This is not the post I intended to write this morning.

Today, I woke up to a fasting of 151, which is pretty darn good considering where I've been lately. I dressed for my morning walk, sat on the couch and ate what I'm now referring to as a snack--a small cup of yogurt, just 15 grams of carbs. It was all I needed to sustain me through my walk. I used to eat half of a peanut butter sandwich, but it's really hard to choke down that much dryness before the sun even comes up. But I digress.

I decided that with a fairly decent fasting, so few carbs and a 30-minute walk upon me that I didn't need to take any insulin. I mean, 15 grams of carbs! C'mon! (READ MORE)

STBrink

In the beginning, there is orange and black foil.  That foil is joined by yellow and red, with the black fading away.  In what seems like an instant, the yellow and orange are things of the past and the red takes hold alongside glittering green and silver.  All of these beautifully colored foils, they signify the enemy.   They are the harbingers of what is, quite possibly, the most difficult time of year for me; the dreaded days between Halloween and Christmas. 

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Cake. Devil.

I am sitting at the dining room table. Two pieces of cake sit in front of me, in the glass cake holder my mother bought for me. They look amazing, those slabs of cake, with their white frosting and their devil's food cake-i-ness poking through. I stab at the grilled chicken salad with peppers and onions and slivers of carrots on my plate. The salad, which just a few moments earlier had looked so delicious. Now it just seemed pale and loose and green in the shadow of the cake. In the shadow of the devil.

I say, out loud, "Well, just one piece can't be too bad. I mean, I have just had this salad for dinner. And I've barely touched it." (READ MORE)

As the holidays approach so to do the fears of having high blood sugars. It never fails, I dream of making it through Thanksgiving and Christmas without hyperglycemia. But as I sit down and see all the beautiful voluptuous foods, I can't help but to chow down on everything!

I go through the meats, breads, veggies, casseroles, and then come the desserts. And after all that I usually go through for a second swipe at all my favorites from the first trip.

This is why I sometimes take my shot after meals, especially on the holidays. This way I can sit back and think about everything that I have had and start doing the math in my head. This can lead to overeating though, because I think to myself, "well, I might as well just keep eating and just take more insulin."
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Hate: That I can't eat cereal (even so-called healthy cereal) for breakfast without taking an excess of 10 units of Novolog.
Love: That I have rediscovered that I love having oatmeal for breakfast--and it requires only three to four units of Novolog.

Hate: That "healthier" fare is more expensive. I love cereal for breakfast, but some of my favorite, non-sugared cereals cost twice as much as the sugary stuff and you get half as much in a box.
Love: I'm choosier about my meal choices based on carbs and cost.

Hate: That finding a variety of food I like and how to bolus appropriately often involves some seriously high numbers.
Love: That I have found some tasty staples I can count on and not have to count carbs or think about how much insulin to take; I just do the same thing I always do and know that it's going to work. (READ MORE)

I just took the single largest dose of NovoLog I have ever taken! I was sitting around in the living room thinking about what I could have for dinner. And as I was rummaging through the panty, I came across a box of instant rice. Actually it was mixture of both pasta and rice; two foods from the KING-OF-CARBS category. Not only did I have the entire 150-carbohydrate box, but I chased it with a sleeve of Ritz crackers and a glass of milk. I ended up taking 20 units of NovoLog. Since my diagnoses with Type 1 in 1994, I can't remember ever taking such a big dose. I think I'll be good on carbs for the next day or two!

Despite thinking that I would be dead on, I tested a couple hours later and was high! Even though I tested high, it didn't bother me as it usually would. It was fun for a change to pig out on carbs. Every day I take a total of about 20 units of fast acting insulin, here I was getting my whole day's worth in one meal!
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