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So far, so good with the Apidra. So far as I can tell, it seems to be effective at smoothing out my spikes and drops. I had a slight spike after lunch, but it was rainy and gross outside and I was just sitting around after lunch for two hours. I got up at 5:50 to finish some accounting homework before I headed to the computer lab to meet some friends and work on a project at 7 a.m. I had an overnight mix of 1/3 cup oats, 1/2 banana, 1 T chia seeds, Greek yogurt, soy milk, cinnamon and topped with fresh raspberries this morning.  I was pretty stressed over the accounting project this morning, so I was expecting the vibration of a high level, but it never happened! I waited and waited, but it never came. My post-breakfast spike that always accompanies a stressful morning was corrected, perhaps by the Apidra? At lunchtime my level was 81, but I felt noticeably better than normal. My mornings usually involve a slightly high number an hour or two after breakfast, then a steady drop until lunch. Today I was steady at 130 until I slightly dipped to 81 before lunch, but I didn't feel shaky or weak at all. Just ready to eat! I made a Sunshine burger and put it on a sandwich thin with organic ketchup on half. I had baby carrots and Food Should Taste Good sweet potato chips. Lime La Croix to drink.  I had a hair appointment at 2:30 this afternoon and it was so rainy and dreary outside, so I did computer things until my appointment. My level did get a little too high after lunch (low 200's), so I corrected and about two hours later, I had my first low since using the Apidra insulin. I'll have to wait and see, but I think the correction factor may need to be changed, since a normal correction (with no activity in the afternoon) made me low. I had a homemade iced coffee with soy milk this afternoon while I read before my appointment, since I always fall asleep while I get my hair cut! Even with the coffee, I was very drowsy at my appointment.  After my appointment I had some roasted almonds and one of the oat almond butter cookies I made last week. The cookie tasted much better today, probably because my blood sugar was low! For anyone reading this who doesn't have diabetes, when your blood sugar is good anything tastes good.  After the snack I was feeling shaky, (the previously mentioned low from the correction factor), so I ate 2 Clif shot bloks without testing my level. 15 minutes later, I did test to make sure I was coming up. I was 76. I almost never treat a low without testing, but since I had just eaten a snack, was feeling shaky, and my (very on target today) sensor showed me at 68, I treated without checking. I made dinner early, since I was hungry at a level of 76. I made two eggs and one egg white, microwaved a sweet potato that I baked earlier today (1 hour at 420), topped it with black beans and added salsa to both the eggs and the potato and beans. I also sprinkled nutritional yeast for some added nutritional benefits.  This shows my 24 hour sensor readings since starting Apidra yesterday. The spike near the end of the chart shows when I went high after lunch, then the quick drop shows when my correction factor made me go low. Overall though, I'm very pleased with how the Apidra seems to be working.  Monday Musings on Diabetes One of my weaknesses is that I don't like weakness or vulnerability. I like to be able to take care of things myself. I rarely ever ask for help. If I don't understand a concept in class, 99 times out of 100, I will sit down and figure it out rather than ask someone to explain it to me. The reason I say this is a weakness is because being diabetic, I need to be more willing to ask for help. I keep my insulin pump in my pocket and pretty much never tell people I'm diabetic. Of course, anyone that knows me at all (or has eaten a meal with me) knows I'm diabetic, but I don't offer up the information freely. One of the reasons I keep my mouth shut about my diabetes is the following inevitable conversation. Someone: {Sees me entering something into my pump} Oh, I didn't know you were diabetic. Me: Yep, I am. Someone: I'm so scared I'm going to get that. My grandmothers both had it! Me: Oh, yeah... (thinking to myself once again another person who has no clue that there are two types of diabetes). I guess I should be better about educating people on the differences, but most of the time it's easier for me to move on... So one of my goals for myself (a long term goal) is to accept that diabetes is not a weakness and to realize that I don't always have to be strong or feel like I have to be in charge. Sometimes a low blood sugar can render my brain useless and I need to be willing to ask someone (even perhaps a stranger) to help me. I'm going to try to look at diabetes as a strength rather than a weakness. I can see diabetes as a strength, because in managing it, I have proven to myself that I am competent and capable of managing much more than the average person has to deal with. Hope everyone has a great night! |
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