Tuesday, December 4, 2012

insulin pump considerations

it's the time of year for a new insulin pump (well, i guess time that comes every four years when the warranty expires).

preface: these are all MY own opinions. not every pump works for every person - heck, some people prefer to not use one, which is a-okay with me! everyone has their own opinion and these are my personal feelings about which pump is best for me. 

i met with a nurse practitioner last week, and when i went into the appointment, i had it in my head that i wanted the t:slim. well, i kinda changed my mind. i checked that one out, and a major con for me is there is no remote. i use my ping remote A LOT, and i'm not sure how i feel about giving that up. and i wasn't a big fan of the connection for the tubing hanging off the pump ... i'm used to the little nub on the end of the ping, it doesn't bother me. i am hesitant about that tubing connection (reminds me of my first minimed pump 12 years ago)

i also checked out the omnipod, which i've considered before ... i'm not a fan of how far it sticks out off your skin, and i don't like that it is ALWAYS on. you can't disconnect for a shower, etc, it's there. on your skin. always. the nurse said they are going to have a much smaller pod when it comes out sometime next year (remember when the new animas pump was going to be out in november of this year? it's still not. i don't do well with 'when the next one comes out' because who knows how far off that could be!). PLUS - even if it's smaller, i'm still not sold on the idea of it being there always.

of course i looked at the animas one touch ping again, my true love, which i have right now. i decided that i want to get another ping, and when the new version comes out next year (fingers crossed), i will be able to upgrade to whatever that is.

now to the bigger question ... what color do i want to get this time??

animas.com

Friday, November 30, 2012

alligator skin*

(*thank you to my good friend becca for saying her hands felt like alligator skin because they were so dry. credit to you for titling my post.)

so, one of the perks of diabetes is dry skin. yippee! during the summer it's not much of an issue for me, but when the temperatures start dropping this time of year, it's torture.

my legs having been itching like crazy, because of, you guessed it! dry skin. and that's really the only dry skin issue, my legs! lotion is the itch relief for me. the problem i'm having ... which lotion is the best? i've tried multiple brands and types, and i'm wondering what works for everyone else.

here's what i've been using lately.


A: equate intense therapy dry skin lotion. the bottle says: 'skin treatment for severely dry skin. gently exfoliates rough, flaky skin to smooth and soften. dermatologist tested.' 

well that's lovely, except my issue with this lotion: it's THICK. it is such a thick lotion, it's like paste on your skin. i'm sure that's no big deal to plenty of people (and some people probably think i'm nuts), but ugh, i feel slimy for a few minutes after putting it on my legs. eww. i mean, it works really well, but i'd like something that works really well without the eww factor. OH - a perk! the bottle lasts FOREVER.

B: eucerin daily protection moisturizing body lotion. the bottle says: 'moisturizes and helps protect against daily UV exposure that can lead to sunburn.'  that's a free sample i got in the mail. SCORE!

umm... ok well clearly i've never read the bottle closely before. i'm not going for sunblock here. my legs aren't really seeing the light of day in the winter. i do like this one, it's not thick and i feel like it's pretty moisturizing, the issue for me is, a few hours later, my legs feel dry and itchy again.

C. four points by sheratin 'clean' lotion - the back of the bottle says 'CLEAN.' really big.

so, this is one of those hotel lotions that i got about a month ago, and i pretty much finished it off but it was AWESOME. smells good, not slimy, moisturizing ... but the same issue, a few hours after i use it, dry itchy legs again. so it's a good thing i'm not able to buy it because it doesn't really do anything special. (yes i googled to see if you can buy it)

so tell me, what lotion is your favorite? are there any out there that aren't really thick (ya know, like the diabetic foot cream that is totally thick but totally works - yeah i don't like those either) that are really moisturizing?

you don't have to have diabetes to contribute! everyone needs a good moisturizer, especially when it's freezing outside. (but of course not freezing here, because we're expecting 60s and 70s in the next week. really december?)

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

i'm back!

well, technically i didn't go anywhere ... except on a honeymoon!

now that the wedding has passed, we're settling into married life and diabetes never left us. yippee.

here's the quick summary of what you may have missed (with pictures!):

our photographer is amazing, i can't wait to see all her pictures!


i got married! to a wonderful man and i'm so excited to share this life with him ... starting with the most wonderful time of the year! 


and we went to montego bay for our awesome honeymoon...



i still have the dexcom seven plus ... haven't moved up to the g4 world yet. any of you have it? do you like it more? i AM, however, starting week three of this sensor - that is still sticking and has no tape over it. just saying.

i'm about to get a new pump. which was a big decision i wrestled with a bit. i think i'm sticking with the ping. more on that soon, that decision deserves it's own post.

i did manage to squeeze in a visit with dr. awesome among all the wedding festivities, and i was rewarded with a fabulous 6.5 a1c! lowest i've EVER had. amazing. so happy and proud. now i'm just working hard to keep it there.

for now, just living the life of a mrs, excited to soak in the holiday season and get ready for a good old fashioned family christmas!*

*Christmas Vacation, of course.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

sorry for the lapse in blogging...

i'm still around, i swear. just have my mind on other things that are happening leading up to the big event in 41 days!

see, i'm not totally disconnected ... i drew a little cartoon for diabetesmine that's posted today! you should hop on over and check it out.

and come back here too - i promise i'm going to get back to blogging ... happy fall y'all! 

Friday, August 3, 2012

photo friday

memories . lunchtime friend . organized
olympics . just another workday . invite addressing with a helper
gift from my groom . welcome rain . the hot rods are here!

Monday, July 30, 2012

what's that?

this weekend, we went to a little gathering where there were some adorable kids.

after a while, sitting at the kitchen table, the almost 4-year-old touched my dexcom sensor (on my arm) and asked 'what's that?'

'it's a sensor that checks my blood sugar.'

'oh, ok.' ... back to playing.

if only it was that easy to explain to some adults. :)

Friday, July 27, 2012

photo friday


thrifting . suit selection . cool for one evening out 
sunday golf . exercise . hobby lobby
hot drive . work . treat 
weekend project . spoiled cat . glitter

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

[almost] wordless wednesday


good thing new sensors come today. just a few days shy of 21 ... she's failing.

Monday, July 23, 2012

pump consideration

my pump's warranty ends in november. that means it's time to start thinking about if i want to stick with animas and the ping - that i do like - or switch it up and try something new.

last week, dr awesome had a few thoughts. he said the new version of the ping is pretty much exactly the same as what i have now. i've been hearing for a while (and so has he) that they're integrating with dexcom, but that has yet to happen. he suggested waiting until my pump 'dies,' then choosing from what's available at that point. i have NEVER had a pump past the warranty date, so that makes me a little nervous.

then he mentioned a new pump ... the tslim. it sounded familiar, and i realized that i had just read a post by kim about it, and i thought it sounded very awesome. and fancy schmancy (fancy nancy? ...too much?) lookin' too. he said it isn't available in our area yet, but i could wait until that one is because he thinks it's really cool and i would like it. he wasn't sure when we can get it here, i asked kim if she knew when it would be available but upon further investigation, i found out it should be available in august. 


tslim site


so now i need to decide if i want to start the process and get more information about the tslim so i can get it when it's available (can you get a new pump before the warranty is out on the old one? need to call insurance!); go ahead and get the new ping; wait til my ping dies (that makes me nervous, so probably a no); or do something else that i haven't found out about yet. 


what pump do you use? have you ever used one past the warranty date? 

Friday, July 20, 2012

photo friday


antique browsing . grilling . what surgery bills look like
hundy! . sitting in traffic . waiting for dr awesome
car maintenance day . exercise . wedding shopping 
comin' a flood . ugh, over these . survived the drought 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

post-thyroidectomy appointment

today i have my post-surgery appointment with dr. awesome. bloodwork was last week, today's the day. i am really hoping to see a lower a1c ... i also randomly thought, 'what if he didn't check my a1c? what if he was just checking my thyroid levels and i won't even find out?' UGH i hope that doesn't happen! fingers crossed ... thinking lower number thoughts ...

now, if i can remember the exact time of the appointment instead of a 30 minute range, that'd be awesome.

seven weeks after surgery

Friday, July 13, 2012

photo friday and i'm totally famous

here's the usual friday post (some week of my life i will remember to take more photos like i used to):

excitement in the parking lot . back to running . target browsing
lunch with mom . rain clouds?? . running low - or, i was.


in other news, remember when i used to go to bootcamp? yeah, me too. like a year ago. anywho, i really enjoyed it, and of course we all know the benefits of exercise, etc. but man, bootcamp is expensive!! i AM trying to get back on a regular workout schedule (ya know, finally, after surgery, and pre-wedding festivities, and for my health and all that stuff). i ran three nights this week! i loved it and hated it. my legs hurt like hell, but ice is really helping. just gotta deal with the pain while i'm actually doing it. 

ok so ANYWAY back to me being totally famous. mike, one of the guys who owns the gym where i went to bootcamp, emailed me last week wanting to know if he could ask me a few questions about how exercise/bootcamp helped with my blood sugar - the hidden benefits of exercise - for a local newspaper article he was writing. 

it hit newsstands yesterday, so if you'd like me to sign your copy, i absolutely will. and you can head on over here to check out that article (i'm in like the ninth paragraph. HAHAHA) ... good thing he asked me now and not in three months because that age would sting a little. ;) 

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

bloodwork.

this morning i had some bloodwork done for my post-surgery appointment (next week) with dr. awesome.

random things that happened:

1. they were very crowded. there were four people waiting to have blood drawn (there is usually one other person or no one) - and the rooms where you go to have that done were already full. busy day at the endo!

2. i had to go down the hall to an exam room because they had enough people but not enough space. that room was very quiet and i heard something i had never heard before. i heard the blood flowing into the tubes she was filling. seriously, that is a first. and it kind of grossed me out. THAT is how quiet the room was.

3. when i tested in the office, i was 68. two points below acceptable. so i got two glucose tablets and had hang out in the waiting area for ten minutes before i could be on my way.

sigh, low blood sugar is so inconvenient.

how long does your endo make you wait if you're low?

Friday, July 6, 2012

photo friday

i hope you all had a lovely 4th of july! (i can't believe we're already well into JULY.)


generous with the guac . movies! . pool day
minion photobomb . low day . busy day

Monday, July 2, 2012

awesome sighting at the pool

the fiance and i went to a nice little public pool this weekend, and i noticed the lifeguard nearest to us kept looking over at me - which i didn't understand ... until she got down from her lifeguard stand for a break. and i saw it.

non-creeper picture.

see it?? no? let me help you.


pump sighting!! and she had her infusion set in her stomach where it was visible - that's what i noticed first when she walked by - those are hard to miss!

go on with your bad ass self, lifeguard girl. you and your similar-to-mine-little-circle-tan-lines.

Friday, June 29, 2012

photo friday


happy hour . going through boxes . the most awesome sushi ever 
diaversary dinner . watching olympic trials with my man . meetings
it's coming! . new dress . the heat is ON

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

12 year diaversary

today is my 12 year diaversary. for those who are not hip and cool with the diabetes lingo, that means 'diabetes anniversary' or 'the day i was diagnosed with diabetes' ... 12 years ago. and back in the day, mom would get me a red velvet cake to celebrate this day. (cough cough) ...just kidding mom. ;) because yes, when you have diabetes, you do what everyone else does. celebrate anniversaries with sweets. DUH.

it doesn't seem like 12 years ago. it feels like yesterday. i never really have crazy emotions in either direction on this day ... but i do think, holy crap. i've lived with this for 12 YEARS. that's insane.

i remember dr. awesome telling me, 'in five years or so they'll have a cure.' yeah, that happened. but hey, my pump works for me. and my dexcom changed the control i have of my blood sugar for the better. we've come a long way in the last 12 years.

so i won't say i can't complain ... because i could be one of those people (come on. we all know who those people are who complain about everything NO MATTER WHAT, even when you can think of a million things worse than what they're complaining about) to whine about how awful this disease is and how i have to deal with it 24/7/365, but that won't do me any good. so i suck it up and do what i have to do.  by now, i'm used to it. it's not even an extra thought, it's just a part of my life.

i've come a long way in 12 years, diabetes or not. started college, graduated college, had a few jobs (some better than others), became an aunt to a nephew and a niece, bought a condo (wish i could say sold a condo), went to vegas, went to mexico, went to disney world, met an amazing man, was diagnosed with graves disease, got engaged, had my thyroid removed, and we're planning a wedding - all with diabetes. it's not a show stopper. life goes on.

thanks to everyone for all the support, hugs and laughs over the past 12 years. here's to many, many, MANY more - with or without the disease; in case someday they really DO find a cure.


cupcake anyone?

Friday, June 22, 2012

mini photo friday

it's been a while since i've done a photo friday. i'm going to try to start picking it up again, so this is just a mini edition.

have a great weekend!

wedding things . relaxing . work perk

Thursday, June 21, 2012

21 days

best. dexcom. sensor. ever. nevermind the multiple pieces of tape i had holding it on the last week, that baby was AMAZING. so accurate. love it. 


i didn't want to take it off. but, considering i had worn that bad boy for three weeks (two weeks longer than suggested. what?) and it was hanging on by the only smidgen of sticky left, it was time. 


is that a tan line?

if only this obvious reminder of the sensor didn't come with the removal. it'll go away in a day or so, but still. luckily my smart fiance already thought of neosporin. he is ON IT. 

Monday, June 18, 2012

nighttime lows = tired mornings.

the annoying thing about the dexcom? when it's doing it's job, ya know, alerting you to do something to save yourself from a medical emergency, and it hovers above/below the 'low' line ... and goes off over and over and OVER.

and you eat and drink juice in the middle of the night. and then go back to bed, try to fall back asleep (and look at the clock and think 'if i fall asleep now i'll get this much more sleep') and the dexcom decides just one more time, right as you're drifting off, to buzz again. just for good measure. even though you're on the uphill climb, it thinks you're still JUST below 70.

awesome. thanks dexcom.

i'll take this little higher number for now. (STILL STAYED UNDER 200!! success.)


yawn.

Friday, June 15, 2012

you can do this: one year later!

well, it's been a year since kim launched the you can do this project ... i guess it's about time for me to submit my own video, no? (i mean, since i helped with the snazzy logo and i'm on the committee and all) :) 

congratulations kim, what an amazing year it's been for you! 

post-exercise, hair-up, visible scar (my proof i'm graves disease and thyroid free!), groggy-for-unknown-coughy-reasons voice and all. here i am, 12 years later ... and still doing it! 


because that's pretty much the message, right? you can do this. i have. 12 years (on june 26!) ... and going strong. 

we should celebrate. let's have some ice cream! and cupcakes!! 

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

[almost] wordless wednesday


hello delicious lunchtime friend who doesn't make my blood sugar rise like crazy. 
and your delicious beverage buddy in the background.

Monday, June 11, 2012

oh, hey blog...

sorry blog, that i have neglected you (which means this is a long summary post).

you see, i've been busy with a few things. like finding out i had graves disease, snagging a fiance, having a total thyroidectomy and planning a wedding. 

let's review. i found out i had graves disease on may 19. the option for treatment was nixed because they give you a prescription to keep the disease in remission ... but i am allergic to the drug. so, i met with dr. awesome and he explained the two alternatives. 

option a was to take a radioactive pill - which meant not being around anyone for a week, using disposable plates and utensils, a separate bathroom, etc - a pill that might not take full affect by killing your thyroid for a year (NOTE: this option does work and has for a few people i know personally, it was just not the best choice for me.). he and my surgeon both said they felt surgery was a better option for me, as there is no research that shows if the pill does or does not affect reproductive organs or may cause cancer or other long term effects. The fact that it hasn't shown these things was a plus, but the risk when they said 'if you want to have kids...' (to the woman about to get married) made that plan very unappealing. 

option b was surgery. take the thyroid out. the end. 'then you will be cured of graves disease,' said my amazing surgeon. done. sold. i'd never had surgery, i was crazy nervous, but here we are. i had surgery on may 29 and now i'm graves disease free, with a lovely little scar that will fade quite nicely (that you can't even see if you're a few feet away - and i learned that if you don't know it's there, it has to be pointed out to you). i just have to take a hormone pill each day. which, i've learned in the past month, lots of people i know - or i know someone who knows, or someone whose mom's sister's mother-in-law have to take. 

scar up close - the day i had my bandage removed, a week after surgery

scar far away - a week and a half after surgery

and my blood sugars you guys. ever since my surgery (where my pre-operation blood sugar in the hospital was 333), they have been AMAZING. once i was out of the hospital and off the steroids they had me on for a few days leading up to the operation ... i can count on two fingers the number of times i've been over 200. that's no numbers over 200 in almost TWO WEEKS. it's ridiculous. it makes me feel so good. my fiance (saying that is not ever going to get old. well, until he's my husband) and i went out to dinner at an italian restaurant - where they serve you loads of bread and i had manicotti - i NEVER went over 200. that's unheard of for me. amazing. i've had multiple no-hitters the past few weeks - i've just been too tired, man, surgery really does zap your energy busy to blog them or tweet them. but YAY. it's amazing what removing a pesky organ that's not doing its damn job will do.

at least i'm back to only one malfunctioning, waste of space organ.

(and as for the wedding planning ... we're just five months away and all the big plans have been set - except flowers. got our venue, food, photography, cake, dress, dj ... we're getting close!)

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

[almost] wordless wednesday

derby week is a good occasion for glittery nails. :) 
(any occasion is a good occasion for glitter)

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

dexcom sightings

yesterday, my dexcom sensor (on my arm) was spotted by a few people ... i forget it's there, and when the weather is warm it's not covered by long sleeves!


i stopped by a friend's classroom to pick up my awesome fascinator she made for me to wear to the oaks on friday. she has a student who is a type 1 diabetic, so she spotted mine and we showed him what it was and explained it to him - i think he thought it was pretty cool. :)

then, i stopped at the grocery, and the girl at the check out lane said 'oh! what's that on your arm?' and i told her what it was. she said 'that's really cool!' ... which was much nicer than those who say 'oh, you must have it really bad.' i was glad to share with her. she learned something new yesterday!

Friday, April 27, 2012

photo friday

i feel like this should be 'photo friday: medical edition' since half the pictures are of doctor's offices.


origami bow . waiting at the endocrinologist .  thyroid things
paint . new purchase . waiting at the surgeon
surgeon things . waiting at the eye doctor . eye exam
pedicure (i needed a treat) . future scar on draw something (haha!) . greater tater at the chow wagon! 



Thursday, April 26, 2012

and finally, some good news.

as if i haven't been to enough doctor's appointments in the past two weeks, yesterday was my yearly opthamologist appointment.

of course i had to tell them about my new diagnosis, and my eye doctor said 'you don't look like you have any effects of graves.' yeah.

i got the usual dilation, hung out in the waiting area with people at least 40 years older than me (the girl who signed me in commented on how it was nice to see young faces sometimes), the loud cell phone talkers and impatient patients until it was finally my turn.

i feel like all i've been hearing lately are things that are wrong and need to be fixed, so it was good to hear his findings. no damage and my vision is 20/20 in the left eye and 20/25 in the right eye. 20/25 = better. than. perfect. just saying.

and also, this:

creepy tv eyes that look crossed

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

graves disease.

so, i have graves disease (overactive thyroid). because apparently i need more than one disease. diabetes isn't enough to deal with? no? here, have graves. awesome, thanks. (i have learned this is not uncommon - thyroid problems in type 1 diabetics AND women)

anyway, dr. awesome told me i would have to take a pill every day for a year to keep graves in remission. okay, no biggie. i can handle that.

well. that's a no go. i am allergic to the drug that's in those pills, that option is out. so, i'm having my thyroid removed. i meet with the surgeon today to discuss it. probably won't have the surgery until the end of may ... i've never had surgery before.

after my thyroid is out, i'll have to take a thyroid hormone pill the rest of my life. i can handle a pill a day.

have you had surgery? i have the usual nervousness about it, because it's the first (and hopefully only) time i've had to have it. how'd you deal with it?

Monday, April 23, 2012

Friday, April 20, 2012

photo friday


patio stones . cat treats . chiropractor
waiting . radioactive pill . frozen yogurt 
junior achievement . culvers . in the closet

Thursday, April 19, 2012

the thyroid test.

have you ever had a thyroid uptake and scan? no? i have. here's a little something about me. i like to know what i'm going into before it happens. the stress of the whole test was because i didn't know what was going to happen. i like to be prepared.

luckily, my good friend from college, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes after we graduated, had this same test done a few years ago and she called and gave me an idea of what it would be like. as well as steph, whose friend does these kinds of tests on people, also told me a few things about it.

i enjoy a good visual, so, for those of you who have never had one, or if you stumbled upon this blog because you googled 'thyroid scan' or 'thyroid uptake and scan' (btw, is uptake the part where i took the radioactive pill? i guess i could have asked.) ... i drew you a picture!! you're welcome.

(click picture to read the words clearly)

preface: the day before this test, you go in and take a radioactive pill. the scan shows how much of the radioactive matter is collected in your thyroid

so, here's how it goes. there is that table that clearly is supported by nothing in my awesome drawing, with a lovely pillow to lay under your back/neck but not all the way under your head. there is a short tunnel (think MRI machine. hello claustrophobia.), which i did not have to go in. the top of my head was right at the edge of that tunnel, but not in it. and oh yes, i asked if i was going to have to be rolled into it.

first, the nice technician rolled that (wheel-less, nice drawing skills, graphic designer) scanner over and it was right above my throat. she said it would take 3 minutes and 30 seconds. and it wasn't noisy, no noise at all actually. the room was not dark, just the lights above me were off so i didn't stare into them i'm sure.

after that, the scanner was rolled away and the table i was laying on was raised up to that triangle shaped thing which apparently had a camera inside. it just looked like a white triangle to me. first, the point was right above my throat. then, the whole panel rotated to the left of my neck and was at an angle, then was rotated to the right for another angle. it stayed in each position for 3 minutes and 40 seconds.

that's IT! not a big deal at all. so, now i continue to be on the edge of my seat (not really, although i am thinking about it and trying to be patient) until dr. awesome calls - likely tomorrow - and tells me the results.

also, in case you missed it on twitter ... when i went to take the pill, the technician thought it was so funny because i matched the pill! she said in the ten years she's done this, that's never happened. haha :)


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

tax day.

today is tax day.

and free fries at arby's day.

and half price drinks at sonic day.

and all these freebies day.

and i have to swallow a radioactive pill for a thyroid scan tomorrow and can't eat from 11 am until an hour after i take the pill at 3 pm day.

sigh. i'm trying to pretend i'm not nervous.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Friday, April 13, 2012

photo friday


garden planning . easter . cinnamon biscuits
spring nails . fresh paint . lillies
sushi . steady . endo waiting
target . salad . sticker 


Wednesday, April 11, 2012

not wordless wednesday

waiting.

my usual appointment with dr. awesome was this morning.

last week, they called after i did my bloodwork (he has me come in the week before my appointments for that) and said he wanted to do an ultrasound on my thyroid. which of course immediately made me freak out.

i asked my boyfriend to go with me, to try to make me less nervous. i don't think it worked, but i tried to be calm. dr. awesome asked why my heart rate had gone up so much from the time the nurse checked it til seeing him, i told him it's because i was nervous!

so i had my regular check up, then we did the ultrasound. there are two possibilities ... neither are life threatening, one is not really a big deal at all. i am hoping for the one that is not a big deal of course (and i'm not saying what the two options are, i'll share what it is when i find out).

i have to have a scan done next week, i take a pill on tuesday and then get a scan of my thyroid on wednesday. this is a new experience, i am kind of nervous but everyone at the office acted like it wasn't a big deal, and dr. awesome said it's not like an MRI machine so i won't be in an enclosed tube (ugh. that makes me really claustrophobic). then i'll find out the results by friday. he seemed really positive and acted like it will just be something we'll address and move on. i hope that's what happens.

so in the meantime, i'll try to not stress out about it. luckily i have a good support team of type 3's on my side. :)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

sweatbetes is back!

source

BOOTCAMP! tonight. for six weeks, at my favorite place! and my favorite man is going with me too :)

i won't be going every night like last year, i'm mixing in some zumba and life is busy so i just can't get there every day - but i'm aiming for at least three nights a week. and after the six weeks is up, i hope to continue the at home with the workouts the post on their web site.

i can't WAIT!

Friday, April 6, 2012

photo friday


crazy toy . bowling . art gallery
hundy . ncaa championship celebration . ear, nose & throat doctor
uk shirts . birthday cupcakes . blood work for endo

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Monday, April 2, 2012

pump sighting

i was browsing a younger sorority sister's photos on facebook and saw this:

cropped for privacy

i was the only person who had diabetes in my sorority (or any sorority that i knew of) when i was in college. they've got another one. :) i can spot those things from a mile away!

Friday, March 30, 2012

photo friday

this week, i wore red every day to support the LOUISVILLE CARDINALS in the final four tomorrow. 


hubers . fun chair . day in the life
beyonce's friends . red . new shoes
red . derby hunting . red
hail! . red . GO CARDS! 

Thursday, March 29, 2012

insulin pen thoughts

i saw a tweet that made me think of this ... i've never used an insulin pen.

humalog.com

when i was diagnosed, i used a bottle of insulin and a needle/shot to do injections. for six weeks. then i started on my insulin pump.

the few times (maybe three) i have had to take injections since i got my pump - due to a malfunction or something, while waiting for my replacement pump - i used the same thing.

i've never been given an insulin pen as an option. i don't even really know how they work. is it still a needle? does it just shoot insulin in so fast it doesn't need a needle?

not that i need one, or am planning to use one, just a random thought i had. i've had diabetes for almost 12 years, and i've never used (or even seen in person) an insulin pen.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

alert day




today is american diabetes association alert day, and if you know someone who may be at risk for type 2 diabetes, you should send them over to facebook to take a quick test that will help determine their risk for developing it. AND, for every test taken between today and april 27, boar's head will donate $5! so, send someone now! 

here's a little more info from ada:


American Diabetes Association Unveils New Diabetes Risk Test
Updated Algorithm Makes Test Simple to Take; Facebook Makes it Easy to Share

Alexandria, VA (March 27, 2012) – Today marks the 24th annual American Diabetes Association Alert Day® and the Association has released a new and improved Diabetes Risk Test to help Americans determine whether they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Updated with a more sophisticated algorithm and available on Facebook, the test can be taken in less than a minute, and easily shared with family, friends and loved ones. To encourage individuals to take and share the new Diabetes Risk Test, Boar’s Head®, manufacturer of premium delicatessen products, will donate $5 to the Association for every risk test taken, up to $50,000 from now until April 27, 2012.  

The Diabetes Risk Test requires users to answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for diabetes. Their results are reported as a numerical score indicating low or high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Those at higher risk are encouraged to speak with their health care provider to learn more about ways to help reduce their risk or delay onset of the disease.

The latest diabetes statistics show that one in three American adults are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.  79 million American adults have prediabetes, which means that their blood glucose (sugar) is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. What’s more, out of the nearly 26 million Americans with diabetes, one-fourth of them, or about 7 million, do not realize they have the disease.
“The more people who take this first step in knowing their risk, the closer we will become to stopping this disease that has reached epidemic proportions,” stated Geri Spollett, MSN, ANP-CS, CDE, President- Elect, Health Care & Education, American Diabetes Association. “The time to act is now. Taking one quick minute to learn your risk today could lead to a much healthier tomorrow.”

In addition to Facebook, people can find this free test (in English or Spanish) by visiting stopdiabetes.com or calling 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). 

Diabetes Awareness and Prevention
The primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes are being overweight, sedentary, over the age of 45 and having a family history of diabetes. African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at an increased risk, as are women who have had gestational diabetes or had babies weighing more than nine pounds at birth.

Diabetes symptoms can include frequent urination, blurred vision and excessive thirst. However, these overt warning signs may not become manifest for many years. As a result, for many, diagnosis may come seven to ten years after the actual onset of the disease. Closing the diagnosis gap is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications such as heart disease, blindness kidney disease, stroke, amputation and death.

Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by losing just 7 percent of body weight (such as 15 pounds if you weigh 200) through regular physical activity (30 minutes a day, five days a week) and healthy eating.

Alert Day in Your Community
The American Diabetes Association’s local offices are working with their community organizations and partners to promote Alert Day. To find out what activities are happening locally, visit www.stopdiabetes.com.

Alert Day is nationally sponsored by Boar’s Head® Provisions Co., Inc., and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  The Association would also like to thank the following supporters for joining us in promoting Alert Day includingAmerican Medical ID, American Pharmacists Association, BD Medical - Diabetes Care, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., BrightSky, Bristol Myers-Squibb, Bumble Bee Foods, Colgate Total®, Dignity Memorial®, Eli Lilly & Company, Gold’s Gym, HearPO®, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Medtronic, Inc., Merisant Company, maker of Equal® and Pure Via®,  Miracle-Ear®,  National Basketball Association (NBA),  Novo Nordisk Inc., Nutrisystem® D™, Quest Diagnostics, Roche Diabetes Care, sanofi, Sonus®, Walgreens and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

Monday, March 26, 2012

blood sugar success

so, this isn't exactly a no-hitter, but let me share my 24 graph from my dexcom (took this picture last night).


it's a little up and down (a little? ok, it's a lot up and down, but in range at least.) but i have lowered my high alert to 160 - NOTICE that it is BARELY over 160!! and there are two lows, but that second one i checked with my meter and i was 71 and i ate so i could prevent that drop, i don't know how low it REALLY went before going back up (dexcom doesn't always have a perfect reading).

it made me really excited! i didn't go over 200 and i barely dropped, and i knew to treat so i could prevent going really low.

my little dexcom friend is really coming in handy. :)

Friday, March 23, 2012

photo friday


working hard . being lazy . art 
mythbusters live . morning tea . birthday ideas
big birthday . just dance . afternoon activity 
meeting . spring . celebrating 

Thursday, March 22, 2012

dirty girl

earlier this week, allison posted a link to the dirty girl mud run on facebook. i've seen other events like this before, but this one is a little different.

godirtygirl.com

it's for women only. sure, men can come hang out and take pictures, but only women can participate. i kind of love this idea. and i have wanted to try one of these fun courses, just not on as an intense of a level like the rugged maniac runs. i miss my bootcamp, and it's time to get my ass in gear ... this is a good reason! another good reason to participate is the money raised is donated to the national breast cancer foundation. (ohhh, how awesome would it be if JDRF had an event like this??? LIGHT BULB!)

godirtygirl.com

we're going to do the one in indianapolis, so i have until may 12 to get ready. i'm going to pretend i don't have some issues going on with my hip right now and i am not going to tell you that i went to the chiropractor this morning to start getting that straightened out (literally). shh. it'll be fine, right now i'm more worried about cardio. i need to get moving and get my endurance up or i won't make it through the course because i won't be able to breathe.

if you want to join us to do the run in indy, let me know! shoot me an email or a tweet!