My support team

 

The Diabetes Blog Week topic of the day is about who is the biggest support to you. The trouble is, I don’t have just one person! I have a whole family. My parents are the ones who keep me going and make my life just a little bit easier when it comes to diabetes.

My parents have literally been there for me since day one. I was only three years old when I was diagnosed so they were the ones who were taught everything there is to know. They are the ones who pricked my tiny fingers and gave me my shots and managed my food exchanges. My mom and dad also instilled me what I like to call the “look the other way” mentality. When we’d go to a restaurant or we were out in public, my parents told me not to hide my finger pricks or my shots. They said if someone has a problem, they can look the other way! I really think this had a huge positive impact on my self esteem when it comes to diabetes. My parents have always been positive about diabetes. It was never been about scary complications. It was never about “bad” blood sugars. It was just about doing whatever possible to stay healthy and live life to its fullest. It was about not letting diabetes tell me what I can or can’t do. Their positive attitude with me and diabetes has totally shaped my view of it, and has made me the healthy, complication-free diabetic I am today.

As I’ve grown up, the responsibility for my diabetes gradually passed on to me. By the time I went away to college I was in full control of my diabetes management entirely. Which is probably my control went a little haywire. My A1C creeped up to the highest it had ever been (although not as high as a lot of other people I know with diabetes), and I wasn’t paying as close attention as I should.

Of course I also have to give honorable mentions to my HDYC family and the Diabetes Online Community for being there when I need someone who “just gets it” or I have an crazy question about something diabetes related. You all rock and have been a huge help to me.

Treating lows

Today’s topic for Diabetes Blog Week is about your favorite treatment for low blood sugars. Sadly, my absolute favorite low treatment is no longer being made! I freaking loved BD glucose tabs. They were undoubtedly the most delicious glucose tabs! They tasted like the stick part of a Fun Dip! But just like my beloved Nite Bites, they have been discontinued.

The best part of these tabs was that they could slide right into your pocket, unlike the only “portable” tabs available now. They fit into a tiny little purse or pocket. And they were exactly 15 carbs. Because I have always followed the “rule of 15” and because I’m anal retentive when it comes to diabetes, it irritates me a little that the only tabs available now are 4 grams per tab, and therefore I can’t get exactly 15 grams. Yes, I am weird.

As you can see, this has been bothering me for quite awhile. So, needless to say, I was very excited at my last appointment with my old endocrinologist when I saw a huge stack “BD Getting Started Take Home Kits.” They have sleeves of BD tabs in them! I took as many of these big boxes as I could take. Unfortunately that was only 5, and each one only has 2 sleeves. I am so excited that I at least have some of these, and I’m saving for a time when I think it will be perfect to use. them. Again, I’m weird.

A day with a malfunctioning pancreas

This is my first post for Karen‘s great idea: Diabetes Blog Week! Check out Karen’ts post to see what the topics are for the week and to see the full list of participants. There are 95 of them!

So… a day in my life with diabetes. I actually don’t see a day in my life as being all that terribly different than someone’s without diabetes. The only exception is that I have some finger pricks, button presses, set/sensor changes, carb counting, and long division mixed in.

Lately, my diabetes life has actually been pretty simple. I haven’t been very active during the date lately since I am unemployed. So I’ve been able to perfect my basal rates and bolus timing. It’s honestly hard for me to break down all the times diabetes creeps into my day. It is constant. It is always the little voice in the back of my head second guessing every decision I make from what to eat to driving the car to doing any kind of physical activity.

Diabetes is something that plays a role in everything. I feel like I need to be constantly aware of my body and how I’m feeling. This is why they say you can never really have a vacation from diabetes. It is like an overprotective mother constantly nagging you.

The thing is though, this is how my days have always been. I don’t remember not having the constant nagging. I’m not sure what life would be like without it. I’ve tested my blood sugar every single day since June 1st, 1989. Therefore, it’s not really something that I see as a very big deal. It is second nature.