Yesterday I didn’t get into the gym until around 8:30 PM. I had been in the car all day. As I was getting close to the gym I started really feeling excited about lifting weights (I know, weird, right?). I felt strong, and I was probably just feeling pretty antsy from being cooped up in my car all day.
My blood sugar was in the low 200′s, which is not where I wanted it. I had some insulin working from a bit ago, and was a bit worried about dropping too much while exercising. Well, sure enough, after warming up and doing about half of my workout, I was dropping fast. I had my Navigator CGM with me and was watching the action on the screen. Not too long after I hit 120 mg/dl with a straight down arrow, I knew I had to stop and get some glucose into me.
I headed down to the locker room and did a blood sugar test. 63 mg/dl. I treated the low and thought about going back upstairs to finish my workout. But I was really wiped out. That low had come fast and furious. It couldn’t have been more than 30-35 minutes of exercising. Maybe because I dropped so fast I felt wiped out? Who knows. I just didn’t have the energy, mentally or physically, to go up and finish. I wrote the rest of the workout off to the “win some lose some” scorecard of diabetes.
I was heading to the showers and one of the other guys passing by was looking at my arm with the Navigator sensor. He asked “Hey, what’s that deal on your arm?”. I said “It’s my first day out of the Level-5 Max prison in Stillwater — they’re trying to keep an eye on me…” and kept walking right on towards the showers.
I thought it was pretty sweet how my CGM helped me be safe in the gym and also provided a little slice of entertainment for me in the locker room.
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Scott K. Johnson
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in April of 1980, I recognize the incredible mental struggle of living with diabetes.
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lmao oh man!! that was pretty good.lol great line man.
Oh what a hoot.
After I had the surgery for my detached retina, a bubble of nitrous oxide was placed in my eye to hold the retina in place. There were certain medical procedures/medications that needed to be avoided otherwise the bubble would expand too much. So I had to wear a plastic bracelet that announced the situation.
I was riding on the Lake Street bus one day and a wornout looking guy pointed to the bracelet and thought I lived in a treatment center – “got a day pass, huh? – what are you in for, drugs or alcohol?” I sighed and said “heroin”. He nodded his head and said “yup, I thought so – I can spot the horse riders a mile away”. Say what?
nice…
HA!!! Good one. Way to keep your sense of humor after dealing with an unexpected low.
Your experience is *exactly* what happens to me every time I try to exercise if I’m in the 200 range, IOB or not. It can be really frustrating! But I agree–you win some, you lose some, and it’s good to keep some perspective and not sweat (no pun intended) missing part of a workout.
That’s a pretty funny response!!
I love it! That’s just the kind of thing I think of to say long AFTER the moment has passed. And pretty quick thinking coming out of that low. Glad you’re enjoying the workouts. Sounds like you have flipped the switch from “have to”, to “want to”
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ha ha that’s good! Now that guy is probably telling all his buddy about the ex-prisoner at the gym!!!
Chuckle!!
That’s great! I’m gonna use that one (Now I just have to find a nearby federal prison).
You are quick and very funny, love it, but hate the D and how it effects our every move or lack of movement. Just want to do what I want to do and when I want to do it!!!! So there!!!!!!!!
Glad you’re back. I missed you! Hilarious about Stillwater. Betcha that guy’s watching his back at the gym
LOL Awesome come back. Although that could have gone south if it was the push up guy. LOL
I have cystic fibrosis in addition to diabetes and often have coughing fits. For awhile, when people asked if I was sick when I was coughing, I thought it was the funniest thing to catch my breath and then croak out “SARS”. I don’t think my victims thought it was so funny.
You forgot to tell us what that guys’ look was when you told him that.
Glad that the CGM has helped you out.
–Traci
Glad to get over here and read your blog. Stillwater was a funny line. I need to think up something. Too old I suppose… I think I feel worse when the numbers plummet really fast, too.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
i absolutely love the ‘i just got out of prison and they track me’ joke. im going to have to steal that one for the next time a stranger asks me about my cannula.
hahahaha, oh Scott! Smartie pants.
I am a 6 ft tall woman. In the 70′s I had a bumper sticker on my VW that had a yellow happy face w one eye that said “mutants for nuclear power”. I thought it was hilarious. One day, after I pulled into a parking space at a market, this fellow who was “vertically challenged” asked me if I truly believed nuclear power causes mutations. I exited my car and as I towered over him I said “Well before I lived downwind from Seabrook, I was 5’4″!!”