Yes, I'm talking about finger pricks and keeping sensors stuck on your skin, especially now that the weather is starting to warm up for the summer.
I'm doing a research study for a sensor, as I've stated before, and I currently have two quarter-sized stickers on each of my arms. The first week was all fine and dandy, save for the re-creation of habits to make sure I checked my blood sugars 8 times daily. I didn't have any issues with the sensors and I went about my normal life (mostly) with the stickers in the back of my mind. Unless people asked about them, I would forget that I had the sensors on.
Week two has proven to be far more difficult. The sensors started to itch, much like normal pump sites do after a couple of days, and the stickers became a little less secure on my arm. It wasn't until I took a shower this morning, though, and went to go work outside that I realized half of the devices on my arms were on the verge of falling off.
Now it wouldn't have been the end of the world. The sensors coming off is part of the study, of course, to see how effective the device is. However I'm convinced that once one comes off the rest of them will follow and I'll have no sensors left to calibrate before the end of the study. So I did what any rational person with diabetes would do: I went into my medical cabinet and tried to find a bandaid big enough to hold the sensor in place. I found a bandaid, but my arms are apparently not the tackiest of places to have anything so it fell off within moments. I found athletic tape, but received a similar lackluster result. This was bad news, of course, because I was going outside to do yard work and if I were to sweat on top of a precarious two sensors on my arm they were sure to fall off and get lost in the dirt we were moving around.
Phase two required a bit more creativity. I couldn't use bandaid glue because I didn't want to damage the device, obviously, and it was difficult to reach around the back of my arm to really effectively apply the glue anyway. I wasn't desperate enough to use actual glue. I did, however, have a big stack of flexible tacky cover that I had once used on my pump sites when I was younger. Back then I would cut a hole out of the material so that the tubing could fit around the underside of the site, but I just put the whole thing atop each sensor for reinforcement, and it worked! I finished my yardwork with all of the sensors intact.
It had been a while since I'd had to worry about a site falling off or about needing reinforcement for a diabetic device, but I'm proud to say I succeeded in keeping the sensors where they were supposed to be. We'll see what the next few days bring before I take the sensors off on purpose!
Have you dealt with a similar situation in your diabetes care? If so, how did you handle it?
Best,
Heather
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
You Can Call Me Iron Woman
So diabetes is a rollercoaster; that's not new news to any of you.
When opportunities present themselves, especially regarding research and progress toward better diabetes care, it's typically bad form to turn it down. That is why I took on the task of participating in a local study on CGMs while I'm home for the summer. Two weeks of wearing 4 sensors, two on each arm, for the betterment of CGM analysis and data seemed pretty cool to me. So I agreed to participate in this study without hesitation.
What I didn't anticipate (spoiler alert: nothing in life is predictable) was that I would be going away for a long weekend at a professional conference to find an internship. But, of course, that's what happened. Four days of early mornings and late nights complete with nightly cocktail parties and, of course, cocktail dresses, ensued. This normally would not be an issue for me. Give me a margarita and a good conversationalist and I'm good for several hours! However my four sensors, each slightly larger than a quarter and strategically stuck on the back side of each arm, tended to draw attention while in conversation or as a conversation starter at said conference.
Now this normally wouldn't bother me. Talking about diabetes is something I am well-practiced at and comfortable with; I enjoy sharing my story with others and getting my peers excited about the future of diabetes care and the importance of advocacy. This particular situation, though, made it exceptionally annoying. When people came up to me and asked about my sensors instead of asking about how I was involved with this particular cause or why I was at this particular conference, my answer was more draining than it ever had been. The frequency of the questions made it even worse. I'm not one to ascribe to avoidance- I'm the least passive-agressive person you'll ever meet- so I didn't shy away from baring my arms and wearing a cute, sleeveless cocktail dress to these parties because a little sensor shouldn't stop me from doing so. I'll take this time to also say it shouldn't stop you from doing so either. It didn't keep me from wearing what I wanted. It did, however, draw more attention to my arms than to my brains which was the whole point of the weekend. Instead of the drawn out and complicated answer that I'm used to giving people who ask about my life with diabetes, I adjusted.
When someone asked "what is that on your arm?" or, jokingly, "are you a robot?" I'd answer: "They're continuous glucose monitors for a study I'm doing for type 1 diabetes. I'm Heather, by the way, but I do accept the nickname Iron Woman if you'd prefer." Now this answer might sound a bit crass or too sarcastic for a professional setting, but when those people who had the guts to ask me what I was wearing on my arm heard this answer they were delighted by it. Sometimes they'd ask for more detail, which was as draining as you can imagine it would be (because people know a lot less about life with diabetes than they pretend to, unless they're currently living with it), but most of the time they took my answer as-is and accepted that I didn't want to go into detail. The face value of my answer was funny and charismatic instead of sarcastic and mean (thankfully).
So the moral of my post today is that no matter who you encounter in your day-to-day diabetes routine and no matter what questions they ask, you are entitiled to answer in any way you choose. And if you choose to identify as Iron Woman, be that daily or otherwise, I'm right there with you.
Signing off,
-Iron Woman
When opportunities present themselves, especially regarding research and progress toward better diabetes care, it's typically bad form to turn it down. That is why I took on the task of participating in a local study on CGMs while I'm home for the summer. Two weeks of wearing 4 sensors, two on each arm, for the betterment of CGM analysis and data seemed pretty cool to me. So I agreed to participate in this study without hesitation.
What I didn't anticipate (spoiler alert: nothing in life is predictable) was that I would be going away for a long weekend at a professional conference to find an internship. But, of course, that's what happened. Four days of early mornings and late nights complete with nightly cocktail parties and, of course, cocktail dresses, ensued. This normally would not be an issue for me. Give me a margarita and a good conversationalist and I'm good for several hours! However my four sensors, each slightly larger than a quarter and strategically stuck on the back side of each arm, tended to draw attention while in conversation or as a conversation starter at said conference.
Now this normally wouldn't bother me. Talking about diabetes is something I am well-practiced at and comfortable with; I enjoy sharing my story with others and getting my peers excited about the future of diabetes care and the importance of advocacy. This particular situation, though, made it exceptionally annoying. When people came up to me and asked about my sensors instead of asking about how I was involved with this particular cause or why I was at this particular conference, my answer was more draining than it ever had been. The frequency of the questions made it even worse. I'm not one to ascribe to avoidance- I'm the least passive-agressive person you'll ever meet- so I didn't shy away from baring my arms and wearing a cute, sleeveless cocktail dress to these parties because a little sensor shouldn't stop me from doing so. I'll take this time to also say it shouldn't stop you from doing so either. It didn't keep me from wearing what I wanted. It did, however, draw more attention to my arms than to my brains which was the whole point of the weekend. Instead of the drawn out and complicated answer that I'm used to giving people who ask about my life with diabetes, I adjusted.
When someone asked "what is that on your arm?" or, jokingly, "are you a robot?" I'd answer: "They're continuous glucose monitors for a study I'm doing for type 1 diabetes. I'm Heather, by the way, but I do accept the nickname Iron Woman if you'd prefer." Now this answer might sound a bit crass or too sarcastic for a professional setting, but when those people who had the guts to ask me what I was wearing on my arm heard this answer they were delighted by it. Sometimes they'd ask for more detail, which was as draining as you can imagine it would be (because people know a lot less about life with diabetes than they pretend to, unless they're currently living with it), but most of the time they took my answer as-is and accepted that I didn't want to go into detail. The face value of my answer was funny and charismatic instead of sarcastic and mean (thankfully).
So the moral of my post today is that no matter who you encounter in your day-to-day diabetes routine and no matter what questions they ask, you are entitiled to answer in any way you choose. And if you choose to identify as Iron Woman, be that daily or otherwise, I'm right there with you.
Signing off,
-Iron Woman
Monday, May 16, 2016
Dip it Low, Bring it up Slow
So I think everyone would agree that low blood sugars suck.
The whole process of getting low and feeling low just sucks. First, you somehow input too many carbs for a meal or you correct too much for a high BG or you're running so fast from your responsibilities that you work your body into a low. Then once enough time has passed that you forget about this potential cause of said low, you feel shaky and dizzy and clammy and mad at the world for no real reason. And finally, you check and you're 60 and you eat an entire roll of club crackers while trying to remember why you went low in the first place.
In case you didn't catch on, that happened to me yesterday. It's the 5th time it's happened since I've been home for the summer, and let me tell you: it sucks.
I made plans this summer to start eating more healthy, to work out daily, and to feel better in my own skin. This of course goes hand in hand with quality diabetes care, right? Wrong.
Checking BG regularly and eating a well-balanced diet certainly helps with diabetes care and overall health, but there are so many variables in diabetes that throw the whole system off on a daily basis.
Going low is one example. It's a big wrench to be thrown, too. Yesterday, as I said, I went low at 11pm while I was doing a core workout in my room. Not only did my low interrupt my workout plan, but the roll of club crackers I ate totally threw off my healthy eating plan of the day as well, and I had a high BG two hours later.
Now obviously there were decisions I could have made so that my complaints regarding eating healthy are null and void. Yes, there are healthy options to bring up a low BG. Club crackers, even in smaller doses, would be fine. Fruit leather or orange juice also would have done the trick.
But if you ever go low late at night and enter a pantry where your options are a juice box or a box of clubhouse, I challenge you to go for the juice box and be satisfied. I should consider myself lucky I didn't find more to eat, because it was the kind of low that I felt like I could eat a house and still need more nourishment.
I'm not sure if these series of low BGs are self-caused changes in my regiment or just the causal effect of the universe determined to make my life difficult. It could be my moving home, my change in diet from school to home, the warmer weather (sunshine always makes insulin work more quickly for me), or if I need a change in my settings. It's likely to be a combination of them all.
Regardless of the cause, it sucks.
I'll check in again in a few weeks.
Best,
Heather
The whole process of getting low and feeling low just sucks. First, you somehow input too many carbs for a meal or you correct too much for a high BG or you're running so fast from your responsibilities that you work your body into a low. Then once enough time has passed that you forget about this potential cause of said low, you feel shaky and dizzy and clammy and mad at the world for no real reason. And finally, you check and you're 60 and you eat an entire roll of club crackers while trying to remember why you went low in the first place.
In case you didn't catch on, that happened to me yesterday. It's the 5th time it's happened since I've been home for the summer, and let me tell you: it sucks.
I made plans this summer to start eating more healthy, to work out daily, and to feel better in my own skin. This of course goes hand in hand with quality diabetes care, right? Wrong.
Checking BG regularly and eating a well-balanced diet certainly helps with diabetes care and overall health, but there are so many variables in diabetes that throw the whole system off on a daily basis.
Going low is one example. It's a big wrench to be thrown, too. Yesterday, as I said, I went low at 11pm while I was doing a core workout in my room. Not only did my low interrupt my workout plan, but the roll of club crackers I ate totally threw off my healthy eating plan of the day as well, and I had a high BG two hours later.
Now obviously there were decisions I could have made so that my complaints regarding eating healthy are null and void. Yes, there are healthy options to bring up a low BG. Club crackers, even in smaller doses, would be fine. Fruit leather or orange juice also would have done the trick.
But if you ever go low late at night and enter a pantry where your options are a juice box or a box of clubhouse, I challenge you to go for the juice box and be satisfied. I should consider myself lucky I didn't find more to eat, because it was the kind of low that I felt like I could eat a house and still need more nourishment.
I'm not sure if these series of low BGs are self-caused changes in my regiment or just the causal effect of the universe determined to make my life difficult. It could be my moving home, my change in diet from school to home, the warmer weather (sunshine always makes insulin work more quickly for me), or if I need a change in my settings. It's likely to be a combination of them all.
Regardless of the cause, it sucks.
I'll check in again in a few weeks.
Best,
Heather
Friday, May 13, 2016
A Summer Home in College
Alright, so it's been a long time since my last post but this summer I'm going to create a new habit of updating this frequently. Today's post is about the transition from school to home.
So I'll be the first to admit that while I'm at school my diabetes management is lackluster. I check my blood sugars semi-regularly (throughout the day, don't go crazy) and input carbs as I eat but my regiment doesn't get more detailed than that.
Summer break changes many things, including how I handle my diabetes. Keep in mind I do have a younger brother with type 1 and two loving parents who are used to being full-time diabetes managers for a 14 year old.
When I go home my management goes as follows:
Day 1-5: minimal blood glucose checks, maximum carb counting and inputting, medium lying to parents
Now parents, don't freak out at this whole "lying" thing I just admitted to. It's not detrimental to anyone. But when I come home my parents shift into maximum overdrive with nagging and reminding me to check, to carb, to not eat this and remember to eat that, that sometimes just nodding my head yes and pretending that I did half of the things they ask me about is easier. It won't hurt anyone if I didn't actually have a second helping of salad at dinner, or if I forgot to put in my carb count until I was already sitting down for a meal.
Day 5-7: medium blood glucose checks, maximum carb counting and inputting, maximum lying to parents
Okay this is the peak of the "yes, mom" phase. After reaching the end of the normal week away from school and at home, parents think they are once again in control of everything. Newsflash: I am going into my senior year of college and nine times out of ten the decisions I make and act upon are my own and because of me. That is not to diminish the love I have for my parents, it's simply a statement of fact. Regardless of my motivation and actual decisions, however, it is crucial for both my sanity and my mom's sanity at this phase to ensure that she believes that she is in control. So I play along and nod my head at appropriate times, of course.
It's also worth noting, however, that this is also the peak phase of annoyance at said reminders. I felt like a drone every time either of my parents asked what my number was or when was the last time I checked, and especially if they asked me how many carbs I put into my pump. I've been at this as long as you have, mom and dad, have some faith.
Day 7-10: medium BG checks, medium carb counting and inputting, medium lying to parents
Once the routine is found and annoyance is only simmering instead of boiling, the system gets better. I improve upon my BG checking because I have my brother to give an example to (note my habits don't change because of my parent's nagging), I keep up a similar routine of carb counting, and my lying turns to a steady medium where I pick and choose what to tell them, but they don't know I'm picking and choosing.
From here on out the summer typically switches between phases of day 5-7 and 7-10. Being at home certainly improves my diabetes care, which I appreciate, but it also sometimes makes my eye twitch.
Having not been home for the summer in over a year, I notice the change in patterns much more than I did before. The comments by my mom over the phone while I'm at school, while still grating, are appreciated a bit more. That's not to say that when having the conversation about "making sure you're having protein with dinner, especially when you're making complex carbs like pasta" when in reality I'm making top ramen in my microwave because I have a midterm to study for, I change my tune. I will definitely continue to blindly nod my head yes from time to time.
I am learning to adjust back into home life, however, and am appreciating the diabetes-related reminders more than hate them as the pattern progresses.
I'll keep you updated in the months to come!
Best,
Heather
So I'll be the first to admit that while I'm at school my diabetes management is lackluster. I check my blood sugars semi-regularly (throughout the day, don't go crazy) and input carbs as I eat but my regiment doesn't get more detailed than that.
Summer break changes many things, including how I handle my diabetes. Keep in mind I do have a younger brother with type 1 and two loving parents who are used to being full-time diabetes managers for a 14 year old.
When I go home my management goes as follows:
Day 1-5: minimal blood glucose checks, maximum carb counting and inputting, medium lying to parents
Now parents, don't freak out at this whole "lying" thing I just admitted to. It's not detrimental to anyone. But when I come home my parents shift into maximum overdrive with nagging and reminding me to check, to carb, to not eat this and remember to eat that, that sometimes just nodding my head yes and pretending that I did half of the things they ask me about is easier. It won't hurt anyone if I didn't actually have a second helping of salad at dinner, or if I forgot to put in my carb count until I was already sitting down for a meal.
Day 5-7: medium blood glucose checks, maximum carb counting and inputting, maximum lying to parents
Okay this is the peak of the "yes, mom" phase. After reaching the end of the normal week away from school and at home, parents think they are once again in control of everything. Newsflash: I am going into my senior year of college and nine times out of ten the decisions I make and act upon are my own and because of me. That is not to diminish the love I have for my parents, it's simply a statement of fact. Regardless of my motivation and actual decisions, however, it is crucial for both my sanity and my mom's sanity at this phase to ensure that she believes that she is in control. So I play along and nod my head at appropriate times, of course.
It's also worth noting, however, that this is also the peak phase of annoyance at said reminders. I felt like a drone every time either of my parents asked what my number was or when was the last time I checked, and especially if they asked me how many carbs I put into my pump. I've been at this as long as you have, mom and dad, have some faith.
Day 7-10: medium BG checks, medium carb counting and inputting, medium lying to parents
Once the routine is found and annoyance is only simmering instead of boiling, the system gets better. I improve upon my BG checking because I have my brother to give an example to (note my habits don't change because of my parent's nagging), I keep up a similar routine of carb counting, and my lying turns to a steady medium where I pick and choose what to tell them, but they don't know I'm picking and choosing.
From here on out the summer typically switches between phases of day 5-7 and 7-10. Being at home certainly improves my diabetes care, which I appreciate, but it also sometimes makes my eye twitch.
Having not been home for the summer in over a year, I notice the change in patterns much more than I did before. The comments by my mom over the phone while I'm at school, while still grating, are appreciated a bit more. That's not to say that when having the conversation about "making sure you're having protein with dinner, especially when you're making complex carbs like pasta" when in reality I'm making top ramen in my microwave because I have a midterm to study for, I change my tune. I will definitely continue to blindly nod my head yes from time to time.
I am learning to adjust back into home life, however, and am appreciating the diabetes-related reminders more than hate them as the pattern progresses.
I'll keep you updated in the months to come!
Best,
Heather
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