Turning D-blog day into D-log day

I did it. After several months, tonight I finally started the beta test of my logging software. This is the idea I pitched last spring for the DiabetesMine design contest, which I've been using to log my own readings since March. In June I bought a MacBook and now take that along to my endo's and look at the output together.

It's been working pretty well for me, and my inherent laziness had kicked in, and I had really stalled on doing anything else with it. Until I was contacted by someone who found the ChaosTracker website, and asked if I still needed beta testers. And after weeks of email tag, I had something almost ready to send out - and as I was writing up the directions, two more people found me and asked to help. Which is probably all I can handle at this point, until I clear up the know bugs and start looking at enhancements.

So now I have my beta test starting, with the goal of putting in a real effort between Christmas and New Year's this year and actually getting this out the door shortly afterwards. Wish me luck - and happy D-(b)log day!

Can somebody make this movie?

Back in college, I had a friend who was a pretty good juggler. Sometimes, he would start off with just 2 or 3 objects, and we'd toss more and more in, until eventually he'd have maybe 7 or 8 items going, and then they'd all fall down, except for a few he'd manage to catch before they hit the floor.

If anyone out there has the coordination (it sure ain't me), could you do a "life with D" juggling video? Start with a meter and pump, then add in an apple or something ("eat healthy"), then a sneaker ("exercise"), then a juice box ("you're low"), bottle of ketone strips, wallet, alarm clock, CGMS, whatever. I think it would be a great visual on the juggling we have to do every day, along with a reminder that no one can get it perfect all the time...

If you build it... (nothing to do with D)

This is where I send myself when I'm in desperate need of a "Mommy time-out".


The Castle Room, with elliptical decorated for effect:

Close up of the doors to The Crawlspace of Unfinished Projects (like half-finished afghans, needlepoint, curtains, and shirts. That visible "table" leg is from my great-grandmother's 1931 electric Singer sewing machine, which I still use)

... THEY WILL COME:

That's Tucker (big gray one) and Sarah (little brown one), in their favorite spot in the house.

Comments from the castle

I'm trying a vlog today from my "castle room", the room over the garage the kids and I turned into the perfect reading nook...

Come again?

What the weather forecaster says:

"Increasing clouds tonight with scattered thunderstorms, some severe. Lows around 70."

What a PWD hears:

"Increasing clouds tonight with scattered thunderstorms. Some severe lows around 70." Severe lows? What do they mean, seventy's not bad at all... WTF?

... oh

The Magic Brownie

Okay, okay, it's not that kind of magic brownie. I was always too much of a goody-two-shoes to ever try anything stronger than alcohol. But this particular magic brownie was I think even better than what first leapt into your mind.

Let me preface this by saying my BG is always wacky. Diabetes seldom lets me get away with anything. I actually need to bolus about 1.2 units (from a TDD of under 30) for a cup of decaf coffee with a tablespoon of milk in it. I can be 100, eat 10g of carbs, not forget to bolus, and still be 340 an hour later. It's more or less completely random. That is why I have been wearing a CGMS since the minimed FDA approval study - I cannot reliably predict what can happen, I can only react to what is happening now. (Yes, I do know how to count carbs, use a scale, exercise, etc, etc. It doesn't get me to predictable, it only keeps me conscious). Although, as my immune system has taken out a few more hormone-producing organs after killing off my islets, things are slowly getting easier.

Anyway, back to the actual story, last night's dinner was stir-fried organic farm veggies with some leftover pork chops, brown rice, and biriyani spices thrown in. And a glass of milk. Tasty, but hard to predict. So I bolused conservatively, because I was about to get in the car to go to my writers group and down that aforementioned cup of decaf coffee. I figured I would recheck then and add in any extra along with my coffee bolus.

At the bookshop cafe, there was a line. There usually isn't. I had to stand for ten minutes, staring at their yummy display case. They all looked good, but the brownie, well, it was like one of those early dracula movies - me standing there, all innocent and confused, and the brownie on the other side of the glass, beckoning, beckoning...

I tore my concentration away and looked at Dex, to remind myself why I needed to virtuously avert my eyes from the evil confection. 110. With two arrows straight down. Obviously a sign from above. Or below.

I carried brownie and coffee back to my table, doublechecked with the meter. 94. Okay, let's eat. I will keep an eye on Dex, and as soon as I start rising I will bolus, because this brownie has gotta be at least 50g all on its lonesome, so even if the fat takes a while to hit, it's not going to be pretty.

Writer's group over: 112. Run into Staples and Target for kids school supplies: 81. Drink 15g juice box. Drive home. 110. Get ready for bed: 108. These are fingersticks, btw, as Dex looks too good to be true.

Okay, I'm too tired to stay up for the carb blast, either Dex will wake me or I'll treat him like a snooze and fix it in the morning.

Wake at 6:30. 71.

Like I said, a magic brownie.

We all deserve one now and again.