Monday, January 31, 2011

Friday, January 28, 2011

Guest Post: Games and Diabetes

Following yesterday's post, I've decided to start having some guest posts on my blog.  I am leaning away from the DOC though, and instead getting posts from my family.  They have been there for everything, diabetes or not.  Today's post is from my cousin Andrew.  He is a teacher, coach (football & sailing), skier, and over-all fun loving guy.  


I can vividly remember when it was time for you to check your blood sugar with your poke kit (and there were many different kinds of kits too :).  The Nugnes's and Boisvert's love to compete, as you know, so we would make a fun game out of it.  We knew that 100 was around perfect, or normal levels for your more technical personel :).  We would go around the room and guess what the number would be and the person closest to it would win the game.  Don't ask me what they won but it made the process fun, and for you, Briley, I'm sure it made it all the more easy when the entire family was involved :).

Also, having watched this process many times, I was an RA at Stonehill College and one night one of my residents was either really drunk, or as we came to find out later, drugged, but not by her own accord.  Anyway, sorry about the details, but we knew she was a diabetic and had to inject insullin as well as check her blood sugar.  We wanted to make sure she wasn't going into shock, so we found her poke kit, we pricked her finger, tested her blood and it was 104.  I knew right then it wasn't her blood.  She came to thank all of us the next day and was laughing when I told her how I knew what to do.  She was thankful I had a cousin show me what to do in that instance :).

Thursday, January 27, 2011

In My Life

Long before there was a sick three year old, 



Long before there was diabetes,

Long before there was insulin, 
Long before there were shots, 
Long before there was calorie counting, 
Long before there was an endocrinologist, 
Long before there were nutritionists and diabetes educators.  
There was family.  




Stay tuned tomorrow to see where this is going :)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Switchboard Hell

I was trying to get in touch with my PCP yesterday.  Dr. Cheerleader works at a hospital, so of course I have to call the main hospital line.  And I have to listen to how they've change their name, and that the push button options are different.  So I listen, and I realize that I need to push 4.  Four is what you do if you know the department or person you're trying to get in touch with.  So I listen to the man and after the beep I say her name.  "The name we heard is *correct first name* *totally completely incorrect last name.*  If this is wrong, press star and repeat."  I did this four times when Boy Genius started making weird/not-good-sounding sounds, so I hang up and I go check on him.  He's fine, and annoyed that I interrupted his book-reading.  I call again and start the process again.  I say Dr. Cheerleader's name two more times, and now I start getting *totally completely incorrect first name* *totally completely incorrect last name.*  OK, now I'm seriously frustrated.  So I say Internal Medicine instead.  "The name we heard is Physical Medicine.  If this is wrong press star and repeat." So I say it again.  "The name we heard is Internal Audit.  If this is wrong press star and repeat." I'm boiling (just like the pasta I'm making for the Genius children for dinner). I hang up, and I start all over again.  This time I press 1 to talk with a physician.  And I get a person!!  "Internal Medicine please"   And I get there.  I get to the intro person at Internal Medicine, and I get asked to say who my doctor is.  So I ask for Dr. Cheerleader, and that secretary is currently on the phone.  So I wait a few minutes, but they have it set up that if you wait a few minutes, to automatically leave a message and the secretary will call you back.  I leave my message.  And I stick my phone in my pocket (quite uncomfortable).  I wake up Girl Genius for her nap, and after cuddle time I call back again.  I go straight to 1, and ask for my doctor by name.  "I'm sorry, but that office is closed now."  I say okay, but in my head "ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME?!"  The message I left is important enough for a call back, and I don't get one.  I like my doctor, but I'd like to request she find a new place to practice.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

You Gotta Strip?

As I sat in the lodge on Saturday getting ready to drive home, I took out my meter, and my poker and the bottle of strips.  And there was no rattling sound.  I know that I packed extra strips, but they're magically still in the truck, sitting in single digit temperature parking lot.

And that's when I turn to my dia-buddy.
"Hey, you gotta strip I can have?"
"Sure, take a few"

Dia-buddies are great to have.  There's support and conversation, but it's even better when they can cover your mistakes, even if it is just a simple, easily corrected one.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Special Olympics

The novice slalom course
On Saturday I volunteered with Special Olympics.  Back in junior high, I used to volunteer with a group called Dream Catchers, so it isn't completely foreign to me, but it's not something I'm used to.  Give me a four year old, and I'm golden.  Give me someone with an unknown disability that functions at a level unknown and I'm not as golden.  But I went with my dia-buddy who volunteers all the time, and is a natural with the athletes.  Luckily there were a ton of volunteers this year, so I got to stay with my dia-buddy(DB) and we had our own group of four athletes.  L, C, N & J were great.  DB would throw up her arm and they would gather right in front of us.  Other groups weren't as lucky as ours, but DB helped every single group.  And soon my nervousness went away, and it was fun. It is something that would be wonderful to be more involved in, but I've already got my name in a few other places for volunteer work, and adding this to the mix would be spreading myself to thin.  It does have me thinking and thanking my blessings; that is for sure.  It's amazing how the most tiring of days can also be the most refreshing and reviving.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Thoughts, Prayers & Healing Notions

I wish that there were more people in the world like my dia-buddy.  The world would be a better place.  She has a job that doesn't require a lot of qualifications, but should.  She volunteers and works with people with disabilities all the time and she is who I did Special Olympics with today.  She'll kill you if you wake her up while she's sleeping, but if you need, she'll be the first at your side. 

The woman she works with a few days per week could really use our thoughts, prayers, and any healing notions you could send her way.  Thanks :)

Friday, January 21, 2011

There's a New T3

In the past month I have been the most happy and stressed out person you'll come across.  And I've tried to keep it under wraps, but it's hard!  So today I want to introduce you to "The Boy."  This is a big deal for me because I've been single, for, well, a long time.  When I first met him, I wasn't sure if he knew about my diabetes.  And I was nervous to bring it up.  But I didn't have to.  On our second date he asked question after question to learn more, but before even showing up, he looked it up online.  Now I'm not sure what he found, but he found my blog too.  That was a little unnerving, but it's good.  We went skiing one day and after he asked if I'd ever heard of Ray Allen.  I knew where this was going, until he said "Well I think I might sign up."  I don't know what my face looked like, but I think my heart grew just like the Grinch's.  This was our third date!  And I thought guys were the ones with commitment issues?  And then he stayed over one night, and I woke up in the middle of the night, right around 3AM, and I knew I needed to test.  I usually turn on the light, but I didn't want to wake him up, so it took me forever.  That night, I was fine, but all of a sudden I hear "are you okay?"  So then I'm so freaking happy I can't fall back asleep.  And when I tell him this. "I didn't mean to make you not sleep!"  I mean, really, he's a good one.
two hours worth of lows (missing one though)
He had his own medical issues this weekend, (planned and perfectly healthy - no worries) so I went over to help, and of course I had a marathon low right before going to sleep that included five juice boxes and two hours without insulin.  And then I get the question of "What kind of juice boxes do you want me to get for you?"  Those pictured above are my favorite, but if you're willing to buy me juice boxes, I'm not going to complain.  Although, having to say "the ones that say they're great for toddlers, those are the ones I like" feels a little embarrassing.  The Boy is my addition to the T3 Community, and so far he's passing with flying colors (so to speak).

Of course, laughing over simple things, and going skiing, and watching football, and making fun of trees, and being supportive in the stressful things I mentioned earlier, they are all important pieces of The Boy, but I wanted to share the D pieces first.  

Thursday, January 20, 2011

When Diabetes Gets in the Way of Work

This morning as I was walking back to the house with Girl Genius and she was having a hard time keeping up.  She is four, and completely bundled in snow gear, so it's hard to get frustrated, but seriously easy when you're already frustrated because the whole morning was on the late side.  So as she's dawdling, and I feel like my BG is on the higher side, I was reminded of a walk in May.

In May, Girl Genius and I were not as close as we are right now.  And Mom Genius was in Europe for the week.  She only went to school three days per week then, and this was a day she did not have school.  Part of my education is how kids quickly learn about empty threats, so you need to follow through with what you threaten, otherwise, they'll never take you seriously.  This is true in a classroom, as a nanny, and I hear it now from a lot of my mother's friends who are now grandparents.  As we were walking home, she asked me if she could walk on the stone wall, but didn't say please.  If they don't say please, my response is always either 1. stick my ear out towards them, or 2. "I'm not sure."  On that day I said, "I'm not sure," and she stomped her feet.  So I definitively told her that she could not walk on the wall.  So she sat down, and cried.  And I explained to her how all she would've had to do was say please, and then she could've, but since she stomped her feet, she lost the privilege that morning.  She wouldn't stand up, and I didn't pick her up because she loves getting carried.  So we waited, and waited, and waited.  And then I got really sweaty, and weak, and tired.  And I could see the house, where my tabs were safely staying, but I couldn't get to them.  I suspended my pump hoping it would get better.  But it didn't; my symptoms just got more intense.  Eventually I grabbed her hand and we walked back, but she was in time-out.  We walked in the house and I was somewhere in the 40s, so I got out my tabs and sat down at the kitchen table.  I don't know how the rest of the day went, but I do know that having D interrupt how I work with kids has made a lasting impact.  


And what did I learn?  I learned to carry tabs with me on our walks to school.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Diabetes Police

My dia-buddy pointed me in the direction of this on facebook.  It's a status with a bunch of comments and there were a few that we would all be happy about, but I'm leaving those out because they aren't involved with the police.  In this conversation with have a Type 3 (T3), my dia-buddy (DB) and the diabetes police (DP).
T3 Status: 89 years ago today Insulin was first tested on a human with diabetes.  We have come so far but still have a long way to go! Hoping to someday have a cure!
DP: raw diet.... seriously- check it out; humans are as simple as a fish tank! sounds silly doesnt it? remember 7th grade science~ Acid-Base and alkalinity tests ~ keep your diet basic and you will avoid most if not all forms of sickness and disease ~~~ sad part is I am just as guilty...but I encourage other to look into this: I have a friend who beat diabeties --- his doctors doubt it but in thier words " it's just disappeared" ~ crazy stuff but the more you reseaerch it I bet it will change your thoughts on a disease that runs so ramped in our family and is so feared
T3:My husband is a type 1. Is this just for type 2 or can it work on type 1 also?
DP:If you ask the docs there is no cure... I don't know what to think so I just ponder what few experiences I have; example 1- as an Emt any patient we come in contact with we consider giving them a line- a line is a bag of fluid via i.v.. Its common knowledge most folks are in a constant state of dehydration - or acidic. Back to basic acid-base I spoke of before. Then there was my old boss and now good friend I spoke of before - full on diabetic before and now as normal as you or I all by way of "Raw diet" --- docs can't explain it....
I am no expert nor pretend to be but with it in my family and seeing it so often at work (emt) it makes me wonder, concerned, and question. I truely think we are what we eat -
DP:‎....Also think about this- any medicine we inject or take or use makes us weaker. Take for example a very common, simple and seemingly harmless drug like oxygen. Folks using o2 often "supliment" then soon "need" then "can't live without" then it is their demise --- look at COPD patients --- I think far to often modern medicals "fixes" are bandaids that shut down the natural system(s) our body has in place to fix the need naturaly. In other words - don't use it, you lose it. Scary stuff I think
T3:Very interesting and insightful!! I will look up the raw diet thing! Thanks for the info!!
DB:I think that the raw diet is NOT a cure to diabetes...I also think that tho your friend my not have signs of diabetes, it will return and because of this "fad diet" his/her complications will be worsened. Also your view on medication tho it may be true in the example you gave is not true with diabetes, I lost the ability to produce insulin looonnnggg before the doctor put me on insulin thus making me and others extremely sick and another thing to ponder for you if it seems to you that we are what we eat therefore eating poorly is the cause of diabetes what is the explaination for those who get it upon birth, as an infant or small child.. it is in my opinion that your friend who had full on diabetes (whatever that means) did not have type 1 diabetes and its not type 1 that youre talking about at all
DP:I did not intend at all to offend nor do I believe it is a cure ~ neithe a cure nor the coming of Christ, the Easter Bunny, or the Toothe Fairy. If you reread you will notice it was more of a proposal- a request for someone else to think about something that is on my mind. I do not pretend to be an expert by any means but I am free to question right? I have no gain at all in this other than putting forward a question of my own and what appears to be a logical (not miracle cure as you suggest)but perhaps betterring of ones situation. I obviously hit a nerve with you- not at all my intent I promise... I dont even know you. But I do know T3 and feel she knows me enough to realize my intentions are good ~ besides; what could hurt to try a differrent approach, try something out of the ordinary and new? How has a healthier lifestyle ever hurt anyone? And isnt diet the first thing doctors address the moment it is determined someone has Type 2 diabeties ~ in an effort to prevent the condition from worsenning to an "incurable type 1"? Perhaps it is the view of others that there is now cure and the medical world we live in is the best its goin to get but I prefer to spend my days ponderring and freely exploring other avenues for if not a cure maybe at least a better quality of life. I dont for a second believe that I should be attacked or faulted for such a thing--- it was meerly a harmless suggestion. I also assure you that is you hold the biast and aggressive attack for a moment and research history and disease and how we have evolved you may notice it is unquestionable that over time as we progressed from grazers and game killers as a way of life and moved forward to a lifestyle of processed foods, grains, preservatives, chemicals etc as our foodsource is based today our health has declined as a result. Now Fad diet ~ a bit extreme statement isnt it? Now if we were talkin Jenny Craig or Southbeach I'd be right on board with ya! (suttle joke to show I am not upset and trying to be reasonable- its ok : ) 
--- Agree... don't aggree... either is fine; but I still encourage others to look into it and when you do I will gladly chat about it!
DB:Its true I don't know you and I am not overly offended by your comments. Its when people say that diabetes can be cured or beaten and that due to poor lifestyle chooses a person gets diabetes. I may also not have my facts straight or even any facts about the raw diet but when it comes to diabetes I do have my straight. Type 2 does not become Type 1 they are completely different diseases other than the fact that they share a name and common disbeliefs. I have no issue with a healthier lifestyle I am all for people being healthier and staying away from processed food but thats not what started me on the rant its was you that said your friend had "beat diabetes" because of the raw food diet. Type 1 has no cure, no way to beat or any of that. Also when you say that the medicines "we inject, take or use make us weaker", a person with diabetes can not choose not to take their insulin, your don't use it lose it saying just doesn't fit when talking about type 1 diabetes. I am sorry for my attitude. It frustrates me as a person with diabetes to have someone say things like you are with good intentions but not exactly the whole picture. I am not sure how to put it into words. I agree with everything you say about the meds and the healthy foods. Its just when you say the things about diabetes you are sending a "negative" message to people about something I fight strongly to share in make something that people talk down about. I get that is not what you had intended to do but someone will read that and think well why not just beat it.
DP:Well... Again I mean it in the best way but... Why not just beat it? Glass is half full right? Now this happens (to be quite frank) to be a damn big glass but there's bigger glasses ~ often --- now this is where I open an even bigger can of metaphorical worms so look out!--- often those attempting to tackle such a glass have far more guts n grit than folks like me ... I guess that's why I take an interest to begin with. I just lost a buddy to cancer ... He was a far braver man than I an I def looked up to him - ... To think I get frustrated at lifes challenges?!- what do I have to be frustrated over? - nothing. That guy was told by Ivy League Docs at Dartmouth he had weeks to live --- THE MAN LIVED YEARS! How awesome is that- we're gonna beat Diabeties and cancer and much more....
Oh damn, why didn't I think of just beating it?

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Expanding from the DOC

Don't worry.  I'm not going anywhere.

But after being told my blog was fun & uplifting, I decided that more people might actually like to hear what I have to say.  So I'm blogging over at Stage of Life under "On My Own."  I never really think of myself as on my own, and it kinda freaks me out to think of myself like that, but I have been, for a year now.  So here I go.

This is happening because I want it to, and I am in no way getting compensated for this.  Just another fun thing to do with my life :)

A Quick Conversation with a Four Year Old

Girl Genius: Briley, can I have some of that juice?

Me: Sorry, not right now.  It's almost dinner time.

GG: Well.  Mommy & Daddy let me have it even if it's dinner time.

Me: But I'm not Mommy or Daddy.  Do you remember why I drink juice?

GG:  Something with your blood sugar.  Too much?

Me: You're right.  It is because of my blood sugar, but it is because I don't have enough blood sugar.  And you know how juice has sugar in it?  Well, the juice can put it in my blood to make me better.

GG: Okay *goes back to playing*

Friday, January 14, 2011

Missing Juice

In the process of getting ready to go skiing on Sunday, we also needed to change hotel rooms.  So first I got everything together that I needed for skiing.  This included a tube of tabs and juice box.  My father was up at the crack of dawn packing his things, so he was the one who was ready to move them all too.  Along with the first trip, went the juice boxes.  I woke up in the 200s, so I wasn't worried about being low, but my low treatment also isn't something I would've sent first.  Guess what, I'm low.  (70 mg/dL: so not too low, but I need a treatment before we go skiing, and I've just dropped a significant amount in a short time, and I'm feeling low)

"Mom, Can you please go get the juice boxes?"
"You don't have any?"
"I do, but they're for skiing"

Well, we can't find them.  So I cut into my ski supply.  After I'm feeling better, we find the rest of the supply.  And then I re-fill for the ski day.  Nothing happened.  It all worked out.  But during the in between time I was angry.  It wasn't anyone's fault.  But it sucked.  I wanted to be angry at someone, but I knew that I couldn't be.  So I stewed by myself.  And I wasn't low enough that the blame came to the surface.  

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Morning Commute

As I was getting in bed on Tuesday night, my BG was 395 mg/dL.  Um, helloooooo...where did you come from?  There's something in me that "knows" my site is okay.  So I get out my pen and I take my correction, and I add an alarm to wake up at 3AM.  That beep beep beep woke me up so suddenly that I thought it was my morning alarm.  I turn on the light, and realize that I'm 53 mg/dL.  So not only did the correction work, but my pump is also working.  I grab 2 juice boxes and suck those down, and roll over and go back to sleep.  When my alarm goes off at 6AM, I'm 56 mg/dL.  So now I need to walk through the apartment for juice since I used my others during the middle of the night.  And then I hear the thunder and remember that I'm in the middle of a snow storm.  And I look out the window and my street isn't even plowed yet.  I mentally prepare for the walk to work.  But I'm coming off of at least three hours of being low, so I have twice the amount of oatmeal I usually do.  I pack a backpack of everything I'll need for the day (including an extra change of clothes, and my phone charger), and I get bundled in ski clothes as I get ready for my walk.  On the news, it seems like all they're talking about is how no one is on the road, which is good since there were some white-out conditions at times.  As I'm getting ready for the walk, I set a temp basal of 40% for one hour (hoping beyond anything that it doesn't take longer than an hour).   I was 143 mg/dL before I left.
My walking outfit
As I started on my walk, I was paranoid I was going to be plowed.  But it was so beautiful.  I even got about a half mile of high knees in before I decided to screw the sidewalks and walk in the road.  As I was on the sidewalk though, I came under attack.  And I went into fight position to the best of my ability.  But what actually happened is that the tree I was walking under decided to let me have his snow.  I looked around to see if anyone saw me, and then started laughing, and appreciating the beauty.  I walked halfway to work, when I got a text from Mom Genius that she found a ride to work, so to call Dad Genius to see what he wants to do.  I step onto a side street and give him a call, and he decides he'll call again at noon after the storm is over to decide if he's going to work.  So I turned around and walked home.  
walking back to my apartment on the "busy" road
As I was walking, there was a woman waiting for the bus. "ISN'T THIS BEAUTIFUL?!" And I yell back "YES!"  I mean, not having the ability to use my car kinda stinks, but walking through something so beautiful is incredible.  I get back to my apartment, de-snow gear myself and test.  And I'm 137 mg/dL.  And the thought: How the hell did I do that?  Wait, I did that?  I'm amazing! And there must have been something magical about yesterday's snow because I stayed below 150 mg/dL all day.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

I Love to Read

And in loving to read, I've always loved book quotes.  I used to collect them and hang them on my dorm room like crazy.  Now that I'm an "adult," I like to find more practical applications for the quotes I like.  In my old blog, I would write about them, or just write them in my entries.  But I decided it would be good to now find quotes that can be applied to my diabetes life.  Worth Dying For is the first book I finished on my NOOKcolor  and it's great because once I'm done I can easily find my bookmarked/highlighted quotes.  I also want to say that this book has absolutely nothing to do with diabetes, besides my "if I tried to do that, I'd totally go low" thoughts.

"Thoughts don't necessarily happen one at a time.  They come in starbursts and waterfalls and explosions and they race away on parallel tracks, jostling, competing, fighting for supremacy."

Sometimes I think that how I take care of my diabetes follows the same patterns.  I'm testing.  And I'm bolusing.  And I'm changing my pump site.  But I'm surviving.  And that's all.  And then I have the time to think, and I realize that there's a specific time of day where I'm having the same problem.  And then one day it's fixed.  But two things changed that day, so I need to try to separate the two and see which actually caused the improvement.  And sometimes that's hard.  Wait, that is hard.  We aren't living with a straight-line disease.  But we do live with straight-line medicine.  So the ideas on how to make it work best come and go, and work and don't work.  

After reading this quote, I've started texting or emailing myself my diabetes ideas. It has helped.  I don't know if it has helped for the long-run, but so far it seems to have been helping.  

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Crazy Eyes

I waited here for the Rx on my glasses to be checked
Last Friday I went into Boston for my dilated eye exam.  I haven't been in two years, but I wasn't nervous about the actual results, just the process.  The woman who tested my eyes and gave me my drops was very nice, and she had a funny accent, making my name sound really cool, but she had approximately 5 runs in her tights, and this was at 8:30 in the morning!  And then she couldn't walk in her heels.  So yes, at first glance she looked very professional, but I was a little skeptical as to how good she actually was.  And beyond that, I had no problems.  We did the "what's the smallest line you can read?" We talked about why I haven't been to the eye doctor in two years (I was scheduled to go, but then a new full time job got in the way), and then she needed pictures or something with this thing:
My biggest problem was when that clear thing needed to be nearly in my eye
The woman had to hold my head against the bar because as that clear thing came closer to my eyes, I backed my head away.  When I rub my eyes, or put my contacts in, the item coming towards my eye is soft and I have control over it.  She was sending this hard, plastic thing flying (or so it seemed) to my eyes.  She was getting frustrated with me, because she had to do it at least three times for each eye.  I feel as though this should be a common reaction, but based on her reaction, it seems it is not.  Am I the only one who cannot handle this?  She put the dilation drops in and then I was on my way to wait in the next office.
This was the size of the print on my nookcolor  during dilation and in Starbucks
I was nervous to meet my new doctor, but as soon as she walked in the door, I was comfortable.  She checked to see how dilated my eyes were, and then asked why I am so specific as to when I can have a doctor's appointment.  I told her how I'm a nanny, so she started talking to me about how when her kids were younger, they had nannies too. "Is it really true that the kids are really well behaved until we walk in the door?"  Yes!  And then, "holy crap, your eyes are perfect.  Have you really had diabetes for 22 years?"  (I don't think of myself as having diabetes for 22 years yet, but if you go solely by the year of the diagnosis date, it seems like 22 years.)  Yes, my glasses are based purely on heredity because my father and his side of the family all have glasses, and now a bunch of us in my generation have them too.  And while I was expecting the "your eyes are perfect," result, I wasn't expecting to feel so good about it.  I think I've reached the point where I appreciate all the good things, especially diabetes things, because I don't know when they will change.  

The size of my eyes when I got in my car, and I was already seeing so much better!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Sunday River

As I awaited the storm and the early release from work on Friday, I got more and more excited for Sunday River.  With no early release, and few flurries coming down, I got on the road and I heard "continue on I-95 for 115 miles."  (It was actually even farther than that.)  After I got off the highway, Maine was dark.  Really dark.  I called a bunch of my Oregon dia-buddies and they helped to keep me smiling.  I don't get to talk to them very often, so long car rides are the perfect time to catch up (and for those of you worrying about talking and driving, I've got a head set for my phone.)  And then, all of a sudden, I was in Bethel and I had made it.  I was getting to see some of my favorite people: my ski family.  We got up early on Saturday morning and were almost out for the first chair.  We flew down the mountain and within an hour needed to take a break because it was cold.  So a cup of coffee, some water and taking the middle of Dad's cookie, and I was ready to go again.  We skied all over the mountain and I fought to make it to noon before heading in for lunch.  It was cold!  We went in (ski-in/ski-out is a beautiful thing for those of you haven't experienced it), ate a delicious lunch of sandwiches and homemade soup, and got ready to head back out.  I requested my favorite, albeit at one time most traumatic, trail: Shockwave.  It is the steepest at Sunday River, and it was sheer ice.  We finished and our legs were burning.  But back up the chair for a few more runs, and then inside for the day.  I should've gone and worked out, but needless to say that didn't happen.  We watched football, relaxed, went to the store, ate dinner and played some dominoes.  Now that may not seem like a big deal to most people, but this can be a very competitive game in our family.  And I won!  We watched more football and enjoyed lots of laughs, and went to bed early.  But as we got up on Sunday, we weren't in as much of a hurry.  We still got on the slopes plenty early, but as we got to the chair, the ski patrol was sending everyone away.  The chair was on a wind hold.  I hate the wind.  As a 9 year old, our chair almost hit the pole before they realized the wind holds were a great idea.  We went down to South Ridge, and got on the Chondola, and on the way up, we decided to head back.  At 9:30, we were inside, tickets vouchered and getting out of our boots.  So yesterday was spent on the couch, with my feet up until lunch time when I got all my things together and headed back to my apartment.  There were a few highs, a few lows, and lots of in betweens.  A very good weekend; although entirely too short.  I hope you all had a great weekend too.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Scatterbrained Happiness

Yesterday was an "off" day.  I unexpectedly didn't have to work until 11:30 (!), but then Mom Genius was working from home, and I'm starting the looking for a roommate process, which is making my nervous-nelly, shy self a little...well...shy and nervous.  And I got my free Charlie Card from when the bus ate my money.  I had my first roommate interview after work, which went well, and then I needed to come back and pack.  But I got caught up in this awesome new blog, and then I just got caught up in the DOC.  And, okay.  The bus statement does fit in.  I was on the bus into Boston when a whole bunch of drunk boys sat in front of me.  And I try not to pay attention to drunk boys on the bus, but how can I ignore them when they say something as awesome as this?  And I'm talking to my friends, and oh, did I mention I emailed Ellen yesterday to tell her how I used to feel about twitter (crazy & useless) and how I now feel and how she should talk about how there are "regular" people out here who use twitter as positive influence?  Well, if not, I did.  And now I'm scrambling because the DOC took over my life, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.  So thanks for reading my scatter-brained thoughts :)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Sugar Swigs

my ski with my cousins' skis
When I started skiing with my parents, my cousin, her family and friends' families on New Years Eve, I was low.  I don't like starting anything low, but a temp basal plus a juice box plus a chair ride up to the top of the mountain are better to start than most other activities.  As I've mentioned before, I don't bring my meter on the slopes.   I took it easy all morning because I felt low.  After a few runs runs I took some tabs but the low feeling still would not go away.  So finally around 11AM, I look at my cousin on the chair and say "I need sugar."  Her boyfriend looks at me and starts telling me about the mental image in his head.  This includes me coming out of the lodge with a bag of sugar and pausing every so often to take a swig.  Some days it certainly feels like I need a bag of sugar, but hopefully I'll never need that much.  But in the mean time, I enjoyed laughing at the mental image of skiing with a bag of sugar.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Favorite Numers

These are my favorite numbers:  One is the student apartment where I met all my friends in college.  And one I started to like while I was in Oregon because it's the road I live on.















Does anyone else have favorite numbers likes this?