Why I will never get an A in Diabetes Math

Simplify.  Solve.  Repeat.


127bg + 20g carbs - 4 units insulin + 3 hours housework = 232bg


232bg + 40g carbs - 3 units insulin + 30 minutes sitting in car = 180bg


180bg + 10g carbs + 5 min waiting to get trail pass = 70bg


70bg + 30g carbs + 15 min cross country skiing = 42bg


42bg + 15g carbs + 60 min skiiing = 82bg


82bg + 30 g carbs + 90 min skiing = 559bg (recheck: 508bg, which is really the same number given meter accuracy)


559bg - 3.2 units insulin + 90 min waiting = 395bg


395bg - 1 unit insulin + 2 hour nap = 120bg


120bg + 10 g carbs + 2 hours loafing and feeling like crap = 187bg


187bg + 3hours sleeping = 51bg


51bg + 15 g carbs + 3 hours sleeping = 237bg

The Diabetic’s Dilemma

I have an infusion set in, that was due to be changed this morning.  And it hurts!  It gave me that stinging-sore, probably-bent-the-cannula feeling going in, and it’s being doing the itchy, achy, give up and change it feeling ever since.  Plus, it’s right where the waistband of my jeans rubs, so sitting down puts even more pressure on it, making it more uncomfortable.

I really ought to pull it out.  Even if if hadn’t been bugging me, the three days were up this morning, and I generally do best changing every two or three days.

But here’s the clinker:  my blood sugars have been fantastic!!!  I’m talking no-hitter for over 60 hours (OK, a few lows and quite a few extra snacks as things get close to my low threshold) and that’s with my Dexcom set at 80/160.  And the only reason I broke 160 last night was because I went out for a fancy dinner, involving wine, fresh bread, potatoes, palate-cleansing sorbet and chocolate lava cake - and even then after a few hours I drifted down to 101 without correcting after a conservative bolus.

So I’m trying to figure out: is it one of those rare breaks from the chaos gods - because believe me, even with major effort I can seldom manage 12 hours between the lines, not  most of three days.  Did a few beta cells manage to grow while my immune system has been busy taking down another organ?  Is it the infusion set itself - maybe it’s nicking into a small blood vessel or something making the insulin work much quicker?  If so, how often can I find that spot again?

I don’t know, but whatever it is, I don’t want to screw it up.  Which means keeping the site in place until my BG starts doing its usual Charlie-Brown zigzags, or the pump reservoir is empty, whichever comes first.  With any luck, I can make it to lunchtime tomorrow.  

Wish me luck - if you need me, I'm in the kitchen watching my BG go up just 30 points and back down on its own whenever I eat a double-chocolate Newman-O!