Diabetes and The Unexpected - #DBlogWeek Day 1

Welcome to day one of Diabetes Blog Week, Year Eight!!  If you’d like to participate but haven’t signed up yet, please do so here (scroll down a bit to find the form).  The more the merrier and it’s definitely not too late.

Today’s topic is Diabetes and The Unexpected.  Diabetes can sometimes seem to play by a rulebook that makes no sense, tossing out unexpected challenges at random.  What are your best tips for being prepared when the unexpected happens?  Or, take this topic another way and tell us about some good things diabetes has brought into your, or your loved one’s, life that you never could have expected?  (Thank you, Heather, for inspiring this topic!)

You know the old saying “Don’t sweat the small stuff”?  Well, I have yet to follow that advice.  I sweat the small stuff.  I also sweat the big stuff.  I pretty much sweat all the stuff.  It’s annoying.

The upside to this is that I’m generally over prepared for just about any situation.  When it comes to diabetes, more often than not I have everything I need.  My purse has candy, glucagon, everything needed for a pump site change, extra tape, batteries and syringes.  A reminder on my phone assures I don’t forget a site change.  When I travel, I bring at least three times the diabetes stuff I need.  That’s not to say I’m perfect.  There have been a few times when I’ve slipped up a bit, but usually I’m more than prepared for the unexpected.

And the most unexpected thing about being way way way prepared is that I’ve been able to help out others.  I’d say the majority of my travel is for diabetes conferences.  Having a ton of supplies means I can help out others who’ve forgotten something.  Ran out of strips at Friends for Life?  I had an extra vial to give.  Needed tape for your sensor at UnCon?  Look no further than me.  Forgot to pack your infusion set inserter or ripped out your site and didn’t have a spare?  I had your back.  And my favorite unexpected was a pump that died at the DiabetesMine Summit.  I had packed my old pump and was able to loan it out until a replacement pump was sent.  (Although given the option, I'd definitely wish my friend's pump hadn't malfunctioned......)



I try my best to be prepared for any diabetes unexpected situation that pops up.  But I never expected how good it would make me feel to know I can also help out a friend in need from time to time.


You can find more Diabetes and The Unexpected posts listed here.

What is Diabetes Blog Week? Click here for an explanation and to sign up.  You can also check out the Participant’s List here.  And don't forget to check out the DBlogWeek Facebook page here.

Check, Check, Check . . .

I recently interviewed for a job that would involve some travel, and I decided if I was hired I would apply for a Known Travelers Number for TSA Pre-Check.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get the job but I decided to apply for a KTN anyway.  Even without the job, I'll be flying at least three times this year alone (or six flights / trips through airport security) so it seemed worth it.

I wasn’t really sure what was involved, and as is my nature, I was very nervous.  But it was really easy.  First, I filled out the pre-application on-line and then booked my in-person appointment.  I’m happy to say that the staff at the Application Center could not have been nicer.  We simply went over the information I had submitted and they checked my passport.  Then they took my fingerprints electronically.  We laughed a bit when I admitted that I had expected ink pads and paper,  like in the ‘70s cop dramas.  Maybe I need to remember it’s 2016 and almost everything is done with computers these days.

Anyway, my clean, ink-free fingertips and I were finished in about  10 minutes or so.  Once I paid my $85 fee, I was given a receipt with an id number so I could check on-line and see where my status stood.  I was told I should see my KTN on-line in about a week and receive a confirmation in the mail in about a month.   For me, who is a total goodie two shoes, my KTN  was assigned by the following day!

Life with diabetes is full of hassles.  For me, spending the $85 for 5 years of TSA Pre-Check is well worth the (hopefully) reduction in travel hassles it will bring.  I’m excited to fly without being groped by a stranger first!

Crowd Sourcing: Packing Insulin

Pete and I are just back from a fantastic cruise to Bermuda.  Although there was lots of food (and maybe alcohol), there was also a lot of walking and stair climbing and we even worked in one 5K training run.  So my blood sugars were looking great . . . . right up until the last two days.  Then I found myself skyrocketing after everything I ate and taking quite a while to come down.  Once back in range I did manage to stay there, until the next time I ate even the smallest bite of food.

There is a lot that can throw off my blood sugar when I travel.  Lack of sleep due to late nights and a bed that isn’t my own.  More treats and food indulgences than I eat at home.  Stress.  (Yes, even on vacation I manage to stress.  Over possibilities of missing flights, sleeping through breakfast, leaving belongings behind in the hotel . . . . I can always find something to worry about).  But more often than not, I think my problem is my insulin.  I really think my little vials also suffer from travel stress.  I feel like they just lose their zing halfway through any trip.  I use Apidra, and I understand it’s more volatile than other insulin brands but I’m kind of tired of tossing out nearly full vials when I come home from a trip.

So can you help a girl out?   I’m looking for your suggestions on how you pack and store your insulin when you travel.  Because in my experience, the best place to crowd source is the DOC!  Got any tips for me?

Yay for TSA

This morning when I got up it was still pitch black and the sun wouldn't wake for a couple of hours. Pete and I waded through barely moving traffic and he dropped me off at the airport with just enough time to catch my flight. (More about where I am and why as soon as I get the go-ahead to share the project.)

No sun, but plenty of traffic.

As if the barely crawling traffic wasn't enough to stress me out, I approached the TSA bins at the security line and could see a full body scanner ahead. *sigh* When I got to the front of the line I politely informed the TSA agent that I was wearing a medical device that can't go through the full body scanner and I'd like to request a pat-down. I was waiting for the response I've always gotten in the past -assurance that it's fine to go through the scanner and that others with insulin pumps do it all the time. I've even been told once that "the pump companies just say the full body scanners can cause damage because they want to be able to void the warranty". I always politely stick to my guns and continue to request the pat-down, and eventually they comply.

I'm thrilled to say this experience was different. I was immediately shown to the waiting area where someone met me for the pat-down. No resistance, no arguing, no trouble at all. It felt much like I would expect the experience to go if I had contacted TSA Cares before my trip. (I didn't do so because the website said to call 72 hours before your flight and this was a very last minute trip.) My pat-down was thorough but respectful, and after a quick swab of my hands I was on my way.

Had my experience been less than stellar, I certainly would have blogged about it. So since it was wonderful I felt a responsibly to write about it too. Thank you to the TSA Agents at JFK this morning for making my security experience go smoothly and just as I hoped it would.

Travel Ready . . . . . .

Over the weekend Pete and I took a quick overnight trip to New York City.  I love travel adventures, but packing really stresses me out.  I know I’m a chronic over-packer.  And even still, I’m always terrified that I’m forgetting to pack something very important.  Of course, in reality there is very little I could forget that I couldn’t live without for my time away.  But diabetes supplies . . . . well yes.  Some of those things I quite literally could not live without.

A while back I got the idea to keep a small travel pack ready with about everything I need, diabetes-wise, for a quick trip away.  I pulled out a small clear bag I picked up one year at Friends for Life and tucked in a bunch of supplies.


Here’s a closer look at what I keep inside.


It’s filled with spare Tegaderm, IV prep wipes and alcohol swabs, a new vial of test strips, two AAA batteries and the wall charger for my meter, an infusion set and reservoir and two full travel packs of GlucoLift.  All I need to do is throw in a bottle of insulin and I’m good to go overnight or for a long weekend, because I know I also always have more test strips, batteries, low treatments and supplies for a full pump site change in my purse.

When I return home from a trip, I restock the bag before stowing it in the drawer where I keep my diabetes supplies.  Knowing it’s organized and waiting makes packing a bit less stressful.  I also like knowing it’s ready and easily accessible if I ever need to quickly leave the house in an emergency situation.

Our weekend trip was a quick one, but Pete and I had a fantastic time walking around the city, eating a wonderful dinner, finally seeing Wicked on Broadway (something I’ve been dying to do for a very long time and it was more than worth the wait) and just sharing an adventure together.  Travel should be all about the fun and not about the stress, and my pre-packed travel bag helps fend off some of that travel stress.

Just Suck it Up . . . . .

I spent the first half of this week in D.C. for JDRF Advocacy’s Government Day.  I have so much about Gov. Day to share and I’ll be splitting it up into three posts next week about the people I was with, the information that was shared, and our time advocating on Capital Hill.  But today I have a diabetes tale to tell.

Although I’ve been taking some breaks from wearing my Continuous Glucose Monitor now and then, I consider it non-negotiable when I'm traveling.  I often don’t feel my lows until my blood sugar is well into the 40s, so I need that safety net when I’m traveling and sleeping alone.  I strategically waited to insert a sensor until the very last minute before I left, hoping to make it last during the entire trip.  I hate changing out the CGM when I’m away, but I believe in being prepared so I packed everything I’d need if I had to do a new CGM in D.C.  Or so I thought.

I wear my sensor completely taped over with Tegaderm, and there are two reasons why I do this.  First, if I don’t I tend to accidentally rip the sensor out in record time.  And second, if any water gets under my sensor I end up with big, red welts.  Unfortunately, I must not have done a good job with the Tegaderm this time, because it started to peel up.  I awoke on Sunday with a red welt and I knew I’d have to pull the sensor and find a fresh spot to put a new one.  No problem, right?  Wrong!  As I pulled out my supplies I realized I’d forgotten to pack one thing.  The inserter.

Cue the panic!!  Quite honestly, I still find the sensor’s needle to be a scary big-ass harpoon!  When putting it on with the inserter it ranges from kinda-hurts to not-bad-at-all, with an occasional holy-shit-that-hurt thrown in there.  I’ve heard of people inserting them manually, but it wasn’t something I ever wanted to try.



Of course, diabetes can throw a wrench into the best laid plans, and over the years I've just learned to adjust.  I didn’t have my inserter but I knew I needed a functioning CGM, so the only thing to do was to suck it up.  I took a few deep breaths.  I told myself it wouldn’t be that bad.  And I manually plunged the needle into me.  Did it hurt?  Yup.  Did I wonder if I got it in properly?  Yup.  Did it give me accurate readings for the rest of my trip?  Sure did - in fact the following morning the number on my CGM and the number on my meter were exactly the same.

Even after 33 years with diabetes, some situations and devices can seem scary.  But the important thing is being safe and healthy, so sometimes I just have to suck it up.  And when I do, I can't help feeling a little bit proud of myself.


** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

Expo Hall Highlights

I have to admit, I really love the CWD Friends for Life Expo Hall.  Not really for the S.W.A.G., but for the chance to check out new products and get demonstrations of all their nifty features.  Although in all honesty, I was quite thrilled at the OneTouch booth when the rep gave me a Verio IQ after showing me its cool features.  Other highlights were watching the excitement at the You Can Do This booth, seeing and touching the Tandem t:slim, the opportunity to vote on some new glucose tablet flavors (while begging them to bring my favorite Green Apple back!!), and learning about the new Bayer meter coming soon that’s similar to the Contour USB but with greater accuracy and the ability to wirelessly send the results to my Medtronic pump.

But perhaps the highlight of the Expo Hall this year was getting to see my GlucoLift friends.  I first met the founder, Christopher Angell, and his father at TCOYD in February, but soon learned I already new Chris from the DOC and his blog.  (He stopped posting there after creating GlucoLift so as not to create a conflict of interest).  I always have a fantastic time chatting with Chris and his dad Phillip about GlucoLift, diabetes social media (yup, they Tweet and FaceBook), and everything else under the sun.  I was happy to meet Christopher's lovely wife this time and she was ever so gracious after Pete fumbled his cup of water and practically splashed it all over her.  (My man is smooooth around pretty women.)



Even if I didn’t love the people behind the product, I’d seriously love GlucoLift.  Because these all-natural, non-GMO tablets are healthier than your average glucose tablet, and they taste so much better.  I can attest to this because Chris is always kind enough to gift some to me when I see him.  I’ve finished the whole bottle of Cherry flavor, and I usually hate anything cherry flavored but these were really good!

I told Chris I wanted to post about GlucoLift and asked if there was anything he’d like me to share.  Here’s what he had to say:

“Knowing I was never going to be the person to cure diabetes, I'm happy if I can make one of the more unpleasant necessities of managing it a little better for people. For me, the main point is that I always felt the fact that the 'other guys' ' tablets were made with unnecessary artificial junk, left a chalky finish, and were flavored as though people were going to eat one (and not 3, 4 or 5) meant that they weren't designed or evaluated by the people who actually have to use them. That just made me upset and frustrated. There are a lot of frustrating things about having diabetes, but some of them you excuse because it's the best we can do right now. Icky glucose tablets do not fall into that category!”

I hope you know me well enough to know that I’m not posting about these because Chris gifted some to me.  I’m posting about them because I really love the idea behind a healthier glucose tablet.  And because these things taste good!  After Pete tried one in the Expo Hall, he told me“Wow, those didn’t taste like the icky tablets you’ve let me try before.  Those taste more like candy”.  Which means I’m probably going to need to start hiding my glucose tablets.  And also ordering more from the online store or through Amazon.  (Just a tip: if you are ordering your own, I’d consider picking a combo that comes with a travel tube. These tablets are slightly bigger than the “other guys’” glucose tabs, and they don’t fit in the tubes I try to recycle from my other tabs.)


Have you tried GlucoLift?  I’d love to hear what you think.

The Post I Don’t Know How to Write . . . .

I’m exhausted.  I have a sore throat.  My blood sugars have been skyrocketing and crashing and no matter what I do I can’t get my CGM to show me a flat(ish) line.  But I can do nothing but smile, because I spent the last five days at Friends for Life.  With people who really are my friends for life.

The plan for today was to write a post that makes you feel like you were there.  That conveys how odd it feels to look down at a simple green bracelet on your wrist and feel pride and belonging.  (That green bracelet is given to all attendees that have Type 1 Diabetes.  Our family and loved ones wear orange bracelets.)  I need to write a post that gives you a taste of the comfort of discussing diabetes burnout with a room full of people who get it and two wonderful session leaders trained to help you cope with it.  I have a million stories, a million thoughts, a million experiences and I shed a million tears, both happy and sad.  I don’t know how to write about all of this in a way that will do it justice.  It is just beyond my scope.

So instead, I will tell you my first story from this year’s Friends for Life, and hope I can do the conference a small sliver of justice. 

Shortly after checking in, Pete and I were off to find registration and our friends who had already arrived.  As we stood waiting for the elevator a family joined us.  The mom and younger sister had on orange bracelets, and the older sister had on a green bracelet.  So I asked them where we needed to go to pick up our bracelets and registration packet.  I was starting to feel a bit of that fuzzy headedness as the mom explained that we needed to go to the first floor and then walk to the end of the long, long hallway.  I immediately muttered something like “better test” as I pulled out my meter.  And then, somewhat to my surprise, the bonding began.

The sister with the green bracelet excitedly exclaimed “You have diabetes too?  That is SO COOL!!!!”   Although I can’t be sure, her reaction and the tone of her voice makes me think I was the first fellow diabetic she had ever met.  I couldn’t help but smile, even as a 41 flashed across my meter.  In the jumble of the next few excited (but low-brained for me) minutes, we shared our stories.  Mom told me her daughter was diagnosed less than a year ago, and I told them I was diagnosed over 32 years ago.  Mom and I quietly murmured about expectancies for PWDs back then, and she asked pointedly “How are you?”  I was so proud to be able to tell her that I am healthy and complication free, and to see both relief for her daughter and gladness for me flash across her face.  As we got on the elevator I turned to Pete to tell him my blood sugar was 41, and the family all said “What??? 41????”  My friend with the green bracelet said “How are you smiling right now?” and tried to insist I take the small chocolate milk she was holding.  I can’t tell you how honored I was that she would give me her chocolate milk, and I thanked her but told her I’d be fine as I had plenty of Starbursts (which I was shoving into my mouth at that moment).

The elevator arrived at our floor and we all began walking down the long, long hall.  My new green bracelet friend asked if I wanted to sit down, and when I said I was okay to walk she put her arm around me and walked beside me.  (I swear, I was so touched I almost cried.)  Her sister seemed to delight in telling me how crabby my new friend gets when she is low - something I completely understand.  We all laughed about being crabby because of a low and being crabby just because we all sometimes get crabby!  We came upon a “Hydration / Low Station” and my green bracelet friend suggested I have some water.  She poured a cup and I poured a cup, and then was surprised as she handed  her cup to me and explained that she had poured it for me and she wanted me to drink it.  Then she reached into the bowl of glucose tab packets and said “Here, take these too”.  I told her the sign said to please only take them if I needed them, and I had already treated my low with Starbursts, and she wisely responded “Your blood sugar was 41, that means you need them so please take them”.  So I thanked her again and did.


By then it was time for Pete and I to head to registration and for them to head to the pool.  The mom and Pete snapped pictures, complete with my two cups of water and emergency packet of orange Dex4s.  I have never in my life felt such kindness and compassion from a complete stranger, let alone one that looked to be less than 10 years old.  The minute I heard the excitement in her voice upon realizing I had diabetes too, I knew without a doubt in my mind she was going to have an amazing experience at Friends for Life.  And I know she is going to have an amazing life.  I wish I had run into them again before the conference ended, but unfortunately our paths didn’t cross after that first night.  But I will always be thankful for the chance to meet this family.  And I will always remember how one small girl with a green bracelet drove the entire point of Friends for Life 2012 home to me during my very first moments there.

Busy Week . . . .

I am a busy bee this week.  I’m trialing both Glooko and mySentry (more on both soon!).  I’m rounding up the May #dsma blog carnival and coordinating the June topic.  I’m still (slowly) working on reading and commenting on the wonderful Diabetes Blog Week posts.  I have a wake to attend tomorrow night for a dear friend’s father.  I’m trying to get exercise back to the top of my priority list, so fitting in some workouts is a must.  And I’ll be spending the second half of my week in D.C. for the JDRF Annual Conference - which includes more time on the Hill advocating to my Congress people for support of diabetes issues.  Oh, and I have a pile of emails that are long overdue to be answered . . . .

Actually, it’s going to be a really great week (aside from the wake) and I’m so excited about everything.  But busy = stress and stress = erratic blood sugars.  Travel in general, and flying specifically, also tends to really throw my blood sugar into a state of havoc.  I’m always scared to toss exercise into the mix when I’m traveling.  And busy schedules and travelling can also  mess with healthy meal planning.

So basically, although I’m thrilled with everything that I have going on this week, I recognize it will be a bit challenging Diabetes-Wise.  I sure could use some tips and tricks!!  How do you stay on track during travel and busy times - especially when they both hit at once?

Ooops!!!

So today is Day 1 of the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge from Wego Health.  The fact that I don’t have a post and am using one of my two “Get Out of Post Free” cards does not bode well for me.  However, I have spent the day traveling back from Los Angeles after a fantastic few days with some marvelous DOC members for the second Medtronic Diabetes Activist Forum.  More about that, along with my attempt to post every day for the rest of April, after I get caught up on some much needed sleep!!

Afraid of Exercise . . .

I’m really really good at coming up with lame excuses not to exercise.  If I could excel at exercise the way I excel at avoiding exercise, I’d probably have several Olympic gold medals!!  But last weekend, I found a new excuse not to exercise . . . . and for once, I felt like it was a very legitimate one.  I didn’t workout because I was afraid.

Last weekend’s trip to DC for the TCOYD conference meant arriving at my hotel late last Friday afternoon. The first thing I did was check out the layout of the hotel.  In the basement was a pretty good looking gym setup.  Getting a workout in before dinner would have been nice . . . . but all I could think about was what might happen to my blood sugar after a late-day workout.  Sleeping alone in a king-size bed sounded kind of nice - with no snoring husband and no cat whose favorite sleep spot is stretched out across me.  But sleeping alone if a bad low hit?  That sounded very scary and brought a huge wave of homesickness over me.

What do you think?  Have you ever let the fears of how exercise might impact your blood sugar deter you?  In a situation like this, is it better to be cautious?  Or is it worse to let diabetes derail the opportunity for a good workout?

Unpacking . . .

Thursday I boarded the plane I was so nervous to board and flew out to Los Angeles for the Medtronic Diabetes Advocate Forum - in which Medtronic invited a group of people from the Diabetes On-Line Community to their headquarters for a conference.  Yesterday I did it all in reverse to come back home.  I stared out the window or read my book and tried to think of wide open spaces whenever I started feeling cramped.  It wasn’t that bad.  And even if the flight had measured up to my worst fear, it still would have been worth it when I factored in the experiences that awaited me in California.

I’m spending today unpacking and organizing my luggage.  And I’m also unpacking and organizing my thoughts.  It is unbelievable how much I had the good fortune to experience in such a short time.  I won’t lie, I was nervous when I left - and not just about the flight.  I was nervous about the people I’d be meeting and the sessions I’d be attending.  What if I sounded like an idiot or totally embarrassed myself?  Well, okay, I guess I did  just that when the topic came up about how floppy the Minimed CGM is - before rational thought kicked in I found myself hopping up in front of a room full of Medtronic employees and my peers and flashing my upper butt cheek to show how the sensor and transmitter need to be completely taped down.  (Note to self: it’s best to keep your butt cheeks covered in public!!)  Hopefully I also contributed some useful insights along with my public nudity.

So yes, I was nervous.  But here’s the thing . . . the Medtronic employees seemed nervous too.  They genuinely wanted to make sure the forum was beneficial to us and that we weren’t bored and yawning half way through our day.  (We weren’t - each and every speaker was fabulous, every employee I met rocked and the tour of the sensor factory was fascinating).  They made snacks and beverages available to us all day.  We were encouraged to get up and take a break any time we needed to - they even had some rooms set aside with computers and phones if we needed to check in on our lives back home.  They admitted they worried about trying to pack too much into our day - and we admitted the day seemed to fly by and we would’ve loved to have had more time!  As I mentioned when I spoke on the WEGO Socialpalooza panel, I believe both patients and pharma / medical tech companies will benefit from two-way interaction.  The Diabetes Advocate Forum made that belief even stronger.

My two days in L.A. also strengthened my belief that the D-OC is amazing!  I was lucky to connect with some old friends, meet some on-line friends in person for the first time, and get to know some great people I hadn’t had much contact with before.  My two days in L.A. were also pretty exhausting, so I was glad to spend some down time on Saturday seeing a few sights.  I also want to mention that the Hotel Palomar and their staff were fabulous and really go out of their way to make sure their guests are comfortable.  I was even encouraged to go behind the front desk at 4:45 am and help myself to coffee while I waited for my ride to the airport.

Enjoying coffee and scenery (but hey, no sunshine??) on the Santa Monica Pier.

So now I’m back home, trying to sort out my suitcase and my experiences.  K.C. is showing how much she missed me be sticking to me like glue, gazing at me as if to make sure I’ve really come back to her, and taking every opportunity she can to give me kitty kisses and nuzzles.  Pete seems just as happy to have me back - although he has kindly refrained from following me around the house and staring at me when I’m not looking.  Once I catch up with them and pour over the notes I took during the Forum I’ll have a lot more to share with you.  And yes, I did take notes, pages and pages of notes . . .  it was almost like I was back in college!!

Disclosure: Medtronic paid for my flight to and from L.A., for two nights in the hotel, and for my meals on Thursday and Friday.  I was not asked to blog or tweet, and my opinions are my own.  My decision to stay an extra day for sight-seeing was also my own and paid for by me . . .. or more accurately, paid for by my wonderful husband since I’m still unemployed at the moment.

Tongue-in-cheek disclosure: As I finish this post, I find my blood sugar is “scary low” (a.k.a. “low low”, a.k.a. “holy crap, meter, are you really telling my my blood sugar is 35?”).  So  perhaps this is all just a foggy low-blood sugar hallucination.

Help an anxious girl out?

So.  Okay.  I might be freaking out a little over here.  And you are so going to laugh at me when you hear why.  But here goes.

So tomorrow I have to fly.  On an airplane.  A very very long way.  All alone.  Next week I’ll be posting more about the fabulousness that awaits me on the other side.  But for now, I’m completely freaking out about the flight.

Yes, I’m one of those nervous flier types.  It’s not so much the “oh-my-gosh-I’m-way-high-up-in-the-air” thing that gets me.  It’s more the “holy-crap-I’m-sealed-in-this-little-tube” that freaks me out.  I’m extremely claustrophobic and the last time I flew across the country the seats were really small.  I didn’t even really have the space to reach into my carry-on to get my meter and test.  It was bad.

If the seats were this spacious I'd be fine.  But they aren't, are they?

If the claustrophobia isn’t enough to agonize over, there is always the hassle of traveling with diabetes.  Being stuck in a confined place for a number of hours is nerve-wracking too.  I’m less concerned about going low because I’ll be packing plenty of glucose tabs and granola bars - but it’s unlikely I’ll be needing those.  I’m more worried about going high, and I'm not talking about altitude here.  The nerves, the stress, the lack of activity - they all suggest I’ll be fighting high blood sugars all day.  And the other people in my row won’t be too pleased with me climbing over them to run to the bathroom every hour because my blood sugar is making my bladder fill up at record speed.

So, can you help a girl out?  I know what to pack so I’ll be prepared.  But those of you who stress over flying - what are your tips for staying calm and keeping yourself occupied on a long cramped flight?  I’m begging you, lay your best travel secrets on me . . . .because I’m gonna need them!

Bionic at the Airport . . .

I'm not all the crazy about flying, so the fact that I made it all the way to California last week was quite an accomplishment.  I guess it's not the actual act of flying that makes me the most nervous.  It's more the stress of the things leading up to flying.  Getting all of my supplies packed and ready.  Getting to the airport on time.  Getting through security.

Oh yes, getting through security.  That's extremely stressful when you are "part bionic".  The sharp pointy stuff in the carry on.  (This time I'm referring to diabetes supplies, as well as knitting needles.)  All that "hardware" attached to my body.  It always makes me nervous.  The security personnel have an important and tough job and I want to make things as easy as possible for them, as well as for myself.

Luckily, I was whisked right through without a problem (although Pea was stopped both times, imagine that!).  Here's what worked for me.

I packed all of my diabetes supplies in one big Zip-Loc bag.  Infusion sets, wipes, sensors, lancets, test strips, insulin, inserters . . . you name it, it was in there.  My insulin had my prescription printed on the box.  I removed this bag from my carry-on and placed it in a bin to go through the scanner.

Then, I turned my CGM off but left the transmitter and sensor taped on.  I removed my pump and put it in my purse for the ride through the scanner.  The whole process took only a few minutes, so my pump was off for less time than it takes me to shower.   There was no impact on my blood sugars, and no alarms from the metal detector.

Once through security, I gathered my things, connected my pump and turned the CGM back on.  Easy as pie.  I know some people prefer to keep their pump on while going through security, and I've heard they may or may not set off the metal detectors.  As with most things regarding diabetes, you have to decide what works best for you.

Now if we could just do something about those bumpy airplane landings . . .

Sweet, Sweet San Diego . . .

So as it turns out, Pea got sent to San Diego for work last week.  I decided to tag along, and we managed to fit some play time in too.

San Diego is the sweetest city I've ever seen.  The weather is sweet.  The beach is sweet.

It was about 80 degrees and I got a bit sunburned, and I loved it.  I can now say I've touched the Pacific Ocean as well as the Atlantic.  And wwwaaaayyy out there?  It wasn't Long Island, like when I look out at home.  It was Mexico.  Wow.

The Trolley Tour was sweet.  We saw Old Town, where we ate the best Mexican food ever.

Yup, Mexican two days in a row. Poor Dual Wave feature really got a work out.

We saw the sweet Gas Lamp district, where we had many an awesome breakfast at Richard Walkers and found those incredible cupcakes from my last post.  And we hopped around sweet Seaport Village to see the sights and browse the shops.

 

We found a sweet spot in Balboa Park to enjoy some southern California scenery.

But by far, the sweetest thing about San Diego was the fact that I was going to be meeting up with the D-OC's own Ninjabetic, George!!!  Even sweeter was that he had a little surprise for me.  He brought Scott with him!!  OH. MY. GOODNESS.  Could my smile have been any bigger?

It was a bit surreal and I was a wee bit confused when George said he brought a friend.  I knew it was Scott the minute I saw him, but I knew Scott doesn't live in California and it took my brain a minute or so to work the whole thing out.  I would have loved to have seen the look on my face.  (Guys, did I look like I didn't know what the heck was going on?)

We had a wonderful dinner at Denny's where we ate, talked, laughed and cried.  Not to worry, we only cried because we were laughing so hard.  We had the best waitress ever.  Scott had some fun by convincing her that we travel around the country eating at as many Denny's as we could find.  She was an incredibly good sport though.  Of course, she won George over when she brought him a whole carafe of Diet Coke.  See it in the front of the picture?  (It's empty, of course!) 

And yes, that's my infamous sunburn. In February. A SUNBURN IN FEBRUARY!! YEE HAA!

Our meet-up was over far too soon, but we had  to be up at 3am catch an early flight out.  And now, we are home, sadly, where it is barely above freezing and there are no Ninjabetics or Surprise Scotts.  But for them, the adventure continues.  Pop on over and hear about it here.

Fly High and Say Bye

First, indulge me in a little figure skating talk. Brasseur and Eisler, a Canadian pair team, had a daring move called "Fly High and Say Bye". It always brought the crowd to their feet. Wanna see it? Look for it around the 1:10 mark in this video.

Fun, huh? But why take a walk down figure skating memory lane with the "Fly High and Say Bye"? Well, that's not so fun. My family is flying high on a trip to say bye to my Uncle, whose long battle with cancer ended early Saturday morning.

Uncle J, Mom and Aunt M. April 1949.

Bye, Uncle J. I'll miss you teasing me about my knitting. I'll miss "fixing" your coffee just the way you like it. (Black, no sugar) I'll miss comparing medical devices with you. But I'm glad you are in a better place, whole and free from pain.

Be Prepared

"Be Prepared" is the official Boy Scout Motto.  As far as I'm concerned, it should be the official People With Diabetes Motto too.

Right now my family and I are getting prepared.  Prepared for some bad news about my uncle as the end of his battle with cancer draws to a close.

When the dreaded call comes in, we'll need to be on the soonest flight we can catch to Louisiana for the services.  For me, that means being as prepared diabetes-wise as I can.  I've gathered all of the D-supplies I'll need on the trip - and then some.  Insulin (short and long acting), extra infusion sets, quick-serter, alcohol swipes, IV prep pads, meter, lancets, extra test strips, syringes, ketone strips, and more Smarties, Sweet-Tarts and gummies than I could possibly need.

I have to admit, I don't look forward to going through security.  I haven't flown in almost four years, and I've never flown as a pumper.  I've done some homework on how to make it through security with as little delay as possible.  I will have all of my supplies in a (large) Zip-Loc bag - although cramming in all of the stuff listed above will be quite a feat!  I will have it out and ready as I approach the security checkpoint, and will let them know immediately that I am diabetic.  My insulin will be in it's original boxes, with the prescription printed on the front.  I will show them my insulin pump, and explain what it is and that I need to stay connected to it.  I believe the security checkpoints are extremely important, and my goal is to make their job as easy as possible.  I'll try to be prepared with everything I need to show them I am not a risky passenger.  I'm just a person managing a disease.

Be Prepared.  We live by those words every day, don't we?

Have you flown recently?  Do you have any more tips I might need?

(P.S. And for those wondering - yes, I checked and yes, knitting needles are still allowed on the plane.  I've got mine all ready to go.)