Friday, February 1, 2013
Progress
So back here I set some targets so how did I do.
-1 km in 3 minutes: Missed is by a long shot, my biggest issue here was trusting the gps when it was telling me that I was running a 3:34 km looking back there was no way that I was doing that. Where am I now just under a 5 minute 1km aim is to drop to a 4:45 at the end of the month.
-cover 3 km in 12 minutes: well again Missed I am doing 3km in just under 16 m, so targeting a 15m by the end of the month.
- 5 km in 25 minutes: I did get relatively close to this one at 27:35 however due to the stuffed leg I have not run over 4 k in the past 3 weeks, but I am hopeful to change that in the next fortnight.
- weight below 108 kg - Again almost got to 108.4 this morning so just there, am aiming for 107 by the end of Feb.
And as for how am I doing my resolutions, well a letter is in draft, I am struggling with actually saying "yes this is important to me and you should do something about it" though, Sleep not so good but there is some life stress behind that that I may talk about another time. I am reading the book, I must admit that I am having issues with his messianic tendencies (I am up-to chapter 4). I know that it is a cultural thing between Americans and Australians, I feel that Americans can be very look at me look at me, where as I tend to appreciate a more self deprecating style. I will continue to read as there is good information in there, I am going to have to work to not discard his whole work based purely on his writing style.
Monday, January 21, 2013
New Year with Diabetes : Striving for Understanding in 2013
This post is my January entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival. If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2013/january-dsma-blog-carnival-2/
For 2013 I am looking to read. It is a activity that I enjoy greatly but have not not partaken in for a while, and more specifically do some reading on the management of diabetes. I saw it recommended somewhere that Dr Bernsteins Diabetes Solution was a good place to start, so I have it on order and I am interested to see what it has to offer. Some time I feel like a a bad PWD (person with diabetes) in the year that I have been managing it I have have done very little reading into management strategies etc.
On the health front there are 2 activities that I need to do 1) Sleeeeep 2) loose weight and they very nicely fit together. If I don't sleep enough I will tend to eat more and be less inclined to exercise. Additionally sleep seems to effect BG levels, if it is for the better or worse I am yet to figure out. The dropping the weight will increase my insulin sensitivity and thereby reduce the amount of Insulin that I take and increase my psychological well being. Oh yeah and keep my A1C's under 6
I intend to advocate for diabetes, this is slightly selfish as the things that I want to advocate for are the availably of the Omni Pod insulin pump in Australia, and the addition of CGM (Constant glucose monitoring) to the the NDSS (National diabetes subsidy scheme). I don't really hold out hope that I personally am able to directly change theses thing however unless I speak up someone else's lone voice can not become a chorus.
And the last thing that i want to commit to is maintaining this blog in a semi regular fashion, while reminding my self that the number of readers is really immaterial but it is more about thinking through what has happened and trying to express it.
For 2013 I am looking to read. It is a activity that I enjoy greatly but have not not partaken in for a while, and more specifically do some reading on the management of diabetes. I saw it recommended somewhere that Dr Bernsteins Diabetes Solution was a good place to start, so I have it on order and I am interested to see what it has to offer. Some time I feel like a a bad PWD (person with diabetes) in the year that I have been managing it I have have done very little reading into management strategies etc.
On the health front there are 2 activities that I need to do 1) Sleeeeep 2) loose weight and they very nicely fit together. If I don't sleep enough I will tend to eat more and be less inclined to exercise. Additionally sleep seems to effect BG levels, if it is for the better or worse I am yet to figure out. The dropping the weight will increase my insulin sensitivity and thereby reduce the amount of Insulin that I take and increase my psychological well being. Oh yeah and keep my A1C's under 6
I intend to advocate for diabetes, this is slightly selfish as the things that I want to advocate for are the availably of the Omni Pod insulin pump in Australia, and the addition of CGM (Constant glucose monitoring) to the the NDSS (National diabetes subsidy scheme). I don't really hold out hope that I personally am able to directly change theses thing however unless I speak up someone else's lone voice can not become a chorus.
And the last thing that i want to commit to is maintaining this blog in a semi regular fashion, while reminding my self that the number of readers is really immaterial but it is more about thinking through what has happened and trying to express it.
Monday, January 14, 2013
My weight is continuing to fluctuate but in a downward direction. It is consistently in the low 110's with one drop to the mid 109's, it does not look like I will make my end of month goal, however I am loosing weight in a sustainable manner.
I have kept up the exercise although a bit lighter this week as I have slightly pulled my left groin, although I am covering less distance I am setting a good pace.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Running continues to go well for me , I am gradually increasing my average pace, I am now up to just over 10 kph over 7 km which is a 1 kph improvement in a month.
The weight loss continues to proceed acceptably. I am still over 110 kg but it has been 8 day since I last went over 111 kg, this is saying to me that I am gradually loosing weight. Hopefully in a sustainable manner that leads to the KG's staying off.
The weight loss continues to proceed acceptably. I am still over 110 kg but it has been 8 day since I last went over 111 kg, this is saying to me that I am gradually loosing weight. Hopefully in a sustainable manner that leads to the KG's staying off.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
My weight seems to of stabilized in post festivities in the low 111 kg range. I will have 1 week more of not calorie counting to see where my weight goes, if I have not seen positive movement by then, I will have go back to keeping a food diary.
On the exercise front I have not exercised for 3 days, primarily due to the heat. Tonight I found a fairly flat run down to the beach, the time shows it. I intend to run this way again and maybe next time head up the coast a little, if I am not too shagged by the time I get there.
On the exercise front I have not exercised for 3 days, primarily due to the heat. Tonight I found a fairly flat run down to the beach, the time shows it. I intend to run this way again and maybe next time head up the coast a little, if I am not too shagged by the time I get there.
Friday, December 28, 2012
A Xmas present from D
So Christmas day was nice, we went to church in the morning followed by having my wife's family over for lunch and going to my aunt's place for dinner. Attempting to estimate my basal in the morning was a little tricky as it was 37 deg C and our house currently does not have air con, so eventually I figured that I would stay at 8 units of Lantus, on the assumption that the additional eating would probably balance out the heat. For the most part this worked with readings slightly over after breakfast (9.6) under before lunch (2.9) and a little up after dinner (11 & 8.4) on the whole I would consider that a highly successful Xmas day on the diabetes front.
On the weight loss front I was decidedly less successful. I decided to torture my self and weigh in on boxing day, 3 Kg added in one day , Ouch.
Boxing day was also very pleasant it was 41 deg C and we went to my brothers house for the yearly gathering/swim. I must of miss calculated something on the eating front over dinner as I had 4 high readings (8.4, 13.2,13..9,11) for me this was fairly unexpected. One or 2 in the high range, sure, but not off into the very high.
Yesterday was when things started to get a little weird for me, weight was trimmed back a bit (1 kg down and 2 to go), weather was still hot so stuck to a 7 unit basal, had my usual breakfast with a slightly higher bolus as my pre breakfast was 8.9 (I figured I must of over compensated for my pre bed of 5.3). Post breakfast 10.1 WTF, no way that should be that high, so a little snack and twice the bolus required. Result 13.6 which I straight out bolused 2 units for, 1 hr later 14.6 and another 3 units straight up this eventually brought things under control by mid after noon.
Which brings us to today (another kg gone and 1 to go), same breakfast as yesterday again a larger than usual bolus 5 units instead of 3 and I still ended up at 12.1. 3 units straight up and all was good for the rest of the day.
It really knocks me when this happens, personally I think it was revenge for writing just the other day that I had things under control. So diabetes as present reminded me that control is only a illusion and the best I can hope for is a understanding of what should happen not the certainty of what is going to happen.
I am concious that I have been feeling fairly lousy of the past couple of days and the abnormal readings could be my body fighting something. I have been attributing the lousiness to heat, as it has be above 35 deg on both days and I only have fans to keep cool. The other thing that I am thinking it could be is that the excess eating is making it's way through my digestive tract and is creating a build up of glucose, which is then being released once I get moving. Either way I can only wait and see if this is a permanent change to the way things are performing or just temporary.
On the weight loss front I was decidedly less successful. I decided to torture my self and weigh in on boxing day, 3 Kg added in one day , Ouch.
Boxing day was also very pleasant it was 41 deg C and we went to my brothers house for the yearly gathering/swim. I must of miss calculated something on the eating front over dinner as I had 4 high readings (8.4, 13.2,13..9,11) for me this was fairly unexpected. One or 2 in the high range, sure, but not off into the very high.
Yesterday was when things started to get a little weird for me, weight was trimmed back a bit (1 kg down and 2 to go), weather was still hot so stuck to a 7 unit basal, had my usual breakfast with a slightly higher bolus as my pre breakfast was 8.9 (I figured I must of over compensated for my pre bed of 5.3). Post breakfast 10.1 WTF, no way that should be that high, so a little snack and twice the bolus required. Result 13.6 which I straight out bolused 2 units for, 1 hr later 14.6 and another 3 units straight up this eventually brought things under control by mid after noon.
Which brings us to today (another kg gone and 1 to go), same breakfast as yesterday again a larger than usual bolus 5 units instead of 3 and I still ended up at 12.1. 3 units straight up and all was good for the rest of the day.
It really knocks me when this happens, personally I think it was revenge for writing just the other day that I had things under control. So diabetes as present reminded me that control is only a illusion and the best I can hope for is a understanding of what should happen not the certainty of what is going to happen.
I am concious that I have been feeling fairly lousy of the past couple of days and the abnormal readings could be my body fighting something. I have been attributing the lousiness to heat, as it has be above 35 deg on both days and I only have fans to keep cool. The other thing that I am thinking it could be is that the excess eating is making it's way through my digestive tract and is creating a build up of glucose, which is then being released once I get moving. Either way I can only wait and see if this is a permanent change to the way things are performing or just temporary.
Monday, December 24, 2012
December DSMA Blog Carnival
This post is my December entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival. If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at December 2012 DSMA blog-carnival
2012 was Year 1.
On the 21st of October I passed my the first year since diagnosis, this was my year of learning diabetes. Getting to know the unknown beastie, and learning how to tame it. For now it is in it's cage, however like most beasties it is just waiting to burst free.
To be honest I think the biggest part of this achievement is that I survived sanity intact. I am proud that I have managed to get a good level of control in my first year (although i am just waiting for burnout to hit).
Reflecting on what I have learnt it is really hard, I can't tell you my carb to insulin ratio, I can't tell you exactly how many carbs are in any specific meal that I eat, and I can't even pin point exactly how much basal insulin I should be on.
What I can do is; look at what I am eating and inject according and get it right at least 3 quarters of the time; exercise and not get a hypo; go to sleep and be fairly certain I am not going to crash through the night and manage the effect alcohol is going to have and enjoy a drink.
On the whole it has been a huge mental shift, to get to consciously replace on of the bodies core unconscious processes, but one that I am coping with. I feel blessed that in terms of chronic illness that i could get, diabetes is manageable and if it remains under control is something that should result in little long-term complications.
Some numbers to reflect the journey
Hba1C = 5.8
Tests = 3,260
Injections = ~2,200
2012 was Year 1.
On the 21st of October I passed my the first year since diagnosis, this was my year of learning diabetes. Getting to know the unknown beastie, and learning how to tame it. For now it is in it's cage, however like most beasties it is just waiting to burst free.
To be honest I think the biggest part of this achievement is that I survived sanity intact. I am proud that I have managed to get a good level of control in my first year (although i am just waiting for burnout to hit).
Reflecting on what I have learnt it is really hard, I can't tell you my carb to insulin ratio, I can't tell you exactly how many carbs are in any specific meal that I eat, and I can't even pin point exactly how much basal insulin I should be on.
What I can do is; look at what I am eating and inject according and get it right at least 3 quarters of the time; exercise and not get a hypo; go to sleep and be fairly certain I am not going to crash through the night and manage the effect alcohol is going to have and enjoy a drink.
On the whole it has been a huge mental shift, to get to consciously replace on of the bodies core unconscious processes, but one that I am coping with. I feel blessed that in terms of chronic illness that i could get, diabetes is manageable and if it remains under control is something that should result in little long-term complications.
Some numbers to reflect the journey
Hba1C = 5.8
Tests = 3,260
Injections = ~2,200
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)