My Thoughts on Closing the Loop



"Closed Loop System"



When I have idle time at work I use it to review any and all information related to Diabetes. Yesterday I stumbled across a site called http://www.diabeteshealth.com/ and was scrolling through the numerous summaries regarding new research, nutrition etc...

I reviewed the topic related to closing the loop, since a cure is too distant at the moment, perhaps the focus should be on designing a complex computer feedback system whereby a Continuous Glucose Sensor communicates with a microscopic mega computer that in turn uses fancy algorithms to communicate with the pump telling it what to do.  Sounds pretty cool, except for a couple of things...

My issue and the researchers mainly in Europe feel the challenge is how the computer program will account for things like, spontaneous activity, stress, and the human bodies biochemistry, aka "Diabetic Curve Balls" that get thrown our way on a daily diabetic basis. I have to say I can't see the system being too successful, just my humble opinion.

I know, I am a natural sceptic.

I think they need to focus on insulin analogues that respond to micro changes in blood glucose, like a non-diabetics where the minute the body senses a micro increase the beta cells send out the first responders. Now I am not a biochemist, nor really that smart, I get by, but this just seems logical   Don't know if its possible and I am sure they are working on it.

When I reflect on such things, I can't help to marvel at how truly amazing the human body is designed, how complex our inner workings really are.

What do you all think about this?

Cheers!

Trev

The Things We Find

As some of you may know, I have a few Diabetes People in DA House.

And, any of you with kids, or even those who have been temporarily exposed to these tiny creatures, it is a known fact that possessions can,  and will mysteriously disappear in their company.

I have found my missing watch buried in the closet around dolly's neck. I have stumbled upon the TV remote underneath my toddlers pillow, and the list goes on, and on........

So the other night, I was looking for my daughters fancy glucometer, the Contour USB port one, to no avail.
So I decided to evoke my right as commander in chief to start Operation "FIND ALL THE DIABETES STUFF"  So it began.....

After about an hour of rummaging, cushion flipping, junk drawer emptying, doll house searches, we had a pile of supplies on our counter.

We had glucometers, Pens, Empty Pens, Needles, Needle TIPS, Empty and full test strips, Lancets,  and empty vials of insulin. Crazy the amount of stuff, I honestly didn't know we had.

As I was matching all the strips to meters to lancets to cases, I thought of the DOC, and how odd it is that this really is the norm for us folks.

Instead of finding the remote stuffed between a couch cushion, we find a meter, instead of finding a pen on the counter we find an insulin pen.

Bizarre how normal it becomes.

Cheers!

Trev 

Where's the off-ramp from Life in the Fast Lane?

I need to tell you how I feel, not complain, but try to create clarity through expression, if you know what I mean. Sometimes getting it out, opens the cranial paths to solutions and ideas. So here goes.

Is it just me or does life get quicker as we age?  It seems that with each passing day, there are less and less hours, and each passing day seems blurrier then the last and before you know it,  you're staring at yourself in the mirror asking yourself;  "where the hell did that year go"   Too Fast I say!

I recently picked up a second job, so I work Monday to Friday and on the week-ends. Crazy but the cost of living is insane. I desperately want to minimize the unessential things in our life but feel trapped being the Father of a rather large number of Offspring who look to me to provide their every need. My wife also works full time.

Okay,  to put it bluntly, somethings gotta give.

I persistently argue with myself saying, "It's temporary" or "It is good to be busy" but This Life in The Fast Lane is going to take its toll eventually.

Take its toll on my diabetes and health that is.  I find it harder and harder to exercise. Meal planning is also more challenging. This winter resulted in the highest A1C I have had in many years. And I can't help to charge my busy life as the culprit and cause of my poor diabetes control.

Time is limited and I sooo need it to heal, manage, and improve my health.

Any PWD knows that stress makes diabetes harder to control, well, I guess that has been my issue.

Ideas to improve above dilemma:

-Cancel all unnecessary distractions, like the hundreds of channels through our cable provider.
-Focus on eating healthy - Already doing that
-Quit both jobs - kidding - Money is unfortunately as important as Oxygen at the moment.
-Baby steps - short work outs at lunch maybe - More playing at the park, even when tired, as it's good for me and the kids.
-And any other ideas the DOC wants to throw my way - thanks in advance!

On a positive note - Seen my Eye Doctor yesterday, and zero evidence of Retinal issues, eyes are good!

Well, just letting my thoughts channel through fingers - to keys - to screen in an attempt to find the off-ramp.

Cheers!

Trev

Too Fast - Too Complicated?!

"My Middle Kid and Chuck. Note No Technology"

Hello DOC and DOC stumblers, I wrote this over a month ago, and didn't post it. Better late then never I guess.  Oh, and it has absolutely nothing to do with Diabetes.

Today is what I would refer to as a free thought post.  Meaning no planned topic. Just what's on the Melon.

I have touched on the concept before of Making Things Too complicated.

Life being a Race, Hamster Stuck on a Wheel, type theme.

Cell Phones, Computers, iPads, TV, Video Games.  These are all great things in their own right, but at what expense. 

A few months ago, I was at the mall in a food court. At a nearby table sat a teen and his two parents. The father was talking to his son.  During this conversation the Boy never made eye contact, and continued to use his iPhone.  The crazy thing is, the father continued the conversation as if it were a normal thing. Now my wife and I commented afterwards how we would have taken the phone and had a serious discussion regarding proper communication.

I see people everywhere, driving, walking, in line ups, movies, you name it, they are on their gadgets, everywhere, all the time. Kids don't call each other anymore, they text or Facebook. To the point that doctors are seeing younger people with posture pain from looking down too much, crazy!

I can't help to ask, at what expense. Now before I proceed, I am not saying I don't agree with using technology, hell I use it all the time. I am just reflecting on what I observe and the potential social implications.

What I observe in the workplace for example is an increase in social avoidance and often more passive aggressive behavior. Professionally I rarely communicate directly anymore, its Voice Mail, Email, Text, and if that fails, Phone. Which is never really a good thing. People misinterpret  written emails the wrong way, because unlike verbal interaction there is no instant feedback loop and zero body language which is 70-80% of all communication. I find it cowardly to email an issue when you are in the same building, and was a little shocked at how often this happens. I feel people are getting worse in some cases at communicating as a result of all the other non-face-to-face options. Just my opinion of course.

I know this is a huge topic, that entails, email and FB bullying, online dating, gambling, and car accidents related to cell phone use. I am more concerned about one thing.

It is said that technology increases connectivity, but I also see it actually increasing social disconnectivity(I know it's not a word)

Instead of shutting off the TV, Cell, Computer, Video game, and going out to socialize, we are spending more and more time having our minds sucked into the technological realm and distracted from real life.

I guess this whole post stems from my more frequent walks and bike rides over lunch instead of spending it at my desk in front of my computer.

There is really something to be said when you hear a person's voice, see their expression, here their laughter.

I am once again not discouraging use of computers, or cells, but think we need to be aware of the social, physical and emotional ramifications of letting them overtake our every waking moment.

Sorry for the deep post. Not really diabetes related. Just stuff on the ole Melon.

Trev

Play Time Anyone?

"Play Time"

It seems that people are still checking in on Three 2 Treat even though I haven't been devoting any time to writing. I am really honoured that folks all over the world, like Russia, Greece, and wow the UK, huge shout out!!!  

I have been attempting to simplify my life a little bit, well, mentally, stripping away the numerous distractions, activities, hobbies, etc, in order to reflect on things.

Diabetes was one of those things I needed to, well, cut back on, if you follow me. It consumes my home life, work life, my online life, my kids, etc.  Its a huge consumer of my mental energy that inevitably distracts me from enjoying the finer things in life like play time.

I have been spending time focusing on Playing, Yup, Playing.   Getting excited to come home from work and go to the play ground to play on the climber, swing on the monkey bars, chase the soccer ball, kids and dogs around the field. Walk in the grass barefoot, lie on the grass and examine the clouds. Just be in the moment, enjoying the smells, feeling the breeze and the sun radiating down it's life giving energy.  Playing is Great!

It seems that as we grow older some of us forget to play. I know I did. Sure....we take vacations, go to dinner, drink too much on occasion, but I'm referring to non-goal oriented, unstructured unrestricted totally let loose play!  Man it really is invigorating and fun!

I was getting so caught up in work, diabetes, writing, commitments, life, tasks, lists, that I forgot to PLAY.

So I am asking you all to give it a try, no goals, no objectives, in the moment, Play, just like kids.

Cheers!

WARNING;
Excessive playtime may result in serious happiness, improved relations with loved ones and pets, better blood glucose control, weight loss, better cardio, toned muscles, happy children, cool parent syndrome, serious stress reduction.  It is recommended to gradually increase play time to avoid the above sudden side effects.

Time to Unplug Y'all

Well, I simply need to Unplug.

After My experience with the CWD forum, and the rude comments from ignorant people as occasional as they are; I need to unplug. 

It's hard enough dealing with life and taking the time to share experiences and thoughts, let alone dealing with what seems to be an insidious negativity I have noticed seeping into the DOC. As much as I love the encouraging comments, the negativity is too much too handle for moi at this time.

It is too difficult to read comments from people who don't think before they type. They are likely bitter themselves, and projecting there own frustrations onto others. I intellectually know this, but emotionally, my skin ain't tough enough to handle it.

Case in point: Mom Of Bean Blog, this poor Mom, and the atrocious comment totally judging her was absolutely un-called for.  Good rebuttle blog post on her part but enough is enough for this guy.

I still look forward to reading your blogs that I follow.

And Maybe at a later time I will start to post, but for now I need to unplug.


Peace out all. Damn, the lump has returned.


Trev

Steak in My Pee?!

A little diabetic flashback

A while ago, like over 15 years ago, I had some lab work done, and was called into my then Family Doctor to discuss the results.

I go in and sit down, or something like that, and we go through the results.

A1C - Check
Fasting Blood Glucose - Check
Lipids - Check

and then.............

Oh, you have some protein in your urine.

My heart dropped, to me this meant the end all be all, downward spiral into one of the killers that diabetics get, Kidney Failure.

I replied "Really, what does this mean?"

He said, "It is called Microalbuminuria and it is a very early indication of Kidney Damage."

I said, "So my kidneys are damaged?"

He said, "Well, not exactly."

I thought, WTF I'm really freaking out here, and you can't give me a straight answer.  I was a hot head back then. But I did not vocalize my thoughts.

I said "What can we do?"

He said "We will put you on an ACE Inhibitor, which is a low dose Blood Pressure Medication that works on the kidneys and prevent the progression of Kidney Damage"

I took my first breath of relief.  Took the Rx and filled it immediately.

This was my first encounter with a potential deadly diabetic complication. And I was completely freaked out about it. I spent the next several weeks, researching Kidney Disease, Progression from MicroAlbuminuria to overt Proteinuria. I looked to basically see how long I had left to live. 


I guess the lesson I learned from this is that people get panicked about results, so when I break the news I do the best I can to provide as much information as possible and also offer a feedback loop, so the patient does feel on their own.

I never ever want anybody to feel like they have had a brush with death in the doctors office.

Trev