Evamarie's Comments

Hey Evamarie! I just found out about this website! It is so cool to finally meet other diabetics! When I was reading your bio it reminded me exactly of myself! We definately have a ton in common:) I would love to chat with you sometime!:D Elizabeth

ernahas — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 04:14:57 GMT

Hey Evamarie!

I just found out about this website! It is so cool to finally meet other diabetics! When I was reading your bio it reminded me exactly of myself! We definately have a ton in common:) I would love to chat with you sometime!:D

Elizabeth

Hey, I think the CGM is good for any diabetic, pump or not! Oh and yes, there is a needle that inserts it for you, but you take the needle out, and all that's left in you is a very thin, bendable wire. You don't even feel it after it's in, which is great. Thanks for the encouragement!! :) I hope you have a great weekend!

gorgeousumbrella — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:36:49 GMT

Hey, I think the CGM is good for any diabetic, pump or not! Oh and yes, there is a needle that inserts it for you, but you take the needle out, and all that's left in you is a very thin, bendable wire. You don't even feel it after it's in, which is great. Thanks for the encouragement!! :) I hope you have a great weekend!

Hey Evamarie! :) Haha... I'm glad I can be a good influence on someone. Okay, to answer your questions: 1. Yes, I have 2 things attached to me. :) I was very hesitant about the "machine attached to me all the time" thing when I first went on the pump... I was very resistent to the idea for a long time. But, once I started, it was like of like... "Oh, hmm, I guess this isn't so bad." Same thing with the CGM for me. The Dexcom lays flatter to the skin than the Minimed one does (I got to try that one out at my doctor's office... no me gusta), and I often do forget I'm wearing it. It's comfortable most of the time. It's just a patch thing, and I carry around the remote for it (with the screen to read everything) in my purse or pocket. 2. I've only been using it since January, and my next A1C will be in April. I'm reeeeeally looking forward to seeing the results. I already know that my post-meal numbers are down, so I'm hoping to finally see an in-range result! Last time I was 7.8, so I had some work to do. Please ask if you have any more questions! :) Jim has made my life a lot easier. (Yes, I named it.)

gorgeousumbrella — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:47:48 GMT

Hey Evamarie! :)

Haha... I'm glad I can be a good influence on someone.

Okay, to answer your questions:

1. Yes, I have 2 things attached to me. :) I was very hesitant about the "machine attached to me all the time" thing when I first went on the pump... I was very resistent to the idea for a long time. But, once I started, it was like of like... "Oh, hmm, I guess this isn't so bad." Same thing with the CGM for me. The Dexcom lays flatter to the skin than the Minimed one does (I got to try that one out at my doctor's office... no me gusta), and I often do forget I'm wearing it. It's comfortable most of the time. It's just a patch thing, and I carry around the remote for it (with the screen to read everything) in my purse or pocket.

2. I've only been using it since January, and my next A1C will be in April. I'm reeeeeally looking forward to seeing the results. I already know that my post-meal numbers are down, so I'm hoping to finally see an in-range result! Last time I was 7.8, so I had some work to do.

Please ask if you have any more questions! :) Jim has made my life a lot easier. (Yes, I named it.)

Thanks for the friend request! Im also a diabetic and graphic designer!

bike4ever — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:07:16 GMT

Thanks for the friend request! Im also a diabetic and graphic designer!

Nope, he hasnt read that book.. does it help? & he was put on Novolin R and Lantus when he went to the Medical Center we were sent to, they had a team of i think it was 7 doctors; 3 endos, and some other ones who decided it was the best combination for him.. he takes the Lantus 45 units at night.. then Novolin R on the sliding scale [starting at 150 mg/dL if its 150-200 its 4 units of Novolin R and for every 50 units it goes up you increase the insulin dose by 2 units of Novolin R] It's workd pretty good, good A1Cs and everythng.. also if he's eating a carb rich food like pizza or pasta and bread [he doesnt eat junkfood except reese cups or like cinnamon toast crunch cereal so taking it carb to insulin all the time was causing a lot of lows b/c he eats mostly veggies and non carby stuff..] but the Lantus recently has started giving him more lows in the middle of he night.. like 40's .. before now he has usually been that he tries to be at 100-115 when he goes to bed and he wakes up at about 90-100.. sometimes 80's.. but recently its been gettin lower in the middle of the night.. i stay with him or him with me b/c the one time i left him with just his parents, he was sick and slept and his bgl was soo far down i nearly had to use the glucagon; eek.. but -- anyways.. he never has had them up except when he had to take steroids.. his levels are usually good.. but he never had that honeymoon phase either.. any chance this is just doing that? he backed his lantus dose back himself to 30 units and still woke up barely 50's.. he's gonna talk to the Dr when he goes this week to see if she thinks the does can be decreased -- also he's lost some weight too, and i think that affects it too.. but he's a healthy weight..

Kara07 — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:07:50 GMT

Nope, he hasnt read that book.. does it help? & he was put on Novolin R and Lantus when he went to the Medical Center we were sent to, they had a team of i think it was 7 doctors; 3 endos, and some other ones who decided it was the best combination for him.. he takes the Lantus 45 units at night.. then Novolin R on the sliding scale [starting at 150 mg/dL if its 150-200 its 4 units of Novolin R and for every 50 units it goes up you increase the insulin dose by 2 units of Novolin R] It's workd pretty good, good A1Cs and everythng.. also if he's eating a carb rich food like pizza or pasta and bread [he doesnt eat junkfood except reese cups or like cinnamon toast crunch cereal so taking it carb to insulin all the time was causing a lot of lows b/c he eats mostly veggies and non carby stuff..] but the Lantus recently has started giving him more lows in the middle of he night.. like 40's .. before now he has usually been that he tries to be at 100-115 when he goes to bed and he wakes up at about 90-100.. sometimes 80's.. but recently its been gettin lower in the middle of the night.. i stay with him or him with me b/c the one time i left him with just his parents, he was sick and slept and his bgl was soo far down i nearly had to use the glucagon; eek.. but -- anyways.. he never has had them up except when he had to take steroids.. his levels are usually good.. but he never had that honeymoon phase either.. any chance this is just doing that? he backed his lantus dose back himself to 30 units and still woke up barely 50's.. he's gonna talk to the Dr when he goes this week to see if she thinks the does can be decreased -- also he's lost some weight too, and i think that affects it too.. but he's a healthy weight..

I will mention it to him, he may benefit from it also.. he had to take steroid shots for pneumonia and that with stress and sickness raised his A1C last time so they bumped his lantus up 5 units.. well not taking into consideration all that up there.. they did .. Kaleb tried it .. but he went low 4 times.. S0 he put himself back to 45.. then 44 and that worked good.. his issue is with waking up high if he doesnt take it at bedtime; its odd how differently it affects different people or just a few hours difference in when you take it plays a part ..

Kara07 — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:40:47 GMT

I will mention it to him, he may benefit from it also..

he had to take steroid shots for pneumonia and that with stress and sickness raised his A1C last time so they bumped his lantus up 5 units.. well not taking into consideration all that up there.. they did .. Kaleb tried it .. but he went low 4 times.. S0 he put himself back to 45.. then 44 and that worked good.. his issue is with waking up high if he doesnt take it at bedtime; its odd how differently it affects different people or just a few hours difference in when you take it plays a part ..

I noticed in the "what was your last BGL" you put that you take two shots of lantus a day? was that to not have to take a lot at once, or specific reasons? my boyfriend takes 45 units at bedtime; bc the dawn phenomenon / effect.. <3

Kara07 — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:12:47 GMT

I noticed in the "what was your last BGL" you put that you take two shots of lantus a day? was that to not have to take a lot at once, or specific reasons? my boyfriend takes 45 units at bedtime; bc the dawn phenomenon / effect..

Hey Eva! I'm also a graphic designer, type 1 diabetic from the NYC area (I live in brooklyn, work on LI) who is not using a pump. I find it's easier for me to use needles, despite the fact I have to inject myself every time I eat. I hated being attached to the machine (I had a pump about 10 years ago), and I have sensitive skin which made the injection site WICKED itchy. You have to wear it for 3 days!! I wanted to rip it out in 1! Anyways, It's nice to meet you!

kcreig1 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:28:58 GMT

Hey Eva!

I'm also a graphic designer, type 1 diabetic from the NYC area (I live in brooklyn, work on LI) who is not using a pump. I find it's easier for me to use needles, despite the fact I have to inject myself every time I eat. I hated being attached to the machine (I had a pump about 10 years ago), and I have sensitive skin which made the injection site WICKED itchy. You have to wear it for 3 days!! I wanted to rip it out in 1!

Anyways, It's nice to meet you!

Evamarie, you asked if Black Bart is my cat. It is the other way around: I am HIS human! He is huge for a cat, and he chose me at the animal shelter a number of years ago, reaching out a large black paw to tap my shoulder to get my attention. It was love at first paw-tap. He works as my muse (mews), helping me come up with ideas and images. Trouble is that he is so large, it is hard to see my computer monitor over his back. He is a diet-cotnrolled type 2 diabetic. He was put on insulin at first with a glucose level of almost 500, but I put him on a low-carb diet and he started having hypo episodes. So I slowly weaned him off of insulin and his last checkup showed a blood sugar of 86 after his breakfast. Fun to consider that his disease I live with can give me knowledge that can help another creature. I guess we were meant to be pals. He is as devoted as a dog, following me around and staying with me all day as I work. I do some web design also, but most of my work tends to be illustration, which is my real love. There certainly is a market now for web design, though. My fear when designing a website is that my life will change from doing all the creative work to simply becoming a techie editing someone's existing web pages. I just can't do that. I have to be creating things. So I pick my web customers carefully and turn down a lot. As a military wife, I have traveled all over the country, moving every 2-4 years. So I can say from experience that there are a LOT of jobs out there in the graphic design and illustration world. I think parents of artistically-talented youngsters don't realize that in the commercial art world, there are a lot of opportunities. We have to have a lot of self-control as diabetics, and I think sometimes that this helps us in some careers where deadlines and the control of time necessary to meet them are essential. So when I feel a bit sorry for myself in a hypo episode, I stop and think that dealing with type 1 is one reason my personality is what it is, and probably is one reason I can handle the deadlines and competition, for the pressures can be many. So the glass is half full, isn't it? Sometimes I do think that trouble makes us stronger, and we need strength and confidence to do what we do for a living. Have a great week.

JDRF_SGG — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:23:55 GMT

Evamarie, you asked if Black Bart is my cat. It is the other way around: I am HIS human! He is huge for a cat, and he chose me at the animal shelter a number of years ago, reaching out a large black paw to tap my shoulder to get my attention. It was love at first paw-tap.

He works as my muse (mews), helping me come up with ideas and images. Trouble is that he is so large, it is hard to see my computer monitor over his back. He is a diet-cotnrolled type 2 diabetic. He was put on insulin at first with a glucose level of almost 500, but I put him on a low-carb diet and he started having hypo episodes. So I slowly weaned him off of insulin and his last checkup showed a blood sugar of 86 after his breakfast. Fun to consider that his disease I live with can give me knowledge that can help another creature. I guess we were meant to be pals. He is as devoted as a dog, following me around and staying with me all day as I work.

I do some web design also, but most of my work tends to be illustration, which is my real love. There certainly is a market now for web design, though. My fear when designing a website is that my life will change from doing all the creative work to simply becoming a techie editing someone's existing web pages. I just can't do that. I have to be creating things. So I pick my web customers carefully and turn down a lot.

As a military wife, I have traveled all over the country, moving every 2-4 years. So I can say from experience that there are a LOT of jobs out there in the graphic design and illustration world. I think parents of artistically-talented youngsters don't realize that in the commercial art world, there are a lot of opportunities.

We have to have a lot of self-control as diabetics, and I think sometimes that this helps us in some careers where deadlines and the control of time necessary to meet them are essential. So when I feel a bit sorry for myself in a hypo episode, I stop and think that dealing with type 1 is one reason my personality is what it is, and probably is one reason I can handle the deadlines and competition, for the pressures can be many. So the glass is half full, isn't it? Sometimes I do think that trouble makes us stronger, and we need strength and confidence to do what we do for a living.

Have a great week.

Evamarie, I see that you are also a graphic designer!!!! Glad to accept your offer of online friendship. I am an illustrator and graphic designer and am always thrilled to stumble across others who share our fairly unique career and passion. Like you, I opt not to use a pump. For me, there is much less danger of scarring with tiny, child-size needles, for I am a small woman. I do know that scar issues can be a problem with insulin absorption, and since my a1c remains 6.1 without wavering, I just don't think that a pump would be right for me. Each person is so very different and one size doesn't fit all. When, as wife of a military man, we move to a new location, the new endo always asks me about using a pump, and when I explain my rationale, so far they have all thoroughly agreed with me. Nice to be able to make choices that work for our individual lifestyles. Anyway, it is great to "meet you" -- I have been on insulin now for 40 years and I have no complications. So we aren't necessarily doomed to poor health later in life. Just throwing that out there to encourage you. Back to work. :o)

JDRF_SGG — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:49:20 GMT

Evamarie, I see that you are also a graphic designer!!!! Glad to accept your offer of online friendship. I am an illustrator and graphic designer and am always thrilled to stumble across others who share our fairly unique career and passion. Like you, I opt not to use a pump. For me, there is much less danger of scarring with tiny, child-size needles, for I am a small woman. I do know that scar issues can be a problem with insulin absorption, and since my a1c remains 6.1 without wavering, I just don't think that a pump would be right for me. Each person is so very different and one size doesn't fit all. When, as wife of a military man, we move to a new location, the new endo always asks me about using a pump, and when I explain my rationale, so far they have all thoroughly agreed with me. Nice to be able to make choices that work for our individual lifestyles.

Anyway, it is great to "meet you" -- I have been on insulin now for 40 years and I have no complications. So we aren't necessarily doomed to poor health later in life. Just throwing that out there to encourage you.

Back to work. :o)

haha about running to the bathroom with the black pouch.. I used to "secretly" take Insulin, but that got old and now I pretty much just take injections publicly. If someone has a problem with it, they can talk to me about it.. I looove playing volleyball, but just for fun. I'm not very good at it lol. I would actually be afraid to play contact sports with a pump in case it got hit. I'll let you know what I eventually decide. I think that I'll move to a pump sooner or later unless other treatment/s become available.

AuDAlly — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:09:32 GMT

haha about running to the bathroom with the black pouch.. I used to "secretly" take Insulin, but that got old and now I pretty much just take injections publicly. If someone has a problem with it, they can talk to me about it..

I looove playing volleyball, but just for fun. I'm not very good at it lol. I would actually be afraid to play contact sports with a pump in case it got hit.

I'll let you know what I eventually decide. I think that I'll move to a pump sooner or later unless other treatment/s become available.

I grew up a dancer (even throughout college) so a pump wasn't practical. Now that I'm not in dance, I could technically switch to a pump. I am not fond of the idea of having a needle under my skin all of the time, I'm still active, I don't want to have to sleep with it, I plan on going back to being more active (running, dancing, kickboxing, etc..) when grad school is over, and I have yet to be convinced (in terms of research) of the long-term quality of life benefits of using one. Lol, sorry, that was a lot.. I still need to ask my endo (I'm going to a new one because I moved) about it. One of my reasons for joining Juvenation was to get input from pump users, though.. so we'll see! How about you-- why don't you use one?

AuDAlly — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:00:18 GMT

I grew up a dancer (even throughout college) so a pump wasn't practical. Now that I'm not in dance, I could technically switch to a pump. I am not fond of the idea of having a needle under my skin all of the time, I'm still active, I don't want to have to sleep with it, I plan on going back to being more active (running, dancing, kickboxing, etc..) when grad school is over, and I have yet to be convinced (in terms of research) of the long-term quality of life benefits of using one. Lol, sorry, that was a lot..

I still need to ask my endo (I'm going to a new one because I moved) about it. One of my reasons for joining Juvenation was to get input from pump users, though.. so we'll see!

How about you-- why don't you use one?

Thanks for adding me! So I see you are also a syring user.. I'm not the only one then!

AuDAlly — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:17:24 GMT

Thanks for adding me! So I see you are also a syring user.. I'm not the only one then!

Wow, you make friends quickly!!

Scott T — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:59:17 GMT

Wow, you make friends quickly!!

Hi EvaMarie :) If yoiu would like to email me one on one the addy to use is: AnnetteUK@hotmail.com I see you are almost a neuighbour of mine.. I am on the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound.. and have had a few ferry rides over to Orient Point ;) ~Annette~

AnnetteUK — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:49:22 GMT

Hi EvaMarie :)

If yoiu would like to email me one on one the addy to use is: AnnetteUK@hotmail.com

I see you are almost a neuighbour of mine.. I am on the Connecticut side of Long Island Sound.. and have had a few ferry rides over to Orient Point ;)

~Annette~

Welcome to the site :)

Anonymous — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:33:15 GMT

Welcome to the site :)

Hello, new friend! :) Thanks for the add.

gorgeousumbrella — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:47:17 GMT

Hello, new friend! :) Thanks for the add.

Thanks for adding me! You seem like a fun person!

Kateski — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:53:57 GMT

Thanks for adding me! You seem like a fun person!