The Endo Song & Dance

My First Endo Visit of 2010 was on Wednesday. Last appointment was November, but this was the first one with new bloodwork since in August (a month earlier than usual).

I was quite anxious to see if there was any change, since I've been slacking slightly but felt I'd done much better than in the past.

However, my visit hasn't inspired much excitement or creativity. Rather, it was pretty mundane and uninspirational. In the three years since Dr. P and I have had the Doctor-Patient Relationship, we have been on touchy ground and haven't always seen eye-to-eye.  But we've done better, discussed my care more and helped each understand the other's perspective more completely in the past year. I appreciate that. But I knew that going in, and couldn't forget after leaving her office. As you can tell, I'm not in the best mood about the visit with Dr. P. She was, once again, an Unhappy Endo. Don't get me wrong: it's not like she doesn't smile or laugh or treat me well enough. She has a good personality, likes Suzi, and is very well-qualified. There just isn't as much Endo-Patient Chemistry as I've experienced in the past, before leaving Michigan.

This wasn't a horrible visit with Dr. P, just really didn't change anything and reinforced my mindset that I must continue on the path to better management. Same ole' Endo Song and Dance.

We had a blood work discussion. Recapped the past months, and my readings. Slight basal and meal bolus changes to adjust the rollercoastering and some Lows that have popped up periodically. She also made a point to make sure I understand how to carb count accurately.. (yes, Dr. P., I've been doing it for a decade now. Why not better??? You try it for a quick never-ending 10-year stretch and thencome talk with me about your lapses).

One of my main issues has always been keeping an up-to-date Log. Mostly with Dr. P, the issue has been my slacking in sending the weekly fax of written blood sugar logs - necessary because her office uses one common form in order to provide consistency among patients. That can be annoying and inconvienent, so I've lacked in doing that as regularly as I should. That doesn't capture her approval, though. So I'm going to do better, and take advantage of using the Minimed Carelink system that her office now can sync up with.

For the most part, routine. Was told the A1C was the same as in August - 8.8%. That was frustrating, as I'd expected it to at least drop a little bit. Suzi made a good point afterward that at least it didn't go up, and I had to agree on that point. Unfortunately, that turned out to not be the case - got a call Friday morning to go over the lab results that had come in, and aside from thyroid issues not being where they should be, I was informed that my A1C was actually 8.9. It had gone up a tenth of a percentage point. Basically unchanged, but still IT HAD GONE UP.

That sucks. Real bummer. But, at least, it offers motivation to do better.

So, there's no rest for the weary, so my quest for constant control continues. That leaves little time or will power at the moment for humor, cuteness, cleverness, or creativity.

However, to not leave anyone hanging and to help brighten the mood: I'll leave you with some gems from my carb-counting and basal-calculating co-horts in Diabetes Online Community.
We have All The Diabetics. We have the Diabetic's Rap.

Then there's this, which I'd say is one of the best out there: From Amy's DiabetesMine, who honors the timely March 2 birthday anniversary of Dr. Seuss. All I know is, this is AWEsome and deserves mention here within The D-Corner Booth.

Lancets! Test strips! Testing now! I can, you can, we know how.

Look! See! Blood drops, one and two and three. Why won’t this meter beep for me?

Numbers now. Number’s high! 182 – my, oh my!

Out with the insulin, out with the needle. Out with the afternoon snack-n-feedle.

Corrections, ouch. Corrections ooch. Injections 10x/day hurt my hooch.

Up, up, up and down the stairs — Now I’m taking stairs in pairs.

Down with the glucose readings! Down, down, down! I’ll have the best numbers in any town.

Funny, now I cannot think… Think what I thunk and my heart begins to sink.

Oops! Up with the sugar level — up, up, up! Glucose tablets, gummi drops, and orange juice in a big, BIG cup.

But, see! High again, that’s where I am. Above 150, gosh darn damn.

And on it goes throughout the day. Look, what fun! Come on and play.

But if we sweat, then we must eat. But not a treat! No, not a treat!

Round and round and round it goes, and where it stops could be my toes.

I’d like to keep mine. Yes, that’s wise. I’ll keep my nerves and feet and eyes.

I’d like to keep them all, mind you… So I’ll do what I have to do.

But like it? No, no, no, I say! I do not like the vials, the rules, the thinking, worrying all day…

I do not like it one little bit. Still, I’m glad to LIVE with it.