Diabetic lottery numbers

By | 23 March, 2011

There’s something about having a broken pancreas that makes you see numbers in a different light. For a non diabetic type watching the national lottery draw is all about waiting for those 6 winning numbers to come out. For a diabetic, it’s far more exciting. Every number comes with a message attached:

  • 49 – Oo, you’ve come out of your coma, that’s good. Did you realise you’re diabetic?
  • 28 – WTF? Dodgy infusion set? Forgot to bolus for lunch? Are those my kidneys I can smell frying?
  • 19 –  Not feeling too good. I could drink a reservoir dry and still have space for a slurp from the pond.
  • 17 – My standard example of a high number, because on ye olde test strip bottles, the high colour was always rated against 17
  • 14 – Is it me or is it hot in here? Does anyone else feel a bit queasy?
  • 11 – Not bad considering I had a pizza for lunch/How the hell can I be that high after an apple?
  • 8 – Cruising along quite nicely thank you, nothing much to worry about, perhaps a little squirt of insulin.
  • 6 – Nothing to see here, I’m masquerading as someone with a working pancreas.
  • 5 – I am a diabetic genius, bow in my presence and bring me chocolate, I deserve it.
  • 3 – My head feels funny, but it’s vitally important I finish doing this completely pointless task before I stop and get some food.
  • 2 – Can anyone else see those flying elephants or is it just me?
  • 1.5  – How low can you go? Despite the fact I can barely walk or speak, I’m strangely proud of still being conscious!

What numbers are significant for you?

Category: Living with diabetes Tags:

About Alison

Diagnosed with Type One in 1983 at the age of four, Alison's been at this for a while now. She uses Humalog in a combined insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring system and any blood glucose meter as long as it takes five seconds or less.

15 thoughts on “Diabetic lottery numbers

  1. Tim

    He he he! I’ve just tested and I’m:

    6.5 – feeling slightly smug in the presence of other diabetics! 😉

    Reply
  2. Mike

    Particularly liking 5, 3 and my particular favourite the expecting-it-to-be-11-and-it-inexplicably-ends-up-being-2.5 (or vice-versa)

    Reply
  3. Mike

    I’m on way down from a high.. Approx 256(14) and just tested again which is 175(9).. Boooooo ;-(

    The 14 did cause a little siesta earlier mind..

    Reply
  4. Mike

    Can you remember what your BG’s when you were diagnosed? Mine came in at 42.

    Reply
  5. Dave

    I’ll come in with a 7.5 after an hour on a bike I’m quite happy with that. Makes up for my range of 2.5 to 16.9 during the day 🙁

    Reply
  6. lizz

    That made me laugh. My son read it behind my shoulder and said, that does sound like you…

    Today we drove to Oxford to look at a Uni for our son (Oxford Brooks, not the posh one), a 3 hour journey, set off at 7. Luckily parking was provided for us cos of the dog, or I think i would have died sometime during the day as no parking anywhere and you have to get the park and ride which is full by 10.

    So… started off due to excitement at 16.7. I bolus, but for 10.7 as I know otherwise in the afternoon I will be low on strange turf. Beginning the campus tour I am 9.9, great! but the student seems to have hot soles or a fitness problem (she was too fit) and we did the tour almost at a run. Halfway round dog nudges my leg. She wants the loo, I tell my son. OH far ahead, separated by 40 slouching, uninterested, would-be students and 80 earnest, fascinated and dying to go back to uni parents. Son fights his way through the melee and I try and speed up. Funny, don’t seem to be able to go any faster. These people keep getting in the way. OH comes back, and rushes off with dog to grass. I realise she might have been nudging me to tell me i am low, as I see her bouncing around OH in the distance, looking as if a wee is the last thing on her mind. I do a test. I am 1.6. the crocodile is disappearing in the distance. At least, i think it’s my crocodile. Is my son with it, where is my sugar… in the dog bag of course, it’s so heavy, on the back of OH, in the distance, dancing with the dog. I wave feebly. He waves back.

    Eventually food was restored to me and my mouth we managed to catch up (walking at 1.6 is so hard) and we finish the walk. Go and get lunch, me still very low, OH has no money, they won’t take a card. So he goes off to get money and I realise I have a tenner so go to get some food. Of course, BS is 2.2 so I buy biscuits, chocolate, pineapple chunks and more chocolate. I eat it all before OH returns. During the afternoon, i feel SO tired. BS is 17.6. Sigh. Now i am about to go out to dog training and I think I’m ok…

    Reply
  7. Clinton Chatham

    Numbers. Average 24.7 over last 30 days. Right now sitting at 32.2…again.. wake up daily to 18 – 21. Darn doctor doesnt know whats wrong and now cant even make up his mind whether i am type 1 or 2. (origionally diagnosed as type 2 in december). They have maxed my meds and if numbers dont drop by monday then i will be joining the insulin crowd. Yippiee…..NOT!

    Reply
  8. Clinton Chatham

    well instead of doing work today i have spent the whole day reading the blogs on this site. some of the stuff here is hilarious and yes, i would have to agree, it looks like a pretty good (and sligtly loopy) crowd.

    Reply
  9. Tim

    Hello @clint – welcome to the despond and misery that is Shoot Up.

    I wouldn’t worry too much about going onto insulin, we all survive without too much difficulty (aside from ups, downs, getting it wrong, etc. etc.) and I bet my shoes (which are rather nice!) that you’ll feel a million times better once you get your BG down to lower levels. I know I did.

    Anyway, if you do join then welcome to the insulin club and do feel free to post on the forums if you have an questions. You’ll get seven different opinions in reply – but such is the joy of diabetes! 😀

    Reply
  10. Clinton Chatham

    Thanks @Tim – Feeling welcome already and suspecting that i will fit right in.

    Not worried about insulin (he says with false brevado) but just looking farward to
    a. Feeling a whole lot better that i have in over a month and
    b. hopefully getting an idea of what i have got. That way i can answer the question on the profile page. lol

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Mike Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *