How does it happen that life gets in the way of taking proper care of my diabetes? 

How does it happen that I can log faithfully - bloodsugars, food, activity, dosing - for months - and then - poof! (or more like thud!) - I just fall off the wagon?

How? 

Well.  I guess real life happens.

Last spring, I rededicated myself to my health and well-being.  I got into an exercise routine, I altered my eating habits, I committed to testing AND logging so that I could control my diabetes more effectively.  And, on a whole, these efforts paid off.  I lost about 50 lbs in a little over a year.  I improved my A1C.  I found myself with more energy and more stamina.  I actually started enjoying eating well, packing a lunch and taking in ample servings of fruits and vegetables. 

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I saw him from across the room.  And edged closer. 

Tall, white-haired, horn-rimmed glasses, a blue and white seersucker suit.   Yes, seersucker.  What can I say?  It was a summer event on the water for the theater where I work - seersucker is always "in" amongst theater folks.  But none of that caught my eye as much as the clear Medtronic Pump clipped to his grosgrain belt.  I had to get closer.  The pump, like a magnet, drew me. 

"I noticed you're wearing an insulin pump," I said brightly,  "I wear one too!"  Popping my hip so that the outline of my pump showed a bit through the fabric of my dress. 

"Oh, I'll just move out of the way - you guys are like a club."  Said his wife "And don't forget to show her that other thing you have, Stan." 

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This morning, getting ready for work. I looked at the scattering of dots on my thighs from old pump sites. And then I wrote this...

We test, we write it down - we test, we store results - we test, we examine results - we test, we make decisions about what to do next.

We eat, we calculate - we eat, we guess - we eat, we dose - we eat, we hold our breath and hope we've done everything right.

We take our medication, we adjust our doses - we take our medication, we wonder if it's the very best medicine for us - we take our medication, we hope that it serves our body well - we take our medication, and wait for the next big advance.

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I am snuggled safe in my bed, with my insulin pump tucked up against me, working just fine.  I wish I was aware of this.

But I'm not. 

I am in the living room of my Aunty Dot's house in Weymouth, MA.  The purple seventies style shag carpeting growing up between my toes like grass.  I am leaning on a plaid recliner.  My brothers are there.  We're kids.  And we're with my dad.  We're eating chinese food.  Only my chinese food is pink.  If I explained all of the things wrong with the above scenario (for example: my Aunty Dot has been gone a long time and she never actually had a shag carpet), the pink chinese food would seem perfectly fine. .

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I have finally decided to get my act together. I've had enough of yo-yoing bloodsugar. I've been lazy about my gym routine for long enough.

This week was a good start at getting back on track.

I tested my basal rates over the weekend and on Monday and found that I needed to make a minor adjustment or two. The new basal rates kicked ass on Tuesday and Wednesday and have been treating me well today. Step one - check. (READ MORE)