Sage's Journal

[CactusFlower]

Hugs, San!

yeah, this provider has been good. I mentioned getting a titer test Monday when I saw her (explanation in a moment) and she was "ok, sure". The lab is just next door-ish, which is handy and I had my results the next day. So, a titer test can tell what vaccines you've had. I do not have my childhood records. Being a military kid, I looked up how to get those, and it's insane. They're filed by facility! Like, I don't even remember what state I lived in whenever I got those, much less the facility. And, I'd have to have the military member's social security number. I've never had that information. I was born in 1970, and that was at a time when you got 1 dose and they didn't recommend 2 doses until 1989. But, we'd gone to Asian countries when I was 6, so I presume I got more vaccines than other kids. Anyhow, it came back that my MMR (measles/mumps/rubella) is still good, I'm fine for it. I could go get a measles one if I want, but it's not totally necessary. Good to know, right? I might anyway simply because my BFF doesn't have the best immune system with all his issues.

I have the new CGM and the new one goes in next week. I laughed because smaller? Goodness, these two nearly equal one of the previous boxes. They still don't include an alcohol wipe with the applicator, though. That feels kinda cheap, in my opinion. Eh, I have some. I just hope this doesn't have the false low issues.

Still trying to stay even with everything happening. It's so hard. I did manage to do the Amazon week-long boycott. Well, it ends this Friday, but so far so good. While I have needed a few things, I've either found ways to get them elsewhere or not really needed them. It's quite interesting to see how utterly addictive that instant 2-day gratification was. I got a couple books for the BFF from an indie publisher, and some yarn from the company itself. I'm doing the Little House creative auction again. This year, I'm making a crocheted one, but not on a wood block. It'll look like a little fairy house made from a prickly pear cactus. Super appropriate for my area. I'll have to make a cardboard or wire frame to crochet over to put in the right size pot. Don't worry, I will take photos again. And I've submitted some poetry and writings to a few more journals/zines. Focusing on small projects helps distract me a bit here and there.

The digital cleanse is 99% done. Other than the calendar I have to share with my bro on Google, I'm off the big evil providers and have far better security and such. It definitely feels much better. Even got a new external hard drive for a complete backup. (amazing that 4Tb is under $100 these days) It also is extremely useful to have separate emails for things like health, shopping, hobbies, etc. They flow into one place, but I can see so easily what's important and what can wait. Getting off all those sites has also cut down on 99% of the junk email I used to get. Much, much less impulse shopping, even if a place I'm still on (like eyeglasses) offers a sale. I feel less pressure to get anything. It's nice to remove stress I didn't even realize was stress.

hugs to all who want them, still here and still support ya'll!

[sanmagic7]

ditto to you, CF.

i agree about the alc. wipe not being included.  seems so fundamental.  but here's hoping you get better results w/ the new cgm.

dang, i didn't realize there was a weeklong boycott of amazon.  i did the 24-hr. boycott of big business last week? 2 weeks ago?  at any rate, it didn't hurt to do that, and we were able to postpone something we didn't really need, either.  funny how that works is right!

can't wait to see the pics!  your stuff is always so cute!  yay!  love and hugs

[CactusFlower]

Hugs, san!

So, had a big positive today. I am one of the winners in a state-wide poetry contest. I'm not linking since we can't do the personal info here, but I'm so thrilled! There will be a live reading next month, too. The prize is a pass that gives me one entry to each of at least 15 different state museums and parks, and I have a year to use it from its first use. Super awesome! It was a juried contest, so my therapist and I are firmly putting that in the "improve my self-esteem" category of the care plan.

Also, turns out I don't have to pay any taxes, so I'm good on that. Yay for a local tax pro, totally worth her reasonable fee.

[Armee]

 

[CactusFlower]

Thank you, Armee!

So, self education. I got a couple lows from this CGM, so I decided to look up overnight hypoglycemic episodes for diabetics, see if it really wasn't the monitor. (when I research, I only use legit scientific sites) I was a bit aggravated because the results all said to eat CARBS right before bed. I was having a protein shake because I quite logically knew protein takes longer to digest and keeps your blood sugar more even, but apparently that's not what's needed before bed. I was all "fine, make up your mind, can I have carbs or not, I'll try it". So instead of my protein shake, I had a peanut butter sandwich using one slice of bread, and a glass of milk. Ya'll... It worked. It's worked 3 nights in a row now. No lows, no alarms, No getting up unless I need to use the restroom which is usual as one ages. But! Get this...

Guess what some symptoms of those nightly low blood sugars are. Sweating, and vivid dreams or nightmares, as well as maybe waking up with heart racing or panting. The sweating thing is so common, the sites even advised if you have a diabetic kid to check if the back of their neck is clammy at night. And these past three nights, I've nibbled down half a slice of bread when I get up to use the restroom, usually around 3am or so, which is when they were happening. The research said that's usually when it happens. I've slept better, not sweated nearly as much, and dreams are normal. I'll continue testing because 3 nights is nowhere near a statistically valid sample size for an experiment, but I'm hopeful. And while it's carbs and spikes my sugar a little, it's still nowhere near enough to cause a high alarm. Heck, 2 tiny satsuma oranges spike me worse than that.

But imagine if a percentage of my nightmares could be solved with the way I eat... Wow.

Also, submitted two poems to a contest today. It's a literary journal, so I won't hear for several months, but fingers crossed!

[sanmagic7]

fingers crossed, indeed, CF!  here's hoping!

and congrats not only on winning, but on finding out about the carbs before bed.  that is amazing news.  let's hope it keeps on helping you like that.  you're doing a great job w/ this, all of it.  loads of luck for the next submissions.  love and hugs