7:00 AM 3/15/2005
First official useage of the "Sharps" container.6:39 AM 3/22/2005
A typical morning sampling.7:26 PM 3/28/2005
Day two of a special testing; no problems.7:10 PM 3/29/2005
Jim Johnson is doing the upper air release tonight. So, I tested my blood in Scott Reiter's cubical (on the side screened from view) and put the lanclet in the "sharps" container after JJ got around to actually finishing the flight. I didn't want to be in the position of having to remind him (for the second time) that he still had to deal with his release (flight). He got really bitchy when reminded of undone duties...7:04 PM 4/1/2005
I tested in my usual spot but later than usual. This avoided contact with the cleaning crew and also gave me more time since when I actually took my morning pills: about 12:50 pm. I had gotten so wrapped up with making instant coffee this morning and then testing that I completely forgot the morning pills! Still, I am quite pleased with the results: 129 this am and 102 this pm (at 7 pm).7:44 PM 4/5/2005
Although Ray Bergert and Matt Gerard were at the work stations closest to me when I did my evening test, neither said anything. So, either they didn't hear or simply didn't want to comment. Either way is fine with me...10:13 PM 4/8/2005
I actually did the test at 7 pm but kept forgetting to log this in.I'm beginning to wonder how long it will be until I realize I haven'tentered any comments for a week or three...7:10 AM 4/15/2005
I had to bring a bottle of isopropanol in from the upper air/storage room as I couldn't find my alcohol wipes. This was an uneventful test and had a nice low (low for me) glucose count (131). (This is a late entry made at about 4 pm on 16 April 2005. I forgot this log on the15th...)7:17 PM 4/19/2005
A routine sampling except that I felt a sense of relief right after the needle punctured; so of like a beta endorphone rush! (rather odd)7:00 AM 4/22/2005
Routine and no "beta endorphine rush" either... (late entry)7:03 AM 4/26/2005
Privacy wise, no problem. It took three (3) tries to get a good source and I ended up sampling two "holes". Then, the meter read in the wrong scale and I will have to adjust this before tonight's "sampling".7:02 AM 5/3/2005
All went well; no problems.7:06 PM 5/10/2005
Since Matt Gerard did the release, I sought privacy by going to ScottReiter's cubical. No problems except I'm wondering if I've got the meter set to the right scale. A score of 93 mg/dl seems too good tobe true... Release is a rawinsonde release7:46 PM 5/13/2005
Mike Umscheid has been checking the "towers" to the north of the office so I waited until he did a periodic check and went ahead with testing. Matt Gerard and Mike U. both walked over to check the "towers" as I was cleaning up my mess. Neither looked so I figure they knew what I was doing. This excessive secrecy on my part is humourous, in a way. So are my co-workers reactions...6:52 PM 5/20/2005
I'll be "testing my blood" for the rest of my life and certainly the rest of my working life and I wonder how much longer I'll try to be secretive? Still trying to be secretive...
Uneventful.6:59
AM 5/27/2005
Uneventful. A very beautiful morning, with the sun just coming out from behind the clouds and a rabit or two on the lawn.7:00 PM 5/31/2005
Jason did the release so I tested in his Scotty's cubical, on the invisible side. No big deal, I've done this before. But, I then left the used needle on "my" work table and found it a couple of hours later.I properly disposed of it then...6:57 AM 6/3/2005
Uneventful and at the usual spot.6:59 AM 6/7/2005
Scott and Mike Lacy kept going over to check the clouds. I finally gotfed up and did the morning test anyway. Somehow, they managed to not come over until I left...6:58 AM 6/14/2005
Uneventful. However, the score of 152 has me concerned. It must have been the 30th anniversary cake last night and the rice "pea-lof" {sp}. We'll see tonight as I'm having leftover chicken and "pea-lof" {sp} for lunch... This is roughly the 30th anniversary of my first date with my wife.6:45 PM 6/21/2005
Since Jennifer was doing the release, I did the test at the "blind side"of Scott's cube. Otherwise, was uneventful.7:04 PM 6/24/2005
Uneventful. Ed has been running around out here tonight (he has the "P"shift) so I felt an odd reluctance to both test and then to note that in this blog. I did so anyway; faced my sudden and odd fears. It was no problem...7:00 AM 6/28/2005
Mike U. wandered over to look outside when I was between wetting down my arm and using the needle. He carefully didn't look towards me so I figure he was being discrete...7:03 PM 7/1/2005
Uneventful and a rather nice and low "score" (92 mg/dl).6:53 AM 7/8/2005
6:54 PM 7/12/2005
Uneventful and a rather nice morning; the score was higher (136) butthen I'm fighting a sinus infection and had pasta for dinner last night.
Uneventful.6:48
AM 7/15/2005
Unevenftul.6:53 AM 7/19/2005
Uneventful. (Late entry made on the 20th...)7:06 AM 7/26/2005
John Orgler decided to remove an electronic barometer just after I had laid out my testing gear. He didn't say anything, I didn't say anything. I waited until he had finished with packing this device and wondered off before I did the test. It turned out well (for me): 119.6:56 PM 8/2/2005
Uneventful.6:52
PM 8/5/2005
Uneventful. I just waited till Mike Lacey7:20 AM 8/9/2005
wandered off and Fritz was busy at his computer.
I had to wait until Discovery had made it successful and glorious landing. Everyone here was watching the NASA channel on the big screen TV. It was worth it!
My score was 97. This is remarkable as being low for me and for the fact that I ate homemade beef stew around 5:30 last night. Ok, so that would be nearly a 14 hour fast. What puzzles me is the number of times I ate chicken and mixed veggies and still scored way above this. I guess the secret to low morning blood sugar is to eat a relatively small amount of dinner and just try to limit the carbs. (Even if the stew *did* have potatoes and I had a slice of bread!)
7:05 PM 8/12/2005
It was a routine sampling.7:08 AM 8/19/2005
The odd thing was that my score was only 95.I say off because I got
distracted this morning and forgot to take my
morning pills. I discovered this and took them at 2:22 pm, when I was
getting ready to go to work. I guess the combination of an hour's walk
this morning and eatting very lightly at lunch helped as much as taking
the pills late. Still, I would have figured on the score being higher...
Uneventful.7:04 AM 8/26/2005
I thought the test strip was going to fail out due to poor blood absorption but it came through. After bragging to Dr. Tarwater7:04 AM 8/30/2005
yesterday about how good my levels have been lately, I was a bit dismayed with a 139!
Uneventful even though my level was 138! This high level is probablydue to the cold I'm coming down with. I kept waking up with a snuffy nose and had a long sneezing fit this morning!6:59 AM 9/30/2005
Uneventful. Fritz was asking about "how the diabetes thing" and asked about needles. I said "I'm on the pill but have to check my blood sugar twice a day, twice a week". The notion of having to stick myself with a needle bothered him. Oh, well, I had the same reactions myself before I had to "stick myself". I could demonstrate for him but I won't voluenteer as I think it would gross him out...7:35 PM 10/4/2005
Uneventful but later than I would have liked due to problems with theupper air soundings...6:59 AM 10/7/2005
Routine...7:05
AM 10/11/2005
It started as routine but Mike Wagner came over to ask about something right before I took a sample. I had my equipment laid out but he said nothing. I guess he was just a bit embarrassed...6:45 AM 10/18/2005
Uneventful but the reading was too high: 143! I'd have thought it wouldbe lower given that I had an Arby's salad and French Dip samwhich last night and drank water with dinner! Maybe I haven't been walking lately and that is causing problems...6:50 PM 10/25/2005
Uneventful.7:22
PM 10/28/2005
It should have been uneventful but it was not. The first tapping of myleft forearm did not produce much blood. I tried it anyway but it didn't properly wick the test strip. I made a second forearm tapping but this didn't produce much blood. Then, the meter timed out and the test strip was declared "in error". So, I tapped the outside of my left index finger, put in a new test strip and realized that the second forearm hole had finally produced a goodly amount of blood. This was sufficient for the evening test. The tally (115) was well within my limits and so was acceptable. This a pity it took so much effort and "drilling"...7:27 AM 10/28/2005
No problems at all. The only delay was that Rick Leupold came over todiscuss the upper air equipment and that put me behind about 10 minutes.9:02 PM 11/3/2005
I tested on an unusual day (a Thursday) and unusual time: 2 hours aftereatting dinner (actually, about 2 hours and 15 minutes). I did this since "My Diabetic Coach" thought it would be better for me to see how well my body was handling food immediately after eating. A score of 109 must mean that the diet dinner was a good one. I hope. I'll find out when I test tomorrow morning after fasting "all night". Assumming I don't give into hunger and have something to eat when I get home...9:03 PM 11/4/2005
I was initially reluctant to test tonight because I didn't really want to. I don't particularly *like* stabbing myself. I translated this into a reluctance to test around my three co-workers. I decided to "face my fear" and tested immediately. The funny thing about testing is that once a get started, it is all quite automatic and simply gets done "by the numbers". No embarrassment or reluctance.
I was slightly reluctant as I felt a bit embarrased. However, there wasno problem. I had entirely too much sugar and potatoes at lunch and felt out of sorts in the late aftenoon. However, a "Healthy Choice" dinner helped and my "2-hours-past-eatting-score" was 124. This is fairly good for me, all things considered!7:15 AM 11/11/2005
Uneventful.9:03
PM 11/15/2005
Uneventful although 134. This was two hours and about 10 minutes aftereatting a "Healthy Choice" meal "Chicken Broccoli Alfredo".7:01 AM 11/18/2005
Uneventful even though it was nearly a "dry well". The score of 133was rather high for a 12 hour fast. I can only conclude that dinner (which had baked potato and two rolls at Casey's Cowtown) was too high on sugar making stuff (i.e. potatos and rolls). Oh, well...7:15 AM 11/22/2005
Was delayed 10 minutes in taking sample since Rick Leopold came overand wanted to talk. That was fine with me; I was happy to talk with him. The reading (121) struck me as a bit too high as I had Dillon's salad last night. It might have been the "hot pocket" I ate with it or the salad dressing.6:54 AM 11/29/2005
Uneventful. Score a little high (127) but then we had rice pealofwith chicken last night. I wiped off the counter with one of the alcohol swabs meant for cleaning key boards...8:55 PM 12/6/2005
Tonight, I had a Lean Quizine meal and some "no sugar/no fat" pudding.My score was 154! I don't know if it was the pasta in the Lean Quizine meal or the pudding; it should not have been the pudding. Regardless, something has messed up my stomach, with gas etc. Maybe for Friday night, I'll try coming up with my own meal of roasted or boiled meat, some veggies and a small potatoe. That actually seems to work...8:40 PM 12/9/2005
No hesitation tonight and no need to swab off the table...
No problems with the sampling. However, I had boiled stew meat, potato baked with slices of onion and boiled brocolli flowers. The two hour post dinner score was 170! I guess it must have been the potatoe and it looks like the "Lean Quizine" is the better - safer - choice than the home made meals...6:45 AM 12/16/2005
Cheaper too...
No problem with the sampling. However, the score (133) was higher thanI thought it should be. After all, I had two (2) hotdogs for dinner last night, with a glass of tomatoe juice and no ethanol either. I do seem to have the sympthoms of a mild cold (caught from my wife!) and that may have jacked the score. I hope...9:21 PM 12/24/2005
In the past, I've bad mouthed my youngest brother for not seeming to be able to keep his blood sugar level under control and now, here I am, having the same kind of trouble (apparently). This is disturbing...
I tested 2 hours 6 minutes after finishing dinner (a Hungry Man steakwith sauted {sp} onions and red peppers and mashed potatoes. The score was 111, which is quite good. If I saw any point in using a test strip tomorrow morning, I would probably get a nice low score.9:24 PM 12/27/2005
So, why did I test on a Saturday and a Christmas Eve at that?
We went out to dinner last night at Applebys. I had steak, garlic
mashed potatoes, lightly steamed veggies. We split motzerllo {sp} cheese sticks before dinner and I had a small piece of very rich choclate cake with a scoop of vinella ice cream and with choclate syrup drizzled over all this. I tested my blood two hours after eatting this and it was 204! This was the highest I've seen it since I was in the emergency room with bronchitis. I was depressed, went to bed without even sipping some white whine and tested again this morning.
My morning post fasting score (13 hours fasting roughly) was 105. This score of 105 is really nice. Now, I've got to wonder how many times I've patted myself on the back after a good morning score and not realized just how bad it had been the night before...
Well, the A1C is a three month test and the next one is coming up in February 2006. So, I'd better get cracking on the walking, maybe it's time to find the old weight lifting set and start and perhaps I can even sustain a series of daily pushups and sit ups. (Yeah! Right!)
The testing was uneventful and I don't think Fritz noticed.
Uneventful and scored 143. Not bad given that I'd eatten dinner two hours before... Times change and I now regard this as bad.7:17 AM 12/30/2005
Uneventful. I just had to wait for Duane to leave my work station, to get a replacement bulb for the sunshine sensor.6:50 AM 01/03/2006 Uneventful.
7:02 AM 1/10/2006 Uneventful.
6:46 AM 1/12/2006 Scott kept wandering back to the cubby hole I often work in and where I was checking my blood. I've finally had it with "hiding" my testing and I simply went ahead and "did it". If it bothered him, then too bad. However, I'm quite certain that it did not bother him and that
he regard this as something I have to do...
Otherwise, it was uneventful.
8:58 PM 1/17/2006 Uneventful.
8:52 PM 1/20/2006 Uneventful.
8:41 PM 1/27/2006 Uneventful. Score was 111 and that was 2
hours after eatting aSouth Beach DIet - Penne & Chicken in Roasted Red
Pepper Sauce with Brocolli. Quite tasty. However, I didn't take my morning
pills until almost 2:20 pm and with the pills at 6:15 pm, I might have had a bit of an overdose. Well, no problem...
I'll just have to give this meal a try again. Perhaps 7 February?
6:47 AM 2/3/2006 Uneventful.
9:09 PM 2/7/2006 Uneventful despite my not wanting to
test. I had the silly fear of being asked to not test in spite of being
under MD's order to do so. Anyway, after having a salad and some crackers for dinner, my score was 152! This was remarkably high and I'm wondering if there are factors other than simply food that jacked it. It could be enough to make me dispair. (Yes, I *did* take the evening metformin.)
7:02 AM 2/21/2006 uneventful, even through I bled a log
(at least I didn't waste atest strip). The score (132) was a bit high
given that I had salad
and a "diet" dinner last night...
6:48 AM 2/24/2006 Uneventful.
9:35 pm 2/28/2006 Uneventful.
6:56 AM 3/29/2006 My first testing since coming back from
my Mother's funeral. Inormally test on Tuesdays but since I was at the
Portland Airport
yesterday, I put it off for a day. (My brother Jim claims he never
tests anymore...) My score was 134. Given that I had a small TV
dinner at 6:20 pm last night, this is way too high. It has to be
caused by time changes and the residue of the grunge I picked up
in Oregon.
7:17 AM 4/4/2006 No problems, uneventful. I should have
tested a half hour earlierbut I got busy talking with Scott and Mike W.
and "lost track of
the time". Oh, well and no harm done...
7:27 AM 4/7/2006 No problem. I just waited until Tim and
Scott got tired of lookingout the windows at the very, very, light rain.
The score of 126
seems a bit high given that I had salad for dinner last night...
9:13 PM 4/11/2006 For dinner tonight, I had a "Healthy
Choice" Beef Pot Roast (withGravy, Carrots, Roasted Potatoes adn Apple
Raisin Crisp. If there
were ANY raisins in it, they were hidden in the Crisp and I'm happy
to say I didn't find any...
More to the point, my 2-hours-after-eatting-score was 119!
This would be a fine morning-fasting-score but 2 hours after eatting
it is a fantastic score!
I reread an early post where in I mentioned that I waited "until Mike
Lacy wandered off" before testing. I might pause a minute or so but
I'm not going to put it off long. I read a lot of encouraging notes
in the ADA Type 2 Message Boards (I'd written about being embarrassed
to test) and I'm just not hiding any more...
9:21 PM 4/14/2006 Uneventful even thought the 2 hour past
dinner score (130) was a bithigh. I guess having a sinus infection has
jacked it up...
9:56 PM 4/19/2006 Tonight I had "Healthy Choice" Chicken
Brocolli Alfredo. My score was146. I figure it could be the noodles or
simply that I was feeling
under the weather today. Oh, well...
10:14 PM 4/21/2006 Tonight, I had "South Beach Diet":
"Asian Inspired Orange Beef" (beefslices & brown rice in Orange Sauce
with Brocolli, bamboo shoots and
carrots), a banna and a Diet Pepsi. My score was 149. I'm wondering if
the banna jacked it up.
On a more technical matter, the puncture didn't lead to a very good
drop of blood. I had to try 3 times before enough blood entered the
test strip for the meter to begin processing. I was convinced that I
had wasted the test strip...
07:10 AM 4/28/2006 No problem and a good score (113). [This
is a late entry...]
7:17 AM 5/17/2006 This is a Wednesday and not my usual
Tuesday. I went to the SalvationArmy dinner last night and given that
would end around 8 pm and post
dinner testing would be about an hour after I went to bed, I decided
to test today. It was 134! This was a bit more than I'd like but then
the dinner was salad with standard dressing, mystery meat Salsbury
"Steak" (some kind of hamberger), mashed potatoes and pan gravy, a
couple (well three) soda bisquits and a piece of choclate pie (shaped
like a piece of cake) and water.
As for the test itself: uneventful.
9:50 PM 5/23/2006 Uneventful in spite of testing in midst
of severe weather event.
9:56 PM 5/31/2006 Uneventful.
9:23 PM 6/2/2006 Eventful. Test done about 2 hours and
2-3 minutes after finishingdinner. It took several attempts before the
meter recognized the blood
sample; actually, it wouldn't "accept" blood from one side but did from
the other. I wonder if this was a bad test strip?
Anyway, the score was 82! This is a nearly unprecidented low number.
For dinner, I had Healthy Choice, Beef Pot Roast with Gravy, Carrots,
Roasted Potatoes and Apple Raisin Crisp. (There were only three raisins
so this was a very, very good batch!)
The low score may be believable given the mood swings I was experiencing
an hour or so after finishing dinner...
9:36 PM 6/11/2006 Uneventful.
9:32 PM 6/13/2006 Uneventful (even if my forearm is
itching...). The odd thing is myscore of 118 is less than the fasting
score this morning (120). Of
course, it could all be due to me discovering that I'd forgotten to
take my morning pills; I took them about 2:20 pm...
For dinner, I had the same meal as on 6/2/2006...
7:08 AM 6/16/2006 Uneventful...
7:51 AM 6/20/2006 Uneventful. I'd expected a score of less
than 121 given I had asalad last night for dinner. Maybe it was all the
extras on the salad?
6:57 AM 6/23/2006 Uneventful...7:05 AM
6/27/2006 Uneventful...9:53 PM 7/04/2006
Uneventful...9:43 PM 7/11/2006
Uneventful...9:44 PM 7/14/2006 Uneventful bascially.
However, Tim Burke wanted to discuss theUpcoming conference as I wanted
to go over to my usual test site
and to test my blood sugar. I tested about 2 hours and 6 minutes
rather than the usual 2 hours. It was a reasonable level (136).
6:56 AM 7/21/2006 Uneventful save for how much the needle
stung. It hasn't hurtthis much in well over a year; I'll just have to
avoid that part
of my left forearm.
9:30 PM 7/25/2006 Uneventful. No problem with pain but the
"stabbing point" didstart itching a couple of minutes later.
6:48 AM 7/28/2006 Uneventful, even if Scott Reiter kept
coming back while I waschecking...
6:54 AM 8/1/2006 Uneventful. My score was 88 and that is
in literally in a handfulof scrores I've had under 100 since 11 May
2006. Of course, it could
be my own damn fault. Yesterday, around noon, I noticed that I'd
apparently not taken my morning pills. (This has happened a couple
of times before.) So, I took the pills. Then, I clearly remembered
having taken the pills around 7:20 am. It was about a half hour
later that the effects of a metformin overdose hit me (diaherria).
I was still at the office and nothing untoward happened...
My score this morning was 88. It could have been the dinner I
fixed last night: brots in buns, boiled carrots and potatoes (Kathie
took mostof the carrots so I wa "stuck" with the potatoes) and
GREAT strawberries with low cal Diet Whip[ped cream] and water.
Maybe eatting right was the trick.
I suppose I could test the meter to check the calibration but I
don't see any reason to spend the money.
6:56 AM 8/8/2006 Uneventful.6:44 PM 8/15/2006
Uneventful. However, I picked a spot just below the band aid fromthis
morning and it stung for a couple of seconds and now itches.
Otherwise, it was a good afternoon score. (I'm losing it! I should
have tested two hours after eatting...)
9:27 PM 8/15/2006 I tested two hours after eatting. The
test itself was uneventfulbut the score rather high (158!). Maybe I have
not been working out
much lately and this is showing up...
If that were the case, then why was my pre-dinner score so nice? (130)
6:55 PM 8/18/2006 Uneventful save for the fact that I took
the reading before eattingdinner and not two hours after. Either I'm
rebelling to something and
have reverted to the initial testing schedule or I'm stressing out
and badly need a vacation. Perhaps the thought that all my upcoming
"vacations" for the next 1.5 years are going to be Lions related is
bothering me?
9:35 PM 8/18/2006 Uneventful.9:55 pm 8/22/2006
Uneventful save for it being too high! 155! Of course, it was highthis
morning: 134. It could be an effect of what I've had to eat
lately or the diahreha that I think came from the salad and salad
dressing I had for lunch...
10:18 PM 8/25/2006 Uneventful. Score was 141; I had two
fried chicken wings and achicken breast for dinner.
6:50 AM 9/1/2006 Uneventful.9:40 PM 9/5/2006
Uneventful save that the number was a big high: 143. It could havebeen
the "Healthy Choice" Meal I had or simply the upset stomach and
diaheria that I think I got from the lunch I had (Arby's Southwest
Club Salad...)
6:52 AM 9/8/2006 Uneventul abeit a bit high. It seems like
last night's mostly meatMexican (and flan for desert) had a lingering
effect...
6:54 AM 9/12/2006 Uneventfulsave for one amusing event:
Scott Reiter came over toask me to make a log entry and when he saw I
was about to "stab
myself", he turned around and trundled off (quickly!). He was able
to pass his message to me over his shoulder...
7:13 AM 9/19/2006 Uneventful but high: 150! I had a low
cal TV dinner (lazanna{sp})last night and a bowl of chicken noodle soup.
The soup may have
whacked my blood sugar...
Something to keep in mind...
9:41 PM 9/26/2006 Uneventful but a bit high: 151. Given
that I had a "Healthy Choicemeal (A Healthy Choice Grilled White Meat
Chicken in Roasted Red Pepper Alfredo Sauce over
Linguini Pasts with Broccoli Florets and (of course!)
a can of D.P.), I have to wonder why the score was so high only two hours
after eatting? Could it be this type of food may be dietary but not
diabettic "safe"? Could it be my metformin is tapering off and that
could lead to me having to use stronger medicines and eventually go
on the dreaded needle? Could it be I should simply try coming up with
` a home brew meal that is high on veggies and fruit and low fat? I
could try...
It could also be a lack of proper exercise.
09:37 PM 9/29/2006 Uneventful even through the meal I had
should have granted me alower score than 151.
9:48 PM 10/3/2006 Uneventful even though it took me three
tries to get enough bloodfor a sampling and I had to use both sides of
the test strip. Also,
my arm is itching quite a bit (this is a very rare occurrance).
9:47 PM 10/6/2006 Uneventful.7:08 AM
10/13/2006 Uneventful. A bit high (148) and this could be attributed to
thedinner I had last night (a Quiznos sub and bowl of chicken soup) or
to a possible cold I seem to have. I'll have to see what happens
after I eat dinner tonight (tentatively Dillon's salad and low cal
dressing...)
9:38 PM 10/17/2006 Uneventful but I just wasn't in the
mood tonight. I can see myselfskipping a night and then just letting the
testing slide. It was a
"good" score... (140)
7:02 AM 10/20/2006 Uneventful even if I wasn't in the
mood... My score (142) was a bithigh but probably not too horrible given
I'd had homemade stew last
night (with lots of potatoes in it) and had gotten an upset stomach
from too much fat (beef fat in the stew meat and possibly the virgin
olive oil).
7:07 PM 10/23/2006 Uneventful. A good score (127) given
that I had roast beef,with carrots and potatoes roasted with the beef
and a glass of
white wine! I was pleased with it...
9:10 PM 11/7/2006 Uneventful and nice: 123! This in spite
of a heavy lunch that hadme physically upset all afternoon.
8:45 PM 11/10/2006 Uneventful.
8:46 PM 11/17/2006 Uneventful.
9:03 PM 12/19/2006 Uneventful even if I got called away
just before I poked myself.The score - 141 - was a bit higher than I'd
hoped for but much less
than I feared it would be! I had potatoes, corn, chicken and a little
left over boiled cabbage. So, I guess the potatoes just "flashed" to
blood sugar fairly fast. However, it could have been much worst: I
could have eatten stuff with sugar in it...
8:59 PM 12/22/2006 Uneventful. My score was 130 and this
was a bit higher than I'dexpected given I'd eatting "veggie" for dinner
and had drunk water.
Oh, well...
8:55 PM 12/27/2006 Uneventful, if a bit higher than I'd
like to see after eatting a"Healthy Choice" meal (133).
9:25 PM 12/30/2006 Uneventful.8:47 PM 1/9/2007
Uneventful save that my arm bleed a lot more than I had anticipated.I
had trouble getting any blood this morning (at home) and was happy
to see a large bubble. Unfortunately, that large bubble meant having
to go "scrounge up" a bandaid. So, I lost 5 or 6 drops of blood...
8:47 PM 1/30/2007 I got tired of going over to the Upper
Air work station anddecided to test at my usual work position. I was
inspired by a man
at the Lions Mid Winter Rally who simply and quietly gave himself an
insulin shot at the dinner table one night. He didn't run off and hide
or go to his room: he did what he needed to do and no one noticed.
Well, no one said anything anyway.
So, I decided to stop "hiding" and turned my back at the only
co-worker present: Mike Lacey. He didn't appear to notice and I
didn't bring attention to my actions. In the future, I think I'll
try testing more from my work station. Of course, if there is a lot
of traffic in the room, I'll reconsider...
8:48 PM 2/02/2007 I was going to test at my work station
but Mike U. came in earlyand was wondering around. This lead to the
possible embarrassment of
"getting caught" so I went to my upper air work station and "tested"
there...
7:21 PM 2/6/2007 John Finch walked over and asked me if I
was "keeping a journal".I told him "I have to keep track of what I eat"
and changed the
subject.
8:42 PM 2/6/2007 Uneventful and done at the Upper Air work
station vice my usualwork station.
8:48 PM 2/9/2007 Uneventful. With a new man at work (Mike
Scott), I felt a littlenervous about my usual testing; I didn't want to
have to answer
any questions. My privacy was preserved (as expected) and tis
another successul self-stabbing!
9:03 PM 2/17/2007 Uneventful. Jennifer was working at the
work station closest tothe Upper Air work station. I realized that if I
wanted privacy,
walking oved there and testing would draw attention to myself. So,
I tested at my usual work station. Sometimes, you can have privacy
in a very public place.
I have thought for years that "testing" at the U/A work station
merely gives the illusion of privacy.
Anyway, my score was 168 and was a lot higher than I'd hoped for...
9:11 PM 2/20/2007 Uneventful even if I tested at my usual
work station. The scorewas quite nice: 116
9:43 PM 3/13/2007 Eventful.
I was slightly disorientated before the flight and had to focus hard;
the flight went well.
Just before testing my blood, I told John Finch that "I'm going to
do something I haven't done in years, I'm going to admit that I'm
about to 'poke myself'." He said "ok". I don't normally tell folks
when I'm about to test my blood for fear of offending them. I didn't
care tonight.
It took two tries. Each time, I didn't get a clean beed of blood, I
got an outpouring. I tested with one side on the first "hole" and
re-punchured and tested using the other side.
My score was 77!
This is a remarkably low score (for me). I don't know if it is
real or if I tested before letting the alcohol fully dry before the
second testing. (I had to hurry with the 2nd testing to get it done
before the strip and meter "timed out".
I'm going to write the ADA and ask them if testing with a little
alcohol on my arm could throw off the scores.
The other explanation for this figure and my carelessness is
hypoglycemia and that is both a very very rare (for me) occurrance
and a scary one as well...
9:41 PM 3/23/2007 Eventful!
My first attempt at sampling resulting in two punctures with blood
smearing out; I've finally figured out that holding the spring device
steady on my arm isn't too steady and can lead to creating a tear and
not a hole. Anyway, I sampled on the left side of the stripe and that
didn't work. I sampled on the right side and came up with a score of
"34"!
Thirtyfour? At 34, I should have been passed out on the floor!
I immediately did a second test and came up with a far more
reasonable figure: 116.
This is enough to make me question the "77" I had recently...
With four co-workers in the area I didn't feel like testing "in
public" and it would be silly to go back to the work station I
usually test at. So, I went into one of the unoccupied cubicals
and stabbed away to my heart's content...
7:22 AM 4/3/2007 Uneventful. (This is very much a late
entry as I simply forgotthis log and didn't fill it in until 7:23 AM
4/7/2007...
9:29 PM 4/24/2007 Uneventful, even if it took two tries to
get the reading. I've beenfeeling out of sorts tonight, slight headache
and feeling forgetful.
A score of 111 doesn't really suggest hypoglycemia but what else
could have upset me???
9:41 PM 4/27/2007 I had difficulty in getting a good
sample. The first stabbingresulted in a smeared out "flood" of "blood".
I sampled off the
left side of the stipe and it failed; I squeezed out another sample
of blood into the right side of the strip and got a very good
reading: 71!
I am feeling far too good for such a low reading and sampled again
from another "site" and got a more realistic 122. If the first reading
had been good, I should have gotten something much closer to 71. Oh,
well...
9:48 PM 5/1/2007 Testing done about 7 minutes later than I
should have; I got distractedand didn't remember in time. My score was
higher (143) than I thought
it should have been given how hungry I've been this afternoon and
evening. Hypothesis: walking on the treadmill and then pumping iron
` jazzed up my metabolism and that made me hungrier than normal...
9:34 PM 5/4/2007 Uneventful save that I went to a
different location since there areway too many people in here for me to
feel comfortable with "testing"
at my usual spot. I used the unused desk in Rick Sloan's cubical...
10:09 PM 5/15/2007 Uneventful. Since Ray was the only
other person here, I testedat my work station. My score of 120 was quite
nice; it was below
my morning score of 123! I've got to wonder if this is simply due
to what I'd eatten this afternoon/evening or if the treadmill
walking this morning had a long term effect of jazzing up my
metabolism. I guess I can ask ADA.
9:38 PM 6/4/2007 This being a Moanday night is not my
usual testing night. However,events conspired to keep me from evening
testing this past Friday
and so I took the opportunity to test tonight. Otherwise, uneventful...
9:28 PM 6/6/2007 Uneventful. I should have "tested" last
night but got wrapped up inconversation. Suzzi Burgert came in (with her
son) and was talking
about a visit the family made to Greensburg. The combination of talking
(which made me late) and the boy running around lead me to postpone...)
9:52 PM 6/8/2007 Uneventful albeit higher than I would
have thought (140) given I hada "Healthy Choice" meal. It must have been
that rascally popcorn...
9:34 PM 6/12/2007 I used the left side of the test strip
and this failed; before themachine could time out, I poked another hole
and used the other side
of the test strip. The result was 100. While this does seem a bit low
it isn't low enuf to warrant expending another test strip. After all,
I did have a salad for lunch and a Healthy Choice meal and I've been
feeling quite hungry for the past hour. So, this is probably a correct
(righteous?) reading and I should allow myself to have the occasional
"low" reading. After all, I never scream "bad reading" when the score
is much higher! (i.e. 154 last night...)
9:45 PM 6/15/2007 Eventful. I did the test at the usual
work station in spite of threeco-workers being near me. I did so because
I did not want to lug the
testing gear around to a more seculed place; getting around on crutches
is a real hassle!
9:40 PM 7/16/2007 Uneventful. I did the test at my usual
work station because I didnot want to have to carry test gear and etc
over to the U/A station.
I'm on crutchs and lugging this would not only be a hassle but would
contervene the point of "hiding" at the U/A station: I would bring
attention to myself! Actually, I'm completely tired of thinking I
have something to hide here. If anyone cares that I'm quitely stabing
myself then I have yet to see any indication of this!
9:43 PM 7/18/2007 Uneventful. I did the Tuesday evening
test tonight; I forgot to testlast night. (I kind of got out of the
practice of "testing" when I was
in Chicago and couldn't test there...) After I got done testing at my
usual work station and bundled up the used materials for proper
disposal, I realized that Jamie B. was behind me doing a montly wx
ob.
Oh, well, she won't mention my testing and I won't either...
9:29 PM 7/25/2007 A non-event because I "accidentally"
forgot to take my meds beforeeatting dinner and by the time I did take
the metformin, it was too
late for tonight. Actually, I haven't had the enthusiasm for testing
lately. It finally sunk in that if my "score" is too high, there is
nothing I can do about it!
Besides, I read an article lately that suggested that non-insulin
users are wasting their time and money by testing. I fear I have bought
into this "heresy"! It seems like I have been Sabotaging myself by not
taking the testing equipment with me or "forgetting" to take the pills
soon enough or forgetting exactly when I finished eatting dinner...
I think I've become very tired of being diabetic and am in grave
danger of thinking I can "behave normally". i.e. Live like I'm a
fully healthy non-diabetic.
I've seen this happen to others and the grave results. Actually, it
isn't that bad. I take good care of my feet, worry about losing weight,
try to "eat right" and when I wasn't gimped up with the broken ankle,
was working out quite religiously.
Had I not broken the ankle, I might be doing 25 minutes at 4 mph and
then 5 minutes at 4.5-5 mph on the treadmill...
9:50 PM 7/26/2007 Uneventful and done at my work station.
I got busy doing other stuffand came close to missing "the time" but
looked at the clock at exactly
the right time. My score of 147 was a shock! It was too damn high given
that I'd had a "Healthy Choice" meal (and some Freetos) two hours before
and made sure I took my pills...
Maybe some of the "Healthy Choice" meals aren't so "Healthy" when it
comes to the blood sugar???
9:35 PM 7/28/2007 I "accidentally" forgot to check...
9:35 PM 7/29/2007 I "accidentally" forgot to check...
9:35 PM 7/30/2007 I "accidentally" forgot to check...
I seem to have a serious problem with not wanting to "do my duty" and
check my blood sugar at work.
Tonight (5 August 2007) could be more of the same as Ed will be here
tonight and it was Ed's presence that was my excuse for "forgetting..."
9:40 PM 8/5/2007 Uneventful. I did the test at the U/A
station (Ed had gone back tohis office so it didn't feel awkard to carry
the test gear bag over
there). I had a good score. Either this means my body is finally
recovering from the broken ankle or a "good" breakfast (South Beach
Diet), an "OK" lunch and a "good" dinner (a South Beach Diet) had
resulted in "good sugar levels...
Well, I can hope...
9:43 PM 8/7/2007 uneventful. My score was 152, which seems
a bit high given I had someleft over pork chop, maybe a cup of corn and
a 1.5 oz bag of "Cheez-It"
crackers; my drink was a can of D.P.
I was rather taken aback by the size of this reading...
8:45 PM 8/28/2007 I left home in a bit of a hurry and
forgot to take the meter withme. I'll have to test tomorrow night.
10:00 PM 8/29/2007 Uneventful even if I overthought where
I should test; I defaultedwith the U/A work station. I was surprised
with the score of 145 given
I'd had a "Healthy Choice" meal. Maybe it was all the refined rice in
this meal or just the few freetos I had? The meal was:
Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers™ Cajun Style
Chicken & Shrimp (Chicken Breast & Scrimp With Rice &
Vegetables In Cajun Style Sauce), a handfull or so of
Fretos and a can of D.P.
9:59 PM 8/31/2007 Uneventful. I had a good score after
eatting stewed pork chops, sourkraut, some potatoes and two (2!) cans of
D.P. It certainly tasted good
and I had made the mistake of having it available...
10:10 PM 9/18/2007 No problems with the testing save that
it still hurts (a very rareoccurrance) and the level (173) was way too
damn high! It would seem
the meal I had (A marie Callender's Fettuccini with Chicken &
Broccoli (Chicken Breast in Creamy, Alfredo Sauce) had
way too much in the way
of things bad for me! It wasn't just bland!
9:15 PM 10/8/2007 No problemo, nothing out of the ordinary
and a good score: 128.
9:39 PM 10/9/2007 Eventful but no problemo. A large group
of Emergency Managers camein and were hanging out in the operations area
watching displays of
various weather products via the projector. No one wondered over to
see what I was doing...
09:40 PM 10/12/2007 Uneventful.
9:31 PM 10/19/2007 Uneventful. It was a little high (148)
given that I had a HealthyChoice meal but then I think it might have
been the two mini-Oreos or
something about the meal that has me slightly sick to my stomach...
9:53 PM 10/30/2007 Uneventful. However, the score seemed
a bit low (103) and I hadto wonder if there had been too much alcohol on
my arm when I used the
needle. It also took two tries but I think I simply hadn't gotten a
good bead the first time.
Then, too, I had not eatten anything (save a bit of dark choclate in
the late afternoon) before eatting a "Healthy Choice" meal. Maybe I can
let myself believe that low scores can happen???
9:01 PM 11/20/2007 Uneventful.
I was distressed to realize that I'd forgotten to take my Metformin.
I suppose the advantage of being on the needled vic pill is it would
be harder to forget the damned needle?
8:54 PM 11/23/2007 Uneventful.
8:48 PM 11/30/2007 Uneventful. However, the score of 157
surprised and actually shockedme! I had a small dinner (A can of
Healthy Choice Chicken With Rice Soup and a 1.5 oz bag of
"Cheeze-It" (Baked Snack Crackers) added and of course, a
can of D.P.) that should have dropped my blood sugar but it did not. If
something this minor could lead to such high results, I
could dispair. I wonder how much longer it might be before
I have to goto the needle?
9:21 PM 1/1/2008 Uneventful but high. It would seem that
beef stew (albeit mostly beef)is still high on the "gylsemic index" due
to the small amount of potatoes in it, the potatoes that
cooked down in the gravy and the flour with which I thickened
the gravy. Oh, well...
9:14 PM 1/4/2008 Uneventful and lower than this morning!
8:50 PM 1/9/2008 Uneventful but higher than I would have
like to see (147). I havebeen feeling out of sorts lately and wonder if
that isn't being reflected in my blood sugar?
9:17 PM 1/11/2008 Uneventful.
9:09 PM 1/22/2008 Uneventful save for the fact that my
score of 97 is the lowest it hasbeen in years! This past Friday, I
scored 250! (The highest it has been
in some time.) I just don't get this blood sugar stuff! sigh...
8:43 PM 2/12/2008 Uneventful, sampling wise, even if the
needled pierce hurt more thanusual and the pain is lingering. On the
subject of tonight's dinner:
"My 2 hour afterwards score was 127. Given that I had eaten food
which is not "flashy" (to blood sugar), I'm disappointed the score
was so high!"
9:07 PM 2/15/2008 Uneventful but a bit high (150) given
that I had stewed pork chops,sour kraut, potatoes, onion flakes and used
a very cheap cooking beer
to stew this in. Perhaps it was the potatoes that "did me in" or it
was the upset digestion I've had for several days...
9:05 PM 3/2/2008 Uneventful and quite good for a change
(119). I think it was theHealthy Choice meal I had...
9:34 PM 3/4/200 Uneventful. A bit higher than what I had
hoped for but then I ate a"regular" meal which had a lot of potatoes in
it and ended up with
ingestation. Both probably helped jack the score...
9:40 PM 3/25/2008 Uneventful. However, my score of 168
after eatting a "Healthy Choice"meal makes me wonder if "Healthy Choice"
is really a "Healthy Choice" if
I want to lower my blood sugar? Maybe I should gin up veggie, fruit and
meat (a small amount only) dinners on my own?
9:50 PM 4/1/2008 Uneventful but surprising! When I was
getting ready to check my bloodsugar, I realized that I'd forgotten to
take my evening pills. SO, I
thought, what is the point? I'll just test tomorrow night. Then, I
thought "screw it. I screwed up and might as well see how bad it can
get if I didn't take the pill." So, I tested out at 174. The amazing
thing is that I occasionally get a score that high when I've taken the
pills and had scores much higher when I was on that lung medication.
(i.e. in the 240s! Dr. H. said this medication often raised blood sugars
to the 300s or 400s...)
10:10 PM 4/4/2008 Uneventful. The score was one of my
best (138) evening scores lately!I had baked hamberger, about a cup of
boiled barley, almost a cup of
broccoli florets and a can of DP. This actually tasted better than the
Healthy Choice stuff I have been eatting (even if very bland) and was
better for me! I am going to try fish, veggies and barley (again) next
week...
9:53 PM 4/15/2008 Uneventful. The score was 127, which is
one of my best evening scoresrecently. I'd like to say it was due to
walking a lot this morning but
it really had a lot to do with eatting a bland low carb dinner:
* baked boneless skinned chicken
* boiled broccoli florets
* boiled barley
* two cans of DP (I needed something with a little flavour!)
The drawback was I had sugar craving before dinner and then starting
about an hour after finishing dinner...
Lunch was yogurt, an orange and a balonie samwhich and four little
sugar donuts. I really had the sugar cravings after lunch!
9:58 PM 5/6/2008 Uneventful and a score of 116; my morning
score was 113 so I'm almostirrationally pleased with this. I had a
"Healthy Choice" meal (Salmon)
and walked for 35 minutes at 3.5 mph and then 5 minutes at 4.1 mph and
a cooldown that went from this high to 3.3 mph this morning at the
Sheridan Center.
9:54 PM 5/9/2008 Uneventful even if I tested at my work
station rather than drawattention to myself by testing at the Upper Air
station. I got a
very good score: 113! This came, I'm sure, from having slightly
stewed pork chops, sour krat and potatoes (plus a can of DP) for
dinner...
9:42 PM 5/24/2008 Uneventful and fairly good (128). The
meter stopped working and ittook 10 days to get a set of replacement
batteries.
9:53 PM 6/17/2008 Uneventful and not too bad (137) given
my dinner (Boston Marketmeatloaf and mashed potatoes and brown gravy)
has the dreaded flash-
to-sugar-potatoes (but not much and certainly less than what I would
have served myself!).
9:36 PM 6/20/2008 Uneventful. My evening score was 116
and my morning was 113. I hada Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers
chicken/noodle/broccoli dish with a can
of DP added. Lunch was a mess of pseudo-Chinese cooking and a desert
at King's Buffet (desert was a scoup of vinilla ice creamme, a scoop
of choclate ice creamme and about a scoup of choclate pudding). I'd
have thought this would jack my blood sugar but then I walked (treadmill)
4.1 mph for 43 minutes this morning and that may have lowered my
blood sugar.
I can hope!
It could simply be a quirk or reaction to summer...
9:30 PM 6/25/2008 Uneventful. My score of 144 is directly
related to what I had fordinner: stewed boneless skinless chicken and
lots of rice (plus a can
of DP). It was the rice "that did me in!" I'll have to do better on
Friday...
9:51 PM 6/27/2008 Uneventful and good (115); this was less
than this morning (116). Ihad stewed pork chops, sour krat and potatoes
plus two (2) cans of DP
for dinner.
10:06 PM 7/16/2008 Uneventful albeit high (176). This was
caused by having a dinnerwhich had both mashed potatoes and a brownie
and having had a couple
of slices of Kathie's birthday cake (with vinilla ice creamme) around
2 pm. (Well, probably the mashed potatoes and brownie did me in.)
9:47 PM 7/29/2008 Uneventful even if a bit high (149). At
least not as high as thelast entry...
9:48 PM 8/1/2008 Uneventful and once again, the stewed
pork chops, potatoe and sour krathas come thru for me! (Score of 124)
Early this afternoon, I thought
that I'd taken my evening pills this morning so I put the morning pills
in a plastic zip lock bag for tonight and took them with dinner. It was
only after I had finished dinner that I realized that I'd put my evening
pills in a pill box and forgotten that I'd done this; I remember "moving
on auto-pilot" this morning before my first cup of coffee but to forget
this and to forget to take my morning pills is an irritating (and perhaps
scary) thing. I guess I'll just have to be more focused on the mantra
of "take pills with a meal"...
Oh, well...
9:45 PM 8/19/2008 Uneventful.
9:49 PM 9/9/2008 Uneventul and not too horribly high
given that I had some ice creammeabout 6:30 pm.
9:57 PM 9/12/2008 Uneventful and not too bad (129) given
that I had stewed pork chops,potatoes and sour krat and only walked 10
minutes today...
10:16 PM 9/28/2008 Uneventful but a bit higher than I
would have expected. I had aHealthy Choice pot roast, potatoes, carrots
and apple pie. So, it is
obvious that the Healthy Choice meal was low in calories but not
exactly what a diabetic needed; perhaps, I am wrong and other factors
caused my score (128).
9:48 PM 10/21/2008 We're working severe and I had to
squeeze in time to check theblood sugar; it was 115 and a very nice
reading due to having stewed
pork chops, some noodles and a lot of sour krat and a can of DP.
9:46 PM 10/23/2008 Uneventful. I have a rather large
bruise on my left forearm nearthe usual places I check my blood from.
I'm a bit worried as to why
this bruse suddenly popped up in the past several days.
9:46 PM 10/31/2008 Annoying. I felt "shy" and did the test
in a seculed corner of Rick'scubical and that meant I didn't have to
wonder past Jennifer who was
working at a work station almost in view of where I'd have tested. Not
that it really mattered as I ended up walking past her to dispose of the
used lanclet. My score was higher than I thought it should have been!
I did my longest walk on the treadmill today, lifted weights, had boiled
chicken, boiled broccoli and not that much boiled rice for dinner. Still,
my score was 141!
Oh, well, I can tell myself that I was feeling under the weather today
(which is true) and still have the aftermath of being ill last nigth.
Or, I could simply reaffirm that I do not understand blood sugar!
8:26 PM 11/8/2008 I didn't feel like walking over to the
upper air station so I testedmy blood sugar at my usual work station. If
anyone noticed, they (Jon
Finch mainly and Fritz Kruze) didn't say anything. Actually, Fritz
could not have noticed and Jon was busy...
Anyway, given this was my first evening meal after starting a reduced
food plan (i.e. "diet") and I am pleased with the result: 113 at about
an hour and 55 minutes after starting dinner.
8:45 PM 11/11/2008 Uneventful. The score (141) was a bit
higher than I would haveliked but it was to be expected given my "meal
plan" sort of called
for me to eat white rice. I forgot to bring carrots and maybe they
would have helped?
Oh, well...
8:11 PM 12/2/2008 My score was simply unbelievable: 184!
This is expecially hard tocomprehend given I had boiled chicken, a
boiled potatoe (which disolved
in the juices I put over the top of the potatoe), an apple and carrots
with nothing to drink. A couple of hours before dinner, I did eat a
fudge cookie but I can't believe this would have screwed up (jacked up)
my score so horribly!
Truly, blood sugar is an eginma!
9:07 PM 12/12/2008 Well, I expected it to be high tonight
and it was: 196. I hadplanned on having tuna fish, boiled rice and
boiled corn. I accidentally
left the tuna home and had the rice and corn. I have to wonder if my
score would have been lower had the tuna fish been mixed in with the
rice and corn in my stomach? Perhaps the fish would have slowed the
production of blood sugar? (I don't know and really don't think it
would be wise to run this experiment...)
Oh, well, I still have six months before the next A1C.
Testing wise, I tested at my new work station and ignored the person
seated at my back.
My feet!
