Taking advantage of the real estate

3 weeks ago I was doing some research on different places I can place my site on my body for my insulin pump. I normally use my abdomen but I was struggling with unpredictable blood sugar readings due to too much scar tissue and my insulin not absorbing.

First test: upper love handles. I tried to put the site as far on my back as possible, this location I wouldn’t recommend. I mistakenly put it on the side I sleep on and during the night I was waking up with my side sore and for a week I was restricted to sleeping on my belly; drooling like a crazy person too. I normally keep my site on as long as it will stay but 3 days in, I woke up with blood on my sheets and my site halfway on while I was rolling around sleeping one night. On a good note I saw an awesome change in my insulin absorption but the placement was just uncomfortable.

Second test: upper right shoulder. Although I do need my faithful assistant to squeeze my arm while I insert the needle, this location was the best so far. Numbers were better than my back location and sleeping was not compromised. I did find myself explaining what it was to a few co-workers and I did get a few people in the grocery store staring, but overall it wasn’t too bad.

After those two test and getting such a positive response I didn’t need anymore convincing. I’m hooked on taking advantage of all of the real estate that I have, all 6 feet of it, and giving my belly a break!

Carb Counting -Part 2-

So i just had a WTF! moment while doing my ‘Insulin to Blood Sugar ratio’ test this morning…

Here are my numbers:

• 143 - 11:00 P.M. - Head to bed last night with a number i was happy with.
• 180 - 3:19 A.M. - Woke up to check
• 173 - 8:07 A.M. - Woke up for good. I started the ‘test’ and gave myself 1 unit of insulin. I was then instructed to test 20 mins after then 2 hours.
• 175 - 8:30 A.M. - So apparently insulin is like chocolate to my body.
• 177 - 8:49 A.M. - Checked again
• 186 - 11:38 A.M. - At this point my stomach is growling and all I’ve had was water today..AND I’M STILL HIGH!!!

So this test was crap this morning because apparently when i high i just hit a plateau and stay there. Is this normal? Am I crazy? I still don’t know my I/BS ratio and i’m starving!!

Taking Carb Counting into my own hands.

I recently had a doctor’s appointment with a new Endo. As we talked about my sugar readings and eating habits Dr. Mazza asked “What’s your carb ratio?”. As i foolishly turned red i replied with a “Well, um…yeah…I just guess most of the time.” She was impressed that i had such an ‘okay’ A1C level and not counting carbs, but still i saw a drop of disappointment. After leaving the office, i proceeded to the ‘Education & Research’ wing of the hospital to see how much a ‘Carb Education’ course was going to cost me. Well lets just saying, seeing the price is when i decided to (dun dun DUN!) take carb counting into my own hands!

I found a pretty cheese site that provided info to how to find my ‘Blood Sugar to Carb ratio’ and ‘Blood Sugar to Insulin ratio’ ( 2 things that a diabetic of 6 years SHOULD already know).

So i am quite excited to know these special numbers to then use to count my carbs and KNOW what my sugar will be with the amount of insulin I’m taking; what a concept, eh?

I have to perform the test with 2 to 4 hours of fasting so i will keep you posted on my results.

Movie Misquotes Diabetes Style!

I found an awesome blog post by Diabetesaliciousness and had to share.

1. “Your going to need a bigger bolus” JAWS- Diabetes style
2. “HOLY #DIABETES BATMAN!” Batman – The television series
3. “I’m Diabetes BITCH!” Dave Chappelle
4. “Dammit Jim, I’m a diabetic, not a Bricklayer!” Star Trek - Series
5. “Say hello to my little insulin pump!” Scar Face
6. “Show me the carb count!” Jerry McGuire
7. “Diabetes….phone home.” ET
8. “Diabetes means always having to say - Yeah, damn straight I’m aloud to eat that!” Love Story
9. “Bloodsugar, we have problem!” Apollo 13
10. “I’ll get you my pretty, and your little insulin pump too!” The Wizard of Oz
11. “Forget it Jake, It’s Diabetes Town!” China Town
12. “I see diabetics” The Sixth Sense
13. “I love the smell of insulin in the morning!” Apocalypse Now
14. “All right Diabetes, I’m ready for my close up!” Sunset Boulevard
15. “Is that an insulin pump in your pocket or are u just happy to see me?” Mae West
16. “Crying, there’s no crying in diabetes!” A League of Their Own
17. “We’re not bolus worthy, We’re not bolus worthy!” Wayne’s World
18. “Bolus, I don’t need no stinking bolus!”
19. “Elementary my dear Diabetes!” The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
20. “Hasta la vista, high Blood Sugar!!” The Terminator
21. “YO, DIABETES!” Rocky
22. “Tell ‘em to go out there with all they got and win just one for the Diabetic.” Knute Rockney
23. “Life is a banquet,& most poor diabetics are blousing and counting carbs like crazy!” Auntie Mame
24. “If it weren’t for you meddling diabetics!!” Every bad guy on Scooby Doo
25. “Diabetes, the final frontier” Star Trek
26. “Let’s get ready to bolus!” WWF Wrestling