You've Got to Move It, Move It!

Over all, I'm not a big exerciser. I did, however, manage to get into a good exercising habit for a while before I was diagnosed... which stopped when I caught a cold that turned into a cough (which was typical for me, but I hope it won't be now that I'm healthier), and the rest I took for healing time broke my good habit. Then I found out I was diabetic, and was told not to exercise, then to only do light exercise on a regular basis instead of the twice-a-week-average that had been my good habit... and I was both out of the habit and scared of lows.

But now that I know I generally feel a low pretty quickly and have my trusty Dexcom, I don't think I have any more excuses when it comes to going low. And that every-other-day-light-exercise-only rule is probably the ideal plan, but you know, I'm not the ideal person.... Despite my GP declaring I'm the ideal patient. Getting my butt moving, even if it's only one or two times a week and whatever exercise appeals to me at the time, may just be the best I can do at this point. In the grand scheme of things, despite the fact that sporadic exercise habits can make for sporadic insulin needs, some exercise is better than no exercise.

I hereby give myself permission to be a less-than-ideal exerciser. And if I get into the groove and become a more regular exerciser, hey, all the better! But I need to start where I need to start.

Bonus: I've discovered an awesome little park near where I work, which will be perfect for brown-bag lunch and a short hike. I'm so glad I found this place, because I learned long ago that staying at work during lunch, even if I'm not working, does not give me the proper mental break I need to stay sane... and a nice, quiet walk through a shady wooded area is very good for my sanity... while also helping me get a little extra exercise.

Better Pace than Expected

While talking to my diabetes educator on the phone yesterday, she said she felt my insulin ratios and doses don't need any changes yet.  I was disappointed, and told her I was eager to really get things down... and she pointed out that the last couple of days had been great.  And it's true.  And after thinking about it for a while, I realized a few things:

1. My recent numbers aren't that far from what she said will be my eventual goal range.  I occasionally rise above it, but not by that much.
2. I'll learn to adjust my own ratios and doses for specific situations.
3. I want "normal blood sugar," but I don't have a normal body.  I don't have a working pancreas, which would normally create both insulin when my blood sugar starts to rise, and glucagon when my blood sugar gets too low.  Until things are a little more predictable and I've recognized a few more lows, staying on the higher side of normal is probably safest.
4. I hadn't been exercising, and exercise tends to lower blood sugar!

So I went for a brisk, 20 minute walk yesterday evening.  Afterward, my blood sugar read as about 25 points lower than I started... and this morning, my fasting (morning) blood sugar was 20 or 30 points lower than it normally is.  If I have the same results for another day or two, I'll check with my educator to make sure the new trend is safe.  (One of my my fears is having a low blood sugar in the middle of the night!)

In other news:

I'm meeting with an Animas pump rep tomorrow morning.  At Panera bread... I'd better check their nutritional info!

My left arm is randomly sore, like I strained or twisted it.  I know I tend to try and carry too much with that arm, in order to free my right hand for things like unlocking the door, but everything seems like a symptom of doom and gloom diseases these days!