When Diabetes Just Works Out

Imagine a possible worse case scenario:
You are a type 1 diabetic, who wears an insulin pump, and who is on a mission trip deep in the mountains of Tennessee. Halfway there, your spidey senses tingle that you forgot something; something important. Instead of worrying about it, you continue onward believing all will be well.

Next, you realize that you need to change out your pump (or pod since I wear the OmniPod) beginning on the second day of the trip. You gather all your supplies and go through the motions, when you realize what you forgot - a new bottle of insulin.

Okay, rule number one: don't panic. I had 110 units left in my old bottle, but I usually fill a pod with 150 units for three days. Thankfully, I had a number of things going for me which made this worse case scenario not so bad.

Thankfully this mission trip involved A LOT of outdoor, physical activity. Next, I tend to eat much less when I'm hot and sweaty. So with pump in hand, I maintained a temporary basal for much of the time on the trip and ate very little carbs. Lo and behold, when we got home late Sunday evening, I was down to 40 units and averaging a 130 bg. Not too shabby. (Just a FYI, I managed to burn 10,000+ calories on each working day.)

And what would I have done if the situation were much worse? Easy. The nearest pharmacy was 10 miles away, so there was no reason to panic. However, even for me it was a reminder that we can never be overly prepared for a trip; for nothing beats a good backup.

Stay adventurous!

Mark

Diabetes and the Desk Job

Okay I don't know about you, but my 'd' and me have a rough time with having a desk job. Of course I've held a desk job for over 14 years, so this is nothing new. Personally, I am struggling with the lack of activity. Or maybe it's just me in my 'old' age...

My blood sugars do okay, but not as good as if I were physically active. I do try to get up, stretch, and walk around, but we all know how well that works.

Any ideas? I also wonder about those of you who have diabetes and a physical job. How well does a physical job work for you? What troubles do you encounter and how do you handle them?

Friday!

It's Friday! One word that is particularly coming to mind today: FREEDOM! Ah yes...

So far, we here in Atlanta, Georgia are having a somewhat mild and wet summer. Not that I'm complaining, but after winter I was looking forward to sunny and 90 degree temps. The summer actually began sunny and I started to work on a great tan. But alas, my tan decided to leave me and I've returned to my pasty self. Ugh!

My diabetes also loves summer time. I love being outdoors; hiking, biking, fishing, walking, throwing the frisbee, etc. My blood sugars enjoy the 48 hours of stability.

So, for all you 'd's out there, get active this summer and enjoy the 'fruits' that come with it. (Couldn't help the puns there.)



Have fun!

Mark

A Little Jealousy

Sometimes I get a little sour of fellow diseases and/or chronic illnesses. For example, while watching the TV last week I saw a public service announcement (PSA) for autism. In the PSA, it mentioned that autism was diagnosed more in children than diabetes.

I'm sure the autism folks weren't specifically picking on diabetes as I believe other chronic illnesses were mentioned. However, I still get a little angry when such a comparison is made.

Of course I also feel a slight (note: very slight) contempt at those who celebrate their defeat of cancer. I love those who do indeed fight off cancer. My wife and I have a very dear friend who went through a year of tests, chemo, more tests and more chemo to successfully beat cancer. Believe me, I am very grateful that she won her battle. And while I understand that many die from cancer, it doesn't lessen those of us who fight diabetes every day and cannot break free from it. (By the way, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States; fifth if you just look at diseases.)

Now, not to get anyone in a sour mood but, it puts diabetes in perspective compared to other diseases. And, of course, explains why I sometimes get a little miffed when unjust comparisons are made. Okay, I'll get off my horse now. :)

Fight on!

Mark