A Rough Week...

This week Friday the 13th came early for me, and lasted a good few days!

On Thursday I took a tumble at work (don't you dare laugh!) and I tripped over some wires landing on my knees, jarring my back and hip, and also pulling both arms trying to stop myself falling... *dies a little of embarassment* so I've been walking round like I've ridden on a horse too long!

The following day I started eating my lunch, went into my bag to grab my pens and shock horror it wasn't there! Head immediately went into hands and panic set in, luckily my mum hadn't set off for work so brought it in.

The fun didn't end there though!

Looking at my Timesulin cap, it showed that my last injection was over 17 hours ago... SHIT!

Not only had I forgotten my insulin pens, but I'd forgotten to do my breakfast injection as well. If I'd have been on my own in the office, I think I would have bawled my eyes out then and there. But I held it together, did my injection with (massive) correction and got back to work. Got home and my levels were back to normal, thank god.

My parents were quite worried and concerned that I'd forgotten my injection... I said I've had this condition for about 3 years and I've only done it about twice so I'm pretty chuffed! I've never used the wrong insulin and never lost a pen/left it somewhere. Sometimes life takes over and you do forget stuff. We're human and everyone makes mistakes. Don't make me feel bad when it's my D, I know the consequences and I'm the one who deals with them.

I've had a shit week and ache like hell, so cut me some slack!

/rant over

DSMA June Blog Carnival - The Dr Will See You Now....

This month's DSMA Blog carnival asks:
Do you get nervous or stressed when you have to go to your endo/doc appointment?
Why or why not? Be honest.

I had my latest appointment earlier this month for my HbA1c and it had gone up from 7.4% to 8.1% :(

I do get nervous and stressed about my appointments, because I always expect the worst, and I'm usually correct. My HbA1c has either stayed the same or drops then goes back up. I feel like I've tried so hard in the last couple of years and nothing seems to have really changed. I'm getting despondant and not snapping out of it. My levels have improved a lot in the past couple of months, but I'm not excited when my lower levels appear, or when I get a no-hitter.

I want to be where I was when I got excited.

I'm always honest with my Consultant, and he's always helpful with suggestions about how I can improve my regime. The only downside is that my appointments only seem to last 10-15 minutes, I spend more time in the waiting room that I do in the chair.. Is this the norm for PWD or am I being greedy in not wanting to feel like I'm on a patient conveyerbelt?

To make patients feel more at ease during their appointments, it would be nice to feel like you're really being listened to. Not like you're on a clock. Don't just offer suggestions then say "See you in 6 months". When I'm feeling like a complete failure for letting my HbA1c go back up, it'd be nice to be reassured =/

This post is my June entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival. If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2012/june-dsma-blog-carnival-2/

DBlog Week Day 7 - Diabetes Hero

Let’s end our week on a high note and blog about our “Diabetes Hero”. It can be anyone you’d like to recognize or admire, someone you know personally or not, someone with diabetes or maybe a Type 3. It might be a fabulous endo or CDE. It could be a d-celebrity or role-model. It could be another DOC member. It’s up to you – who is your Diabetes Hero??
My hero's are everyone whose lives are touched by Diabetes. Whether you have it yourself or its a member of your family, or a loved one.

Parents of children with Diabetes - I was diagnosed just under 3 years ago, however this still had a big impact on my family. With Diabetes on my Mums side of the family, it left her feeling responsible for me ending up in hospital overnight and having this for the rest of my life.

I struggle a lot of the time to manage my own pancreas, nevermind another person and a little growing person at that! There must be a great deal of anxiety and pressure with ever changing goal posts, due to hormones affecting BG readings. However I can also imagine the great feeling when your child starts learning about Diabetes and testing themselves etc, because you taught them how to do it :) They are all heroes.

T3 Friends and family - They provide us PWD with a vital support network and help us whenever we need it. Whether it's listening to us talk about a rubbish day with D, coming with us to HbA1c appointments or carrying around jelly babies in case of hypo's, they are amazing and are all heroes.

Everyone with Diabetes - Living with this condition is crappy, as I've said in previous posts it can be like looking after a baby and like a full-time job. It's hard, and you have to keep your sense of humour as much as possible, because Diabetes and sods law go hand in hand! They are all heroes.

D is like a marathon, but you can do this :)

DBlog Week Day 6 - Say Cheese!

Back for the third 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.

DBlog Week Day 5 - What They Should Know

Today let’s borrow a topic from a #dsma chat held last September. The tweet asked “What is one thing you would tell someone that doesn’t have diabetes about living with diabetes?”. Let’s do a little advocating and post what we wish people knew about diabetes. Have more than one thing you wish people knew? Go ahead and tell us everything.
It's incredibly hard to just pick one thing, as sadly there's so much people don't know or realise about Diabetes.

Diabetes is hard. Fcking hard work. Almost like another full time job, except it's not 37 hours a week. Its all day, every day.

When you're sat there waiting to tuck into your dinner, I'm looking at it trying to work out how many carbs it's got in it.
There aren't just two types of Diabetes!
When I'm feeling hot or cold I'm wondering if I'm going hypo or hyper whereas you'd just grab a jumper or put the fire on.
When you ask why I look tired, it's probably because I was awake at 2am having a hypo.
Yes I can eat what I like within reason!!
Without insulin, I wouldn't be here.
Lots of things can affect BG readings before you've even eaten anything.

I could go on for ages and ages, but basically....

DIABETES IS A PAIN IN THE ARSE!!!!

Dblog Week Day 4 - Fantasy Diabetes Device

Today let’s tackle an idea inspired by Bennet of Your Diabetes May Vary. 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, etc. etc. etc. The sky is the limit – what would you love to see?
Instead of a Diabetes Fairy that is mean and creates highs & lows for no apparent reason, I'd like one that would help me! One that would just give me a little nudge if I'm heading out of my ideal range, or drop a jelly bean in my pocket when needed xD

Okay, I can dream!

My fantasy device has got to be a glucose monitor that's as accurate as humanly possible. None of this 25% each way. That's not good enough and never will be. We need to know exactly where we are with our BG, to give us a fighting chance to stay healthy and keep our HbA1c at a good percentage. I'd love to spend less time worrying about if I've injected too much or too little because I don't ACTUALLY know where my BG is!

Or we could have a D-Robot (instead of I-Robot) who could be with you all the time, carrying your D supplies, remembering when your last injection was and how much. Stopping you from over-treating or over indulging! Helping you exercise and answering questions like a Diabetic Google. Keeping a log of your readings, providing your own HbA1c results and even charging your meter up whilst on the move!

I'd imagine he/she to look like this....

DBlog Week Day 3 - One Thing to Improve

Yesterday we gave ourselves and our loved ones a big pat on the back for one thing we are great at. Today let’s look at the flip-side. We probably all have one thing we could try to do better. Why not make today the day we start working on it. No judgments, no scolding, just sharing one small thing we can improve so the DOC can cheer us on!
This one's a toughie, I don't think there's just one single thing we can improve on. D is a marathon, you're always learning and changing so there will always be things to work and improve on.

At the moment I'm struggling with motivation to record my results like I used to. I usually find I stop recording when I'm having bad days. This time it's been on and off since January, I'm trying to start filling in my readings after each test now. I also managed to drop my Lantus usage from 24 to 20, and that's still working out for me in the mornings. I've had my appointment through for my next HbA1c so I'm hoping that gives me the kick up the backside I need right now.

Just want to be back to how I used to be with my D. Kicking it's butt and gradually improving my averages/HbA1c =/