At approximately 4:30 P today it will be one week since I placed the glucose monitor on the inside of my extremely nervous left thigh.
That, in itself, was a stressful experience (or, as I learned decades ago in stress management training “interesting and inconvenient”). First, I had to hunt up the supplies to properly clean the installation site. It should have been simple enough- -baby shampoo, right? The ideal store for this is the local members-only retailer, Bi-Mart (five bucks to join forever), my favorite place to find non-trendy food, sundries and housewares.
Plus it’s like the dime stores I like to go to.
So true, 9. Décor-wise, a tactful realtor would say it needs an update, but I get a warm, fuzzy feeling amidst the scuffed vinyl floors, narrow aisles and utilitarian display shelving. Nostalgia, plus value for your dollar- -how can you beat it?
But you digress, as usual.
Deftly aimed, Lily. You cut me to the quick and beat me to the punch all in one!
Are you done digressing yet?
I confidently strolled to the baby section, where there were many varieties of Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo, but all of them boasted special fragrances and moisturizers, the two things the glucose monitor instructions explicitly forbid!
Fortunately, I had a Plan B. I nabbed a bottle of 75% isopropyl alcohol (the other item on my list) and advanced to the housewares section. I nearly cried with relief when, amongst the bottles of dish washing liquid, Dawn original- -clear, fragrance free, and the rest of it- -was prominently displayed.
Monitored: After a thorough cleaning of the site!
Now, all I had to do was affix the monitor to my body. I got home from my procurement expedition before noon. Hemming, hawing, and stalling ensued. Several times I poked the flesh on my inner and outer thigh, understanding there was probably enough fat to protect the muscle from being poked by the sharps, but this being the first time. . .
Glucose Monitor: The rubber at last hits the road. . .
Who in their right mind worries about their thighs not being fat enough?
I know, I know. But when I unscrewed the applicator cap and saw the sharp that looks like a cobra fang intent on doing you in, it messed with my perspective big time. Worse yet, time was of the essence because I’d opened this thing that needs to be as sterile as possible. I didn’t want it exposed to the elements any longer than necessary. I settled the plunger over my skin and- –
Ew, stop! I hate needles!
The funny thing is, 9, it didn’t hurt a bit. But OMG the stress I’d experienced leading up to it sure did.
Nearly seven days have passed with my new friend, the glucose monitor. For almost a week my glucose level has been under house arrest. The app that goes with the monitor is like my own personal corrections officer. The monitor has survived two hour-long swims under the protection of waterproof adhesive pads, and I’ve received some encouraging data besides. Drum roll, please:
Monitored: GMI averages the same type of information as an A1c, but over a shorter period of time. . .
What’s that?
It’s my Glucose Monitor Index based on nearly a week of data. The number 5.6 is significant because that is the top of the normal blood sugar range, just below the 5.7-6.4 pre-diabetic range that showed up on my 5.9 A1c in March. So it looks like the tweaks I’ve made to my diet, and possibly being active shortly after large meals, is working in my favor. I shared this information with the nutritionist I consulted last week:
Monitored: Average glucose by the hour. . .
He surmised the late morning/early afternoon slightly elevated levels are probably due to my default of eating two servings of fruit with breakfast.
I thought fruit was good for you?
Fruit is definitely good for you, 9, but it’s harder for your body to process the carbohydrates in fruit early in the day. Something to do with changes your body experiences during sleep. If I eat fruit in the afternoon or evening, paired with a food that’s high in protein and fat (examples: cheese, peanut butter, nuts) it will be easier for my body to process the sugar.
Weird!
Now that I’ve come down from the extreme anxiety of applying the monitor, I have to admit I’m enjoying the science experiment vibe of glucose monitoring. I suspect I’ll miss the monitor and the intriguing feedback when the unit expires at the end of 15 days.
Because as interesting as this experience is, including the encouraging feedback, I already have plenty of hobbies!
