29 September, 2006

Updated links again

I've updated my links again. If you link to me but I haven't put your link in bold, please let me know and I'll correct it.

Also - feel free to recommend any blogs I don't have listed. I'm always looking out for more :)

I'd also encourage you to visit the nice people who link to me - a great variety to read and you may just find yourself a favourite!

Happier post as promised!

I found the upside to having lower levels than usual - it made me feel better about being a bit naughty (food-wise)!

I'm still on the lower side of things today, so with lunch I had a whole bread roll. I adore fresh white bread and bread rolls, but I've found that's one thing that my body can't handle too much of. Today though, I had a roll with my lunch and then my manager was handing out donuts (cinnamon sugar) and I figured 'why not!'. I haven't had a donut in aaaages. Two hours later and I was at 7.1 [127] - smack bang in the middle of the range I aim for.

Not to mention - it's the weekend!!! Gotta love that :)

As for plans - not much so far. I was thinking of going to see 'The Devil Wears Prada". Anyone seen it? Is it good?

28 September, 2006

weird day

I've spent most of today feeling not quite 'right'.

I have type 2 diabetes and my blood glucose levels normally seem to be higher than they should be (dietician keeps telling me that perhaps I should be talking to the doctor about medication).

I'm meant to aim for under 5.5 [99] before breakfast and between 6 and 8 [108-144] two hours after meals. Normally I average 6.5 [117] before breakfast and closer to 8 [144] after meals - sometimes higher. I also start feeling a bit strange at around the 5ish [90] mark (hard to concentrate, shaky, hungry, very sleepy and just plain weird), though since I'm not on medication the doctor says I don't have hypos, but I know that I feel strange if my levels get lower than usual.

So far this week, I've managed to be under 6 [108] all week before breakfast. This is unheard of for me, so to be so close to 5.5 [99] four days in a row is very surprising.

This morning I woke up and tested my level - 5.4 [97] - pretty good. I have some breakfast (same stuff as always) and off to work I head. I test myself before lunch because I don't feel quite right - 5.6 [100] - good level so I shouldn't be feeling odd. I have my usual lunch and then an hour later, I feel even less 'right'. 4.8 [86], ok so I figure I can pinch a few hot chips off a mate at work (mmmm, hot chips with chicken salt are the best!). A bit later I test again - 4.2 [72]. This is not usual for me so I have some chocolate and some almonds (all I had handy) and test 20 mins later - 5.8 [104] - good! Forty five minutes later I test again and I'm 4.7 [84]! I'm home again now and just tested at 5.1 [91].

I have spent the whole damn day feeling 'wrong' - feeling like I have to force myself to stay awake and really concentrate, shaking my head to get rid of the wooly brain feeling, shaking my hands since my fingers feel funny, as well as trying very hard to remain calm - I've been very grumpy and even had an urge to throw the phone through the window at one stage. I've had lower readings than today (I had a 3.9 [70] two days ago) but these weird feelings usually don't last very long - unlike today. It's very confusing (and damn hard on the fingers!). It's also a bit depressing to think that my levels today are closer to what is normal than the levels I usually get.

Ok whinge over... I promise to make the next post a happier one.

26 September, 2006

A quick update

Chickie is fine. Phew!

We took him back to the doctors, as they wanted to keep an eye on him, and apparently he has a mild case of pneumonia which is responding very well to antibiotics. We had to keep him quiet for a few days (not easy - even when he's sick, he's always been an active kid) and then he could pretty much go back to usual activities. We do have to watch him to see if he starts acting 'flat' or his energy levels drop, or if he develops a fever - then we have to take him straight to hospital. The doctor doesn't expect this to happen though, he says Chickie is doing really well.

I'm back on to the phones and after 2 days, I'm already tired of arguing with some people.

There's a charge to investigate a phone fault IF the problem turns out to be the customer's equipment (or deliberate damage by the customer), otherwise there's no charge. This is charged by the wholesaler (not our company, we just pass it on). You would not believe how many people refuse to pay this.

I personally think it is reasonable - the fee is expensive, yes, but the theory behind it is reasonable. Why should the wholesaler send a tech out - free of charge to the customer - when the problem is that the customer's handset (that couldn't possibly have anything wrong with it because it's worked fine for the last 50 million years) now isn't working? Why would it be reasonable to get a FREE tech out to investigate a problem when the wholesaler's network/equipment is working as it should but the customer's equipment isn't?

For goodness sakes people - things break! How many times have you had a hair dryer or a toaster that just suddenly stopped working? I know it can be inconvenient to do the testing sometimes but honestly, wouldn't you rather do a little bit - just in case it's a matter of unplugging one bit of equipment so that you get your service back now and not have to wait a couple of days? GAH!!

Ok, rant over... just had to get it out of my system. I have just 13 more actual days of this to go. I can make it (I just have to keep telling myself that).

22 September, 2006

Yipes!

Chickie has been coughing for a couple of weeks. Nothing too major, we thought, though we did notice he was coughing a lot at night. This morning he had a bit of a coughing fit though. He was coughing so hard, he almost threw up.

J had to go to the doctors today anyway (he's had an x-ray and blood tests done as he has a painful foot and the doc didn't know what it was), so he decided to take Chickie to the doc's too. Luckily it's a walk-in type place, so no appointment necessary.

So anyway, I get home to find out Chickie has pneumonia! Good grief - other than a cough, he seems fine. He's happy, very very active and no temperature. Only other symptom is a slight runny nose. How the heck did he manage to get pneumonia??

He's had a chest x-ray done and apparently the doc rang after it was done to let J know what it was. He said if Chickie starts getting 'flat' or runs a temperature, we need to take him to hospital. We also have to take him back to the doc's tomorrow. J says I should get checked out too, as not long after Chickie started coughing, I did too. I do have a nasty cough, but I feel fine otherwise. Is pneumonia contagious - anyone know?

As for J - well the doctor still doesn't know what's wrong with his foot. All the usual tests came back normal. He's on anti-inflammatories and the doc wants to see him once the box is finished. He's had this problem before - mystery pains in his feet and the doctor could find no cause. It's odd...

On my side of life - the week's training is over. The presentations have been done (and we did ok). Some of the teams put in an amazing amount of effort - one team even put together a bound booklet of their presentation! Mind you, some of the most interesting didn't rely on much more than a printed sheet with points on it.

Back to work on Monday... but I have to say, I have not missed those phones one iota!

21 September, 2006

My brain is mush

I've been doing a training course all this week and tomorrow we all do a presentation on the topic. I'm working with another person, so we'll have to speak for about 20 mins all up.

I'm not worried about the actual talking in front of people (I've done so many presentations to people in my centre lately that it feels second nature to me now), but I'm hoping we're on the right track with the subject info. I kinda feel like I'm missing the point somehow.

Oh well, hopefully all will go well and then it's back to work on Monday. I kinda like doing the training though. Even though there are some occasions where it's hard to give my full attention (lots of info = mushy brain thing).

Another thing, I'm quite excited right now - my counter will shortly hit the 1000 mark! My thanks to everyone who visits :)

I just love it...

when Chickie asks me to drive home a different way (he loves his little 'adventures'). I'll be approaching our street from the other end (to usual) and he'll throw his hands in the air and cheer, saying 'Yay! We made it!'.

I'll readily admit to having poor navigation skills, but surely they're not that bad!

17 September, 2006

trying to be creative


Not very many interesting things to talk about lately, so here's a picture instead. These are my first two efforts to make bracelets with memory wire. I'm quite pleased with these, for first attempts.

15 September, 2006

MY car

The bank no longer has a partial share in my car! Yup, today I went in and paid out the loan (two and a half years early!), so it's alllll mine now.

It's a good feeling.

I missed an anniversary

It's been just over a year since I was diagnosed with type II diabetes. I got the official diagnosis from the doc on the 7th of September, but I really knew on the 26th of August.

I had gestational diabetes when I had Chickie (2002). I was on the diet for two weeks and, after that, insulin until I gave birth. I have to admit I was pretty freaked out by the whole thing. I managed to prick my fingers ok for the many blood glucose level tests, but the insulin was a whole 'nother ball game. I had to get J to do it for the first um... several times. It probably didn't help that I was told to do the injections in my stomach (lower sides) and there was that whole pregnant belly to account for.

My levels, while pregnant, were all over the place. I had the occasional low (around 3, or 54 for those in the U.S.) and the more common high (10, or 180) - I was aiming for no higher than 7.7 two hours after meals. Generally the levels just kept rising, as did the insulin dose. I was told my levels should return to normal shortly after the birth but they took their time to come down. People were starting to make noises about me having more than just gestational diabetes. The levels did come down though, thank goodness.

I had to have regular tests afterwards to ensure my levels were normal - and yes they were, until the test on the 26th of August. At that test my bgl was so high that they wouldn't do the test. I went to the doctor and she did another test - the HbA1c. For that one the doc said the cutoff for a diagnosis of diabetes was 7 - which was exactly where I was. I found that out on the 7th of September 2005.

So, I missed my 'anniversary'. Not that it's something I want to celebrate anyway. The only thing to celebrate about this part of my life for the last year is that I've lost 12 kgs (26 pounds). People tell me I'm fading away (ha!). I'll need to lose another 6 kgs (13 pounds) before I'm within my ideal weight for height (I'm just slightly too short, you see ;) hehe).

On the whole that side of my life, this last year, has been quite confusing. What with figuring out what and when I should eat, what foods affect my blood glucose levels and trying to like exercising every day. Hmm... I don't really have any of those down pat yet.

At least my HbA1c levels are ok - last one was 5.8 - so I guess I must be doing something right.

13 September, 2006

Ch-ch-ch-changes

If you've read past posts, you might know that I'm currently doing an extra line faults role at work. You might also be aware that I don't particularly enjoy that role.

Well, hooray hooray... I won't be doing that role for much longer. My team will be going back to it's old role (well, we're still doing that along with the extra role), plus we'll be taking on another role. This new one will be more internet oriented (where my interests lie). It will be a challenging time though, so I will probably be complaining about it later!

Oh and I'm outraged...

Not only have the IAU demoted Pluto, but now they've renamed it. Unbelievable! Read about it here.

It will always be Pluto (the planet) to me.

A very special lunch


Yesterday's special at the local cafe near work:

11 September, 2006

owie

I have a fat lip...

Chickie was mucking around and accidentally headbutted me in the mouth. I caught my teeth on my lip and now I have what looks like a blood blister and a fat lip.

You know, I'm told babies are born with such soft flexible bones, so how the heck do they become so hard just a few years later!

The poor thing was so sorry he hurt me, that I felt bad for him. I have to tell you though, this kid's head should be declared a lethal weapon!

09 September, 2006

confession time

I have a confession to make...

I have absolutely zero interest in playing with lego. There, I said it!

Chickie has a huge box of lego bits and pieces (it used to belong to J and his brother when they were kids) and he just loves playing with it. And he always wants someone to play with him. It's understandable, I guess, since he's 4 and doesn't quite have the skills to make the cool stuff he sees in the shops etc. Problem is, I have no interest in building/making stuff myself. J does but sometimes he's busy or Chickie just wants me to play with him.

J and Chickie will cruise the aisles of the toy shops and check out all the different kits - the Star Wars ones, the pirate ships, the cars/trucks etc. Me? Well, my response, is a nod and a less than enthusiastic 'cool'.

I'd much rather play with his Thomas the Tank Engine sets. He's got two different types - the Take Along sets (he has the sawmill and the island quarry set) and the plastic sets with the battery operated trains (he got the giant set for his birthday).

08 September, 2006

RIP Peter Brock

Peter Brock - one of Australia's motor sports legends died in an accident, during a rally, today. Another famous Australian killed, doing the thing they loved, this week. See the story here.

What a week...

07 September, 2006

This is cool.

Check this site out. Some of the stuff it said about my birthdate:

You were born on a Monday
under the astrological sign Capricorn.

The Julian calendar date of your birth is 2439142.5.
The golden number for 1966 is 10.
The epact number for 1966 is 8.
The year 1966 was not a leap year.

You were born in the Chinese year of the Snake.

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Goose; your plant is Bramble.

You were born in the Egyptian month of Famenoth, the third month of the season of Poret (Emergence - Fertile soil).

Your date of birth on the Hebrew calendar is 25 Tevet 5726.

As of 9/7/2006 8:18:16 AM EDT
You are 40 years old.
You are 488 months old.
You are 2,120 weeks old.
You are 14,843 days old.
You are 356,240 hours old.
You are 21,374,418 minutes old.
You are 1,282,465,096 seconds old.

Your age is the equivalent of a dog that is 5.80939334637965 years old. (You're still chasing cats!)

There are 132 days till your next birthday
on which your cake will have 41 candles.

Your birthstone is Garnet

The Mystical properties of Garnet

Garnet is used as a power stone

Some lists consider these stones to be your birthstone. (Birthstone lists come from Jewelers, Tibet, Ayurvedic Indian medicine, and other sources)

Emerald, Rose Quartz


Your birth tree is

Elm Tree, the noble-mindedness

Pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, tends to a know-all-attitude and making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humour, practical.


There are 109 days till Christmas 2006!
There are 122 days till Orthodox Christmas!

05 September, 2006

Happy birthday J

J's birthday today and the only birthday surprise is that he's caught a cold. He doesn't look very well, but unfortunately today is his study day (he's doing a part-time diploma in software engineering) and if he doesn't go, it will be hard to catch up.

At least he's already organised to have tomorrow as a day off. I've been trying to think of some fun things we could do to celebrate his birthday, but he may just want to use it to rest, if he's not well. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

For a birthday cake, he's put in a request for a choc-mint mud cake from The Cheesecake Shop, so I'll head down to the local one later and see if they have one.

As for the rest of my day, I was thinking of seeing a movie (since it's cheapie Tuesday). I can't decide between Clerks 2 and Pirates of the Carribean 2 though. Hmm, decisions decisions :)

04 September, 2006

RIP Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin - the crocodile hunter has died in a diving accident. I'm stunned. See the story here.

Chickie loves 'Crikey' as he calls him. I was never a big fan but you can't deny his love for Australian animals. His website is here (but timing out right now).

RIP Steve.

In case you weren't aware...

4 year olds can not keep secrets.

Heh, I should have known better. You see it was father's day in Australia yesterday and J's birthday is tomorrow. So, on Saturday, Chickie and I went shopping for presents. We bought some DVDs that J's been wanting for a while (Stargate, Futurama and American Dad).

Now I know from last year that Chickie has trouble with keeping secrets so I suggested we play a big trick on his dad (Chickie loves 'tricking' people at the moment) and tell him we got him tools. Chickie thought this was a great idea and on the way home we practiced what we'd say.

So what happened when we got home? "Guess what dad? We got you Stargate". D'oh!! Oh well... at least he didn't mention the others. So I wrapped up Stargate for father's day and wrapped the others separately to put away for his birthday.

J has a sleep-in yesterday and then when he gets up, Chickie tells him - "Dad, we got you tools!" (too late kid, hehe). J opens the Stargate and then Chickie asks me where the Futurama and American Dad was... double D'oh!!

Ah well... maybe next year.

03 September, 2006

Something I've never done before...

Chickie and I were heading out to get J a father's day present (happy father's day for all those celebrating it) and we found the 'other member' of our family sunning itself in the driveway. S/he's a shingleback lizard that we discovered a few months back. It hung around for about two months, then we didn't see it for ages. I thought it had gotten too spooked, since Chickie had to check on it every time he went outside.

So, it was right behind my car - just when I'm wanting to drive over that very spot. I'm standing there wondering how to move it. There was no way I was going to try touching or moving it by hand, and I have to tell you, lizards do not respond to hand-flapping and loud 'shoo'-ing. Next thought was to get a broom but I was a bit reluctant in case I hurt it.

Luckily, when I blogged about it months ago, I did a bit of searching and discovered that it was a Shingleback and that they are very partial to yellow flowers. Next door has a huge bush with yellow flowers (probably the reason it's hanging around this area) so I grabbed a flower and lured the lizard over to the grass. Problem solved! Though I'll bet the guy mowing his lawn, across the road, must have thought I was a bit odd.

So there you go - caramaena, the lizard lurer!

01 September, 2006

I really should be in bed...

busy day tomorrow, but I'm up very late because of a very funny movie called The Happiness of the Katakuris. It's described thusly:
From prolific Japanese cult director Takashi Miike comes an all-singing, all-dancing zombie horror flick. The story centres on recently retrenched Masao Katakuri who has decided to take over a bed and breakfast on a piece of land he bought which was originally a rubbish dump in a remote mountain area near Mountain Fuji. This venture is intended to unite his dysfunctional family but the dream doesn't seem to be going to plan as their guests keep dropping dead one after another.
It's hilarious. Even the zombies get in on the act. The grandfather doesn't sing though, he shouts. Oh and anywhere where you'd expect to see stunts, it changes to clay-mation.

Ah SBS... it's a treasure chest...

A school for Chickie and a whinge about my diabetes

Today J and I visited a school that we're thinking of sending Chickie to, next year. I'm pretty happy with it.

The classrooms looked nice. They have a program that places an emphasis on encouraging kids to believe in themselves (which will be good for Chickie). It used to be a lot bigger (now unfortunately shrinking in numbers), but they do have a lot of resources, because of that. All the computers are being upgraded at the end of this year and I hear a lot of good things about the school from different people. Also, very handily they have an onsite before and after-school care program (since J and I both work full time).

Chickie will look so cute in his grey shorts and red shirt!

In the afternoon, I visited a friend who's pregnant and on bedrest. She's been on bedrest for 4 weeks now and she's really 'over it'. On top of that, now she's been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. She's been measuring her blood sugar levels for a few days now and she showed me her numbers. To be honest, I'm as jealous as hell. She hasn't had anything over 5.9 (that one was two hours after a meal). I really wish I had those sorts of numbers. I got a 6.4 two hours after dinner today and was thinking it was pretty good (I'm supposed to aim for between 6-8 two hours after meals).

I'm still getting fairly high levels first thing in the morning. Was 7.7 this morning - recommended is 5.5 or lower, but that's pretty rare for me. My usual morning level is about 6.5. My doctor's not so concerned with the 6's for now, she wants to monitor it for a bit, but she's sent me off to a dietician to see if that helps bring it down. Plus she says the medication tends to bring down the levels overall, which might be harder since there are times where I get down to 4's (and feel pretty weird with it).

I've seen the dietician twice and she's told me that I'm doing all the right things and, if anything, I'm not eating enough carbs. She's said to make sure I have a snack before bed but mentioned that sometimes eating right isn't enough. I'm not really certain I want to start taking medication though. I know tablets aren't like the insulin injections I had to take when I had gestational diabetes, but still, medication feels like a slippery slope to me.