Summer.  I really do love summer.  I love being able to take off at will to the beach on a weekend night and spend time with people I adore.  I love all that's happening in my city - arts fairs, outdoor gatherings, BBQs.  I love taking off to camp nearby or afar or on the roof of a city building. 

If there's one thing I'd change about summer it's the impact the searing heat always seems to have on my diabetes.

I've lost a bunch of weight this summer, primarily because I am never, ever hungry in the heat.  Nothing seems to taste as good. Well, maybe watermelon, ice cream, and ribs - but who can live on those things alone?   On top of that, it seems that my body is working so hard at trying to cool me down, it forgets the part it needs to play, in conjunction with my pump, in bloodsugar regulation. 

My total daily dose of insulin is averaging somwhere around 23 units - this differs by 10 units (or 30%) from what I take in the cooler months.  My average bloodsugar is at only 100 mg/dl, which obviously means I'm having a lot of low bloodsugars.  I don't think it's just the eating thing, though that accounts for some of it.  I believe that heat?  Sweat?  Something? directly related to the summer lowers my sugar without the need for increased insulin.  

I am experiencing almost daily early morning/fasting lows.  Even with my overnight basals set at ZERO for 3 hours of the night and just a tad above that for the rest of the overnight hours.  I only have that slightly larger dose on at all because I experience ketones if I'm giving nothing at all for the entire night.  These are tough lows, in the 20s or 30s, confusing and soaked in sweat and shaking.  And with zippo insulin for 6 hours?  Try ketones at a bloodsugar of 120 mg/dl or lower.  Not fun.  Same set of ugly symptoms with no cure except for extraordinary doses of water in the mornings.  Frustrating, to say the least.  

I wish to be able to enjoy the summer minus bloodsugar worries, but that's what I've been dealt.  And honestly, damned if I'm going to let diabetes steal one minute of beach fun, starlit nights in the woods or on the sand, work on summertime city adventures, bike rides, long walks, and ice cream eating.  Despite a focus on maintaining the delicate bloodsugar balance, this is still turning out to be a hell of a summer, and I'm going to enjoy every single second of it, juice boxes and fresh fruit and peanut butter in tow.  

This weekend, building for Wooly Fair - check it out, come if you can!  And, we're planning a trip to the drive-in to see Green Lantern and Harry Potter and enjoy drive-in food.  Next weekend, Wooly Fair happens, the weekend after that, a beach day in Wesport on Friday and who knows what else.  And toward the end of the summer, a planned camping trip/visit to Maine with two of my favorite people.  Plus every weeknight, rides through the city, searches for adventure.  Who can ask for more?

Have I mentioned, I love summer?