I will embrace the change.

I am making what I feel is a major change at work. Sometimes a change is a good as a rest, in the words of my wise mother.

I did get a promotion, and with it more responsibilities and a "move up" in the corporate world.

Seems good, but it is a CHANGE. I have to leave my work family. We worked together through good and bad, and stood at each other's side. Being with the same 8 people day in and day out, in one small room handling the most stressful situations in everyone else's day....it causes an unexplainable bond to be formed. How do I walk away from them? I just have to .... I tell myself it is better to leave before I actually want to, then I will have only fond memories.

The toughest part, is leaving Clay - my insulin pump buddy. We will still be in the same office, but opposite rotations - which means when I am at work, he is home....and when he is at work, I am home. It has been such a joy to have the person sitting next to me 48 hours a week - sharing the same joys, frustrations, stories....makes it so easy for that person to know exactly what I mean when I say I am in a post-low-lull....or the excitement to see a shiny new pump skin. He just understands, and that is not easy to find.

I will cherish these friendships for my lifetime.

Totally unrelated, I have taken up a new hobby. Lampworking!



This is the art of making glass beads, in my case from scrap glass. Very exciting! I have a local stain glass store/studio where I sourced out scrap glass - and you can see end result. I am new to the art.....I need to find something to do with all the beads! My friend Shauna, who is helping me learn the tricks of the trade, wants to pay for her tuition next year in beads. HA! I'll see if the bank will accept beads....!!

A very happy Canada Day tomorrow !

Sleepless nights with the sensor.....hmmm......

The past few nights' sleeps have been interrupted, and I have no one to blame but myself!

I have been keeping busy during the days, and getting home late in the evening. Because of this, I have been having supper later and later each day! Not good......going to sleep with a semi-full belly!

I snuggle in to bed, test my sugar....and enter this as a calibration for the glucose sensor. I figure I am safe no for 11 hours and 30 minutes (that is when the sensor will ask for it's next calibration!).

Every night I have had a good BG value, typically around 4 -8 mmol/L or so.......but for the past few nights I wake (usually around 2am) to the BUZZ-BUZZ-BUZZ of my pump, telling me I have crested over the 8.5 mmol/L high setting.

GRRR.....check BG, correction bolus and back to sleep.

At 3am, it was yet another BUZZ-BUZZ-BUZZ awaking my body and mind from sleep to retest. "Still over 8.5" my friendly pump reminds me. "Yes yes" I thought, "I'll deal with it".

Lets be honest. At 3am, I cleared the alarm and rolled over and rejoined sleep.

At 4am, I think I slept through two doses of the BUZZ-BUZZ-BUZZ because I woke to the WEE-AAA-WEE-AAA audible alarm. Enough of this...I am trying to sleep!!

I recheck, bolus again .... and thankfully sleep through to morning.

This was my night for the past several nights....

Solution: Eat earlier it is......Easy enough to say. I sit here in the middle of the afternoon and tell myself "nothing to eat late, or it will be a sleepless night".....but at 10pm, when I am relaxing watching TV.....those treats call me!!

Totally unrelated now:

Here are some pics from my beach walks today....water looks nice enough to run right into - but trust me, it is still chilly!

Bleeding Sensors.....YIKES!

I have certainly been enjoying my week off work! I recommend a vacation to everyone! This picture was taken in my front yard....very enjoyable this time of year!

My most recent hobby I have adopted in the art of lampworking - glass melting to create beads. Now I really don't know what I am going to do with all these beads, but I love the colors and the process of melting the glass and sculpting! I will take pictures when I get a few beads that are "pretty" enough for public eyes, I am still learning!!

SOOO, my past few sensors have been bleeding on insertion! I think this is due to the location, my upper abdomen. I have had amazing success with this location area (with the new Minilink), but I have to be extra careful to not put the introducer needle out too quickly!

My process now: insert sensor, secure with the bottom tape - and leave the needle in for at least 30 minutes. This may seem like a lot, but my body appears to need this time to heal. I lost a sensor due to +++ bleeding. I'm not talking call 911 bleeding, but it was enough to soak the sensor and adhesive pad. I knew if I left that sensor on longer then a week, the skin below the blood soaked adhesive would become irritated.

Last night the introducer needle was left in for over an hour! I had a friend stop by and lost track of time! Either way, it worked just fine. I took the needle out - and started the sensor with no issues. It is chugging along just fine now! My advice: be patient and don't pull the introducer needle out too quickly until you learn how that area of your body will react!

Funny Story!

I am on vacation this week, and enjoying myself!

I have been sleeping in every day, and when I do finally get out of bed I have been relaxing on the patio, watching the fishing boats go by, working A LOT in the yard (feuf!). A good week.

Funny story to share. This morning I was expecting a call from work - so I had the cordless phone in my left pocket. I had my pump in my right pocket...............I was having breakfast, and went to quick bolus my 2.0 units.......and yes, I am sure you can all guess what happened. I attempted to bolus my phone. I heard "beep beep"....but a different sounding beep followed by the base station for my phone beeping as well.

Instead of bolusing 2.0 units for my breakfast, I pressed the "call base station" button on my phone, several times.

I had a good giggle, and knew I had to share my funny experience!

Cheers!

Here's my proof! Carelink on my MAC

There you see it - Carelink running on my MAC! This is going to be so much easier!

The parallel window is running as a program within the MAC set-up. What you can see is the main MAC screen (orange) with a window for "Windows XP" - you can see a small bit of the standard windows background - and in the middle of that I have the carelink webpage loaded...and it works!

Now if there was only a way to upload that did not include the BD meter and cable (Hint Hint Minimed)

A new found solution for MAC users

Last week my hard drive crashed!!

(everyone now needs to back up their info before reading on....do it now, before it is too late!!!)

I lost everything - I see it as a clensing experience!

I had several gift certificate #'s saved in emails from Minimed. These were from various stages from my online pump challenge accont and one from an online survey. Value $170 at Minimed......GONE......or so I thought! I emailed Minimed Canada and explained what happened - gave my pump account #.....waited a week, and VOILA, they were able to find all of my money! I had been saving that money for sensors, so I am VERY HAPPY!

(again I remind, back up your data! I lost everything!)

The big benefit of my new hard drive, it is a clean and fresh start....and I found out an easier way to run Windows XP on my MACbook. I had been running Windows before through bootcamp, which means I had to reboot my MAC to run windows. A pain in the butt resulting in my once a month MAX upload to carelink (honestly, probably once every two months).

I knew about parallels, but did not want to put the money forward to do this.....I have a trial version of the software I need and I am SOLD! Now I have Windows running in a parallel window on my MAC - which means Windows is running like any other program. I can have Windows running on my mac all the time - which means carelink without having to shut down all my programs and reboot! I get the best of both worlds. The ease of a MAC, and the ability to use WIndows software applications.....

Good has come from my computer crash!

Happy Fathers day to all the Dads out there!

Following Others....

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
I need a haircut.

2. How much cash do you have on you?
It is all coins, but they add up! $6 (2 toonies and 2 loonies for all the Canadians reading) AND an unchecked loto-649 ticket….so I could be a millionaire right now.

3. What's a word that rhymes with DOOR?
Floor.

4. Favorite planet?
I feel I should say Earth….being out host planet, but I also like the mystery of venus.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
Jen A (sorry I missed your call!!!!!)

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
I don’t like any of my phone’s ring tones….I tend to keep my phone on vibrate! I do have a rockin’ John Mayer mp3 ring tone if needed….

7. What shirt are you wearing?
Super soft green North Face Cotton shirt, found at Frenchy’s for $3 SWEET DEAL!

8. Do you label yourself?
Person with diabetes….

9. Name the brand of the shoes you're currently wearing:
Doc Martin (work boots)

10. Bright or Dark Room?
Bright!

11. Why is there always a missing question?
There is?

12. What does your watch look like?
I don’t wear one…..I don’t want time restrictions. I have my pump with a clock on it….that’s about it! Amazingly I am NEVER late!

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Sleeping!

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell phone say?
“It has been over 2 years since I saw her.”

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
?? I don’t know….I do not think there are any in Nova Scotia. We have “needs” stores – same idea. Nearest is a 2 minute drive.

16. What's a word that you say a lot?
“sweet”

17. Who told you he/she loved you last?
My Mom and Dad!

18. Last furry thing you touched?
Kerry’s dog Oreo…..who now likes me and runs beside the car as I pull up the long driveway….cute.

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
All the normal ones for me….Synthroid, Altace, Multivitamin, Vit E….Novorapid via pump…..

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
1….and god knows what is on it….

21. Favorite age you have been so far?
26.

22. Your worst enemy?
Myself! I have to stop pushing away the people I need in my life!!

23. What is your current desktop picture?
A mac background → a flower of some sort….cool pic. Thanks mac!

24. What was the last thing you said to someone?
“yes I will stop in to your house and do your laundry” (sarcastic comment to a co-worker)

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly, what would it be?
A million bucks….pay off the debts of all my family and friends….yes Harv I will give you a heads up so you and Nancy can go shopping for the new baby!

26. Do you like someone?
yes.

27. The last song you listened to?
Orange Sky, from the Garden State CD (I love that soundtrack and movie!!)

28. What time of day were you born?
6am ish

29. What's your favorite number?
10

30. Where did you live in 1987?
Just outside of Middleton, Nova Scotia…..Wilmot. Small…..very Small.

31. Are you jealous of anyone?
No. Jealousy is a waste of time – but I am envious of John for the travels he has been enjoying!

32. Is anyone jealous of you?
If there is, they are wasting their time.

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
Working in an ambulance in rural Nova Scotia…..will never forget that day.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
Figure it was fate, and I was not meant to have the junk I was about to buy….and I walk away……but am annoyed.

35. Do you consider yourself kind?
Yes…..I certainly try.

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
A recycle sign on my butt….tiny…but to the point.

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
French! I am trying….

38. Would you move for the person you loved?
Yes.

39. Are you touchy-feely?
Sure!

40. What's your life motto?
Karma…..do good, and good will happen.

41. Name three things you have on you at all times:
Insulin pump, glucose sensor……….and a smile.

42. What's your favorite town/city?
I enjoy Halifax…..My favorite….I am not sure, need to continue my survey, traveling to explore new areas!

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
Parking meter this afternoon – does that count?

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
Likely not since Christmas!

45. Can you change the oil on a car?
Can’t be that hard eh…..but I have never tried. I enjoy supporting local industry and paying someone to do it ☺

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
My first love, from junior high school. He is in the Southern US and is married, and very happy.

47. How far back do you know your ancestry?
Quite a ways, thanks for the hard work of my family….

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
A good friend’s wedding…..Skirt and dressy top, typical wedding wear ☺

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
Not yet, but I had a good workout at the gym so I may be stiff soon!

50. Have you ever been burned by love?
“It’s complicated”…….my favorite line, thanks to facebook.

51. Do you have a crush on any bloggers?
I hadn’t thought about it……hmmmmm…..

52. Where would you like to live?
Ideally – in an eco-friendly home that is off the grid, but still near the city so I can ride my bike to work.

Need a little "me" time!

Two more days at work....and then a little "me" time! (I love June vacation!)

I was asked today in an interview : "What is your proudest accomplishment?"

What a dilemma!

I wanted to leave "diabetes" out of the interview, but my proudest accomplishment is making through 22 years of diabetes. Plain and simple!

22 years....yeah....my co-worker was talking about his diabetes life of under two years....said how that was a long time....amature :) He has no idea what Lente and Toronto are!

I may be jinxing this sensor....but.....

Wow, I looked at my calender this morning and realize the month of May had slipped past!

The sensor I currently have in has been living on and keeping up perfectly. I hope not to jinx my little buddy, but when I looked at my calender, I see that it is day #30 for this sensor.

YIKES!

The sensor is located right before my rib cage ... front and centre .... and looks like the day I inserted.

No tape irritation at all. I have been changing the small piece of tape on the day 7 resets. I had a day 7 reset yesterday. Once I see that "weak signal" alarm I disconnect right away, charge the sensor and reconnect. The whole process take a few hours - and the sensor starts up no problem. This morning the sensor was reading 5.8 mmol/L and my meter read 5.4 mmol/L....

With the generation-1 transmitters, I found I would get a weak signal if I were sitting/lying on the transmitter. With the Minilink, the only time I ever get a weak signal is if my battery is dead or it is the day 7 reset. Even when I am lying on the sensor (ie sleeping on my stomach) the transmitter is still able to pick up the signal. This is a significant improvement. Knowing this information, once I get the weak signal alarm I know it is always 1 day after a second 3-day restart, and I go ahead and reset the sensor, change the tape and check out the site.

No redness at all with this sensor, even after 30 days! Maybe this is a good area for me to have a sensor - it is a relatively protected area (sorry guys.....I have the ledge of protection above the sensor) and not a lot of movement in that area.

As far as everything keeps going well, I will let the sensor live on ..... but I am still shocked at the 30 day mark with everything going so well!