Oh They're Not Talking About Me.

In a recent Democratic Presidential Debate 2 Candidates, Dodd and Richardson, said they had plans to cure diabetes while in office. So of course my ears perked up when I heard this. But then words like prevention, obesity, and vending machines in schools came out of Dodd's and Richardson's mouth. I realized, they weren't talking about me and the other 5-10% of diabetics who have Type 1. Theye were talking about those glossy magazine adds for medication and those catchy commercials featuring overweight Type 2 diabetics. If Mr. Richardson or Mr. Dodd knew anything they would know that Diabetes in general is an umbrella term. They should have stated that they were talking about Type 2 Diabetes, because as far as I know these prevention plans and reduction soft drinks in schools, would not have helped me. As a bouncing 4-5 year old girl I was not drinking soda, and I was definitely not overweight. If anything at the onset of my Type 1 I was underweight and all I drank was a continuous stream of water. I can not believe the ignorance of some people who want to be the leaders of our country. They both sort of mentitioned stem cell research, but not in a way that made me believe they knew there is any other type of diabetes except type 2. The sad thing is they have researchers and people behind them that should be telling them the true facts, but instead they are allowed to make blanket statements and give misinformation to the uneducated public. THERE ARE more than TWO TYPES OF DIABETES!!!! And I wish ONE candidate was smart enough to know this and say they were planning for a cure for me and all of the other type 1's as well as the type 2's!

Long Weekend.

So after a weekend of relatives, Harry Potter hooplah, and crazy blood sugars all is back to normal.

Spending time with my little cousins was fun as always. The youngest who is just one just started walking last week so she was showing everyone her skills. Her older brothers were as animated as ever. Asking 20 questions about anything and everything, from preschool to if I go to church. We swam, ate (crabs, birthday cake for my uncle, hamburgers, hots, the works), camped out in the living room, and they completely disorganized everything in my craft room. Over all it was a pretty good weekend although I wish I could have spent more time with my sister and everything was so hurried it was like a whirlwind. Oh did I not mention that my blood sugars were completely inconsistent ? Which probably had to do with the fact that I was eating way more than I usually do and I took a Symlin vacation. I just didn't feel like using syringes and going through the process of drawing it up, I AM REALLY LAZY AND I HATE SYRINGES! OH PLEASE LET THERE ONE DAY (soon) BE A SYMLIN PEN!

I went to a release party at the local Barnes & Noble for the 7th and final Harry Potter Book on Friday Night. I'm really glad I did, it was really fun. I met some of my friend's friends. Observed some crazy little kids and grown-ups who were all incredibly excited. Great costumes from a family dressed as Dolores Umbrige, Moaning Myrtle, Harry Potter, and the father was in his work clothes with a label that said "Muggle", needless to say they won the costume contest. The worst part was spending a half hour in line at the Starbucks for 2 fraps and a diet root beer. As promised here are some pictures:
 (The shirts, wands, and broken Harry-like glasses are all my creations. Mine says Mrs. Finnigan for my favorite character Seamus Finnigan, and my friend lets call her the "Model" from now on, is Ron's Boo, for Ron Weasley)
Me with my book on the ride home! Oh and I still haven't finished it yet because of all the things going on this weekend, so don't spoil it!


So it's off to driver's ed with me. I'm sure this will become another topic that will increasingly involve good ol' Diabetor!

Ps. Congrats to the entire TuDiabetes Community we broke 500!

Running High, Harry Potter, & Family Visits !

So I have been in the 200's for 2 days, with corrections and constant checking. But I'm just stuck. I'll just chalk this one up to being slightly sick and having my schedule being a bit out of whack. It sucks, but then i think about the fact that high for me used to be 300- 400's so ill take 200's anyday.

Harry Potter comes out tonight, and I am of course one of the loyal members of Dumbledore's Army (I had to say it). I am attending a party at the local Barnes and Noble with a friend, and I am sure it will be a great night. I want to make this book last since it is the last one. I am happy for the conclusion, but sad that there won't be anymore. Pictures from the party will be posted soon, so you can see us clad in our Harry Potter outfits! I made shirts and wands for my friend and myself.

This weekend my grandparents, cousins, aunt, uncles, and sister are coming!! It should be a pretty fun time but not good on the blood sugars. Lets just say sooo much good food! But hey I'm calling this one a holiday so it doesn't count, right? Have a great weekend, I know I will.

A letter to Diabetor.

Dear Diabetor,

Every once and awhile you get me down. Like when my mom says, “I feel guilty when I hear those shots click and they are keeping you alive, and there is nothing I can do to make it better.” When I think of the numbers: 9 shots on an easy day, 14 on a bad day, 12-14 tests a day, almost 11 years as my sidekick, 10.5 that embarrassing A1c that won’t budge, my weight thanks to the shit load of insulin I have to take, the money it takes to maintain you, carb counts. Did you know that if I want a pump it means I will have to forgo the braces? Yeah, you suck. The hiding I’ve done because of you, only recently have I taken both feet out of that “Diabetes Closet”. When I think of the responsibility I have because of you. Most of my friends know what carbs are, but they don’t find ways to stretch a meal so they can have a bit of everything. I don’t save room for dessert, I save carbs for dessert. I’ve found ways around having to get a shot to eat something. You made me wish for lows for those years when you wouldn’t budge from those mid 200’s. And now that I have them again, I hate them! I wish you would play fair. I wish you would give me a break. But I know that that will probably never happen. I have to find a way to get on your good side. I try not to fight you, I try embracing you, but it’s hard when you act like the preteen that you are and want to be independent. I’m working overtime and you my friend are tripping me when I am leading the race. I wish you would stop. But until we find a way to make peace I’ll see you every night at 11, 1, and 4. I’ll push you down with insulin, I’ll log your every move, and fight my way to be number one and put you in your proper place. I won’t give up. I won’t let you do that to me. Unlike with other things in my life quitting is NOT an option.

All the best,

-Jillian

Loosing Sleep.

Good ol' D is trying to play mind games with me and I refuse to let him win! As I've discussed before I have figured out that I have dawn phenomenon. So for awhile I watched the numbers instead of treating them through the night to pin point the pattern. About a week ago I started diligently setting the alarm on my cell phone and waking up 3 times through the night to scare D off and wake up with a number in range. At first I saw that around 9 pm is where my readings would start to climb (chalk that up to the invisble sugar fairie) lets say that reading is 102. I'm obviously not going to take any sort of correction. It's 9:44 I'm tired time for Levemir 135, ugh D leave me alone, I know I'm climbing but I figure hey it won't get too high. But D and the sugar fairie have other ideas. 11pm 242, damn it, correction back to bed. 1am 289, what the hell!? I don't want to correct again for fear of stacking and causing a low. 3 am 301, I hate these unresponsive numbers! Correction and D I'll see you at 8 for breakfast. Breakfast 245, down but no where near in range. After breakfast everything is fine. No visits from the fairie and D is playing nice. The good days lead to bad nights consistently. Unresponsive and climbing highs, then all of a sudden (usually) if I correct around 4am I'll wake up with a nice 135 for breakfast. I don't get it. I end up 3 days on the D night shift and so tired the 4th night that I have to just sleep through it and wake up high. What's a girl to do?

Picture Perfect.

Glucose readings that is. I received my new One Touch Ultra Mini today and promptly ripped open the box and 5 seconds later a beautiful 117 pops up! I laughed and said to my mom, "that's good enough for a commercial." I also love the fact that the little case has an outside pocket that fits my matching pink cellphone! This will be great when I don't feel like carrying a bulky purse with all my D stuff I can throw an insulin pen, my phone, & even a few dollars in the little pocket and go.

On to other news. I have experienced 6 hypos in 3 days. Which for me is CRAZY to say the least. They weren't severe, only in the 60's and 70's, but they can be a bit exhausting. It's definitely safe to say I have had a lot of Dum-Dums and Swedish Fish (my Hypo fighting weapons of choice). I attribute the lows to all the house work I have been doing in preparation for my extended family coming into town next weekend. Moving and packing boxes, rearranging furniture, and reorganizing apparently does a major number on my blood sugars.

Endo Update

Yesterday, I had another appointment with my endo. We discussed the patterns I've been seeing with my readings, and he complimented me on being able to find these trends. He also said he didn't think it was possible to test as much as I do, I'm just a little OCD about it. We decided that in September we would talk pumps, after an A1c and other blood work. I think he feels that with just adding the Symlin we should wait it out to make sure I'm stable with one thing before moving on with anything else. Altough I'm sick of shots and I think a pump would help, I kind of agree, I'm seeing amazing numbers with a combination of the Symlin and finding the times where I start to climb with my blood sugar. So I have been able to curb really high highs with a quick preventative correction. The only thing is that it requires adding 2 more injections a day one at 1AM and one in the mid afternoon. So maybe that will be another way to get him to agree a pump is something that will work for me, since adjusted basal rates can eliminate these spikes. Oh yeah and I lost 5 pounds!!! Score! So all in all it wasn't too bad. So maybe that September appointment will bring a fabulous medical Birthday present!

I'm also very excited because I should be on the Diabetes Daily Headlines now!