MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'highs'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:43:12 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159404&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2010%2F11%2Fparking_lot_lows.html "Brrrrr ... it's a little chilly outside today," I said to BSparl as I tucked her blanket snug around her wiggly little self in the car seat. She waved at me and showed me her sock."Yes, that's a nice sock, birdy.  Okay, let's get out of here and get you into the car so we can go home!"The automatic doors parted and a brisk gust of wind came and skipped down my collar.  With the baby's car seat safely tucked into the belly of the carriage, I ventured out to find my car in the massive parking lot.  "Ha ha, where did Mommy leave the car?"  I said out loud, walking up and down the parking lot aisles and pressing the alarm on my keys.  Nothing.  No flashing lights, no subtle little "beep" noise from my Honda.  Nothing b... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159404 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:16:58 +0100 4159404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045281&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2010%2F10%2Fstubborn_fool.html Last night, I went to the gym later in the day - around 7:30 pm.  Chris was home with BSparl and I couldn't wait to have an hour to myself and to watch Project Runway on the gym televisions.  (Yes, a month of hospital bedrest will indeed make you addicted to weird reality tv shows that make you talk about what an obnoxious sasshole Gretchen is, as though you know her.  /digression)I'm on the elliptical and plugged in, watching tv while I work out.  About four minutes in, I see this weird spot in the bottom right hand corner of my right eye.  Nothing too dramatic, but just this nagging little floaty thing that makes my eye feel like it has a filmy cotton ball covered the bottom portion of it.  I continue my workout, and at the seven minute mark, my sneakers fee... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045281 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:39:25 +0100 4045281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790855&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2010%2F07%2Fyour_mom_is_low.html Terrible habit, sarcasm.  Especially the "your mom" retort.  Like when my college roommates are out at the bar and someone asks for another beer.  Instantly, "Your mom wants another beer."  Immature retort?  Indeed.  But almost reflexive at this point?  Unfortunately, indeed again.  (This intro has a point - bear with me.) This morning, I woke up with my first bad low in a while.  For the last month or so, I haven't seen lows worse than 55 mg/dl, and my sensitivity to the symptoms seems to have increased a bit.  But while the lows of the last few weeks have felt mild, this morning's 49 mg/dl raked me over a little bit.I woke up feeling groggy and warm, despite the air conditioning and the fact that I'd slept about seven ... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790855 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:12:21 +0100 3790855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764184&cid=t_223871_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F18%2Farmy-suicides-hit-all-time-high%2F For the month of June, the U.S. Department of Defense reported late last week that the number of soldiers who took their own lives — those who committed suicide — was an astonishing 32 individuals, 21 of whom were on active duty (but only one-third of those on active duty were serving in either Iraq or Afghanistan). This corresponds to the ongoing record-setting of the number of suicides in the past year — 245 who died in 2009 and the 145 who have committed suicide already in 2010. At the rate of suicides so far this year, 2010 will exceed 2009 in suicides. Who does the Army blame for this rise in suicides? Why, the people who commit suicide, of course, and the very culture they work to instill from Day One in boot camp. Tim Embree of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans o... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764184 Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:30:39 +0100 3764184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3262827&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2010%2F02%2Fget_juiced.html BEEEEEEEEEP!Reaching for the alarm, but it's not the clock.  Check the cell phone, but it's not a text message.  Grope for the cat, but she's not beeping, either.BEEEEEEEEEP!Oh yeah, how could I forget?52 mg/dl.  Not too low, but apparently I've over-corrected with those basal changes I made two days ago, and I need to retweak just a little bit.  Wandered out to the kitchen, leaving the BEEEEEEP!ing behind in the bedroom, and also leaving the tube of glucose tabs resting on the bedside table untouched.  Make a beeline for the bottle of grape juice that sat, unopened, in the fridge.I put it on the counter and tried to open it.And you know, those freaking bottles are childproof when you are low in the middle of the night.  I couldn't break the seal on that white... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3262827 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:18:47 +0100 3262827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807820&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F09%2Fthe_perfect_storm_of_stupid.html I didn't check my pump before I left for work yesterday morning.  Not a big deal - I live close to work and I have back-up supplies at my office anyway, so there wasn't much I couldn't pinch hit for.  When the day started, I had about 20 units left in my pump to get me through to 5:30 pm.No problem.  I'm using about 16 throughout the course of a day at the moment, so I wasn't worried about running out.  I went to work and did my thing.But I forgot about our editorial dinner plans after work, taking place at my coworker's house, located about 40 minutes away.And I also completely blanked when I went home for lunch because I was so hungry and so distracted by what I was working to finish before deadline at work that I neglected to refill my pump reservoir.And I also was s... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807820 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:02:00 +0100 2807820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2716173&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F08%2Fthe_lows_in_spain_stay_mainly.html As I mentioned yesterday, the trip to Spain was lovely, but fraught with lows.  I'm not sure what caused what, but between the six hour time change, the excessively late nights and the corresponding late mornings, and spending hours walking around the city of Barcelona - my glucose levels spent a lot of time in the trenches.Chris and I brought three big jars of glucose tabs (in grape, raspberry, and tropical flavors, of course) and four packages of Mentos candy with us for the trip, assuming this would be enough.  But I couldn't have anticipated the lows that followed us from landmark to landmark.  Aside from the initial high after the plane took off (Oh Kerri, you don't like to fly?  Hmm ... you've never mentioned that before!) and a spike after my mid-week insulin pum... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2716173 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:15:54 +0100 2716173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2556313&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F06%2Fpenguin_truck.html We're planning for a pregnancy, so I've been working tirelessly to stalk my blood sugars.  I'm wearing the Dexcom, testing regularly, and really aggressively chasing highs and lows in pursuit of that nice "between the lines" look on my blood sugar graphs.  So when I changed my infusion set last night and neglected to take the 1.0 u bolus in anticipation of the high (which seems to be the only way I can keep the highs at bay after a site change), I knew I was in trouble.  Sweaters on my teeth, and my tongue thick with dehydration, confirmed by the 254 mg/dl on my meter.  I cranked up a correction bolus and sent it cruising in, along with some frustration and a few choice curse words.  A few hours later, I was on the steady but seemingly safe decline, with ... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2556313 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:04:44 +0100 2556313 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512688&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F06%2Fmagic_beans.html Lows are The Suck.  I am not a fan.But if I could treat every low blood sugar with Jelly Belly jelly beans, it would almost be okay.(The pear ones are my favorite and even when I'm low, I save them for last.)That is all. (Source: Six Until Me.) Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512688 Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:46:50 +0100 2512688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2469857&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F06%2Fzombie_lows_diabetes.html The BEEEEEEEEP! woke me up from a dream about having my arm chewed off by a zombie that looked like Kevin James.  (Zombie dreams are common in my house, apparently.)I wasn't sweaty and my skin didn't have that flushed, clammy feel, but my whole body was extra-sensitive and jittery.  Like being covered in sand, only every granule was touching a nerve.For once, I didn't bother testing.  I knew I was low.  The Dexcom was howling from underneath the bedside table (where I must have lobbed it like a softball when it went off the first time.)  The display kept glowing "LOW."  I reached into the drawer of the bedside table and retrieved a tube of cake frosting.  Red.   It's been a while since I've had a low in the wee hours of the morning.&nb... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2469857 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:17:13 +0100 2469857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405950&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F05%2Fdiabetes_morrone.html I just felt off.  For like an hour.  My head was wrapped in cotton balls and my reaction time was just a half second slower than it should have been.Internal Motivational Speaker whispered in:  Hey.  You've been a bit of a work nut lately.  How about taking a few minutes and maybe walking around?  "No, no.  I'm good.  I have to finish this and I have the cruise the week of my anniversary, so I'll have a whole week to collapse and lay on the lido deck."Hmmm.  So explain the dizzy?  Why are you feeling so dizzy right now?"I don't know.  Maybe because I've been staring at this computer screen for like five hours straight without much of a reprieve.  Maybe my eyes are fried."Could be.  Or you could have some k... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405950 Mon, 11 May 2009 15:06:49 +0100 2405950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2325187&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F04%2Fann_taylor_makes_me_low.html Yesterday at lunch, I was browsing at one of my favorite stores and picking through a pile of spring sweaters.  (Buy one, get one 50% off!  I'm a sucker for a good sale.)  So I find two sweaters that are pretty and springy and have that nice, soft cottony feel that you want to rub against your cheek. Then that feeling hits.  The one where my jacket felt warm and heavy against the spring chill but suddenly made me feel like it was a fabric tanning booth - too hot, too heavy, and like the sleeves were thick with mud."Excuse me?  I know it's a weird question, but do you have any juice or candy in this store?"The pregnant woman behind the counter gave me an odd look.  "I don't ... hang on ... um, I have half of a mini Milky Way bar?  Is that ok... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2325187 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:46:09 +0100 2325187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2276536&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F03%2Fi_had_nothing_to_write_about.html Last night I was sending off a quick email before bed, and I lingered on the Movable Type platform for SUM.  "Hey Chris, I think I'm out of stuff to write about.  My brain - she is empty.""It's okay.  You'll think of something tomorrow.  Now let's eat Jell-O."  (The Jell-O part is not completely relevant, but it was delicious and worth mentioning.  Red Jell-O with fat-free cool whip.)The night progressed, and eventually we went to bed.At 2 am, the Dexcom starting singing.  And because I am a very tuned in, dedicated diabetic (oh the lies!), I pulled it from the headboard and threw it across the room.  "BEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" it wailed relentlessly from the corner.About 15 minutes later, I woke up with that heavy, sandbag feeli... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2276536 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:46:36 +0100 2276536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232542&cid=t_223871_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F04%2Fcould-a-dog-benefit-your-mental-health%2F Midweek Mental Greening Last summer, I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Bruce Goldstein’s Puppy Chow Is Better Than Prozac: The True Story Of A Man And The Dog Who Saved His Life to review. Puppy Chow is the candid and raw tale of how Ozzy, a gorgeous black Labrador, played a key role in saving a man’s sanity – and quite possibly his life. If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend it. I’ve been a dog owner for nearly three years now, so I fully understand the joys and miseries that accompany the role. (Yes – miseries. My dog has made me cry. Actually, during the first few weeks I had her, I seriously thought I was experiencing some kind of canine postpartum depression.) Since the day I rescued her from the animal shelter, my own adorable mutt (Chopper, pictured... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232542 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:50:26 +0100 2232542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2144534&cid=t_223871_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F29%2Fmood-swings-are-exhausting%2F Mood swings are a part of life with some mood disorders like bipolar disorder and cyclothymia. Moods go to extremes, either really happy and energetic or really low and depressed. This is a tough way to live because it takes so much energy. Here’s one way to imagine what it’s like to physically experience extreme mood swings. I really like college football, and I’m especially passionate about my home state alma mater team. I love watching the games, both in person and on TV. Close games, blow-outs, great plays, strategic cliffhanging moments, the whole package. It’s just so exciting, and I totally get into cheering for my team. High Energy Moods Take a Lot of Energy When I go to or watch the big game once a week, I find that I’m emotionally spent by the e... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2144534 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:27:29 +0100 2144534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2144444&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2009%2F01%2Fabby_and_dex.html (This is embarrassing.  But true.)At night, when I go to sleep, I tuck myself in underneath the down comforter and the blankets, I snuggle up against my husband, and I fall asleep, usually with my head about halfway on the pillow.  And Chris and I sleep.  For about twenty minutes.Until the cats come calling.Somehow, all 16 lbs of Abby the Fat Cat manages to launch onto my side of the bed.  (I swear the bed lists to one side.)  And instead of curling up at the foot of the bed, like a normal animal, she takes up residence on my pillow. She tries to stick her paws in my ears, she snores, and she completely disregards the fact that the pillow is meant for MY head, not her whole fuzzy body.  (Usually, I end up sleeping on about 1/8 of the pillow.) Unfortunately for... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2144444 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:32:06 +0100 2144444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074839&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2Few-tDUOHHUY%2F var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(420,277,377812,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() I’m always interested in athletes with diabetes, aren’t you? It seems that much more difficult to manage diabetes when you are always pushing your body to the limit. But many athletes, like Denver Broncos Quarterback Jay Cutler, manage just fine thank you very much. Cutler checks his blood up to six times each game (which generally lasts about three hours.) He was apparently diagnosed “last spring just before his 25th birthday” and keeps Gatorade on hand to raise his blood sugar if he drops too low. Or if he gets too high, he takes insulin. I applaud Jay Cutler for reminding us all that diabetes does not have to slow you down... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074839 Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:26:24 +0100 2074839 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2032984&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2008%2F12%2Flow_blood_sugar_woes_and_whoas.html Next week will be better.Because this week has sort of sucked, on the diabetes front.  On Wednesday afternoon, I stopped home for lunch to make a quick sandwich and grab my laptop. It was a warmer day, so I felt a little sticky as I brushed my teeth in the bathroom.  I was delaying putting on my coat.  My forehead was damp.  And the sounds of cars going by outside and the radio in the living room were tumbling around in my ears like socks in the dryer.  My brain knew I was low.  My body was slower to acknowledge this.  I went to the fridge to get the juice, my legs operating much slower than usual.And I stood there with the fridge door open for several minutes, just staring into it and trying to remember what I was doing.  I kept looking at the juice... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2032984 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:00:37 +0100 2032984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1951766&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2008%2F11%2Fwhen_you_arent_looking.html The clock stared back at me.  5:22 am.  I stared at the green, digital numbers for a few minutes.  They stared back.  5:24 am now.I reached over to the bedside table and pressed the spacebar on my phone - it told me the time was 5:28 am."That's not right.  My clock was set against my phone.  How are they different now?"  I thought about this for a few more minutes.  Chris was asleep on my right, his chest rising and falling with his even breaths.  The little gray cat was curled up at the foot of the bed, but her ears were starting to tilt towards me.Exhausted.  I could just roll over and go back to sleep, but my hands reach out automatically towards the black zipper case on the bedside table.  I unzip the case and my hands fu... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1951766 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:00:31 +0100 1951766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1938872&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2008%2F11%2Fmore_sweet_irony.html Last Friday, we had a little Halloween party at dLife, complete with costume competition.  And there were treats - oh holy sugar rush, there were brownies and candy bars and cupcakes and other delicious, carb-laden tasty bits.But somehow, willpower had settled into my brain on the overnight and took up residence there, keeping my hands steady when the sugary treats were passed around.  And while other moments of willpower are hard for me to maintain, this one was easy.  I've felt a little "off the wagon" lately with my eating, so I'm trying to revert back to pre-wedding mentality, with a focus on lower carbohydrate consumption and ramping up my workouts a little bit."No thanks, I'm all set," as the candy dish is passed around."I'm cool," while t... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1938872 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 19:50:18 +0100 1938872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1688926&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2008%2F08%2Fbecause_i_got_high.html About two months ago, I woke up at around 3 am after a terrible nightmare.  The dream was graphic and felt so real that it took me several seconds to realize it didn't actually happen.  (I dreamt that I had run over my own cat in the driveway and was holding its twisted and bleeding body.  Horrendous dream, and I woke up crying.)  Once I was fully awake, I tested my blood sugar and saw "291 mg/dl" on the screen.  Holy middle-of-the-night  high.  I dialed in a correction bolus and went back to sleep.  I didn't think anything of the nightmare correlation until last night.I dreamt that my husband was murdered by the guy who lived next door to me growing up.  It was a horrible dream!!!  I heard the gunshot in my mind, felt the heat of... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1688926 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:20:18 +0100 1688926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423009&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2008%2F05%2F3_am_paralysis.html No sound woke me up.  I'm not sure how long I was lying there awake and staring off into nothingness, but eventually my shirt felt too sticky and my hands weren't responding to my commands.  Flat on my back and listening to the sounds of Chris's even breathing next to me, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.  Did I want to go back to sleep?  Did I want to try and get out of bed myself?  Did I want to flip on the lamp and finish reading my book?I knew I was low.  I needed juice so badly and my torso was damp from panic, but I still couldn't stop thinking these completely ridiculous thoughts.  Was I ready to call the church tomorrow morning and confirm the readings we'd selected for our wedding service?  Was that the sound of one of the cats picking at t... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423009 Mon, 05 May 2008 22:35:59 +0100 1423009 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1393668&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2008%2F04%2Flunchtime_lows.html I'm standing at the counter at the bank and I hear my cell phone buzzing.  Then I hear the Dexcom wailing out its BEEEEEEEP.  My pump starts to buzz from inside my bra (wearing a dress today).  Every bit of technology I have is exploding all at once and I'm just trying to make a damn deposit."Miss, I just need your account number.""Account number, sure.  I can get that for you."  BEEEEEEEEP again.  Why is it beeping again?  It should only beep once when I'm high.  My goodness, I'm awfully warm, despite standing underneath the bank air conditioning unit.I stick my hand into my bag and forage about.  My fingertips feel like they're trapped in cotton balls and I can't quite get a good handle on my wallet.  Instead, I grab t... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1393668 Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:05:56 +0100 1393668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1207192&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2008%2F02%2Fjet-lagged.html I was on a plane, high above the clouds, looking down onto the world below me where everything looks too small and too distant to be affected by a number.  Cruising altitude.I felt his hand on my shoulder, shaking me a little bit.  "Kerri.  Kerri, wake up.  You're really sweaty.  Wake up."  Was it the captain speaking?  No, it was my fiance.  I was half-draped off the edge of the bed, pulling the long-sleeved blue t-shirt away from my body.  The space above my collarbone was damp.  My hands went to it, blotting it with my sleeve."I'm awake."  I could hear my own voice but it sounded like it was coming from the end of a long tube of Christmas wrapping paper.  "I'm going to test."  I unzipped the m... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1207192 Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:33:41 +0100 1207192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1090384&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2007%2F12%2Fwake_up_test_and_repeat.html It's like that scene in The Graduate, where Dustin Hoffman is floating at the bottom of the pool while life mills around above him.  That feeling of water clouding my vision, leaving the numbers on the alarm clock looking blurry and projected from miles away.  A strange, floating feeling to my limbs, like there are layers of helium between my muscle and my skin.   Yet my hearing is honed to a fine precision, taking in the steady sound of Chris breathing, the cat snoring at the foot of the bed, and the sounds of the wind in the trees outside.I also hear my own heart beating.38 mg/dl.3:42 am on Tuesday morning.I thought about possible causes for the low blood sugar.  There were plenty, as Monday night was spent laughing, drinking, and partying hard with co-worke... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1090384 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:20:30 +0100 1090384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1009329&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2007%2F11%2Ffingertips.html First thing in the morning, I test my blood sugar.Okay, that's sort of a lie.  First thing I do it stagger over to the bureau and slam my hand against the snooze button.  Then I collapse back onto the bed, shoving aside the little gray cat who took the four second opportunity to scurry up from the foot of the bed to the spot I was sleeping on.  After I fold myself back under the covers, my hand darts out and I retrieve my meter from the bedside table.  Fumble with the lancet device, shove a strip into the meter, and smoosh some blood onto the tip of the strip.  Sleepy countdown from 5.  Alarm goes off again.This is every morning. And every night before bed, I tuck myself underneath the comforter, do a quick blood sugar test, respond to the ... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1009329 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:24:14 +0100 1009329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1005100&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2007%2F11%2Fseed.html "Test."I said it out loud.  Siah was tucked flat against my legs and she stretched out her furry arms at the sound of my voice. I can't breathe right.  The room is so hot.  Tangled in my bedclothes, wrapped up in the blankets, trapped.There is juice on the bureau next to the bed but my fingers and arms and hands are unresponsive, palsied by the weight of the hypoglycemia.  Body sinking lower and lower into the mattress and I knew I would eventually be swallowed.  Part of me welcomed the warmth.  I just wanted to close my eyes and go back to sleep and fall deeper into the mattress until the morning.I could see Chris lying next to me but he was miles and miles away from my unresponsive hands and I couldn't reach out to tap his shoulder.My brain en... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1005100 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 17:19:59 +0100 1005100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1002817&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=35137&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiabetesupdate.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Fdebugging-unexpected-blood-sugar-highs.html Every time I get things working, as far as balancing food and insulin, something changes and I get knocked back to square one. And, surprise, surprise, it has happened again. Out of the blue, last week, I started seeing highs after meals using doses of insulin that up until then had matched specific food inputs perfectly. Over the week they've gotten worse until yesterday I spent most of the day well over 150 mg/dl and partly over 200, though I used more insulin yesterday than I've ever before used in one day.I checked the Usual Suspects that I always consider when my blood sugar goes blooey on insulin, which I'll list here:1. Meter problem: I tested highs on two different meters with strips from two batches and they matched within 4 mg/dl. No meter problem. (Of course, I washed my hands a... Diabetes Update blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1002817 Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:36:00 +0100 1002817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=921606&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog2%2F2007%2F10%2Fsad_robot.html I was 48 mg/dl after dinner.I thought I had over-estimated a bit for dinner and when his words started swimming in the foreground before they slammed into my ears, my hands unzipped the black meter case without thinking.  Grape juice stained my mouth but the moment ended with a sheepish smile and a "I think I over-bolused a little at dinner."Before bed, I was 107 mg/dl.  Safe.  I curled against Chris, said a silent prayer for the cat to remain off my pillow, and fell asleep.At 4:07 am, I woke up with the lamp on.  Then I remembered that I had woken up about 20 minutes earlier and turned the lamp on, like I was trying to wake up in stages.  Shirt was melted against me, my face was cold with sweat.  My meter case was open and lying next to me, but... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=921606 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 20:00:57 +0100 921606 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=682254&cid=t_223871_134_f&fid=34847&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsixuntilme.com%2Fblog1%2F2007%2F06%2Fbelly_up.html Last night:  In a bit of a fit, I decided to use my abdomen for my infusion set.  Pressing the Quick-Serter against my stomach for the first time in over two years, I had that fleeting thought of "Oh what if this stings???" but it deployed smoothly.  Sitting at my desk and returning some emails, the site on my stomach didn't bother me much.  Resting about three inches to the right of my naval, I didn't notice any issue due to my low-rise pajama bottoms.Went to bed just past midnight, after texting Chris good-night and knowing he would call once he was back in his hotel room in San Francisco, I fell asleep with Abby to the right of me and Siah prowling around after the cap of the hairspray bottle on the floor.The phone rings at 2:30 in the morning, 11:30 Califo... Six Until Me. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=682254 Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:32:31 +0100 682254