The Moving Day Saga Continues – Round #2

Moving is stressful, but having diabetes adds a whole new layer to the chaos. When the “official” moving day arrived, I felt confident I was prepared for the uncertainty of what laid ahead. I knew the next 48+ hours were going to be challenging both mentally and physically, but more so on my diabetes. Since co-founding the DDG, it has opened my eyes to how diabetes plays a role in every part of my life. There is no escaping.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published (April 23, 2015), but Amber wasn’t done with it yet. See the bottom for the next chapter. 

Move #1:

• Tackling The Staircase – What would my blood sugar do once I made this journey 45 times carrying a box? I stocked Gatorade in case of a low, but ironically it shot to 297????

• Cleaning Out The Fridge – I found myself snacking on olives, goji berries and other items I didn’t want to transport.  Blood sugar was all over the place because I wasn’t sticking to my routine.
• Too Busy To Eat – Once I get my mind set on cleaning out a cabinet, nothing could distract me, not even my growling stomach. At one point when I lost my ability to focus, I realized it had been 5+ hours since I had eaten. Not good.
• Lack of Sleep – I was up way past my bed time and gave a high five to the sunrise. This too, jacked up my routine causing a number of unexpected, middle of the night lows (image was taken at 3:41am – not sure how to reset clock).

My advice for a fellow PWD who is moving would be to stay on top of your numbers, drink plenty of fluids and ask for help should you need it. Stress, dehydration and 14 straight hours of physical activity can take a toll on your mind, body and soul.

Move #2:

* Never in a million years did I think I would have to move for a second time in just over a year. This wasn’t my first rodeo, so I had no excuse when it came to my diabetes management. Here’s what I’ve learned during my second move in 15 months.

• My BG will be high going into the move because adrenaline and anxiety are front and center. No need to freak out – I know it will go down (plummet later that evening) so testing regularly is key.
• Don’t lose track of time. You HAVE to eat – even if it means take away.
• It’s okay to eat take away. I NEVER eat fast food, so a pep talk was necessary to help me be at peace with going to a drive thru.

For the love of all things holy – this will be the final chapter in my moving day saga for at LEAST five years!