Christmas vacation starts at 2pm today!
Two weeks off.
Two weeks to rest. To relax. To see my friends. To see my family. To run, swim and bike when I want to - rather than when I can.
We have lots of stuff planned as well as plenty of down time.
If all other routines are out the window, I'm guessing my blogging schedule will be a little less structured too.
I'll write - but maybe not every day.
Life returns to 'normal' on January 6th.
Until then, I'll see you when I see you.
Enjoy the holiday season - however it looks to you.
And remember - it's not what you eat between Christmas and New Years that you need to worry about. It's what you eat between New Years and Christmas.
So enjoy!
Friday, December 20, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Bending the Crank
Wednesday morning I got up just after 5am. Despite not going to bed until 10pm the night before after having agreed to spare at the curling club.
I got up early and headed back down to the basement for my second go on the trainer.
Why?
Because I wrote in my blog the day before that I would and I hated the thought of not doing it. Even though no one would know the difference.
You wonderful folks out there who tune in day in and day out are the best motivation. You keep me honest and you are the kick in the butt I need on cold, dark mornings.
So not only did I get up early because of YOU. I also did the crazy Bending Crank Arms workout because I told YOU I was going to do it. Now that it's over and hours and hours in the past, I can thank YOU for making me do it. At the time though - I was not so grateful...
For the record - it's still hard.
Thankfully not as hard as it was last spring when I first did it. There was not one moment when I thought I would throw up. Bonus points right there.
There was never a second when I doubted my ability to finish it. Double bonus.
There were, however, a few moments when I remembered why Coach Troy and I are not and never will be bffs. He's a tough dude and he motivates me but I'd have to kill him if I didn't have the option to turn him off. I can only take so much of his upbeat, militant, rip my muscles apart while flashing a brilliant smile kinda stuff. Especially at 5:30am.
Some tough workouts I don't feel until the next morning when I get out of bed. Some I feel the same night as I crawl into bed.
This one I felt before lunch. My quads were stiffening up at an alarming rate. They were tight by lunch and sore to touch soon afterwards.
Thankfully, I tacked the crank arms on the day when I already had a post-work massage scheduled. My massage therapist commented on how tight everything felt but I slid out of there an hour later feeling much better.
Friday I'll do an easier bike workout but next week, I'll be back at it again, trying to bend those crank arms.
It's surprising really how good it feels when you finish something that seems so darn hard when you're in the middle of it.
Thank YOU for kicking me out of bed yesterday and getting me on the bike. Much appreciated!
I got up early and headed back down to the basement for my second go on the trainer.
Why?
Because I wrote in my blog the day before that I would and I hated the thought of not doing it. Even though no one would know the difference.
You wonderful folks out there who tune in day in and day out are the best motivation. You keep me honest and you are the kick in the butt I need on cold, dark mornings.
So not only did I get up early because of YOU. I also did the crazy Bending Crank Arms workout because I told YOU I was going to do it. Now that it's over and hours and hours in the past, I can thank YOU for making me do it. At the time though - I was not so grateful...
For the record - it's still hard.
Thankfully not as hard as it was last spring when I first did it. There was not one moment when I thought I would throw up. Bonus points right there.
There was never a second when I doubted my ability to finish it. Double bonus.
There were, however, a few moments when I remembered why Coach Troy and I are not and never will be bffs. He's a tough dude and he motivates me but I'd have to kill him if I didn't have the option to turn him off. I can only take so much of his upbeat, militant, rip my muscles apart while flashing a brilliant smile kinda stuff. Especially at 5:30am.
Some tough workouts I don't feel until the next morning when I get out of bed. Some I feel the same night as I crawl into bed.
This one I felt before lunch. My quads were stiffening up at an alarming rate. They were tight by lunch and sore to touch soon afterwards.
Thankfully, I tacked the crank arms on the day when I already had a post-work massage scheduled. My massage therapist commented on how tight everything felt but I slid out of there an hour later feeling much better.
Friday I'll do an easier bike workout but next week, I'll be back at it again, trying to bend those crank arms.
It's surprising really how good it feels when you finish something that seems so darn hard when you're in the middle of it.
Thank YOU for kicking me out of bed yesterday and getting me on the bike. Much appreciated!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Back in the Saddle
Well, after two weeks of not getting up at
the crack of dawn to swim, I’m happy to report that I’m feeling a bit more
rested. Not back to my usual self quite yet but much closer. In fact, on Monday morning, my body was itching to do something.
Our Masters swim classes are now finished
until 2014 and I didn’t feel like heading across town in the cold just to swim
on my own. (Running is something I can do without external motivation - swimming goes better when I pay to have someone yell at me.) I also didn’t want to add more days of running to my schedule so
close to a race. So I bit the bullet and headed downstairs. Not downstairs to
the kitchen but downstairs downstairs – to our spider-filled, stone-walled,
low-ceiling’d basement to spend some quality time with my trainer.
Yes folks, I’m back in the saddle
again.
I tried to remember my well-honed routine
from last spring but my memory failed and it took a few trips back and forth to
the trap door before I had everything I needed. The pile consisted of my
laptop, my bottle filled with water and my other bottle filled with NUUN, two
packs of fruit chews in case of emergencies, Dexter to keep me posted on how
I’m doing (he's a new addition to the supplies this year), some tissues because my nose runs when I’m down there, my iPhone in
case my bike falls off the trainer and I end up in a heap, buried under bicycle
parts, clipped in and unable to scream loud enough to be heard two floors up.
I realized after I finally dragged
everything down that I forgot a small towel to mop up the sweat and also forgot
to set up the fan to keep me cool. Oh well, there are plenty of cold cycling mornings left
for me to get the details worked out.
As this was my first time on the bike in a
few months and my first time on the trainer since probably April or May, I decided
to hold off on my beloved Bending Crank Arms workout. Instead, I settled for a
45-minute ‘calorie-burning’ workout and focused on encouraging my legs to just
keep spinning and my rump to toughen up a bit. I promised (or perhaps threatened) them that I would be bending crank arms on Wednesday so they had better shape up...fast.
Compared to running and swimming, a hour of
spinning never feels as tough a workout, no matter how hard I bend those crank
arms. After the video ended, I climbed upstairs thinking that I felt energized (which is good) but not
really drained the way I do after a good swim or run (not so good).
The next morning, as I bent over to tie my
shoes on for my early-morning run, I noticed more than a few achy muscles. Aching in places that only a good bike ride
can find.
Makes me think that my Wednesday morning
return to Bending Crank Arms is going to be tougher than I thought...
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Retirement Wishes
Once upon a time, a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, there lived a pancreas.
He had a full-time job, at which he was very very good. His boss counted on him to get his work done, well and on time. His co-workers were fun to hang out with and everyone pulled together to make sure quotas were met and products were delivered. It has a fast-paced, busy life but he loved it.
One day, the pancreas felt a little tired. He went to work anyway but what work he did wasn't quite up to snuff. He began to take more breaks than he used to, trying to rest up and find his mojo again. It didn't seem to matter how much time off he took, he continued to feel more and more exhausted. Unable to perform. Unable to keep up with his colleagues.
He eventually just stopped coming to work altogether. His office was cleared out, his name taken off the door. Dust settled in the corners, cobwebs appeared. Despite an intensive search no one was found who could replace him. No one could fill the void he left. The entire company started to fall apart. They were days, perhaps weeks away from a complete collapse.
In the nick of time, they were saved.
His name was Humalog. He wasn't as efficient as Mr. Pancreas was. His work a little less predictable. A little less reliable. He was finicky, didn't like the cold or the heat, responded differently every day, despite everyone's best efforts to provide a stable, consistent workplace for him.
Still though, he saved everyone and for that the rest of the team was willing to put up with his quirks.
They brought in the latest technology to help Humalog meet the needs of the rest of the team. First came needles and they were replaced with pumps. Glucometers were given CGMs to help keep them on track. Or was it the other way around?
Humalog was here to stay.
Mr. Pancreas. It has been more than a decade since you left and yet you are still the stuff of legend. Everyone still talks about you at the office. You did the work of twenty men when you were here. For that we will be forever grateful. You set the bar high and no one has yet come close.
You are greatly missed but I we have come to terms with the fact that you had to go. I hope that you are happy in your retirement.
Wishing you the best during this holiday season.
Céline
He had a full-time job, at which he was very very good. His boss counted on him to get his work done, well and on time. His co-workers were fun to hang out with and everyone pulled together to make sure quotas were met and products were delivered. It has a fast-paced, busy life but he loved it.
One day, the pancreas felt a little tired. He went to work anyway but what work he did wasn't quite up to snuff. He began to take more breaks than he used to, trying to rest up and find his mojo again. It didn't seem to matter how much time off he took, he continued to feel more and more exhausted. Unable to perform. Unable to keep up with his colleagues.
He eventually just stopped coming to work altogether. His office was cleared out, his name taken off the door. Dust settled in the corners, cobwebs appeared. Despite an intensive search no one was found who could replace him. No one could fill the void he left. The entire company started to fall apart. They were days, perhaps weeks away from a complete collapse.
In the nick of time, they were saved.
His name was Humalog. He wasn't as efficient as Mr. Pancreas was. His work a little less predictable. A little less reliable. He was finicky, didn't like the cold or the heat, responded differently every day, despite everyone's best efforts to provide a stable, consistent workplace for him.
Still though, he saved everyone and for that the rest of the team was willing to put up with his quirks.
They brought in the latest technology to help Humalog meet the needs of the rest of the team. First came needles and they were replaced with pumps. Glucometers were given CGMs to help keep them on track. Or was it the other way around?
Humalog was here to stay.
Mr. Pancreas. It has been more than a decade since you left and yet you are still the stuff of legend. Everyone still talks about you at the office. You did the work of twenty men when you were here. For that we will be forever grateful. You set the bar high and no one has yet come close.
You are greatly missed but I we have come to terms with the fact that you had to go. I hope that you are happy in your retirement.
Wishing you the best during this holiday season.
Céline
Monday, December 16, 2013
Braveheart
There are some things about running that non-runners seem to understand.
Like the fact that a Saturday morning long run allows us to eat pretty much what we want that day for lunch. Who wouldn't like that?
There are other things about running that non-runners think is ridiculous. Like chafing.
And like going for a long run after a big dump of snow - when the streets are still covered, the sidewalks unpassable and the wind whipping the white stuff around and around.
Thankfully, I'm a runner so I totally get the appeal of heading out into a winter wonderland. Which is exactly what we did on Saturday morning while the snow was still falling.
I was supposed to run 14k. Instead, I ran for time rather than distance and ended up doing 12.5k in the time it normally takes to run 14k. Part of the deal when you're running in the winter - pace is sacrificed for safe footing.
I ran by a lot of people out shovelling driveways and sidewalks. Some didn't see me as they were too busy heaving on their shovels. A few people glanced my way and went back to their work. Another few said a word that sounded suspiciously like "crazy".
I'm guessing those folks are not runners.
One person, all bundled up, said "it's actually nice once you get used to it eh?" I nodded in agreement.
Another man, shovelling out the end of his driveway, spotted me coming. He stopped, leaned on his shovel and watched me approach. He looked at me not with disdain or with envy. Just with interest.
"Braveheart" he said.
I grinned and said "it's beautiful out here isn't it?". He nodded and went back to his shovel.
I carried on and thought about my newest nickname.
Braveheart.
I like it.
Like the fact that a Saturday morning long run allows us to eat pretty much what we want that day for lunch. Who wouldn't like that?
There are other things about running that non-runners think is ridiculous. Like chafing.
And like going for a long run after a big dump of snow - when the streets are still covered, the sidewalks unpassable and the wind whipping the white stuff around and around.
Thankfully, I'm a runner so I totally get the appeal of heading out into a winter wonderland. Which is exactly what we did on Saturday morning while the snow was still falling.
I was supposed to run 14k. Instead, I ran for time rather than distance and ended up doing 12.5k in the time it normally takes to run 14k. Part of the deal when you're running in the winter - pace is sacrificed for safe footing.
I ran by a lot of people out shovelling driveways and sidewalks. Some didn't see me as they were too busy heaving on their shovels. A few people glanced my way and went back to their work. Another few said a word that sounded suspiciously like "crazy".
I'm guessing those folks are not runners.
One person, all bundled up, said "it's actually nice once you get used to it eh?" I nodded in agreement.
Another man, shovelling out the end of his driveway, spotted me coming. He stopped, leaned on his shovel and watched me approach. He looked at me not with disdain or with envy. Just with interest.
"Braveheart" he said.
I grinned and said "it's beautiful out here isn't it?". He nodded and went back to his shovel.
I carried on and thought about my newest nickname.
Braveheart.
I like it.
Our orange Christmas balls hanging from our Charlie Brown tree after the snowfall. If you look closely you'll spot my favourite photographer in the picture.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Running by Numbers
When I was building up my mileage for my half marathon back in October, I was very conscious about not overdoing it. Not pushing my foot too hard or too fast.
So I gently added two kilometres every Saturday but I kept my weekday runs to 5-6k, twice a week. No hills. No speed work. Just enough to keep my body moving.
I survived the half, took a bit of down time and then started back at 10k to build up for my 16k race on Boxing Day.
This time, I wanted to increase my running fitness in a different way. I had noticed during my half marathon training that my 5k weekday runs never really felt good. Five kilometres is not really long enough for me to warm up and find my groove.
So this time I decided to do something that, while perhaps not scientific, appealed to my love of numbers and patterns.
In the week building up to my first 10k weekend run, I ran 5k twice during the week. Five plus five equals ten. With me so far?
The next week, when I was planning to run 12k on the weekend, I ran 6k twice during the week. Six plus six equals twelve.
The next week, I ran 7k twice in preparation for my 14k weekend run. And the following week, I ran 8k twice - but then missed my 16k run due to a curling bonspiel - sad day.
Going from 5 to 6k at 5:30am felt way harder than it should have. Going from 6k to 7k was also a bit of a slog - plus I now had to get up earlier to accommodate the extra time I was taking.
During the 8k run week - something clicked and they were much better. I hit my stride and my body seemed to be getting used to the extra weekday distance. Instead of slogging through most of the run, I now took a few k to warm up and then enjoyed the last 5k. I didn't worry about pace. I chose a route with one tough hill and a few easier ones and I let my mind wander.
Over the past few weeks I have cut back on my swims and have skipped a long run due to fatigue. One thing I have not done is I have not tapered back down from the 8k on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I like them. A lot. Way more than I thought I might. It's a good distance for me and I come home feeling strong and ready to face the day.
Even though I'm bringing my long run distances back down in preparation for race day, I think I'll hold on to my 8k runs for a little longer. I'm not ready to give them up quite yet.
So I gently added two kilometres every Saturday but I kept my weekday runs to 5-6k, twice a week. No hills. No speed work. Just enough to keep my body moving.
I survived the half, took a bit of down time and then started back at 10k to build up for my 16k race on Boxing Day.
This time, I wanted to increase my running fitness in a different way. I had noticed during my half marathon training that my 5k weekday runs never really felt good. Five kilometres is not really long enough for me to warm up and find my groove.
So this time I decided to do something that, while perhaps not scientific, appealed to my love of numbers and patterns.
In the week building up to my first 10k weekend run, I ran 5k twice during the week. Five plus five equals ten. With me so far?
The next week, when I was planning to run 12k on the weekend, I ran 6k twice during the week. Six plus six equals twelve.
The next week, I ran 7k twice in preparation for my 14k weekend run. And the following week, I ran 8k twice - but then missed my 16k run due to a curling bonspiel - sad day.
Going from 5 to 6k at 5:30am felt way harder than it should have. Going from 6k to 7k was also a bit of a slog - plus I now had to get up earlier to accommodate the extra time I was taking.
During the 8k run week - something clicked and they were much better. I hit my stride and my body seemed to be getting used to the extra weekday distance. Instead of slogging through most of the run, I now took a few k to warm up and then enjoyed the last 5k. I didn't worry about pace. I chose a route with one tough hill and a few easier ones and I let my mind wander.
Over the past few weeks I have cut back on my swims and have skipped a long run due to fatigue. One thing I have not done is I have not tapered back down from the 8k on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I like them. A lot. Way more than I thought I might. It's a good distance for me and I come home feeling strong and ready to face the day.
Even though I'm bringing my long run distances back down in preparation for race day, I think I'll hold on to my 8k runs for a little longer. I'm not ready to give them up quite yet.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Tough Little Dude
It's Thursday.
That means yesterday was Wednesday.
That means that yesterday, at 4:30pm, it has been exactly two weeks since I revved up Dexter for the first time.
Exactly one week since I brought him back from the dead as zombie Dex.
Which means that yesterday at 4:30pm, zombie Dex was seven days old.
At seven days old, ready or not, he dies.
So my undead little buddy was dead again.
I didn't miss a beat this time. He died. I immediately restarted him and, two hours later, he came back to life.
Still accurate. Still hanging on (albeit a little less securely). Still willing to work to keep me alive.
In just over two weeks Dex was 'woken up', he died, he was turned into a zombie, he died again and then came back to life a second time.
Is there a term for that? Or is it once a zombie, always a zombie?
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Dexaddict
You know how some people are addicted to their iPhones? Or their Blackberries.
Crackberries as I've heard them referred to.
They check compulsively every few minutes, or seconds, just to see if they missed anything.
I am becoming addicted to my Dexcom.
Don't worry though. I don't overuse him all the time.
Just when I'm high.
(Is it just me or does saying I overuse my Dexcom when I'm high sounds suspiciously like the mayor of Toronto saying "I only use crack cocaine when I'm in a drunken stupor"?)
Well, I guess the first step to getting help is admitting the problem right?
So here's my problem. When my blood sugar is behaving, I can happily leave Dex on my desk for hours without peeking. He's like my quiet sidekick that I trust to alert me of danger as needed.
When I'm high and showing no signs of dropping, I'll bolus and then check Dex every five minutes. For an hour. If I'm still climbing or haven't dropped enough for my liking, I'll test my BG on my glucometer to confirm, bolus again and then check every five minutes.
Once I finally start dropping, I check every five minutes to make sure I don't drop too low. Once I plateau, and stay steady for a while he goes back on my desk and is ignored again...until the next spike.
Am I a pro-active person with diabetes taking good care of my health by correcting highs and avoiding lows?
Or am I a Dexaddict?
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Finding my Mojo
I've fallen off the bandwagon. Partly on purpose. Partly out of necessity. Partly because it feels like what I need right now.
My regular routine of working out six or seven days out of the week has, for the last two weeks, dropped down to 4 days a week.
Max.
A combination of crazy schedules, simply not enough time, late nights and a nagging fatigue that feels heavier than it should has resulted in my skipping more workouts than I have in...I don't remember how long.
I've swum twice in two weeks instead of six times.
I haven't cycled once.
I've gotten four runs in instead of six and I completely skipped my scheduled 16k long run that was in my training plan for the upcoming Boxing Day ten mile race I signed up for.
Despite sleeping in until 6:30am most mornings, and a much reduced workout schedule, I feel like I'm still in major sleep debt.
So I've decided not to worry about picking up my socks and getting back on the bandwagon. Instead, I'm going to focus on sleeping as much as I can, eating as well as I can and getting in a few quality workouts rather than a bunch of half-hearted ones.
I have nine working days left until I get two weeks off. Two weeks to recover. Catch up on my rest. Nap when I want to. Workout at noon if that's what makes sense.
Twenty-fourteen is already filling up with races, travel plans and lofty goals. I don't want to start off the year feeling like I'm behind the 8 ball.
Nine working days left and then I can work on getting my mojo back.
My regular routine of working out six or seven days out of the week has, for the last two weeks, dropped down to 4 days a week.
Max.
A combination of crazy schedules, simply not enough time, late nights and a nagging fatigue that feels heavier than it should has resulted in my skipping more workouts than I have in...I don't remember how long.
I've swum twice in two weeks instead of six times.
I haven't cycled once.
I've gotten four runs in instead of six and I completely skipped my scheduled 16k long run that was in my training plan for the upcoming Boxing Day ten mile race I signed up for.
Despite sleeping in until 6:30am most mornings, and a much reduced workout schedule, I feel like I'm still in major sleep debt.
So I've decided not to worry about picking up my socks and getting back on the bandwagon. Instead, I'm going to focus on sleeping as much as I can, eating as well as I can and getting in a few quality workouts rather than a bunch of half-hearted ones.
I have nine working days left until I get two weeks off. Two weeks to recover. Catch up on my rest. Nap when I want to. Workout at noon if that's what makes sense.
Twenty-fourteen is already filling up with races, travel plans and lofty goals. I don't want to start off the year feeling like I'm behind the 8 ball.
Nine working days left and then I can work on getting my mojo back.
Monday, December 9, 2013
Seeing the Forest for the Trees
We spent a good part of our weekend in a small little town called Forest.
Population: 3500
Tim Hortons: 1
Churches: 5
Curling clubs: 1
Doug and I made the two-hour drive early Saturday morning. We arrived and checked in to the only hotel in town. The hotel, and the rest of the town for that matter, were overflowing with curlers from all over the region. Eight men's teams and eight women's teams were in town. Each team had won their zone and were in Forest to try their hand at winning the Regional Championships.
Doug's team played their first game at 12:30pm on Saturday. We got there early and I staked my claim on the perfect chair, right in front of the glass, facing sheet four. There was one empty seat beside me and I wondered who would end up being my watching buddy since I was the only 'fan' from the St. Catharines team. As I watched Doug and his team do their warm-up practice routine, a familiar face appeared. Doug's friend John had made the trip to cheer them on. He snatched the seat beside me and we kept each other company during the game - mostly me asking questions and John answering them.
It's hard to stand far enough back from a disappointing day of curling to see the amount of talent it took to get to that point. Hopefully, with a bit of distance, the St. Catharines Masters Zone Champions will see the Forest for what it was. A chance to play competitive curling, rub elbows with some talented people, learn a few things, and come back stronger next year.
Population: 3500
Tim Hortons: 1
Churches: 5
Curling clubs: 1
Doug and I made the two-hour drive early Saturday morning. We arrived and checked in to the only hotel in town. The hotel, and the rest of the town for that matter, were overflowing with curlers from all over the region. Eight men's teams and eight women's teams were in town. Each team had won their zone and were in Forest to try their hand at winning the Regional Championships.
Doug's team played their first game at 12:30pm on Saturday. We got there early and I staked my claim on the perfect chair, right in front of the glass, facing sheet four. There was one empty seat beside me and I wondered who would end up being my watching buddy since I was the only 'fan' from the St. Catharines team. As I watched Doug and his team do their warm-up practice routine, a familiar face appeared. Doug's friend John had made the trip to cheer them on. He snatched the seat beside me and we kept each other company during the game - mostly me asking questions and John answering them.
A sign I spotted pinned to the wall that captures the curling world perfectly. While the team plays their heart out on the ice, the folks behind the glass have animated discussions after each shot about what they should have done.
The Forest Curling Club. Quite a nice facility full of history. Established in 1884.
Doug and Larry sweeping their hearts out to drag their red rock past the blue guard.
Doug throwing his first rock in the second end.
Hurry!! Hard!!!
Doug holding the broom for the skip. Based on where the broom is, I'm going to guess he's trying for a takeout on that blue rock.
Another action shot.
As I said, the game went back and forth.
For those of you who can't read a curling scoreboard:
Doug's team took one in the first end.
Lost one in the second end.
Took two in the third.
Lost three in the fourth.
Took one in the fifth.
Lost one in the sixth.
Took one in the seventh.
They started the eighth and final end at a disadvantage. The score was 6:5 for the other team and the other team had the hammer. Also known as the last rock.
Doug's team lost.
Their next game was at 8pm and winning had just become a necessity because teams were out as soon as they lost two games.
The second game was one of misfortune, valiant fights and more misfortune. The opponents took a four-point end early in the game. Never a good sign. Doug's team fought back point by point and they were back in competition by the fifth end with a score of 4:3. Unfortunately, the opponents then took another four-point end.
Fighting back from one bad end is possible. Two of them? Not an easy feat.
They lost. And, as quickly as their Regional Championship adventure began, it ended.
It's hard to stand far enough back from a disappointing day of curling to see the amount of talent it took to get to that point. Hopefully, with a bit of distance, the St. Catharines Masters Zone Champions will see the Forest for what it was. A chance to play competitive curling, rub elbows with some talented people, learn a few things, and come back stronger next year.
Friday, December 6, 2013
It's Been a Zombie Green Curry Rage Bolusing Kinda Week
What I learned this week.
- being woken up multiple times in the night by Mr. Dex can get really annoying, especially when I'm not really having problematic blood sugars.
- on the other hand, sleeping through the night without a peep for Dexter and seeing a lovely steady blood sugar graph in the morning makes the restful sleep even more sweet.
- green curry and sticky rice is apparently very bad for my blood sugars.
- it is indeed possible to create a zombie Dexcom sensor. Hopefully Zombie Dex is satisfied just being attached to me and doesn't try to eat my brains when I'm not looking.
- being woken up multiple times in the night by Mr. Dex can get really annoying, especially when I'm not really having problematic blood sugars.
- on the other hand, sleeping through the night without a peep for Dexter and seeing a lovely steady blood sugar graph in the morning makes the restful sleep even more sweet.
- green curry and sticky rice is apparently very bad for my blood sugars.
I'll let you guess when the thai food kicked in. Well timed for a perfectly horrid night of testing and rage bolusing.
- a night like the one above is one of the only times I will turn off my 4:50am alarm without an ounce of guilt. A missed workout is sometimes the best way to take care of myself.
- it's so much easier to close a bank account than to open one. It took under five minutes to pay off a loan, cancel a credit card and close a bank account. It took three visits to another bank to set up an account, transfer my loan and open an RDSP. I am happy with the end result but intrigued by what was hard and what was easy about it.
- good friends, dinner and a wicked movie make all the difference in the world and should happen more often
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Back From the Dead
As I'm typing this, I'm waiting patiently for the two hours to be up so I can see if the rumours are true.
Rumour has it that I can bring my Dexcom sensor back from the dead.
Sensors are supposed to last for seven days and I started my very first one last Wednesday evening. It didn't come as much of a surprise that, yesterday afternoon, I started getting warnings that my sensor would end in x hours. And then in x minutes.
At precisely 4:45pm it ended. And at 4:45pm, I started a new sensor.
Only it was an old sensor. A technicaly dead sensor.
In fact it was the same sensor that's been hanging on for a week already and, with my new Tegaderm recommended by Jeff, the same sensor that will be hanging on for a while yet.
Rumour has it that I can tell Dex that I have put in a new sensor, he'll do his two-hour new sensor warm up dance and then I should be good to go for another seven days. Dex may be cute and very helpful but he is apparently not that hard to fool.
I've been doing some reading online and some people can drag these puppies out for twenty days or more before they start to really fail - sputtering to a halt or recording some wonky numbers.
Being a frugal, waste not, want not kinda girl, I'm all for it.
My question is: if the rumours are true and I can bring my sensor back from the other side, does that mean I now have a zombie Dexcom?
And, if so, does that make me super cool or really creepy?
Rumour has it that I can bring my Dexcom sensor back from the dead.
Sensors are supposed to last for seven days and I started my very first one last Wednesday evening. It didn't come as much of a surprise that, yesterday afternoon, I started getting warnings that my sensor would end in x hours. And then in x minutes.
At precisely 4:45pm it ended. And at 4:45pm, I started a new sensor.
Only it was an old sensor. A technicaly dead sensor.
In fact it was the same sensor that's been hanging on for a week already and, with my new Tegaderm recommended by Jeff, the same sensor that will be hanging on for a while yet.
Rumour has it that I can tell Dex that I have put in a new sensor, he'll do his two-hour new sensor warm up dance and then I should be good to go for another seven days. Dex may be cute and very helpful but he is apparently not that hard to fool.
I've been doing some reading online and some people can drag these puppies out for twenty days or more before they start to really fail - sputtering to a halt or recording some wonky numbers.
Being a frugal, waste not, want not kinda girl, I'm all for it.
My question is: if the rumours are true and I can bring my sensor back from the other side, does that mean I now have a zombie Dexcom?
And, if so, does that make me super cool or really creepy?
Tell me that's not creepy. Go on, I dare you.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
A Dex By Any Other Name...
I am a big fan of Dexter.
I am attached to a device called Dexcom.
This device is also known as 'Dex' for short. The same nickname as the guy drinking coffee in the first picture.
Oh, and when my blood sugar drops, I eat fast-acting carbs in the form of Dex 4s.
Also known as 'Dex' for short. Kinda like the device attached to me or like the guy drinking coffee in the first picture.
I know it's only been a week but, so far, I haven't confused a serial killer with my continuous glucose monitor. Not even once.
Nor have I mistaken a blood spatter analyst's photos for my three-hour BG trends.
Nor have I tried to eat my Dexcom in the middle of a really bad low.
Nor have I stared at the my bottle of Dex 4s wondering if they're trying to kill me.
But I can see how, in one of those foggy 3am low blood sugar hazes, I might get a little turned around and think that perhaps I'm being attached by my Dexcom receiver. And if that were to happen, I might try to kill the attacking Dexcom by whipping my bottle of Dex 4s at its head.
I can also see myself trying to explain what happened to Doug and insisting that he thank me for saving his life from a serial killing blood spatter analyst who lives on my bedside table.
Anyone else having problems like this?
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Five Days Later - Holding Steady
I've been Dexy now for five full days. Five showers (six actually). Five sleeps. Five days of clothes rubbing against him.
I like him - even more than I thought I might. I cannot believe how easily I forget he's attached to me. I don't feel him. He doesn't get caught on things. The lack of tubing coming out of him certainly helps but I still never thought I'd say that a hard plastic thing sticking out of me would be comfy.
It is.
He's been put to a few tests already. He survived four games of curling. One on Friday night and three on Saturday. Curling involves a lot of squatting and crouching which moves ones torso in odd ways sometimes. It also involves a lot of bending over a broom sweeping madly while running full tilt down the ice. Oh, and it's freakin' freezing out there!
The site and the transmitter held up just fine despite the numerous times I could have caught it on a broom handle or swept the darn thing right off. My receiver stayed tucked in my vest pocked and survived the numerous hot/cold/hot/cold temperature changes. He also did a super job of keeping me informed on how I was doing as I had never curled so much in one day before. I checked every few ends and didn't have to worry about going low at a game-changing moment.
The problem with our busy weekend was that there was no time to get a run or a swim in. So, other than curling, Dexter didn't get any workouts in during his first few days.
Yesterday morning, I headed back to the pool for my regular workout. I left the receive in my locker since it's not at all waterproof and I didn't want to risk it getting wet. As for the transmitter and sensor - well I decided to swim like I normally would because I needed to know if they could hack it. We did a speed/distance set with lots of 200m and 300m fast swims that ended with 8x25m sprints going full tilt.
He hung on just fine - thank goodness. In fact I kept feeling to make sure he was still there. I fully expected to spot my transmitter lying at the bottom of the pool by the end.
I showered and headed off to work. At the end of the day, I pull back my shirt and noticed that the edges of the sticky area were no longer sticky and they were starting to peel back a bit. That often happens to my pump site on the last day but I never worry about it because I know it's coming off soon. It's another story with Monsieur Dex as I'm hoping to drag every second I can out of every single site - especially if they are behaving as well as this one is.
So we pulled out the IV 3000 (the sticky dressing used to hold IVs on). Doug cut a hole in the centre and placed it on to hold the site in place.
I've learned that IV 3000 doesn't survive showers well but does ok otherwise. So, by the time you read this, I will have sleep on the site for another night, I will have run 8k with it on, showered and, if needed, put a new IV 3000 on to hold Dex to me for another day.
I'm guessing this is not a long-term solution because I'd rather not be going through these things daily. I also don't love the IV 3000 because my skin doesn't breathe well with it and gets red and itchy pretty quickly.
If anyone has discovered any other products that hold infusion sites or Dex sensors in place, that breathe a little better, and that can also withstand the rigours of an active lifestyle (pool/run/curl etc) - I'd love to know.
I like him - even more than I thought I might. I cannot believe how easily I forget he's attached to me. I don't feel him. He doesn't get caught on things. The lack of tubing coming out of him certainly helps but I still never thought I'd say that a hard plastic thing sticking out of me would be comfy.
It is.
He's been put to a few tests already. He survived four games of curling. One on Friday night and three on Saturday. Curling involves a lot of squatting and crouching which moves ones torso in odd ways sometimes. It also involves a lot of bending over a broom sweeping madly while running full tilt down the ice. Oh, and it's freakin' freezing out there!
The site and the transmitter held up just fine despite the numerous times I could have caught it on a broom handle or swept the darn thing right off. My receiver stayed tucked in my vest pocked and survived the numerous hot/cold/hot/cold temperature changes. He also did a super job of keeping me informed on how I was doing as I had never curled so much in one day before. I checked every few ends and didn't have to worry about going low at a game-changing moment.
The problem with our busy weekend was that there was no time to get a run or a swim in. So, other than curling, Dexter didn't get any workouts in during his first few days.
Yesterday morning, I headed back to the pool for my regular workout. I left the receive in my locker since it's not at all waterproof and I didn't want to risk it getting wet. As for the transmitter and sensor - well I decided to swim like I normally would because I needed to know if they could hack it. We did a speed/distance set with lots of 200m and 300m fast swims that ended with 8x25m sprints going full tilt.
He hung on just fine - thank goodness. In fact I kept feeling to make sure he was still there. I fully expected to spot my transmitter lying at the bottom of the pool by the end.
I showered and headed off to work. At the end of the day, I pull back my shirt and noticed that the edges of the sticky area were no longer sticky and they were starting to peel back a bit. That often happens to my pump site on the last day but I never worry about it because I know it's coming off soon. It's another story with Monsieur Dex as I'm hoping to drag every second I can out of every single site - especially if they are behaving as well as this one is.
So we pulled out the IV 3000 (the sticky dressing used to hold IVs on). Doug cut a hole in the centre and placed it on to hold the site in place.
I've learned that IV 3000 doesn't survive showers well but does ok otherwise. So, by the time you read this, I will have sleep on the site for another night, I will have run 8k with it on, showered and, if needed, put a new IV 3000 on to hold Dex to me for another day.
I'm guessing this is not a long-term solution because I'd rather not be going through these things daily. I also don't love the IV 3000 because my skin doesn't breathe well with it and gets red and itchy pretty quickly.
If anyone has discovered any other products that hold infusion sites or Dex sensors in place, that breathe a little better, and that can also withstand the rigours of an active lifestyle (pool/run/curl etc) - I'd love to know.
Monday, December 2, 2013
The Lighthouse
On Saturday, our Friday night curling team played in our very first ever omigod what are we doing bonspiel. Doug, our skip, has been curling for years. The rest of us are in our third season and still getting the hang of things.
It was the annual Lighthouse Bonspiel held at our local club. A bonspiel that, until a few years ago, was called the Oyster Bonspiel and players enjoyed free oysters and a seafood buffet between games. We still had oysters and some seafood but the name was changed and the menu expanded to appeal to people who weren't big fans of fishy things. The East Coast theme still held and some people showed up dressed for the occasion.
The bonspiel involved 3 six-end games. Never having played in an event like this, I didn't even set any goals. I just wanted to play as well as I could and not let my team down.
I wore my lucky socks and my lucky Scottish plaid sous-vêtements. We walked into the club the hear the opening notes of one of the only songs that can make this Irish lassie cry: Cockles and Mussels. I hummed along and thought about my family, my little sis who loves the song, my little nephew who had it sung to him by his mom. When it ended and another East Coast ditty began, I knew it was going to be a fun day.
Here's how it all shook down.
For the first game we were paired randomly against a team I had never seen before. Which meant I had no idea how they played. The first few ends were one-point ends but then we took a few points in one end and the game quickly turned. We finished by winning it easily 9:3.
We handed in our score card. We get points for winning the game, points for each end we won and points for each point we took. Our final tally was 16.25.
We found ourselves, surprisingly, in second place, behind a team that took 17.
It was the annual Lighthouse Bonspiel held at our local club. A bonspiel that, until a few years ago, was called the Oyster Bonspiel and players enjoyed free oysters and a seafood buffet between games. We still had oysters and some seafood but the name was changed and the menu expanded to appeal to people who weren't big fans of fishy things. The East Coast theme still held and some people showed up dressed for the occasion.
The bonspiel involved 3 six-end games. Never having played in an event like this, I didn't even set any goals. I just wanted to play as well as I could and not let my team down.
I wore my lucky socks and my lucky Scottish plaid sous-vêtements. We walked into the club the hear the opening notes of one of the only songs that can make this Irish lassie cry: Cockles and Mussels. I hummed along and thought about my family, my little sis who loves the song, my little nephew who had it sung to him by his mom. When it ended and another East Coast ditty began, I knew it was going to be a fun day.
Here's how it all shook down.
For the first game we were paired randomly against a team I had never seen before. Which meant I had no idea how they played. The first few ends were one-point ends but then we took a few points in one end and the game quickly turned. We finished by winning it easily 9:3.
We handed in our score card. We get points for winning the game, points for each end we won and points for each point we took. Our final tally was 16.25.
We found ourselves, surprisingly, in second place, behind a team that took 17.
Break time! Oysters, lemon juice, horseradish and tea. Best!
For the second game, they paired the top two teams, then the next two and so on. So we were up against the lead team with 17 points. We knew them from our Friday night games and knew they were good.
The first few ends were back and forth, one point at a time. Then we took 3. Then two. And we won the game with a score of 9:3 again which gave us another 16.25 points.
We were now in first place with 32.50 points. The second place team had 29.25 points and we were paired against them in the final game. If we won that game, we'd win the event hands down. If we lost, we would fall down to third or worse. If we tied it, we'd have a chance for first depending on how the third place team did.
First end: we took one
Second end: they took one
Third end: we took one
Fourth end: they took one
Fifth end: they took two
Sixth end, we had to get two to tie. With two hail mary shots from our fabulous skip, we did it. Two points - and a tie.
We headed back in for a few more snacks while we waited for the other teams to finish and then waited some more while they tallied the scores
Might as well have a few more while we're waiting...
The final scores. For those of you who don't know - we were Team Geddie.
Winners of the 2013 Lighthouse Bonspiel!!
When they announced our team and handed us our trophy we were pretty proud of ourselves. Then they announced that the vice of the winning team is responsible for organizing the 2014 event.
Guess which position I played?
Oh yes my friends. It looks like I'll be organizing my first bonspiel next year.