Ah, the weekend!

[gja1000]

Hi Everyone,
As you WELL know, I am so happy to be HOME finally. I have so much catchup to do over the weekend - grocery shopping, errand running, I will be busy, but HAPPY! I may get to catch a bit of an arts and crafts show - hope so!

What about you'll? What's up?

[Lindsey]

An arts and crafts show sounds fun!

I have been so busy this week and work is stressing me out so I'm excited for the weekend too. Tonight, Scott and I are going to Dane Cook the comedian which I'm really excited for! Tomorrow I am finally using a gift certificate my parents gave me last Christmas... 4.5 hours at the spa It's my brother's birthday tomorrow too, so Scott and I are helping them move into their new house and maybe going out for a drink later. On Sunday, Scotts parents are coming in to visit and seeing my place for the first time... too bad it's in shambles! I'm planning on cooking a moose roast, vegetables, and gravy before they go home that night. I haven't cooked much in our new oven yet, but it seems to get a lot hotter than any oven I've used before. Hopefully the roast turns out okay!

[HALEY]

Glad the weekend is here also, but i will be home taking care of my sick little baby, that's about it here, did my grocery shopping wednesday. so i'm done.

[Janet]

Not sure what I'm going to do yet. This weekend is bath weekend for the dogs, but not sure I'll do it until next weekend. I did get most of my Thanksgiving dinner groceries this morning, but will wait until Monday or Tuesday to get the perishable items.

May have to see if there are any craft shows going on here....not sure.

[DianaB]

A craft show sounds like fun!! I ended up going to Wichita twice this week. Once with Jaci to look at wedding dresses. The first place that we went to was a rental. I never even thought of renting but after seeing their dresses and finding two that she really liked we decided to go that direction. We have the option to purchase if we prefer. I told Jaci that it was up to her on what direction she wanted to go on the dress. We also looked at some colors for the bridesmaid's dresses. Her colors are orange, green, and pink, which, in my opinion, fits Jaci's personality. I'm excited about what we can do with those colors!! After looking at wedding dresses we went shopping at sever al places. I found some clothes for myself at Kohl's and a little dress at Dillard's for the flower girl, Karlie.

Then yesterday I went back out to Wichita with Glen. He bought some new tires for the combine to help him get the beans out. It's too wet to harvest and usually we're done by this time. We have had times in the past where we had to wait for the ground to freeze before we could get our crops out. Believe me, it makes for a really grumpy husband when that happens. I can understand though because that's our income sitting in the field. Anyway....while he took care of the tires I went to the mall and shopped. I got a few games and some clothes for Jaci from Aeropostal. While I was there I had trouble with my blood sugar and it just wiped me out. I was so glad when Glen finally came and got me.

Today, I'm just enjoying being home. Glen and Jaci went back to Wichita to get the tires because they couldn't get them done yesterday. I'm planning on getting some cleaning done and just enjoying my day!!

[judy]

Dane Cook is one of my favorite comedians Linds! What is the name of this show?
I hope Comedy Central has it on soon.

What happened to your blood sugar, Diana? Is there anything you can carry with you to prevent problems?

I had a condo meeting this morning, and now am going to do some organizing here. Tomorrow, I have a Writers in the Mountains (my writing group) get together. It's a potluck, so the food should be delicious. Maybe I'll read something if I can find anything I like that I have already written.

I hope you get to that Arts & Crafts show, Gayle!

[Lindsey]

Judy, Dane Cook is performing Isolated Incident - Globo Thermo Tour 2009. It was soooo good! We were in the 9th row from the stage. I can't remember the last time I've laughed that hard! The woman who did all my spa treatments today also went to the show last night but was disappointed with it. I guess it's just different humor!

[gja1000]

I had a nice day today, but didn't get to the crafts show, maybe tomorrow.

I got my hair cut at 8:00 and then Gary and I went out to breakfast and we had a nice time. Then I went to Walmart and the grocery store. Afterwards I did a little shopping for me, but didn't buy anything. I even got to take a little nap this afternoon!

We went over to the kids for supper tonight and then my daughter and I took Emma and Abigail to Macy's for the lighting of the Christmas tree. We knew there were going to be a zillion people there (it's an outdoor shopping center) so we waited till about an hour after the lighting ceremony - but it was still mobbed. We got there in time to see the fireworks, and that was fun. Emma loved it.

Then we shopped in Macy's and my daughter found lots of things. She bought 3 dress shirts for her husband, 2 shirts for her and 2 for her 13 year old daughter for $100. That's pretty good at Macy's. Lots of things were 50-70% off and then there was a 15% coupon for tonight only.

I'm going to try to get to the craft show tomorrow!

Oh yes, Diana, you need to carry hard candy or M&M (that's what I carry for Gary) in your purse. Anytime you exercise more than usual, e.g., walk around shopping, your blood sugar is going to drop more quickly. In fact, when Gary is going to be shopping or doing any physical activity - he takes 1/2 less of his insulin - so you might think about taking 1/2 of your medicine when you are going to be doing lots of walking. Anyway, you will begin to recognize more quickly when your sugar is getting low and then just eat some candy and you can ward off the low sugar episodes.

[DianaB]

Wow!! It sounds like you got some really good buys at Macy's. That's one place that I've never shopped. We have them here.....I think.

I knew that I needed to eat lunch and was headed to the eating area, but I was in a new mall and was shopping as I was going. Pretty soon I broke out in a sweat and got real shaky so I handed my things to the girl at the counter and told her that I'd be back after I ate. It worried me because I didn't know how far I was from the food court but it ended up that I wasn't very far. I have a tiny bag of M & M's in my purse but I thought that I had time to make it. It ended up that I was shaking pretty bad by the time I got there so I just asked them to hand me my cup so I could get a drink first. They were very understanding. I just have to make sure that I eat very regularly. I hate having to worry about it because before I took the meds I didn't have any problem with it going low......of course, it was high!! I hate the feeling of having my blood sugar going low. It just muddles my brain and wipes me out.

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by DianaB

I hate having to worry about it because before I took the meds I didn't have any problem with it going low......of course, it was high!! I hate the feeling of having my blood sugar going low. It just muddles my brain and wipes me out.

Yep, that's the good with the bad! But the good outweighs the bad. Make sense? Uh, NO!

Low blood sugar does absolutely wipe you out and for some time after the event. Also, Gary tends to eat more than he would have it he had not let the low sugar event happen. You will get better at figuring out when it is going to happen - but you are so on track, part of the key is to eat regularly! That will really help. And to lower your med dose or snack when you are shopping (or doing anything that calls for more physical activity than you usually engage in).

When Gary took oral meds for his blood sugar, when he would go hunting he just wouldn't take the meds at all that morning (I am NOT advocating that) because he didn't want to have to eat. You make noise when you are eating in the woods and you might scare off a deer, don't you understand! LOL! The point is that you have to figure out things to do to keep your blood sugar from going too low, that fit into you lifestyle. For him that meant not taking his meds. A better solution is to take 1/2 your meds - because the extra exercise will keep you blood sugar just as low as the meds. Or eat/snack regularly so that your sugar doesn't get low. Diabetes shouldn't rule your life - you need to figure out how to make is a (small) part of your total life - and you will, it just takes a little time to get situated.

So, next time, just eat or snack or whatever - so that you don't have to interrupt the most important thing - SHOPPING!

[judy]

I hope you do learn all of these things easily Diana! It can be a difficult disease, but not if it's managed properly. I would hate to think of you having to restrict any of your life! I am sending you a hug and will keep you in my prayers, my friend.

[Janet]

Diana, I didn't realize it was still so bothersome. I hope Gayle's advice can help you. I don't know anything about diabetes.

I do know that if I wait too long to eat....I get so shaky. Once I find something to eat...I want to eat everything in site. I don't like that feeling.

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by Janet

I do know that if I wait too long to eat....I get so shaky. Once I find something to eat...I want to eat everything in site. I don't like that feeling.

That is classic low blood sugar, Janet.

Sometimes people have a sensitivity to simple carbohydrates (white sugar/flour, etc). And when they eat these foods, especially in larger quantities, then their pancreas secretes too much insulin and a few hours later, they get low blood sugar, feel shaky and have to eat.

And other people just get shaky when they get real hungry. The liver is supposed to release some glucose when we haven't eaten in a long time, so our blood sugar doesn't get too low, but sometimes it doesn't, so our blood sugar DOES get low. It won't go so low that we will die or anything. But someone taking medicine for diabetes, can actually die if they don't eat - that's usually only people taking insulin though, not oral meds.

It feels just like the low blood sugar that Diana had, and when it happens to Gary, he is also massively hungry and eats everything in sight. It happens to me too, occasionally. And when it does, I can't stop eating!

[Blueyes]

That's me, Gayle. I have found out that I do so much better without carbs. My blood sugar drops like a rock if I eat many carbs or much sugar. I carry peanut m&m's so that I get the sugar and protein together. I have learned to identify that feeling and catch it quick..if I don't, I'm done for because mine goes SO low.

[DianaB]

Thanks so much, Gayle. I really appreciate your advice. Like you said....I'm learning. I just need to pay more attention to the signs when they first start and eat regularly.

I already take half of 5 mg. so I think that I'll just not take it at all when I go out and see what happens.