At what point am I supposed to stop making a big deal out of this? Everything, even eventful things have a time limit attached to them. You got a new job - great, for a week. Just had a baby? I'll look at cute pictures for a month. Joining the Peace Corp and traveling through Colombia? I'll facebook stalk you for a year. But all of these things, at a certain point, seem redundant. Bring them up too often in conversation and you become a bore.
I went to dinner tonight with Cat and friends. There were extenuating circumstances, we started a half hour late and I was supposed to be back by 7:00 for fight call - but during the dinner I think there was nothing that I contributed. I sat in my little corner, checking the clock and madly scribbling down pencil scratch from my little ledger. Bemoaning the substitution of fresh carrots and celery for homemade buttermilk biscuits with strawberry jam and cornbread stuffing, when the food finally did arrive everybody digs in while I rummage through my man purse for a needle and pen, inject myself and then eat like a dog, carbs first then protein. I'm going to start losing friends.
Although...
I may start making friends too. Now that I think about it, now that I've shaken the experience of tonight's dinner I'm reminded of some other events. Like how I was accosted at work today by one of the single female company members who said she had made a special detour on her way to work today to pop into a famous cupcake shop and inquire as to their gluten free selection. Then there was the woman who took me to her favorite gluten free grocery store. And now (prompted by an email initiated by me) another woman who has previously expressed interest in me will likely respond flirtatiously with the promise of a gluten free date. That last event is pure conjecture.
In the words of a diabetic alter ego to Katy Perry: "you're high then you're low, hyper then hypo, stick your finger and shout, inject pull it out." Which I take to mean, this disease will change me. And more than that, it will change how my friends perceive me. Already there are positive reactions: awe - at how I've rebounded, admiration - at my positivity, compassion - especially from certain maternal types. But then there are negative reactions as well: distance - because I'm not "normal" anymore, pity - because I'm always "left out" when it comes to certain food based social activities.
For the numerically inclined:
11:54 -> 148 Look at that! The number snuck down a little in the night. Well, because I only had 7 units of Lantus last night I'll try adjusting the carb to insulin ratio to about 50:1. Had cereal 125c, pb&j 35c = 160 carbs with 3 units of Novolog.
1:54 -> 99 Had a small apple 20c with OsCal (calcium), B12, B50, D and green tea.
3:30 -> Small handful of almonds and a protein shake.
5:28 -> 105 Had raw celery and carrots 18c, salad 6c, roast veg 30c, mashed potatoes 40c, a banana 27c = 117c with 2 units of Novolog. In anticipation of doing Joey I also had a 1/2 grapefruit 16c.
8:53 -> 153 At intermission I had green tea and some peanuts.
1:20 -> 93 I'm still creeping down when I'm not eating, a sign that my basal is still a bit high. Took 5 units of Lantus. Dinner was swiss chard stir fried with turkey, spinach and garlic in a szechuan sauce 10c, corn 32c, and two pieces of lightly jammed toast 30c = 72c and 1 unit of Novolog.
3:20 -> 164 Went up 70 points, which serves me right for having 12c more than I should have based on the ratio that I had established. Tomorrow I'll try to stick exactly to 60:1 all day. But I may run high, because I'm on the smallest dose of basal insulin I've been on since I started taking it. In anticipation of high numbers maybe I'll go to 50:1.
Total Insulin: 13
Total Carbs: 375
So, another day another adventure. No pharmacy nonsense, no early morning doctors, no insurance claims, just a long hard day at work and a well managed day of blood glucose levels. Oh, here's an amateur diabetic anecdote:
The other day after injecting I was trying to unscrew the needle from the pen and back into it's protective plastic case. I was doing this in the dark. I thought the sharp was in the case and so I reached for the pen cap and went to cover it. The needle, however, was not back in its case. And with my nearly constantly trembling fingers I missed putting the pen in the cap and instead pierced my finger with the 8 mm needle. A geyser of blood erupted and I laughed at my own clumsiness. On another occasion I stabbed myself into the folds of my stomach fat with my injection pen before I set the dose forcing me to have to take it out, set the dose, and pierce my stomach fat again.
Diabetes and nonchalance go together like hair spray and fire. These were small mistakes but I pray the lessons sunk in. If this type of absent mindedness had afflicted a different step in my daily diabetes routine I may have injected the wrong type of insulin, or the wrong amount. Kaboom!
Day 26.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
First "Joey"
Friday the 13th, and I had my first every performance in front of an audience as the title character in the Broadway show War Horse. I wonder how that bodes for the rest of my year? This particular performance was very well received. Having done a year of Topthorn the differences between the two horses stand out. Every time we come on stage 2000 eyes follow us. It's similar in a way to the connection I used to feel when I first entered in Walking with Dinosaurs as Lilliensternus, except, I can't hide behind anything in the horse. They're looking at the puppet, but they're also looking at me.
#s
pbpk 178.6
10:18 -> 206 I took 2 units of insulin with 130 carb cereal. Also had a calcium/magnesium pill.
12:02 -> 121 Wow, good, but I feel light
1:30 -> Ate a Lara bar 24c with a B50 and B12.
5:02 ->128 Had a banana 27c, pea soup 48c, sugar peas 12c, apple 20c, TJ salad 53c and herring = 153c. Took 2 units of Novolog.
7:49 -> 159 Good!
12:29 -> 103 Still good, but creeping down a sign that my basal is too high. Had 2 sweet potatoes 46c, steak, swiss chard with onions, garlic, feta and pepper 30c, grapefruit 26c and a banana 27c = 129c = 2 units Novolog. Also took 7 units of Lantus
2:53 -> 192 Okay, so I finished the day a little high. But that's not too bad. I wonder how I'll wake up, other than a bit sore.
Day 25
#s
pbpk 178.6
10:18 -> 206 I took 2 units of insulin with 130 carb cereal. Also had a calcium/magnesium pill.
12:02 -> 121 Wow, good, but I feel light
1:30 -> Ate a Lara bar 24c with a B50 and B12.
5:02 ->128 Had a banana 27c, pea soup 48c, sugar peas 12c, apple 20c, TJ salad 53c and herring = 153c. Took 2 units of Novolog.
7:49 -> 159 Good!
12:29 -> 103 Still good, but creeping down a sign that my basal is too high. Had 2 sweet potatoes 46c, steak, swiss chard with onions, garlic, feta and pepper 30c, grapefruit 26c and a banana 27c = 129c = 2 units Novolog. Also took 7 units of Lantus
2:53 -> 192 Okay, so I finished the day a little high. But that's not too bad. I wonder how I'll wake up, other than a bit sore.
Day 25
Friday, January 13, 2012
Gluten Free
This will have to be a "to be continued" post.
But let's just say for now that my doctor's appointment was eye-opening. The doc put me on a gluten free diet supplemented with LOTS of vitamins. She warned me that it might affect my numbers and already it has. I had a 40:1 carb to insulin ratio at lunch and STILL bottomed out. For dinner I did 75:1 and DOUBLE bottomed out!! I've also gone down to 10 units of Lantus.
If tomorrow is the same I'll probably call the doctor and switch to 8 units Lantus. But the day was long, and tomorrow promises to be no different so now I absolutely have to get some sleep.
Exciting times!
Here are some numbers. Bear with me, there are a lot of them.
pbpk 179.6
9:58 -> 121 Cereal and pb&j, 150c with 5 units.
1:06 -> 101 Lara pecan 24c, water, vitamin D, Vitamin B50, injection of B12.
3:39 -> Apple 22c, Water, Protein Shake 5c
5:30 -> 80 Salad w/ turkey 15c, banana 27c, pea soup 48c, 20c raspberries, 14c avocado. 124c total with 3 units of insulin.
7:15 -> 59 Way low!! Had 12c candy and Ghiradelli Caramel square 9c and then another banana 27c (total 48c).
7:39 -> 67 Started rising, but still had 11oz blueberries 44c.
9:48 -> 203 Good. Had 92 carbs after dinner and only went up to 203.
11:27 -> 89 Mashed potatoes 27c, creamed spinach 20c, salad 10c, tomato salad 18c, 11oz salmon, 1 unit Novolog & 10 units Lantus.
12:31 -> 56 What the hell? Had 6 oz orange juice 19c. Felt symptoms while talking to Hunter and ignored them because it seemed too soon. Also the OJ will have to cut through the salmon. Had another 6oz of orange juice at 12:40 - 19c.
12:42 -> 70 At least I'm on the rise.
1:21 -> 62 Ugh! Low again. Had two rolls of smarties 12c.
2:02 -> 73 At least I'm climbing, but that's three lows in one day! Not good. Will try to stay high again tomorrow. To avoid going to sleep too low (especially with the new vitamins) I had 8 oz milk 12c, chips 18c with salsa 10c and a Lara Bar 24c.
2:34 -> 117 Good! :) Took half a serving of CalM (calcium and magnesium supplement).
3:46 -> 164 Shame on me for still being awake, but with so many lows I really just didn't want to risk anything. My fingers hurt though. That's a LOT of pricks in one day, 13 if I counted correctly. But worth the expense and the pain for the knowledge I got. Plus, everything I ate from 11:30 onward, a total of 177 carbs was offset by a single unit of insulin. The vitamins are obviously working.
True I had two 10 out of 12 hour tech days at work, and true, I get about 5 hours of sleep per night these days, and true I have been having a lot of lows... but - In a matter of a few weeks I've gone from 30 units of insulin per day to 20 units per day, and that number is just getting lower.
Day 24
But let's just say for now that my doctor's appointment was eye-opening. The doc put me on a gluten free diet supplemented with LOTS of vitamins. She warned me that it might affect my numbers and already it has. I had a 40:1 carb to insulin ratio at lunch and STILL bottomed out. For dinner I did 75:1 and DOUBLE bottomed out!! I've also gone down to 10 units of Lantus.
If tomorrow is the same I'll probably call the doctor and switch to 8 units Lantus. But the day was long, and tomorrow promises to be no different so now I absolutely have to get some sleep.
Exciting times!
Here are some numbers. Bear with me, there are a lot of them.
pbpk 179.6
9:58 -> 121 Cereal and pb&j, 150c with 5 units.
1:06 -> 101 Lara pecan 24c, water, vitamin D, Vitamin B50, injection of B12.
3:39 -> Apple 22c, Water, Protein Shake 5c
5:30 -> 80 Salad w/ turkey 15c, banana 27c, pea soup 48c, 20c raspberries, 14c avocado. 124c total with 3 units of insulin.
7:15 -> 59 Way low!! Had 12c candy and Ghiradelli Caramel square 9c and then another banana 27c (total 48c).
7:39 -> 67 Started rising, but still had 11oz blueberries 44c.
9:48 -> 203 Good. Had 92 carbs after dinner and only went up to 203.
11:27 -> 89 Mashed potatoes 27c, creamed spinach 20c, salad 10c, tomato salad 18c, 11oz salmon, 1 unit Novolog & 10 units Lantus.
12:31 -> 56 What the hell? Had 6 oz orange juice 19c. Felt symptoms while talking to Hunter and ignored them because it seemed too soon. Also the OJ will have to cut through the salmon. Had another 6oz of orange juice at 12:40 - 19c.
12:42 -> 70 At least I'm on the rise.
1:21 -> 62 Ugh! Low again. Had two rolls of smarties 12c.
2:02 -> 73 At least I'm climbing, but that's three lows in one day! Not good. Will try to stay high again tomorrow. To avoid going to sleep too low (especially with the new vitamins) I had 8 oz milk 12c, chips 18c with salsa 10c and a Lara Bar 24c.
2:34 -> 117 Good! :) Took half a serving of CalM (calcium and magnesium supplement).
3:46 -> 164 Shame on me for still being awake, but with so many lows I really just didn't want to risk anything. My fingers hurt though. That's a LOT of pricks in one day, 13 if I counted correctly. But worth the expense and the pain for the knowledge I got. Plus, everything I ate from 11:30 onward, a total of 177 carbs was offset by a single unit of insulin. The vitamins are obviously working.
True I had two 10 out of 12 hour tech days at work, and true, I get about 5 hours of sleep per night these days, and true I have been having a lot of lows... but - In a matter of a few weeks I've gone from 30 units of insulin per day to 20 units per day, and that number is just getting lower.
Day 24
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
January 11, 2012
I have to admit there is something nice about waking up earlier than usual, especially when you're doing something worthwhile, like going to your second appointment with your Diabetic Nurse Counselor. What isn't quite as nice is getting there and seeing the shocked look on her face which tells you before she does that you idiotically wrote down the right day and time but the wrong date. I was a week early. Good thing she was in her office.
We chatted for a bit. She looked over my numbers and advised me to go down to 11 units of basal insulin with the goal being that my blood glucose stays the same during fasting. She did this knowing that there would probably be a trade off. My morning numbers will probably be higher, but hopefully I'll avoid post-meal lows. It will also almost certainly adjust the carb:insulin ratio I've been using, but that's not an exact science to begin with so I'll just have to keep working on my patience and flexibility and have confidence that the numbers will begin to take care of themselves.
Numbers... did somebody say numbers?
pbpk: 180.2
9:16 -> 130 Taken when I woke up. At 9:30 I took 4 units of Novolog with cereal 105c and an apple 20c.
11:08 -> 135 Took the test early because I was at the Nurse's office. At 1:00 I had a 1/2 pb&j 21c, green tea and a multivitamin. At 2:00 I had a Lara bar 30c. And at 4:00 I had another half pb&j 21c.
5:07 -> 189 Took 4 units of Novolog with Turkey Chili 50c, tabouli 32c, 6 oz of raspberries 20c, and a cup of sugar snap peas 12c.
7:02 -> 51 Where the hell did this number come from? I had a cookie 20c and a packet of pez (gross) 9c.
7:33 -> 83 Good, I'm rising but not too high. Had half a clif bar 15c.
8:58 -> 110 Two hours after my low and I've adjusted perfectly. I only tested here because it was somebody's birthday and there was cake. But I decided the annoyance of having to figure out sizes and then deal with being high until I could adjust at my next meal was too great. I opted instead for the other half of my clif bar 16c.
12:08 -> 134 Took 11 units of Lantus (that's a decrease) and 3 units of Novolog with a dinner of 10 oz steak, 2 sweet potatoes 50c, greek salad with avocado and without cucumbers 28c and an apple 21c.
2:26 -> 111 Done! I'm going to bed, and with some luck I'll be under 140 tomorrow morning.
Total Insulin: 24 units (the 11 unit Lantus counts towards tomorrow)
Total Carbs: 470
Ratio: 19.6:1
I also finished reading the book on Diabetes today. In it was lots of useful but easily accessible information about what sort of lifestyle encounters the fewest complications (diet, exercise, positivity). But there was also a wealth of information on supplements, what to take in what dose and for what reason. They even claimed that there is some clinical evidence, albeit not overwhelming, that certain strict vitamin supplement therapies have caused type 1 Diabetes to go into remission. I asked my nurse and she had the decency not to laugh in my face but seemed dismissive. I'll ask the endocrinologist tomorrow. She seems more the type to consider me an individual rather than a statistic. In the interim I've started drinking two strong cups of unsweetened green tea per day and have also added a multivitamin to my daily routine.
It can't hurt, right?
And as a brief and hopefully unrelated side note, the once modified sensation of feeling that has afflicted me left quad for almost two years seems to have moved, spread and intensified. It is now numb on the surface but sore underneath.
Oh, and as for the "fittest" part of this blog. I'm now doing probably around 150 push-ups per day, about 50 pullups, and some exercises that are supposed to give me the curved buttocks I've always wanted.
Day 23
We chatted for a bit. She looked over my numbers and advised me to go down to 11 units of basal insulin with the goal being that my blood glucose stays the same during fasting. She did this knowing that there would probably be a trade off. My morning numbers will probably be higher, but hopefully I'll avoid post-meal lows. It will also almost certainly adjust the carb:insulin ratio I've been using, but that's not an exact science to begin with so I'll just have to keep working on my patience and flexibility and have confidence that the numbers will begin to take care of themselves.
Numbers... did somebody say numbers?
pbpk: 180.2
9:16 -> 130 Taken when I woke up. At 9:30 I took 4 units of Novolog with cereal 105c and an apple 20c.
11:08 -> 135 Took the test early because I was at the Nurse's office. At 1:00 I had a 1/2 pb&j 21c, green tea and a multivitamin. At 2:00 I had a Lara bar 30c. And at 4:00 I had another half pb&j 21c.
5:07 -> 189 Took 4 units of Novolog with Turkey Chili 50c, tabouli 32c, 6 oz of raspberries 20c, and a cup of sugar snap peas 12c.
7:02 -> 51 Where the hell did this number come from? I had a cookie 20c and a packet of pez (gross) 9c.
7:33 -> 83 Good, I'm rising but not too high. Had half a clif bar 15c.
8:58 -> 110 Two hours after my low and I've adjusted perfectly. I only tested here because it was somebody's birthday and there was cake. But I decided the annoyance of having to figure out sizes and then deal with being high until I could adjust at my next meal was too great. I opted instead for the other half of my clif bar 16c.
12:08 -> 134 Took 11 units of Lantus (that's a decrease) and 3 units of Novolog with a dinner of 10 oz steak, 2 sweet potatoes 50c, greek salad with avocado and without cucumbers 28c and an apple 21c.
2:26 -> 111 Done! I'm going to bed, and with some luck I'll be under 140 tomorrow morning.
Total Insulin: 24 units (the 11 unit Lantus counts towards tomorrow)
Total Carbs: 470
Ratio: 19.6:1
I also finished reading the book on Diabetes today. In it was lots of useful but easily accessible information about what sort of lifestyle encounters the fewest complications (diet, exercise, positivity). But there was also a wealth of information on supplements, what to take in what dose and for what reason. They even claimed that there is some clinical evidence, albeit not overwhelming, that certain strict vitamin supplement therapies have caused type 1 Diabetes to go into remission. I asked my nurse and she had the decency not to laugh in my face but seemed dismissive. I'll ask the endocrinologist tomorrow. She seems more the type to consider me an individual rather than a statistic. In the interim I've started drinking two strong cups of unsweetened green tea per day and have also added a multivitamin to my daily routine.
It can't hurt, right?
And as a brief and hopefully unrelated side note, the once modified sensation of feeling that has afflicted me left quad for almost two years seems to have moved, spread and intensified. It is now numb on the surface but sore underneath.
Oh, and as for the "fittest" part of this blog. I'm now doing probably around 150 push-ups per day, about 50 pullups, and some exercises that are supposed to give me the curved buttocks I've always wanted.
Day 23
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
The Cost of Diabetes: Money
Diabetically speaking today wasn't too bad. Sure there was a mix up at the pharmacy which made me have to get on the phone with my insurance company a few times before finally getting a refill on my test strips, but when I did the test strips were fully covered by insurance. My numbers never got too crazy. I had two short bouts with mild hypoglycemia but they were pretty quickly rectified. Tomorrow I see the nurse again (and tell her that her 20:1 just about killed me). Thursday I see Dr. Thys again who has very graciously offered me a discounted visit price of $450 (down from $650). And sometime before Friday my man purse should arrive by post.
Ns
pbpk: 178
11:23 -> 154 Took 5 units of Novolog and had my normal cereal and a pb&j a total of 152c. Then at 3:00 I had a clif bar 31c.
5:25 -> 189 Took 4 units of Novolog with dinner of chicken and veg with quinoa and sweet potatoes, a total of 90c. At 7:50 I had half a cookie at 9c.
8:21 -> 71 After this reading I finished the cookie 9c, had a Lara bar 30c and had some milk 11c.
12:05 -> 110 Took 5 units of Novolog and 13 units of Lantus and had dinner of 3 stalks of celery 6c, Lentils and Beans 110c, brussel sprouts and onions 30c and a greek salad with avocado 30c for a total of 176.
1:50 -> 74 Not too low, but it felt like it was falling. I had 4 oz of milk at 5c and then an apple 22c.
3:09 -> 139 Good news is I'm not low. Bad news is all the carbs I ate for dinner add up to 203 and I only took 5 units of insulin which means at a ratio of about 30:1 which I've been using I'll be 50 carbs over or probably a full 100 points higher than I started at 110. So, prediction for tomorrow morning's test: 210. Let's hope I'm wrong.
Total Insulin: 27 units
Total Carbs: 535
Ratio: 19.8
Also today I began reading a book that T. Ryder Smith very graciously gifted to me. It's all about diabetes, how to prevent, how to manage and even a few suggestions on ways that have in some instances caused diabetes to go into remission. I'm not one to get my hopes up over such things. But I'm also not one to sit on the sidelines when there's a possibility that something can be done. I'll talk to the doctor about it on Thursday, and may mention it to the nurse (although I have the feeling she'll poopoo the idea). Either way, I'll likely make a visit to the pharmacy for some over the counter vitamin and mineral supplements.
Where there's life there's hope.
Day 22
Ns
pbpk: 178
11:23 -> 154 Took 5 units of Novolog and had my normal cereal and a pb&j a total of 152c. Then at 3:00 I had a clif bar 31c.
5:25 -> 189 Took 4 units of Novolog with dinner of chicken and veg with quinoa and sweet potatoes, a total of 90c. At 7:50 I had half a cookie at 9c.
8:21 -> 71 After this reading I finished the cookie 9c, had a Lara bar 30c and had some milk 11c.
12:05 -> 110 Took 5 units of Novolog and 13 units of Lantus and had dinner of 3 stalks of celery 6c, Lentils and Beans 110c, brussel sprouts and onions 30c and a greek salad with avocado 30c for a total of 176.
1:50 -> 74 Not too low, but it felt like it was falling. I had 4 oz of milk at 5c and then an apple 22c.
3:09 -> 139 Good news is I'm not low. Bad news is all the carbs I ate for dinner add up to 203 and I only took 5 units of insulin which means at a ratio of about 30:1 which I've been using I'll be 50 carbs over or probably a full 100 points higher than I started at 110. So, prediction for tomorrow morning's test: 210. Let's hope I'm wrong.
Total Insulin: 27 units
Total Carbs: 535
Ratio: 19.8
Also today I began reading a book that T. Ryder Smith very graciously gifted to me. It's all about diabetes, how to prevent, how to manage and even a few suggestions on ways that have in some instances caused diabetes to go into remission. I'm not one to get my hopes up over such things. But I'm also not one to sit on the sidelines when there's a possibility that something can be done. I'll talk to the doctor about it on Thursday, and may mention it to the nurse (although I have the feeling she'll poopoo the idea). Either way, I'll likely make a visit to the pharmacy for some over the counter vitamin and mineral supplements.
Where there's life there's hope.
Day 22
Monday, January 9, 2012
The Good, The Bad, and The Annoying
...and on the 7th day G.I. Jon rested for he was tired.
I no longer have the luxury of doing nothing on Mondays, but they're still the most relaxing day of the week for me. Today was no exception. I woke up wishing I could sleep longer, but that no longer phases me as it once did.
[Remember when you were young and the worst thing in the world was waking up before you wanted to? Those feelings continued through high school and even college. In fact I seem to remember just months ago not enjoying that sensation at all. But now...? Nothing. I feel nothing. The finger pricks? Nothing. Injections? Nothing. Cold showers? Nothing. Waking up early... are you kidding me? Nothing.]
I made my standard breakfast and then went to my first engagement - a massage. Russ may be the most talented masseuse in NYC. He's worked on everybody from Twyla Tharpe to Roger Federer and loads of people in between. Strong hands matched with an intuitive sense of your body make for a perfect 75 minute session every time. He was part of the reason I resigned for War Horse's second year. But the massage was sandwiched by annoyances. First, the CO department of revenue thinks I owe them a huge sum of money for a year when I wasn't a resident. Second, when I went to refill my prescription of bg test strips they told me I wasn't due for a refill yet. Turns out I was only "supposed" to test 4 times a day, but with being a newbie and occasionally getting errors or having to test due to symptoms of hypoglycemia I've been testing more like 7 times a day. This took almost an hour on the phone after which the woman on the other end (a self-admitted diabetic) took pity on me and over rode the system allowing me this one time to refill early. Later when Doc Karen Thorton called I explained the situation and she approved an increase.
Other necessary errands included doing a laundry, shopping for food, going to the bank, and checking out the J Crew sale. I ended up with three new solid colored heavy weight t shirts and a beige corded sweater, similar to those made on the Aran Islands.
In the evening I made contact with Bill Lash. I know our relationship will have further to go but our first talk felt so natural it comes as no surprise to me why he's my father's oldest and closest friends. I look forward to getting to know him better and even hope to learn a bit more about my dad from him. And not just tales of yore, but the type of man my father is seen to be by somebody close to him who's known him for a long time and who loves him. My dad doesn't have tons of guy friends, but then there are different tiers of friends. And I think the bond between my dad and Bill has reached the furthest level, a rare thing. I hope to learn from it.
By the way, it has occurred to me that not everybody knows what are good numbers or bad numbers so here's a quick explanation.
"Healthy" range for a person without diabetes is considered between about 80-120.
Diabetics are usually allowed a slightly more flexible range of 70-150 being considered ok.
Below 70 is hypoglycemia
Above 150 is hyperglycemia
150-300 has been described to me as being unavoidable on occasion especially during times of extreme stress, illness or something else that would alter the normal bodily response to insulin or glucose.
Any number that I include that has a c after it stands for carbohydrate.
Novolog is my fast acting insulin, Lantus is my slow acting insulin.
So Today's:
pbpk: 177.4
11:39 -> 144 Had 5 units Novolog with my normal cereal 105c and a pb&j 42c.
2:38 -> 97 Despite a ratio of 30:1 I dropped almost 50 points. I had a medium apple 15c to knock myself back up. I also had a few samples of cheese at the store.
6:09 -> 154 This is a big jump for just an apple, makes me think I may still had a few breakfast carbs at my 2:38 check.
6:40 -> Had 4 units of Novolog with quinoa and curried eggplant 86c, a salad w/avocado 34c and three chicken drumsticks.
9:56 -> 148 Nice!
12:15 -> 147 Had no reason to check other than I was about to eat, I guess I should have saved the test strip. Took 5 units with brussel sprouts 17c with onions 12c, Lentils and beans 110c, and a few stalks of celery 4c.
12:50 -> 13 units of Lantus
3:23 -> 94 Went down again despite going 30:1, a drop of over 50 points again. I had an 8c 6 oz glass of whole milk and then went to bed.
Total Insulin: 27 units
Total Carbs: 434
Ratio: 16:1
Day 21 (week 3)
I no longer have the luxury of doing nothing on Mondays, but they're still the most relaxing day of the week for me. Today was no exception. I woke up wishing I could sleep longer, but that no longer phases me as it once did.
[Remember when you were young and the worst thing in the world was waking up before you wanted to? Those feelings continued through high school and even college. In fact I seem to remember just months ago not enjoying that sensation at all. But now...? Nothing. I feel nothing. The finger pricks? Nothing. Injections? Nothing. Cold showers? Nothing. Waking up early... are you kidding me? Nothing.]
I made my standard breakfast and then went to my first engagement - a massage. Russ may be the most talented masseuse in NYC. He's worked on everybody from Twyla Tharpe to Roger Federer and loads of people in between. Strong hands matched with an intuitive sense of your body make for a perfect 75 minute session every time. He was part of the reason I resigned for War Horse's second year. But the massage was sandwiched by annoyances. First, the CO department of revenue thinks I owe them a huge sum of money for a year when I wasn't a resident. Second, when I went to refill my prescription of bg test strips they told me I wasn't due for a refill yet. Turns out I was only "supposed" to test 4 times a day, but with being a newbie and occasionally getting errors or having to test due to symptoms of hypoglycemia I've been testing more like 7 times a day. This took almost an hour on the phone after which the woman on the other end (a self-admitted diabetic) took pity on me and over rode the system allowing me this one time to refill early. Later when Doc Karen Thorton called I explained the situation and she approved an increase.
Other necessary errands included doing a laundry, shopping for food, going to the bank, and checking out the J Crew sale. I ended up with three new solid colored heavy weight t shirts and a beige corded sweater, similar to those made on the Aran Islands.
In the evening I made contact with Bill Lash. I know our relationship will have further to go but our first talk felt so natural it comes as no surprise to me why he's my father's oldest and closest friends. I look forward to getting to know him better and even hope to learn a bit more about my dad from him. And not just tales of yore, but the type of man my father is seen to be by somebody close to him who's known him for a long time and who loves him. My dad doesn't have tons of guy friends, but then there are different tiers of friends. And I think the bond between my dad and Bill has reached the furthest level, a rare thing. I hope to learn from it.
By the way, it has occurred to me that not everybody knows what are good numbers or bad numbers so here's a quick explanation.
"Healthy" range for a person without diabetes is considered between about 80-120.
Diabetics are usually allowed a slightly more flexible range of 70-150 being considered ok.
Below 70 is hypoglycemia
Above 150 is hyperglycemia
150-300 has been described to me as being unavoidable on occasion especially during times of extreme stress, illness or something else that would alter the normal bodily response to insulin or glucose.
Any number that I include that has a c after it stands for carbohydrate.
Novolog is my fast acting insulin, Lantus is my slow acting insulin.
So Today's:
pbpk: 177.4
11:39 -> 144 Had 5 units Novolog with my normal cereal 105c and a pb&j 42c.
2:38 -> 97 Despite a ratio of 30:1 I dropped almost 50 points. I had a medium apple 15c to knock myself back up. I also had a few samples of cheese at the store.
6:09 -> 154 This is a big jump for just an apple, makes me think I may still had a few breakfast carbs at my 2:38 check.
6:40 -> Had 4 units of Novolog with quinoa and curried eggplant 86c, a salad w/avocado 34c and three chicken drumsticks.
9:56 -> 148 Nice!
12:15 -> 147 Had no reason to check other than I was about to eat, I guess I should have saved the test strip. Took 5 units with brussel sprouts 17c with onions 12c, Lentils and beans 110c, and a few stalks of celery 4c.
12:50 -> 13 units of Lantus
3:23 -> 94 Went down again despite going 30:1, a drop of over 50 points again. I had an 8c 6 oz glass of whole milk and then went to bed.
Total Insulin: 27 units
Total Carbs: 434
Ratio: 16:1
Day 21 (week 3)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Farewell Original Cast of War Horse
I only got 6 hours of sleep last night but it was deep and solid and I woke feeling as well as can be expected. I very quickly threw on deodorant, jeans and an undershirt and then went about mixing and matching shirts with ties and jackets until I found a combination that felt right - blue jeans, powder blue shirt, navy windowpane jacket, with a leander club "pink hippo" neck tie. Allen Edmonds would carry my weight, and Calvin Klein would keep me warm. I was dressed like an assassin, or as many of my friends pointed out later when I saw them, I looked like I went to Andover.
The reason behind the outfit, was that today was the final performance of the original company of War Horse. An event so monumental can never be justly revered by a mere cocktail party. It takes tears, and drinking, and dancing and hugs with pats on the back, and sweaty hugs with inebriated swaying, and promises of seeing each other again. It was a grand time. I'll miss everybody, but already I'm in talks with several of the company members about future activities. Russian bath house and working out with Seth, BBQ in Williamsburg and working out with Ian, making a movie and working out with Peter... you get the picture.
I have close friends on both sides of the fence now and I stop and wonder whether I made the right choice in staying. A solid paycheck and continued health insurance makes it feel like I did. But then I get into a business conversation with star of Law and Order SVU Mariska Hargitay and suddenly I second guess myself. That a five minute conversation with the right person can so ignite passion and ambition and confidence is proof that one of the chief factors tying me to the show is fear of the unknown - that and prudence. One more year, it's not too long, and then onto new adventures.
Enough chit chat, here's the good stuff:
pbpk: 177.2
12:13 -> 136 Pretty amazing that I hit this number considering all the fat I consumed the night before. Took 4 units of Novolog with my 105c cereal. At 2:00 I had a clif bar for 31c, then some chocolate 7c.
3:45 -> 156 At 4:30 I had a pb&j 42c.
6:48 -> 192 The show had finished and now it was time to party, which meant hors d'oeuvres and beer. I knew this would be a challenge so I decided to use my high blood sugar to give myself a buffer. Assuming that 1 unit of insulin = 30c = 50 points of bg then I assumed I could comfortably eat 100 carbs and take 4 units of insulin and still be fine. I started eating the food going around and had the following: 2 mac&cheese balls, 4 mini crab cakes, 3 sliders, 3 toast w/ goat cheese and beets, 5 mini short ribs on polenta, 3 corona beers and a shrimp. I figured the bread on the sliders added up to about 40c with the mac and cheese about 30c, the rest making about 20c. I took 4 units of insulin about 15 minutes after I started eating.
9:25 -> 177 This was a very positive sign for me. It meant I was staying just a tad high which is recommended when you're drinking. But also that I had taken about the right amount of insulin for what i ate.
11:09 -> 161 I tested because we were planning on eating again. I ordered a kale salad with added avocado and shrimp. At first I thought I would forgo insulin altogether, but then I tasted the salad which had dressing and some grapes, and was offered a quarter of a burger which I took, and inundated with fries and decided to figure out another dose. Burger 10c, salad 15c, fries 40c. So that's a total of 65 which equates to just over 2 units, plus I wanted to bring down the number a tad so I took 3 units.
12:20 -> Took 13 units of Lantus.
2:37 -> 101 Look at that. Had a shot of Fernet Branca and danced for a bit and this is the number 4 hours later. I don't expect a dramatic change over the night but I had 20c worth of chips and hummus to make sure I stay level through the night!
Total Insulin: 24 Units
Total Carbs: 360
Ratio: 15:1
Tomorrow is my day off. I think I'll shop the J Crew sale, get a massage, do a laundry, see a movie and maybe start knocking some things off my HUGE AND INTIMIDATING "TO DO" list. I have a good deal of catching up to do. As I've said before, Diabetes is time consuming. But with the continued support of family and friends it will be a breeze.
Day 20
The reason behind the outfit, was that today was the final performance of the original company of War Horse. An event so monumental can never be justly revered by a mere cocktail party. It takes tears, and drinking, and dancing and hugs with pats on the back, and sweaty hugs with inebriated swaying, and promises of seeing each other again. It was a grand time. I'll miss everybody, but already I'm in talks with several of the company members about future activities. Russian bath house and working out with Seth, BBQ in Williamsburg and working out with Ian, making a movie and working out with Peter... you get the picture.
I have close friends on both sides of the fence now and I stop and wonder whether I made the right choice in staying. A solid paycheck and continued health insurance makes it feel like I did. But then I get into a business conversation with star of Law and Order SVU Mariska Hargitay and suddenly I second guess myself. That a five minute conversation with the right person can so ignite passion and ambition and confidence is proof that one of the chief factors tying me to the show is fear of the unknown - that and prudence. One more year, it's not too long, and then onto new adventures.
Enough chit chat, here's the good stuff:
pbpk: 177.2
12:13 -> 136 Pretty amazing that I hit this number considering all the fat I consumed the night before. Took 4 units of Novolog with my 105c cereal. At 2:00 I had a clif bar for 31c, then some chocolate 7c.
3:45 -> 156 At 4:30 I had a pb&j 42c.
6:48 -> 192 The show had finished and now it was time to party, which meant hors d'oeuvres and beer. I knew this would be a challenge so I decided to use my high blood sugar to give myself a buffer. Assuming that 1 unit of insulin = 30c = 50 points of bg then I assumed I could comfortably eat 100 carbs and take 4 units of insulin and still be fine. I started eating the food going around and had the following: 2 mac&cheese balls, 4 mini crab cakes, 3 sliders, 3 toast w/ goat cheese and beets, 5 mini short ribs on polenta, 3 corona beers and a shrimp. I figured the bread on the sliders added up to about 40c with the mac and cheese about 30c, the rest making about 20c. I took 4 units of insulin about 15 minutes after I started eating.
9:25 -> 177 This was a very positive sign for me. It meant I was staying just a tad high which is recommended when you're drinking. But also that I had taken about the right amount of insulin for what i ate.
11:09 -> 161 I tested because we were planning on eating again. I ordered a kale salad with added avocado and shrimp. At first I thought I would forgo insulin altogether, but then I tasted the salad which had dressing and some grapes, and was offered a quarter of a burger which I took, and inundated with fries and decided to figure out another dose. Burger 10c, salad 15c, fries 40c. So that's a total of 65 which equates to just over 2 units, plus I wanted to bring down the number a tad so I took 3 units.
12:20 -> Took 13 units of Lantus.
2:37 -> 101 Look at that. Had a shot of Fernet Branca and danced for a bit and this is the number 4 hours later. I don't expect a dramatic change over the night but I had 20c worth of chips and hummus to make sure I stay level through the night!
Total Insulin: 24 Units
Total Carbs: 360
Ratio: 15:1
Tomorrow is my day off. I think I'll shop the J Crew sale, get a massage, do a laundry, see a movie and maybe start knocking some things off my HUGE AND INTIMIDATING "TO DO" list. I have a good deal of catching up to do. As I've said before, Diabetes is time consuming. But with the continued support of family and friends it will be a breeze.
Day 20
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