Monthly Archives: April 2011

My Diabetic To-Do List

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I have come to the conclusion that it would be really nice to keep my A1C at the level it was when it was last checked: 6.7. However, at the moment I really think it is a lot higher then the wonderful number of 6.7.

The last time I checked my A1C was last summer, because there is no Barbara Davis Center here in Mexico.The summer is approaching fast, and I’d really love to have a wonderful A1C, and not to mention excellent health. So I have compiled a to-do list for the next month or so, in order to have a wonderful A1C.

1. No sugar drinks (soda, etc.) In Mexico, they love their Aguas de frutas, or fruit drinks, which have a ton of sugar. I like these, well, I love these, but no more.

2. Three solid meals a day.

3. No snacking.

4. Bolus for everything. I’m rather bad at this, so I really need to REMEMBER to bolus.

5. Regular exercise.

Yup. Stick to the rules, Claire.

Sincerely,

Claire Montgomery
Type 1 Diabetic, Diabetes Blogger, Teenage Diabetes Blogger

Luke Skywalker Recently Diagnosed With Diabetes

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Thanks to my brother.

I am slowly becoming re-obsessed with Star Wars. Me included, but especially my brother. So naturally, the three of us siblings (Claire, Ben and Paige) were talking about Star Wars while washing the dishes.

I honestly don’t know how we got talking about blogging, but I’m almost positive that it involved my brother and sister making fun of me because I blog. They think it’s stupid because there isn’t any money involved.

But then Ben was all like, “Hey, it would be funny if it was Star Wars and Diabetes. Like, may the needles be with you.”

I thought that that was hilarious. And it is. And now I have a new catch phrase.

To all diabetics: May the needles be with you!!

Sincerely,

Claire Montgomery
Type 1 Diabetic, Insulin Independent, Star Wars lover

Related Posts:
Diabetes jokes
Diabetes jokes (take 2)

Crazy Days Are Here Again

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At the moment, I’m not particularly happy. Last night my blood sugars were wacko, and today looks like it’s going to be a repeat of last night.

207 with double arrows going up.

I ate dinner at eight o’clock. I was 60 mg/dL, so I didn’t bolus for my 40 carb meal. In hindsight, I should have bolused a little bit, but still, that shouldn’t have sent me above 250 mg/dL for the next three hours.

Yah, you got it. I alternated from being 280 mg/dL to 300 mg/dL. Oh, and a quick side note: I can’t sleep when I’m high. So I was up until after midnight. Lovely.

I did a new sight change, and yet, two hours later, still above 250 mg/dL. And I’ve got graphs to prove it.

Up, up, and up. Then down. Now up again.

Finally, I got fed up with feeling bad and re-reading several different books (including Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Eldest), so I tested again, over-rode the suggestion of zero units of insulin, and gave myself two units. Then I conked out.

Woke up at the wonderfully pleasant number of 90 mg/dL, but apparently we can’t go with out a day of craziness. My CGM says I’m 207 and going up fast.

Sincerely,

Claire Montgomery
Type 1 diabetic, Continuous Glucose Monitor User, Frequent Rider of the “Blood Sugar Roller Coaster”

If you have any crazy stories about wacky blood sugars, feel free to contact me!

No Longer a Lump ‘Cause I Got Me a Pump

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I’m all pumped up!

Last week my dad came home, bringing with him a small little package of joy. I’m sure that you can guess what it is: A brand new insulin pump.

I immediately programed my settings into it, and once my lantus stopped working, I plugged in.  AND I AM SO HAPPY!!!!! (That’s me getting my excitement out.) My new pump is exactly the same kind (Minimed Paradigm 722), but it doesn’t have the scratch on the screen, and it’s all shiny, and new, and cool, and, and, and……

So long, shots in the bathroom! I can eat without worrying about what I’m going to have or dessert and have FREEDOM! Yay.

The moral of the story is that I’m excited, and that I’ve got a new pump. New pump=Happy Claire :)

Sincerely,

Claire Montgomery
Type 1 diabetic, Diabetic pumper, Happy Girl :)

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My key to life broke

I Give Myself Shots in the Bathroom Because I´m Cool Like That

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Contrary to my ¨I’m cool with it¨ attitude in the title, this is actually one of the weirder things that I’ve done and I’m so looking forward to being able to stop.

As I mentioned in my last post, my pump broke so I am going pump-less for the next couple of days. I am sort of cool with it fashion wise, because now I don’t have to hide it in my school uniform and I don’t have to worry about what to say if someone sees my pump. It’s awesome.

However, now I can’t just eat whatever I want to whenever I want to. Take shot for dinner, oh, we have ice cream, you know, on second thought I think I’ll pass both injection and ice cream.

I’ve decided this for sure: I’ve been taking my pump for granted, and it’s time to cut it out and tell it that I love it. Maybe that’s why it broke in the first place. I’d completely forgotten that it hurts to take 20 units of lantus. Gah.

Also, giving yourself a shot in front of everyone sort of labels you as “freak show”. People already freak out when they see me check my bloodsugar, so much to the extreme that I’ve had to take precautions and go on trips to the bathroom or hide the darn tester under my desk. Giving yourself a shot is just one step to many above “stick a needle into finger and bleed”.

So, I am going to the bathroom and giving myself shots for lunch there. People might think I’ve got really bad diarrhea or something but at least they can miss the “horrifying part of sticking a needle into my arm”.

A little less freaking out, folks. And hold the applause.

I even have to sneak my needles into my lunch box so people don’t see them and wonder. I’m already the weirdo with blond hair who speaks English, so I’m going to try my very hardest not to become the weirdo who gives herself shots and bleeds for the fun of it. Nope, not a chance.

Sincerely,

Claire Montgomery
Type 1 Diabetic, Teenage Diabetes Blogger, Cleanest-Stall-in-the-Bathroom-Searcher

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My Key to Life Broke


My Key To Life Broke

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My brother came up with that one (the title). Actually, my insulin pump broke, but same difference, right?

I got home from school on Thursday and when I tried to bolus for a snack, none of my buttons would work. For those of you who don’t know, I use the MiniMed Paradigm 722.

So anyway, I was playing around with it and changed the battery a couple of times to make sure that it wasn’t a battery problem, and then I called Medtronic. Yup, sure enough it was broken. Lovely. Not.

So I’m back to injections for the next couple of days, and I’ve been quickly realizing why I went onto the pump in the first place and how much easier my life has been. (Not to offend those of you on injections. I’ve also realized how much cooler you guys are with having figured out how to make your life work with injections.)

It even gets more complicated then it already is. Remember how I live in Mexico? Well, that means mail is a lot more complicated. Usually Medtronic will send you another pump overnight and it will arrive the next day. That really isn’t an option when your living in Mexico. My dad regularly leaves to the US for work so we had the pump shipped to his next hotel.

Nonetheless, I am pumpless for the next few days. At first I thought it was awesome. I could wear what ever shirt I wanted to without my pump sticking out and there weren’t any holes in my body. But then I started to hate my 20 units of Lantus every night, taking a shot whenever I wanted a banana, and well, you get the idea.

We’ll see what happens.

Sincerely,

Claire Montgomery
Type 1 Diabetic, Diabetes Blogger, Pumpless and Unhappy