I Can See Clearly Now......

My Attempt at Poetry.








The Time has Come, it's that Time of Year,
The Grass Dries Up, and the Sky becomes Clear


I Reflect on the Passed Season, and Wonder Why
Why I Struggled, like a Kite in the Sky


Although my Mind was in a State of Fear
I pulled on out and now I'm here


This Season Pulled and Pulled, I Could Not Fly
Instead I felt Alone and Cried


The Sun now Shines and Dries my Tears
and Now I'm Left to Love and Endear



Trev

Self Experiment - Does Diet Effect Your Mood?



"Me Fired Up!"

 Good Day All! Boy do I have something I want to share!!!  I have not been this fired up in a long time. No I am not manic. This is some really revolutionary stuff. I didn't invent but check it out!!!

Not sure if I mentioned this,  but my last A1C was 8.4 % which, in my opinion for myself, pretty much sucks!!!

So I took a hard look at my current diabetes regime and self management.  By hard I mean honest, like; can I do more, am I measuring, trending, tracking, counting, am I consistent. To answer myself; as to whether I've been a well behaved PWD. I'd have to say, NO. I haven't been consistent in doing any of the above.

The result,  a shitty A1C.  Time to do something radical. Time to make a plan, and stick with it. Time to smarten up, and as you all know, I have 90 days.  At which time I will repeat my A1C and have a check-up with my physician.

Over the past four days, I know, not long, but I have to share this, I have been doing the following:

-Off my Pump, back on the Multiple Daily Doses.

-Re-Read Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution , for the second time in 4 months(This time I took notes)

-I have been eating the following portions daily:
Breakfast:  6 grams Carb and 3 oz Protein(Measured using a scale)
Lunch: 12 grams Carb and 4 oz Protein(Pre-made the evening before)
Dinner: 12 grams Carb and 6 oz Protein

-I have been taking the following insulin:
AM: Levemir 15 Units (split into 3 separate injections as per Dr B's Suggestion)
AM: Apidra 5.5 Units
Lunch: 4.5 Units
Dinner: 6 Units
Bedtime: Levemir 5 Units

Broken Down:

Correction Factor = 1 Unit will drop my BG by 2 mmol
1 gram of Carb increases my BG by approximately .3 mmol
1 unit of insulin for 1.5 oz of protein
1 unit of insulin for 6 grams of Carb
2 units to cover the Dawn Phenomenon (2 hrs after waking)

-I write everything down
-I tested every 2-3 hours for the first 3 days
-I discovered Sugar Stats a website that allows you to log your numbers, graph them, and so much more. Get this! If I am out, away from my computer I email my blood glucose reading using my phone to the site and review the numbers later. It really is awesome!(No I am not an affiliate, so I don't get anything if you visit the site)

Okay, so what?! 

I am going to tell you, the first day sucked!  I felt low(hypoglycemic) because I wasn't used to having sugars in the normal range. I felt hungry, I had a massive headache. Day two, still feeling headachy, but slightly better. Day three, better. 

Today, I feel fantastic!!!  I have no headache. I have no post meal spikes, my range yesterday and today has been close to that of a non-diabetic.  I never in my 28 years of being a Type 1 have seen numbers, I mean stable, steady. 

My mood and my mind is clearer then I ever thought possible. I am not exaggerating. I post my numbers publicly on Sugar Stats if you want to check them.  It's really encouraging to eat a meal or take a shot and knowing exactly what the outcome will be.  I admit I was really hesitant to take 1 unit for 1.5 oz of protein. But seriouly, it's totally possible!

The only downfall is it is a rigid regime,  but I feel great and that is motivation. I don't feel edgy, like I am on an emotional roller coaster that I would get with spikes and drops in my blood sugar.

Stable numbers (Stable Carb and Protein + Stable Insulin = Stable mood ) 

That is my conclusion thus far.  I know it is only day four but I am onto something life changing. I just feel it!

Trev

Diabetes - Entwined

It is time to discuss being all grown up with diabetes.

I have had Type 1 diabetes since the eighties, yes the Big Hair, Glam, Dancing on The Ceiling era.

 I was nine when diagnosed, so I was dancing to thriller with my cousin not realising what a life with diabetes would entail.

When you are a young person your view of the world is idealistic not to generalize, but this is what my view of the world was. You dream, you picture what your life will be like when you are all grown up.

You envision a life full, happy, stress free.  You over hear discussions about money, mortgages, but this to you as a child sounds like another language, because it doesn`t apply to you. 

You go where your parents go, take your insulin, eat whats prepared for you and play, imagine and enjoy life, not thinking about diabetes.

You celebrate numerous birthdays, and with each passing birthday, the awareness starts to gradually manifest itself. The awareness that this diabetes thing is here to stay. You fight, deny, then hopefully accept, or at least allow it to sink in fleetingly through-out your youth.

You complete your elementary, middle and high school. You make some big decisions like, what am I going to do with my life now? 

You fall in love, finish more education or choose a field to pursue. Life goes on, and diabetes is always present.

You marry, and have children or not.

You work, save, buy your first home, apartment or condo or not.

You have many more birthdays. You reach middle age. You reflect, and all this time diabetes lingers; you need to renew your drivers licence, have regular check-ups, finger pokes, infusion sets, injections, pens, new devices, promises about cures and transplants, yet, diabetes is still entwined as part of you.

You look back, at chapter one, you look forward to chapter two.  What`s in store; will I avoid complications, will there be a cure, will they close the loop?

Then I think, will my children with type 1 diabetes have to endure the same life journey with diabetes that I have?

They are being entwined as I was with diabetes, I pray and hope they endure.

Trev