Introducing...Laura 2.0!

That's right. 2.0.

Yesterday I had my MiniMed 530G pump and Enlite sensor upgrade training class at Medtronic World Headquarters, here in MN. 

I was pretty prepared for the class - had all my settings recorded on the form they provided in the carry-on they shipped to my house. I had put a battery in the new pump and had set the time and date as well as transferred over (manually) all of the settings from my old pump to the new pump. I also set the settings that were listed in the email attachment sent when the training classes were announced (one of my classmates did none of these things and had to be led through each piece. I think it was lucky he even made it to the class on time...).

Anyway - the class started out great - the instructor that had set me up for the training was a new one that I had never seen before, but when I got to the room, there was my original instructor as well, who led me through the class the first time when I first got my pump and previous sensor!

The first part of class was going to be the sensor insertion. I was so apprehensive about this part - mostly because of the pain and traumatic experience I had had with it the first time around. I did NOT want to relive that. The only words I associated with the sensor were: pain, agony and NO WAY.

I volunteered to go first to insert the new sensor (there were three people in our class, including me). I got all set up, had the new instructor right by my side, walking me through each part of the process. While I was holding the sensor serter to my skin, waiting for the tape to stick to my skin, then pulled the serter away, the entire set came off! I was so bummed. Strike one new sensor, strike ONE!

We tried it a second time, and wow, did that one hurt! The same solution - the entire set came off with the serter. Strike TWO.

We tried a THIRD time - and the same result, but with more blood this time. My instructor decided to call an audible and give me some much needed recoup and clot time. She said they would keep me after class to try again with a different serter to see if that was the issue. So I got to sit through the rest of class hating life, well, mostly just hating the new sensor already, and I hadn't even had it attached successfully yet!

The guy next to me got his to work right away, no issues at all. The other lady in the room also had similar issues to me, and was given a new serter and got her set to stay put. 

After class, I tried for a fourth time. This time, the instructor told me to hold the button down and slightly lift it off my skin to see if the site was in my skin at all or if it wasn't inserting at all. I did, and she held down the site while I pulled off the serter. Success! With that manual restraint, we got one to stick! I quickly pushed down a little on it, and taped that sucker down really well, hooked up the transmitter and just stood there for a second. It only hurt for a few minutes this time, rather than all the time, like the last, old sensor model. 

I went home after class, and was very aware that I had a new attachment. (haha the guy in class calls it his wood tick. I thought that was funny.) I tested throughout the day to calibrate the sensor, and everything seemed to be alright. I even forgot about it at times too! I went to bed that night, with the sensor still attached and was nervous about sleeping with it attached because of the discomfort I had with the last one, and the alerts sounding off every couple of hours. ugh.

I made it through the night alright - woke up a few times, probably just due to my paranoia of sleeping or rolling over onto it - in class they said to try to not sleep on it, as that could skew the results of the sensor.

I have decided that I will try to keep this sensor in for the full 6 days (last ones were 2-3 days) and then try to insert a new one myself. If I am unable to insert a new one myself, I will probably not continue using them. I still don't like the idea of there now being two things attached to me at all times. One is hard enough to get used to, but two is just a hassle. 

The only real benefits that I can see getting from the sensor are:
knowing what my "blood sugar" is on trend - it graphs on the pump, showing where I am trending. This would then allow for my doctor and I to adjust my insulin levels to accommodate those trends. 

Other than that, I am a person who can sense my lows when I get near them. Some people are unlucky where they cannot realize that they are going low. Scary!

Today I have been getting an alert that says invalid sensor value. I might need to call in the reinforcements to see what I need to do to resolve this. I have looked online and done what is said there, but the alert just happened again. ugh. #diabeticproblems.

-LD

Seasonal Cues

After grabbing a much needed latte this morning from Caribou, I realized they had changed out their cups and sleeves to seasonal-themed ones. Then it got me thinking...we take the majority of our seasonal cues from points of retail.

Think about it - not only the slight change of artwork on a disposable coffee cup, but in so many other retailers we shop at each week. Come to think of it, I was in Cub Foods the other night doing some grocery shopping. I was grabbing milk at the time, looked across the aisle and see a display of "holiday themed coffee creamers." Of course I had to snag a peppermint mocha (delicious).

The holidays are even reflected in our coffee creamer selection. That might just be the quote of the day right there.

Think about the big box retailers, like Target. In their stores, Halloween merchandise hit percentages off with the Christmas lights staging the background, with holiday trimmings waiting in the nearby aisles, waiting to push Halloween out of the way.

But think about this. Holiday decorations in stores NOW. It is November 7th. I get that people buy ahead of time and stuff, but it always seems a touch too early. Don't even get me started on the holiday commercials starting last year in October...

I was glad to hear and see that Target took a stand this year and said not until November would they start with their TV holiday commercials. At least one retailer has listened to the public's cries of limiting the holiday exposure.

Don't mind me...I'll just be over here sipping my homemade peppermint mocha. mmm.

-LD

Price Check...Aisle 5

I got the idea for this post today from an article on the Real Simple website.

The idea here is to save you time and money on your next trip(s) to the grocery store. It made me reflect on our habits of grocery shopping and ways we save. I decided to share some of the things I have routinely implemented to keep our foodstuffs stocked. This isn't scientific, other than our method testing - via excel spreadsheet, but some ideas and things we have done.

1. Subscribe to a local newspaper on Sundays - this allows us to (more seldom than I would like to admit) catch up on the news via the good ol' newspaper, but usually I separate out the "paper" from the "gloss," or the coupon and ad sections. Pending a church visit on Sunday morning, you can find me on a patch of carpet or couch, with the ads and coupons fanned out around me. Insert a "helpful" Vizsla and hubby watching football, and you've pretty much got the full visual on that scenario.
2. Clip those coupons! - After I have made a location for myself, grabbed a cup of coffee, scissors, coupon binder and recycling receptacle, I go to work - reviewing ads and clipping coupons. I really try to stick to the things that we have either purchased before or would be willing to try that isn't too far off the beaten path. I have found out - from the few months I have been "couponing," that if I get things that are way too "off our food grid," they get clipped, but seldom used.
3. Sort and file the coupons! - After the clipping occurs, I then file the coupons into categories in a binder. I started out with my own Frankenstein binder of coupon glory - a regular 3-ring binder with numbered tabs. Those numbers correlate to an index of categories in a supermarket that I frequent.
4. Write that down. - I keep a magnetic notepad on the side of the refrigerator so that when we use up the last of something, we jot it down on the notepad so I can factor that into the items I shop for and stock up on when I am at the store.
5. Then usually I take the list from the fridge, paired with other random items that I know we need - you know, the staples like milk and eggs, etc. and I add those things to the fridge list. I check to see if I have coupons for any of those items, and then look at the ad for the grocery store that I shop at frequently. Sometimes I am able to double-up on the store promotions or coupons and pair them with the coupons from the paper or the internet. I have been going less and less to the internet for coupons because I find I can use those less and less, and you are spending money on paper and ink to print them out. Not a lot, but still, it all counts.
6. Envelope, List, Keys, and go! - I put all of the coupons in order of how I travel the store. I grab my list and try to list or group the items the same way so I can just make one sweep of the store and not have to back-track too much for stray items.
7. Enroll in store reward programs. - We belong to the reward card that our grocery store offers. It is actually a sweet program, because your groceries stack up to discounts on gas at a local gas station. An added bonus - my mom has a card to the same account that she logs her groceries to as well - so does Derick and myself, so we get bonus savings. The reason she doesn't have and use her own card and account is because she doesn't have those gas stations immediately near her, and usually fills up at Costco anyway!
8. Weigh the options of couponing vs cheaper stores vs warehouse stores. We did a test for about 2 years where we only shopped at a discount food store (Aldi) and bought remaining items at a neighboring grocer (Cub Foods). Then, we tried couponing (Cub Foods) partnered with a warehouse store (Sam's Club). We really found that we were spending about the same no matter what method we were using to get our food at cheaper prices, so in the end, do what works for you - factor in convenience and everything else that your family values.
9. When in doubt, send the "other one" shopping. - I am the main one in our house who completes the processes listed out above. If I am being honest, sometimes I am swayed by things that "sound good" or wants rather than needs. But when Derick goes, armed with the list, that is what he comes home with - usually the cheapest option for the things on said list. 

What do you do to save a few dollars?

-LD

A Little Diabetes Love

To all my fellow diabetics out there:

I want to give a little love to each of you for all the things we go through on a month-to-month, day-to-day, minute-to-minute, second-by-second basis. You know what I am talking about. It can be the most simple of things dealing with regular or diabetic life. The things that no one else could possibly hope to understand until they live with this disease themselves. Sure, they can read all about it, or live with someone who has it (shout out to my hubby who has had to deal with me on the less than ideal circumstances) but until they have experienced the ups and downs and round-and-rounds of this disease, they won't get it. 

But we do.

I am going to focus on the positive today, day 7 of National Diabetes Month.

I am so fortunate that this disease has led me to meet so many AMAZING, INCREDIBLE people who are all going through the same struggles that I am. 

I am so fortunate that there is a place like diabetes camp where kids can do to learn more about their disease, be inspired by their diabetic counselors, and for one week, know they are not alone.

I am so fortunate that technology has advanced so much for the 24 years I have lived with this disease. I remember the chem-strips for testing a blood sugar that took 5 minutes each time. I remember only long-needled syringes. I remember not having insulin pumps and having to bring vials of insulin with on trips, but keeping the bottles cold at all times. 
Fast forward to today - where we can get blood sugar results in 5 seconds, and we have insulin pumps that store insulin in them for up to a three or four day supply. The invention of the sensor that helps diabetics notice trends which enables us to react more quickly to our body's needs. 

I am so fortunate to have events in my community like Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes (walk event), Tour de Cure (bike event), the Diabetes Expo (vendor fair) and the Diabetes Gala (fundraiser). These events help raise awareness and touch lives of those not only affected and living with the disease, but those who might know someone with the disease and become more informed. This year for the walk event, a family we have befriended recently came to the event for the first time. One day I hope to get so many more of my friends and family at that event. It is truly something incredible to see. 

Okay, this next one even surprised myself, but here it is:
I am fortunate for my parents' nagging. They took the time, effort, energy, screams, protests, and a slew of other less-than-perfect scenarios and persisted. All of that helped shape me into the diabetic I am today. I think the nagging and constant checking-in made me resentful for years, but once I grew older, it made me want to be the sole owner of this thing. I wanted control. I wanted to show this thing who's boss. And man, haven't I? I don't consider my life with diabetes as a really rough journey. Maybe that sounds crazy. I have been fortunate. When I think about the things that could have happened, or maybe should have happened to me with my diagnosis, but they haven't.

I am so fortunate to have finally found a health care professional team that gets me. I cannot tell you, okay, I so totally have told you on here before, but the struggle to find a doctor and team who genuinely care about me and my care as a diabetic is humbling. I am not just a number. I am not just dollar signs to my doctor. Side note - I am totally writing a thank you to my doctor and her team tonight, in honor of National Diabetes Month for all that they have done and meant to me.

Thank you to all diabetics I have looked up to and looked after so far in my journey. You have all inspired me whether you know it or not. I have learned so much and have so much left to learn. 

If you are a diabetic, what are you fortunate to have in your life? 
If you aren't a diabetic, but know someone who is, acknowledge them and their efforts with their fight. For some, it may mean the difference between choosing to care, or choosing not to; choosing to fight and manage the disease, or not fighting and losing all hope. 

-LD

Edit - I found this photo-a-day listing online that I am going to try to participate in via Facebook. Follow along or feel free to join and do yourself. Take and submit a photo of each topic for each day https://www.facebook.com/AmericanDiabetesAssociation/app_380832601989620:


AND - check out this link for the President's Proclamation of National Diabetes Month!

Which Way To The Gym

I apologize in advance for the brain dump that this post will inevitably turn into from not having posted in a while…

I digress…

Working Out

First things first, we started going to a gym in July of this year. That was what, three months ago now. I am happy to report that I am lifting more weight than my original attempts, and I am pleased to report that I, LD have MUSCLE DEFINITION once again! YESSSSSS! Also, for the first time in a long time – I ran on a treadmill. I will repeat that. I. ran. on. a. treadmill. Consistently. Anyone that knows me, knows this is a big deal – I don’t run. No, I mean like never, ever, unless you count minorly jogging sometimes from bus stop to bus stop to avoid waiting in the elements for the next bus to arrive to get me to work on time. So there’s that. I will admit, getting into shape is work. I don’t just mean the duh, obvious work of being at the gym working out, but the mental struggles that insist on creeping in, intent on ruining my mojo.

The things that start out like…

What?! Go to the gym AGAIN? But you just went yesterday! You’ll be fine if you just skip tonight…or the next night…and the next night…

Sure, go ahead, you deserve to pig out…just put all those calories you just sweated burned off at the gym back on your body.

Okay, fine, I’ll go to the gym, but I am just going to do some pool laps and sit in the hot tub – that’s working out, right? Right!

And that isn’t even all of them, just the ones that went through my head the past couple of days. BUT I did go to the gym last night when the weather was dismal and I had zero energy while Derick stayed home and did school work. So, I’ve got that going for me. One more gym visit than him so far this month, check! Hey – I get competitive. It’s okay. Sometimes it’s the little things.

Anniversary

This month, Derick and I will celebrate five years of being married. Whoa, wait…how did that happen, did I seriously just blink and time fast forwarded five years?! Reflecting right now, it does not seem like it has been that long, but when I think about how long total we have been together  = 10 years!

We had talked about doing a lot of cool things when we hit five years – things like:

• Taking an Alaskan cruise
• Taking a long trip somewhere
• Going somewhere tropical
• Considering starting a family

So, we pared-down our hopes and dreams of grandeur to doing a road-trip for a few days mid-October. When we were driving to Derick's family's hometown (central Wisconsin), we stopped at a rest stop along the way, and picked up a couple every one they had for anywhere and everywhere trip brochures/catalogs. 

After paging through the awesome, glossy, photo-winning books, we narrowed down our trip options to the North Shore, MN area, or northern WI. 

The verdict: Bayfield, WI! 

I have heard so many good things about the area that it was an instant contender in my eyes for a place to spend a few days. We actually just booked our hotel - in Ashland, WI, actually - about a 30-minute drive up the coast of Lake Superior to Bayfield. Most of the places we looked at staying were all booked up for the time we would be traveling there! Crazy! Actually, the hotel we are staying at, is booked for Saturday night for a wedding party's block of rooms, so we might end up driving up the coast a little more to the Duluth-Superior side in MN. 

Things to Do
In order to appear the least bum-like on the weekends, when entering into the autumn season, Derick and I decided to make a short list of some of the things we want to do before the end of the year.

Those items listed out as follows:

• Venture to the MOA - and possibly IKEA
• MN Zoo visit to take advantage of the fall colors
• Albertville Outlet Shopping (more for me than Derick - since he just stocked up on clothes and shoes at Kohl's...although, with my recent discovery of zulily.com, my new clothes budget might be dwindling as well...)
• Apple Orchard - one of my FAVORITE things to do in the fall!
• One last hurrah of fishing and or camping

Sprinkle in a helping of dates with friends, lazy-day weekends (always a fan family favorite of ours) and get-togethers and other obligations, and there you have most of our weekends until the snow flies.

So, that about sums up all the things that are on my mind right now!

-LD

LOL-ing - literally

A friend loaned me the book below. She would not stop talking about this book and how completely awesome and hilarious it was. Omg was she RIGHT!

Dear Girls Above Me 
By Charlie McDowell


Here is a brief summary of the book from Amazon.com:
When Charlie McDowell began sharing his open letters to his noisy upstairs neighbors—two impossibly ditzy female roommates in their mid-twenties—on Twitter, his feed quickly went viral. His followers multiplied and he got the attention of everyone from celebrities to production studios to major media outlets such as Time and Glamour.  Now Dear Girls breaks out of the 140-character limit as Charlie imagines what would happen if he put the wisdom of the girls to the test. 
 
After being unceremoniously dumped by the girl he was certain was “the one,” Charlie realized his neighbors’ conversations were not only amusing, but also offered him access to a completely uncensored woman’s perspective on the world. From the importance of effectively Facebook-stalking potential girlfriends and effortlessly pulling off pastel, to learning when in the early stages of dating is too presumptuous to bring a condom and how to turn food poisoning into a dieting advantage, the girls get Charlie into trouble, but they also get him out of it—without ever having a clue of their impact on him.

This book is a keeper for sure. Even though the book was on loan to me, I might need to pick this one up in hard-copy! So great! I did try to look up his Twitter feed, but he doesn't seem to tweet about the "girls upstairs" much anymore. 

Next up on my list of "actual" books is:
The Secret Life Of Bees
By Sue Monk Kidd

I have seen the movie that was made from this book and that was interesting. I saw this one at Goodwill and figured, why not give it a read...

I still have this monster left to read as well - to follow The Secret Life Of Bees:

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
By Stieg Larsson


Then, it is onto the world of the Kindle App and reading things electronically for awhile!

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...How Does Your Garden Grow?

I think the answer to that, dear friends, is VERY WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

With the odd weather patterns this year, and the later than usual start to planing my seeds this year, my seedlings are finally starting to bloom. Every morning, it is like a small part of Christmas morning:

Opening the door...

Letting Tucker outside...

Quickly scanning the greenery...

Seeking out new blooms or blooms that have changed colors...

My Morning Glories were the first ones to spring up and get to work bloomin', and honestly, they haven't stopped yet! I have two planters filled with them, one on either side of my front door this year. I thought I was pretty smart by throwing in a trellis on each one so they could climb away - but that was not enough for the dear Morning Glories. No, they desired new and extreme heights! In the photos, you can see that they desired to work their way around the siding and up to the top of my front door. Next year, Derick says he might need to build me a skinny trellis that goes all around our door, so I can do the same thing next year - and have them grow up the sides and meet and keep crawling and climbing.

 

 

I am also very happy to report, that from my squash last year that our friends gave us, I cultivated the seeds and planted them this year and the plants are doing GREAT! I see the orange flowers on them now and the vines are still getting longer by the day! Although I said this, I think last year as well, and then the thing shriveled up and died on me. So, I might need to keep mum on that one (ha - MUM).

Another shocker, was that the cactus that I received from a "Fish Keeper Friend" last year, stayed outside during the MINNESOTA winter, appeared to be dead, has actually sprouted NEW growth this year - twice over and onto more little nubs of growth on THAT growth! I am really excited about that - because I think that the cactus flowers are one of the prettiest/coolest things ever.

I think just about all of my seeds that I planted this year have resulted in green growth so far - of the correct nature, not just weeds...

I have learned to stay away from some seeds that I would love to have full-plants of in my garden, but they are just too finicky to get started inside my house or reside out on the front patio. I have to arrange my plants in such a way as well, because we face North, and our patio faces West. As you can see by my photos, most of the plants have taken up residence near the front door - due to the plants needing FULL sunlight.

I have vowed this year to be better about my plants in the fall - to make sure that I am taking care of my Perennials this year and not just leaving them out for dead on the patio, assuming they will all come back to life in the spring. It didn't work out so well that way for me this year.

-LD

The best things in life are free

The best things in life are free.

Or, after the next 2 months, they will cost approximately $2 a month.

Follow my cryptic hintings up there? 

Derick and I finally committed to committing to joining a gym! We decided at long last, and after much consideration, decided to join a local LA Fitness. Just a few of the perks that we will now be able to enjoy with our membership:

• Access to all of the LA Fitness gyms in the state (all for the SAME price as our base membership – no additional fees for clubs!)
• Access to all of the weights and equipment (obviously)
• Access to free classes ranging from Aquatic Aerobics to Zumba (yay Zumba!)
• Lap pool with three large lanes – no children allowed (unlike other gyms we went to)
• Kid’s club (not that we need it, but nice to know it is there for potential use down the road)
• Personal training sessions (additional fees here, but there if we want to enroll)
• Juice Bar (at our location - again, for a price, but surprisingly cheap!)

I am really excited to getting back into shape, now that I have gone to the gym a few times since joining. 

I never thought I would be one of those people that EVER said to herself, you know, I really miss the gym, in the case that I hadn't made it to the gym that day. This thought TOTALLY crossed my mind as I was driving to my cake decorating class on Monday night. 

Oh, BTW, I spur of the moment decided i would enrolled in another cake decorating class during the month of July - cake flowers is the focus of this class, and actually, the very first Wilton class I have ever taken. So there's that too. 

Can you tell I like to torture myself with allotting myself zero free time...

Also, in recent news, I tried (again) to start reading a Malcolm Gladwell book (Outliers) and for the LIFE of me, I CANNOT get into those books. I start reading and for some reason I associate it and his other two books with sheer boredom. I tried, I mean really tried to read it - but even opening the book felt awful. So, that book auto-made-it to the Swap Stack and ironically, was instantly snatched up and requested it be sent out. DONE! I also listed the other book I recently finished:

This is a work of FICTION by Jen Lancaster. NOT another one of her autobiographical books. I thought it was just another one in the series when I had requested it, so when I started reading the book, I was strangely confused. Then I read the dust jacket and lo and behold, discovered the reason for my confusion. It was not about her at all. Complete fiction. It was still a pretty decent book. A little reminiscent of 13 going on 30 and a lot of those mini-time travel type situation books out there. Not bad though. Her writing style still reads like her, which I l-o-v-e about her writing.

Next-up on the to-be-read stack is:

I am already falling for this book. Since I was a nanny a few summers of my life, it really rings true some of the experiences they mention in the book. And, while I did not nanny in New York (where the book takes place), there are similarities across the board for nannies everywhere, which is why I think it struck a chord with so many out there.

Well, that is all for now, happy reading and working out!

-LD

If you would have asked me about this two years ago...

I would have said you were crazy for even asking me about bow hunting or shooting.

Fast forward two years and you learn that I have just sent in an order form for my very first compound bow, a Diamond Infinite Edge – camo finish. I am super excited. No, not excited, antsy with anticipation at being able to target shoot with my very own bow! Not to be left in the dust, it was decided that Derick would be getting his very own bow as well (his = A Bear Legion).

This past weekend, we decided to go to a local competitor (of the field I am in now) to peruse their bow selection, since Derick had been there earlier the weekend prior and commented that they have many to look at and select from. I agreed – but felt like a dirty traitor the whole time we were in the other establishment. Though, being at another retailer – our competition, and having just completed an intense 3-day sales training course for associates, I was ready for pure, unadulterated judgment. And I judged them HARD.

While perusing the selection, and drooling over the possibility of us each soon being able to own a bow, we were asked the standard question, “Can I help you?” To which, we gave the non-committal answer of, “No, not right now, we are just looking, thanks.” Strike one. Underwhelmed.

Once I had narrowed it down to a bow that I thought I wanted to know more about (Bear Siren), I looked for one of the two associates wandering in the department. Once one was located, he asked if we had any questions. I then told him that I actually had a bunch of questions, and he made a joke about “having a bunch of answers.” Ok.

After throwing him my litany of anything and everything questions about bows, he recommended setting up a Diamond to show me how it works and let me shoot it. Inside. In the range. For everyone to see. Insert semi-instant palm-sweating and slight bout of nervousness here. I had never shot a compound bow before, in my life. Sure, I had shot a sling bow in gym class, and then again at a few camps, but nothing as seemingly daunting as these compound bows looked to me.

After the sales guy found my draw length (24”) and set me at a pull-back weight of 30lbs, just to get me started. He showed me all of the movements and how to hold everything and what to do. After that, it was my moment. I stood there, held the thing as best as I could emulate, took a deep breath, and let ‘er fly! I shot my first arrow. It seemed like a lifetime setting up that arrow and getting it all ready to go – pulling back was a breeze and I was hooked after that first arrow.

He let me keep shooting arrows to get a little more comfortable, and increased the pull-back weight of the bow to 41lbs. I could pull it back once, and almost twice, and that was H-A-R-D. Wow. I came to find out that the drawback weight on the Bear bow that I had been looking at STARTED at 40lbs. Whew, I would have to build some serious upper body strength to be able to pull back 40 time after time, after time, that was for dang sure!

After getting a little more practice, I thanked him said that I would probably do a little research and make sure what bow I wanted was right for me and my experience level. After that, he walked away…just WALKED AWAY. Hmm, there was potential there that Derick and I could have spent over $1,000 in the store that day, and he just let it walk away. So much for encouraging a sale, or making a good recommendation. On the one hand, I was shocked at the level of customer service that was missing from our competition, but on the other hand, I was happy, knowing that our associates are being trained, and will continue to be trained on GREAT customer care and customer service.

After returning home after the bow trial, I told Derick I would look into ordering the bows we both wanted – from work, using my discount. I was in for a surprise when I found our bows for much cheaper than posted in stores. Discounts on things you like to do – new hobbies included, is a beautiful thing. Long story short – I put in my orders for both bows yesterday morning, and now the waiting begins. 

my bow - Diamond Infinite Edge

Derick's bow - Bear Legion

I will post photos, I am sure, once it comes in and we can take them out for their maiden voyage :)

-LD
                                     

I am such a nerd

Newsflash: I am a NERD.

Okay, so maybe not such a newsflash to those of you that know me. I mean like really know me, know me.

I have been reflecting on the things that have been making me laugh this week, and I have got to say, wow. So random. So crazy. So odd…the list keeps rolling. I guess that is what keeps life interesting. For instance:

I have had parts of the song Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen in my head for the past two days, AND I feel the need to randomly burst out in song in random places.

Stupid jokes have been making me almost pee my pants this week
(maybe it’s not so much a nerd problem as a bladder problem? No, strike that, Diabetic. Got it.) This is not limited to spoken jokes, but also pictures posted online and other random things I have come across on the web this week.

I have the urge to laugh or find things funny at ALL the wrong moments this week. I think my timing is just off this week altogether as a whole.

Slight backstory - My team-wthin-a-team at work loves to prank each other. I came into work this morning to find my chair trigger-locked to my desk.

I am not sure if my coworker realized that he gave me a faulty lock or not, but I was able to twist and wiggle the ends apart to undo the lock and free my chair (mind you, this was in retaliation for my assist in spider-wrapping this coworker’s computer laptop docking station and phone…).Which also raises the question, how sturdy or reliable are these things that we have in stores…hmm…



For your entertainment:

Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
No escape from reality
Open your eyes
Look up to the skies and see
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy
Because I'm easy come, easy go
A little high, little low
Anyway the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me, to me

Mama, just killed a man
Put a gun against his head
Pulled my trigger, now he's dead
Mama, life had just begun
But now I've gone and thrown it all away
Mama, ooo
Didn't mean to make you cry
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow
Carry on, carry on, as if nothing really matters

Too late, my time has come
Sends shivers down my spine
Body's aching all the time
Goodbye everybody - I've got to go
Gotta leave you all behind and face the truth
Mama, ooo - (anyway the wind blows)
I don't want to die
I sometimes wish I'd never been born at all

I see a little silhouetto of a man
Scaramouch, scaramouch will you do the fandango
Thunderbolt and lightning - very very frightening me
Gallileo, Gallileo,
Gallileo, Gallileo,
Gallileo Figaro - magnifico

But I'm just a poor boy and nobody loves me
He's just a poor boy from a poor family
Spare him his life from this monstrosity
Easy come easy go - will you let me go
Bismillah! No - we will not let you go - let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go - let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go - let me go
Will not let you go - let me go (never)
Never let you go - let me go
Never let me go - ooo
No, no, no, no, no, no, no -
Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia let me go
Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me
for me
for me

So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye
So you think you can love me and leave me to die
Oh baby - can't do this to me baby
Just gotta get out - just gotta get right outta here

Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters - nothing really matters to me

Anyway the wind blows...

See, you totally needed that just as much as I did. I hope you air guitar-ed enough. Go big or go home, man.

Diabetes Blog Week - Wildcard Entries

Dream Diabetes Device Wildcard

Back by popular demand, let's revisit this prompt from last year! 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?

Okay, since I was a slacker about the art piece, I decided to throw a wild-card entry into the mix instead.

I think my fantasy diabetic invention would be something that (I hope) is not too far off. I want a pump and sensor built into one device. We are SO close (I think). Wearing the CGM sucked for me. I mean, really. When there are computers that can fit inside devices smaller than a pencil eraser, and then we have the sensor as big as Texas, there's a problem. And good lord - inserting that thing - 
A) was like a geometry question - hold the device at such-and-such an angle...
B) hurt like hellllllll.....o there is something stabbing me
C) bled - um, yuck
D) couldn't sleep because I couldn't sleep ON it at all (= stabbing pain)

Isn't it time they just got savvy and made the two devices one device? See - simple. (okay, yeah, I am no scientist or engineer, but still, there has GOT to be a better way!)

So my one device would pretty much do it all - monitor blood sugar (or CGM monitoring) and deliver insulin. Through ONE - I repeat ONE port. As diabetics, we get stabbed enough on a regular basis. Let's shave that number where we can..mmk thanks. 

-LD

Diabetes Blog Week - Day 6

Spread the Love - Sunday 5/19 





As another Diabetes Blog Week draws to a close, let’s reflect on some of the great bloggers we’ve found this week. Give some love to three blog posts you’ve read and loved during Diabetes Blog Week, and tell us why they’re worth reading. Or share three blogs you’ve found this week that are new to you. (Thanks to Pearlsa of A Girl's Reflections for inspiring this topic.)

I have found a lot of diabetic blogs (and am going to go back and read through more of the posts on the post link later this week). 

One blog that I found that I have found myself reading almost each day this past week has been Our Diabetic Life. This mother has THREE T1 kiddos at home. THREE! I give her all the props in the world for appearing to keep it together, and sharing when she hasn't been able to keep it all together. I find it easier to associate with the people who are real - who have up and down days, who curse everything the day their diabetes is being a dick. 

I love hearing how young kids answer questions about their diabetes. Only true uniqueness comes from kids - truthful, honest, and let's face it, pretty humorous statements tend to fall out of kids' mouths - and that doesn't stop for diabetes questions. Some of the things I have heard - from T1 kids has made me just nod my head  and think, man, I wish things were really as simple as you just described. 

I still have more blogs to read, so I am sure that I will be reading and updating my favorites post list!

-LD

Diabetes Blog Week - Day 5

Freaky Friday - Friday 5/17


Just like in the movie, today we’re doing a swap. If you could switch chronic diseases, which one would you choose to deal with instead of diabetes? And while we’re considering other chronic conditions, do you think your participation in the DOC has affected how you treat friends and acquaintances with other medical conditions?

Honestly, I don't think I would trade this for any other disease. How could you even begin to judge one from the other?

I would like to answer the last question - as YES - absolutely having diabetes has affected how I treat others with other medical conditions. I am more aware of people with other "issues," and have an auto-sensitivity and acceptance to it - almost what I can attribute to kinship with them - we are both handling things in our lives that are not our fault, and do not have a cure. It makes me more tolerant and patient with people altogether.  I think to ask more questions and show an interest when I know the other person is willing to open up and share with me, insight into their life with their "issue." 

-LD

Diabetes Blog Week - Day 4

Accomplishments Big and Small -Thursday 5/16 

We don’t always realize it, but each one of us had come a long way since diabetes first came into our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 weeks, 5 years or 50 years, you’ve done something outstanding diabetes-wise. So today let’s share the greatest accomplishment you've made in terms of dealing with your (or your loved one’s) diabetes. No accomplishment is too big or too small - think about self-acceptance, something you’ve mastered (pump / exercise / diet / etc.), making a tough care decision (finding a new endo or support group / choosing to use or not use a technology / etc.).

Man, I really have come a long way - I was just talking about this the other day...

I think what most sticks out in my mind right now - is that I am really taking ownership of my diabetes and my management. Don't get me wrong - I have often tried to do the 'right' thing when it came to my health and well-being, but there is really a true difference between letting the disease control you and just getting by, and taking ownership of your care, and working WITH it. I have more or less subconsciously (at first) told myself to wake up! Start taking even better care of myself and don't settle. Don't settle for the crummy Endo after Endo that just treat you like cattle, don't listen, don't know, or just plain don't care. Don't settle for less than stellar numbers. Don't settle for the old ways of doing things. 

If I still did that, I imagine I would be a very unhappy lady. 

I chose to find a new Endo - and have been through three of them after I was 'kicked out' of Pediatrics - third one was the charm - for me. 

I chose to get help - making an apt with a nutritionist to go through the right way to do things after all of the changes over the years. Wow - I had been missing a lot! There ARE actually carbs in veggies and protiens! All these years - literally years that I have NOT been counting any of those items at all. Wow. 

I took a risk - and signed on for a pump. I am really liking it. One "shot" every 3-4ish days, being able to have it with me everywhere I go, more freedom, and overall, getting my numbers more tuned-in to where I want them to be. 

I know it isn't easy - and this blog post made me see both sides of the fence - what if you are just not having a good time of it lately - what if everything seems shrouded in a dark cloud? Keep at it. Sometimes the only way out of it is through it. You can do it.

-LD