Only about 12 hours to go before I get hooked up to the Animas 2020 insulin pump. It's been a long wait - more than 2 months! Despite all the preparation and learning, I've still got a ways to go. I'm in for an awesome training session. But the real hard work begins after I'm hooked up.
I have no idea what my body is going to do on an insulin pump. Will I have better control? Will there be highs and lows? Will I be able to tweak my basals and figure out whether I need 2 or 10 different basals in 24 hours? It's going to be a lot of work over the next few weeks, but something I'm more than prepared to do.
We have an 11am start, even though I am worried I won't wake easily to get there on time. My getting to sleep problem is still hanging around. Que sera sera. I really can't worry about all that tonight. I can survive on very little sleep. My only problem is waking up. So, I've got 2 alarms, my mobile phone and a phone-a-friend - someone's going to call me to make sure I'm up. Of course, there's always my husband who tries to wake me but is rarely successful. He's generally sweet and gentle, and that's the way he tries to wake me. As gorgeous as he is, I need something a little more loud.
So, I've got all my supplies ready. Only the insulin is still in the fridge. I'm about to make some food to take. Although there's a fast-food shop of sorts on the hospital grounds, if I remember correctly, everything revolves around bread, which is too high carb for me. I'd rather have a normal lunch with me. Cheaper too.
So here we go. This is the last blog before I next report, attached to a pump.
Sunday 31 May 2009
Tuesday 26 May 2009
7 Days to Go!
Just a week to go for my pump-start. It's been a hectic week with horrendous storms from South-East Queensland to the Mid North Coast of NSW. Trees down everywhere, flooding, power outages and more. My fridge died with one of the power outages, so rather than throwing more money at it, I decided to buy a new one. Reasonably happy with what I got although what I really wanted was $1000 more! Maybe next time.
I have finally worked out that I need to bolus for protein. Why has no one told me this before? Typical lack of education.
I've also worked out that at dinner, it's far better for me to take 50% of the bolus with dinner, and the other 50% 1 to 1.5 hours later. Worked a charm tonight. I'd been playing around with percentages in a split bolus and finally nailed it tonight. Different meals may need a different approach but what I ate tonight is fairly typical for me. So at least I have that problem solved. This will be a breeze on a pump with the possibility of extended boluses.
Some really interesting information over at dsolve. Am still reading and learning.
I have finally worked out that I need to bolus for protein. Why has no one told me this before? Typical lack of education.
I've also worked out that at dinner, it's far better for me to take 50% of the bolus with dinner, and the other 50% 1 to 1.5 hours later. Worked a charm tonight. I'd been playing around with percentages in a split bolus and finally nailed it tonight. Different meals may need a different approach but what I ate tonight is fairly typical for me. So at least I have that problem solved. This will be a breeze on a pump with the possibility of extended boluses.
Some really interesting information over at dsolve. Am still reading and learning.
Thursday 21 May 2009
12 Days to Go!
A relatively short 12 days will fly by, I know. I had a meeting with the diabetes educator last Monday and all is going well.
Next week we work out, via a formula, what my basal insulin will be for the pump. Then the following Monday, it's pump-start day!
The protocol requires my starting basal insulin to be approved by my wonderful endo, who is 1 hour away. Faxes are still very useful, although not for me.
Failing any major catastrophes, it's all systems go.
Someone else I know from two other internet forums started on his pump today. Here's Henry's blog.
I'm constantly amazed at what is to be learned in the field of managing diabetes. I'm more than convinced we don't have nearly enough education about it. It's definitely not just a matter of matching insulin to carbs. It's so much more. So many are of the opinion (including me) that almost everything you eat can have an effect on your blood glucose. This is definitely true for me. Only 2 eggs in the morning, with nothing else, and my BGL will go up. I've proven this for years now. For me, a protein only meal still needs some insulin.
More learning about the incricacies of diabetes and more hoping that the pump-start day will be here really soon!
Next week we work out, via a formula, what my basal insulin will be for the pump. Then the following Monday, it's pump-start day!
The protocol requires my starting basal insulin to be approved by my wonderful endo, who is 1 hour away. Faxes are still very useful, although not for me.
Failing any major catastrophes, it's all systems go.
Someone else I know from two other internet forums started on his pump today. Here's Henry's blog.
I'm constantly amazed at what is to be learned in the field of managing diabetes. I'm more than convinced we don't have nearly enough education about it. It's definitely not just a matter of matching insulin to carbs. It's so much more. So many are of the opinion (including me) that almost everything you eat can have an effect on your blood glucose. This is definitely true for me. Only 2 eggs in the morning, with nothing else, and my BGL will go up. I've proven this for years now. For me, a protein only meal still needs some insulin.
More learning about the incricacies of diabetes and more hoping that the pump-start day will be here really soon!
Friday 15 May 2009
17 Days to Go
Closer and closer - 17 days to be almost exact. I'm not counting that hard, but every time I start a blog entry, I need to add the days.
I'm still learning in preparation for my insulin pump start but also lamenting the fact that Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems (CGMS) are so lacking in Australia. I had high hopes for the Freestyle Navigator and the Dexcom 7+, but they're nowhere to be seen and don't look like they'll land here anytime soon. Pity.
CGMS, like insulin pumps, really do help in diabetes management. What you can't see, even if you test 10 times a day, is accurate trends. Is your blood glucose going up or down? What's it doing when you're asleep? At what point after food do you spike? Answers make for even tighter control.
I'm insanely jealous of those forum posters who write about their experiences with CGMS. The only CGMS available in Australia at this time, is from Medtronic. They're expensive, the sensor only lasts a 3 days (unlike those mentioned above) and the cost is beyond my current budget.
I'm still learning in preparation for my insulin pump start but also lamenting the fact that Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems (CGMS) are so lacking in Australia. I had high hopes for the Freestyle Navigator and the Dexcom 7+, but they're nowhere to be seen and don't look like they'll land here anytime soon. Pity.
CGMS, like insulin pumps, really do help in diabetes management. What you can't see, even if you test 10 times a day, is accurate trends. Is your blood glucose going up or down? What's it doing when you're asleep? At what point after food do you spike? Answers make for even tighter control.
I'm insanely jealous of those forum posters who write about their experiences with CGMS. The only CGMS available in Australia at this time, is from Medtronic. They're expensive, the sensor only lasts a 3 days (unlike those mentioned above) and the cost is beyond my current budget.
Wednesday 13 May 2009
2 weeks, 5 days to go!
As the title says pump-start day is looming ever closer. Learning more and more every day by web surfing. I'm reading studies, forums, and generally paying close attention to others and their experiences on an insulin pump. Thought I knew a lot, but am constantly surprised at what I didn't know about the finer art of diabetes management. But I'm definitely onto the nitty gritty of it all.
[Posted from my iPhone]
[Posted from my iPhone]
Friday 8 May 2009
23 Days To Go
Just 23 days to go before the pump-start. Still seems a long way off, but closer and closer.
After my loopy hypo yesterday, today I relaxed a little with the tight control I'm trying to have at the moment. Not all that good for me, but I feel a whole lot better. Back to the grind tomorrow with lots of testing and eating lower carb foods. I find it works best for me. Porridge is now officially out for me for breakfast. Too many carbs for me to control properly. Insulin to carb ratio is still a little unpredictable, even after all this time, but doing the lower carb thing just seems to work for me.
Am loving the cooler weather we're having. Had the window and door surrounds in the living areas painted today while they're still replacing our roof after the hail from last October. I've just realized that at no stage today could I smell paint, and I was in the same room! I must go look at what paint was used. A super fastidious German trained master painter did the job. It's the second time I've used this guy and his work is immaculate!
Made one of my favourite dinners tonight - schnitzel, Israeli salad, red cabbage and risi bisi (rice with peas) - not that I had much rice. My daughter popped in for dinner and I know she loves rice. Jack was also around at that time, so he ate with us as well.
I'm not much of a drinker, but we did open a bottle of Shiraz that the roofers gave us because their work has been so delayed by the rain. The wine was smooth and lovely and went perfectly with dinner. Half a glass for me and I already feel tipsy, so I didn't push my luck.
Off to the hairdressers tomorrow. Wanted to do a colour myself but because I'm going a little darker (too ash blonde at the moment) I thought I'd let them do the first change, and then I can keep it up afterwards. Done this many times before and have learned my lesson from when I was younger - not to do a first major colour change myself. I've ended up with green hair before!
After my loopy hypo yesterday, today I relaxed a little with the tight control I'm trying to have at the moment. Not all that good for me, but I feel a whole lot better. Back to the grind tomorrow with lots of testing and eating lower carb foods. I find it works best for me. Porridge is now officially out for me for breakfast. Too many carbs for me to control properly. Insulin to carb ratio is still a little unpredictable, even after all this time, but doing the lower carb thing just seems to work for me.
Am loving the cooler weather we're having. Had the window and door surrounds in the living areas painted today while they're still replacing our roof after the hail from last October. I've just realized that at no stage today could I smell paint, and I was in the same room! I must go look at what paint was used. A super fastidious German trained master painter did the job. It's the second time I've used this guy and his work is immaculate!
Made one of my favourite dinners tonight - schnitzel, Israeli salad, red cabbage and risi bisi (rice with peas) - not that I had much rice. My daughter popped in for dinner and I know she loves rice. Jack was also around at that time, so he ate with us as well.
I'm not much of a drinker, but we did open a bottle of Shiraz that the roofers gave us because their work has been so delayed by the rain. The wine was smooth and lovely and went perfectly with dinner. Half a glass for me and I already feel tipsy, so I didn't push my luck.
Off to the hairdressers tomorrow. Wanted to do a colour myself but because I'm going a little darker (too ash blonde at the moment) I thought I'd let them do the first change, and then I can keep it up afterwards. Done this many times before and have learned my lesson from when I was younger - not to do a first major colour change myself. I've ended up with green hair before!
Wednesday 6 May 2009
Hypo Food Fest
I've been laughing at unusual stories of people having a hypo (low blood sugar) thinking that nothing like it would ever happen to me. I'm way too methodical when I treat a hypo. Always got my 15g carbs with me. Get it out, eat it, test in 10 mins by which time the shaking has eased a little and can get a test strip out without shaking them all out of the canister. Get on with what I was doing. That's how it works, right? Not necessarily... I had a whopper this afternoon. I must have over bolused for something I almost never have for breakfast. Some 6 hours later, it hits me without any warning.
I was able to get a test in before the shaking got too bad. Ah not good... need food. Thought I was going to faint but made it to the kitchen even though my legs threatened to buckle. No idea why I headed for the kitchen, my hypo carbs were sitting right next to me.
Once in the kitchen, I'm sure I ate all of this week's and next's carb ration! I honestly have no idea what I ate. I can only assume what I might have had by what's left on my benchtop - at the very least, I had some hummus, a glass of apple juice, a piece of chicken (really bright with no carbs), some chocolate, several homemade shortbreads, some pita bread with babaganouj, a mandarin, and then still feeling faint, I must have come back to where I was sitting and had 10g of glucose tablets. That's the least of what I know I had. Heaven only knows what I really had.
During my hypo-feast, my husband came into the room, and I was apparently arguing with him about what our address was because he thought he needed to call emergency. Where he's from, they give addresses backwards (suburb, street, then number) and I was adamant that you can't do that here.
I do remember shouting, "You can't... the form, the form!!!" Meaning that they have a form on screen that they fill out when you give the address the normal way, but I was totally unable to explain. Poor guy, he gets totally freaked when I hypo, because sometimes I don't make sense. He keeps asking if he needs to call emergency, but I keep telling him only to call if I am unresponsive and not treating the hypo.
I've had a few hypos in 30 years, but never one as crazy as this one!
I was able to get a test in before the shaking got too bad. Ah not good... need food. Thought I was going to faint but made it to the kitchen even though my legs threatened to buckle. No idea why I headed for the kitchen, my hypo carbs were sitting right next to me.
Once in the kitchen, I'm sure I ate all of this week's and next's carb ration! I honestly have no idea what I ate. I can only assume what I might have had by what's left on my benchtop - at the very least, I had some hummus, a glass of apple juice, a piece of chicken (really bright with no carbs), some chocolate, several homemade shortbreads, some pita bread with babaganouj, a mandarin, and then still feeling faint, I must have come back to where I was sitting and had 10g of glucose tablets. That's the least of what I know I had. Heaven only knows what I really had.
During my hypo-feast, my husband came into the room, and I was apparently arguing with him about what our address was because he thought he needed to call emergency. Where he's from, they give addresses backwards (suburb, street, then number) and I was adamant that you can't do that here.
I do remember shouting, "You can't... the form, the form!!!" Meaning that they have a form on screen that they fill out when you give the address the normal way, but I was totally unable to explain. Poor guy, he gets totally freaked when I hypo, because sometimes I don't make sense. He keeps asking if he needs to call emergency, but I keep telling him only to call if I am unresponsive and not treating the hypo.
I've had a few hypos in 30 years, but never one as crazy as this one!
Sunday 3 May 2009
4 Weeks To Go!
With 4 weeks to go until my pump-start, the hard work really starts 2 weeks before.
While I'm sure I know what my basals will be, my Diabetes Educator still wants me to document everything for the last 2 weeks - food, insulin and many blood glucose tests during the day and night. She wants the evidence, so I have to be hyper vigilant about writing everything down. I'm just not that kind of person, but I have to be.
Having recently swapped to my iMac as my main computer (PC for many years before that), I use Diabetes Logbook X to record when I'm home, and when I'm out, the equivalent for the iPhone, which hooks into the Mac and updates the records on the iMac. It's really easy to use and is in a format I'm used to and like. The reporting is also fairly comprehensive and very easy to read for someone who isn't used to the software.
I've had a persistent cough for a couple of weeks. I went to my doctor last week and he decided I had some strange fungal thing going on and gave me some medication. His conclusion just didn't sit right with me.
After doing some research on something completely different I came across the following:
I am so anti-doctors and this is yet another thing that validates what I think. Why didn't the doctor connect the symptom with a medication he just put me on a couple of weeks ago? Too concerned about dollars and getting me out the door, I suspect. If I can make the connection reading just one article which states that this is a common side-effect, why couldn't he? He's the one with the degree and the experience!
I've long believed that despite what some doctors think - that they don't want us doing any research on the internet - we truly need to. As long as it's done in an intelligent way and from a very trusted source. We need to be very sure of our facts before we go running to a doctor. Something as obvious as the ACE inhibitor thing, shouldn't have needed any research, but the state of our medical system and the apathy and dismissiveness of some doctors, actually requires it! And we pay handsomely for the privelege of seeng a doctor for the 10 or 15 mintues we're allowed.
Pity!
While I'm sure I know what my basals will be, my Diabetes Educator still wants me to document everything for the last 2 weeks - food, insulin and many blood glucose tests during the day and night. She wants the evidence, so I have to be hyper vigilant about writing everything down. I'm just not that kind of person, but I have to be.
Having recently swapped to my iMac as my main computer (PC for many years before that), I use Diabetes Logbook X to record when I'm home, and when I'm out, the equivalent for the iPhone, which hooks into the Mac and updates the records on the iMac. It's really easy to use and is in a format I'm used to and like. The reporting is also fairly comprehensive and very easy to read for someone who isn't used to the software.
I've had a persistent cough for a couple of weeks. I went to my doctor last week and he decided I had some strange fungal thing going on and gave me some medication. His conclusion just didn't sit right with me.
After doing some research on something completely different I came across the following:
The most significant side effect with ACE inhibitors is a relentless cough. If you develop such a cough while taking these drugs, tell your doctor and ask to be switched to a newer drug in the ARB family. These ARB drugs, which include Cozaar, Diovan, and Avapro work in a way that is similar to ACE inhibitors but they do not cause the troubling side effects.
How conincidental it is that I was put on an ACE inhibitor just before this cough started? Fungal, my ass! I am so anti-doctors and this is yet another thing that validates what I think. Why didn't the doctor connect the symptom with a medication he just put me on a couple of weeks ago? Too concerned about dollars and getting me out the door, I suspect. If I can make the connection reading just one article which states that this is a common side-effect, why couldn't he? He's the one with the degree and the experience!
I've long believed that despite what some doctors think - that they don't want us doing any research on the internet - we truly need to. As long as it's done in an intelligent way and from a very trusted source. We need to be very sure of our facts before we go running to a doctor. Something as obvious as the ACE inhibitor thing, shouldn't have needed any research, but the state of our medical system and the apathy and dismissiveness of some doctors, actually requires it! And we pay handsomely for the privelege of seeng a doctor for the 10 or 15 mintues we're allowed.
Pity!
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