Today was a big day in the life of someone with the big, "D".

This morning, I woke up and for whatever reason looked down at my dried fingers, and I noticed all the holes in my fingers. I tried to capture a good picture of them, but as I look at the tiny holes, I wonder how many I have ever created and how many more I will...


As my day went on as usual, I noticed my pump kept getting disconnected. It's odd because I was so scared for putting my site on my leg, but due to the DOC loving it...I thought I'd give it a try! It really has been a new favorite or mine, until today..

Every time I would move my pants, or go the bathroom etc. I noticed I tugged pretty hard on the pump chord. Ouch!! I just decided to go about my day...

Right after work, I hit 45. Looks like my pump was working too well :) so I ate some dinner, but as I changed into my "comfy" clothes, I noticed my pump was disconnected AGAIN!! Fantastic! How long has that been like that! I look down and I see red...


I test immediately, and 439 pops up. GREAT. Time to change the site after seeing the red and I think that this red business I am sure isn't helping my 439. After taking out the site, I see it has blood all inside the tubing.


Does anyone have any experience with this blood? Does it make a difference? Would I have been ok if I left it?

As for now, better safe than sorry. The moral of today's story, is Lauren needs to put her CGM back on. UGH.

I swear I'm alive!!


Things have been so crazy, but I promise I have been keeping up with all of my reading of all your blogs-so not to worry!! :)

Well, why is it that when life is SO CRAZY that's when diabetes tries to get in the way??

This past weekend I was trying to find an address for a work event, and I was literally running up and down 6 blocks over and over trying to find this address...and you can guess what happens next....




Please forgive the crappy photo, but as you can see there is a large dip, then rebound due to stress. Ugh. Thanks diabetes.

BUT not to worry! It didn't ruin the day! The event went well and all was fine :)

Diabetes: 0
Lauren: 1

HA!

I have sensitive skin. Not super sensitive, but I am very fair and my skin gets easily irritated. (Kinda like me...)

Enter in diabetes and the combo isn't so good. If you've noticed anything about diabetes almost everything has to do with skin, testing blood sugar, giving shots, pumps, sensors, watching your hands and feet, etc. etc...




As you can imagine, that's a lot of poking!! Anyway...

Sensors are what we are going to talk ask about.

They hurt the most, but they are the most helpful...CHECK THIS OUT


This is after three days. I couldn't stand how itchy it was and raw it felt. This isn't even the worst. I just need some help here! They are expensive and I hate to waste them, but my skin can only take so much.

What do you all do? Does this happen to you? My sensor has only gone on my stomach, does a new area maybe help?

TIME FOR CHANGE!!!


There is so much going on right now for The LD!

1. First I changed my twitter name!

@AuthoroftheLD

2. I now have a facebook page!!

Please make sure to head over and "like me!"





3. A little bit ago I added a QR code!



4. I also have created an email address!!

AuthoroftheLD@gmail.com


SO MUCH TECHNOLOGY!!!

I tried switching my actual blog address, but TheLD was already taken. BOOOOO


You all now have a million ways to get in touch with me, ask questions, give suggestions or just say hi!!

Let me know what you all think of the new changes!

After last week's Yoga Nightmare, I was NOT going to let that happen again!

5:30pm Blood sugar = 100

Hmm...too low for class, so I knew from last class, I will drop 100 points throughout the 1.5 hour class. I am no mathematician, but those numbers don't add up!

I drank some apple juice and I thought hmm let's double it up JUST in case.

What a difference!!! Class was so much better and I felt so much stronger. Tested after class and 230. GRRRR

I just can't win with diabetes!!!



Let's talk stress.

We all know that stress affects blood sugar levels. Which to me is annoying since I didn't even get to eat anything and my blood sugar goes up. FANTASTIC.

Obviously yoga helps with me stress, but what are other ways I can de-stress? Are there any secrets for lowering blood sugars when they are up due to stress (besides insulin LOL)



Doesn't it seem like there really is no way to deal with stress until after whatever you are stressing about it done?

I.E. a bubble bath, yoga, shopping...

Usually if you are in a stressful situation (I.E. deadline at work, traffic, etc.) you can't just hop into the tub.

How can I tell diabetes to go away when I'm stressed out??

For now, I will think of these places...but for some reason, I don't think those numbers are going to budge still...

Last night I was watching, "So You Think You Can Dance" when Natalie had to be rushed to the hospital for low blood sugar and when she came back in front of the judges she said something that caught my attention and gasp, "UMM WHAT?!?!"

"They think I might have diabetes."


First off, what do you mean THEY THINK? THEY THINK? If THEY THINK then you should be in a hospital! Is it Type 1 or Type 2? She is a bigger girl, so I was shocked they never really clarified what happened or what type. It upset me, because when I was diagnosed, as many others, it was a week stay in the hospital. To me, it made it looks like it wasn't a big deal to be diagnosed with diabetes. Obviously we can most of it was "due to editing" as they always say...but WHAT?!?! I would LOVE LOVE to see a diabetic dancer on the show, but she was cut. Does she have diabetes though? I'm not even sure. Apparently neither is she.



Hopefully if she does, she is getting all the help and support she needs. She really was an amazing dancer and I wish she wasn't cut :(



Then my night got REALLY exciting

I woke up on my own around 3am...weird...thought to myself,

"Why am I awake?...oh wow...I don't feel so good....hmm I should check my blood sugar..."

Mind you I went to bed with a lovely 130.

3am check= 329

UGH. Does anyone else just wake up with a high? I have woken up from a low MANY times, but never a high. It just so happen I took off my sensor last night, since it was over and I never put a new one in at night. Always in the morning so I can at least sleep through the night and not deal with calibrating.

I must have been feeling that bad, if I woke up...as I go to get my pump I notice, IT'S NOT CONNECTED TO ME!!! What?!?! How did this happen? How in my sleep did I manage to do this?? I am such a crazy sleeper!

..anyway I corrected then went back to bed.

7:50am= 277 not much better....

11:17am= 116 ABOUT TIME!!!!!

One of the scariest part of diabetes are complications. That's why going to the Eye doctor can be scary, because no one wants to hear what they have to say, unless it's "You're perfect!"

This morning was my once a year eye exam, and let me start by saying before diabetes (and thankfully now too!) I have had perfect version! Last year, I was told I had a "spot" on my left eye to watch out for. UMMMMMM what?? What's a spot?? No one would tell me, all they kept saying (last year) was let's check again in a year and see what happens.

We did all the normal tests, like this:


Where you can't tell the difference between 1 and 2 because they both look fine.

And this one:

Where you can't blink...and all those other test.

The worst one though, is the field of vision test. I HATE THIS TEST. The one where you stick your head into a white ball and click when you see a white dot. Half the time I'm wondering if it's a white dot or my life flashing before me.


BLAH


My eye doctor is a long time family friend, and when I walked in I didn't see him or hear him. Only did I find out that he is on vacation. GREAT. So I paid my $40 for half the tests??? Hmmmm seems odd to me. I have to go back in about a month when he gets back so I can get the results and do more lovely tests.

All in all, I received no new information this visit. GRRRR

And I woke up late. Got lost on the way there, was so stressed blood sugar went up to 219, even though I didn't eat anything...and the lovely questions when I first got there, "What was your blood sugar this morning?"

Ugh it was good before I got here....

Eye doctor...helpful or not?

To be continued....

First off, how cool is this!?!?! A QRReader for my blog! If you reading from your cell phone, you can scan here for easier reading.


YOGA




As many of you know, or maybe don't know...I love yoga! I also hate diabetes. (In case you didn't know)

The two sometimes don't mix.

Let's start back at work around 6:30pm. I decreased my basal by 50% because the class started at 7:30. I had lunch around 1pm and I dosed for the 30carbs. Around 6:30 I noticed I was 100, so I thought ok I'll decrease basal, disconnect during yoga and have one reeses peanut butter cup. (12 carbs for one cup)




I thought I was perfect and ready to go. Right before class I tested in at 140. Should be good! The class is an hour and a half, so in my head I imagined I'd end class in the 90's.

Life has been crazy lately, so I haven't gotten a chance to get to yoga lately, so I knew my flexibility and strength were going to suffer. About 45 minutes into the class, I start really really upset with myself. Things that a couple of weeks ago that were easy, were very difficult today. My muscles were shaking and I felt so weak. WOW! I am out of my yoga shape!

Then I thought...hmm let's glance at my CGM. "Lost Sensor" PERFECT. So I interrupted my yoga-ness to test.

40

WHAT?!?!?!? That means I dropped over 100 points in less than an hour. Now all the shaking and weakness made sense.

How can this be?!?! I haven't been that low in a LONG time. Looking through my bag I finally found the glucose tabs container at the bottom...wait...WHERE ARE THE TABS? WHERE IS THE LID OF THE CONTAINER?!?!?! Only because I am in yoga and everyone is peaceful and silent, but here I am in a panic. I didn't want to leave the room in case something happened, but it appears all my tabs were at the bottom of my bag.

FANTASTIC

Finally, after what seems like forever, I find three, and sit in child's pose on my mat for almost the rest of the class. The teacher comes over and rubs my back and I started to cry. This all just seems so unfair I kept thinking. Yoga in LA is pretty pricey and now I basically wasted half of a class do a low blood sugar that just shouldn't have happened.

She probably thought I was crying because the class was too hard, but I have been taking yoga for years, and her class was perfect for me. I wanted to shout at the room, "I promise I really can do this! I just have diabetes" but I didn't want to ruin their yoga class, where they paid for silence and peace.

My meditation was also ruined because all I could think about was how angry I was at diabetes. Why is it we can do everything right, but diabetes doesn't want to comply?

It's days like this that remind me how much I hate diabetes.

Just wanted to update you all on my latest CVS nightmare...First off, thank you all for your suggestions! They are all great!

SO I had two insurance plans. One through my parents and one with work. Long story short, check which plan your doctor filed your prescription through (ACHEM CVS!!)

My Victoza is now covered and all is well with that. *PHEW*

~~~~~

Lately I have been having some horrible headaches after highs and lows. It seems odd to me, since I really never have had this problem before. Could it be that after 7 years, my body is angry at my diabetes and doesn't want to help anymore? Have I become more sensitive to the highs and lows? Less sensitive?

Every since Victoza my blood sugars rest along the low 80's at night and I wake up with a huge headache.

Is it better to have my blood sugar be higher throughout the night to avoid headaches, but have possibly a higher A1C? I don't really think there is anything I can do about a headache after a high...What is a happy number for you??

I need some suggestions here! I'll take anything you got!

~~~~~



This morning I had a fun story! Obviously, I'm trying to get to work on time, but I can't find my blue inserter for my pump change. I hate manually changing inserting the needle, because I find it very painful and the inserter takes that away. I then realized that it was all the way in my car. UGH. SO I bit the bullet and did it manually. I kinda feel like a rockstar today though...

I have been so much better about my care, but one thing seems to always get in the way...


THE WEEKEND!!!!!

Having work keeps me on schedule and it's easy to check my blood sugar and monitor what I eat because I am sitting at a desk all day and I bring my lunch. As much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE weekends, it always seems to bring on the highs.

Whether I am on the run, or doing a million things, it's never as easy as during the week. Obviously I am going out more, which never helps, but how can I control my weekends better? Another question that brings up though is, do I need two days were I am more relaxed for my mental state? Is two too many?

How do you maintain a schedule when weekends should be about freedom?

If I am really going to get my A1C down, I know I have to crack down on my weekend control.

Tips???

Do you know one of my favorite parts about diabetes?

INSURANCE COMPANIES! GOTTA LOVE THEM!!

Obviously I am being extremely sarcastic.



This morning, I had to run to my local CVS pharmacy before work to pick up my prescriptions. I confidentiality walked to the back of the CVS ready to pick up my order in the sorted amount of time I had allotted to pick them up and head off to work.

I have danced this dance many a time before...Last name....first name...

"Oh, I see Victoza isn't covered by your insurance" She sadly looked at me sadly... "It is now." I said "I got a letter last month saying it's covered now." The nice pharmacist clicking away at her computer stated... "I am sorry, it's not going through. I can call the insurance company and your doctor to see what's going on..."

(Because we all know that should only take a minute RIGHT....???)

"Ugh, no I have to go to work. Can you please call and I'll pick it up later." She agreed and now I sit and wait for a day when this doesn't happen.




It seems like if I were an insurance company, I would WANT people to take their medicines so that it would cost less for them in the end, (i.e. hospital stays).

APPARENTLY NOT. I am not sure why they don't have their stuff together, Here is a letter I got in the mail saying it WAS covered...




My life is constant trips to the pharmacy, dealing with insurance companies, calling medtronic, changing pump sites, testing blood sugars, counting carbs, needing more AAA batteries, the list just goes on and on.

All I want is to live my life and it would be nice if the insurance companies felt the same way. Maybe this was CVS' fault, but I HIGHLY doubt that. It's never as easy as get my medicine and go. You think I would learn by now....

I know I should be grateful that I have insurance, and I am, but they can be such a headache. In an earlier post, I mentioned how I had major problems getting my sensors for the CGM covered (when they had approved it once before...)

Will there ever be a time when I don't have to deal with them? Will there ever be a time I can gasp for air?

I'll keep you all updated.