When life is just a bowl of hormonal chocolate cherries!

I haven’t had much time lately to blog.  Life has been crazy with the move in June,   recent death of my little Mia the black cat (aka my hypo awareness cat ... sigh).   Dealing with diabetes has been the easy thing, especially with the assistance of Bowie aka my Dexcom CGMS.  He’s actually singing away right now as I compose this … telling me I’m low … urrrhh … silly hormones that are going wacky lately (menopause, thyroid, lack of sleep, etc.) making life abit of a roller coaster ride.

What’s going on right now with me is from a recent trip to the ER in the new town I live in the province of Ontario (alot of folks from Quebec come here since the wait time in less – found that interesting).

It all started off with a visit to the CDE’s (Certified Diabetes Educator) team end of August.  They have knowledge of insulin pumping since Ontario has the insulin pump program (I think I qualify – but I just bought a new pump – on my credit card to get 5 years warranty instead of the 4 years Animas offers - having supplies covered would be nice until I need a new pump).  I do have a feeling though that I maybe the first CGMS user they've come across, after meeting up with another T1D pumper the other day, he was wearing a Medtronic pump and didn't know what it was along with Sure-T infusion sets (stainless steel ones) - or what an A1C test meant.   Out came my calling card, and hopefully I can get him to discover the #DOC .

I’ve been in menopause for over a year, hot flashes, emotions up/down/all around (combine that with thyroid that has once again wacky wacky … but no doctor to review TSH levels means I’m on my own until I find a doctor who I can convince I need help).  Well, maybe due to stress of move, etc.  I started to no longer experience those lovely symptoms, and instead, started to bleed heavy like I had during peri-menopause period.  That had lead my gyno in Quebec to decide the fibroids were too big and surgery was to be done (I opted out as you can see by this blog post).

The CDE’s were worried about my blood loss and exhaustion I was experiencing, so told me to go to the walk in clinic next door to the hospital.  I did, but after a 2 hour wait, seeing the head surgeon from the hospital that was doing his stint in the walk in clinic … he told me to go to ER … STAT.  He didn’t like the way things were in the nether regions and my history.

ER … ultrasound … gyno … biopsies … and just 2 weeks ago I got the results that things weren’t right.  We are not sure if the ovaries can be saved.  I am hoping so, but gyno is not sure until he can get to them.  I know at present I have what I call an “Igor” in my left side along with some little stragglers, I feel pregnant and ready to pop.  Dull pain is something I can handle, but it’s getting tiring along with now going back to menopause symptoms again.  Ovey … I feel like a woman!!!

So, really, diabetes is the least of my problems right now.  Being on the insulin pump, along with the CGMS aka Bowie (Continuous Glucose Monitoring System) I am managing to sort of keep things okay in that area of my health.  The rest is crap, but I know it’ll get better.

Pre-op is this Tuesday with surgery scheduled a few days later (yeah – no 6-12 month wait like Quebec).  I am hoping that I’ll be allowed to wear both my pump and CGMS during the operation (LAVH or Laparoscopically Assisted Vaginal Hysterectomy will be performed – less recovery time – yippee!!).  So cross your fingers for me.  I’m hoping that due to the high amount of pump users here in Ontario, that more hospital staff will be familiar with how they work, unlike where I was in Quebec.