My Wrist Feels Naked

My bracelet just broke. The one that says "Diabetes" on it. The one I wear 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It was cute, too. This is what it looked like. (Except my plaque was the long, horizontal one). Now I guess I should get a different one. Maybe I should get a stronger one? Or possibly take it off when I shower?

Unless it's some sort of cosmic sign.....

Holy Crap on a Stick

Today I was writing down my Lantus dose as I was bolusing my breakfast. Guess what? Thinking about 10 units of Lantus (yay for lower!) while dosing 2 units of Novolog is not a good idea. Mixed them up in my head, drew out 10 units, and began dosing. I figured it out and stopped at about 8 units. Crappity crappity crap crap crap. 8 units of Novolog when I need 2 is not a good idea.

I F-aaah-REAKED out. I had visions of my kids finding a dead mother in the house and not knowing what to do. I grabbed the Dr. Pepper and the Starburst and I forced my husband to come home so he could force sugar into me and call 911 if necessary. I called the Dr., who told me I would be fine, just eat a lot of carbs. Of course I knew that, but...isn't there something else? Turns out, nope.

I mean, I have to be 90 points high before I issue a correction dose. So in my head, 6 extra units could really take me out.

Obviously I am still alive and OK. I did not go to the hospital. But I haven't been this scared in a while. I didn't know how to tell my kids - "Watch Mommy in case she passes out and then call 911, but everything should be fine, but just in case, you know....."

I remember in the hospital them telling me to NOT MIX THESE UP. And now I have. I survived, but hopefully, never again. I can only imagine if my Lantus was 25 or something.{shudder}

A Test

Yesterday I ate approximately 33 grams of carbohydrate at lunch time. I did not take a bolus, mostly because I forgot my needle. (!!) But I figured, hey, now's as good a time as any to see how my pancreas will deal with this.

Blood sugar at dinner: 88. My pancreas (and the Lantus) totally kicked butt.

I am pleased.

I am scared to try it again, though. I don't want to work my pancreas too hard, in case it fails faster and ends the honeymoon. I don't even know if that makes sense, really.

I mean, HOW do you decide to go off insulin? It seems inordinately risky, really. But I will ask the study doc when I'm up there.

Still, for now, I am pleased.

Where is the Time?

Between seeing the endo every 3 months, the dentist every 6 months, my ob and pcp and eye doctor once a year, not to mention the extra study visits, plus diabetes education, it seems like there is no time to do anything else but see medical professionals!

That doesn't even take into account the frequent pharmacy trips. (I don't do mail order. Not with this heat. If I'm not home, the insulin sitting on my porch worries me.)

Not that I'm complaining. Each one of these people has helped me tremendously. I just wish I could see them less frequently.

People, I need a hair cut. I don't seem to have time to get one. I blame summer vacation. And diabetes.

Lows, Lows, and More Lows

In case you couldn't tell by the title, I have been bombarded with blood sugar lows for the past few days. I mean, crazy stuff. Last night I had dinner, (120 pre-meal, which is higher than I've seen in a while, but I blame the tasting of the food beforehand) and did the dishes afterward, and BAM! One hour later, I'm at 49. Ouch. I didn't issue a correction dose or anything.

You know, it's not like the dishes are strenuous exercise or an unusual occurrence.

The day before that, it was like I could not get out of the 60's, and so I lowered my Lantus dose a couple of units. Still, yesterday was bad.

Today I am continuing the lower Lantus and also adjusting the Novolog carb ratio, so I take less.

All of this, while annoying, is actually very encouraging, because it might just mean the study drug is helping.....the administrator did say some people lowered their doses a couple of months post infusion, which would be....now. (Some people lowered or went off right after infusion too.)

Here's to a healthy pancreas! (Or at least a healthier one...)

In other news, really like my new PCP. Bonus.

My husband has this theory...

He thinks I have an overabundance of Human Growth Hormone.

This is based on the fact that....I look young and have trouble putting on weight. i believe him on the weight thing. The young thing....well....not so much, but it's sweet of him to say.

It's also based on the fact that I make a lot of prolactin. This is released by the pituitary, and he believes (could be wrong) that HGH is released by the pituary as well. He thinks my pituitary is a little overactive.

So I was reading, that an increase in HGH puts you at risk for diabetes. It is used (and there's some controversy about this) for weight loss in obese patients.

Even if his theory does prove to be correct, and I have a lot of HGH, I don't know what that would mean for me. I don't think decreasing my levels of HGH would get rid of my diabetes or anything. (If it did, people would know. I mean, hello.)

The question is, do I mention this theory to my doctor? Would it matter?

I have an appointment this week with a new Primary Care (mine retired).

Ah....

Remember when my pancreas worked? Those were some goooood times.......