Christmas

Dragging Diabetes Through the Christmas Season

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It’s definitely starting to feel like the end of the year. And I, for one, am feeling plain exhausted. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just that end of the year, over-it-all exhaustion.

I’ve had a lot of late nights recently. I’ve often sat down in front of the laptop with the intention of surfing the web for Christmas gift ideas. That’s often ended with me at the eBay checkout at midnight, after hours deliberating over goodies for myself. Last week it was a new phone case, a longer iPhone charging cable and some headphones with an extension cord. I was also hunting down an iPad, a new Medic Alert bracelet and a few diabetes books.

Work is beginning to feel plain monotonous. I don’t feel like I’m a human being during the mornings as I’m getting myself up and ready. I can no longer be bothered bringing my lunch from home. I feel about half as motivated than normal during the day. I stubbornly told myself that I’d work through it and save up my annual leave a few weeks ago. Now I feel like I am well and truly in need of a break.

I have zero motivation towards managing my diabetes well at the moment. There are get togethers and festive meals planned over the next couple of days. Boxes of chocolate, shortbread, Pannetone and candy canes are beginning to pile up at home. And there’ll be plenty of leftover food and deserts in the fridge to indulge in during the aftermath. I’m giving insulin injections my best guess, and closely monitoring my blood sugar levels about twice as much than normal.

Yet amidst all of this, I still somehow look forward to this time of the year. Going to the Christmas tree farm and cutting down our third real, live Christmas tree.

Seeing the suburbs light up in colourful Christmas lights in the middle of the Australian summer.

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Making the most of the sunshine and cool Summer weather before the heat sets in for the rest of the season. And yes, I can even spend Christmas at the beach!

Seeing family (some of them, at least!). Good food. Collapsing on the couch feeling stuffed and happy. Post Christmas bargain hunting (although I think I’ve already started on this one!)

Managing diabetes is hard work. I feel it more than anything at this time of the year, when everyone and everything else is taking time out to unwind at the end of the year. I would love to have the option for diabetes to shut up shop at this time of the year.

While that’s not a possibility for me, I am still proud to be able to enjoy this time of year. I can confidently say that diabetes hasn’t made Christmas too different since I was diagnosed. And in my eyes, that makes all the hard work and extra attention well worth the effort.

Merry Christmas. Wishing you a happy, and safe festive season.

– Frank

Christmas Gift Guide, With a Diabetes Twist

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I’m still wrapping my head around the idea that Christmas is next Friday. Next Friday! For a bit of fun, I thought I’d share with you some things that I own, and that I think are totally awesome. Some are completely related to diabetes, others not so much.

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1. Syringe Pens. These are so bloody awesome! Need I say anymore? Search for them on eBay.

 

 

 

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2. Mesh Pencil Cup. What’s a pencil cup got to do with diabetes? Well, it works as a great waste bin for all of my used test strips, test strip foils and needle caps! They’re pretty easy to find at the shops.

 

 

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3. Freestyle Insulinx Blood Glucose Monitor. This is what all the new d-kids in clinics are getting these days. It’s a glucose logbook and generates reports each time I plug it into the computer, eliminating the need to scramble in several weeks worth of numbers before an appointment! No way to fudge the numbers either, mind you… It calculates my insulin doses, factoring in corrections and active insulin on board, much like a pump does. Check it out here, and speak with your diabetes educator about getting one.

 

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4. Transcend WiFi Memory Card. I don’t care what you say, phone cameras take such crappy photos. So, I always use my camera. Then if I want to share my wicked diabetes photos with you, I have to go to the trouble of downloading them to my computer, syncing them to my iPhone and then Instagramming them. This memory card, however, has a WiFi chip, meaning I can download the photos to my phone from the camera wirelessly and Facebook/Instagram you my diabetes goodness right away. Check it out here.

 

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5. Sony Cybershot DSC-RX100. If you’ve got a memory card, you’re going to need a camera, right? I brought myself this camera for my birthday and it takes amazing, amazing photos. Plus, it’s pocket sized and I don’t need to be a photographer to use it. Check it out here.

 

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6. Canvas thongs. These are great because they don’t have rubber straps and my feet don’t get blistered from walking around in them all day.

 

 

 

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7. Converse Cons. I never used to wear shoes during the summer months, but I’m finding that I’m wearing these a lot this year. I’m a big fan of shoes without socks, and once these are “worn in” they’re quite comfy to wear on their own. You can grab them here. Just don’t tell your podiatrist!

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8. Australian Diabetic Living Magazine. I’d been reading this mag for a long time, before I eventually bit the bullet and subscribed. It’s full of recipes, stories and features on living well. Before I found the Diabetes Online Community, reading this magazine was one of the few things that inspired me with my diabetes management. You can subscribe here and here. The only thing I don’t like is that it only comes out every two months!

 

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9. The Low GI Diet Shopper’s Guide. This is one of my go to diabetes reference books. It’s so hard to figure out whether a particular food is going to make my blood sugars spike, or rise steadily. I try to make the “staple” foods in my diet Low GI, and this book is a huge help. You can buy the book, as well as a variety of other glycemic index reference books here.

 

 

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10. Allan Borishek’s Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter. Another one of my go to diabetes reference books. The title is self explanatory. You can check them out here, and they’re available in a lot of Australian shops and newsagents.

 

 

 

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11. Walker’s Shortbread. Buy me a box of these for Christmas and I’ll be a happy man. Just don’t tell me that I have diabetes and shouldn’t be eating it!

 

And last but not least, a good smartphone is essential to keep the wonderful Diabetes Online Community on hand throughout the holiday season. Thanks to all of you for your never ending support, encouragement and inspiration. Thanks for reading. Thanks for letting me into your lives this year.

Merry Christmas!