an inner peace, right now. I have an inner war zone. I am daily consumed with worry. I have complete faith that everything will work out in the way it is supposed to. I just wish I knew how I was going to get there from here! Where will the money come from?

It's not the first time I've had these worries. I was essentially unemployed earlier this year following hand surgery. Amazingly, I was provided for in the time that I needed it most! And in a very unexpected way. In fact, several people were blessed at that time. Therefore, I can be assured that it will occur again.

My mind is just so busy with worried thoughts. "Should I ..... I wonder if..... How will I ..." I just need some peace.

The meditation style speaks to me. But I'm not going to smile in my liver, I'm gonna smile in my pancreas! Everyday, I'm going to try to let go of the worry and know, really know, that I will be taken care of.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

We are all here for a reason.

I was reading over at Bittersweet, and I just had to share this. When I have tears in my eyes, I have to share.

And one last story: Not long after Halloween, I was walking my dog when a little boy named Jason came running with his cape flying behind him as he swung his light-saber from side to side. He was yelling, “Hey! Is that a Ewok?” I laughed and introduced him to my golden retriever named Rainie. He wanted to know why she had a red jacket on. As I explained to Jason and his mom that Rainie is a diabetic alert dog and that she notifies me when my blood sugar is dropping rapidly, his mom began to cry — Jason had just been released from the hospital after being found unconscious due to low blood sugar. As we were talking, Jason looked up at me, with his arms around Rainie’s neck, and said, “If I had a dog like Rainie, she would keep me safe – just like my light-saber.”

We are where we are in our lives because someone needs us. Wow.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

First Site Change

I've been whining all week because the first site I chose has been sensitive. Every little bump or rustle of clothing reminds me it's there with a little dull pain. And I think I'm getting Alzheimers, cause I just knew I put it in on Wednesday of last week, so I was super surprised to see Dex (who needs a new name) tell me I had 6 hours to change my sensor!

To be on the safe side, I pulled out the instructions and double checked that I did know what I thought I knew and got out my goodies:

The inserter
 What you can't see is the three alcohol swabs I also had with me.

In all it's glory!
 Step one: End the sensor session and remove the existing sensor.


Here is the 7 day old sensor/transmitter, prior to removal.

OUCH!
It looks worse than it really was. Didn't feel a thing when it came off/out.

Step two: Insert new sensor. Piece of cake! The needle isn't a 10 g, maybe more like 18 g. For the record though, it is still HUGE!

See the wickedly huge needle in there?
Step three: Remove the transmitter from the old sensor and attach to the new one.

Done, done, and done! The best part came when I had to put in two glucose readings after 2 hours to calibrate it. 101 on the index finger and 96 on the middle.

On a completely unrelated note, I have been asked to be a guest speaker for the Medical Careers Exploration class offered at Front Range Community College in October to talk about diabetes and tell my story. Is that way cool or what?

Sunday, September 2, 2012

 
When Dex says this....
 

 
And Optimus says this....


You know you are not having a good day!

Good news, no ketones. Haven't really talked about life with Dex yet. I'll get there. What I will say is that I think I test more now because I think "that can't possibly be right, can it?" and I do a fingerstick just to prove him wrong. Sometimes he is, but mostly he is within 20 points of the fingerstick.

Bolused 3 units of Humalog and we'll see where that gets us. Last night was a long one for the same reason, fingerstick, cursing, bolus, wait, fingerstick, cursing, yawning, wait, fingerstick, cursing, read a d-blog for inspiration, wait, fingerstick, finally below 200, go to bed. YUCK!

BTW, looking for just the right name for Dex, any ideas?