Here are a few diabetes questions I’ve been pondering since returning from the JDRF Annual Conference last week in D.C.
How come I always end up sick after I travel? Seriously, I feel like every germ on the plane zeros in on me the minute I board. (I guess spending long days in conference rooms with hundreds of others doesn’t help much either.)
How come my new pump decides to throw me a motor error at the worst possible time? A motor error on a new pump is bad enough - but getting it while filling my dinner plate at the buffet line before the opening speeches of the JDRF Annual Conference is probably about the worst timing I can think of!
How come someone who is a chronic over-packer can end up far away from home with a battery that’s just about to go dead and no spare? Luckily this problem was solved with a quick walk after dinner to the CVS a couple of blocks away.
How come my blood sugar can spend an entire day doing the exact opposite of what I need it to do? Seriously, I spent my first full day in D.C. running high when I met with our members of Congress on The Hill, low when I had some free time to hit the treadmill, and then high again when it was time for dinner.
How come I manage to end up in the only airport security line with a full body scanner instead of the dozen for the metal detectors? How come TSA is so sure my insulin pump can go through the full body scanner even when I tell them I know it can’t? (Don’t worry, they did finally agree to give me a pat down and it was fine.)
How come an evening low blood sugar always hits AFTER I’ve brushed my teeth for bed? Does my toothpaste have inhalable insulin in it?
I can’t answer any of these questions. And even if I could, I’m sure diabetes would send me some more “how comes” to ponder. What does diabetes make you ask “how come” about?
Toothpaste most definitely has insulin in it. I swear. Nothing -- except maybe a trip to Target -- can more effectively bring about a low.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post a lot. I think the lesson is never be afraid to ask and answer the questions that come up.
ReplyDeleteHow do I manage to pack 4 juice boxes for a half day in Manhattan but only one for a trip to Costco and Target?
ReplyDeleteHow come I'm vilified in the press because diabetes found me?
ReplyDeleteHow come Chex Mix and pizza and ketchup (but not the fries) and bananas make me high, but cake and cookies don't AT ALL EVER???
ReplyDeleteHow come I MUST re-check when my meter tells me I'm low, because about 25% of the time when it tells me I'm reaaallly low, I'm in the eighties?
How come it's okay (according to One Touch) for my meter to tell me I'm 54 and 81 within thirty seconds of each other?
Oh my gosh THANK YOU for saying this ... Chex Mix kicks my tail every time - even though I bolus for the exact carbs in the bag. So frustrating! And same thing - cake and cookies usually are just fine!
DeleteAll those questions that we'll probably never have answers for. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteAlso, after TSA gave me trouble about the full body scanners, I started carrying the printable card from MM's website. Hoping I never have to use it. But I will if needed.
I haven't seen the printable card- I had the same issue with TSA when I traveled last month. They told me it was fine ... I pushed back but they kept ensuring it was fine ... so I went through. I don't think it caused any problems but why can't they just take our word for us that we know what's best for ourselves??? It's not like we're not offering the alternative of a pat down.
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