Ending on a high note . . .

Looking back over 2008, I have to admit it wasn't the best year for me. I usually love doing the End-Of-The-Year recap thing, but this year I'd rather not look back over some trying times I had. Of course, the year had some good points too. Diabetes-wise it was a really good year! I started this D-Blog, got brave enough to try pumping, was able to attend some terrific events and met a bunch of wonderful diabetes friends. So I think the best way to wrap up the year is by posting about a wonderful prize I won from a wonderful blogger. (This post is DREADFULLY LATE as well, so please forgive me).

To celebrate World Diabetes Day last month, Kelly had a little contest in which she asked us to tell her our hopes and dreams for World Diabetes Day. As luck would have it, her lovely mom pulled my name and I won!! Want to see the extra special gift pack Kelly put together for me?

Ooohhh, shiny! Stickers and Muppets!! What could be more fun. Umm, maybe what's inside.

Look at all this loot! SweetTarts for those pesky lows. Some calming tea to soothe the nerves. Yummy and nutritious almonds. An Airborne Power Pixie to boost my immune system. And a tin of sugar-free Knitting Girl mints. (Does Kelly know me or what?) But wait, what's in the pretty purple gift-bag?

Oooohhh, more sparkly wrapping. Why, it must be the grand prize.

That's right, my very own WellCharm with a year of Platinum service! I have to admit, I don't wear a diabetes ID tag because I usually find them really ugly less attractive than I might like. This charm, however, is so pretty. It comes engraved with my own ID number that medical technicians can use to access the records I've input into the WellAlarm site. I have to admit, it makes me feel safer when I'm out and about on my own. It's nice to know that if something should happen, EMTs will know that I"m diabetic and what medications I take.

So yes, just like my diabetes, 2008 wasn't all bad. Although my stuffy nose and sore throat will be glad to see it go. Here's to a healthy, happy (head-cold free) 2009 to all of the D-OC!

Houseguests for Christmas

Rox and Sox have come to stay while their owners are home in Germany for the holiday.  They wish you all a very Merry Christmas.  And so do I!!

A Holiday Poem

'Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the blog,
Not a new post was stirring, your time it won't hog.

Friends started e-mailing notes filled with care,
Wondering why updates had now become rare.

There's shopping and knitting and holiday crap,
I know I should post, but I all I want is a nap!

I'm cranky and blue and just keep feeling sadder
So I test my blood sugar to see what's the matter.

First it's too high, then it's too low
Holiday stress wreaks havoc on blood sugar, you know?

Bolus a correction when the highs appear,
And for those lows, gobble eight tiny reindeer.
(um, reindeer cookies!)

Then grab the knitting needles, so lively and quick,
And work on those gifts, just like St. Nick.

Less rapid than eagles my gifts how they came,
But I whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, mittens! now, scarves! now, socks and toys!
On, lace! on cables! for girls and for boys!

To the top of the skein! to the top of the yarn ball!
Now knit away! knit away! knit away all!"

Then off to the mall in my car I flew,
To buy other gifts for the people I knew.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in my head
The buzzing sound I've long come to dread.

I drew in my hand, and again pricked my finger,
Knowing I'd have a low that would linger and linger.

Shopping makes blood-sugar crash, from my head to my foot,
I need to sit down, eat something, stay put;

A bundle of candy I had flung on my back,
It's the reason my purse is as large as a sack.

The blood sugar woes make it hard to be merry!
And my muscles ache from the supplies I must carry!

I wish I'd stay home to knit one more row,
Instead of braving the mall and fighting this low;

But soon after the SweetTarts are safe in my belly,
My legs stop feeling as if they're made of jelly.

I'm feeling much better, a right jolly old elf,
And I laugh as I shop, in spite of myself;

A few more gifts from the list in my head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

I make my way home, but then remember more work,
I've forgotten to bake cookies; I feel like a jerk!

A batch of shortbread, shaped like Christmas bows,
Just thinking of them and my blood sugar rose.

So much left to do, as my blog drops out of sight,
"Happy Blood-Sugar to all, and to all a good-night."

20 days . . .

That's right. Twenty days until Christmas.  Holy crap, I am so not going to be ready.  But instead of shopping, decking, baking, wrapping and knitting, what am I doing?  Blogging!  Blogging the fun Christmas Meme that's been making the rounds.  I love filling them out almost as much as I love reading them on everyone's blogs

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both.  I like the look of wrapped gifts better.  But for the odd sized, hard to wrap presents, I'll cave and throw it in a gift bag.

2. Real tree or artificial?  REAL!!  My dad is allergic to pine, so we always had a fake one growing up and I always hated it.  (I think I might be mildly allergic too, but I ignore it.  I always get sick for Christmas.)

3. When do you put up the tree?  I tend to do things at the last minute, so usually the week before Christmas and it's hard to find a good tree.  (That's last years tree to the left, looking pretty sad.)  This year we are hosting the annual Christmas party for a group of friends, so we're getting our tree this weekend!

4. When do you take the tree down?  Again, the last minute.  Usually the day before the town will be collecting the dead trees.

5. Do you like eggnog?  Love it, but I haven't had it in years.   (Have you seen the carb content in eggnog?  I usually save my carbs for the cookies instead).  Why doesn't anybody make a low-sugar, Splenda eggnog?

6. Favorite gift received as a child?  Hmmmm, I don't know.  Santa always brought me great stuff, but I don't remember an all-time favorite.

7. Hardest person to buy for?  Dad.

8. Easiest person to buy for?  Mom.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?  Nope.

10. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?  Mail.  And sometimes I make them myself.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  It wasn't so much the gift, but what the gift-giver said.  A co-worked handed me a box of chocolates and said "I feel really bad giving you these because I know you can't have them."  Ummm, okay, then why did you pick them out for me?

12. Favorite Christmas movie?  A Christmas Story.  And The Year Without A Santa Claus - because I love the HeatMiser!!  Oooohhh, and I know it's not a movie, but just thinking about the Schweddy Balls bit with Alec Baldwin from Saturday Night Live sends me into a fit of giggles every time.  I wish I could find it on YouTube or something.

13. When do you start shopping?  Mid-December when the panic sets in.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  Yes, but only as a joke.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  Christmas cookies!!  We have them for breakfast on Christmas morning.

16. Lights on the tree?   Lots of 'em.  White and non-blinking please.

17. Favorite Christmas song?   The Carol of the Bells.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?   We go to my parents house.  They live two miles from my house, so it's not really traveling.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?  Sure can.  Can you?

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?  A star, as you can see in the picture.  It's made from grapevines.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?   Christmas morning!!  I'd hate to spoil the surprise.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?   Long lines and rude people in the stores.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?   Errr, I don't know.  My decorating taste leans toward old-fashioned and country inspired things.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?  I love those spiral hams.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?   I've been yearning for a new camera ever since I saw the cool one Kelly has!

Qualifying . . .

When I wrote yesterdays post, I was so excited about starting the CGMS process that I forgot to mention the requirements I need to meet for my insurance to consider a CGM medically neccessary.  I have Anthem Blue Cross, and here's what they want to see.

• I must be a Type 1 diabetic, and therefore insulin dependent.  CHECK
  
• I must test my blood a minimum of 4 times per day.  CHECK, usually before noon!
• I must have a month-long blood sugar log that shows numbers below 50.  CHECK, including some nasty ones in the 30's and that scary 27 at the beginning of last month.
• My endo must write a prescription.  CHECK.

So hopefully, it will be smooth sailing.  I'm afraid to get too excited though, because I feel like you never know what the insurance company will say.

I also have to admit that it irks me that they don't care about high blood sugar readings, only the lows.  As if the highs are no problem.  It's those highs that lead to costly long-term complications, so shouldn't I need to show them readings over 250 too? 

And so the fight begins . . .

"In this corner, weighing it at " . . . okay, wait a minute.  I'm not about to broadcast my weight on the internet, so I guess this little boxing metaphor will have to stop before it even gets started.

So, to put it plainly, my fight for CGMS approval has begun.  Earlier today I had my endo appointment.  I have to confess, as I printed out my blood sugar readings I was sickened.  I saw some very scary lows, but I also saw tons and tons of readings between 200 and 300.  The amount of time I have spend high concerned me, and I was prepared to say good-bye to my hard earned 6.3 A1C.

I did say good-bye to it.  In fact, I was shocked to find that my new A1C was 6.2.  After looking over my blood sugar results, my endo agreed that there must be a bunch of lows I'm not feeling and not catching.  That's scary enough to counteract any joy I should feel at having a lower A1C.

This afternoon I was on the phone with Minimed.  The hardest part of the process so far was figuring out what Caller Option I needed from the main switchboard.  Once I got to the right department, things went very smoothly.  My request is in, and someone should be contacting my insurance company tomorrow.  According to the information in their files, I easily meet Anthem's requirements for CGMS coverage.  Hopefully I will have good news by Monday or Tuesday.

And if I don't, I'm prepared to move on to Round 2 of the fight.