On It Like A Car Bonnet!

After yesterday's slightly serious post, I thought I'd give a proper (and more positive) update on me and my beloved *cough* D!

Since leaving my previous job in December and starting my new job - also in December - my levels have improved dramatically. I'm no longer hitting the mid-teens or twenties on a regular basis. I'm back to being in range for most of the day, and it feels pretty amazing!

I'm feeling so much more confident about how I manage my D again, and am almost back to where I was after my PDAC course last year. Yes I don't carb count precisely and sometimes I guesstimate a little bit. Occasionally it'll pay off and others it won't, but with D it is about the long game. It isn't a sprint. So if I can keep going with the odd early-teen result then that's fine by me :)

I have some fantastic people in my life now, who I can rely on, trust with everything and love very much. D is also about a support network and I definately have that now. One person in particular wiggles to mind! And I'm incredibly lucky.

January has been such an awesome month so bring on the rest of 2012! :)

Disney's Newest Ride.... The Glucoaster!

I've been a naughty blogger recently *slaps wrist* Not really wanting to post about my D experience abroad but knowing that it'll help in the long run... so put it off for a few days.

Apologies in advance for a more serious, negative post!

As some of you know, on my last holiday to Florida I was a few weeks away from being diagnosed with D so felt pretty awful for the majority of our trip. This time I was extremely nervous/anxious about travelling with D and how it would behave.

Before going, people said that I'd have to reduce my insulin because of heat absorption, exercise etc. So on my first proper day in the Sunshine State that's what I decided to do (trying to be one step ahead). D didn't like that at all, and despite a good walk around Universal Studios for over half a day my sugars sky rocketed. Admittedly I did have a cooked breakfast from a Ponderosa (which was soooooo good) but not an American portion!

This is how my body continued to deal with the increasing heat for the rest of my trip. I quickly upped my dose and tried to stick to some sort of routine with meal times (which isn't really what you want on holiday). But my parents (Super D-Rents) were great about it and really supportive. Stopping every now and then in the shade so I could test and correct and finding places that didn't just serve burgers and fries.

I'd love to say that I kicked D's arse into utter submission but I didn't. I folded and broke down more and more. I hated it more than ever, knowing this time what was wrong with me but not being able to fix it. Constantly testing and correcting meant my fingers were sore and my stomache was covered in tiny bruises. My patience wore thin and by the end of an evening I got snappy or emotional. At one point I asked my parents to hit me over the head with a shovel and have done with it. Funny now looking back but at the time I really meant it.

Almost a week later and today I've had all readings under 10mmol for the first time since I went away so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'm getting back on track..

This isn't to say my holiday was a complete wash-out!

The time in-between testing was great and it was great being back in Orlando and apart from worrying about me, my parents also had a great time :) I went on lots of rides that I haven't before (insane waiting times ruled out Harry Potter rides/shops which was a complete bummer) and even held a little alligator called Oscar!

My Frio bags worked a treat to and from the UK and during my entire holiday the only reason for being stopped was for having suncream in my handbag at Orlando airport! Felt like a non-D person not being stopped for having pens & needles in my manbag which was nice :)

I think it'll be a while before I go anywhere long haul again, but at least I can say I had a go and learnt from it..

Our gangsta style Cadillac hire car!

Kicking the D!



Cupcake with sprinkles!

How not to decorate your car?

DSMA Feb Blog Carnival

hey folks

hope you're well :)

i've had another pretty awful non-d related week which has resulted in more stress and tears..

however i'm determined that the rest of this week is going to be okay and stress isn't going to be affecting my levels this weekend!

anyways, back to the blog title.. i recently discovered DSMA (Diabetes Social Media Advocacy) on twitter and have been reading through a number of the discussions and points of views from other members of the DOC which i've found really interesting, as well as new blogs to read!

the latest blog on the website is the DSMA blog carnival and this months topics is....

"The most awesome thing I have done in spite of diabetes is...."

yet to come! i've only had diabetes for around 18 months (officially) and yes i'm still here, not totally insane, getting used to the appointments, carb math, testing etc. i'm going to florida in may this year which will be my first holiday away as a diabetic, as i've mentioned before my last holiday was a few weeks before my diagnosis so it wasn't a great time :(

i'm hoping to do lots of awesome things in the future, some of them little like injecting in public or some of them big like going abroad for 2 weeks or going to a My Chemical Romance concert in 2 weeks time ^.^

who knows what the future holds? :)

this post is my february entry in the DSMA blog carnival. if you'd like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/introducing-the-dsma-blog-carnival/

xx

Stress

hey folks

it's been a little while since my last post. i've had a rough few weeks (non d-related) which has involved a few tears and a whole heap of stress, which has started affecting my levels.

i also ended up missing my PDAC course (got lost wandering around) and obviously the first day is the most important... so i decided to go for a course later on in the year when hopefully things aren't as manic and i can concentrate on it fully without worrying about having time off and what i will be coming back to afterwards.

so yeah the past month has sucked, apart from two good days.

my levels have been in the early teens this week apart from today (when i'm not at work) so i'm hoping for a nice weekend d-wise!

looking forward to the next few months and have started buying some d-stuff for my holiday in may. got a couple of frio wallets and looking for a kit to keep all my stuff in <any recommendations would be awesome thank you!>. plus i've given a couple of booklets to my parents to look at so they know what to do and what to expect/look out for.

can't wait till may 16th!!!!

xx

Just an Average Joe

(Apologising in advance for a kinda D related but mainly venting about stuff blog)

Do you ever feel like your just average, no matter what you do or how hard you try?

Thats how I feel at the moment.

I can put 100% in to something but it's never good enough, and it's not a nice feeling. I was the student who'd spend hours doing work, trying my hardest and still getting a C or the most a B. Other people strolled in having spent the last hour doing work and getting A's.

I've stressed and more stressed, ran myself down to the point where I had two colds in a matter of weeks, had god awful migraines and been in tears worrying about work. Also had a 19.8 result before lunch because I'd held it all in until I'd left.

And I'm still not good enough.

What the point of trying so god damn hard?

I was doing really well with my sugars too and thats been totally ruined by today. It's my first PDAC adjusting course session on Friday and I'm determined to not let today spoil it.

People suck.

First 2011 post

Saw this on Scullys blog and couldn't resist :)

Happy New Year! Hope its a good one with lots of good levels!!


 1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?  Joined a great online forum and started blogging :)
2. Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions from last year and will you make any for 2011?  I don't make them any more, I always try to stop biting my nails.... but I've kinda given up on that :P
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?  Nope4. Did anyone close to you die?  No
5. What countries did you visit?  None in 2011 but Florida this year!!6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?  More confidence and emotional stability
7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory...and why?  1^st June when I passed my driving test first time!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?  Passing my driving test
9. What was your biggest failure?  Letting my D affect me more than it should.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?  Three bouts of the lurgy this year, one of which I'm still suffering with now – not impressed at all!
11. What was the best thing you bought?  Olive!
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration  My mum and dad, they still don't really understand diabetes but always help me and are there for me when I need them
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?  No-one's made me appalled but a couple have disappointed me.
14. Where did most of your money go?  My first car, Olive :)
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?  Passing my driving test, my 21^st birthday
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?  I couldn't think a defining song of 2010... Eminem & Rihanna was played a lot though
17. Compared to last year, are you... 
...happier/sadder? Happier than last year, but still in the middle
...thinner/fatter? I weigh more than last year but I'd lost a lot just after diagnosis so I'm pretty happy with my weight now – for a change!
...richer/poorer? Probably about the same?
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?  Having fun and enjoying myself
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?  Worrying, getting upset over stupid things
20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?  XD bit late on this one, I spent New Year's Eve in bed watching Troy
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?  Nope
22. How many one-night stands?  None.  Who would honestly answer this anyway? << my sentiments exactly!
23. What was your favourite TV program?  True Blood <3
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?  I don't 'hate' anyone.... just intensely dislike ;)
25. What was the best book you read in 2010?  Best books were the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlene Harris
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?  Didn't really make one :D
27. What did you want AND get?  Some great friends! Online and off
28. What did you want and NOT get?  Mr Right

29. What was your favourite film of the year?  Either Avatar or Kick Ass

30. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?  I turned 21 in 2010 and the girls from work surprised me with a meal out and drinks after which was a great night

31. What ONE thing would have made your year immensely more satisfying?  Someone special to have shared it all with

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?  Errm a fashion concept? I just go with what I fancy! Sometimes jeans a top & a hoodie or sometimes a floaty frock

33. What kept you sane?  Chuntering at work, the DOC, the forum and my blog

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?  Alexander Skarsgard

35. What political issues stirred you the most?  Possibly the student riots with a minority spoiling it for the majority who were protesting peacefully

36. Whom did you miss?  Someone who I used to talk to everyday but not any more

37. Who was the best new person you met?  I didn't meet any 'best new people' but I got to know people and found out they were besties!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson that you learned in 2010.  Stressing over stuff never helps!

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:  You can run over me with your eighteen wheeler, but you can't keep me down

xxx

When the going gets tough...

Hey folks

Looking forward to Christmas?

I'm not feeling very Christmassy at the minute, work being incredibly busy has got me stressed out and very worn down. Today I've been very quiet and grumpy, wanting my own company. I've not felt 100% for the last week or so and my levels are determined to stick to 11 today as well which is bugging me a lot. Whether its hormones before my 'favourite' time of the month or not I don't know. I'm just fed up of everything.

Diabetes.
Work.
The weather.
All of it :(

I could really use a couple of months of hibernating in the warm.

Gahhh I don't like complaining as I know there are a lot of people who have a harder time with D than me but I need to vent.

Anyway, on a better note, I received some free raspberry glucotabs and berry burst gluco juice samples from Claire at Taste PR which I'll look forward to sampling when my levels start behaving themselves again! Never had glubo tabs before so it'll be interesting to finally try some! I've also got some info which I shall be having a read of later this evening. If you have any questions or would like a sample please contact Claire on claire@taste-pr.com. Thanks again Claire!

Right I'd better be off to do some more reading! Got my 4 monthly check up at the hospital tomorrow afternoon so wish me luck for a lower HbA1c!

xx

I'm with stupid -->

Hi folks! *waves*

Been a while since my last post, nothing major or exciting to post I'm afraid apart from me being very dense this weekend! As some of you will have read it was the forum's second birthday this Sunday so there was a meet in London on Saturday. Took my friend from work (wearing my new Ducking Fiabetes t-shirt <3) and managed to to get to the pub without any problems on the tube but didn't recognise anyone!!

Silly Emma.

No phone numbers, no facebook details, nothing. Silly silly Emma.

Another friend said she was free so we ended up spending the afternoon having a nosey around Covent Gardens, stroking reindeer, and then getting stuck on the Piccadilly line for about 20 mins and nearly missing our train home! Nevermind, next time I will either stalk someone to get contact details or take a little forum home-made flag with me! On the plus side both me & my friend aren't train savvy at all but we managed to navigate ourselves round London pretty well :)

Anyway I've had a bit of a naughty weekend food-wise as I've had a 4 day weekend.. but back to work tomorrow so back to the normal routine. Luckily a lot of wandering around has kept my sugar levels pretty consistent. Retail therapy is good for my health :D

Hope you all had a great World Diabetes Day!

xx

P.S It's nearly 5 weeks to Christmas!! Have you started your shoping yet?

What a week!

Christmas is officially on the way and everything at work's suddenly going crazy! Starting to get a little stressy which is pushing my blood sugar levels up, been at about 10.0 for the last two days and doubt it'll improve as the week goes on... gahhhh as soon as it's the 26th everyone will relax again for another year!

On a happier note I've got the test strips for my new meter at last and I've been offered a place on an adjusting course early next year! Called the PDAC course and runs for 4 Fridays in a row from half 9 to half 3. Should have built up my confidence with driving by then so I'll be able to take myself :) Actually went out by myself for the first time at the weekend - no children, OAPs or animals were harmed! Anyway, really looking forward to the course. That alongside my carb counting book should keep my levels under control long-term. Plus it'll fall nicely before my holiday! :D

The flu jab that I had last week was perfect timing, the lurgy is once again making it's way through everyone at work! Touch wood I'm okay, but getting a bit run down so hopefully my immune system works this time - no time for flu or a cold!! Need to book myself in for the pneumonia jab next month too :( never had that one before so god knows if I'll end up having a reaction to it.

Most people don't realise all of the extra stuff that comes in with diabetes. All of the hospital, DSN, GP appointments and reviews throughout the year (most of which come with blood tests). All of the carb intake maths and timings - it's all 24/7 and you'll never get a break from it. If you're new to diabetes it'll test your patience to the limits at times but once you start getting to grips with it, it feels pretty good, and you'll certainly find out who your real friends are. If they don't stick around then it's their loss, you were probably too good for them anyway!

xx