Last week I decided to start answering the Glu question of the day publically on my blog. I thought it would be fun and would maybe encourage others to get involved with Glu.
So here I go:
Oct. 9th: Would you donate a blood sample for Type 1 diabetes research?
Yes. I would probably do more than that, but the least I can do to help diabetes research is to give a blood sample.
Oct. 10th: Do you celebrate your day of diagnosis?
I do mark the day. I don’t go out for a special meal or expect presents but I do seem to reflect on my life in general and on my life with diabetes.
Oct. 11th: Do you ever check the blood sugar of your friends and family?
Lucky for me, Jessica has her own glucose meter and she checks her blood sugar herself.
Like all people affected by type 1 diabetes Jessica and I often worry about our children getting it (like every time they drink a lot or pee a lot or have a serious caving for sweets). We have tried to convince them to check their blood sugar a few times, but they don’t want too. I have given up, thinking that since we are aware of the symptoms, we will probably catch it if one of our children gets type 1 and just checking won’t do us any good. Jessica, on the other hand, still tries occasionally, when she’s really worried. I think that both of us are acting more for our peace of mind than for a medical need.
I don’t like checking friends BG although have done it a few times.
Oct. 12th: Have you ever had to deliver or receive a Glucagon injection?
No, thank god, I have never received or given a glucagon injection. I haven’t ever been unconscious or been so low that I needed a glucagon injection and I hope it never happens.
I did have glucagon injected in to me when participating in the Diapep277 trials during my first year of diabetes. It felt absolutely horrible – three minutes of complete and total nausea.
Oct. 13th: What makes it challenging to be consistent when checking your BG or taking insulin?
The short answer to this is: Life.
Life constantly gets in the way of my blood sugar control. I go places, forget to take my glucose meter, or take it and forget to use it. Sometimes I eat and only after I finish do I remember to check my blood sugar and take my insulin. The good thing is that I don’t eat much during the day and I eat a very low carb diet so I don’t run too high even when I forget.
A few months ago I decided that I was going to make sure not to forget my pre-sleep BS testing, something I tended to neglect. This allows me to correct mistakes and has been very helpful in controlling nighttime hypoglycemia and morning highs.
Because I run in the morning I always check my BG when I get up.
Oct. 14th: If you wake up low in the middle of the night, do you ever wake somebody up so that they know?
There’s nothing like waking up in the middle of the night with that weird feeling like something’s up (or down) but you’re not sure what it is until you either try to sit up or check your BS and see that you are low and dropping. When this happens, which thankfully is not that often I usually head for the refrigerator. I don’t stop to wake anyone up, although often Jessica asks, half asleep if I’m okay. “Yes, just a little low,” I usually say while leaving the room. I raid the fridge, sit for a while at my computer and then head back to bed.
“Are you okay,” Jessica usually asks without totally waking up.
“Yes,” I say. “I’m setting an alarm to check my BG in an hour and a half, If you hear it try to wake me”
Usually we both sleep through it, but so far I have been okay, sometimes feeling (very) crapy the next day.
Oct. 15th: What would make it easier to routinely check your BG and take your insulin?
Haven’t we met before?
Have you ever taken one of those “personality tests” where you are asked the same questions over and over again just phrased differently?
That’s how I felt this morning at 4:45 a.m. when I sat down at my computer and saw this question. I actually checked the date to make sure I wasn’t looking at an old email. Maybe I’m wrong but isn’t this basically the same question asked Oct. 13th (two days ago). :)
