February and it's challenges/opportunities!

February is here and challenging. Still looking for an endocrinologist. I will be beginning outpatient rehabilitation at Siskin Hospital. Saw Dr. Vemuri and we are working on gait retraining and reducing spasticity. Another goal is working on techniques to save physical energy. Been dealing with lots of asthma this week. I also had to change insulin to Apidra due to rash issues. My infusion sites have gone from lasting 1 day to 2-3 days since changing. I have also had a lot of issues with work and damaged equipment needing repairs and keeping one of our stations off the air. Next week, I will celebrate one more trip around the sun. Wednesday, February, 13 to be exact. Gotta go for now and get some things done.

Heaven in a disaster area or D Humor!

I have seen more highs and lows and kinked pump catheters. Correcting down highs and trying to keep Somogyi and his demons at bay. Like Robert Johnson, there is a HellHound On My Trail. So with further ado, here are some of my winners:

Darn Effect aka D*** Effect- What Goes Down Must Come Up. Hymn to it is "Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears
I Can't Drive at 55- Classic Rock song for D People.
Oh, Dexcom, Where art Thou!

Other D News in East Tennessee. Diabetes Update is on January 19, 2008. It will be held at Bearden High School in Knoxville, TN. To register, call 1-888-DIABETES x 3341. There are superb speakers and lots of major Diabetes vendors and education providers on hand. Worth attending for East Tennessee people. An American Diabetes Association event. Tell them I sent you.

2008 is now here!

I have just began to realize that I have survived another trip around the sun. Many things have come and gone. I have managed to control Diabetes instead of Diabetes controlling me. I have met many great people. Paige of Tennessee Mountain Cur is a favorite blogger and recommended reading. I have also learned how to Blog and enjoy posting this for all. I am getting comfortable with dealing with toddlers with Diabetes after several crises.

I have also learned that I am not a good candidate for the Baclofen pump, so a different direction on spasticity is needed. Most oral medicines don't do well for me at doses which work. The side effects aren't livable. So back to Siskin for advice. I am also in the process of setting up an appointment with a new endocrinologist.

I desire to lose weight and gain more energy and confidence and keep blood sugar in the same excellent range. My HbA1C has been between 5.4-5.7 all of 2007. So I am wishing all a fine 2008 and may all drink in life's possibilities. I am hoping spina bifida doesn't give me any new issues and we do fine. I hope to get my hip more stable.

December came and almost left!

Over the last month, much has been done. I have seen my Rehab Doctor for a checkup. My endocrinologist has switched clinics and no longer takes my insurance. I have dealt with the Christmas rush and have survived without going postal. I have also kept weight steady with all the extra treats foisted on all this holiday season. My blood sugars have been quite good. (120 average). I have also had lots of broadcast and studio equipment to repair and maintain over all of this and my ladyfriend and her little one. Erik has had it rough. He had an ankle which got rammed by a little friend's power chair when it went haywire. Shattered his ankle in 24 places. He also had an artificial hip get an infection and both hips need replacement. And having to deal with his Type 1 diabetes on top of that. He's home and doing better and got the casts off. I have had really high levels of spasticity on top of that. I have been advised to get another Baclofen Pump surgically implanted. (I had one from 2001-2003). I see the neurosurgeon next Monday about this. I also will be referred to another endocrinologist, Dr. David Huffman soon in Chattanooga. I am also in the process of considering a continuous glucose monitor. Will likely get a Dexcom 7. Stay tuned for future additions to the state of the engineer.

Today's new D adventure!

T0day began as an ordinary day off and routine. I got a message that my new Diabetic shoes were ready in Knoxville. I then got an invitation to lunch with a friend and colleague. So, I drove to Knoxville and checked on my shoes. They were the wrong size (size 10 1/2) and I wear a 8 1/2. They are going to order new shoes and modify those. I had lunch with my colleague. We ate at a Peruvian restaurant which just opened. Not a good choice. Our stomachs ached and digestion wasn't good. I also had swollen hip and knee joints from 4 days of adventure. I visited my friendly nurse practioner and got a Toradol injection and a steroid shot. Not the best thing for blood sugars. But neither is extreme pain. I plan on resting up. I also had an allergic reaction to lunch. Turns out to have had guacamole. Not a fine day.

Thanksgiving in D land!

I have successfully survived Thanksgiving (no leftover turkey, either). I drove to Oak Ridge, TN with my grandmother and we saw my stepbrothers and their wives and children. Had a fine time. Excellent food from excellent cooks. The insulin pump was put in overdrive. The only glitch in the whole trip was having my left hip dislocate and get severely inflamed. Had a trip to the ER to check if it was in. It was but very uncomfortable.

I also have had some changes in my diabetes arsenal. I changed my infusion set to the new Inset 30 from Animas, I got some samples and supplemental training from my new Animas Territory Representative, Holly Samples. We also reviewed my pump issues and she went through the site changes. Turns out the main problems with loss of prime was a major pumping concept, filling the cannula. I was never told you had to fill the cannula after you connected the infusion set. This caused a delay in basal delivery and air in the tubing. This and kinking in my cannulas explained my problems with losing prime. My trainer was only with Animas for a short time and training was just before a holiday at that 15 months ago. This visit was valuable and reminded me that having more training as a new pumper is valuable. My experiences are much better now and the IR 1250 is happy. My HbA1c was 5.4% so all is groovy! Holly was key to improvements in my pumping know-how.

It has been busy in the world of broadcast engineering. I have had a Vol Network football broadcast (the UT-Kentucky game we won by 2 points in 4 overtimes) 51-49. We are playing LSU in Atlanta, GA next Saturday. Go Vols!

Today, we had 4 FM exciters, 2 audio processors, and 2 FM multiplex generators fail due to a power surge. A 60 mile drive to Knoxville, TN again and a trip to Sharp's Ridge to the transmitter building to repair the affected gear. Many capacitors, resistors, diodes, transistors and a tube or two later WUOT-FM 91.9 was back on the air. Took 5 hours to repair all!

I am glad to have this week over due to the excitement and all the traffic and repairs attended too. Broadcast engineering never is dull, always repairs and maintenance to be done. Next week, I have to go get my new shoes and inserts. I had to get new orthotics and a new pair of modified New Balance 587 running shoes with them. I have a leg length discrepancy. My left leg is 5/8" shorter than my right. I need a built up left shoe. I was born this way and had to live with it 41 years of that before it was re-evaluated and compensated for. Very hard on backs and hip joints. My left hip was also cocked to the side a bit when I was born 11 weeks early in 1964. Also got club feet too with it. I get stiffer and more uncomfortable as I get older (I outlived my life expectancy 5 times along the way). Next week is going to be a slower one if possible.

Another Day In Pump Paradise or The Pump Went South!

Today has been unusual in nature. I got up early to drive out to the mechanic and get that hood release latch replacement on my Nissan Sentra (a 1996 model built in Smyrna, TN). I spent 3 hours there and he got it repaired. The grille and bumper cover had to be removed to gain access to the hood. I got my hair cut and ran some errands and shopped for some groceries. I had several instances of hypoglycemic episodes with no sensation of lows. I am dealing with autonomic neuropathy and the spina bifida and cerebral palsy with it. Not fun.

I put the pump in temp basal mode and only saw half the screen. I couldn't cancel the temp basal on top of that. Another call to Animas and letting the support nurse know about my issues with the screen and being unable to cancel the temporary basal. She is sending me a replacement pump tomorrow. I am on injections until then. This is my 11th IR 1250 in 14 months of pumping. Another day in paradise. I have lots of experiences with my backup regime of injections. I like my Animas pump even with the issues I have had. The technical support and the trainers have been superb too. I would have had trouble with other makes of pump as much or even more in my opinion. I am getting ready to drive to Lenoir City and pick up mom. A day on the go and in the life of a fool.