Comments.

Hastings.

I need a rant!

It's been a long week or so. It's been a good week, don't get me wrong, but a long one as well. My family don't know an awful lot when it comes to my diabetes, and the last week has been filled with family gatherings. This means lots of questions and comments regarding my diabetes. I'm all for advocacy and educating others about diabetes, but these comments come up time and time again!

"So what does this number mean?"

"You've already done that [check my blood] once, why are you doing it again?"

"Another injection?"

[When looking at the nutritional info on a packet] "You shouldn't be worrying about calories at your age!"

"How do you do that [shoot up] so comfortably? I could never do that!"

"So, you'll have diabetes forever? Like...there's no cure?"

That number means my blood sugar is high/low/within range.

Oh, how amazing it would be if I only had to check my blood once a day! No, blood sugar needs to be checked systematically throughout the day.

Yes. Another injection.

Carbs are what I'm looking at so I can adjust my insulin dose to match the food item.

I shoot up because I don't have a choice. The alternative is...I don't like to think about the alternative...I'll take injections, thanks!

And yes, I will have diabetes forever, or until they find a cure. Thanks for reminding me of that fact. It sucks. You don't need to tell me that. But I try not to think too much about it, because when I do, more often than not, it ends with me in tears. So instead, I look forward, and hope that, one day, the news headlines will read "Type One Is Type None".

Until then, I'll continue doing what I'm doing. Any comments?!

I feel better now.
 

Flatline...

...Kinda...of blood glucose perfection! It's all within the dark green section of the graph, so I'll take it!

This never happens! But when it does, it's one of those little victories that I celebrate. Because we all need that pat-on-the-back when we have a good day. 

Happy Bank Holiday Weekend! 

mySugr.

Home Screen.

If you're not using the mySugr app, I ask you to give it a go. I think it's awesome. And so do a lot of other people (see: Six Until Me, Scott's Diabetes, Everyday Ups And Downs to name a few) Here's why I love the app.

First off, you can name your "diabetes monster". It's the little things that please. Mine's currently called Zurg as I was watching Toy Story 2 when I set it up. And speaking of little things, the sounds on the app are brilliant! Such a silly thing to comment on but something I feel the need to mention!

Second, it's fun. Yes. Fun. It's no secret that keeping a detailed log of blood sugars/insulin doses/carbs consumed is...well...boring. However, this app turns logging those bits of information into a game. And you get sucked in! The more you log, the more points you get. There are also challenges you can do, and if you complete them successfully, you get upgraded to the pro version of the app free of charge for a couple of days. This brings me to my next point.

Data Analysis Screen.

There are two versions of the app: free and pro. I personally think that the free version of the app is sufficient enough. The pro version gives you some extra features such as the option to add photos to records. However, for me, the basic version logs more than enough (time, location, blood glucose (in both mmol/l and mg/dl), carbs (in exchanges or grams), bolus, basal, activity duration and description, notes and finally you can tag things such as meal time, how you're feeling, sports/travel/work.) I told you it logged more than enough!

The data analysis the app offers is pretty amazing too. The home screen gives you an overview of the last 24 hours, changing colours according to how your day's going (green is good, amber if you're slightly out of range and red if you're really out of range). It also allows you to see the average and standard deviation for the last 24 hours, 7 days and 14 days. Awesome.

Challenge Screen.

The last thing I want to comment on is the open "notes" boxes. Brilliant. Drop down lists never work with something as complicated as diabetes: there are far too many variables, so I find having the "notes" box to type in extra information so much more useful!

Finally, all of this is searchable! Just tap the magnifying glass on the home screen, type in what you want to search for and away you go. Genius!

Disclaimer: I have not been paid by mySugr to write this review. I heard about it, I read about it, I downloaded it, I loved it, nothing more.  

Good For The Sole.

Yes...I do have weird tan lines!

There are a number of health reasons as to why people with diabetes need to control their blood glucose levels: there's the obvious immediate benefit of just generally feeling good and being able to function like a normal human being and then there are the long-term benefit of reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications. Retinopathy, cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, neuropathy. And for those of you that aren't medically-minded (like myself): eyes, heart, kidneys, feet.

I get my feet checked once a year by my endo when I have my Annual Review (aka health MOT) but between those checks, I don't really think to pay much attention to them. I paint my toe nails but that's about it. I'm not a huge fan of having people touch my feet, so having a pedicure or something like that has just never happened.

Until now. 

I figured it was about time I put my feet first. With some money I got for my birthday, I booked myself in for a pedicure at a local gym. One deluxe pedicure. 75 minutes of someone touching my feet. This was a big deal. But I did it. And my feet feel lovely. Look good too (if feet can look good?!) And what's more?! I'd totally go again! All in the name of diabetes health, of course! 

The Day After Turning 21.

Yesterday was a good day: I had a lovely day with family and friends, I had a fun night with the girls (alcohol obviously included) and I got absolutely spoilt rotten! And there was cake. Giant French Fancy. Which I somehow managed to bolus correctly for. And I'm not hungover. A successful birthday, if you ask me!

Twenty-One.

My 17th birthday was my last birthday pre-diabetes. I don't remember much about it if I'm honest. I think some friends and I took a picnic to a local park and spent the day there. I'm not a birthday person, so I never really do anything big. 

I've never really been one to think too much about the future. Until now, that is. Now, I kind of need to as I need an "after uni" plan. But before now, I never really have. However, when I think back to my 17th, I know for a fact that I did not expect to be where I am now.

Today is my 21st birthday. 

And although I didn't expect this life when I was 17, I wouldn't change any of it. Okay...I'd quite like to give my beta cells (which I imagine to look like the minions from Despicable Me. Random thought, I know) a jump start...but, at the same time, I'd quite like to keep what came as a result of that. 

Yes, okay, I was diagnosed with type one diabetes, but I also finished sixth form having passed most of my A-Levels and I got a place at university. My best friend from school is at the same university as me. Awesome. I got so lucky with my housemates in my first year. So much so that I lived with them in my second year, and living with some again when I go back in September. I became Auntie Vicki. I passed my first year at uni. And my second. I lived abroad. In two countries, which was pretty cool. I finally got involved with the diabetes online community. I started this blog. 

It's taken a fair amount of time, but I finally feel like I've found "me" again.

And I'm excited to see what comes next.

You've Got Mail.

Not quite as awesome as the Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan classic, but look at what was waiting for me when I got back from Florida:

Pump Assessment Clinic?!

Yayyyyyy!

Like I said, not quite as awesome as the movie, but this is good news. For me it is, anyway! I know it's forever away, and I'm very aware of the fact that there are no guarantees, but it's definitely a step in the right direction! Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens!