Travel

Diabetes Hacks

10 Comments

img_0048

It’s Day 5 of Diabetes Blog Week, and today’s prompt is titled “Tips and Tricks.” Inspired by an OzDOC chat a few weeks ago, I thought I’d go with “Diabetes Hacks.” Anyhow, here is today’s prompt:

Let’s round out the week by sharing our best diabetes tips and diabetes tricks. From how you organize supplies to how you manage gear on the go/vacation (beach, or skiing, or whatever). From how you keep track of prescription numbers to how you remember to get your orders refilled. How about any “unconventional” diabetes practices, or ways to make diabetes work for YOU (not necessarily how the doctors say to do it!). There’s always something we can learn from each other. (Remember though, please no medical advice or dangerous suggestions.)

I used to live by the motto that “nothing will ever happen to me.” Historically, I’ve packed as lightly as possible when heading out with diabetes. My meter has often been replaced with a blind guess. A wallet will subsidise hypo treatments on the road. Meanwhile, my Medic Alert bracelet spends hardly any time on my hand.

The biggest problem for me, is trying to figure out where to put it all. I hate carrying crap around, especially when there’s a good chance I won’t even need it. I hate bulky things in my pockets, weighing my shorts down. I can’t stand overstuffed jeans, or having things in my hands. The same policy applies to anything not related to diabetes.

Slowly but surely, I do feel that I am becoming more organised. I am starting to think more long term, and the possibility of the unexpected happening. In fact, I’m not even sure that I recognise myself anymore!

During insulin pump training on Tuesday (posts to come next week), my diabetes educator raised the idea of having a backup plan. Coming off basic injections, I have been quite worried about being so reliant on one device to do everything for me. I’ve been mulling over scenarios in my head where I might have to inject Lantus and go back to Multiple Daily Injections temporarily.

Traditional me would have nodded and shrugged the idea off. Instead, I reached over to my bag and pulled out my contingency pack in front of Gwen. I had a contingency pack after one day with an insulin pump! It was one of my most proud, and so-unlike-me diabetes moments. It’s nice to know that backup is there.

My favourite hack, as Ashley witnessed first hand last week, are my test strip containers. Taking the time to count out skittles in the midst of a hypo has been frustrating over the years. I often lose count of whether I’ve eaten 5 skittles or 7, and am left guessing. Other times, I am just desperate to cram the sugar into my mouth.


Nowadays, I have collections of empty test strip containers ready to go on my desk. I fill them with 10 skittles each, and I know that’s 11g of carbs per container. They’re super easy to carry around with me when I’m heading out, and saves me the pain of bringing the whole bag with me. I can stash them in my desk drawer, my bag and in my locker at work. If I’m struck down by a hypo, I can easily just shove a whole container into my mouth without even thinking about it. They also worked nicely as sharps containers in Sydney last week!

My favourite item of clothing, without a doubt, is my Lost Highway jacket. It’s got plenty of pockets where I can easily cloak my insulin pens, meter, hypo containers, as well as all of my non-diabetes stuff. Even during the Summer, I’m guilty of brining it along to a party and holding it in my hand the whole time! Sadly, it’s in the wash today, so this old Instagram photo will have to do.

https://www.instagram.com/p/80lsx1A_bu/?taken-by=franksita

 

To read other posts related to today’s prompt, click here.

Glucose Testing Behind The Wheel

1 Comment

One of the topics that really spoke to me while completing the yourSAY survey was the issue of glucose monitoring before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.

To be honest, having to go to a doctor every two years to have my “assessment to drive” completed is a bit demoralising. I don’t like having my “medical condition” branded on my drivers license. I don’t often ask for special considerations because of my diabetes, and I hate that I have to ask my doctor for it every two years in order to operate a vehicle.

I get that operating a vehicle, or machinery is a pretty serious responsibility. For anybody. With or without diabetes. I get that I have a condition that could potentially put others at risk on the road if not managed properly. But I also know that I am a responsible driver. A responsible driver of my own vehicle, and of my own diabetes management. Both of which I take very seriously.

I do not test every time that I am about to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Not because it’s inconvenient, not because I don’t like to and not because I don’t carry my testing supplies on hand. I don’t test every time that I get behind the wheel simply because I don’t feel that it is necessary to do so.

I am the designated driver in the vehicle of my diabetes management. And it’s my right to make that decision of whether or not it will be necessary for me to test before getting behind the wheel today. It’s my ability to judge a hypo, or hyper coming on. They’re my blood sugar levels that I place the confidence in to remain stable while on the road. Not yours. Not the government’s. Not my doctor’s. And not anybody else’s.

Every day in the news we hear of drunk drivers, traffic offenders and criminals endangering our roads, and the individuals on them. I am not suggesting it is, but I would hate to think that mandatory glucose testing in a vehicle would somehow be legally enforced here in Australia ahead of these other more serious issues.

I realise that this is probably easier for me to say compared to someone who is not as confident with their diabetes management. But at the end of the day we must empower, and give this responsibility to the individual.

I will be guest moderating tonight’s Oz Diabetes Online Community chat. Join me by following the #OzDOC hashtag on Twitter from 8.30pm AEDT/5.30pm AWST.

Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge With Diabetes

2 Comments

714152540

I’d been hanging out for a sunny day during my time in Sydney. Even though I’d already climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge when I was last here, I so badly wanted to do it again. It was one of the most breathtaking, memorable and liberating experiences in my life. This holiday was all about getting some time out. Diabetes has messed up my headspace and triggered some intense emotional rollercoasters this year, and I really felt as though I needed to have this experience once again. I really felt as though this experience would be the perfect way to hit the refresh button.

This time around, I’d had a Twilight climb in mind. I was hoping that I would get a chance to see the sunset up there, as well as have a photo in front of the night sky. It was just a matter of getting the timing right. Timing. If everything went to plan, I would be up on the bridge at around 4pm, I would reach the top by sunset, and I would get my photo in front of the night sky on the way down. I hoped.

Next up was the dreaded task of having to disclose diabetes to my counter attendant. I hate disclosing my diabetes because its just such a demoralising task. And this time around proved to be no different.

I got a confused look, and a reply that went something like “soooo what does that mean?” (for my climb). Thankfully this didn’t last long and she began asking what sounded like routine questions. “Have you ever lost consciousness from low blood sugars?” No, I’m not an invalid. “Are you on any medication?” Yes, insulin shots with every meal. “Will you be okay being up there for a while without eating?” Yes, I don’t have to eat just because I have diabetes. “The kiosk is over there if you’d like to grab something to eat before you go.”

See what I mean?

It annoyed me that I had to be the one to speak up about wanting to carry my insulin pen and meter up there with me as a just in case. I was told that “we don’t normally allow you to carry items up there.” Not wanting to make a big fuss, I said that I would be fine to have a last test of the BGLs during the prep time.

I was all booked, out of there and had well over an hour to kill before my climb. And boy oh boy did that hour turn out to be one of the most intense and eventful hours out of the whole trip. I had a Hypo on the Harbour, which you can read about here.

I later returned to the BridgeClimb centre, waiting to be called in to start my 3.25pm climb. I did one last check of my blood sugar levels. It was a cool 6.2 following my nasty hypo. We were finally called in, and the prep work started. Group introductions, paperwork and safety instructions. We got dressed into jumpsuits and then had radios, headsets, headlights, beanies, fleeces, gloves and hankies hooked onto us. We were also fitted with belts that would physically attach us to the bridge during the climb. I had snuck my meter and insulin pen in my pocket, only to have to face what looked like an airport security gate. Thankfully, my climb leader had a carry case on his waist for things like this, although this would have been nice to know before! Finally, we each had a run of the practice course, before making our way onto the bridge at around five past four.

We had to climb up some ladders and through some narrow spaces to get to the outer edge of the bridge. That’s about as hard as it got. Once we were on the outside, it was literally just like walking up a ramp with some spectacular views. It wasn’t difficult, it wasn’t super physical and we moved at a steady pace. The sun was hidden behind a few lingering clouds, and I was praying the whole way up that it would come out in time for our first photo.

First stop was the Sydney Opera House, bathed in the last of the golden afternoon sunlight.

714152505

Second stop was an appointment to watch the sun set. It was breathtaking. It was beautiful. It was another one of those moments where the whole world just stopped. In that moment, all I had to do was stand there and take it in. In that moment, diabetes did not even exist. The sun dipped below the horizon, leaving behind it a glowing Twilight sky and the perfect backdrop for my photo at the summit.

714152523

The dark, the cold and the wind began to set in on the way down and it was time to pull out the fleeces. And this final photo was well and truly worth all sorts of cold.

714152542

I could honestly sit here, staring at this photo for hours and hours. Every time I look at it, I see how happy I am. I see what is by far my favourite city in Australia. I see a breathtaking view of the city lights against the night sky. I am reminded of the amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experince that I had. I am reminded of just how relaxed, liberated and free from diabetes I felt that night. It’s something that I’ll be able to go back and draw inspiration from every time diabetes tries to knock me down. And it’s something that reminds me that anything and everything is possible in a life with diabetes.

And most importantly, it was the perfect way for me to hit the refresh button and start the second half of the year.

Someone Else With Diabetes Was Here!

2 Comments

It was our last morning in Canberra. I was pretty much all packed up and ready to go. With a bit of time left on my hands to kill, I decided to do all of those crazy checks of the room. I zipped up and re-opened my hand luggage, pulled the sheets off the bed, opened and closed each drawer on my bedside table. I knew there was absolutely nothing left in the room, but in one final moment of craziness, I decided to pull the bed away from the wall. And this is what I found.

img_0161

 

It was a ketone strip. And ironically, it even belonged to the very same blood glucose meter that I use.

It’s hard not to feel alone when dealing with diabetes, sometimes. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I like being independent. I test on my own. I inject on my own. I correct on my own. I fix hypos on my own. I get angry and frustrated on my own. I get all excited on my own. And I deal with all those crazy thoughts and feelings that go rushing through my head on my own. Okay, maybe I’m a little too independent.

I do my best to talk about diabetes to others, where I can. Last week, I was pretty proud of the fact that I decided to share the eye issues I was having with some of my friends at work. I’m also pretty proud to share with my family the progress that I’m making with this blog and all of the amazing support that’s come from it. But I still struggle to explain to others all of the things I have to do to manage my diabetes. And it’s still a struggle for others to understand that there is a difference between type 1 and type 2.

Outside of this blog and the wonderful diabetes online community, I don’t really know many people with diabetes. And this had to be the closest that I had ever come to someone else with diabetes. I saw that test strip and I was ecstatic. I shouted for the others to come in and see what I had found. I grabbed my camera and began taking photos. I even resisted the urge to post the photo up on Twitter.

Someone else with diabetes was here. Someone else, like me, had to drag type 1 diabetes along with them on their travels. Someone else, like me, had to sacrifice precious holiday time to deal with diabetes. Someone else, like me, had a frustrating time as they did their best to get rid of those ketones. And maybe, like me, they got so frustrated that they flung all of their used test strips on the floor.

In that moment, I was reminded that type 1 diabetes does exist in the real world, too. And in that moment, I felt just a little bit less alone with my diabetes.

Throwing Away all the Rules in Sydney

6 Comments

I spend most days doing my best to resist all those foods that I know are bad for my blood sugar levels. Like the goodies my work Mums pull out of their pockets without fail. Like the birthday morning teas at work where pink donuts are mandatory. Like the packet of Tim Tams or slice of leftover cake with my cuppa in the afternoon. And then having to fight the urge to open a packet of chips afterwards for my something savoury.

Over time, I’ve gotten better at it, and I am more resilient. I’m proud to say that I no longer need to have that afternoon snack that’s been a part of my daily routine for my whole life. I still do allow myself these things on occasions, and Friday is still my I-can’t-be-bothered-I’ll-buy-my-lunch-at-work kind of a day. But it’s a hard job. So when I go on holidays, I tend to throw away all the rules.

I don’t go on holidays too often, and it will probably be a long time until I go back to Sydney again. And so, I get that feeling of needing to stock up. Moreso when you come from a tiny city like Perth. Of needing to get my fill, while I can. Before it all goes away again. And boy oh boy, did I find some good spots.

Like a cake and cappuccino at the best Pasticceria in Sydney, Via Del Corso. I think I stopped by there almost every day. I’m not even ashamed to admit that I went there one afternoon after I’d already had a coffee and cannoli elsewhere. The Choc Panna Cotta, the Baked Ricotta Cheesecake, the Tiramisu or the Snickers, there was no shortage of choices there to aid my difficult decision making!

DSC01075

Then there’s the best Cannoli in Sydney, at Rossini Cafe on the harbour. If it wasn’t such a trek to walk, you would have seen me there every day for sure. When I finished my climb of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the dark last week, my blood sugar level had rebounded to a lovely 17 after my Hypo on the Harbour. It was dark and I was ridiculously high. But all I wanted to do was trek over to Rossini’s for one of their massive, freshly filled Cannoli served on a pile of thick, creamy custard. Public apology to my Mum, I had forgotten just how awesome these were since last time.

https://instagram.com/p/4-wUfvA_U4/

 

Then there’s the Lindt Cafe. You know, the one in Martin Place that was the setting of the tragic Sydney Siege last year. Going by the crowds inside, it’s hard to believe that something so terrible could have happened here. The hot chocolate was SO worth the trek. Again, I came here one afternoon shortly after a coffee and cake at Via Del Corso. And I guess it serves me right that I went most of the trip not realising there was another Lindt Cafe closer to where I was staying!

https://instagram.com/p/5GNQDXg_dc/

 

And finally, Darling Harbour. I think we ate here all but one night. The best thing here is the three-course-meal-and-a-glass-of-wine-for-$30 thing. Almost every restaurant here has some sort of tempting not-so-diabetes-friendly offer like it.

DSC00973

DSC00976

The most suprising thing was how well my blood sugar levels managed all this food on the trip. Most days I went without breakfast or lunch simply because I was full from all the other crap I was eating. But I honestly don’t recall having half as many hypers or hypos as my last holiday. There were even some mornings where I woke up in disbelief seeing numbers below 10.

I CAN travel with diabetes. I CAN eat crap. And I CAN still produce decent blood sugar levels afterwards.

Bring on the next one.