Why don't they understand?

I picked up more insulin at the pharmacy the other day. More accurately, I went to the pharmacy Monday, Thursday and Friday to get more insulin. Getting prescriptions from them is always an adventure, invariably they will only bill one insurance company, or will have some other redundant question. This time, I chose to go through the drive thru, which turned out to be a wise choice. I told them my name, and watched as they got the prescription bag, and picked up a bottle of insulin OFF THE COUNTER, put it in my bag, and handed it to me. For a split second, I debated what to do. I know that bottle wasn't sitting on the counter because they just got done putting the label on the box, I called it in the day before, to be sure it would be ready by the time I got to the pharmacy. I had no idea how long that bottle of life sustaining, refrigeration required bottle of medication had been sitting on the counter. I decided I couldn't keep silent. I don't always go through all three bottles of insulin in a month, what happens when they sit in my refrigerator longer than that? Who can guarantee that they will be good until the date on the box? What's the point of even putting a expiration date on the box when the pharmacy blatantly ignores the instructions? As the technician handed me the bag I said, "why wasn't this refrigerated?" His answer? "It doesn't need to be refrigerated if you use it within a month." I proceeded to briefly argue with him, before deciding that even though his whole occupation revolves around medications, he apparently didn't understand how important it is that these medications work exactly as they are supposed to. I drove off feeling frustrated that yet another medical professional had failed me. I am now making the policy that when I pick up my insulin, I either need to see them take it out of the refrigerator, or it needs to be cool to the touch. I don't care it that makes me an annoying patient, I need to know my insulin is safe.
Oh, the other thing that frustrated me? They only had one bottle of Humalog insulin available in the whole pharmacy! They were OUT of insulin. I would have to return Wednesday to get the rest of my prescription. I gave them an extra day for good measure, and went back Thursday, only to be told it still wasn't ready, forcing me to make another trip back on Friday. If this pharmacy wasn't my only option in pretty much the whole state, I would switch, but I think I'm going to find these problems everywhere.

There are just some things you have to blog about....

Yesterday was just one of those days. It all started around 2:00am. I woke up feeling low, quite low. I threw a tab in my mouth while I checked myself. I was 39. #*$A%*(!!! Inhaled 2 more tabs and a fruit snack. And a package of crackers. Checked again(all of 5 minutes later) 43. I walked to the kitchen and inhaled more food, now in full on panic mode. Any number below 50 and I panic. I corrected before bed at 11:30, so I still had a little insulin working. After 20 minutes I checked again, ringing in at 136. Satisfied, I returned to bed, trying to decide how much to bolus for my obvious overeating. I decided to wait another 15 minutes and see what would happen with more time. 123. Crap. Another 15 minutes. 110. I foolishly decided to go to sleep with that blood sugar, and not bolus for any food. I woke up at 8:00am with a very full bladder. Never a good sign. I tested in at a horrific 450. 39 to 450 in six hours. That has to be some sort of a record. I felt like I spent the rest of the day recovering, and fighting more lows. It ended up being one of those days when diabetes took control, and not the other way around, and I hate that.

Pushing the limits

This post really did not turning out the way I thought it was going to, but I'm just going to let it ramble on. Have fun reading. :-)
I really feel like I've been pushing the limits diabetes wise lately. I always do to a certain extent. I never rush to check and treat when I feel my blood sugar drop. I feel my lows in the high 70's, and I've never passed out, so I'm never in a rush. I wait until it is convenient. I know its not smart, but I do it. I ran short of test strips again this month, so I had to cut down to testing 4 times a day and when those strips ran out, I used some expired strips. They seemed fairly accurate, and matched up with my freestyle readings, but who really knows?
Last week, there were several days that I didn't have a single number above 70 or below 300. I know I must have been normal at some point in between there, but I never caught it. Now that I've cracked down and started charting again, they've come back close to normal, but I'm actually going to try and have some really solid basal testing and more before my endocrinologist appointment next week. I really have to wonder sometimes what those roller coasters are doing to my body.
I started my new job Tuesday. More accurately, I started orientation for my new job. Let me tell you, I HATE it. Once I got hired for the position, I had major doubts. This is my first real job, and it comes with a lot of fear. I still have my job at home, and that carries responsibilities that did not go away when I got hired at the hospital. There are a lot of other stressors like my desire to work at my local diabetes camp, and not being able to find out if I can get the time off, or if I should even ask. The lack of communication I experienced before my interview continues. I get information only a couple of days before the event, and that worries me. I still do not know when I start actual work, and at this point, I'm doubting if I even want to. I'm sure it will get better, I just can't see the end of the very dark tunnel ahead of me.

I got it!

I got the job!!!
I got a call last Tuesday, but I couldn't get in contact with the woman who called me until she finally picked up today! And I got it! The bad news is that I can't start until the beginning of June, but I don't really care, because I got it!

Interview!!

I have my very first job interview tomorrow!!! It is for one of the millions of nursing assistant jobs I've applied for. This is the first time I've ever gotten to the interview process. I am extremely happy, but also extremely nervous. It has been very last minute, which is only increasing my anxiety about it. I didn't find out about the interview until Friday, but I had a conflict. I didn't get my schedule straightened out until last night, and I still don't know exactly where I need to go, because the woman scheduling it hasn't called me back. I'm trying hard not to be really annoyed. So like always, I'm asking a favor of the OC. What are your best entry level job interviewing tips?

*Update*
My interview was today. The scheduler finally called me back at 10am and gave me the details of my interview. She only had a few more minutes before I was going to call and bug her again. The interview went OK. I didn't get a real clear vibe from the interviewer about how it went. He was pretty stoic. I'm hoping to hear sometime next week if I got the job. I don't really don't know what to think about my chances. Thanks for all the advice, especially to Sara for her help.

Coping

I seemed to have lost you since I stopped posting about diabetes related stuff. Believe me, there is plenty going on. From the fact that my insurance company said I couldn't get any test strips this month because I got too many last month (I've got it partially straighted out), to my bottomless exercise induced lows, to the enduring stress highs. They are all going on, but right now, it isn't top priority in my life like it is sometimes. Right now, I am scared. Not of complications and not of lows. I am scared because Monday an armed gunman killed 32 people on his college campus. He had two hours between his attacks to prepare and ship a package. The rest of the campus was not warned. They went about their business, and some of them were killed later because of it. Now, copy cat acts are springing up all over the place. A friend's high school was shut down today because a student had bomb making equipment in his locker, and planned to use it tomorrow at an all school assembly. Another local community college is shut down for the rest of the week because of a death threat on a professor. There are many more. The possibility that I might not be safe on my own campus is something that never occurred to me. I never thought this would happen in college. People grow up, and grow past their teenage problems, at least many of us do. This is supposed to happen here. The pictures of that man pointing guns at the camera sends chills down my spine. I cannot imagine what it would be like to have that gun pointed at ME. I realize that it is paranoid and unreasonable, but I have found myself wondering what I would do if a gunman entered my campus. Many classrooms have glass doors. There is no way to barricade against those. I found myself anxious about going into the basement of our library today, because there are no windows to flee through. Like I said, I realize these thoughts are irrational, but this is what this tragedy has done to me. Tomorrow, I will wear Orange and Maroon in honor of those who lost their lives. I will heal, I will move on, but I will always remember.

Virginia Tech

Please keep everyone at Virginia Tech and their family members in your thoughts and prayers. This is something that truly rocks me to the core. As a fellow college student, I can not imagine having to deal with something like this. As many people have said, today we are all Hokie's.

I'm not even going to try to make excuses for my once again long absence. It is just going to have to continue. Between a stomach flu, a chest cold that looked like pneumonia and it being the last month of classes, I've been swamped.

Blogger hates me

I tried to respond to everyone's comments on my last post, but blogger won't let me comment on my own page, so I'm posting them here.
Chrissie, I do something very similar when I get leg cramps. I alternate from pointing my toes to pointing my heel. It does help, although very painful.
Everyone who suggested bananas for more potassium: Sadly, I can't stand bananas. OJ is supposed to be a decent source too, so I'll try that.
Minnesota Nice: When you had low potassium levels, how often did you get leg cramps?
Virginia: I'll have to check emer-gen-c out next time I get to the store.

Now for a major time waster stolen from facebook.

A bit of everything survey
Basics Name:Jen
Age: 20
Sex: female
Hair color: Blond
Eye color: Blue
Zodiac sign: Capricorn
Heritage/nationality: Dutch mostly
Named after: No one
People you live with: 3 amazing girls!
Favorites
Color: Blue
Band: Right now, I'm on am Emerson Drive kick ( don't hate me for being a country fan)
TV Show: Grey's Anatomy- all the way!
Video Game: It's been YEARS since I've played a video game
Movie: Hmmmmm... Pirates of the Caribbean
Food: Chocolate ice cream
Room in the house:Um, my dorm? it's only one room!
Flower: Gerber Daisies
Animal: Dog
Sport: Basketball
Pizza Topping: Just cheese!
Season: Fall, although I'm a big fan of the 70's we've been having
Shampoo: Don't have one. I need to get a different brand.
Hairspray: Don't use it
CD: Don't have one
Gum: Orbit
Restaurant: Uno's! Best pizza ever!
Late night activity: Facebook/reading blogs. Or lately, finishing homework
Holiday: Christmas
Number: 22
Candy: It's a tie between Kit-Kat and Peanut Butter cups
Song: Depends on my mood
Starbucks beverage: I have NEVER been to a Starbucks. I'm loyal to the local coffee shop.
Are you for or Against...
Prostitution: Against
Drunk Driving: Against. If you want to get drunk, fine with me, but please don't be stupid enough to drive and kill someone.
Legalizing Drugs: Mostly against
Death Penalty: Undecided
Premarital sex: Against
War: Wow, that's a whole can of worms....
Hippies: Um....For??
Clothes on dogs: Against
School Uniforms: Mostly Against
Public Schools: Indifferent
Spam: Against- who really wants spam?
Slavery: Against
Interracial Relationships: For
Arranged Marriages: Against
Republicans: For
Jesus: For
Gun control: Mostly Against.
Organic Farming: Against. Another can of worms, I know.
Britney Spears: I'd be happy if I didn't have to hear about her anymore!
Curfews: For who?
Tommy Hilfiger: I'm not a name brand person. I'm a Target girl
The Atkins Diet: Against.
This or That
Jello or Pudding: Pudding. I've hated Jello for a loooong time.
AIM or MSN: AIM
Hotmail or Yahoo: Hotmail
Carpet or hardwood: Carpet
Cats or Dogs: Dogs
Fish or mice: Fish?
Wine or beer: Neither
Abercrombie or Hot Topic: Again, not a name brand person.
Cake or pie: Pie
Golf or Poker: Poker
Shower or bath: Shower
Independent Films or Big Company Films:Big Films.
Spoons or Forks: Spoons
Do you...
Drink diet pop: When I actually drink pop, which is like 2x/year
Eat a lot of junk food: Sadly, yes
Watch soap operas: Nope.
Watch CSI: Not really
Wear make up: Yes
Take naps: When I need to catch up. They are how I am surviving college
Own a cell phone: Yes
Have a job: Yes
When was the last time you Cursed: Today most likely
Had sex: Never
Went to the mall: Wednesday
Ate:Lunch
Went into a chat room: Forever ago
Drank alcohol: Never
Went bowling: The beginning of the year
Had a sleep over: We have random people sleeping in our room sometimes, does that count?
Got arrested: Ha ha. Never
Went to the movies: It's been a while....Whenever Music and Lyrics came out.
Told someone a secret: I have no idea
Gave someone a gift: A friends birthday in January
Had a gift given to you: Probably my birthday
Brushed your teeth: After lunch
Died your hair: Never
Gave advice: Not long ago

Wow...That wasted a good amount of time. I tag anyone who is procrastinating.
I hope to post soon about my Spring break.

My, my. How time flies. I've been busy, busy, busy with classes. Today started my Spring Break, and I am so ready for it. I plan on sleeping and catching up on work. Doesn't that sound like a blast?
I also just got done with a month long ban on using stomach sites. I decided it needed a break, and I really needed to explore my other options, so I gave myself a month to do it. It turned out to be a really good experience. I used my thighs almost the entire time. I am now a big fan of them. I used to get a burning sensation when I delivered insulin in my thighs, but now it is only with an especially large bolus. I think I'm going to try and work them into a regular rotation. Even though the month was up, I wasn't in a hurry to go back to my stomach. I usually alternate between one site of my stomach to the other, but maybe now I'll do right leg, right stomach, left stomach, left leg. It would probably be good for the sites.
I had a weird night last night. I sometimes get cramps in my legs (aka Charlie horses). I seem to get them really, really bad. I have to get out of bed and keep my leg moving( even through the excruciating pain) or my calf gets so tight I can't walk the next morning. Sometimes they only last a minute, others have lasted close to half an hour. I hate them with a passion. I hate having them at school even more, because I usually make quite a bit of noise when I get them, and I don't want to wake up my roommate. I tried and tried to find a cause, but never could pin point one. I had an idea that they were usually on days when I walked a lot more than usual, and had a very high blood sugar that day. Well, last night did not fit that scenario. I had my first leg cramp of the semester. Lucky for me, I was also low. I was in pain, and had to get out of bed to work out the cramp, but I was also uncoordinated from sleep and the low. It was not a pretty sight, and I was not happy. I do not like getting up at 3:00am (who does?) and waking up in pain and low was a bad combination. Now, I'm wondering if I should change my idea of what is causing leg cramps. Although it is a fairly isolated incident, I have had lows and leg cramps at the same time before. Now, I'm wondering if this should be a new symptom. I do not want to add "leg cramps" to the list of symptoms of my lows that I have to recite every time I go to my endo. Does anyone else get these cramps in their calves? Do they correspond with highs or lows? This is probably just an isolated incident that has me over analyzing, but it sure was a strange experience!

Memories

I’ve been thinking about Penny’s post a while ago titled Because I have to. It made me think about my mom, and my experience with those kinds of lows. I’ve lain in my mom’s lap while she stroked my head willing me to feel better. There were times I cried. There were times I would fall back asleep. I have faint memories of a time I couldn’t communicate because of a bad low. My parents filled in the details. I woke up and walked downstairs. I didn’t say anything, just sat down and started watching TV. I faintly remember my mom shaking my shoulders trying to get me to concentrate and tell her where my meter was. The next thing I remember I was drinking juice and I had a blood stain on my finger. That incident really shook me because I didn’t have any memory of walking downstairs, and my mom checked my blood sugar. At that point my mom hadn’t checked me in years. I knew I was low, but I couldn't tell the person who wanted to help me most. I remember lots of lows, sitting in the kitchen drinking a small glass of apple juice and a graham cracker. Always the same snack and always with my mom. She would turn on the living room light so the light wouldn’t wake up too much. Even now, the first thing I use to treat a low are those little glasses of apple juice. Even now that I treat lows by myself, when I go downstairs to the kitchen to treat I know she is upstairs waiting for me to return. Sometimes she comes down to check on me, and sometimes she’ll ask me if I’m ok when she hears me coming back up the stairs. No matter what, she’ll ask me the next morning if I had a rough night. I really hated those nighttime lows, and still do, but I treasure the memories of her taking care of me. Thanks Mom.

When did I become an angry person?

First off, thanks to everyone who left ideas for me. I really appreciate them.
I apologize in advance for the following post. It is being written in the heat of a moment, after a long day with very little sleep.

I'm sitting here, trying to study for an exam, thinking over all the times today, and over the last few days that I've been really angry. I am not an angry person normally, but lately, I have become one.
I went to my endo Tuesday. I was expected a rise in my A1c because I am currently in the semester from Hell (I don't swear. Practically never, and this semester is totally worthy of that description.) I had no basal tests. No insulin to carb ratio tests. No 2am tests. Nothing. I was angry at myself, but I knew I just did not have the time or energy to skip meals. It just wasn't happening. My A1c? 7.1. That's down. That's a really good number. But you know what? I was mad. I was actually MAD that it went down, and I did nothing. At all. It just decided to go down. I should not be angry about this, but I am.
My presentation to my Pharmacology study group was tonight. I was nervous. I had to balance the information and the time. As I'm going through the require information, I kept giving things that were not highlighted in the professors notes, but will be really important in the practical setting. My presentation partner kept saying, "but we don't need to know this! This isn't going to be on the exam!" I had to really hold my tongue. I kept a level head, but it was hard. After giving the required information, I had a sheet with some bullet points that I titled "what every type one diabetic wants you to know." I talked about some of the misconceptions, and included most of your suggestions. I thought it went fairly well considering how nervous I was. Later, after the group meeting, I saw one of my group members, and she mentions to my friend that I went "on a rampage" during our meeting. I was dumbfounded. I did not raise my voice. I simply told them what I thought they should know. I put it in the context that I have had many of these things said to me, and I would like to make sure that they, as health care providers, did not make the same mistakes that would loose the respect and trust of their patients. I did not think I ranted or rampaged. Now, I'm afraid that the whole group thinks I'm a raging lunatic. Don't they get this is my entire life? This is what I eat, think and breathe all the time, every day? This is my life people! Of course I'm passionate about it!!!!!! I live and will die by this disease! I am so angry that she actually said that to me.
As I was thinking about how I needed to write this all out, I opened up blogger to post this. It would not let me sign on until I upgraded to the new blogger. Again, I felt anger rising within me. What if I don't want to upgrade? I' m just learning the old blogger! I don't want to learn a new one! I just want to write a freaking post!
I am an angry person. This is what all the stress has done to me. It makes me angry that I haven't been below 200 all day long, and that I have to change my site. It makes me angry that my suitemate asks the most ridiculous questions over and over again. It makes me angry that people are so stupid. It all makes me so angry, and I don't want to take it any more! UUGGHH!!!

What would you want them to know?

Once again, I want your input on something. If you had an opportunity to tell your future nurses anything you wanted about diabetes and its care, what would you like them to know?
One of my classes this semester is Pharmacology. I am in a study group with 5 other nursing students. The next chapter is on medications for the treatment for diabetes. I am taking this golden opportunity to educate the nurses of tomorrow. I'm having trouble figuring out which information is the most important. I thought I would get the opinions of other diabetics (or people with diabetes, depending on who you are :-) ). What are the biggest things nurses/doctors do that annoy you in reference to diabetes? What should they know? What do they "know" that needs to be unlearned? Basically, like the title says: What do you want them to know?

Awake

Falling, falling, falling

Juice

Sip

Swallow

Sip

Swallow

Sip-

Empty

Slipping, slipping, slipping

FOOD!

Fruitsnack

Chew

Swallow

Chew

Swallow

Falling!

Food!

Blood sugar?

Fumlbe

61

Relief

“Oh good, I’m low”

Slipping

Food!

Granola bar

Chew

Swallow

Chew

Swallow

FOOD!

Fruitsnack

Mouthful

Chew

Swallow

Slipping
Slipping
Slipping
Falling
Falling
Falling
Dark
Dark
Dark
Dark
Dark


Beep?

Beep?

Beep?

Pump?

“Your last blood glucose was low”

Confusion

Meter

356

Crap!

Bolus

Remembrance

Understanding

Fear

My new favorite song

My brother recently introduced me to Weird Al.
I love this song.

The video is nothing much, but oh, the words to the song. It just gets better the more I listen to it. Even if I don't love my pancreas, this is a great song.

Ranting and Raving

I saw a classic example this week of how badly extreme stress sends my blood sugar through the roof. Classic example: Wednesday, just before a major stress event, my blood sugar was a wonderful 123. Two hours later, with no food, a horrible 319.
What was the stress event? Well, that is a GREAT story. Be forewarned: I'm still angry.
Tuesday night, my parents stopped by my dorm room. They dropped off my mail, which included my statement from my wonderful (Did you catch the sarcasm?) college. I figured it was just that, a statement, saying I had a zero balance, since I had dropped my tuition check off two weeks prior.
Oh no. Of course not.
It's a statement with a late fee added on saying that I haven't paid. I knew full well I had paid. I made a special trip out to school to buy my books (all $1,000.95 worth) and to hand deliver my tuition check. Wednesday morning, I stop by to straighten out what I assumed was a simple mistake. I was armed with a copy of my check. I asked the woman at the front desk, who helpfully told me simply "we show you haven't paid." Well, thanks a lot. I couldn't figure that out by the Late notice statement I got! Finally after staring at each other for a minute, both thinking each other was crazy, she suggested I go see Kevin. Well, who the heck is Kevin? She pointed me to his office. I walked in, now starting to get a little angry. He did a search of their records, which showed no check of my amount ever processed there. So, basically, they LOST my check. He advised me to stop payment on the check. I was SO incredibly, fiercely angry. Now, I am a crier. I cry when I'm sad, when I'm frustrated and when I'm angry, and boy was I angry. So, of course, I started crying. I didn't expect to gain anything from it, but I did. They paid for the fees associated with the cancelled check fee, and promptly cancelled the late fee. I think I deserved that much since they LOST a check. MY check. I didn't even trust the Postal Service to deliver my check, so I hand delivered it. Now, I guess I've learned even that is not enough. I have to be annoying as sin and make them process it right then and there. Lesson Learned.
Rant Over.

I'm back!
I've been back on campus for a week, and my, what a week it has been. I started my nursing classes, and they are harder than I could have even imagined. I have seven classes including: Pharmacology, Nutrition, Microbiology, Health assessment, Pharmacology, Intro to Nursing and Basic Skills. Needless to say, while I have thought about blogging many, many times, homework has taken priority. My pharmacology professors told us to expect to read 12 to 16 hours a week for that class alone. Plus, I have classes that I need several hours outside of class time to practice. It is all a little overwhelming.
Partly because of all that stress, my blood sugars, up until the past few days have been a frightening roller coaster. There were two days in a row that I had a range of about 45 to 450. Yes, that does mean I hit the forties twice and the 450's twice. Just when I thought I was going to loose it, it started evening out. The past two days have been much better. It is a huge relief. I was stuck in a constant struggle between lows and their rebounds. I'm glad the cycle has stopped, if only momentarily while I gather my sanity.
Even though I have not been posting, I have been trying to keep up on reading. I hope I haven't lost all of you, my precious readers, due to my long absence. I will be trying to update more often, if only for my own sanity.

Just because it's cute, I thought I'd close with a picture of my niece from this summer.

I'm alive.
I think.
The holidays have kept me very busy. On top of all the Christmas stuff, I've been fighting the cold I got from babysitting my niece for the weekend(wasn't she so kind to pass it on to me?) and not getting enough sleep from my mini-road trip to Chicago.
I'm busy, very busy.
I've decided that rather than feel guilty about not updating, I'd put the blog on hold for a while. Instead, I will wait until my birthday (as of Friday I won't be a teenager anymore!)and Christmas is over, and I have my high speed internet connection back. Dial up is the worst!
Happy Holidays everyone!

343

I'm 343, and my concentration is shot. The next hour, if not more, is worthless. Usually, not a big deal. When cramming for finals, however, it is more than a little annoying. I have mountains of information that I need to learn in the next few days, and precious little time to do it. Now, my brain is all fuzzy. I feel like I'm in la-la land. I keep getting distracted even typing this post. Grr. I guess I'm going to have to resort myself to doing dishes and other unpleasant tasks until my blood sugar comes down and I can concentrate.

Exam week

I have final exams next week. Exam week = death. I'm sick of studying already, and I've barely studied. I plan to spend most of the day studying. I'm banning myself from reading blogs today. My list of blogs just keeps growing. It takes quite a while to read through all of them. This is great when I want to procrastinate, but I can't afford to do that this weekend. I'll be studying my life away! As long as I can keep my concentration, and something like this doesn't happen again, I should be fine.

Glycemic Index

I'm currently working on writing a paper on the glycemic index and the control of blood glucose. Why? Because my Physiology lab won't let me do the endocrinology lab. Why? Because eating food is BAD for diabetics. Grrrr. ANYWAY. I've never really gotten into the glycemic index. The research I've been finding is very conflicting. The Glycemic index is either a great thing or an evil thing, depending on who writes the article. I'm looking at reputable sites, like the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association. My question is: What does the OC, as a group of people who need to control their blood glucose think of the glycemic index? Has anyone seen any good studies on it? Have you tried it? What did you think?
Thanks!

I'm OK!

I got my urine test results back yesterday. My kidneys are 100% fine. All tests were normal. I am so relieved. As much as I was trying not to worry about it, I still thought about it too much. I'm glad it's done with.
I listened to my intuition today, and it was right. I put a new site in this morning. I felt like I should leave the old site in, just in case. I do not normally do that. The site usually itches enough that I want to get rid of it. It was a good thing I left it in, because just a few hours later (while away from home) I had a blocked tubing alert. I just had to disconnect from the new site and connect to the old. I felt a little like a robot that needed to plug in, but it saved me a whole lot of stress and extra work! I might have to do that a little more often.
Life is once again busy, busy, busy! I have one more week of class until exams, and then Christmas break! I'm really for a little R&R. There are so many things that come with the end of the semester, that I don't know how often I'll be updating. I'll try and keep reading though! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

This list was made by a girl a few years younger than I who went to my high school. She was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks into her freshman year. She achieved remission, then relapsed. She had a bone marrow transplant. Then her kidneys started failing, so she had a kidney transplant. The prolonged steroid use damaged both her hips so she had hip replacement in both hips, one at a time. She has recurring Graft vs. Host disease (bad news for bone marrow patients). She has gone through SO MUCH! Yet she is so thankful. I know so often I grip so much it is easy to loose focus of the good things in life. Over this week, I'm going to try and make a list of my own. I encourage you to do the same. At some point, I'll post my list.
Her list:
1. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
2. A hot shower.
3. No lines at the grocery store.
4. Getting mail.
6. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
7. Hearing your favourite song on the radio.
8. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
9. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
10. Laughing/giggling.
11. A good conversation.
12. Finding a 20 in your coat from last winter.
13. Laughing at yourself.
14. Running through sprinklers.
15. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
16. Friends.
17. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
18. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
19. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
20. Playing with a new puppy.
21. Sweet dreams.
22. Road trips with friends..or crazy ones with family!
23. Swinging on swings.
24. Song lyrics printed inside your new CD so you can sing along without feeling stupid.
25. Winning a really competitive game...such as BOGGLE with my mom.
26. Making chocolate chip cookies and eating so much dough you feel sick.
27. Seeing smiles and hearing laughter from your friends.
28.HUGS!!
29. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
30. Riding the best roller coasters over and over.
31. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
32. Watching the sunrise and knowing who made it.
33. A special glance.
34. Being able to drink as much liquid as you want after having a kidney transplant...ok so not everyone understands this one..:)
35. Game night.
36. The smell of horses and hay...ok not for everyone :)
37. GETTING OUT OF BED EVERY MORNING AND THANKING GOD FOR ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY!

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary, because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings.

My Thankful list: ( A work in progess)
I have no homework tonight (I know, its a miracle.)
I have a warm roof over my head.
I have friends who support me.
I have a wonderful family who love and supports me unconditionally.
2 bottles of paid for insulin in the fridge.
Technology that keeps me ticking each and every day.
My admission to the nursing program
My endocrinologist who is the best!
My health, kidney condition or not.

A meme

Stolen from Major Bedhead

Explain what ended your last relationship?
Um...yeah. I've always been single. Depressing, I know.

When was the last time you shaved?
Um..Friday.

What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m.?
Sleeping!!! :-) I love Saturdays when I have no plans.

What were you doing 15 minutes ago?
Reading blogs.

Are you any good at math?
Depends on which kind of math. I'm not bad at Algebra, but I'm lost with geometry.

Your prom night, what do you remember about it?
Junior year was stressful (I was on 2 planning committees). Senior year was more fun. I didn't dance at all.

Do you have any famous ancestors?
Nope.

Have you had to take a loan out for school?
Oh heck yes. I am in dept up to my eyeballs. Luckily, if I work for 5 years as a nurse, I don't have to pay one of them back.

Last thing received in the mail?
A flyer for some event on campus. I don't get much mail.

How many different beverages have you had today?
One. Just water.

Do you ever leave messages on peoples answering machine?
Yes, although I always think I sound stupid.

Who did you lose your CONCERT virginity to?
A Christian equivalent of NSync or Backstreet boys. They were called Plus One.

Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach?
No.

What's the most painful dental procedure you've had?
I've never had any dental procedures. I've never had any cavities.

What is out your back door?
I don't really have a back door...I just have the one door and outside of that is the hallway of my dorm.

Any plans for Friday night?
Yesterday I hung out with friends. Next Friday? No idea. I don't plan that far in advance.

Do you like what the ocean does to your hair?
I've never seen the ocean.

Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns?
No

Have you ever been to a planetarium?
Yes, in elementary school.

Do you re-use towels after you shower?
I'm a college student. Anything to generate less laundry is a GOOD THING.

Some things you are excited about?
Thanksgiving break!

What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O?
I HATE jello. I think it's because it was a free food when I was little so I had massive amounts of it, and can't stand it anymore.

Describe your keychain(s)?
Two keys: car and house. College keychain, one from Colorado, Chicago and DC.

Where do you keep your change?
A ladybug piggy bank. (It's my i-pod fund. In a few years I might actually be able to afford one).

When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people?
I have no idea.

What kind of winter coat do you own?
A purple Columbia coat.

What was the weather like on your graduation day?
Sunny, I don't really remember the temp. I think it was nice.

Do you sleep with the door to your room open or closed?
Closed.

I have no idea what I am doing computer, and html code wise. I couldn't even put the code in for the diabetes OC ring. It took me several months to figure out how to put in links. So I need a little help. Why is my about me and all that on the bottom of my page? Any ideas?
My second question is about beta blogger. Should I switch? Is it better, or will it just confuse the crap out of me?
Thanks in advance!

*edit*
Muahahahaha! I figured it out! My post about getting into the nursing program with its six million exclamation points was messing everything up. It's back to normal now!

I REFUSE to be scared.

I had an endocrinologist appointment today. It was really short at just under an hour. My a1c was 7.4. I was somewhat pleased with that number. I expected it be higher, based on my control lately. But I had set a goal for myself of having an a1c right around 7.0. Six months ago, I was there. It has risen every since. First 7.2, now 7.4. The other slightly bad news is that I had protein in my urine. I know it can happen sometimes and not mean anything. I am more worried about what it COULD mean. I am trying my best NOT to be scared. I am 19 and I do not want to be dealing with complications. Dialysis is something that scares almost as much as loosing my eye sight. I refuse to live the next few weeks until I do a repeat test in fear. I can not do that to myself. Odds are, because of where I am in my cycle, (sorry guys) it is nothing. Here's hoping that's true.

D-blog Day

I am taking a class called physiology right now. For those who don't know, it's pretty much the "How things work" for the body. It's crazy hard, but I like it. There is a three hour lab every week where we pretty much run medical test on ourselves. Today was the urine lab.
I dreaded this lab just about as much as the I am dreading the upcoming endocrine lab. What will my class say about my most likely abnormal test results? Which ones will be abnormal? Will I discover some complication today? Will there be blood or protein in my urine? Are you kidneys starting there decline? I'm sure others in my lab were not worried they would have abnormal test results. But I was.
I am a diabetic.
I have long accepted that.
I have been relatively lucky. I have had pretty decent control with not a whole lot of work. Except lately. Lately, is has take SO MUCH WORK! They say (who, I can't remember, but someone said it) that it takes an hour a day to manage diabetes. Some days that seems low, and some days it seems high. But let's think about that. An hour a day, for 17 years. That's 6,205 hours. 258 days. TWO HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT DAYS!! Think of all I could have done with those days. That's three quarters of a year I could have wasted on something else entirely. Wow. If that doesn't blow you away, I don't know what will. I had another whole point, but I am so blow away by that, I'm just going to wait. 258 days. Gone.

Out of Control

I have had so many things to blog about lately, and absolutely no time to write about them. This week is my catch up week. The competition/choir I was a part of is now done (my class won, in case you were wondering- Go 09!). That gives me an extra couple of hours a night. I got into the nursing program, which is a HUGE relief, but it brings a whole new set of things to do. Next semester is going to be INSANE. I am taking 7 classes. It will be worth it though.
My control has been so horrible. I did not realize how horrible until I downloaded my pump in preparation for my endo appointment Monday. My daily averages have been in the 200's. As high as 260. YIKES! That is horrible. I don't know if it is just because I've been so busy, because I've had(actually still have) a cold or a combo of both. So starting today, i cracked down. Every single carb that enters my mouth is getting bolused for. I am making myself stop and think before I eat, and after I check myself so I can figure out what's going on. I have been merely reacting. I was still testing and bolusing, but just the bare minimum. I have not been proactive about how to prevent huge spikes and valleys. I will not be able to get it reigned back in by the time I go to the doctor on Monday, but at least I will have a plan. Its a good thing I printed the information off. It was a real wake-up call. Once I think back on it, I know I could make myself feel a lot better by lowering my blood sugars. Already today I've seen a little bit of difference in how I feel. Here's hoping I can continue!

I
Got
in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Words can not express how happy I am right now.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read this

STRESS!!!

My stress level is so high right now. I'm afraid my brain might explode. There is no end in sight. Ok, maybe in a month, but not before. What is stressing my out. Let me count a few of the ways...
1. My 83 year old grandma had knee replacement surgery. Came out fine, today, she is confused and groggy. Not. Good.
2. I am doing this choir type thing at school that involves practice for 2.5 hours EVERY NIGHT.
3. I have 5 test strips left. Friendly supply company called today to say they don't carry them at their store anymore, they have to ship them to me.
4. I now have to make a trip to Walgreens and spend who know how much because the company doesn't bother to let me know!
5.News on my nursing application is due any day now.
6. Midterm grades are due today.
7. I have 3 major exams next week.
8. I am sick. Again.

I know it doesn't seem like much, but put it all together and AHH!!!

This has been another pointless rant by Jen.

Ross man
I don't know who you are, but you just MADE MY DAY!!!
That is AMAZING!! Everyone, go here and click on ross man's name. You will die laughing. I did.

1. Do you still have tonsils?
Yes.
2. Would you bungee jump?
No way!! Heights are one of my biggest fears!

3. If you could do anything in the world for a living, what would you do?
Nursing.

4. How many tattoos do you have?
None.

5. Your favorite fictional animal?
The liger. Not really, I just couldn't come up with anything better.

6. One person that never fails to make you laugh?
My Niece

7. Do you consider yourself organized?
Depends on the situation. For the most part, yes.
8. Any addictions?
Chocolate and certain TV shows.

9 From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news?
Ummmm....you mean there are things going on outside my college? Really? There are things going on outside this bubble?
One in a great while, I turn on the news on TV, but usually I don't get my news from anywhere! Sad, but true.
10. Would you rather go to a carnival or circus?
A Carnival.

11. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you
grew up?
A doctor, and EMT or a teacher

12. Best movie you've seen this year?
Chronicles of Narnia (that was less than a year ago, right?)

13. Favorite alcoholic drink.
Not 21. :-)
14. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?
Shut off my alarm clock and check my bg.

15. Siblings?
2 older brothers, both married

16. What is the best thing about your job?
I can often do homework and get paid for it. :-)

17. Have you ever gone to therapy?
Nope

18. If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Right now, I want to be able to change the weather. Right now, its SNOWING!!!! IT"S OCTOBER!!!
19. Do you own any furniture from Ikea?
YES! I LOVE Ikea!! My futon in my dorm room, and my desk at home are both from there, plus a bunch of little stuff.

20. Have you ever gone camping?
Every fall with the fam!

21. Gas prices - first thought
Not as bad as they have been.

22. Your favorite cartoon character?
The baby from the Incredibles. Watch Jack-Jack attack. I have never laughed so hard in my entire life. I've baby sat kids like that!

23. What was your first car?
A 1986 Buick Park Avenue. Now remember, I was BORN in 1986. This car was OLDER than I was.

24. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?
No.

25. The Cosby Show or The Simpsons?
Hmmmm. Depends on my mood. I used to love the cosby show, but I don't know when its on anymore.


26. Do you go to church?
I try and go every week, but sometimes sleep overpowers it. I do try and go to chapel 2-3 times a week though, and that is kind of like church.

27. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
The adult side of me says Pres. Bush, the teenage side of me says some of the stars from Grey's Anatomy.

28. What errand/chore do you despise?
Washing dishes

29. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!! NOT YET!!!

30 Last time you puked from drinking?
Never. (see #13. I'm a goody-good. What can I say)

31. What is your heritage?
Dutch
32. Favorite flower?
Gerber Daisy

33. Disney or Warner Bros?
Disney

34. What is your best childhood memory?
Camping, and hiking with my family.

35. Your favorite potato chip?
Baked Lays

36. What is your favorite candy?
Kit Kat

37. Do you burn or tan?
Tan
38. Astrological sign?
Capricorn.

39. Do you own a gun?
No. But I love to target practice!

40. What do you think of hot dogs?
Really good grilled.

I lied.







*Update*
I found out the pharmacy was just billing insurance #2, not #1. That is what got us stuck with bills the last time, because #2 is not supposed to be paying for everything. When we tried to get #1 to pay, they will only give me limited amounts. Everyone in the world seems to think 200 strips is SOO MANY!! Why in the world would I need to test more than 4 times a day????? So now I'm in the process of appealing that amount. Not a HUGE deal, just another annoyance that I thought was all taken care of!

Because I am a 5 year kid inside, and I'm easily entertained

Blogger's spell check cracks me up. So I decided to make a list of diabetic words and see what it does to them. The list on the left will be what I typed, and the list on the right will be what blogger says it should be.

Quick-set Suicide
Insulin no suggestions
Humalog homology
Novolog navels
Lanclet loincloth
Cozmo cozen
Mimimed manumit
Animas anions
Islet Islet
A1c AAA
Lantus lunatic
Levemir no suggestions
Ketones Kittens
JDRF nothing
Ketoacidosis nothing
Cleo clew
Minimed (the right way) minuend
Lancet(The right way) Lancet
This is what happens on too little sleep!!

That's all for now. If you have any additions, and want to join the fun, let me know!

October 3, 1988

18 years ago, I was in the hospital. I have no memories of this monumental time of my life. I've seen pictures. I look like a orphan child from a third world country, but surrounded by stuffed animals, balloons and family.
18 years is a very long time. A lifetime in fact. Like Allison said, now my diabetes can vote. Hurray? Maybe. I am 18 years complication free. I don't really consider that an accomplishment. I'm only 19 years old for crying out loud! I shouldn't have any complications.
This day doesn't seem any different to me. I don't know if it should.
In general, I am really freaking sick of all the crap. For years and years, it never bothered me.
But lately?
Man.
Site rashes
Painful sites
Ball in my stomach crappy highs
Stuff my face and never come up lows.
A few weeks ago, for the first time I can ever remember, I could actually picture a cure. For ME. When that story about the cure for kids diagnosed before 6 months came out, my heart skipped beat. I quickly did the mental math, to see if it was even possible that I had diabetes at 6 months, and went undiagnosed. I pictured what it would be like to be FREE. I was quickly disappointed. The difference between 6 months and 22 months is just too much. Too much to research further. I was disappointed. Maybe that's why it is all bothering me so much lately. Or maybe it's the transition to school. Once again, I have to explain the ins and outs to my roommates. They are really nice about it. They WANT to know, but once I start to explain, I realize just how much there is. From the little things from what my blood sugar should be, to why I need to change my site, what ketones are and why in the world I went off my pump. It's just so much!
I know I'm pretty much the youngest blogger in the OC. I'm too dang young to have been dealing with this more 18 years.
So happy anniversary to me. Maybe I'll go to Dairy Queen or something tonight, or maybe I'll just ignore the day.

Two Questions

I have two new requests for the OC. One is a serious one, the other is not.
First:
My new blue pump remains nameless. Anyone have any suggestions for him(or her?)?

Second:
I have developed a nice, itchy reaction to my quicksets. Every site itches while it is on, and when I take it off there is a series of red, raised bumps where the site was. What can I do about it? Now before you answer this, keep in mind I have the same reaction for IV3000 and Tegaderm. Does anyone know of any other products? This is a recurring problem. I get these rashes for a few months, and then they go away. But then have never been this bad before. This goes to show that even after 7ish years pumping, I still do not know everything. I'm still learning!
Any and All suggestions welcome!

*Update*
I screwed my pump last night, at about 2am. I was really high, and really angry and sick of dealing with all the crap, so I gave a shot of Levemir, and pulled out the pump site. I've been on shots since then. I called MM to see if they had any suggestions, and they were shockingly helpful. (I have had some horrible Minimed experiences) They are overnighting me some different tape samples, and some sets in case the ones I have are defective. The Minimed I knew NEVER volunteered that it might be there fault! I'm shocked! I still appreciate any suggestions you guys have!

Did you know?

Did you know, that it is extremely helpful to put insulin in the cartridge when doing a site change? That air will not prime the tubing?
This is a lesson I learned at 2am last night.

On a lighter note...

I got three exams back today.
All I can say it, FINALLY all of my hard work is starting to pay off.
physiology: The hardest of all my classes, in which most people want to die: I got 93%!!!!!!!!!! Words can not express how happy this makes me.
Sociology: I didn't study too much for this, because it was the day after Phys, and I just didn't care anymore: 88%
Psychology: 92%. Only 2 people in all of my professors classes did better than I did. I rock.
That is the bulletin of the day.
More doom and gloom tomorrow. :-)

A very long rant.

I had such a bad week last week. If something could go wrong diabetes wise, it did.
Last Friday, I had a bad site. I ended up skipping a class because I felt so horrible. My highs don't usually affect me as badly as they did that day. I couldn't eat most of the day because of horrible ketones, so it was almost 2pm before I ate anything. That started me down a vicious cycle. I couldn't eat because I didn't feel good, so I started getting starvation ketones, which made me feel worse, which makes me not want to eat...... I finally forced down some applesauce just to get some carbs and more insulin into my system.
I had the weekend to recover.
Monday morning. I wake up having to go to the bathroom SOO bad. While I'm in the bathroom, my pump starts to SIREN. I don't know if anyone has ever heard the Cozmo siren, but its loud. Sadly, my roommate wasn't up before then, but she certainly was after! The screen said that the battery was dead. There was no low battery alarm, and I had changed it last week. Of course, I was out of new batteries. I took the old battery out so the thing would SHUT UP, threw some clothes on, and went to the bookstore to get more batteries. After I put them into the pump, it seemed to work OK, but this was the second time this had happened to that pump. I was not letting it go. I called Deltec and got the nicest woman. She agreed I needed a whole new pump. When she asked what color I had, I told her gray but then asked if I could have another color. I had to quickly make up my mine. I said blue on an impulse. After checking to make sure they had new blue pumps (she didn't want me to have a refurbished one) she said I could have it!! That made me really happy!!! No more boring gray! After I got my old pump working, I checked myself. I'm high, of course. I debated whether to go on shots or not. I decided I didn't really need to. I gave the bolus. Halfway through I got my favorite (sarcasm) alarm. Blockage Detected!! Oh joy! On top of everything else, I got to do a site change too!
Tuesday: New pump arrives. Not a major deal, I just had to take the time to program it. But that too takes time, time that I did not really have.
Wednesday: While sleeping, I started having the strangest dream. In it, I was rushing trying to get ready, and my pump just wouldn't stop beeping or vibrating, no matter what I did! Finally, I woke up to another blockage. Grrr. Another site change! As if waking up over 300 or 400 twice in the past week wasn't enough!
Thursday night: I woke up feeling low. I was 40. I don't know if it was because I was so tired, or so low, but I couldn't stay awake. I kept falling asleep while I was eating. All of my food is right next to my bed, so I don't have to get out of bed when I'm low. I must have had 3 or 4 granola bars, a couple of packages of fruit snacks and a bottle of juice. When I woke up the next morning, I was only 294. With that many carbs, I should have been much, much higher. It was a scary experience, one I don't want to repeat.
Last night: Check at 11:30, 383. Crap. Bolus the correction. Check an hour later. 150. CRAP!!!! Now I want to come down fast as much as the next diabetic, but I had lots and lots of IOB. I did not know what to do. I finally decided to shut my basal off for 3 hours, and to set my alarm for an hour later. For once in my life, I made the right decision. I went up to 160, and never dropped below that.
So that is a synopsis of all the crap that has been going on lately. Surprisingly, I didn't want to get rid of my pump. I just didn't want to be diabetic anymore! I am so sick of all the crap!

October 1st.

Does that date mean anything to you?

Probably not.

But it means a heck of a lot to me.

October 1st is the date my application for the nursing department is due. Just sitting here typing about it is clenching my stomach into knots. I know that I will spend the next few months worrying. November 6th is when registration for classes begin, so I will know by then.

I am so dang nervous, I can't even think about working on my homework right now. Homework that is so important. It is important, so that I can learn the material and do well in my classes. If I do well in my classes, I might get into the nursing program. But I am so worried about getting into the nursing program, that I can't do my homework. I'm in a little bit of a pickle.

UGH! Do you know how much this stinks? I KNOW what I want to do for the rest of my life. I am very blessed for that reason. What stinks is that I CAN'T DO IT! I have been amazed at the number of people the last 5-6 months, that have told me, not knowing my dreams, that I should be a nurse. The only people that don't seem to think I'm good enough are the only people that really matter: the nursing board.

I could really use some thoughts and prayers. Starting October 1st (and probably before) I'm going to be a nervous wreck. If I don't get into the program this time, I have some major, major life decisions to make, and they are not going to be easy or pleasant.

Life has been so crazy lately. I moved back to school a couple of weeks ago, and the transition has been harder than I thought it would be. On top of that (or maybe because of that) my blood sugars have been terrible. One of these days I'll get around to writing them all down and trying to figure out if there is any real trend.
In the mean time, I'm doing my best to make sure everyone in my classes think I'm a drug addict.
The other day I had a bad site, and flew up to 450. Sadly, this was during the middle of class. I wrote on a page in my notebook "I'm really high!" I showed it to my friend before I left class to change my site. That page was the same one I wrote out my part of a group presentation. At the next class, I gave my notebook to another group member to read over. When she handed it back, she gave me kind of a weird look, but didn't say anything. It wasn't until later that I realized what was written on the notebook, and why she gave me a weird look.
Case #2. Physiology class. I was digging around in my backpack before class, trying to find a pen. I felt something thin and round. I pulled it out. Nope! It wasn't a pen, it was a syringe. Whoops. No idea how many people saw in that class, but it gave me a good laugh.
In other news, the JDRF walk is going well. People who have never donated before are giving large amounts, like $100. The bad news, people who usually donate haven't gotten back to me. People like my brothers. That is always a sticky situation. I would like them to donate. In the past they've donated. But, what it they don't want to this year? I don't want to bug them about it, and make them feel pressured. Hopefully they people will start sending in their checks so I don't have to make those awkward phone calls.
Back to the never ending world of homework!

**A HUGE thank you to Tiffany at the Diabetes OC, and Candid Diabetes for fixing my Diabetes OC Navigation Bar. It works!**

In what kind of f-ing world does my blood sugar RISE 200 points after exercise????
There was no rebound.
Grrr.
*More later, just a quick rant before I go to bed.*

JDRF walk

I need some help creating a letter to send to my relatives to raise money for the JDRF walk. Can you all give me some input?

Dear
October 3, 1988.
That date was my Grandpa and Grandma Root’s wedding anniversary. It is also the date I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. That was 18 years ago. Today, my pancreas still does not produce insulin. Until a cure is found, I will wear my insulin pump 24 hours a day. To make sure I’m getting the right amount of insulin, I have to check my blood sugar six to ten times a day. Insulin keeps me alive, plain and simple. Insulin is not a cure for diabetes. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for me and the 3 million other people with type one diabetes. That’s why I will be walking on September 16 at Holland State Park for the tenth year. A cure is out there, and JDRF will find it!
Will you consider helping them make my dream of a cure come true?
Thank you for your continued support!

To donate online, or by credit card, please visit:
www.tiny.cc/jgrasman



It needs some help, and I know it, but what does it need?

Tiny Bubbles...

Since the OC so accurately predicted that I was going to be sick (and I was) I have another problem.
What is it?
Bubbles.
Lots and lots of bubbles.
Unlike the song, these bubbles are not making me feel happy or feel fine.
They are in the cartridge. In the tubing. They are killing me. This has never been a problem before. Now all of a sudden, when I fill the cartridge, there are foamy bubbles. When I change my site, there are huge bubbles. Once in a while, I notice bubbles in the tubing. Long ones. Several units long. It takes a lot of insulin to get rid of them.
So, I'm coming to the experts. How do you prevent bubbles? How do you get rid of them? Should I be pulling the cartridge out daily to check for them?
Thanks!

There is a special guessing game I play a couple of times a year.
It centers around one question.
Am I high because I'm sick, or am I sick because I'm high?
I am going through that debate right now. I have been in the 200's for the past couple of days, and now in the 300's. I've changed my site, and I will change it again tonight. I have a sore throat, confusion and fatigue. All could mean my sugar is high. All could also mean I am getting sick. So how do I find out? Anyone have any good ideas, or is time the only remedy?

~Camp synopsis coming soon.
~T minus 18 days until I move back to school

IT'S OVER

I have 300 beautiful, fully paid for freestyle flash test strips sitting in my supply tub. I also have 6 vials of humalog insulin sitting in my fridge. Also, completely paid for. And not by me. BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY!!!
THE FIRST TIME!!! HURRAY!! IT"S OVER!!!

Camp

It's that time again! Camp time!
I first went to Camp MIDICHA 10 years ago.
It was the first time I truly realized that there were other diabetics in the world. Not just other adults, like my grandpa, but other kids! It was the first time I realized that I wasn't the only one who had vision changes with blood sugar changes. I wasn't the only one!
I went to midicha as a camper for 7 years, then became a CIT (counselor in training) and then a counselor. I wanted to be like all of the great counselors I had over the years.
I was sorely disappointed. My very first session, there were 4 other counselors in one cabin. Not fun. We stepped on each others toes all the time. The campers quickly learned that if one of us said no, they should just go to another one. It took us a while to get our act together. The second session of that year was even worse. I only had one co-counselor, like normal. Her name was Lisa and she was from Spain. Lisa seemed nice enough at first. Then she started disappearing. At first she said she had to have allergy shots. Every day. Riiight. Then, those half hour disappearance became several hours. Then she started telling me I was doing all the diabetes care wrong. There was no need to check campers again 15 minutes after they were low. It didn't really matter if we checked them at midnight or 4am. It was the same thing. The worst part is, I could get her in trouble because she was dating the head counselor.
The second year, I had high hopes. I walked into my cabin to meet my co-counselor. The first thing she tells me? She's usually a ranch staffer, so she's not used to being around the kids 24/7, and she's not happy about it. Great.....
So this year, I decided I wasn't going to work at camp. The plan was to get a summer job, and then I wouldn't have time for camp. I would plan a weekend to get together with my camp friends. However, the current job market and my friends did not cooperate. I did not land a job, and one of my friends still wanted to go to camp. So. Off to camp I go. Other than the bad co-counselors, camp has been pretty fun. If I get a good one this year, I'll go again next year. If not, then I don't know.

Rest In Peace Toby

This morning, my faithful friend of only 3 years died.
He was one of the best trained and loveable pets I have ever had. Toby will be greatly missed.

un-motivated

I am completely NOT motivated in my diabetes care lately. I went to the endo's office a few weeks ago. My A1c was good (7.2) but I needed to do more work. I was having frequent lows. Now, I'm having frequent highs. Crappy, sick to my stomach, drink tons of water, highs. I really, really need to start logging again, and even more importantly, do some basal testing. I hate testing basals. Breakfast skips are really easy. Lunch and supper? Not so much. I THINK about doing it all the time, but it is so easy to come up with excuses not to actually stop eating, test every hour and write it down. Why is it so dang difficult???

Cross your fingers.
Rub your lucky rabbits foot.
PRAY!
The insurance fiasco may be solved. We are in the process of transferring from tradition BCBS to point of service. The very helpful and friendly man at Blue Cross promises we won't be sorry. I plan on holding him to that.
Now, the major hurtles include:
Actually getting all the paperwork filled out and to the correct people.
Making sure they cover everything like they said they would
Seeing if they cover my endo (oh please Lord I hope so!)
Seeing if insurance #1 and #2 play well with each other
Finding out if there is a pharmacy in my area that will take this (#*%& insurance.

This new insurance seems too good to be true. It promises a $10 co-pay on all prescriptions. No limits on insulin or test strips. Any pharmacy I choose. Could it really be true???
I'll find out later this week!

I'm in love

I went to the endo yesterday.
My A1c was 7.2, up a little, but still not bad.
I talked to him about different options for thigh sites. I've tried my quick-sets there a couple of times, and it just didn't work for me. He recommended I try the Cleo from Cozmo. ( http://www.cleoinfusionsets.com ) He gave me 2 to try. They have a big shortage, so he couldn't get me more. I tried one this morning. I LOVE it!! I've tried sof-sets, quick-sets, the angled sets and insets. This is by far my favorite. For the first time ever, the insertion device doesn't make a really loud noise, or jolt into me. It is so EASY and pain free. I can go as fast or slow as I want to. Plus, it is PURPLE! Can you tell I'm excited? Another huge plus is that it doesn't burn when it delivers insulin, like the quick-set does in my leg. I sure hope I can get more of them, because it's going to be hard to go back to quick-sets, even after one day.
I wanted to share my joy. I greatly recommend trying these if you can!

Eye Doctor

I went to the eye doctor tonight.
It has me pretty upset.
Every time I go, I have my eyes dilated, like a good little diabetic.
Then I sit there, without my contacts, blind for 10 minutes while the drops work.
I went into the room, and the doctor came in. He made the required small talk. I hate this part of the appointment. My doctor is a relative of sorts. His daughter just married my cousin. We talked about the wedding. Then I had to hear, once again, how the college he went to is better than the college I go to. (They are arch rivals.) Then he starts the exam. He pulls out the little light, and starts looking. This time, he lingers longer on each eye longer than usual. So long, that my dilated eyes tear excessively, and I long to close them. He makes annoying worried noises that sent my panic level through the roof. Finally, he shuts the little light off, and leans back. "Well, your eyes look good Jennifer." (Oh really? I think. What about the noises?) "I can see some evidence of diabetes in your eyes. (WHAAAATTT!!!) Don't worry though. All it does is confirms the fact that you are diabetic."
I don't want my eyes telling anyone that I am diabetic!
I am 19 years old. I want normal eyes. I want to have great vision for another 60 years! OK, so I already have crappy vision, but a pair of glasses/contacts fix that. I don't want to have to worry about blood vessels showing I'm diabetic! I know I'm probably over reacting, but I really want to have good vision. I don't want to be one of those people that others look at and say, "oh, she's blind. She has diabetes you know."
So, the next part, is all the tests he wants to do all the time. Just last year, I had a visual field test done. Now, he wants another one. It seems a little much to me. Does anyone know what test are recommended? I looked on the ADA website, but I can't seem to find it.
Other than the "evidence of diabetes" everything else was fine, including my retinal photograph. I guess that's good. I just wish I had completely normal eyes.

Colorado

Day 1. Traveling
I started out Monday afternoon, and drove to my brother and sister in laws house. I spent the night there, hanging out with them. Tuesday, we started the drive to Chicago. We arrived at the airport behind schedule, which put us all on edge. We found the ticket counter, checked our luggage and got in line. I took my pump out of the case, and put it in my front pocket on the recommendation of a previous security screener. I went before my brother, just in case I set off the detectors. As I walked through the gate, I felt myself tense up. I waited for the beep, and the dark look from the screener. I continued to wait. No beep! I turned around and smiled at Mike (my brother). I made it! The flight to Colorado went fine. I got a little motion sick, but nothing bad. At the Denver airport, we met my other brother (Nick) his wife, (Cherie) and my niece (Maribel). We went out for a late supper, got groceries, and drove to the cabin. We were truly in for a rustic camping experience. The cabin was up in the mountains, 45 minutes from any civilization. We collapsed into bed at 2am.
Day 2
I woke up at a decent 200. Not bad considered all the travel and the time change. I decided that since we were going to go hiking first thing that day, not to correct. I had some cereal, and cut my basal in half right after breakfast. We packed up, and drove to Rocky Mountain National park for our first hike. In the car, I checked myself, not feeling the best. My two cautious moves earlier that morning took a major toll. I was 400. I started to panic. It was too late to tell everyone that we couldn't hike for another hour, and I wasn't sure how much of a correction to give. I had no idea what kind of hike we were in for. I guessed, and we started out on the trail. I checked every half hour after that. I slowly, but not too slowly, came back down. I spent the rest of the day hovering between 140 and 180. The first hike we took was to a set of waterfalls. They were beautiful. Well worth the 6 mile hike in the 90 degree heat.
Day 3
After the previous days strenuous hike, we decided to take our second day a little bit easier. We woke up (I was again in the 200's. That time I corrected), ate breakfast and dressed for another 90 degree day. As we piled into the car, we noticed it was cooler than the day before, but it was also earlier. When we got to the trail head, it was 55. It never got above 65 the whole day. We were a little cold in our shorts and T-shirts. Once again, it was beautiful, and once again, my blood sugars stayed picture perfect on 50% basal reduction.
Day 4
The fourth day was once of the most beautiful. It was a longer hike again, but by definitely worth it. It both rained and snowed while we made our way to Nypm, Emerald and Dream lakes. The view at Emerald lake was just amazing. I stuck with the 50% basal. When we sat down for lunch, I was in the 90's. That was the lowest I had gone while hiking so far.
Day 5
After hearing all about Trail Ridge Road, and how beautiful it was, we decided to try it. We weren't sure how it was going to go. Maribel (my year old niece) had decided she hated riding in the car, and would scream anytime we drove anywhere. The. Entire. Time. I love her dearly, but I think most of us wanted to murder her by the end of the week. This is the child that never sleeps. Ever. She screamed for 3 hours straight one night. She finally went to sleep at 3am. She slept for one freaking hour and then was up again. For the rest of the day. Anyway. That was my rant. High altitudes + babies = misery. Luckily for us, she decided to take a nap most of the trip out there. On the way back, we made frequent stops to take pictures and let her play. We took this picture on top of the mountain that the visitors center is on. Introducing the family. It is not a very attractive picture for any of us. We are looking into the sun, it was really windy, and crazy cold.

I'm on the far left. Then Sarah (SIL), Mike(bro), Nick(oldest bro), Cherie and Maribel.
I have never seen scenery more beautiful. We were on top of the mountains. You could see for miles. It was wonderful. I loved it. I would post about 50 pictures, but seeing as it takes 15minutes per picture(no, I'm not kidding) I'll refrain.
After Trail Ridge Road, we saw the Alluvial Fan. It is where a damn broke in the 80's, taking large amounts of rocks with it, and spreading them wherever it pleased. The picture below shows me sitting on one of those "rocks."

Day 6
This was the final day in Colorado, and it was not a great one. The hike we were going to go one had no parking spots open for several miles. We decided on another hike, and it turned out to be a boring one. It was hot again that day, and there was little shade, and lots of other people. Although I had again turned my basal down 50%, I had my first low. It didn't seem to be a bad one at first. Only 75. I took 30 grams. 5 minutes later, my brother wanted to keep going. I convinced him to wait another 5 minutes. I rechecked. I was 78. Neither Nick or Cherie wanted to sit there in the sun. I don't know what their problem was. It made me glad it was the one and only low I had the entire trip. I finally came up, but it did involve eating and hiking at the same time to keep everyone happy. The hike was someone pretty, but a bit of a let down after Trail Ridge Road.
Day 7
This was the day I was dreading. This was the trip I had to make all by myself. I had never flown alone before. I was dropped off by a shuttle bus at the baggage claim. After wondering through the airport, I finally found the United check-in area. They were like 50 different areas to check in, and I had no idea which one I needed. The woman I asked pointed to a line that read "International flights. E-tickets only." I was domestic, and I had a paper ticket. Low and behold, it was the right line. Weird. Then it was on to security. I had high hopes after security in Chicago. I was even waved into the express line. My first panic came when I set down my carry-on and shoes, started to go through the metal detector, and the woman behind me got my attention and asked me if I had dropped my ticket. Indeed I had. I couldn't believe I had and didn't notice it. I walked up to the metal detector again. The screener told me to loose the cell phone. I told him it was an insulin pump. He must have noticed I was nervous, because he told me they never set it off. Well, it must have been my lucky day! He even let me go through the detector again, because I had forgotten my belt, and it still set it off. After a hand wand and a pat down, I went to my gate, and flew home without a problem.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip. Other than the one low, the diabetes behaved. I can't wait to go back with my whole family (parents included) again. It is the most beautiful place I have ever visited.

Guess who is going to Colorado in 3 days.

ME!!!

As you might remember, I've been wanting to go out there ever since I went with a youth group 2 years ago, and NOW I GET TO!! I'm going with both my brothers, their wives and my niece.
Am I nervous? Oh heck yes. More nervous than I was last time. See, my brothers even after spending quite a few years of their lives in the same house with a diabetic, are fairly clueless. They both moved out before I started pumping, and let's just say things changed A LOT when I started pumping. I don't think they even know how to use glucagon. (I plan to fix that). One brother seems to have it in his head that we can go out and hike from 6am to 6pm. All day. Every day. With an 11month old and a diabetic? I think not. Well, at least I hope not. The plan is to cut basals in half right off the bat. The time change and the travel will start me off high, but I haven't found a good solution for either.

Ahh! I have to run, but any tips on flying, adjusting to new time zones, major hiking and anything else that might be helpful (good sights to see?) are greatly appreciated!

Wanted

One mail-order pharmacy.
At the least, it has to ship insulin and test strips. It would be nice if it shipped oral medication too.
If anyone has a good experience (or a bad one) that they could share, I would really appreciate it!

I killed it.

Well, the streak ended yesterday.
First, it was the chocolate cake. My mom had just baked it, and it is was warm out of the oven. My dad was having a piece for snack, and I couldn't resist.

The guess? 30 grams.
The result? 64.
Later that night?

Virgin, of course. It was the first time I had ever had one.
The Guess? 45 grams.
The result? 326.

So thanks for all the congrats, but it's over, and I killed it. Until next time, if there IS a next time...

I solemnly swear that I AM diabetic.

I just have to share my joy. These are my numbers from the past 2 days.
142
133
166
143
135
152
164
167
110
108
I even checked myself on the new meter Accu-check just sent me. It agreed.
What do I think about this?

A pumper's worst enemy

Thank you to Kerri for giving me questions even though I can not count, and I was the 6th. I'm a little late in the game, but if you want to participate, I'll give 5 questions to the first 5 that ask.

1. (A rip off from Julia): You are having lunch with three fictional people and you have to pack them a picnic lunch. Who do you invite and what you you serve? Professor Dumbledore (I'm a harry potter fan, what can I say), Abby Lockhart from ER annnnd Dr. McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy. I will serve tea and crumpets. (I honestly had to google crumpets to see what they were. Now I know)
2. What do you see yourself doing in five years? And what kind of shoes will you be wearing?
If I do want I want to do, I will be working at a children's hospital. I will wear really comfortable shoes, because I hope to be on my feet all day. At the end of the day, I want to be tired, but satisfied.

3. When the movie of your life is made, who will play you and what will the title of the film be? I've thought and thought about this question, and I can't come up with a good answer yet. I do not know where my life is going to lead yet. I am at a pretty huge cross roads right now, and I do not know where I am going to end up. I'd like to have a good job, that I enjoy (with good insurance of course) I would like to get married, eventually, and even have kids someday. I know, I didn't answer the question. So sue me. :)
4. Do you have any phobias? If so, what are they? If not, what do you think keeps you from having one? Heights. Heights are very bad for me. I have never been on a rollar coaster because of it.
5. Why do you blog?
I can't remember why I started, but I know why I continue. I blog to vent. I blog to celebrate. I blog to put everything out on paper (er..the screen) and hope it clears up. I blog to be a part of the fabulous OC.

Psyc!
I had a whole post written.
The dial-up internet connection killed it.
But in case you hadn't heard: s1955 died today. Hurray!
The real post will come....eventually. This week has been really crazy busy, and this weekend is going to be worse. AHHHH!!!

My Turn!

Accent: I have an annoying Midwest accent. It's nasally and it is pointed out to me on a regular basis.
Booze: No thank-you.

Chore I Hate: Washing dishes. Granted, I don't have a lot, but i think it makes it worse. I only have a bowl or a plate to do at a time, and I have to do them in the bathroom sink.
Dog or Cat: Dog. However cats are nice on occasion. I had many, many cats when I was young.
Essential Electronics: My laptop.
Favorite Perfume: I don't wear it. But I love the smell of Bath and Body works Warm vanilla sugar.
Gold or Silver: I wear silver most.

Hometown: Somewhere in MI! :-)
Insomnia: Almost never. Most nights I collapse into bed. I'm asleep before my head hits the pillow.

Job Title: Full-time student. Otherwise un-employed. (Someone, somewhere has to give the poor student experience. We have to get it somewhere! Grrr)

Kids: None, but they are cute, and I love working with them.

Living arrangements: In a dorm for 1 (read that ONE) more day!!!!!!!

Most admirable traits: Mine? Um...I've been told I'm patient and kind.

Number of sexual partners: Zero.

Overnight hospital stays: For a week when I was diagnosed.
Phobias: Heights. I've never been on a roller coaster.

Quote: "Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." Albert Camus
Religion: Christian

Siblings: 2 brothers, their wives and a niece.
Time I wake up: M/F: 9:30, T/R: 8, W: 6:30. Weekends as late as I can.
Unusual talent or skill: I have no idea.

Vegetables I love: Carrots

Worst habit: I bite my nails sometimes.
X-rays: Hand, ankle, knees, lungs (3 times this year! Our health clinic loves those things)

Yummy foods I make: Brownies. They have a peanut butter layer. They are wonderful.
Zodiac sign: Capricorn.

An update on me: I have my supplies for the next month. Insurance is still not figured out, but hopefully we will get there eventually. They would only pay for 200 strips, so hopefully I don't get sick this month. I am currently in exam week, which means I am trying really hard not to get stressed out. I move out of the dorm tomorrow (hallelujah!! YOU try living with 300 girls. AHH!!) I'm glad for my pump this week. Any shreds of a schedule is long gone. I eat at the most random times, sometimes only a little, other times a lot. Ahh, the craziness of college life!

Grrrr. A Rant about insurance

Well, our insurance issues are not over. A short time ago, we thought we had the insurance issues all figured out, but we did not. Now, insurance is refusing to pay for ANYTHING until everything is straightened out. No insulin, no test strips, nothing. I am on my last bottle of test strips right now because the pharmacy refused to fill the full number last time, claiming insurance refused to pay for more. (We checked, they didn't decline) So I am on pins and needles waiting to hear. Everyone we talk to says they know other people have been in our situation, but no one knows how to fix it. We were trying to do the honest, right thing, and it is now getting us screwed over. I HATE INSURANCE COMPANIES!!! Apparently they would rather have to go the ER (which they will pay for) than pay for my test strips and insulin that prevents me from going there. Grrrrrr.
*Update* I think we have a temporary solution for now. We might have to pay for the prescription up front (ouch!) but insurance #1 will reimburse us 80%. So I will be able to get supplies. Hopefully. I am going this afternoon to try it. Meanwhile, person at insurance company #1 is talking to #2 and hopefully it will get straightened out. Thanks so much for the generous offer of supplies. It looks I will be able to get through, even if it will be expensive.

I. hate. being. sick.
I hate it.
I have all of this crap in my lungs. I hate it. Luckily, it haven't been too nauseous. I've been able to eat OK, and drink OK. My numbers have been...decent, but a little on the high side. No ketones though. I plan on going to the health clinic tomorrow. Blah. I am going to go take ANOTHER nap.
*Update* I spoke too soon. My numbers are crap. And you know that lack of nausea? Yeah, that's no longer true. Thank goodness for temp basals. I am now running at 125%, but I don't know if I want to leave that for tonight. I have been sleeping so heavily that my roommate had music on and was talking and laughing with another girl (they didn't know I was sleeping) and I didn't hear them. So which is the lesser of the 2 evils, running in the 200's all night, or risk going low? I'll probably just let the temp basal expire and sleep without it tonight.

The decision....kind of

Since Kerri is worried about me, and I need a break from studying, I thought I would continue the previous post. So, if you haven't read the one below, go do so.
I decided to put another site in. I found a spot on my stomach that looked good, so I got everything ready, and put it in. It did hurt a little, but nothing horrible. I started to pick up the stuff from the site change, and my arm brushed up against the site. I looked down and my arm had a large line of blood on it. WHAT THE HECK???? So, I look at the site, and sure enough, it was bleeding. I use the quickset, and not only was blood going up the tubing, it was coming out of the hole in the middle too. I have never EVER seen anything like that. It was SO GROSS! I grabbed a huge stack of kleenex and pulled the site out. I soaked through 2 folded tissues before it stopped. I sure knicked a good vein or something!
After that, I was frustrated and (excuse my language) somewhat pissed off. I haven't had a site last more than 2 days in the last couple of site changes. So I dialed up a dose of levemir, gave a correction of humalog and stuck my pump in the drawer. It bought me some time to relax and cool down. I will probably put in a site later tonight, or early tomorrow morning, but after 2 painful sites, I just couldn't handle another one.
Now, as for the previous question about lows rebounding into highs. I woke up several mornings in a row in the mid to high 70's. I usually treat numbers in the 70's, because it usually means I'm dropping. I was curious to know if I could be running that low, or lower during the night. But that trend has stopped, and I did do some random middle of the night checks. My basal does drop me 50-100 points over night, but so far that has been beneficial. I am usually on the high side when I go to bed, so the basal is helping me wake up at wonderful numbers at around 80-100. I was having a WONDERFUL streak of numbers. It was BEAUTIFUL. I would wake up in range, and not go low or above 180 the whole day. I was in diabetic heaven. Then it ended. 2 things changed on that day: I changed my site and finished my antibiotic. I suspect the antibiotic, but could it really do that? If it did, I want it back!!
In other news, life has been going at an astounding pace. I will be done with my freshman year of college in 3 weeks. I can't believe it went by so fast. It is crunch time in classes, trying to get everything done before the semester is over. On top of that, there has been a lot of emotional stresses. Last Monday night, my good friend had a grand mal seizure in front of me. I'm really glad I was there. I was able to call 911 and talk her through it and calm her afterwards, but it was very scary. It furthered the impression that I NEVER want to have a seizure. I have been wearing my medic alert bracelet almost 24/7. I realized I didn't have it one when I went to the ER with her, and that scared me. I have been one of several girls sleeping in her room at night. She does not have a room mate. So after that, and getting no sleep after spending the night in the ER, I have been helping her recover and going to her to the neurologist, etc. Last night, my room mate broke out into hives. Huge, rapidly spreading hives. You could literally watch them grow. It was quite alarming. In half an hour it went from a mosquito looking bite to covering both arms. SO, I spend another night in the ER. Whew! I get tried just typing it. So, needless to say, I am a little sick of the ER. This post is now very long, very rambling and very grammatically poor, but I don't really care. I'm tired, and it is all off my chest!
*Update* I put in another site this morning. In my arm. I didn't want to do one there, since the weather is so nice, but my stomach is looking a little beat up. I set a temporary rate of 25% until the levemir is out of my system. I guess it needs to be higher, because I haven't been below 200 all day. I am currently sitting at 200, but I can't correct because of the stupid insulin on board. I am refraining from just bolusing the crap out of that 200. I am looking forward to better numbers tomorrow when my stress level will be lower, I will have a full night of sleep (Lord willing) and no levemir in my system to mess things up.

eenie meenie miny moe

I am sitting here. Debating.
I tried a thigh site Monday. It was...OK. But I did try it. I hurt at first, then was OK. Then it started to hurt again last night. At dinner, it burned. Badly. So, I gave it and pulled it out. I bled a tiny bit, but not much. Now, I am not connected to anything. I don't want to put in a site. I don't want to take a shot. Not doing either is not an option. So? What do I do?
The decision and a lot of other things coming soon. It's been a wild ride lately.

Sorry guys. It looks like I have to put on word verification. I hate that thing, because I always get them wrong, but I had my first comment spam or whatever, so up it goes!

True or False?

If one has an untreated low in the middle of the night, they will rebound quite high by the next morning.

A bunch of random things.

First of all, to all of you parents of kids that have diabetes amaze me. I read some of your blogs today, I think almost every single one brought tears to my eyes. You all are doing a great thing with your kid. They may be diabetic, but you are letting them be awesome, normal kids. (I'm one of the weird ones that prefers being called "diabetic" to saying that I have diabetes. Who knows why)

I did a site change in the middle of the day today, and it wasn't a site change day. I didn't have ketones, but I had been going progressively higher all day. I didn't eat breakfast, and I went from 174 at breakfast to 324 at lunch. That should have been my first clue, but I just corrected it and ate lunch. I didn't come down, but I didn't go sky high either. Finally at about 4 this afternoon I was 377 and I decided the site should go. So I took a shot (with a pen :-) )and pulled out the old site. WOW! I'm glad I didn't let it go 3 days. It is NASTY looking. I took a picture, but for your mental health, I'm keeping it to myself. I'm not sure yet if it is infected or just bruised. I'm keeping antibiotic cream (but no band-aids, stupid allergies) on it, and I'll check again in the morning. I've never had an infection before, so this should be interesting.
*EDIT* I do have an infection. I'm on Amoxicillin and Clavulanate V for 10 days. Not Keflex for me. I don't like looking all puffy and red. :-) Anyone have any good suggestions to make sure it goes away, stays away, and how to prevent another one?
In other news, I think we FINALLY got all my insurances stuff figured out. I have insurance through my parents, which covers 80% and the rest is supposed to be covered by a "crippled children's" health care plan. (I won't even get into the fact that they call it that.) Well we just found out that our pharmacy has been billing just this "crippled children's health care" and not my parents insurance. My parents insurance is stupid, and it requires that we pay for prescriptions up front, and then we mail them the bill, and they send us a check for 80% later. The pharmacy said they had something worked out, but apparently they are lying. So my asked around and she thinks she finally has something worked out. This is a relief. I was worried that when my secondary runs out when I turn 21, my parents insurance would pitch a fit at having to pay for all the stuff they haven't had to pay for in so long. But, hopefully it is all cleared up. Hurray!
Speaking of insurance....if you haven't sent a letter to your senator about s.1955, go do it NOW. My medical costs are 760 dollars a month, not including visits to the endo, blood tests, etc. That's a LOT of money. Let's face it, none of us could afford to pay for the best medical care if it came straight from our pocket. I am really bad at the whole HTML code thing, but if you go to
or

I think they both have the link.
Until Next time....
Jen (who has a BAD case of spring fever)
*EDIT* Blast. I can't even figure out how to do links on blogger! GRRR. I've wanted to put pictures up for a while now, but I just can't get them to show up in my profile or title. Anyway, those links should be : http://sixuntilme.blogspot.com and http://artistmom2two.blogspot.com