Diabetic Recipes
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I touched the top of my forehead and felt the sudden wetness of perspiration as I walked down the stairs. My head felt light and loose as if it dangled from a marionette string. Strange. It wasn't hot in the house. I felt an overwhelming feeling of tingly ickiness throughout my whole body as I stood there sweating and vibrating and wanting to quickly get to the nearest chair.
I've tested Charlie's blood sugar thousands of times, but doing my own felt awkward as I searched for the right angle. After some difficulty, I managed to squeeze a drop of blood from my finger and scoop up enough for a reading. Sure enough, I was 66.
Charlie, the town crier of our house, immediately took to the hallways, hollering loudly for all to hear. He was very excited.
"Daddy's low! Daddy's low!" he yelled from the living room.
"Daddy's drinking a juice box! Daddy's drinking a juice box!" he bellowed from the second floor.
What a shitty, shitty feeling that is. I'm sure I've felt minor hypoglycemia before in my lifetime, but never quite like that. If that's what 66 feels like, I can't imagine how bad 30 or 40 must feel. I can't imagine what it must be like on a regular basis. It just sucks that so many of you out there must deal with this unjustified and cruel assault on your body while you're just trying to be. Just trying to drive a car or read a book to your child or give a presentation at work or shoot some hoops. Just sucks.
"Charlie, I don't like this. Being low doesn't feel so good," I told him.
"Not to me," he boasted with a chocolate smile.
In his head I could just hear muttering, "pfft , lightweight."
Wouldn't be the first time he's called me out.
"Hear ye! Hear ye! Daddy says mommy's chicken was too dry! Daddy says mommy's chicken was too dry!"
"Hear ye! Hear ye! Daddy's got the Playboy channel on again! Daddy's got the Playboy channel on again!"
I've tested myself when I felt "low" and was never lower than a 69, but it felt lousy. I've wondered what low-low's felt like if a 69 felt so bad. But I think PWD's bodies (especially those of kids) get acclimated so that it doesn't feel as severe as it would for us.
Of course everyone feels different degrees of lousiness at different lows....I'm not making generalizations.
Imagine being a collegiate soccer referee and feel that your going lower than you should. But, not bing able to stop at that moment to resolve the low? That happened to me in the fall of 2007. Fortunately, I have a small bag of skittles in my back pocket and could eat them while running. At half time, my reading was 60. (after eating a bag of skittles)
When you think your situation is bad, there is always someone out there who has a more terrifying situation.
Great post Carey.
Great post. It sucks to be low, no doubt about that. I had a recent episode in the 30s (http://trying2behuman.blogspot.com/2008/02/whoa.html) where I was "lucky" to have symptoms, but sometimes the alarm bells don't go off. Those are the ones that scare me. So as weird as it sounds, I'm glad for the sweating, racing heartbeat and shakiness. It means my response system is still intact. Guess it just comes with the rest of the "fun" when dealing with diabetes (:-P
Happy weekend!
Week ends. Ah, the week ends, especially this early Spring. I'd gone outside after a morning of inside work and just spent a "few moments' puttering in the garden. The "funny feelings' of my youth (50+ years ago) were showing up again. (This is a good thing for sure!) Yup, in the lowest 30. Next day my husband and i went to a swap meet in a neighboring town where upon getting the car park my husband waited for me to take my test.. 96 - Good! Let's go in. 20 minutes later "the funnies show up again" -- 29??!! I better take that again 22! What! I feel better now than before. Ok, lets get some more juice (I'd already had the box in my coat pocket). That 12 ounce plastic bottle of orange juice was a great couple of carb servings about every 10 minutes that afternoon. AND we had a great time - my husband didn't even know there was a problem because I was talking normal, walking normal and nobody else even asked if i was OK?. Saturday's commin! THEN it's the LORD's day and He helps us through them all.
Shannon: I agree. Charlie definitely handles his lows better than I handled that one.
K: That's a rough spot to be in when low. Be careful if you find yourself reffing a game in the European Premiership. Don't think the fans would be so forgiving if you made a bad call because of a low sugar. They're insane!
Thanks Scott.
araby (ugh! I hate referring to people by screen names.): Nice maneuver with the cell phone. Happy weekend to you as well.
Carey,
You described a low very well! I'm sorry you had to experience this! Sometimes after I 'fix' a low, I feel like this for hours more. Why is that??
Mousie
Mousie,
It takes time for the body to recover, from a low. I have had to explain this to my husband who has experienced exactly what Carey has. He has even being awaken from a sound sleep, with the 'low' symtoms, thank goodness.
While, the body may go into a 'low' quickly, recovery usually isn't as quick. Yes, the blood sugar levels will come up, but, due to the 'shock of the low' to the overall bodily systems, it simply takes time, to recover.
For example, you have a Heart Attack. This happens within minutes, you go to the hospital and get treated, yet, you are not sent home, right after treatment. The heart has been 'injured' and needs time to recover. This is no different with a 'low' in blood levels. Your body has been 'injured' and needs time to recover. Thankfully, it usually only takes a couple of hours or so, not days or weeks like a Heart Attack.
Does that help you, understand a little better?
By the way Carey, you did an excellent job of explaining a 'low'. You have a 'gift' of words, my man.
Mousie,
It takes time for the body to recover, from a low. I have had to explain this to my husband who has experienced exactly what Carey has. He has even being awaken from a sound sleep, with the 'low' symtoms, thank goodness.
While, the body may go into a 'low' quickly, recovery usually isn't as quick. Yes, the blood sugar levels will come up, but, due to the 'shock of the low' to the overall bodily systems, it simply takes time, to recover.
For example, you have a Heart Attack. This happens within minutes, you go to the hospital and get treated, yet, you are not sent home, right after treatment. The heart has been 'injured' and needs time to recover. This is no different with a 'low' in blood levels. Your body has been 'injured' and needs time to recover. Thankfully, it usually only takes a couple of hours or so, not days or weeks like a Heart Attack.
Does that help you, understand a little better?
By the way Carey, you did an excellent job of explaining a 'low'. You have a 'gift' of words, my man.
I apologize for the 'double post'. I accidentally hit the 'refresh' button and this is what happened. Sheesh!
Thanks mmemoxie! That makes perfect sense. I just wish I could get my friends to understand that I can't just jump up and go after my 3 glucose tablets. I thought I was just making up the yucky feeling. I don't feel like such a failure now!
Mousie
Mousie,
First and foremost, you are NOT a failure!!! Diabetes is a insidious disease that manifests itself in many ways and causes several other health issues, along the way. For instance, heart disease, nerve damage and for all of us, the inability to 'heal' quickly, like we use to.
Just explain to your friends, what I told you. Ask them, do they expect a Heart Attack victim to recover immediately? Why, should they expect you to recover immediately? Those who haven't Diabetes or live with a Diabetic really don't understand and need to be educated.
Their education really is for your survival. I am coming from a very practical point of view. For example, let's say you are out with your friends on the town and suddenly, you start to get the 'low' symptoms and don't have some glucose tablets on you. Would they know to get you some orange juice or hard candy to suck on? These are vital pieces of information, that they honestly need to know.
Now, I know what to do to help my husband and my self. I have been diagnosed with Diabetes since February 2007. While, I have not had a 'low', thank goodness, I have seen my husband experience this, many times, especially since he has gone on insulin. I know what to do, as do most of our family.
We have 3 daughters, the 2 oldest have been diagnosed with Diabetes. This horrific disease runs rampant in my husband's side of the family and there is a good possibility that my youngest daughter will eventually get the disease.
Just curious, have you gone to Diabetic Management classes? If, you haven't why not go? These classes teach you lots of things and tips. Plus, you can usually bring along a spouse or friend. This just might be the best way for at least a close friend to begin to understand what you have to deal with, on a daily basis. You learn things like, when you have a cold or flu, that your blood sugar levels will not usually be in acceptable levels. Sickness is a real problem with Diabetics. Once again, it comes back to the body being 'injured by infectious bugs' and it does play havoc with the blood sugar levels.
Mind you, I am only suggesting possible means to help you achieve your goal of managing your Diabetes.
Mickey aka MmeMoxie
I've been in the 60s before an felt like a limp dish rag.
Another reason why diabetes sucks pigs feet.
I'm not sure where the "sucks pigs feet" came from. It just felt right at the time.
i had a low the other night of 30 it was real scary because my leg wouldnt quite shakeing. that is the first time that has happen to me. i had to wake my husband up to help me. the lows really do suck. it sound like you have a very brave little boy.