My host was at work when I arrived so I got to spend a couple of hours with her mother in law, who lives just up the road.
My host is a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic and struggles to get her blood glucose levels low. So she was keen to meet the DF! While at the house some more parcels arrived for my host. Would it be anything good?

Stitch aka Donna arrived in the afternoon to pick me up and apparently we are going food shopping.
As Donna is still new to diabetes she still has to check a lot of food labels to see what's in it. She walks straight past all the cakes, sweets and biscuits that she used to enjoy, as she knows that she shouldn't have them. So there is lots of fish, lean meats and vegetables instead.
When we arrive back at the host's house her partner is busy getting decorations ready for Halloween.

My host then opens the other parcels that have arrived and she hopes that something in there could help her understand what else she can do for her diabetes. She was excited when she saw an item in there and proclaimed "yes, its here!"
She sat me down to have a look while she went to get ready to go out, as we are going to the pub for a quiz!

Their friend arrived to pick my host and partner up to go to the pub for a music quiz.
We found a good table then went and got some drinks. I was looking forward to having a nice drink but a glass of diet coke was put in front of me! My host then explained to me that she used to love having a drink in the past, but since becoming diabetic and taking Metformin tablets drinking alcohol makes her feel ill! So she would rather go without.

After a couple of hours and getting lots of questions right it was time for a break and some snacks. But as we were in a pub there wasn't much choice, mostly crisps and nuts. Donna chose a bag of mini cheddars, not great but she didn't want to feel left out. She did say she would probably pay for that in the morning.

The quiz continued and so did the diet coke! Its was a good night and the team came in second losing by just 1 point! Apparently they do this every week. They win occasionally.
Now we are off home and to bed as we have a busy day tomorrow, including a nice walk, shopping, lunch, a visit to a brewery and then a birthday party. Should be good! DFx

What an action packed weekend I've had. My host took me out to explore the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.. We even had cake in Betty's tea room... Apparently it's famous! She said she allows herself the occasional treat when out with friends as it helps her feel a little normal! 

We went swimming later in the afternoon. I was disappointed at the lack of lucozade and sweets on hand but as a Type 2 with very high sugar levels she doesn't need them. I wanted to get a photo of me swimming but my hosts phone isn't waterproof :( I was surprised when she felt a little shaky so tested and she was 6 which is a normal reading. Why did she feel so ill afterwards? Apparently this is because my hosts body is so used to high levels that she feels a little unsteady when it gets to a normal level. This is supposed to ease off once her body gets used to low levels! This is all very confusing for me.

I sprinkled some of my fairy dust this morning and Rosie woke up with a reading of 8.9. She was so happy with this being her lowest ever reading that I'm tempted to leave some fairy dust behind. 

It appears there's so much more to type 2 diabetes than just "losing weight to control it" as I keep hearing in the media. There are so many other factors to consider. I'm learning so much on my travels!

So much for a lie in after a busy weekend, I got rudely awoken at 6AM by my host telling me it's time for work. Again?! *yawn*  I'll be glad to move on to somewhere where I can relax a bit more! The stereotype of a type 2 diabetic being lazy and sitting around eating carbohydrates all day long is completely wrong I've very quickly learnt! We've even made friends! 

Now it's time for my favourite part of the morning... Coffee! 

My host tells me she's sending me to the next host at lunchtime... I'm too tired to fly! DFx

Wow! I have learnt so much spending time with someone who has uncontrolled diabetes yet lives such a busy life! It's hard work being a community nurse as I've found out - although the patients loved me! (Even though I learnt how to take a selfie with my last host, Rosie explained that I wasn't allowed to take selfies with patients!) Having such high levels can cause tiredness and lethargy apparently which makes being busy every day so difficult. No wonder she goes to bed early!

She's got me working hard!  

Even answering the phone!   

The only snacks she has on her are sugar free flavoured water and sugar free polos - not very exciting boo! :( Apparently this is because her blood sugars can rise very quickly and unlike Type 1s, she doesn't have insulin to control this. I'd much rather sit and eat sweets at lunchtime but the other nurses have told me off!

The doctor rang today to tell her her hba1c result which is 95! She's told me its lower than it was but it's still very high and blames it on me! I'm starting to rethink playing all these tricks on people. I can see the effect high blood sugar AND low blood sugar has on people. Maybe I'm starting to feel guilty... 

Must dash, got a busy afternoon!

DFx

Hello! I have arrived safely this evening in rainy Yorkshire. I don't seem too impressed yet my host, Rosie, calls it Gods Own Country!

I'm busy making friends already!

I'm looking forward to spending time with her and learning all about how a Type 2 diabetic lives especially a busy student nurse! She tells me the diagnosis may be wrong and we'll find out on Friday. Who knew it could be so difficult to diagnose diabetes?

My host isn't feeling very well today and as much as she wants to eat rubbish, she has to be even more careful than normal as being unwell can cause spikes in blood sugar. She showed me that she was 15.3 this evening which I thought was very high!! She has explained to me that readings this high are common for her due to being newly diagnosed and not on insulin.

Time for a well deserved cup of tea (no sugar!) and homemade soup. 

For now, the only sweet thing I've been told I'm allowed near is the scented candle!

Best get an early night as she's taking me to work in the morning! 

DFx

So it's time to move on, Robin says she will take me to the post office ( surely she means Taxi Rank?) on the way to her exercise class.  

What have I learnt while I've been here?
That it's all a lot more complicated than I thought.
That her morning reading doesn't always reflect the whole story of what's gone on overnight.
That exercise can make levels go up or down, and not always consistently. (This is beginning to sound like the small print in an insurance advert) That injections aren't quite as flexible as having a pump, but with a bit of organisation and thought about matching insulin to food and activities, Robin can do anything she wants.

And most importantly, I've learnt how to take a selfie!

Looking forward to adventures with my next host. See you soon. DFx

Today is a normal Monday, which means food shopping. Robin is playing a game with me, I've got to guess which products she's bought for her husband, and which are the ones she eats. That's not fair!  It was nearly all a trick question, because they both try to eat healthily, and tend to eat the same things.

 I spotted a couple of things, Robin tends not to eat so much of the white rice, or bananas and grapes, and she has converted her husband to eating lentils, though he's still not very keen on broccoli. And she says she normally eats the 90% dark, but she can't resist having a couple of square of milk chocolate, with some Brazil nuts, after her lunch. She says if it's part of a balanced meal that has fat and protein in, and not too much carb, it doesn't spike her glucose levels. I thought when I started this adventure, that it was a case of throwing some insulin in, and throwing the food in after, but I can see it's not that simple.   

Robin just had a strange conversation with her husband about whether it was a Grey week or a Green week. I thought maybe she was talking about her hair, but I now know she means whether the household rubbish or the garden waste bin is due to be emptied. It's the green bin, this week, so to fill it up we are outside pruning the huge yew hedge. Apparently twenty minutes using the long handled loppers above head height is the fastest way to a gardening hypo. Who knew? I shall stand by with a hypo treatment at the ready, and keep my fingers and wings  well out of the way of the hedge trimmer.

It's drizzling outside now, so we have come indoors to do some decorating. I thought there was a funny smell in the house when I arrived, although I was too polite to mention it. It was wet paint, apparently. I'm going to be allowed to do some sanding down, Robin is afraid if I do any painting I might get paint on my wings. I shall also look after the fruit pastilles, though Robin said she's more likely to stop and have tea and a biscuit half way through if she feels she might be going low, she saves glucosy sweets for when she needs a really quick hypo recovery remedy. Well, all this DIY malarkey has quite worn me out, and I'll be glad to move on to my next host tomorrow.

When she said we were going riding, I'd no idea she meant on a horse! I'd imagined a bike or something. Robin is wondering what they'll be doing in the lesson today. Apparently, when they do technical stuff, she uses loads of energy making the horse move sideways, and round in small circles, and has to watch out for hypos, but if they do jumping and it's a bit scary, her adrenaline gets going and her blood sugar levels rise! Who knew it was so complicated!

 She's just decanting some fruit pastilles into a mini plastic bag to put in her pocket in case she goes hypo on the horse. She's got a lot of pockets in her shirt, and coat, useful for keeping all her bits of testing equipment and hypo treatments. She says it's surprisingly difficult to find clothes with enough pockets that do up securely, for when she can't carry a bag. There are fruit pastilles today and a muesli bar, in case she needs something extra before driving home. There's also a packet of Polos, but she says they are treats for the horses.

We are here, and the horses are being led out. They're huge! They can't find me a pony small enough, I tried one, but my feet just won't reach the stirrups, so I'm just going to watch. I reminded Robin that she ought to tell her instructor that she might need to have some glucose during the lesson. Robin had completely forgotten that she ought to mention it, she hasn't had this instructor for long. (It's all down on her Health and Safety form, but that's filed away safely in the office just in case she ever has an accident.) When she told her riding instructor all about me, the instructor said that she works in a school through the week, and looks after one of the children there who is diabetic, testing her blood and giving her insulin or snacks during the day if she needs them. Robin never knew that. Seems I've got a role in getting people talking to each other about diabetes.

Phew, we are home again, and I managed not to get too muddy! Robin tested after the lesson and before driving home, she said her reading was 11.2, which is a bit high! Sounds like a scary lesson to me, but Robin said, no, it was just one where she needed to concentrate and react quickly, and that can send her blood sugars up too! DFx

Well really! That wasn't very polite, I've just had a right old lecture! I thought I was going to meet someone new, Robin was talking about Dawn Phenomenon, and I wondered if she was a rival diabetic fairy, but apparently it refers to the fact that her blood sugar can start going up towards morning, and she seems to be blaming me for this! As if! I put on my most innocent expression and listened politely. She told me she was hoping to show me her new Diabetes Fairy-busting Freestyle Libre. Apparently this gives her a read out of everything I've been up to when she's asleep, she's shown me the print out from her last sensor.

Sounds like Big Brother to me! She seems to blame me for all the dips into the red on her readout. But luckily for me, she can't afford to use a sensor all the time, so she's relying on her normal glucose meter at the moment. She woke up to a reading of eight this morning, and has no idea whether she was high all night, or whether she dipped into the red again at 3am. She says that people with a pump can get their own back on me by altering their basal through the night, but that she's on injections, and once its done for the night, it's done. I hadn't thought about how difficult I was making life for her. Luckily Robin seems to have calmed down a bit now. She says she doesn't blame me, really. But before she got her Libre, she'd have thought she needed to increase her basal if she woke to a reading of 8, whereas now she realises that she dips in the middle of the night, and she knows that would be the wrong thing to do. What she needs is for the  Libre to get a bit cheaper, or available on prescription, so she can use one all the time.

We are going for a walk at Blenheim Palace, so we are packing fruit pastilles, testing kit, insulin for later, I'm beginning to know the drill, ooh, wonder what we're doing later that involves insulin. Her son is doing a heart health challenge at work, and wants to register some more steps on his pedometer. Robin says it will do us all good to get some exercise. I wonder if she's noticed I'm hitching a ride in her pocket, well, my legs are shorter than hers, and anyway, I can look after the fruit pastilles.

The palace is certainly very grand, though we aren't going to see inside. Apparently if you live locally, you can park free at the back gate and walk round the lake on the public footpath. It seems a long way, whoever lives here has a very big garden. But yippee, I heard them talking about a tearoom on the way home.

We are having tea at a garden centre now. Her son says he'll let her look round the garden section in a moment, as long as she doesn't stop and look at every single plant! Pity, I was hoping to see some of my cousins, the ones that put the nice green insects on the plants, and get the snails to make pretty lacy patterns on the leaves, but apparently they've all gone into hiding because the nursery manager got cross with them for some reason. Robin is wondering which cake she can get away with. She'd normally do her insulin at least 30 minutes before she had something to eat, especially cake, but she didn't dare because she was driving. She doesn't have a wizard to help her calculate her insulin, but I'm such an expert now I'm sure I can help, pass me the pencil and paper. What? Do it in my head? Oh no, mental arithmetic was never my strong point, and when I use my wand, I always seem to get into trouble, best leave her to do the maths. Actually, she says it's less to do with maths and more to do with guesswork at times like this, as she doesn't know what the cake weighs, what the ingredients are, how much energy her body is still using after the walk, which way the wind is blowing ( OK, maybe I made the last one up).

Well, that's another busy day, and I've learnt a lot. Robin says we are going riding tomorrow. What on, I wonder? DFx

Well, here I am at my third host. Apparently we are on the other side of those hills called The Cotswolds, where I started my adventure. Can't say I'm getting used to this method of travel, I've only come from the next county, but I had to change vans several times.

 I have established myself in the corner of the kitchen my host says is her favourite, where the teapot is. She says she has another corner called the Diabetic corner where she keeps all her insulin pens, glucose meter, etc, she says she'll show me later.

I've just been introduced to all my host's insulin equipment. Unlike my other hosts so far, there's no pump. There's a pen for mealtime insulin, and a separate one for her basal. There's also a big diary where she writes down what her readings are, how much insulin she had, and what she ate.

No, I'm not preparing to go on a diet, We are cooking supper now, and I'm in charge of the scales. I thought we must be going to make a cake, but apparently Robin uses them all the time to weigh carbs like pasta and rice, to help her calculate her insulin accurately. Of course, being a fairy, I don't weigh anything at all, (though Robin did mutter something about having 'zeroed' the scales, whatever that means.)

We are having a bottle of wine with our meal, because there is another visitor here as well as me. Robin says this means she will have to check her bedtime reading carefully, because when she drinks alcohol it can cause her blood glucose to dip in the night.

Well, after all that travelling, and a fairy sized glass of wine or two, I'm ready for an early night. I've been promised a trip out and cake for tea tomorrow! DFx

So, I’m off this morning. I took a leaf out of Flower’s and Annette’s books, and I got myself all kitted up for the journey ahead.

What have I learned this week? Well, as well as all the bad stuff that goes along with diabetes, just because you’re diabetic, that doesn’t actually mean that there’s much you can’t do, it all just requires a bit more planning. There’s plenty of stuff that you shouldn’t do, like eat loads of chocolate and cake and sit around doing nothing all day, but that (apparently) applies to non-diabetics as well. (But there’s no point in applying to be an astronaut if you’re type 1. Because that is one of the few things you’re not allowed to do. Annette wasn’t sure whether as a fairy I could manage without the space suit in outer space. I’m satisfied just to stay down here in the atmosphere and not find out, thank you very much.)

Taxi! DFx

I got up this morning, and rather than breakfast, I was presented with this:

It’s a cup of herbal tea, apparently. We’re doing a basal test this morning, which means no food! At all! Not even a cup of milky coffee! It’s to check Annette’s basal rates (or background insulin) are set at the correct rate. How am I supposed to function without my caffeine fix? So now I’m counting down the hours until I can have something proper to eat (although I’m told I can have as much herbal tea as I can drink. Thanks.) but there’s lots of testing to be done between now and then. I think sometimes that diabetics will end up like sieves, the number of holes they poke in themselves.

And now, a cannula and full set change! This apparently happens anywhere from daily to every 3 days. And my goodness, it creates a lot of rubbish! Some of said rubbish can be recycled (I do try to be a green fairy, after all, I produce no toxic emissions when I fly around) if you are in the right area – like the plastic pods, for example. Other bits just have to go in the regular waste, and the sharp bits go in the sharps bin (makes sense, when you think about it. Not that I ever had to before.)

I think I'm looking forward to moving on tomorrow - I could do with a rest from all this diabetes malarky! DFx

Tuesday, apparently, is shopping day in Annette’s household. So we went to the supermarket. I got to ride in the cart, but we weren’t allowed to stop and look at the chocolates that were out on the shelves, because we weren’t buying any. Apparently I’m as bad as her husband for wanting to put unsuitable items in the trolley…

I was trying to work out which the best items were for diabetics to eat – but the labels are so tiny! Good job I had my glasses, but even then, its just so confusing! Annette says it does get easier as you get used to what everything means and what they actually do, but I’m not sure. I only have one lifetime, you know.

In the afternoon, we went out for a walk around the village. It’s lovely to get out into the sun, but the amount of junk she brings with her – testing kit and snacks and hypo treatments and everything – I’m beginning to think that spontaneity isn’t in a diabetic’s dictionary.

I wanted to make some cake this evening – I found a very nice sounding recipe. But She said there was far too much sugar in it, even for non-diabetics, and I wasn’t having it. Humph.

Apparently, they’re going to the gym again tonight. I’ll take a raincheck on that – I know it’s supposed to be good for you, but really? DFx

Today, we’re going to Annette’s work. I got up early and helped make her lunch – it’s all a bit complicated working out how much everything is, as I found out with Flower, but I’m sure I got it right this time.

In work, I was allowed to play on the computer for a bit until she had to start doing some ‘actual work’ as she called it. So I got put away in the drawer for the day, just sticking my head out for air when she wanted to test her blood sugars. Goodness, she does that a lot. I’m told it’s because the stresses of work cause her numbers to be a bit unreliable at times – who knew?   

And then at lunch time, it turns out I didn’t do such a good job with counting the carbs in her lunch. Well, I’d never come across one of those squash-pumpkin-goodness knows type things before except as a lantern at Halloween, so how was I supposed to know how to count it? And it turns out I did it wrong…

Luckily her wizard (who looks very different to Flower’s wizard, but is just as helpful…I think) told her what she needed to do to correct, so hopefully it’ll sort itself out before home time.


Come home time things were returning to normal, and her blood sugar was within bounds to allow her to drive. Apparently, she isn’t allowed to drive if her numbers are too low (under 5) without eating something or really low (under 4, eat, wait until numbers are above 5 for 45 minutes), and she doesn’t like to drive if her numbers are too high, as it might make it difficult to concentrate. But it’s all fine and good to go. You can drive, I like to be chauffeured. DFx

Today has been a big day! First, I was told we were going to the gym.
I was so excited, I’d never been to a gym before. Unfortunately, this meant we had to wake up a good hour earlier, so that she could turn her pump down so that she didn’t go hypo during her workout. I was not impressed, I need my beauty sleep, you know!

When we got there, it tuned out I was supposed to work! I didn’t realise a gym meant treadmills and cycles. I thought you went to have coffee and cake. Nonetheless, I was on hand with the Lucozade should it be needed, but it wasn’t.

In the afternoon, it was DIY time. I helped out, but was told in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to touch the drill. Meanies!

And then, oh then, I was so excited I could have turned cartwheels! We went out in the little car to see the Vulcan fly over (it’s a big plane, I was told). We not only saw it, really low, and heard it (REALLY loud), but I was allowed to help him drive home! (Not her, because she hadn’t tested her blood sugar before we came out so he had to do all the driving. This is something I am going to have to look
into…)

That’s all for today – and quite enough excitement too! DFx

So, after a somewhat bumpy night (those postal workers are definitely not gentle in their package handling!) I arrived at my new hosts’ only to discover they had gone out to get flu jabs, so I had to wait.

Thinking about it, this was probably a good thing, as had I arrived earlier, I might have had to have one too.

This afternoon we went gardening. I had a very important job – looking after the Lucozade – apparently gardening has a tendency to cause hypos in diabetics.

True to form, my assistance was required after an hour or so. I can’t see why, all she was doing was repotting stuff, pulling vegetables for tea and cleaning the greenhouse!


And now, its time for Strictly. I do love a bit of sparkle – I am a fairy, after all! DFx

Ta dah!!! Surprise, I'm hosting a 'thank you' party as I'm moving on.

I've had a great time contrary to my expectations which were quite frankly rock bottom. I feel I've learnt so much about Type 1 diabetes- and get this -diabetics look normal!

I've taken on the party catering myself as I've really got this carb counting/balanced diet business sorted. I asked Flower what her favourite and worst types of food are and - now let me get this in the right order - I'm pretty sure she said she loves a buffet with a selection of foods and nibbles of unknown origins and dubious carb content so that's just what I've prepared. She also said her carb nemesis is pizza so I've cut her a fairy sized slice. For dessert I've provided a selection of her most favourite biscuits, although she says they are usually for medicinal purposes only, and to accompany all that I've selected a large bottle of fine wine from the cellar.She says drinking too much alcohol, especially without food, can really cause havoc with blood sugar and increase the chance of hypos so moderate alcohol intake is the safe way to go. 

She's taken charge of the party games, there's 'Diabetic Jenga' 

and then her most favourite game, 'Operation'

No!! Wait, I never meant any of my meddling with your blood sugar to cause you problems, I was just trying to inject some interest and variety into a lifelong, chronic condition! Don't be hasty.... we can talk this over....

So what have I learned? Having to provide all your insulin is a tall order that goes on 24/7, it's a narrow tightrope to balance on trying to maintain good blood sugar control with all the factors that can influence results plus diabetics carry huge handbags (not sure about male diabetics). She says diabetes management takes up a good deal of time with blood tests, insulin doses, carb counting, food choices, exercise, illness, medical appointments etc, none of which is helped by often crass media coverage and general ignorance about diabetes. Complications are evil and we should do everything to try and prevent them, but being able to talk to others going through the same battles makes life so much better. Gosh, that's almost brought a tear to my eye, perhaps she gets all philosophical after a glass of wine and a lettuce starter!

Well, time to pack my things, I've a train to catch and can't wait to meet my new host/ess ,cast my eye around their life and pick up some more fascinating diabetes facts. 

So, it's good bye from Flower and Au Revoir from me. DFx

Down here! Yes I know, I'm like a chameleon, hard to spot in the natural environment.

We are off to town, I say we but I've come on ahead as I was ready with £5 tucked under my wing to buy an Unlimited Fairy Rover Pass. Flower seems to be packing for a long weekend break, glucose meter, spare glucose meter, spare pump cannula and reservoir, spare batteries, back up pen and needles in case of pump failure, fruit pastilles, I mean lighten up lady what's the worst that can happen in a few hours? Oh, a hypo or potential diabetic ketoacidosis if your insulin delivery fails, fair enough, I hadn't thought of that.

Well get a look at this, 

I thought we'd come to the circus but no, it's the Cheltenham Literature Festival full of bookworms, politicians, historians, boffins and celebs chatting about their books. I could do this, just how hard can it be to write an international best seller? I might just hang around looking intelligent in case any publishing agents are talent spotting. This place is a Georgian Spa town, those Georgians could certainly build a nice looking house but it does make me think, you wouldn't have found an insulin dependent diabetic standing here in the 1700's, no insulin to be dependent on. Hmm, very sobering and food for thought.

Talking about food I think it's time we had some. Something called SmartGuard has suspended Flowers pump, wow how space age is that technology!

It works out when her blood sugar is falling too low and cuts off basal delivery to try and stop hypos, clever, I like it a lot.

So my challenge today is to work out the carb value of this bun so she can work out her insulin dose.

Well, quite obviously it's .... 15g?, 47g? 81g? does it matter? How on earth am I supposed to know, there's no label! You can't tell me that diabetics have to go through this tedious rigmarole every time they eat, why don't cafes give you a clue? Oh right, Flower has an app which shows carb values for foods although not specifically this bun, she says it's a bit of guess work and it really does matter how much insulin she gives for the bun else she'll go hypo or hyper. It sort of takes the shine off eating out and having buns doesn't it? I'm starting to think there might be more to this diabetes thing, it does seem a bit more complicated than I originally thought!

Anyway that's me done for now, time for a large glass of wine with some crisps and nibbles, surely they don't affect blood sugar do they?  DFx