Coke

This unexpected bad boy called for a regular coke... Been a while. Never come up that low before either. Very few symptoms with this one besides a slight headache and irritability, both of which I believed were puppy related.

Lows

Fav quick low pick me up

F you, low blood sugar

Went out and about today, shopping and looking for adoptable puppies. Stopped at our fav sushi place for dinner. Blood sugar check in restaurant: 68. Didn't feel at symptoms til I saw the number.

Now that doesn't seem super low, but man it was a beast to get my sugar back up, and the physical symptoms lasted forever! Which of course, increased y anxiety. Overall a miserable almost-hour waiting to get back to "normal".

We got our sushi to go, and when I felt better, ate it at home.

I hate you diabetes. I am grateful you're manageable.

XOXO,
Ashley

Satisfaction

Had a GREAT check up with my endocrinologist last Thursday.  She said everything was great on paper, and I looked great and that it was nice to have a compliant, successful patient!

So nice to hear.  A great way to kick off a 3 day weekend to Orange Beach!  We had the best time.

My primary care physician wants to check my A1C again in 3 months, but my endo won't see me again until July.  She gave me the option to come back in a year, but I'm just not quite ready to make that jump.

XOXO,
Ashley

You win some, you lose some

Nothing like a day of battling HIGH blood sugar as a consequence of a steroid shot to combat a miserable sinus infection.  Head feels 100 times better, blood sugars kicking my ass.

My numbers have barely been under 200 all day, some even going in the 300s.  NOT usually how I roll.

Playing with injections, blowing through test strips, with little improvement.

MD said to correct with meals, not with bedtime shot, and stay hydrated and everything should return to normal in a few days.

SO annoying, these numbers don't usually show up on my meter.  Again, no rhyme or reason with this disease. 

Goal: To return to "normal" numbers by bedtime.

P.S. Geaux Saints!


XOXO,
Ashley

Ashley, Drink Your Juice

That was my official team name for the New Orleans JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes!  Shout out to one of my fav movies, Steel Magnolias for the inspiration.

As a team, we raised $900.  150% of my goal set for $500!

http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?team_id=71407&fr_id=1825&pg=team

http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?px=2842521&fr_id=1825&pg=personal

I was so touched by the generous donations given financially, and the time also donated by those who were able to join me for the walk.

Of all the charities and causes people could donate to, they chose to contribute to my cause.

Of all the expenses we face in our lives, they chose to contribute to my cause.

It's an amazing feeling.  I have an amazing support system.

It was a beautiful fall day in New Orleans, so much energy in the air.  So much hope for a life changing disease that I've been fortunate enough to develop as an adult, versus as a child. 

So many young children deal with this day to day.  So many parents live in fear of the one low blood sugar that their child won't recover from.  I do believe the hope for a cure keeps us ALL going. 

The walk was fun and refreshing and a great reason to get together and chit chat.  The after party was really nice, so many generous sponsors providing great snacks and such!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Looking forward to next year!  I'll document better next year, slacked with the pic taking this year!  I guess I was too busy taking it all in....

Love,
Ashley

Some of the best friends a girl could ask for

Post walk pic with one of my lifelong best friends Jamie

Our niece Lucy, my youngest and cutest supporter!

Team Ashley Drink Your Juice, minus a few who had walked away prior to picture time

 

 

 

 

What a difference a year makes....

Well, as expected, I'm a terrible blogger.  I don't seem to have the wit, circumstances, or drive to post weekly, monthly, let alone daily.  Though there are several blogs I follow who are able to post interesting reads daily!

August 29th was a big day for my household for several reasons:
1.  7 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
2.  Hurricane Isaac actively hit Louisiana
3.  My 1 year anniversary of meeting my endocrinologist and starting my insulin regime

A whole stinkin' year to adjust to my new normal.  And boy has it been an adjustment.

Not only have I been dealing with daily diabetes management, I've also been dealing with anxiety.  I thought I knew what was triggering it, but now I'm not sure, as I've had several instances lately that seemingly come out of nowhere. 

I've been to a therapist, which I actually enjoyed, but after 3 visits I ran out of things to talk with her about and haven't been back.  When I stopped going my anxiety was way down, but seems to be creeping back up.  I feel like I basically have generalized anxiety disorder.

For example, 4 am last night I wake up with my heart racing in the 120s.  I wasn't dreaming about anything upsetting, seemed to be sleeping pretty well.  1 xanax and the company of the hubs later, I slept like a rock.  Then woke up with a blood sugar of 60.  60 is pretty low for me, and I felt somewhat "off" but other than that had no symptoms.  That double whammy has me feeling like a lethargic slug today.

I hate feeling like that, and my MD has written me a prescription for Celexa, but I've been hesitant to take it.  I also went to a new PCP this week, as my former one retired, and he ran routine blood work as part of my check up.  If nothing shows up in that blood work to explain the way I feel sometimes, I think I'll just start the Celexa.  As my BFF's Dr husband reassured me a few months ago, just because a drug is called an antidepressant, it doesn't mean I'm taking it because I'm depressed. It's the anti-anxiety component that I need.  And hopefully it'll be a temporary fix that "breaks the cycle" and I can stop it sometime and be done with these awful feelings.  Also, just talking to friends, family, and acquaintances, it seems almost everyone I know is on or has taken something similar.  Ideally I'd like to be taking as little medication as possible, but we'll see how things keep going.

I feel that I have a decent grasp on my diabetes management, still using multiple injections daily versus a pump management system and it seems to work for me so far.  There are times though when I'm prepping to give myself a shot and I stop and think "I'm going to have to do this for the rest of my life?"  And that's fine- because it means I'm alive.  But it's a sometimes overwhelming thought.  And damn, it sucks, and certain spots hurt more than others, and certain areas bleed, and my stomach looks it's been used for a punching bag at times.  But I'm managing.  And I have an amazing support system of family, friends, co-workers... couldn't ask for better.

Of course there are days when I miss ordering a milkshake, or getting my beloved cookie dough Blizzard during our trips to Missouri.  Those are truly some of the only items I have denied myself since diagnosis, because the amount of insulin I'd have to shoot to cover something like that is a bit ridiculous if I follow a carb to insulin ratio (something I'm not too great with yet, cause I haven't bothered to learn).  Then I see all of these awesome looking desserts on Pinterest and decide not to pin them, but honestly, I'd probably never make them anyways.  And there are days when my numbers just don't make sense.  I take a little extra insulin to cover what seems to be a carb filled dinner and I go low, yet taking a unit lower wouldn't cover it and result in higher numbers than I'd like?  No rhyme or reason.

So, 1 year down, 1 year wiser, 1 year older. 

Hopefully I won't always have to write about my diabetes-versay, because hopefully one day we will have a cure.  The JDRF is doing some amazing things out there, among other research institutions.  I've signed up to participate in a research trial about driving with diabetes to determine and prevent risks associated with type 1 diabetics and driving.  Thankfully I've never experienced a hypoglycemic event while driving, or sleeping.  And the New Orleans JDRF Walk for Diabetes is coming up in November and I plan on participating and fundraising.  Keep an eye out for that coming soon!

Take care of your health, it is precious.

No, I can't just take the pills, diet, or exercise my diabetes away.  I have type 1, my pancreas doesn't work!

Thanks for a year of love and support!

XOXO,
Ashley