Merry Christmas!!!

Our traditional Christmas breakfast of coffee and cookies has been eaten.  Complete with a second helping to combat my morning of lows!!

The presents have been opened. Even K.C.'s - although she's scared of the whole Christmas experience and won't touch any of her new toys.   At least she cowered near the coffee table long enough for me to get this shot of her by the tree on Christmas morning.

Now we're off to my parent's house for more celebrating and feasting!  Hoping you and yours are having a wonderful day too!!

Happy Diaversary to Me???

Today is my diaversary.  Maybe.  Or perhaps it was yesterday . . .  or maybe it's tomorrow.  It could have been last week or the week before.  The truth is, all we really know is that in December of 1979 I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.  The exact date has been long since forgotten - or maybe blocked out, in the case of my parents.  The hospital has destroyed the records.  My doctor at the time passed away long ago.   My exact diagnosis date has been lost to the past 30 years.


I myself remember very little of that day.  I was 11 years old.  I have a vague and cloudy memory of being wheeled down the hospital hall on a gurney by several doctors whose lab coats fluttered out behind them like the capes of super heroes.  I know I was close to lapsing into a diabetic coma.  I guess I was in ICU for a few days.  I remember later being in a room with a girl who loved to watch Benny Hill - but the English humor was lost on me.  I suppose I learned to give injections on an orange but I actually don't remember doing that.  I do remember seeing the nurses bring a cake to another patient who was celebrating her birthday - and I told them that I couldn't have cake on my birthdays anymore.  (They assured me that I could, but ONLY on my birthday.)


Once home, I remember testing for sugar in my urine with little tablets that fizzed hotly in a test tube.  I remember cloudy insulin that got rolled in my mother's palm before it was mixed with clear insulin in my syringe.  I remember having my exchange list and meal plans secured to the side of the fridge with bright magnets.  I remember doing my injections on my own . . . . until the day I froze up and couldn't do them.  My mom had to inject me for months and months before I built up the courage to do them myself again.  I remember shaving off little slivers of luscious banana cake when no one was looking and eating them quickly before anyone saw.  Sometimes I shaved off too many slivers and my brother would get blamed for eating all of the cake.  I also remember thinking I wouldn't live more than 15 more years.  And that by that time I'd be full of complications.


But here I am, 30 years later.  Give or take a day or two.  I'm very sad that I'll never know when my real Diaversary is.  I so wish I knew my exact diagnosis date.  But in the grand scheme of things, I guess it's not really important.  What is important is how far we've come in 30 years.  Exchanges and R and NPH have been swapped for carb counts and fast acting insulin.  Cake is no longer taboo on every day except my birthday.  The urine test tubes were replaced by finger sticks and my CGM.  I punch buttons on my insulin pump instead of injecting with syringes. And my only complication so far is a small leaky vessel (or two) in my eye.

Happy Diaversary to Me?  Yes.  Yes indeed.

Meme Monday - Christmas

Okay, I'll admit it. I didn't have a Meme lined up for today. So I Googled "Christmas Meme blog" and found this one . . .  ummm, somewhere.  I don't remember exactly which blog I found it on.  (How very Scroogey of me - sorry!!)

1. What is your Favorite Christmas Movie?
Hands down, it has to be A Christmas Story.  But I know that doesn't surprise you after my last post.

2. What is your Least favorite Christmas Movie?
I've never had any desire to see the newer ones, like Santa Clause or Elf or the Grinch one that isn't a cartoon.

3. What is your favorite Christmas song?
Carol of the Bells

4. What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy?
Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer.  And Dominck the Donkey.  Yuck!!

5. What is your favorite Christmas Drink? (ie. egg nog, hot chocolate)
Sugar Free Gingerbread Latte from Seattle's Best, of course!!

6. What is your favorite Christmas Memory?
Having waffles by the tree while we looked at all our toys.  Christmas was the one time of the year mom would make us waffles for breakfast!

7. What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
I guess it was the little rocking chair I got one year.  I still have it in our bedroom to this day.

Rockin' the '70s red pants in my new Rocking Chair!

8. What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
Last year my stocking contained nothing but anti-bacterial hand soap.  Not sure exactly what Santa was trying to tell me there.

9. What do you LOVE about the holidays?
The shopping and baking and anticipation.

10. What annoys you about the holidays?
The rude people you have to put up with during your shopping.

11. Do you prefer star or angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else?
A star!!  (See below)

12. What is your family favorite recipe at Christmas?
I don't really have one.  But every year at Christmas I make pizzelles, just like Grandma did.

13. Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime?
A Who - although this year I've found myself having a few Grinch moments.

14. Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them?
Love them!!!!!  But I hate all of those blow-up lawn thingies that are getting so popular.

15. Santa's at the mall - Fun times or Creepy?
Really good Santas are fun - but some I've seen venture quite into the creepy.

16. Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no?
I do.  I will.  I swear they are going out this week.

17. What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion?
Spending time with loved ones.

18. What is the worst thing about Christmas?
It seems to become more and more stressful every year.

19. When do you put the tree up and take it down?
It varies each year.  This year, it went up yesterday.

Don't worry, ornaments are going on tonight!!  I'll probably take it down on the first Sunday of the new year.

20. Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your truelove to give to you?
I guess I'll take the Golden Rings.  All of those birds would be awfully messy, and the maids and lords and drummers would put quite a strain on the grocery budget.

21. Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer?
She must have been trying to make time with Old St. Nick.  I'm sure those reindeer are very loyal to Mrs. Claus.

22. Who is your favorite reindeer?
I guess Dancer - since I do ballroom.  There isn't a reindeer named Knitter, is there?

23. Do you believe in Santa Claus?
I do.  I think we all should!

24. What is your favorite smell at Christmas time?
The pine tree - even though I might be allergic like my dad is.  And the cookies baking - which I am not allergic too!

25. What would make you happy at Christmas this year?
Spending time enjoying the season with my husband - it's what makes me happy every year!  Also, K.C. getting over feeling traumatized by the new decorations and smells and coming out of hiding!!

Things that burn . . .

1. Me!!!  It seems all of that NaBloPoMo writing burnt me out but good.  I felt like I needed a bit of an internet break this week, so I took it.  It felt good.  And allowed me focus on other areas of my life, such as . . . 
2. Fat and Calories.  I've been working hard on burning these.  Which also causes burning . . . 
3. Muscles.  Ouch.  Feel the burn.  It's good though.  Right?
4. Money.  As in, the Christmas shopping has begun and I'm burning through my budget!  My credit cards are getting just as hard a work-out as my body is!   But it's been fun.  The favorite gift I've bought so far is for a Yankee Swap at my best friend's Family Christmas.  One lucky guest will enjoy the softly burning light of . . . 
5. A Leg Lamp Night Light!!!!  Please note: Cat not included with gift!!

 

Sick . . . .

A nose that’s stuffed,
A throat that’s sore,
Blood sugars running high.
Chills and shivers
And ears that ache,
Just make me want to cry.

Some stupid germ
Some mean virus
Has nestled in my head
Making me sneeze
And sometimes wheeze
And turning my poor nose red.

Can't clean or blog
Or do laundry
No treadmill for me today.
Will soup and tea
And a nice long nap
Please make this go away?

I'll watch TV
and get some rest
And have plenty of time to knit.
And hope that tomorrow
when I awaken
I no longer feel like like . . . .

Working out the Workout . . .

I've often written about my struggles sticking with an exercise program.  That's not my problem this time.  (Nothing like a bit of public humiliation to get the motivation going!!)  Now I'm struggling to get in a good workout without going way too low.

I've been shooting for an hour a day on the treadmill.  The first two days I only made it 38 minutes before my blood sugar crashed down into the 30s.  I've been trying different combinations of food and insulin.  Yesterday morning I had my coffee and skipped the unit I usually take to cover it.   Then I had my banana and skipped the bolus again.  Ten minutes later I started my walk.  And it was good.  I got the whole hour in and ended like this:

A small rise, followed by a steady fall and an end number of 83.  Looks perfect, right?  Perfect, except for that little arrow beside the 83.  That little arrow announces that my blood sugar is falling quickly.  My finger stick confirmed, ringing in at 58.  So I had some orange juice.  And a handful of trail mix.  (Maybe a rather large handful.)  Didn't measure.  Didn't bolus.  Not so smart.  An hour later I was up to 198 and needed a correction.

Working out an exercise plan can be so frustrating.  Some days it feels like nothing will work.  The nasty lows that plague me when I begin my exercise program yet again are very discouraging.  The extra juice and food seem to replace any calories the exercise zapped.  But this time, I'm sticking with it.  I'll add a reduced basal rate into the mix and hopefully end closer to that 83 the CGM showed . . . . without an arrow.  When my body starts to get used to regular exercise, I'll probably need to switch my basal back to 100% and bolus a bit for breakfast.  I'll work that out when the time comes.  Because working out the workout plan is so worth the effort.

You didn't think I'd post today, did you???

That's right, it's December 1st. And that means November NaBloPoMo is complete.

I did it!  And I no longer HAVE TO post every.  Single.  Day.  To be honest, when I signed up for NaBloPoMo I wasn't sure I'd succeed.  30 posts in 30 days.  On two blogs.  It's a tall order, but I did it.  Of course many days I used the same post on both blogs.  In the end, I wrote 46 posts in 30 days.

Did I love feeling pressured to post every day?  No, I didn't.  Did I write some lame posts that are just taking up valuable Cyber-Space?  You bet I did.  Did I still manage to neglect posting about some big topics I need to sit down and write about?  Absolutely.  I still need to write up a review of the new Bayer ContourUSB meter - and I can't believe I didn't get it finished during the 30 days of constant posting!!  But overall, am I glad I signed up for NaBloPoMo?  YES I AM!!!

I had become such a blog slacker before November.  There were months when I barely posted once a week.  Usually I was just being lazy about blogging.  I had gotten out of the habit of being on the lookout for potential post topics.  NaBloPoMo helped remind me how much I like blogging and how many blog topics are there just waiting to be noticed.  I've even had a request to keep up "Sunday Snapshots", so I'll be sure to get a few of those in every month!

Will I post every day in December?  Nope, I can tell you right now that won't happen.  But I will try to post much more than I had been lately.  I'd love to be a consistent Monday - Friday blogger, although I know I'll miss a few days here and there.  Maybe more than a few once the holiday crunch really gets going.   I'm okay with that, because blogging isn't really about how often we post.  It's about the connections we make and the pieces of our lives we share.  That is what's most important and that's what makes blogging so wonderful!

MeMe Monday - Honesty

If we're going to be honest, I should start by admitting this isn't actually a meme.  It's a note I was tagged with on FaceBook.  But isn't that kind of the same thing?  I never got around to filling this out on FaceBook, so I figured I might was well use it for MeMe Monday.

Can you fill this out without lying? You've been tagged, so now you need to answer all the questions HONESTLY.

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth? An organic banana.

2. Where was your profile picture taken? It was taken on the beach in Westport on our wedding day.

3. Can you play Guitar Hero?  I don't know, I've never tried.  What do you have to do?

4. Name someone who made you laugh today?  Does K.C. count?

5. How late did you stay up last night and why? I was up until 10:30 wasting time on the internet.

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you?  I don't know.  I love my little house.  But a bigger house in a better neighborhood would be nice.  I don't think I'd want to leave New England though.

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?  I don't specifically remember, but I'm sure Pete and I must have kissed while watching fireworks at Disney World.

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on your FaceBook list?  My husband, of course!!

9. Do you believe exes can be friends?  I think they can.  Although I'm not friends with any of my exes.  At least not the ones I was very serious with.

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?  It's good, but I don't drink it often.

11. When was the last time you cried really hard?  Thanksgiving night.

12. Who took your profile picture? My friend Dave.

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?  Person?  I guess K.C. doesn't count.  Hmmm, this is a tough one.  Probably the last time I took a pictures of a person was when I kinneared (it is a real word!!) Nikolai Morozov at a skating show in September.  Want to see?

14. Was yesterday better than today?  You bet.  Mondays are the worst.

15. Can you live a day without TV? I'm sure I could.  But why would I want to try?

16. Are you upset about anything?  Of course I am.

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it? Of course they are.  What kind of stupid questions are these??

18. Are you a bad influence?  Probably not.  Unless you need someone to talk you out of eating chocolate or buying yarn.  Then most certainly yes!!

19. Night out or night in? Night in with comfy clothes and good snacks.

20. What items could you not go without during the day?  Probably my lap-top computer, my coffee and my cat.

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? My Dad's twin brother.

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?  I don't text.  But my last email was from Harry, telling me I should spin K.C.'s fur into yarn.  Funny guy, that one.

23. How do you feel about your life right now?  Life?  What life?  I'd need to have a life to be able to tell you my feelings about it!

24. Do you hate anyone?  Hate is a very strong word.  I am displeased with a few people, but I'm not sure I hate them.

25. If we were to look in your Facebook inbox, what would we find?  A message from my brother-in-law.

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass? Absolutely, unless they were screening for insulin or blood pressure and cholesterol medications.

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before? My husband, but he's very biased.  I am far from perfect, as is any one human.

28. What song is stuck in your head?  I didn't have one stuck in there, but when I read this question Brick House suddenly started playing in my head.  I don't know why.  (You didn't really expect me to link a Commodore's video, did you?)

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., a secret lover or George Clooney?  Couldn't George Clooney be my secret lover?  Okay then, I guess no one is knocking at 2 a.m.

30.Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50?  That is clearly impossible.

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow?  Get my blood work done.

32. Do you think too much or too little?  Way too much!

33. Do you smile a lot?  I think so.  I also glare a lot.

Bonus Round...

34. How many hours a day do you spend on the computer?  Far too many.

35. If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you be? Hmmm, that's a hard one. Hopefully some one really cool!

36. Facebook or Twitter?  I like them both, but for different things.

37. Chicken or Beef?  Yes please.

38. Mac or PC?  I considered both when I needed a new computer.  Finances made me stick with a PC.  I'm fine with that.

39. Have you ever punched anyone in the face?  Not intentionally, but things happen on a crowded dance floor.

40. Last music received or purchased?  Eeee, okay, I was feeling sentimental and bought The Rose from iTunes.  I'm slightly embarrassed about this.  (Also, no one skates to The Rose - so it's Bette in the link this time!)

Sunday Snapshots . . .

It's the last day of the long holiday weekend.  And as fun as it's been, I'm pretty wiped out from all of the socializing . . . and eating!!  So instead of going out to snap pictures today, I'm posting some of my favorites from my hard-drive.

I took this picture in St. Thomas during the cruise we took to celebrate our 5th anniversary.   That was my favorite day of the whole cruise and this is my favorite picture.  It takes me right back to our perfect day on that beautiful island.

This is Charlie during the only Christmas we got to spend with him.  He got quite a few presents, including the Kiddy Condo you can see on the far left.  Of course, he wasn't at all interested in anything we bought him.  Instead he decided he loved Pete's new back-pack and would curl up on it for a nap any chance he got!

Of course, I have to follow a picture of Charlie with a picture of K.C.  Wouldn't want her to get jealous, would we?  This was taken within minutes of bringing her home from the shelter.  I was thrilled that she climbed right into my lap.  Knowing her as well as I do now, I think she was absolutely terrified to be in a new place.  But I'm happy that she felt protected by me right from the start.

I LOVE this picture!  It's my Mom, my uncle and my aunt.  It really shows their personalities.  My uncle, hamming it up with that toy gun in his hand.  My mom, carefully trying to balance her birthday cake so she doesn't drop it.  And my aunt, ready to dig in!

Me, at Webs, meeting The Yarn Harlot.  She agreed to hold my sock, and asked me to hold her Traveling Sock!!  For a knitter, life doesn't get much better than that!

And last but not least, my SweetPea.  He emailed this picture they took of him at work getting an award.  He's pretty awesome, isn't he?

Back to the Beginning . . .

Well, it's day 28 of NaBloPoMo. And I've got absolutely nothing to post about. Really, I've wracked my brain and I can't think of a thing. So I decided to go back . . . . way back. I'm going to re-run one of the first posts I ever wrote for this blog, since it will probably be new to most of you!  Actually, I wrote this for my blog on DiabetesFriends.net - I used to post there before I started this blog.  This is the second post I did.  I'm not running the first, because it was just a boring little introductory post.

Needles, Needles, Needles

Anyone who is a diabetic is very used to needles. Blood draws, finger sticks, and for some, insulin injections. How many times a year do we deal with needles? Too many.

I've never really thought much about it, and never found anything good in the fact that I jab myself all the time. Until this week.

This is Charlie, a sweet little 16+ year old kitty we adapted four months ago. In the past two weeks, he has suddenly become very sick. He has feline renal failure (and isn't kidney failure something we all fear as diabetics as well?). He is also severely dehydrated. If we can get him strong again, we may be able to manage his kidneys with medication. So how do we get him strong again? Well, every day I have to hook him up to an I.V. for 5 - 10 minutes. When the vet asked if I would be comfortable handling the needles, I was happy to be able to say yes.

Mind you, I was surprised to find out it is much harder to stick someone else than it is to stick yourself. The pain I feel every time I insert the needle into my poor little guy is much sharper than any pain from a needle I've given myself. But it's making him better, and that's the best news ever! So today, I am very thankful for needles and for my familiarity with them.

*** Unfortunately, we lost Charlie on February 9, 2008, just a few days after I wrote this post. I still miss him a lot.

'Tis the Season

Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, I suppose it's time to look ahead to Christmas and start getting into the spirit.  How do I make that happen?

By indulging in my first Gingerbread Latte of the season.  It certainly won't be my last!  Some how the holiday stresses seem to lighten up when I catch a glimpse of that little gingerbread man dipping his toes into my coffee.

What holiday treats do you look forward to all year long?  Have you indulged in any yet?

Giving Thanks

The turkey has been eaten.  The pies have been served.  The boluses (boli??) have been programmed.  The thanks has been given.  What two things am I most thankful for?

The two loves of my life!!  What else am I thankful for?  Here's a not-so-serious list . . .

• all my yarn
• the fact that while my home-made ravioli were a bunt, my home-made cranberry sauce was a grand slam!  Hey, wait, I'm not into baseball, I'm into figure skating.  Okay, the fact that while my home-made ravioli were a single lutz, my home-made cranberry sauce was a quad-toe loop!
• the fact that I'm not into baseball, I'm into figure skating.
• big sharp needles needles on the infusion sets and CGM sensors and the smelly insulin, because even though they stink and hurt, they also keep my alive and healthy.
  
• my family.  Even the uncle who told me today how fat I am.  Twice.  Really, he honestly did.  Yes, I am even thankful him.
• the fact that I didn't cry in front of everyone after talking to that uncle.
• that there are only four more days left of NaBloPoMo.  Seriously, any more and I probably wouldn't make it!!
  
• that both my father's twin and my mother's sister were released from the hospital and got to spend Thanksgiving at home with their families.
  
• did I mention all the yarn???

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!!

Not again!!!!

Yesterday my CGM sensor started to bother me a little bit.  Considering what happened last time you would I think would have pulled it out right away.  I didn't.  But when it was so sore that it woke me up at 2 am, I took it right out.  Squinting as the bathroom light attacked my sleepy eyes, I saw this.

That's right, another welt. Not only did I see it, but I could feel it too.  Quite a lump was left behind where the sensor came out.  This picture was actually taken 12 hours after I took the sensor out.  It doesn't hurt any more, but it still looks bad.

 I have no idea what is going on with these sensors.  I've always been able to wear them for 6 to 8 days without a problem.  But these last two haven't even lasted four days.  Has Minimed changed how they make them?  Is there something new in them that my body can't seem to tolerate?  I plan to call and find out.  But I'd love to know if any other Minimed CGM wearers have been suddenly having problems too.  If you wear one, please comment and let me know if they are working fine for you or not.  I'm starting to get aggravated, but with the nasty low I had on Sunday I really don't want to go without my CGM.

Scary Low . . .

Usually lows don't bother me. Usually my body handles them really well. Usually I eat a little something or drink a little juice and everything is okay.  Usually.

Sunday night was not usual.  Sunday night was damn scary.

Much of it is very foggy.  I remember sitting in bed with my pump and meter.  I couldn't quite figure out what my pump was.  I kept turning it over and around, trying to figure out which end was the top and which was the bottom.  I kept pressing buttons but none of the screens made sense.  I also didn't know how to turn on my meter or what it was supposed to do.  Pete was wide awake beside me, telling me it was okay and I should drink my juice.  I told him I couldn't, but thank goodness I drank it anyway.  He said I kept saying I didn't know what happens next.  I think I resisted drinking the juice because even though I was confused I knew that I generally stay away from juice because it raises my blood sugar.  I also think when I kept saying I didn't know what happens next I was trying to say that I knew I had to punch the carbs from the juice into my pump and bolus but I couldn't figure out how to do it.  Out of frustration, I kept begging Pete to show me how to work the buttons.  He calmly told me he didn't know how and that I should just relax and drink the juice.

I remember I kept disconnecting my pump because I didn't know how to work it.  Then I would reconnect it because I knew I'm always supposed to wear it.  Pete ran downstairs and got a spoonful of frosting for me to eat.  I suddenly decided I had to check my blood.  Pete said it was a bit soon to test again but to go ahead and do it anyway.  Some how I managed to remember how to work the meter.  The screen flashed 33.  Somewhere in my mind, that number seemed familiar.  I guess I was starting to come out of the fog, because I asked for another juice box.

After I downed that, things really started to clear up.  I could remember how to work my pump as well as my meter.  According to Pete, I had woken him up and told him I needed help.  (Thank goodness for that!!)  According to my CGM log, my low alarm went off at 10:51 telling me I was 55.  It rang again at 11:12 to say I was 41.  At 11:31 it reported that I was below 40.  I don't remember hearing or clearing any of those alarms - I just remember dreaming about being on Cape Cod.  According to my meter, I tested my blood sugar at 11:35 and it was 33.  That's why the number 33 seemed familiar when I did the second test at 11:46 and was still at 33.

Once the fog cleared, I realized I was soaked with sweat.  The chills hit hard and my teeth started chattering.  I was pretty freaked out by what had just happened.  I felt terrible for disrupting Pete's sleep on a work night and for frightening him so badly with my incoherent ramblings.  At midnight we tested again and I was up to 49, and three hours later I was 172.

I can't tell you how lucky and blessed I feel that Pete was there.  I am so proud of how calm he stayed through the whole thing.  He held it together and did everything right.  He was *thisclose* to calling for an ambulance when the fog cleared and I started making sense again.  I can't imagine how scary the whole thing was for him.

Yesterday I was wiped out and freaked out all day long.  Pete called me several times more than he usually does to check on me.  Every time I heard his voice, I started to cry.  From gratitude for what a wonderful care-giver he is.  From guilt for putting him through such a terrifying situation in the middle of the night.  From pure exhaustion that made me more emotional than usual.

I've always handled low numbers well.  A few weeks ago I woke up with a blood sugar below 20.  I know, because I tested three times to confirm.  13, 19, 16 were the numbers my meter reported back.  I was sweaty, but clear-headed and otherwise fine.  I drank juice and petted the cat until my blood sugar went back up to 83.  Then I went back to sleep.  Easy as pie - which would have come in handy with a blood sugar below 20!!

Why was that 33 so terrible and that 19 no problem?  Who knows?  Maybe The Big D was cranky Sunday night.  It's been around 20 years since I've had a low that left me so out of it.  I honestly hope it's 20 more before the next Scary Low.

Meme Monday - Couple's MeMe

I saw this MeMe over on Allison's blog.  It's probably more than you ever wanted to know about me and Pete . . . but it is MeMe Monday.  So here we go.

How long have you been together?
Our first date was on June 26, 1999.  We were married on June 26, 2004.  Because I'm dorky like that.

How long did you know each other before you started dating?
We met in March of 1999.  It's kind of a long story, but also kind of amusing.  A friend of mine kept asking me to go to a Singles Group with her.  I wasn't interested - I was convinced there wouldn't be any "good" guys there.  She talked another friend into going with her.  They both used to pester me to go with them.  One week, the Singles Group meeting was going to be at a restaurant that made The Best nachos so I agreed to go - just for the nachos.  I met Pete that night and decided the Singles Group wasn't that bad.  The rest is history.  Oh, and those two friends who talked me into going to the group?  They are both still single.

Who asked whom out?
I gave him my phone number.  Actually, I was too chicken, so a friend gave it to him for me.  A few days later, he called and asked me out.

How old are each of you?
Oh geez, you would have to ask.  No snickers, okay?  I am 41.  Pete is 35.  Shut up.

Whose siblings do you see the most?
Pete's.  My brother is in Colorado and we only see him every few years.  Pete's brother was in Virginia.  Then he was in Utah for a while, so we didn't see him much.  Now he's renting an apartment a few towns away from us until the New Year, so we see him several times a week.

Did you go to the same school?
No.  Even if we had grown up in the same town, we wouldn't have ever been in the same school at the same time.  Unless I stayed back a few years or he skipped a few grades - or both.

Are you from the same home town?
We aren't even from the same home state.

Who is smarter?
I'm not really sure.  We both did really well in school.  Pete probably uses more knowledge on his job.  I probably have more common sense and a better memory.

Who is the most sensitive?
Most certainly me.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?
I'm not sure we really have a favorite place.  It depends on what kind of food we're in the mood for.  We are lucky to have a bunch of really great restaurants in this area.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Probably to San Diego last February.  (Hi George!!)

Who has the craziest exes?
I don't know.  Me?  I certainly have the most exes.  (That doesn't make me sound trampy, does it??)

Who has the worst temper?
Me me me me me!!!!  Poor Pete, I don't know how he puts up with me!

Who does the cooking?
I do.  Pete's not a bad cook.  But he's a slow cook.  And a very messy cook.  So I do most of the cooking.  He usually makes breakfast on the weekends though.  And if we want chicken cutlets, he always makes them.  His are a lot better than mine.  Not sure why, but they are always so juicy and yummy.  (Great, now I'm hungry.)

Who is the neat-freak?
That's me again.  He is a slob.  When he had his apartment in New Jersey and we were doing the long-distance thing, I used to take a week of vacation time to stay with him a few times a year.  I always spent the first few days cleaning his apartment.

Who is more stubborn?
I was going to say me again, but he's pretty stubborn too.  In a battle of wills, he's usually the one who gives in though.

Who hogs the bed?
Not me this time!!!  He constantly migrates to my side of the bed in his sleep.  K.C. sleeps on my side too.  I have no room!!

Who wakes up earlier?
On week days, he gets up first and I get up while he's eating breakfast.  On weekends, I'm always the first one up.

Where was your first date?
Tavern On Main. After dinner, we walked on the beach and sat on a bench and talked.  Years later, he brought me back to the same bench to propose.  It's the bench I am sitting on in the picture at the top of this post.

Who is more jealous?
I think it's probably a tie on that one.

How long did it take to get serious?
We had been dating for 6 months when he got the job offer in New Jersey.  I told him the choice was his, but that I wouldn't do a long-distance relationship again.  (I had been in one with my college boyfriend after graduation and it ended in a mess.)  Pete decided the job was too good to pass up.  I decided being with him was too good to pass up.  I think the minute I decided to do the long-distance thing again, it got serious.

Who eats more?
I always give him a larger portion of dinner.  So I'll say he does. 

Who does the laundry?
Me.  But when I was working, we both pitched in and did it.

Who’s better with the computer?
Probably me.

Who drives when you are together?
He always does the driving.  We never talk about it though.  We usually use my car, and I just hand him the keys on our way out the door.

Sunday Snapshots . . .

Today was a good day.  It started with a big cup of coffee and time to browse through a new magazine that came in yesterday's mail.

Which inspired me to do a bit of baking using one of the new recipes in the magazine.  It was a huge success.

Then there was a walk along the seawall in town.

We all enjoyed the view, especially Chloe, my brother-in-law's dog.  (My dog-niece??)

The walk continued along the beach.

Where there was a sign with a sense of humor!  I loved this.

We even took some great pictures of my latest finished knitting project.  And some not so great ones as well.

I could use more Sundays just like this one!

"Bee" My Honey . . .

A year or so ago, we noticed something going on in the yard next door.  At first we thought our neighbor was putting in a garden.  Then we noticed some weird box-like things going in.  When we saw him out there in a full beekeeper's suit, we finally knew what was going on.  Our neighbor was raising bees!  I thought it was really cool.  Pea wasn't as thrilled.  He was stung when he was little and his mother rushed him to the ER.  He was fine, but traumatized.  And still screams like a girl whenever we see a bee.  (But that's our little secret, okay?)

As time went on, Pea stopped being so paranoid about the bees.  We really don't see many of them in our yard. After all, they have a bee paradise next door, so why would they venture to the bee ghetto that our yard must be?

Bee Paradise

As we found out yesterday, having a neighbor who raises bees had a big advantage.  That advantage is fresh honey!  Our neighbor brought over a jar yesterday.  We spread it on our toast this morning and it was the best honey I've ever tasted in my life!!

Mmmmmm, Honey

Honey is a sugar and has carbs, but it's low on the glycemic index with a value of 55.  According to CalorieKing, one tablespoon has just over 17 grams of carbs.  And believe me when I tell you, this honey is most definitely bolus-worthy!!  I can't wait to try baking with this stuff.  I already have plans for some home-made granola sweetened with just this honey.  And a couple of loaves of honey-wheat bread.

Do you have any good honey recipes to suggest??

At what cost?

The other day I mentioned getting a "Sensor Error" during my ballroom lesson.  I turned the sensor off but left it intact on my tummy.  The next morning I restarted it.  It was working great.  At lunch, my sensor read 77 and my finger-stick read 76.  It stayed right on track, never varying its reading more than 10 points from my blood sugar machine.

So I was a bit irked yesterday when it started to feel sore.  Every time I leaned a certain way I felt a pang.  It was uncomfortable, but it was working great.  And even with insurance, the sensors are expensive.  I decided I could live with the discomfort for a few more days.

I didn't last more than a few hours.  By last night, it was really bothering me.  I could see redness on the skin around the sensor.  Yes, it was working fine and yes, the sensors are expensive - but I didn't care.  I carefully peeled off the tape and gently removed my transmitter and sensor.  And when I saw what was underneath, I was very glad I did.

The darker spot to the right is where the cannula (or whatever it's called on a sensor) was.  They don't usually leave me with such blotch.  The red bump on the left?  I have no clue what that is, but my skin was definitely very irritated.

Speaking of irritated, I got pretty irritated with myself.  If I had pulled the sensor when it first started to bother me, it might not have been so bad.  I wear them all the time without a problem - so if I was feeling pain I should have been smart enough to know something was wrong.  If I had left it longer, I might be dealing with a nasty infection today.  As it is, the red splotches still look as bad as they did last night and are almost as sensitive.

Yes, diabetes supplies are expensive.  It's tempting to use them as long as possible.  But at what cost?  Is it worth a nasty infection to get two more days out of a sensor that is feeling painful?  It isn't and I'm so glad I came to my senses last night and pulled it out.

Bloopers!!!!

I am totally stealing Kerri's idea of posting a blooper reel because I have no other blog content.  Unfortunately, before I took my "Making Movies" course, I never saved any of my raw footage.  I always shot in one take because I didn't know how to edit clips together.  If I made a mistake, I stopped the camera, deleted the video and started again.  So the only footage I have to work with is from my hobby vlog.  Luckily, I suck in front of the camera, so there were a few clips just waiting to be put on a blooper reel!!

Doing what we have to . . .

As I made my way around the D-OC today to see what people were blogging about, I came across Amy's WayBack Wednesday post and I thought it was funny.  Not Funny Ha-Ha, but Funny-Odd.  Why?  Well, because last night I was in the exact situation she wrote about.

Pete and I had our weekly ballroom lesson.  As we floated around the dance floor (okay, more like stumbled) I heard the shrill beeps of my pump alarm mixing with the music.  The alarm always rattles the ballroom instructors a little, because they know a low is "bad".  After all, I've had to put many a lesson on hold while I slurped down some juice or chomped on some Smarties so I can continue to cha-cha / swing / samba.

This time the message on my pump simply said "Sensor Error".  I told Peter (the instructor) and Pete (the husband) that I would just turn the sensor off.  Peter was concerned, so I began explaining the two parts - the pump and the CGM.  I told him the pump gives me my medicine and was working fine.  The CGM just keeps track of my blood sugar, so turning it off was okay.  I'd still be getting the medicine I needed.

I was pleased that he was interested and even began to ask some more questions about the CGM and finger-sticks and such.  And then, just as in Amy's post, he got That Look on his face and said "I hate needles, I could never do what you do."  I assured him that he could.  No, the needles are not always easy.  But after almost 30 years, I'm used to it and it isn't that big of a deal.  (Although I still dread the CGM needle!!)  When given two choices - inject your insulin or die - the choice is pretty easy. He still didn't look convinced.

The more I think about it today, the more I see both sides.  Yes, the choice is easy.  Inject or die?  Injections are going to win every time.  So in a sense we are not being brave, we are just doing what we need to do to live.  But when I think about it a little more, maybe we are braver than we give ourselves credit for.  Not only do we stick and jab and poke.  But we face and fight this disease every day.  We navigate the frustrations and triumphs.  We try to let the ignorance and rudeness roll off our backs.  We have the threats of complications nagging in the corners of our minds.  But we keep on going.  And tomorrow, we'll get up and do it all again.  Yes, I'd say we are pretty brave after all.

Blue for World Diabetes Day . . .

Something kind of odd happened on World Diabetes Day.  I found myself feeling extremely alone, very isolated and quite depressed.

Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled that so many great events were going on around the country.  I was happy for all of my D-OC friends who were able to participate in them.  I think The Big Blue Test was fabulous.

Pete and I had planned to go to NYC for the pizza party Allison organized but our finances conspired against us.  Round-trip train fare just wasn't in the budget this month.  So instead we dressed in blue and we went to the mall to find ideas for our Christmas Wish Lists.

Walking around the mall is usually a fun activity for me, but Saturday that wasn't the case.  I looked at the throngs of people and wondered if anyone knew or cared why I wore blue.  I wondered if they had ever even heard of World Diabetes Day.  Did they notice that I pricked my finger and tested my blood in the Food Court before lunch?  Could they spy my insulin pump clipped to my pocket and did they have a clue what it was?  I don't think they did.

I guess maybe I live in my little bubble, "The D-OC Bubble", a bit too much.  I love being a part of such a supportive community.  I love sharing the struggles and triumphs on our blogs and on Twitter.  I love that we all just get it.  I forget that life isn't always like this until the bubble bursts and I'm out in the "Real World".

I'm not really sure how to wrap up this post.  I guess I don't really have a point.  I wasn't even sure I wanted to blog about this - I thought it might be better to hide behind a fake but cheerful exterior and keep my feelings of isolation to myself.  But a dear friend encouraged me to come clean and share.  I think it was the right call.  Because maybe someone else felt alone on WDD too and will be comforted by the fact that I understand completely.  And we can be alone together.

Meme Monday - Thanksgiving Meme

I saw this new Meme last night over at Lynne's blog. Is Thanksgiving really next week already?  Well then, I guess I'd better get this Thanksgiving Meme done!  I'll preface this by saying I have never cooked a Thanksgiving dinner.  We always go to my parent's house for Thanksgiving.  I don't know what I'm going to do when their house finally sells and they move to Tennessee.  I just keep telling myself it will never actually happen.  Denial is a great coping mechanism.

1.What are the traditional favorites?  I guess our only tradition is to start the meal with "macaroni".  When I was little, we had Thanksgiving at my grandmother's every year.  The first course was always home-made fettuccine and ravioli.  We still start our Thanksgiving meal this way - although it's usually with either lasagna or those fresh pastas you buy in the grocery store.  Maybe this year I'll make the home-made macaroni just like Grammy did.

2.What new recipes will you try this year? We don't usually try any new recipies for the holidays.  Do you have one to suggest?

3.What part of the meal do you never compromise?  Mashed potatoes.  I HATE THEM and will never ever eat them.  No compromise.  My mom hates them too.  She always makes them for the rest of the family and makes baked potatoes for the two of us!

4.Who gets to carve the turkey?  My dad carves it every year.

5.Family style around the table or buffet style and everyone sits wherever there's room?  We always do dinner family style around the table - but all of the food my mom cooks never fits.  So the salad and pasta is served buffet style from the hutch.

6.How many will be at your table this year?  Unfortunately we'll be smaller than usual this year.  My brother is in Colorado.  My aunt and uncle won't be able to make it down from Maine, because my aunt was recently diagnosed with leukemia and is going through chemo.  So we'll have 7 of us - me and Pete, Mom and Dad, my other aunt and uncle and Pete's brother.

7.Three best pies for Thanksgiving dessert?  Although I don't like Pumpkin Pie, you have to serve it at Thanksgiving!  My favorite are Apple Crumb and Coconut Creme.  My mom usually has all three, and blueberry too.  Yes, that's right, seven people and four pies!!

8.Cranberry sauce...yeah or nay?  Nay - I don't like it.  And it always gets forgotten in the fridge - so even those who do like it don't get to indulge.

9.What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner?  We usually go to my parent's house around 1:00 and sit down at the table around 2:00.

10.Favorite leftover?  That's a tough one, because I really like all of the leftovers.  I guess my favorites are the turkey and the pies.

Sunday Snapshots . . .

We didn't make it outside for a walk this weekend - rain, clouds and choirs kind of washed away any chance of snapping some pretty nature shots to share.  So instead, I'll share some of my favorite pictures of my little kitty cat.  Not that I take a lot of pictures of her or anything.  *grin*

I took this one when I dropped her off at the boarding place before Pete and I went on our cruise.  She looks so cute - but also so small and scared.  Yes, I cried when I left her there.  I cried a lot.

K.C. gets stuck modeling with yarn and knitting quite a bit.  She doesn't love it.  I love this picture because it looks like she's kissing the little yarny cat.  She's probably just trying to knock it off of herself using her head.

This is the day she decided to climb into the entertainment center and hang out for a while. I thought it was pretty funny. After all, she is very entertaining - so I guess the entertainment center is just the place for her.

I love this picture because it looks so ridiculous.  Some how, I caught her in mid-lick.  I love the look on her face.  Her eyes are so big, her tongue is sticking out.  It just cracks me up.

And in this one, she is sleeping peacefully in my lap.  Doesn't she look so sweet?  I melt every time I look at this one.

That's it for Sunday's Snapshots.  Hope you enjoyed it!!

World Diabetes Day

So, how did you spend World Diabetes Day?

Did you dress in blue?  I did!!

Did you raise awareness?  I hope I did, but putting up a post on my knitting blog with my Top 5 list of things NOT to say to a diabetic.

Did you do The Big Blue Test?  I kind of half did.  I was on my way to the mall at 2pm, but I tested and tweeted my 88.  Once we got to the mall we did a lot of walking but I forgot to tweet my post-walk results.  For the record, I was stuck in the low 60s for quite a while and had to keep sipping on a bottle of juice we purchased.

That was my day.  What else did YOU do to celebrate World Diabetes Day?

Finger pointer . . .

I'm usually not one to play the blame game.  I'm responsible for my own actions.  I make my own choices.  What I do is up to me and me alone.

But last night . . . well, last night just wasn't my fault.  Last night I didn't cook a healthy organic meal for dinner like I usually do.  Last night I ate this . . .

. . . and I blame it all on Kerri. After reading her post yesterday I couldn't think of anything else.  And oh my, was it bad.  It was so bad that it was awesome!!

The D-OC.  Great for advice, support, and a wicked-good fast-food craving just when you need it!

Corrupt MP3 . . . .

If I use the term "hate to sound like a broken record" would I be dating myself?  After all, in these days of CDs and instant music file downloads, who listens to records?  Surely there is a more current term.  (There is a more current term, and don't call me Shirley.)

Anyway, I hate to sound like a broken record corrupt MP3 file, but I must write another post about exercise.  Or my lack thereof.  Last week I was so gung-ho on getting back into an exercise routine.  Do you know how long it lasted?  That day.  Yup, you got it.  I haven't done a workout since last Tuesday.  Well, we did take that long walk on the beach on Sunday, so I guess I should give myself a little credit for that.  But honestly, this hit and miss exercise stuff just isn't cutting it.  My blood sugars have been a mess over the past week.  Lows that just won't quit.  Highs spiking up out of nowhere.  The past 24 hours have seen the best readings I've had in days - and that's only after running my basal rate at 130%.  This, while avoiding the spikes overnight and upon waking, also resulted in a 53 post-breakfast reading.

Pete and I have both felt like we are fending off some kind of germ this week.  But I know that's only a part of my lack of energy and blood sugar mess.  I know I need to get back to regular exercise.  I know exercise helps my body process my meals better.  It also helps me use my insulin better.  I don't see the big spikes after meals when I'm exercising.  So why can't I get myself to do it?  Am I just lazy?

I need help.  I need your best exercise tips and inspiration.  I don't want to keep writing this post over and over again!

Thank you to our Vets . . . .

Thank you to all of the veterans who have done so much for our country.  And thank you to all of the servicemen who are still sacrificing.  Here's hoping for the day we see peace on Earth.

Feeling Low . . .

I've been battling a low all afternoon.  Usually, I don't really mind lows.  Sometimes I'm low and it isn't that bad.  Sometimes I barely feel low at all.  Today is  not one of those days.

Today my low feels bad.  My brain is fuzzy.  My stomach is queasy from juice and candy corn.  My head hurts so badly that I just took some aspirin.  I'm so tired that I have no idea how I'm going to manage to get dinner cooked and on the table.  And I don't really care, since the juice and candy corn have left me with no desire to eat any dinner.

I don't know why I'm so low this afternoon.  I don't know why my blood sugar isn't coming back up.  I don't know why it's such a yucky, bad low.  I just know I want it to stop.