Friday, December 30, 2016

Serious Question For Y'all

OK I keep seeing on Twitter about Dexcom. What in the world is that? Is it the same thing as a continuous glucose monitoring system that would be used if you wore an insulin pump?

Does this thing have to be "attached" to you? Is it water proof? So, could I go swimming with it? Is it like the pump insertions? If I'm testing 10-15 times a day, would this benefit me? What are the benefits?

I just need someone to walk me through this......

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Have You All Seen This?

Hey, have you all seen this video? It's a great one to watch about Afrezza. OK so the guy on the motorcycle I question a teeny tiny bit due to safety but not the affects of Afrezza.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MucSazfJ2ug&app=desktop

OH while I'm at it, here's a great recipe that required ZERO insulin. http://www.primallyinspired.com/lemon-chicken-skillet/#

It's The Little Things That Causes The Greatest Happiness Sometimes

It's really the little things in life that make us the happiest. People can do HUGE stuff, but when those tiny little details are remembered and noticed by someone, that's when it hits home.

The other day I received my 3 month supply of Afrezza. To say I was thrilled is an understatement. I know what's in the containers, yet I get so excited. Maybe it's my subconscious mind saying "security...you can live three more months....your meds have arrived"...who knows. All I know is I get excited.

Well this time was even more thrilling. I opened it all and my husband said, "There's no way that's all fitting in our refrigerator." To which, I agreed. I told him no worries, like any good wife, I'd clean the fridge and all would be fine. I'd take it out of the boxes and there would be tons of room. NO that wasn't what he wanted. He's very, shall we say, particular about everything. He's retired Army, so everything needs to be in order, done properly, with purpose.

I laugh at him all the time over this. I couldn't figure out his issue. Well I discovered it when he told me this morning I was to go buy a little mini fridge to hold all my insulin in, because it was important we keep medication separate.

So yippee, all meds are now secure in a little fridge compliments of the hubby!















Monday, December 26, 2016

Mashed Potatoes.....ENEMY

OK, so seriously. I don't typically eat mashed potatoes, because well, let's face it, they're horrible on a diabetic. They're not healthy. They make you gain weight, and the list goes on and on. So, apparently not only was I sick this holiday, but somehow someone messed up the menu. What happened? Today, as in most homes, is leftover day. The day moms across the country look forward to. No meal planning, no thawing out food, no thoughts of dinner at 6am while cooking breakfast for hubby, none of it! It's all done and paper plates are being used to boot!

Well, somehow in my world, I wasn't paying attention and ate mashed potatoes. I've been so careful to stay away. DISASTER!!!!!! OK, no joke, how do diabetics eat them??? I don't know how to calculate it properly apparently. 8 units later and it was still high. Oh I will never make that mistake again. I would love to hear from others if they struggle with mashed potatoes like me. I think I'll stick to turnip mash. Healthier and they don't mess with my sugar. OH MY-LANTA!

Afrezza's great, but when potatoes stay in your system for 3-4 hours, Afrezza was struggling to keep up!

Flu....Afrezza.....The Ugly

Well, since I've been since I've noticed that it's been very difficult to inhale the Afrezza. I hate to even speak...uhm...type those words since it's the best out there. It's true though. I have a cough ONLY when inhaling Afrezza-yes I took a drink but it's because I'm sick. I am finding it harder to inhale it. When I'm done, I don't even know if I got it all. It's been a little unnerving.

Yesterday was Christmas and I had a doosy of a time with my levels. I went to the oldest kiddos house for dinner. I stayed a very short time because I was sick. I came home. My sugar was 213 (after eating/drinking nothing....don't you love diabetes!). I took 4u and went to bed. A few hours later it was 316. WHAT??? Now since I hadn't eaten I knew it was the illness. Inhaled 8u. Coughing the whole time. Oh my not a fun experience.

I love Afrezza, but I believe people need to know the good and the bad. Such as, since I've been sick and a few times before it made me feel jittery after inhaling. I'm fine, but it's weird. That's the way it is. Life isn't a bowl of peaches; there are a few lemons thrown in there too.

Afrezza and the flu thankfully DO mix! I have never in my 23 years of this retched disease been sick and had my levels this manageable. This morning my husband commented how great it was. He said (and I quote!), "Well, that's something that would have never happened." Me, "What?" Michael, "You on the pump and keeping your sugar under control like that. You would have stayed in the 300's the whole time."

This medication truly affects the entire family. So to sum up the beginning of flu season and Afrezza (oh I've left out my E.O.'s that were used, but if you're interested let me know).

Pros
Sugar levels easy to control
Works quickly when levels spike due to illness
Easy to prepare when you're sick in bed and don't even want to move
No worries about levels dropping when you don't feel like eating

Cons
Hard to inhale when coughing and chest hurts
Makes me feel a little jittery after taking

Yep that's it. Pretty much sums up my life since Friday.










Saturday, December 24, 2016

Flu...Tresiba...Afrezza...Dynamic Duo Works Again!

Remember when I said I needed to prepare for when the time comes of sicky season? It's here!! Last night, hubby took me to a MedCheck. Fever 101.8, chills, achy, etc. You've got the picture. I'm sick. As I write this, I'm in bed, slurping on homemade chicken broth.

Last year when I wore my pump, my doctor would say, "Increase your basal rate, because you know your sugar stays high when you're sick." Then I'd increase it, take my bolus, bottom out, sickness would get worse. It was a vicious cycle.

This time, so far, the highest it's gotten is 231. I did not increase my basal. I took the same amount of Tresiba. I've eaten only chicken broth and crackers today. I just took 8 units of Afrezza since it was 231 and I'm eating 5 crackers. It's been 24 hours and though I feel horrible on this Christmas Eve, I feel better than what I did last year. Well, I say I feel horrible, but I'm actually feeling as though I'll live tonight. Last night was questionable.

Some will say it's the Tresiba. YES it is. It's one of the best long acting insulins out there. However, I have no fears or worries with the Afrezza like I did with the pump, because there are no highs and lows. I RARELY take 8 units-RARELY. Tonight, I'm good with it. Having the flu is never fun but knowing my levels are remaining this low (yes I consider 231 low for the flu) I'm 100% good with all of it.

I hope I will be human by tomorrow, Christmas!! I have been looking forward to my oldest daughter hosting this Christmas all year :( One thing is for sure, whether I'm sick or healthy, my dynamic duo won't let me down.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

New Insurance Frustration.....Drs Staff Too

Things have been going great with me using Afrezza. Ok reality-as I'm typing this, I'm eating a chocolate covered peanut butter ball my niece made for me. I love the holidays because it's an excuse to slack on my crunchy lifestyle. Anyway, since Monday, I've been fighting with Dr Asamoah's office about getting my script corrected with Express Scripts (ES). I've been going to Kroger but it's cheaper through ES. Nurse kept saying she did it right; ES said nope, she's wrong.

Three days of fighting. Drs office was wrong. I'm stunned because Dr Asamoah LOVES Afrezza and usually his staff is on it. Well, then that was taken care of, and ES kept calling asked me about the dosage. I tried to explain to a know-it-all pharmacist who was more concerned about the number of inhalers that were in the boxes than the number of units I take in a day.

After the already long week that I've had, I'd had it! Today, thankful it's all done and taken care of. I do not understand how hard it is. The same thing happened with my test strips. ES said I only tested 3x a day when I test 10-12 a day-no joke! So they had to fix all that mess. When I asked what the Rx said, they told me it said 10-12 but they didn't believe it, so the pharmacist decided to fill it as she felt like. She apologized and corrected her mistake.

People STOP IT RIGHT NOW. Stop the madness with stressing us out. What is so hard about this? The lady I spoke with today was so sweet. She said the drug was so new for them that they didn't understand it. So, I had the true privilege of explaining it all to her. She was very appreciative and thanked me over and over. She's now going to train the others. All it takes is a little willingness, folks.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Afrezza Anywhere...even movies

When you go to the movies, you're warned to silence your cell phones. Well.........they didn't warn me to silence my inhalations! I was eating popcorn (such a treat for me) and took 4u of Afrezza. It was quiet in the theater. Have you ever seen It's A Wonderful Life? Well, I didn't until today. Anyway, I digress.

So, silence. I take out the meds....INHALE....silence-NO MORE LOL I think all 8 people in the theater looked at me. I simply laughed. I had never noticed how "loud" it was (or was it?). Reality is it's not that loud, but when you're in a theater it is. It was easy to *sneak* in my purse, load it and inhale.

I was surprised. Now, think about it. If you're a woman, you have to unzip your purse, in my case, unzip my container that it's held in, then find which is 4u and which is 8u, then load it, close it and inhale. It sounds like a lot, but really it was easy. I continued to watch the movie through it all.

I'm shouting out big old thanks again to MannKind for making this product so easy and readily available. Diabetics do not have a single day where we don't poke and prod ourselves with needles even when using Afrezza there are other needles-testing our blood sugar levels and injecting with long acting.

So while it seems as though the loudness that caused others to look at me, it was quieter than their cell phones going off. It was equal to them munching on their popcorn and slurping on their slushies.

Another plus for MannKind!

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

HELP with Afrezza and more...

Ok, serious question, y'all. How long, once you open the cartridge, is the insulin good for? I opened a package of 8 units last week. I RARELY use 8 because I don't eat a lot of carbs (remember my quest). Well, I knew yesterday, while out shopping with the daughter, that she would want unhealthiness for lunch. Yep, I was right LOL So I took 8 units. I really was concerned about taking that much and a little worried to the point I waited and waited before inhaling it.

Finally, the big inhale! I ate 1.5 slices of bread with my lunch. Now, keep in mind I rarely get anything different types of food when I go to a restaurant. I check the websites looking for nutritional information. I am seriously trying to stay on top of this dumb disease. Well, anyway, I take it. I eat. I'm feeling like one big o' fat, happy camper eating all those carbs (of course until about 30 minutes later when I just feel fat!).

As we continued our shopping for the day, I started to feel horrible. I tested my level and it was 280. HELLO. WHAT? 280?? No stinking way! I took 4 units that I had just opened and of course, well, you know the deal, it's Afrezza. So, within minutes it was back down to normal.

So, how long once it's been opened does it last??? I can't imagine me ever needing more than 8 units for a meal. I truly, seriously, contemplated that much. So, help me out, folks.

Now, only to more....Continuing my quest. I found a delicious recipe this morning. It was 1 large sweet potato in it, but that's for the entire casserole. I don't have to take any insulin with it. I know; I know. Many want to know if I love Afrezza so much why do I care about how many carbs I eat. Reality check folks-NO ONE wants to take tons of meds. NO ONE wants to be a diabetic. So, I have to take it. Since I have to take insulin, why not take the best-AFREZZA. Duh. That's a no brainer as they say. Though I don't want any meds (really, I'd like to just use oils) I will use the best. So, thank you MannKind for the best.

Now back to my yummies. I found this recipe. I was up at my usual time this morning (5am, don't you love mornings. I really do.) and made it for the hubby before he had to go to work. Now, some may have to take insulin since there is a sweet potato in it OR just leave that out. It's full of flavor. I also substituted the bacon and sausage and used TURKEY bacon and sausage. Oh such goodness this morning. http://acalculatedwhisk.com/breakfast-casserole. Too bad you can't smell this. OH MY!










Saturday, December 17, 2016

Have You Ever Forgotten To Take Insulin?

Well lo and behold, I was a big ol' dummy last night. Have you ever forgotten to take your insulin before? Well, gracious. I did. As we were traveling doing the auto tour of Antietam, I realized I wasn't feeling that great. I tested my sugar and it was 276. WHAT? Now this isn't the first time I have done this. I guess I'm ready for the Lord to heal me, because I loathe taking meds. Well until my healing comes, I'm thankful for Afrezza. I inhaled 4u, and within minutes, I retested. It was 269...231....132. Sheeeewwwwww, I felt so much better. Oh just an FYI, when my levels are high, I literally test about every 5 minutes. No joke. I'm an obsessed tester.

Again, most of what I write, means nothing to people. But it's a great journal for me to be reminded just how blessed I am. Some won't see me taking insulin and then even forgetting it to be a blessing. I do. The Lord has allowed me to be afflicted with this disease. When He heals me, watch out world, because EVERYONE will know. Until He does though, I'm counting even high levels a blessing because He put Afrezza in my world! Thank you, Jesus!!!

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Afrezza-Blessing....Curse....It's a toss up tonight

OK so you know when you're reading the carbs on a food and it says something ridiculous like 1 serving is 3 chips or something crazy like that? Well, tonight hubby took me to this quaint little Amish shop. There was a diner inside right in the middle and then stores or rather "shops" lining the walls.

Well, if you know anything about the Amish, you know eating healthy isn't what they're known for. I love Amish food, but I can't eat it often otherwise I'd be as big as the broad side of a barn. I had to splurge tonight. I think I bought something at every shop.

Another Afrezza test tonight......I looked online to see the amount of carbs in chocolate eclairs. Well it was clear diabetics shouldn't even smell eclairs let alone eat them. That didn't stop this Afrezza user though. No better way to test it. Oh I'm still drooling, yet somewhat sick to my stomach, as I think about all that chocolatey goodness. I love food but I love eating healthy and keeping my body healthy.

I have to indulge periodically though. So, as I decided sniffing the eclairs wouldn't do, I just had to dig in. I decided once again 4u was the way to go. I safely ate 1/4 cup (serving size) with NO ISSUES. Levels afterwards? 105. Yes, that's right...105. WOOHOO...once again Afrezza Rules. How can people really eat just one serving of  yummy deliciousness?

Since I was on a roll to see just how sick I can make myself by eating tons of sweets, I bought a German Chocolate Cake and a Pumpkin Spice one, carrot salad, cannoli, 2 cream filled long John donuts and so much more. Now, have you all ever had Amish fooding? I'm still drooling.

When I sat down to eat, my level was 79. Now all you pump users, tell me something, could you have eaten this and your levels remained perfect the entire time? NO. How do I know? I've been there/done that.

Oh Afrezza you're a blessing and curse. Blessing-you've given me such freedom, you've given me my life back. Curse-I can eat so much more now. I wonder if MannKind will by me bigger clothes, because as much as I can eat now, I'll be HUGE soon!




Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Not Really Afrezza....

I've tried on and off to get my husband to attend a yoga class with me. He refused. Well, after he heard that a guy he works with goes, he decided it must be ok. Tonight we went. I loved it. I think he did too.

Not knowing how strenuous yoga would be, I'll admit fear set in a little. We did the yoga nidra which is a restorative, guided sleep yoga. Oh my-lanta, I think I can now sleep for a week. I'm so well rested. This is something that we'll be doing again. That little bit of fear I had at the beginning worrying about my levels, quickly left me. Because I'm on the dynamic duo (Tresiba/Afrezza), there was no need to worry about low/high levels.

I would have committed to a weekly yoga class while on the pump. My levels were simply too unstable. Now, I plan on attending weekly. When your diabetes is under control, you can easily live an active life.

OH and as much as I love Afrezza, I love finding meals that I don't have to take any insulin with at all. It happened again tonight. We had turkey kielbasa, tomato/bluecheese/basil salad (last night thank goodness, w've been eating it for 2 days and I'm tired of it!), green beans, and mixed veggies (yuck, but they make hubby happy). Happy, happy time for me!

All you diabetics out there, get in a yoga class AFTER you get on the dynamic duo. I'm 46 and have never felt this good.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

First Day of No Hinderance

I actually probably found this positive before; I can't remember. All I know is my youngest and I were out all day today. After getting our nails done, it was almost 2pm. My levels-91. I had eaten breakfast at 7am and had taken my normal 4U. I didn't realize how late it was. As soon as I did, I panicked. WHAT? Almost 2, oh no my sugar will get low.

BAHA, nope. Afrezza perfection. Eating such a late lunch meant I wasn't ready for our normal 6-6:30pm dinner. Not good on the waistline, but great on the insulin intake. This stuff never ceases to amaze me. Before dumping the pump, I would have never been able to have done that.

This stuff allows me to not bring a snack, not worry about time, not wonder if my level is going to drop. WOOHOO. Like I said, I'm sure I've bragged about the time thing before, but today it just hit me. I was able to spend, for the first time EVER, a day with my daughter doing whatever we wanted and not one time did diabetes hinder anything.

My youngest and I are always goofing off (ok so she's literally a professional clown) and laughing all day. She's a nut, but she's also used to checking on me and being the "mom." She would worry if I was ok. This made today even more precious, because not one time did she mention it. Not one time did she ask if I needed a snack, if my lips were numb (sigh my sugar was low), how long it had been since I had eaten, if my level was too high, NOTHING NOT ONE THING.

First day of no diabetic hinderances that she's ever experienced. She's 16 and that was all she had known until the dynamic duo entered our life-Tresiba/Afrezza. I say "our" because diabetics affects every person in the family. When I had seizures, my husband was the one calling 911. When my sugar would drop and I passed out, my daughter called 911. When the levels went sky high and wouldn't go down, my husband and daughter were by my side.

Today was simply monumental for us. Thank you Afrezza!

Monday, December 12, 2016

Holidays...Candy...Cakes.....Afrezza....oh my

We were out of town in MD for 2 weeks with hubby's job. We've been there several times (another beauty of homeschooling, we pack up and travel!), so we've become "friends" with the general manager. She's the sweetest little lady ever. She made us POTATO CANDY. Ok seriously, have you ever heard of that? Me neither! It's made from mashed potatoes. Bless her heart, she had no clue Mady and I were diabetics. I would never tell her, because her heart's intent was beyond precious to me.

So, I simply couldn't be rude. Would you? NO. She made this candy and I'm serious when I say I would have eaten every last piece if I weren't worried about weight gain LOL. I was slightly concerned about my levels, because eating candy isn't something I do a lot of as we try to eat healthy. I can't tell someone this sweet (no pun intended) no when she spent her weekend cooking for me.

I sank my teeth into 1 bite, and I was hooked like a bass hooked on a tube.

Oh my-lanta, it was fabulous. Some of the best candy I've ever eaten in my entire life. NO JOKE. She hasn't given me the recipe but said she would. I trust her. She eventually will :) We will be going back again eventually. I did find some recipes. Here's one that I could see being hers actually. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/220888/peanut-butter-potato-candy. She told me the ingredients and this sounds like it.

I contemplated whether to take 4 or 8 units. I took 8, because this stuff was super sweet. 8 was perfect. Once again Afrezza proved that I can indulge occasionally (or often if you so choose) and not worry about high levels. I started at 88 and ended up two hours later at 132. Not bad at all. I'll take it. I would have never, ever attempted to even SMELL the stuff if I were still wearing a pump. No way. My levels would have been off the charts. I would have been so sick. Not with Afrezza.

I usually don't suggest diabetics trying candy of any kind, but like I said, this stuff is unreal. You can add red or green food coloring at Christmas or make it orange for Thanksgiving!

Thursday, December 8, 2016

From Rants to Ridges...Cart-ridges that is...

When your child is STILL sick because the nurse practitioner gave her a drug she was allergic to, all I want to do is go to the shooting range and fire my gun. Yep, you *heard* right. This Bible totin', scripture quotin', prayer prayin', tongue talkin', gun packin' Christian momma needs to release some frustration today.

Do y'all ever feel that way? I love when my hubby and I shoot our guns. It's a weird thing for me. I am able to talk to the Lord and still aim. Now, I may not be very good at the aiming part, but I can do my part. We haven't shot guns together in a while, but this momma needs it tonight.

I'm thankful my kiddo was able to get up and eat supper with us, but I wasn't so happy when her daddy had to help her up because she's still really weak. I can truly say THANK YOU MANNKIND FOR AFREZZA. Why? As upset as I have been today, only one time have I had a high level because of it all and BAM Afrezza took care of me. This never would have happened on the dumped pump.

OH and just an update, NO MORE COUGHING when I take Afrezza. And for all those who suggested the sip of water, you are sooooo right! It really helped. I love the Afrezza world. Great group of people.

I have a question for y'all. How do you carry cartridges and stuff throughout the day? Are you afraid of them getting ripped open or anything? I have this old pink glucometer case that I carry my stuff in. UGH It's huge, and I don't like it. So would you please share with me what y'all use??

So here is what it looks like. Nothing fancy, but boy is it heavy in my purse. I like the fact that it's a hard case, so I don't have to worry about anything puncturing the cartridges. I don't have to worry about the inhaler getting crushed or anything else. Not that my purse is filled with wild objects but even a pen can do some damage! PLEASE share with me what you use.








Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Not So Much Diabetes (Afrezza/Tresiba) Related-Or Is It?

Today my youngest wasn't feeling well, so I took her to a minute clinic (first and last experience). I gave the Nurse Practitioner a list of my daughter's allergies (food and drug). The NP gave us an antibiotic and sent us on our way. Now, I could have been upset about the fact the NP had us wait while she finished texting, because it could have been patient related (hmmmm....doubtful....but could have been), or I could have been upset when my daughter would try to answer questions, the NP would look at ME. HELLO, my child is 16! But I chose to allow all of these things to go.

What I could not let go of was when I put the ear drops in my child's ear and within minutes she starts having horrible allergic reactions to it. WHY? Because she was prescribed a med she was very allergic to. I called the 800# on the form. Their response-Sorry. We can try and get a hold of the NP and have a new med called in. REALLY. Are you seriously kidding me???? Oh my stars.

As I was going crazy about this, trying to find out how to handle the allergic reaction, trying to get a new Rx called in and trying to figure out how to handle the incompetent NP, my levels were going crazy.  (Let me interject, the print out the NP gave me LISTED the med as an allergy. I didn't know this drug was a compound in the ear drops. The NP did as she told me later she did but didn't think it was a strong enough dose to make a difference.)

At first, they started out ok, but any competent diabetic knows they won't be staying that way when 100 different emotions flood you at one time. That's exactly what happened to me. Now, when on the pump, I would not have been surprised if they would have reached 300. Today, I'm happy to say they didn't go over 182. This is high for me now that I've started on Afrezza and Tresiba!!

So now that I'm calm, I can carefully reflect on two very important things about the day.

A. Daughter, though extremely sick in bed now, is doing so much better.
B. My levels didn't go over 182.

After the day I've had, I just have to say once again that this combination of insulins is the best out there.






Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Great Food Find

OK, more food, full flavor, low carbs-WHAT??? Is that really real for a diabetic? Why yes!

First let me say, we eat a LOT of organic foods, no juices, loads of chicken, turkey, various types of seafoods, but rarely do we eat red meat. We used to. Don't get me wrong. MAN we loved it. So on our quest to eat a lot healthier, we decided to rarely eat it.

Tonight was our treat. Well, with that comes another food we don't eat-BREAD. UGH, so bad for you, puts weight on, makes a diabetics life miserable....that is until tonight. I found (it has two names) Oopsie Bread aka Cloud Bread. So good. So easy. We didn't make 6 circles; we made just a big one. Hubby was in charge as a matter of fact, he made it! Oh man just writing about bread makes me almost smell it. I LOVE bread...yeast rolls...pumpkin bread....cinnamon bread....ahhhhhhhh

Here's the recipe. OH we left out the salt and splenda (GROSS). http://glutenfreedaddy.com/gluten-free-cloud-bread-recipe So, it doesn't look like a professional made it, but it sure tasted like one did. Way to go hubs!

 

Picture two is the broccoli, apple, blueberry salad I actually made last night...nothing like left overs! So, picture 3 is my plate tonight. Don't laugh that I didn't make round burgers. OH the "potatoes" ARE NOT potatoes. They're the turnip mash ones I talk about all the time. Again, left overs. But now how yummy is that???? So, I took 4units of Afrezza for this meal. It's not 100% carb free, but it sure is close! The oopsie bread only has 2 carbs for all of it. The whole thing. W.H.A.T.???? That's plum crazy! I'm going to use some ideas further down on the recipe too. My youngest loves french toast and now that she's been diagnosed as a T2, she can't have it. Well, I just saw where the recipe showed it. She's going to be thrilled.

I'm always on the hunt for great food finds. I want healthy, no to low carb foods that taste great. My plate tonight was filled with flavor. I'm doing the happy dance.










Monday, December 5, 2016

Food Please!

I always say I love food. I'm 5'2" and weigh (on a good day) 135. And many days you'd think as much as I ate, I weight 1350 lbs! Today I found a great recipe that works perfectly with Afrezza.

I found this recipe and made it for tonight's dinner. I don't believe the carbs are correct on it, as I figured it up as follows:

broccoli (I used a head of broccoli not 1.5lbs)=10
1 cup blueberries=10
1/4 cup red onion=3
I skipped the cranberries, which is where, I'm sure, they're getting all the carbs!
1/4 cup sunflower seeds=8
1 large chopped gala apple=30
1 tbsp lemon juice (I used essential oil)=5 (zero in oil)
They have it broken down into 1/8 servings, I divided by 8 which my ways gives you a LOT more. My total carbs are 8.25 per serving!!!!!

http://kristineskitchenblog.com/no-mayo-broccoli-salad-blueberries-apple

Now just how yummy does that look? Oh I can't wait to sit down (waiting on the chicken to grill). We are also having turnip mash.....remember before Thanksgiving I made them and they were a huge success. Well, today I was speaking with someone on the phone and mentioned them, so I was craving them. OH my gracious. What a supper, grilled chicken, the above salad and turnip mashed. Don't hate, run to the nearest grocery store and get the fixins!

Showin' Tresiba Some Love

I LOVE Afrezza; that's no secret. Today I realized WAIT, I love Tresiba too. I walked over 14K steps the last two days and didn't need my Afrezza. It dawned on me that the Tresiba I take each morning is working far better than Novolog in my pump ever worked. Tresiba keeps my levels the same; Afrezza works for the food. Ahhhhhhhhhhh moment.

My levels were a little on the low side this morning, so when I ate breakfast I didn't take any Afrezza. I only took my normal 10U of Tresiba. It's now noon and my levels are still perfect. The two insulins together are the most amazing combination I've ever seen for Diabetics.

Non Tresiba/Afrezza Diabetics have their diabetes on their minds 100% of the time.

1. What is my level as soon as I wake up?
2. What should I eat for breakfast? I have a long morning, so I can't eat anything too high in carbs, too low in carbs, etc.
3. Did I take enough insulin?
4. Did I take too much insulin?
5. WAIT, it's 10am, what about a snack? Did I pack one?
6. Lunch time, oh great, my levels are high. I wasn't expecting this and I packed a sandwich and chips.
7. 2pm, I feel weird. No wonder, my level is 56. WHERE ARE THE CRACKERS?
8. Finally, I get to head home. I better test my sugar before getting into rush hour.

This is a light "worry" day for a diabetic.

Tresiba/Afrezza users

1. Woohoo can't wait to see my morning level. YES, it's 80.
2. Ahhhh breakfast, Oh oatmeal sounds so yummy today.
3. WOW you mean it's already 2pm. How'd I miss lunch? Better check my sugar. No wonder I feel so good; it's 124.
4. Heading home in rush hour, let me grab a tea.
5. Bedtime! I can't believe how my levels have stayed under 130 all day.

See the difference? Even Tresiba/Afrezza users have their diabetes on their mind, but it's not a true worry. I'm so thankful for Tresiba. No other insulin has ever kept my days long term levels so stable.














Sunday, December 4, 2016

Flying High With Afrezza

Well I recently took a trip and admittedly I was a little concerned. I didn't know how it'd work going through security. I remember the pump days. First, they pull you aside. Then you have to rub the pump in your hands to make sure it's safe, they wand you, etc. UGH what a hassle. I just knew the Afrezza powder would set off bells and whistles.

Boy was I wrong. I told them that I had a medical bag. The woman politely explained they may have to pull the bag aside, but she would let me know. Ok no worries so far. Nope the bag cleared without any issues. My watch gave more issues than my meds since I forgot to take it off.

Once on the plane, I wanted a snack. As the flight attendant was walking by, I explained what I was going to do. It was a full plane and that meant people were watching everything everyone did. My youngest was sitting next to me and was laughing at how paranoid I was. The flight attendant thanked me for letting her know. I pulled it out, inhaled, BAM DONE. No issues. No worries. No problems.

I do not dread flying anymore. Remember my first Afrezza frustration, trying to figure out how to travel with it? Well, I was concerned about flying and keeping it cool. I know many have said no to worry. It'd be fine. Well. I wasn't convinced, so I bought a Frio. Um, N.O.T. impressed! I am a very intelligent, educated woman, therefore, I was able to read the instructions and follow them exactly.

After about an hour, the Frio Case started cooling off. The insulin was not cold; it was barely cool for pity sakes. I had to just believe and trust in the Lord. So, off I went! As soon as I got to the hotel I put it in the refrigerator. It was BARELY cool. I mean BARELY. It worked fabulously. So, I was certainly flying high with Afrezza both literally and figuratively.


Friday, December 2, 2016

Insurance UGH

Who else has a horrible time dealing with insurance? I have GREAT coverage, so I will never complain about that. However, it's so frustrating when I am trying to explain to the woman on the phone that Afrezza is NOT a pill. It is an inhaled insulin.

She didn't know the difference between short and long acting insulins. I really believe customer service reps should be trained, at least a little, in pharmaceuticals. I had an increase in the amount of 4U that I am using. When at the Dr yesterday, I explain that throughout the day I would like a cup of coffee and the amount he prescribed for me didn't allow for that. So, he called me in more.

I spent 10 minutes just trying to make the woman understand the word INHALED. She was giving the wrong amounts for the wrong meds. She was so confused.....and they wonder why our levels increase with stress LOL

On the positive side of life, after going out to lunch today with my youngest, my level was 111. It was a very yummy chicken salad from BDubs. Not my favorite, but it was worth it. WOOHOO. I did take 8U, which I RARELY do. It won't be happening again for a long while either. UGH how on earth do people eat that many carbs a day?

Thankfully we eat a lot of fresh fruits/veggies and lean meats! So, I will certainly recover from my lunch.

Finally calm now...off to check out the Frio insulin carrier.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Dr Day Is Finally Here

I was beyond excited to wake up this morning and go to the dr. Who does that? I was like a little school girl heading to school on the first day. Needless to say, Dr Asamoah was THRILLED with the results. He said, "5 weeks. 1 full point. Now that's what I like." To know Dr. A, this means EVERYTHING. He also said I had lost weight. WOWZER. Bonus!

The weight loss was, according to him, was because I am not having highs and lows which means no additional eating. Love this. I go back in March. I can't wait until then either. So, what does one do after a great drs appt? One goes out to eat!

My DD and I went to Cracker Barrel. Eggs and turkey sausage, my daily breakfast. No carbs other than my coffee creamer. We were still out at lunch. Subway-yum! I had a chopped salad. 4U of Afrezza and 2 hours later, Blood Sugar was 93.

Now that I've been on Afrezza for over 5 weeks, Dr A. wants my levels to not go above 140. It was 180 before. He said now I've got better control, so I need to decrease my levels. I agreed. Now the real test happens. Can I do that? He said a non diabetic's levels should be 70-110 and a diabetic's levels should be 90-140 all the time. I'm going to prove this can happen. I'm going to prove a diabetic can consistently keep normal levels. How can I not? I'm using Tresiba and Afrezza.

The new test and journey begins!

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Head Cold.....Really?

What happens when your beloved husband decides life isn't adventurous enough? He brings home a head cold and decides to share it. Thankfully, I am prepared. This isn't my first battle with sickness as a diabetic. NO. I'm armed and ready. NOW, I'm using Afrezza, so Goodbye high levels when I'm sick. Goodbye days of feeling miserable due to those high levels, and hello to getting healthier faster. Remember, I showed you my cold weather remedy before? Basically the same thing. I couldn't imagine getting sick and not having my Young Living Essential Oils (#1449792). As much as I love Afrezza, I'm lovin' my EO's too.



It's great when hubby shares, but when I think about sharing.......I'm thinking more along the lines of sugar free gum not a head cold. Bless his heart! OH great thing about EO's they do NOT affect my blood sugars except to help lower them!!! 

Here Are My Actual Test Results from 8/16 compared to 11/16

Well, if I'm going to share my experiences, I might as well share them all. I'm posting my actual test results from August until now. It's not been 3 months yet since I started on Afrezza, but it's been 3 months between my labs. Now, any good diabetic knows we must have our blood drawn. Anyway great diabetic wants the levels to always get better! So, here it goes. My A1C results



Check this out....... it lowered 1 full point in 5 weeks!!!! WHAT? CRAZY!!!!

Now my Comprehensive Panel results. I'm so happy. I see Dr. Asamoah tomorrow. I know he's going to be happy. The BEST endocrinologist EVER is Dr Asamoah. He knew the pump wasn't working for me any longer. He cares about his patients. So, how are your results??? Are you keeping track???









More amazingness, let MannKind know it!

Well first let me start with-IF you're leaving a post, I cannot reply. It isn't working properly, so I am doing my best to get it fixed! So, feel free to send private messages, which are answered easier! STELLANN1@aol.com is my direct email.

Listen, it's so important that everyone keeps the buzz going about Afrezza. If not, we could lose it. NO ONE wants that. Let MannKind know how important this stuff is to your health. It's better, which means overall better health, it's safer. Think about it-needles no more! Glass vials that can easily slip out of your hands and break (are you ask tired as me of hearing how they can't break. Wow I wish that was true). No more pump supplies, and seriously no more PRAYING when you change your pump site you're able to find a spot on your body not filled with scar tissue (although this doesn't mean stop praying. The Lord is our healer, whether we see it here or not). Anyway. This fast acting gem fits in your pocket, is easy to use, discarding is much easier too. Before you'd have to find a place to put those used needles or pump supplies. Have you ever put a needle in your purse (men excluded, of course) and had the cap come off? OUCH. No more worrying about batteries dying or those pesky highs and lows.

Have you seen how small this is? Everyone says it's like a whistle. OK so I have to be honest. I'm not sure what whistle they're looking at, but it's a little bigger than one-that's ok. I said from the beginning I'd share the good/bad/ugly. I just shared some good. Now bad-I have a fear (it's mine, not reality), but I always fear that something will poke into the carriages and insulin goes flying out. Did I mention I have a vivid imagination? I know it's in a case. UGH. The ugly-the 4units and 8units are too close in color. I'm super careful when I grab one out of the refrigerator.



Just look how small the inhaler is. You just drop the cartridge in the small white "hole" and then close it. After closing it, you pull the lavender cap off (it's facing upright, but it won't be once closed). Exhale, place in mouth and inhale. How easy is that???? You open it back up and then take out the cartridge and throw the cartridge away. Always replace the cap back on it, because since you don't wash the inhaler, you want to keep it clean. Now, I've shown you my essential oils before. I highly recommend using Young Living Thieves Oil on the OUTSIDE. Just place a drop in your hand or paper towel and wipe clean. You should do this especially if you're sick. You don't want to keep putting your mouth on something filled with germs. That'd be like using the same needle in your glucometer and never changing it-UM GROSS.

So, call MannKind (both the MannKind and Afrezza numbers) and let them know you love this product!!!!! 

 DIABETICS UNIT! KEEP THE AFREZZA FRENZY GOING!









Tuesday, November 29, 2016

39 days and counting

I had my blood work yesterday. I already have the results. I love technology. It wasn't as great as I wanted, and I was a little bummed. Hubby reminded me it was great. He told me to remember that it'll be perfect in 3 months. He was right.

3 months ago when I had the blood work done, my A1C was 8.8 and today I found out it's 7.7. 5 weeks on Afrezza!!!! HELLO HAPPINESS. Can you believe this?????? Oh my stars, talk about praising the Lord. I'm so excited. Now, I know you may be wondering why I was bummed if my A1C was lowered a full point in 5 weeks. Well, because I really thought it'd be lower and NOW I have to wait another 3 months to prove how fabulous this insulin is.

1 point in 5 weeks, come on, yes I'll hush, it's great. But I wanted super duper dramatic results. All my levels were lowered actually. Some said it's because I've started watching my carb intake. Nope. Did that before. Didn't work. It's the insulin. This stuff is the best.

If you have a dr who doesn't want you on it (I'm a FB group where a woman said her dr wouldn't put her on it because it's too new), get a new dr (in my NONprofessional opinion). How could a dr not want what is best for you?

I love that mine doesn't mind me using essential oils (not that I care, I'd do it anyway), and he thinks it's a weird, but hey who cares.

Yes diabetic must eat healthy and exercise. Trust me, walking on my mini trampoline each day is not my idea of fun, but I do it. I don't do it for anyone else other than me.

So all you diabetics without asthma or other lung issues, I say take charge of your health and get to your dr and switch. DUMP THAT PUMP AND GET AFREZZA!!!!!!

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Thanksgiving Day Levels

Well, the festivities are over, the food is packed away, and I'm worn out. The day started with my level being 120. Once my feet hit the ground, that was it. I was on my feet for 10 hours cooking and cleaning. Only once did my levels go high. My fault completely. My DD made some homemade rolls, so I *had* to try some. YUM. So, that meant my level went to 256. I immediately took 4 units.

After a few hours, I knew the Afrezza would be out of my system, and it was time to eat. We had a feast for sure. I was very careful, because I was scared I'd go really high today. To my surprise, the highest it went was 166.

How'd I do it? Well, this was literally exactly what I ate.

3oz turkey and gravy
2 teas mashed potatoes
2 teas stuffing
2 teas sweet potato casserole
1 deviled egg
2 teas crab salad
1 teas barley casserole
3 teas green beans

After that, it was time for desserts. My son-in-law is one of the best bakers-EVER, well except for cheesecake. My daughter, his wife, would have to *take the cake* on that one. Anyway, he made pumpkin pie and pecan pie. My oldest daughter, his wife, made double layer pumpkin cheesecake. My youngest daughter made a pumpkin roll. It was not good for this diabetic. I wanted it all.

My son-in-law got a piece of each type of pie/cake. My daughter and I decided to make it community pieces. We were all full, so no one wanted their own piece. I had the tiniest, I mean tiniest, bite ever of each one. I did not have a full bite of any dessert. My taste buds were happy and so was my level.

I haven't had levels this great since becoming a diabetic. I'm so happy!!!!!!

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Good....Bad....and Weird

For the past few days I've felt so weird when I take Afrezza. I don't know if it's a side effect. I really didn't care enough to look it up. I've been too busy with the upcoming holidays. I take it and I become jittery and then my stomach hurts. It's so weird. I'm light headed even. It hasn't happened before, but it only happens when I take the Afrezza. So......Are you as UNprepared as me? I pride myself on having things done. This year we've traveled so much that I feel as I can't get caught up on anything.

Anyway, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I bombed the church dinner by having apple pie. Let's see how I do tomorrow. I found a great new recipe that I'm using Stevia with as my sweetener. I love candied cinnamon almonds. Oh my! Here's the recipe. http://thebigmansworld.com/2016/11/21/easy-stovetop-sugar-free-candied-almonds-paleo-vegan-gluten-free. I really have found some great recipes on the site. Not all are diabetic friendly but this one should be.

What do you like that you simply *can't* live without tomorrow? I really have nothing. I am making more turnip mash though. I found recipe for turnip mash (like mashed potatoes) and I will be making them again. I didn't have to take any insulin when I ate them and they were good!!!!! WHO KNEW. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/turnip-mash.html. They are the best. I do not like turnips. I love these.

Afrezza is still going strong and I love it. I wish there were more news stories about it, but that's ok. The Lord will work it out.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Still Going Strong

Well so far everything is still going great. I was away again this weekend with my daughter, and I always become concerned when we are out of town. I fret about what to eat. Unfortunately, a diabetics life seems to always worry about levels and food. I've found that I'm still determined to find foods that I only have to take 4 units of Afrezza with.

We ate at Steak 'N Shake. My daughter was recently diagnosed as a diabetic, and she was really wanting a shake. I am a mean mom and said NO WAY. She chose water! We each ate a double cheeseburger with all the trimmings and fries. We took the buns off the burgers. I had about 10 fries. Success. Only 4 units!

I am still concerned about Thanksgiving and Christmas though. Oh how I love food. I eat to live not live to eat.....except during the holidays. But isn't that like all of us? I know I won't be having any desserts and will be enjoying turkey, turnip potatoes (great substitute for mashed potatoes), green beans (not the casserole) and a few other things. No bread and no desserts. Eating unhealthy foods is sinful for me. Like sin, it only lasts for a season but the consequences affect your entire life.

Thanks for all the recipe ideas, keep them coming!!

Thankful I've dumped the pump!

Monday, November 14, 2016

Planning Ahead for Sick Days

Well, this weekend reminded me that I really need to start planning ahead for those wintry sick days. Michael and I, after church, worked out in the yard cleaning the gutters and did some raking. I came in sneezing and coughing. His answer to everything-the neti pot. UGH. OK so yes I occasionally use it, but it's not the answer to it all.

I quickly remembered that I have a Young Living Essential Oils order that I needed to place. There are a few things I do not go without in the winter months. Inner Defense, R.C., Raven, Lavender, Eucalyptus and my favorite essential oil, Thieves. These items coupled with the neti pot are my wintry sick days solution. As a diabetic, especially one who has never faced an IN winter on Afrezza, I want to make sure I stay as healthy as possible.


What happens if I get bronchitis? What about pneumonia, which I had twice last year? It's bad enough being a diabetic, but now I began worrying about how will it all be affected by the Afrezza, which I still LOVE as much as you can love an insulin.

I can't say the oils of choice are for everyone or will even work for everyone. These are just what I use and what helps me. Yes, I'm a Young Living Distributor, and no it's not a business for me. Yes, I will proudly give my Distributor Number-1449792. But, if you're interested in purchasing the best essential oils on the market, let me know. I'm excited to see, since I know the oils work, how they'll work with the Afrezza.

Also, just some food for thought. This weekend was a dinner at church. I ate what I 'thought' was healthy with a dessert Michael and I shared. What a huge mistake. I'm realizing I don't care what they say about not counting carbs, they really need to give a class on what is considered a small/medium/large amount of carbs for Afrezza. I measured my food-3 oz of turkey, 2 teas of mashed potatoes, 2 teas of green beans, 2 teas of scalloped potatoes and 1/2 a slice of apple pie. I took 8 units. Well, that was certainly not enough. I considered that a medium amount of carbs. Maybe it was and the pie threw me over the top. I don't know. I do know even after all the yard work, my levels were super high (282).

I was tired and weak and not from work either. I couldn't believe how different I felt. Before, it was nothing for my levels to run like that. Now, it hits me like a ton of bricks. I'm thankful today I'm doing much better and levels are perfect. My fasting was 87, after breakfast it was 89. I'm looking forward to lunchtime now.













Thursday, November 10, 2016

Weekly Menu only 4 units each meal

Remember when I said I loved food? It's still true. I've just become more aware of what to eat. Yes, I should have done this years ago, but I didn't. I told my husband, Michael, last night that starting Afrezza was like becoming a diabetic all over again. I am excited to find new recipes that are healthy and do not raise my levels. I still like to only use the 4 units.

So, last night I was making out our weekly menu list. I found what is actually called a breakfast cake is a breakfast cake, snack cake, anytime cake! Here's the link for the Flourless Pumpkin Breakfast Cake. http://thebigmansworld.com/2016/09/20/healthy-flourless-pumpkin-breakfast-cake/#comment-194945.

I used a small baking dish and divided it into 12 equal pieces. Then I took one piece and divided that in half. I would have had to have 8 units for 1 full piece. My "breakfast cake" didn't quite turn out like the picture as mine was more of a condensed version, but it was really good. Each year at Thanksgiving and Christmas I make pumpkin muffins which require 3 cups of flour (ouch! Diabetic nightmare) and 2.5 cups of sugar (the nightmare worsens). This requires 1/2 a cup of sugar and fullness of flavor.

I was on a hunt for tasty recipes. I get up each morning and make my husband breakfast before he leaves for work. We are very tired of eggs each morning. So here is our menu plan for this week.

Breakfast
1. Cheese crusted omelet with avocado (http://www.mycopenhagenkitchen.com/2015/06/02/cheese-crusted-omelet-with-avocado)
2. Oatmeal with blueberries with #5 (I make the oatmeal. I do not buy the packaged stuff)
3. Greek yogurt with blueberries and blackberries
4. Cinnamon Crumb Coffee Cake (http://www.diabeticlifestyle.com/blogs/tasty-life-fresh-food-diabetes/cinnamon-streusel-coffee-cake-please note that I never use splenda. I use Stevia or raw sugar)
5. Pumpkin Breakfast Cake (http://thebigmansworld.com/2016/09/20/healthy-flourless-pumpkin-breakfast-cake/#comment-194945)
6. Eggs & Turkey Bacon
7. Oatmeal again
I have coffee with creamer each morning too, which is why I take the 4 units most days.

Supper
We always eat leftovers for our suppers, so there is no additional planning.

Dinner
1. Cilantro Lime Chicken with steamed broccoli and small side salad (http://rasamalaysia.com/cilantro-lime-chicken/2/)
2. Pesto Salmon and Italian Veggies (http://www.cookingclassy.com/pesto-salmon-and-italian-veggies-in-foil/)
3. Bunless burgers topped with bacon, avocado, tomato, cucumber, bread and butter pickles (hubby only!), green beans and corn-on-the-cob
4. Crockpot Lasagna (http://www.wellplated.com/low-carb-lasagna/)
5. Zucchini spaghetti with meatballs and spaghetti sauce I canned in the summer
6. Baked chicken over salad with all the "fixings".....boiled eggs, tomatoes, onions, green peppers...
7. Homemade Chicken and vegetable soup

Nightly Snacks
These vary each night. I had the pumpkin breakfast cake last night. I also eat mixed nuts, stringed pepper jack cheese, you can also take 1 graham cracker, split in half and then add a cream cheese spread and top with strawberries. It really depends on my mood.

All of these work perfectly with just 4 units* of Afrezza for ME (*I do not need insulin with any snacks except the breakfast cake and graham cracker ones). I enjoy mixing up my snacks.

This journey has been so freeing. I'm still thankful I dumped my insulin pump. Time to start planning next week's menu. Any suggestions?
















Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Found a downside

So, you know I love Afrezza. Well yesterday I picked up my month's supplies. They come in a box of 4 units and 8 units. I rarely have used the 8 units and prefer to keep it that way. 8 units allow me to eat too freely. Tonight was a crazy night, so I ordered pizza. This meant I needed 8 units. Since I opened the entire package and opened the small pack, I have to use it within 3 days. That won't happen. So, I will have to throw away the other 2 8 units of the Afrezza that I paid for. I realize most people use the 8 units for at least 1 meal a day, so that little 3 pack would be used. I am not like most. Such a bummer. I use more 4's. Big draw back and downside. Not life altering, but waste of money for sure.

Plus side (sort of)-I can safely eat a piece of pizza and after eating it my level was 81! WOOHOO. That never happened on the pump.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Going Strong

Well, it's still going great. I went to Chicago for the weekend, which always worries me when I travel. Everything was perfect. I have noticed I am so much more health conscience than ever before (and I was pretty good about it before). For some reason, I don't want to take 8 units. I know I can. I know I will. I know I don't want to do it.

Since there are no real guidelines on what units to take, this is what I've done. I always take 4 with my morning coffee since I use creamer. For most suppers when out of town, I eat a either a fried or grilled chicken salad. I can still take just 4 units. I eat a small salad not the huge ones.

I'm still not having side effects, which is FABULOUS. OOH, I also found a great way to carry my stuff when traveling so I can put it back into the refrigerator. I went back for my 2 week follow up. Dr A. was so thrilled he hugged me! Now, keep in mind he's been my doctor almost 20 years, so he's griped at me, yelled at me, has been disgusted with me and has also rejoiced with me.

I told him I needed a way to transport the Afrezza and even the Tresiba (it's not that big of a deal since it can stay out of the refrigerator for 2 months and still be fine). He said there is a website called www.coolerconcept.com. Most of the products keep your medications cold for 45 hours. This is perfect!!!! I ordered the exlarge because when I travel...I can be gone for quite some time, so I needed to make sure it was large enough to hold several weeks worth of supplies. I'm going to check it out to see if it really works. If so, I'm going to buy a small one to carry in my purse for when I'm out and about. So, no more Afrezza frustration. Dr A. assured me it works. He bought one for his mother. That's exciting to me that a doctor uses it.

Now that it's November 7th, it's time to start finding some healthy Thanksgiving and CHRISTmas recipes. I've never worried before, because, hey, I used a pump. Just shove a bunch of insulin in me that will cause highs and lows, make me sick, cause my levels to bottom out, and BAM I eat what I want. Not this year! This year I'm going to eat so much better. I know I'll probably take 8 units on both days. I also know I do not want to cram a bunch of sugar and processed junk in my body. We eat to live. We do not live to eat.

I know the temptations will be there. I must resist....resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7)! Sugar is our enemy just like Satan is. I love a good challenge, so I'm looking forward to the holidays not just for the typical reasons (which are enough for me of course) but also because I want to see how well I can manage my levels.

I have blood work to check my A1C the end of the month. I'm super excited. My last one was 8.7. UGH. Not good. I can't wait to report what it's going to be on Afrezza.






Tuesday, November 1, 2016

My first real Afrezza frustration

Today my husband and I were talking about some upcoming traveling plans. I was curious about how to store the meds on the plane and things like that. I called MannKind. They have no idea! That's right. NO CLUE. They said I should call the airline and see if they could help me. Really? They're the makers of the meds. How frustrating. The create a med and cannot tell you how to store it when traveling. I asked if there were plans to research this. NO. I asked if they could tell me, since it can't be frozen, how it's stored when being sent from MannKind to the pharmacies and doctors' offices. They freeze it. Again WHAT?????? I can't freeze it, yet you can while shipping it????? This is making no sense to me.

I found a small portable device that refrigerates medication for several days. It's battery operated. It's also almost $200 and out of stock on every website I checked. There are also a few other sites I looked at that have items that will keep insulin cold for a few hours. Well, I plan on being on a plane for 9 hours one way. That's not much help. My Afrezza frustration has set in. It's a small hurdle that I know will be concurred. For the time, it's annoying.

On a positive note, I have determined I can successfully go out to eat with friends and keep normal levels. Tonight was a huge success. I knew I wanted a cup of coffee with cream, which meant 4 units of Afrezza. I also knew my dinner wasn't going to be a high carb one, so I was a little concerned. All said and done, I came home with a level of 102. It's getting easier to decide how much to take.

Tomorrow morning I have an appt with Dr A. I'm excited to see what he decides!! Only 2 more weeks to go and I can officially throw away my pump.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Weekends....UGH

My first Saturday in a year to have nothing to do, what happens? I feel weird. My sugars are so off today. At one point it was 356 after eating NOTHING. I'm not sure what happened there. I mowed the lawn today and that's when it happened. Hubby thinks it could be a weird freaky adverse reaction or something. I don't know. All I know is I took 12 units of Afrezza and I've felt off ever since.

I have learned that I need more than 4 units to have a "normal" supper. Breakfast and lunch aren't a big deal, but my supper seems to be. Maybe I'm getting sick or something. I don't know. Thankfully, Afrezza works within a few minutes, which means I don't have the normal side effects.

Sunday is here and I'm already looking at my jam packed upcoming schedule. I was a little concerned this morning since I forgot my Afrezza when I was at church. Now, see, I go to a Pentecostal Church, so you never know what to expect. Sometimes my sugars go high, sometimes they go low. Not today. I was so worried. We got home around 1pm. Perfect levels once again. I have stayed amazed at this stuff. Why aren't more diabetics on it??????

Friday, October 28, 2016

Day 5/Day 6

I didn't really have time to post yesterday. I was so busy shopping and sewing. Levels were fantastic. I didn't actually get to eat lunch until 2:30 yesterday. I didn't have any lows. Not one time! I can't believe the energy that I have from the evenness of my levels.

Down side-the last few days I have noticed a harder cough and a "weirdness" in my chest. It's as though I can feel the medicine in there. So odd. Not odd enough, though, to keep me away.

Since I was out and about yesterday, I have really learned to make sure I take 8 units with breads. I love bread. Ok who's kidding whom. I love food. Oh the fresh aroma of bread baking....ahhhhhhh.....so I am willing I think now to take 8 units and have 1/2 a roll. Sometimes a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.

I have so much energy lately that I've been waking up ridiculously early. I'm talking 4:30. I am an early riser anyway but come on! It's a great time to get things done before the household wakes up I suppose. By 10pm, I am ready for bed.

Now that it's been almost a week, I've vacationed with Afreeza, done some shopping, had later lunches and a few other things, I've come to realize I need a new way of carrying it all. I'm using an old hard shelled glucometer case from medtronic (I don't recommend the case but it's serving the purpose). So, if you know of a great small hard shelled case that's approximately 4x3 and about an inch in height, let me know. The mouth piece and insulin has to all fit in it.

So, Day 5 & 6 went and are going strong. Still no major issues. I'm so glad I dumped the pump. Freedom!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Day 4

What a day. Today is the first day of ups and downs. The morning started like every other one except my fasting was a little high. It was 176. Still within my normal range though, so I felt safe. I took my meds and went on with my morning. Lunch time rolled around and it was 190. After lunch, it was 208. By the time 3pm came along, it was 255. I take blame. Again, I'm learning how much to take.

I ate literally 2 tablespoons of mac and cheese with my salad for lunch. 2 tablespoons!!!!!!!! I could not believe it raised my levels that much. I can't blame anyone or any thing but me. Finally, I thought I was in the clear when it was finally dinner time. I had a great dinner with my sister. My sugar level was 138.

YES finally, I'm getting back to normal. Boy was I wrong. 2 hours later, it's 61. SERIOUSLY. I ate a burger and steamed broccoli. I even took the bun off the burger and took 3 small bites of it to ensure I had a few carbs since I did take the Afrezza. UGH. What a day. Now it's 8:30 at night, my level is 121.

One thing I've found out. If you're eating anything other than a bite or two of carbs you'll need more, IMHO (I'm NOT a doctor and I'm not giving medical advice, just my opinion), than 4 units. 4 units doesn't cover very much but if you're eating healthy anyway like you should be as a diabetic, you'll be fine! I really wish Afrezza came in 2 units. I've even called the company and asked when 2 units would be coming out. Currently there are no plans. :(

Hopefully everything will be back to normal in the morning. One thing is for sure. I won't be eating any more mac and cheese. Yes, I could take more insulin and eat it. But it's not healthy, so why bother?!

Day 4 down......

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Day 3 and going strong

Well, this morning I had a dentist appointment. My hygienist was excited to hear about the new meds especially the Afrezza as her hubby has diabetes. She was also excited to hear how great my levels have been.

My fasting was 97. I ate then it was 87. I took my usual 10 units of Tresiba and my usual 4 units of Afrezza. All was well UNTIL the "incident" at the dentist with my youngest child (16 years old). Without going into too many personal details about my kiddo, they gave her a medication I'm 100% against due to severe jaw inflammation. I'm "going as holistic as possible" type of gal, and there was no reason for her to give this medication without my knowledge. My daughter's jaw was hurting, so she took it. Anyway, I say all of that to say that due to the adrenaline rushing through my veins, my level by lunch time was 173. Still within the range my doctor had given me. He wants me to stay within 80-180.

Now it's after lunch, the household is calm, and I'm still hungry. I'm a huge snacker. HUGE. GIGANTIC. ENORMOUS. I'm careful though what I snack on. I usually eat peanuts or almonds. Yep. They raise my sugar levels (doesn't everything?! I mean seriously, I think air would raise my sugar some days!). So anyway, this is Day 1 of usual snacking for me. We shall see. Current level is 141. I've eaten 4oz of Aldi's salted peanuts. They have 6 grams of carbs for a 1/4 cup. I'll check my level again in a hour to see how it's responding. So far so good. It is 187. Yes a little past my range, but it's still good.

Since I did great with the peanuts, I think I've become a little more daring now. I'm going to have some coffee with creamer. Sounds pretty dumb, right? Well, when you're trying to figure out insulin, it's not. Everything counts. OK so, that did it. My 187 within minutes of taking my first few sips of coffee went to 212. I figured it would. I took 4 units of Afrezza. Within 10 minutes, my level is back down to 182. Have I mentioned I LOVE AFREZZA??????

Only diabetics watching every carb will understand this.......I decided since it was a day of new food adventures that I would have a few crackers with chicken salad for supper. Oh mercy. I want crunchy food and very few crunchy foods are carb free, so I had to give somewhere. Again, most will think eating a cracker and caring about eating it is ridiculous. No way! Huge big deal in my world. I was a little scared about taking 4 more units of Afrezza since I took it just a few hours ago with my snack. Then I remembered it's only in my system for 2 hours. This meant I was safe. So my level was 180 to start. I ate. After eating 8 ritz crackers, it's 175.

Taking the Afrezza is becoming so much easier. I haven't gagged or chocked at all today. The cough is still there, but I am used to it now I guess. I don't know! When I first started this, I said there was a slight weird taste. I remember thinking and believing there was a taste, but now I don't taste anything.

Another successful day. Surely this perfection can't last forever, can it??????








Monday, October 24, 2016

Day 2-Food Poisoning and mini vacation all in one

Well, there's nothing quite like beginning something new and then going on a mini-vacation. There's also no better way to see if this is going to live up to what doctor's say it does. Outcome-IT DOES. I called both Tresiba and Afrezza to find what I should do about refrigeration since both require it. I followed exactly what I was told, and it all worked out perfectly.

My sugars were only high a few times, and to be honest, I have to take the blame because, though everyone says you don't need to count carbs, you really do-well-in a way. I didn't estimate properly. I should have taken 8 units of Afrezza and only took 4. During this time, first night of vacation, I became extremely ill with food poisoning. I was so sick. I just knew it was the side effects of Afrezza. My mind wandered. Nope, in fact, it was food poisoning. I won't bore you with the details, but I can safely say my sugars went up a little from that. NOTHING like before when I was on the pump.

So, I walked almost 15,000 steps my first day of fun. I was still a little under the weather but determined nothing was going to stop this vacation. I ate lunch later than normal. Now, all you pump users, you know that could mean a sudden crash. Not with these two insulins working together. I did, though, start to have a little heart palpitations. I sat and rested and was fine. It could have been from the previous day. Who knows?!

Day two, another huge success. I walked almost as many steps and again did fabulous. I still noticed a slight lingering cough, which is a side effect and I'm perfectly ok with that. These meds are working so great that I don't care about a slight cough. Afrezza is by far the best short acting insulin on the market. It's amazing.

I have noticed that I've lost 4.8 pounds since starting this. I'm certain it's because I've become fixated on checking every bite that goes into my mouth. For example, before in the mornings I would grab a cup of coffee, dump my creamer into it, hit the pump, and get cleaned up. Not now. I have to wait until I'm ready for breakfast. That's really the only true draw back that I've seen. It's not even that big of a deal.

I drove home today, 9 hours, and I have no issues at all. It was a little scary to decide what to eat while driving home. I chose a burger with all the toppings, no bun and no fries. If I was still hungry, I would have gotten a small salad or something. Taking insulin is not healthy for the body, so eating healthy is the best choice we can make. Is it easy? NO WAY. I love sweets. LOVE THEM...did I say LOVE because I really do. I just know I have to eat them in moderation. Maybe once every few weeks and a tiny amount. I also have found that cutting out all types of flour has been a huge success.

So, I began this on Thursday, today is Monday. I had food poisoning, enjoyed driving over 1400 miles for a weekend getaway vacation, and I can confidently say Afrezza has been the best thing a diabetic can use to control sugar levels.










Thursday, October 20, 2016

The Great Pump Dump of 2016! Day 1

Yesterday, I went to see my endocrinologist, Dr Ernest Asamoah. Many, many years ago (about 18-19 to be not so exact) he changed my diabetic regimen from 6 shots a day to an insulin pump. I was a kid in a sugar-free candy store. I didn't care that it meant I couldn't swim (I'm a brittle diabetic and couldn't go without my pump more than 10 minutes every hour), that my length of time in the shower would be shorter, that I couldn't get in the hot tub, which isn't good for a diabetic anyway, wearing dresses would be harder, or that I would have to change my site every 3 days. WHO CARED!!??!! I was 6 shots a day free. (Can you hear the hallelujah's?)

Now, fast forward to September 1, 2016. Dr A stated he thought it would be best if I "dumped the pump" and started something new. My stomach and legs were so full of scar tissue from the pump, I would have to insert a new set 4-5 times every 3 days. It was painful; tears were shed due to frustration and pain. Dr A wanted me to go home, gather all the information I could about Tresiba and Afrezza. He told me I needed to completely educate myself and even suggested a few "good and bad" websites from other users.

I did just that. I even called a family meeting with my husband and children to get their input. So far, all things were a go. I wasn't supposed to see Dr. A. until December. I couldn't wait. I *had* to do this. I was just like that kid in the sugar-free candy store from 18-19 years ago. I told him, "Let's dump the pump!" He was thrilled with my decision. Off I went to take a Pulmonary Function Test (PFT), which I passed with flying colors.

He gave me clear instructions, wrote them all down for me, and asked me repeatedly if I had any questions. I could barely sleep last night with anticipation of today. I prepared the Tresiba as instructed. The directions were really easy to follow. The needle is super tiny. I really didn't even feel it going into my leg. Now it was time for breakfast........ugh.......this meant I was now going to have to inhale my insulin.

Well, being the adult that I am, I chose a breakfast that had no carbs! (did I mention I was still a little antsy??) My morning fasting was 101. An hour later it was 150, then 161, 165, 204, then finally 226. WHAT? I didn't even eat any carbs, how is that happening??? So, in my calm manner, I called Dr. A. Ok so maybe calm wasn't the right word.....I was PANICKED. He basically said "shame on me" because regardless of what a food says, it will have a carb in it and I must take insulin.

Here goes.....I put the cartridge in just as I was taught. I inhaled. OH MY. I choked. I kept reading where it said Afrezza does not have a taste. WRONG. It does. It's not a nasty, gross, I-can-never-do-this-again type taste. More like a yuck, weird taste. I kept coughing afterwards. It was annoying but not anything major. Within 40 minutes, my blood sugar had lowered to 192 then 162, 158. My pump would have never done it that quickly.

Supper time rolled around. I'll admit, I'm still a little intimidated by this whole inhaled insulin stuff still. So, I figured I would have to take it because, well, I was hungry and everything apparently has at least one carb in it. UGH. I followed the instructions. I inhaled it. Again, I choked and gagged. It was a mess! My blood sugars were absolutely perfect.

Dinner time I decided to eat a few more carbs than normal. I took my 4 units of Afrezza. I choked and gagged. I survived. It's getting easier. It's been 2 hours since my dinner and my blood sugar was 226 then within minutes it jumped to 251!!! OUCH. I knew I had eaten a lot of carbs though. So, I took 4 units again (this time NO GAGGING OR CHOKING). Keep in mind, Afrezza is completely out of your system after 2 hours.

I go back in 2 weeks to see Dr. A. He told me he would feel 100% confident about me throwing out the pump after minimum of 4 weeks of successfully being on this new regimen. I'm determined to make it happen.  It's very important to keep a complete log so your doctor can accurately monitor what you're doing. Your doctor can never have too much information.

Day 1 down, a lifetime to go.......