I got a message after work on Friday saying my Tuesday appointment with the anaesthetist had been moved back a day to Monday. Oh that's just great. I had booked annual leave off work to attend on Tuesday, and also booked another doctor's apointment for later in the morning to use up the extra time.
This morning, Monday, I woke up earlier so I could call the hospital and try to fix it. But I was too early; they don't start taking calls at the booking office until about 8am, by which time I will have to be at work already. So the I've-not-had-my-coffee-yet-sounding receptionist trasnferred me around to another department with someone I could talk to, who explained that the appointment change was due to the pre-admissions nurse noting that I was diabetic, and would need to see the actual anaesthetist who would be there at my surgery.
What? So you normally see just some random anaesthetist? Sounds a bit stoopid to me!
Anyway, her heart was in the right place, because although it has well and truly mucked my day around, that nurse picked up on the fact that I will need special care by MY anaesthetist before, during, and after my op.
For instance, I am not allowed to eat anything for breakfast or lunch... that's a minor inconvenience for most people, but for me that's a calamity. I cannot just not eat for that long. Who knows what my blood sugars will do? Stress will put them higher (I guess), but lack of food will put them low (I know), but a reduced insulin dose to cope with no food with could put them higher again (if I don't get the dose exactly spot on!).
The nurse also emailed my endocrinologist to get him talking directly to the anaesthetist, which is a good thing. I want everyone on the same page here!
Long story short, I have re-jiggled all my appointments, and cancelled my annual leave for tomorrow. My surgery is at the end of next week and they managed to squeeze me in with a new anaesthetist appointment early next week. Whew. I couldn't stand waiting much more!
Oh, for an idea of how anaesthesia can affect a diabetic, check out Kerri Morrone Sparlings account of her daughters birth by c-section.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Pre-admission appointment with the nurse
I took this morning off work so I could attend a nurse-led pre-admission appointment in preparation for my hysteroscopy operation later in the month. The letter advising me of this appointment said it could take up to 3 hours!
The day didn't start off well; I woke up with a wicked low and a raging headache. Or rather, I pretended I wasn't awake and fell back asleep, only to be woken by Mr Kitty in time to gobble some breakfast and rush to the hospital. I took my Lantus, but because I was only 3.3 mmol/L I decided to hold off on taking the Humalog until my blood sugar had come up to a more healthy level. I got to the outpatient's reception area just in time, and there was a long line of people waiting.
I was in the waiting room for over half an hour, and getting antsy cos I only had the morning off from work, and I was starting to seriously worry that I wouldn't make it back in time. But the lovely nurse came and got me, and did a thorough medical history. She was a bit bemused when I sat down and started doing a(nother) blood test, and injection :) Time for Humalog! Now! I had gone up to 14.4 mmol/L already!
She took my blood pressure, did weight and height (I only ever seem to get shorter these days :P), and listened to my chest. She listened a little longer. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have a slight heart murmur? Well, I think I can hear one anyway..." Me: "No, that's interesting." And it could also explain why I'm always so goddamn tired all the time. So I've booked ANOTHER appointment with my GP next week, to confirm or deny the lovely-nurse's diagnosis. We shall wait and see what happens....
* The rest of day is spent getting more blood tests, visiting my hubby at his work to help out on his film set, go to my work in the arvo and do prep for film shoot next week, go low twice in the afternoon, once in a meeting - oh what fun! Have my newly-diagnosed diabetic friend asking me diabetes questions all afternoon, go home have fish and chips for dinner YUM *
...but wait! What's this? I get home, after work on a Friday, and there is a message saying they've moved my Tuesday anaesthetist appointment to Monday! WTF? You tell me basically the day before, when I can't call either the hospital to reschedule, or my work to re-organise time off??!? What the hell, hospital-reception-lady!? That's not on! Grumpy now... I'm supposed to be working on a film shoot on Monday, so re-organising work and my GP appointment back to Monday from Tuesday is such a pain in the arse. Not a happy camper.
In other, happier news, I have joined the TuDiabetes community. I can't believe I didn't know about this "facebook for diabetics" before now! It's great! Pop over and have a look today :)
Have a great weekend! :)
The day didn't start off well; I woke up with a wicked low and a raging headache. Or rather, I pretended I wasn't awake and fell back asleep, only to be woken by Mr Kitty in time to gobble some breakfast and rush to the hospital. I took my Lantus, but because I was only 3.3 mmol/L I decided to hold off on taking the Humalog until my blood sugar had come up to a more healthy level. I got to the outpatient's reception area just in time, and there was a long line of people waiting.
I was in the waiting room for over half an hour, and getting antsy cos I only had the morning off from work, and I was starting to seriously worry that I wouldn't make it back in time. But the lovely nurse came and got me, and did a thorough medical history. She was a bit bemused when I sat down and started doing a(nother) blood test, and injection :) Time for Humalog! Now! I had gone up to 14.4 mmol/L already!
She took my blood pressure, did weight and height (I only ever seem to get shorter these days :P), and listened to my chest. She listened a little longer. "Did anyone ever tell you that you have a slight heart murmur? Well, I think I can hear one anyway..." Me: "No, that's interesting." And it could also explain why I'm always so goddamn tired all the time. So I've booked ANOTHER appointment with my GP next week, to confirm or deny the lovely-nurse's diagnosis. We shall wait and see what happens....
* The rest of day is spent getting more blood tests, visiting my hubby at his work to help out on his film set, go to my work in the arvo and do prep for film shoot next week, go low twice in the afternoon, once in a meeting - oh what fun! Have my newly-diagnosed diabetic friend asking me diabetes questions all afternoon, go home have fish and chips for dinner YUM *
...but wait! What's this? I get home, after work on a Friday, and there is a message saying they've moved my Tuesday anaesthetist appointment to Monday! WTF? You tell me basically the day before, when I can't call either the hospital to reschedule, or my work to re-organise time off??!? What the hell, hospital-reception-lady!? That's not on! Grumpy now... I'm supposed to be working on a film shoot on Monday, so re-organising work and my GP appointment back to Monday from Tuesday is such a pain in the arse. Not a happy camper.
In other, happier news, I have joined the TuDiabetes community. I can't believe I didn't know about this "facebook for diabetics" before now! It's great! Pop over and have a look today :)
Have a great weekend! :)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
My friend is diagnosed with gestational diabetes
Today my friend was diagnosed with gestational diabetes after failing two glucose tolerance tests miserably. She's only got about 6 weeks before her due date, and doesn't seem to understand what her diagnosis means or what effects if could have on her or her baby.
She's been given a testing kit to check her blood sugars, and immediately started moaning that she couldn't wait for it to be over, at least she only had another 6 weeks of this!
At this stage I took to looking meaningfully at her! Come on! Don't give me that crap when you know I've got a far more serious form of this disease and have had it for 22 years! She's a sweetie, but complaining because you can't eat a bag of jetplane lollies per day just doesn't fly with me. (haha, that's a good one :P)
I think she only truly started to understand what I might be going through when we were emailing each other about diabetes, sharing our blood test results to compare, and checking on wikipedia to learn about gestational diabetes.
She asked me if I was still planning on babies and all that stuff.
So I told her. I sat at my desk at work and tried real hard not to cry as I typed how I've had so many fertility tests, and so many doctors appointments, and have more in the future, and an operation coming up because the fertility clinic won't accept us until I get the uterine polyp removed. I told her how my husband and I are facing IVF and ICSI, and that it's scary and that I've been reading blogs like crazy trying to get some information on what it's like.
As I said, she's a sweetie and I believe she means well, but when she responded that once I was holding my bundle of joy all the hard work would be worth it, that I would understand, it seriously took all my will power not to sniff and tear up. Of course I know that. Duh. Why do you think I'm even thinking of being hooked up to an insulin pump and a CGM? Why do you think I tolerate so many blood-draws (or vampire visits, as I like to call them), so many finger-pricks, so much OCD with carb counting and data collection? It's because when I see my husband with his three beautiful children and I see the love in his eyes, and I know I can hug them, but they'll always only be hugging a step-mum, I know deep down that I desperately want to be a mother. I have teenagers already, I want them right from the beginning. All mine. I absolutely know I can be a good mother cos I'm a mother of sorts already. So I know.
But she didn't and the stress sent me quite low. A juice box and a fruit bar later, and my brain came back from the clouds. I was able to get back to work, and try and enjoy the fact that revealing "my secret" was actually kind of liberating. I have another person besides my husband, my parents, my sister, and my doctors who knows a bit of what I'm going through.
The understanding my friend came to in one day, just about diabetes, was astounding. The whole office got involved, everyone wanted to know our blood sugars and what they meant. I think that's really positive. Now a few more people have a little window into my life and what diabetes is all about.
She's been given a testing kit to check her blood sugars, and immediately started moaning that she couldn't wait for it to be over, at least she only had another 6 weeks of this!
At this stage I took to looking meaningfully at her! Come on! Don't give me that crap when you know I've got a far more serious form of this disease and have had it for 22 years! She's a sweetie, but complaining because you can't eat a bag of jetplane lollies per day just doesn't fly with me. (haha, that's a good one :P)
I think she only truly started to understand what I might be going through when we were emailing each other about diabetes, sharing our blood test results to compare, and checking on wikipedia to learn about gestational diabetes.
She asked me if I was still planning on babies and all that stuff.
So I told her. I sat at my desk at work and tried real hard not to cry as I typed how I've had so many fertility tests, and so many doctors appointments, and have more in the future, and an operation coming up because the fertility clinic won't accept us until I get the uterine polyp removed. I told her how my husband and I are facing IVF and ICSI, and that it's scary and that I've been reading blogs like crazy trying to get some information on what it's like.
As I said, she's a sweetie and I believe she means well, but when she responded that once I was holding my bundle of joy all the hard work would be worth it, that I would understand, it seriously took all my will power not to sniff and tear up. Of course I know that. Duh. Why do you think I'm even thinking of being hooked up to an insulin pump and a CGM? Why do you think I tolerate so many blood-draws (or vampire visits, as I like to call them), so many finger-pricks, so much OCD with carb counting and data collection? It's because when I see my husband with his three beautiful children and I see the love in his eyes, and I know I can hug them, but they'll always only be hugging a step-mum, I know deep down that I desperately want to be a mother. I have teenagers already, I want them right from the beginning. All mine. I absolutely know I can be a good mother cos I'm a mother of sorts already. So I know.
But she didn't and the stress sent me quite low. A juice box and a fruit bar later, and my brain came back from the clouds. I was able to get back to work, and try and enjoy the fact that revealing "my secret" was actually kind of liberating. I have another person besides my husband, my parents, my sister, and my doctors who knows a bit of what I'm going through.
The understanding my friend came to in one day, just about diabetes, was astounding. The whole office got involved, everyone wanted to know our blood sugars and what they meant. I think that's really positive. Now a few more people have a little window into my life and what diabetes is all about.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Diabetes Blog Week
So I've only just started blogging about diabetes and stuff, I'm pretty new at it all. But I really like Karen's (from BitterSweet blog fame) idea to blog together as a community for a week about set topics.
I will give it a try :) Should be very interesting to see what other people write about too. Here is the "agenda":
I will give it a try :) Should be very interesting to see what other people write about too. Here is the "agenda":
- Monday 5/10 - A day in the life . . . with diabetes
- Tuesday 5/11 – Making the low go
- Wednesday 5/12 – Your Biggest Supporter
- Thursday 5/13 - To carb or not to carb
- Friday 5/14 - Let's get moving
- Saturday 5/15 - Diabetes snapshots
- Sunday 5/16 - Dream a little dream - life after a cure
Found a couple of great blogs to read
I have been bored at work, so have been idly surfing the interwebs. I always find myself reading something diabetes-related, usually I'm looking at insulin pump stories, or seeing the flash products available in America. Today I found these two gems:
http://bittersweet-karen.blogspot.com/
http://typeoneandttc.wordpress.com/
Hope you enjoy them! :)
http://bittersweet-karen.blogspot.com/
http://typeoneandttc.wordpress.com/
Hope you enjoy them! :)
Monday, May 3, 2010
So many forms!
I've just filled in a small forest of forms in preparation for my surgery on May 20th. All the pre-admission forms, and appointment cards, and scary-looking "patient-information" brochures.
Again, I've slipped a bit. I was supposed to send this stuff as soon as I got it, but I forgot so now I'm rushing around filling out paper work at the last minute. Sure it will be fine. Hope it will be fine. I really don't think I could handle having the op post-poned, the suspense is really doing my head in.
In other news, the wonderful Kerri Morrone-Sparling and her husband Chris have had their first child. You can read all about it here: sixuntilme
This morning my office had two pregnant women, one with twins, and a new dad, and pics of a new baby doing the rounds vis email. sigh. My colleague who sits next to me noted that there seemed to be pregnant people everywhere!
Again, I've slipped a bit. I was supposed to send this stuff as soon as I got it, but I forgot so now I'm rushing around filling out paper work at the last minute. Sure it will be fine. Hope it will be fine. I really don't think I could handle having the op post-poned, the suspense is really doing my head in.
In other news, the wonderful Kerri Morrone-Sparling and her husband Chris have had their first child. You can read all about it here: sixuntilme
This morning my office had two pregnant women, one with twins, and a new dad, and pics of a new baby doing the rounds vis email. sigh. My colleague who sits next to me noted that there seemed to be pregnant people everywhere!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
So angry at myself right now
Because I was supposed to do a FSH test on day 2 of my cycle, and I completely forgot! Oh grrrrrrr! I've been so good with all the blood tests and appointments so far. I just woke up this morning, and thought, oh gee, now I've got to wait a whole extra month. What a dumb-ass.
This was supposed to be the last lot of fertility-related blood tests before going to visit the fertility clinic. I was supposed to take hubby along for his blood work as well. And I plain forgot. Day 2 was 2 days ago. I feel like a right idiot.
This was supposed to be the last lot of fertility-related blood tests before going to visit the fertility clinic. I was supposed to take hubby along for his blood work as well. And I plain forgot. Day 2 was 2 days ago. I feel like a right idiot.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)