It is a nice day in the morning down here in south Florida.  Too bad it won’t be this way later tonight after I get out of work and want to go for a swim.  On my drive home last night it looked like a hurricane was coming through, it was nasty.  So instead of the nice refreshing swim I had to go on a dreadful run, well jog and walk.  I just came inside right now from taking my mid-morning walk and now I am sweating bad and sitting at my desk, not fun!

I have just finished reading the latest Diabetes Forecase magazine and once again I am motivated to start eating healthy again.  All the articles in there about heart disease and blood pressure, etc.  My mother and grandmother both have blood pressure problems, so I better start taking care of myself now.  So that means I will have a salad tonight and some pasta tonight.  I forgot to sit out the pork to thaw out, so I won’t be eating that tonight.  Some wheat pasta will do the trick though.  Also a nice salad for dinner, $0.77 for a bag at the local grocery store, can’t beat that.

I am not the biggest yogurt fan, but I can do parfaits with some strawberries and bananas cut up in them.  What is the best cereal or oats or granola bar or whatever it is that you put in?

By the way if you’re interested, you can follow me on Twitter now.

This morning was very weird.  When I first woke up I felt extremely dizzy.  I couldn’t figure out why.  I went to test my sugar and it was 80.  Which is great because I normally wake up in the 200 range.  So maybe that could have had something to do with it.  But then I ate, and I guess I started to feel a little better, but I still felt really light headed.  Very weird.

But now I feel perfectly fine and just came back from eating lunch and taking a quick walk around the block.  I just started my Twitter account for my personal stuff, so be sure to start following me today.  I can’t wait to do some live tweeting from the Friends for Life conference next week.  If you’re going to be there, let me know!

So last night it started to rain like a hurricane when I left work so I couldn’t go for a swim in the pool, but today it looks a little better, but of course the clouds are starting to roll in.  I plan on going and doing a few laps just to start burning off some calories here.  I’d like to get back fitting into all these summer clothes that I bought at the end of last summer when they all went on sale.  Plus not to mention, I have to be in at least some what descent shape for football season or else these kids won’t respect me as a coach.

Well you all have a wonderful day.

I’m going to take the time today to clear some things up, sort of like a little refresher course for those that may have come into reading my blog a little later.  I am a type 1 since 2004.  I have been wearing a pump since December of 2005.  I have an ok A1C level, but not the best.  None of that seems to matter I guess except for the next fact about me, I work at American Diabetes Wholesale.

So, lets get things straight now.  This blog is not a promotion or advertisement for ADW.  Up until now, I don’t believe I ever said the company’s name in a post because this blog has nothing to do with ADW, this blog has something to do with my life and living with diabetes.  I first started out volunteering at ADW because I met them at a JDRF walk in Boca Raton and I loved what they did.  I saw something different in them, then in any other company I had previously seen.  Things worked out and I was offered a paid position at ADW.  Once again, big deal!

So, now that things are clear, again, if you still have concerns, questions comments, please let me know.  I never would have assumed this was a big deal to people where I worked, I thought having diabetes gave us all something in common, but for some, that must not be the case.  Please e-mail me your concerns at lifeofadiabetic@gmail.com.

To those of you who are here to read my blog as a type 1, then thank you and I will continue to post my own personal life and my personal feelings in this blog.  If you want to talk to me about my company or my job, don’t do it in this blog, e-mail or call my office information.

Once again, thank you and I hope you all have a wonderful day.

Yesterday I flew up to Jacksonville FL to attend the dinner reception for Camp JADA.  It was another great kids camps that I was honored to be able to attend.  You meet so many wonderful little kids and their excitement level is crazy!  But then there was the trip back home.

This trip consisted of, going to bed at 12:30 a.m.  Waking up at 3:45 a.m.  Going to the airport at 4:30 a.m.  Flying from 6:30 - 7:30 a.m.  Driving straight to work, and here I am.  I am on coffee # 4 already and it is only 10 a.m.  This should be an interesting day.

Anyway, on to other things.  My blog will be going through a complete re-design shortly.  So, when I update my blogroll, finally, and I missed your site, don’t hesitate to let me know.  The new blog will have a more personal touch to it, basically, a lot more pictures and interactivity.

Have a great day everybody!

Trying to get all my stuff together for my long trip to Jacksonville, FL.  An hour flight from here, put together some goodie bags (drawstring back packs, water bottles, glucose tabs), Camp JADA diabetes kids camp from 5-8 p.m. go to dinner, hotel for some sleep, alarm at 4:00 a.m., 6:30 a.m. flight back to Fort Lauderdale, drive to work around 8, go home around 6.  Fun filled day.

I love going to these camps though, they are so much fun to see the kids playing and having fun with other kids with diabetes.  I never experienced one until last week at Camp Koral Kids.

On another note, I broke off from my diet this morning.  I was rushing around, forgot the muffin that I had sitting out for myself, but I was starving, and the McDonald’s had buy 1 get 1 free, and i just couldn’t resist, but now I feel disgusted.  However, I did bring a small salad for lunch and also an apple.

Well today is a busy day, so I hope you all have a wonderful day.  Remember, GlucoStories submission period ends on July 6!

After dinner last night the heat wasn’t that bad so my girlfriend and I went for a walk.  I had planned on going on a long one, which probably would have been about 4-5 miles, but we ended up walking about 2 miles instead, we stopped short because she was on her feet all day.  I plan on doing that daily, but who knows.  It’s raining bad down here today, so I definitely won’t be doing it outside, but that is what the indoor gym is about.

Last night I had to take out my sensor because it was starting to hurt a little bit and then when I took the dressing off, I saw that the actual sensor was pretty much coming out anyway, so I think that is what hurt.  I didn’t re-insert a new one last night, so I just let the transmittor charge and I will put another one in again tonight.  That was one of the main things that I discussed with my endo, she said that if I have a CGMS and supplies for it, why not use it every single day?  So, I said, good call doc and trying to keep it on everyday.  Even on the days that I am not wearing it, I still test about 8-10 times.

My morning sugars have been coming down lately, except for this morning.  It was a 298 about 30 minutes after I ate breakfast.  I had a bagel this morning, and when I went there I pulled out the meter in my laptop bag and I was fresh out of strips (last night I forgot to remind myself to grab another box and put in there!).  So I couldn’t test before I ate, but I know that breakfast could not have raised it that much that fast, so it must have been around that when I woke up.  I went to bed with a 135 sugar and had a PB&J, which usually keeps my sugars level.

Well you all have an amazing day today!

Golf this weekend was an adventure, to say the least.  I put a sensor on Friday night so I could keep track of the levels of my sugar throughout the whole 18 holes.  I went early to go to the driving range, which was a bad idea in itself because I used up all of my bad shots.  It was 7:30 a.m. and about 90 degrees already.  Some from constantly bending over to tee up a new ball and the sweat, my sensor decided that it didnt want to stay on any longer.

Hmmm, if the sensor didn’t want to stay on, I could only imagine the plans that my infusion set had.  Luckily, the night before I thought it may be a good idea to bring another infusion set and iv pads and dressings and my insertion device.  Hole # 2, infusion set falls out.  I tested my sugar multiple times and it was staying steady around 120-140.  I made it to about the 8th hole where there ending up being a bathroom so I stopped in quickly and re-inserted the infusion set.  This one actually stayed in the rest of the course.

The group behind us caught up to us a little bit because of that stoppage, but oh well, that’s what happens when you play golf with a diabetic!

Well, have a great day everybody!

I must begin by saying, wow am I impressed with my new Endo!  I think she knew more about the pump I am on then the people who make it!  Also gave me some great ideas on inserting the real time sensors and how to cover them and the transmittor with the dressing.  I was happy that I finally went to see an Endo and that this is the one that I went to.

On to other things.  Last night was the local Greater Palm Beach County JDRF’s appreciation dinner from the walk in Boca Raton back in March.  This was a great event.  It started off with JDRF talking about GlucoStories and how great of an opportunity it is for everybody.  The fact that they can meet Charlie Kimball, plus all proceeds are being donated to JDRF!

Next up were the awards.  My company was awarded two awards for the walk.  I was personally awarded the Golden Sneaker Award which went to individuals who raised more then $1,000.  I am just happy I could help.

So all in all yesterday was a very inspiring day.  I wish I could inspire you all the way these kids inspired me last night.  Well this is not a shameless plug for GlucoStories, but this is really a great way to motivate and inspire the people out there that need it.  I read most of your blogs, I know you have great stories.

I hope you all have a great day and even better weekend!

Finally, I have scheduled a doctor’s appointment with an Endo in south Florida.  I have been living down here for nearly 4 years now and I have not had a single doctor’s appointment here.  Actually, I lie, within my first week of being here I had an appointment and the doctor told me to get off of the pump because the technology will get out dated and it won’t keep up with the disease and multiple day injections is the way to go.  As you can tell I said thanks but no thanks.

I was on a waiting list scheduled to be seen around the last week of  September, but then all of  sudden I get a phone call yesterday and they say “are you available for an appointment tomorrow at 3?”  Wow, did I get lucky.  I don’t remember what happens at these first visits to the doctor, because the last time I did it, it was 5 years ago and I came from the hospital to their office so that Endo was the one who was seeing me in the hospital.  The visit is an hour long, so that is why I can’t remember what the heck happens there.  I don’t have a good solid logbook of my sugars, but I am going to take 3-4 of my meters with me in case she wants to download them.

I am also hoping that my other doctor in PA received my fax yesterday to release all of my forms to the new doctor, because that would suck if they didnt.  I am not so much nervous to see this doctor because in my line of work, I talk and work with CDE’s on a daily basis and just about every single one had recommended this doctor to me.  Hopefully she can help me lower my average morning level of 220!

Have a great day everybody!

I had recently iquired about helping out coaching a little league football team, 12-13 year olds.  I was told that I would be the assistant head coach.  Well I just received an e-mail today stating that the head coach had to back out and now I am being offered to take the head coaching position.  Now I don’t know what to do.  Head coaches have to be able to provide more time and dedication and with my job that is very difficult.  Also, I have never been a head coach before, I have helped out with quarterbacks and wide receivers about 6 years ago but that’s it.

This is actually the first time that I will be doing anything football related since being diagnosed with diabetes.  I also see it as a great education experience.  Not only for myself, but for all the kids that are on the team.  I hope they go back to mom and dad and say, “Why does coach Chris carry a gatorade with him and these sugar thingy’s around the field?  Why does he take a needle and stick himself?”

Well, I am not sure what to do.  I think I should do it because I have always wanted to get into coaching and who knows what doors this could eventually open for me.  Next thing you know the Eagles will have to get rid of Andy Reid, and I can step right in.  Hey, life is no fun if you’re not dreaming, right?

Have a great day everybody!