The beach and its glorious sun had an effect on my insulin, after all. My blood sugar levels were running high Sunday and Monday until I changed out my pod and therefore the “less effective” insulin within it. But I learned something else today (thanks to JDRF’s Summer Guide to Type 1 Diabetes): Continue reading
Category Archives: Type 1
30 Days With Diabetes: Know Your Worth
A lesson I was reminded of today: no matter how certain environments or relationships may make you feel, know your worth.
When I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, it took me years to accept that I am worthy of this life – that even with a dysfunctional body, I have value. I felt like a burden to family, friends and society (important note: no one else saw me as a burden). For three years after I was diagnosed, I didn’t write about it.
I regret this. There is so much I now want to know about how I handled this new life, how I coped and how I ultimately felt about all of it. I have a few memories, but that is it. And I didn’t write about it because I didn’t want it to be worth it. What I failed to realize is that I was worth it.
So no matter how someone makes you feel, know your worth and stick to it. You have value. Own it. Continue reading
30 Days With Diabetes: Mental Health
I’ll be honest. It’s been a rough week. I appreciate those of you who have stuck with this series – your feedback has been invaluable and such a positive light at the end of the tunnel.
And when it comes to managing an incurable chronic condition, mental health is so important to my physical well-being. I wouldn’t say I’ve been depressed this week, but I have been feeling depleted due to stress, anxiety and disappointment.
It can be hard to stay on top of my diabetes management when I’m feeling this way. And then there’s this underlying feeling that no matter what I do, things are not going to get better. I’m sure many people thought a cure was on the horizon when insulin came to market a little less than one hundred years ago. Continue reading
30 Days With Diabetes: The Beach
The sun is my best friend in the midst of this new monsoon season in DC. But it’s more like a distant acquaintance with my insulin.
Heat aka long hours exposed to the sun can reduce the effectiveness of my insulin therefore impacting my blood sugar levels therefore impacting my overall quality of life.
Unfortunately, the pod that carries my insulin is usually exposed in a bathing suit. Today, it was under my left arm. Tomorrow, it could be on my stomach. Continue reading
30 Days With Diabetes: Insulin Breakthrough
Prior to this day 97 years ago, a future with a diabetes diagnosis looked pretty bleak.
As recently as 1920, doctors gave newly diagnosed diabetics mere weeks (or days) to live. Fortunate patients might break months, or, in rare cases, a year. But mostly, patients would enter diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and die soon after their diagnosis. (Beyond Type 1)
Even though I often tout the amazing advancements in diabetes management on this blog and advocate for access to those advancements, it’s nice on occasion to remember how far we’ve come and the transformation breakthroughs like insulin really provided for people like me. Continue reading
30 Days With Diabetes: Basal Rate
Managing Type 1 diabetes involves more than just giving myself an insulin injection before I eat. It’s a basal-bolus routine.
A basal-bolus routine involves taking a longer acting form of insulin to keep blood glucose levels stable through periods of fasting and separate injections of shorter acting insulin to prevent rises in blood glucose levels resulting from meals.
It gets more complicated. My basal rate – the amount of insulin I take in between meals – changes from week to week, day to day and hour to hour. This can depend on my schedule (weekend vs. weekday vs. traveling), hormones, exercise and even stress.
Here’s a breakdown of the basal rates I have preset within my personal diabetes manager (what I use to administer insulin via the pod attached to my skin). Continue reading
30 Days With Diabetes: Everything Affects Everything
Here’s my blood sugar after beer, chicken tenders and fries (my go-to bar food).
30 Days With Diabetes: Acetaminophen
Remember that continuous glucose monitor (CGM) that alerts me to severe high and low blood sugar (and coincidentally helps prevent seizures and kidney failure)? Well, it has one fault.
It does not work with Acetaminophen.
This was my CGM reading from this morning, after taking acetaminophen (aka extra strength Tylenol). Continue reading
30 Days With Diabetes: Sleep Empathy
Because the DC metro sucks, I’m back to taking the bus to and from work. Today, on my way home, an older gentleman sat next to me, and for the next 30 minutes continued to nod off in my direction. Although perturbed by the unwarranted intrusion to my personal space, I empathized with the man.
Prior to my diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes, there were two telltale signs that my pancreas wasn’t working correctly (besides the excessive thirst and therefore frequent trips to the bathroom): Continue reading
30 Days With Diabetes: Blood Sugar Mayhem
Last night, I received an impromptu invite to see Patton Oswalt at the Kennedy Center. I thought, sure, why not? Even with the torrential downpour, who can pass up a free comedy show? (The show was great, by the way.) But as a result, I didn’t have time to eat a proper dinner. And the night that ensued with my blood sugar was tumultuous at best. See for yourself.
Sugarcoated 