Diggin' in the trash...again?

My husband and daughter have this saying, you know......"Don't leave ANYTHING laying around the house because it will end up in the trash." Well, true, to a point. I mean I don't throw away their shoes or cell phones or things like that, however, paper.........ahhhh, yes....papers laying around the house - coupons, newspapers, magazines, mail, these are the things I love to throw away. Nothing but clutter anyway, right?

I do have to admit though.......the other day I couldn't find my daughter's checkbook after I had fixed a few miscalculations for her and, lo and behold....I found it in the trash under a pile of old mail I had thrown away. Oh, and I have thrown away money more than a few times only to end up outside digging through coffee grounds and last night's dinner to find it. So, I guess I am not all innocent. I would probably be afraid I would throw away shoes and cell phones too!

And......un-used test strips. Damn. Yep, I did. But it really was an accident. You see, I picked up my test kit and it was unzipped and, unfortunately, the cap on the test strips wasn't shut either - so when I picked the kit off the kitchen table, a bunch of strips fell onto the floor. I just chalked it up as used test strips falling out and I quickly picked them up and threw them in the……….trash. Big sigh…Well, I didn’t realize until later that evening when I went to check my sugar that my test strip canister was empty and I knew that I hadn’t used the rest of the canister yet. And then I remembered…….and then I rushed to the trash can as fast as I could. Under the food and under the coffee grounds I did find some test strips that had shielded themselves under some papers. I think I picked about 5-6 out of the trash can, however, I think I threw away about 12 or so. It doesn’t seem like a big deal until I realize I am only allowed so many a month and it is a pain in the you-know-what to try to get them sooner than the refill time. So now I am trying to ration them.

My sugars have been higher than normal the past couple days as I have been trying to return to the non-celebration stage of after the doctor appointment. I also think I need to open my new vile of Lantus as my other vile has passed the 28 day mark by about five days. I try to use it as long as I can but then my numbers start to slowly creep higher and higher. I know that some use it for as long as possible after the supposed expiration date, and I try to, but can’t seem to get passed about 5-7 days.

Slackin' Off

Ever since I recived the news of my test result being where I wanted it to be, I have celebrated a wee bit too much lately. Ummmm....chocolate chip cookies last night........too much ice cream and birthday cake over the weekend.....not checking my sugar as much as I was before my test. I knew I was going in to get "graded" so I was checking my sugar levels more than usual to be sure I didn't need a correction shot and if I did, I was right on top of it. I went to bed last night with a reading of 232! I was tired and I just went to bed anyways. I really don't like doing a correction shot before bed because I will usually end up low in the middle of the night. So I just skipped it last night. My usual reading before bed is around 140-150. A high like 232 doesn't happen too often before bed, but like I said...slackin'.

I wake up this morning with a reading of 208 and did my usual breakfast and usual shot and 2 hours later.........230. Oh well, I know why. I just need to get back on the diabetes track. Since I know I won't be going back to the doctor for a few months, I just tend to put my diabetes care to the wayside for a week or so after the strict control before the appointment. As Kerri mentioned........I should have celebrated my test result by going to the aquarium as well! But I don't think it is so bad to lax a little bit for a few days. It keeps us sane, I suppose. The constant attention to ourselves can be draining! So, my break is over! Salads, look out --- here I come!

When I do my injection of Lantus before bed, my siamese kitty Theo stretches up on my leg, reaches his paw out and touches the syringe while I am doing my shot. I used to think that this was cute but last night it kinda hurt! He also rubs against my legs exceptionally hard while I do my shot. I think he is just trying to comfort me, so I don't get mad at him! LOL

My injections don't hurt as much when I sit down. Does anyone else notice this? It must be because the stomach is more relaxed when sitting. I usually still stand up to do my injection just because it seems easier. Also, I tend to do my injection very slow. I am wondering if this adds to some of the sting I feel sometimes. I just cannot bring myself to stick that needle in my belly at record speed.

St. Valentines Day........

I miss passing out Valentines at school. It was so fun. All the little treats we would get. The little card holder you would make out of a shoe box. Or just the plain brown paper bag that I would sit on my desk hoping the boy that I thought was cute would put a special card in my bag. Walking through the aisles being sure that I would put my SPECIAL card in the cutest boys bag without him seeing me. And then looking at all of them when you get home and cherishing the special ones. It was the best feeling to find out that the cute boy DID put a special little note on your card, even though he probably put them on all the girls cards! Being a shy girl in elementary school, that was a very special day for me. I could express my feelings for others on those delicate heart shaped cards with the colorful cartoon characters on them! It was the best.........

Yay - I win a prize.........a good A1C!

I received my test results today. As I mentioned before, my last test result was 7.5 and I wanted to be under 7 this time. My result is 6.9. Yippee for me! I really am happy about that. All my other levels are good too. Whew...I am healthy for now! LOL

I have been trying to do those desk exercises here at work. Everytime I start to do something like stretch or ANYTHING.....someone walks in. So....I have resorted to butt crunches. I can do them just sitting here. I just tighten up my butt muscles and then let them loose. LOL I really don't want anyone to see me but if someone walks in, it is discreet enough that they can't tell what I am doing........but I do stop! I work around mostly older men so they would get a kick out of that, I'm sure!

This weekend is my daughter's birthday. She will be 19! Her last year as a teenager. We made it! We will be celebrating at my sister-in-law's house with the works. Ya know, all that stuff we shouldn't eat but do anyways.....cake, ice cream, junk food. I will have the cut up vegies and dip though - I do like some of the healthy stuff! And then Monday night we go out to eat at a place called Hoggy's....nice, huh? If I just keep my insulin doses straight, I shouldn't have any problems.

Diabetes Can't stop me.

Things have been pretty uneventful so not much to post about. And.....I have a ton files to put away here at work so I better get busy.

My doc appointment today......and Misc Junk

Well, my doctor appointment is over.......[big sigh]. I just don't like to go. It has been 11 months since my last appointment! Way too long to wait. The most dreaded part is when the nurse comes in to take my blood. I have to watch the needle being poked into my vein. I don't want the surprise of it. It doesn't really hurt, but when I hear the blood squirting into that little vial.......yick...I have to look away. And if I could plug my ears and cover my eyes, I would. If I could run away screaming and hide, I would. But I got it over with. It really isn't so bad, after it's done. I think about it too much and that makes it all the worse. And, of course, we have to fast for those tests. So, what if I would have had a low blood sugar in the middle of the night - what could I have used (besides glucose tabs) to bring it up? Can we drink clear liquids like Sprite or something?

"Your HBA1C levels have been slowly climbing since onset", said the doc. I know, I know. "If it doesn't come down this time, we will have to adjust your insulin". The last test was 7.5. My family doctor is who I see for my check-ups. He asked if I had an Endo. I do, but it is just so much easier to go to the family doc because my blood gets drawn right in the office. At my Endo I have to go somewhere else and it takes more time, blah, blah, blah. My doc was asking me questions about what type of diabetes I had. Duh? Type 1 of course. I wonder why he asked that? And then I told him that my Endo actually said I was type 1.5. My doc laughed at that. It kind of frustrated me. I didn't respond. I just guess that the regular ole' family doc isn't as informed to all the the diabetes info as the Endo is. I might just have to start going to my Endo for the visits, afterall. I don't know yet. He checked my feet with the little vibrating metal thing.....all was fine. I pee'd in a cup to check for protein in my urine. What dang fun it all is! It all only lasts about 15 minutes tops. I will have my results in a week. Or should I say, my grade? I really hope, really, really hope it is 7 or under. But I am not stressing about it!

I was up late last night helping my daughter with a couple essays. Seems I am her editor-in-chief. Commas are her worst enemy. She doesn't like to use them. I have to remind her everytime. Her essays are really good and she gets good grades so if I have to force her to put those commas in, it is all worth it.

I want to get a house this summer. I am really hoping we can afford it. I know we can afford a certain monthly payment but getting the APR we want, might be a little tough. We just got a new car too. A Pontiac Vibe - we traded in a Pathfinder. I will really miss the room the Pathfinder had but I will not miss the gas hog. The Vibe is like a mini-SUV. It is nice. I have my stash of sweets and glucose tabs in a nice little compartment. Like it was made just for me!

The Super Bowl sucked last night........I don't really like either team but I did NOT want Pittsburgh to win. I stopped watching after awhile. I dyed my hair and took a shower. The refs really didn't know what they were doing. It was like they were nervous or something.

OH, I have to mention that I got DVR over the weekend - you know, like TIVO. I don't know how this TV junkie lived without it before. We can tape anything at anytime, two shows at once..........the DVR will record all episodes of a fave show by setting it one time. I LOVE IT!

Gotta get to work!

I love those little test strips!

I am almost out of monitor strips - uh oh. I have three left to last until after dinner tonight. It is 2:00pm. My pharmacy said they would have them ready after 2:00pm but I can't leave work to go and get them. I suppose knowing they are there if I absolutely HAVE to go get them gives me some comfort. I waited too long to call them into the pharmacy as usual. I don't know why I do this. Maybe it is because half the time there is some problem and my insurance didn't authorize the 250 strips I get each month....saying that is too many. I have to call someone at the insurance company and get it straightened out. It happens about once every 3-4 months or so.

I am drinking coffee to try and have some energy today. I don't usually like to drink caffienated coffee because it gives me a jittery feeling - kind of like the symptoms of a low sugar episode - so I end up checking my sugar more than usual. I can't do that today with only three strips left so why...........am I drinking it....???

I want to share a handy dandy item that I used while at a waterpark last year. I had to buy this item because I did not want to be without my sugar checker while waiting in line at the waterslides and didn't know what to do with it while on the slide as it would get soaked. Well, first you have to have a companion with you that wears swimming trunks so probably a man (my husband worked well!) -- the swimming trunks have to have a large enough pocket to fit your monitor in and have a velcro or some other type of secure closure. And then, go to the camping equipment aisle at most any department store and look for waterproof camping bags. I was amazed at how well these worked. The ones I bought came in three sizes and one fit my monitor nice and snug. The velcro closure on the bag and the way that you fold the top to close it was very air-tight. He just slipped it in his pocket with a couple bags of fruit snacks and we were good to go! I felt very comforted knowing I had it with me. It did fall out of his pocket one time when I forgot to get it out when he went down a MAJOR big slide (which I did not go down!) and it was floating at the bottom of the slide - but no big deal - it was fine!

I just want to mention my "everyone-has-had-one" opinion on the new inhaled insulin "Exubera". I was excited when I first heard about this, very excited. But then when I heard some of the drawbacks, that ended any and all excitement I had. I also heard that those that are around second hand smoke shouldn't use it. Well, unfortunately, my huband smokes - so I guess it wouldn't be for me anyways. And I just can see, down the road, "Exubera - now deemed unhealthy as lung damage has occured in many users." Now that HASN'T happened, it is just what I can see happening. Of coure, hopefully not and Exubera will be found to be very useful. The 4-5 shots I do each day don't really bother me too much. Every once in a while I will get a stinger.......but usually I can't even feel the needle going in. And I rotate my sites and have no bruising. I, however, know that later in life or if I can't seem to control my blood sugars with the injections...........I will join the pumpers club!

Okay, on with my day.......and my three test strips .. ugh.............

A day in the life

Yesterday I woke up feeling very groggy and tired. I went to bed the night before with a sugar reading of around 125. I had very weird, vivid dreams (which I wish I could recall so I could post them but maybe it's better I don't!) and remember waking up a couple times feeling strange but didn't check my sugar. When my alarm clock finally managed to wake me up, I decided I should check my sugar and my meter glared back at me.........54. I felt terrible. I had a splitting headache and was so tired I could barely manage to lift myself out of bed. I went down to the kitchen where my husband was drinking his morning coffee and I told him how I felt. He watched as I drank a glass of OJ. I wonder how low it actually dropped that night while I was asleep? I can usually sense when my sugar drops but maybe I was extra tired that night? I don't even remember hitting the snooze button the 8x it takes for it to finally give up on me. I am thinking I should probably sit my alarm clock where I have to actually get out of bed to turn it off. Maybe.......that would be alot of work for how many times I hit that damn button. ha. I didn't go into work until 1pm but felt much better.

Today, I was thinking about my initial reaction when I was told I had diabetes. I remember my vision being very blurry and I was thirsty ALL the time. I was taking Hi-C Juice in a glass filled with ice cubes everywhere I went. Great for the ole sugar but I didn't know what was going on at the time. I made an eye doctor appointment for my eyes. My mother-in-law has type 2 so I was curious of the symptoms. When she told me, I began to get scared. I went home and made a doctor appointment for that night. The doctor was in a rush, as they always seem to be. I told him my symptoms and he checked my sugar with a glucose monitor. He casually said to me, "You have diabetes", like he was telling me I had an ingrown toenail. Since he didn't sound concerned I didn't react. I asked him what my sugar reading was. He said it was 380. I asked what it should be and he said around 100. He left the room. I just sat there in shock not knowing what to think. He came back and handed me some papers that were telling me what to eat and what I shouldn't eat. He told me I had a CHRONIC disease. "What the hell is that?" I asked. "A disease you cannot get rid of. If you don't take care of it, it could cause death." Now I was getting scared. That is all he said. Then he sent me home with these papers and some prescriptions and me thinking I was Type 2. I cancelled my eye doctor appointment. My vision stayed blurry for about two or three weeks after my appointment and medication.

Needless to say, I changed my doctor after that appointment. Doctors just don't take the time with their patients anymore. I used to feel rushed and like I couldn't ask any questions sometimes. My new doctor is much more relaxed and listens and explains things to me. The office wait for him is a little longer but I know it is because he is taking the time with his patients, which is fine with me.