It’s Time To Right The Ship (Starting With One Simple Thing)

We all aim for that flat, consistent beam of blood sugars shooting straight across the horizon, right? Well, my mine are that shooting star, then the shooting star rising back from the dead, then to fall out of the sky again… before lunch. I’m in one of those strange spirals, where the true etiology remains unknown, but more than likely a combination of my daily choices and changes in circumstances underlies the imbalance.

There’s no escaping the inadequacy in control either, given I work in a hospital all day. One of the resident’s will ask me about an inpatient’s blood sugar. I’ll respond with, “It’s 236”. Then he’ll say, “That’s high, gotta get that down.” And I’ll mumble, “You think that’s high.”

Wide ranges in numbers are bothersome, yes. But on a day to day basis, the swings take their toll on the quality of your being, minute to minute. It’s hard to present when you’re low. Learning isn’t as fun when you’re high. The motivation to stem the tide resides in just wanting to be more of myself during the day.

Thus, I’m creating an online accountability pledge to do just one thing, to start up a little momentum. Okay, here is the one thing, for all of diabetes month (that’s this month) I pledge:

To eat 20 carbs and wait after a low.

Examples being a small glass of OJ, a small banana, 4 glucose tabs, etc. This is a play on the eat 15 and wait 15. For most of my life, just 15 carbohydrates hasn’t sufficed. Yet, an entire bowl of cereal isn’t necessary either. When low, instead of going for the knockout, I plan to strike a body blow. It’s one choice, it’s simple, and it’s tangible.

Wish me luck… and much patience, to wait out the low.