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Thursday 29 March 2007

the flu jab and other bullets

That time of year for me again. I had it done this morning, so as to get it over and done with. This is also a sign to me that winter is arriving. That, and the fact that when I wake up in the mornings now it is still dark. As I have probably mentioned before I prefer colder weather...
  • Things have been getting busier at work. this is a good thing - the time goes by much quicker, and I don't get time to be bored at work. Some of the work that has been coming my way has been really exciting too!
  • Quite a few long weekends are on the horizon. Next weekend will be a four-day weekend (making for 2 4 day weeks). Then another holiday on Friday 27 April, and one on the Tuesday following (1 May). I was considering taking the Monday off too, to make it an even longer weekend.. But I have not yet made up my mind.
  • I have not plans for all these holidays.
  • I am trying to get my gym routine back to what it was. I am not sure what has happened, but I am not able to do what I could a couple of months ago. So in stead of complaining and trying to figure out why, I decided to start of slower and build up over the next few weeks. So far things are going okay. I hope to build my fitness up to what it was in the next 2 months.
  • I have religiously been taking my vitamins every day. Well, some weekends I do forget... I also started taking some Omega 3, 6, and 9. it tastes disgusting, but I gulp it down form a shot glass (table spoon) and follow it by a sip of juice.
  • My energy levels are improving! For a few weeks I was very tired in the evening, going to bed much to early some nights. I'm not really sure what I can attribute this to - the vitamins? Or perhaps the new tea I started drinking. It is a herb called Yerbe Mate (South American), and is supposed to have some energising and rejuvenating properties.

Oh, and diabetes. Well, it is still here, rearing it ugly head now and again. I must say that for the past few days my levels have been excellent! After my last Endo visit my night time Levemir was increased from 10 units to 12, because of the high reading I was having in the mornings. This has improved a little, but they are still not perfect. Last night a few hours after dinner I was 5.1mml/L (92) and woke this morning at 10.6mmol/L (191). If levels play along before bed tonight I will do the 2am testing to see what it is looking like then (in the past however, when I did this testing because of the higher morning readings, it would be a normal reading and I would wake up with about the same reading...). I will continue to monitor this until my next appointment at the end of May.

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Thursday 8 March 2007

the results

I got my blood test results back yesterday afternoon. And things are okay!

My A1c is slightly up from 6.1 in August last year to 6.9, but I am satisfied with it. I was expecting a higher reading, and this reading is actually much better than I expected. Hope I can keep it under 7 for the next one too!

Iron is looking good. I am on the border - so basically in the words of my doc, "if you wanted to donate blood they would say no, but that doesn't really matter because you have diabetes and wouldn't have been able to anyway..." I will try to keep that number up, maybe take a multi vitamin which includes some iron.

Thyroid looking good.

Leaving the worst for last - cholesterol. It is still fine, but I need to keep an eye on it. So I have decided to re-look at my diet a bit and cut out any unnecessary "treats" - which I seem to have been having lately. I am sure that should do the trick! And of course to continue my gym routine that has been suffering a bit lately..

My new Endo works at one of the state hospitals (and university teaching hospital). I have thought about doing some type of volunteer work for a while now, but have never really looked into it. I have offered to help out in some way - not sure when, how etc., most likely with teenagers with diabetes, probably in the line of just basic educating or something. I just told her yesterday that I am willing and she should just let me know..

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Wednesday 7 March 2007

did i forget something?

I woke this morning before my alarm went off. I was thirsty and needed the loo. I went to the bathroom in the dark, did not want the light to wake me further, I felt I still needed some sleep. Back in bed I was wondering why I was so thirsty. I replayed last night in my head - dinner, then to a friend to say good bye before her move (now officially moving cities, she was down with baby C to finalise the lasts bits), back home, read - and then??? Well, I most likely went to sleep. Something missing from all that - where is the "take Levemir"? Alarm goes off about half an hour later, get up, wash hands, test. 18.8mmol/L (338). Great, just what I need. Was not sure if I should do gym, so skipped it for a bit later during the day (that inevitably then gets postponed, I get busy, and end up not going...). Oh well, it cannot always be perfect.

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Friday 2 March 2007

one year ago today

After nearly 2,000 insulin injections (WOW!!), and a little less finger pricks, I have had the big D for 365 days (well, more really, but "officially").

It was one year ago today that the finger prick at the pharmacist changed my life forever. It feels like only yesterday, I remember it all very clearly. We were working on a big project at work which was taking up a lot of time. I woke the morning, with not much time for breakfast, so I picked up a vanilla flavoured drinking yoghurt on the way. I stayed at the office for an hour or two and went to the pharmacy. I have been planning on doing it (actually a friend had been nagging me for a few days to go...). She pricked my finger, got a surprised look on my face, wiped another finger and pricked again - wow 2 finger pricks in one day!! I immediately went to a GP, and an hour later I was in hospital.

That all 1 year ago. It really feels like only yesterday, though in some ways diabetes has become such a part of my life that it feels as though I have been doing this for a very long time. In the past year I have learnt a hell of a lot - about the big D, but also other aspects of health. And most likely I have become a much healthier person because of it! I even quit smoking - cold turkey, just like that, in 1 day! That was nearly a year ago - and I can sit amongst other smokers and not want to smoke. I think that is probably one of the best things I have done during this past year!

I have realised how amazing the human body is. And that I need to really take care of it. I must admit, that there were most likely times before all this that I used to think -I am still young blah blah, you know the rest. But the fact is, that the the way we look after ourselves now is probably the most important! I would not say that I am perfect, I take shortcuts, I cheat (it isn't really cheating anyway is it!), but mostly i am living a much healthier life than before.

I had no idea what my life would be like when they told me. I did not really give it much thought. I think things turned out okay!

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Thursday 1 March 2007

butterflies

No, not really. The butterfly needle is what was used to drain me this morning. I had blood drawn this morning (fasting blood) for the following: HbA1C, Cholesterol, Thyroid, Iron Studies and Ferritin, and Full Blood Count. Not sure when the results will be available. I felt like they drained me completely! I then spoilt myself to a scone and cheese for breakfast - one of my favourites!

I met with the new Endo yesterday, and really like her! We chatted about a few things, I did not have a full exam (just blood pressure), we spoke about my meds, and she asked me to have the blood tests done some time (I decided that this morning was as good a time as ever, gives me less time to brood over it, I HATE drawing blood....). So I will definitely be seeing her from now on. Nothing against my old Endo, he was great. But she has a different way about her, a more of a caring attitude (not that I am saying my other Endo did not care...). I am actually not really sure whether I am supposed to tell my other one that I will no longer be seeing him or not?

I spoke to her about the weight I have put on in the past year and that I have been struggling to shake it. According to her I do not have to loose too much weight, and that the reason I have not lost it is that my control seems to be quite tight (yeah!). I expressed concern over my morning levels, and she suggested I up my Levemir dose and decrease my Novorapid at dinner time to prevent lows. I will start this tonight to see how it goes.

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