From FatCatAnna

Well, finally, holiday time is approaching once my hubby lands back in Canada after a trip to Isle of Man.  Over the next 3 weeks we are going to finally get to give our 1984 30' Catalina sailboat a test sail into the waters of Lake Ontario (the video link above is actually on Lake Ontario outside of Rochester, NY).  You would never know that a) I'm not a big lover of water; b) sink like a blob of lead in the water; c) get really scared when the winds are more then 20 knots.  I go out on the boat - putting those thoughts aside - and just DO IT (isn't that a Nike commercial?).

I do many things that perhaps if I didn't have diabetes I would not do.  Many of you are like myself, being told as youngsters that we wouldn't live past 40 - and for myself - being told this as a teenager after DKA episode - it made me pull up my socks and start to stock pile as many adventures into what I thought would be a short life span on the Big Blue Marble.  I'm still trying to try things that make me slightly scared, not sure why, but I do.

So, for those of you who have given me your cell numbers so that they can hopefully meet up with Jenna's Journey - come aboard perhaps for a drink - chat - a sail - it will be wonderful to finally get to meet you in person!  I think that's the one thing I'm looking forward to on this trip, meeting other diabetics that I've corresponded with over the years since I started to blog here at Diabetes1.org and other areas within D-OC.

And no, I'm still not connected back onto my pump. I may bring it along, but I'm still not sure.  MDI (multiple dosage injections) are still working out fine for me - " don't rock the boat baby " as the saying goes.

So, look out for this boat below - and you'll  know we're coming ashore to raid your town - arrrhh - parrot (I mean cat) on my shoulder - arrrhhh!!!

From FatCatAnna

I belong to a few D-OC (diabetic online communites) and one of my first ones I joined up to is Tudiabetes. I have made many friendships with other PWD's (people with diabetes) - and one of those is Danny, who has posted blog here occassionally at Diabetes1.org and recently posted a great discussion about Diabetes Timeline . I'm afraid my contribution is pretty lame, since I have never kept a diary of my years of having diabetes, but some of the other entries are very good and well worth reading.  Take a gander at what I had posted in the discussion - and maybe you'll want to saunter over to Tudiabetes to either join up or if you are a member there - perhaps place you own timeline story.

---------------------------------
This is tough – as I’ve never really kept a written record of my diabetes (have been reading some of yours - and they are so accurate - I feel like such a dumb dumb putting my contribution in here - as it's not very accurate). Anyway, I just had diabetes – and lived with it – and never started to “analyze” it until joining up to the D-OC believe it or not (and any diaries I’ve come across make no mention of diabetes – just usual girl stuff, my gerbils, where to stuff the mess in my bedroom to please my clean freak Mum, etc.).

1966-1967 – Age 6 – not well those years – chicken pox – losing weight – bed wetting (made parents VERY angry) – just remember being in the old farts section of hospital (diabetic children were under 1% of diabetic population in those days – much greater now). Spent 2 weeks while they figured out what to give to me. Don’t ask me what my insulin was – something made of oink, oink – I know I used NPH (cloudy insulin). No A1C’s in those days as well.
1968-1971 – Urine testing, being a kid, giving once a day shots. Being a kid.
1972-1974 – I went to Camp Banting – diabetic camp – that was so much fun – did this for 3 years. Wanted to be a camp counselor but that never happened due to my eventually getting 2 part time jobs.
1975 - DKA – coma for 3 days – had been ill for about a year with “flu” - I think that year I was maybe in denial of diabetes, hanging around the Pop Shop (great drinks - SUGAR) - and the Candy Shop (more SUGAR ). Was flubbing urine tests with water at home (duhhhh), doctors knew something was up with blood work when I went to hospital for check up every "x" amount of months ( A1C’s were available then - but due to going to check ups alone I never asked - and if you wonder where my Mum was - she was working - I was left to handle my diabetes daily control since age of 10). Anyway, Mum got into a lot of $#@! for allowing me to be this way – but wasn’t her fault really. She allowed me complete control of my diabetes – I knew I was doing things wrong – case closed. Oh, went back to ER a few weeks after getting out of hospital due to eating a roll of life savers. I really was silly wasn’t I?
1976 – 1979 – High school years – I think I was still on one injection a day – still urine testing. Again, I just did my diabetic thing like a good soldier, did the teenager thing, busy with school/work/partying – just like any other normal kid
1980-1989 – Work / quit job / went back to live in England / worked/drank beer – used glass syringe/needle meant for elephant behind / came back to Canada/ work / partying (got into drugs / alcohol / rock ‘n roll) / used Medi-Injector for awhile – but got fed up with that after awhile. No memory really of what insulin(s) I used, etc. Just did what I had to do to stay alive and kicking. Started to use a HUGE blood meter then (husband remembers this).

From FatCatAnna

I went away for the weekend to visit some friends - the main reason for this trip was to go to the Renaissance Fair in Sterling, NY.  Road trips tend to throw my diabetes off abit, but since re-educating myself with how insulin works, and counting carbs properly, my carb filled w/e was actually quite successful (and I ate alot - including the Ninja burgers - on a low-carb bun mind you).  I'm still on a pump vacation, and with the few BG (blood glucose) tests (10 over a 72 hour period - usually it's alot more) I did when I had some time to do it,  I seem to be getting the hang of it with MDI (multiple doseage injections) - just like I was with the insulin pump. 



Below are replies to my Facebook profile page statement I made earlier today below for you to read.  I felt it worth reposting here on Diabetes1.org - to show the different opinions of diabetics who take control of their diabetes with either the pump or MDI. For those of you who aren't hooked up to me there and to respect the folks who are discussing, I have just used their initials for now. 

FCA (me) wrote on her profile page - Woke up to #bgnow 5.2 - pretty good - considering all the high carb foods I ate on the w/e - mananged to maintain pretty good blood sugars the whole w/e on MDI - pretty impressed I can do as well with D management on needles as I did on insulin pump :)

DJD - See ... I keep telling people they won't die without the pump. You're proof of the pudding - so to speak.

HS - Wonderful B/S ...DJD , yes, but she is more dedicated than most diabetics. Pumping for 7 years now and I still don't have quite the control she has.  I still awaken with 6's or 7's in the morning. The ODD morning will be 4's or 5's. If I went back to multi-dose daily... my BS would skyrocket!!! I believe that most diabetics are more like me.

DJD - Hi HS... with an A1C of 4.7-5.1 myself, I can tell you Anna's not alone in her success. I have other pumpless friends who do it as well or better than I - consistently, without passing out.

Your blood sugar doesn't have to skyrocket.  The amount of time I spend testing and taking small shots is miniscule and well worth the what - 15-20 total minutes per day spent on the effort. There are plenty of tricks of the trade that are not taught which can be employed to accomplish the task.

The point - those who can't afford or don't want pumps shouldn't be made to think the ONLY way to accomplish good blood sugar is to spend an inordinate amount of money and/or be connected to a tool. They shouldn't be told they are going to die without it. Not everyone has to have horrible experiences and can learn techniques and info that may prevent any further horrible experiences.

Which is what Anna did. She learned more. She tried different insulin. And now Anna's proven her point and I'm sure sooner or later she'll go back to the pump. But she too can now teach people techniques that do work. She doesn't have to say "when I was on MDI I had horrible control" and leave it at that. She's seen the other side - the success.

People do not have to fear multiple shots and glucose testing (one without the other does not work). MDI just doesn't have to be a bad experience the way some people portray it. If a person doesn't want to do it, well then I/we can't help. But if someone wants to put forth 15-20 minutes of effort a day, there are much less expensive ways to control blood sugar than a $5-6k pump.

Some of the other reason I'm not interested in a pump - anything attached to me, scar tissue potential (I don't have any now), relying on one type of insulin, pump failures, progressive insulin resistance the longer the tubing/pod is attached.

Thanks for listening to my explanation.

JD - Anna and others are to be commended. I love my pump. I have been pumping since January 2001. I am doing much better now that I am off Apidra and back to Humalog.

DJD - When you tried Apidra did you adjust your basal and bolus rates - for the increased speed? I use both Apidra and Humalog. Apidra is at least 15 minutes faster (peak) and finishes about 30 minutes quicker than Humalog.

I don't know if you're in the US or Canada but in the US Humalog is usually cheaper both $ per bottle and copay wise. So you're probably saving $ anyway.

FAT - DJD - JD lives in NY (I probably waved at his house yesterday as we scooted back to Canada).

Well, I have to still say - that even before the pump I still had good success on the MDI routine - I had to plead with my endo to go onto the pump - and in the end - went ahead without his approval (needed his signature). When it came time for me to plunk the cold hard $$$'s down - and my A1C went from regular 7% to 5.7% - and that's with next to no hypos like I had with MDI - then he signed - otherwise my insurance company wouldn't pay the 80%.

That said and done - for me - both pump / MDI work - and to me - being a "lifer" - I'm lucky in that aspect. I personally find MDI no more work then the pump - but I have to admit - the convenience of the pump is in the basal side of things - e.g. sleeping in which I rarely do. With MDI, you have to be abit more clockwork with the basal insulin (back to Lantus now - Levemir reaction was getting annoying). Now, I have experimented with not taking my Lantus/Levimir at the "correct" times - and so far - touch wood - no ill effects. Again, this works for me, and like HS says, maybe I'm more regimented (darn - should have been in the military ).

I'll be going back to the pump in a few weeks - for holiday time on the sailboat - but am not 100% about that even as I type this out - since this past w/e of unusual life style proved that even with all the junk food I ate (and it was good - salt potatoes smothered in butter - never had that before) - and lots of other high carbs - didn't effect my blood sugars with taking the correct amount of insulin - but of course - I'm sure I gained some weight :)

From FatCatAnna

I know that there are a few people who are upset that I've gone off the pump - some of the private comments I've received I understand why you are feeling the way you do.  For myself, going onto the insulin pump in the first place was more of a push from a friend who told me that it was heaven sent to him being on the pump (though he's never revealed what his A1C's are with the pump - so it makes me wonder).   My control of my diabetes before the pump was fine, I just was curious to see what pumping was all about.

In April, I decided to take a pump holiday.  My intentions were to just do this until the next A1C - which I had written about last week.  My A1C has not really changed much as you can tell by that blog post.  So, for me, both methods of diabetes control works for me.  For other PWD's, they perhaps feel more comfortable with having a pump, that is programmed to deliver the correct amounts of insulin which I currently am performing by multiple doseage injections (MDI) and using my sponge brain to figure out the correct dose for carbs, IOB (insulin on board), etc.

So, the pros and cons of both methods are below -

• Insulin pump does not allow you to FORGET to give you basal shot (been there/done that - but with no ill effects as I make it up later - and reduce the amount - but still - annoying that with the pump it's all taken care of - bing, bang, boom).
  

• With MDI - when you inject your basal insulin (Levemir/Lantus/etc.) - you cannot turn back the clock like you can with the insulin pump where you can lower your basal rates if you need to reduce the flow on insulin into you body due to certain circumstances.  I have to know ahead of time what my activities will be for that day, with a child I think the pump is a better option, as they are all over the place as I'm sure D Mum's will agree on that one.

• The insulin pump retains all the information that you require to check back late to see how much insulin you have on board (IOB) or have bolused for a meal with the carb amount.  I am bad (okay - LAZY) at keeping a journal with MDI. I was good in the beginning while I got my basal rates perfected, but then I slipped back into not keeping the journal (and I'd bought such a pretty one when I was in Boston).  Because of this, I actually had a very BAD hypo, which I'm trying to get the gutts to blog about, as I think it will cause quite an uproar from a few diabetics.  On the insulin pump, I doubt this would have happened as I would have had a record of what insulin had been given, etc.

• The cost of MDI and insulin pump - that's where I find a big difference.  $300 a month average in supplies with the pump.  MDI is almost 1/3 of the cost (these figures do not include insulin - only the bits that are used for dart practise on our bodies).  Yes, I may now have to use two types of insulin on MDI, but it's still less expensive, and I'm getting basically the same results as I did on the pump.

• Forgetting where you put your pen needle for my basal shots I do every 12 hours!  This happened to me twice since starting MDI. Wearing a pump, you can't forget where your insulin is - your plugged into the pump! 
  

• When travelling by air - less to carry with you with MDI - and I don't get pulled over for pump inspection by TSA!
  

So, will I be going back onto the pump (Salvador Dali)?  Since only 80% of the pump purchased was covered by my husbands medical insurance at work, I probably will.  If I had bought the pump outright, then probably I may not have tried this test out with MDI.

Also, I am not sure when or how long I am willing to put up with the Levemir reaction I still have (my endo had me fill out forms for Novo Nordisk about this - but no reply from them). 

Remember, everyone is different with how they want to control their diabetes.  If pumping is easier and gives you better results then MDI, then go for it!  I am not putting down pumping at all with what I have done here as a guinea pig.  It's just nice having a break from the tubing, wearing dresses without trying to figure out where to put the pump so it's accessible to bolus.  I like the freedom, what can I say?

From FatCatAnna

Recently I’ve been following Ginger Vieira on Twitter.  Originally it was due to the fact we live within a few hours of each other, and she’d commented about the upcoming Montreal Jazz Festival that I'd tweeted about.  From there, we connected, and I discovered that she’s not only a Type 1 diabetic like me, but also a power lifter and competed in a few national competitions over the years.  Imagine, dead lifting 315 lbs, squatted 265 lbs, and bench-pressing 187 lbs! Serious training and commitment needed for that!  Not only does she deal with diabetes, but also with Celiac disease , which means she has to eat a gluten-free diet.  Not easy in today’s world of over processed foods!

What is even better, is she is like myself, on MDI (multiple dosage injections) and managing very well with all the exercise she does (I feel lazy compared to what her daily work outs are).  She used to be on an insulin pump for 6 years, but after experiencing DKA (diabetic coma due to high blood sugars) – she decided to go back to daily injections – and so far – she has much better control.  Like she says, “

She started a mission a few weeks ago to lose 10 pounds by August 15th – you can find her blog here.  She put out a call to others to join her and a few of us have – among those are Sarah at Sarah Loses It, as well as Cherise aka Diabetic_Iz_Me who posts once in awhile here at Diabetes1.org and at Diabetes Daily.  We all have goals to lose weight and have better control of our diabetes.  Mine is to gain more muscle, which in the end will mean better insulin absorption and hopefully more level blood sugars (BG's).  Not sure if I can lose 10 lbs in such a short time, but I’ll be happy with whatever I can lose (remember muscle weighs more then fat).  It'll just be nice to do it with others that are trying to accomplish similar goals!

So far for myself – I started on Monday, June 7th – my initial weigh in is 152 lb / 69 kg and I’m trying to do at least 30 minutes of exercise every day.  I try to aim to exercise with BG’s in the 100-200 mg/dl or 5.5-11 mmol/l.  Lately I’ve been fighting with BG’s in the a.m. of under 100 mg/dl / 5.5 mmol/l – when I have time to exercise.  I’ve managed to tweak my p.m. dose of Levemir to where I’ve woken up to good BG’s – so able to get in some cycling.  My food intake hasn’t really changed from before.  I try to eat no more then 120 grams of carb a day.  Due to another gum surgery, and being “forced” onto antibiotics, my appetite isn’t the greatest.  Main thing, I’m trying! I’ll be try to report back on a weekly basis each Monday with updates on how I’m doing.

So, anyone else wanting to join us?  Come on Summer Days are coming!!!