I learned...

Things I learned this week.

1. I learned that communication, no matter how hard or awkward it is at the time, it better than no communication. As you know, I decided to go with Animas for my new pump. Talking to them was easy and fun. Talking to Medtronic was not but I did it anyway. I could have just disappeared from their radar, quietly mailed back my pump in a few weeks and gone about my business.

I chose the high road and emailed the local Medtronic rep to tell her about my choice. She called me. I saw her number on my call display and agonized for a few seconds about whether or not to answer. I answered. I told her why I made my choice and she was wonderfully supportive about it. No hard feelings and she's even willing to keep my name on her list of presenters in case she organizes a panel discussion and can include me. It might never happen but, still, I'm glad we chatted.

2. I learned that a decision made that is immediately followed by a feeling of relief is probably the right decision. I made two decisions this week. One was about my pump. I signed on for five years and felt immediate relief. The other was about whether or not I want to take University courses to upgrade in order to apply for a Masters. A decision to do this would have meant me starting classes next week and being in school part-time for five years. I decided, for a variety of reasons, that this is not a good idea and felt immediate relief.

3. That being said, no decision, no matter how positive, happens without regret. I will miss my Medtronic pump. And I am sad that I won't be adding Masters student to my list of pursuits (at least for now).

4. I learned that homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are really tasty. So is homemade curried celery soup.

5. I learned that I follow baking recipes to the letter. I use cooking recipes as guidelines and scribble all over them so I remember the changes I made for next time.

6. I learned that people make the weirdest cakes for baby showers. Check this out if you need a laugh.

7. I learned, again, that diabetes is crazy. Like possessed. I swam on Wednesday like I always do. I hopped in the pool with a blood sugar of 5.8 AND I bolused 0.3 units just to keep me in line. I left the pool to discover that I was 14.4 instead of my usual 7.0. I changed my site, bolused for breakfast, waited 20 minutes and was 18.9. I bolused again (the full amount for a second time), waited 20 minutes and was 16. It took an hour for it to drop low enough to eat and then it shot right back up again to 18.

By lunch, I was fine and have been ever since. Crazytown.

8. I learned that I can indeed master the super tough Bending Crank Arms cycling workout. It's rated a 9.5/10 for difficulty (which I only noticed on my fourth time doing it thank goodness). I now finish the workout feeling energized instead of wanting to die and I no longer walk around for two days afterwards with aching muscles. Only took four times.

9. I learned that it's really hard to describe things in words sometimes. I was writing a basic iPad user manual for work and couldn't believe how hard it was to describe all the different gestures we use when using an iPad (like pinching two fingers together to shrink a page). Try it for yourself. Do a specific gesture with your hands and then try to figure out how to describe in words what you did. Hard.

10. I learned that it is really nice to sit after work with a glass of wine and chat with a good friend, or with my parents, or with Doug. This week I had the chance to do all three and each conversation was stimulating, hilarious and wonderful.