Early Morning Wake-Up Calls

People with diabetes that use all the new technology out there know all the familiar sounds. Beep, buzz, beep beep beep louder...buzz buzz buzz more frequently....until you can't ignore the sounds and vibrations anymore. My 5AM wake-up call was my Omnipod going off. First the pod, then the PDA...then the pod again...then the PDA...you get the gist right? I'm thinking in I'm in a dream state, and then realize that it has expired and I need a new one. After the first alarm warning, you have about 8hrs. to change it. I was at the 8th hour. Whoops! I counted the hours wrong the night before. When I'm using my Navigator it's worse! That thing beeps louder than my alarm and wakes up the dogs...at least the one that can hear still. Yes, I know that is why it's loud...to alarm the world that Nancy is low again. When it happens at work I get the response of..."you okay?" "Do you need some insulin?" (Yeah, that's always a good one...do you want to see Nancy pass out, fall down the stairs and have an ambulance come and wonder what the hell that pod is on my arm...because they won't know!! Co-workers will tell them an insulin pump, and they will say, what??) Followed by the response.."Do you need some candy?" I love that one:) I'm am trying harder then the dickens to not treat with candy anymore and keep a jar of glucose tabs in my station....but like the candy response. Some people are finally getting it after 10 years of this. Realize that I appreciate all the care and concern they have, but damn...can I just shut off the alarms so the everyone in the salon isn't alerted to my diabetes??

P.S. Before you comment...I know I can shut alarms off:) But I need to hear them still.

Lows in the Grocery Store & Squat Torture

No, I wasn't doing squats in the grocery store..I'm just blogging 2 days into one post. Although that would be one way to multi-task!! The next DVD buzz will be.."Better Buns While Shopping For Buns"...watch out P90X!

Ok..here is my real post:
At least when you have a low in a grocery store you don't have to search your purse high and low for sugar! The downside is that there is way too much to choose from in the environment. I showed a tremendous amount of restraint..with the help of Brent. "Put down the Ho Ho's". I really didn't have them in hand, but he knows where my mind goes. I settled for the Sprite in the checkout line, and this contributed to one of the few successes I had with not over treating a low. It brought it back up to a respectable level, although I did make him drive home. I was a good diabetic that day:) I will take pride in the achievement!!
The Boot Camp..P90Xish class done at my gym took as much strength and willpower as it did to put the Ho Ho down. Great class, and something like that will make you realize very fast that you aren't as in shape in some areas as you thought. Try doing 5 minutes of squats with the only break being in the squat position for 15 sec. while your legs shake. I wouldn't call that rest at all...but a form of rest I suppose. I understand why we were doing that, and have to remember what kind of results it produces...so I won't bitch:) While doing the mountain climbers, I remind myself that I voluntarily showed up at 6AM...so I won't bitch:) The torture left me walking a bit funny, and now will go on to do an endurance swim. With NO kick drills!
This should be a good day.

Logbooks..I Hate Em'

Diabetes and logbooks go hand in hand. I haven't kept a long book in a very long time, because in this day and age downloading stats from blood sugar meters and pumps is so very easy. After yesterdays regular ol' checkup it's apparent people still log...even people who have had diabetes longer then I have.

There are multiple reasons that I love my doctor. The biggest is that he "gets" me. I mean he really, really, gets me. I think that is a huge battle when taking me on as a patient. My A1C has been less then stellar, and has come down this last appointment. I have been trying harder, so it's nice to see those results. May face may have still shown some disappointment, to which Doc starts in on his pep talk. I won't go into it, but he really, REALLY gets me!:)

Doc was playing the good cop...and then bad cop showed it's ugly head! "You said you were going to send me blood sugars last time"...."Uh, yeah, I did didn't I". This is where the Hawthorne effect comes in. "If I send you my log it won't be a true snapshot of what's been going on, because I'll be trying to impress you and do better"....he then gives me that look, like....duh! Ah Ha moment #1. In that moment I realized I haven't been using his knowledge for a long time now. I've been going through the motions, and using him for lab work etc. It gets to a point where you have been living it for so long, you think you can figure it all out on your own. Right! If I could figure it all out, I wouldn't be in this situation. Ah Ha moment #2. I'm now going to take advantage of him!:)

So, I'm back to being a newbie logger. Today is a new day!

The Goal Breakdown

I think my goals will get too long for one post, but I will try to break them down one by one as best as I can so I don't bore all of you!:)

There have been some changes in my goals since I last wrote about them. Some have been accomplished, some have been tweaked, and some are just ongoing struggles! Here is how they looked back in September, and where I'm at with them now:

1. Go for my ACSM certification. Adding to my CI-CPT (Cooper Institute-Certified Personal Trainer) Still in the works, and have added getting my USAC Coaching License, and will be finished soon!
   
2. Get my Spinning Certification. Need to get some experience in group exercise! Finished this one in the winter!! YAY!
   
3. Find a part-time personal training position to gain more experience. This would mean I have time to do it..which I really don't right now, but still a goal.
   
4. Do one race...yes ONE, with Tony! Maybe mtn., maybe a triathlon relay...hmmmm. Hmmmmm still:) Would love to do the Tour de Cure with him down in N.C. Need to win the Lotto!
   
5. Better time management. I have so many things going on now and I need to prioritize! Oh boy, this is a biggie. Actively working on this one as we speak!
   
6. More strength training!!!! Not my favorite thing to do and it always has to be a goal. I started out great, and have fallen off the wagon..again! Hopping back on now.
   
7. Don't sweat the small stuff. *Sigh* Yes, yes, a work in progress.
   
8. Oh yeah....don't forget that I have a husband and family! See number 5!

To be true to my type A personality, I have added some goals:

1. As I will have more time for myself...see #5 above...I will spend it doing more things that I enjoy, and have missed. Yes, that enjoyment may be with my training, but will also be with my husband, and my sewing machine.
2. Try not to beat myself up mentally. I can be SO good at making myself guilty for doing or not doing things.
3. I have been working with Colorado Premier Training as a Resident Coach. I have one athlete with a goal of more. Rick is da man! I will pressure for more time with his brain! He gets the whole diabetes/athlete thing, and is a coach for DTC.
   
4. This is a big one for me...need to concentrate on my own diabetes again. Everything could be better...see #2.
5. Racing: Hopefully Steelhead Half IM again, and 3 Olympic distances, and the Tour de Cure here in Michigan. All depends on the $$$$.
   

Those are the ones that are in the front of my mind, and I beleive are attainable. Some I will always be working on..i.e. all the mental stuff. There is a theme to my goals..look close. It's only when you write them all down that you see that. In a nutshell...life balance. My training has taken a back seat to all the other things I'm involved with, and while I enjoy doing it all to a certain extent, I very much miss the training. My body misses the training. Just being out on my bike, or a long run does wonders for my mind and of course my blood sugars. All of which makes me happier, and I'm sure Brent would agree, easier to live with:)

The ol' saying...All work and no play....

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Really?? Does it? I will admit that when I travel this is too true. I recently spent 10 days in Tucson, Arizona with Diabetes Training Camp doing my usual gig of running the logistics for the week. Brent was traveling the days leading up to my departure, and we literally crossed paths in the air! 2 weeks without him was tough. It's very nice to be home and getting back into the routine of our life. I am a creature of habit...just like the dogs:)

Does the absence of training make the heart grow fonder? Absolutely not! It makes you sore and crabby, which makes you unmotivated to do it. Am I speaking for the whole group here? I'm heading to my trainer after this blog post so I can kick my own butt into gear. My race schedule is getting tweaked and will be ready to show the diabetes world what I will be doing for 2009....so I must kick my butt frequently now to be on task in time.

Does the absence of blogging make any difference? Probably not for most of you reading this, but it gives me a chance to write down thoughts and it keeps me honest and true to my goals. So, yes it does make a bit of difference to me.

Are you sensing a running theme here? The absence of hard training, blogging, and the absence of me:) Finding what truly makes me happy again...getting that life balance back. That brings me to goals for the year. Which have changed a bit from my last goal list. That will have to wait for another post!

Bye for now! See you at the races:)