Monday, May 10, 2010

One day at a time

8:30 am - no alarm set today because it’s Saturday. A black paw hits at my arm, which is hanging off of the side of the bed. I reach over and pet her head, then roll over. Now a black paw is hitting me on the back. All right. I reach over on the table and grab my tester. Load it up with a strip and poke. Countdown, then a number appears in the screen. 56. I open a straw wrapper and push it in the juice box. The black dog sighs and leaves the room. I drink the juice and then fall back to sleep.

9:55 am - I wake up. Stretch. Get out of bed. The black dog is happy that I’m finally awake. Check blood sugar. Happy that I had the whole juice box earlier because blood sugar is still a little low. (78) Have a piece of toast. Bolus for 15 grams of carb with correction for 78.

10:30 am - Disconnect pump and hit the shower. After, dry off and then reconnect. It was a short shower so I didn’t use the disconnect feature to cover the missed basal rate.

10:45 am - Check blood sugar to check that I gave right amount for toast.

1:00 pm - Time for lunch. Check blood sugar and bolus for carbs.

2:15pm- Black dog starts hitting me with her paw. I check. Blood sugar is 135. I check Insulin on board. Shoot. I overbolused for guessed carb content. Turn basal rate down to 10% for an hour to correct.

3:30 pm - Check blood sugar to make sure that I turned basal rate down enough to make up for the overbolus at lunch. I guessed right this time. Blood sugar is holding steady.

5:00 pm - Check blood sugar. Still holding steady.

6:30 pm - Check blood sugar before driving. Load black dog in the back of the car. Drive to restaurant to meet friends for dinner.

7:00 pm - Check blood sugar. Give bolus for estimated carbs in dinner and beer. Black dog seems to agree with bolus. She continues to snooze under the table at the restaurant. People are starring at the black dog and me. Someone comes over to the table and asks if the dog is in training. I say no. Then the person asks if I’m almost blind. I say no, and tell the story of what Dixie’s job is. The person says that she’s never heard of that before, but she has an uncle with “brittle” diabetes who has had his foot amputated.

8:45 pm - Get in the car and check blood sugar before driving. Guessed carb content pretty well, so I'm in a good zone and ready to drive home. Roll back windows down in the parking lot so the black dog can sniff the air outside.

10:00 pm - Give black dog some treats and snuggles. She loves having a bedtime snack.

10:30 pm - Check blood sugar one last time before bed.

5 comments:

Rachel said...

I love reading your posts!!! I love Dixie! Today has been the day that I've read a lot about dogs like Dixie... I so want one for Tristan. But dogs4diabetics say that Tristan has to be at least 12 years old.... well that gives us 6 years to prepare! LOL :)

George said...

I LOVE THIS POST!

"are you almost blind?" I would have said, no but you are, and then poke her in the eyes.

Okay, that was not nice but man, that has to drive you nuts!

I miss you and "the black dog." you two are awesome!

Karen said...

I knew you black dog was super awesome after reading George's post last week. But I loved hearing more about how awesome she is!! hat is not awesome is people who ask insensitive questions and feel the need to tell us about every bad thing their diabetic relatives have gone through. Grrrr

meanderings said...

I'm glad you're posting this week!
And - what George said - the nerve/stupidity of some people.
Give Dixie a pat from me!

Unknown said...

I can totally picture George poking random people in the eyes...

I think you should add a trick to Dixie's rep. When she hears anyone say the word "blind" to you, she would attack them. :-)