Couchsurfing with the Diabetes Fairy

You know what I said about diabetes being predictable? Well, Susan left me at home this morning, so I didn’t have to run the gauntlet of the dinosaurs again, while she went and did some shopping. When she got back we sat down to enjoy a cup of coffee and her CGM started doing a dance and said her BG was dropping rapidly. She asked me why.  She’d had the same breakfast, done much the same sorts of things yet was getting a very different result. I get a bit embarrassed when people ask me questions about diabetes and I don’t know the answer. I’m beginning to wonder if the rules are different for every diabetic… Could this be possible?

While she was out I did a bit of exploring and I have discovered her secret stash of Free From Ginger Cookies which are very moreish, but I mustn’t eat too many as I don’t want to become a diabetic Diabetes Fairy (and I suspect Susan might be a bit annoyed if they all disappeared!).

 I promised Susan I’d give her choir another plug. They’re the #EncoreSingers #Dorchester. They were very nice to me and said I could come back if I was ever visiting again. I managed to get a bit of video of them to remind me what they sound like, with me helping the conductor. I did get a little carried away – sorry Julia! (Susan edited the video so I wouldn’t embarrass myself in front of you, dear Reader.) Not that many of the choir noticed as they weren’t watching the conductor. Tut tut!

I must confess I’m not the most patient of fairies. I’ve tried my magic wand to make the kiln cool down faster. That didn’t work. I tried fairy dust and all that happened was that it went down by 1 degree! Unfortunately fairy dust doesn’t show up in photos.

 Chicken soup for lunch. It’s surprising how many carbs are in ‘bought’ chicken soup – 16.8g. I’ve just realised my eyebrows have disappeared. It must be ‘cos I’ve worn them out ‘cos I spend so much time being surprised about diabetes things. I wonder if there’s a limit to the number of surprises a girl can take. If so, I must be getting towards the limit, which is a worrying thought. (Quite what my mud castle is doing in Susan’s kitchen is a mystery.)

Susan reassured me that there’s no limit on surprises and said my eyebrows will grow back when I know absolutely everything there is to know about diabetes. That’s good. They’ll start growing tomorrow, I expect, ‘cos there really can’t be that much more… can there?

We jumped into Susan’s car and went to collect her friend, Liz, then went to Cerne Abbas to talk to Mr Letwin. He was ready and waiting even though we were early and he’d done his homework, so he understood what we were talking about. Susan showed him what the CGM does and he could see the benefit to her. He read the letter that Susan’s surgeon had written and described it as ‘very strong’. He suggested that Susan ask her diabetes consultant again to apply for a CGM for her or even to provide sensors for her current CGM. If he refuses, Susan is to contact Mr Letwin again and he will write to the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group, bypassing the consultant. Susan sees the diabetes man again in January, so fingers crossed.

After we finished we went to view the main sight of Cerne Abbas.

Gosh! Was I embarrassed!! But, if he doesn’t have to wear knickers, why should I? I was so overcome, I forgot to take a photo, but Susan managed to find one for me. (I think my knitted knickers are giving me a rash.) 

So I could have some time to calm down, Susan took Liz and me for coffee and cake. In the tea shop, I was incensed to be asked if I was Peppa Pig. I had to explain, yet again, that she is my evil twin. But I must say the chocolate cake was good. Susan knows she shouldn’t have eaten the cake, but she did enjoy it. I could tell from all the ‘Mmmm’ sounds I heard. Even diabetics deserve a treat sometimes.

I’ve been thinking… Dangerous, I know, but I do do it sometimes. Before Susan had a pump she must have been injecting insulin every time she ate, so that’s at least 8 times a day! She must have been like a pin cushion! And she must have done a finger prick too. I’m surprised she didn’t leak like a sieve. Susan gave me a finger prick so I could feel what it’s like… Ouch!

The box says ‘Comfort’. I can assure you it was not comfortable at all. It hurt!! I’m glad I don’t have to do that, even 3 times a day. Susan says that when she first had her operation she had to eat every hour… EEK! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

With her CGM she still has to do some finger pricks, but only about 3 or 4 a day to make sure the CGM is accurate. I can understand why she wanted a CGM.

I wonder if the kiln is cool enough to open yet. We’re going to go out to Susan’s potting shed to have a look… Only 14 degrees to go… ………………….Hurrah! Though my bottom did get a bit warm posing for this photo.

I would love a nice crunchy salad, but I won’t get one in this house! I wouldn’t mind a slice of toast either, but Susan also has to follow a wheat free diet as the bugs in her interior have a party if she eats normal bread – which brings us back to gas! I was shocked at the price of wheat free bread. I can understand why she doesn’t eat it much. The supermarket wouldn’t let me take a selfie with a loaf of wheat free bread. Hisssss Boo!

Mr Pearce (Susan’s hero – in case you didn’t know) has prescribed her some very pretty pink pills to kill off the partying bugs in her interior. The only trouble is they are enormous.

They are expensive too and Professor Williams, who was with Mr P, reminded her not to waste them. (Susan has quite a collection of consultants) She took the first pill this morning. While she’s taking the pills she’s got to eat normally, no free from stuff… I’ll keep you updated on gas levels. At the moment I’m surprised Susan doesn’t float off like a balloon.

I wonder what’s in store for me tomorrow. DFx