Arrival Date

I found out yesterday morning that Paisley will come home on August 16th.  That is the same day we close on our house that we are selling.  Oh my!  So busy.  Good thing we like crazy and hectic schedules because boy, is August nuts!  I'll post more about that soon!

5 Needles A Day

How could I forget to write about my newest needle???  Oh my, sorry ya'll but I am so far behind. Keeping up with these blogs is hard work when you've got 2 busy kids running around!  At my endo appt in April my endocrinologist and I were talking about how great my numbers were...except for my morning blood sugar reading. It was always in the low 200's but thats high for me.  I suggested (since I'm the smart one here) taking some NPH at bedtime.  I am on 3 types of insulin: humalog (fast acting.  It starts to work to lower my blood sugar within 15 minutes of injecting it), NPH (this is the "old" long acting insulin.  It works for 6-8 hours, but doesn't start to work until the humalog is starting to stop working), and Lantus (24 hour insulin.  Its what I call my "pump" insulin.  I'm not on the pump, but for people who do have an insulin pump, it gives then a teeny tiny dose of insulin all day and night to keep their sugars lowered.  My Lantus works for 24 hours to keep my sugars in check).

I used to take 2 needles per day growing up.  One at breakfast and one at dinner.  Both needles included 2 types of insulin (NPH and R.  R is the older version of today's humalog.  It just didn't start to work as quickly as humalog does).  I was on these two needles from the time I was diagnosed at 21 months of age until I turned 13.  It worked well for me and I had great numbers.  When I turned 13 I needed a little more help.  So I was switched to humalog instead of R insulin and put on a third needle: lantus, at bedtime.  My numbers got back to pretty good.  When I was pregnant with my second son I needed a little more help around lunchtime (since I wasn't taking any insulin then).  I was put on a 4th needle.  I thought it might just be during the pregnancy, but my numbers were so good I didn't really want to get rid of the needle.  Then the 5th needle...a couple months ago.

People go "wow, 5 needles?"  Um, yes.  And you know what?  There are times I take more than 5 if my sugars are high.  BUT, I wouldn't go back to the pump for all the money in the world.  I like not being attached to a machine.  I felt "sick" and everyone knew I had diabetes when they saw it on me.  The needles of the pump hurt like hell.  I hated it.  I gave up on diabetes, and it took me YEARS to regain control.  YEARS.  Now that I finally have control, and great control at that, I won't go back to the pump and risk losing control again. The pump is an AMAZING little machine that is a life savor for many many people.  Its just not for me...  :(

So yes, 5 needles.  And I asked for the 5th needle...so glad I did.  I wake up with perfect numbers every single morning now!  (between 75 and 115)