Super Diabetes!

Tonight I was making a Blueberry Pineapple cobbler that is NOT diabetes friendly! HA! It's for the Memorial Day party we are attending tomorrow. Gabe helped me whip it up and as we were sprinkling the final 1/4 cup of sugar on the top he said, "Mom, if you ate this you'd get SUPER DIABETES!"

HA! I love this kid.

Follow Up... Thyroid Issues

I went to the endocrinologist and got a lot of blood work done. Like "holy cow I need a muffin or something after seeing that many tubes" amount of blood work done. The good news is.... my kidneys are perfect, my liver is perfect, I don't have lupus, my A1c is 6.8%. The bad news is my thyroid levels are low... which in a way is good news because now we know and we can start to fix it. My doc upped my Synthroid dosage. And said that'd be step one. If I don't feel better in 3 weeks he said to call him and we'd add a T3 hormone supplement.

I brought up the Armour idea and he wasn't thrilled with that. (I'm not sure if him being Jewish had anything to do with his dislike for a drug made from slaughtered pig thyroids? HAHA) So we'll go his way first and if that doesn't work, then I'll further pursue this idea. I really do like and trust my doctor so I'm okay with this decision for now.

So far, I don't notice much of a difference, but he said it would take a while for everything to adjust and kick in.

Blessed, but Depressed?

I live a blessed life. My childhood was amazing and I had a mom and dad who went to great lengths to ensure I had a "normal" childhood despite my diagnosis at age 7. I have an incredible family and amazing friends who I interact with daily. I am blessed to be able to stay home most of the time with my children. On the days that I DO work I get to get paid by doing things I LOVE most in this life, teaching music and planning and playing in worship services. Though we are not rich by any means, God has always provided everything we need and then some. Which is why I've tried to avoid writing this post for sooooo long. It made me feel guilty that I felt so yucky, despite the amazing life that I live. As soon as I considered that I may be struggling with depression, I figured if I couldn't "pray it away" then my faith was weak and I didn't trust God enough. So as terrifying as it is to write this post... here I go....

Several months ago I weighed in at one of my highest weights of 148, though still not bad... my little 5'3'' self was not comfortable and just felt out of shape and icky in this body, so I completed the P90x fitness program with my husband and now weigh in at 118. I'll admit, since I stopped working out, I've mentally been struggling more with lack of energy and fatigue... but because I am tired and fatigued, I have a hard time trying to work out! Vicious cycle!

I've had hypothyroidism since I was about 12. I've always woken up every morning and taken my Synthroid (levothyroxine .1 mg) like a good little girl and not paid much attention to anything else. To be honest, I didn't really even know what hypothyroidism meant until a few weeks ago when I noticed my sugars were very level for several days in a row on my Dexcom, and yet I still felt horrible and fatigued, like how I feel when my sugars are bouncing around. This is when I started "Googling" and seeing an ABUNDANCE of connection between thyroid disease and depression. I also started researching all the different options for thyroid treatment including several different prescriptions, what they are made from, the side effects of the meds, etc.

I've been trying to eat healthier, gave up Diet Coke (okay, I've cut back A LOT!!!) and have been filling my body with good things.... and yet I still feel FATIGUED and even SAD sometimes.

This is when I reached out to some of my friends, both online and real life. And overwhelmingly I was advised to be honest with my doctor and get some help. Because bottom line, this is probably a medical issue concerning some type of hormonal or chemical imbalance and we need to get to the root of what's causing it. I have days where I get so fed up with having to think about medical things that I just end up ignoring it. But I know that only ends up hurting me more in the long run. So off I go to my endo today at 1:30 pm to spill my guts to him and hope for some answers!

My $30 shopping trip

Great week at Publix, CVS, and Walgreens for me. Here's what I got at the three stores, I saved 68% at Publix today using sales and coupons. I was extra excited about all the free Schick razors, sour cream, and all the cheap Smart Balance items! Also the V8 juices were only $1 each at Walgreens after the $2 off coupons. My husband will also be enjoying the sugary cereal which was .67 per box at CVS (after coupons and ECB's)


Also, don't forget on Wednesday you can get a FREE 8x10 picture enlargement on Walgreens.com with promo code MOTHER at check out.

On the diabetes front.... I have a cold and I feel like CRAP. I am really concerned about my hypothyroidism and am planning to call my endo on Monday to schedule an appointment to talk about the EXTREME fatigue I've recently started feeling. Something is wrong and I am going to push for further blood work and testing because I know this is not right....

Pyramids and Plains

This is what my CGM screen looked like this morning on my 9 hour trend screen. It began at about 80, climbed to almost 400 and crashed back down to 45ish. It looked like a perfect little triangular pyramid.... NOT what we diabetics like to see when wearing awesome technology such as this.... It is partly my own fault, because I am positive that the CGM did it's normal BEEEEEP!!!! once I hit 200 to let me know I was out of range, but I probably ignored it and pressed the button while enjoying my dreams about dreaming. (Yes... us over tired moms dream about blissful sleep) This would later turn out to bite me in the you know what, as I awoke feeling sick as a dog, complete with 100 lb. extremities and pounding heart in my chest.

As diabetics, we prefer this image instead.....



The beautiful flat line that resembles the Great Plains. Steady, sexy, stable lines right in between the 80-120 mg marks. I have a feeling I know exactly how this pyramid night happened. It has to do with a little, sinful snack I had that starts with a B and ends with AGEL. Ahhhh... always a problem food for me.... but constantly beckoning my name along with it's evil friend, Pineapple Cream Cheese from the refrigerator.

Tonight I was a little nicer to my body, enjoying a huge grilled chicken salad and brown rice for dinner. =) Here's to lots of flat lines for all of us!!!!

5 Reasons Why Having Diabetes Is Cool...

In attempts to try to focus on gratitude today... I've decided to list 5 reasons why having diabetes is cool. I had to really rack my brain for this one.

5. Because I wear an awesome Animas pump with a wicked cool back light... I always have a flashlight to guide me down dark
hallways at night. See? Diabetes prevents me from tripping over toys, clothes, and Jack Russell Terriers.

4. When strangers ask me if I have the time, I can ALWAYS say yes and reach down for my CGM or my pump. Diabetes lets
me help strangers....

3. If a child is crying... I always have Smarties around to cheer them up. Diabetes helps me make children smile.

2. If a friend is on a diet and isn't sure if they should order that fattening sandwich, I can instantly rattle off the carb and fat
count for them. Diabetes allows me to help dieters.

1. If I say something stupid and regret saying it the moment it comes out of my mouth, I can always blame it on low blood
sugar. Diabetes makes me look more intelligent (or like a stuttering drunk, it's all relative).

Sometimes you just need to take a step back and laugh at a chronic illness.

An Analogy Gone Bad...

I wear many hats... wife, daughter, sister, friend, piano teacher, worship leader, chef, housekeeper, ... the list goes on and on. One of my favorites, is "Mommy." As the mother of a 4 year old and 20 month old I hear it often, "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" They always need something. Milk, snacks, diaper changes, play mate, a kiss for their boo boo, and often a referee. I LOVE being a Mom, and I am blessed that I get to spend a lot of time with my kids, despite the fact that sometimes it's exhausting.

Last night something incredible happened. They both slept all night. No one had a bad dream. No one wet the bed. No one needed a 3 am sippee cup. We spent the whole day at the beach and just wore them out silly with the swimming, sandcastle building, and burying each other in the sand.

But alas... I was still awoken.

Ah, diabetes. The third child I never wanted. Like a little pre schooler who constantly tells me in a high-pitched whiny voice, "Feed me. Change your infusion set. Charge your Dexcom. BEEEEEEEEEEP!!! Test! Pick up your prescription. Schedule your check up. Ketones? Drink water! BEEEEEEEEP!!" Get the picture? I was so ticked.

Diabetes really is like a third child... only not the kind you whole heartedly adore. Maybe I shouldn't even compare it to a child since they are so precious and lovable... and diabetes is not. Maybe diabetes is more like the annoying yippee dog that vies for your attention and pees on your carpet? No... dogs are still lovable deep down, when they lay at your feet and give you good company. Maybe diabetes is more like termites. An annoying uninvited pest that destroys your home. But termites don't keep you up at night.... well I guess they could if you knew they were there. That's kinda creepy....

Ya know what? It's been a long day. Good night D-peeps.