The Little Things

Usually, it's the little things in life that make it all worth while.  With diabetes, it's no different.

So last night, when I used a new body area for my site, I count it as a small victory.  I've always been scared to put my pump sites on the top of my leg.  My legs are reasonably muscular (unworked muscle, but muscle nonetheless ;-)), and I'm always afraid that with all that muscle, it will hurt.  So I stick with the sides.  However, the sides of my legs are getting pretty tired.  Scar tissue is setting in, and absorption isn't what it used to be.  After taking out an arm site last night, I decided to give the top of my right leg a go.  And guess what?

It didn't hurt. :)

Almost 24 hours later, it still feels just fine, and absorption is great.  Just goes to show what can happen if you try something new. :)  It made my day...it's the little things.

(Almost) Ten

November 30th of this year, I will mark 10 years with diabetes.  I usually don't make a big deal about my diaverseries.  I remember the day, I remember how many years it's been.  But I never really do anything special.

However, I really, really want to this year.  10 years feels like a really big deal.  I deserves to be celebrated.

This year has been especially rough for some reason.  I've had a lot of mental breakdowns over the D the last 6 months, which is something I haven't experienced since diagnosis.  Part of it has to do with getting married and turning my thoughts towards family planning.  But part of it is just that it's been almost 10 years, and this isn't getting any easier.

So here's my problem: I don't have a clue what to do to mark the occasion.  The time will be even more special since just a few days before my diaversery, my husband and I will celebrate our 1st wedding anniversary.

A have a few small things already planned for the month, since November is Diabetes Month, but I want to do something for ME.  Maybe get a pedicure (which I've never had), or buy something I've wanted for a while, or have a day full of my favorite things.

So what do you think? What do you do to commemorate your diaverseries?

DBlog Week Day 3: Diabetes Bloopers

For a full list of topics, click here.

I have done so many stupid things in almost 10 years of diabetes, it's not even funny.  Most of them just flat out make me angry, rather than laugh.  However, there are always a few...

Pumps are always good for a laugh. Recently, after falling asleep on the couch one afternoon, my pump leaped from my pocket, and wedged itself into the couch cushions to take a nap of it's own.  I woke up, but the pump stayed in the couch.  You can imagine how well that ended...

I have ripped my site out while sleeping more times than I like to admit.  Usually this happens when there's already a loose edge on the tape, and that edge manages to catch itself just perfectly on the sheet.  I roll over, and riiiiiippppp! This happened most recently on my honeymoon.

My parents cat has played with the tubing.  The tubing has caught on door knobs.  The tubing has wrapped itself around me in my sleep (and my husband).

This last summer at Bible camp was quite an experience.  I went tubing (in an inner tube, not to be confused with the previous discussion of tubing) on the river running through camp with the kids.  For this event, I clipped my pump up high on my body to avoid the water.  I didn't want to take it off because this was an hour without it, and I wasn't exercising, just relaxing in a tube.  When I arrived back on shore, I noticed a little wetness in the screen, but all seemed to be working just fine, so I went right on with my day.  Fast forward to 5am the next morning.  My pump is wailing at me with a nice "NO DELIVERY" alarm.  The water is now covering the screen.  This episode ends with a call to Minimed, and replacement pump on the way, and giving myself shots of Novalog until camp ended later that day.  Not funny at the time, but I managed to post about it on facebook when I got home and elicit a few laughs.

So there you have it.  There are many more stories to tell, this barely touches the surface.  Diabetes is always good for a laugh (at least in hindsight). :)