This week I found the questions a little less fun to answer. I don’t know if it’s me, burning out quickly or maybe Glu didn’t come through this week. Anyway here are my answers to this weeks Glu questions of the Day:
Oct. 16th: How do you view the risk of developing potential complications?
Like all diabetics I am aware of diabetes complications, but the truth is that I don’t think about them all that often. They do not hang over me in my daily life and are not a big motivator in my diabetes management. I find myself thinking about potential complications after a not so good A1c or after a visit to the eye doctor (especially if he result is not all that good).
What keeps me motivated is my need to feel in control, wanting to get good “grades” and the fact that I feel like shit when my blood sugar is not well controlled.
Oct. 17th: When you go low in the middle of the night do you automatically wake up without assistance?
No. The truth is that many times I don’t wake up at all and I only know I was hypoglycemic because I wake up feeling terrible, like I was hit by a truck, and my blood sugar is unexplainably high.
When I do wake up from a low, it’s usually during a quick drop or an extreme low (35-50). When this happens I usually take care of it by my self.
Oct. 18th: How often do you change your infusion set earlier than usual due to unexplained hyperglycemia?
Not very often and when I do it usually doesn’t solve the problem. I have had a few kinks in my canola and a few bad sites that caused hyperglycemia but unexplained hyperglycemia is usually a sign that I’m getting sick.
Oct. 19th: Do you prepare for exercising with your diabetes?
When I go running I have a routine of preparation before I run. I check my blood sugar when I wake up (an hour before I run) and set my basal rate to 30%. Then before I go running I check my blood sugar again to make sure it is above 120. If it isn’t I take an energy gel when I start to run.
Oct. 20th: How supported do you feel with your diabetes management?
I am super supported. I am married to a person with diabetes (Jessica) who understands and supports me.
And if I need any more support, I find it on line. I have found friends who have helped me make decisions about running with diabetes, dosing and using a pump. I also feel like the online diabetes community helps me feel like I’m not alone. There are many others out there struggling with the same issues I am.
Oct. 21st: Who in your family “gets” diabetes the most?
Jessica, my wife, “gets” diabetes so much she actually got it. It took six or seven years but she got her own diabetes, which makes her understand my diabetes very well.
