From Kerri by way of Dorkabetic
What type of diabetes do you have: Type 1
When were you diagnosed: September 1, 2006.
What's your current blood sugar: Dexcom is reading 113 with a slow rise, and my last Accu chek aviva reading, almost three hours ago, was 102.
What kind of meter do you use: Accu-Chek Aviva and Dexcom. I've used samples of various meters and for a study once used a One Touch Ultra for a month.
How many times a day do you test your blood sugar: Pre-Dexcom, I was averaging 9x per day. This past week, it's been about 4x per day plus up to 288 readings from the Dexcom, which I look at frequently. On the Guardian I got down to 3x per day... maybe soon.
What's a "high" number for you: Anything over 155 is a "little high," over 200 is "high" and over about 280 is "really high". Over 350 is "really really high" and makes me upset and angry.
What do you consider "low": 60 is where I consider myself low regardless of symptoms. Above that, if I'm dropping rapidly or under 80, if I'm symptomatic, I'm low.
What's your favorite low blood sugar reaction treater: Soft mints. I also like to mix water and juice (and 5:1) in a water bottle to drink while walking to deal with hypos in a sort of prophylactic way.
Describe your dream endo: Always has time for me, knows about multiple endocrine issues, willing to run tests, no blame, keeps up with products, always remembers what's going on with my help. Follows up promptly. My endo is pretty good.
What's your biggest diabetes achievement: Not letting go of my blood sugar even through the pain of gallstone pancreatitis, or maybe keeping up with my insulin needs as they have changed by a factor of ten.
What's your biggest diabetes-related fear: That I won't be able to work due to health stuff, and that I will adopt kids only to die or be too exhausted to care for them while they're still young.
Who's on your support team: Carrie mostly, but my family and the folks online too.
Do you think there will be a cure in your lifetime: Depends on what a cure is defined as. Sometimes I'm not sure we don't already have it, in some sense, in the pancreas (and islet cell) transplant. I think the odds of a functional artificial pancreas in the next ten years that really and truly manages diabetes are slim to none. I do not care about that really. I think it's much more important to maximize what we have now, diabetes wise.
I think that it's extremely unlikely that thirty years from now, nobody will be dying of diabetes.
What is a "cure" to you: Something that takes ALL of the pressure of managing diabetes off of the diabetic, and maintains good enough blood sugar and diabetes complications cannot happen. I'm not convinced that blood sugar control alone is enough to prevent complications (maybe c-peptide is also needed), but whatever is needed to prevent complications, the "cure" has to provide it.
The most annoying thing people say to you about your diabetes is: I'd rather die than have to do that.
What is the most common misconception about diabetes: That blood sugar control is a matter of personal control.
If you could say one thing to your pancreas, what would it be: Ssssh. You're okay.
2 comments:
Jonah: Great MeMe, and thanks for finally getting me back over to your blog here! So many in the DOC, it's tough to keep track of, but here I am...
Thanks for the comment on mine recently. Much appreciated.
You'd made a good point abuot the pancreas functionality, which is spot on. Most of us "longtimers" (whatever that means) in the DOC refer to our pancreases as "broken" or not working, because they are in a way. Just not 100% working, or a 100% broken. Just the beta cell aspect. As far as my thought on a cure not touching me... It goes to my belief that when in fact a cure is found/developed, it will go to some people first. Just as when insulin was developed, some won't have immediate access to it. I'd hope that the children might get first crack to prevent whatever damage may not have already happened or begun in their bodies.
I like your answer on the "misconception" of "d". You are so right. I am also a nurse, in addition to being Joe's temporary pancreas...and before he was diagnosed I remember as health care professionals "judging" type 1s for poor control. Sad.
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