Author: JodiLea

I don't pretend to be who/what I'm not. I will be honest here unless I publish under the category "This could be news," which is 99% fiction and a wee bit sarcastic. ;-) I want readers who come here to have as much fun as I do. Not all subjects can be fun, but most can be funny if I do my job right ;-) My inner child is reflected in my logo and will change at a moment's notice.

It’s Here! It’s Here!

~ JodiLea

My insulin pump arrived today – Yeah!   NovologSyringe

I haven’t opened the large box yet, because I’m 40% excited and 60% terrified. This pump thing is a major lifestyle change and y’all know how much I love change! Even good changes, like getting rid of syringes and insulin pens.

Even though I am curious, I don’t want to get ahead of the game plan I’m working with the Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE’s). They are committed to preparing me with the knowledge I need to have and records I need to keep in order for the doctor (an endocrinologist) to accurately program the pump to work with my ratios, etc.

I, actually we (because I made hubby come with me), had a class this morning in Modesto. A 2-hour drive there and back for a 1-hour appointment. I have counted carbs for years, but this class was about insulin pump carb counting – a very detailed and meticulous way to account for every single carb to be ingested.

Carb counting has always been important for diabetics. If you are using an insulin pump that acts like a pancreas, slowly dispensing a constant dose of insulin over time and it will give you evenly spaced out insulin to help your body absorb the carbs you eat at meal time.

The next class is Dec 30th. The CDE will review my logs and give me a test.  I have homework to do before the class. HOMEWORK!? I’m so happy it is not calculus.

So, I will be reading materials, looking up carbs, fibers and fats, doing math and writing everything I do on a big chart, during the holidays. I hope your holidays are a bit more festive 🙂

I sure hope I have time to blog in between all this crap stuff…

!LIGHTS_

A Merry Christmas to All and a Happy New Year!

Diabetes: Rumors VS. Truth

~ JodiLea ~ 2 Comments

Type I Diabetes runs in my family, so I grew up in a ‘diabetic friendly environment’. Occasionally, I forget that the lucky non-diabetic people have limited information about how we (people with diabetes) live with the disease and it’s consequences.

So… before I begin to write posts about my adventures with starting on insulin pump therapy, I want y’all to have  some background knowledge and dispel any ridiculous incorrect information you may have heard about the disease (or its victims).

Diabetics cannot have any sugar or they will go into a coma. Although it is true that we need to severely limit our intake of sugar, eating sugar will not make us fall over into a deep sleep.

Coma happens to diabetics that are not being treated or have not been diagnosed. An undiagnosed diabetic who does not eat sugar or a lot of carbohydrates, can still have drastically high blood glucose levels, and over time, will eventually become ill enough to be comatose.

If you eat too much sugar you will get diabetes. Totally not true. Ever.

DiabetesTesting
Severe low blood sugar

High blood sugar is more dangerous than low blood sugar.  False. Low blood sugar (under 60 mg/dL) can  cause sweaty clamminess, shaking, irritability, or violence. Severe low blood sugar (under 40 mg/dL) can cause  seizures, hallucinations, brain damage and death. High blood sugar over time will cause nasty complications, but not the immediate danger low blood sugar does.

Taking good care of yourself can make your diabetes go away. Totally not true. Ever. Diabetes is a disease that causes your pancreas to stop producing the insulin that helps your body break down sugar.

While it is true that a better diet and more exercise will help your body regulate glucose levels, your pancreas will not regenerate its way back to health. (Dammit!)

Diabetics have to eat meals based on recipes in ‘diabetic cookbooks’. No, we don’t!  We can eat any foods ‘normal’ people eat. We only have to ‘do the math’ to adjust our insulin dose and watch portions of carbs and fat.

People always ask me “can you eat this, or have that?” Yes, I can have a piece of that wedding cake. Or fruit salad. Or Christmas cookie. But I shouldn’t have any more than that. It’s a matter of proportion and choice.

Friends worry they will offer me something “bad for me” or “tempt me” into eating things I can’t have by eating them in front of me. STOP worrying! Prepare whatever menu you would like. I know what I should and shouldn’t eat. It is my responsibility – not yours.

I hope that by answering the questions that I am asked the most, will answer questions you may have about diabetes. If you have questions not answered here, please submit your question below. You may also submit diabetes related subject you would like to know more about  🙂

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Thank you for your response. ✨

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photo credit: DeathByBokeh via photopin cc

Warning: No Longer Medicated For Your Protection

~ JodiLea ~ 1 Comment

toothacheI was medicated for your protection (and my pain). For 3 days. Like bone graft surgery on your jaw is all done and happy after a mere three days. The instructions tell you to only eat soft foods for 7-10 days. That should have given me a clue that my oral surgeon was skimping on me. Big Time.

With only 3-days worth of pain killers you do not want to eat anything on day 4 – except a whole bottle of Advil. The swelling alone took ice-packs, Advil, and 7-days to subside. I can barely open my mouth to get a spoonful of yogurt or jello down my throat. Chewing is a fond memory. Oh sure, ‘just chew on the opposite side’ you say. Unfortunately, you can put food in the opposite side, but chewing involves the entire jaw. Which, by the way, HURTS LIKE AN SOB.

[Sorry for yelling. If it makes you feel any better, it was painful to do so.]

I have bummed narcotics from family and friends, like a junkie. I am not proud of this, but it is what it is.

When it comes to pain, I’m not a weenie. Yet hour upon hour, turning day after day of throbbing pain, wears my patience and bravado down to a wispy, thin thread that stretches between insanity and homicide.

And life in general is not taking it easy on me during my time of need, either. Today in the mail I got another ‘delinquent bill’ for hubby’s lab tests done in July. JULY! I believed that my calling, emailing, and finally going to the hospital, had straightened out the error, because an entire month went by without a bill, statement, or phone call.

I can really be naïve. The scary thing is that hubby has had other lab tests ordered and done in August and October. I have not gotten any statements for these, but I know they will be coming along, pissing me off all over again, because our insurance has not been billed. This same hospital lab has no problem billing my lab work. It is only hubby’s account that is in some way screwed up.

I almost feel sorry for whoever works in the billing department of a certain hospital. The chances of me waking up pain-free tomorrow are not good… 😦
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photo credit: Bosc d’Anjou via photopin cc