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Mom's Test Results
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In-home Daily Blood Glucose Readings
Highlights
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Dated and timed in-home blood glucose readings, digressive from today's date
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Effusive commentary, 4th column from the left
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Doctors' appointments, tests and blood draws noted, when applicable
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Unless otherwise noted, A.M. and P.M. readings, since relatively recently, are taken 30 minutes previous to meal, conforming to the newly discovered instructions for administering glipizide
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Readings usually recorded on day taken
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Intra-page Navigational Links
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Date
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A.M.
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Mid
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P.M.
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Comments
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9/30/03
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10:45
121
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17:03
100
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9/29/03
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10:03
120
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18:05
138
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9/28/03
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Today she got 425 mg metformin at every meal: Breakfast because
her numbers were a bit high (from the hamburger and onion rings, I figured, of which she ate every bit last night); at noon
because I gave her some lemonade to seduce her into drinking some liquid; at night because I made teriyaki chicken stir fry
with brown rice and she ate heartily. She got Detrol in the a.m. to help her to retain liquid and one at night, as usual;
nothing else.
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9/27/03
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I am writing these notes on 9/28/03. I can't remember a great
deal about what meds I gave her, except that I did give her 500 mg metformin in the morning because I thought, in the busyness
of her arising/breakfast/etc., I may have forgotten to give her glipizide. A few minutes after I put the bottle on the
table, neither of us could remember if I'd given it to her, and I didn't want to over medicate her, so I gave her 500 mg metformin. In
the evening I gave her the same; I can't remember why, but it was because of something we ate that I thought she might
react to...oh, I remember, now; she wanted "a great big hamburger and onion rings" so I got those at Carl's Junior.
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9/26/03
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10:46
147
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16:02
93
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19:39
108
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Or, maybe yesterday's strategy didn't work as well. I was surprised at her rather high (now, anyway), AM reading. So, I
gave her 500 mg metformin at both breakfast and lunch. Lunch was larger than usual, so we agreed that we'd have a light dinner.
She was fairly active, today, here, around home, but, she decided all she wanted for dinner was cheese cake, so that's what
I gave her, as well as 1,000 mg metformin. I'm curious to see what her blood glucose is tomorrow. As I was telling MCS today,
"Monitoring Mom's blood sugar is a different every day."
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9/25/03
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10:28
117
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18:02
129
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AM: Decided against any metformin, today. See first journal entry for today for explanation. Gave her an iron tablet, just
in case, and am hounding her about drinking water.
PM: In order to seduce her to drink liquids, today, at around 4:00 p.m. I made her some raspberry lemonade and gave her 425
mg metformin to counteract the sugar extra sugar. Both techniques worked, it seems.
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9/24/03
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08:08
127
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13:43
91
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17:59
140
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AM: 500 mg metformin; 1 iron tablet
MID: 1,000 mg metformin because lunch, for Mom, was nothing but peach cobbler; her request.
PM: 500 mg metformin. Will be giving her a Detrol later tonight.
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9/23/03
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10:22
123
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17:44
91
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The only good thing about today was my mother's blood glucose readings. See journal entry, to be posted shortly, for explanation.
I gave her 425 mg metformin both morning and night. As far as I know, she ate nothing for lunch. I did not give her a Detrol
this morning, but gave her one tonight.
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9/22/03
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10:05
95
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16:34
90
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20:27
154
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AM: A very nice start to the day. I gave her 425 mg metformin because I know we'll be out and about and eating out at lunch.
I don't plan on taking her blood glucose. She'll probably have her beloved polish sausage with sauerkraut and light lemonade
for lunch. I don't think she'll need any extra diabetic medication at lunch, but her dinner reading will tell. I gave her
a Detrol, as well, but no iron, today. She looks good, peachy keen, literally, in fact.
MID: Looking good, although the day turned out completely different; see last journal entry for today. I gave her 425 mg
metformin at lunch.
PM: High because of the peach cobbler (see last journal entry for today). I gave her 850 mg metformin and a Detrol at dinner.
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10:29
127
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14:30
110
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19:22
87
22:00
115
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AM & MID: See today's 2nd journal entry.
PM: We must be doing something right. On a hunch, because I gave her two ibuprofen earlier this evening, when she ate I gave
her 500 mg metformin.
2nd PM reading: While rubbing her feet and legs, I decided to give her a Detrol this evening. She isn't retaining unusual
amounts of water, nor is she awfully dehydrated; the 2nd Detrol should help her hold on to some of that water over night.
For some reason, thinking about this, I decided, on a whim, to take her blood sugar reading, just to see if the "extra" 500
mg metformin was a good idea. As you can see, it was a great idea.
Tomorrow, after breakfast (I'll be getting her up at what she will think is early), we're going to Costco to put up some of
her vitamin supplements. It won't involve much walking, but, with the oxygen, she may decide she'll want to wander all the
new Christmas displays. And, in the afternoon we have some motel reconnaissance still to do. So, it will be a pretty active
day. I will probably cut way back on the metformin, as her movement quotient rises, just to confirm that movement is an excellent
substitute for metformin (and, maybe, vice versa).
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9/20/03
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That's right, no blood glucose testing, today. Read today's journal entry for explanation.
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9/19/03
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10:13
119
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17:28
71
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AM: Wasn't expecting anything in particular, so this reading exceeded my expectations. Gave her 500 mg metformin and 1 Detrol.
PM: Interesting day. Interesting readings. Meet me at my journal and I'll tell you about it.
Med notes: She got 500 mg metformin at dinner (she slept through lunch) and 500 mg metformin later in the evening when she
ate dessert. 1 Detrol before going to bed.
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9/18/03
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09:22
127
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13:14
173
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17:36
97
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AM: She awoke on her own. I gave her, among other meds, 500 mg metformin, no iron, 1 Detrol. I figured she'd need the first
and the last because she is complaining of being tired. This time, I think it's physical. I asked her flat out if she was
bored, she said, "No, just tired," in that matter-of-fact way of hers. So, she just went back to bed, with oxygen. I'm going
to start insisting on two breathing treatments a day, now, the second probably alternating pure albuteral with the combo liquid.
MID: Me and my big mouth. As sure as I announce that one of the ways I know when my mother is truly tired and not
going to bed because she's bored is that her blood glucose "evens out", I believe I said. And, this has been true. And,
it is also true that today I know that her body is adjusting and needs the sleep. And, in defiance of me, her
blood sugar shoots up to 173. I will figure this out (probably with the use of some medication other than metformin,
which her PCP in Mesa doesn't wish to provide, but perhaps someone at the Veteran's Clinic will.
PM: Back to normal. I think I'm getting a fix on 'it' and her pattern eludes me. But, at least she's back to normal. She
had 3 500 mg doses of metformin, today and a Detrol this evening just before going to bed. It remained a low key day for
her all day, although mine got somewhat busier.
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9/17/03
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08:35
132
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13:19
126
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16:55
146
21:51
100
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Although all her readings are a little high, today, because her vitality is also high (she woke up on her own at 8:25, this
morning, asking, "Now, what do I have to do, today; I know there's something I'm supposed to do...") I am reluctant to be
concerned or monitor her closely. She took a short (1.5 hour) nap, looks good, is looking forward to "meeting" my friends,
all of whom she's met, eager to be welcomed back. She's such a ham! I love her for it!
I continued with 500 mg metformin at every meal. Her evening reading and dose is a bit early, but we'll be eating very
light, tonight because we have yet one more out of the house activity, my book club meeting, which will offer up snack foods,
juice, wine, coffee (leaded, I'm sure), and tea. So, I'm dosing her before she hangs out at the food spread, tonight.
More in today's first journal posting, immediately.
2nd PM reading: See first journal posting for 9/18/03.
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9/16/03
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09:30
143
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13:22
214
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18:15
111
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Tricky day for blood sugar. I'm not sure why. I'll discuss it immediately in my journal entry.
Suffice it to say, she received 500 mg metformin at each meal, none of her meals were exhorbitant...really quite mild; but
she seemed to need some extra metformin to kick into gear.
I notice, now, the difference in her alertness and energy level when her blood sugar is low.
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9/15/03
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10:33
109
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13:53
196
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17:49
150
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Her MID spike surprised me. She ate a normal breakfast, got dressed at my request, helped me with some furniture moving projects,
swept, moved small items out of the way, she got hungry earlier after breakfast than usual, but she'd been working, and her
blood glucose was 196. I had only given her glipizide in the morning. Maybe we'll try a regular schedule of 425 mg metformin
AM and PM, with one MID if it appears that it might help. I don't know. I'm stymied. I feel as though I'm going in well
circumscribed circles.
Maybe what works best on her blood sugar is courses of metformin then a few days off, with a mild bowel cleansing. Maybe
once a month or so. We'll see.
More on her medication in my journal entry for today.
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9/14/03
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11:55
154
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16:07
72
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21:29
112
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AM: See first journal posting for today.
MID: Although late enough to qualify as an early PM, since it is only 4 hours after she breakfasted, I'm considering it a
lunch reading. More commentary in second journal posting for today.
PM: Not bad. For commentary, read final journal entry for today.
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9/13/03
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10:49
125
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This is the only reading I took, today. I was gone at 04:30, when I returned at 10:45 Mom was up, in the bathroom, getting
ready to advance on the day. I immediately took her blood sugar. I noticed, in the kitchen, that she had polished off a
couple ounces of cheese some time in the night. That's okay.
Maybe it's the infamous "Dawn Phenomenon", which I think is a type of human photo-synthesis, anyway, without the chlorophyll.
She got all her pills this morning, including iron, and 425 mg metformin. Tonight, as both of us needed to eat immediately
when we finally arrived, there was no safe half hour when I could trust her not to consume anything, so I gave her 1,000 mg
metformin, no glipizide, another iron pill and a Detrol, and didn't bother with a blood glucose reading. I'm looking forward
to tomorrow morning's.
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9/12/03
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09:26
119
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18:19
105
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AM: Gave her 425 mg metformin, a Detrol and an iron tablet this morning, in addition to her regular meds. I am at this moment,
10:37 a.m., bugging her to drink water, as she was fairly dehydrated. She is not appreciative. She just demanded
of me, "Why!?!"
PM: Nice reading. I'm pleased. After much pushing but nothing unusual, I got her going, including a short trip to Costco
and a hot dog with sauerkraut for lunch. I also gave her the other 425 mgs metformin this evening, an iron pill and her second
Detrol of the day.
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08:57
122
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18:50
156
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I remember wondering, at AM reading, if I should have administered 1000 mg metformin the previous night. But, I remained
unconcerned.
The day was slow, for her. I did not worry, though. She spent some time, in the afternoon, alone; I believe she napped a
fair amount but was up more than I would have expected after a day that required more of her body than usual.
I also remember thinking, sometime in the late evening, that she continues to amaze me, this woman, my mother.
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9/10/03
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09:07
97
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20:52
227
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We traveled to Prescott, today.
I did not worry about collecting a MID reading because we were traveling.
Her PM reading alarmed me. I gave her 850 mgs of metformin. She was, however, in high spirits and stayed up late without
having had a nap all day.
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9/9/03
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11:28
146
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I remember freaking when I got this reading when realized I had forgotten to take a reading in the morning and had nothing
to which to compare it. That evening I gave her 1000 mg metformin.
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9/8/03
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09:15
133
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14:49
108
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19:00
142
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See today's journal post for notes about yesterday's and today's blood glucose readings.
PM reading: Surprised me, too. I'm not sure why this happened. I can't think of anything or any way Mom ate, since her MID
reading, that would account for this. So, maybe, depending on her morning reading, I'll administer some metformin, tomorrow.
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9/7/03
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10:07
107
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15:35
125
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18:15
119
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9/6/03
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14:59
192
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19:48
129
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Don't ask. It's been a bizarre day, starting when I forgot to take Mom's blood glucose and forgot to give her glipizide,
this morning. I'll explain later, but, the day is continuing to be bizarre. Later.
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9/5/03
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09:09
109
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18:13
124
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A.M.: See journal entry for today
P.M.: This is great, considering that she's been eating slices of sharp cheddar cheese all afternoon and is munching on popcorn,
tonight; that's all she wants, and that's perfectly fine. Makes it difficult to administer the glipizide, but, frankly, that's
okay with me. This is the way she likes to eat, which is fine since she doesn't eat like this every day anymore, and a blood
glucose of 124 during an afternoon of constant snacking is excellent.
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9/4/03
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09:27
124
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17:49
151
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124 is beginning to seem high to me. 151 is definitely high. I gave her 500 mg metformin this morning, knowing that she would
be left alone for some hours, over noon, and knew she'd eat just about anything that she could get her hands on, or sleep
most of the time I was gone.
It turned out to be a little of both. She has, however, been complaining that she wants "something sweet, something good",
lately, so, while I was out shopping, I picked up a small carrot cake. Before she gets carrot cake, I'll be giving her a
1000 mg tablet of metformin, tonight, with dinner, and probably one in the morning.
Something I've learned about diabetes in the elderly who have not experienced diabetic conditions earlier in life is that,
sometimes, once, the initial sugar veil is lifted, an occasional blood sugar boost that is initiated because of an intense
desire for sweets actually boost energy, for a day or so, if it isn't continued. My mother will feel great, tomorrow, because
of the carrot cake, high blood glucose or low, she'll move more, be willing to get out more, be more alert, and will be easily
willing to follow a strict diet for the next several days, which will even out her blood glucose.
As a note to myself, I'm beginning to research natural supplements and their claims for helping to "moderate" as many of them
state, blood glucose levels.
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9/3/03
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09:38
117
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14:19
136
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18:27
109
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I'm assuming that last night's 500 mg metformin kept her out of the 130-150 range she tends to hit in the morning when she's
had something incredibly sweet at night, like last night's orange juice.
MID: All quiet on the western front.
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9/2/03
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08:48
116
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13:14
135
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18:19
79
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Looking relatively good. It occurred to me, last night, that, if I feel the need to give her 500 mgs metformin on a particular
day, perhaps evening would be the best time for the dose. If she needs it, this evening would be a good time to start that.
If she doesn't, well, more power to us!
At MIDday, I'm thinking, yes, 500 mgs metformin tonight. More commentary in today's journal entry.
PM: Very nice! Mom decided she wanted orange juice for dinner, so that gave me an excuse to give her metformin. The orange
juice should take the edge off her body's interest in sugar, and the metformin will take the edge off her blood glucose.
Finally, I'm getting the knack for thinking on a moment to moment basis in handling her diabetes. An overall approach doesn't
work, at least not for Mom; I'm surprised, although this PCP is better than her last, that this is the second physician who
takes a blanket approach to managing blood glucose in the elderly. Type 1 diabetics think consciously about their blood
chemistry; they have to, their lives depend on it. Type 2 diabetics need to be, at least, counseled on this optional way
of thinking about their disorder and how flexible, moment to moment thinking helps normalize blood glucose with less risk
of suffering the sometimes ball-and-chain side effects of some of the medications required to control Type 2 diabetes.
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9/1/03
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08:10
121
11:05
117
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19:18
80
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That's right, two morning readings. Read about it in today's posted journal entry entitled Two Readings.
I gave her 550 mgs metformin, this morning.
We did good. No metformin, tonight.
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I like keeping this record. It gives me an excuse to remind myself to focus on social time, to live in social time. Living
with An Ancient One, whose sense of time is flexible, to say the least, can be both seductive and challenging. It feels like
a wiser understanding of time, and I can cross the border easily, now, but sometimes...I worry. Then, I keep dated journals,
and stop worrying.
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I will try to be less effusive in the comments, especially considering how tiny they are. I don't know how that will go...this
is like a specialized gardener's journal, for me, providing a different kind of therapy. But, I'll try.
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It is obvious, for ease of use, I'll need to confine these histories to 3 months per page, which is why I am now dating, by
year, the page titles.
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9/2/03 8:40 p.m.: I think I'll start dating these.
It didn't take long for me to give up cutting back on effusiveness, in here. I think this is my gardener's journal.
Speaking of which, my rooting is very slow, but the roots are still there. It's got what looks like a new leaf coming out
of the crotch of the leaves. Good sign, I think.
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gailraehudson@themomandmejournalsdotnet.net
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