type1tootsie

I fell asleep on the couch watching Lost in Translation last night when all of a sudden I woke up in a panic.  Connor, my son, and Tom, my darling, sprang into action as I asked for my glucometer.  Usually my glucometer is within reach but tonight it was sitting on the island in the kitchen.  Connor pre-loaded the machine with a strip and handed me the lancet (nobody pokes my fingers but me!).  I placed the blood on the strip and tried to wait…why?  I knew my sugar was dangerously low and that I needed to take care of business but still I waited 5…. 4….. 3…. 2….. 1….. 31.  My tongue was completely numb, my heart was racing, every emotion I felt was surely about to explode out of me. Usually when my sugar is in the 50’s I have the peace of mind to slowly nurse my sugars back up but… at 31, no, there is no nursing – there is only slamming.  All I could think about was the ice cream in the freezer. 

Disclaimer and explanation needed here:  I am not a medical professional; I am a diabetic who has worked out a routine that works for me.  Here’s the explanation part:  When my sugar is low I account for the carbs I eat by “dialing in” to my pump my sugar level and the amount of carbs I’ll be slamming.  I don’t recommend this to anyone…it works for me. 

Back to the craziness….I remember Tom getting me a slice of angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream.  At this point I was afraid to expend the energy needed to even get up and move to the kitchen.  As soon as I knew I could get up I headed toward the ice cream like a zombie.  I was intercepted by Tom giving me a banana.  Hello?  Ice cream!!!  After slamming the banana (grumbling the entire time) I finally got the ice cream.  Tom took the carton from my hand and got me a spoonful.  I know he was trying to keep me from slamming the ice cream and crazily spiking my sugar but I did not want help at the time.  I only wanted ice cream….sugar.  He asked me to drink some water to help metabolize the sugar faster and still I only wanted the ice cream.  He gave me another few bites while engaging me in a conversation I did not want to have.  I only wanted ice cream.  He didn’t understand where I was coming from and I didn’t have the where-with-all to explain myself or understand where he was coming from at the time.  I know he was just trying to help but I don’t think he knew how many carbs I intended to eat and once the insulin was given, needed to eat.

 To ALL those who deal with diabetics and their lows….thank you.  Thank you for trying, for loving, for supporting, for dishing out, for feeding, AND for being willing to do it all over again, if needed.  I can feel my tongue now and I can also feel the pain I caused my precious husband.  Somewhere in there Lost in Translation playing in the background seems apropos.

Okay, truth be told I already knew my site would be waterproof, but since I’m blogging now I thought I’d share….

So, it’s Friday night, Tom is home from work and the Friday night pool party is in full swing!  Before diving in, I checked my sugar….83 not bad!  Since I planned on indulging  in a sour apple martini (which I’ve figured has 27 carbs) I bolused then set myself free of my Medtronic MiniMed Pump for a little while.  I am happy to report that my paradigm quick-set  infusion site survived a lovely evening of fun in the pool!

Okay, so my nephew, 9 year old Austin, isn’t so small anymore but he is mighty! He is an extremely active and athletic young man, and recently decided to train and participate in a triathlon. With training and participation come expenses. He is asking for donations to help him achieve his goals. His first goal is the Kiwanis Kids Triathlon in Houston, TX on August 8, 2009 and then he’ll be on to Alpharetta, GA for the Ironkids Triathlon on September 13, 2009.

Here is the sweet kicker!!!

Austin will be giving 10% of the donations he receives to a charity….he chose the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

My nephew has taken it upon himself to pound the pavement, pedal forward, and paddle through the waters for me and tons of others he has never met. What a kid! What motivation!! Please log on to Austin’s site to donate to a very worthy cause, keep up with his training progress, and drop a note of support.

Thanks, Austin, you are an inspiration to me!!

I’ve been encouraged many times over to begin blogging about Type 1 diabetes and my hand-in-hand daily walk with the disease. The blog site has been set up for almost a month and yet I haven’t found the courage to write. What do I say? Does anyone want to listen? Can I really help someone else in their daily walk with diabetes? Am I ready for the possible onslaught of scrutiny about my thoughts? Well, here are the answers: I don’t know, perhaps so, I would hope, and probably not. I don’t know where to begin so to quote one of my favorite movies, “let’s start at the very beginning”.

My name is Christin. I am a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a niece, a cousin, and a friend. I am sensitive yet I am fierce. I am fair. I am a perfectionist, stubborn, and sometimes a little too critical of others (I promise I’m working on those). I am a Christian. I am a musician. I am a patriot. I am an Air Force brat and a “retired” Air Force wife. Oh yeah….I’m also a Type 1 diabetic. All of these things and more define me.

Continue reading I think it’s time to share…