Sugar Free Me

Have I mentioned the diabetes much? Probably not.

The clinical trial made me diabetic. The consent paperwork warned that that might happen. It's an okay side effect, as long as it's temporary! Sure helps to keep me on a food plan, counting carbs and seeing the black-and-white results in blood sugar readings.

While I was in the hospital, my blood sugars went crazy. One mid-morning reading was 450. I think 120 might be a normal post-breakfast reading. The nurse looked at me askance because we had just come back from Starbucks. But no frappuchino for me!

The crazy high numbers were being caused by the steroids that the docs were using to reduce the inflammation and pain. I like not being in pain. Who doesn't, right? I am currently getting about half the dose of steroids at home, with about half the reduction in pain that I enjoyed in the hospital.

In the hospital, the nurses gave me fast-acting insulin injections after meals, plus one slow-acting injection at bedtime. Now that I am home, I am taking a pill in the morning -- and giving myself a whopping big slow-acting insulin injection every night. It's called Lantus.

I am not a complete newbie to injections, I guess. Years ago, I gave my cat Spike insulin jections with no trouble. When Lou had surgery, I gave him blood thinner injections without blinking an eye. During Gem/Tax chemo, I gave myself Neulasta shots, which stung and left bruises on my thighs and required a lot of psyching up beforehand.

The first night at home, when I gave myself the Lantus shot, it was unpleasant and left me feeling kind of shakey emotionally, like this was too much to ask. But then the next night, it was fine. It wasn't a joy, nothing to look forward to, but fine. I can do it.

Well... Lou is upstairs working. Because it's raining, he has Bailey locked up with him in the office, to restrict her from running in an out all day tracking mud into the house. I am (shhh don't tell) ironing again.  In a couple of hours, my friend Carol will drive me to UNC for that MRI.