low low low

The title of this post describes the beginning of my summer thus far. A series of lows...attempting to correct those lows...followed by more lows.

This is something that I have been trying to fix with constant BG checks and basal rate- tweaking. For example, my morning numbers have been on the low side. I'm averaging around 69 mg/dL at 7am-8am. I've been trying to cut back my overnight basal rate and have seem some improvements! YAY! My mid-morning-lunch time numbers have been horrible though. I often find myself low, cranky, and weak around 11am or so. The other day, I went to help my friend move out of her apartment. Words cannot describe how irritated I was during this trip....mainly due to my blood sugar at the time. Starbursts probably helped to save my friendship.

Surprisingly, my BGs at work (I waitress at a retirement home) have not been too bad! I have been sucking down 1/2 water, 1/2 cranberries during my shifts, which seems to be working. I leave work at around 7:45pm with my numbers around 90-100. PERFECTION :-]

I saw my endo last week, and she was kinda pleased, kinda worried about my A1c. It came out to be a 5.9. Although this seems good, she's a bit worried that it's due to my frequent lows. I'm going to have to take my increased activity level into account and start eating more smaller snacks beforehand.

In other news, I have been experimenting with so many recipes while I've been home! It's so great to have time to do this again!

My latest creation was a lentil trail mix...which I am obsessed with. I adapted it from the Healthful Pursuit Blog.
1 cup lentils (soaked 4-6 hours to prevent gas)
3/4 cup sunflower seeds
3/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup raisins (tossed them in some flower to make them less sticky)
2/3 cup craisins
3/4 cup shredded coconut


After soaking the lentils, preheat the oven to 350F. Put the lentils on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the lentils are crispy. Cool at room temp. Once cool, toss the lentils with the other ingredients!

Even my dad liked this, and he's hard to please!

Here's how it came out!

So Yummy!

GRADUATION!

I am now a college graduate!!

This is me and some of my friends before graduation! Hard to believe that I am done with my time at Keene State. I'm spending my final post-grad week in Keene with the good friends I've made before I go home to Connecticut. It' so bitter-sweet to be leaving this place. The graduation ceremony was a bit stressful in terms of managing my diabetes. The graduates had to line up for the ceremony at 11:30am...the ceremony did not start until 1. This is prime lunch time for me, so I was super nervous that I would either be low during the ceremony. I was also a bit nervous that I could be high and have to get up and pee. I ended up wearing my "thigh-thing" under my dress for not only my pump, but starbursts, mints, and peanut butter crackers. I also carried a bottle of water into the ceremony with me (the ceremony was a total of 3 hours!). Thank god I brought those peanut butter crackers into the ceremony with me. I didn't have my meter on me, but I could feel my blood sugar starting to drop. I thought it would be best to treat it with real food as opposed to candy because I wasn't actually low...I just needed to eat something. Although I felt weird whipping snacks out of the garter belt under my dress, I was so thankful to be able to stabilize my dropping blood sugar! Other than that, graduation was fantastic! My mom, dad, and I went out for dinner after the ceremony. I got my favorite meat (leg of lamb) with mint pesto, sauteed kale, and pureed parsnips! It was so amazing! I'm now ready to enter the "real world"....well I hope so!!

Hello! These past couple of months have been very exciting! I'm happy to announce that I was accepted into the New York Presbyterian Hospital Dietetic Internship! Four years of hard work have finally paid off and I am one step closer to becoming a certified diabetes educator. I could not be more excited. I will start the 11 month, clinical internship in September. The hospital provides housing right across the street from the hospital for a VERY reasonable price. It is going to be such an awesome experience to live in the city! AHH! Until September, I will be working as a dietary aide/wait staff at the retirement home, working at the Circle of Life Camp (a diabetes camp), and working towards earning a childhood and adolescent weight management certification. I'm graduating from Keene on Saturday and moving home the following Saturday. It is so bitter-sweet. I have made some great friends and learned so much about myself in Keene. It's surreal to be leaving New Hampshire and moving to New York City. While home this summer, I'm really hoping to be a more active blogger! Once I start my internship, I will keep everyone up-to-date on all my experiences as well. In terms of diabetes, I have my next endo appointment later this month and am anxious to see what my A1c is. My BGs have been great for the most part. I hope I can continue to keep my numbers under control during my busy internship! Hope all is well in the DOC! I can't wait to be more active in it once again!