Father's Day River Float

A couple years ago, my husband took me to float a local river.  Why would you go to the river when you could go to the beach, you ask?  I think most people OUTSIDE of California believe that the entire state is covered in beaches and palm trees.  In hopes of NOT coming across arrogant, I am pleased to say that something great about California is that we almost have it all as far as terrain/topography/weather is concerned.  In our particular area, there are no beaches or palm trees.  We live in the mountains and have a number of lakes and rivers in pretty much every direction and quite close to our home.  As often as I refer to myself as a gypsy and that I really don't have any roots, my husband has generously helped me plant new roots with him.  I can confidently say that regardless of my love for other places I have lived, this is most definitely the most beautiful area I have ever lived in.  Because I love the water so much, he often takes me to the rivers and lakes to appease my inner-fish.  Now...back to the river. 

Enjoying the river float as much as I did, I decided that my father would love it just as much as I did.  To the river we went.  Me, my dad and his little dog too.  A couple of years have passed and he's been itching to do it again (see?  I knew he'd love it!), so we planned yet another Father's Day river float with the rest of our family but this time no dogs.

2012



















2014

 












BG Pre-Float: 138
BG Post-Float: 111

Looking for Cancer

My Neurologist said that this antibody over-production is closely associated with cancer but he was very vague on which type(s), but the Mayo Clinic very specifically lists which ones:

1. Angenocarcinomas (breast, lung, prostate and GI)
2. Small-cell lung carcinoma
3. Thymoma
4. Lymphoma

SOMEHOW, we have ruled something out with blood tests although I do not know which.  In the mean time, I have to do two more major tests: a colonoscopy and a CT scan with contrast.  Today was my consultation with my (original) GI followed by my appointment for the actual colonoscopy next week...in the mean time I apparently have to go get some beverage from the pharmacy which will make me poop myself so I better grab some depends while I'm there...

Water Baby

Many of you know that I "grew up" on the Delta.  This would lead you to believe that I am skilled in all water activities including but not limited to: boating, skiing, wakeboarding and jetskiing.  You would be wrong.  I know HOW to do/use many of those things but I am most definitely not skilled and there are just some things I don't do.  Wakeboarding is one of them.  Why?  Cause I've just plain never tried!

So, fast forward to me being invited to a Girls' Day on the lake.  This was my first time on the lake, or boat for that matter, with my pump and although I had intended on getting IN the water, I was unsure of how doing any sort of water activity would go so I thought I would swim and spectate. 

It didn't take too much to talk me into trying to wakeboard for my very first time.  Mostly, I laughed because I know how bad of a snowboarder I am and I was quite certain I would never get up, but at least I could say I tried, right? 

I'm not going to try EVERYTHING life throws my way but after a year of being stuck in the house and/or hospital, there are just some things I would like to know about so after watching a few other girls - some successful, some not - what was the worst that was going to happen to me? A mouth-full of lake water and a bikini wedgie?  The answer is yes to both, but here's a quick video of my first wakeboarding experience and LET ME JUST SAY that if I can do it, anyone can do it:

BG Pre-Wakeboarding: 135
BG Post-Wake-boarding: 186

**Special thanks to my girl, Kimmy, not just for inviting me but for teaching me and encouraging me.  It's just what I needed**

T1D: Some of you have asked what I do with my pump while I'm in/on the water.  The pump itself is NOT waterproof (the sensor is), so I take off the pump to take a shower or a bath.  In events where I'm on a boat or on the shore and not directly in the water, I wear it.  If I think I'll get splashed, thrown in, or decide I want to go for a swim, it goes in a waterproof case of some sort (I currently have 2).  There are lots of cases available to protect your devices from water but these are the two I use:

One is a dry bag by Seattle Sports

The other is a Pelican i1010 - IN PINK!

 NO, I do not use this:

What does removing/suspending the pump do to my BG, you ask?  Good question!!  The idea is to keep the pump on all the time because of the continuous basal rate of insulin that the pump gives me.  If I remove or "suspend" the pump, I no longer get that insulin (in my case, 0.5 units/hour = 12 units/24hours) and my BG will increase. 

There are many ways to compensate for this but here are the most common, in my opinion:
1) I can reattach/plug my pump back in every so often and manually instruct the pump to give me my missing units - this is hard to do if you are actually IN the water for more than an hour
2) I can give myself a shot with an insulin pen or syringe for the missing units 3) I can wait for my high BG and correct for it - this is my least favorite as both low and high BG's can be hard on your body

Maybe It's May

We met with my neurologist last week and the great news is that my anti-body blood tests have been sent off, so we only have a 6 week wait to find out the results In the mean time, next week will NOT be my last IVIG treatment afterall. I will continue IVIG but less frequently (every 3 weeks instead of every 2 weeks). With that said, starting today I get to decrease my Prednisone from 10mg to 5mg and then hopefully in a month, ZERO! WOO HOO! Next month, I will begin some CT scans with contrast - apparently causes nausea, YIKES - for more cancer testing. That covers my anti-body situation for the time being!

Now for the T1D: I am having an obscene amount of unexplained LOW blood sugars without change to diet, medication or exercise - yes I am more active but this does not occur during those times of day!  Yes, I have adjusted my pump ratios.  As much as I hate having low blood sugars, my doctors cannot explain it and are chalking this up to the possibility of my pancreas beginning to work again.  None will make any promises as there is no current test to prove this but since other organs are beginning to work again, they cannot rule it out. I don't want to get my hopes up so...WE WILL JUST SEE. I appreciate all of your encouragement and so many of you who have included me and invited me to do things with you. On that note, let me invite you to join me for a special event!!

I will be walking in September - Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes- please join me if you will: TEAM CAUSE I GOT HIGH (for those of you who don't get it, "High" as in Blood Sugar). I believe it is a short 2 mile walk around the Capitol in Sac. on Sept 27.

IVIG May 15 (10mg prednisone):

BG Pre-IVIG: 113
BG Post-IVIG: 146

IVIG May 29 (5mg prednisone):

BG Pre-IVIG: 103
BG Post-IVIG: 110

Jolene's Team - JDRF

Today I did my very first 5K with T1D!  No, I didn't run but I did walk as fast as I could (with my busted foot from our Euro-Trip) with 3 other teammates - Jolene's grandparents and my amazing husband!  Here are today's participants for Jolene's Team with Jolene in pink in the middle!

That's me on the left - #41 and my pal, Jolene in pink in the center!

BG pre-walk: 195
BG post-walk (as I crossed the finish line): 75

I got to have an entire apple with no insulin.  YUM!  It doesn't feel great to have lows and then highs - when you're in the midst of a low, it's hard to THINK, let alone calculate just how much of what you need to eat/take to get your BG regular again!  I did have my staples with me (honey, juice and tablets) but an apple hit the spot!  GREAT JOB JOLENE'S TEAM!

Here Comes The Bride

As many of you know, we were invited to be the God-Parents at our close friends' wedding...in Romania.  WHAT?  Yes, Romania.  And what a trip it was!!  My amazing husband and wonderful mother joined me on this trip where we visited Austria, Hungary and Romania. 

My husband and I on the left, Bride & Groom in the middle and the other God-Parents on the right!

What an amazing and beautiful experience!  We had no idea what to expect but we couldn't be happier to have been invited to participate in such a special event.

Now...for you T1D's and traveling: there are LOTS of tips out there from numerous Diabetes websites and groups and if you are wearing not just an insulin pump but also a sensor, please be aware (if you are not already) that the connection between said devices is the same as cell phones - 900 mHz.  In the USA, cell phone blockers are illegal to use (not to own) but this is not necessarily the case outside of the USA.  A cell phone blocker will disrupt the communication between your devices and/or scramble your data.  There were multiple locations on this trip where my sensor "freaked out" or gave me some seriously incorrect reading, if not completely dropped communication for no reason.  On TSA's website, they do warn you that they can ask/tell you to turn your sensor off not just in the airport security line but also on the airplane itself.  May I recommend that if you have weird readings or disruption that you just go ahead and do this for a couple hours?  I don't know about you, but false alarms every 5 minutes are not only frustrating but exhausting. 

Moving on, EVEN IF you can calculate carbs like it's your job, expect to do some guessing while traveling - you're not going to get it perfect every time and you just need to prepare yourself for that.  And you're probably not going to get that juice box through airport security, so buy an OJ when you get through and have your tabs handy!  I also brought along packets of honey which tend to be very fast-acting (I wrote the carbs on them in advance so that if/when I needed them I didn't  have to "think" so hard) and are easy to bring through all airport security. 

ALSO - the pat down.  Medtronic Diabetes told me directly that going through any airport scanning device voids the warranty on my brand spanking new miniMed 530 G.  YIKES.  Whether it will truly ruin it or not, I don't know but if you are getting the pat down like I am, make sure you know how to ask for it...in the language spoken in the airport you're traveling through. 

Dirty 30

This is my 3rd to last scheduled IVIG treatments before we do blood tests for antibodies again!

This will be my first IVIG using insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor (CGM).  I feel like the last two weeks have been a success = better blood sugar and less extreme highs and lows!

Now, to answer some of the questions you've been asking:
-No, it is not surgically implanted, yes I move it myself every 3 days.
-Yes needles are required but no I do no poke myself nearly as often as before.
-Yes it helps predict and anticipate my blood sugar, no it does not automatically give me insulin (although it does make suggestions on what I should take and when).
-No the pump isn't water proof so it comes off for a shower or swim, yes the CGM is waterproof!!
-No it doesn't sync with my iPhone but yes the two devices do talk with one another.
Special thanks to my T1D pal, Tara, for the extra/much needed advice!! I still have a long way to go but thank you ALL for the support and kind words. 
 

IVIG April 2 (10mg prednisone):

BG Pre-IVIG: 116
BG Post-IVIG: 181


IVIG April 16 (10mg prednisone):

BG Pre-IVIG: 175
BG Post-IVIG: 142

IVIG April 30 (10mg prednisone):

 

BG Pre-IVIG: 147
BG Post-IVIG: 89

**Happy 30th Birthday to my baby brother**