"Number nine, number nine..."
...can we work any more examples of the number nine in this morning's blood sugar reading? One more; the reading could have been taken on 9/09.
    Interesting developments since dinner last night. Although I got carrot cake to soothe Mom's sweet tooth and administered 1,000 mg metformin to prepare her for the onslaught of simple sugar, she didn't have any. I tried the carrot cake and, as it turned out, it was only spice cake with a finely chopped nut and a sliver of carrot here and there. The frosting, which I typically don't care for, anyway, had an "old cream cheese" smell and flavor. I threw my piece out after a bite. Mom smelled the cake and decided she didn't want any.
    So, it would appear that all the metformin did was bring her blood glucose back in line this morning. However, I also noticed, without specifically looking for it, that she was just a shade paler than she has been. I am beginning to be convinced that there is a connection between Mom taking metformin and being anemic. I gave her an iron tablet for "good" measure this morning and cut out the metformin. I think that metformin, as an occasional drug, might help level her out when she has high glucose readings, low energy days and her glucose level begins climbing until I can convince her PCP that trying other supplemental diabetic medications might be a good idea. But I'm not going to consider it a capital idea as long as I keep noticing that, without fail, when I start feeding her metformin, I also find myself needing to feed her an iron tablet.
    Today will involve much movement for Mom so her blood glucose level should stay pretty tame (I hope, anyway). Besides being a hair day we're going on a Costco supply run and she's already informed me that we will be going up and down every aisle because she hasn't gotten a chance to survey their increasing Christmas displays. She insists we'll be eating lunch there; a polish dog w/sauerkraut and lemonade (a brand of "light" lemonade with sweetener instead of sugar that Costco's soda machine offers and which, much to her surprise and mine, Mom actually likes).
    Our last day fully here in Mesa will be September 12th. Our first day fully in Prescott will be September 13th. Everything is set. Throughout the next week we'll be taking three moving runs up there. As of last night she was looking forward to a busy week beginning with this weekend. So am I. I'll also be "practicing" with the oxygen tanks and Mom as we head up the mountain, a verbal tactic that was suggested by her oxygen technician to convince her to use oxygen on the trip up. She's agreed to allow me these practice sessions. So I think all will run well and smoothly over the next week.
- posted by gail rae @ 10:10   email...this post