Friday, November 18, 2011

New phone, new spot!

So now that I have my new galaxy s2, there will be more new posts with spelling errors no doubt! Trying to post more, but work is so time consuming! 

With that, I have tried a new injection site... my upper ass, LOL! I was told it is a very common spot, and it isn't really in the way of my pants or anything, but I have noticed something I didn't think would happen... the place with the most fat.... man does it kinda hurt. On and off all day. Idk if I will want to keep this up, but I need the real estate, LOL!

So here's to new beginnings all round!

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

*May contain nuts

How wonderful it was to wake up today, look at my phone and see like 7 comments on my blog! I never thought it would happen! In response to one of those posts, yes I was active and I do belong to diabetic websites, and was posting, that's even why I joined the Dark side and got a ...Twitter.... account! lol! But after so long, I do have to admit, I just gave up, barely go to any sites, what can I say, I work at a hospital and am quite the busy gal, ha ha!

But THANK YOU to all you wonderful people who commented and whoever reposted on Twitter! I can't thank you enough.

So here is the update, since I know I haven't posted in awhile, but work has been crazy busy with some new software going live.

Insulin pump is still going great, I def don't miss multiple daily injections! My nurse I can't stand, and my BG's have went from great to not good.

To start, I do realize that finding that sweet spot is trial and error, and is going to take some getting use to, but there is also the fact that I have sleep related issues and I work days, afternoons, and sometime an occasional midnight shift. I feel that testing 4 times is great, but when my nurse is basically yelling at me like a child because I am not testing at 7 am, noon, dinner, bedtime, and then the occasional 3 am, I get a little irritated. I don't know what to tell her, setting my alarm for the 3 am and 7 am just isn't working, I am either passed out with meds, or I won't go back to sleep, and it is affecting my work. There has even been a time when I woke up at my normal time to see the BG machine sitting out, I had attempted, but fell asleep before I poked, lol! I tried explaining to her that with an afternoon shift I am testing just as much, but you have to shift the times, but it is to no end. She also made a bunch of adjustments right before I was covering someone for midnight shifts, so the results weren't going to be accurate, because I would be sleeping during the day, but she did them anyways. So yes I am taking a little time to vent here, sorry you all had to sit through it! So because of all of this, my bloods went from never being over 200, to barely being under 200, again. Same prob before the pump. So here is to another week of trying to wake up and test!

The other hard thing I am coping with is eating. I heard that the pump made it so you didn't have the restriction of eating at certain times, gave some freedom. I am finding this to be just the opposite. I am being told that I have to eat at strict times, breakfast, lunch, dinner. I am not a 3 meal a day girl, I am a 2 meal a day girl and a snack. And those times are random, depending on my shift at work, or if it is my day off.  So I was just wondering what others have been told about this, with pumping?

It also just so happens that I changed my infusion set today, here at work. Hope you all feel great that I went and read all the comments over again before changing, lol! This time I went back to my upper thigh area. I was avoiding it for awhile, because it had hurt, but this time, I didn't even feel it go in. And this way I get to stay on the left side of my body longer. I am still uncomfortable with sleeping on the site. I can do it when I am not thinking about it, but as soon as it pops in my head, I think I can feel some pain, even though I can't, but it bothers me enough that I will roll over. I also don't like putting a lot of pressure on it, because I have noticed when taking it out, it has pinched my skin, and make things uncomfortable for a length of time.

So now my question for the day is, how many sites can you get out of your upper thigh/hip before you have to move to another area. Ballpark obviously, since we are all different shapes. I know that I can get more than 5. But I am still so unsure of where and where not, and my nurse at the diabetes center was not much help on the matter. I tried to google better pics of infusion sites since the good ole medtronic ones aren't the greatest, but there isn't much out there, and not much that is trust worthy, I found a site where a woman connected to her breast! Hey-Yo! I don't think so...EVER! It was awful!

Other than that I am doing good, I am sticking to my good old carb counting, doing what I have for these long 18 years (in October!) I am just really stuck on the where, not so much the how.

So after this looooong winded post, I will sum it up with a huge THANK YOU again to all who took the time and effort to help out a stranger. It is much appreciated.

Twitter is: NvisibleReality


 
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Sunday, August 14, 2011

How do you be Borg?

So many questions I have with this pump! And no one to ask! I am finding that the DOC is a hard shell to crack, lmao! I have blogger, FB, even did what I said I would never do.... Hello Twitter account! I do random comments on other Dbloggers sights... Whew! But I am still here, and still trying. There is an insulin pump support group that meets like only 4 times a year! But the next time is Sept 13th, so hopefully I can meet some pumpers that I can talk to. Where I can put the damn thing is frustrating. I don't want to use my front stomach area, as I have a lot of scar tissue from injections, and I am afraid to sleep on it, so I am only using one side of my body, and it doesn't leave me many options. Arm.. nooooo way. Back/butt area.. my pants would hit it constantly. So as you see a lot of questions, and not a single pump user around to ask, or show me, and there is only so much I can google, lol!

Then there is this whole fat thing. Now I have had diabetes for almost 18 years. I am pretty decent at carb counting, it's really not that hard. But how to tell an insulin bolus based on the carbs and level of fat? Wtf!? This is a whole other level for me. Never had to get this detailed. And have no idea how to even begin this. Your suppose to keep a food diary and see what foods hit you certain ways... Wowza. Idk about all of this. For now, I just want controlled BG's. First 2 weeks with the pump, flawless bg's, now? not so flawless. What has changed? really not much. Eating out less, eating healthier, but with higher bg's.... And then I have to start my birth control again for my PCOS. I stopped taking it, cause I have a hard time remembering, and my work shifts were all messed up. Now that things are straightened out, I get to try again. Wonder how that will effect me. God knows it made me very depressed, and I think contributed to my weight gain. Only explanation considering I am more active and eat very healthy...

So many new things, and so much change. My stress level is only slightly less elevated.

All I really want to know is... How do you be Borg?







Saturday, July 30, 2011

Been awhile!

Wow, it's been awhile since I posted anything! It's summer, and I live in gorgeous Duluth, so yeah, probably not as much until it gets cold, lol!

The big news? I got connected to my new and first pump this month on the 25th. It has been 5 days so far. My blood sugars immediately went between 94 and 140, and maintain, not to much jumping around as I was told to expect. So far I love it. But am still adjusting. Adjusting to this thing connected to me with a tube. Showers are different. I am still scared to sleep on it, which isn't good since I can only sleep on my right side, and I need to rotate! Nervous to put it anywhere but my stomach. I have to change the infusion site tonight.... Going to have to switch sides or do my leg.... Not to keen on my backside as was suggested, plus how the hell? I can't reach enough to inject, lol! But I have been sleeping better. Depression is a little better. I have laughed more this week then I have for months, I just feel better, so I can def say it is worth it at this point.

And for anyone who might stumble upon this blog, please feel free to leave tips and comments. I have had diabetes for 17 years, and have just now given in to the pump.... this is all new to me!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Write a letter to your Diabetes....

Although I am unsure whether to start this right now or not, for fear of tears that might fly, here is my letter to you Diabetes....

Dear Diabetes....Scratch the dear.....

When trying to think of anything I could thank you for... I really can't think of anything... All that is added to my life because of you is pain. I hate the constant poking and writing and calculating, that by the time I can eat, everyone is well into their meal, or done. I hate that I feel sick when my blood isn't right on, which is a lot lately, which is resulting in being sick a lot, and having a lot more doctor appointments. I hate that I have all these medications to keep track of, doctors to listen to, and complications to look forward to. I hate that I have neuropathy and more pain because of you. I hate that my fiancee and I get in arguments because he doesn't seem to care that I have diabetes, or seems uninterested in something that is a part of me, and that he hasn't made a single effort in 2 years to know you. I hate when I get new jobs, and then they hear I am a diabetic. You haven't even brought me a single friend because of this. I hate all the looming medical bills from my past, when I had no insurance and couldn't afford to be a diabetic. I hate feeling singled out an alone because of you..... I hate that I can never have a vacation from you. I hate the fear you have instilled in me about my future. I hate that I am having such a hard time having children, partly because of you.... I hate that diabetes and depression go hand in hand, and become a vicious circle that I have been riding for years now. What have you given me? A few good memories at Camp Needlepoint. That in no way makes up for what you do and are doing to me. Scar tissue... depression... pain.... fear.....

Mostly, I hate you for being a part of me.....

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Type 1 and PCOS

found some great sites, with great communities:


SoulCysters


Cysterworld  Here I found a thread started by a Type 1 with PCOS and there is a lot of others that posted in the link about what they have done, or what their doctors have said. At the very least, it let's us know we aren't alone, because there isn't much out there for Type 1's with PCOS

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Diabetes Blog Week

So I totally missed it, creating a new blog an all. But for the sake of it, I will participate late. It was the second annual Diabetes Blog Week, I think that the name is pretty self explanatory, so I'm just going to jump right in.