Morning blood sugar: 4.4
Episodes of low blood sugar: none-been a bit high in the last 24 hours, who knows why(?), stress maybe
"C's" Mood today: he is a little off today, woke up on the wrong side of the bed I guess. Maybe he is feeding off me. On the bright side he started singing a three note part to "The Wheels on the Bus", the 'all day long' part. So cute!
Donations today: 1 from my aunt in Manitoba, thank you! Which brings me to 63% of my goal, not bad!
Clean eating today: I admit it, I hit the drive thru. I ordered a salad thankfully, even though fries were calling my name. I feel worse about the fact that I ordered C a grilled cheese sandwich which appeared to be made out of some 'pseudobread'-what I am saying is, it looked riddled with preservatives and other unsightly things. The worst part is, he appeared to like it.
Workout today: A wonderful day of rest...I'm starting to enjoy these more and more. Took the dog and child for a nice 30 minute walk.
So I am having a drive thru kind of day. Nothing makes you want the convenience and comfort of fast food more than a little bit of stress.
This started last night when I was seeing spots after my run with the running clinic I have joined. I got back to the car and tested and was at 5.8, right on target, but I felt weird. Having paranoia about running low on my 15 minute drive home I ate 3 gummy chews (the ones you can take during a long run)-a total of 15g of carbs. On the drive home I proceeded to feel a headache coming on, and a gnawing irritablility in my mood. Yes folks, the wonderful signs of high blood sugar. Indeed when I got home I was running a 9.7. Uggh, the frustration. I am trying to avoid a low by carbo loading but end up high, even though I had just completed a 6km tempo run. (?) The ongoing process never stops, keep adapting! (Chin up A! Chin up!)
Number 2 on the list of stressors was the fact that my 1 year old iPhone has been acting very funny in the last few days. Overheating even when I have shut down all of my apps, and the battery draining within an hour of charging. I took it in to have it looked at and was told my warranty had expired just 10 days ago. Uggh number 2. So it has been sent away for repair-on the bright side I have been given a loaner phone (it is a piece of junk, but it is a phone to use none the less).
On the top of my list of stressors is the terrible news I received via email this morning. A friend shared with me that another friend, "J", has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. After I read this, a wave of nausea washed over me, and has really not left me since.
This is a friend that I had lost touch with in the last few years as a result of us moving to opposite ends of North America. J's husband C use to work with Jeff when we all lived in Calgary, Alberta. Those were the days before kids, when we stayed up late and didn't know what a hangover was; good times were had in Calgary. I had recently reconnected by email with them, as they graciously donated to my campaign. We had filled each other in on our current lives, exchanged pictures of our kids, etc.
This awful news has left me feeling down and out. How can yet another beautiful young woman (and mother of 2 young boys) be afflicted by this terrible disease. I am 31 years old and can think of a handful of friends that have already battled cancer- this just isn't right or fair!
I am writing this today not only to vent my frustration and sadness, but also in hope that maybe some positive thoughts and prayers for J may help to make her fight that much easier. I know 'likes' on FB don't cure diseases (To be honest, I kind of can't stand those posts), but I think positivity has never hurt anyone. So today I am trying my best to send good vibes all the way to Minnesota, maybe you can join me. I know J is getting ready for battle, putting on her mouth guard and boxing gloves- maybe we can all be ready in her corner with an ice pack and some water. Keep your chin up J! We are here to help!
Friday, 25 January 2013
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Cutting myself some slack
Morning blood sugar: 3.9 (not the best way to start your day)
Episodes of low blood sugar: 1 including the above....I seem to have rebounded after this with being a bit high before dinner at 7.5...utterly confusing as always, but still decent numbers.
"C's" mood today: very needy at dinner time; Jeff works late Wednesdays so I was on my own. See below for more details.
Donations today: Feeling a bit stressed about the campaign in the last few days..so I am going to decline comment tonight in the theme of this entry (cutting myself some slack).
Clean eating and workout today: Not a great day for clean eating, I slept late this morning so had a quick bagel for breakfast. Veggie stirfry and brown rice for dinner (which I didn't want but it was leftovers from last night which was a blessing considering my son's mood!). Completed 5km on the wonderfully rented treadmill...honestly I wanted to walk the last 2km but stuck it out. :)
So my day started well (minus the low blood sugar). I had a busy and productive day at work, came home for a workout and was feeling quite energized. Then 4:00 pm hit. Uggh. What is it about 4pm that makes me feel completely out of fuel, short on patience, and ready to put my pajamas on? I don't know, but if someone has an answer, and a solution to my lack of the above please fill me in, I would love to hear it.
4 pm also tends to be the time C has a crash in his mood. He loves daycare but I can tell it is very stimulating for him, and like me, by late afternoon he is running on empty. Which would explain why if you were a fly on the wall in my house at 5 pm you would have seen my son eating dried apple slices from the package and watching Toopy and Binoo (www.treehousetv.com) while I frantically tried to heat up leftovers. By the time I got C to the table, turned the TV off, put some nice music on, turned down the lights and sat down, C was pulling his bib off saying "all done" before I could even check my blood sugar. Sigh.
I was feeling pretty sorry for myself at this point, thinking on top of this "seriously, now I have to test my blood and count carbs alongside all this chaos?" I could have continued to wallow but I decided to take a deep breath, take C out of his chair, turn the TV back on, and pour myself a glass of wine. Yes, I cut myself some slack. This isn't always easy for me but I did it. I drank my wine and ate my dinner while watching 'Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs'.
There is one bright side to being diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic while raising a 1 year old; I haven't had much time to feel down in the dumps. Don't get me wrong, there have been some low moments but having a toddler that needs you at all times really makes you lift your chin and move on fairly quickly. It isn't surprising that rates of depression are very high among diabetics http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/living/complications/depression/. It is a disease that consumes a lot of your time if you are trying to manage it well, and this can be very overwhelming. But I have learned a lot about myself in the last 6 months as a diabetic, and I have learned even more about myself in the last 22 months of being a parent. Sometimes it isn't about being perfect-there is no such thing in parenting or diabetes management. Sometimes it is just about doing the best you can.
So tonight my best involved having a glass of wine and having the TV on during dinner. I cut myself some slack and C and I are better off for it. Cheers to imperfections! And cheers to my sleeping toddler in the next room! :)
Episodes of low blood sugar: 1 including the above....I seem to have rebounded after this with being a bit high before dinner at 7.5...utterly confusing as always, but still decent numbers.
"C's" mood today: very needy at dinner time; Jeff works late Wednesdays so I was on my own. See below for more details.
Donations today: Feeling a bit stressed about the campaign in the last few days..so I am going to decline comment tonight in the theme of this entry (cutting myself some slack).
Clean eating and workout today: Not a great day for clean eating, I slept late this morning so had a quick bagel for breakfast. Veggie stirfry and brown rice for dinner (which I didn't want but it was leftovers from last night which was a blessing considering my son's mood!). Completed 5km on the wonderfully rented treadmill...honestly I wanted to walk the last 2km but stuck it out. :)
So my day started well (minus the low blood sugar). I had a busy and productive day at work, came home for a workout and was feeling quite energized. Then 4:00 pm hit. Uggh. What is it about 4pm that makes me feel completely out of fuel, short on patience, and ready to put my pajamas on? I don't know, but if someone has an answer, and a solution to my lack of the above please fill me in, I would love to hear it.
4 pm also tends to be the time C has a crash in his mood. He loves daycare but I can tell it is very stimulating for him, and like me, by late afternoon he is running on empty. Which would explain why if you were a fly on the wall in my house at 5 pm you would have seen my son eating dried apple slices from the package and watching Toopy and Binoo (www.treehousetv.com) while I frantically tried to heat up leftovers. By the time I got C to the table, turned the TV off, put some nice music on, turned down the lights and sat down, C was pulling his bib off saying "all done" before I could even check my blood sugar. Sigh.
I was feeling pretty sorry for myself at this point, thinking on top of this "seriously, now I have to test my blood and count carbs alongside all this chaos?" I could have continued to wallow but I decided to take a deep breath, take C out of his chair, turn the TV back on, and pour myself a glass of wine. Yes, I cut myself some slack. This isn't always easy for me but I did it. I drank my wine and ate my dinner while watching 'Harry and his Bucketful of Dinosaurs'.
There is one bright side to being diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic while raising a 1 year old; I haven't had much time to feel down in the dumps. Don't get me wrong, there have been some low moments but having a toddler that needs you at all times really makes you lift your chin and move on fairly quickly. It isn't surprising that rates of depression are very high among diabetics http://www.diabetes.ca/diabetes-and-you/living/complications/depression/. It is a disease that consumes a lot of your time if you are trying to manage it well, and this can be very overwhelming. But I have learned a lot about myself in the last 6 months as a diabetic, and I have learned even more about myself in the last 22 months of being a parent. Sometimes it isn't about being perfect-there is no such thing in parenting or diabetes management. Sometimes it is just about doing the best you can.
So tonight my best involved having a glass of wine and having the TV on during dinner. I cut myself some slack and C and I are better off for it. Cheers to imperfections! And cheers to my sleeping toddler in the next room! :)
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Exercise addict
Morning blood sugar: 5.4
Episodes of low blood sugar: None today! Yippee! (it's 2:30pm)
"C's" mood today: very opinionated but likes to hug and eat tomato soup (a fine balance)
Donations today: Haven't checked my events page today, so not sure (www.teamdiabetes.ca)
Clean eating: Does tomato soup count? I guess not from a can, which is what I fed my toddler today...we had whole grain crackers, low fat cheese, and apple slices with it so I think we deserve a B+ :)
Workout today: I completed 50 minutes of upper and lower body weights with a Jillian Michaels DVD this morning (www.jillianmichaels.com) and 4km on the treadmill this afternoon (see below for more details).
It's official, I'm an addict. Caffeine? No. Junk Food? No. Wine? Sadly, no. It's exercise. I am addicted to exercise. I have always been active; As a kid I was involved in softball, badminton, and a handful of school sports. In University I was a regular at the gym (Gritty Grotto anyone? www.umanitoba.ca), weights, the bike, the treadmill, whatever I felt like doing that particular day. And then it happened....I met and later married an exercise addict. As I have stated in previous posts, my husband Jeff is fit and fabulous. He is this way because he is addicted to exercise.
Jeff, as most people do, put on weight in the early years of University. He began running and eating right midway through his degree, and fancy that, the weight started to melt off. Since then he has kept the weight off (and gained a whole lot of muscle) by exercising religiously everyday. We are talkin' even with a newborn, he would take C down to our basement in the mornings and blast out an hour long workout while I tried to get some sleep.
My diagnosis as a Type 1 has really changed the way I feel about exercise. It helps me lower my blood sugars and keep them more level. This in turn helps me to need far less insulin. Talk about incentive to get the gym clothes on!
I have reached an all time low of addiction today though-I worked out not once but twice. Jeff and I decided to rent a treadmill for the next month; this will help me to get a few extra runs in while looking after C (I can run like I did today while he naps in the afternoon). I had an appointment today midmorning and Jeff wasn't able to pick up the treadmill until later in the morning. Wanting to get my workout completed first thing this morning, I decided to do one of our fitness DVDs.
When I returned home, there the treadmill was, looking fantastic in our basement, and conveniently located in front of the TV. My thought was," My training schedule did say to do 4km today..." So I reduced my lunch time insulin, tucked C into bed for a nap, and onto the treadmill I went. I couldn't help myself! It was like it was calling my name.
I know, I know, crazy, right? I truly can step back and see that this is a little bit nuts. Admitting there is a problem is the first step though... :) I promise, I won't do this everyday. In fact, doing this on a regular basis is likely playing with fire. You know the saying "too much of a good thing, really isn't a good thing" kind of like "mo' money, mo' problems" (I have not experienced the latter). What I mean is exercising more than I account for can lead to more lows and feeling terrible which I would most certainly like to avoid. So here is to eating some extra carbs this afternoon (the complex ones of course), and christening the new treadmill, and sticking with one workout a day for at least the next week! Happy Tuesday everyone!
Episodes of low blood sugar: None today! Yippee! (it's 2:30pm)
"C's" mood today: very opinionated but likes to hug and eat tomato soup (a fine balance)
Donations today: Haven't checked my events page today, so not sure (www.teamdiabetes.ca)
Clean eating: Does tomato soup count? I guess not from a can, which is what I fed my toddler today...we had whole grain crackers, low fat cheese, and apple slices with it so I think we deserve a B+ :)
Workout today: I completed 50 minutes of upper and lower body weights with a Jillian Michaels DVD this morning (www.jillianmichaels.com) and 4km on the treadmill this afternoon (see below for more details).
It's official, I'm an addict. Caffeine? No. Junk Food? No. Wine? Sadly, no. It's exercise. I am addicted to exercise. I have always been active; As a kid I was involved in softball, badminton, and a handful of school sports. In University I was a regular at the gym (Gritty Grotto anyone? www.umanitoba.ca), weights, the bike, the treadmill, whatever I felt like doing that particular day. And then it happened....I met and later married an exercise addict. As I have stated in previous posts, my husband Jeff is fit and fabulous. He is this way because he is addicted to exercise.
Jeff, as most people do, put on weight in the early years of University. He began running and eating right midway through his degree, and fancy that, the weight started to melt off. Since then he has kept the weight off (and gained a whole lot of muscle) by exercising religiously everyday. We are talkin' even with a newborn, he would take C down to our basement in the mornings and blast out an hour long workout while I tried to get some sleep.
My diagnosis as a Type 1 has really changed the way I feel about exercise. It helps me lower my blood sugars and keep them more level. This in turn helps me to need far less insulin. Talk about incentive to get the gym clothes on!
I have reached an all time low of addiction today though-I worked out not once but twice. Jeff and I decided to rent a treadmill for the next month; this will help me to get a few extra runs in while looking after C (I can run like I did today while he naps in the afternoon). I had an appointment today midmorning and Jeff wasn't able to pick up the treadmill until later in the morning. Wanting to get my workout completed first thing this morning, I decided to do one of our fitness DVDs.
When I returned home, there the treadmill was, looking fantastic in our basement, and conveniently located in front of the TV. My thought was," My training schedule did say to do 4km today..." So I reduced my lunch time insulin, tucked C into bed for a nap, and onto the treadmill I went. I couldn't help myself! It was like it was calling my name.
I know, I know, crazy, right? I truly can step back and see that this is a little bit nuts. Admitting there is a problem is the first step though... :) I promise, I won't do this everyday. In fact, doing this on a regular basis is likely playing with fire. You know the saying "too much of a good thing, really isn't a good thing" kind of like "mo' money, mo' problems" (I have not experienced the latter). What I mean is exercising more than I account for can lead to more lows and feeling terrible which I would most certainly like to avoid. So here is to eating some extra carbs this afternoon (the complex ones of course), and christening the new treadmill, and sticking with one workout a day for at least the next week! Happy Tuesday everyone!
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| Like my socks? Yes, I have jumped on the compression bandwagon! |
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| The enabler-handing me my running shoes! |
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Thank goodness for support!
Morning blood sugar: 4.8 (even with a reduction last night! crazy.)
Episodes of LBS today: None! Yippee!
"C's" mood today: he head butted a handle on a drawer this morning :( He now looks a bit like a unicorn with a bump between his eyebrows (heehee). Still appears in good spirits though. Was ready for a nap at 1pm today (what I mean by this is he was crying at the drop of a hat over things like me putting the playdough away)
Donations today: 1 from my great neighbours! :) And another inquiry about how to donate from a wonderful friend in Winnipeg. Good day!
Workout today: Crosstraining with plyometrics-upper body weights, squats, lunges, pushups x 30minutes (A Les Mills Combat special! See www.teambeachbody.com)
Clean eating: Saturdays I try and relax a little and treat myself....breakfast was a green smoothie with a cinnamon raisin bagel. I love bagels but they are carb bombs and unless you are exercising a lot they tend to skyrocket your blood sugar. Thankfully for me I have been exercising a lot, so a nice treat!
So I am feeling a bit tired today but infinitely better than the previous 3 days. I took a look at my log book and in those 3 days I had a total of 6 lows. Boo, that stinks. Yesterday I was feeling quite frustrated as I had made adjustments to my insulin (reduced it quite a bit) and took the day off exercise and still ended up with a couple of lows, one being in the afternoon after a nap. The low actually got me up because I was feeling so weird. I downed some jelly beans and even ate a Cadbury cream egg Jeff had brought home (delicious, but sinful) and was still sitting at only 6.4 after this!
So I talked to Jeff and he encouraged me to call either my doctor or the nurse at the Diabetic Education Center here in town. I am very lucky to live in a place where I have access to such a center, even more lucky that the nurse on staff, Margaret, is fantastic and very good at her job. I emailed her my concerns at 10 to 3 in the afternoon on a Friday without much hope of hearing back. Within 30 minutes she had written me back with a handful of suggestions on what to do. Awesome!
Our health care system takes a lot of knocks, and I am by no means saying there are not some major flaws in it, but this is an instance where I have nothing but positive things to say about the support I have received. When I was first diagnosed Margaret even provided me with her personal cell phone number in case I needed help. Sure enough 2 weeks after I started insulin injections I came down with the stomach flu and could only keep down apple juice. I cringed as I dialed her number, knowing that she was currently on holidays. I didn't know what else to do, and of course it was 9pm at night. Not only did she answer, she proceeded to speak to me for 15 minutes on how to manage. When I met up with her later in the month at the clinic she told me she would rather work for 15 minutes on her holiday than have me end up in the hospital. My kind of health care practitioner!
What I have realized is this new training program that I have started in the last 10 days has greatly changed my system metabolically. This week I completed 19kms of running total. Even though I have been completing workouts regularly for the past 4 months, adding that kind of mileage (kilometerage? :)) is definitely making me more insulin sensitive. Also adding to the mix is I am trying to run at a faster pace than previously which is increasing the intensity of the workouts as well.
So here is hoping for a 'low' free day, to continuing to adapt as necessary, and to having great technical support. I see Margaret again this Tuesday for a follow up and insulin pump education. Thank goodness!
Episodes of LBS today: None! Yippee!
"C's" mood today: he head butted a handle on a drawer this morning :( He now looks a bit like a unicorn with a bump between his eyebrows (heehee). Still appears in good spirits though. Was ready for a nap at 1pm today (what I mean by this is he was crying at the drop of a hat over things like me putting the playdough away)
Donations today: 1 from my great neighbours! :) And another inquiry about how to donate from a wonderful friend in Winnipeg. Good day!
Workout today: Crosstraining with plyometrics-upper body weights, squats, lunges, pushups x 30minutes (A Les Mills Combat special! See www.teambeachbody.com)
Clean eating: Saturdays I try and relax a little and treat myself....breakfast was a green smoothie with a cinnamon raisin bagel. I love bagels but they are carb bombs and unless you are exercising a lot they tend to skyrocket your blood sugar. Thankfully for me I have been exercising a lot, so a nice treat!
So I am feeling a bit tired today but infinitely better than the previous 3 days. I took a look at my log book and in those 3 days I had a total of 6 lows. Boo, that stinks. Yesterday I was feeling quite frustrated as I had made adjustments to my insulin (reduced it quite a bit) and took the day off exercise and still ended up with a couple of lows, one being in the afternoon after a nap. The low actually got me up because I was feeling so weird. I downed some jelly beans and even ate a Cadbury cream egg Jeff had brought home (delicious, but sinful) and was still sitting at only 6.4 after this!
So I talked to Jeff and he encouraged me to call either my doctor or the nurse at the Diabetic Education Center here in town. I am very lucky to live in a place where I have access to such a center, even more lucky that the nurse on staff, Margaret, is fantastic and very good at her job. I emailed her my concerns at 10 to 3 in the afternoon on a Friday without much hope of hearing back. Within 30 minutes she had written me back with a handful of suggestions on what to do. Awesome!
Our health care system takes a lot of knocks, and I am by no means saying there are not some major flaws in it, but this is an instance where I have nothing but positive things to say about the support I have received. When I was first diagnosed Margaret even provided me with her personal cell phone number in case I needed help. Sure enough 2 weeks after I started insulin injections I came down with the stomach flu and could only keep down apple juice. I cringed as I dialed her number, knowing that she was currently on holidays. I didn't know what else to do, and of course it was 9pm at night. Not only did she answer, she proceeded to speak to me for 15 minutes on how to manage. When I met up with her later in the month at the clinic she told me she would rather work for 15 minutes on her holiday than have me end up in the hospital. My kind of health care practitioner!
What I have realized is this new training program that I have started in the last 10 days has greatly changed my system metabolically. This week I completed 19kms of running total. Even though I have been completing workouts regularly for the past 4 months, adding that kind of mileage (kilometerage? :)) is definitely making me more insulin sensitive. Also adding to the mix is I am trying to run at a faster pace than previously which is increasing the intensity of the workouts as well.
So here is hoping for a 'low' free day, to continuing to adapt as necessary, and to having great technical support. I see Margaret again this Tuesday for a follow up and insulin pump education. Thank goodness!
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| Carb bombs-I mean bagels |
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Honeymoon phase number 2?
Morning blood sugar today: 4.8
Episodes of low blood sugar today: 2 :( (wth?)
"C's" mood today: cute as ever!
Donations today: none
Clean Eating Breakfast: oatmeal with 2 tbsps "Holy Crap Cereal", which is basically bird seed! Just kidding, it has hemp seeds and chia seeds in it which are suppose to be great for you. Tastes decent but they get kinda stuck in your teeth (have dental floss on hand). It was featured on Dragon's Den ( Jeff loves this show and I am often stuck watching it!).
So I'm not sure what is going on these days but I suddenly seem to be needing less insulin. Over the past few weeks I have been lowering my long acting insulin every night by 1 unit. I am now taking 6 units at night and 4 in the morning. I had been taking 8 at night. With this change I am still waking up with numbers in the fours and low fives. So it has left me thinking, " what is happening?"
When I was first diagnosed the Diabetic education center nurses and my endocrinologist told me about the "honeymoon phase". This is when your pancreas takes its proverbial " last kick at the can". When you begin to take synthetic insulin injections apparently it can give the pancreas a little jump start and it will start to pump out more insulin again. I guess a kind of " don't replace me just yet" kind of statement. According to my health care team, my honeymoon didn't last long :( While they do feel my pancreas is still producing a bit of insulin, my need for synthetic insulin rose quickly after my diagnosis. Apparently for some this phase can last years!
Unfortunately about 2 weeks after my diagnosis my 1 year old was nice enough to pass me a wicked case of the stomach flu- which in turn may have contributed to my petering pancreas' fast decline. Love you C! Don't love the stomach flu!
With the changes that have been happening in the last few weeks, it has left me to wonder if this is honeymoon number 2. I have increased my mileage with running, and with my training program I am working on more pacing which are all things my body is adapting to. Last week it was also "that time of the month" which often gives me more lows than highs. Hmmmm, lots to ponder. Well here is to taking 1 less unit of insulin tonight and hitting up some more 'diabetic athlete' websites tomorrow and hopefully I can stop digging in to my jelly bean stash on a daily basis (not that I'm complaining) :)
Episodes of low blood sugar today: 2 :( (wth?)
"C's" mood today: cute as ever!
Donations today: none
Clean Eating Breakfast: oatmeal with 2 tbsps "Holy Crap Cereal", which is basically bird seed! Just kidding, it has hemp seeds and chia seeds in it which are suppose to be great for you. Tastes decent but they get kinda stuck in your teeth (have dental floss on hand). It was featured on Dragon's Den ( Jeff loves this show and I am often stuck watching it!).
So I'm not sure what is going on these days but I suddenly seem to be needing less insulin. Over the past few weeks I have been lowering my long acting insulin every night by 1 unit. I am now taking 6 units at night and 4 in the morning. I had been taking 8 at night. With this change I am still waking up with numbers in the fours and low fives. So it has left me thinking, " what is happening?"
When I was first diagnosed the Diabetic education center nurses and my endocrinologist told me about the "honeymoon phase". This is when your pancreas takes its proverbial " last kick at the can". When you begin to take synthetic insulin injections apparently it can give the pancreas a little jump start and it will start to pump out more insulin again. I guess a kind of " don't replace me just yet" kind of statement. According to my health care team, my honeymoon didn't last long :( While they do feel my pancreas is still producing a bit of insulin, my need for synthetic insulin rose quickly after my diagnosis. Apparently for some this phase can last years!
Unfortunately about 2 weeks after my diagnosis my 1 year old was nice enough to pass me a wicked case of the stomach flu- which in turn may have contributed to my petering pancreas' fast decline. Love you C! Don't love the stomach flu!
With the changes that have been happening in the last few weeks, it has left me to wonder if this is honeymoon number 2. I have increased my mileage with running, and with my training program I am working on more pacing which are all things my body is adapting to. Last week it was also "that time of the month" which often gives me more lows than highs. Hmmmm, lots to ponder. Well here is to taking 1 less unit of insulin tonight and hitting up some more 'diabetic athlete' websites tomorrow and hopefully I can stop digging in to my jelly bean stash on a daily basis (not that I'm complaining) :)
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Frustration nation-thank goodness for endorphins
Morning blood sugar today: 5.0 (right on target)
Low blood sugar episodes today: 1 (see below for the whole story)
"C's" mood today: opinionated and slightly grumpy but was an awesome running partner today
Donations today: 1, from a distant cousin :) I have never even met them! Amazing!
Eating clean lunch: A twist on my go-to smoothie, omitted spinach for avocado, different but good. Can't believe how creamy the avocado gets!
So I had a frustrating morning. My planned workout was a 5km run. I am sure I am not alone when I say that trying to run in January isn't always easy, even when you do live on Vancouver Island. Jeff had an appointment before work so if I was going to go out solo for my workout it was going to have to be no later than 7:45am so that I could be back in time to look after C before Jeff had to head out.
I gloriously got to sleep in until 7:25 as my little man decided to sleep in as well. Jeff "the fitness machine" was up at 6 for a workout while the rest of the house was comatose. When I looked out the window at 7:30 it was still dark. 'Uggh' was my first thought. My second thought was that if I was going to spend time with my husband today the only opportunity was over breakfast as Jeff would be gone all day to work and he works late Tuesdays. So I decided to eat breakfast with him and do my run down at the waterfront by mid-morning with dog, stroller, and C in tow.
I love to run at the waterfront, it is beautiful! There are also people around to help motivate me compared to the nearly deserted trail we have down by our house. Also working in its' favor is that it is flat which is hard to come by in this city. I am not against hills but when you are pushing a 30 lb kid in a stroller I am going to opt for flat!
Needless to say packing up a dog, a 1year old, and a diabetic to drive 10 minutes to the water doesn't exactly take 1 second. By the time I packed up the stroller, the dog, the dog crate, snacks for both the 1 year old and diabetic, emergency jelly beans, water, poo bags and got both the 1 year old and diabetic dressed I was seeing spots. I tested and sure enough a 3.0. When you have low blood sugar it means one of two things-1) you took too much insulin, 2) you didn't eat enough. Currently I take 1 unit of insulin for every 20grams of carbs. This morning I ate 45 grams of carbs according to my calculation and I took only 1 unit of insulin-when you plan to exercise you are suppose to reduce your insulin by 50%, which I did! So what the heck was this 3.0! Ask my endocrin system because I have no idea.
So my first thought after reading the result was "oh crap!" my second thought was "this disease is crap!" So I ate my 8 jelly beans, gave 1 to C to keep him happy and sat in the car on my driveway for 15 minutes until I started to feel better. By the time we arrived at the waterfront I was still feeling a bit shaky and had a mild thumping in my head; pretty much the last thing I felt like doing was running.
In true "Jeff tough" fashion, I ate a few more jelly beans and set out on my run. What I mean by "Jeff tough" is that my husband is no suck-he is a prairie farm kid and he doesn't let a lot get to him. He often sucks it up and moves on without blinking an eye. He often calls me a princess but I think those that know me know that I am really only mildly sucky; he is just so far to the other extreme that relatively speaking I am a suck. :) Anyways, back to my story....
So today instead of letting my LBS ruin my day I took a page from my husband's play book and moved on. And I am glad I did. The run wasn't my finest 30 minutes, with stopping for numerous dog bathroom breaks, but I sure felt better afterwards. Nothing like that nice endorphin boost after finishing a work out to lift you out of your funk. It also helped to hear a woman with a walking group look me up and down while I was running and say "now there is a fit mom!" Yes, I am a fit mom! It is hard work and it often comes with frustration but here I am!
P.S. To my mom who has likely just read this, please don't worry. I know I had another low, but I can't let these stop me from living my life. I would never proceed to exercise or even drive for that matter if I felt that I wasn't being unsafe. You know as well as I do sometimes you can do everything right and your readings are still weird and unpredictable. That is just the way this stupid disease is! Love you, and thank you for worrying but please don't. xo A
Low blood sugar episodes today: 1 (see below for the whole story)
"C's" mood today: opinionated and slightly grumpy but was an awesome running partner today
Donations today: 1, from a distant cousin :) I have never even met them! Amazing!
Eating clean lunch: A twist on my go-to smoothie, omitted spinach for avocado, different but good. Can't believe how creamy the avocado gets!
So I had a frustrating morning. My planned workout was a 5km run. I am sure I am not alone when I say that trying to run in January isn't always easy, even when you do live on Vancouver Island. Jeff had an appointment before work so if I was going to go out solo for my workout it was going to have to be no later than 7:45am so that I could be back in time to look after C before Jeff had to head out.
I gloriously got to sleep in until 7:25 as my little man decided to sleep in as well. Jeff "the fitness machine" was up at 6 for a workout while the rest of the house was comatose. When I looked out the window at 7:30 it was still dark. 'Uggh' was my first thought. My second thought was that if I was going to spend time with my husband today the only opportunity was over breakfast as Jeff would be gone all day to work and he works late Tuesdays. So I decided to eat breakfast with him and do my run down at the waterfront by mid-morning with dog, stroller, and C in tow.
I love to run at the waterfront, it is beautiful! There are also people around to help motivate me compared to the nearly deserted trail we have down by our house. Also working in its' favor is that it is flat which is hard to come by in this city. I am not against hills but when you are pushing a 30 lb kid in a stroller I am going to opt for flat!
Needless to say packing up a dog, a 1year old, and a diabetic to drive 10 minutes to the water doesn't exactly take 1 second. By the time I packed up the stroller, the dog, the dog crate, snacks for both the 1 year old and diabetic, emergency jelly beans, water, poo bags and got both the 1 year old and diabetic dressed I was seeing spots. I tested and sure enough a 3.0. When you have low blood sugar it means one of two things-1) you took too much insulin, 2) you didn't eat enough. Currently I take 1 unit of insulin for every 20grams of carbs. This morning I ate 45 grams of carbs according to my calculation and I took only 1 unit of insulin-when you plan to exercise you are suppose to reduce your insulin by 50%, which I did! So what the heck was this 3.0! Ask my endocrin system because I have no idea.
So my first thought after reading the result was "oh crap!" my second thought was "this disease is crap!" So I ate my 8 jelly beans, gave 1 to C to keep him happy and sat in the car on my driveway for 15 minutes until I started to feel better. By the time we arrived at the waterfront I was still feeling a bit shaky and had a mild thumping in my head; pretty much the last thing I felt like doing was running.
In true "Jeff tough" fashion, I ate a few more jelly beans and set out on my run. What I mean by "Jeff tough" is that my husband is no suck-he is a prairie farm kid and he doesn't let a lot get to him. He often sucks it up and moves on without blinking an eye. He often calls me a princess but I think those that know me know that I am really only mildly sucky; he is just so far to the other extreme that relatively speaking I am a suck. :) Anyways, back to my story....
So today instead of letting my LBS ruin my day I took a page from my husband's play book and moved on. And I am glad I did. The run wasn't my finest 30 minutes, with stopping for numerous dog bathroom breaks, but I sure felt better afterwards. Nothing like that nice endorphin boost after finishing a work out to lift you out of your funk. It also helped to hear a woman with a walking group look me up and down while I was running and say "now there is a fit mom!" Yes, I am a fit mom! It is hard work and it often comes with frustration but here I am!
P.S. To my mom who has likely just read this, please don't worry. I know I had another low, but I can't let these stop me from living my life. I would never proceed to exercise or even drive for that matter if I felt that I wasn't being unsafe. You know as well as I do sometimes you can do everything right and your readings are still weird and unpredictable. That is just the way this stupid disease is! Love you, and thank you for worrying but please don't. xo A
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| Post-run lunch-half a bagel and an avocado smoothie |
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| One of us felt invigorated after the 5km, one of us was fatigued |
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| Post-run coffee stop-what is a run without a treat after? |
Monday, 14 January 2013
Starting with a rest
Morning blood sugar today: 4.0
Episodes of low blood sugar today: 1 (again, at work, but read a 3.9 around 9am, felt ok so had a snack)
"C's" mood today: woke up babbling at 6am! Apparently he was ready to go...if only we could translate what the heck he was saying at the crack of dawn. :)
Donations today: None (the January lull)
Clean eating lunch today: Spinach salad with almonds, dried cranberries, and feta with whole grain crackers. Delicious!
Slow day at work today. I had an almost fully booked day when I arrived but ended up seeing only a handful of people. This doesn't happen very often, so I should really just take a deep breath and enjoy it but it is in my nature when this does happen to feel antsy. Then the analyzing starts. 'Why didn't my client's show up' How much is this costing me to be here' I could have had a day at home with my son."I guess everyone has a case of the January doldrums this week, me included.
It started Saturday night when I laid down for the night. Suddenly it felt like I was swallowing razor blades. This should really come as no surprise-C and almost everyone I work with has been fighting a cold for the past week or so. It is funny how you think a nice weekend away will help to make you feel refreshed. Jeff and I went down to Seattle for 2 nights over the weekend; my wonderful parents looked after C for us so that we could have a fun time shopping and having some down time. It was wonderful to get away with Jeff, and even more wonderful to shop with as much time as I needed. I spent way too much and found some great things including some awesome new fluorescent runners and a fab running jacket (High performance gear for me! No more Costco yoga pants!). But for some reason instead of feeling refreshed I feel more tired. Sometimes I am not the best with a change in routine, maybe this has thrown me off.
I think the world is collectively trying to tell me to get some rest. I picked up my training schedule for the half marathon last night; I was excited to see what workout was scheduled for today. The schedule says "Monday-REST" So considering I am feeling slightly under the weather and likely just to make things worse if I push on I am going to listen today to what the world seems to be telling me. So I'm off to pick up C, and home for a nice afternoon nap! If you need me, sorry I'll be sleeping. I'll catch you tomorrow! Maybe this is what I should have told people in the first place this morning! :)
These lovelies will have to wait until tomorrow!
Episodes of low blood sugar today: 1 (again, at work, but read a 3.9 around 9am, felt ok so had a snack)
"C's" mood today: woke up babbling at 6am! Apparently he was ready to go...if only we could translate what the heck he was saying at the crack of dawn. :)
Donations today: None (the January lull)
Clean eating lunch today: Spinach salad with almonds, dried cranberries, and feta with whole grain crackers. Delicious!
Slow day at work today. I had an almost fully booked day when I arrived but ended up seeing only a handful of people. This doesn't happen very often, so I should really just take a deep breath and enjoy it but it is in my nature when this does happen to feel antsy. Then the analyzing starts. 'Why didn't my client's show up' How much is this costing me to be here' I could have had a day at home with my son."I guess everyone has a case of the January doldrums this week, me included.
It started Saturday night when I laid down for the night. Suddenly it felt like I was swallowing razor blades. This should really come as no surprise-C and almost everyone I work with has been fighting a cold for the past week or so. It is funny how you think a nice weekend away will help to make you feel refreshed. Jeff and I went down to Seattle for 2 nights over the weekend; my wonderful parents looked after C for us so that we could have a fun time shopping and having some down time. It was wonderful to get away with Jeff, and even more wonderful to shop with as much time as I needed. I spent way too much and found some great things including some awesome new fluorescent runners and a fab running jacket (High performance gear for me! No more Costco yoga pants!). But for some reason instead of feeling refreshed I feel more tired. Sometimes I am not the best with a change in routine, maybe this has thrown me off.
I think the world is collectively trying to tell me to get some rest. I picked up my training schedule for the half marathon last night; I was excited to see what workout was scheduled for today. The schedule says "Monday-REST" So considering I am feeling slightly under the weather and likely just to make things worse if I push on I am going to listen today to what the world seems to be telling me. So I'm off to pick up C, and home for a nice afternoon nap! If you need me, sorry I'll be sleeping. I'll catch you tomorrow! Maybe this is what I should have told people in the first place this morning! :)
These lovelies will have to wait until tomorrow!
Friday, 11 January 2013
Let the training begin!
Morning blood sugar: 5.0
Episodes of Low blood sugar today: 2 (boo!) 1 was at work, nothing like consuming skittles at 8:30 am :) the other was after a run-my bad should've had a post-run snack ready!
“C's” mood today: a little lethargic from his chest cold, but still giggly. Thank goodness for that giggle!
Donations today: none (that's ok, it really has been a great week for that already)
Clean eating confession: had cereal for lunch, not a really bad kind but not the no sugar kind :( Ended up with a 13.5 in the afternoon as a result. Boo, I miss eating copious amounts of cereal. Good news is I didn't feel bad as a result. And in my defence I was busy getting C down for a good rest and hence the hasty lunch.
So I attended my first Running Clinic session tonight. I have signed up for the Half Marathon Clinic with the Running Room Store here in town. What this means is I will spend the next 17 Thursday evenings at 6pm meeting a group of people to complete training runs with; all of the participants will be completing Half or Full Marathons in 5-6 months. What a concept! I can't believe I have managed to complete 5 half marathons and have never before taken advantage of a program like this. I think this will be great! To top it off, I sat down and one of my great girlfriends walked in; we use to work together but now I don't see her as much. So now I also get to socialize with someone great once a week. Bonus!
I consulted neighbours and clients before signing up to see which clinic they found to be the most well rounded. I live in a small city, but there are a few places that offer these clinics. The reviews for the Running Room were that they were “very welcoming, inclusive and supportive.” Well from the reception I got tonight I think I chose wisely. We spoke mostly tonight about goals and arranging training plans and completed the evening with a nice short and sweet 3k. I proceeded to tell a room full of people my pace goal for the Iceland Half Marathon; no going back now I guess. To solidify it even more I am going to write it here as well. My goal is to finish in 1:59.59...anything under 2 hours please and thank you! That is a full 15 minutes faster than my last one, but I have to remind myself that I ran Victoria with less than ideal training, and oh right, was diagnosed with an incurable disease in the middle of training. But I digress. Now there is really no going back. Iceland or bust people! Go hard or go home! :) Time to get serious about training.
But first some shopping is needed. Apparently I need some high performance gear. Jeff and I often make jokes about people and their high performance gear (check out www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.com online, (thanks Jennie!) for sharing this website years ago). Needless to say I felt a bit inadequate sitting there tonight in my Costco yoga pants and my Warehouse One Sweatshirt (yes, Warehouse One, no, this isn't 1990, I swear I bought it last year). Good timing for me as Jeff has been begging to go down to the States for some shopping for months now, and we just happen to be heading down to Seattle as I write this. So here is to lacing up some (maybe new?) shoes Sunday once we are back home.:)
Wednesday, 9 January 2013
Designer jeans? New shoes? No test strips and an insulin pump please.
Morning blood sugar: 4.8
Episodes of low blood sugar today: None (yippee, 3pm though)
"C's" Mood today: Happy but a bit wheezy ( I don't like the wheezing one bit :( )
Donations today: 1, from a fab friend in Winnipeg :) Love her!
Awesome, delicious breakfast this morning: Almond Paleo Pancakes ...got this recipe from a magazine article I read in Running Magazine Canada about the Paleo Diet craze and actually made them for dinner last night. A hit with my son and who doesn't like leftovers for breakfast the next morning? Yummy.
So I ordered my pump today. Eek! I am excited but a little nervous as well. $6,600.00 later on the VISA. Yes, that is 6 thousand, 6 hundred dollars, not a typo, but the price you pay for a pump in Canada and 1 month worth of things called pods (those are the little devices that I wear on my skin which have to be changed every 3 days). All I can say is thank goodness for my husband and his sweet benefits at work because this amount will be reimbursed to us after we submit the receipt. His amazing insurance company will also cover the $300.00 per month cost of pods.
Not only is it expensive to be a diabetic with a pump, it is expensive to be a diabetic in general. Blood testing strips? They cost roughly $85.00 for a box of 100. I test my blood roughly 5-6 times per day (sometimes more, sometimes less depending if I have had lows or not), that is 35 test strips a week, or 140 per month. Insulin? I use Lantus for long acting insulin-$200.00 for a 4 month supply; Humalog is the fast acting insulin I use and it costs roughly $120.00 for a 5 month supply. Oh, and there are also needles to pay for; this is the cheapest part of supplies at $50.00 for a box of 100. I use 5 needles a day, thats 35 per week.
All I can say is thank goodness for insurance! And thank goodness for marriage! And thank goodness for spousal benefits! I myself am self-employed and have never had a drug plan but thank the lord that Jeff has a plan. Now I am very lucky that the insurance we have currently is covering the pump and supplies %100. Our previous insurance company would cover only %80.00 of my insulin, test strips, and needles. Believe me, that added up on its own.
I can't even imagine trying to manage my disease if I had no support from an insurance company. Jeff and I both have good jobs too. The stress of fighting a disease with no cure is stressful enough without the added financial pressure of budgeting for your supplies and insulin.
I remember when I first spoke to my doctor about a pump, I mentioned the costs and asked him how people afford it. His response was "People make it a priority. Maybe they don't take a vacation in a year" Oh, ok so people who are unlucky enough to have diabetes just never take vacations because their vacation budget is spent on test strips and insulin? No offense to my doctor, I know he was trying to make it sound possible to afford the expenses, but that was one of the more depressing things I have heard in the last 6 months! Even more depressing was that he told me that because Canada is a smaller market, pumps cost more money. He proceeded to tell me that you could likely purchase a pump in the United States for $1500.00. Awesome. Nothing like paying 4 times what your American counterparts are paying!
The worst part of all of this is that pumps are suppose to improve the quality of life of the diabetic. They are suppose to provide more freedom, less worry, and act more like a healthy pancreas than injections can. But I guess only if you have insurance or can afford the hefty price tag. Shouldn't everyone in Canada have access to the best healthcare options? I thought that was the way it was, but apparently not.
Diabetes is an expensive disease to have plain and simple. I consider myself very lucky that I have financial support through insurance and as well that I make a good income to be able to buy other things that help me manage like healthy foods and exercise equipment. Not everyone is as lucky as me though and I am very aware of this, yet another reason why my fundraising campaign has taken on a whole new meaning to me. So here is to being one lucky girl with insurance; hoping to make a difference for those unlucky folks 1 blog entry at a time. :)
Episodes of low blood sugar today: None (yippee, 3pm though)
"C's" Mood today: Happy but a bit wheezy ( I don't like the wheezing one bit :( )
Donations today: 1, from a fab friend in Winnipeg :) Love her!
Awesome, delicious breakfast this morning: Almond Paleo Pancakes ...got this recipe from a magazine article I read in Running Magazine Canada about the Paleo Diet craze and actually made them for dinner last night. A hit with my son and who doesn't like leftovers for breakfast the next morning? Yummy.
So I ordered my pump today. Eek! I am excited but a little nervous as well. $6,600.00 later on the VISA. Yes, that is 6 thousand, 6 hundred dollars, not a typo, but the price you pay for a pump in Canada and 1 month worth of things called pods (those are the little devices that I wear on my skin which have to be changed every 3 days). All I can say is thank goodness for my husband and his sweet benefits at work because this amount will be reimbursed to us after we submit the receipt. His amazing insurance company will also cover the $300.00 per month cost of pods.
Not only is it expensive to be a diabetic with a pump, it is expensive to be a diabetic in general. Blood testing strips? They cost roughly $85.00 for a box of 100. I test my blood roughly 5-6 times per day (sometimes more, sometimes less depending if I have had lows or not), that is 35 test strips a week, or 140 per month. Insulin? I use Lantus for long acting insulin-$200.00 for a 4 month supply; Humalog is the fast acting insulin I use and it costs roughly $120.00 for a 5 month supply. Oh, and there are also needles to pay for; this is the cheapest part of supplies at $50.00 for a box of 100. I use 5 needles a day, thats 35 per week.
All I can say is thank goodness for insurance! And thank goodness for marriage! And thank goodness for spousal benefits! I myself am self-employed and have never had a drug plan but thank the lord that Jeff has a plan. Now I am very lucky that the insurance we have currently is covering the pump and supplies %100. Our previous insurance company would cover only %80.00 of my insulin, test strips, and needles. Believe me, that added up on its own.
I can't even imagine trying to manage my disease if I had no support from an insurance company. Jeff and I both have good jobs too. The stress of fighting a disease with no cure is stressful enough without the added financial pressure of budgeting for your supplies and insulin.
I remember when I first spoke to my doctor about a pump, I mentioned the costs and asked him how people afford it. His response was "People make it a priority. Maybe they don't take a vacation in a year" Oh, ok so people who are unlucky enough to have diabetes just never take vacations because their vacation budget is spent on test strips and insulin? No offense to my doctor, I know he was trying to make it sound possible to afford the expenses, but that was one of the more depressing things I have heard in the last 6 months! Even more depressing was that he told me that because Canada is a smaller market, pumps cost more money. He proceeded to tell me that you could likely purchase a pump in the United States for $1500.00. Awesome. Nothing like paying 4 times what your American counterparts are paying!
The worst part of all of this is that pumps are suppose to improve the quality of life of the diabetic. They are suppose to provide more freedom, less worry, and act more like a healthy pancreas than injections can. But I guess only if you have insurance or can afford the hefty price tag. Shouldn't everyone in Canada have access to the best healthcare options? I thought that was the way it was, but apparently not.
Diabetes is an expensive disease to have plain and simple. I consider myself very lucky that I have financial support through insurance and as well that I make a good income to be able to buy other things that help me manage like healthy foods and exercise equipment. Not everyone is as lucky as me though and I am very aware of this, yet another reason why my fundraising campaign has taken on a whole new meaning to me. So here is to being one lucky girl with insurance; hoping to make a difference for those unlucky folks 1 blog entry at a time. :)
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Swing Low
Morning blood sugar: 4.8
Episodes of LBS today: 1 :( This happened at 2am
"C' mood today: Good! Poor guy has a nasty cough all of a sudden but still smiling!
Donations today: 2 (a big one too, yippee!)
Clean eating menu for tonight: A "Macgiver dinner" this is a name I got from a co-worker, it is where you make something by randomly grabbing items from your cupboard...our dinner tonight will likely involve rice, kidney beans and maybe canned tuna? Hmm, not sure:)
Not feeling so hot today. It seems these days every second person I meet is unwell with a cold or flu or a combination of the two. I am fortunate to not be in this category but I am suffering today from something I like to call a "low blood sugar hangover". I woke at 2am feeling dizzy and uncoordinated. How does one feel uncoordinated in bed? Well I went to roll over and felt as though each of my limbs weighed 100 lbs. Suddenly a rush of anxiety came over me, "I think I'm low" I thought, my second thought was, "Amy, get up! Go test your blood!" So I made my way through the fog to the kitchen...sure enough 3.7 was the reading (anything under 4 is considered low) so thankfully I was low and dropping fast but caught it in time to act on it. Quickly downed some orange juice because my husband had yet again eaten the jelly beans I keep on hand. I love Jeff but he is a jelly bean addict. I need to find something for LBS that he doesn't eat up!
When I was first placed on insulin I think my biggest fear was having LBS in the middle of the night. Growing up, I can remember my mom having a couple of episodes in the middle of the night where she was so low that my dad couldn't get her to swallow anything. When this happens paramedics have to be called to give an injection of glycogen (I think it is glycogen, might be something else, anyways it is a fast acting substance that raises your blood sugar). One time the first responders were firemen...you can imagine my mom's surprise when she came around to 3 firemen standing in her bedroom! This only happened 2 or 3 times that I can remember in my childhood but it was pretty frightening. So you can imagine when I took my first nighttime dose of insulin what was running through my head. What makes things worse is that I have heard that the longer you have been a type 1, often your symptoms of LBS become different. Instead of getting the shakes and sweats your symptoms would simply be mental confusion-that isn't exactly something you are going to clue into at 2am! Currently I am thankful that I am aware enough to identify these episodes especially through the fog of sleep, but it remains a very scary experience.
I made my way back to bed around 2:15 am. Unfortunately I was woken up again at 5:45am. This time it was "C' and not low blood sugar; if I have to pick a thing to wake up for I am going to pick him and not a medical emergency for myself! But I have to say I was feeling pretty grouchy by this time, especially when "C' decided he didn't want to go back to sleep. Thankfully this rarely happens in our house, as my son can mostly be counted on to sleep until at least 6:30, and also thankfully I have a husband who is a morning person so he took "C' downstairs to play!
I rolled out of bed at 7:45 with a "hangover". No I didn't have anything to drink last night, I can assure you. This was the aftermath of the little 2am episode I had (grumble, grumble). For whatever reason, sometimes it can take a long time to feel better after having LBS, and today is one of those days. I have a headache, feel tired, and feel a bit off kilter (like a hangover!). I still managed to do a little workout (30 minutes on the elliptical) but I can tell you I wasn't feelin' it today! :( So I slogged through and made it.
All I can say is I am looking forward to tomorrow, a new day. Here is hoping for no LBS in the night and no hangover tomorrow!
Episodes of LBS today: 1 :( This happened at 2am
"C' mood today: Good! Poor guy has a nasty cough all of a sudden but still smiling!
Donations today: 2 (a big one too, yippee!)
Clean eating menu for tonight: A "Macgiver dinner" this is a name I got from a co-worker, it is where you make something by randomly grabbing items from your cupboard...our dinner tonight will likely involve rice, kidney beans and maybe canned tuna? Hmm, not sure:)
Not feeling so hot today. It seems these days every second person I meet is unwell with a cold or flu or a combination of the two. I am fortunate to not be in this category but I am suffering today from something I like to call a "low blood sugar hangover". I woke at 2am feeling dizzy and uncoordinated. How does one feel uncoordinated in bed? Well I went to roll over and felt as though each of my limbs weighed 100 lbs. Suddenly a rush of anxiety came over me, "I think I'm low" I thought, my second thought was, "Amy, get up! Go test your blood!" So I made my way through the fog to the kitchen...sure enough 3.7 was the reading (anything under 4 is considered low) so thankfully I was low and dropping fast but caught it in time to act on it. Quickly downed some orange juice because my husband had yet again eaten the jelly beans I keep on hand. I love Jeff but he is a jelly bean addict. I need to find something for LBS that he doesn't eat up!
When I was first placed on insulin I think my biggest fear was having LBS in the middle of the night. Growing up, I can remember my mom having a couple of episodes in the middle of the night where she was so low that my dad couldn't get her to swallow anything. When this happens paramedics have to be called to give an injection of glycogen (I think it is glycogen, might be something else, anyways it is a fast acting substance that raises your blood sugar). One time the first responders were firemen...you can imagine my mom's surprise when she came around to 3 firemen standing in her bedroom! This only happened 2 or 3 times that I can remember in my childhood but it was pretty frightening. So you can imagine when I took my first nighttime dose of insulin what was running through my head. What makes things worse is that I have heard that the longer you have been a type 1, often your symptoms of LBS become different. Instead of getting the shakes and sweats your symptoms would simply be mental confusion-that isn't exactly something you are going to clue into at 2am! Currently I am thankful that I am aware enough to identify these episodes especially through the fog of sleep, but it remains a very scary experience.
I made my way back to bed around 2:15 am. Unfortunately I was woken up again at 5:45am. This time it was "C' and not low blood sugar; if I have to pick a thing to wake up for I am going to pick him and not a medical emergency for myself! But I have to say I was feeling pretty grouchy by this time, especially when "C' decided he didn't want to go back to sleep. Thankfully this rarely happens in our house, as my son can mostly be counted on to sleep until at least 6:30, and also thankfully I have a husband who is a morning person so he took "C' downstairs to play!
I rolled out of bed at 7:45 with a "hangover". No I didn't have anything to drink last night, I can assure you. This was the aftermath of the little 2am episode I had (grumble, grumble). For whatever reason, sometimes it can take a long time to feel better after having LBS, and today is one of those days. I have a headache, feel tired, and feel a bit off kilter (like a hangover!). I still managed to do a little workout (30 minutes on the elliptical) but I can tell you I wasn't feelin' it today! :( So I slogged through and made it.
All I can say is I am looking forward to tomorrow, a new day. Here is hoping for no LBS in the night and no hangover tomorrow!
Monday, 7 January 2013
To pump or not to pump?
Morning blood sugar: 4.8
Episodes of low blood sugar today: none...was a bit high before dinner at 7.8 (fasting blood sugar should be 5-6) and considering I barely had any snacks in the afternoon that is frustrating and puzzling!
"C" mood today: happy-spent most of the day at daycare, he loves daycare!
Clean eating today: breakfast-oatmeal with protein powder and grapefruit, dinner-sweet potato soup and tomato arugula frittata...Yummy!
Don't let the title mislead you, this has nothing to do with breastfeeding! Although I could likely write a novel on that subject, that is not what I am writing about today. Today after months of waiting I received a letter from Jeff's insurance benefits company stating that they will cover %100 of the cost of an insulin pump. This is a big deal as pumps are very expensive, and it is also a big deal as it has left me thinking about what I should do next.
An insulin pump is a small device that you wear that feeds you a constant small stream of fast acting insulin. It obviously does not replace or act exactly like a healthy pancreas but as far as technology is concerned, it is as close as we can get. There are different kinds of pumps out there, some with wires that attach to you with something called an infusion set and the pump looks very similar to a pager. The pager-type piece can be clipped to your waistband or bra-strap. The pump I like the best is the Omnipod wireless pump that is similar in size to a tic-tac container. It sticks to your skin and there is a remote (looks like a cell phone) that you can alter the insulin stream with; you lower the stream when exercising and you do something called 'bolus" at meal times. A bolus is the amount of insulin that corresponds with the amount of carbohydrate you consume.
Apparently I am a perfect candidate for a pump according to the health care team I have been working with. I am young, active, with a busy family life. Pumps allow you more freedom than the injections I take currently, for example when I exercise currently I have to plan ahead, I have to know what kind of exercise I am going to do ahead of time, how long I am going to do it and I have to reduce my insulin appropriately. If something comes up, and I decide I have no time to exercise and I have already adjusted my insulin a few hours prior, I end up with high blood sugar. With a pump you can be more spontaneous-if I suddenly decide I want to run 10km instead of 5km I can simply set a lower flow of insulin for a longer period of time and carry on. The other huge positive is that a pump would reduce my injections from 5 per day to 1 every 3 days (awesome!).
The downside is that I will always have a tic tac container attached to me. And part of me feels that this will be a pain! I am leaning 95% toward going through with getting a pump but a small (silly) part of me is worrying about it interfering with my clothing choices and the questions I might face about the small lump under my shirt. :(
I am sure I will adapt and get use to this whole set up, but for now I am going to roll things around in my head a little bit more and maybe break out another demo and wear it for a few more days. Jeff's co-worker has a relative that went to a pump a few years ago and this relative said that "it has changed her life!" With that kind of recommendation it sounds like pumping is the way to go. Bring on the tic tac container.
www.myomnipod.ca
Episodes of low blood sugar today: none...was a bit high before dinner at 7.8 (fasting blood sugar should be 5-6) and considering I barely had any snacks in the afternoon that is frustrating and puzzling!
"C" mood today: happy-spent most of the day at daycare, he loves daycare!
Clean eating today: breakfast-oatmeal with protein powder and grapefruit, dinner-sweet potato soup and tomato arugula frittata...Yummy!
Don't let the title mislead you, this has nothing to do with breastfeeding! Although I could likely write a novel on that subject, that is not what I am writing about today. Today after months of waiting I received a letter from Jeff's insurance benefits company stating that they will cover %100 of the cost of an insulin pump. This is a big deal as pumps are very expensive, and it is also a big deal as it has left me thinking about what I should do next.
An insulin pump is a small device that you wear that feeds you a constant small stream of fast acting insulin. It obviously does not replace or act exactly like a healthy pancreas but as far as technology is concerned, it is as close as we can get. There are different kinds of pumps out there, some with wires that attach to you with something called an infusion set and the pump looks very similar to a pager. The pager-type piece can be clipped to your waistband or bra-strap. The pump I like the best is the Omnipod wireless pump that is similar in size to a tic-tac container. It sticks to your skin and there is a remote (looks like a cell phone) that you can alter the insulin stream with; you lower the stream when exercising and you do something called 'bolus" at meal times. A bolus is the amount of insulin that corresponds with the amount of carbohydrate you consume.
Apparently I am a perfect candidate for a pump according to the health care team I have been working with. I am young, active, with a busy family life. Pumps allow you more freedom than the injections I take currently, for example when I exercise currently I have to plan ahead, I have to know what kind of exercise I am going to do ahead of time, how long I am going to do it and I have to reduce my insulin appropriately. If something comes up, and I decide I have no time to exercise and I have already adjusted my insulin a few hours prior, I end up with high blood sugar. With a pump you can be more spontaneous-if I suddenly decide I want to run 10km instead of 5km I can simply set a lower flow of insulin for a longer period of time and carry on. The other huge positive is that a pump would reduce my injections from 5 per day to 1 every 3 days (awesome!).
The downside is that I will always have a tic tac container attached to me. And part of me feels that this will be a pain! I am leaning 95% toward going through with getting a pump but a small (silly) part of me is worrying about it interfering with my clothing choices and the questions I might face about the small lump under my shirt. :(
I am sure I will adapt and get use to this whole set up, but for now I am going to roll things around in my head a little bit more and maybe break out another demo and wear it for a few more days. Jeff's co-worker has a relative that went to a pump a few years ago and this relative said that "it has changed her life!" With that kind of recommendation it sounds like pumping is the way to go. Bring on the tic tac container.
 |
| an omnipod demo- you can see the adhesive backing |
www.myomnipod.ca
 |
| side view of the Omnipod |
Sunday, 6 January 2013
The Eating Clean Machine
Morning blood sugar: 4.8
Episodes of low blood sugar today: none! Woot woot...only 3pm though
"C's mood: fantabulous :) what a guy
Donations today: 1 pseudo-donation...I ran into my wonderful neighbor who told me she plans to donate once the holiday bills are paid. Totally understandable and super fabulous of her to offer a donation. I just don't tend to count those donations that are "'coming soon" just so I don't get ahead of myself!
Workout completed this morning: 'Combat 30', Les Mills Combat (cardio, kickboxing stuff) and an hour-long walk by the waterfront with my dog Liz, C, and Jeff
I woke this morning to the pitter patter of steps on the hardwood. Jeff jumped on the bed and told me "the NHL is back!" it was like Christmas morning for him! Too bad it was 6:42am. I admire Jeff's enthusiasm for life, his passion for hockey and his ability to jump out of bed in the morning, even if it was 6am. By the time he shared his exciting news, he had likely been up for a while, checking email, watching some TV and having a pre-workout snack. I am not a morning person but thankfully his love of mornings has rubbed off on me a little bit in the 10 years we have been together, so I am no longer the scary beast I once was in the morning (at least I think I have come a long way, ask my sister!). :)
One of the things that helps me get up in the morning is my love of breakfast. I love it so much that I plan it the night before, when I am lying in bed. Yes, I think about what I am going to eat for that wonderful morning meal. I made a deal with Jeff in the last week of December that we would purge all the junk, candy and chocolate from our house and start the year with some clean eating. I have to say I feel way better in the last few days just eating more fruits and veggies and less starch. And fancy that, my blood sugars have been better (you're kidding! Nope.).
Breakfast was a smoothie with milk, banana, 1 scoop of chocolate Shakeology (like protein powder but with no artificial stuff in it, and probiotics added), and a handful of spinach. I had a piece of whole grain toast with some almond butter on the side. It was delicious! Smoothies are fantastic and the best part is I share them with C....he has no idea how healthy they are, and I love that! He loves to eat too but lately has been a bit picky with the fruits and vegetables. Love it when I find something healthy that he will eat, no questions asked!
For dinner tonight I planned to make a soup out of the "Eat Clean Diet" book we had in our cupboard from about 2 years ago. "Roasted Garlic and Sweet Potato Soup" is on the menu for tonight...I made it ahead as it involves roasting the potatoes and garlic in the oven for 45 minutes prior to assembling the soup. Jeff (bless him) got the groceries this weekend and he came home with 2 sweet potatoes....the recipe called for 6 but the ones he found are massive! I took pictures because that is the only way to do them justice. To cut them up for roasting was a sight in itself, my hand was raw after pressing on the knife, and C was grunting next to me watching me hack through these massive hunks of starch....I must have been making faces of distress, hence the grunting from my son! Anyhoo, got the job done and the soup is currently simmering in the crock pot, and from the small taste I had, I am now counting the hours until dinner time! Happy football watching day everyone! And here is to eating clean and feeling great!
Episodes of low blood sugar today: none! Woot woot...only 3pm though
"C's mood: fantabulous :) what a guy
Donations today: 1 pseudo-donation...I ran into my wonderful neighbor who told me she plans to donate once the holiday bills are paid. Totally understandable and super fabulous of her to offer a donation. I just don't tend to count those donations that are "'coming soon" just so I don't get ahead of myself!
Workout completed this morning: 'Combat 30', Les Mills Combat (cardio, kickboxing stuff) and an hour-long walk by the waterfront with my dog Liz, C, and Jeff
I woke this morning to the pitter patter of steps on the hardwood. Jeff jumped on the bed and told me "the NHL is back!" it was like Christmas morning for him! Too bad it was 6:42am. I admire Jeff's enthusiasm for life, his passion for hockey and his ability to jump out of bed in the morning, even if it was 6am. By the time he shared his exciting news, he had likely been up for a while, checking email, watching some TV and having a pre-workout snack. I am not a morning person but thankfully his love of mornings has rubbed off on me a little bit in the 10 years we have been together, so I am no longer the scary beast I once was in the morning (at least I think I have come a long way, ask my sister!). :)
One of the things that helps me get up in the morning is my love of breakfast. I love it so much that I plan it the night before, when I am lying in bed. Yes, I think about what I am going to eat for that wonderful morning meal. I made a deal with Jeff in the last week of December that we would purge all the junk, candy and chocolate from our house and start the year with some clean eating. I have to say I feel way better in the last few days just eating more fruits and veggies and less starch. And fancy that, my blood sugars have been better (you're kidding! Nope.).
Breakfast was a smoothie with milk, banana, 1 scoop of chocolate Shakeology (like protein powder but with no artificial stuff in it, and probiotics added), and a handful of spinach. I had a piece of whole grain toast with some almond butter on the side. It was delicious! Smoothies are fantastic and the best part is I share them with C....he has no idea how healthy they are, and I love that! He loves to eat too but lately has been a bit picky with the fruits and vegetables. Love it when I find something healthy that he will eat, no questions asked!
For dinner tonight I planned to make a soup out of the "Eat Clean Diet" book we had in our cupboard from about 2 years ago. "Roasted Garlic and Sweet Potato Soup" is on the menu for tonight...I made it ahead as it involves roasting the potatoes and garlic in the oven for 45 minutes prior to assembling the soup. Jeff (bless him) got the groceries this weekend and he came home with 2 sweet potatoes....the recipe called for 6 but the ones he found are massive! I took pictures because that is the only way to do them justice. To cut them up for roasting was a sight in itself, my hand was raw after pressing on the knife, and C was grunting next to me watching me hack through these massive hunks of starch....I must have been making faces of distress, hence the grunting from my son! Anyhoo, got the job done and the soup is currently simmering in the crock pot, and from the small taste I had, I am now counting the hours until dinner time! Happy football watching day everyone! And here is to eating clean and feeling great!
 |
| Massive sweet potatoes and cookbook |
 |
| my damaged hand..can you see the red lines from the knife? |
 |
| Liz, relaxing after her walk, watching NFL playoffs |
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Sweating like a beast
Morning blood sugar: 4.2
Low blood sugar episodes today: 1 (after lunch)
"C"'s mood today: morning- grumpy, afternoon-happy
Donations today: 1 :)
So I woke up early to the sound of my son babbling....he is usually up around 7 but today was an early day at 6:15. Thankfully some days when he wakes up he likes to have a morning monologue so I left him to babble and got up around 7:10. He was happy until I went in, as soon as I went to change him he let me have it. The crying and grumping continued until we went down to find Jeff in the basement. Jeff works Saturdays so he was up at 6 to complete his pre-work workout (I'm telling you he is fit and fabulous!).
Mom confession: I use the TV to entertain my son in the morning so that I can workout. We have our basement set up with a home gym area and C watches PBS usually for 1/2 hour-1 hour while I complete my daily workout. I know public health says "no TV before age 2" but lets face it, he likes TV for short periods, I am not using it all day long to babysit him and I feel as though at the very least I am showing him that exercise is a part of our daily lives and setting an example for him. So there Public Health; you are very helpful but I have learned in the last two years to take your "rules" with a grain of salt.
So the morning workout was Les Mills Combat Power:HIIT (www.beachbody.com). Jeff ordered these workout DVDs before Christmas and they are awesome (I promise, not being paid to endorse them!). Most of the workouts are 30 minutes which is great. They are intense and effective, hence the title "Sweating like a beast" as this is what I was doing by the time I was finished. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training...let me tell you it is appropriately named.
Before my diagnosis last July I lost weight. A lot of weight for me. I have always had an athletic build and have been fairly solid. One day in June, I got on the scale and was shocked to see the number 120. This number has been a weight I have always wanted to be but with all of my best efforts including some strict eating and exercising I have never achieved it. Prior to having C I was always closer to 130, more like 128 to be exact (who's counting really :) So when I saw 120 I actually did a little dance and shared the news in excitement with Jeff. I was happy, until a week later I got on the scale and read 118; considering I wasn't trying to lose weight this number made my stomach drop. Something wasn't right. A few months later we figured out what the problem was!
The reason I was losing weight was that my body couldn't absorb glucose. Glucose is fuel for our cells but you need insulin in your system for the cells to be able to absorb glucose. Since my pancreas had petered out and stopped producing insulin my body couldn't absorb the glucose and began dumping it; this dumping happens through the kidneys, our body's filtration system. In other words I was peeing out glucose and hence losing weight in the process. From this description you can tell that this is not a healthy way to lose weight. In the process I lost a lot of muscle. So for the last few months it has been my goal to gain some of that muscle back, especially in my legs so that when I start to train intensively for the half marathon my body will hold up.
I have always been an exerciser, but with my Type 1 diagnosis exercise has taken on a whole new entity. Being active is fantastic for lowering blood sugar so when I exercise it greatly reduces my insulin needs which is fantastic. The trouble is there is a learning curve, as the greater the intensity of exercise, the more it changes my response. You see diabetics can have something called a "delayed low" following exercise...this can happen as much as 16 hours after your workout. I know, 16 hours! That is almost a day later! So I am guessing this is what happened after lunch today when I suddenly felt dizzy and hot; I tested 4.1 which is considered not low but close (anything under 4 is hypoglycemia) and I felt like I was dropping fast, so out came the lifesavers.
Insulin injections have helped me fabulously but the fact is they don't replace a healthy pancreas. The human body really is amazing, all the regulations it makes to function is mind boggling. I think many people think that once you are on insulin therapy everything is straightforward, blood sugars are controlled and you are off on your merry way, but that is not the case. The thing is exercise and food don't just effect blood sugar, so do stress and other hormones. So needless to say it is not an exact science but a continual work in progress to regulate everything. It is frustrating at times but I am not going to let it stop me! For now I will keep on keepin' on. Nothing beats a workout that makes you sweat like a beast! :)
Low blood sugar episodes today: 1 (after lunch)
"C"'s mood today: morning- grumpy, afternoon-happy
Donations today: 1 :)
So I woke up early to the sound of my son babbling....he is usually up around 7 but today was an early day at 6:15. Thankfully some days when he wakes up he likes to have a morning monologue so I left him to babble and got up around 7:10. He was happy until I went in, as soon as I went to change him he let me have it. The crying and grumping continued until we went down to find Jeff in the basement. Jeff works Saturdays so he was up at 6 to complete his pre-work workout (I'm telling you he is fit and fabulous!).
Mom confession: I use the TV to entertain my son in the morning so that I can workout. We have our basement set up with a home gym area and C watches PBS usually for 1/2 hour-1 hour while I complete my daily workout. I know public health says "no TV before age 2" but lets face it, he likes TV for short periods, I am not using it all day long to babysit him and I feel as though at the very least I am showing him that exercise is a part of our daily lives and setting an example for him. So there Public Health; you are very helpful but I have learned in the last two years to take your "rules" with a grain of salt.
So the morning workout was Les Mills Combat Power:HIIT (www.beachbody.com). Jeff ordered these workout DVDs before Christmas and they are awesome (I promise, not being paid to endorse them!). Most of the workouts are 30 minutes which is great. They are intense and effective, hence the title "Sweating like a beast" as this is what I was doing by the time I was finished. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training...let me tell you it is appropriately named.
Before my diagnosis last July I lost weight. A lot of weight for me. I have always had an athletic build and have been fairly solid. One day in June, I got on the scale and was shocked to see the number 120. This number has been a weight I have always wanted to be but with all of my best efforts including some strict eating and exercising I have never achieved it. Prior to having C I was always closer to 130, more like 128 to be exact (who's counting really :) So when I saw 120 I actually did a little dance and shared the news in excitement with Jeff. I was happy, until a week later I got on the scale and read 118; considering I wasn't trying to lose weight this number made my stomach drop. Something wasn't right. A few months later we figured out what the problem was!
The reason I was losing weight was that my body couldn't absorb glucose. Glucose is fuel for our cells but you need insulin in your system for the cells to be able to absorb glucose. Since my pancreas had petered out and stopped producing insulin my body couldn't absorb the glucose and began dumping it; this dumping happens through the kidneys, our body's filtration system. In other words I was peeing out glucose and hence losing weight in the process. From this description you can tell that this is not a healthy way to lose weight. In the process I lost a lot of muscle. So for the last few months it has been my goal to gain some of that muscle back, especially in my legs so that when I start to train intensively for the half marathon my body will hold up.
I have always been an exerciser, but with my Type 1 diagnosis exercise has taken on a whole new entity. Being active is fantastic for lowering blood sugar so when I exercise it greatly reduces my insulin needs which is fantastic. The trouble is there is a learning curve, as the greater the intensity of exercise, the more it changes my response. You see diabetics can have something called a "delayed low" following exercise...this can happen as much as 16 hours after your workout. I know, 16 hours! That is almost a day later! So I am guessing this is what happened after lunch today when I suddenly felt dizzy and hot; I tested 4.1 which is considered not low but close (anything under 4 is hypoglycemia) and I felt like I was dropping fast, so out came the lifesavers.
Insulin injections have helped me fabulously but the fact is they don't replace a healthy pancreas. The human body really is amazing, all the regulations it makes to function is mind boggling. I think many people think that once you are on insulin therapy everything is straightforward, blood sugars are controlled and you are off on your merry way, but that is not the case. The thing is exercise and food don't just effect blood sugar, so do stress and other hormones. So needless to say it is not an exact science but a continual work in progress to regulate everything. It is frustrating at times but I am not going to let it stop me! For now I will keep on keepin' on. Nothing beats a workout that makes you sweat like a beast! :)
Friday, 4 January 2013
New Year, new journey, new blog!
Under the advice of a good friend (thanks Sar), I have decided to start a new blog to kick off the new year. Considering I am not a very technically oriented person, this feels like a big step. But here it goes....
Of course in true Type A fashion I have contemplated now for the last week what I should say, how to perfectly word my entries, and how perfect everything will look. Sometimes it is truly exhausting being of this personality type! So in turning over a new leaf, instead of thinking about perfection and not writing anything in the process I am going to jump in here with both feet, flaws and all. Sorry to anyone who finds this boring or imperfect but this isn't just for you it is for me as well. :)
I've decided to start this blog because I feel like this will be a nice way to share my story in 2013. I have a lot going on at the moment and I think this will be a great outlet to vent frustrations, inform the people I care about, and maybe have a laugh at myself once in a while.
Here is my to do list for 2013:
1. Raise an awesome toddler
"C'' will be 2 in March 2013. He is a fabulous little man, with a smile that can melt a thousand hearts. He has just started to find his independence these days so "no" is a commonly used word around the house these days. He is the love of my life, along with my husband Jeff of course, and he is very entertaining. At lunch today, I put on some music and he was copying my dance moves! Ha!
2. Eat healthy, stay lean, and manage my disease as best as I can
If you missed the title of the blog, I am a Type 1 diabetic-diagnosed July 2012. Yes that was only 5 months ago and sometimes I forget this. Thankfully I am feeling much better these days compared to last summer when I had blurred vision and felt exhausted all the time. But it is an ongoing process to manage everything that is for sure. There is no perfect management of my disease and this in itself has been a big learning curve for me.
3. Raise $6,500.00 for the Canadian Diabetic Association (hopefully by July 2013)
As you can see from the above this association is important to me. I have signed up to complete this fundraising initiative with Team Diabetes. This section of the CDA helps people to run marathons all over North America and Internationally. If I manage to raise the funds I will be participating in the half marathon in Iceland (see #4).
www.teamdiabetes.ca
4. Run the half marathon in Reykjavik Iceland August 24, 2013 in under 2 hours
This will be my 6th half marathon. The fastest I have ever completed one is 2:08, the slowest was this past October at 2:15 but considering all that has happened since the summer I was happy to just be there with my runners on.
5. Don't forget about Jeff
Jeff is my wonderful husband of 6 years. He is fit and fabulous so he understands my goals for the year. But I am very much aware that I have a lot on my plate currently and need to make sure that I make time for him and for our marriage in general.
Well that is all for now. A decent start to a big journey!
Of course in true Type A fashion I have contemplated now for the last week what I should say, how to perfectly word my entries, and how perfect everything will look. Sometimes it is truly exhausting being of this personality type! So in turning over a new leaf, instead of thinking about perfection and not writing anything in the process I am going to jump in here with both feet, flaws and all. Sorry to anyone who finds this boring or imperfect but this isn't just for you it is for me as well. :)
I've decided to start this blog because I feel like this will be a nice way to share my story in 2013. I have a lot going on at the moment and I think this will be a great outlet to vent frustrations, inform the people I care about, and maybe have a laugh at myself once in a while.
Here is my to do list for 2013:
1. Raise an awesome toddler
"C'' will be 2 in March 2013. He is a fabulous little man, with a smile that can melt a thousand hearts. He has just started to find his independence these days so "no" is a commonly used word around the house these days. He is the love of my life, along with my husband Jeff of course, and he is very entertaining. At lunch today, I put on some music and he was copying my dance moves! Ha!
2. Eat healthy, stay lean, and manage my disease as best as I can
If you missed the title of the blog, I am a Type 1 diabetic-diagnosed July 2012. Yes that was only 5 months ago and sometimes I forget this. Thankfully I am feeling much better these days compared to last summer when I had blurred vision and felt exhausted all the time. But it is an ongoing process to manage everything that is for sure. There is no perfect management of my disease and this in itself has been a big learning curve for me.
3. Raise $6,500.00 for the Canadian Diabetic Association (hopefully by July 2013)
As you can see from the above this association is important to me. I have signed up to complete this fundraising initiative with Team Diabetes. This section of the CDA helps people to run marathons all over North America and Internationally. If I manage to raise the funds I will be participating in the half marathon in Iceland (see #4).
www.teamdiabetes.ca
4. Run the half marathon in Reykjavik Iceland August 24, 2013 in under 2 hours
This will be my 6th half marathon. The fastest I have ever completed one is 2:08, the slowest was this past October at 2:15 but considering all that has happened since the summer I was happy to just be there with my runners on.
5. Don't forget about Jeff
Jeff is my wonderful husband of 6 years. He is fit and fabulous so he understands my goals for the year. But I am very much aware that I have a lot on my plate currently and need to make sure that I make time for him and for our marriage in general.
Well that is all for now. A decent start to a big journey!
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