A girl, her pump and reflections on life

MOVED

2008-01-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

Happy Dblog Day

2007-11-10T09:35:00.001-08:00

I moved!!

Please check out my post @ http://pearlsa.com/blog/

Also make changes to your readers and bloglines .

Thanks

I Pray, the police finds him soon and safe

2007-06-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

Do we, as humans have no compassion and empathy towards other humans? A man is missing after he was kicked of a train, Amtrak personnel mistook his hypoglycaemia (diabetic shock) for drunkenness kicking him of the train in a middle off an 800,00 acre national forest.

Even if the guy was drunk why will anyone in his or her right mind think it is OK to leave a human in a middle of nowhere?

This is inhumane!

My heart goes out to his family and friends

I am saddened; tears are streaming down my eyes thinking of what can happen to him all along out there.

I Pray, the police finds him soon and safe

Below is CBS 5 in Phoenix reporting of the story -

Police: Diabetic Man Missing After Being Kicked Off Train

PHOENIX -- A 65-year-old St. Louis man is missing after Amtrak personnel, mistaking his diabetic shock for drunk and disorderly behavior, kicked him off a train in the middle of a national forest, according to police in Williams, Ariz.

Police said Roosevelt Sims was headed to Los Angeles but was asked to leave the train shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday at a railroad crossing five miles outside Williams.

"He was let off in the middle of a national forest, which is about 800,000 acres of beautiful pine trees," Lt. Mike Graham said.
Police said there is no train station or running water at the crossing, which is about two miles from the nearest road, at an elevation of about 8,000 feet.

Amtrak personnel told police dispatchers that Sims was drunk and unruly.

The Sims family said Sims is diabetic and was going into shock.
Sims' brother, Brian Mason, said his family tried to call Sims on his cell phone that night, but Sims was incoherent.
When officers arrived at the crossing, police said, Sims ran into the woods, leaving his luggage and medication behind.

Cell phone records show that Sims' phone was last used in Litchfield Park, Ariz., 180 miles from Williams.

Williams police told CBS 5 that Amtrak has used the abandoned crossing as a drop-off site in the past. Graham said that whether drunk or not, no one should be dropped off there.

"You don't put anyone off in an area like that," Graham said.
Amtrak said the company is looking into the matter.

"I just want to find him," Mason said. "I'm not mad at anybody."

"I want to find a way to make sure he's OK," Mason added.
"Our thoughts and prayers are that there's no way he's out there in those woods," Graham said.
Copyright 2007 by KPHO.com. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

It’s time for a real cure

2007-05-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air which means its the season to Walk for a Cure which brings with it news paper articles about Type 1 diabetes. The article below sums up how I feel especially during the JDRF Walk for a Cure season.

By Katie RobinsonMay 05 2007 It’s time for a real cure. Twenty years ago – Aug. 23, 1987 – I was diagnosed with juvenile Type 1 diabetes. I didn’t fully understand the disease; I was only nine years old after all. But what I did understand was that my life and my parents lives and my siblings lives from that day forward would never be the same again.

I was forced to omit favoured foods like five-cent candies and chocolate from my diet. I was forced to take needles, sharp scary-looking needles, every single day. And I was forced to endure the constant curiosity and sometimes even disgust at what I was doing.
I did not accept my fate. Every opportunity I had, I rebelled against this disease. I threw my lunches out; “Why should I have to eat carrots when my friends are eating cookies?” I thought. I gave my mom’s plants and couches my insulin injections; “What am I? A pin cushion?” I would say. I used to pass out and go into convulsions. A lot.

I passed out in ditches. I convulsed in my bed during the wee hours of the morning. One time, I even gave myself a concussion after passing out with my head smashing into the corner of a coffee table.

Thankfully, I have come to terms with my disease. I am active. I eat properly. I take my injections. And I can often be heard saying: “It’s better than cancer.”
But is it? This past week I had the opportunity to hang out with 10-year-old Eric Gray, who was diagnosed with juvenile Type one diabetes last year. The memories came flooding back.
On the surface, Eric appears to be a typical 10-year-old kid. He likes to play basketball. He likes to hang out with his friends. He likes to put on the charm with his freckled nose squinching up and his wide-expanding smile showing the deep divids of his dimples.

But when his blood sugars are low, he’s not smiling. When his blood sugars are high, he’s not smiling. When he has to take his breakfast and dinnertime injections, he’s not smiling.
“It sucks,” he said matter of factly. It does. In 12 months, Eric endures over 3,600 finger pokes and 1,000 injections. In 20 years, I have endured over 72,000 finger pokes and 21,000 injections.

I don’t watch movies like Steel Magnolias for fear of nightmares. I constantly worry that my kidneys will one day fail me; my eyesight will one day fade to black; my feet will one day succumb to gangrene.

At 29, I should not be having these fears. And at 10, Eric should not be having to ask his mom: “Will I die?” because diabetes has the word “di” in it.
Over 200,000 Canadians have Type 1 diabetes. Canada has the third highest occurrence rate of Type 1 diabetes in children 14 years or younger in the world. And that rate is consistently rising by three to five per cent every year.

It’s time for a cure, a real cure, because insulin is not a cure. If enough people participate in the June 10 JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Walk – a walk to cure diabetes – maybe, just maybe, future kids will have that cure.
Katie Robinson is a reporter with the Chilliwack Progress.

Flying High

2007-05-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

I finally came down from the high blood glucose scurry I have been on the past few weeks it mysteriously dropped that very same day I got my period. I wish I could tell when my hormones decide to go crazy as it did the past three weeks.

Last night was an adventure Tuesday evenings are site change evenings at the House O Adjoa, Saturday Mornings is site and cartridge change. After an evening run, I ripped out my old site enjoyed a long hot shower and inserted a new site. I settled down to once again try to get Windows Mobile Device center to communicate with my pocket PC phone, this problem is getting old and on my last nerves. Just when I thought I had figured out the issue my laptop battery dies, I will tackle this issue at another time.

I tested my blood glucose which was in a good range and proceeded to watch Gilmore girls I cried when Rory graduated from Yale. You will think my emotional state will have clued me in, I watched Veronica Mars, teased my sister for surfing the net via her pocket PC phone because her laptop also died and was charging.

I drifted off to sleep, woke up after about two hours to pee, drink water and turn off the TV noting to myself to have a greener day tomorrow before getting back into bed.

I struggled to tell the time I think its 8am but it’s still dark out, it must be 3am. I need to pee and my mouth is sticky and dry I need water I get out of bed. The water is making me nauseous, maybe it’s too warm my blood glucose rings in at 15mmol/l (270) I take a correction insulin dose and go back to sleep. I wake up at 6am with blood glucose of 18mmol/l (324), feeling like I have been run over by a trucker trailer.

My insulin pump site was completed detached from my body! WHAT? I have no idea how or when it happened. I have been pretty lucky and had only had one bad site prior to this I re-inserted a new site and went to work.
I went through the day angry, angry at diabetes.

But! You Look Really Healthy

2007-04-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

I am sure we have all heard this before, someone new finds out you have diabetes; they look you up and down questioningly then say...

But! You look really healthy.

A friend once said that most people do not and will not take diabetes seriously because I make managing it look so easy plus I look healthy.

I was not amused when I heard those words on Sunday not after the Saturday I had just had.
This past Saturday we set out for a run, it seemed like all the stars were aligned. It was cool but nice out, my blood glucose starting out was at 5.7mmol/l (103mg/l). About 30mins into the run the muscles in my legs ached, I slowed but kept running. 45mins later I checked my blood glucose it read 10.1mmol/l (182mg/l), it explained why? - I muscles were aching for insulin. I pressed on for another 30mins hoping to burn some of this high glucose off, nausea set in and I was feeling downright sick, I checked my blood glucose again this time a reading of 12.8mmol/l (230mg/l).

I took a correction bolus and we opted for a long walk back home instead, my blood glucose took it sweet time coming down ever so slowly.

The rest of the weekend and today has been spent on the high side. How I wish it is as easy as people seem to think.

Great Products too Late!

2007-04-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

I am a fun of Roche’s Accu-Chek product line I do not have the Accu-Chek Spirit Pump I choose the Animas over it for personal reasons - best left for another post.
The old Accu-Chek Complete, some people may remember it in the late nineties, it was huge big and it took 26 seconds to produce a test result, Oh and the big blob of blood it took.

However, although it would not have won any design awards it was one of the best made truly complete meters of its generation in my humble opinion. It was the first meter to have inbuilt diabetes management software, stored and analyzed up to 1000 values, plus you could add information on insulin, activities, meals etc. The first of its kind on the market I believe it did not succeed because of its lack of appeal or let’s say design.

Accu-Chek seems to be missing its mark lately, don’t get me wrong, they still make great products and management software nevertheless, these products get into the hands of the consumers (me) a little too late. Point in case I have been waiting for their not so new to Europe – Accu-Chek Smart Pix for some time now unfortunately for Accu-Chek I have since upgraded to vista and it will be out in North America late May appearing to not be vista compatible.

The Accu-Chek Smart Pix is a Device Reader is a small, but smart device which imports and displays data from Accu-Chek blood glucose meters, Accu-Chek software for handhelds, and Accu-Chek insulin pumps, via a built-in infrared interface. A plug’n play functionality that connects to you PC via USB, most importantly data can be seen and manipulated in HTML, XML, BMP, PNG etc.

Here is to hoping it becomes vista compatible before I move on to a newest Operating system.

A New Inserter Coming Soon......

2007-04-17T20:49:00.000-07:00

I love the fact that we live in a technologically advanced age that joins the continents together with a few clicks on a keyboard.

Today was site change day and for the second time in six months, a little bit of the tape got stuck to my quick setter. I carefully unstuck the tape and stuck it to my skin using IV prep over it to ensure it stays put. This got me thinking about a conversation I had with a follow pumper who lives in Switzerland, she raved about a new inserter that she is currently using telling me I would absolutely love it as much as she does.

I highlighted and copied the name, processed to search for the product on the makers’ North America’s site but there was no mention of this great, must have inserter. I drafted and sent an email to the makers’ inquiring if this product will ever be made available in North America and as to when?

I was glad to get a call from Jeff at Disetronic aka Accu-Chek telling me they will be made available in May of this year. I for one cannot wait to try this product and if it is as amazing as the Accu-Chek MultiClix

and or as great as Amanda says? I will be adding a new tool to my toolbox come may.

Investing in me

2007-04-16T20:21:00.000-07:00

It had become harder and harder to tame the beast using multiple daily injections, I am also super sensitive to insulin that meant having to wait till I am super high to correct via injections or risk being a yo-yo. I do not like playing with yo-yos let alone subjecting myself to being one, this lead to erring on staying high to avoid being bouncer except weeks turned to months, months turned to a year I was waking up high feeling like I had just finished going a few rounds with Mike Tyson instead of the nine plus hours of rest I just woken from. Taking a correct dose with breakfast brought me down nicely till the evening hours when I got ready for my next boxing match - I mean sleep.

I started looking into an insulin pump; I knew my provincial and supplemental insurance would not cover a pump I had to pay for the pump out of pocket.
As I talked it over with my sister she quickly reminded me of the fact that I had happily paid for braces out of pocket adding, --

“With those high blood glucose you may be paying for some more dental work sooner or later if you want to keep that smile”…………

Hmm as I flossed that night her voice like a broken record played over and over in my head.
I had just worn braces for the second time in my adult life and was extremely happy with the results. I was planning my next steps in cosmetic dentistry and had already met with the doctor, a plan drawn, which involved removing some of my gums to expose a little more teeth although now straight they a little. I would have followed up with a whitening zoom treatment sadly all out of pocket after all that is what people see not high blood glucose!

My plans seemed so vain seeing that I was melting from the inside out - a melt that would eventually melt away, what people see, from high blood glucose. I did some research online got all the information packages and setup meeting with the reps. I told all the reps upfront that I was meeting with the other reps to compare and contrast some were very pusher and told me their pump is the best and to not waste my time meeting with the other companies some were pampers themselves and were nice, pleasant telling me the most important thing will be getting on a pump any smart pump.

I met the Animas rep at a Starbucks a block away from home, on my way for a run. He was one of the reps who were happy to be a pump resource regardless of which company’s product I choose. He also had three of the four pumps with him to show me, he went through all the screens on each and every pump pointing out the different names used for the same things on each pump. We swapped diagnoses stories and waited for my sister and running partner when she arrived, before I even introduced them to each other I asked my sister to pick the pump she preferred.

She picked the Animas pump over the other two, she preferred it looks she later told me. Reservoir size is not an issue I go six days before changing the reservoir, battery life is amazing plus pumpcy has been very good to me.

I may not have the Hollywood smile but an insulin pump has been by far the best better investment.

Wake up....... please!

2007-04-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have “dreams”, maybe nightmares about flying over traumatic events in these nightmares I am not in control of my abilities to fly and I am forced to witness these traumatic events. This reoccurring dream has been happening since I was about six years old. I have developed the super ability however, to tell myself during these nightmares that it is a dream and am able to wake myself up from them. Often going back to sleep means going back to my nightmare meaning I will have night where the nightmare is repeated over and over as I keep waking myself up over and over.

I hope writing this will be the real life equivalent of waking myself up from a “dream” maybe depression.

I take it so personally when my blood sugar is high; I search for days, weeks even months for the answer or the reason why it was? This maybe because I thrive and part myself on the back for all the good numbers, I learn from them and try to stick with the winning formulas. But……….

I love science, it works and can be proven, and one plus one equals two was very exciting to me when I learnt it. I was in heaven the day I was taught “Newton’s Laws of Motion” my favourite is the second law it’s just beautiful and with it, a tried and true formula F=ma or F=mv please let’s not forget the third law – “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”

I remember at twelve years old pointing out a huge ship on the ocean to my mom, saying, “did you know that if you collect all the water being displaced by that ship it would weigh in at exactly the same weight of the ship?”

Diabetes is not science, the formula works most times and sometimes it just does not work. When this happens, as it is happening now with my fasting blood glucose readings I get a little depressed and angry. I am letting it get to me and I am being stubborn about testing my nighttimes basal insulin rate. See I tested it several times previously it worked a formula was set and tried, which worked beautiful.

I am watching a traumatic event happen while I fly above it, I am possible watching diabetes complications lay its foundation as I stew in my own high fasting blood glucose in anger and stubbornness just a little bite depressed.

Wake up Adjoa, you can wake up from this, its just another nightmare come back into reality and you will be save again. But………. for how long?

Jammeh to Start Diabetes Cure Soon

2007-04-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

I guess the president of Gambia did not get enough attention when he claimed he could cure AIDS (In Gambia, AIDS cure or false hope? - CNN.com). Now he is claiming he can cure Diabetes in 15mins. Well if you consider death a cure then I guess anybody can really cure.
The part that socks me the most is the fact that he disclosed this at a meeting with senior members of his government at the State House. Can a country get their President declared insane and removed from office?

Since stealing power, through a military coup in 1994, he has made life unbearable for anyone that expresses discontent for his rule.

Below is the news article –

The Daily Observer (Banjul)
NEWSApril 4, 2007
By Lamin M Dibba

President Yahya Jammeh yesterday disclosed that he can also cure diabetes within five minutes, like asthma, at no cost.

Disclosing this at a meeting with senior members of his government at the State House, President Jammeh said he has successfully carried out a test on diabetes treatment on five people, who regained their health. He told diabetic patients to register with Dr Tamsir Mbowe, Secretary of State for Health and Social Welfare, to benefit from the treatment. However, he pointed out that patients must bring along a certified paper or document indicating that they are diabetic patients, before being treated. He then added: "My treatment is not political. Anybody who is sick can come forward for the treatment, free of charge. I will add something new to diabetes in a month's time, but I will not disclose it until after one month," he assured.
Gambians and all other people of hope have welcomed this development in our country and are prou that an African is using African knowledge to cure the diseases and ailments of people, no matter what race.

President Jammeh is determined to cure anyone (black or white) with AIDs, because his knowledge is a gift to humanity at large. We must wake up to the fact that the pharmaceutical industry, who control the major seats of power around the world will not be happy with President Jammeh's gift and knowledge to cure AIDs, asthma and now diabetes, as there are billions of Dollars attached to research, to find a Western medicine to cure these diseses. Indeed this little country called The Gambia with its gifted leader has now become the biggest threat to the interests of the multi-national drug companies. Gambians and many more people will continue to go to President Jammeh to be cured of AIDs, asthma and diabetes that is de-populating most countries in Africa today. The people who were cured are living evidence of President Jammeh's success.

Copyright © 2007 The Daily Observer. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).

Diabetes kills

2007-04-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

I often feel there is an unspoken, don’t ask don’t tell policy when it come to Diabetes and West Africans. When this unspoken policy is not being enforced the attitude of most is that this is not a serious disease, this is the reason why I think the UN resolution on diabetes (Unite for Diabetes) is valuable.

Last week almost all the major West African news papers carried a variation of the same headline about “A Presidential Candidate in coma after suffering from diabetes” Alliance for Democracy a political party in Nigerians’ candidate was said to be in diabetic coma merely days, almost a month to the April 28th presidential elections. Adebayo Adefarati, the Presidential Candidate passed due to complications to diabetes (May his soul rest in peace)
What makes this even strange is the fact that in January I read in disbelieve that the current president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, in a speech dispel rumours that the Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Umar Yar’Adua, from his own party, Peoples Democratic Party was always sick and a diabetic, said that -

“He was sick in 2001 and has since been miraculously healed”

I did not bother to read feather, I was no longer interested in whatever he had to say about diabetes.

I was talking to my mother and sister about how an intelligent, educated and a person who obviously has money will neglect his diabetes (I am not sure what type he had) into a coma. My sister who had not read the January story replied -

“Maybe some miraculous pastor prayed for him”

Been so long

2007-04-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

I finally feel like I am getting better physically from the flu/cold that will not go away. I am also feeling much better emotionally it seems they are both tied into one another.

I got a new laptop but the wow of vista has not started yet, it could be just me being me. I might have been expecting too much since I put off getting a new computer for about three years waiting for vista. I can however not bring myself to pack up my eight years old laptop, I have an offer from a friend to buy it but it seems I am not all that ready to part with something that has been part of my live for the last eight years. It is heavy, slow and clunky, it takes about the same time it takes to brew coffee to power up but it been good and reliable.

Last Saturday I was treated to the inspirational sounds of The Soweto Gospel Choir “WOW” nothing prepared me for the emotions and exuberance. Their songs are accompanied by the unique Southern African rhythms, energetic dance moves and colourful traditional outfits. The seamless flow of traditional, acapella and contemporary gospel was unstoppable. To demonstrate the choirs’ multi-lingual skills they wormed up at the start of the second half in French, German and Zulu.

Meet "Nursebot"

2007-02-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

There is a crisis in health care and health care delivery, it does not really matter were you live in the world, in every country on every continent there is some form of health care / delivery crisis. On continental Africa we call it “brain drain”, an exodus of nurses and doctors to developed countries were there are shortages of medical staff and where the pay and working conditions are better than it is back home. That is not to say African countries did not have it own shortages to begin with, I remember being sick as a seven year old in Ghana, going to a hospital where I waited for over two hours along with other only to be told there was no doctor available that day. The head nurse on duty stepped up becoming the doctor for the day I remember being upset and questioning her diagnoses when set handed over her prescribed injections for me she might have been right since I lived.

We possibly live in the best of medical times there are new medicines coming out each day, to help us live longer we have chronic diseases because science has figured out how to keep us alive in spite of what ills us. As a person who is living with chronic disease I am grateful for the advancement both in medications and health technology, I am also very worried about the present state of health care and delivery. It is great that we have all the medication and technology but what is its use if we do not have enough health care professionals to help us take advantage of all the advancements. What use for example is having the latest state of the art imaging technology when there is so few qualified technician to operate the machine, which leaves a patient on a wait list.

A friend sent me a picture of the robot above with a line that said -->

“Your 2015 Birthday Present wish – this might be an essential Diabetes Sick Day management tool someday”

It’s a Robot Nurse, if the EU founded project is successful, “Nursebot” prototypes will be making their appearance in hospitals by 2010. Working in “swarms” which communicate with each other using either a wireless Local Area Network or Bluetooth, each robot will carry sensors and equipments for different jobs and assign themselves to relevant tasks. For example - Robots with thermal imaging camera could observe patients maybe during the night when there is limited nursing staff available. Project leader Thomas Sclegel of the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany, said -->

“The idea is not only to have mobile robots but also a full system of integrated information terminals so the hospital is full of interaction and intelligence”

Imagine that! It is called the IWARD project.

IWARD Stands for “intelligent Robot Swarm for Attendance, Recognition, Cleaning and Delivery” it targets mainly hospitals and healthcare centres to overcome the shortages of healthcare staff – a major issue in European healthcare. Our aging society and economic pressure increase the patients-to-medics’ ratio, having an adverse effect on healthcare quality and performance. Not being able to attend all patients at the right time and not keeping the hospitals clean enough (e.g. MRSA Transmission) also increases recovery time and cost.

Happy Valentines Day

2007-02-14T17:22:00.000-08:00

My phone was set blazed with Valentine day wishes from friends and family all over the world the first text coming in at midnight and I received the last of about twelve at around 6am, I did not think I know that many people. Saint Valentine’s day is the traditional day on which we express our love for each other, although I think we should be expressing our love every single day. Approximately one billion Valentines Day cards will be exchanged worldwide, making this the second largest card-exchanging day of the year behind Christmas. A heart shaped chocolate covered with red foil was sitting at my desk on Valentines Day morning, the company I work for put one on every employees desk wishing all a Happy Valentines Day.

Halfway across the world in my other beloved country, Ghana, my country of birth, they observed the first National Chocolate Day a day design to boost the sales of cocoa and the consumption of Ghana made chocolates. Cocoa is Ghana’s largest cash crop dubbed “Black Gold”. I think I love this new tradition that has evolved out of Valentines Day that will hopefully see the cocoa industry in the country grow and also promote local processing and manufacturing. My grandma use to always tell me that culture is alive, it lives, grows and evolve just as any other living thing and that there was a deeper reason behind everything cultural even, if I do not see it at first glance.

Ghanaians embraced the first National Chocolate Day proudly marking it with activities - chocolate producers in the country, distributed confectionery to children. A centre given the name “Chocolate Avenue was officially opened where all cocoa products as well as a cocoa museum were on display for chocolate and cocoa lovers. In the opening speech it was said -->

“The National Chocolate Day celebration was being celebrated on Valentine Day to tell the world that love was not just lust or carnality but sharing”

I have been told that The Ghana Chefs Association members took turns demonstrating the preparation of chocolate dishes on TV’s Breakfast Shows elsewhere in the capital city in Accra a chocolate pool party was also organised by one of the FM stations.

The birth of a new tradition in Ghanaian culture a country located on a continent where almost all the news covered by mainstream media is of poverty, diseases, killings and civil wars.

Happy Chocolate Day - Ghana & Happy Valentines Day - World

And through it all, she offers me protection (An angel in disguise)

2007-02-12T20:06:00.000-08:00

Maybe I should have! I never take the flu shot and I never get sick with the flu. I hate it when someone else controls my injections, besides I do not know for sure if what I have is the flu. I have body aches accompanied by low-grade fever occasional cough that sounds horribly like a smoker’s cough but I have not smoked a day in my life. Well just the one time in Geneva, when I thought it would make me look older and get me into that cool club, I coughed so bad after my first puff the bouncer almost called an ambulance. The symptoms have been lingering for a month now some weeks are better than others are and just when I think I have gotten better it starts all over a gain. This past weeks was one of those “I thought I was all better” “maybe not”. I have not been to see a doctor because just when I say I will go I start to feel better and think it will be a waste of both of our time and money.
**************************

My sister had an eye doctor’s appointment first thing in the morning we decided to run to the doctor’s office. Not as long a run as we do on Saturdays but it will do, about 1K into the run I looked at the time and told my sister to run ahead, she is the faster runner and we were running short on time. I rumbled through the route directions and watched as the gap between us widened, I slowed down a bit eavesdropping on these two ladies running just ahead of me till it was time to check my blood glucose. Slowing to a stop I reached into my pump pak and all I felt was my pump hmm… no meter, no glucose tab just my pump and the bolus I take to combat my Saturday morning run high. Panic sets in what to do? Run the 2.5K back home or the 2.5K to the eye doctor’s office, a flash of anger and defiant. I can clearly see it sitting on the counter. I took the roll of Dex4 tabs out of the pak to get to the meter so I could re-check my blood glucose just before walking out the door and left both vital to my life things behind.
Angry and tired with this whole lifestyle, knowing very well the anger will do nothing to help I kept running forward stupidly challenging diabetes as if I were a teenager testing my boundaries. I reached my destination thinking to myself how childish can you really be. My sensible personality was asking my teenage rebel one, it was still early and the pharmacy in the building was not yet open. I knew there was another pharmacy in the building across the street; I love that pharmacy because they have a dedicated area and counter for diabetes. So I made my way to that one I at least remembered to bring $5.00 to get water on our way back, I could at least get something I can use to treat a hypoglycaemia if I feel one coming on. I entered the store and went straight to the diabetes counter, I looked at the name badge pinned to the woman and it had the letters RN at the end my eyes filled with tears. I tried to fight the tears as I told her I left the house for a run without my meter or glucose tabs. What meter do you have strips at home for? She asked, I told her I do not have money to buy a new meter she smiled saying “don’t look so pitiful, you were out running that is a good thing” “How are you felling now” I told her I was feeling OK on signs of hypoglycaemia, when I said those words I could not control the tears.

She reached behind the counter and gave me a new meter told me to set it up while she gets me some strips. I tested in at 5.4mmol/l (97) she also gave me a roll of glucose tabs and filled out a promotional give away form. One of these days, I have to go back as the adult I am with a thank you card for her.

Never missed an insulin shot in 82years - Wow

2007-02-02T17:58:00.000-08:00

A Friend sent me the below transcript of a show on Northwest Public Radio. This introduced me to Gladis Dull, who turns 90yrs this February. She has been living with type 1 Diabetes for 82years.

Stories like hers give me hope so I thought I would share it.

Gladis Dull of Walla Walla, Washington has taken insulin shots for most of her life.When insulin was first discovered over 80 years ago, everyone thought it was a cure for diabetes. Turns out the disease was more complicated. Gladis Dull of Walla Walla, Washington was one of the first people to get an insulin shot. Reporter Chana Joffe-Walt found she's a living history of diabetes treatment.First things first, you need to meet Gladis Dull.

Gladis: I have taken insulin for 82 years. Never missed a shot.

She's short, bony woman with a wrinkly smile. She starts almost every thought with: -
Well...Dull has type 1 Diabetes. That means she can't produce her own insulin.So she takes at least two shots of insulin a day. With the help of her son Norm Dull she's been keeping count.

Gladis: How many shots?

Norm: We figured you've taken insulin for 82 years so roughly you've had 59,860

Gladis: Yeah and I'm not in too bad shape for all those years.

Before all those shots, as a child Dull got very sick. She wasn't producing any insulin. People need insulin to convert glucose from food into energy. When she ate, sugar stayed in her bloodstream and damaged her organs.

Gladis: Well, when I was just 7 seven years I vomited, had to go to the bathroom all the time. And, uh, we didn't know anybody in the community where I lived there was nobody there with diabetes. They got me on insulin and I got along just fine. That was in 1924.

Dr. Hirsch: Let me put this into perspective for you.

This is Doctor Irl Hirsch. He's director of the Diabetes Care Center in Seattle.

Dr. Hirsch: Insulin did not really become widely available until 1923, 1924. At first for the first few years it was only really available in the larger urban areas.Canadian researchers discovered how to mass produce insulin in 1923. That means if Gladis Dull had gotten sick one year earlier, just one year, she probably would have died. Without insulin, glucose would have built up in her body and damaged her eyes, kidney and heart.

Dr. Hirsch specializes in the history and current clinical treatment Type 1 Diabetes at the University of Washington. He says, right before insulin some people with diabetes tried to save their lives by starving themselves. They were hoping to survive long enough for a cure.

Dr. Hirsch: Yeah it was very sad I mean the diagnosis of diabetes was really a death sentence. In a literal sense.

Dr. Hirsch is fascinated by Dull. Not because of her timely illness. But because she's still alive. The oldest patient Dr. Hirsch has ever seen just died at age 81.He says the fact that Dull has survived despite the crude tools we had to regulate blood sugar is remarkable. Most people who lived through those times had tons of complications. But this is what Gladis Dull was doing

Gladis: I've snowmobiled, bicycled, rode horseback, motorcycled, I've done about everything.

That makes Dr. Hirsch ask this question

Dr Hirsch: Why is it that there are some lucky chosen people that no matter how poor our tools were didn't get into trouble? Now, my guess is that these people have some sort of genetic protections, protecting them. And because of that, what I'd like to do is get some of her blood to see if indeed that's the case.

Dr. Hirsch thinks Gladis Dull could be key in his efforts to curb the diabetes epidemic. He's planning a special trip out to Walla Walla to get her blood. He gets excited just talking about it. What's Dull excited about?

Gladis: Well, looking forward to my 90th birthday. If I can make it that long I think it'd be a pretty good deal.Gladis Dull turns 90 this month. On her birthday, her insulin shot tally will top 60 thousand.
Listen

Extended & Combination bolus – An awesome power in the palm of my hand.

2007-02-01T21:49:00.000-08:00

It is no secret how much I am in love with my insulin pump “Pumcy”, it is constantly attached to me infusing live sustaining insulin it makes managing my diabetes a little less annoying. It is often Pumcy, Adjoa and the city.
At this time of the year - there is a chill in the air and restaurants go through a post-Christmas drought not only because we are all trying so hard to hang on to our weight loss new years resolutions but the Christmas season has also left a dent in our wallets. In an effort to cure restaurant hibernation Vancouver tourism board and Visa presents the city with the most affordable way to experience the city on a plate, participating stylist and swanky restaurants offer a supreme three course dinner at inexpensive fixed price of $15, $25 or $35 per person. This event is also a way to feature British Columbia’s wines top restaurants are usually completely booked mere hours after they start accepting reservations.
Last Saturday our dine out Vancouver was experienced at Griffins one of the restaurants located at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Griffins is the “causal” of the hotel’s restaurants and was offering a three course dinner at $25.00 per person. My carefully selected menu included Griffins’ Green Salad followed by a Squash and Ricotta Canneloni and for dessert a selection from their decadent dessert buffet featuring dozens of freshly baked desserts. My before diner blood glucose reading was 5.6, I used the combination bolus that featured a standard meal bolus with an extended bolus. 40% of my bolus was given upfront with the rest (60%) delivered extendedly for over a two hour period. An hour into dinning and my blood glucose rang in at 5.8, two hours later I a sat at 5.6. Curiously, I tested again at the three-hour mark 5.6 and 5.8 at the four-hour mark.

My pocket pancreas handled the outing with grace covering a meal that consisted of both rapidly and slowly absorbed carbohydrates as well as all the protein and fat. I believe severing size helped too – What you did not think they were going to exceed the real “standard” serving size on three courses for $25.00.

RIDING ON A ROLLERCOASTER {Blood Glucose Kind}

2007-01-30T22:43:00.000-08:00

My first rollercoaster ride was during the summer of 1999; I was an adult and felt like a kid at an amusement park. I woke up early that morning with great anticipation of our fun filled day the drive from Montgomery Village to Paramount's Kings Dominion seemed like it took forever. I could not wait to go on the famed Anaconda, We rushed to wait our turn to be wrapped in coils of this awesome coaster and prepared for the 144-foot drop into the depths of the Anaconda. The ride was awful especially during the 144-foot drop as I held my breath depriving my brain of oxygen while I waited to land. I vowed never to ride another rollercoaster again; I never wanted to feel like I did ever again if I can help it.

On my way home from work this evening I felt my blood glucose going low, I had tested well within range before leaving work 15mins earlier driving west on highway one and not wanting to leave anything to chance I popped four glucose tabs into my mouth and drove on home. I got out of the car and felt I was not totally in control of my lower limbs I made my way into the apartment, I am the first one home and tested at 1.8mmol/l (32). I drunk a glass of milk my heart races, panic sets in I feel as if I am free falling and fast. I ate a tangerine, then a slice of my sister’s homemade dried mango loaf – Yum – I pour a cup of frozen sweet yellow corn, sprinkle some salt on it, into the microwave to nuke. While waiting for the corn I ate another slice of the yummy loaf, I still was not feelong like me yet. I ate the corn my sister comes home she asked if I was OK to which I say yes, I ate a cup of pasta then finishes it off with a piece of ricotta cheesecake. My sister asked once again if I was OK, I answer – yes!

I am now visited by the after low blood glucose headache and feeling so out of control as if I just rode the Anaconda. In disparate need for control and normalcy, I change into my running gear for our evening run. I start out OK however, my calf and thigh muscle burns making known they need insulin, I trace the outline of my meter with my fingers feeling it inside the Pump Pak that was housing it along with my pump. I was afraid of the number that would come up, I slowed to a jog then finally walked my evening run. I took a shower knowing that I have now rode the rollercoaster to the higher point but afraid to test my blood glucose, afraid to open my eyes to see just how far up on the rollercoaster I was now sitting. I dug Rufus, my Bear with Diabetes out of his hiding place.

I do not feel like being an analyst tonight trying to figure out what happened I do not once again want to learn that ratio’s and math formulas, work only when there is logic and with diabetes there is no logic. I just want to be………………………………………………

Innocence Lost

2007-01-29T21:04:00.000-08:00

She was in the third grade and for the first time she found herself alone, doing the daily trip to and from school. A thirteen mile trip each way, with poor transportation system and no money most of the time, she relied on the kindness of strangers who will stop to give her a ride to cover part of her journey the other parts done on foot. She knew this day would come when her older brother will complete primary school and move on; she had worried about it in silence since the first grade. She quickly learned to fill the silence with stories she made up about the people she passed on her way, the houses along her route come alive as she made up stories in her head about the life’s of those that live in them. She always pictured a kid just like her living in those houses the better the kids life the better she felt as if for that moment she was living a parallel life, in her stories those kids are her.

One Friday afternoon half way through third grade, she was making the final part of her long way home on foot with about two and a half miles to go when an off white two door Datsun come to a stop about five hundred meters ahead of her. The story in her head drifted she wondered if the poor vehicle was out of gas or maybe water except, the car started reversing towards her coming to a stop again next to her. The driver she gathered by looking at him was an old, soft-spoken man. He leaned across the passenger seat rolling down the window, a gush of cool air from the air-conditioning escaped through the window gently brushing against her skin temporarily soothing her from the hot African sun. After learning that they were both headed in the same direction the driver offered her a ride she sat in the passenger seat with her book bag on her lap grateful for the extra time the ride has just afforded her. Time she needed to complete her math homework and to study for the spelling quiz she had the next morning, she wished she could start studying in the car but as customary the driver had a million questions for her. Her school uniform always gave her away her good “Samaritans” always curious as to why she was so far away from her school and intrigued by the fact that she was sent to attend school so far from home.

The driver slowed down with the road narrowing in the semi rural area in the outskirts of Accra heading eastward, he extended one hand towards her and in a swift movement moved her book bag to the back seat. You should be more comfortable he said, no need still carrying your load while sitting in a car. His hand returned onto her lap, his fingers making their way underneath her uniform, she cried trying to understand what was happening, he screamed at her “don’t be a baby” His fingers fighting to get past her panties while keeping his eyes on the road slowing to a crawl. She pleads to get out of the car praying for help, cars coming the opposite direction zipping past without a clue cars from behind overtake them. She twists her legs together as tightly as she can, he fights back with his fingernails, and She can feel the blood, fingernails cutting into her flesh. He swerved as the road curved scaring them both and coming to a stop. The little girl managers to get the door open and jump out of the car, the rural road lined only with forest she runs along it as fast as her legs can move crying. She hears a loud thump her book bag thrown out the window and the driver speeds off. The little girl gatheres her books and makes her way home rinsing off the blood stained uniform and panties never breathing a word about it to anyone.

I still accepted rides from strangers always saying a pray before hand, I convinced myself I could sense the bad strangers from the good ones. On Saturday morning during our run, I thought about this incidence curiously asking my younger sister if she was ever told not to talk to or go anywhere with strangers. How could we have been told that since we often depended on the “kindness” of strangers?

Conned About Cholesterol?

2007-01-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

I have had a few doctors raised an eyebrow as to how low my cholesterol levels are at times, their reactions use to bug me and I have often asked if it will be helpful to throw in a few egg yolks a day to try and bring it up a bit. I have wondered if having low cholesterol is bad for me but no doctor has been able or has been willing to answer my question. This was all years before the cholesterol commercials overtook the airways. You know - the distinguish older guy or beautiful skinny woman getting out of a swimming pool with 0% body fat and fit only to fall because of high cholesterol levels. I often think since I did not inherit normal cholesterol levels from Uncle Fred maybe I should try normalizing it with some Fettuccine Alfredo but that rigged havoc on my blood glucose reading.
My personal favourite was how they worked it into TV shows; I still remember an episode of Boston Public were a heavy set teacher, Marla Hendricks, played by Loretta Devine felt she was being discriminated against because of her size. Only for the skinny teacher, Marilyn Sudor, played by Sharon Leal to disclose to her that it is her own insecurities that are pushing her to behave in that manner. Because she has high cholesterol, for which she is taking medication. I am not quite sure if she mentions the name of the medication.
Wow sounds like all I do is watch TV -- hmmmmmmmmmmmm… But apparently I do read too even if it is on a TV like screen so, imagine my intrigued when I saw this -Have we been conned about cholesterol?
Conventional medical wisdom about cholesterol — and the role of statins — is now being challenged by a small, but growing number of health professionals. Among them is Dr Malcolm Kendrick. A GP for 25 years, he has also worked with the European Society of Cardiology, and writes for leading medical magazines.
When it comes to heart disease, we have been sold a pup. A rather large pup. Actually, it's more of a full-grown blue whale. We've all been conned.
Say What? I do not know what to make of this article I am so confused this will teach me to be a little more skeptical.

Forgive me father, for I am sick

2007-01-22T19:13:00.000-08:00

I am sick and hating every minute of it, I feel like I have been run over by a truck my body aches and I have a fever. This is a vase improvement from the way I felt last week my body ached, touch made it worse and I was constantly having weird dreams.

One particular dream was about my insulin pump. I dreamt I was at a Diabetes Expo and there was a pump spa booth, I stopped at the booth for some TLC for pumcy. I thought it was the least I could do for such a hard working pump, the lady at the booth took pumcy through the pump spa routine and handed it over back to me. Although identical in every way, I could just tell that it was not pumcy, it did not feel like pumcy I started crying begging the lady to give me back my real pump. She tried consoling me while telling me that was my real pump, reasoning with me, “you were standing here the whole time watching me, that is your pump” But I knew it was not my beloved pumcy, basal rates and insulin to carb ratios were all the same but it still was not pumcy and I could not stop crying. I looked around to get someone to help but it did not look like an Expo anymore it was just the lady and I, I woke up anxiously reaching for my pump. Crazy huh!

I got up Saturday morning and went for a run; yes I did, while sick. Why? Because I needed to get out of the apartment and secondly walking would have taken too long and I just wanted to be back in bed as soon as possible. Lastly, I could hear my mom’s voice telling me “you need to get up and get some vigorous physical activity or you will never get better” These are words I heard growing up. Mom believes you are allowed a day or at most two days sick after which you need to get back to your normal level of activity this she use to tell me is the last piece of the healing process, it what your body needs to help the medication and nutrients kill what ills you. I am still not 100% and my body ache is now not intensifying by touch.

Typing this reminded me of the day my Mom explained her healing theory to me. I was in grade one, a month before my older brother and I had survived being caught in a cross fire of a violent coup d’état (mini civil war). Mom used the coup as an education moment each fraction representing either medication, nutrition or exercise together bring an outcome. The violence of a civil war she said is the same as the fight happening in the body the symptoms of illness she said was the excuses given to justify the evil that is the sickness. The strangest thing is it all made sense to me back then.

Doctor’s Appointment

2007-01-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

I had an endocrinologist appointment yesterday and it was successful my A1C is 6.2 a step in the right direction. Earlier in my diabetic life, I did very little however I was able to maintain a A1C’s in the 5’s, back then managing diabetes was easy. Although I understood the frustrations, others talked about I thought they were making a big deal about the annoyance that diabetes is.

My doctor back then told me I was her “star” patient and wished all her patients would be just like me. I rather she had prepared me by letting me know it was not always going to be easy. When the honeymoon ended, reality took over and I did not understand why I had to work hard for the same blood glucose control. I felt like a failure, my perfect reflection was shattered or there was something seriously wrong with my mirror, control did not come as easy. I went into denial not testing or caring, after all, I will have to test in other to see a high number and I will have to see a high number in other to worry.

I am grateful I pulled through believing taking control is my only option. Yesterday I left the doctor’s office with an appointment to return in six months and slips to test A1C every two months a copy of the results, will be mailed to me and if needed, or if the A1C results dictate I can request an emergency appointment. Dr B and I also went over my strategy for running with a pump, he did agree with me that I needed a pre-run bolus and we set some guidelines for managing post-run lows. Thanks to Kevin (parenthetic (diabetic)) I had detailed beautiful records I shared with Dr B.

Insulin Eh!

2007-01-12T20:54:00.000-08:00

To diabetics insulin is as essential as oxygen without which we will simply die a slow and painful death via either number 1 or 2 –

High blood glucose coma induced by ketoacidosis meaning dangerously high levels of ketones, they are acids that builds up and poisons the body.

High blood glucose over long periods of time damaging blood vessels in may organs causing blindness, strokes, heart attacks, kidney failure and amputations

Today thanks to Frederick Banting, Charles Best, James Collip and all the geniuses we have insulin and continues innovative research.

Early this month, according to a CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) poll, viewers selected insulin as the greatest Canadian invention of all time short-listed to fifty the list included the addictive BlackBerry, pacemaker and Java programming language.

Link to the full list of the Greatest Canadian Invention I am sure you will agree with the winner.

Living in a Winter Wonderland

2007-01-11T19:27:00.001-08:00

The storm that hit Pacific Northwest yesterday made for some bad driving conditions both on the way home yester evening and getting out the following morning. Even scarier were the crazy drivers that believe just because they are driving an SUV they can speed during a snowstorm. A woman driving a red SUV was lucky to get out of her car injury free, she lost control hit a guardrail and flipped over. Commonsense will dictate that you loss traction at higher speeds regardless of what it is that you are driving and slowing down will be second nature in wintry conditions. These kinds of drivers make it even more hazardous to drive in such conditions.

I have never disclosed that fact that I have type 1 diabetes to the driver-licensing department. I do not wish to be subjected to what I believe is an unnecessary yearly medical just for the privilege to drive. I diligently ensure my blood glucose is in and stays within the save to drive zone when I get behind the wheel to drive however, when driving conditions are bad I worry. I feel I am doing something wrong by not answering the health question but I do truly believe that I am healthy also; I believe I am a safer driver than an alcoholic that is also an illness. They are not required to report their illness nor are they subjected to yearly medical checks as a requirement for the privilege to drive.

Anyhow, it a beautiful day today, our first full day of sunshine since sometime in November.

I am currently living in a winter wonderland, there is fluffy snow everywhere and most importantly, the sun is out and brightly shinning. There is not a cloud in the sky the combination of afternoon sun and snowy white is giving of an illusion of a brighter than bright day with temperatures staying below –1C the air seems fresher and crisp. I look out my window occasionally, which fills me with memories of winter holidays at Gstaad and the fun days of learning to fall while attached to skis while toddlers flow by as though they were born with skis attached to their little feet.

I think I do not hate winter or the snow I just hate the lack of sunshine that accompanies winters making distinguishing day from night difficult.

In the bleak midwinter!

2007-01-10T22:46:00.000-08:00

Frosty wind made moan………….

What happened to our mild Vancouver winter?

Why are winter songs played as Christmas songs these days?

I am full of questions and no answers, I will however leave you with pictures of the way it is.

I did it

2007-01-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer - remember that your mileage may very; also I am not a doctor I just practise on myself.

I had previously talked about my frustrations Running with Pump. Conventional wisdom that advices on reducing basal insulin and / or skipping pre- meal bolus insulin prior to excising only works for me if I am going on a long walk which is not practical especially during the winter months.

This past Saturday morning we ran for about 8miles before breakfast and my starting blood glucose was at 5.3mmol/l (95) I bolus 2 units of insulin I am extremely sensitive to insulin a side effect of running as a result, with a correction factor of 1 unit of insulin to 4.0mmol/l (72) I was scared shitless, with images of having a really bad low where I can not help myself and my sister not being able to handle me by herself swimming in my mind. My sister’s fear was apparent when she grabbed her cell phone an item that is normally not part of our running arsenal. For a little peace of mind I washed down a few pieces of milk chocolate with water 10grams of carbs worth. I was also counting on chocolate being a low GI food to help hopefully!

45mins into the run and my blood glucose was 5.4mmol/l (97) normally I would be around 11mmol/l (198) or higher at this point. I was feeling good and was happy with the lack of high blood glucose symptoms I have come to associate running with lately. I crossed my fingers and prayed I do not go hypo, did I mention I am scared of lows. Another 45mins pasted my meter said I was 5.8mmol/l (104) still feeling great I remarked to my sister

“So this is how it feels like to run on normal blood glucose eh!”

I finished the run with a blood glucose reading of 5.4mmol/l (97) not bad at all if I say so myself, I opted to have a late breakfast devoid of bolus insulin to take care of the delayed workout lows. My blood glucose for the rest of the day was stuck in the 5 – 6mmol/l (90-110) range.

Success will be achieved if this formula works for me 80% of the time I hope it does, I really hope I have found what works for me.

The inspiring statue above greets hundreds of runners / joggers and walkers who make their way around Stanley Parks Seawall daily. It is a statue of Harry Jerome, during his career, he set a total of seven world records, including running the 100 metres in 10.2, 10.1 and finally 10.0 seconds successively, despite suffering an injury so severe at the Perth Commonwealth Games 1962 that doctors initially believed he would never walk again.

TGIF

2007-01-05T15:12:00.000-08:00

This is how downtown Vancouver looked like this morning on my drive to work. I work out of the city so I am not sure how it looks like now.
Out here in “workvile”, it snowed pretty much all morning now it looks like freezing rain. You guessed it…. I am so looking forward to my drive home. I friend who drove in late afternoon from Washington State said it was about 60 degrees over there. She said it was just drizzling and windy in Blain Washington, soon after crossing the boarder it was snow everywhere.

Welcome to the “Great White North” I said to her.

Braking News ----- Downtown Vancouver, BC Place dome collapsed shortly after noon local time today, below are some pictures.

Have a great weekend.

“I see no bravery, in his eyes anymore……”

2007-01-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

I have a secret ………….

Spring of 1998 was beautiful, in the Washington DC metropolitan area, the flowers had just started to bloom, and the days were finally longer. Lunchtime was entertaining again, walking through stunning downtown Bethesda often-losing track of time and getting back to work a little late with self promises to be my aware of time tomorrow.

After winter I cannot get enough of the great outdoor, everything looks so new and vivid as if my standard definition television world just got upgraded to a high definition television. I was in love with life itself so, when a co-worker approached me to sign up to play on a softball team they are putting together it sounded like great fun. My then company provided all the uniforms and equipments, I got to pick my jersey number and it even had my last name printed on it just like professional players I see on TV. I also received a sports bag with all the softball goodies I will need, but I was not very interested in what all was in the bag I only noticed the bat.

Montgomery County parks department finally sent us our schedule both for practices and games along with the teams we will be playing. I could hardly wait to get out on the field and run around thinking about it brought me joy. I changed after work on day one of practice, dove and parked strapped my sports bag and walked as the pro looking gal I was onto the field. Now I have never played any team sports unless you count track and field as a team sports nor did I know the first thing about softball.

I took my position as instructed by my new coach, with the funny looking glove I fished out of my bag. Another co-worker at the end of the field throws balls at me that I was to catch in the glove. I manage to catch one before noticing that the ball was not at all “SOFT” as the name of the game had implied, I was now being asked to catch this not at all softball batted at me, which was bearing at me like a weapon.

I just run back behind the fence telling the coach there must be some mistake, I signed up for softball not this, I do not want to get hurt. I have a crippling fear of breaking bones, shhhhhhhh.. don’t tell anyone please

Taking it to the next level – I have a dream………….

2007-01-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

All through 2005, I dreamt of better control over my blood glucose and overall health but did the bear minimum. Most of 2006 saw me doing the same till I started literally dreaming a different kind of dream, complications, I wake up in panic from a nightmare where I loss my vision or where my limbs are being hacked up by a very mean lady who keeps singing.

Weeping will not save you
For you had time to learn
But you chose not to do so
Now you ripe what you sow

A song my dad sang to a seven year old me when I brought home a bad report card in tears, - OK I know I have daddy issues but that is a different post. After the fifth nightmare I resolved to take back the control, which eventually lead me to an Insulin Pump “Pumcy”.

My toolbox contains a number of things some of which I use and use well and others I use but not to it’s full potential. Pumcy and my blood glucose meter are the most used items in my toolbox that also holds the beautiful seawall at Stanley Park I love to run the seawall, I love the ever changing scenery, the calm I feel in the mist of a bustling park that attracts an estimated eight million visitors a year.

Then there are the ones I dream of using even as they collect dust, a set of measuring cups and a nifty nutritional scale both to aid in accurately counting carbohydrate to help tighten my overall control. Last but not least is the all important bathroom scale to help attain and maintain a healthy BMI.

I have a dream that by the end of 2007 I will be using all the tools available to me in my toolbox and will have learnt to use Pumcy and the insulin contain in it to their full potential.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T14:29:00.000-08:00

To all a healthy and happy 2007

Happy Last 2006 Friday!

2006-12-29T15:32:00.000-08:00

The last Friday on 2006 and I wonder what 2007 have in store for me. I am hopeful and encourage by all the advances and lessons learnt this year in regards to managing diabetes.

The best health decision by far in 2006 was getting an Insulin Pump even though it meant paying for it out of pocket I am yet to regret making this decision. I believe broke and healthy is much better than rich and sickly. I am so grateful to have been able to get a pump, this saddens me because I know there are lots of people around the world today to whom the diagnoses of type 1 diabetes still is a death sentence. The thought that some people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes will also get possible preventable complications simple because they cannot afford medications is just not right.

Thank God for organizations like Insulin for life (http://www.insulinforlife.org/)
That strives to make a difference that keeps people alive. We are all hopeful of a cure someday but without the help of organizations like them, some people, and a lot more people than necessary will not live to see a cure. I wonder if we can afford a cure when it comes, will insurance cover it?

What is the price for health? What does healthy mean to me? These were all questions I had to ponder in 2006 and questions I am working through.

Running with Pump

2006-12-28T15:54:00.000-08:00

Over the past six years I have been running, I learnt how to run on multiply daily insulin injections and never tested blood sugar during runs even on 10k runs. I only test before plus after, on NPH it was a hit or miss however, Lantus as well as Levimer was God sent. They handled running better I always carried glucose tabs with me - certainly not a meter as I did not want to carry medical supplies with me on my runs, lows were treated by the way I felt - Not a good thing to do, nevertheless I did this for years.

Now on my insulin pump, I am learning how to run again only this time I have been running with a meter and checking my blood glucose during my runs. This has been an eye opener for me as I find that my blood sugar rises within the first 30 - 45min of running and sometimes it rises rapidly as well as higher than I would like to see it go. I can start out at 5.2mmol/l (94mg/l) and clock in at 12mmol/l (216mg/l) 30-45min later this is with my normal basal pumping. I have played with giving myself a small - I am terrified of lows, so very tiny, bolus before the start of my run and that seems to combat the rise some, however I lack the courage to increase the amount of bolus cause I am terrified of a big drop hours after my run.

I am getting a little frustrated; I do not want to burn calories just to ingest it again to treat a low. Walking lowers my blood sugar gradually but I do not have enough hours in a day to walk the distance needed for as good a workout as running. Doing the stairs in my 12-floor building has the same effect on my blood sugar as running, I would like to loose some weight in 2007 with exercise but right now it looks like running high blood sugar for a few months to lose weight might be easier if not even pleasurable -- think all the food I can eat (Ok that was the devil talking) and who want to flirt with complications anyway.
I am thinking about maybe increasing my bolus, then running a temp basal for a few hours after my run I am not sure that will work. I also know that what works for one person may not work for me I however wish for a hint on what has worked for others.
I really want to be the boss of my blood sugar if that is ever possible.

Suggestions…………………………….?

Hope you had a Merry, Happy holiday

2006-12-27T14:01:00.000-08:00

The holidays are almost over I am back at work today and wishing it was Friday the “long” weekend was too short and I am exhausted and have two more working days to go after today. Even my four shots of espresso did nothing to help me feel awake it felt more like sipping a sleep-aid that just happens to taste like coffee.

We attended a beautiful candlelight Christmas service on the 24th where traditional Christmas chorus were sang. This has become a Christmas tradition, we started a few years back we pick a church in the neighbourhood and attend their candlelight service. This year we went to St Andrews the church was packed no seats for latecomers.
This is my first Christmas with “Pumcy “ and it was Merry Blood Glucose to me. Combo and extended Bolus is a perfect match it worked wonders and made for a more enjoyable worry free holiday. Not to mention I slept well the usually multiply bathroom trips were just a memory of Christmas past.
I will go read others’ blog maybe that will be the magic to wake me up.

Victory - United Nations adopts diabetes resolution

2006-12-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

A United Nations Resolution on Diabetes was formally adopted yesterday, making it the first time ever for a non-communicable disease. This will also mandate Governments around the world to establish national policies on the treatment, prevention and care of diabetes within the sustainable development of each Government’s healthcare system.

"Today the United Nations has recognized diabetes as a global pandemic.The adoption of the Resolution affirms the belief that access to properPrevention and management is a human right which should not be ignored," says
Michael Howlett, President and CEO of the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Diabetes - it’s with you always

2006-12-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

I arrived at work yesterday to find our power out the generator had kicked in however we needed that juice to run the data center to keep all the other employees around the world working. After a couple of idle hours and electricians with blank look on their faces, we were asked to go home.

I decided to take the opportunity to start my Christmas shopping being that there is only three days to Christmas I headed to Metropolis at Metrotown. A one stop shopping Mecca, with close to 500 stores, this is the perfect place to find the perfect gifts.
Christmas cheers that have eluded me so far this year enveloped me as I walked into the mall. It was packed with people some happy and cheerful and some looked stressed, people carrying bags upon bags of stuff. I methodically went form one favourite store to another picking up presents and then headed to the gift-wrapping station to drop them off. I was filled with excitement and could picture facial expressions when those gifts are opened. I continued with my shopping, I felt a little hungry but ignored both the hunger and the fact that this could very well be a warning sign my body was trying to give me.
I was headed back to the wrapping station when I saw the food court sign, my brain translated the sign to “check blood glucose” a light bulb went off in my head. I have been walking probably for miles in this huge mall - oops I am diabetic I did not make arrangement for all this walking I did not reduce my basal insulin nor did I eat extra carbohydrates. Just as fast as I had been bath with the seasons cheers it was gone again as I stopped tested and treated the low.
Days like this I think I really need a CGMS.

Cleo 90 Infusion Sets.

2006-12-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I contacted Auto Control Medical, the Canadian distributor of Cleo 90 infusion sets and request sample sets to try. Samples were sent to me via overnight mail, but I had not tried it till yesterday.

I have been using the Quick Set infusion sets with the inserter since I started pumping. I have not tried any other set because I am a big baby, angle sets looks painful and I could never bring myself to manually inset an infusion set. With the Quick Set, I am familiar with the initial sting of the steel needle breaking and entering my skin. Not wanting to get to know how another set feels entering my skin along with not wanting to learn the steps to inserting a different set had kept me from trying the Cleo 90 that sits in my supply basket.

Yesterday evening I ripped out my old set took a long soothing shower; I was ready to put in a new set. The purple Cleo, caught my eye begging not to be ignored any longer, I picked one up quickly skimmed through the instruction sheet that come with it. I unscrewed the cover and placed it on the area I had prepared.

My hand now frozen on the set, it hit me, there is no button to press to release the spring, I did say I was a big baby I will have to use my own force. Just bang on it as quickly and as fast as you can I said to myself… Hmm they say it is virtually pain free I try to convince my self. However the other side of me said – Yap like needle-breaking skin can be pain free, you know that is why they use the words “virtually pain free” right? I look at my Quick Set and inserter and for a moment I wanted to just use what I know.
But, I held my breath and pressed on it… Ah! It is virtually pain free, I think I will try again and even switch to using them.

All I want for Christmas is……….

2006-12-19T14:54:00.000-08:00

Every year around this time I get fatigued and wish I could turn it over to someone else to manage. I wish just for the last few weeks of each year I could outsource my diabetes management to someone or to a company.
What I really want for Christmas is a “diabetes spa”, a first class, five-star resort. Staffed with the best endocrinologist, certified diabetes educator, nutritionist, and exercise physiologist along with all the other staff a resort requires. Where I check in and do not worry or think about managing diabetes till checkout. My personalized diabetes management - well thought out and documented, basal and bolus rates and ratios, fun-exciting activities, nutritional tasty foods all taken care of. Blood sugar monitoring, infusion set changes and decisions surrounding everything to ensure I stay within my ultimate aim of fasting and before meal blood sugar of 5.5 (98), one-hour after meals will be no higher than 8 (144) and two hours no higher than 6.5 (117)
There will never be a hypoglycaemia events at this spa and all the regular spa activities will be available to be enjoyed worry free.

BD sells blood glucose monitoring business

2006-12-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

BD Logic and Paradigm link Blood Glucose Meter has been raised from the dead. I know some people were sad when BD announced a few months ago that they are pulling out of the glucose monitoring business.

Below is a press release from BD.

BD sells blood glucose monitoring business to Sanvita, Inc.

Important Information for BD Logic® and Paradigm Link® Users
We have some exciting news for you! There is no need to switch from using your BD blood glucose monitoring system. We are pleased to announce that BD has sold the blood glucose monitoring business to a valued business partner, Sanvita, Inc. This means that you will be able to continue to use the quality BD blood glucose monitoring system that you have been using.
Sanvita has a strong commitment to patient care, and to delivering high quality products and services. Sanvita will continue to supply test strips that work with BD Logic® and Paradigm Link® monitors through pharmacies, mail-order providers, and health plans well into the future.
This announcement is limited to BD blood glucose monitors and test strips and has no impact on other BD Diabetes Care products such as insulin syringes, pen needles, lancets, and lancing devices.

You’ve got to have faith

2006-12-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

I took a call from a friend (L) I have not seen in over four years whom I however, speak to several times a year. We went through the obligatory pleasantry of “how have you been”, etc.

While on the phone with L my pump vibrates reminding me to check my blood sugar level, it has already been two hours since my last bolus. I naturally held the phone between my ear and should, pulled out my monitor and without missing a beat, pricked my finger. A squeeze and a little bright red dot settle on the side of my finger. I touch the tip of the strip that I had inserted into my meter, which is now begging for a drink, on the red dot and watch as the dot disappears. I licked the remaining evidence off my finger, within five short second the meter beeps at me; I glanced at the number 5.1mmol (92) and smiled.

“What was that beeping?” L asked? “My blood glucose meter” I responding and went back to talking about my recent NYC trip. Adjoa! L interrupted “Do you still have diabetes?” “Waiting for the cure,” I replied.

My Friend proceeded in telling me that there is already a cure, his mane is Jesus and that I need to find a good bible believing church to become a member of.
He goes on -------->

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” he mumbled adding “the bible says by his strips you are healed” “diabetes, like any illness is just a spirit that needs to be cast out”

“With a little faith, even one as small as a mustard seed, you will be healed”

That was when I told my friend I needed to go.

I really did not have a comeback nor do I know how to respond to something like this.

One World One Hope – Unite for diabetes

2006-12-14T15:49:00.000-08:00

I try to work hard on my health knowing that I am lucky. I am also very thankful for the advancements in medical and technology that aid me stay alive and healthy with type 1 diabetes.

Insulin is not a cure, however insulin keeps us alive and healthy. Without insulin, diabetes is a death sentence.

Diabetes is a pain to manage, its like a cruel joke that does not end, a forced marriage that did not take what you want or need into consideration, and a spouse who takes “till death do us part” very seriously. However I am still very lucky, because available to me are all these wonderful tools that enable me to cope.

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) knows that not all of us are as lucky, and that diabetes kills more people than it is necessary. A United Nations Resolution on Diabetes has been drafted, when passed will be the first time ever for a non-communicable disease. This will also mandate Governments around the world to establish national policies on the treatment, prevention and care of diabetes within the sustainable development of each Government’s healthcare system.

Go sign and write a message of support for this resolution unite for diabetes

For many people and in many parts of the world a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes is still a death sentence today.

O! I really want to get back to ...............

2006-12-13T16:02:00.000-08:00

I stopped by my favourite café Caffe Artigiano for a personal Mocha treat, the science of bolusing for said Mocha was perfected during my four-day pump training. I stepped up to the cash register paid, moved to the designated wait area and communicated my bolus to my beloved pump “Pumcy”

Barista guy recognised my personal mug and draw a heart into my Mocha, we exchanged good mornings, have a great day and hope to see you again tomorrow. I took a sip placed the lid of the mug securely on and made my way back to my car.

Ø Mug placed in the cup holder
Ø Wallet returned to it rightful place in my bag
Ø Seatbelt fastened
Ø Hands free earpiece comfortable positioned
Ø Ignition turned on
Ø Turn signal engaged

I had a quite and pleasant drive into work while outlining all I have to accomplish today and came up with the perfect strategy on just how to get it all done. Got to my desk and got right into my work, a friend on the east coast sends me a usual morning email and I quickly reply getting back on schedule. My phone rings, I notice I am a little angry at the unwelcome interruption. On the other end was my friend ----

Friend “Adjoa! Are you OK?”
Me “Yes, just a little busy, can we talk later”
Friend “Sure, but are you sure you’re alright?
Me (angry) “Yes, we will talk later, bye”

I got back to work, angrier than ever, now I am not going to get everything accomplished. “Pumcy” vibrates, reminding me to check my blood sugar, a reminder that I have not done much in the last 1hr30mins. What follows is like second nature now, I licked my finger and my meter said 3.1 (55).

My brain says - needs sugar fast, I grab four glucose tabs and start chewing. I reached for my mug and it is still full, I wash the glucose tabs down with my Mocha. As I slowly get back to live and to reality.

After the rain the sun... it’s a beaut here!

2006-12-12T15:29:00.000-08:00

I hate the gym with a passion, I try my hardest not to go to the gym, so naturally I have been bummed out by how unusually stormy it has been in Vancouver lately. Last night I come up with the brilliant ideal of running up and down our 12 stories apartment building stairs for a workout.

First of all I do not like “climbing” of any kind I would rather walk an extra mile to get to point “A” than climb a little hill to get there. Secondly I do not think I get the same workout on a treadmill as I do outdoor.

Delusional? Whatever, I live in my own special world anyway.

My stairs workout, while good did not meet the goal I set for myself, my sister ended up laughing so hard at my initial goal as she asked – You just said “up and down 10times” just for my sake right? This was after the fifth set when I was huffing and puffing with complains of my legs shaking.

This afternoon, the clouds parted a bit, the sun is fighting to shine and my spirit is lifted, I am in love with my city again. I cannot wait to get off work, and then I remembered I am set to meet these two Internet buds at an event this afternoon an indoor event :-)

Sorry guys, I know I am being selfish since you both have to be at this event and I don’t but I would rather go out running.

My mental health and my diabetes really need me to run outdoors the way God intended me to run. Besides just take a look at how beautiful the neighbourhood is when it is not raining who can resist.

Hope you understand since “they” are calling for storms again.

Brothers and Sisters and Diabetes

2006-12-11T15:03:00.000-08:00

Currently my favourite TV show is Brothers and Sisters, it airs on ABC Sundays at 9pm.

The show is about a multi-generation family that work to balance their personal life and work life. Sounds familiar?

If you have never seen the show the first episode started off with an “idyllic family”, having a party during which the father has a heart attack and dies. The heart attack was witness by his granddaughter.

After the father’s death the family was force to face new realities, discovering that their idyllic family was just a façade under which laid secrets that will either tear the family apart or bring them closer together. There are many levels and many interesting stories woven into the show. One storyline I find myself captivated by is about the granddaughter.

The stress of witnessing her granddad’s heart attack and subsequently his death brought on her type 1 diabetes. The writers so far, do a great job in just weaving the diabetes storyline into the show just as we diabetics weave diabetes into our life.

Last night’s episode had a scene where the little girls mom administers her night time insulin and the girl says something about when she gets well. With a heavy heart her mother tells her she will always have diabetes. The scene brought tear to my eyes knowing that my own mother must have felt this way and still feels this way.

I was a little disappointed that there was no promise of a cure. But I could see how the mother did not want to make a promise that was not within her control.

Getting back on the blog horse

2006-12-08T14:56:00.000-08:00

I need an outlet for my frustrations, triumphs and newly discovered delusions. My deliberate disregard for certain things (my delusions) is partly by design because I have decided that just as with medical practise the cure is more important than the side effects. Sounds stupid? Well not to me at least not at the moment, maybe a few weeks, months or even years from now things will look different and so will my reality.

A good decision can never be made a day too late as with my recent triumph. One of the best decisions I have made for me was to go on an insulin pump, meet “Pumcy” (like Percy) as I affectionately call him.

Yes, him and yes I named him. It’s the least I can do for the little machine that has become my constant companion. We are still getting to know each other, learning to live together and figuring out each other’s like and dislike.

I wake up every morning trying to master my joggling act, the secret act that takes place even as I type, sleep, eat, drive, while working. I joggle type 1 diabetes while my real life happens –

Welcome to my frustration of learning to live a balanced life, trying not to be overwhelmed by life while ensuring that I do everything in my power to starve off complications and live a healthy fulfilling life.

Hi,

My name is Adjoa (African Akan name, meaning “Born on Monday”)