Superstition

Happy Halloween! Let’s go on a trip back to yester year, with Stevie Wonder.

As I stepped onto the Metro car, my trip back in time began. From the tattered orange pleather seats to the laminate section dividers, the ride definitely set the tone for the night. Walking into the arena I can’t say that I as giddy as I was in January when I went to see Justin Timberlake. I could definitely sense that there was a party about to begin. Many women were in their best boots and men wearing fedoras or Kangol hats. The sea of faces varied in color, but not as much in age. I could tell that I was probably one of the youngest people there. We walked to the concessions, paid a whopping 4 dollars for a bottle of Dasani. Then went to find our seats, which were 10 rows from the floor! As the rows filled in, and the lights slowly dimmed you could feel the crowd becoming restless. We waited a worthwhile 30 extra minutes for the show to begin. Stevie came onto the stage in a black suit and red sunglasses, with his daughter (Aisha) in a white dress, leading him to the center of the stage. He told a few jokes and then opened with a duet on piano with Aisha. After their performance she joined the other two backup singers and the show really began! He played almost every past hit you can think of. Rocked out on his piano and harmonica. At one point he was down on his knees singing, then he was standing on his piano bench! The band included a lot of improvisation and audience involvement. The male backup singer stole the show, he pulled off some temptations-esque dance moves that did not fail to entertain. The bassist, guitarist, and drummers all performed amazing solos under the bright spot light. The audience was definitely there to party, with every up beat intro everyone rose from their seats to dance and sing along to well known rhythms. The thing I enjoyed most was when they played medleys. Transitioning from one song to the next, when Stevie told the bassist or guitarist to play a certain note or riff. They performed every song that we chose to wear on the shirts I made, even my parents wedding song. He played one final song, took a bow on both sides of the stage, then walked off into the night with his backup singers and the band.

Horrible!

I realize that I am super horrible about returning comments and just leaving them in general. I am also really bad about reading blogs that are not on the Diabetes Daily Headlines. So. Feel free to harass me about comments, I'm serious. I really do need it, as the connection from comments is really a huge part of the O.C. So to anyone who has commented in probably the last 5-10 posts... SORRY!!! I feel really bad that you take your time to read what I have to say and I don't do anything to repay that. Oh and good luck to those of you who are starting one or both of NaBloPoMo & NaNoWriMo on Thursday. I considered NaBloPoMo, but I just don't think I could do either of them. I don't have enough in my life to write about, and I also don't think I am the best at writing about just anything. Well any who I'm getting excited about singing some off key "Superstition" with Stevie tonight. But shh, don't tell my parents. I have been playing the whole unexcited, you guys are old and crazy routine. Oh I will be taking my Diabetes 365 Picture at the concert.

Pump Update. Days 14 & 15.

3 days down and diabetes researchers only know how many more to go. So I left you off at the party, which went surprisingly well. Although the pizza sent me way up, because I experimented with a combination bolus and didn’t get it right. But the 265 I hit after the pizza is the highest I have been, so I won’t complain. Saturday and Sunday I woke up to numbers under 150 for the first time since ever. Today I was 203 at breakfast, but I think that is because I have a sore throat. I have definitely learned that when it comes to sites, “when in doubt rip it out!” The Friday to Sunday evening site hurt a bit every once in awhile, but I decided to keep it in. Not a good choice, it is now a little raised, but I am putting antibiotic ointment and band aids on it. If it persists I guess that will be a trip to the doctor, I hate doctors (but that is a post for another time). I had to take the extra insulin pen out of my kit, because I almost did a correction with it out of habit. Not taking shots is definitely the biggest adjustment, not that I miss them. For me it is so automatic to check my blood sugar, do the math quickly in my head, and dial up the pen. No longer am I a human calculator, I am now a professional button presser. I thought it would be hard to trust the pump with the math, but I have actually stopped doing the count in my head already. I cannot wait to see what my HbA1c is at the one month check up. Oh I forgot to mention, tomorrow I get to go to a Stevie Wonder concert. At the time the tickets were purchased we all (parental units and I) thought that it would be better not to leave me alone. Since I would only be on the pump for 5 days. Little did we know the transition would be relatively uneventful. You see my mom really, really loves Stevie and I didn’t want to be the reason why she didn’t get to see him live in concert. So tomorrow I will be rockin’ out to the Motown sound…

Picture time:

Day 14

As I was watching TV Sunday morning, a sad melody started to play from the speakers. Then a little boy said, "My mom pricked my finger". A little girl then said, "And it really really hurt". The scene changed and a little boy said, "I am 11 years old, and my mom says I have had over 11,000 shots." I heard these words and realized that I am one of these kids. That those words could easily come from my mouth too. No child should have to say those words or think about things like that.

There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.

Day 15

This is our huge bowl of Halloween candy. It has been sitting on our dining room table for a week. As a diabetic, it is not that I can not have candy. I believe you can have anything in moderation. But that is where the problem comes, it is so tempting. I haven't had too much, but I can't wait for the kids to show up and take it away. For me it really is a trick or treat. Trick myself into not wanting it or treat myself with only a piece or two.

There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.

Day 13 - LBDB

Today's Photo:
Since I am now using an insulin pump, my CDE suggested that I carry extra pump supplies. She said to use the at least one of everything rule. At least one infusion set, 1 insulin cartridge, an extra battery, a few syringes, IV prep wipes, and my current vial of insulin (depending on the weather), and extra test strips. Some people have little black dresses, I now have 3 little black diabetes bags.

There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.

So the party was fine, no lows, no over eating. All though I was tempted by the towers of pizza I stuck to 2 slices and 2 pumpkin cookies that I made with Splenda. Everyone had a good time. Only one person asked about my pump, and she thought it was my iPod. I told her we would talk about what it was some other time. I wasn't super comfortable disclosing my diabetes in a group of people where I only know a few very well. As the only people at the party who know I am diabetic are the girl who asked about it, who also happened to be the host, and her mom. I just find it very annoying to have the diabetes spot light shone on me, and I didn't want to hear any of that "my grandma has diabetes crap". I also think if it had not been my first day on the pump I would have been slightly more comfortable giving that standard, I have type 1 diabetes education session. Pump post and double picture day Monday! Have a great weekend.

Busy Day & Awesome Beth!

Well today is going to be very busy from my insulin start, to a Halloween party, to celebrating my dad's birthday. I have already taken today's picture and of course it has to do with the starting my pump, lets just say that I am truly a Type 1 Diabetic and it shows in the ketones. After being told not to take my night time dose of Levemir last night, at 6am this morning my blood glucose was 172 (thanks to a supplemental correction shot at 3am), but I was already spilling trace to small ketones.
Well Beth has done it again. Not only did she start the wonderful Diabetes 365 Project.
She has now created a website for the project!
Happy Friday All!

Halloween Party! and Day 11

Well as you know (well who ever reads this on a regular basis would know) tomorrow is the first day I will have insulin in my pump. At 10 I will hop in the Town & Country with my mom and drive up to Baltimore for the final step! I'm more than ready for this. Let's just say it's a day no one in my family thought we would ever get to. Mostly because I am the most stubborn person ever. Okay but on to the real excitement. Tomorrow evening I will be attending a Halloween party at a friend's house. She lives about half an hour away. My parents plan to even go out to dinner near her house, since it is my dad's birthday, just to give me an extra hour or so with them close by. I don't think I will be spending the night, but I know that a party on my first day of pumping is probably testing the waters a little too much. I'm sure I can keep everything in control, I will check my blood sugars regularly and even get my friends to remind me. My doctor and pump trainer didn't seem to think this was a huge deal. They basically said if you are afraid of doing things while on the pump, it isn't giving you the freedom that you should gain from it. I know there will definitely be enough sugar there to correct any possible lows, and I will be careful to monitor how much I eat. I will bring extra everything, an insulin pen just in case. The works. So I am basically looking for any suggestions. Anything to watch out for, whatever you can come up with.

Diabetes 365

Tomorrow I will be attending a Halloween party at a friend's house. I agreed to help her decorate so I went out and got a few things. But I also always remember that most of my friends do not drink diet soda, so I thought I should bring along my own. I have certain friends that I know will always have diet soda in their fridge, this girl is not one of them. It doesn't bother me to have to make a bottle of diet soda a part of my party supplies. This is just another way as a person with diabetes that I must adapt to the way diabetes makes me different.

There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.

A Real Post & A Picture.

So I promised you a real post and here goes.

I have been wearing my Cozmo insulin pump for 3 days now. In that time I have learned a lot of things about myself and my new buddy Orin. While I am only pumping saline as a part of what I guess my endo would call "home training" it still is pretty realistic. I definitely think that being young has it's advantages when it comes to using a pump. For instance if this was my mom pumping she would have to pull her glasses from a top her head squint at the screen, and call me to help her. If it was my dad he wouldn't even try and I would be completely in charge of helping him manage this device. I know these things because my mom can't use the remote to our television, and almost every time my dad tries to print something off of the computer he calls me to help him.
What have I learned? Well for starters, infusion set insertion is not the horror I imagined. I sat in the endo's office clenching my teeth through the training in anticipation of inserting the infusion set. Turns out it's a piece of cake. The office's pump trainer was very impressed that I knew so much about the pump, but I guess that's what happens when you have a lot of time in between receiving it and going to training. It only took about 45 minutes to go over everything. At one point she was asked, "Can I at least peel off the adhesive protector on the set so I can feel like I am doing my job?" What else? Oh my dogs are very intrigued by the sound of a bolus. That click click click, has them both staring at my hip in wonder with their heads cocked to the side. Sleeping hasn't been to hard, I just place the pump next to me and it usually stays put. When I am alone in a quiet room, that hiss every 3 minutes as my basal rate is delivered is like a constant reminder that the pump is there and working away doing something my body should be able to do without any noise at all. I will have to say that being a perfectionist is probably not going to help me in this. I am going to want everything to go right, from intial basal rates, blood glucose numbers to every single site change. I will get over that slowly. I messed up tonight will loading the new cartridge and doing the new infusion set. I was so upset for no particular reason except that I like things to go right, and when they don't it seems like the end of the world (ANXIETY). Thankfully my mom was there and told me just to breathe, and I know over time it will become even more routine. Until then I'm still working out the kinks and finding what works for me. Now I just have to get to Friday, so I can start the real deal!

Check Out or Join Diabetes 365.

Day 9 - Sneaky D.

Diabetes has a certain way of showing up where it is not wanted. As I was putting away laundry today I found a tiny spot of dried blood on the waist band of one of my skirts. I assume it happened when I gave myself an injection under a table in a restaurant. At the time I never noticed any bleeding. I hope I can get the stain out, otherwise it will just be another constant reminder that I am a person with Type 1 Diabetes. In order to take care of myself I have to take injections of insulin. Sometimes this means little spots of blood will show up in unwanted places.

There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.

If you can't see the little spot click on the picture or check it out at the Diabetes365 Group on Flickr where I added a little note to point it out (don't forget to see my pictures you have to sign in).

Day 8 - Plastic Pancreas

Today my mom and I went to our pump training session at my endocrinologist's office. If you had asked me even a year ago if I would consider an insulin pump, the answer would have been NO! Over the past few months I have realized that the pump would be the only true way for me to mimic what a normal pancreas should do. A pump is not the right therapy for everyone. An insulin pump is not a cure, it is only another delivery method. I will wear the pump for 4 days with saline, to get used to this new method. Then start on insulin this Friday. In the meantime I will still be taking multiple daily injections. I do not need this device because I have a "bad case of diabetes". I hope that I do not have to be on a pump for 11 years like I was on multiple daily injections. I hope a cure comes sooner. But until there is a cure this is what I will do.

There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.

From Penny & Bernard, go write Ellen a letter suggesting she feature something about November being Diabetes Awareness Month and November 14th being World Diabetes Day on her show!
I can't write her because I am not 18, but I will ask my mom to do it for me!

Day 7 - Message in a Bottle.

As a person with diabetes, insulin injections become a routine part of life. I have been a diabetic for most of my life, 11 out of my 16 years. This past week marked my last complete (Monday to Sunday) week of multiple daily injections. This photograph is of a water bottle filled with every pen top needle I used this week and the 4 insulin pens I finished ( I had a few half used ones in my fridge, they won't be any good to me by Friday). This is only a part of what I do every week to control my diabetes.

There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.


10 AM Tomorrow, Pump Training and Saline Start!!!

Day 6 - Waiting

I received my Cozmo Insulin Pump in the mail over 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately because my doctor's office didn't have any available appointments until this Monday, I have 2 boxes of pump supplies just waiting in my living room. I never thought I would be someone who wanted to be on a pump. Now that I feel that pumping is the right decision for me, I can't wait until my appointment Monday. An insulin pump is just one of the insulin delivery options a person with diabetes has. Pumping is not right for everyone, but at this point in time I feel it is right for me.

There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.

Comments, Posts, and a Countdown!

I know that over the past few days my posts have not been my usual long entries. I have been preoccupied, but I plan to go back to writing as well as posting Diabetes 365 pictures. I can't promise a long entry everyday, but I will definitely be giving you more than a picture and my descriptions at least a few times a week. If you left any comments on the past 5-6 entries and I did not reply on your blog, I have left a few comments in return on those posts. I am becoming lazy about commenting back, I am working on it though.
So we are entering the final countdown to the saline start on Monday (2 days) and pump start on Friday (1 week). I'm stoked! I practiced wearing the pump to sleep the other night by clipping the cannula off of the infusion set, and attaching it with just the adhesive patch. I put an empty cartridge in the pump to connect the tubing to, and wha lah a little pump practice! It worked out just fine. I am the type of person that has to be informed and prepared before I go to the training. It helps me calm my nerves if I know enough before hand. A less anxious Jillian equals a better day for everyone.
My sister is home for the weekend for a little bonding/babysitting me while my parents are away celebrating their 27th wedding anniversary. So I'm sure it will be a good weekend, I love spending time with her. I may not see her again until Thanksgiving. So happy weekend everyone!

Day 5 - Meter Evolution

These are all of the meters I have owned since my diagnosis in 1996. The one on the far left was a "gift" from the hospital. They gave us 2, one for school and one for home. Don't get me wrong I love gadgets just as much as the next 16 year old kid, but if I could I would not have these. I monitor my blood glucose up to 15 times a day. It used to hurt, now it's just normal. I hope there will be a day when no child has to do this. A time when it will not become normal for anyone. A day when finger pricks are a thing of the past.
There is no cure for Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.

Yet.

Check out the Diabetes 365 Project.

Day 4 - Quiz Show.

America's favorite quiz show has the right answer. As a Type 1 Diabetic, it is nice to see the distinction of the two types of diabetes on television. It is so frustrating when someone tries to tell you that you could have prevented your diabetes. There are so many myths about both types of diabetes. Thanks Jeopardy for helping to educate the public.
There is no cure for diabetes.
Yet.

You know how I feel about distinction! You should know I took this picture by simply pausing my cable TV. The perks of digital cable!

Day 3 Silent Illness

If you haven't checked it out yet, hop on over to the Diabetes 365 Flickr group.
You can't see my pictures unless you are signed in, I think this is because I am under 18. So I will post them here too.

Diabetes is a completely silent disease. There are few physical signs that a person is diabetic. Unless you witness us take an injection, spot our pumps, check our glucose, or are told that a person is diabetic, you would probably never notice. I think diabetics notice the little impacts that daily care takes on their bodies physically. For me I notice the multiple tiny scabs that have created callouses on the tips of my middle and ring fingers from daily glucose checks. From the top of my hand you wouldn't know, but turn them over and there is a sign. A sign that I am a diabetic, and that in order to care for myself I must check my blood glucose anywhere from 8 to 12 times a day.
There is no cure for diabetes. Yet.

P.S. Have you seen the new limited addition Animas pump!? I will not spoil it by posting a picture, but seriously I want one!

Foot Action!

Go Check Out The Diabetes 365 Project!

In case you don't have a flickr account here's my picture of the day & the little description:

For a diabetic, foot care is key. We have to be keep them clean, make sure we treat any type of problem that may occur, and worry about the slow healing problems that can be experienced. We also have to keep our blood glucose levels in good control to prevent complications like neuropathy.

A few bits and joining the project!

I have decided to join the Diabetes 365 Flickr Group Project.

Here is my first picture.

It symbolizes my last full week (Monday - Sunday) on injection therapy. As of next Friday I will be a pumper!

• I'm very curious about my pump start, Monday the 22nd. I know all doctor's do it differently, but I would love to hear about other pumper's experiences.
• I have been toying around with my pump to get familiar with it. I have watched almost all of the training videos on the Cozmo website.
• I have broken down 2 infusion sets just to see how everything really works.
  
• I am just ready for it all to start!!!
• I apologize for the absence I was busy getting ready to go away to Pennsylvania for my Grandfather's 80th birthday party! Which turned out perfectly. Here is a picture of a farm near their house.
  

• Now I'm off to do some school work, which I have definitely been slacking on. That will have to end soon, because this week I am being officially un-enrolled from my former school. No more safety net.
  
• These next few weeks are going to be full of new adventures, I hope you are ready for the ride!
  

So Sick.

I am so sick of the misinformation television provides to people who already know little or nothing about diabetes in general. Today as I sat down with my mom to watch an Oprah show about getting your kids to eat healthy, I was interested. By the end of the show I was just pissed. The part about the food was great. Then Dr. Oz comes out and starts talking about the fact that this generation will be the first generation to not out live their parents. He states obesity as the cause, then moves on to the fact that, "50% of Latino kids and 40% of Black kids will develop diabetes in their lifetime". Gee thanks Dr. Oz but what type of diabetes? Does the average American even know there are 2 types? I know he is talking about Type 2, but you don't get to a Type 2 with there being a Type 1 preceeding it. If you just say diabetes I know you aren't talking about me or the other 10% of diabetics who have Type 1, but the rest of America probably doesn't. When you tell America that "kids" are going to develop diabetes TELL THEM TYPE 2! I was a kid that developed diabetes, TYPE 1 DIABETES! My parents didn't feed me too much candy, fatty foods, cupcakes, junk food, or anything else you want to blame for diabetes (TYPE 2). I was a healthy kid who got sick, who got so thin not fat. So please do NOT group me in with that category of over eating American kids. Do NOT blame my parents for feeding me the wrong thing. Do NOT play the food police for me. I didn't do anything to cause this. Go learn about the TWO types of diabetes, before you open your mouth to tell me all the things that I can do to change this, to make it go away, to loose the weight, what could have been done to prevent it. Is it that hard to just say Type 1 or 2 Diabetes?

(I have already sent Oprah.com a few angry messages about this.)
(If you commented on my last 2 posts, my replies are in the comments of those posts.)

Happy Birthday Élise!

Élise is my big sister for those of you who don't know. Today she is turning 23. She asked me if I was going to write a post about her today. Like the one I wrote for my mom on her birthday. The thing is it never crossed my mind, I never really thought of her involvement with my diabetes the same way as my mom's. From what I can remember, she wasn't really involved in the beginning. I know she was there, but she was 11 when I was diagnosed. So I don't think she participated in the daily ins and outs. My memories of her involvement are vague. I remember she was at the hospital in her school uniform everyday after school. I know it must have been hard to witness my wild reactions to the shots when we came home. I can't even imagine how crazy I must have seemed or how scary it must have been. Once recently she mentioned to me that she was jealous of how much attention I received when I was younger. I don't blame her, I think it would suck to be the sibling of a diabetic kid. Diabetes is a selfish disease that can take away alot from the other members of the family. For our extended family type 1 diabetes was so novel, and I am sure Élise was left in the background for many years because of this. Eventually Élise became the only other person besides my mom, I would let give me shots. But it hasn't been until recently that I have even talked to her about diabetes regularly. She helped me through choosing a pump, read the booklets, looked at the pictures, and even explained to my mom why it had to be the Cozmo not the Animas. We have grown up so much over the years, and gone through many trying times together. I can't imagine any of this without her though, even if I don't remember the beginning. I love you Élise! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Ps. If you are lurking, de-lurk. I cannot get the little button to work so if you want to see it go here.

The man in brown!

Around 4 pm, the UPS truck pulled up for the second time today. (The first time he was bringing my dad's mail order prescriptions. Just imagine my disappointment.)

So I immediately opened the box to find all of this:

Then this:

And this:

But wait there's more! And more!


And more that I didn't take pictures of including the clip, case, cartridges, extra cleo infusion sets, and the actual pump on it's own. I am beyond excited. I am also really surprised at the size of the pump. Yes, I have seen some in person, but I have never held one in my hand. It's so cute! Oh and the new boy has a name, Orin. It means "little green one" (extremely literal) in Gaelic, or at least that's what wikipedia & babynamesworld.com say.