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Anna's Blog
By: FatCatAnna

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes back in 1968 at the ripe ol' age of 7. Since then, the way diabetes is treated has changed for the better. Compared to the days of testing your urine, boiling glass syringes, sharpening the needle on a stone, it feels like the Stone Ages when I see how things have progressed.

Hopefully one day we will find a cure for diabetes, but until then, we plod along with the new technology (for example, since Nov 2008 I have been using an insulin pump to attain better A1C's and quality of life).

I presently volunteer at various websites helping others with their questions about diabetes, and even learning new things myself all the time! I also have taken on the role of Vice President at the West Island Diabetes Association (WIDA) with the hopes of bringing that organisation into the 21st century and attracting more diabetics to come out to meet their fellow PWD's (people with diabetes) and share their secrets of living successfully with our hiccup in life!

The most important thing for PWD's I feel is to educate ourselves on our condition, and not to let it bring us down. With the help of Diabetes1.org I hope to bring a smile to each and everyone of your faces, and for you to question the things that we do to keep on trudging along.

 


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Jesse you will NOT be forgotten! - Mar 04
  Jesse  Alswager who has had diabetes for 10 years since the age of 3 made a video for a school project back in January of this year.  He has been an ...
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How to describe having a hypo to a non-PWD! - Mar 01
I think I have finally found the answer to this.  Maybe women will understand this better then men, but I will do my best explain this in a nutshell (big one). PMS, ...
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Trying to avoid eating is hard! - Feb 12
Of all days, I am hankering to eat breakfast. I rarely eat breakfast during the work week as it's never been a big thing for me.  I'm happy with my usual Americano which ...
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America's (The World's) Silent Killer - Feb 05
  I don't watch daytime TV that often as I'm a working stiff, but yesterday I recorded the Oprah show - which was all about diabetes.  I had read during the ...
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Dealing with wacky blood sugars makes me SCREAM! - Jan 27
Last week was interesting as far as my blood sugars (BG’s) went.  I was fighting to keep them below 10 mmol/l (180 mg/dl) and at the same time trying not to ...
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Anna's Blog

The Brain Battle
Posted: Feb 26, 2009 23:20:43 1 Comment.
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  •      For most of you - when having a low blood sugar - how do you handle it?  Well, here I am - just about to go to beddy byes (am knackered - been fighting something this week - but BG's have been stable at least).  I test my BG like I always do before heading off to bed – incase I have to do a correction – but I knew something was up even before I did the vampire stab of the finger.  I'm low, 2.4 mmol/L (43 mg/dL for you Doris – see my brain is still functioning ).  This is low for me - and I don't experience hypos too often especially at this time of the night - but probably this is due to giving abit too much insulin for my espresso and cookie earlier on. 

         I would just love to nibble on one of the thirty-six Zero bars that I have picked up tonight for my niece and sis-in-law (just discovered she loves these slightly unhealthy chocolate bars - laden with saturated fats) - but I am resisting the urge to open up the box.  They live in the United States – where low and behold – they can’t get these chocolate bars – usually it’s the other way around – we can’t get it here in Canada!  I’ve discovered that even my cat Zorro likes them - as I caught him sitting on the box about 1/2 an hour ago.  NB: picture has been taken of him doing this - so guess what I'll be posting on my Facebook page later for you to see .

     

         Unfortunately, a Zero bar will do nothing for my low blood sugar - because of the fat content - it doesn't work fast enough like either a glass of OJ or Dex4 (http://www.dex4.com/) will do.  I am being good here - because if I wasn't writing this out to you - I would be prying the box open - for just one bar! 

     

         I am very lucky that I know when a BG is coming on.  Get kind of cold, brain starts to malfunction - though in this case - my brain is still functioning - so I'm not too low yet (yes I’ve been lower and still able to think).   The other thing that tells me something is up - and please don’t go – poor girl.  I had a mastectomy a few years ago – and now when I start to go low – the muscles surrounding the implant in my left breast tighten up – so in away – this is a good thing – but a bit of a weird feeling.  I feel like Daniel Day-Lewis from the movie My Left Foot. 

     

         Alright – joking aside - I’m off to test my blood – I need to get to bed – otherwise I’ll be useless at work tomorrow.

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    Comments (1):
    By: dorisjdickson: Feb, 28, 2009 20:48 PM

    Hi Anna,

    If the question is ... what would I do at 43?  First and foremost, I would drink a few ounces of orange or apple juice.  I drink OJ at home, apple juice boxes otherwise.

    Then, any further action would be determined based on what was causing the low and if that was the bottom.  Normally, the juice would be the end of it. 

    However, if excessive energy output was the cause (and there was more to come) or I overestimated a rapid acting dose (and peak hadn't hit) I would be rechecking every 15-30 minutes and possibly snacking as necessary.

    That's where my log book comes in handy.  Otherwise, I wouldn't have much memory of everything I'd done especially relative to time increments. 

    If, as you described, the 43 was just before bed - I'd probably try to stay awake a little longer. 

    If it was clearly a slower than expected digestion, I'd definitely have to wake myself up because that freaking food is going to digestion sometime!  Bad food.

    Doris



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