Sweet and Sour- The Type 1 Diabetes Rollercoaster

I'm actually pretty sad that blog week is over- here is the final topic: My Favourite Things " As we wrap up another Diabetes Blog Week, let’s share a few of our favorite things from the week. This can be anything from a #DBlogWeek post you loved, a fantastic new-to-you blog you found, a picture someone included in a post that spoke to you, or comment left on your blog that made you smile. Anything you liked is worth sharing!" I love d blog week because it brings bloggers together. It's so wonderful to see comments from others on my posts, knowing that they bring something to someone's day. It's nice to read new blogs too. First, I've begun following Karen at bittersweet diabetes- she's absolutely lovely, taking the time to comment on others posts and write her own, plus organise this year after year. Thank you for making me feel included! I love having more readers, it makes blogging feel a lot more interactive.  Thank you to everyone who has...

Saturday Snapshots "Back for another year, let’s show everyone what life with diabetes looks like!  With a nod to the  Diabetes 365 project , let’s grab our cameras again and share some more d-related pictures.  Post as many or as few as you’d like.  Feel free to blog your thoughts on or explanations of your pictures, or leave out the written words and let the pictures speak for themselves." Diabetes rule of thumb- you wake up in the night, you check your level! 4am checks on a Saturday morning (8.5mmol/L= 153mg/dl for my non Aussie readers) Drove myself to my piano lesson now that I have my Ps (P plates= I can drive without supervision now). This means packing a diabetes emergency pack and keeping it in the car in case I forget something. The pump supplies stashed in my wardrobe- a little haphazard following yesterday's set change. I contemplated cleaning it today...... that is yet to happen. Phonetic transcriptions- because I'm a...

Diabetes life hacks " Share the (non-medical) tips and tricks that help you in the day-to-day management of diabetes.  Tell us everything from clothing modifications, serving size/carb counting tricks to the tried and true Dexcom-in-a-glass trick or the “secret” to turning on a Medtronic pump’s backlight when not on the home-screen" Firstly- I didn't know about the medtronic pump baclight trick... COOL! anyhoo Cool things I have discovered: - If you place a drop of softdrink just so on your blood meter, you can tell if it is diet/sugar free by the reading - If you have bubbles in your insulin tubing, fill the cannula (TAKE THE SET OFF I REPEAT TAKE THE SET OFF) to prime them out- uneeded pump rewindings be gone!  - For medtronic pumps, if you have a clip turn the pump to lie flat on your skin (LOCK THE PUMP!!) It makes it much easier to feel if the pump is alarming at night. This also helps in reducing the bump in clothes - In formal dresses or even long dresse...

"Yesterday we opened up about how diabetes can bring us down. Today let’s share what gets us through a hard day.  Or more specifically, a hard diabetes day.  Is there something positive you tell yourself?  Are there mantras that you fall back on to get you through?  Is there something specific you do when your mood needs a boost?  Maybe we've done that and we can help others do it too? (Thanks to Meri of Our Diabetic Life for suggesting this topic.)"   Diabetes bad days are hard, there's no denying that. But if I were to dwell on how terrible it was I'd be curled up in a corner for eternity, and that's no fun! So with awful days of high sugars I use: "what goes up must come down" The bad times will be over in a short while, so isn't it best to just do what you can and let it happen? I'm lucky enough to have some amazing technology to help me out with diabetes dramas- so why not use it to my full advantage? Emotionally, as a problem sol...

"What brings me down: May is  Mental Health Month  so now seems like a great time to explore the emotional side of living with, or caring for someone with, diabetes. What things can make dealing with diabetes an emotional issue for you and / or your loved one, and how do you cope? (Thanks go out to Scott of  Strangely Diabetic  for coordinating this topic.)" Sometimes, diabetes brings me down. Not often. But sometimes. Sometimes it feels like nothing is going right because you're stuck on a high blood sugar marathon. Sometimes it feels like you're constantly doing battle with your own body. Sometimes it feels like no one understands my diabetic life.  Sometimes I feel sorry for myself after a particularly painful set change and  sometimes it feels like I'll never win against my diabetes- because I physically can't.              How do I handle that? - I treat high sugars thinking "what goes up must come down" - I...

I'm no poet, so I'll take the wildcard today! "This continues to be one of the most popular DBlogWeek topics, so let’s have another crack at it! Tell us what your fantasy diabetes device would be? Think of your dream blood glucose checker, delivery system for insulin or other meds, magic carb counter, or anything else you can think of. The sky is the limit – what would you love to see?" Well of the sky is the limit I say: ALL OF THEM IN ONE THING. My diabetes dream machine...      It would be a pump, that can check your blood sugar without a finger poke. You would be able to scan food items so that it automatically knows the required carbs. My dream machine would adjust its insulin rate automatocally based on your requirements- no adjustments required.  Set changes would be a thing of the past, this pump would stick on and communicate with an implanted receptor on the pancreas. It's like bluetooth in your body. But that's the boring stuff. The drea...

This is my second year of participating in Diabetes Blog Week- so I'll be posting every day this week on the chosen topic. Today is "Change The World" "Let’s kick off Diabetes Blog Week by talking about the diabetes causes and issues that really get us fired up. Are you passionate about 504 plans and school safety? Do diabetes misconceptions irk you? Do you fight for CGM coverage for Medicare patients, SDP funding, or test strip accuracy? Do you work hard at creating diabetes connections and bringing support? Whether or not you “formally” advocate for any cause, share the issues that are important to you. (Thanks go out to Kim of Texting my Pancreas for inspiring this topic.)" My diabetes issue, for once isn't the media (I know, I'm shocked too!). What I'm passionate about is fairly simple; equality. I want to be assured that I can do whatever I want; be a speech pathologist, have kids, gain world domination. All of the usual stuff. I want ...

4 years ago I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes... And wow that went fast! In type 1 terms, I'm still a newbie really, most of my diabetic friends have had it for over 10 years. People think it's a bit weird that I remember the day I was diagnosed, and no, I don't get presents and cake (but hey if anyone wants to buy me food I'll take it ;) ). I don't think of it as the day my old life was snatched away, but as the day it was saved (quite literally!). It reminds me that I've managed my diabetes so well that I'm alive- something that wasn't possible all that long ago. I did some maths (yes, I'm shocked too!) Loosely speaking: - I've been type 1 for 1461 days - I've done around 11700 fingerprick tests - 1004 insulin injections with pens - 400 set changes - and had more low blood sugars than I care to remember I also began this blog around a year ago (give or take a few days) amd it's unbelievable how it somehow managed to take o...