A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

Diabetes

On health: Mental, physical, and otherwise

For the record, this post is one I started writing a few months ago. I need to update as I go through this and get it current, but a lot of this is still highly valid. And it’s something I had worked on, so I wanted to make sure it was published.

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When I started this, I was still about a month out from my most recent doctor’s appointment. I knew my blood work wasn’t going to be the best, but I was working to make sure it was better. My appointment got canceled, and I rescheduled for soon after (got lucky there). And I might tackle some of that here, but I have a more in-depth post being worked on for that. 

The reality is I truly think I hit rock bottom with the blood sugars. And though I have thought that before, this time I truly think I bottomed out. And, in the end, hopefully that’s a good thing. All of this is on me. I have often said that I know I need to do A and B, but then I end up just doing C and D. 

And that’s not good. It’s time to change things up. 

Looking at the big picture

It’s understandable that people’s mental health may not be what they want to be. And while I try not to get political with my posts – I want to talk about something in a broad sense. The political spectrum since around 2015 has been crazy – on both sides. Candidates are more polarizing, more in your face and, depending on which party you are part of, see the other side as scary. It doesn’t matter who you support – the other side no longer says “hey let’s chat,” instead it’s “evil.”

Social media and the 24-hour news media cycle plays a healthy part in that. 

And, again, I don’t care which side you support – this is true on both sides. There’s an “extreme” version on both sides, and there’s a more middle to each side. But the “wings” tend to be louder and push things more. 

Unplugging is a way to find some balance. And what better way than to get outside and explore.

Social media, again, is a huge part of that. 

So what happens with all of this? Stress builds up. Worry builds up. Anxiety builds up. You see people in a different light than you once did. People end decades-long friendships; family members fight one another; neighbors look at one another differently; towns, cities, states, and countries divide; and there’s no longer a sense of … doing what’s right for the people. 

The reality is – we can’t control a lot of these things. The only thing we can do is work on ourselves and try to survive living in this world the best we can.

If you think it’s just politics, though, you’re crazy. 

As much as we may want to blame presidents or those in congress for certain things – they really don’t control a lot of things, such as gas prices. The corporate world is fully behind prices and everything else. Otherwise try and explain to me why gas in my area is about 3.39 per gallon. Go an hour away – and not off a major highway – and you can get it for 2.85 (ish). Go 10 minutes down the road from my town and it’s 3.25ish, or on Sundays, it’s less than $3.. 

That has nothing to do with where the delivery is coming from. 

Again, we can only control so much. The biggest thing we can control is ourselves and protect our own mental and physical health the best we can. 

I can say I haven’t done the best with that, but hopefully that can change. 

So, what’s going on? 

First, my blood sugars aren’t the best. My A1C from two times ago went down a tick, and then this last time in December took a noticeable and good drop. It’s still not where it should be. But it’s getting there. I am focusing a lot more on all aspects of health for myself and results have been good so far. 

Physically, I’ve maintained about the same weight as I’ve been for a bit, and it’s actually gone down a little. However, there’s definitely some inches coming off. Over about a 3-4 month span in 2024, I had put a little back on and I had been getting a little lazy about things. I was still stress snacking. I tried to limit it, but at times, it was hard. Since November, I’ve gotten immensely better with it. 

But, reality, the daily grind can tire you out. I don’t always push myself with walks with Harper etc. I need to do more of that and get out with her and explore more. Sometimes, weekends are just sloth-like times where I get a walk or so in and then just kind of veg. While I do believe those types of days are needed at times – especially for your mental side – it’s also not good to always have them. 

Get outside more. Take a breath. Find balance.

I have changed that a bit since 2025 started and I notice that I feel better. 

On the mental health side of things, I was stretched pretty thin toward the end of 2024.

I was exhausted mentally most of the time and was burning the candle at both ends when it came to work. I’m sure, like many people, the expectations surrounding what I do are often higher than they should be (pay grade!), and not sustainable. The balance there is very tough and I’m always trying to find a way to do so while still maintaining the level I have always strived to have. Sometimes it’s hard in my job, too, as you have multiple bosses, but also ones you don’t always see or hear from. Sometimes those lines of communication are tougher and you feel like you’re out on an island when it comes to certain things. 

I’m still new to exploring my own mental health and trying to understand what helps and what doesn’t. When you take everything into account – finances, health, personal growth, relationships of all types, professional life, and everything else – it’s so much for the human mind to absorb. You add in the constant flow of social media, media, and other screen time things, and it’s overwhelming. 

Heavily overwhelming. 

I often feel like I am in a bubble of sorts and you can’t get out. I often see things and it’s almost like a blank stare. I sometimes pass people when I walk and don’t even realize they are there. I miss a lot of the little things and that’s tough, too. I often pass by neighbors or others and I’m just in a daze, barely acknowledging somebody. 

I could be fully wrong, but that just seems like a sign of being overwhelmed with life. 

Is that any way to live?

What to do?

I’ve been trying to grasp things over the past few months. The reality is that I’m now 51 and some things aren’t as easy as they once were. At the same time, I also don’t want to cut out things I enjoy, so moderation is going to be key. 

I have a bit of a plan I hope to follow and we’ll see if it works. Here’s a bit of a glimpse of what I hope to do. 

Blood monitoring

Honestly, until mid-November, I had been fully shitty about this.. When I got up in the morning, I always forgot to check my blood before my walk. Then it doesn’t hit me that I didn’t until I’m midway through breakfast. Then I lose my head and just forget. I know one thing that needs to be done is get back into the routine of things. 

I also know that there are the ones that can be worn and are continuous. I’ve tried those before. They don’t work well for me because I end up bumping into something or forgetting it’s on and when I get out of the shower go over it too hard and they fall out. And once they are out, it’s done. I do have a sample one that I’d like to try soon and see if I can do it better, but I know how I am!

Anyway, I have multiple of the readers I use. It’s nice because it connects to my phone and to an app I really like – MySugr. And as long as I use this brand, I get the VIP part of the app free. I purchased a second lancet device, which allows me to keep one reader upstairs as a reminder to check.  My hope is that it will remind me to check at a couple of important times – the morning and at night before bed (so far, so good). The other I will carry with me during the day and check at different times. If I start doing this more, hopefully I can see any trends or anything like that to help. 

I can’t stress enough that this is one of the most important things I need to start doing again. While eating smart and exercising is huge, this is the aspect that will allow me to see how my blood sugar reacts to certain things. I won’t know if things go up or down if I am not watching this. So far, so good. I’ve been doing well with it and will hopefully keep it up. But it’s not always easy and I have to remember to stay focused. 

Since November, I’ve been checking multiple times a day and understanding things that are going on. It’s holding me accountable. I’ll get more in-depth with this in a later post when I update the whole diabetes journey. 

Eating better

Easier said than done, right? 

Overall, I think I’ve done better with this over the past year or so. But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Though I’m a bit more cognizant about what I am eating, and the amount that I am eating, I still will be stupid. 

I’m going to say this, though. If all one is doing is eating healthy and not necessarily enjoying what they are eating, then it becomes harder. There are certain foods that are good for diabetics (certain veggies, for example) that I just don’t like. I can’t just eat them for the sake of it. So I have to work around this. The reality is also that food can be a wonderful thing – you just have to be smart how much you eat. Me eating a small piece of candy isn’t going to kill me. Me eating bags and handfuls of candy every day, on the other hand, probably would help speed the process along. 

Anyway, I’ve started being smarter with this again. I am trying to see what works and what doesn’t. Sure, I love bread, but I need to watch that. I can’t eat 5 rolls a day, for example. Smaller portions. Better choices. Watching the snacking. All the little things can add up to bigger things. 

I love me some food, too, so it can be hard. Alas, I will do what I can. 

So, portion control. Watching what I’m eating. And being smarter when it comes to snacking and things like that. I also plan on having a pen-and-paper notebook where I keep track of all things health – a one-stop shop spot. I can’t lie, though. So far this aspect isn’t working out well. 

Social media/news intake

This is fully aimed at the mental health side of things. 

This world that we live in right now is a fully connected one. People have their devices and social media and everything else. It’s crazy to think about a world without these things. I am glad, personally, that I grew up in an era when the biggest technology aspect we had was a Super Nintendo being released. We’re now in a world where .. you can live virtual lives or play video games that are as realistic as possible. It’s a world where news isn’t delivered by a newspaper, rather those 24-hour “news” channels that are actually more “entertainment” We are in a world where social media dominates and people feel free to say anything they want without worrying about repercussions. 

To avoid social media, you have to find ways to get away from it. Do something. Like this day trip to Legoland New York earlier this month!

Add all of this up and it can hammer your mental well being. 

Think about it. You can scroll a feed and see a photo of a dog doing something goofy. It’s cute, harmless, and makes you laugh. 

Go into the comments. They’ll range from people loving it to paragraphs on why this person is a crappy pet owner because they don’t have the dog in their lap 24 hours a day. Take a video of a husky refusing to come inside during a snowstorm. How many posts will be about that person sucking because “dogs should be inside with their people.” 

Give me a break. 

I never realized, though, how much reading crap like this can harm you and your own mental state. And it’s every single topic out there. It doesn’t matter as people have opinions, think they are the only opinion, and that’s it. End of story. 

Keep in mind that there’s a lot of good with social media, but equally a lot of bad. Make sure yours makes you happy and not angry, upset, or frustrated. I’m working on it myself and hope that it stays in check. 

Balance

Is this not one of the biggest things that many of us strike out on?

I think this is something I really haven’t had a good grasp on – having a certain balance in life. Let me explain. 

Harper is a great stress relief that helps with balance!

As I mentioned before, I find, at times, I’m just exhausted after work. And I shouldn’t necessarily be. So that means my after-work activities a lot of times are just kind of sitting around. This despite knowing there are a lot of other things I can be doing.

And none of those things have to necessarily be strenuous.

Playing with Harper. Going for a walk. Maybe working on a project. Putting a lego set together. Writing for my blog. Reorganizing areas of the house. So. Many. Things. 

Now, I’ve been working on this over the past couple months and am getting a little better. And with my blood sugar doing better, I do seem to have a little more energy (go figure). I’ve also been better about going to bed earlier. That’s helped as well. 

Balance also includes everything going on in the world, right? As mentioned earlier, reality is knowing our world is in a 24-hour news cycle and with so many polarizing people and topics, people are on edge quite often. I’m doing a lot better with my social media consumption; I avoid most non-stop news things; and I just try and get through life with a little less stress. There are a lot of other things for my TV time, for example, rather than non-stop current events. And I know the argument about not paying attention etc., but I just can’t live my life that way. If one worries too much, or gets caught in the hoopla too much, it takes a toll on you. 

Where am I at?

I’m better. 

That’s a blanket statement, but it’s the truth. Since I started watching everything with my physical health in November, I’ve found a lot more enjoyment in things around me. I’ve worked on a lot of changes

Here’s some things I’m working on: : 

  • I rarely go on Twitter. It’s a cesspool and unless it’s for work or somebody sends me a link of interest, I stay away. 
  • I have been working on locking down my Facebook account. That includes unfollowing, or in certain cases, “unfriending” people who are negative or add no value to my feed. My feed is full of Harper or things about my adventures etc. I use it as my “happy” social media and will do everything I can to keep it that way. 
  • I still love Instagram as it’s easy to avoid things that cause stress. 
  • I am doing my best, too, to stay out of comments for the majority of social media. If I do dive into them, I make sure to take it with a grain of salt and if I feel like they are annoying me, I go elsewhere.
  • I am working on being more regular with this blog. Even if it’s rarely read, it’s therapeutic. 
  • I have done much better with daily journaling, and I’m really trying to find the best way to be organized with planners and everything else.
  • I have and will continue to keep a much better eye on my diabetes. Sometimes my numbers go high and I am working to connect the dots. I understand insulin more and what I can do to work with it. 
  • I am walking and staying active as much as I can. I know they say the step count isn’t necessarily the biggest thing to being active, but I am trying to make sure I get at least 10,000 steps per day. For me, that’s a magic number that is good for me to aim for. 
  • Less screen time has been good, too. That doesn’t mean I don’t watch TV, but I am trying to not be on a computer as much with free time. Building LEGO sets, for example, has been helpful. I’m going to start maybe hitting up my XBox again more and whatever else I can do to enjoy things. When the weather turns, I have some woodworking projects I’d like to complete as well as house projects. 

Those are just a few of the things I’m working on. Everything is helping. I feel better. I have more energy (most of the time). I feel I am sleeping better and I’ve made sure the walks Harper and I go on are usually longer than in the past. 

And that balance I talked about earlier? Well, that helps with the mental aspect of things as well. Your mind can be challenged in other ways and not so overwhelmed with others. 

Life is a long road. Reality is, I’m more on the downhill side of life so things tend to move a bit faster. I don’t know how much time I have left. Hopefully quite a bit more. But I know I want it to be positive and good for myself, rather than full of stress. 

Be kind, folks. To yourself and to one another.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook!

Living with Diabetes: March 2021

It’s been a while since I did one of these posts, and there’s quite a bit to catch up on. Heck, to be fair, I’ve barely touched the blog outside of the Photo Blogging Challenge, so I need to kick it. 

The one thing I always loved about this monthly post was the accountability that it gave me. Without it, part of my accountability goes away. 

And my numbers have shown it. 

Living with Diabetes logo

I also realized I started writing one of these posts in February, and I never finished it and posted. So I am going to take things from that one and add a little more, so this could be a little longer. But that’s OK. I realize not a lot of people read these so it’s, for me, usually a way I can get my thoughts out there about how things are going. 

So where to begin?

As I write this, we are a year into the current pandemic. We’ve all been going through issues over the past year. The world is still crazy, mad, scared, upset, and every other feeling and emotion you can come up with. 

It just seems everybody reaches a breaking point and, at times, I feel I’ve reached said point more than once. 

First … the numbers

Since I’ve written about this last, I’ve had two A1C tests and they are up. But this was expected. I knew I wasn’t doing the best. The second one actually went down a smidge, but that’s because of how I rebounded in the final month. If I hadn’t, I can’t imagine what it would be. 

And why is this? 

I explained to my primary (after the first test) that yes, I knew, but I also knew what was part of it – everything going on. From the pandemic, to the political world, to everything else – I wasn’t being smart. I ate like shit, I wasn’t watching things, and when my finger prick checking of my blood sugars wasn’t great (even when I was being smart), I got frustrated and pissed off. 

So I’d eat. 

Yeah, not the smartest thing in the world, that’s for sure. And I knew it wasn’t smart, but I had no self-control. It was a crutch. 

That being said, I was keeping up my walking, for the most part. I’d stay as active as I could, but my free time was often on a computer and kind of tuning out life. 

But why?

Look, the past year has been tough. Everybody has their own story or narrative about the year. And if you are in different parts of the United States, or in another country – everything going on has a different impact on you. Some have taken it worse than others. The suicide rate is up. Depression is up. Tension is up. Some people haven’t worked in months. Others are working too much. Some want to be working. Some would rather be in their home away from everything. 

The way one person has been dealing with the past year won’t be identical to the next person. 

But, because this is from my eyes, let me outline a few quick snapshots. 

When this pandemic started, I was in the corner that we’d figure a way to contain it and we’d be back at it by May or June. I came to this conclusion based on things that had happened over the past 20 years (Ebola etc) where the world didn’t have to shut down. As it wore on, I realized it wouldn’t be a quick fix. I, like many others, had to come to terms with that. 

So, I buckled down and went at it. My workload from March through June was incredibly high. I did more hours in that span than I can account for, but it had to be done. And ever since, it’s been up and down with normal hours to many more. All part of life. 

But the little things get to you. As you look back and reflect, you can start pinpointing different aspects. I couldn’t go to baseball games. I didn’t want to eat out (I still don’t). I didn’t go geocaching or explore. I didn’t go on photo trips. I didn’t get to travel at all. I barely saw family and friends. 

This is the type of stuff that really gets to you. 

Politics

And what else did it? The presidential election in the United States. It doesn’t matter what side of the spectrum you were on for this – it was overwhelming. You have a global pandemic going on, social justice movements, and an insanely polarizing election cycle. No matter who one backed, there was tension. There were heated arguments and then add in social distancing (or lack thereof) and it got worse. 

No matter who one backed – we all had part in this situation. And the sad part is that it didn’t end in November, or even December, or hell, even January. It’s still going. We’re a nation divided and it doesn’t help with people and their mental well being. 

I’ve learned the block/unfriend/unfollow/mute buttons are very helpful in the social media world when it comes to a lot of this. I do it quietly, though. I’m not one of those who screams out I am leaving a group or I am eliminating people off my lists … I just do it. And believe me, I’ve done this to people on both sides of the political spectrum. It’s been nice that things have been relatively quiet, too. We know neither side is perfect — that’s for sure — but things being quiet is nice.

The weather

Depending where you live, this may or may not be something you are dealing with, too. But this winter near me has been shitty. It seems like we can’t go a couple of days without snow. And it’s not like we are getting feet at a time. It’s that steady, annoying, an inch or two here and there sort of snow.

We had a lot of snow this winter … which made things tough as well.

Sometimes it’s fluffy, sometimes it’s that “wet” heavier snow – like snowball weather. 

This really messes with your mind, too. 

There’s a day of sun and blue skies and you feel, even if it’s cold, that maybe something is turning. Then what happens? The next three days it snows. Two inches one day. Four the next. Three the next. It’s depressing. 

And it also forces me to stay in more. While I don’t mind walking in the cold, if I am out shoveling multiple times over a two- or three-day span, my energy is drained. 

And sure, shoveling 

The weather has been starting to turn for the better, though, so I am hopeful. But, I never think winter is done in my area until March ends. That being said, I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

Into my small world

Though I was a bit more outgoing and “free” when I was younger, I’ve become way more of an introvert in my adult life. “Adulting” absolutely wears me out. Small talk drives me crazy because nobody knows where to end a chat and all. Sometimes, I just want to put on some headphones and block out the world. 

I’ve had my own bouts with different things. If I have a day or two where my blood sugar is too high, I can go in several directions. I can get angry. Or frustrated. Or upset. Or any other emotion. It’s a battle that goes up and down based on my daily mood. 

The stress of work doesn’t help, either. 

The stress of life, too. 

I’ve been looking to buy a house, as well as a new car sometime this summer. I’ve thought about a dog (which I think would help me), and I’ve looked into buying a kayak this summer. I’d like to explore more and ride my bike more. And walk more. Some of these are big, some are small. But they all add up to make it hard, at times, to keep focused on other things.

Mental health

This is real. 

Think about yourself through all of this. Have you had any mental health issues? Has it taken a toll on your health at all? How’s your blood pressure? If you have diabetes, how are your numbers? How are other things? Are there any other underlying issues that have worsened during this time?

I have had my moments, that’s for sure.

Overall, though, I’ve taken it in stride the best I could. I’ve found ways to cope – whether it be a walk or binge watching something on Netflix, or trying to figure a way to shape my new personal journal (which may be one reason I haven’t blogged as much). Too often, I tend to slink back to the computer and that needs to change a little. The computer can be fun, be it some games or surfing or researching — but turning off the screen is important as well.

I’m trying to find different ways to do things to ease stress and I think that will help overall. The warmer weather will help. I plan to start playing some golf again as the weather improves, and I’ll be walking the courses more. Maybe I’ll get back to playing some disc golf. I want to explore some state parks. If a dog comes along, well … that can only help. Home ownership could help as well with all that it would involve. I want to do more with photography, and especially videography.

It’s the little things that will help. 

OK, we get it … the numbers. 

So … about those numbers 

The last two A1C reports were in the upper 8s – obviously not where I want to be. 

But … 

One of my recent readings before dinner.

A month ago, I met with a dietician. She was uber helpful. She helped shape my meals. She offered ideas based on what I like to eat. She talked about calories, and carbs. She explained certain things. And we worked on what I could do. 

The results have been crazy good. 

I made a spreadsheet to document what my finger prick readings were for the past month and it’s quite wild to see it drop. Over the course of four weeks my numbers have gotten much closer to where they should be and for that, I am excited and thankful. It gives me the drive to keep it up and see what I can do. 

Look, the reality is this – I don’t want my medication upped. In fact, I want it downsized. For this to happen, I need to do the right thing. I also requested a new blood glucose reader – one that syncs up with the MySugr app, so that should help as well. I’ll be excited when that arrives. 

And when I saw my doctor earlier this week? I’m down 11 pounds. So that is also a good thing that helps in many ways. If I can continue my progress and do things right — maybe I can finally build the habits I need to get healthier.

Moving forward

I have some goals for this year. I’d like to continue the weight loss. I’d like to get a bit more active with my walking (pick up the pace again), and hike/explore some. Maybe do some biking and kayaking. All that will help. And by the end of the year (I would have 2-3 more A1C tests this year as I go every three months), I want that A1C staying under 7 – as low into those 6s as I can get. 

And, I need to get blogging about these things more – not just this monthly write up, but the other features I have on here that have been neglected – such as the walking with a purpose and On The Trail. 

I can’t guarantee I’ll be full force, but I am going to try and do a bit more. I’ve really crawled into a shell and I need to come back out and experience life a bit more. 

And in the end, I think that will help me overall. 

I hope everybody is getting through this pandemic. Be safe. Mask up when needed. Have some distance. Be healthy. Be happy. 

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Living with Diabetes: Managing during a pandemic

For those of you who read my blog, you likely know I’ve been working my rear off to get my diabetes in control. I’ve been doing pretty well with it, too. 

In fact, at my last blood test in February, my A1C dropped .5 points and I’m on the cusp of dropping under a 7 for the first time in a while. 

That has me pumped. 

Living with Diabetes logo

However, then COVID-19 hit, 

The world went into a lockdown. People lost jobs. Others work remotely. Some are afraid to step outside. Being diabetic, I’m told, I’m at a higher risk. 

Just what I needed. 

I’m thankful I didn’t lose my job. I’ve worked remotely for the most part, but I go into the office a couple of times per week. I utilize social distancing. When I’m in a store or in a public area where I might be around people and can’t be 6-10 feet away, I wear a mask. I’m doing the items I’ve been asked to do. Do I like or want to do them all? No. But I’m also in the belief that I am doing many of these things for other people, not just me. 

My work has really amped up, though. I’m having to juggle a lot of things and I know the next two months are going to be high-stress, probably longer hours at time, and definitely a time where I might not always be smart. 

First, let’s take working at home. For me, it’s not the best. You do some Zoom meetings and all and you might snack a bit. I don’t always check my blood numbers as I forget. I’m out of a rhythm. 

Now, I will say I get way more walking in. My morning and afternoon walks are usually a lock. Sometimes there’s a third. When I’m at the office, I tend to try and move more because there’s so few people around and if I don’t move and stare at the computer all day, I’ll go bonkers. 

Sometimes on weekends, I’ve found nature areas and places to hike so I can get a change of scenery. I’ve tried to take photos and videos. When the weather is nice, I’ve tried to take advantage of it. 

But this time for everybody is hard. We’re not doing normal things. We want to, but we can’t. And that takes a toll on somebody’s body. 

The times I’ve checked my blood sugars, there’s some elevation at times. Not always mind you, but sometimes. I know there are times I pick at snacks because of the situation I am in. I don’t think I’ve really packed on pounds as clothes tell me otherwise. I’m trying to be as smart as I can. My portion sizes haven’t increased. 

Still, I know I haven’t been great. 

My next doctor’s appointment is June 30. I am supposed to get blood taken before then, so we’ll see how that goes. I hope I don’t see my numbers go flying back up, though I know that will be possible. 

For now, I need to get back to where I was before all of this started. That means watching what I eat. Moving. Not snacking all the time. Sometimes it can be very hard, as I am sure others will note, too. 

I keep plugging away. The best I can, anyway. It’s also my hope you are all doing well. 

Stay safe and healthy.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Living with Diabetes: Medications and the ups and downs of it all

There are days when I want to scream when it comes to diabetes.

Like, top of my lungs, off the mountain tops, and filled with profanity sort of screaming. You know, the type that makes zero sense, but at the same time makes you feel a whole heap better. 

I mean, if it’s just for you, it’s not often a few cuss words won’t make you feel better … right?

Let me back this up a little to explain. 

At my last A1C test in November, my numbers had come down. I was happy about that, but the unfortunate part is that the past two tests had gone up … so I hadn’t been doing well. This made my primary and my diabetes educator each have a chat with me about kind of looking at what I was doing etc. I made a lot of changes since then and things are going well.

Living with Diabetes logo

They also suggested I might want to look into an injectable medicine – not insulin, but one of the weekly ones. I agreed to do my research and that I’d let them know. 

So I kind of went headfirst. I read about these medicines, such as Trulicity and Ozempic. I read reviews. I looked at all the possible side effects. I looked at the positives and negatives. I watched videos on how they worked and how I would have to use them. I emailed the diabetes educator with questions. 

I did my homework. 

In the end, I was actually highly interested. Knowing at least one of my medications would be cut in half and the hopes it would eventually be taken away because of using this medicine, I decided to give it a try. 

I chose Ozempic. 

I liked some of the studies and things to go with this medicine a bit more than the others. It just seemed like the right fit. I took the first dose in late December, and have done it weekly ever since. 

And I like the direction it’s going. 

My numbers as I check throughout the day have noticeably gone down. One app I use – mySugr – gives an estimation of your current A1C, based on the numbers you have in there. If this is remotely close, then I’m going to be stoked next time I go, which will be in about 2.5 weeks. 

And I can’t say if it’s Ozempic, but things are going in the right direction. That leads me to believe the medicine is working and working in a positive way. It’s easy to use and I’ve not felt a negative side to it. I also like that it’s easily stores.

One thing the medication is supposed to help with – suppressing appetite. I know this much – over the past few months, I haven’t been eating as much. I get full much easier, which is a good thing. I’m not usually one that gets excited about a new medicine. I’d rather subtract than add, but this has been really good for me so far. Here’s hoping it keeps going in the right direction and allows me to fully drop one other.

I’ve also been walking a ton more than I used to. I always made sure to walk, but I’ve been really good about getting up and doing the 5 am walk (during the main work week), and then one at night. 

Add all that up, and things are going very well in the right direction. 

Let’s go back to the screaming part, though. 

My one issue is the morning. Recently, my overnight readings have been awesome for my standards. It’s always been my hard area. But it’s been good. I get up, check my numbers and go for a walk. I can’t eat beforehand, as I have a medicine I take that needs to be in me for 30 minutes before I eat. So I go take a walk, come home and get ready for work and then eat. 

Now, I realize because there’s nothing in my body, my numbers could rise (they usually do a little), but there are days where it goes way up. I don’t understand how one day it pops way up, other days it goes up a little, and other days it stays the same or goes down a little. 

It makes no sense. 

If there was a small bit of fluctuation one way or another, I get it. Or if it always went flying up. But it’s so random how things go. 

I’ve tried getting up earlier, taking the medicine, going back to bed and then eating before my morning walk. That didn’t work out well. For one, there’s no time for the food to digest, so walking isn’t the best. But my numbers never improved all that much from it, and oftentimes – again – got worse. 

So I am at a standstill. I’m not sure how to approach this or what to do. I have appointments March 3, so this will be on my question list. 

I know this is an endless fight. I know there are times I’m going to want to scream and there are times I pump my fist knowing I am going in the right direction. But I also realize there will always be frustrations with this battle. 

For anybody reading this … do these things happen to you? And if so, what do you do about it? I’m open for ideas and suggestions!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Living with Diabetes: Plugging away

As I start to plan out being a bit better about the blog, I realized I hadn’t run one of these since November – and before my last blood test. 

Shame on me!

If you recall from last time, my A1C (long-term blood sugars) had gone up a bit dramatically. I got spooked with the talk of insulin and realized I had been a bit aloof about the whole situation. 

In fact, the last time I posted about this, I gave myself a bit of a plan of action. Thus far, it seems to be working. 

Let’s recap where I went in 2019. My A1C in January of last year was pretty good. I was trending in the right direction and seemed to be doing things the right way. 

Living with Diabetes logo

I got into the Freestyle Libre, which when I wore it and it stayed on my arm, was awesome. I could check my readings a lot. But, when it popped out or one ended, I tended to lax. 

And when that happens, that means I’m not checking and “think” I know what I am doing. 

I don’t. 

So the next two blood tests didn’t go as well as the first – my numbers went up 1.6 points at the May appointment, and another point in August. 

Needless to say, my primary wasn’t pleased. I went to work on it and started keeping track of things a lot better. When November came around and it was time for my blood test, I was cautiously optimistic. 

It’s dropped 1.1 points. 

Am I where I need to be? Not yet. But I’m getting there. 

The next thing my primary though was… what are my thoughts on injectables. Not insulin, but the long-range medicines. He wasn’t telling me I had to do it, but to think about it. 

I talked to the diabetes educator I see and she thought it would be worth thinking about. By doing this, one of my other medicines would become a lower dose with the possibilities of it being taken away. 

Over the next month, I did a lot of research on the main players. In the end, it seemed Ozempic would be a good match for me. In the end, I decided to give it a go. 

For four weeks, I’ve used this. It seems like it is helping my daily sugars, mixed in with the exercise and everything else I am doing. I still have a ways to go, but I seem to be trending in the right direction once again. I’ll expand on this medicine and my thoughts in February’s post. 

Some things have been harder than others, but everything is working well. I’m doing walks on a regular basis and trying to get myself feeling better overall. I push myself and I watch things. I sometimes still get higher readings and it’s frustrating because I can’t always pinpoint why it’s happening. My other issue is the morning and trying to figure out how to get it all to work well, especially mixing in a morning walk. 

In time, I am sure. 

I’ve changed some habits and am being much more cognizant about everything I am doing. I just have to stick with it. 

My other goal here is to stay more on top of this feature on the blog. I found in the past when I was doing this monthly, it allowed me to reflect and look to what was working and what wasn’t. In the coming months, I’ll have a range of topics to cover, as well as the personal updates. 

I realize some of my other past goals, namely a food journal, haven’t been going as planned. That is still on my radar, but I’m trying to figure the best way for me to pull it off.

It’s an endless fight and it’s one I will keep at because it’s the only thing I can do.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!