tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50955115187059115302024-03-19T20:25:49.329+00:00Insulin's InvolvedThe trials and tribulations of Type 1 DiabetesBechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-11701114645554774482011-05-24T21:09:00.000+01:002011-05-24T21:09:42.331+01:00The 20 Year Anniversay Posts - Diagnosis Memories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4pi0AdJP_YZM02yl9m6UuY1gIEzxusyE-vi5QRibLawSR1Zm6mxUm2Mpgcq_CAOmNkGBY7u6i6qA-LxYw4-5Oyml21rfhb2SBc6qutT7I-Adb_IrNe29IbobSzBJ_g7y20iJlyrgnKWI/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4pi0AdJP_YZM02yl9m6UuY1gIEzxusyE-vi5QRibLawSR1Zm6mxUm2Mpgcq_CAOmNkGBY7u6i6qA-LxYw4-5Oyml21rfhb2SBc6qutT7I-Adb_IrNe29IbobSzBJ_g7y20iJlyrgnKWI/s200/images.jpg" width="195px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>24th May 2011</strong> - I need to start by saying I can't quite believe it has been <strong>TWENTY YEARS</strong> since I was diagnosed. So much has happened in that time.....</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">medications have changed, my doctors have changed but the biggest thing that's changed is my attitude to my Diabetes!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like every Person With Diabetes (PWD) and every parent of a C</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hild With Diabetes (CWD) the day of diagnosis is permanently etched on my memory. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>24th May 1991</strong> was not only 'D-Day' (Diagnosis Day) but also my Grandpa's birthday.....I think its safe to sat that his Grandaughter being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes was not exactly the present he wanted!!! I will never ever forget being in the kitchen at home sitting on my Grandpa's lap with my Grandma sat next to us whilst my Mom was in the hallway on the phone to the GP. That particular memory is so clear, it's as if it only happened last week!!! The GP told my Mom to take me straight up to the hospital as the blood test he had done when my Mom took me to see him about her concerns, indicated Type 1 Diabetes. I had turned 10 years old the month before and life would never be the same again for me and my family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As I'm sure most of you reading this will already know the main symptoms/warning signs for Type 1 Diabetes are: feeling very thirsty all the time, producing excessive amounts of urine, tiredness and weight loss and muscle wasting. These symptoms happen because some or all of the glucose stays in your blood and it isn’t being used as fuel for energy. Your body then tries to reduce blood glucose levels by flushing the excess glucose out of the body in the urine. Type 1 Diabetes is when no insulin is produced at all because the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas have been destroyed. Nobody knows for sure why these cells have been damaged but the most likely cause is the body having an abnormal reaction to the cells. There is nothing that you can do to prevent Type 1 Diabetes. This type of Diabetes is always treated with insulin injections / insulin pump therapy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was the combination of all of those symptoms that alerted my Mom to the fact that something was clearly not right with me and so she took me to see our GP.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have several memories of how I felt before diagnosis, whilst the symptoms were taking hold of me. The extreme thirst is hard to describe - it's like you haven't had a drink for weeks....you could drink a litre of water and then half an hour later you need another and then another!!! I remember having to keep going out of lessons at school and taking gulp after gulp of water from the drinking fountain and then of course having to go out of lessons again to have a wee after all the water I was drinking. God knows what the teachers thought I was doing!!!! I can remember being so so tired, mainly I think, because I was up and down so many times to the toilet or to make more drinks during the night!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also remember losing my appetite and never feeling like eating anything. I would just push my food around my plate and try to get away with eating as little as possible at every meal....this of course lead to weight loss. Photos of me around that time are quite shocking in terms of how thin I actually was. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Other than the memory with my grandparents in the kitchen and my Mom on the phone, I dont </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">recall much more about the day I was actually admitted to hospital. I'm sure my Mom and Dad have much clearer memories of that than I do. I can picture the ward I was on and the bed I was in and the Diabetes Nurse who looked after me whilst I was there. He was called Martin, was really funny and was a Type 1 Diabetic himself. I suppose because he knew what it was like, he tried to make us newly diagnosed kids smile as much as possible!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The day after I was diagnosed and admitted to hospital was my brother, Daniel's 7th birthday. He was having a party at the local bowling alley and I wasn't allowed to go....gutted!!! I'd really been looking forward to burger and chips after the bowling!!!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUjIw4o3KnXwm3tCDlMDlenhmd-fJS-_YmGx4zNrR7An728NdGgn9v60S0IFDWm2OQhaiaYEEkBprFWuV8UZsmWXQHn91as74CQqq0DSx80QIiMgo36SY4ANE3-Mdzfu6yQszBlpz0aFf/s1600/orange.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUjIw4o3KnXwm3tCDlMDlenhmd-fJS-_YmGx4zNrR7An728NdGgn9v60S0IFDWm2OQhaiaYEEkBprFWuV8UZsmWXQHn91as74CQqq0DSx80QIiMgo36SY4ANE3-Mdzfu6yQszBlpz0aFf/s1600/orange.bmp" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana;">First injection - I'm not sure how many days I'd been in hospital when I had to do my first injection but I can remember being understandably very scared. I had always been absolutely petrified of needles so this really was my worst possible nightmare. I had seen a TV programme a few weeks before about a Diabetic girl and I remember thinking how awful it would be to have to inject myself every day and now there I was having to do exactly the same!!!! I've heard lots of people say they learned to do their injections into an orange before being 'let loose' on their own bodies but I didn't get to practice on any citrus fruit first, my first one was straight into my stomach!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were due to go on holiday just 3 weeks after I was diagnosed to Corfu, Greece. Being 10 I was really excited and didnt think too much about how scary a prospect it must have been for my parents to be taking their newly diagnosed Diabetic daughter abroad for two weeks!!!! Thinking about it now, I have no idea how they did it but we managed and had a great time. I wasn't restricted in doing anything and spent plenty of time in the pool having fun like a 'normal' 10 year old should!!! One memory is of eating a huge sugary do-nut and I'm sure my Mom, being so new to it all, must have been worried about what would happen to my sugars but as I was doing plenty of swimming it didnt seem to affect my levels!!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The worst hypo I can remember was at home, luckily. I collapsed on the stairs whilst I was holding a pile of Christmas presents that I was about to take in to school for my friends. I think I was about 11 or 12. My Dad ended up having to inject me with emergency Glucagon while we waited for the doctor to turn up. I was unconscious and couldn't swallow and so my Mom had to squirt Hypostop, as it was called at the time, into my mouth. Again, I'm sure this was much scarier for my parents than it was for me!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlW94x-gioFcZm1j8SEbckW64sHEAmvEOWTTggA5bFywFdEIKi7k7GjQBM0FzXKKcU2MtRMuH7rgyTWJfEa8bLd2qJNG5x1TqVBf2mHw_jtq5I_gtCjBJQodx7ILyv5euGXAwZ4IskMVWj/s1600/imagesCAKLGHBK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlW94x-gioFcZm1j8SEbckW64sHEAmvEOWTTggA5bFywFdEIKi7k7GjQBM0FzXKKcU2MtRMuH7rgyTWJfEa8bLd2qJNG5x1TqVBf2mHw_jtq5I_gtCjBJQodx7ILyv5euGXAwZ4IskMVWj/s1600/imagesCAKLGHBK.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glucagon Kit</span></em></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>What is Glucagon?</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glucagon is a hormone (like insulin) produced by the pancreas which opposes the action of insulin. It is administered as an injection and can be given beneath the skin, into muscle or into a vein. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glucagon is used in emergency situations for the treatment of serious hypo symptoms, including collapse and fitting and when the patient is unconscious. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glucagon causes blood glucose levels to rise within 10-60 minutes after an injection.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't really remember too much about what happened just after my diagnosis apart from when I went back to school I had a white box to take with me which I'd been allowed to customise with lots of stickers which had Hypostop, glucose tablets etc. in it and it was given to the staff to keep in the medical room and i remember feeling really lucky that I always got to eat a fun-size Mars bar or Bounty before PE lessons!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I haven't really got many memories of how we all adjusted to our new way of life. I suppose we, like all other families affected by Diabetes, just got on with it - what choice did we have!! I'm sure there was more to it than that for my Mom and other close family though.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thought of going to the hospital for a check up with my consultant always filled me with terror. I absolutely hated going there as a child. Not much changed when I got older and started to go to the adult clinic!!! By the time I was in my mid teens I had gone completely off the rails in terms of keeping on top of my diet and testing my blood sugars so every visit to the hospital meant a telling off. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My teens were a combination of denial, anger and frustration about Diabetes. I pretended I didnt have anything wrong with me. I didnt want to be different. I stopped testing my sugars and I ate huge amounts of chocolate, the evidence of which I kept hidden, or tried to. I won't go into all of it too much because that's a whole separate blog post for another time but I finally got the wake up call I so badly needed when I was diagnosed with Diabetic Retinopathy. This is damage to the retina (the ‘seeing’ part at the back of the eye) and is a complication that can affect anyone who has Diabetes. Retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness among people of working age in the UK. It scared me into finally sitting up and taking notice of my condition......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have gone from syringes and vials of insulin 20 years ago to cartridges of insulin in 'pens' with screw on needles, then disposable pens where the insulin was already inside with screw on needles and now I'm on an insulin pump. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Over the years I tried different types of insulin, different regimes, starting on 2 injections a day, going up to 4 a day, back to 2, back up to 4, eating healthy diets, cutting out all chocolate and sweet things and nothing seemed to work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now I have my pump, I can honestly say it is the best thing I have ever done. I do have bad days or moments with it when I hate being 'attached' to it but overall it has completely changed my life and most importantly my HbA1c has come down from 11.6% to 7.6% in under a year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There's always that fear in the back of my mind of what will happen in the future in terms of my eye sight and other complications that may arise but most of the time I try not to dwell on it too much. As long as I know I'm doing the best I can now then that's about as much as I can do!!! I do 100% regret neglecting my health so much during my teens but I can't turn back time no matter how much I want to so I just have to focus on the present and do my best. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the fairly near future we are hoping to start a family so it is essential that my HbA1c is as perfect as I can get it. I need to make sure I'm doing everything I possibly can to minimise the chances of birth defects and things going wrong during a pregnancy. I'm certainly on the right track with my HbA1c now so fingers and toes crossed that we get the healthy baby we want so much!!! :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now for the thank you's.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Firstly my Mom, of course, who has been there for all of it and put up with me and supported me when I was doing my very best to rebel against Diabetes. It's only now I have some sense of how awful it must have been to watch me neglect my health and I am truly sorry for putting my Mom through that!!! Thank you for being you and not giving up on me!!! xx</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gareth, my other half...we have been together almost 5 years and he has been fantastic all throughout our relationship, particularly when I made the decision to go ahead with getting an insulin pump. He has always shown a genuine interest in my condition and is behind me 100% and encourages me when I'm having a down day or when my sugars go haywire and I feel like giving up. He has been a superstar when I've been suffering with eye problems and laser treatments!!! I appreciate all that you do for me!!! Thank you xx </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My grandparents for always being there for me and ferrying me to and from hospital and doctors appointments over the years and for always giving me a kick up the bum when I needed it to get me back on track!!! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love you both!! xx</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other thank you's are for my brother Daniel, the rest of my family, my close friends, my work colleagues - all for putting up with me whinging and moaning and for always asking how I'm doing!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also, to all the people I have 'met'/been in touch with in the DOC (Diabetic Online Community)....you are all an inspriation to me, you support me and always pick me up when I feel like giving up!!!! Thank you all so much!!! xx</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's to the next 20 years!!!! ;o)</span><br />
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</div>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-4539132371976331662011-05-23T20:51:00.001+01:002011-05-23T20:54:45.134+01:00The 20 Year Anniversary Posts - 20 Emotions Involved / Things I feel about Diabetes<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today's list of 20 is about the huge range of emotions and feelings I have or have had towards Diabetes and the various challenges of living with the condition.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm sure pretty much everyone with Diabetes and/or parents of children with Diabetes has felt or thought these things about Diabetes regularly since their (or their loved ones') diagnosis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I don't think they need any explanation, they speak for themselves and if you have Diabetes / have a loved one with Diabetes you will know what I'm talking about and that you can feel these for lots of reasons and in lots of different situations, not just at diagnosis.....</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2wvjkPPfR6hyphenhyphenXuL0W46GCIHb7y3d8giSS6f6WYWrljY-1L7_QEPQ1Q58qteOW2ajuhnjbliKmq0fJv-q2tIJri1Mc8tOX5AuWKASGsBl7FZji7zoKtt57jsDl6VtjtwRwYoU1yiTfYEQ/s1600/angry.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2wvjkPPfR6hyphenhyphenXuL0W46GCIHb7y3d8giSS6f6WYWrljY-1L7_QEPQ1Q58qteOW2ajuhnjbliKmq0fJv-q2tIJri1Mc8tOX5AuWKASGsBl7FZji7zoKtt57jsDl6VtjtwRwYoU1yiTfYEQ/s1600/angry.bmp" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1.</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anger </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Confusion </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Sadness</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6Luvaike_RxwbwwnU8b4fKztg_xBAyZZ_tpu3qHWdsQF_Q9adZeMfWy-UyuT2iMOPssp6NvP1E2bfRfOyc5SzY2Zawlots0vvarGchwHu-bWAUMi_CSDfBtU3XzOpO6LbzeK4lIco46v/s1600/fitnesslines-depression1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6Luvaike_RxwbwwnU8b4fKztg_xBAyZZ_tpu3qHWdsQF_Q9adZeMfWy-UyuT2iMOPssp6NvP1E2bfRfOyc5SzY2Zawlots0vvarGchwHu-bWAUMi_CSDfBtU3XzOpO6LbzeK4lIco46v/s200/fitnesslines-depression1.jpg" width="138px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. Depression </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. Elation </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">10. Disappointment</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11. Different </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">12. Loneliness </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">13. Helpless</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSJNdjHchrxON2jJCES8GoryxNWYstdFpBjMpP8ZM1-0CtPWftaYlyySeoKN9TrzYxWYKbWxcpwt0GMj87AW3I91NcJYtMnnnUVaH52pDNpa1X42TIVPG4nl4lj02tQdqcF4BUtFQIYci/s1600/imagesCAAMG0PY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSJNdjHchrxON2jJCES8GoryxNWYstdFpBjMpP8ZM1-0CtPWftaYlyySeoKN9TrzYxWYKbWxcpwt0GMj87AW3I91NcJYtMnnnUVaH52pDNpa1X42TIVPG4nl4lj02tQdqcF4BUtFQIYci/s200/imagesCAAMG0PY.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">14. Denial </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">15. Grateful</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">16. Guilt</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">17. Regret</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoyLPMamqLWz1AP0_R7DoOxazIgwnmBmmXGokcNkbj3ifxn0dVGFrpbrEe1neaX0IGrumVSqf5Jgy7mshawPDmE6TnSjldtPNAHEJ9AOAjFIk_crEWVz_7cEx0wZTn3GZSDJjNMGCoetJ/s1600/lucky-lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoyLPMamqLWz1AP0_R7DoOxazIgwnmBmmXGokcNkbj3ifxn0dVGFrpbrEe1neaX0IGrumVSqf5Jgy7mshawPDmE6TnSjldtPNAHEJ9AOAjFIk_crEWVz_7cEx0wZTn3GZSDJjNMGCoetJ/s200/lucky-lady.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">18. Lucky </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">19. Defeated</span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20. Overwhelmed </span></div></span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-56486268275408226802011-05-22T22:10:00.000+01:002011-05-22T22:10:41.967+01:00The 20 Year Anniversary Posts - 20 Things I Hate About Diabetes<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20 things I hate about Diabetes - in no particular order!!!</span></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Blood stains on clothes after an injection - especially on a day when you're wearing a white top or you're in a rush to go out and have to quickly find something else to wear!!! Nothing major but its still an inconvenience!!! Finding blood smears on things when you think the finger you’ve just tested has stopped bleeding but its still going!!!!! Or when it's a hot day, you prick your finger and without even squeezing it the blood shoots out/up and sprays everywhere!!!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Nervousness before a HbA1c result - even when you know you've done your very best and have been 'good' there's still always that sense of nervousness before you get your HbA1c result!!!! (Then again I suppose that makes the sense of achievement even greater if the result is good or better than you were expecting!!!) </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Affect it has on family members and loved ones – I hate that Diabetes causes stress to my loved ones and that they have to worry about me!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Hypos and highs - Keeping your blood sugars on an even keel is so challenging and sometimes you get the extremes of a hypo (low blood suagr) or a hyper (high blood sugar). These extremes can be very scary for both the person with Diabetes and their loved ones. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxdQwJYbYlyo2Q0yICVfxFweyT29quXe3ZVPtMiSd4b2nxkUr4q6DAxqXymNty2EFTUF9Pz9pYuy_IEBLoGCNmxLcgJ29DfA_ScFZnAc8GkIWl1wyE43hHU66D3Kdb7JFGM09wO164T9y/s1600/bruise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxdQwJYbYlyo2Q0yICVfxFweyT29quXe3ZVPtMiSd4b2nxkUr4q6DAxqXymNty2EFTUF9Pz9pYuy_IEBLoGCNmxLcgJ29DfA_ScFZnAc8GkIWl1wyE43hHU66D3Kdb7JFGM09wO164T9y/s400/bruise.jpg" width="400px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>The bruise and the cause of it (infusion set)!!!!!!</em></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Bruising from an infusion set - Not much I can say about this one apart from "OUCH" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Being constantly attached to a “machine” - I had my pump last August and I will admit that even though I love it and appreciate that I'm lucky to have it, I do still have big issues from time to with feeling like a 'bionic woman' / robot with my pump attached to me!!! It's really not the most attractive look and not the greatest fashion statement I've ever made. I do sometimes look at it with a sense of hatred when it's on the side in the bathroom and I really feel like not re-connecting it after a shower etc. I guess that hatred is more about hating Diabetes as that is the reason I have to re-connect it, rather than hating the pump itself.....if thqt makes sense. I dont know if other people feel like that...I'd be interested to know how other pump users think. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. Carrying supplies everywhere - sometimes I'd just like to be able to carry a small bag around with me instead of what seems on occasions like a small suitcase!!!! He he :o)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChtx4Sslf5HLc5CyLn8e3FFsGWWe5lTesTq2w77IXciN79MGPVSsofS7otcM8noC-613x8BmWCUexPIf7Kk3tsgbrZG6scyfQFSlgXf9Ar9EcU8in2DeHvpHkeVpGBvQJVB8btz4oBXne/s1600/160044163_650a622042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChtx4Sslf5HLc5CyLn8e3FFsGWWe5lTesTq2w77IXciN79MGPVSsofS7otcM8noC-613x8BmWCUexPIf7Kk3tsgbrZG6scyfQFSlgXf9Ar9EcU8in2DeHvpHkeVpGBvQJVB8btz4oBXne/s200/160044163_650a622042.jpg" width="137px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. Endless appointments at hospitals, physio, dieticians, GP etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10. The devastating long term complications and the threat of what might happen in the future</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11. Not being able to eat a single thing without thinking about it first</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">12. The 24 / 7 / 365 of it all - It's a constant numbers game and you are always in pursuit of perfection. There's no break from it.....ever!!!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">13. Wondering what life would have been like without my constant companion</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">14. Depression.....that's a whole other blog post</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">15. Lack of awareness / incorrect reporting in the media / discrimination</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pvvVyHsbnJof0YUI5J7bvv6mfDAG0mqkx3hEvvO5cz_ZVl8R_9nYmsuIbKA9fUbEN52L4SkBV8VlJ932d6qQGlSfgafch0VYguXz0ECd4dYgrT4Clq9ovGyl1ElyDrcijfsgQnBAapj_/s1600/eddd0ce6-17c3-4224-45f0-acfcbee73bf0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7pvvVyHsbnJof0YUI5J7bvv6mfDAG0mqkx3hEvvO5cz_ZVl8R_9nYmsuIbKA9fUbEN52L4SkBV8VlJ932d6qQGlSfgafch0VYguXz0ECd4dYgrT4Clq9ovGyl1ElyDrcijfsgQnBAapj_/s200/eddd0ce6-17c3-4224-45f0-acfcbee73bf0.jpg" width="150px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">16. Pregnancy fears - I'm at the time in my life now where I want a family and I have been looking into Diabetes and pregnancy a lot....all I can say is its very scary!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">17. Unpredictability – even when you do everything right</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievYFweeWtmfv5tZJO3AsM4e94DFmyhSJRiyY7F0W0barp5MElmepvhoRrMIPbBsTNzXmD2OHHmK77EEQszgP-a61Irs4ZJS7S7tM7GyrMZUyNz8YgauNDa_U5okhur9WTlv-I0r1fvJXq/s1600/imagesCAZGG7KN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEievYFweeWtmfv5tZJO3AsM4e94DFmyhSJRiyY7F0W0barp5MElmepvhoRrMIPbBsTNzXmD2OHHmK77EEQszgP-a61Irs4ZJS7S7tM7GyrMZUyNz8YgauNDa_U5okhur9WTlv-I0r1fvJXq/s200/imagesCAZGG7KN.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">18. Seeing the blue candles light up as the Diabetic Online Community's (DOC) profile pictures on Facebook – This is an indication that there has been another tragic fatality caused by Type 1 Diabetes. We light the candles in memory of those who have died and their families.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw22Z2c4CTCGAPEEp4AxJlIJIPy3U2-e2QO3VXgck4S4UEQSEp_jl7d5aPYP51FrdszzK8TphhNtUABrlGpMaOUEw4WpkB7ZvnWWXt3wsaQ67VQD5VvuA-vwcnporI1nQZswq4GS4P9-Y/s1600/princ_rm_photo_of_gluclose_test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpw22Z2c4CTCGAPEEp4AxJlIJIPy3U2-e2QO3VXgck4S4UEQSEp_jl7d5aPYP51FrdszzK8TphhNtUABrlGpMaOUEw4WpkB7ZvnWWXt3wsaQ67VQD5VvuA-vwcnporI1nQZswq4GS4P9-Y/s200/princ_rm_photo_of_gluclose_test.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">19. Sore fingers / the “pepperpot” look that develops on your fingertips after years of testing / b</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">eing a human pin cushion….. forever!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20. Constantly trying to get the balance right for different situations - having to think before you do anything whereas other people just go ahead and do it!!! - how will the exercise I'm about to do affect me?, I'm feeling ill - will that affect my sugars?, I'm going for a 3 course meal - hows that going to affect my sugars? etc. etc. etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is obviously a pretty negative post - I actually think my list could be a hell of lot longer - but unfortunately that’s the way it is with Diabetes - there’s not really that much to love about it!!!</span><br />
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</div>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-22062582368725173462011-05-18T22:36:00.000+01:002011-05-18T22:36:05.694+01:00The 20 Year Anniversary Posts - 20 Essentials for a Diabetic - Part Two<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, here's part two of what I consider to be 20 essential things that you need to be able to cope with Type 1 Diabetes and all it can throw at you......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><strong>11. An Awareness of Long Term Complications</strong></em> - As well as the day to day aspects of living with Diabetes there are of course the long term complications of the condition that are always in the back of your mind. I will be the first to admit that I ignored the threat of some of these complications for a long time during my teens. I was told about them numerous times as a child and as a teenager but denial caused me to force them well and truly out of my thoughts</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Some of the long term complications are as follows:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)<br />
Nephropathy (Kidney Damage)</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
Retinopathy (Eye Damage)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The effects of these can be devastating, resulting in - in some cases - blindness, kidney failure and amputations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a young person it is very difficult to imagine 'the future', especially if you are a teenager with your whole life ahead of you and the consultant is telling you what can happen to you when you are 40 or 50......that's a lifetime away to a teen!!!! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1HOiH7PHxUyGsgy7EGmtRy5MgYZkoy0L3ZXbFAn22UMZxtB0YAm7P6as404N67pc5F4EarDHCj6cZaiQYe9WJvZDtsnj9e3GF6mlUSDrlMgzE8VU_-jzBQI76fJVlD8gYIw7iTSXQwTG/s1600/untitled+1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv1HOiH7PHxUyGsgy7EGmtRy5MgYZkoy0L3ZXbFAn22UMZxtB0YAm7P6as404N67pc5F4EarDHCj6cZaiQYe9WJvZDtsnj9e3GF6mlUSDrlMgzE8VU_-jzBQI76fJVlD8gYIw7iTSXQwTG/s320/untitled+1.bmp" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I now wish with all my heart that I had paid more attention and listened to what I was being told....it got to the point where my DSN at the time was threatening to take me to a Diabetes ward at our local hospital to see what could happen if I didnt sort myself out. It didnt come to that in the end as I was diagnosed with Diabetic Retinopathy and that gave me the harsh wake up call I needed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think it is essential that all Diabetics know about the long term complications of the condition and unfortunately this may involve shock tactics in some cases. If I hadnt been diagnosed with Retinopathy I think the only thing that would have made me sort myself out was seeing some of the horrors of what Diabetes can do if you dont pay attention to the disease. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did end up in hospital a couple of times, staying on a Diabetes ward, due to repeated UTI's and if I hadn't already started to take control of my Diabetes following my Retinopathy diagnosis, then these spells in hospital with older ladies who were going blind, had kidney failure and nerve damage to their stomachs and intestines, would certainly have shocked me into changing - it was extremely upsetting and made me wonder what damage I may have already done and whether it was too late to reverse that damage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm not saying shock tactics would be appropriate in all cases and I know not all teens rebel against their Diabetes but I can speak from experience when I say that complications can and will happen to you if you don't take good care of yourself and do your very best to keep your sugars under control and it's no good thinking they won't so always keep them in your somewhere in your mind.....even if it's right at the back most of the time!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChLctcQvPRUnolTr3tuOQNiws_LNKdboAQP20hE5hPFXLLcEEOHNUna45GMXWSsBvYDg8PUScyMJaCcOpnxB2wiDi3xmrMAdKVmXgfSJZH4gelV2aC1V4aS5jjoPqIeole2CtndoWsOQ-/s1600/rosacea_diary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChLctcQvPRUnolTr3tuOQNiws_LNKdboAQP20hE5hPFXLLcEEOHNUna45GMXWSsBvYDg8PUScyMJaCcOpnxB2wiDi3xmrMAdKVmXgfSJZH4gelV2aC1V4aS5jjoPqIeole2CtndoWsOQ-/s200/rosacea_diary.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>12. A Diary </em></strong>- It doesn't have to be an old fashioned paper diary or calendar, it can be of the modern, electronic variety but I would certainly be lost without some way of making a note of all the appointments I have to attend......GP, hospital, consultant, DSN, physio, neurology, dietician, eye infirmary, laser surgery.....the list can sometimes seem endless!!!! </span><br />
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</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogUgV99xFzFTaKjfyf-iL2hfsargIOP8OwPm3KOR6TaVHy3CybDmxMrUGZBr-rO_V3uZCSiNh7rMRdToWmCA2lbZPnRNlSDd-q-A7_HK8isGhU2Svg2U7qO-MGCSeZM_wXQJkkNZTmTWz/s1600/untitledbrain.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiogUgV99xFzFTaKjfyf-iL2hfsargIOP8OwPm3KOR6TaVHy3CybDmxMrUGZBr-rO_V3uZCSiNh7rMRdToWmCA2lbZPnRNlSDd-q-A7_HK8isGhU2Svg2U7qO-MGCSeZM_wXQJkkNZTmTWz/s1600/untitledbrain.bmp" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>13. Great Memory</em></strong> – For remembering the carb values of different foods, remembering to make sure you have the necessary supplies / spares / snacks with you at all times, remembering to make sure you have enough supplies/medications and to get your repeat prescription sorted, remembering to test your blood sugar, remembering the glycemic index of foods and so on......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><strong>14. Organisational Skills</strong></em> - I have already kind of covered this one by talking about using a diary and remembering various things but you really do have to be organised and have the ability to multi task. It's sometimes difficult and can get overwhelming to keep up the juggling act that is Diabetes but the only way to keep all the balls in the air and keep on track is to get super organised.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><strong>15. Storage Space</strong></em> - Diabetics come with a huge array of 'stuff' and of course all of this 'stuff' has to go somewhere!!! The fridge of a Diabetic has a space reserved for vials of insulin / insulin pens and emergency Glucagon injections.....a cupboard or a large draw has to be dedicated to all things Diabetes.....blood testing strips and lancets, yellow sharps boxes, infusion sets, reservoirs, wipes for removing the sticky from infusion sets, glucose tablets, tablets for various Diabetes related ailments etc. etc.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_wlOo6vMxvMO8fuoxRuC5D9N-dFZIYMVdg0r3fK2kagHvYb8x7epYjtb7BuRnjaNcw6ZfJA-8_NORMB1o-wPp7CEPM5DllZ83jfcB2XKdzxfOSMRKsi3ewPKDZe-FlSzfPLXLuIl6z8Q/s1600/411302456v3_225x225_Front_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_wlOo6vMxvMO8fuoxRuC5D9N-dFZIYMVdg0r3fK2kagHvYb8x7epYjtb7BuRnjaNcw6ZfJA-8_NORMB1o-wPp7CEPM5DllZ83jfcB2XKdzxfOSMRKsi3ewPKDZe-FlSzfPLXLuIl6z8Q/s320/411302456v3_225x225_Front_thumb.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>16. Standard Come Backs/Ability to 'Bite Your Tongue'</em></strong> - Sometimes it can get frustrating when people say things like "Can you eat that if you'</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">re Diabetic?" or "You must have eaten loads of sweets when you were little to get Diabetes?" or "It could be worse couldnt it?".......It can be quite useful to have some standard lines to come back with - these can vary depending on your mood at the time!!! :o) I would tend to be quite sarcastic and say something along the lines of "Yes, you're right, my Mom fed me on a diet of only full fat coke and mars bars until the age of 10". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>17. Self Awareness</em></strong> - Over the years you will get to know your body and how your sugar levels are affected by different foods, exercise, illness, stress, periods etc. etc. - Of course sometimes no amount of practice and experience can second guess Diabetes and it can throw you totally off guard and do the total opposite of what you expect!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>18. Ability to Pick Yourself Up</em></strong> and start again when you’ve had a bad day / high sugar level / hypo / higher than expected HbA1c result or when things just dont go as you expected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>19. Trust</em></strong> in your family and friends to be aware of hypo symptoms and to know what to do in an emergency, trust in the medical profession and trust in yourself in knowing what to do in certain situations and to trust your instincts/what ur body is telling you.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyuzDqvuCu6232gl-pmwBBWNr-tYOtEM0x3UQng0loF76lspC1b4tiQBcqsl9HSHs7cVrgwOTavwwZBHmsPp9Jherz7QOSY3ssg8Dj2_dmy3mvKxI4RBemmoyRHJB1TFvJ277gydn0re6/s1600/imagesCAXB78HE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyuzDqvuCu6232gl-pmwBBWNr-tYOtEM0x3UQng0loF76lspC1b4tiQBcqsl9HSHs7cVrgwOTavwwZBHmsPp9Jherz7QOSY3ssg8Dj2_dmy3mvKxI4RBemmoyRHJB1TFvJ277gydn0re6/s320/imagesCAXB78HE.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>20.</em></strong> <strong><em>Courage </em></strong>- It takes courage to do your first injection, it takes courage to do your first blood test, it takes courage to do your first infusion set change, parents of Diabetic kids need courage to do these things to their children when they are too young to do it themselves and it takes courage to watch your loved ones do these things to themselves. It also takes courage to carry on doing these things time and time again when sometimes the last thing you want to do is stick a needle in yourself or walk around with a 'contraption' (insulin pump) attached to your body. No matter how many years you have had Diabetes, I truly believe that every single injection, blood test, infusion set change takes courage. You tell yourself and others "Oh you just get used to it" but I dont believe you ever really fully get used to it. - even after 20 years despite the fact that I just get on with it because I know I have to, I'm not "used to it" and never will be. Diabetes is a constant challenge and is always there on our backs to try and catch us out - we can only beat it with courage......and plenty of it. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-52309603759157325712011-05-17T21:34:00.001+01:002011-05-17T21:38:41.116+01:00The 20 Year Anniversary Posts - 20 Essentials for a Diabetic - Part One<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbn8ADfaxirZMmxdsb5cuWiRnNXtwIL6StdD2tVfMwQQUB-8V1WUv_OAwhvZG1Ex6MhXUmkRF1QQYQRxXikrh9kUikNxzETXcxzAkpxqa7XKBqneDT3nAkXzXc5_FKM_52mys_uV_twO5a/s1600/imagesCATXWXOF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbn8ADfaxirZMmxdsb5cuWiRnNXtwIL6StdD2tVfMwQQUB-8V1WUv_OAwhvZG1Ex6MhXUmkRF1QQYQRxXikrh9kUikNxzETXcxzAkpxqa7XKBqneDT3nAkXzXc5_FKM_52mys_uV_twO5a/s1600/imagesCATXWXOF.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span>Thought I'd try and stick with the 'twenty' theme for a few of my anniversary posts so here's the first list of 20 'D-related' things - Essentials for a Diabetic or a for Parent of a Child with Diabetes - some of the medication related ones are really obvious but others are more about some of the qualities that I think you need to cope on a daily basis!!!</span></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><strong> </strong></em></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><strong>1. Insulin</strong></em> - like I said, it's a really obvious one but this has got to be top of the list of essentials for a Type 1 Diabetic.....for those that don't know, <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. This is because your pancreas does not produce any insulin. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Type 1 Diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Diabetes UK's website describes the way insulin works as follows: Insulin is the key that unlocks the door to the body’s cells. Once the door is unlocked glucose can enter the cells where it is used as fuel. In Type 1 diabetes the body is unable to produce any insulin so there is no key to unlock the door and the glucose builds up in the blood.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Nobody knows for sure why these insulin-producing cells have been destroyed but the most likely cause is the body having an abnormal reaction to the cells. This may be triggered by a virus or other infection. Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age but usually appears before the age of 40, and especially in childhood.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em></em></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">R.I.P Pancreas</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>2. Support</em></strong> <strong>-</strong> A Person with Diabetes (PWD) cannot possibly get through all the trials and tribulations that this life-long disease brings without a great deal of support from various sources. </span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>3. Patience - </em></strong>Diabetes is challenging to put it mildly - You don't always get it right and things don't always go the way you expect them to blood sugar wise so having patience is essential in order to keep you sane!!! Basal testing can seem tedious and frustrating, sitting in hospital and doctors waiting rooms is boring, waiting to hear about insulin pump funding, hearing the media report things that are incorrect or that don't give the full picture, being confronted with discrimination in the workplace/school/life in general, having people say things like "It could be worse" or "You can't eat that can you?" ......these are just a few other D-related situations where you may require plenty of patience!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>4. Family and Friends - </em></strong>I guess this comes under the heading of 'support' but I truly believe that without fantastic family I wouldn't get through the 24/7 of it all. Family and friends certainly have to put up with a lot, especially close family who see you go through it all every single day and have to put up with the tears, tantrums, frustrations, attend appointments, see scary hypos and hypers etc. etc. but they are also there to share the good HbA1c results and the happiness when things are going right!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>5. The Medical Profession</em></strong> - Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSN), consultants, dieticians and all the other members of the medical profession that we come into contact with over the years are essential cogs in the machine!!! I have the support of a great team but I realise that this is not always the case so I know I am very lucky.</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOgJf-tKgWSpSOW80ytkGdYjPQceeCIVMXGlJlji1UdB80SIg-Es4z0dvfV9zQpLcfso7hUUFDT09I0XzQNZpzr6VwpXuNxZhKkDHpeu0Gt6q8DKLx6s3Yer4soQQYLIYVe8Hb-icVASK/s1600/untitledbbbb.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOgJf-tKgWSpSOW80ytkGdYjPQceeCIVMXGlJlji1UdB80SIg-Es4z0dvfV9zQpLcfso7hUUFDT09I0XzQNZpzr6VwpXuNxZhKkDHpeu0Gt6q8DKLx6s3Yer4soQQYLIYVe8Hb-icVASK/s200/untitledbbbb.bmp" width="200px" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>6. Sense of Humour - </em></strong>Diabetes is a constant roller coaster ride and a good sense of humour is essential for dealing with the ups and downs. You have to laugh and try and see the positives otherwise you'd end up in tears all the time!!! There are a great deal of negative things about Diabetes so its important to smile about all the small triumphs and grin every time you win the tiniest of battles against it.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>7. Blood Testing Kit - </em></strong>These little gadgets enable a Diabetic to see exactly whats going on with their blood sugar levels at any given time. There are numerous types of test meter and I'm sure most PWD's have tried lots of different ones and probably even have a few spares at the back of a cupboard!! It would be very difficult to guess at how many times a Diabetic has to prick their finger, squeeze out a drop of the red stuff and transfer it onto a test strip during their lifetime but its a hell of a lot. My blood testing meter (along with my pump) is now my best friend and is always with me. I went through a long period of time when I left my kit in a draw and only took it out occasionally to write a few fake results in my monitoring diary. That time in my life seems so long ago now and I cant believe I was so irresponsible. Now I do at least 4 tests every day and the information helps me to keep things on an even keel and provides data on what certain foods and activities do to my sugar levels.</span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>8. Glucose Tablets - </em></strong>Not nice (I can only describe it as similar to eating chalk) but essential for treating hypos quickly and effectively!!! I currently use raspberry flavoured Glucotabs which are not great but are certainly the best of a bad bunch!!! I'll bet if you look round the houses of people with Diabetes you will find plenty of tubs / packets of glucose tablets!!! I have them in the kitchen, in the draw of my bedside table, in almost every bag that I own, in our car and in my desk at work!!! </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>9. Strength</em></strong> - This is something that I bet most Diabetics / parents of Diabetics don't even think about because we all just 'get on with it' but if you do sit down and have a proper think about it all and what we put up with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year then it will soon dawn on you that we are all incredibly strong. This strength comes from inside us but also we draw on the strength of those around us to get us through it all. When we are having a bad day or feeling down we can always rely on other Diabetics or family and friends to bring us back up to full strength again!!!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRLbLPCYheamhu8I8xqF5WjvJSG3cnhBQeutT9dcEx4amhK9_K2N0mG2XydKj7nVenL8A4E2v0SXehkPznEgmLQWGBVzHEisWYtKDPJ2hFdRhfO-XHzucmEL4eedfzMHfgI2HzXWuYCy6/s1600/wonderwoman.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIRLbLPCYheamhu8I8xqF5WjvJSG3cnhBQeutT9dcEx4amhK9_K2N0mG2XydKj7nVenL8A4E2v0SXehkPznEgmLQWGBVzHEisWYtKDPJ2hFdRhfO-XHzucmEL4eedfzMHfgI2HzXWuYCy6/s1600/wonderwoman.bmp" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><em>10. Diabetic Online Community (DOC) - </em></strong>As most of you will know, I spent a long period of time throughout my teens in denial and trying to ignore my condition. Since I saw the light and decided to pull myself together I have discovered the DOC. I have already referred to family and friends and the strength we can draw from them when we are feeling down but the DOC is an invaluable source of support, advice and friendship. I have made lots of friends in the DOC since starting my blog and since deciding to pay attention to my Diabetes. No question is too silly, no moan is too much for people in the DOC and no matter how you feel you can always rely on someone to know exactly how you are feeling and there is always someone there to bring you back on track and put a smile on your face!!! I can honestly say I would be lost without the DOC and only wish I'd found it sooner!!! </span><br />
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<em>Essentials 11 to 20 to follow....... :o)</em></span></div>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-52525974700490937982011-05-16T20:15:00.002+01:002011-05-16T20:24:29.602+01:00The 20 Year Anniversary Posts - My Mom's Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>As some of you will know the 24th of this month marks 20 years since the day I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. </em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>I had planned to do a charity skydive for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to celebrate the occasion but as I've been diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome my GP refused to sign my medical consent form so instead I've gone for the slightly less exciting option of doing a series of blog posts about my diagnosis and what's happened since then.</em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>The first post is by my wonderful Mom, Lynda........ x</em></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgT6PH2rmV9PJeN3M4dXGigDwPFvnP2pd1U1qq6b-Okj0VpLRmyv9rsi5e9gXRNhjGeYvbqJmyqksLD9jYcivRlgFK1rTrxMCN7Y__LE_xb1drIragA87bw0h5RPCYmOUYbJ0pixe7sCc/s1600/imagesCAI5OPI0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgT6PH2rmV9PJeN3M4dXGigDwPFvnP2pd1U1qq6b-Okj0VpLRmyv9rsi5e9gXRNhjGeYvbqJmyqksLD9jYcivRlgFK1rTrxMCN7Y__LE_xb1drIragA87bw0h5RPCYmOUYbJ0pixe7sCc/s320/imagesCAI5OPI0.jpg" width="320px" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>24th May 1991</strong> - The question I was dreading - <em>"I won't have to have an injection will I?".</em> We were on our way to hospital to have the GP's diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes confirmed.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do you explain to your 10 year old daughter that she would have to inject herself for the rest of her life?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rebecca had always been terrified of injections since being in and out of hosptial with asthma attacks since the age of 4 - any attempt to take blood was an absolute nightmare!</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had suspected Diabetes when Bec developed an incredible thirst and was up constantly in the night to go to the loo, she had also lost a lot of weight which I had originally put down to her age and possibly losing "puppy fat" (let me make it clear that she was NOT fat to start with - is that OK Bec?!!) ;o)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She (we) spent 3 days in hospital, it was her Grandpa's birthday that day and her brother Daniel's birthday the following day so she missed both of these events. It was also a Bank Holiday weekend and not much information/help was available as the Children's Diabetic Centre was closed for the holiday.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Luckily the nurse who looked after Rebecca was Diabetic himself and he was a great help - he even had a hypo whilst on duty and came to ask Rebecca what he should do!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bec learned how to inject herself and I was so proud as she made no fuss and just got on with it. her Dad and I had to learn how to inject too of course but to this day that is the only injection I have ever had to do as Bec has done it all herself.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bec learned how to inject herself and I was so proud as she made no fuss and just got on with it. Her Dad and I had to learn how to inject too of course but to this day that is the only injection I have ever had to do as Bec has done it all herself.</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2-jXCTch5zYNcfkQguTwYvymzjgfBHYJ1cA173b2IGfjk3ZkDCOK0b59AIhj2HZ2rU-P2de4_ANlySooTS-d6U7LTYJOKDozrqpwFBmYMjfvHo1GbJNmv012n5xVCMGKM2mh1JJfofwL/s1600/imagesCAMPEIGZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2-jXCTch5zYNcfkQguTwYvymzjgfBHYJ1cA173b2IGfjk3ZkDCOK0b59AIhj2HZ2rU-P2de4_ANlySooTS-d6U7LTYJOKDozrqpwFBmYMjfvHo1GbJNmv012n5xVCMGKM2mh1JJfofwL/s1600/imagesCAMPEIGZ.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdmC9TLJVD19HyRGW_YtACZ_7IlaxcELrhC9F4BNasAhCkT3HK3TBlfOxvzAFjCpkwzojI-2Bu3VhY4_PfgOiXni1oJOh_vucXBQRPRxo9mCo5MuixHZrCY8BjHXxSdoCJJ2OnFw-d0aJ/s1600/imagesCAMPEIGZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had a huge amount to learn and spent hours at the supermarket reading all the ingredients on packets and tins - it was ridiculous but we were so frightened about getting it wrong!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Diabetes comes with an amazing amount of "stuff" which fills cupboards and fridges - syringes (in those days), insulin, blood testing monitor and strips, Glucagon etc. etc. and one person's comment of <em>"Oh well you can control that can't you?"</em> still fills me with rage - You try it!!!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Life continued and we had great support from the diabetic team at our local hospital - Consultant, Janet Anderson and DSN, Gill Salt in particular but Diabetes is constantly there however much you try to carry on as normal.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then Rebecca became a TEENAGER and denial set in! She became less dependant on me and it was difficult to monitor her eating habits when she wasn't at home (and even when she was to be honest!).</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She wasn't monitoring her blood sugars regularly and found it hard to be different from her friends.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chocolate became almost an addiction and I would find sweet wrappers hidden in her room (yes - I did search her room). On several occasions I filled a carrier bag with them!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It was a constant battle and no amount of reasoning, shouting, crying or pleading made any difference - I could do nothing and it hurt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have always wished it had been me and not Rebecca with Diabetes but no more than at this time. She should have been free to be a teenager and not have to cope with this horrible condition.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>20 Years On........</strong></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rebecca has now finally realised what having Diabetes means to her health and is doing her best to turn this around - she has written about all the problems she has so I won't go into that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She knows she cannot turn the closck back and undo the damage but is working hard to improve things and got funding for an insulin pump in August 2010.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She has adapted to this amazingly well and although it is not ideal to have something permanently attached it does seem to have had a positive effect on her blood sugars and her HbA1c is coming down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think the Diabetic Online Community (DOC) and her blog have helped her enormously - so thank you to all of you out there who have been supporting her.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While I am doing "thank you's" - feels like an award ceremony! - Thank you also to my wonderful parents for always being there and running Bec to hospital appointments etc. when needed, it helps a lot!!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also to her partner, Gareth, who has also been a big support particularly when she was agonising about whether to go for the pump or not.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think Poppy and Daisy (her 2 adorable Bichon Frise's) deserve a mention as it's impossible to be down with them around!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And finally.........Diabetes is only a small part of you Bec, I'm so proud of you and love you very much. xxxxxxxxxxxx</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P.S. - New York City here we come - Let's hope we have no problems getting through customs with your pump!!!!! He he!!! ;o)</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Me, Rebecca, Poppy and Daisy</span></em></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKRTuxT-1RyqfLQ2lsiUoDQLAeaQjNx9dCfIX-dcK7bvr3LmvKtslO2ovGgak_2mTDmSAOqzKWhc4g3nhvSDEDwtO8oFb4E7avWzUkDRz_6MWD5psioWQjuVrPKuAleQeSWimxYrnQUan/s320/Brunch+%2540+Moms+16.04+%252844%2529.JPG" width="320px" /></span></div><br />
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</div><div align="left"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></div></div><div align="center" style="text-align: left;"></div>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-11984179508487147422011-02-02T20:53:00.000+00:002011-02-02T20:53:44.756+00:00Getting back on the right track......<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWF6bOEiNb_Ypb-3mi8mmlfz4vvFzdxbM0dwWyAPMj_1IGIDwIGgyov2T3FBks4TlkgL9bBPQyQNXUQDXYFIEmSgQHueqk6FJrn35VWzan3lS4JJrTBuwRccFz5C63c-GQSPoOob2aNM1/s1600/yhst-97718449268349_2140_13197597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="154" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWF6bOEiNb_Ypb-3mi8mmlfz4vvFzdxbM0dwWyAPMj_1IGIDwIGgyov2T3FBks4TlkgL9bBPQyQNXUQDXYFIEmSgQHueqk6FJrn35VWzan3lS4JJrTBuwRccFz5C63c-GQSPoOob2aNM1/s200/yhst-97718449268349_2140_13197597.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another update style blog to get up to speed with things that have happened since my last proper post in November.......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I got my HbA1c result that had been taken on 11th November.....it had gone up slightly (as I had predicted it would) from 8.1% to 8.3%. I have to say I was a bit disappointed, even though I had known it was going to have gone up. My DSN didnt seem to be too concerned though and it made me determined to get it below 8% next time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Diabetes UK Santa Dash - Sutton Coldfield</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My other half, Gareth, my brother, Daniel and my step-brother, Simon all raised money for Diabetes UK by taking part in a 'Santa Dash' on 5th December 2010. I'm not really the running-type so I just did my bit by supporting them at the start and finish lines!!! It was a lovely day, very cold and icy but really sunny with blue skies. Everyone taking part got a Santa suit to wear - they weren't great quality so there was plenty of giggling when the boys put them on - there were belts breaking, trousers looking less than flattering and beard fluff flying about all over the place!!! Anyway, in the end there were around 200 Santa's milling around at the start line and to get everyone in the mood some of the Diabetes UK people did a warm up so there were a couple of hundred Santa's ranging from about 3 years old to 50 years old doing star jumps in the middle of a park.....it was certainly a sight you dont see every day!!! </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhEocvCRJm3snf6qKWjo7Srv6um_GW0xxgalc9nEMyOh5oabFKd0PF_rM-K3nvz7T6tfIzmFoiNv2n2Z5-zFy-oLAE20mTnLPvzVst6Q7LWlE4xjuY6jmG3LaMtoua7O8YBSBpyMxtCbt/s1600/DSC03423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhEocvCRJm3snf6qKWjo7Srv6um_GW0xxgalc9nEMyOh5oabFKd0PF_rM-K3nvz7T6tfIzmFoiNv2n2Z5-zFy-oLAE20mTnLPvzVst6Q7LWlE4xjuY6jmG3LaMtoua7O8YBSBpyMxtCbt/s320/DSC03423.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There are plenty more pictures and a video on my Facebook page on the following links:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=301736&id=598130812">http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=301736&id=598130812</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=108968282511539&id=100001017402090&notif_t=feed_comment_reply#!/video/video.php?v=10150095141665813">http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=108968282511539&id=100001017402090&notif_t=feed_comment_reply#!/video/video.php?v=10150095141665813</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyway, the boys all did me proud and they did brilliantly to even get round the route without injuring themselves - there were people skidding and sliding all over the place due to the ice!!! They helped to raise money for a great cause which is obviously very close to me heart so thank you boys!!! :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>2011 Fundraising Challenge</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I had been wondering for a while what I should do for the 20 year anniversary of my diagnosis or whether I should do anything at all....then I was inspired by Siobhan Murphy, a fellow Diabetic who had put a status on Facebook asking for people to take part in a skydive with her!!! I had always thought people who did skydives were slightly insane but when I read that status I suddenly felt excited and had an adrenaline rush and thought "Yes!!!!!!!!! Thats perfect, I can do that as a great way to mark my 20th anniversary". So since then I have been set on doing a skydive to raise money for JDRF. It will be my 30th birthday on 16th April and my 20 year Diabetes Anniversary on 24th May so I think a skydive will be a really exciting thing to do for both of those reasons. I had decided to book it for the middle of July this year to give me time to raise plenty of sponsor money and also so that, fingers crossed, the weather wil be half decent. Before you can book you have to get a medical form signed by a doctor (if you are over 40 or if you have a number of medical conditions - Diabetes being one of them) so I went to get my form signed last week......Gutted!! My doctor wouldnt sign it at the moment as I have something wrong with my hands and wrists and he has said that its not a good idea to book it until I get a diagnosis for whatever is wrong!!!!! I'm really disappointed but I understand why he has said no for now and I am still 100% determined to do my skydive so watch this space!!!! ;o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Christmas Weight!!!</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Well, Christmas was a bit of a disaster food wise - as I'm sure it was for a lot of people!!! I ate and ate and ate and used my pump to compensate for all the sweet treats I was enjoying!!! Then came all the talk of post-Christmas diets and adverts on TV etc. so I took the plunge and weighed myself - bad idea!!! The scales screamed at me to get off them and I was shocked at the numbers I saw - I genuinely didnt think it had got so bad!!!! Anyway, that was the turning point and I decided to go back onto the Slimming World diet which I have tried before. I started the diet on 10th January and to date I have lost 4 lbs. I wanted to have lost more by now but after seeing my DSN last week I'm happier with 4 lbs as she said I should be looking at losing half a pound or 1 pound per week to do it healthily. I have had quite a lot of hypos since starting the diet but I think thats down to the fact that as Im eating less carbs I need to adjust my basal rates - after discussing it with my DSN I'm going to do a series of basal tests to figure out whats going on at different times of the day and night so I can make the proper adjustments and then hopefully stop so many hypos!!! I've had a few wobbles in the last week where I havent stuck exactly to the plan but I am determined to stick at it :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Hands</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Just before Christmas I started noticing that I was getting pains in my hands and waking up with pins and needles during the night and also in the morning. I have also been getting increased stiffness in my fingers (I've had stiff fingers and hands for as long as I can remember which I had put down to 'Diabetic Stiff Hand Syndrome' - not being able to press fingers together in a 'prayer sign'). You can find out more about this and other musculoskeletal conditions related to Diabetes on the link below (Diabetes UK website):</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Other_associated_conditions/Musculoskeletal_Conditions/">http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Other_associated_conditions/Musculoskeletal_Conditions/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyway, the symptoms have got steadily worse with me also getting tightness in my wrists and feelings of a 'dead arm' and feeling like I need to 'click' the bones in my fingers (hope that makes sense). I went to the doctors and he is more r less convinced that its Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which I had already read is more common in Diabetics, but he wants to rule out other things first such as Diabetic Neuropathy, vitamin deficiencies and thyroid problems so he has referred me to the hospital to see a neurologist for nerve conduction tests which wil test for neuropathy and also I have had a blood test to find out if I have any vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems. I get the results of the blood test tomorrow. I am really hoping that its not the start of neuropathy so got everything crossed. If it is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome there are a number of treatments to try including wearing wrist splints at night, steroid injections and surgery. The pain, stiffness and tightness is always worse first thing in the morning and in the evening and its also causing discomfort during the day at work so I'm hoping that something can be done to start treating it pretty soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Happy HbA1c</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As you will know from my post last week I had my HbA1c done again and it has come down from 8.3% to 7.8% which I am elated about. I really thought it would have gone up due to poor diet over Christmas so I couldnt believe it when the result flashed up on the screen!!!! Next time I want it to be well under 7.0% so I'm working extra hard to achieve it!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>Bleed</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have also had another bleed in the back of my eye due to the retinopathy. It was very very scary and happened late at night when I sat up in bed to turn the light off - one second I was fine, the next second this dark red 'blob' appeared in my vision in my right eye - needless to say I didnt sleep very well that night!!! It resulted in a trip to A+E and the eye infirmary the next day to get it checked out. Apparently I will get these bleeds from time to time and as long as they are small and dont affect my whole vision they should go away on their own in a day or two. If my vision gets completely blurred or I get a bleed which covers my whole vision I need to go back straight away. They said I dont need anymore laser treatment at the moment which is good news!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As always, lots of things going on in my 'Diabetes World' but I think thats quite enough for one blog post....</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-7198121611200638992011-01-27T17:44:00.000+00:002011-01-27T17:44:24.024+00:00Happy HbA1c<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's a very brief post for my first one in about 2 months but I need to work myself back into blogging nice and slowly!!! :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Went to the insulin pump clinic today and had my HbA1c done.....Was expecting a slight rise since my last one in November which was 8.3% but I was in for a pleasant surprise when the machine beeped and it said...... <strong><u>7.8%</u></strong>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I cant remember ever having a result that good!!!! Last April, when I started on my insulin pump journey, my HbA1c was 11.6% so I've made quite a lot of progress since then. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My DSN was really pleased too, so much so that she asked me if I wanted to take a photo of the result!!!! ha ha!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next time I'm aiming for below 7.0%</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wooooo hooooo!!!!! I'm SO pleased that the hard work is paying off!!!</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-18627092110849219422010-11-23T21:27:00.000+00:002010-11-23T21:27:42.509+00:00Back to Blogging.......Finally!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwNwLfePCoBFAz0S3lMyDHyEYhtnxI2d1SlG2SNXOPvXUawx4vwYyy7MAMNpt9fZj7QxHFvHOr2CAMa0pFSX2tp9wywTm9tCbFyu1UES7kbIw6UD2I70MpV6S-h0cdWVKiluo7Biar4vv/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXwNwLfePCoBFAz0S3lMyDHyEYhtnxI2d1SlG2SNXOPvXUawx4vwYyy7MAMNpt9fZj7QxHFvHOr2CAMa0pFSX2tp9wywTm9tCbFyu1UES7kbIw6UD2I70MpV6S-h0cdWVKiluo7Biar4vv/s320/images.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been a while, but I'm finally returning to my blog........</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been just over 2 months since I last blogged so it's about time I stopped neglecting it. I enjoyed (and needed) the break from it I must admit but over the last couple of weeks I've been feeling the occasional urge to get back to the world of blogging.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time to press the rewind button.......</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My last post was all about the laser treatment (for Diabetic Retinopathy) that I had had on 31st August, which I had thought was going to be my last one for a while. Anyway, it turned out that I needed to have one more session so off I went back to the Eye Infirmary on 4th October for approx 1200 laser burns in my left eye and I was told that the next time I have to go in it will just be for a check up in 3 months time which was fantastic news. I'm really hoping that at the check up things will have stayed stable due to having better sugar levels since being on the pump!!! Fingers (and toes) crossed!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So, what else has happened since my last post.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We (me, Gareth and our 2 pooches, Poppy and Daisy) took part in one of Diabetes UK's Walk the Extra Mile events at the Lickey Hills Country Park on Sunday 12th September. I'd like to say a <strong>HUGE</strong> thank you to everyone who sponsored us. We managed to raise £248.00 in total which I was really pleased with and it's more than I have raised in the other years that I have done the walk. Next year I want to try and get up to at least £300.00 if possible. The weather was lovely and we had great fun, in fact I think the dogs enjoyed it way more than us!! I posted some photos on my Facebook page which you can see if you click on the link below:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1462007632199&id=1293715580#!/album.php?aid=280099&id=598130812">http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1462007632199&id=1293715580#!/album.php?aid=280099&id=598130812</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now onto the most important part......the pump!!! I've now been 'attached' to Posy for 3 and a half months and I have to say its the best thing I ever did. Ok, so I've had some 'moments' (like yesterday for example) where I've wanted to rip the damn thing out and throw it against a wall but 99% of the time I'm very very happy with it and the results I've seen. When I started carb countng (in April) in preparation for going on the pump my HbA1c was 11.6 (horrendous I know), it had dropped to 8.8 in July and in September it had dropped a little bit more to 8.1 so although its not perfect yet, I'm certainly getting there!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I've had a few scary moments with the pump such as infusion sets popping out of their own accord and a "no delivery" alarm during the night which sent my blood sugar up to 33. I've had a few 'wobbles' about being constantly attached to a contraption forever, like when I'm in the shower and I see the pump sitting there on the side waiting for me to re-connect myself to it, but these moments soon pass and I just re-connect and carry on!!! I've also had a few instances where when changing the infusion set and priming the tubing the drops of insulin get onto the paper on top of the sticky bit and this then makes the sticky bit become unsticky - hope that makes sense!! It's quite frustrating when this happens, especially if I'm getting ready for work in a morning and I'm in a bit of a rush because it means starting again!!!! I use 'Mio' infusion sets so this might not happen with other types. However, one of my friends in the D.O.C. suggested a solution which I'm going to try tomorrow morning when I do a set change (hold the set upside down so the drops of insulin drip onto a tissue instead of down onto the sticky part - Thanks Angela, you're a star x x )</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">While I've been away from blogging we've had a bit of a stressful time at home which unfortunately had a bit of a negative affect on my dedication to the pump. Nothing drastic, but instead of being completely focussed on looking at patterns in my blood sugars and making adjustments according to those patterns, I have been tendng to just see the result and do what I needed to do at that point in time rather than building up a picture of whats going on with my levels at different times and whether certain foods make my levels rise etc. etc. I was comfort eating a fair bit too and just using the pump to compensate for any rubbishy foods I fancied eating!!! I did start to feel guilty about it all and had a bit of a confessing session when I last saw my DSN on 4th November. Funnily enough she said that when I started 'confessing' she thought I was going to say I didnt want the pump anymore so when she found out all it was was not paying quite as much attention to my levels as I had when I first got the pump, she was quite pleased!!! She also said that the way I started off being so focussed and dedicated to it was not a realistic way to carry on which made me feel a bit less guilty. The last thing I wanted her, or anyone else, to think was that I'd got my pump and was now just abusing it by eating tons of crappy foods and using it to compensate. I am very grateful for my pump and always will be but I do think that sometimes "life" takes over and other things get in the way and it really isnt realistic to focus on absolutely nothing but Diabetes every single second of the day. I hope this is making sense to at least a few Diabetics out there!!!! Anyway, I felt much better after "confessing" to Gill, my nurse, and she said I need to stop beating myself up so much because I have done brilliantly so far. We agreed that as my morning levels are still rising I need to do 3 overnight basal tests where I get up to test at 4am, 6am and 8am and then make adjustments to my basal rates according to the results of those 3 tests, over 3 days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Since my last post I have met up with a lovely lady at work who also goes to Stafford Hospital and sees the same DSN (Gill) and consultant (Dr. Coates) as I do. We met up for lunch a few weeks ago which was great. I was really good to 'compare notes' and I must admit I did find it funny when we both sat down and immediately got our blood testing kits out!! (I've never been in that situation before so it was nice to not be the only person in the canteen doing a blood test!!!! Lol). She is on a different pump to me but it was good to see a different one in action and talk about the issues she has with hers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I saw my consultant on 11th November and he said he is really pleased with my progress and that, if anything, my HbA1c has come down faster than they usually like to see. I had my bloods done again whilst I was there so I'm waiting for those results now. I dont expect it to have come down this time and if I'm honest I think it may even have gone up slightly but Dr. Coates said not to worry about it too much so I'm trying not to!!!! We also discussed, with my DSN and dietician, my next challenge which is to try and reduce the amount of carbs in my diet - easier said than done!!! Apparently my diet is pretty high in carbs and I need to have a re-think about my daily intake!!!!! Bad news as I LOVE my carbs!!!!! They said that they are pretty surprised that I haven't put a lot more weight on, especially as I apparently eat such a lot of carbs, because usually with every 1% drop in HbA1c you can expect to put on around 4 pounds in weight which would mean I <em>should</em> have put on approximately 12 pounds but I have only put on 2 pounds (so far). They mentioned to me about maybe starting to take Metformin in the future which is a tablet that can help with insulin resistance, appetite control and weight loss. I'm not ready for that yet though as I want to make sure I've tried everything I can with the pump first before starting to take yet another tablet - I'm sure I would rattle if I jumped up and down!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Well, I think thats quite enough for one day, its great to be back but I need to ease myself back into it gently I think!!!! Lol :o)</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-33936412571987333902010-09-17T21:10:00.001+01:002010-09-18T08:36:59.489+01:00Eye hate to say eye told you so......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLk-cWH5HYRGRwZ8yo4QEN93zztPNabu_t-xGQDo001LPZh3VdwTHET1OP2Z6OOiLgFTQnBZ0KJsjEB8UjAXQIGWJmdbBzseIa40xBLwg2cLzq_hcdit4t6WKQ49KJTCrncMs80Lly_Pq/s1600/DSC02957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGLk-cWH5HYRGRwZ8yo4QEN93zztPNabu_t-xGQDo001LPZh3VdwTHET1OP2Z6OOiLgFTQnBZ0KJsjEB8UjAXQIGWJmdbBzseIa40xBLwg2cLzq_hcdit4t6WKQ49KJTCrncMs80Lly_Pq/s320/DSC02957.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been neglecting my poor blog lately and it's been almost a month since my last post so I'm going to go back in time a bit to 31st August and to my last eye infirmary appointment.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>31st August 2010</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Back at the Eye Infirmary for what I thought was going to be my last laser treatment for a while.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As you will know if you read my post on my last visit to the Eye Infirmary, it didn't go too well and I wasn't happy with the doctor that I saw as she refused to give me the anaesthetic injection that I always usually have in my eye before the laser, which meant that I was in a fair amount of pain. I mentioned in my post about my last appointment that I got the impression she was in a rush and couldn't really be bothered to do it and she just wanted to get me in and out as fast as possible.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As I said, I was expecting this appointment to be on my left eye as I was under the impression that my right eye had been finished for the time being at my previous appointment.....Wrong!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">When the nurse did the pre-laser checks I made sure that I was definitely down to have the anaesthetic this time and she went and confirmed with the doctor that this was the case. The doctor I had this time was a million times nicer than the one I had last time. He really put me at ease and said he could see from my notes that I should have the anaesthetic injection because of the amount of laser I have had in the past (the more you have the more painful it becomes because of the scar tissue that has formed). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then it was time to have the anaesthetic injection....aaaaggghhh!!! Although having it is great in terms of making the laser treatment itself bearable it's not a nice procedure as it involves cutting the eyeball and injecting the anaesthetic into it....obviously I've never seen how it looks when they do it but Gareth has been there when they have done it and having a strong stomach he was able to watch what they do and then tell me all the gory details afterwards!!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">They put anaesthetic drops in first to numb your eyeball so you can't feel the cut/injection and all you can feel is an intense pressure pressing down on your eyeball. The doctor actually had to make the incision twice this time because he said the anaesthetic fluid wasn't going in properly....I felt like saying "too much information thanks" but was feeling too sick at the thought of it all to speak at that point!!!! The worst part was sitting up afterwards and feeling like I had tears rolling down my cheeks so I wiped my face and when I looked at my hand it was actually blood, not tears!!!!! Yuk!!! Having the injection also means that recovering from the laser takes longer and your eye is left in a bit of a mess for a few days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then the doctor said "Ok, so I'm lasering your right eye today....", I said "Errrr, no I had my right eye done last time so it should be my left today". He then told me that last time the doctor had only done 200 laser burns which in his words was "peanuts" and "a waste of time". As you can imagine I was not impressed as it now means I have to go back and have my left eye done on another day which means having more time out of work and more discomfort all because that doctor couldn't be bothered to do her job properly last time!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyway, on with the show and on with the lasering. This time even with the anaesthetic, it didn't numb all of the pain in certain parts of my eye. In the end he told me had done 1359 laser burns which really put into perspective how few burns the previous doctor had done and that it really had been a waste of time!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Off I went with a patch and a tube of cream to put in three times a day for a few days. For a few hours it's fine because the anaesthetic is still working and you can't feel anything but once it starts to wear off the whole side of my face felt like I had done a few rounds with Mike Tyson!!!! </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNvKl5XefZx5XTjXwNSC-VuTUNeZCUZp63GCEcBoeGRJ6UpHNPOrBwMotnoHsdOQAhXtcFGBlZgfmT0mzhb14GiGEqb7b1oyIDlBPxaOioDxlWq5JWp3rKmNy_y5llCUF0iDMPN4uxNVc/s1600/DSC02963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNvKl5XefZx5XTjXwNSC-VuTUNeZCUZp63GCEcBoeGRJ6UpHNPOrBwMotnoHsdOQAhXtcFGBlZgfmT0mzhb14GiGEqb7b1oyIDlBPxaOioDxlWq5JWp3rKmNy_y5llCUF0iDMPN4uxNVc/s320/DSC02963.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As you can see from the picture my eye didn't look too pretty afterwards and the anaesthetic means you get double vision as it wears off, it's bloody painful, gave me blurred vision for a few days and the redness took twice as long as it has in the past to disappear. All in all it's not a nice procedure but it has to be done and I'm just grateful that there is a treatment available to save my sight. Now I've got my pump I'm assured that I will need to have treatment less frequently as having more stable sugar levels will help to prevent further bleeds, so that's brilliant news :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Having Retinopathy diagnosed a few years ago was terrifying and it was hard not to automatically think the worst and imagine going blind in the near future but luckily the laser can prevent that from happening, so given a choice between losing my sight and having a few days of soreness and redness every so often I know what I will choose every single time!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'm hoping I never have that particular doctor again for laser treatment but if I did I wouldn't be able to resist saying: <em>"<u>Eye</u> hate to say <u>eye </u>told you so doctor, but you really should have given me the anaesthetic shouldn't you"</em> ;o)</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-87583512400638722082010-08-24T21:21:00.000+01:002010-08-24T21:21:57.072+01:00Two weeks in.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDQmZAZqExXTsSVWpTmk80bNq_8T_HQ1esVi1IhEj9wszrEq4LDGphUg8DBXkjiM2bcwe3-Pc6wQME5CnpKNfwxiR47J7ZCGdrMxICpqRtPS8EpITl0Qc0H-6QjtcWB2t0Aw7WBeRU8aK/s1600/calendar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZDQmZAZqExXTsSVWpTmk80bNq_8T_HQ1esVi1IhEj9wszrEq4LDGphUg8DBXkjiM2bcwe3-Pc6wQME5CnpKNfwxiR47J7ZCGdrMxICpqRtPS8EpITl0Qc0H-6QjtcWB2t0Aw7WBeRU8aK/s320/calendar.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's now been just over 2 weeks since I got my insulin pump. It's been......challenging, exciting and also, I have to say, pretty tiring!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have been able to be in constant contact with my DSN (Diabetes Specialist Nurse), Gill, which has been brilliant and really reassuring to know that theres an expert on the end of the phone who can help with problems and panics. I have been texting Gill each morning (at her request) to let her know what my blood sugar levels have been over night and also to make suggestions as to what adjustments I think I should make. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have been testing my sugars between 6 and 10 times per day which is much much more than I ever did in the past but it's necessary so that you can see exactly what your blood sugars are doing according to your doses and according to how much and what food you have eaten. It is important to keep accurate and detailed records of all of your blood sugar test results, exercise, what you eat and other things such as being ill so that your basal rates and bolus doses can be altered accurately. With accurate records you can then see patterns start to emerge at certain times of the day and/or when you eat certain things so you can then make the necessary adjustments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Frequent testing is also essential because an insulin pump only delivers fast acting insulin so you don't have any long acting insulin in your system as a back up, therefore, if insulin delivery gets interrupted whilst on an insulin pump your blood sugars can go dangerously high in a pretty short amount of time so you need to know what is going on so you can treat high blood sugar levels quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">To test whether my overnight basal rates are correct I have been getting up at midnight and 3.00 a.m. to test my blood sugars - hence being so tired at the moment. My levels have still been fairly high in the mornings so that means I probably need more insulin overnight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I have been having a lot more hypos since starting on my pump. Hypos were virtually non-existent for me in the past but now I'm having at least one a day which isn't fun. The lows seem to be mid afternoon and a couple of hours after my evening meal so now we need to work out whether it's my basal rates that are too high at those times of the day or whether it's my insulin to carbs ratio before lunch and before dinner that needs to be changed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I've had a few panics and dramas like when I managed to put the infusion set in a stupid place (where a roll of fat creases over when I sit down - Yes, I know that's not a very attractive image I've just conjured up for you - Sorry!!) and it was really quite painful. I persevered with it but then at work I bent over to pick something up and the infusion set popped right out of my stomach...... Aaaaaaggghhh, I almost had a heart attack and went into total panic!!! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then I managed to replace the infusion set without filling the tubing first because I was in a panic and wasn't concentrating on what I was doing!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Changing the infusion set and reservoir has been fairly easy so far (apart from the daft mistakes I mentioned above). At the moment I'm following the user guide to the letter each time I do it and it's taking me about 15 to 20 minutes but I'm told that I'll soon have it down to about 5 minutes!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Not doing injections is fantastic and has also been quite strange. For the 1st few days it was a struggle to remember <em>not </em>to jab myself and it felt like something was missing!!! But it hasn't taken me long to get used to it and appreciate the fact that not injecting after 19 years is absolutely amazing and I never want to go back!!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I've enjoyed showing off my pump and explaining to people all about it and how it works. A couple of people at work have asked me "Whats that in your pocket?" when they have seen the tubing and I've been really happy to show them and tell them all about it. I will carry on rambling on about my new bit of kit for as long as people are interested and want to listen!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So far, going from injections to an insulin pump has felt a bit like a full time job at times, trying to keep up with what's going on with my sugars and what I need to do with the pump, counting carbs and then remembering what to do when I need to change the infusion set and insulin reservoir and I've felt like my brains been in meltdown but I know it will be all worth it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">One small thing I don't like about being on an insulin pump is that I now have to carry around a load of extra 'D' related stuff!!! Insulin pump kit = Glucose tablets, blood sugar testing kit and record diary, pen, carb counting books, blood ketone monitoring kit and/or urine ketone monitoring strips, spare insulin pen (for just in case there are problems with the pump), infusion set, reservoir, vial of insulin, antibacterial hand gel, spare AAA batteries, Glucagon injection (for use during a hypo when you are unable to swallow glucose tablets or glucogel) and snacks (such as cereal bars)......I think that's everything!! </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Obviously it's only a minor irritation but it certainly requires a huuuuuuge bag to carry it all around in....perfect excuse to buy a nice new bag if you ask me!!!! :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who has asked how I'm getting on, offered tips and advice and who has just been there to support me during the last 2 weeks. I have to say that the people I have met in the Diabetic Online Community have helped me massively with the transition from injections to insulin pump and it certainly makes things a lot easier when you know there are people you can talk to online and ask what you may think are daft questions. There are always people willing to offer advice and help which is invaluable!!! THANK YOU!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Also, a huge thank you to my other half, Gareth, who has been fantastic. He has been there every step of the way for me, been to every appointment with me, put up with my moods and frustrations and he continues to help me with getting to grips with the pump.....I couldn't have asked for a more supportive partner!!! THANK YOU!!!! x x x</span><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Last but certainly not least, I want to thank my Mom for being there for me from the very start of my Diabetes journey.....it's not always been easy, especially the teenage years when I refused to fully acknowledge my Diabetes. It's only now that I realise how awful this must have been for my Mom and what a nightmare it must have been for her when nothing she did or said would get through to me. I hope now that I have taken hold of this condition and accepted responsibility for my Diabetes I can make her proud of me. Love you Mom and thank you so so much for everything!! x x x</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So to conclude, 2 weeks in, do I prefer the pump to injections??? Of course I do!!!</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-69021511889508436272010-08-17T20:45:00.002+01:002010-08-17T21:09:13.217+01:00New beginnings on the Insulin Pump<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, here goes......this is my first blog as an insulin pumper.....do I feel different?? </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, apart from sitting at the laptop now wearing my new permanent attachment, not really, but it's certainly been an interesting first few days!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MONDAY 9TH AUGUST 2010 - Awake bright and early due to happiness, excitement, fear, nervousness and anxiety all rolled into one. Got up and did my <em>last ever injection</em> which I have to say was a pretty surreal and momentous occasion!!! It was a really strange feeling to be doing my last injection after just over nineteen years of doing them day in day out. Mixed emotions really as in a weird way, although they can be a pain to do and are sometimes painful (especially lately) the injections feel "safe" and reliable and you know for sure that the insulin has gone into your system whereas with a pump you are reliant on a machine to do the work for you and as we all know, machines can malfunction from time to time. (On the pump there might still be the odd occasion when I will need to inject, if the pump goes wrong for some reason, but this was my last "official" injection).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5eEUqD9OW4p9E34N0eSmWNaNCuxhdYNYXcTKsv22a4qoeegz3q2_BKZ9WZfKk5GGTgcZ3jCCyTdtzBSDCi_mLdQCHFmdZt1myx8tXUyypqyxIUoYriWyPUKfsqNFOZECJbiWD0MYAi02W/s1600/DSC02915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5eEUqD9OW4p9E34N0eSmWNaNCuxhdYNYXcTKsv22a4qoeegz3q2_BKZ9WZfKk5GGTgcZ3jCCyTdtzBSDCi_mLdQCHFmdZt1myx8tXUyypqyxIUoYriWyPUKfsqNFOZECJbiWD0MYAi02W/s320/DSC02915.JPG" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It felt a bit like I was standing on the edge of a cliff ready to jump off into the unknown because I still felt like there was SO much I didn't know about using an insulin pump. Obviously the day at the hospital was going to clear all of that up but before we set off I felt more than a little overwhelmed by everything I was still to learn and my new way of life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My DSN, Gill, has been and continues to be fantastic and she made me feel at ease right from start of the day. First of all we went through all the bits and pieces in the box and had a look at all the supplies and things that go with a new insulin pump. Next we went through the menus on the pump. Gareth got to do all of the same steps along with me because Gill let him use her spare demo pump so he could see exactly how to use a pump too which was really useful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">We then looked at basal rates and how to set them. The insulin pump mimics a normally functioning pancreas by delivering insulin continuously over 24 hour periods, this is your basal rate and accounts for around one half of your body's total daily insulin requirements. Basal insulin is delivered at a rate of so many units per hour to cover your body's insulin requirements between meals and at night. Basal rates can be reduced when you are going to do some exercise so that your blood sugar does not go too low and can be increased when you are ill to stop your sugar levels going too high. The Medtronic Minimed Paradigm Veo allows you to set multiple basal rates for different times during a 24 hour period. Gill had calculated that I would start on one unit per hour. This would just be a starting point and it is likely that I will need to adjust them at certain times of the day until I get the dose I need to ensure that my blood sugar levels stay on target.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Next we looked at how to give bolus doses. Bolus insulin doses are given on demand when you eat or to correct a high blood sugar level. You work out the bolus dose you need according to the amount of carbohydrates you are going to eat. My current insulin to carbohydrate ratio is 2 units to 10 grams of carbs so for example if I was going to eat 20 grams of carbs I would need to give myself 4 units of insulin. Bolus doses are also used to correct a high blood sugar. To work out how much insulin you need to take to bring your blood sugar back down to your target level you need to know your insulin sensitivity factor. Gill had worked this out for me. To bring my blood sugar down by 1.1 mmol I need to take 1 unit of insulin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As you can see there are a fair few calculations involved in this insulin pump lark!!! Once you tell the pump your target blood sugar range, your insulin to carb ratio and your sensitivity factor then it can work everything out for you but at first Gill wanted me to work it all out on paper so that I fully understood the calculations and what they mean. Once I had mastered this we could start to use a function called the Bolus Wizard which, like I said, works everything out for you. We did a few practice calculations on paper then it was time to learn how to fill the reservoir with insulin and connect the infusion set.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There are several bits of kit you need to have in order to get the pump ready to connect to your body.....a vial of insulin, a reservoir and an infusion set. The reservoir connects to the top of the vial of insulin and you draw back the plunger slowly to draw up the insulin into the reservoir. You have to do this really slowly so that you don't get bubbles in the insulin. If there are some bubbles you need to tap the reservoir to get rid of them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Once you have made sure that the pump is fully rewound you insert the reservoir into the pump and you need to fill the tubing with insulin. This is all done by following the instructions on the pump screen. Apologies if this is hard to follow, its quite hard to explain all of the steps involved without this being like a copy of War and Peace, especially as I can't actually show you what I'm typing about!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You are then ready to connect the infusion set to your body. The infusion sets I'm using are called Mio's. It is important to make sure that the insertion site is clean and that you rotate the site you are using each time you change the infusion set, which should be every 2 to 3 days. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The big moment........I was about to get connected!!!! I chose a site and fired the cannula into my stomach and 'hey presto', I was connected. (Firing the cannula into my stomach sounds a bit drastic but I couldn't think of any other way to describe it - again, it's difficult to describe something when you can't see what I'm talking about). Gill shook my hand and said "Congratulations, you are now an insulin pumper".....WOW!!! I could hardly believe it was happening and I didn't know quite what to say!!!!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyv26CFrg-_OTMNBaAn4rkkLehk93liwfoY0lvHOlQZOUkX1O4xz7Jvg5SJb8O6CDGt34FRms57-oInl8nKQxz2CnlIpINuvXg1KmJWLLurx5ob0L8-1jF3Yg-73O1yijShhqDUfPOhcb/s1600/DSC02918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyv26CFrg-_OTMNBaAn4rkkLehk93liwfoY0lvHOlQZOUkX1O4xz7Jvg5SJb8O6CDGt34FRms57-oInl8nKQxz2CnlIpINuvXg1KmJWLLurx5ob0L8-1jF3Yg-73O1yijShhqDUfPOhcb/s320/DSC02918.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then I got to use my new blood glucose testing meter which tells the pump via bluetooth what your test results are....it's all very clever you know!!! :o</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was then let loose on my own and we went to have lunch and I had to work out the carbs in my meal and work out how much insulin I needed. Bit daunting but with the help of the calculator on my phone we managed to work it all out and away I went......I had given myself my first bolus dose on my pump!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The afternoon was spent discussing what to do if I had either high or low blood sugars and when to go back to injecting if there was a problem with the pump. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I was due to go back to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon when I would learn how to use the Bolus Wizard and would do my first set change. Gill wanted me to contact her at 6.00pm and 10.00pm to let her know how things were going which was a great reassurance for me as I felt like I had some back up if anything did go wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My blood sugars over the next 24 hours were a bit up and down but that was to be expected until things settled down. It had also been a pretty stressful/emotional day so that can sometimes affect sugar levels too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Gill let Gareth take home her spare demo pump so we could both have a look through the menus again and familiarise ourselves with them without actually doing anything on my "live" pump. Once we got home I persuaded Gareth to get connected aswell so he could see what it was like for me. I realise its not possible but I think it would be great if all hospitals could allow partners/spouses of Diabetics and parents of children with Diabetes to do this so they can get a real insight into what its like to wear one and also so that they have as much knowledge as possible about the pump and how it works.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">All in all, a very successful day and the start of my new way of life. I know its not going to happen overnight and that there is some hard work to go into getting doses right to ensure I hit my target blood sugars and bring my HbA1c down to where I want it to be but I am really positive about the future and I am looking forward to seeing the great results and improved quality of life I know my new insulin pump can bring.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Oh, and one more thing.....I have decided to name my new pump "Posy" - so here's to a long and happy relationship with my new best friend.....Posy Pump!!!! :o)</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-13672293867208808922010-08-06T22:38:00.000+01:002010-08-06T22:38:14.982+01:00Ten becomes Nine!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxW2LrZ-isnRHD6KsqNRfjMVK1v3_wdDy_sZUspMpv8TtbqvxFzza5JJQdDDHn0Tm2AGXlYm9kN8t-ekdIrmc17G8IeOjTqWTKfO1PaA-ZKvkvE9IkUsDgJYyCpId21HF-Y38ob5tua8dh/s1600/DSC02298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxW2LrZ-isnRHD6KsqNRfjMVK1v3_wdDy_sZUspMpv8TtbqvxFzza5JJQdDDHn0Tm2AGXlYm9kN8t-ekdIrmc17G8IeOjTqWTKfO1PaA-ZKvkvE9IkUsDgJYyCpId21HF-Y38ob5tua8dh/s400/DSC02298.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have just worked out that I have only <strong>TEN</strong> injections left to do before I go onto my insulin pump on Monday!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After 19 years of either 2 or 4 injections per day this is an amazing realisation. Let's say I did approximately 10 years at 2 per day and 9 years at 4 per day, that's 20,548 injections since diagnosis so to think I now only have TEN left to do is mind boggling and very very exciting!!!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Going onto the pump does not mean that I will never have to inject ever again, as there may be problems with the pump such as the tubing becoming clogged and I will have to keep spare injections for these instances)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Over the years when people have asked how I feel about injecting I have always said it doesn't really bother me that much, it's just something you get used to and at the end of the day it has to be done whether you like it or not. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Lately though it has started to become really quite painful every time I inject and I've started to actually "think" about it before I put the needle in whereas I used to just stick it straight in (for want of a better phrase) without even thinking about it. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So now I think I would say that yes, injecting <em>does</em> bother me and for the first time in a long time it feels like a big deal to have to do it 4 times a day. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That's why the thought of just TEN more is so fantastic. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, I'm off to do my Lantus, so that makes it just <strong>NINE</strong> more injections to do!!!!! :o)</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-79300507676095274302010-08-04T21:59:00.000+01:002010-08-04T21:59:27.759+01:00Countdown to Connection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>The 'Mio' Infusion Set for Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm Veo Insulin Pump</em></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcAPK19k1QhSlmdp-O8p3QKKRXbV8BxLtXXViZxKkgQi3JTw7PDmWTC5P64vKpY2eqRsfOV0IeW1On0yGPPDEW8HV500pK3K5v0NsbVEvrRo3EyGLtY4XmcQXQZmMOsj1Q5UTHtp76qlm/s1600/infusion+sets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcAPK19k1QhSlmdp-O8p3QKKRXbV8BxLtXXViZxKkgQi3JTw7PDmWTC5P64vKpY2eqRsfOV0IeW1On0yGPPDEW8HV500pK3K5v0NsbVEvrRo3EyGLtY4XmcQXQZmMOsj1Q5UTHtp76qlm/s320/infusion+sets.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My insulin pump start date is getting closer and closer.....my overwhelming emotions in relation to this are obviously elation and excitement but I have to admit it......I'm also slightly nervous and scared.</span><br />
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I'm sure some people won't understand how I can be feeling anything but excitement about getting my pump, especially people who have had or are having a fight on their hands to get one. I certainly don't want to annoy anyone by sounding ungrateful because that is not the case at all, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I have been given and always will be.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's hard to explain my feelings about Monday.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I guess the word would be "apprehension". There are a few things I feel a bit nervous about, one being the fact that I will be more or less permanently attached to something for the rest of my life....ok, so I got on fine with it during my 3 day trial at the weekend and I do know that you can disconnect for short periods of time, but I do feel a bit freaked out by the "alien" element of it all. I have done a bit of reading on accepting being attached to the pump in my new "bible" (Pumping Insulin by John Walsh and Ruth Roberts). It mentions that some people may feel embarassed or self conscious about wearing a pump. I have to say that I am not concerned about that at all, in fact I am quite looking forward to telling people about it and explaining what it is and how it works, as it is certainly nothing to be ashamed of and I think the more people that know what it is and understand something about how it works the better. It's not how it looks to other people that concerns me, I think for me it's the "attachment" element of it which is quite hard to put into words. If anyone else had similar thoughts before starting on their pump please let me know.....(then again it might just be me!!! Lol)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again, I do want to make it really clear that overall I am VERY happy about getting my pump and these negatives I'm talking about today are only small niggles, not major concerns!!!! I think it would be difficult to do something <strong>so</strong> life changing without feeling some sort of nervousness or anxiety. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been doing injections for 19 years now (first with a syringe and a glass vial of insulin that you had to draw up into the syringe yourself then with pens with cartridges that you changed and then finally with disposable, pre-filled pens) so I think I am going to find it really strange at first when I no longer have to reach for the insulin pen at set times of the day and for a while I might have to get Gareth to hide my pens so I don't inject!!! :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I started making changes in April by learning to carb count and work out insulin ratios according to the amount of carbs I am going to eat so the next step is to apply what I have learnt to the insulin pump. I'm a bit nervous about managing to work out basal rates etc. but that will all be done with the help of my DSN on Monday and there will be plenty of ongoing support for me from her in the weeks and months to come.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Below are a few advantages and disadvantages of insulin pumps which must be considered before making a decision about whether a pump is right for you:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Taken from </span><a href="http://www.input.me.uk/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.input.me.uk/</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Disadvantages</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Being attached to the pump almost all of the time (the pump can instantly be disconnected for brief periods " swimming, showers, sex, etc.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Risk of diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) may be higher without frequent blood glucose testing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Chance of skin infections, especially if the infusion set is not changed after 3 days </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Advantages</em> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Offers a better quality of life and well being </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Freedom from a fixed insulin dose schedule</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Eat what you choose, when you like</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Ajust insulin to meet the body"s needs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Feeling "normal" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Being more alert & aware </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Being in control of life as well as diabetes </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Convenience</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Easier management of exercise, sport </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Reliable insulin action</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Staying up late, having a lie-in, or oversleeping without worry </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Restoration of hypoglycaemia awareness </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Managing the dawn phenomenon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Travelling across time zones without missing or taking too much insulin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Tight diabetes control before and during pregnancy </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•Delay or prevention of long term complications </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you can see the advantages outnumber the disadvantage by far..... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Starting on the pump is going to be a massive life change, one which I am finally ready to accept. It's almost like throwing out everything I have ever known about Diabetes and starting all over again at the bottom of a pretty steep learning curve. I am so lucky to have been given the chance to make my way up to the top of the curve. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For years and years I just did the same doses with every meal, no matter what I was eating, no matter what exercise I did (if any) and I just did this without thinking about any of it. Starting with carb counting and going onto the pump has made me realise that it's not as straight forward as that if you want to take proper care of yourself. The next few months are going to be a lot of hard work in terms of more blood sugar testing, recording everything I eat and everything I do to see whether the basal rates are correct. I am totally ready to do everything I need to do to stay on the path of good Diabetic control for the first time ever!!! </span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Monday gets closer I do have mixed emotions about getting "connected".....one minute I am high as a kite with excitement then I get a sudden surge of slight panic. Then I think about the people I've got around me and I know that with their help and support I will be just fine and will soon get used to having my pump and, before I know it it will be as though it has always been a part of me........</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-40854383054015263242010-08-02T21:23:00.001+01:002010-08-02T21:25:32.707+01:00What a Week It's Been!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUSUrrYsejf7OvhF1i-VnlkMjOfho0yScYOmw2kpuz4inG_eAqjcsU_lcD2XdPua-xWk4JXvz53Ri-fhhLtGwNxz-VNOip2JkQiAQu-Xah-yXSzrKMwZ8Exlxh-3kDURu5rkQINoRQEsc/s1600/economics-of-happiness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUSUrrYsejf7OvhF1i-VnlkMjOfho0yScYOmw2kpuz4inG_eAqjcsU_lcD2XdPua-xWk4JXvz53Ri-fhhLtGwNxz-VNOip2JkQiAQu-Xah-yXSzrKMwZ8Exlxh-3kDURu5rkQINoRQEsc/s400/economics-of-happiness.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, it's been a busy old week in terms of my Diabetes....</span> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last Wednesday was another session of laser treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy (which I did a huuuuuuge blog post on last week). As usual, even though I have had quite a few sessions on both eyes in the last few years, I was terrified and got myself in a right old state beforehand. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ever since the first time I had it done and I fainted I have had to have the anaesthetic injection in my eye before the laser session so I was quite prepared to have it done again, in fact, although it's not very nice and it involves them making a small cut in your eye ball, I would much rather have that than have to feel the pain / weird sensation that you get when your being lasered and risk fainting again so that they can't carry on and finish the session. Anyway, the doctor, who I had never seen before (I hate they way it is a different doctor that does it every single time!!!) decided that she didn't want to give me the injection. She said: "a lot of people tell me I'm very gentle with the laser" which didn't really make me feel any better but even though I said I really would prefer to have the injection she insisted that we would just "see how it went without it".....I was not happy at all and I started to panic even more. To do the laser burns they have to shine an incredibly bright white light into your eye which always makes my other eye instinctively close, which then makes the eyeball that they are trying to laser move around....the doctor told me to try and keep my left eye open so that my right eye wouldn't move so I tried to explain to her that this is one of the reasons I always have the injection first so that it numbs my eye and it won't move during the lasering but all she said was "oh well".....Great!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It didn't hurt too much for the first few burns but after about 5 minutes it got really sore and I started to feel faint and queasy so we had to stop....this happened another 2 times, by which point I was in a lot of pain (which can happen when you have had a lot of previous sessions) and felt very hot and sweaty and the room was spinning. At this point she decided to stop. I really did feel as though she hadn't done enough but knew that for her to carry on she would have to do the injection as I was in a lot of pain and she just did not want to do it. I got the impression from the minute I walked in the room that she just couldn't be bothered doing the anaesthetic procedure for me. I'm sure plenty of people can easily take the pain and discomfort of having it done but everyone is different and has a different pain threshold so I'm really not happy that she just fobbed me off and made me feel as though I was being pathetic!!!! Before she sent me off home she said "I've made a note that for your next appointment you do need the anaesthetic doing first"......I do hate to say I told you so but....... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next time (31st August for my left eye) I am going to refuse to have it done unless they agree to give me the anaesthetic injection first and I do not want to see that same doctor again for laser treatment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next day was not nearly as horrible......it was my appointment at Stafford Hospital to start my insulin pump trial....how exciting!!! I was expecting to take 2 home for the weekend but when we got there we discussed the 2 types and decided that I would only take home the Medtronic pump. We discussed how I had been getting on with the carb counting and how I had been feeling in general. I have been having far less headaches than I used to, I am able to stay awake much later than I used to - I used to get in from work and could easily fall straight to sleep or go to bed at 8.00 pm because I was constantly exhausted and I have been having quite a few more hypos than I used to. Before I went on holiday I had my HbA1c done and amazingly it had come down from 11.6 in March to.....wait for it......8.8!!!!!!! (For those not in the know already, the target they always tell you to aim for is 6.5 so I am getting there). I am so pleased that it has come down by that much already. I did expect it to have come down but not by that much (it might not sound like much but in terms of HbA1c results every 1% counts a hell of a lot). This reduction would explain why I have been feeling less tired and been having less headaches. See below for a description of what the HbA1c test actually is........</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>HbA1c Tests</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The HbA1c test, indicates your blood glucose levels for the previous two to three months. HbA1c (glycosylated haemoglobin) is a measure of the amount of glucose attached to the body’s red blood cells; it is present in everyone. The level of HbA1c in your body rises and falls in line with your blood glucose – the higher your HbA1c, the more glucose is attached to your red blood cells. </span><br />
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Your HbA1c does not change rapidly because the red blood cells in your circulation last for around 3–4 months. Any increases and decreases in your HbA1c will happen over a period of at least 6 weeks. An HbA1c test is not the same as a blood glucose test. Your HbA1c test may be done using a blood sample taken from your arm or from a finger prick test.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>HbA1c Targets</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For most people with diabetes, the HbA1c target is below 6.5 per cent, since evidence shows that this can reduce the risk of developing diabetic complications, such as nerve damage, eye disease, kidney disease and heart disease.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Individuals at risk of severe hypoglycaemia should aim for an HbA1c of less than 7.5 per cent. However, any reduction in HbA1c levels (and therefore, any improvement in control), is still considered to have beneficial effects on the onset and progression of complications.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>HbA1c Results</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HbA1c results are currently given as a percentage. However, the way in which HbA1c results are reported in the UK is changing. From 31 May 2011, HbA1c will be given in millimoles per mol (mmol/mol) instead of as a percentage (%). To help make this transition as easy as possible, all HbA1c results in the UK will be given in both percentage and mmol/mol from 1 June 2009 until 31 May 2011.</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This new way of reporting results will just be a different way of expressing the same thing. For example, the equivalent of the HbA1c target of 6.5 per cent will be 48 mmol/mol. The fact that the number is higher does not mean there is more glucose in your blood.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So anyway, back to the pump trial....I had a quick practice with an infusion set for the Medtronic pump and then once we had had a look through the menus on the pump screen I was given all the bits of kit I needed to take home with me for the weekend.....infusion set, saline, alcohol wipe, infusion set inserter, the pump, reservoir for the insulin (saline for the trial) and off I went.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We decided to go to my Mom's to set up the pump and put in the infusion set so I could show her how it works (I was dying to show off my new "toy"). I had a bit of a 'faff' with drawing up the saline into the reservoir but after that it was all plain sailing and I did my very first insertion all on my own. I was really surprised just how painless it was and then during the evening I was surprised that I managed to forget it was even there!!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spending our first night sharing our bed with the pump was fine apart from me rolling on it a few times as the one I had on loan did not have a waistband clip on the back and I couldn't attach it to my PJ's. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Friday I loved showing off the pump to people in my office and explaining all about it which has earned me the new nickname of "the bionic woman". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had a bit of a play around with the menus over the weekend and gave myself "fake" doses of saline but that part of it (setting the basal rates etc. etc.) will be explained to me at the training on 9th August. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The only two minor "freak outs" I had were when I was in the shower and the pump was disconnected from the infusion set.....I knocked the infusion set a couple of times and for some reason that really made it hit home that I will have one of them in my stomach forever from now on. For some weird reason I found it stranger to look at it when the pump was disconnected from the infusion set/my stomach and all that was left was the device lodged in my stomach...I'm not sure why this made me feel so strange but I guess it's just all part of getting used to this new "part of me" and my new way of life. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I took the pump off on Sunday morning I immediately felt "lost" without it which I think must be a good sign as I must admit the part I had been mot worried about was getting used to being attached to something "alien" for the rest of my life so if I already feel lost without it that can only be a good indication that I will soon get used to that side of it all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All in all the trial went really well, much smoother that I expected, and I am now really excited to get started on my own pump and start to learn all of the more 'technical' aspects of using the pump. The trial was more about getting an idea of how it will feel to actually wear the pump. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today I contacted my DSN at the hospital to let her know that it went well and that I would like her to go ahead and order my (bubblegum pink) pump from Medtronic!!!! </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.medtronic-diabetes.co.uk/product-information/paradigm-veo/index.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.medtronic-diabetes.co.uk/product-information/paradigm-veo/index.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can't believe that this time next week I will be "connected" and I will be a member of the "insulin pumping community". I am so grateful for all the help I have had from my DSN's at my GP's in getting me referred, from my dietician at the hospital, from my new consultant and from my new DSN at the hospital. It has been a very short "journey" from injections to pump and I really do appreciate how lucky I am to have even got funding for a pump, let alone get one so quickly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All that's left for me to do now is think of a name for my new pump :o) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ROLL ON MONDAY 9TH AUGUST!!!!!!! </span></span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-18459834966648433112010-07-29T20:50:00.000+01:002010-07-29T20:50:29.885+01:00Pump Practice!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX-5GuWyXv15WrPwXstsN7MhZ3AqxG5qObpivHRDMhpXT8ESna3xzIzd7GMt6kGyATjMsggmvEk61kFruuq_G6TwNz1sX7oebuiOeQeaN1OEI9_loegXHtDYcyFD1d2tD80y12hXt204J/s1600/Trial+Pump+29.07.10+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX-5GuWyXv15WrPwXstsN7MhZ3AqxG5qObpivHRDMhpXT8ESna3xzIzd7GMt6kGyATjMsggmvEk61kFruuq_G6TwNz1sX7oebuiOeQeaN1OEI9_loegXHtDYcyFD1d2tD80y12hXt204J/s400/Trial+Pump+29.07.10+(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just a short post today....but sometimes less is more!!!!! ;o)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The picture is me "modelling" the 'Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm Veo' insulin pump. I am having a "play" with it over the weekend and will be getting my own on the 9TH AUGUST!!!!!!! 11 DAYS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pretty much all I can say about it for now is "AAAAGGGHHHHHHH" because I AM SO EXCITED & HAPPY. I was really quite nervous before my appointment today in terms of there being a hell of a lot to take in but I think that part of it is going to be on the start day when I get the full training. Today was more just about putting an infusion set in and then I can have a play with all the menus and features on the pump over the weekend. I was pretty nervous about doing the first set insert but I had one go at doing one without it being attached to the pump, while I was still at the hospital then I did it all, including filling the reservoir with saline and priming the tubing etc. without having been shown how to do it by the DSN, on my own when I got home so I'm pretty pleased with how easily I managed to do it all especially as the DSN hadn't shown me how to do those parts of it at the appointment. The set insert was nothing to worry about, I hardly felt it go in and now as I'm sitting here typing away, I can't feel it at all.....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So far, I love it...I've got to spend the... weekend having a look at all the menus and features then my DSN is going to get my own pink one ordered for me on Monday!!!!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, and some more great news today.....my last HbA1c was 11.6 (in March) and today I found out it has come down to 8.8 so I'm really pleased and also pleasantly surprised as I had expected it to have come down but not by that much!!!! All the hard work and carb counting is certainly paying off!!!! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Obviously the hard work with the pump is really going to begin on the start day but I'm more than ready for it and can't wait to get started for real.....</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Off to have a lie down now so I can recover from all the excitement....(God knows what I'm going to be like on 9th August)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">P.S. I am of course going to have to give my new pink pump a name so if anyone has any suggestions please let me know..... :o)</span></div>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-24095650012380568342010-07-26T21:10:00.000+01:002010-07-26T21:10:25.174+01:00Diabetic Retinopathy - The Facts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBkMStZ67znVn4PEVkZNYYZKSrLWUvpyii5wHG05UfU24p9Trjc5El94X8zKWBlpSUnQeVwv__XnMZkr-xsIQ1bWvZPU5fgrNxS1iDhGLsdIeJsB7q2-Ne_8_VDYuAoZhd1mi3wUQsy2D/s1600/eye.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJBkMStZ67znVn4PEVkZNYYZKSrLWUvpyii5wHG05UfU24p9Trjc5El94X8zKWBlpSUnQeVwv__XnMZkr-xsIQ1bWvZPU5fgrNxS1iDhGLsdIeJsB7q2-Ne_8_VDYuAoZhd1mi3wUQsy2D/s400/eye.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>Apologies in advance for the length of this post!!!! </em></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today's post is going to be totally factual rather than me just rambling on about what I've been up to and it will hopefully explain everything you need to know about Diabetic Retinopathy, including how it occurs, symptoms, the NHS National Screening Programme, how it affects the eye(s), the different stages of the disease, the treatment involved, how to help to prevent the disease and the outlook for people who have Retinopathy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I realise I have done part of a blog about this before but I really want to try and raise awareness of this particular complication of Diabetes as it's very close to my heart, so I'm sure you won't mind me repeating myself a bit!!! Oh, and by the way, I have to admit that a lot of the factual information is taken from various websites and not actually written 100% by me, as you will probably be able to tell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>WHAT IS DIABETIC RETINOPATHY???</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Retinopathy is a general term used to describe various disorders of the retina. Retinopathy is caused by the tiny blood vessels next to the retina and is often a result of diabetes, hence the term 'diabetic retinopathy.' </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETIC RETINOPATHY???</strong> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Diabetes can have a number of effects on our vision. The most common is on the retina. The walls of the blood vessels in our eyes can become weak and over time, the walls begin to bulge. This creates an 'eddy' in the blood flow which can eventually block. Blood and other fluids start to leak into the retina and hard deposits are left there. Because of the reduction in blood flow the body grows new blood vessels. However, these veins are fragile and tend to rupture suddenly leaking blood into the vitreous. This will lead to a sudden and dramatic loss of vision, however, this may clear over time. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">HOW THE EYE WORKS</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your eye has a lens and an aperture (opening) at the front known as the pupil, which adjust to bring objects into focus on the retina at the back of the eye. The retina is made up of a delicate tissue that is sensitive to light, rather like the film in a camera. It also contains a fine network of small blood vessels. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the centre of the retina is the macula, which is a small area about the size of a pinhead. This is the most highly specialised part of the retina and is vital because it allows you to see fine detail for activities such as reading and writing and also to recognise colours. The other parts of the retina give you side vision (peripheral vision). Filling the space in front of the retina is a clear jelly-like substance called the vitreous gel. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE NHS NATIONAL SCREENING PROGRAMME</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2005 The Department of Health set up a national screening programme for diabetic retinopathy. If you are 11 years of age or over and you have diabetes, you should be offered annual screening. The screening programme was introduced because, if diabetic retinopathy is detected early enough, it can be treated effectively using laser treatment. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During screening, eye drops are used to make your pupils large and photographs of your retina are taken. As the photographs are being taken, you will see flashes of bright light, but usually it is not uncomfortable. The eye drops may cause your eyes to sting slightly and your vision may become blurred about 15 minutes after the procedure ends. The blurring can last between two and six hours, depending on what sort of eye drops were used. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SYMPTOMS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY</span></strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Diabetic retinopathy does not usually cause any symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage. In some cases, the only noticeable symptom is a sudden and complete loss of vision. This is why regular screening is so important.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•discoloured spots (known as floaters that ‘float’ in your field of vision</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•blurred vision </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•your vision becomes blocked by patches or streaks </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•reduced night vision, and, most serious</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•sudden vision loss</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">RISK FACTORS FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY</span></strong><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Duration of Diabetes</span></em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The biggest risk factor for diabetic retinopathy is the length of time that you have lived with diabetes. For people with type 1 diabetes, 90% will have some degree of diabetic retinopathy after 10 years of having symptoms. For people with type 2 diabetes who do not need to take insulin, 67% will have some degree of diabetic retinopathy after 10 years of symptoms. For people with type 2 diabetes who need to take insulin, 79% will have some degree of diabetic retinopathy after 10 years of symptoms.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Blood Glucose Level</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The higher the levels of glucose in your blood, the greater your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. People with high blood glucose levels are more likely to progress to advanced diabetic retinopathy. Blood glucose levels are measured using a test known as the HbA1c test. HbA1c is a form of haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying chemical in red blood cells that has glucose attached to it. Small changes in the levels of HbA1c can greatly affect the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. For example, people with an HbA1c level of 8% are 40% more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy than people with an HbA1c level of 7%.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">High Blood Pressure</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People with high blood pressure (hypertension) are likely to progress to advanced diabetic retinopathy.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE DIFFERENT STAGES OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If diabetic retinopathy is detected during screening, you will be given information about how far the condition has progressed. This will determine the type of treatment you will receive.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Background Retinopathy</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the first stage of diabetic retinopathy, it begins initially by acute swelling in the walls of the blood vessels. Spots known as micro aneurysms form on the retina and appear on the wall as small red coloured dots. There are also small yellow patches, which may form. This is a result of exuding protein from the blood stream onto the retina. Other marks on the retina at this stage could potentially be a haemorrhage, which appears in a similar form. At this stage of retinopathy, it will not directly affect your vision, however, regular checks are advised to keep the condition well monitored.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pre-proliferative Retinopathy</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the second stage. By this stage, new blood vessels have started to form in the retina and there are multiple points of bleeding.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maculopathy</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By this time, the macula (the most sensitive part of the retina) has been damaged.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maculopathy, which leads to the sight threatening condition macula oedema, is when the blood vessels become more delicate and begin to leak. In the early stages, fluid from this can leak into the macula, which operates our immediate, straight-ahead vision, resulting in swelling and blurred vision. The macula is an extremely sensitive area of the retina and macula oedema is one of the most common causes of visual impairment that you can develop through diabetes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the maculopathy stage, the haemorrhage's, swellings and leakages of protein as seen in the background retinopathy stage all begin to affect the macula. Specifically, this affects our ability to see finer details, for example, fine print in books.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These leakages can be cured by laser eye treatment, but often, several years later, more is needed to ensure they are properly treated. The leaks are known as clinically significant macula oedema and it takes four to six weeks for the treatment to take any sort of effect. As the condition develops, if left untreated it could become very severe. Should severe maculopathy occur, it will be very difficult to treat. </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Proliferative Retinopathy</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the most advanced stage. Proliferative retinopathy begins by the blood vessels within the retina becoming blocked. As a result of the insufficient blood flow to the retina, new, abnormally sized blood vessels begin to grow. Because these new blood vessels are very delicate and fragile, as they grow they are easily broken and can leak or bleed. The vessels are so easily broken that even sudden head movements such as sneezing, or rapid eye movement during sleep can cause them to break. They leak into the vitreous, causing a vitreous haemorrhage. The vitreous is a jelly like substance, which fills the centre of the eye to support its structure and give it its shape. As these vessels grow, they stimulate the growth of further abnormal tissue and as they break, they will eventually cause scar tissue to form. As a result of this, eventually the retina will detach itself altogether from the back of the eye.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">TREATMENTS</span></strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laser Treatment</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The type of laser treatment used to treat diabetic retinopathy is known as photocoagulation. Photocoagulation involves using a laser to burn away any abnormal blood vessels.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A course of photocoagulation involves one or more visits to a laser treatment clinic. Treatment is normally available on an out-patient basis. It is not usually painful, but you may feel an occasional sharp pricking sensation when certain areas of your retina are being treated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Drops are put into your eyes to numb the surface but you may still find the procedure slightly uncomfortable. A special contact lens is then placed on your eye to hold your lids open and to focus the laser beam on your retina. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As time goes on and more laser sessions are needed, the treatment can become extremely painful. There is no entirely effective way of reducing all the pain, except a general anaesthetic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Local anaesthetic injections in the operating theatre, or tablets that aid relaxation, may help a little. Sometimes the local anaesthetic injection takes away all the pain, sometimes it just reduces the pain slightly. The injection is not into the eye, but under it, at one side. This type of anesthesia may be used when an extensive amount of laser is required, the patient has difficulty keeping the eye still, or the patient is very sensitive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For patients where the treatment is extremely painful larger departments offer general anaesthetics, as these also have the advantage of allowing laser treatment to both eyes. To do this the department must have a laser that can be used in an operating theatre. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your vision will be blurred after treatment, but this should return to normal after a few hours. If you have a lot of treatment on your eyes, it can cause them to ache. Over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers, such as paracetamol, should help ease the pain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A 30 year old person with a lot of new vessels may need 6000 laser burns per eye, or even more, to prevent the new vessels growing. Other people usually need less. In patients with very severe disease so much laser may be required that the side vision becomes poor and driving unsafe: the aim of the treatment is to keep good central sight, that is sight looking straight ahead, which is need to read, work, and watch television.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sometimes, photocoagulation can damage the outer retina. If this occurs, there is a chance that your night and peripheral vision (your ability to see to objects that are outside your direct gaze) may be affected. More than 50% of people who have laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy notice some difficulty with their night vision, and 3% notice some loss of peripheral vision.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vitreous Surgery</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is often required if:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•a large amount of blood has collected in the centre of the eye, obscuring your vision, or </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">•there is extensive scar tissue which is likely to cause, or has already caused, retinal detachment </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The surgeon will make a small incision in your eye before removing the vitreous gel that sits in front of the retina. The vitreous gel is where the blood gathers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any scar tissue will be removed from your retina and, in some cases, the retina may be strengthened in position using tiny clamps. The vitreous gel will be replaced with a gas or liquid to help hold the retina in place. The gas or liquid will gradually be absorbed by your body, which will create new gel to replace the gel that was removed during surgery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Vitreous surgery is usually performed under local anaesthetic and sedation. This means that you will feel no pain and have little or no awareness of the surgery being performed. You should be able to go home on the same day or the day after your surgery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For the first few days after surgery, you may be asked to wear an eye patch so that you can gradually make more and more use of your eye. This is because activities such as reading and watching television can quickly tire your eye.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Following vitreous surgery, it is normal to have blurred vision for several weeks. This should begin to improve gradually, though it may take several months before your vision returns to normal.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PREVENTION</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To prevent or slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, it is very important to keep your blood sugar level as close to normal as possible. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having high blood pressure (hypertension) can make the blood vessels in your eyes more vulnerable to damage, increasing your risk of developing advanced diabetic retinopathy. The most effective way of preventing high blood pressure is to eat a healthy, balanced diet, including plenty of fruit and vegetables (at least five portions a day), and to take regular exercise (at least 30 minutes five times a week).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If diabetic retinopathy is diagnosed and treated at an early stage, the outlook for the condition is good. Research has found that treatment can prevent severe vision loss in 90% of cases of diabetic retinopathy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope (if you are still awake after reading all of that) that the post has answered a few questions about what Retinopathy is and what is involved in the treatment available. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some useful websites are:</span><br />
<a href="http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/Information_for_patients.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/Information_for_patients.html</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetic-retinopathy/Pages/Introduction.aspx"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetic-retinopathy/Pages/Introduction.aspx</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.youreyeguide.co.uk/retinopathy/index.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.youreyeguide.co.uk/retinopathy/index.html</span></a>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-33041537247654980712010-07-24T23:12:00.001+01:002010-07-24T23:13:22.179+01:00Riding the Roller Coaster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlWE2jGbawp2acWq2yZWTLaVdKT-iVvphfRF3Gor9SZZGLRnj0CHtCSXOaYqhlDscTodVZDbpthlNTlJDzC9TyPmXJAD4KYDu5vKy4iGLdMwO0xFE66X6EC3_eQddlAhEMNKdTxy443Jq/s1600/rollercoaster7_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlWE2jGbawp2acWq2yZWTLaVdKT-iVvphfRF3Gor9SZZGLRnj0CHtCSXOaYqhlDscTodVZDbpthlNTlJDzC9TyPmXJAD4KYDu5vKy4iGLdMwO0xFE66X6EC3_eQddlAhEMNKdTxy443Jq/s400/rollercoaster7_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think a good way to describe Diabetes is that it is like a roller coaster....there are ups and downs and lots of unexpected twists and turns along the way. These ups and downs and twists and turns can come in the form of the highs and lows of blood sugars and the sometimes unexpected diagnosis of a long term complication or maybe a request for a pump being turned down but they can also be related to the emotional side of living with Diabetes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For me, an example of the emotions you can go through would be the last couple of days during which I have felt angry, hateful, tired, upset, tearful, self-pitying, irrational, like giving up, frustrated, powerless, pathetic, like a failure, guilty, energetic, motivated, happy, proud, relieved and disappointed....and that's just in the space of about 36 hours so imagine the range of emotions people with Diabetes go through from the date of diagnosis and then for the rest of your life.....that's a lot of ups and downs!!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Yesterday was a bad day for me Diabetes-wise in terms of just wanting to ignore it and pretend it wasn't happening to me. During the day I felt anger and hatred towards this life long condition that has decided to inflict itself upon me and my family. I wanted it to go away and leave us all alone, even if it was just for a little while!!! Like I said yesterday, you sometimes feel like you want to ask Diabetes <em>"why me?"</em> and that was where the self-pitying came in. By the end of the day I felt like a total and utter failure and completely </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">pathetic for not having the willpower to leave the chocolate alone and just do what I needed to do (i.e. count carbs, test sugars etc.).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then as this morning came I felt guilty, like a fraud and like I had let everyone down. These feelings are because I have been extremely lucky in being given the chance to have an insulin pump and that means total commitment to it and to your Diabetes.....yesterday was not a good way to show my commitment or gratitude!!! My sugars first thing were 16.7 so I made the decision (a monumental one for a person such as me who can't stand exercise) to not get down about it and to do something positive so I dusted off one of my old dance workout dvd's and tried to reduce my sugar levels that way. It has been a looooong time since I did any exercise so afterwards I felt really good that I had done it and actually enjoyed it too. It's only a small step but every little helps, as they say. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before lunch my sugar was down to 6.5 so the exercise had had a really positive effect on both my sugars and my mood (this was where the feelings of relief came in - I had totally changed my attitude from yesterday and done something good to improve my sugars - and it had worked). Then after lunch I suddenly felt hypo.....sugars down to 3.1.....aside from the shakiness, sweating, intense hunger and feeling weak there was the familiar feeling of disappointment!!!!! I thought I was doing so well in my attempt to be a "good Diabetic" today and then it all went wrong.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">My sugars are currently 11.0 which isn't too bad (for me anyway) especially after treating a hypo earlier on. I'm back to feeling fairly positive and trying to focus on the fact that I'm getting my trial pumps next week so it's all becoming very real very quickly.....and of course, with that comes a whole new set of emotions.....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There really is no getting off this roller coaster that is Type 1 Diabetes!!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>P.S. Huge thank you to Gareth for putting up with all of these emotions and for riding the roller coaster with me!!! x x x</em></span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-86839494223882948682010-07-23T23:16:00.000+01:002010-07-23T23:16:11.329+01:00Damn You Diabetes!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kSER6N3FBbO_m5b2TR062FWfOEm37mOEmMiu65qYF5yD7H4pSRLGhSr7II_0FVfGDsJmOuLsyxQW1rhnTS0rSmtbgfTWS-VKHEAruwdUHa0oY2fgdZcZwEeJlMpmPBfUVqtn5adSvbC9/s1600/ihatediabetes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kSER6N3FBbO_m5b2TR062FWfOEm37mOEmMiu65qYF5yD7H4pSRLGhSr7II_0FVfGDsJmOuLsyxQW1rhnTS0rSmtbgfTWS-VKHEAruwdUHa0oY2fgdZcZwEeJlMpmPBfUVqtn5adSvbC9/s400/ihatediabetes.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think the title of the post kind of says it all.....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Today I hate Diabetes.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Today I have ignored Diabetes....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Today I pretended I was a non-Diabetic....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Today has been an <em>"I can't be arsed with Diabetes"</em> day. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">I used to spend my entire life having days like this where I ignored Diabetes completely but lately those kind of days have been non-existent.....until today!!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I basically spent the day not counting carbs, eating absolute rubbish and not testing my sugars and now I feel like crap......Yes, it's all my own fault and yes, I've been a terrible Diabetic today but I have to say I enjoyed every minute of it and every piece of chocolate tasted great.......s</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">ometimes it feels good to stick 2 fingers up to this vile disease called Diabetes!!!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As all of you with the dreaded D will know, there are times when you don't just dislike Diabetes but you HATE it and want to scream and shout <em>"why me?"</em> and if it was a physical thing you could grab hold of you would give it a good kicking and maybe a few punches too!!! (I'm not normally a violent person, honest.....but Diabetes really does bring out the worst in me sometimes!!) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There are times when you don't want to have to count how many carbs are in every single thing you eat, you don't want to weigh your food, you don't want to have to do the maths to calculate your insulin doses, you don't want to prick your finger and squeeze a drop of blood out of it every few hours, you don't give a s**t what your blood sugar level is and you just don't want to have Diabetes taking up any space in your head!!!! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But then you remember......it's not going to go away no matter how much you try and ignore it, it will still be there tomorrow, and the next day and the day after that.......</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Oh well, tomorrow's another day and I can try and get back to being a "good diabetic" again.......</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-16879665645934448502010-07-21T21:53:00.000+01:002010-07-21T21:53:23.436+01:00Bits and Pieces......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBz969lVorx5RzPrSyzdkiGgqMl4LznHUgffZ3EMR5H6LI2ax1kfSUX7enHQN3vvBCecdcKdY5CpHM48zHBY3JTja-Q5SqtE_M5oybW25upJHWq41355EzqmoiJk-paDzfEvcBAVvi3PL/s1600/blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBz969lVorx5RzPrSyzdkiGgqMl4LznHUgffZ3EMR5H6LI2ax1kfSUX7enHQN3vvBCecdcKdY5CpHM48zHBY3JTja-Q5SqtE_M5oybW25upJHWq41355EzqmoiJk-paDzfEvcBAVvi3PL/s320/blog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Had a nice long break from Diabetes blogging and now it's about time I got back into it so here goes......</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Not much to report really at the moment......had a great holiday in Turkey. We spent the entire 2 weeks doing virtually nothing which I'm sure sounds incredibly boring but it was exactly what we needed and we have come home fully rested, nicely tanned and a fair few pounds heavier....the all-inclusive constant eating regime was too good to resist I'm afraid. I would certainly recommend Turkey if you want fantastic weather, gorgeous scenery and friendly people and we really want to go back at some point. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">On the Diabetes front the holiday went smoothly apart from the odd low which was easy to deal with with an extra ice cream or two and a couple of extreme highs, one of which was entirely my fault as on our last night I somehow managed to forget to inject with my evening meal....DOH!!!! At least I knew the reason for it though so I corrected and made sure I kept myself hydrated and everything was fine.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Before I went away on holiday I read about the JDRF's request for people to contact their local MP's to ask them to sign up to Early Day Motion (EDM) 122 regarding Type 1 Diabetes research, which Adrian Sanders MP had put down for the JDRF. Early Day Motions provide a formal mechanism for MPs to raise issues in the House of Commons. '</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The full text of Early Day Motion 122 is below:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><em>"That this House supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in its campaign to increase awareness and understanding about type 1 diabetes; notes that type 1 and type 2 diabetes are very separate and distinct conditions; acknowledges that type 1 diabetes is a chronic, life-threatening auto immune condition and is not caused by eating sugary food, by being overweight or by lifestyle choices; further notes with concern that type 1 is a leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness, stroke, heart attacks and nerve damage and that incidence of the condition is increasing by four per cent. year on year; further notes that approximately five per cent. of the entire NHS budget is spent on treating type 1 diabetes; recognises that JDRF is the world's leading charitable funder of type 1 diabetes research and the only organisation dedicated solely to finding the cure for type 1; and believes that more funding for medical research will lead to the development of better treatments for type 1 diabetes, resulting in fewer complications and hospitalisations, improve cost efficiencies for the NHS budget and lead to a cure."</em></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
I contacted my local MP for Wolverhampton North East, Emma Reynolds, by e-mail and have now had a letter back from her saying that she has signed up to the EDM, which I am really pleased about. At the time she replied a total of 36 MP's had signed up to it. If you would like to contact your local MP to ask them to sign up click on the JDRF website link below where you can find out more.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jdrf.org.uk/news.asp?section=23&itemid=1489">http://www.jdrf.org.uk/news.asp?section=23&itemid=1489</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">At my last appointment my DSN gave me one of the new Bayer Contour USB blood glucose meters to try, on condition that I do a review of it for her. I've been looking at the Contour USB for a while so to get one given to me for free was great. I have only started to use it this week so I haven't got much to say on it yet in terms of using the Glucofacts Software which allows you to view your meter readings and can produce a variety of reports but in terms of the look of it and how easy it is to use then I only have positive things to say. It looks really modern and funky and comes with multi coloured lancets which I quite like (Yes, I am very easily pleased I know!!!). When setting it up you can put in what your target results range is for before a meal and also for after a meal. Once you have put the drop of blood onto the test strip it asks you whether the test is before or after a meal and then when analysing the results it will tell you how many of your results have been on target or above or below the range you have set depending on whether the test was done before or after a meal. You can also add notes which you could use, for example, if you are ill and have a high result, you can add a note to the result so you have an explanation for it. You can also set reminders for when you want to do your next test. Once I have made use of the software and looked at the reports and graphs that can be produced I will do a proper review of it. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As I think I've mentioned before I have signed up to be a distributing volunteer for Diabetes UK and have just received my first box of materials. There are a few posters and a variety of leaflets. I can <span style="background-color: white;">take</span> some into work and will take some into my GP's and to the Eye Infirmary and Stafford Hospital next week. I will leave some at my local library also but I'm not sure where else to go with them if I'm honest. So if anyone has any ideas please let me know.....Thanks!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Also before I went on holiday I e-mailed Diabetes UK about posting a link to my blog on their website. When I got home I still hadn't had a reply so I contacted them on their Facebook page and was told that they thought they had replied to me.....they hadn't so I sent my email again. The next day I had a response.......they aren't interested at this time as they already have someone blogging for them who is around my age and uses a pump. Bit disappointed if I'm totally honest but they have however, suggested that I can be a "guest blogger" at some point so watch this space......</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Through an old school friend of mine I have got in contact with a girl in Canada who has been on a pump for 6 years. This is great as she has been able to tell me all about it and has re-iterated what I keep on hearing about how much the pump has changed her life. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Whilst I was on holiday I was contacted by a guy in America called John who had read my blog and liked the way I write so wanted my help with creating a new Facebook group called 'Diabetics with Neuropathy'. I'm not too sure at the moment exactly how I will be able to contribute as I do not have neuropathy myself but the group is now set up and with the help of Lee (Nevitt) I hope we can raise awareness of the condition and get the facts out there about this painful and debilitating complication of Diabetes. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I love making contact with new people who have Diabetes or have children with Diabetes as it means that this Diabetic Online Community of ours is just growing and growing and that can only be a good thing!!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">FINALLY I have some ketone test strips........after my unsuccessful trip to the GP's when the doctor had never even heard of ketones never mind strips that test for them, I got in touch with my wonderful DSN (Heidi) at the GP surgery and she got it all sorted out for me and put them onto my repeat prescription.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I've recently bought a couple of new Diabetes related books which I want to get started with really soon. One is called 'Pumping Insulin' by John Walsh and Ruth Roberts and the other is called '50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life and 50 Diabetes Truths That Can Save It' by Riva Greenberg. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The first one was recommended to me by a friend who has a pump and is apparently everything you need to know for success on an insulin pump. I have made a start reading it and so far it seems to be really informative and quite easy to follow. I think this one is going to be my "bible" over the next few months. I will do a proper review of it once I have read it all and maybe I can recommend it to other people who are soon to start with a pump.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I read an article on a website by the author of the second book and decided to buy her book. I haven't started it yet but I think it will be an interesting read. As I have said before, I'm currently trying to re-educate myself on all things Diabetes and learn about things to do with the disease that I have always ignored in the past so I think this book will be a good way of helping me to do that. Again, once I have read it I will do a quick review and let you know whether it's worth a look or not.....</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A week today I will be going to the Eye Infirmary for more laser surgery on my right eye for my R</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">etinopathy. Not looking forward to it one bit (obviously) but it's got to be done!!! I'm sure I will be able to get through it by thinking about my appointment the day after at Stafford Hospital with Gill, my DSN, to get 2 infusion sets put in so I can take 2 pumps home filled with saline to try them out and make my final decision on which one I want to have (I'm still thinking it's going to be the Medtronic - in pink of course - but I'll have to wait and see how I get on)......it's sooooo exciting and I can't wait!!!!! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyway, I think that's all the Diabetes related bits and pieces that have been going on recently.......thanks for reading!!! :o)</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-15782754409807161592010-06-26T11:32:00.000+01:002010-06-26T11:32:56.620+01:00Pump Progress......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwq16y60kcPVEhwUZC0EC5spPlJ9oxfkZ9Z-T-4amgNo9o1uGOK8j9l2gcXvh6xrhufs5uTe_KLN4wGXojkZJcDszJhepmJhrkE52H00HmFK8M-8EB3apd7E-Hn8FfSRcQsX7ZZN-SJaZ1/s1600/pink+pump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwq16y60kcPVEhwUZC0EC5spPlJ9oxfkZ9Z-T-4amgNo9o1uGOK8j9l2gcXvh6xrhufs5uTe_KLN4wGXojkZJcDszJhepmJhrkE52H00HmFK8M-8EB3apd7E-Hn8FfSRcQsX7ZZN-SJaZ1/s200/pink+pump.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just a quick update on where I am on my insulin pump journey......</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week has been a bit hectic with getting ready for going on holiday today......trying to make sure I've left instructions for everyone at work about how to do my job while I'm away (the place just falls apart without me don't you know, ha ha ha), packing for the holiday, making sure I've got all my medication sorted and three appointments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Firstly the opticians where he said there's no point changing my glasses at the moment as the prescription is only a weak one and the fact that I'm currently having lots of changes in the back of my eye due to the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">retinopathy</span> and because I'm having more laser soon. Good news as I didn't relish the thought of having to buy new glasses at the moment!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Wednesday was seeing the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">dietician</span> at Stafford Hospital for a <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">carb</span> counting group session. I'd never been to one of these before so I was a bit apprehensive but needn't have been as it was really informal and we met three really lovely people. It made me realise that I haven't been the only "bad" diabetic in the history of diabetes!!! Some of the stories were so similar to mine, for example, ignoring the condition and trying to pretend it's not there. All the years I was being "bad" I used to think I was the only one and that all other type 1's had perfect sugars and never ate unhealthily but now I'm starting to realise that I wasn't so alone after all. Anyway, the outcome of the session was better than I could have expected as the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">dietician</span> said she was happy to tell the pump nurse that I'm ready to go onto the pump as I have got the hang of the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">carb</span> counting......FANTASTIC!!!! I couldn't hide my excitement as I really didn't expect to hear that so soon. I thought I would have had to have another couple of one to one sessions with her, at least. I also had some bloods taken to find out what my HbA1C is.....my last one in Feb/March was 11.6 so I'm hoping it will have come down a bit now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Thursday - Back to Stafford Hospital, this time to see the pump nurse!!! I had been really looking forward to this particular appointment as it was going to be the first time I would get to hear about how the process of getting "connected" would work and how long it would take and which pumps I could choose from. After the news from the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">dietician</span> on Wednesday I was even more excited.....I could hardly wait to get in the room and say "Mina says I'm ready for my pump...." We had a really good discussion about all things pump related and about what to expect. I did have one rather embarrassing moment when we were discussing my meals and portion sizes.....<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">hmmmm</span>, it seems that I really am a greedy pig!!! I will never forget the look on Gill's (pump nurse) face when I told her what I eat for my evening meals, I think pure shock would accurately describe it!!!! So the next thing I need to work on is cutting down on portion sizes!!!! Gill then told me that for every 1% that my HbA1C comes down I can expect to gain up to 4lbs in weight if I don't cut my portions down and start to do some exercise so my new exercise regime is due to start first thing tomorrow in the hotel pool in Turkey!!!!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Once she had got over the shock of the amount of food I can put away, Gill showed us the 3 pumps that the hospital offers. They are</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;">:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">1. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Animas</span> One Touch Ping </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.animas.com/animas-insulin-pumps/onetouch-ping">http://www.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">animas</span>.com/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">animas</span>-insulin-pumps/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">onetouch</span>-ping</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">2. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Accu</span>-<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Chek</span> Spirit Combo </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.accu-chek.co.uk/gb/products/insulinpumps/combo.html">http://www.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">accu</span>-<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">chek</span>.co.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">uk</span>/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">gb</span>/products/<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">insulinpumps</span>/combo.html</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">3. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Medtronic</span> Paradigm</span><br />
<a href="http://www.medtronic-diabetes.co.uk/product-information/index.html"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">medtronic</span>-diabetes.co.<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">uk</span>/product-information/index.html</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Obviously, they all essentially do the same thing but they all have a slightly different look and have slightly different features. The aim was to discount one and then focus on the other 2. I will then take 2 of them home filled with saline instead of insulin and attach them so I can get to experience how it feels to wear one and get to have a 'play' with the features on each one. After discussing my insulin requirements (the amount I currently take per day) we decided that the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Animas</span> Ping was not for me as it holds less insulin in the reservoir so it would get used up about every 2 days which would mean changing the infusion set every 2 days. The other 2 can hold more insulin so I would need to change the infusion set every 3 days instead of 2. At the moment I am edging towards choosing the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Medtronic</span> pump (partially because it comes in pink and you can get some nice 'skins' for it - ha ha). Aside from the look of it, I like the fact that it can be used in conjunction with a continuous glucose monitor (<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">CGM</span>). The hospital don't offer those as they are extremely expensive. You can have one on loan for a week though. In future though the price may come down and the hospital may supply them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Anyway, the outcome is that on the 29th July I will take the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Medtronic</span> and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Accu</span>-<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Chek</span> Combo home to have a go with.....<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">soooo</span> excited (but also a little nervous if I'm honest). After that it will be a case of Gill trying to match me up with another person about to go on a pump so that we can be 'pump buddys'. They try to match people up who they think will learn in a similar way, i.e. people who are both <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ok</span> with gadgets and technology would probably pick up how to use the pump at about the same rate. If there is no one she feels would match well with me then it may be that Gareth is my 'pump buddy' and we do the training together, which will be a full day and then go back a few days later for a half day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">All in all things are moving much much faster than I ever expected. I really do appreciate how lucky I am in this respect and also in terms of how easily I have been accepted for a pump. For some people the whole <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">proce</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span class="goog-spellcheck-word">ss</span> can be a real fight and can take a long long time so I am very grateful to Dr. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Coates</span>, Mina and Gill......Thank you!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For now, however, I am off on my hols in a few hours so I must go and finish my packing (including my new book on insulin pumping of course!!!) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">:o)</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-50139173064437984812010-06-23T21:15:00.004+01:002010-06-23T21:18:18.992+01:00Having a Holiday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaLdbQ-_hQWqb3sNxMwvOT9f-zQHzO1Z9Qqdlf7H_E-agm58wSbbwZzgUPpq1awCVmqoOF3g0GwQLM1SxakX4_BLSittDFWLcIIQObbI0LzdD5mK8OTEpJ87QFE-VWJKofgKw4ayIHsPU/s1600/OluDeniz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaLdbQ-_hQWqb3sNxMwvOT9f-zQHzO1Z9Qqdlf7H_E-agm58wSbbwZzgUPpq1awCVmqoOF3g0GwQLM1SxakX4_BLSittDFWLcIIQObbI0LzdD5mK8OTEpJ87QFE-VWJKofgKw4ayIHsPU/s320/OluDeniz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Me and Gareth are off on holiday on Saturday!!! Two weeks all inclusive in Turkey.....I cannot wait (the picture above is of the Blue Lagoon Beach at Olu Deniz which is just down the road from where we are staying). It was only booked on Sunday which hasn't given me very long to get everything sorted, especially with working all week too. When I say "everything" I mean all the diabetes paraphenalia that has to accompany us on our holiday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It's not just a matter of chucking a few bikini's and a pair of flip flops in a suitcase for those of us with diabetes.....take the usual kit (consisting of insulin pens (both types), needles, glucotabs, hypogel, glucagon, blood testing meter, lancets, testing strips, cholesterol tablets) and then double it and add the rest of the concoction of tablets I'm on for various things and you've got yourself almost an entire chemist's worth of medication!!! A quick trip to the doctor's to get my repeat prescription sorted and now we can no longer move for medication in our flat!! :o)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I would usually be super organised and plan well in advance and have all my spare medication sorted in plenty of time but there was no time for that this time around!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">You should always take two sets of medication just in case one gets lost or damaged in any way. One set will be in my hand luggage and the other set in Gareth's hand luggage. Insulin should always be carried in your hand luggage as it could freeze if it is in the hold of the plane.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Then there's making sure there are no problems when getting all of your stuff through security without the Spanish Inquisition. This requires a letter from your GP stating that you are a type 1 diabetic and that you have to carry insulin and needles. I have been really lucky as I think I have only been asked to show this letter once or maybe twice when travelling abroad. Most of the time I tell them at check-in that I am carrying insulin and needles and that I've got a letter if they need to see it and they never bother looking at it. I did once have to hand over all of my insulin and needles to the head cabin crew on a flight to Majorca which I didn't mind as I made sure I spoke to them first and knew who they were and exactly where they were going to store my supplies during the flight. I have never ever had any questions asked at the x-ray machines. As I'm sure you all know, you now have to put all the stuff into clear plastic bags (like freezer bags) so the insulin pens are clear to see and I still haven't ever had anyone ask any questions about what they are or why I've got them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The weather in Turkey is currently fantastic and the temperatures are in the low 30's (my Mom came back from Turkey on Monday and had had temperatures of up to 48 degrees!!!!!!!) so I will have to think about the fact that insulin can be absored quicker in high temperatures. This will mean testing blood sugars more often to make sure levels are not too low.....but then again, if they are a bit on the low side it's a good excuse for another ice cream by the pool :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is obviously really important to get adequate travel health insurance and diabetes is considered a pre-existing medical condition which must be declared to the insurer before you go on holiday. Many insurance companies don't charge extra for insuring people with diabetes, if they have no complications. Some insurance companies will not replace lost, stolen or damaged insulin or other supplies so it is worth checking with your insurance company as to exactly what you are covered for. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'll need to make sure we have plenty of food and snacks such as cereal bars with us for the journey (not <em>just</em> because Gareth has a huge appetite....ha ha) in case of any delays and also as there is no in-flight meal and we are flying at 10 to 6 so it will be time for my dinner. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Insulin has to be stored correctly and kept cool as extreme temperatures can reduce it's potency. Polystyrene containers, vacuum flasks, face cloths in a sandwich container, are all useful for storing insulin when on holiday or alternatively special travel-carry systems are available to buy. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If a fridge is available in the room it should be used or hotels may be willing to store insulin if asked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Another thing to consider is that when you are walking around the pool and on the beach is making sure that your feet are protected and if at all possible I would always try not to go barefoot. This is important as if you cut or injure your feet the wound may take a long time to heal which increases the chances of getting an infection. Obviously getting sunburnt is not good for anyone but I need to be extra careful with the skin on my legs as I have Necrobiosis Lipoidica Diabeticorum (NLD) (I have done a previous post on this), particularly on my left shin. I will need to make sure I keep this covered up as much as I can and use plenty of sunscreen on it. When on holiday in Egypt a couple of years ago I managed to get the patch on my left shin quite burnt and let me tell you, it was not a pretty sight and didn't heal for months and months so I want to avoid that happening again at all costs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So as you can see, aside from the usual dilemas of whether you have packed too many clothes and which factor suncream you should buy, there are plenty of extras to think about for diabetics going on their hols. All in all, it's been a bit of a hectic week getting everything sorted but I'm certainly not complaining when I'm soon going to be spending two whole weeks lounging around on a sunbed...... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">On another positive note, I have seen my dietician today who says she is now happy to tell the pump nurse that I am ready to get started with my pump as I am competent enough at carb counting. I really wasn't expecting to hear this yet as I thought I'd have to see the dietician a few more times to prove that I have got my head around it all so it was a brilliant surprise to hear her say that today. I already had an appointment with the pump nurse for tomorrow anyway so I'm going to tell her what the dietician said today and hopefully this time tomorrow I will have a good idea of exactly how long it will be before I get "connected" to my new toy.....just got to think of a name for her now!!!! Ha ha ha!! :o)</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-41603112056171246772010-06-21T21:53:00.002+01:002010-06-21T22:41:06.931+01:00It's Just a Number's Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgi5tPUoviR0DnYoV3kAtlgtdSqTdL2azemPAo6v1WK9ivy_vZ6JaNsgdvKncf2Bf2G9S98_Wnmh8PLrcCiurc6eLhN_oRHUog-3WjSfCmixKkvxg2BKP6Ey2bUPDcq4XDlRL8QaWQl_-/s1600/numbers1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgi5tPUoviR0DnYoV3kAtlgtdSqTdL2azemPAo6v1WK9ivy_vZ6JaNsgdvKncf2Bf2G9S98_Wnmh8PLrcCiurc6eLhN_oRHUog-3WjSfCmixKkvxg2BKP6Ey2bUPDcq4XDlRL8QaWQl_-/s320/numbers1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you think about it, that's exactly what diabetes is all about....numbers!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If it's not blood sugar levels, it's units of insulin or the number of carbs in a meal....basically if it's diabetes related, it will have a number associated with it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are some of the numbers I could think of that are part of managing my diabetes on a daily basis:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <strong>19</strong> years and <strong>27</strong> days since I was diagnosed at the age of <strong>10</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- <strong>2</strong> or <strong>4</strong> injections per day for <strong>19</strong> years - let's say approximately <strong>10</strong> years at <strong>2</strong> per day and <strong>9</strong> years at <strong>4</strong> per day, that's <strong>20,548</strong> injections (approx) since diagnosis</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- <strong>4</strong> injections in <strong>1</strong> day down to <strong>1</strong> infusion set change every <strong>3</strong> days - this is the dramatic difference I will experience once I am on a pump!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- <strong>8</strong> to <strong>10</strong> finger pricking blood tests per day - admittedly, it has only been relatively recently that I have done this many blood tests. I used to go for a month at a time without testing during my teenage years. Tut tut!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- Blood sugar level targets: before meals: between <strong>4</strong> and <strong>7</strong> mmols/L and two</span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> hours after meals: less than <strong>9</strong> mmols/L. As all of us with the big D know, it can sometimes (or most of the time for some of us) be a real struggle to achieve these levels and there are all sorts of things that can play havoc with your levels such as being ill, stress, heat, eating out, alcohol - basically life just gets in the way sometimes....</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- HbA1C (Glycated haemoglobin) - This is a blood test (not a simple finger prick but a big scary one at the doctors where I am now well known for being the wussiest diabetic they have ever seen "But you inject yourself every day, how can you be scared of needles?" is what they always say - Ha ha!!!) which </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">indicates your blood glucose levels for the previous two to three months. The HbA1c measures the amount of glucose that is being carried by the red blood cells in the body. The target for this test is <strong>6.5%</strong> or less (my last one was <strong>11.6%</strong> which is not good at all but is an improvement on the previous one of <strong>12.6%</strong> - where HbA1C is concerned even a small decrease is very important and really quite significant in reducing the risk of diabetic complications)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Cholesterol levels should be less than <strong>4.0</strong> mmol/l. My cholesterol level is too high and I am currently taking tablets to help to lower it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Carbohydrates - I have recently started to learn to count carbs in what I eat in preparation for starting on an insulin pump. At first I was overwhelmed by all the numbers on the backs of packets and in the books I've got but I am slowly getting used to it. At the moment, for every <strong>10</strong> grams of carbs I am taking <strong>3 </strong>units of my fast acting insulin (Apidra). So for example, if a meal has a total of <strong>120 </strong>grams of carbs, I would inject <strong>36 </strong>units of Apidra.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Number of times per day I crave chocolate = at least <strong>10</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Costs to bear in mind regarding insulin pumps: Up to <strong>£3000</strong> for the pump itself and approx <strong>£1600</strong> for the consumables per year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Amount of money I have raised in sponsors, so far, for this years Diabetes UK Walk the Extra Mile in September.......<strong>£121.00</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>-</strong> Perhaps the most sensitive issue of all......my weight!!! Currrently at <strong>11</strong> stone and <strong>13</strong> pounds - (I'm scaring myself with my honesty here!!!) For my height this means that my Body Mass Index is <strong>27</strong> which means I am classed as 'overweight' - not good for the old ego that one!! Apparently my ideal weight is <strong>9</strong> stone <strong>3</strong> pounds - long way to go to get there!!! I had a phase on Slimming World which I did lose nine pounds on and I would like to do Slimming World again at some point but for now my focus is on getting some of my other numbers right, e.g. my blood sugars, and that is a big enough challenge for me right now without trying to lose weight at the same time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A few more diabetes related numbers:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <strong>1,400,000</strong> people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes, that's about <strong>1</strong> in every <strong>100</strong> people. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- Diabetes takes up <strong>9%</strong> of the NHS budget - that's a huge <strong>£5.2 billion</strong> per year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- In the year 2000 there were <strong>171,000,000</strong> people worldwide with diabetes, this figure is predicted to rise to <strong>366,000,000</strong> in 2030, that is more than double. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- In the UK <strong>1</strong> person is diagnosed with diabetes every <strong>3</strong> minutes and <strong>3</strong> people die from its complications every <strong>1 </strong>hour</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Number of times I have wished I wasn't diabetic and that I could stop thinking about numbers = too many to count!!!! :o)</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-55658828712210192322010-06-16T21:35:00.002+01:002010-06-16T21:37:56.612+01:00Diabetes Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQEROdTxLPKIFq00HTkKih-ZWNC7xbzbw-y_wLXJUAFC70J5SQDRVmHsV0AOlh8Z92k8KN_EZfL64tmViVB5nsBrqanIfKK5gJuaqV6tvbkwVHK9dNxFdO0HFJLtFhqwqrGkftye3hHDK/s1600/banner_top.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQEROdTxLPKIFq00HTkKih-ZWNC7xbzbw-y_wLXJUAFC70J5SQDRVmHsV0AOlh8Z92k8KN_EZfL64tmViVB5nsBrqanIfKK5gJuaqV6tvbkwVHK9dNxFdO0HFJLtFhqwqrGkftye3hHDK/s640/banner_top.gif" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week (13th to 19th June) is Diabetes Week 2010 which is an annual awareness and fundraising week. This year Diabetes UK is using Diabetes Week as a way of trying to dispel the myths that surround diabetes and also to raise awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the myths that they are trying to dispel are: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eating too much sugar causes diabetes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Type 2 diabetes is mild diabetes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you have diabetes you can't drive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People with diabetes can't play sport </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In support of the healthy lifestyle aspect of Diabetes Week Diabetes UK have launched a keepy uppy competition to find the most unusual location you can do a series of keepy uppies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many people around the country are doing fantastic things, taking part in challenges and holding events to celebrate Diabetes Week. I am doing a Diabetes UK sponsored walk in September called "Walk the Extra Mile" and I have raised over £100 so far....plenty of time left for people to sponsor us. Please visit the following link if you would like to sponsor me...Thank you:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/becswalktheextramilefordiabetesuk"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/becswalktheextramilefordiabetesuk</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are lots of other "Walk the Extra Mile" events going on during Diabetes Week and also throughout the rest of the year all around the country.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have put up some posters at work to advertise Diabetes Week and have also had some information put onto works intranet which tells people a few of the basics about Diabetes Week, what type 1 diabetes is and also about my sponsored walk. Through doing this I have already found out that a colleague has recently started using an insulin pump. She emailed me and has offered to talk to me and answer any questions I may have on pumps......this, along with me finding so may new friends in the diabetic community recently, just goes to show that us diabetics, and parents of children with diabetes, are a bloomin' friendly bunch!!!! :o)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the other events and challenges that I know of are:</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lee and Claudia's Don't Suffer In Silence Challenge</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lee and Claudia are both type 1 diabetics and their challenge is to go from Sandbanks to Southbourne, near Bournemouth (Claudia on her bike and Lee in his wheelchair) on Saturday 19th June. They both want to raise awareness and m oney by completing their challenge. If you want to sponsor them and help them get to their target of £1000 (they are almost there now) then visit the link below</span><br />
<a href="http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/leenevitt-dontsufferinsilence"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/leenevitt-dontsufferinsilence</span></a><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Roxie Walks 10km</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Both Roxie and her son have type 1 diabetes and she hopes to raise awareness by walking 10km from Sandbanks to Southbourne. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Visit the link to find out more and donate:</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/roxanareynolds-roxanawalks10km?ref=nf"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/roxanareynolds-roxanawalks10km?ref=nf</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are loads of events going on around the country including walking, swimming and zip-sliding challenges. </span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Portrait Exhibition</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Diabetes UK is working with professional and ex-Times staff photographer James Clarke to produce a photography exhibition which portrays people with diabetes, of all ages, in their own environment. The project is made up of twenty portraits and each is accompanied by a brief biography of the subject which describes their experience of living with diabetes. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The exhibtion is on from 11th June until 20th June at the VAAD Gallery in Mayfair, London.</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Coast to Coast Walk</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Diabetes UK Chief Executive Douglas Smallwood is raising awareness of their Get Serious campaign, and aiming to raise £5,250 by doing the 192-mile Coast to Coast walk with his son, Jimmy - the money raised will be used to send 15 nurses on an insulin pump training course to support children with diabetes in the UK.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As you can see, a lot of wonderful people care a huge amount about raising awareness of diabetes, its complications and what it is like to live with it on a daily basis. That is one of the things I have loved finding out from the diabetic online community that I have recently become a part of.....that people are <strong>SO VERY </strong>passionate about doing whatever they can, big or small, to increase general understanding and awareness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course the money raised is also fantastic and essential in enabling leading charities to carry on vital research but if I can help just one person to better understand what diabetes is and the seriousness of the condition then I will feel I have done my bit for Diabetes Week 2010!!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Again, if you would like to sponsor me please visit my challenge page:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/becswalktheextramilefordiabetesuk">http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/challenge/becswalktheextramilefordiabetesuk</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THANK YOU!!!!!</span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5095511518705911530.post-28411271806619838412010-06-15T21:46:00.001+01:002010-06-15T21:48:24.222+01:00It's all about units......of the alcohol and the insulin kind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMQLDnhyphenhyphenEIWeVeWmiS_1IObVS5PRmzzXlmHAcToEysHIv7l2WYHby-aHKvygs-0FLF2lrMhIm6JsH-Yu2TcUWozTPHjxte8zybmVoObda2CceC60LQ5wCH2HtlU9ejIl7UEV26GYT8cFq/s1600/DSC02509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMQLDnhyphenhyphenEIWeVeWmiS_1IObVS5PRmzzXlmHAcToEysHIv7l2WYHby-aHKvygs-0FLF2lrMhIm6JsH-Yu2TcUWozTPHjxte8zybmVoObda2CceC60LQ5wCH2HtlU9ejIl7UEV26GYT8cFq/s320/DSC02509.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday night was set aside for a good catch up with my oldest and <span style="background-color: white;"><span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">bestest</span> friend, Kathryn, round at her house. This usually includes some yummy food and copious amounts of wine....this Saturday was no exception. The only difference this time was that I was actually paying attention to what I was eating, the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">carbs</span> involved and the affect that alcohol can have on blood sugar levels.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">In the past, mainly in my teenage years, I would have a few drinks and not feel any effects diabetes-wise as my sugars usually ran so high anyway that any alcohol I drank did not lower my sugar levels enough to make me hypoglycemic. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me at this point so let me make it clear that I don't drink alcohol very often at all, in fact the last time I had a few drinks before this Saturday was in March and the time before that was January.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;"><em>What effect can alcohol have on you if you are diabetic?</em></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">Alcohol can significantly increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels). It can block your livers ability to release glucose. It also blocks hormones that raise blood glucose and increases the glucose-lowering effect of insulin.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">You should avoid drinking on an empty stomach, as this will quickly increase the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream. You should never substitute alcohol for your meals as this can increase the risk of a hypo.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">When drinking larger amounts of alcohol, serious hypoglycemia can occur. Some sources (including Diabetes UK) advise strict carbohydrate management, perhaps even eating chips or pizza, if a large amount of alcohol has been consumed. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">The symptoms of drunkenness, i.e. slurring words, confusion, can be very similar to the symptom of a hypo. Furthermore, if you have been drinking heavily, there may be a risk of hypos for up to 16 hours (or even longer) after you have stopped drinking. Obviously, monitoring blood glucose levels closely is an essential part of managing your diabetes in this situation.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">So, back to Saturday....working out the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">carbs</span> in the pizza was the first job. 4 slices at 50g <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">carbs</span> per slice = 200g <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">carbs</span>!!! This seemed an awful lot but we triple checked the maths (you would hope Kathryn got it right as she's a teacher after all) then worked out I'd need 60 units of <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">Apidra</span> as I'm currently using the ratio of 3 units for every 10 grams of <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">carbs</span>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">I admit I felt a bit wary of doing so much insulin in one go as, before <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">carb</span> counting (which I only started at the end of April this year), I would never have injected so many units for one meal and 60 units sounded like a crazy amount, so I didn't inject for the 4 garlic dough balls or for the Doritos that I also ate. I guessed that this would be <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">ok</span> as if I was drinking quite a lot of wine that would also bring my sugars down if I hadn't done enough insulin to account for the Doritos and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">doughballs</span>......WRONG!!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">Woke up the next morning feeling rubbish but surprisingly not due to a hangover but because of the horrendously high blood sugar level of 23.1. Not sure exactly what had gone so wrong here.......maybe I should have injected for the Doritos and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: none; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat;">doughballs</span> after all??!!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana;">My sugars came back down to a reasonable level by lunchtime and we did have a great night catching up, giggling and singing - much to the neighbours dismay I'm sure - to old Take That songs, so I'm not going to worry about it too much.....until the next time, when I will try, once again, to get it right!!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span>Bechttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02342682868342549314noreply@blogger.com0