Unpredictable Type 1 and Dancing

What a strange week with diabetes. I’ve had to take almost double the amount of insulin I usually take because of the amount of corrections I have had to do. My diet hasn’t changed and I have exercised a lot so I don’t really get it. I think diabetes is so unpredictable. Even when my diet has been really good, my bgs have not. I also had a really bad low when I was in work; I was sweating and very short of breath. It took 70carbs to make me feel normal again and when I eventually tested again I was only at 5.2mmols.

On a more positive note, I have been doing more rehearsals, which can only mean one thing… more performances, Yay. I am working on a few dance pieces the moment. The first one is about bipolar disorder, second is about relationships in the space and the third is about sexuality in the dance industry. I am also due to start work on an intermedial dance piece, interesting stuff. Maybe I should create a dance piece based around type 1 diabetes? I could use stories from my readers for my inspiration? Would you be up for sharing?

Now that I am in my final year of uni, I really have to think about what I want to do when I leave. I know I want to perform and I know I want to create my own work and teach. A studio of my own and casually working for other people would suit me well. I like being my own boss. All of the above is definitely within my reach.

Back to diabetes, do you know when your blood sugar has been on a roller coaster, up and down and round and round, do you feel like absolute crap? I have noticed that it makes me feel ill like I want to throw up and it’s hard for me to be around light. When I feel like this, I want to go to bed for a sleep. However, I won’t do that. I’m usually quite busy during the day and feel that this “diabetes episode” would be an inconvenience for me. I don’t ever want diabetes to dictate anything.

Another thing that happened this week; my pump ran out of battery during a theory lecture. It made that lovely sound that goes higher and higher until you change it. I didn’t have no spare batteries on me but luckily my gf came to drop one off for me. This has taught me to carry a spare battery too. Along with my spare canula, a needle, hypo treatment etc. It’s gotta be done hey?

Are you following me on Instagram and Twitter yet?

Rowena x

What Does Your Diabetes Say About Diabetes?

Sometimes, when looking to be inspired, I watch TED talks. They have an app and a range of different clips on Netflix. I watch them because they inspire me in writing, doing better and generally pushing myself to aim for bigger and better things. The speakers are experts from all different fields; choreographers, writers, entrepreneurs, chefs etc. The most recent one was from an African writer who was talking about Single Stories. As an example of a single story she used her experience as an African Female who moved from Africa to America for college. Now, before her roommate had even met her she had assumed that because she was from Africa she would be poor, listen to tribal music and wouldn’t speak very good English. This wasn’t the case at all.

This got me thinking about my single story and if that has changed since my diabetes diagnosis. Have I gone from being Rowena to being that diabetic girl? I certainly hope not. Do people think of diabetes when they think of me? As a diabetic person, what information do I implant into peoples brains about diabetes?

How I act and manage my diabetes will give someone a story about it and I would prefer for it not to be a sob story. Yes, it is challenging but if I get it right I can feel well and energetic. That’s why I try my best every single day to keep it in check. I will never tell someone that I can’t eat something because I am diabetic, I will tell them that I don’t want to eat it because it is not good for me. If I’m having a crap day at managing my blood sugars I won’t tell a non-diabetic about that because I don’t want them to feel sorry for me or to assume that it’s my fault. When I am in dance class and I have a low, I will not make a scene; I will test and act accordingly. You get where is coming from? How I act will determine how another diabetic is treated. How someone’s mum manages their diabetes will affect how people see mine. An example, I have a friend whose mum is Type 1 who doesn’t exercise because of hypos. Thus, because her mum doesn’t exercise because of hypos, my friend is under the impression that I should be very careful around exercise.

If you know someone who has Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes you will obviously have an idea about it and a story to tell if the conversation calls for it. If you’re diabetic, you will understand that people have a “single story” about diabetes and some people will not change their idea of it even if you shove it in their face. The most common “stories” are that it is a self-inflicted medical condition brought on through eating too much sugar or it is believed that we can’t eat sugar at all. I live with type 1 diabetes and I can firmly tell you that both assumptions are incorrect.
Where does that leave me now? I guess I just have to make sure my story of diabetes is a one that won’t mislead people for years to come. What do you think about your diabetes story? What impression do you give to other people?

Have you followed me on Instagram and Twitter yet? As of next week I will be posting my weekly workouts, my before and after blood glucose and some of my meals. My timetable is sorted and I can’t wait to get into it.

Rowena x

My Diabetic Honeymoon

I think it’s time for me to accept that my honeymoon period is coming to an end.

Having been put on an insulin pump 2 weeks after diagnosis I felt that I was managing my diabetes really well until last week where I was experiencing a few more hypos than usual. The lowest was 2.6 and I felt vile. So, in order to prevent these lows it was suggested that I remove my pump as I was only taking 2 units per day (basal/bolus combined) anyway.

Four days without having to carry the pump was great. I had no readings above 9 and no ketones above 0.3. However, on the last day without it I ate some more carbs than usual and this sent my meter into double figures and rising. In response to this I immediately chose a site, put a cannula in and administered a correction dose. It didn’t do the trick at first so I had to do the same again in the morning.

The headaches and dry mouth are enough to tell me that I am high I don’t even need to check. I have been feeling like this the past few days as the basal rate (0.1) and insulin/carbs (1/15) ratio doesn’t seem to fit well with me anymore as I am seeing unusual highs. I think they may both need increasing? I have emailed my diabetes nurse so we’ll see what she says.

Anyway, honeymoon period or no honeymoon period I have been keeping up with my training. Lots of dance, yoga, running, circuit training, painting, walking, pole dancing and generally moving about. I plan to write a different blog post for all of the above and show a few pics of my skills.

I would love to hear about your honeymoon period. How long did it last? Did you still need to take your insulin? Were you sad when it ended? Tell me all about it in the comments below?