Raspberry Jammed Diabetes

You may know that I'm a fan of 80s movies. Particularly comedies such as Caddyshack, Weird Science, the Breakfast Club and Others that offered humor as an outlet. These helped shape my earlier years, and now they offer some mindless release and laughs into an often sobering adult life. Another favorite is Spaceballs, a 1987 sci fi parody that mocks movies like Star Wars and Star Trek and has become a cult classic. This movie goes beyond greatness and is simply a stellar creation of the highest form, fitting right into the Hoskins Hall of Movie AWEsomeNess.

So on that movie homage note, I honor Spaceballs with my analysis of some recent D-Life happenings as it relates to the first 10 days or so of my continuing Pump Hiatus.

You may recall my most recent post on Good Friday about My Burning Bush Toe, or the neuropathy-impacted body part that's become a radar-like tool in my D-Management. Over time, I've noticed that when my BGs go higher (say 250 or more) I get what amounts to a warning in the form of some foot or toe pain. Nothing much to fret over, but just a noticeable sign that something's slightly "off." Accurate a majority of the time, and that signals it's time to correct. But lately since stopping my pump therapy for the 1st time in nine years, that Radar has been off key.

Or, in the Lingo of Spaceballs: My radar has been jammed. (Here's a YouTube Video of that Rockin' Jammed Scene, which really In My Honest Opinion can only be topped by the A-Holes Scene.)

Lately, when my BGs feel Low or High, they more commonly are not. Feel like 300? Well, the result instead has been 100 or less. Low feeling, even blurry vision has yielded results that aren't Low or High, but in the low 100s or so. It's strange, as if substituting the constant hourly basals for 24-hour Lantus injections and MDI of Humalog boluses has changed my predictive senses. This may be a body adjustment period as I get back into the swing of non-pumping, and it will fade as I get more used to this change. That's a key: giving my body time to get used to the changes.

But in the meantime, it's clear that my Pump Hiatus is responsible for jamming my D-Radar. Not only that. It's throwing off my entire scope of control as I've known it for nine years. My numbers are off, my reactions to various foods and situations is bouncing me all over the place. Nothing I've traditionally done while pumping seems to be working. Overall, I'm just "off." D-Jammed.

(Sigh). (Shoulder slumping...)

Enter Dark Helmet: "There's only one man who would dare give me the Raspberry. Lonestar!"

MDIs: you are my Lonestar. Thanks for throwing a monkey wrench into my predictive senses. But more significantly, I say to Diabetes: You are indeed, a Major A-Hole.

As Dark Helmet would say: "I knew it. I'm surrounded by a-holes...

"Keep Firing, A-Holes!"

Exactly. I keep battling the D, each day. Doing what I can. Firing laser missiles into the dark abyss of Diabetes Space in order to fend off Highs, Lows, and Glucoastering BGs. Instead of light sabers we diabetics use insulin, blood meters, and CGMs. Rather than the Force (or Swartz), we have the Diabetes Online Community. This networking also helps learn new D-specific Jedi Mind Tricks to help in our never-ending battle against the Dark D-Side.

In the end, even if or D-Radars and overall D-Management is "jammed" and our tools aren't fully whipping the D into shape, one resounding message carries us through the tough times: "May the Shwartz Be With You."

Comments

Jessica C. said…
Oh gosh, this is hilarious!!! I am T1 8 years, age 31. My husband doesn't get this movie... My brother and I watched it rerun on HBO or something ALL the time. We couldn't get enough of it.

I have been pumping for 8 months. I was doing very well on MDI, so I know what you mean by changing your approach then suddenly --- whoooah!! May the Shwartz be with you! =) (I have to find that movie, is it on netflix?)
Anonymous said…
Yogurt. I hate yogurt. Even with strawberries...

I've never had the exact issue you're describing, but I have had an issue of getting on other medications and having those affect how I sense my BG numbers. I just started one this morning that makes me feel like I'm constantly verging on a low--even when I'm coasting in the 100s. It is quite frustrating. Ah well--if each frustration that came with diabetes was worth a SpaceBuck, I'd be stocked on fresh, canned air for life...
Hey there! I'm off the pump right now after having some issues with insert polite word here BG's lately. I've joined your MDI club. Last night when I was still on pump-tested BG-it was 22 mmol/l (400 mg/dl). I yanked that pump off-started with the Lantus/NovoRapid. So far, not doing too well.WEnt to pharmacy to get something to test ketones. I'm frustrated as all heck. Let's hope we sort our D out soon, but at least I know someone else out there having FUN IN THE SUN with their diabetes.
BTW, did you pull the batteries out of your pump while you aren't using it? By doing that (as it will alarm if I'm not using it) - does it wipe it's memory of all the basal/I:C/etc. settins we have stored in there? I'm thinking it's like a mini-me PC-that even when shut down-it retains the last saved memory. Your are a techie guy - so maybe you have the answer to my burning question!
Off to do a The Vulcan neck pinch on myself

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