To carb or not to carb

Hmmm. To carb or not to carb is today's posting prompt. I guess my answer is yes.

I have been counting carbs for my entire adult life. As a kid, I was on the old exchange system diet.

I don't eat low carb. Or, I should say, I don't make a conscious effort to eat low carb all the time. I tried limiting carbs when I thought that was the easy answer, but it made me feel sick and lethargic all the time and it ended quickly. Now I make eating decisions based on my current blood glucose and trends.

I'm a creature of habit. I usually eat the same thing for breakfast and the same thing for lunch every day. Breakfast is usually some kind of granola bar. (Luna, MoJo, etc) Lunch is a lettuce/vegie salad.

I'm not much of a snacker during the day. If I have a snack, it's because I'm low.

Dinner is a wild card. If my number is higher, I eat low carb. If my number is lower, I eat carbs.

I tend to avoid food that are frustrating to try and bolus for. This includes baked potatoes, white rice, pizza, and pasta. I have an allergy to many fruits (especially citrus). I like many vegies. I like to eat a dinner that contains three items. Not sure if I got that from my old exchange system days, but it's pretty programmed into me. Sometimes pickles have to count as the third item. :-)

Dixie, on the other hand, loves meat and the low carb lifestyle. She is quite content with a dinner of steak and chicken, thank you very much.

PS. Every year on my diabetes anniversary I eat chocolate cake and beer. Just saying that it's worked so far! 34 years!

My support

I am fortunate to have so many people supporting me every day and in different ways.

My parents were there when I was diagnosed. They taught me that diabetes was not what defined me. They taught me self confidence and to be proud of my accomplishments. They never made me feel like an inconvenience or that I was different. They allowed me to be independent, and to make my own mistakes. They supported me helped me learn to understand diabetes.

My brother and sister put up with me. :-) Their lives were affected because of my diabetes, but I never felt like they resented me for that. My sister, who was deathly afraid of needles, learned to give me a shot for a silly reason. We were on a vacation and I forgot syringes. The only kind available to buy were different from the brand that I used. I just couldn’t fathom using it. So my sister gave me a shot... because she loved me. As an adult, I realize that my brother and sister had to live a different kind of life because I have diabetes. They are my family, and they have been my support through everything.

My friends that I made while at Camp Needlepoint were amazingly important support. It was at camp that I realized that other people had diabetes. It was there that I felt in the majority for the first time in my short life. Some of the kids that I went to camp with are still close friends of mine today, and I rely on their perspective and help problem solving. I met B. when we were both 8 years old. We grew up together, writing each other letters during the year that said, “only 285 days until camp.” We cherished our relationship. We didn’t have much in common. Different interests, different lifestyles. But we both had diabetes, and that was most important. She went on an insulin pump first, when she became pregnant. She made it safe for me to try and to know that I wouldn’t be alone. We have laughed and cried together. I wouldn’t have made it through my teen age years without her. 30 years later, we are still friends.

I have friends at work who I trust and appreciate.

My teaching partner is my school family. She was with me when hypoglycemia unawareness reared its ugly head. She found juice and found ways to get me to drink, even when I was uncooperative at times. She recognizes the work involved in living with diabetes, and encourages and supports me. When I decided to pursue getting a diabetes alert dog, she helped to set up fund raising and made me believe it was possible. Without judging or hesitation, she lets me bring a big, black dog to work every day. She supports me to eat a healthy lunch, and cuts up the vegies for our salad every day.

My friend W, who also works at school with me, loves my dog. She keeps me grounded in where I’m at. She acknowledges the effort that I put in to managing my diabetes. She brings Dixie birthday presents in gift bags. (which Dixie LOVES-- the bag as much as the present!!) She picks ticks off of her, and scratches her every day. She makes my job easier because of her skills with kids.

The friends from the D-OC who I’ve met up with are amazing. Their support doesn’t usually come live, but via posts and responses. I appreciate their willingness to share ideas and help me celebrate the daily victories.

Then there’s my Dixie. The dog who loves me unconditionally. The dog who is with me every day. She has changed my life. She is wise beyond her years. I trust her.

To all my friends, my family, and Dixie... thank you for your support. You’re the best.

Making the Low Go...

When I was first diagnosed, my mom made a little pouch for me to hold a pack of lifesavers. She would pin the pouch into all my pants and shorts. As I became more daring, I would take a couple lifesavers each day. My mom would ask why I ate 2 or 3 lifesavers and I would say, “because I had a little reaction.” (this mostly happened when she stocked my pouch with butter rum lifesavers. Or when I could sneak a little peak through the end of a regular pack and see that the white one was on the end. Then I would always eat that one) Honestly, how could I ever really know when I was low. Urine testing wasn’t accurate and that was the only reference I had. I said that I felt low, and my parents treated me. They didn't have me run to the bathroom to do a urine test. (since it wouldn't give good information anyway!) I might have been low my entire childhood. No wonder my grades were never very good. I was probably hypoglycemic (or hyperglycemic) through a good part of elementary school. :-)

When I was a kid, I used to love using regular pop for a low. As a child, the only diet pop available were Tab, Fresca, and Diet 7up. I used to stand in the convenience store oogling over the choices of regular pop. Oh, how I longed to have a swig of Tahitian Treat or Orange Crush. As a kid, my mom used to let me have some pop to treat a low.

I’m pretty boring when it comes to treating lows now. I guess the boring part comes from figuring out what works best, and sticking to it.

If I’m low in the middle of the night, or early morning, I drink Juicy Juice small apple juice boxes. Depending on the number, I might have a packet of GU energy gel too. Don’t get me wrong... I have no intention of expending energy in the middle of the night. I use that because it’s simple and easy to eat. Just rip open the package, squeeze the contents in my mouth, done.

Dixie carries GU packets in her vest. When I first got Dixie, I tried a couple different items in her vest. Most things ended up melting or being too bulky for her to lay on. GU smooshes flat and I can keep a couple packets in her vest. I use GU when I need something quick during the day.

At school, I keep juice boxes, GU, gatorade, and fruit snacks. I use different combinations of the three things depending on my number, time since/until a meal, and how much time I have to treat.

I try to avoid eating for lows whenever possible. Dixie helps with that. She will often alert to tell me that I have too much insulin on board. (because of some wild a-- bolus or guessing at carb counts for mixed foods) When that happens, I have figured out how much/how long to turn my basal rate down. When Dixie alerts and I’m in the 70s, I will usually not eat, I’ll just turn my basal off for a half hour. I use Gatorade or Powerade sometimes when I just need “a little something.” (for an alert from Dixie in the high 60s, I can take a couple swigs of Gatorade, turn my rate off for an hour, and coast)

Those are my preferred low strategies. Thanks to Dixie, I can make more subtle adjustments to my basal rate to anticipate or prevent a low.