Friday, September 28, 2012

Solving for why

I'm a pretty logical person.  I like it when a+b=c.  I run my errands by driving to the furthest point first, then making my way back towards the house.  When I write out my grocery list, it's done in order by aisle. 

Having said all this, I swear I'm fun at parties.

Diabetes, as you well know, is NOT logical.  It is NOT a+b=c.  It's more like a+b=purple.  Or more recently for us:

If a train leaves Chicago travelling east by 100 mph at 6:00 pm, and a monkey has 10 bananas but only eats 5; then what is the tallest free-standing structure in the world?

Answer: Spinal Tap.

Yeah, it makes no sense to me either.

I think in the world of chronic illness, diabetes is the crazy uncle.  You invite him to the party, but you never know what you're going to get.  Sometimes he acts like an a civilized human being; he can carry on an actual conversation, is quite polite and doesn't make a spectacle of himself.

Other times he's dancing naked on the hors d'oeuvres table while doing his (rather passable) rendition of "It's Rainin' Men".  With crazy uncle it's always expect the worst while hoping for the best.  Unfortunately, you can't turf crazy uncle out on his pale, naked hiney because, well... he's family.  And like it or not, he's there for the long haul.

But wouldn't it be nice to know why crazy uncle is sometimes normal and sometimes not?

With diabetes, I don't know why Elise sometimes needs a temp basal after a pod change, and sometimes she doesn't.

I don't know why soccer sometimes runs her low and other times runs her high.

I don't know why she needs an increased temp basal on days she has school.

And I don't know why she can eat the exact same meal, down to the carb count and one day she's in range afterwards and another she's sky high.

But I do know that diabetes in unpredictable and the best answer I have is just to roll with the punches.  I just wish diabetes didn't make it so hard when it comes to solving for why.

16 comments:

  1. I am laughing so loud! You are SOO funny!!! And, I wish you would make MY shopping list!!!!

    Were things more "predictable" on shots? Sometimes I curse this whole "micromanaging" by pump...alot more DOESNT make sense with a pump I think! Thanks for making me laugh this morning!! Love ya!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think that unpredictability is often the hardest part of all this mess.

    I also think that your crazy uncle would make for a super entertaining party! Haha!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am with you on this! I used to be an Accountant and then FBI Agent and I really must have things make sense and in order! Diabetes lately is just not making sense. She can wake up the same bg, eat the same snack, but one day be high two hours later and the next day be low....that does not make sense and I need to know why! I am trying to just deal with it and move on, because it is so exhausting to think about all the time, but it is so hard. I'm so tired of people asking why it doesn't make sense and thinking she is an unusual "case of diabetes", when this is how it is for everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  4. @ Kelly - shots were more predictable because there were less variables that could be causing the problem. But Elise loves her pump and would not got back to shots for anything. Can't say that I blame her...

    ReplyDelete
  5. You got that right. Heather and I are always pulling our hair out with day after day differences with diabetes and 2 kids that have it. Love the blog by the way, hope you don't mind the comment.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This post made me laugh while shaking my fist in the air at the same time since we are so at this point too...crazy nut balls diabetes. Even on shots, everything has gone to hell in a handbasket...no predictablity at all from one moment to the next over here! Why, oh why, oh why! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Awesome post. I adore your humor! I'm sorry that D is being so unruly. On a side note: I had no idea we were related! The only reason that Crazy Uncle hasn't danced on the hor duerve...hors durve...appetizer table is because we've never had an appetizer table. You are obviously from the classier side of the family. :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I know it wouldn't surprise you when I say... same same.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great post. I can totally have written similar stories, like we all could. The most predictable thing about diabetes......is well.....that it is unpredictable.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Seriously. Same breakfast I:C ratio yesterday and today. Yesterday 2 hours post breakfast: 154. Today 2 hours post breakfast: 47. Usually needs .50 units post pod change to keep her from going high. Yesterday it sent her low. Some pod changes it's not enough. It's enough to drive a girl to drink...oh wait, I already am...

    ReplyDelete
  11. Loving this post... and loving Kate's comment! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  12. oh what i would give to know the "why"!!!!! and totally giggling at Spinal Tap answer!

    ReplyDelete
  13. It's raining men...
    Thanks for that one, totally going to be stuck in my brain all night, which if I am lucky will be over earlier than later for me tonight (TJ's turn to check!)
    And about the crazy uncle D, TJ warned me right after he told me about him having diabetes that it doesn't make sense, that he can do all things "right" and it can still turn out "wrong" - so, lucky for me I knew far before I even thought about having kiddos let alone having a CWD. And it is THE ONLY thing about d that remains consist, that lovely consistently inconsistent characteristic, yeah for one thing kind of, right?!

    ReplyDelete
  14. spinal tap!

    we've been dealing with this more than usual later. why do things have to be so unpredictable? UGH.

    ReplyDelete

Comment moderation now in effect because of jerky comment spammers.

Now please leave your message after the beep.

Beep.