Diabetes

So I have on occasion talked about my diabetes on here. Today I spent some time on dLife, a website that is devoted to diabetes and everything that comes along with it and one of the articles that I read was a humorous one about the diabetes-slang that has come to be. One was particularly funny to me so... here it is:

Regan-Rage – Term comes from the little girl in The Exorcist. Describes the behavior some people with diabetes exhibit when having a low bloodsugar. Regan-rage behaviors include swearing, screaming, spitting of juice, and stretching body parts in unnatural ways.

*Does not include levitating. If your diabetic friend/partner/child should levitate, it is probably not caused by low bloodsugar.

Diabetes is Kicking my Behind

So I went into my Internal Medicine Doctor yesterday to check up on how I'm doing. She comes into the room and asks me how I think I'm doing... Never a good sign...

Well, I think I'm doing okay. I haven't been keeping up with my Lantus (long acting insulin), but I've been tryihng pretty hard on the Humalog (fast acting insulin). "Well, it's not good. Your last A1c was at a 9. This one is over 13."

I am shocked! I thought for sure it hadn't gotten worse! I was hoping for something better! So we go through all of the regular stuff. I know what I have to do I just don't be able to do it. But my good friend D. had a great suggestion for me. I take Ambien at night to sleep. If I don't take it, I don't sleep. So I don't forget to take my Ambien. If I take my Ambien and tape it to my Lantus, that will remind me every night when I need to take my insulin. Why haven't I done this before? Well... I have my meds by my bed now so that I take them as I'm going to bed and my morning ones are right there ready to go in the morning. Once I'm up and going about the business of the day, I forget to stop and take my meds. So I wanted to put my Lantus by my Ambien. But Latnus HAS to stay refrigerated! DUH! Take the Ambien to the Lantus! It isn't like I can say, "Aww, I don't want to get up and go out there to take my meds. I'm too tired, cuz I can't sleep without them! I don't know what I didn't switch that around years ago.

So... A big thank you to D. You have made my life easier, and healthier, and probably added life to my body.

Going back... "13!" I can't believe it. I'm in shock. I didn't even know what to say. So I'm going back the end of June and we'll see if I have been able to change my numbers. The hard thing is that this isn't a change for three months... This is a new way to live my life. This is a new decision every hour of every day. Do I test now or later? Do I have a cookie that was set out for a light snack? And if I do, do I take the 2 units of insulin to cover it? It would be easier to forego the cookie. Do I go on the walk with my neighbor? What's my blood sugar right now? Will I drop during the walk? Should I eat a quick granola bar? Then how much insulin do I take for that bar? I'll be burning off some of the carbs with the exercize... And we won't even mention what a woman's cycle does to my blood sugars!

Well... You get my point. I haven't been living the life I am supposed to. I need to be more meticulous about my diabetes care. I guess I still struggle with denial at times. Does that ever go away? I hope so. I think I go in phases now. Hopefully this will be a good phase that will stretch out a LONG time. :) So look for my new A1c level in June. We'll see if I go up or down. (BTW, A1c is your longterm bloodsugar levels. They want my A1c to be under 7. Chris has told me that if that happens I get to have another baby!!! as in thats how likely it is that i'll get my A1c that low. :()

Okay, I'm not sure if I can still put coherant thoughts together as my Ambien is really kicking in now. So, night-night!