Tapas.

Tapas in Alcalá.

I don't understand how Spanish people with diabetes do it! Bolusing for tapas is such a challenge! Where I am in Alcalá, tapas is very much the norm. It's not like in the capital where you'll find restaurants, it's primarily tapas bars here. Not only is it promarily tapas bars, but even if you don't want a tapa, it comes free with whatever drink you order. Like I'm gonna turn down what is essentially free food! But this does leave me with two significant diabetes-dilemas!

1. Given that Carbs and Cals and other similar books I've got are generally focused upon "normal meals" (spaghetti bolognaise, lasagne, roast dinners, stir fry etc) I have no idea where to even start with working out the carbohydrate content of tapas!
2. If I'm going out for the night, and I'm going to be getting a tapa with every drink, what do I do? Do I take an estimated dose and then correct at the end? Do I bolus for each tapa separately (really not ideal!), do I just correct at the end of the night knowing that I'm going to be drinking?

Really, it would be easier if I just avoided tapas, and had them as like one-off "treats". But that's easier said than done. I finish class, and it's the norm to go and get a drink and a tapa. I don't want to be going back to my flat to eat a proper lunch! But at the same time, I don't want to be dealing with the crappy sugar levels all the time! 

This week, I have decided that I am going to try and avoid tapas. I need to get back on track with my diabetes and build up my confidence with it all once more, and tapas aren't going to help me. That, and next week I have family coming to visit, and they're going to want tapas, so I need a "good" week before they arrive.

However, I am determined to be a tapas-bolusing-master by the time I leave Spain! Practice makes perfect, right?!