Instagram and Instabad

Major development #1: Mastering Me is now on Instagram! Wooo. It has taken up a ridiculous amount of my time in the last week though (borderline obsessive perhaps!) and while there are fellow diabetics posting great pics, it has also shown me that there is a large part of the world’s population who think that diabetes is just an awesome/smart/funny term to attach to oversized sugar and fat laden food pictures. i.e

 

Here’s a glimpse of what I posted instead...

Blood strips that get stuck to my feet

Check my BG constantly while out drinking at the Races

My morning kick starts

and of course Blue Fridays

Instagram can be quite random and its jammed packed with all sorts of moments and expressions of everyday life. Good and Bad. Either way I'm giving it a whirl, finally.

If you’re on instagram please come check me out!

Major development #2:  I accidently partied too hard mid-week with the CGM on… Doh! Major DOH! I’m confessing to this so that you all continue to know that I am insanely human, making me very capable of getting swept away in the moment, thinking that I can take it all on and dare I say ‘make a slightly dumb choice’…. Why has Melbourne cup got to be on a Tuesday??? This probably would have been ok any other week as I normally have Wednesdays off but at short notice I had to stand in for my boss. But we’d already booked the tickets AND we’d already organized to do an engagement photoshoot at 5:45am. So what did I do? Typically tried to cram it all in.

3:30 Rise (definitely no shine at this point)

5:30 depart for Shoot

7:15 Get back home, breakfast take two and head off to work

8:00am – 10:30am On site at work

10:45 – 11:15am Get dolled up for the races

12:00 Arrive at the races – proceed to drink, eat, be merry and still responsibly check work emails while yelling at horses with strangers.

1:55pm I turn to Fiancé and officially claim that I’m cutting myself off. No more drinking. I’m happy with this as my blood sugars had been sailing between 9-12 since starting. I know this is a little high but when I’m drinking more than 3 standard drinks my BG often suddenly crashes, and crashes badly.

2:15pm A lady at our table wins over $16,000 on a trifecta.  She then yells ‘Drinks are on me, my new friends!!!’. Instead of thinking ‘no thanks’, I thought ‘Why not? In the spirit of things! It’s one day. We’re having fun’… ermmmm yeah… both fiancé and I got way too 'into the spirit of things'. Three days later I was still feeling it!

I did however meet a lovely couple who's son has type 1 diabetes and it was so nice to share stories and hear of a fellow Type 1 with an inspiring attitude to life. I am hoping to get in touch with them again soon - will keep you posted!

 

And on a really important note, while I do not endorse consuming too much alcohol I did find a sense of confidence in how I handled the situation, especially given that my fiancé had had more to drink than me. It reminded me that as diabetics, even when having a 'good time' we must always remain very aware of our situation: our condition, the people we are with and the environment we are in. I plan to blog about alcohol and diabetes from a  personal perspective soon, as it something that parents often ask me about. It can be a very tricky subject to talk about though!

 

Major Development 3: Oh, and of course! - I tried my first ever CGM! I don't have the reports back yet so I will leave that for another post!

HAPPY DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH :)

Travel Tips: A recent reminder from Asia

After my recent travels to Thailand and Hong Kong (and recent misadventure - see my last post), I
was reminded of the little important things when it comes to travelling better with diabetes. And maybe that over the years I've become a little too relaxed at times! Having a travel buddy is a very welcome asset when it comes to traveling with diabetes but it is still important to be independent, self sufficient and aware of your surroundings.


Here's the biggest points from my recent trip:

So much to catch up on!

Working two roles, an Asian Holiday (then an Asian flu) and a lost password = weeks away from blogging!

Oh, plus then spending the last week trying to actually get back on track with everything...

We went to a Thai cooking school while in Bangkok. So good!

But here I am finally, Hi! Thank you to everyone who emailed and commented over the last few weeks, I am slowly getting back to everyone, so please don’t think I’ve forgotten you. Some interesting things happened during that time though which I thought I’d share with you. (Maybe too many for one post though!) One of which was a meeting with our regional Medtronic rep about pumping, largely in thanks to a MM FB friend (Thanks Peter). That was rather exciting. The rep was really nice and helpful and I've booked in with the diabetes centre with the view of going onto the pump in December or January. Will keep you posted on that one though because we all know I just can’t seem to decide!!!

I was also approached by a pharmaceuticals company and asked if I would like to trial some of their newest products which have been developed with Diabetics in mind. Now I've seen quite a few forums and discussion about pharmaceutical products developed for diabetics, from the diabetic point of view... and it seemed to be a surprisingly debated topic – so I’m going to dedicate a whole post to the products on here soon.

Smoothies available at our hotel.
 For some reason the name put me off...

After an exhausting few weeks filling two roles at work (stepping up into my manager’s position while still doing my own, which also meant going from 4 days a week to 6), Fiancé and I jetted off to Thailand and Hong Kong for a way more hectic ‘holiday’ than we’d planned. I was exhausted, have a I mentioned that yet? haha, and for some reason felt wonky the whole first week, and my blood sugars we’re swinging round like Tarzan. By the second week I thought I had everything under control and then BAMM I had a panic attack at a Thailand train station in the sweltering heat, in one of the only places I think I've ever been in Bangkok where they didn't sell ANY western type drink WHATSOEVER. There are Pepsi signs and paraphernalia literally plastered all over Bangkok, but not there! So here we were on the side of Bangkok we’d never been remotely near before, ages from our hotel with no phone and a limited supply of jellybeans, trying to guess at what the labels said (I speak no Thai and also had a serious case of blurred vision and thinking). All the while leading up I’d felt fine, so my confusion at so suddenly feeling low AND then the usual signs of a panic attack coming on probably just made things worse. I’m still confused, My BG was only 4.8...but maybe my meter was hot (although it was wrapped up in my bag), and maybe I was really dehydrated...  I was prepared for a normal low or two but not that weird weird panic attack/low I was having. 

We ended up grabbing something that resembled a form of ‘cola’ and figured if there was too much sugar in it I could dose for it, as opposed to fainting or passing out, then we finally got on a train, where thank goodness there was a vacant seat and I sat like a zombie till we got to the hotel. It still baffles me though, as I'm fairly used to hot climates, I've been to Bangkok before, and I'd been having a perfectly normal, happy day... maybe I was getting that flu by then...

A way more exciting adventure that happened on holiday though was that my beautiful Thai friend, her mother (who speaks no English) and I went wedding dress shopping! Before I go any further, I need to mention that Type 1 diabetes is not very common in Thailand, not like it is in Australia, America, the UK and so on, it is seen as a ‘western disease’. So I started to tell the wedding dress designers that in my dream dress I would like:

1.      Pockets

2.      Easy access to my stomach

3.      The ability to go to the bathroom unassisted (I think most will know what I mean by this, Bridesmaids can often find themselves with the unfortunate job of holding piles of tule, organza and ruffles as the bride tries to sit down... and I imagine diabetics may find they need to do this more often??)

4.      Not to get over heated (on account of what it seems to do to my blood sugar)

5.      Oh and to be able to walk, breath, eat and sit properly...

Then I saw it, them looking back at me like ‘here comes the bridezilla’. Or maybe I was paranoid. Either way I whipped out my blood meter and accessories to emphasise my point. They just looked blankly and said ‘that’s what bridesmaids are for’... and then I could feel my control issue thoughts popping into my head. I've never not been the one to be fully in control of all my diabetes gear!

I tried on a dress though and fell in love. There are no pockets and it’s quite possibly going to be a nightmare going to the bathroom. But it’s beautiful, made me feel like a real bride and well I guess, you only do this once. I actually felt jittery trying it on. There is no other reason to wear a dress like this except for your wedding day, and I say that in a good way. I can walk just fine and breathe relatively well in it too, so that’s a bonus!

I think I’m going to need a garter though... and not for any old tossing tradition. No, its cos I’m pretty sure I’ll be packing diabetes there. Super sexy I know.

Diabetes and a Career

As some of you may have seen on facebook, I had a somewhat tiring start to the week. I was all set to walk out the door, ready to drive to work and BAMM! All of a sudden I felt dizzy. Confused and thinking to myself ' I CANNOT be low'... my BG is soooo sticky in the mornings, so much so that some days nothing seems to bring it down except a a good few units and a run (and then sometimes a follow up shot mid-morning!). I pricked my finger just in case. 2.8! ArrGHhh, I was going to be late for work.

As I sat there recovering, jelly beans in one had, extra strong coffee in the other, I thought what do other diabetics do when this happens? When your job is effected because of diabetes. Have you ever not applied for or taken a job because you were Type 1? Do you think you've ever not been accepted into a job because they knew you were diabetic? Have you ever pushed yourself too far at work, just because you didn't what anyone to know that diabetes was actually making life really difficult in that moment?

In the grand scheme of things, this low seemed simple enough but it came at a time when I was supposed to be responsible for an entire public venue, I was supposed to be at work on time. To make matters worse, we had a fire evacuation just two hours after I got to work and I had an extra long day ahead (8am to 9.30pm) which just became so much more daunting since obliterating my energy stores with such a random blood sugar crash. And of course, its not the first time I've gone low and sat munching away, feeling pressured about the extremely inappropriate timing and aggravating sense of humour diabetes seems to have.

I would really love to hear from you about your career. Did diabetes change your career plans? Stop you, or prevent you from fulfilling a role, or a duty? Or maybe it propelled you into a career you hadn't really planned on? Have you made career 'sacrifices' because you've wanted to make better diabetes choices?

What are the little things that help you manage your work life with Type 1?... What are the hardest elements to balance when it comes to a working with diabetes?

One of the biggest stumbling blocks I encountered growing up with Type 1 was a lack of role models who also had Type 1. When I was 10 there was no internet: no Facebook, no blogging, no DOC. We didn't even really get the internet in our home until 1999, but it seemed so foreign and somewhat of a novelty that it didn't really occur to me to use it for diabetes. Then life carried on with other things, as it does when you're a teenager, and its only been in my late twenties that its become such an important part of my approach to living with this condition. I had so desperately wanted some one to look up to though, to show me that diabetes doesn't stop you, that we can still be leaders and champions, that we can be responsible for others, that we can be successful and hold our own.

The DOC is amazing. If only for showing that a happy, healthy, life with Type 1 is possible AND that you are not alone in your frustrations, fear, anger and frequent irony that is life with Type 1. Thank you to every one of you who blog, post, share, comment and just connect. It makes life with Type 1 that much easier.

Feel free to email me your thoughts if you don't wish to comment below.
x

Insanity Workout: Month Two, Week Three.2

We're repeating week three.
I pretty much missed an entire week of Insanity over the last two weeks due to the holiday and work, so it seems only fair... (I may have also eaten twice what I normal should during that time too!). Insanity really is an amazing workout, amazing because its extremely hard and certainly requires a level of dedication, if only to find the time to fit it into a busy life. Especially now that the workouts are around an hour long. Last nights work out 'Max Interval Circuit' literally had us both on the ground feeling dizzy by the end. Despite a starting BG of 6.9 I constantly felt a bit faint. Re-checking throughout the workout I remained 6.9 exactly.. so not sure what happened! I constantly had to bail for a few seconds at a time throughout but still managed to burn close to 600 cals... and as hard as it was, I'm definitely getting better. Needless to say, that I'm having some very heavy sleep after these long workouts though. Which is great except that I've started to go high in the early hours the last two nights (something that I've always battled with) and usually I'll wake up and can address the issue. Well I haven't been. Not only must my body be exhausted, I think I must be a bit dehydrated too.

Unfortunately I have also woken with a sore right arch in my foot today. This is the first time this has happened despite almost two months of workouts with no shoes on. I can only imagine its because last night's workout was 60mins and I was really going for it. I was also getting really sore wrists and couldn't complete the last set of full body drills (combo including moving push-ups, running push-ups, oblique push-ups, side suicide jumps - probably not using the correct terminology here but you get the drift).

I will be back at this afternoon though. May have to try shoes! And I can only keep trying to get those annoying morning highs in check (a downright depressing way to start the day!).


On a slightly different note,

Nothing Like a Holiday!

Five days in Melbourne seemed to be just what the doctor ordered! While I did no exercise, well except for hours of walking around the city indulging in much too much coffee, great food and enough shopping that the plastic coating on top of my card has now ripped itself back in protest, my blood sugars seem to have magically sorted themselves out. Before I left my insulin resistance had been at an all time high and I seemed to be in one of those stages where it felt like I just couldn't get anything right... I'd just be high, high, high! My eyes and my feet were starting to ache and I was seriously getting down and out about everything. BUT, five days of rest, relaxation and retail therapy with my wonderful fiancé helped me come down, take in some well needed 'me' time, and learn to let my worries go. Have I ever said how evil and horrible stress is?!? It just creeps in, mounts up and can still be lingering even when you think you're ok... dribbling its evil disease through your body...ok maybe getting carried away, but you get the picture.  Not to forget that stress also increases my appetite and gives me a super sweet tooth...ArrRRghh!!!  Holidays are a must!

We got straight back into Insanity when we arrived home on Wednesday too, and its been amazing. Blood sugar perfection. Which is SUCH a relief because I was beginning to think I was going to have to give it up! Still finding though that a small amount of carbs and a little insulin 1-2 hours before I work out in the afternoon is the best way to keep my blood sugar stable while having enough energy to get through a whole workout (i.e a banana and 2 units at 3.30/4pm for a 5.30pm workout). I only managed to fit in three sessions this week though as it is one of the busiest weeks of the year at my work - 10 to 12 hour days, non stop, on your feet, running around type work (stage managing, bar maid, networking all at once, all included). This also made for an interesting little learning opportunity in diabetes management. The nature of the work meant that I couldn't be near my bag (as normal) or just duck off when I wanted to (at one point I was literally plugged into the wall on a radio headset for two hours, back stage, hiding in a curtain giving cues to a technician on the other side of the room...no room for lows, highs or bathroom breaks that's for sure!). So I really had to have everything I could possibly need in a 2-4 hour period strapped to my person.  For the girls out there - I have to make special mention here of Cue clothing. Such a blessing to have decent sized pockets in all their clothing! Looks great and very functional.

All in all feeling much much happier about things. Just need to keep it that way!

And just to finish off today's post, here's a couple of pics of what I've been up to while not posting much lately!

I celebrated my birthday, taking everyone out to a show.
Where fiancé awkwardly got called up on stage to dance.

 

We did The Colour Run! So much fun.
Turned my contacts orange & I had a pink stain on my forehead for two days though!

 

More fun at The Colour Run

Then we did the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes

 

A Hen's weekend was had...
 a whole other post on dealing with 14 hours of constant drinking!

With the Bride to be!

And then off to beautiful Melbourne, where the weather was perfect!

Absolutely Amazing! Just incredible.

So Good. We'll be back

P!NK in Concert at Rod Laver

Dosing for Cupcakes. There was a lot of insulin injected in Melb!

Oh and we moved house... which I've just been told is one of the most stressful things you can do in life... maybe that's why I was high high high!!!

Insanity Workout: Month Two, Week Two

I almost considered pulling the plug on this thing all together yesterday. It is so hard. Ridiculously hard. Yes the workouts are hard but its balancing everything else that seems to have me down. My blood sugars are back to being crazy and I'm so tired...because of being high and the crazy workouts...that I struggle to get up in the morning, which is really when I need to do my quick little 20-30 min run. The workouts are much longer in month two which seems to be causing more havoc on my blood sugars and I get this weird feeling about three quarters the way through that feels like I've physically fallen through the floor. Its really weird and hard to explain.

The workouts also seem to make me really cranky, which is pretty funny really, since I thought endorphins would kick in to make me happy instead. I also really thought I'd start having lows at some point, but I've never had less lows and more highs in my life as I have while doing Insanity.

Through all this, I still feel some sense of satisfaction and achievement, and there are definitely physical results, but there is much much more to be concerned with. I'd much rather be seeing some good consecutive balanced blood sugar readings pop back up on my blood meter screen! After Friday I'm taking a five day break as I'll be travelling to Melbourne, then its back home to looooooong days at work so I won't have time for the Insanity workouts, maybe just a few quick runs. I think its time to reboot the exercise, take a mini break and come back to Insanity in a week or so... or just continue the month 1 workouts a little while longer. My body is freaking out.