Please

I think all of us folks of the diabetic persuasion would agree that we settle into little patterns of behaviour when it comes to our diabetes management.

We have our little routines when we change our infusion site.

Our little routines when we prepare to inject insulin.

Or check our blood sugar.

I have become aware of late that there is a little step in my blood glucose checking routine that I hadn't really noticed before. Maybe I never used to do it. Or maybe I always have but never noticed.

Here's what the routine looks like:

- I open my test kit.
- I prime the lancet thingie.
- I take out a test strip and put it into the glucometer.
- I prick my finger and squeeze.
- I place my finger by the test strip and watch it suck up the droplet of blood.
- The glucometer starts counting down from 5 and I think to myself "please".

Please what?

Please don't be too high? Or too low?

And, more importantly, who am I saying please to?

Not being a religious sort of gal, I am pretty confident when I say that I don't think I'm praying.

Perhaps I'm asking the diabetes gods for a bit of help? Perhaps I'm asking the glucometer itself to spit out a number that I want to see.

I'm not really sure but, when the number isn't what I want it to be, I don't feel even remotely upset towards who (or what) ever I was saying please to.

I'm not sure if anyone out there is listening when I say it but it has become as ingrained in my daily diabetes routines as counting carbs.