Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Decorated Boxes and Valentine candy


I got my lab work back from my endocrinology appointment. I am disappointed. I was hoping for an A1c less than 6, or at 6.0. No such number came back on the slip. Dam. I was really thinking I could have pulled it off. After reading other blogs where folks are reporting A1cs in the 5s, I am feeling even more inadequate. I need to write the number here so that I can start moving on. It was 6.4. I know, it's o.k. My endo wrote “excellent” on the lab slip that was mailed to my house, but I know that she only wrote that because she doesn’t want to see my A1c under 6, because of my hypoglycemia unawareness, and her worry of the frequent lows I would have to get a number like that. Can you tell that I’m obsessing about this?!

My averages for the last several weeks have been around 125. I guess the times that I’m not testing, (another reason why some sort of CBGM might be handy) I must be higher. I’ve also been struggling with figuring out my basal rates overnight. I usually wake up with a blood sugar of around 70. The last week or so I’ve been waking up at 135ish. I’m always a little nervous about turning up my basal rates overnight, but I think I have to do it. I hate waking up over 100. It isn’t a pleasant feeling way to start the day. It would probably help if I changed my pump sites more frequently too, but I can’t go there…

I talked to my endo about getting a CBGM. She wasn’t too thrilled about the idea. She is concerned about having another site to damage tissue. She also thinks that because I have Dixie, I have a system in place to alert me when I am low.

On a happy note...I love Valentine’s Day in elementary school. The kids are so excited to pass out their Valentine cards, putting each one carefully in a decorated box. There's almost as much candy around today as on Halloween. I don't really like candy. It's not a vice for me. Dixie has made quite the haul! She has more than I do. To top it, she got a new squeaky toy from one of the first grade teachers. It’s great. It looks like a green shark, with a rope going through one side and out the other. It’s a combination of her favorites—rope and a squeaker.

HAPPY V.D.!!

DIXIE TIDBIT:

Has Dixie ever alerted another diabetic due to low blood sugar?
Yes. I actually work with another Type 1. Dixie will alert her if she’s low. Sometimes we have to quiz each other…is she pawing because I’m low, or you’re low?!
One time I had a work crew doing some landscaping in my backyard. I was standing on the deck talking to a woman who was planting sod. Dixie kept pawing at her. After watching her, I asked the woman if she had diabetes. She said “..yes, as a matter of fact, I do.” She had apparently skipped breakfast that morning and was feeling low. I went inside and got her a juice box so that Dixie would leave her alone.

The photo above is of Ella, my rat terrier. She is on the teeter-totter at agility class!

8 comments:

Bernard said...

Molly,

I'm envious. 6.4 is a great number, my last was 7.7. And I'm working down to under 7.0 as a target.

I understand that lower is always better, but that's a number to be proud of.

Carol said...

Hi Molly, Bernard is right. 6.4 is a good number. I was quite happy with my 6.5 results from an appt. yesterday. I guess that makes us A1C sisters :)

Molly said...

I know guys! It is good. Just not at the mark I want so I'm just frustrated about that. I know the goal is under 7, so I'm doing well.

Carol- thanks A1c sister!

Minnesota Nice said...

Do you think that Dixie senses the physiological changes due to hypos, or the behavioral changes? After all, I think that each of us has our own "unique" behaviors when low, but the biochemistry would be the same. Fascinating...

cc said...

hi molly. i'm cassandra. i think 6.4 is great! congratulations! i know no matter what number we got, we all want a LOWER a1c! totally.

nice to meet you anyways.

cheers, and happy valentine!s day!

http://everydayoftheyear.blogspot.com/
cassandra

Chrissie in Belgium said...

Molly you know a 6.4 isn't bad. So be easy on yourself and just keep trying. I will not say do not try b/c we always compare ourselves to a healthy person b/c that is what we want to achieve - and this is dam impossible. I LOVE your dogs. My dear husband is kicking me off the computer.....

Scott K. Johnson said...

Your A1C is really great, but I do understand how it is all relative.

There is nothing wrong with looking for areas that you can tweak to get it down further, so way to go on that!

Chris said...

I would love to have a Dixie in my life one day. Simply amazing. And i hope we see alot of 6.4's in the future for Emma.
I feel ripped off for not being on your site. but that has changed. i will be by moreso.