The Sexy Diabetic

 I'm taking part in Diabetes Canada's Lace Up fundraising campaign to raise money to end diabetes and increase awareness and education about it. You can help by donating money here . This September, Diabetes Canada is inviting people across Canada to move together and Lace Up to End Diabetes. Challenge yourself or rally a team to Lace Up Your Way and raise funds that will help bring us one step closer to a cure. Diabetes or prediabetes affects in 1 in 3 people across Canada, and some will experience serious or even life-threatening complications. Insulin is not a cure. It’s the starting line, not the finish line for diabetes. Even with help from insulin, diabetes can still reduce a lifespan by 5-15 years. “Diabetes is successful at outrunning us all and with a new diagnosis every 3 minutes in Canada – it’s not slowing down,” says Laura Syron, President and CEO of Diabetes Canada. “We’re committed to improving the quality of life for those living with diabetes and through Lace U...

  Results came in at 7 a.m. this morning through the Dynacare app. Yes! My doctor said i had to get below 7.0 to not go on meds, and i'm at 5.9, which means no meds, and in non-diabetic range.  5 months of intense physical activity plus a complete change in diet and work on mindset have all paid off tremendously. i am so happy. take a moment and listen to Abba with me:  Dancing Queen, Abba I know that I have to keep up with all the changes I have made. I'm happy to do so; I feel better.💓💓✅✅✅✅✅ I also understand that this is now and not the future. I have a follow up appointment with my doctor in mid August. She will likely say that I still have to monitor my blood sugar levels, and continue with my physical activity and dietary changes. The next A1C test will be in November. We'll see where we are at that point. But for now... HUZZAH HURRAY WOOHOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a lovely day, friends. 😍

Since May I’ve been thinking about August. Not because of hot weather or some kind of love of summer; although I’ve been enjoying the lush flowers and sunlight, but rather because of my A1C test, a test that measures blood sugar levels over three months. March 15, 2022: 9.5 May 11, 2022: 8.0/8.1 August 3, 2022: ??   My doctor told me that she believes that since my blood sugar level was so high in March, it is unlikely that I will be able to manage my diabetes through diet and exercise alone. This was hard to hear, but I kept working on my diabetes management by working my ass off, prioritizing physical activity and food that kept my blood sugar levels in the good zone (before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/L; 2 hours after meals:      5 to 10 mmol/L or milimetres per litre). Today I went for the test. I go to the Dynacare Lab on Kent Street, a fifteen-minute walk from my apartment. I checked in via Dynacare’s Net Check in, which allows people to be in a virtual queue ...

photo by Charles Earl I t's a few weeks until my next A1C test. As you may recall, the A1C is the test of blood sugar levels over three months. 6.5+ means diabetes. In March, mine was 9.5. In May it was 8.1. If it is 7 or higher in August, I will have to go on medication. I have completely changed my diet and increased my physical activity. I monitor with a glucose meter once a day now, as opposed to several times a day with the continuous glucose meter I was using to help me learn how my body reacts. I know now what causes uneven levels and how to even them out.  In the last while, I have been focusing on my emotional and mental health. On the advice of Adam Brown, the author of Bright Spots and Landmines: The Diabetes Guide I Wish Someone Had Handed Me , I have started to do daily gratitude journaling through The Five Minute Journal . At the start of each day, I note what I am grateful for, what would make the day better and write a daily affirmation. At the end of the day, I not...

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...

a new cafe on Bay and Somerset W.  Ok, not easy exactly. But the title goes with the song. I took my daily walk again today, the second day of summer. I felt blissful and ebullient. If you had told me back when I received my diabetes diagnosis at the end of March that I would feel b & e, I would have been very surprised, and I might have thought you were just being foolish. In a mere fourteen weeks, I have improved my diet and increased my physical activity. I have more energy and I sleep better. I’m calmer and less anxious and while I have blue moments, I don’t have a whole blue period. I have had some obstacles. The blood pressure meds I was put on made me dizzy. I’m now off them and will try again after my A1C test in August. I need to continue to eat healthy and do as much physical activity as I can. After the Freestyle Libre 1 and 2 free sample flash glucose monitors, which helped greatly in my learning about how my body reacts to food, sleep and activity, we purchased two...

the 4g of Perindopril Erbumine blood pressure medication the doctor put me on was making me too dizzy to be able to take my daily walks without shortening them severely. the doctor halved the dosage a week ago and I’m still experiencing the dizziness when I walk and also in the shower. it’s very frustrating along with being petrifying because I’m terrified I’ll fall. I’ve tested both my blood pressure and blood sugar levels when I’ve felt like this and they haven’t been out of range. I’ve tried taking the meds before breakfast and before dinner. Still dizzy. I feel like my attempts to lower my A1C levels are being sabotaged. today I had a bit of a cry when I was sitting outside on a bench in the sun. I love walking and the weather is beautiful. I want to be outside and enjoy the day. Instead I’m home and feeling like I’m not doing everything I can to manage my diabetes. I told my darling husband who has been walking with me after work when he gets home, holding my hand. He will do ...

  photo by Charles Earl The day started off bleh when I got into the elevator of my apartment building as some dude with a big dog was getting off. The dog all friendly like made a little leap toward me but didn’t come near enough to bother me in any way. He was just friendly. Turns out the dude and dog were on the wrong floor, having pressed 19 instead of 18. So dude, (maskless, of course) gets back on the elevator with me and proceeds to lecture dog. “You’re in trouble, Booker, for jumping on the little old lady.” What. The. Actual. Fuck. My response: “No, you’re in trouble,” before dude and dog got off. Dude looked to be about 40 to me, but I can’t tell about ages. Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with being a little old lady and I’ll be proud to be one when I’m … 80…or whatever. Sigh. The reason I was in the elevator was that I had a follow up appointment with my doctor today regarding the blood pressure medication she put me on last month. Hating cars, I take public transit to ...

photo by Charles Earl The test strips can cost between $75 to over $100 for a box of 100. 6 strips a day equals 2190 a year, which is 21.9 boxes or $1752 a year at an average cost of $80 per box of 100). The lancets are $10 a box for 100. 6 lancets a day also equals 2190 a year which is 21.9 boxes or $219. For a total cost of $1917. This is a monthly cost of $164.25. Private insurance should cover 70% but your insurance program may have a limit on the amount it covers. If you don’t have private insurance, you can get support from the Ontario Monitoring for Health Program which covers “75% reimbursement up to a maximum of $920 per year. This means that you can submit up to $1227 in receipts for strips and lancets each year; the program will reimburse 75% ($920).” FSL2 sensors are $97 for 14 days or 6.93 a day x 365 days = $2528.93, which is $210.74 a month. And these aren’t covered unless you take insulin. For those taking insulin or using medication, there are more costs to deal...

Last week, Charles and I visited the Bruyere Family Medical Centre in Lowertown where the Community Diabetes Education Program Ottawa is located (it will move back to Primrose in Centretown West near our apartment in the fall). I had an appointment to learn how to use the glucose meter with G, the dietician. This was the first time we were meeting her in person. She was as friendly and helpful as she’s been so far on the phone and on Zoom. I feel very lucky to have so much support. After the FreeStyle Libre 2 sensor trial ends next week, we have decided to continue using them until close to the next A1C test in August so that I can keep getting instant and informative feedback about the effects of diet and physical activity on my blood sugar levels. G. was pleased to see my blood sugar levels from one day’s sample of the FSL2 sensor. What she was looking for was even levels and mine were fairly even. I’ve had a few days where there have been peaks and a few drops but mostly I’m abl...

i've joined a few FB diabetes support groups and i'm finding it helpful in so many ways to hear of others experiences and to answer and ask questions, share feelings of blueness and despair along with confusion and feelings of success. there's lots of variation as to what kind of medical assistance and support people receive. some, like me, have been given really great support, while others seem to be left on their own to figure things out, which would be horrible. group members help where they can and try not to judge. it is very clear from the range of issues and behaviours that diabetes does not affect everyone the same way; foods that spike blood sugar levels for some, have no affect on others. or vice versa. i find it very helpful to learn these things and to share knowledge and commiseration with others. someone newly diagnosed asked us to share our routines. this is mine... 4:45 a.m. wake up and scan with the Freestyle Libre 2 flash glucose monitor (i have a free sam...

one door opens ...   at the end of using Free Style Libre 1’s flash glucose monitor, I have learned a lot about how my food intake and activities affect my blood sugar levels. my conclusion is that I can regulate my blood sugar levels by eating small portions of good carbs, sizeable portions of veg and fruit and some  protein. when the carb portions are too great, my bs levels spike past the target of 3.9 to 10 mmol/L.   Exercise will also cause spikes if I don’t wait until about 2 hours after food or if I’ve eaten something that spiked my bs levels. Sometimes that causes a longer lasting high bs level.   Sleep seems to always bring down my blood sugar levels, whether it’s overnight or just an hour nap.   I move to the Free Style Libre 2 upgrade tomorrow night for another 14 day trial and about mid-way my dietician will show me how to use the standard non continuous glucose monitor which requires blood samples.   One thing Charles and I have observe...

  1 st week on the Freestyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring system, here are some observations so far.   TARGET BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS 3.9 TO 10.   So far I’ve had no blood sugar   levels below the target, but I have had higher levels alas.   FOOD   Above target   above target occurs when I eat bread and grains. I was trying to load up my carbs first thing in the morning as advised, to spread the carbs out more throughout the day.   1. 12.7 125 grams of steel cut oats with berries, walnuts or pecans, a little dairy, shredded coconut; coffee with a splash of dairy 2. 12.6 oats & above toppings; no coffee 3. 12.3 118 grams? of quinoa with same toppings as oats 4, 11,9 meatballs with panko, salad, roasted veg 4. 11.3 pizza: 2 slices – Pizza Pizza: whole wheat thin crust, reg. mozzarella, light tomato sauce, grilled chicken, olives, mushrooms, spinach 5. 10.4 Dinner: chicken with sweet chili sauce and salad ...

 Yesterday I had my follow up appointment with my regular doctor about my diabetes diagnosis. Today I had the follow up blood tests at the DinoCare (actually Dynacare, but I couldn’t resist) lab that the temp doc wouldn’t let me have when I saw her back on March 29. My regular doctor also prescribed blood pressure meds. I’ve been monitoring my blood pressure with a wrist cuff since I am not able to use the regular arm cuff without my blood pressure going sky high. But even with feeling more comfortable with the wrist cuff, I still get hypertension 1 and sometimes 2 numbers, so I need to lower it. Tomorrow I’m starting PERINDOPRIL, which may have me fainting from low blood pressure and vomiting. Hey, let’s hope not. Don’t read the side effect stuff on the web. The pharmacist said well, you have to take it , right? So yeah. As long as the symptoms are minor, I’ll be ok. ?!   The supremely kind and helpful staff of the Community Diabetes Education Program Ottawa (CDEPO) rigged ...

  Thought I’d keep the timeline to help me be able to remember what happened when…   15 March 2022:          blood test 29 March 2022:          diagnosis by Dr. L 31 March 2022:          call from dietician at CDEPO 14 April 2022:            group Zoom with CDEPO 26 April 2022:            Zoom with dietician 28 April 2022:            ?? sometime in next few days: receipt of                                                        loaner   sample CGM  following 2 weeks:                ...

photo by Charles Earl   Charles and I have been trying some diabetic friendly recipes, including Morroccan lentil soup and a lasagne dish that uses zucchini instead of noodles, both were terrific. He’s learned to make really good omelets as well. There have been some cooking disasters, like when I burnt the oatmeal in the slow cooker. Maybe it was the pecans, I substituted for the almonds? I dunno. On that day I did dishes, over and over again. The fridge was stuffed with fruit and vegetables and I felt overloaded, overwhelmed and I admit I burst into tears and went out for my walk which I saw as a mandatory walk. We talked and I got through it, thanks to Charles. This is a very different lifestyle from the one we  had pre-diabetes diagnosis, and that’s less than a month ago.   Today I had a good Zoom meeting with the dietician from the Community Diabetes Education Program of Ottawa (CDEPO). She was impressed by how much we’ve changed things and also reminded me that th...