A1 See, I Told You

I despised the doctor.

Irrespective of the specialty (if any), any doctor I frequented seemed to be against me, not for me. I couldn't catch a break from anyone, and figured the less I went, the less scolding I'd get - so go as little as possible!

In retrospect, I can see the folly of my thinking. Although many of the aforementioned doctors may have lacked tact, that certainly did not entitle me to dismiss their message altogether. I had convinced myself I was doing all I could. I was trying: counting carbs, working the ratios, testing my blood sugars constantly; all to no avail. I was trying everything except the one thing I feared - the insulin pump! (cue scary music)

Yeah, well - that was then and this is now!

Back at the end of December I saw my new doctor (only 2nd appointment), after been having been on the pump for about a month. He wanted to run an A1C test (a lab test that reveals your 3 month blood sugar average), and I said, "no!"

He looked at me quizically and asked why. As previously mentioned, I used to dread and prolong these tests, and would cite obscure reasons to delay..."I've been feeling ill.....I just started a new exercise routine (go to Krispy Kreme, get a free donut; run to car and change clothes, re-enter Krispy Kreme for another free donut, repeat indefinitely..).....Taylor Hicks won American Idol and the whole thing confuses me...." you get the point here.

But alas, this time my motive was pure...I replied, "I've only been on the pump for a month, and it's a clean slate, a new start, a fresh beginning for me! I want to wait until I have three good months on the pump, so let's wait." (Remember the A1C averages the prior 3 months, so at that point I would've had 1 good month, and 2 bad).I was working too hard to get a bad report, and knew I just needed a little time on the pump to get those results that had eluded me for over twenty years.

Fast forward to last week and the doctor appointment. After the obligatory greetings, I got right down to the brass-tax.

"Well...??!"

The A1C is perfect, all the tests look perfect, keep up the great work!

And just like that, after 20+ years of toil, I finally experience triumph!

The test result was 6.3%. The ADA recommends 7% or less. Even the most strict endocrinologists prefer a 6.5% , so a 6.3 is a milestone achievement!

There have not been any major lifestyle changes, no radical diets or extreme exercise routines. My last A1C was 10.7; and now it's 6.3, and there's only one reason....

It changes your life!

(A1) See, I told you.....

I'm hooked (literally and figuratively), so until next time, I'll be pumpin'.....

22 years coming....

It was a long road.

Frankly, I had all but eliminated the possibility of ever wearing an insulin pump. I was totally against the concept, and hated the thought of being 'wired up' 24 hours a day.

I was diagnosed as a type-1 diabetic on June 20, 1986. So that means for twenty-two years now I've struggled mightily with obtaining ANY thing resembling control.

I used to laugh at those One Touch commercials that always showed a perfect '120' reading. I thought, 'yeah, right...'

My family and friends had encouraged me to give it a try, but I just could not wrap my mind around being tied down with this thing 24/7. But when my son, who has Down syndrome was born, I started to think about things differently.

I began to think about the importance of good health. Further, I considered the path I had been on for over two decades and what the long-term implications were. It was (and is) scary. So one night I googled "insulin pump" and began to research the options.

In a later post, I'll compare and review each of the pumps I was considering and give my reasoning as to why I ended up with the Medtronic/Minimed 522. But for now, suffice it to say I feel I made the right choice.

So my last A1C was about 10.5, which equates to an average blood sugar of approximately 255. (to calculate your average, check this out: http://bloodsugar101.com/A1Ccalc.php)

After two weeks on the pump, my average is 146 (6.7 A1C) and headed down!! Honestly, I've never felt anything like this. The energy, focus, positivity - I simply cannot recall ever feeling anything like this.

All of my fears were unfounded. Being 'wired up' is no big deal whatsoever. And going from 6 shots a day to 1 infusion set every 3 days is a major benefit!

If you are a diabetic struggling with control, I understand where you're at. I had been told I was in the top 2%...just so 'brittle' that no matter what I tried, control may not be attainable. Listen to me, that is false information. I just want to encourage you to consider a more progressive approach to diabetes management.

In this day and age, there is no reason to suffer through the 400's only to crash in to the 30's. There is hope. If I can do it, most certainly anyone can!

Until next time, I'll be pumpin...