Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Target Lows

When I get lows in public, Target seems to be the worst place for it!

 For lunch today I had a leftover fried buffalo chicken salad. I had gone out to dinner with some girls friends last night for a birthday and when I’d had the salad last night I climbed up to 199 and didn’t come down for a few hours. That swaging didn’t go so well and it didn’t go so well today either. I estimated the carbs higher than last night hoping to avoid the highs, especially since I was above 170 most of the morning. Well, I avoided the highs alright. I ate my salad at about 11:45 and by 12:20 I had gone down to 62. I drank a juice box, gave it 15, checked and I was 95. Great! So I left work for my 30 minute break and drove across the street to Target. When I was on my way out the door my supervisor said he was heading there shortly himself. So I get my shopping done and get in line. There were only 2 lines open and as usual both are stupid long. I choose the line that had the register that was open in the front and my supervisor was ahead of me by 2 people. Since I could tell I was going to be late by a few minutes back to work I texted one of the girls in my department to let her know I would be late. I had set my basket on the closed register belt next to me so I could text my co-worker and right after I sent the text I started to get hot. Really HOT, like dripping down my back with sweat hot. Then came the shakiness and foggy head. While I was trying to comprehend that a bad low was hitting a Target employee came up to the register that my basket was sitting on and he opened the register and started ringing my stuff out. From what I remember I swear he had said “Hi, how are you today?” and that I had responded with “Good thanks, how are you?”. I’m not sure that’s really what happened because he turned around and asked me again how I was, at least I think he did. At that point I just didn’t answer and acted like I didn’t hear him because really, I was having a tough time comprehending what was being said and what was going on and wondering what I had already responded with originally and how quickly I could get a sugary substance into my mouth. I just wanted to get out of there. I made my way to my hot car as quickly as I could praying in my fogginess I’d make it. I got in my car, blasted the air and sucked down a juice box as I checked my BG. I was 65. Not as low as I thought so I was really surprised, and Lexie hadn't warned me. She was saying I was 81. It was after sitting in my car a few minutes that she finally alerted me to a low.

 


It was a lovely afternoon of lows as you can see from Lexie’s screen, and yes I did confirm with finger sticks before shoving food in my face. It took the two juice boxes after lunch, a granola bar, a couple pieces of brownie brittle and a spoonful of peanut butter for me to finally get myself out of the afternoon valleys.

 I  know that after I paid and was starting to walk away the lady in front of me that had been waiting before me in the original line I had been in was pissed. She was not one of those nice people who have a cart full of stuff and then see that the person behind has 5 items and lets them go first. She was being snippy about the Target employee not asking who was next or the fact that I didn’t speak up and let her go first even though she had a cart full of crap and I had 5 items. I do remember hearing part of that and that’s what my supervisor told me when I got back to work. He thought it was funny that people can get so irritated, and I apologized and explained what had happened . I did feel bad, I felt like I had cut several people off but when a girls got a low hitting then a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do even if that means coming across as rude. If it comes to saving my own life or sparing someone else feelings over my rudeness I’ll choose to be rude if I have to. Sorry lady, my life depended on it.   

Friday, June 13, 2014

Friday’s 5! A Day/Week In the Life of A Pumping/CGM Using T1 (Oopsies!)


Friday’s 5! A Day/Week In the Life of A Pumping/CGM Using T1 (Oopsies!)
1.       So this really happened. At work the other day my pump tubing got caught around the bathroom stall door handle (this happened only 1 other time maybe last summer, although it has gotten caught around other door handles) and I didn’t realize it until it yanked out a brand new infusion site that I had just put in a few hours earlier. Since I had done the replacement at work on my lunch break I didn’t have a back up infusion set therefore I had to run home and change it. I had 2 hours of work left and couldn’t go that amount of time without insulin. Thank God for understanding coworkers and living close enough to work I could make it home and back in about 30 minutes.
2.       When I got home and put another site in I must have hit a blood vessel because the cannula immediately filled up with blood. It took me a minute to decide if I wanted to chance it or see if I would still get insulin through it, but then decided against it. When I pulled out the blood filled site it gushed like a geyser.  Even I was pretty grossed out. That was a first. Nothing like going through and throwing away 2 brand new infusion sites in just a couple hours.
3.       It’s been 6 months since starting on a CGM and after 6 months it’s recommended to order a new transmitter because the battery starts to die. Well the last two sensors that I’ve worn have not been up to par for me. At the same time, the last two have also bled when I put them in. Now this third one did not bleed when I put it in and the readings have been holding pretty steady with my finger sticks. I guess maybe it’s because of the bleeding that the other two were not as accurate? I kind of wish I would have realized that before ordering a new transmitter, then again I’d rather have a new transmitter before this one gives out I guess.
4.       When I had talked to hubby the other day about ordering the new transmitter I had given him the cost of what it looked like it would be before meeting my health insurance deductable. Well guess what! I met my deductable! In 3 months I met it due to all the pump/CGm supplies. Now we are at the 80/20% of costs. I wonder how long or if we will meet my out of pocket. That’s a pretty huge chunk of change.
5.       This one is for diabetics in general. Why is it that I can eat the exact same thing two days in a row and both days the way blood sugars react are completely different? I know that there are a ton of variables that are practically impossible to calculate to figure this out…Two days this week I had turkey bacon, spinach, avocado and light mayo on whole wheat bread for lunch. On the first day my blood sugars went straight up and hung out close to 200 for a little bit. Then the next day I had the same exact thing and they dropped not even an hour after eating so I had to turn around and eat a pack of fruit snacks.  2 hours later I ate a handful of grapes. I did give 1 extra unit of insulin since I was high after the same thing the day before because I have a feeling the nutrition label on the bread may not be accurate, but really???



Happy Friday everyone!  Enjoy your weekend! 

Thursday, June 5, 2014

My New Purple Friend.....Is Not a Dinosaur


Nope, my new friend is not a big purple dinosaur named Barney. It’s my new purple Minimed Pardigm insulin pump.




 Now I know what you’re thinking, it’s only been a year since I’ve been on a pump how do I have a new one already? Well, here is why......

Pete, as I named my original smoky grey pump, yes I did name it but have never called him by his name out loud, only in my mind. No I’m not crazy. You try having a couple of medical devices that help keep you alive and take the place of a dead organ that floats around inside your body and see if you end up naming them. Anyway, that’s beside the point. I noticed last week when I was changing Pete’s reservoir out that it wouldn’t go in very smoothly but it was in a dimly light room and I just chalked it up to the reservoir/infusion set. Then on Tuesday of this week when I changed it out at work there is a little plastic piece on the top of the infusion set that connects to the reservoir that broke off and flew across my desk. I started looking at my pump more closely and in better lighting and noticed a hairline crack looked like it was starting at the rim of where the reservoir is inserted.



As I looked more closely and took the belt clip off of the pump I noticed a little crack in the plastic on each side where the belt clip goes. Then I took the cap off of where the battery goes and there is what looks like the slightest little cracking going on there as well. 



For all I know these may be no big deal but better to be safe than sorry, especially since this is after all dealing with my health and potentially my life. I called Medtronic right away expecting to be given a pitch about upgrading to the new Minimed Enlight and their sensor and all that mumbo jumbo. I was prepared to put up a fight if I was told that I had to upgrade that they no longer supplied Minimed Paradigm pumps. I’ve heard/read that some people have had that issue when they have called to get a replacement pump when still under warranty and they were given no choice but to go with the new one. I was very surprised that I wasn’t given any kind of pitch like that and it wasn’t even mentioned. Thank the good Lord for that! I’m perfectly happy with the one I have now as well as my Dexcom CGM and have no desire for a Medtronic pump sensor combo or their pump that suspends when a low blood sugar is detected. Anyway, the nice girl helped me out, said that it was a really good thing that I called because even the slightest hairline crack can make the pump susceptible to water damage. Even sweat or humidity can be an issue. Wowza! Okay. I was also pleasantly surprised that I wasn’t questioned up and down as to any sports that could have damaged it or if I had dropped it or anything else. I have to say I am surprised that Pete developed these cracked because the most I do is house/yard work and 2 mile or so walks as often as I can. Sports are nowhere in my life and as clumsy as I can be I have never dropped it. I may have walked into a door jam a time or two, I’m sure I have but other than that, that’s it.  So they overnighted  me a replacement  pump.



 They did not have black or clear left, my only options were blue, pink and purple. So purple was really the only option for me. Green is my favorite so if they had a green one I totally would have been all over it, but purple is my next fav. Whenever if God ever decides to bless us with a little one I’ve already got the nursery planned out in my head. Girl: Grey, white and purple; Boy: Grey, white and green. I’m already in love with the nursery…. We just need the wee one for it…… Anyway…………



So here they are Pete will be going back, cracks and all. Maybe they will fix him and he will go to another loving owner, maybe it’s the end of his short life span. I really don’t know. I’ve decided on the name Layla for my new purple pancreatic replacement. I really don't know what my deal is with L names.  Lexie my CGM and now Layla.  It won’t be Barney, I think Lexie my CGM needs another girl friend. Hopefully she will be a little tougher than Pete was. 

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Summer Time Recipe: Fish Tacos


I absolutely love summer! I don’t know if there is really a single thing that I don’t love about it. Even the heat I will take over the cold. I love the fun things to do around town, the food, the weather, gardening, flowers, bbq, pools, fishing, eating, going to restaurant and sitting on the patio. It doesn’t sound like I like food at all do I? Well I do and the summer foods are so great. Between the grilling and fresh produce from our own garden or the farmers market what’s not to love?!

One of my favorite summer time meals to make is a fish taco recipe that I found on Pinterest that I have made my own. Last night I made these and I think I finally made the recipe my own with the tweaking and adding and removing items that I like don’t like over the last few times I have made them. I wish I had a beautiful picture to share, but alas… I couldn’t really get a good enough picture that I thought would be good to share.  Now that I have nailed this down I think these were the best yet and too good for me not to share! If you make them I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

 
Fish tacos

Serves 2 at 2 tacos each

Carb count is basically whatever the tortilla package says and I add about 2 carbs per taco for the honey and I’ve personally not had an issue with a spike or drop.

 
Marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons water
1 Lime for juice and zest
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon blackened seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 pieces tilapia fillets, cut into chunks

Dressing
1 (8 ounce) light sour cream or plain free Greek yogurt
1/
4 cup adobo
1/4 cup hot sauce
Juice and zest from 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin
1 handful dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon blackened seasoning, salt and pepper to taste

Toppings
Tortillas
Plane no dressing bagged slaw (I like to use broccoli slaw) or small head of shredded cabbage
Handful or so of fresh cilantro or half cup of dried cilantro

Shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Avocado

 

Directions

To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, chili powder, blackened seasoning and black pepper in a bowl. Place the tilapia in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.


To make the dressing, combine the sour cream or Greek yogurt and adobo/hot sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, chili powder, and blackened seasoning. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. In a separate dish combine your desired amount of slaw and dressing and mix well. Cover, and refrigerate slaw and
leftover dressing until needed. (Note: dressing may taste pretty hot on its own or mixed with the slaw/cabbage but once it’s on the taco between the fish, tortilla, toppings and everything it’s just right.)

 

To cook fish:  Remove fish from marinade and pour marinade into stove top skillet on medium high heat. Oil from marinade will coat the pan enough to keep the fish from sticking to the pan. Place fish in pan and cook fish pieces until easily flaked with a fork, turning once, about 6-8 minutes depending on how thick your fish is. Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of cheese, avocado, salsa, cilantro, slaw mixture; drizzle with additional dressing if desired.