Does this make me a cyborg?
Monday, June 27, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
The camp out was a success. I spent the first 2 hours just exploring the hills and trails. I mostly hiked around but also did some jogging. Every half hour or so I would eat a monster cookie and I pretty much just assumed I would burn it all off so I didn't take any insulin. After that I rested a bit, then checked my blood sugar and had some more cookies and went for a half hour run.
Talk to Erica if you want to know what a monster cookie is but it turns out they are great fuel.
I cut my night time insulin intake by 20% that night because I had worked out so much, plus I was all alone in the cabin so I didn't want to run the risk of going too low.
The next morning I woke up at a normal level so everything was fine. After breakfast I was pretty tired so I snacked some more and just came home.
The next weekend was much more interesting. Ever since I got diabetes, I have been thinking a lot about all the fun things I have done in the past and how glad I am that I did them before I got sick. Each time I do that though, I just start thinking about other things I still want to do and how I can still probably pull them off with just a little more effort.
So long story short, I rode in a BMX race for the first time this weekend simply because it is something I always wanted to do but just never got around to doing it.
I got a used bike and helmet and did a bit of practice then just showed up at the race. It is a short course but I gave it my all and was pretty tired at the end. That's when I found out that I would be racing again in about 10 minutes and then a 3rd race about 30 minutes after that.
Normally this wouldn't be a problem, I would just have a bunch of Gatorade or whatever and keep riding. As a diabetic, I had to be a little more careful. I didn't want to keep testing myself all afternoon so I just had a few small snacks and just got slower and slower each race.
It doesn't matter much since it was just my first try but next time I will have a better nutrition plan to keep me going strong into the final round.
See pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/grayhulbert/BMX
The real problem is that after the bike race I only had about 2 hours to recover before my nephews came over for the day. We had a lot of fun but they can really wear you out. Then, as if I hadn't had enough challenges that day, I played a game of indoor soccer at 6:30. There were no subs so I had to play the whole game.
For the most part, my blood sugars were fine all day. I had normal meals and took normal amounts of insulin throughout the day plus an extra 60 grams of carbs for the bike race and an extra 30 carbs for the soccer game.
By the end of the day I had lost about a pound or two so I probably should have hydrated better. Hydration has proven to be the most difficult part so far because I used to use Gatorade so much but now I'm trying to just use water.
The intense efforts on the bike and soccer field made me worry about going low that night so I dropped my night time insulin by 10% and woke up just right.
Talk to Erica if you want to know what a monster cookie is but it turns out they are great fuel.
I cut my night time insulin intake by 20% that night because I had worked out so much, plus I was all alone in the cabin so I didn't want to run the risk of going too low.
The next morning I woke up at a normal level so everything was fine. After breakfast I was pretty tired so I snacked some more and just came home.
The next weekend was much more interesting. Ever since I got diabetes, I have been thinking a lot about all the fun things I have done in the past and how glad I am that I did them before I got sick. Each time I do that though, I just start thinking about other things I still want to do and how I can still probably pull them off with just a little more effort.
So long story short, I rode in a BMX race for the first time this weekend simply because it is something I always wanted to do but just never got around to doing it.
I got a used bike and helmet and did a bit of practice then just showed up at the race. It is a short course but I gave it my all and was pretty tired at the end. That's when I found out that I would be racing again in about 10 minutes and then a 3rd race about 30 minutes after that.
Normally this wouldn't be a problem, I would just have a bunch of Gatorade or whatever and keep riding. As a diabetic, I had to be a little more careful. I didn't want to keep testing myself all afternoon so I just had a few small snacks and just got slower and slower each race.
It doesn't matter much since it was just my first try but next time I will have a better nutrition plan to keep me going strong into the final round.
See pics here: https://picasaweb.google.com/grayhulbert/BMX
The real problem is that after the bike race I only had about 2 hours to recover before my nephews came over for the day. We had a lot of fun but they can really wear you out. Then, as if I hadn't had enough challenges that day, I played a game of indoor soccer at 6:30. There were no subs so I had to play the whole game.
For the most part, my blood sugars were fine all day. I had normal meals and took normal amounts of insulin throughout the day plus an extra 60 grams of carbs for the bike race and an extra 30 carbs for the soccer game.
By the end of the day I had lost about a pound or two so I probably should have hydrated better. Hydration has proven to be the most difficult part so far because I used to use Gatorade so much but now I'm trying to just use water.
The intense efforts on the bike and soccer field made me worry about going low that night so I dropped my night time insulin by 10% and woke up just right.
Friday, May 27, 2011
See how good I am doing.
Here is a graph of my blood sugar readings.
And Here is a graph of my weight readings. You can see that just before I got diagnosed on April 7th, I was literally digesting myself alive and it probably wouldn't have been long before I disappeared entirely.
You can see that I am clearly back into a normal range now. I like to use a daily weight reading as a way to monitor how much I am eating relative to how much I should be eating. I've been doing it for years and works great.
As for my medication, I am only taking about half of the insulin as when I first started. It turns out that if you just go running more, you can eat more and take less insulin. Score another point for running.
Up next, my first attempt at camping this weekend. Camping for me typically involves one or two exploring runs or bike rides a day. I'll let you know how it goes.
And Here is a graph of my weight readings. You can see that just before I got diagnosed on April 7th, I was literally digesting myself alive and it probably wouldn't have been long before I disappeared entirely.
You can see that I am clearly back into a normal range now. I like to use a daily weight reading as a way to monitor how much I am eating relative to how much I should be eating. I've been doing it for years and works great.
As for my medication, I am only taking about half of the insulin as when I first started. It turns out that if you just go running more, you can eat more and take less insulin. Score another point for running.
Up next, my first attempt at camping this weekend. Camping for me typically involves one or two exploring runs or bike rides a day. I'll let you know how it goes.
Friday, May 6, 2011
So Far, So Good.
I’ve had some good results and some not so good results this week but finding time to blog about it is harder than I thought. That’s probably why I couldn’t find the info I was looking for online.
The first thing I learned is that blood glucose (BG) levels don’t necessarily react the same to something like a soccer game than they do to a normal slow jog.
I played my first game of soccer since the diagnosis and overall it was fine but I’ll need to make some adjustments. Here's how it went:
First of all, I had to play the whole game since we had no subs. Second of all, my idea to just stay back and play defense doesn’t work when there are no subs because everyone was tired. Third of all, I need to remember to think of three things before starting lists.
I had a normal BG reading before the game so I had a normal sized snack (15 g of Carbohydrates) then I sipped on Gatorade during the game. At halftime, I’m not sure if I really felt low or was just afraid that I might be low so I had a PowerBar Gel for 25 quick carbs. I finished the game while still sipping on Gatorade every few minutes or so. Then after the game I tested and was way too high. I decided not to play the second game and that was probably a good move because an hour later I was low. So I’ll have to go back to the drawing board on that one.
I talked to someone about this and apparently when you really push it, your liver can let out some glucose to cover you so that might be why I was so high. But maybe it was just the PowerBar Gel.
The next week I played again and this time everything was much better. Besides scoring 3 goals, I went into the game and came out at good glucose levels. I started at 120 and had a half sandwich on the drive to the field. Then I just sipped watered down Gatorade every 10 minutes or so. Success.
Ok, so I can check soccer off my list of things I am still able to do.
So far, so good.
The first thing I learned is that blood glucose (BG) levels don’t necessarily react the same to something like a soccer game than they do to a normal slow jog.
I played my first game of soccer since the diagnosis and overall it was fine but I’ll need to make some adjustments. Here's how it went:
First of all, I had to play the whole game since we had no subs. Second of all, my idea to just stay back and play defense doesn’t work when there are no subs because everyone was tired. Third of all, I need to remember to think of three things before starting lists.
I had a normal BG reading before the game so I had a normal sized snack (15 g of Carbohydrates) then I sipped on Gatorade during the game. At halftime, I’m not sure if I really felt low or was just afraid that I might be low so I had a PowerBar Gel for 25 quick carbs. I finished the game while still sipping on Gatorade every few minutes or so. Then after the game I tested and was way too high. I decided not to play the second game and that was probably a good move because an hour later I was low. So I’ll have to go back to the drawing board on that one.
I talked to someone about this and apparently when you really push it, your liver can let out some glucose to cover you so that might be why I was so high. But maybe it was just the PowerBar Gel.
The next week I played again and this time everything was much better. Besides scoring 3 goals, I went into the game and came out at good glucose levels. I started at 120 and had a half sandwich on the drive to the field. Then I just sipped watered down Gatorade every 10 minutes or so. Success.
Ok, so I can check soccer off my list of things I am still able to do.
So far, so good.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Good first week.
My goal this week was to run 6 times. That means I had to make sure to get out the door every day except Sunday. I wanted to see what my insulin needs would be when I am in good shape and running every day. The goal is that if I want to race again, I will need to be able to handle 6 to 9 workouts a week.
The good news is that I did it. I missed on Friday but I ran twice on Saturday just to see if I could handle two in a day. (I also counted a soccer game on Tuesday as the run for that day.) The bad news is that my blood sugars were all over the place. But that is ok, I am learning that I need less insulin when I am in good shape.
So I am going to lower my Lantus (long lasting) insulin by 1 unit this week and try again. That will put me at 16 units a day.
I'm not running very fast yet but I am doing a consistent 4 or 5 miles at 7 minute pace at the same time every night. I find that if I eat 30 grams of carbohydrate before the run, I can finish the whole run and not need to eat until about an hour later.
Next week I will try eating only 15 carbs and see how far that gets me. The goal being that it would be nice to not have to eat so much right before a run because that can get a little uncomfortable.
I bought a running belt that holds a small water bottle and a pouch for emergency food. I carry fruit snacks and a PowerGel just in case I get too low on a run. I tried it out on Saturday night and it is a little bit annoying but I'm sure passing out on the side of the road would be more annoying so I'll stick with the belt for now.
The good news is that I did it. I missed on Friday but I ran twice on Saturday just to see if I could handle two in a day. (I also counted a soccer game on Tuesday as the run for that day.) The bad news is that my blood sugars were all over the place. But that is ok, I am learning that I need less insulin when I am in good shape.
So I am going to lower my Lantus (long lasting) insulin by 1 unit this week and try again. That will put me at 16 units a day.
I'm not running very fast yet but I am doing a consistent 4 or 5 miles at 7 minute pace at the same time every night. I find that if I eat 30 grams of carbohydrate before the run, I can finish the whole run and not need to eat until about an hour later.
Next week I will try eating only 15 carbs and see how far that gets me. The goal being that it would be nice to not have to eat so much right before a run because that can get a little uncomfortable.
I bought a running belt that holds a small water bottle and a pouch for emergency food. I carry fruit snacks and a PowerGel just in case I get too low on a run. I tried it out on Saturday night and it is a little bit annoying but I'm sure passing out on the side of the road would be more annoying so I'll stick with the belt for now.
Friday, April 29, 2011
My First Run
A couple weeks ago, on Saturday April 9th 2011, I took my first run. It wasn’t very fast (7:30 pace) and it wasn’t very long (only 2 miles) and it wasn’t even on a fun trail (concrete track in a park so Erica could watch me). But in some ways it was the best run. It was the best because I did it. I got myself out there for the first time.
I know what you are thinking... 'he runs all the time, what is he talking about'. This wasn’t truly my first run, I run all the time. In fact just a few days prior to this I ran 6 miles like I do almost every night. So what am I talking about? Well this was my first run after having been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. On Thursday, April 7th, I finally relented to the symptoms I had been feeling for the last 2 weeks and went to see a doctor. My blood sugar was off the charts and all my symptoms matched perfectly so they put me on insulin. Sure enough, now I feel fine. So there it is. Now and for the rest of my life I am dependent on injecting myself with insulin to stay alive. Diabetes usually shows up at a younger age but apparently it sometimes happens later in life, even if you think you are perfectly healthy. It was nothing that I could have prevented or should have been worried about, it is just a random event. More about that later.
So now I take insulin shots 4 times a day and I’m told that it is healthy to keep running and keep doing everything else I used to do and just adjust the insulin intake to lead a normal life.
I am still dealing with all sorts of different thoughts that can run through someone's head when they are suddenly faced with their own mortality but for the most part I am doing fine.
The biggest challenge currently is the struggle I am having with my identity. I always identified myself as a runner or an athlete or at least just a guy who could pretty much do anything he wanted to. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe all this time I should have focused on identifying myself as something more important like a good father or husband. In reality, I am still all of these things. Nothing really changed, I just have to be a little more careful with my blood sugar now.
I suppose in the long run I will rise to this new challenge and maybe it will be good for me in some way but for now I am just happy to know that we have the technology to keep me alive and keep me running.
I plan on using this blog as a place to share how I am doing with managing my diabetes in an attempt to improve my quality of life and maybe even help someone else do the same.
Over the last few weeks I have found a lot of good information but not exactly everything I was looking for. Because of this, I have taken it upon myself to provide the world with my data. Once I figure out what I am doing, I will post my blood sugars and my workouts and all sorts of other details. This way, if someone is in my same situation, they will know what worked and what didn't work for me.
I also plan on getting back into racing. Racing will give me the motivation I need to train every day which will in turn give me motivation to control my blood sugar.
Obviously this blog won't appeal to a wide audience but keep me in mind if you know someone looking for this type of info.
If I can offer any advice, it would be to enjoy your health and freedom while you have it.
Thanks for reading.
-Rhet
I know what you are thinking... 'he runs all the time, what is he talking about'. This wasn’t truly my first run, I run all the time. In fact just a few days prior to this I ran 6 miles like I do almost every night. So what am I talking about? Well this was my first run after having been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. On Thursday, April 7th, I finally relented to the symptoms I had been feeling for the last 2 weeks and went to see a doctor. My blood sugar was off the charts and all my symptoms matched perfectly so they put me on insulin. Sure enough, now I feel fine. So there it is. Now and for the rest of my life I am dependent on injecting myself with insulin to stay alive. Diabetes usually shows up at a younger age but apparently it sometimes happens later in life, even if you think you are perfectly healthy. It was nothing that I could have prevented or should have been worried about, it is just a random event. More about that later.
So now I take insulin shots 4 times a day and I’m told that it is healthy to keep running and keep doing everything else I used to do and just adjust the insulin intake to lead a normal life.
I am still dealing with all sorts of different thoughts that can run through someone's head when they are suddenly faced with their own mortality but for the most part I am doing fine.
The biggest challenge currently is the struggle I am having with my identity. I always identified myself as a runner or an athlete or at least just a guy who could pretty much do anything he wanted to. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe all this time I should have focused on identifying myself as something more important like a good father or husband. In reality, I am still all of these things. Nothing really changed, I just have to be a little more careful with my blood sugar now.
I suppose in the long run I will rise to this new challenge and maybe it will be good for me in some way but for now I am just happy to know that we have the technology to keep me alive and keep me running.
I plan on using this blog as a place to share how I am doing with managing my diabetes in an attempt to improve my quality of life and maybe even help someone else do the same.
Over the last few weeks I have found a lot of good information but not exactly everything I was looking for. Because of this, I have taken it upon myself to provide the world with my data. Once I figure out what I am doing, I will post my blood sugars and my workouts and all sorts of other details. This way, if someone is in my same situation, they will know what worked and what didn't work for me.
I also plan on getting back into racing. Racing will give me the motivation I need to train every day which will in turn give me motivation to control my blood sugar.
Obviously this blog won't appeal to a wide audience but keep me in mind if you know someone looking for this type of info.
If I can offer any advice, it would be to enjoy your health and freedom while you have it.
Thanks for reading.
-Rhet
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