SweetLifeStories Diabetes Blog

Kath + Tess' first show- Scottsdale

Whoever said life–despite living with diabetes–can’t be fun?

Having come back recently from showing my puppy Tess in our first AKC conformation shows, and entering  local AKC Agility Trials with my 5 year old whippet Zoe for the very first time, I can swear to the magic that intense participation in something–anything–you love doing is worth it!

I’ll admit I was a tad overwhelmed when I drove all the way from Albuquerque to Scottsdale for my first dog show a few weeks ago! Mostly, I was a little rattled at having to stand my puppy correctly as show judges scrutinized me, her, and other entrants. But it took only a day or two into the showing process (along with some lessons and advice before I’d left home for the show), to realize that I really could do this! And aside from the political aspects of the dog show world where well-known breeders and their dogs and handlers sometimes garner judges’ attention and the top awards, we did well enough to be encouraged! Two 2nd place ribbons, several 3rds and 4ths, and a world of experience in the realm of showing my puppy! Woo hoo!

Next up, reminding me of the importance of exercising, eating right, practicing agility signals and moves, and just striving to improve, came the AKC 3-day agility trial. I entered Zoe with a little trepidation. Like me, she’s quirky and gets stressed in situations that are new to her. But we’ve worked hard for almost three years trying to learn agility together. I was happy, knowing my dog had found a niche in which she could do well. But I didn’t know if she would hold up at the competition level. So we registered for our first agility trials to find out.

What did I learn? Because I didn’t give up, Zoe and I are finally a team. Running two agility runs each day of the 3-day trial was great for me; the stress, well, sometimes less than great! But the lure of working at agility to get better is, well, simply alluring. I actually have dreams of earning any coveted titles of AX (Excellent A Agility), AXJ (Excellent A Jumpers With Weaves), or even, dare I say it, a MACH (Master Agility Champion)!

Camaraderie with other agility enthusiasts, the potential to make good friends, the focus it takes to stay physically active and get  stronger to compete–all for the love of a dog and a sport. Voila! How powerful to find a niche that makes your heart (and not your blood sugar!) soar.  Ahhhhhh; all is well.

Kath + Zoe in Agility Trials- Albuquerque

B well; b happy.  And find any niche that helps u soar to new heights!

Until next time, Kath

My life has been a whirlwind–turned upside down not by the expected stress of the holidays, but by an innocent adorable puppy! I didn’t expect or even want to add a 3rd dog to our brood until summer, but a friend of ours we know through lure coursing with our whippets begged us to “try” her as part of our family–one who is eager to train and work their dogs on agility courses. I have been training Zoe, our 5-year old, for over two years in agility (which is really to say, I’ve been training myself to do the right things!), and we’re finally ready to start competing. The skills classes and agility drills alone have done wonders for keeping my blood sugar levels under control! And they’re so much FUN!  But just how in the world do you just “try out” a dog?    

So our brindled Tesla (whom we call Tess) came to stay the day after Thanksgiving at four months of age. Despite turning down a pup from this litter several times, we were finally and unabashedly worn down by the breeder’s begging and belief in us. And zapped full force by the puppy’s adorable antics! I’m enrolled in not one, but THREE new year’s classes for little Tess:  Puppy Foundations in Agility, Puppy Obedience, and even the much dreaded Conformation Skills (yes, it’s really killer out there in the show ring, much like the world portrayed in the cult classic movie “Best in Show”). All to see what potential this charming beautiful smart-as-a-whip puppy has to offer . . .    

And I’ve unexpectedly found a delightful benefit of training a puppy: Little to no holiday stress or time to fixate on holiday food! No time = no worries. Oops; except for the albatross of housebreaking, which means I have to run, grab some reinforcing treats, and get Tess outside NOW!    

My newest piece of heaven

B well, b happy, b full of spirit and purpose! Happy holidays to you and yours! Until next time, Kath

The Saturday Albuquerque Century Tour de Cure ride to raise funds toward defeating diabetes was even better than anticipated–despite fighting a high morning blood sugar from my lack of enough sleep! It was so inspiring, in fact, that I made a personal resolution to ride the 3K route next year–about 3.5 miles. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but it’s something I’ve never done before, and I’m thrilled to think about it since riding a bike again is a goal of mine for my post-spinal fusion body . . .   

I got to take over 500 photos of most every group start, vendors, volunteers, and individual cyclists. Like I shared in the previous post, it was great to be behind the camera working to capture all the excitement! The only hiccup was that the riders and volunteers practically melted from heatstroke in the record-breaking heat of 102-104 degrees. The beating sun and temp were definite challenges, but food, water, and the mission to make a difference forged a sense of camaraderie that got us through the day.

Met some amazing people, including one family from Santa Fe whose two-and-a-half year old daughter named TRUE (truly!) captured my heart. She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at just two years of age, but there she was–scooting around laughing and on her tricycle with a mind of her own! What a dynamo! What a hoot! What inspiration!

Thank you, True, all riders, sponsors, and fellow volunteers for giving me a reason to push on.

Arrgh! WHO opened the heavens to unleash thunder, rain, sleet, and snow on my spring garden at such a late spring date?!? It’s almost unheard of to awaken to such harsh elements after an average last-frost date of April 18th here in the high southwest desert! And despite the benefits of this moisture for my plantings, I just want my request to be heard!

Dear Mother Nature:

Regarding all your recent RAIN, SLEET, & SNOW . . .

A small note of thanks for nourishing my garden and helping it grow.

But as for me and the elements, I’ll admit I’m weary.

I’d give up some of that moisture and toil hard for you, just to get my blood sugars to stay steady and low!

So won’t you give it some thought, and maybe I’ll even sweeten the deal?

On behalf of blood sugars rising everywhere in the land of Spring Lion’s roar:  Won’t you seriously consider my query?

Jemez Mtns x-c ski trail

A little x-c skiing trip worked its magic last week. Just fantastic how freshly-fallen snow makes my heart leap . . . waking my inner child to remember joyous play in the snow when I was little, and then making it a reality! Trekking up the mountainside, I did better than just keep up with the pace, so that was gratifying. Felt great striding along on level and slightly downhill sections. Stopped for lunch and didn’t even have to take any insulin. That, in itself, seemed magical. The mountains were filled with a quiet winter beauty, making me actually crave more of these winter months touched with episodic snowplay. That sounds crazy, because winter has always been my least favorite season, but every new day brings a chance to see things differently. Winter, almost gone, has somehow wrapped my heart in her soft white blanket.

Kath x-c skiing

What a lazy weekend! Needed it after the shock of my doctor appointment on Friday, so I’m just lying around reading and getting happily mired in Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, thinking about what my own book choice will be when I host my fellow book club friends this coming May.

So you may be wondering: What happened at my Friday appointment? Good communication with my endocrinologist, sound caring advice, and then a little shock(er) as he dictated notes to my PCP:  “. . . osteoporosis assessment needed, with diabetes a contributing factor.” 

WHO THE HECK KNEW THAT SURVIVING DIABETES AS A KID COULD IMPACT SO MANY OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO MY GENERAL HEALTH?!?  And dang-it: To whom do I file my complaint?!? 

I had triumphantly announced to Dr. P:  “I’m exercising a few times a week, snowshoeing (on my shiny new snowshoes), have even gotten back to x-c skiing a few times, and I feel STRONG!”  I wanted to SING it out, I feel so good about being able to do these things. Grateful to be active, too, after living through 2-3 years of lower back pain before undergoing a laminectomy and successful L4-L5 spinal fusion.  So I obviously felt a little crushed to hear my doctor’s words, thinking:  What is the meaning of this?

Seems like no matter what I try to do to make a difference in my life and be healthy in body, heart, and mind, the diabetes is determined to win. What a tug of war! But just as soon as I feel pressed to submit, my competitive side and my blatant defiant streak pop up and remind me:  Stick out your tongue at this threat! Keep doing what you’re doing! Breathe, step forward, and c’mon–pull harder on the rope.

It’s all part of the battle in life, and I can’t give up on doing things that make it meaningful. Every act, each determined thought, makes a difference, right? Let’s have the battle scorecard read: KATHY: 4 (the winner); DIABETES: 2 (bruiser-loser). Take that!

Sunday, Jan 10, 2010

Suddenly just around the bend from the holidays and roaring into the new year, more light is filling the sky. A touch more warmth in the air brings the hope of spring. There’s just something so magical about this time of year and its promise of new beginnings that I love! It gives me both hope and pleasure in the small promises and joys of living day-to-day. It may even be enough to tempt me to try using the new (to me) Minimed QuickSet in my pump which–those of you who are reading the blog may recall–gave me mega headaches and supersized blood sugars the last time I tried this type of set-up.

Went x-c skiing last Friday. Proved to myself that I could get out and do it after 7 years off skiis. But had a few bruising falls and killer-sore ankles, too! Thankfully, the aches and pains lessened over 24 hours. My blood sugars were great during the actual skiing; I got to eat anything I wanted and didn’t even have to take ANY insulin boluses while I was moving. That’s the miracle of this type of exercise mixed with Type I diabetes. On the other hand, the minute I finished and sat down in the bus for the trip back home, whoosh! Up jumped my blood sugar levels . . . and they stayed in the 180-low 200 range for a few hours. But the exercise inspired me enough to plan waking up early Monday morning to tackle an exercise class–something I stopped attending during the holiday pressure and madness.

Hooray, a new day dawns with new opportunity!