Michelle Kowalski is a writer, editor and photography hobbiest from St. Louis. She now lives in Phoenix with her husband and three young children where she works for a trade-magazine publisher.
Diagnosed in February 2005 with pre-diabetes, Michelle started on a regimen of healthier eating, a daily 30-minute walk and oral medications. Just two months later, she learned she was pregnant with her third child. With input from a diabetes educator, Michelle's diagnosis was changed to type 2 diabetes based on the log she kept. She started on Lantus and later in her pregnancy took Novolog to manage her blood sugar.
Post-baby, Michelle continued on Lantus, started Metformin, tried Byetta and eventually went back to Novolog because it offered her the best control. In January 2008, as part of her quest to start on an insulin pump, Michelle learned that she actually has type 1 diabetes.
Several weeks ago Dad's cousin and her husband visited from Missouri. After dinner we were having an engaging discussion about our family.
L's daughter is apparently something of a dare devil. L was telling us how she found out from her daughter's blog how she had done something dangerous (I think it was jumping off a cliff, but I'm not entirely certain). Mom jumped in joking that she has found out more than she wanted to know about me from my blogs and has learned not to read them anymore.
She looked at me almost mournfully and I suspected it was because she enjoys reading what I write. So to have to force herself to not read what I write so she doesn't freak out about what I'm saying is, I'm sure, difficult to say the least.
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It's been a week and I haven't said anything to my coworkers about diabetes. Not even to either of my bosses. I'm not hiding it either. I really thought that on my first day people would be pointing and staring and asking about my pump, which I decided to wear on my belt as usual.
But nothing. I was surprised, actually. On day two or three, I was introduced to two people who I will work closely with in the future, one of whom noticed that something was on my belt, but she couldn't really figure out what it was. A cell phone? An iPod? she wondered aloud.
"It's an insulin pump," I said matter of factly.
"A what?"
"An insulin pump," I said.
"Oh."
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It's back. And this time I'm definitely blaming the blood/bacteria in my urine on my refillable water bottle. Remember several months ago when I had two horrible infections in the course of two months? Remember that I searched online in vain to blame the problem on my Nalgene bottle, but to no avail? Well, I ditched the Nalgene bottle and the problem went away. Except that when you live in the desert you have to drink water. Lots of water. So I bought another refillable water bottle and drank gallons of water a day. Well, not really, but you get the picture. And what happens? Three months later I'm in agony again.
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When I was pregnant with No. 2 in 2002 I worked for the worst boss I have ever had. I knew there was a reason I worked at that company and for that person -- although I was hard-pressed at the time to actually come up with that reason.
Six years later, I know I wouldn't be where I am without the experience from that job. The jobs I've accepted and created since working at that place I likely wouldn't have been as good at without that nasty, 14-month hell of a job.
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I debated where to wear Toohey today: in my pocket (out of sight) or on my belt as I always do. Prior to this morning, I had been to my new office three times: twice for interviews and once to sign my offer letter.* All three times Toohey was tucked neatly in my pocket, no tubing was visible, I was a normal-looking person.
So I debated for several days and ultimately decided not to hide, to wear Toohey on my belt as always, to be myself. I decided though to not come out and say "Hey, I have diabetes" on my first day. I just wanted it to flow, to just happen naturally. I really thought I would have had some questions since Toohey was so visible.
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If there's anything those of us with diabetes know, it's that we have to be flexible. Blood sugar levels and blood sugar maintenance equipment and medications take a lot of brain power and we are often at their mercy.
Which is why I'm up at 11 p.m. -- one solid hour after my bedtime -- writing this post. The house was actually quiet for once. The Mr. had gone to bed early, the kids were in bed, I had made lunches for tomorrow and done the dishes. I sat down to watch a little of the Olympics, enjoying the semi-silence; before I knew it it was 10:30 p.m.
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Diabetic Recipes
