Holding Pattern

I am one month away from my next A1C test. I am trying my best not to feel too hopeful that I will have a blood sugar level below 7.0, the target my doctor set for my not having to go on medication. I try to bear in mind what she said: that my 9.5 result in March means it is pretty likely I will require some assistance in the form of medication, but fuck oh fuck oh fuck, I do not want to have to take anything. My brief fling with blood pressure medication was awful. The unsteadiness I felt all the time prevented me from doing as much physical activity as I wanted/needed: not only to lower my A1C level, but also because it makes me feel better now to do a lot of physical activity.

I am at the end of the extra FreeStyle Libre 2 sensors we purchased after I tried the Libre 1 and Libre 2 sensors for free. While the trial versions seemed great and taught me a lot about how to manage my diabetes, the purchased versions were awful. Compared with the One Touch glucose monitor, which requires blood samples, the numbers were way off, so I stopped paying attention to the results from FSL2 at all. I would recommend them as a good way to learn about what causes spikes and decreases in blood sugar levels, but as a way to monitor and diagnose the need for action based on the readings? Nope.

In May when I participated in the group Zoom discussion on diabetes from the Community Diabetes Education Program Ottawa, I took to heart what Rosette Castor, the nurse, and Geneviève Grégoire, the dietician told us: you want to manage your diabetes but you don’t want it to run your life. I have changed my lifestyle: physical activity and eating habits, diet to the point where I am leading a much healthier life. Since spring, 2021, I have lost 20 pounds and inches around waist, hips and bust. I am no longer as anxious or depressed. Many of the symptoms I thought had to do with menopause may have likely been related to diabetes. I can’t say that diabetes isn’t the first thing I think about yet, but the activities that I’m doing are becoming ingrained and I find it quite natural now to eat healthily and engage in physical activity. It isn’t a struggle to come up with meal ideas or ways to get moving. I even got some pretty new resistance bands.

I will spend July in the time leading up to the next A1C continuing with the good habits I have learned. I will continue to avoid high carb and sugary, processed foods. I will take as many opportunities for physical activity as I can. Future plans include Zumba, a return to Pickleball and better boots for winter, along with some kind of socially distanced group activity in winter to keep me from feeling lonely and to continue movement throughout the cold and awful weather somehow. This is something I am still trying to figure out, so if anyone has any suggestions (had a Nordic walking lesson and learned that it isn’t particularly good as a winter activity, despite being called “Nordic.” Oh well. Onward!)

I am happy and enjoying life as well as I can through the apocalypse of social injustices and Covid deniers. I try to contribute as best I can by caring for others more than myself. This is what I think we are here for. To take care of one another. If you need someone to talk to or go on a walk with or sit out at a café with and chat, please do contact me. I’m here.