2010 Recap again....

I like answering questions about my life, so I took this from Linda at All&Sundry....

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before? Got Married!! Went on an 8 hour plane ride! Visited Hawaii! Went snorkeling. Had a 5.7 A1C. Ran my 3rd Half Marathon.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Ive never been able to keep a resolution, so I don't bother making them anymore! Let's just hope for a happy and HEALTHLY 2011!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Megan and John with Giuliana Rose born on March 2nd!

4. Did anyone close to you die? Not this year luckily!

5. What countries did you visit? Only the US of A.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010? A home, not apartment, and more space and seeing more friends.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? October 9, 2010, Best Day Ever!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Marrying the love of my life is the first one. But I also am proud of the fact that for the 4th time I needed a new job and found one. Now it is not the greatest job and I don't plan on being here for long but it is admirable that I got one and am being paid a good salary with a 4 mile commute!

9. What was your biggest failure? Of the two jobs I was offered this year I think I took the wrong one, the other job may have been better suited for me at this time in my life. I think the other failure is not running more and losing my long distance ability!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No, thankfully.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Not to be sappy, but my wedding ring. It is made up of diamonds from my Mom's wedding ring and my Grandma's 25th anniversary ring.

12. Where did most of your money go? Paying off our debt and we made a significant dent in it luckily this year.

13. What did you get really excited about? The wedding, the 4 weddings of Matt and Kendal, Steph and Chris, Trevor and Sarah and Sean and Marina we attended this year. Going to Hawaii! Parents buying a house in Florida that we can visit now!

14. What song will always remind you of 2010? Dynamite by Taio Cruz. The song the ring bearer Jake walked into at the reception and did a flip in the middle of the dance floor.

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? Happier.
– thinner or fatter? Haha, Fatter, this must change
– richer or poorer? Richer, thanks to the wedding and joining finances

16. What do you wish you’d done more of? Seen my friends. I saw them a lot this year, but not enough and I miss everyone!

17. What do you wish you’d done less of? Eat junk food, I am getting better at it though and have seen good improvements with my blood sugars!

18. How did you spend Christmas? In Erie and Warren seeing both families.

19. What was your favorite TV program? Modern Family, How I met your Mother, Two and a Half Men, NCIS and of course soap operas.

20. What were your favorite books of the year? The only book I have really loved this year is "I do, Now what?" by Bill and Giuliana Rancic, haha.

21. What was your favorite music from this year? Not really an album kind of girl, rather listen to the radio.

22. What were your favorite films of the year? I love to laugh at the movies and the Other Guys with Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell was hilarious.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 28 this year and Mike made me a great cake, but when we tried to go out to celebrate with friends DC got hit by a huge snow storm and we got snowed in!

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A shorter commute, and we fixed that one!

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? Needs improvement, my shoe collection is much better though.

26. What kept you sane? My new husband.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010. "If you are too busy to exercise, you are too busy."

Year in Review

What a wonderful and exciting year it has been! I have high hopes for 2011 and that my health and life continue to thrive! So many great possibilities await us and I am anxious to see where I go next!

January: The year started our good with our engagement announcement being placed in the Erie newspaper on New Years Day! This was the beginning of a crazy and hectic planning session for our upcoming wedding. Living in Bethesda, MD we got hit by two huge snowstorms nicknamed the "Noreaster" that allowed us to be off work for a few days which was nice!


February: I celebrated my 28th birthday and Mike graciously made me a cake, he did a nice job too. We had plans to go out with friends for my bday, but the snow had a different idea and we were completely snowed in all wknd long! We celebrated our first Valentines Day as an engaged couple and Jodie and Dave came to visit us for a few days.



March: On March 2nd, Miss Giuliana was born and we were thrilled for our friends Megan and John. We enjoyed meeting her when she was only three weeks old as well.
We also got to attend the JDRF "Beach Ball" in Erie as my parents were the Guest of Honor and hosts for the event. This is also where Annette blurted out that "Jenny had finally come out of the closet" in regard to speaking about Diabetes care.

April: In April we went and saw the Cherry Blossoms in DC and ran the Cherry Blossom 10 mile race again. We also celebrated Easter in Old Town Alexandria, VA which was a nice change of pace.

May: We traveled a lot in the month of May. We took the train from New Jersey up to NYC and stayed with Jim and Meghan. We also got to witness Berlin in his "Lostathon" where he watched the show Lost for 94 hrs straight. Over Memorial Day weekend we traveled down to Gainesville, FL for Matt and Kendal's wedding which was so nice and fun with Erie friends!

June: We traveled back to Erie for Father's Day and Dad's birthday. Mike also participated in his first sprint triathlon and did an amazing job with it!

July: The 4th of July was celebrated at a small celebration in suburban Bethesda which was a huge change of pace from what we were used to. Stephy and I went out to celebrate her last few days of being single. Then Mike and I traveled to Erie and Warren for a week of my two bridal showers and the weddings of Stephanie and Chris and Trevor and Sarah, where Mike was a groomsmen.


August: This was a fun month as Mike and I both celebrated our bachelorette and bachelor parties. Mike went with friends to West Va to go white water rafting and camping while I stayed in DC and Jill hosted a great party with a lot of food and wine!


September: Sean and Marina got married over Labor Day wknd and it was a fun time in DC! We moved to Columbia, MD this month in an attempt to save up some money, get away from traffic and find Jenny a new and better job. Mike's Mom came down to help us move and get our new and bigger apartment in order. We also did a lot of last min wedding things, such as buying our wedding bands and finalizing everything we could while we still had time!

October: Our wedding was on October 9th and what a grand event it was! It was followed by an amazing and gorgeous honeymoon to Oahu and Maui! This was the best month of my whole year!


November: I started a new job with United Healthcare as a Service Account Manager, it is not ideal, but it will do for now. We settled into our new apartment and life as a married couple. And we celebrated Thanksgiving with the Hintz family in their new home in Earlysville, VA, while bonding with Jillian of course!

December: Our first holiday season and it did bring some trials and tribulations, but all worked out in the end and we had a nice Christmas in Erie and Warren for many friends and family.

Low Blood Sugars and the Mall

Everytime I go to the mall around Christmas time, specifically, I can almost guarantee my blood sugar is going to drop. It has become a huge burden lately and has made me conclude that next year for Christmas, we will be done shopping by December 1st and it will mostly take place online. I think it has to do with the combinations of wearing a heavy coat, carrying a purse and heavy bags, not having much direction as to where to go, and being overheated in the process. It is a horrible feeling because here you are trying to finish up getting gifts for your loved ones and all you want to do is go home because you feel so bad! At least now I can recognize what causes this and will plan on being more prepared in the future. I am sure it is a sight to onlookers to see me carrying around a juice box as I run in and out of stores!

Back at the Gym

Mike and I went to the gym last night. It was the first time we have both gone together in a long time. There were quite a few people there, but luckily by go to elliptical machine and bike were both open. We only stayed for a half hour, but I still feel that half hours makes all the difference in the world. I feel better today and slept better last night. And oddly enough I wouldn't mind going back again tomorrow. I am fascinated by the people at the gym. There were two young girls, both wearing coats, and one wearing clogs while riding a bike. Really? You couldn't put sneakers on to go to the gym? There was also an older lady who would sprint as fast as she could on the treadmill and then jump to the sides before she fell off the back. There was also a girl who sounded like she was causing an earthquake when she ran because she would slam her feet on the treadmill after every step. It may be a struggle to get to the gym, but it is always entertaining once you are there.

Eating Anything

It always amazes me when people say things to me like "oh I would give you this cookie, but I know you cant eat it." Over the years this has happened occassionally and the first thought that always comes to my mind is that the person saying that is clueless. The funny thing is that growing up I never ate that sort of food. Regular Pop was a foreign concept and it was something I was not "allowed" to have. As times changed, and as I got an insulin pump, my understaning of what I was allowed to have changed too. I guess I always thought that if my understanding changed, so should everyone elses. I dont drink regular pop and I rarely eat sweets, but not because I can't, because I dont have an interest in them. Eating and drinking that sort of stuff is not good for anyone so I should not eat it anyway, diabetic or not. I just wish sometimes that people would understand with an insulin pump and proper diet and exercise you can eat the occassional cookie.

Back to Life....

After the wedding and the honeymoon we both thought it would be best if I started going to see all of my doctors in case we decided that we wanted to have a baby in the near future. Being a diabetic brings along the added challenge of needing an official green light from all of my doctors before we should/can decide to try for a baby. And being that I have been told to try "sooner rather than later" many times before we thought we should get moving on this. My endo had told me over a year ago that I had the okay from her to start trying after the wedding. She always said I was one of her best patients and to stop worrying and everything would be okay. My last A1C with her was 5.8 so I had that going for me too. Sadly though with living in Columbia, her office in Georgetown is just too far from here and so as of Jan 2011 I will start to see someone new and hope she can be as positive as this doctor was. Then I went to see my new Primary Care Doctor in Columbia as I needed his help to balance out the blood pressure issues. He put me on a pregnancy safe blood pressure med, and 2 mos into it, luckily its worked out pretty well. He also did a new A1C and that came back at 6.1. He said that was obviously still good and I told him I blamed the wedding and honeymoon for causing it to go up and got prepared to make it go down again. He also did an EKG to make sure my heart looked good and that went well too. I see him again in Jan but he told me all is well as far as he is concerned. The last stop was the eye doctor and that was the best visit of all. He ranted about how "proud" he was of me and that if I had not told him I was diabetic for 25 years, he would have never known b/c my eyes were that good! So as far as the doctors are concerned we are 3/3 and ready to give this all a shot.

Then there are my numerous concerns. I read too many articles and always think it could happen to us. Sometimes it is hard to not think of all the things that can go wrong. But, we shall see where this road takes up, but reading other peoples blogs and listening to my always optimistic husband hopefully this road will take us to a healthy Jenny and a healthy baby at some point in the future, however near of far it is!

Hawaii

After the wedding we embarked on a trip to Oahu and Maui! And it was the most amazing trip either one of us have ever been on before. The longest flight of my life was not as bad as I had expected it to be and luckily I got to sleep for most of the trip. In Oahu we got to hike up to the top of Diamond Head Crater, swim with a dolphin, and enjoy the newness of being married. Onto Maui we went to an authentic luau, ate some fantastic dinners, went snorkeling, and went over to another one of the islands. A great trip and we are already planning to go back again in a few years!

Married!

I have not written on here in a long time and felt I needed to document a few key life events before getting to what is going on currently! We got married on Oct 9 2010 and it was amazing. Everyone says something is bound to go wrong at your wedding and I can gladly say I cannot think of one thing that went wrong. It was wonderful and beautiful and I still cannot believe I am now married to the most calm, giving and understanding husband in world who I love so much!

Diabetes Meme

A Diabetes Meme.


What type of diabetes do you have: Type 1

When were you diagnosed: 1985, that's 25 years and going!

What's your current blood sugar: 117

What kind of meter do you use: One Touch Ultralink

How many times a day do you test your blood sugar: A lot, maybe 10-12

What's a "high" number for you: Something over 160 probably

What's do you consider "low": Under 75

What's your favorite low blood sugar reaction treater: I don't know about favorite, but the most reliable are juice boxes and orange juice.

Describe your dream endo: Easy to get on the phone! Fills prescriptions within minutes!

What's your biggest diabetes achievement: A1C's rather consistent in the 5's and running a half marathon.

What's your biggest diabetes-related fear: Losing a limb

Who's on your support team: Mike and my Dad

Do you think there will be a cure in your lifetime: I cant go there, b/c it seems that even if there was a cure the line to get it would be too long to dream about.

What is a "cure" to you: Anything, either an artificial pancreas or new pancreas that keeps my blood sugars stable all day long without any intervention from me!

The most annoying thing people say to you about your diabetes is: Wow, you are so skinny, how did you get diabetes? UGH....

What is the most common misconception about diabetes: That all diabetics get complications.

If you could say one thing to your pancreas, what would it be: What happened?

High School Track

I have been going through a drought with my running and have not been all that interested in getting out the door and going lately. But that all changed last night. Mike and I found a high school track that is open to the public and I decided to use it last night. It was fabulous. I got out there and decided to run 12 laps, as in 3 miles, without stopping. And I did it. I don't know if I was being competitive with the other runners out there, or if I was just having a good night, or if I was imagining what it would have been like if I was in high school and I was a track runner and I was being cheered on by people in the stands. I think it was the last reason.

No running?

There was a post on TuDiabetes today where a woman was talking about how she was told upon her diagnosis that she was not allowed to run any longer. She said she was told she should "decrease" her level of activities. That is all so absurd to me and frustrating. I find that its always other people who have issues with being told they cannot do something. I have never once been told I cannot do anything. Not by a doctor, not by a nurse and certainly not by my family. After being diabetic for 25 years youd think I would have encountered just one person who would tell me that I cannot do something. The only thing I can remember is that I was not supposed to run the mile run in elementary school b/c my blood sugar would go too low after. That was my choice though as an 8 year old who wasnt properly aware of how to balance blood sugar levels. That was a decision made by my family and teachers at the time, though if I had wanted to run it, I surely could have and I believe I did a time or two. Most people look at diabetes as a reason to not do things, not eat things, and not be like everyone else. To me that is an excuse and there is nothing I cannot do besides produce insulin. Personally I feel bad for the first person who tells me I cannot do something, they would get more than a ear full from me.

Airport Security

We flew to Gainesville, FL this wknd for my friend Matt's wedding. It was a great trip and I am so glad we could go and we had an awesome time. The wedding was gorgeous and the bride and groom were so happy! That being said I was a little worried about bringing my diabetic supplies on the plane. I have been reading horror stories of people having to show their insulin pumps or take them off and have them examined by security. This was the first time I have flown since 2008 and thought maybe things had gotten more strict.

Well I was wrong. No one said a thing. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. No one questioned the insulin pump, the insulin, the lancets or the spare syringes in my carry on bag.

Now yes I was pleased with this and I hope it is because they have seen this stuff so often they know what it was and not that they just missed it altogether. Lets hope our flights to and from Hawaii in a few months goes off as incredibly well as this trip did!

Fitting #1

My wedding dress fitting is going to be on Saturday July 10th at 9am. I cannot wait. But I do wonder what they will say and do when I tell them we have to make a pocket for the insulin pump. I started thinking about this after I read Kerri's piece on Six Until Me her own wedding dress designs a few years back.



You never know with some people. Do they know what an insulin pump is? Have they seen one before? Do they know someone who is diabetic? Do they know what having diabetes means?

We'll see what happens on July 10th and I am hoping they can make something that is secretive yet easy for me to access the pump. I am trying not to dwell on it but part of me is concerned about having the time to check my blood sugars throughout the wedding to make sure I stay on top of the game!

New York test strips

We went to NYC this past weekend. We left early Sat morning and came back home on Sunday night. It was a nice one night trip that we are very glad we did! I didn't bring as many diabetic supplies as I normally do on trips because it was for such a short amount of time. I didn't bring any extra insulin with me because I figured the insulin in my pump was enough to hold me for a one night trip. The only issue was that I forgot to bring any extra test strips. I looked at the bottle when we were more than half way to New York and was upset to see I only had brought one bottle of test strips! Luckily there were 17 strips in there, way more than enough than Id need for that amount of time, but it still seems stressful to know that you don't have an endless supply of strips. I felt that I had to ration out the strips to make sure I didn't run out of them just in case, but 17 still should have been enough for one full day. This seems to happen to me a lot. If only strips didn't cost $1 per strip, than it would not be so horrible if you ran out of them and had to go stock up on more from the pharmacy!

Bret Michaels wins Celebrity Apprentice

Bret Michaels was on the Today show today to talk about his big win on Celebrity Apprentice last night. Thanks to his efforts he brought in $250,000 for the American Diabetes Association. Bret has been a type one diabetic for most of his life and was recently told that his young daughter is a borderline diabetic. I think it is fantastic that Bret won and brought in all this money for a disease that affects him and potentially his daughter. Many people have said that Donald Trump only picked him to win because of a sympathy vote due to the fact that Bret suffered a brain hemorrhage a few weeks back and recently also discovered he has a hole in his heart. Personally I think he was the ideal winner with or without his personal conditions. No one saw this guy coming. He was almost written off early in the show as being too lazy or not interested enough in what he was doing. Boy did he ever prove them wrong. It was entertaining and wonderful to watch this rocker character win time and time again and bring in a lot of money for diabetes research. Sometimes it isnt always the business like persona that makes it big in the business world. Now if only he would stop calling it di-a-bee-tus and would say diabetes!

RSVP

Mike and I got an invitation to a wedding we are going to in July that he is a groomsmen in. Being the ever devoted guest I decided to fill out the RSVP card right away and mail it the next day, even though they know we are coming. I had just tested my blood sugar and went to get a pen and fill out the card. I looked down at the card and noticed a few drops of blood had gotten onto the RSVP card. OH MY GOSH. How morrtifying was this. I cant believe it. Who gets blood on an RSVP card for a wedding. I immediately began to rub it off and used an eraser to try and fix it. I even wrote a small note on the card to cover it up. Solved! Oh but I was wrong. When I looked at the envelope to put the RSVP card into it I realized there were little drops of blood all over it. Far too many to be saved. Really?! Who does that? I called the groom to tell him and he thought it was funny and told me to still send it so I didnt waste the stamp, but this would only happen to a diabetic wedding guest!

Wrap up of D-Blog week

Dream a little dream - life after a cure. To wrap up Diabetes Blog Week, let’s pretend a cure has been found. We are all given a tiny little pill to swallow and *poof* our pancreases are back in working order. No side effects. No more insulin resistance. No more diabetes. Tell us what your life is now like. Or take us through your first day celebrating life without the Big D. Blog about how you imagine you would feel if you no longer were a Person With Diabetes.

It is interesting to think about this concept b/c for someone who was diagnosed as a 3 yr old there are not any memories of life without diabetes. I did not want to say I would eat a ton of sugary food ands drink a lot of regular coke. I felt like that would be the standard response to this question. I actually think I would go to the beach.

For me it has always been the beach where I feel the most uncomfortable. Is my insulin going to get too hot? Is the pump tubing going to get too tangled? Is the pump not going to connect right because there is sand stuck in it? Are people going to stare at my pump and wonder what is wrong with me? These are all things I consider when I go to the beach. Plus it is a constnat battle to figure out how much insulin to give myself if I want to go in the water for a few mins or longer without going too high or too low! I think I would go to the beach. And while I was there I would eat as many chocolate iced cream filled donuts I could find!

Friday D Blog Post

Day 5- Let's get moving. Exercise . . . love it or hate it? Do you have a regular exercise routine? Or do you have trouble finding your exercise motivation? How do you manage your insulin and food to avoid bottoming out during your workout? Today is the day to tell us all about your exercise habits, or lack thereof.

Running. Thats it. That is the only thing I have ever been able to consistently stick with and see results from. Now the problem with my running is that at times it is erratic. Some may say its great that I have ran 3 half marathons, 2 ten milers, and countless other smaller races, but there is still more to do. I like running when its good and I hate running when its bad.

The only thing that has ever made me want to run is to have a race to train for and know that I have to go. If I had to run based on my own accord, Id probably never go. But that is until now. Yesterday I ran 2 miles. Just 2 little miles. I even walked once, once considered a big no-no. And yet it was good. I was overheated and the smog from the busy road I ran on was too much and yet I did it. No ipod or waterbottle needed either, just me running however long and however fast I wanted to and it was nice.

We shall see how running treats me in the future, but my leg muscles look better, my A1C is at its greatest level ever, and I love the feeling of accomplishing a race or run. So I think we have a long future together.

Thursday D Blog Post

Thursday 5/13 - To carb or not to carb. Today let’s blog about what we eat. And perhaps what we don’t eat. Some believe a low carb diet is important in diabetes management, while others believe carbs are fine as long as they are counted and bolused for. Which side of the fence do you fall on? What kind of things do you eat for meals and snacks? What foods do you deem bolus-worthy? What other foodie wisdom would you like to share?

I remember one time a few years ago where Annette and I tried to go on the Southbeach diet. This basically involved eating minimal amounts of carbs. This lasted for me for about two days. It just wasnt plausible. And I was starving all the time. I do notice a great change in my blood sugars when I cut back on carbs. They are usually more manageable esp since there will not be any blood sugar spikes later in the game thanks to the carbs. But thats where it ends. I will eat less pizza, eat less pasta, but to give it up completely is just not going to happen. I like these things and life is too short to give it all up. That being said carbs also help to get my blood sugars back up again when they get too low so in that sense they are an essential part of my diet. I think I fall on the side of the fence where I know they might mess up my blood sugars a little bit so I cut back on them, but definitely dont cut them out! I could never live w/out bread!

Wed D Blog Post

Wednesday 5/12 – Your Biggest Supporter. Sure, our diabetes care is ultimately up to us and us alone. But it’s important to have someone around to encourage you, cheer you, and even help you when you need it. Today it’s time to gush and brag about your biggest supporter. Is it your spouse or significant other? Your best friend, sibling, parent or child? Maybe it’s your endo or a great CDE? Or perhaps it’s another member of the D-OC who is always there for you? Go ahead, tell them just how much they mean to you!

I think I have two biggest supporters. My Dad has always been the go to person when it came to my diabetes care. I think the best thing he ever did was to not freak out over things. He never made me feel that I couldnt do something b/c of diabetes and never made me feel different than any other kid. Sure I drank diet coke and didnt have desserts with dinner, but that is how any healthy kid should eat anyway. I cannot remember one time where I felt bad about being diabetic and I owe that entirely to him. Besides the fact that he taught me to give my own shots and he used to do my shots all the time himself, with some help from Annette and my grandmas and aunt. And I have a remarkable A1C level right now and that is due to his education and guidance I got as a child.

My other biggest supporter is Mike. Who would have ever thought that I would find someone who would actually do my insulin pump injections for me? He is learning to load the insulin pump, he checks my blood sugar, and he gives me the pump injections. Besides that though he knows how I get when my blood sugars are low and knows what to do to help me. He never complains about it, at least not to me, and his support is never ending. He also takes one for the team and knows sometimes we cannot eat pasta or pizza, esp later in the day. Though it may bother him at times he doesnt make a big deal about it. He also has gotten me into running which I attribute to helping me get my latest A1C level down to a 5.6. Throw all those things together and I see a lifetime of support and help from him when it comes to my diabetes care and thats all I ever wanted.

Tues D Blog Post

Here is Tuesday's post, or what it was to be if I had done it on Tuesday:

Tuesday 5/11 – Making the low go. Tell us about your favorite way to treat a low. Juice? Glucose tabs? Secret candy stash? What’s your favorite thing to indulge in when you are low? What do you find brings your blood sugar up fast without spiking it too high?


My favorite way to treat a low is with orange juice and ginger ale. I like to mix it up so its half and half and its delicious. Sometimes I drink it just to drink it which probably isnt the best idea, but its good.

D blog week posts

For this week the diabetes blog community has posted 5 topics for each day. Being Wed I am obviously far behind but I thought Id give it a shot and try it.

For the first post the topic is:
Monday 5/10 - A day in the life . . . with diabetes. Take us through a quick rundown of an average day and all the ways in which diabetes touches it. Blood tests, site changes, high and low blood sugars, meal planning, anything that comes along. This can be a log of an actual day, or a fictional compilation of pieces from many days.

6:02 AM: woke up before the alarm...great. might as well test my blood sugar: 133, not too bad. go back to bed.

6:36 AM: alarm clock goes off, feel like testing blood sugar again: 117. okay good. go eat some cheerios and go over emails and watch the news.

7:10 AM: do some arm exercises in an attempt to have better arms for the wedding while watching the Today show. love that show.

7:57 AM: test blood sugar before leaving for work: 93, pretty good. get in the car for another long drive to work on 495. why do i live in maryland and work in virginia again?

8:45 AM: read some work emails, look at wedding blogs, call a patient.

10:16 AM: blood sugar feels low, check it: 65, grand, drink some white grape juice boxes that are excellent.

11:29 AM: feel sorta sick, wonder if it was something i ate. only had cheerios and juice so far today so cant be that. test blood sugar again: 146, nothing out of the ordinary there. call mike to tell him i dont feel well.

12:30 PM: attempt to eat lunch. and it turns out really well as its the leftover edamame and tomato pasta from the night before. guess i feel fine now.

1:31 PM: test blood sugar: 105

2:48 PM: this day is dragging so much at work, test blood sugar b/c i am bored: 98, eat a mini candy bar, b/c why not its there. dark milky ways arent that bad.

4:17 PM: thank god this day is almost over. feel like sushi for dinner. hopefully i can convince mike to go. blood sugar: 125

5:45 PM: Mike is on board for sushi, decide to walk to place in Bethesda. test blood sugar: 38. WHAT? that cant be right. test again: 56. talk to mike about how it sucks that theres such a difference in numbers b/c monitors are not 100% accurate. drink some orange juice and eat some bread and hummus, b/c its excellent. go to dinner, sushi is amazing. drink some wine b/c its happy hr and we like to splurge.

7:50 PM: test and its 149. not too bad. lay on the couch to watch tv.

8:49 PM: crap, monday night tv is so good, must test again before 24 so i am not interrupted: 179. uh oh going up, sushi is tough to control with blood sugars. give some insulin.

9:55 PM: test at the end of 24: 220. oh god. here we go with the sushi causing blood sugars to be insane. give more insulin.

10:32 PM: test again before bed to be safe: 208, dropping but not fast enough, give .2 units of insulin b/c theres already some in there!

5:45 AM: test again b/c I woke up, 127 back to normal and onto another day!

Pittsburgh Half Marathon

Jennifer
Bethesda, MD
Age: 28 Gender: F
Distance HALF MAR
Clock Time 2:28:36
Chip Time 2:24:34
Overall Place 4929 / 7575
Gender Place 2638 / 4634
Division Place 698 / 1135
Age Grade 45.5%
5 5Mi 54:53
7 2Mi 1:15:27
11Mi 2:01:20
Divtotal 113
Sextotal 4634
Pace 11:03


Wow! Thank God its over!! Of all three of the half marathons I have ever ran this one was by far the most difficult. Due to my lack of training and or motivation to do it Ill never know but I am just glad its over with and I did another one. I think from this point on Ill stick to races that are shorter than 13 miles. I have never had to walk in a race before and this one had me walking a lot, probably 9 times. I have never checked my blood sugar more than once and this one I did it three times. I have never ran a race in the rain before and this one had me running the whole time in the rain. It was torture and misery and yet crossing that finish line still feels as good as it always does.

1 day some hours to go.....

wow...no clue where this week has gone but now I am less than two days out from the race and super freaked out. It just isnt going well and I am losing any self esteem I had regarding running. I just hope I am wrong and when I get out there and see the crowds and the music that I am able to just keep going. I hope that I do well enough that I am proud of it all. I just dont want to screw it all up and be standing there like an idiot in front of the people who came to watch. We'll see how it goes. I also hope this quote is true b/c I am not feeling like much a runner. I havent ran nearly as much to get prepared for this race as I did with the other two and now all my facebook friends will get updates on how I am doing via my status updates. That could be neat, lets hope it is and not a travesty in the making.

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."

John Bingham, running writer and speaker

5 days to go....

Ughh...this is going to be an interesting experience. I was to run 11 miles yesterday. When it was all said and done I probably ran 3 and walked 3. Not good when you have a half marathon in 5 days. Not good when the furthest you have ran to prepare for this race is 10 miles and that was 2 weeks ago. This race was supposed to be the race to trump the others and now it is becoming the race to see if I can survive. To say that I am dreading it would be an understatement. But there are people coming to watch and to back out now isnt really an option. If I can beat my Vegas time I would take that. I really have no clue how this is going to work. I have never not finished a race, I have never had to walk during a race, but this one could change it all. I keep thinking of a blog that Mark Remy had written for Runners World that said every good runner will experience a DNF (did not finish) in their lifetime and said that he had a few of them. Maybe Ill surprise myself and do well and then again maybe I wont.....At least Ill have some things to look at to entertain myself...

8 days to go....

I ran 4 miles on Mon and it went well. 3 miles on Wed after work didnt go as well. I blame that on the hummus and bread I ate 20 mins before I went. Today Mike and I went early again at 530am for 3 and it was good. So left to run before the race is the big 11 miles on Sunday. We shall see. This could go either way. I do know that of all the races this is the one I havent been stretching as much for. Mostly do to the feeling that I have no time and am constantly tired or busy. I hope I have done enough to make it through the race though, only time shall tell!

12 days to go....

Until my 3rd half marathon. Well this will be interesting. It has the potential to either be the best of the three or the worst of the three. Which makes it even more challenging is that for the first time ever we will actually have people there watching us. That alone is intimidating b/c if you screw up you look pretty bad in front of people you know. Id like to think that this one will be okay b/c I have done it twice before and I am just coming off of a great 10 mile race. Then again I was supposed to run 10 miles yesterday and didnt. My training has been slacking and my muscles have hurt more than ever before. I have already told Mike this will probably be my last half marathon of the year but I would consider more ten mile races. I am really interested to see how this goes!

2010 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run

Well that was a shock....1:41:17, beating my last year time by one minute. Pretty good for someone who didnt prepare nearly as well and was hurting throughout the race. I think it helped me to just keep going and think how this misery would soon be over with. My legs are suffering today but all in all it was worth it! Hopefully this is a positive prelude to the half marathon!

4963 1678/2792 13674
Jennifer 28 Bethesda MD
5 Mile Mark: 51:28
Gun Time: 1:54:27
Net Time: 1:41:17
Pace Per Mile: 10:08

this will be interesting...

Well the 10 mile race is on Sunday. We ran 3 miles today and it went rather well. That was 3 miles though. I have no clue how attempting 10 is going to go on Sunday and I am pretty nervous about it. I am never this unprepared leading up to the races and that is totally my own fault but this just sucks. I wanted this race time to beat last years time and now I will probably be lucky to finish under the cut off time of 2 hours and 20 mins. We shall see....

This is me last year at the race. I want to be this good again!





On a more positive note, my blood sugar averages have been awesome lately. Probably a little more on the low side than Dr. Janicic would like but still pretty good to not see highs all the time.

Another Quiz

"Can you fill this out without lying? You've been tagged, so now you need to answer all the questions HONESTLY." (For the record, I don't like when memes threaten me. Of course I can fill this out honestly. And without the use of ALL CAPS.)

I like quizzes so I thought Id give it a shot!

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth? SF Jello

2. Where was your profile picture taken? There is no picture on this one!

3. Can you play Guitar Hero? No and it bores me anyway!

4. Name someone who made you laugh today? Mike when he locked himself out of the house, I probably shouldnt laugh at that though!

5. How late did you stay up last night and why? 1030pm. We had to watch 24 and then I got sidetracked with trying to make the room cooler.

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you? Oh man. Who knows today. My opinion changes from day to day.

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks? Yes.

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on your FaceBook list? Sara and Udi or maybe Matt and Erin.

9. Do you believe exes can be friends? Not really, maybe, but most of them are weirdos.

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper? Diet Dr Pepper is pretty good.

11. When was the last time you cried really hard? Cant remember.

12. Who took your profile picture? Again, no picture there. If we were talking about FB then it would be some stranger at the Cherry Blossom festival.

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of? Mike on Easter.

14. Was yesterday better than today? Not sure yet. Hopefully b/c I dont have to run today.

15. Can you live a day without TV? Yeah I think so.

16. Are you upset about anything? Figuring out where to live.

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it? Absolutely.

18. Are you a bad influence? Depends.

19. Night out or night in? Probably night in, Ive been all about saving money lately.

20. What items could you not go without during the day? Glucose Monitor, Water bottle, chapstick.

21. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital? Papa John

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say? Some compliments on our save the date cards!

23. How do you feel about your life right now? I feel like I am waiting for something big to happen, either the wedding, a move or a new job or something else!

24. Do you hate anyone? People that hurt others.

25. If we were to look in your Facebook inbox, what would we find? Nothing overly exciting. Random messages from the past few years.

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass? Yes.

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before? No way!

28. What song is stuck in your head? There isnt one right now.

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., a secret lover or George Clooney? It is probably the annoying kid upstairs making too much noise again!

30.Wanna have grandkids before you’re 50? No way. I dont want my kids to be young parents!

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow? Go running in the morning.

32. Do you think too much or too little? Way too much.

33. Do you smile a lot? I would say a fair amount of time!

Bonus Round...

34. How many hours a day do you spend on the computer? I lose track its so much!

35. If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you be? Someone who is not diabetic.

36. Facebook or Twitter? FB

37. Chicken or Beef? Beef, I have weird issues with chicken.

38. Mac or PC? PC

39. Have you ever punched anyone in the face? No.

40. Last music received or purchased? Been so long I cant remember.

We ran this morning at 530 AM and it was completely dark outside still. It is weird to see the streets around our house with no cars on them when in just a few short hrs there will be too many cars on them! It was peaceful almost, though it still does get somewhat creepy when you hear strange noises around you. We ran for 3 miles and though not the greatest, it was still pretty good. On Sunday I ran for 6 miles with Mike, which is interesting b/c we usually dont run together. I liked having him there though as I hate the feeling of running alone when theres an issue with my blood sugar. It wasnt the fastest 6 miles ever and I did have to walk a few times but all in all it was good.

I am still debating on running the Cherry Blossom 10 mile race or not but I am leaning toward doing it. Actually I am 95% sure I am doing it. As long as the weather stays nice and I keep with it these next few days I think Ill be okay.

Not good

Well this cant be good that according to my running schedule I am to run 8 miles tomorrow. I havent ran more than 5. And that was a huge stretch. This weather has seriously thrown me off of my plan and I dont like it. It sucks that I wanted to do so well in the Cherry Blossom race and yet I dont know how its going to go. I am weeks away from where I should be and yet I only have 2 weeks left until the race. And even if I could get passed that I only have 6 weeks left until the half marathon and there will be people watching me in that one. Not good, not good at all. Ughh....

St Patricks Day 8K

Results from the race:
1639
557/764
766 Jennifer F 28 Bethesda MD
5K split time: 33:56
Clock Time: 54:32
Chip Time: 53:13
Pace Per Mile: 10:43

First Race of 2010

and I dont know how itll go. This if officially the worst prepared I have ever been for a race before. I have ran probably only 5 times and am now expected to run 5 miles on Sunday. And itll probably be raining too. Great. I ran 3 miles on Thursday and only had to stop once. That was only 3 miles though. The St Patricks Day should be interesting and we'll see how it goes. On a more positive note my A1C came back as 5.6. The lowest I can ever remember. That is an avg glucose level of 108 which is pretty outstanding. Maybe thatll help me this wknd. Anything would help at this point!

Getting Back Into It....

Sunday was the first real run since the half marathon. Mike and I had gone on a run in late November and then I went by myself last Tuesday, but that didnt go so well. I fell after tripping on a cracked sidewalk and scratched up my knees and hands.

But Sunday was better. Mike and I ran together which usually doesnt go well but this time it did. We stopped every so often to walk a little which was much needed. And I purposely wanted to run by Bethesda Naval Hospital b/c President Obama was there on Sun morning for his annual physical. No Barack sightings sadly but it was nice to finally run 3 miles again even if I did have to walk a little bit.

1 week and 6 days until the St Patricks Day 8K!
5 weeks and 6 days until the Cherry Blossom 10 mile race!
8 weeks and 6 days until the Pittsburgh Half Marathon!

Thats a lot of running so I need to pick it up again!

A1C's

August 12, 2004: 6.1%
March 10, 2004: 5.7%
December 30, 2003: 6.4%
May 24, 2002: 6.1%
January 11, 2002: 6.4%
August 10, 2001: 5.6%
April 12, 2001: 5.5%
January 5, 2001: 6.5%

Rehearsal Dinner dress (yes I want it to be white!)

All of these are from Nordstroms and I like them all...The first one is a "Strapless Silk Chiffon dress" by Donna Morgan. The second one is a "JS Boutique Lace Dress." The third one is a "Muse Cutaway Shoulder Jacquard Sheath dress." Love them! But its probably way too early to order these dresses in case I change sizes again!

Bridesmaids

I felt that I wanted to blog my choices for bridesmaids dresses b/c it is getting overhwelming and I want a place where I can see all the options!

This is the first dress that Nicole sent me that I loved. Nicole found out it was style number 5009 and cost 228 dollars. Pretty good! Not sure if that fabric would be flattering on everyone though...




Then I saw this one on a blog site and loved it too. It is from BC/BG but I do think it might be too tight of a dress for some people to feel comfortable plus I cant find it online anymore.



Then there was this one that I fell in love with. I liked the white lace with the merlot color under it. It seemed perfect. Only cost 183 dollars. Then I went to a retail store and they said it was an "old dress" and Id have trouble finding a store that still had it. Fine. Then I looked at it close up and I am not sure I like the daisy like flowers on it or not! But the Merlot fabric piece I ordered came in the mail and I still really liked that color!



Then Leslie found this one and it is relatively cheap at only about 150 dollars. She suggested a fuschia color which was pretty, though I cant find a pic to download! But I still liked the idea before of having two colors or patterns or textures on the dresses. But this is simple too!




Then there was this one another Nicole found at Nordstroms. I have seen this dress in the store before and it didnt look as cool in person but I like the idea of texture again!



Nicole found this dress at Nordstroms which is great. Plus I could put the same flower from my dress on each of the bridesmaid dresses. Still not sure plus I dont like how this dress doesnt come in sizes below an 8 and I would worry that they would run out of dresses before everyone could get one even if we found it at another place.



Nicole also found this Vera Wang dress which I also like. The color is great and its super girly looking and I think it would look good on all the girls. I dont know about getting a dress online though when people cannot try it on and we wont see it before hand. We shall see.




And I found this one that I like a lot. Nicole thinks it would look the best with my dress as they are both "airy" and girly. It does come in rose and silver too!