A wonderful night with my honey!!!

I sure love my boyfriend, Tyler! He is so sweet to me, and so caring. We've been through a lot together, especially with me being sick this year, and having surgery. I don't know what I would do without him! Last night after work we drove down to Salt Lake (about a 2hr drive) to go see the Lights at the Zoo, and Temple Square. It was sooooo fun!!!

I talked him in to taking a picture with me, we are both camera avoiders,

but I think we look pretty darn cute!

We took Abigale Sheepie with us too! (Okay, I know its weird)

Here she is posing with a flock of sheepies at the Nativity.

I was a little disappointed that we didn't see more animals, but it was a lot of fun!

The tigers were awake and watching everyone.

I was a little nervous the fence was only like 5ft high!

This crazy critter just stood there by the glass checking everyone out! Funny!

They had tons of lights, and animated critters doing Christmas Stuff!

Afterwards, we were going to go on a cartridge ride, but there was a long line. We went to dinner instead. It was such a magical evening! I sure am lucky to have someone so wonderful in my life! It makes up for everything else thats a little less than wonderful!

Heidi, bless her heart. tuned me into a fantastic sale on this Salter. Mine will be in the mail soon! Thank you soooooo much Heidi! You Rock!!!!!

http://www.cutleryandmore.com/salter/nutri-weigh-go-portable-dietary-computing-scale-p112665

ONLY $20!!!!!!!!!!!!! NORMALLY $60!!!!!!!!!!!

This was a nice ending to a crazy, beautiful, painful, hard, but wonderful year!!!

Poison Drinks

Penny and Kerri recently made posts about getting the wrong orders on drinks. It's funny because I have dealt with the SAME problem 2 times this month. Once at a fast food chain with a Diet Coke, and once at a Tea Shop, with a cup of Peppermint Tea. BOTH times I asked for diet, or sugar substitute.

I am sure that the people that made the mistakes were either busy, or had a "Oh, What the Hell attitude". It makes me irate! Hello, we might as well be drinking poison! I realize that people with T1 Diabetes can have sugar, but liquid sugar hits you like a freight train and it's "derailing" effects last the whole day. What's worse is that if you don't realize it right away, you could be in for even worse problems.

It shocks me that in a nation, where all they do is complain about people "being obese" and "having diabetes" they would be a little more careful about what your getting. Personally, I went to the manager and told her the dangers of someone getting the wrong drink, especially if it's someone's child or you can't taste the difference. I was later told that someone was fired for giving full sugar drinks to "overweight" customers because they thought it was "funny to derail their diet". That's pretty scary.

So to echo our other DOC friends, be careful out there for toxic drinks!

Back to "Normal Life"

The presents are opened, the feast has been prepared, of course my pants are tight. Christmas is such a strange time of year. The buildup, and sadly the "let down". Now that I am getting older, and now officially in my "30's" (I turned 30 this year) I can't help but strongly dislike New Years. Most people get the "birthday blues", but I get the "New Year's blues". I think about all that has happened this year. The things I did, the things I didn't.

This year, I want a year, where I pull out the stops, and do everything I want. I reflect the reasons why, and feel sad some are out of my control. Matter of fact a lot of them. I've been reading several posts about people's not normal "Normal". It's funny because that never changes. This upcoming year, I am making a list of things I am doing and hanging it on the fridge.

I think one of the most important things I learned this year is, that its not about big things, but the small things that we find almost "inconvenient" because we get busy.

When you are a caregiver, or a person with a disease, a lot of your life becomes "controlled". Sometimes that control spills into other areas of your life. This upcoming year, I am going to try and break that control on other things, and enjoy the simplicity of things that get missed because I am busy.

I'm so lucky to have such an amazing family, great friends, and a wonderful boyfriend. I think about what my life would be like if it wasn't for them. Just a week before Christmas a horrid accident took the lives of two young boys, in our town. I can't get that thought out of my mind. Although I am not a parent, I can't imagine the horror of waking up on Christmas with your sons gone. Seeing their presents unopened, and trying to hold your family together for your two other young children. I think about parents that are working so hard to help their families be happy and healthy. I think about that love, and thats what Christmas is all about. That's what family is all about. That is what makes a world that can be so scary, uncertain, and sad, a wonderful place to be. I appreciate all the honest moms, dads, and D friends that share their joys and triumphs with everyone. What a wonderful example you are to me, and what an honor it is to call you, my friends.

As we transcend into a new year, I wish you blessings of hope! Hope that one day there is a cure! I wish you blessings of peace. Peace, especially in the hours of uncertainty and sadness. BUT most of all I wish you blessings of LOVE, the same love I feel in my heart right now.

Happy New Years my FRIENDS! Hopefully this can turn into a week of wonderful things to come! A fresh slate to be filled with nothing but happy things!

:)

SUGAR BOLUS!!!!!

I HOPE I am doing this right! It's my first time! *blush*

I think Super D Mamas, and Super Awesome D Peep Girlies need some pampering....... So may I present the "Pamper Yourself Collection" (Ha! Doesn't "collection" sound like that makeover show?) Okay back to the Bolus.......

You will be receiving. . . . .

* Antibacterial foaming soap from Bath and Bodyworks! In the yummy flavors of "Midnight Pomegranate" and "White Citrus" (My personal favorite) Even if you only get a moment to close your eyes breathe in the yummy smells and get back to being super awesome, this won't dry out your hands......

* The 2 NEWEST scents from Bath and Body scheduled to come out this Summer Season..... Fuji Passion Fruit and Bali Mango! Pamper your busy hands, or tired feet with a quick tropical getaway!

* Grove to your own beat with a $10 Itunes gift card, redeemable for a movie or music to keep you going!

* (NOT SHOWN) A special surprise treat! One sugar free and one not...... depending on which one you need!

(Sorry my sewing pin tomato, although super cute, is not included....)

Don't be afraid to enter if you live internationally, if you win, I will ship to you!!!!!

Most of you know the rules......... But just in case...................

● Leave me a comment before midnight on Thursday, December 30th. Please include your first name. Comments left without a name will be eliminated.
● To earn extra entries (post a separate comment for each):
● Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. Then, leave me an additional comment.
● Share a link to this contest on Facebook. Then, leave me an additional
comment to let me know.
● Blog about this contest. Then, leave me an additional comment containing
a link to your blog.
● No duplicate comments are allowed. Duplicate comments will be eliminated.
● Winners will be selected via random draw at http://www.random.org/.
● Winners' names will be posted here on this blog on Friday, December 31st.
● After winners' names are posted, winners will have 48 hours to send a message to me at trtprincess@hotmail.com (corny, I know) . If I do not hear from a winner within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Happiness Is.........

Is when my Fluffy Chickens, Alice and Thumbelina Poopybum

(Yeah thats really her name)

get mo-hawks from being out in the rain or snow!

Lots of beautiful white snow....... (disclaimer: NOT so fun to drive in!)

My door plastered with super duper awesome Christmas cards!

Not So HAPPY. . . .

My Tummy! Yeah, Renya you practically "triple dogged dared" me to post this. Here it is in all it's "glory" and flaming hot pain so I can't even button my pants!

I guess I will stick to my "regular arm and chest spots" Yeah this freaks people out, but the absorption is always "right on". I've given up trying to hide it, and despite popular thought, I don't usually get tangled in tubing even though its on the outside of my clothes a lot, or despite using the longest tubing. For those of you wondering, I realize this is an "unorthodox" place to put an infusion site, but it works for me. I have read through out the DOC that some women even use their "ta-tas"! Not me, and nor do I recommend it, especially to D Mamas, I guess it's a big kid thing..... Or at least when your old enough to be responsible for the consequences of getting adventurous in testing out different areas!

Anywho, nice welcome back gift Pumpsley! Grrr

Oh, the Irony!

I am feeling a little more in the Christmas mood, It's about dang time!

Have a great day everyone!

Pumpsley's Revenge

So, I was so excited to get back on the pump. I found out there are really of a lot of pros and cons of pumping. It made me realize that insulin delivery is far from perfect. I also realized that although pumps are wonderful, there aren't the "miracle cure" that a lot of people hype them up to be. (don't get me wrong, they are awesome, but very time consuming despite non-D perceptions of them)

I guess Pumpsley was super pissed that he got shelved for almost a month, because this morning Iwoke up with a flaming hot area around my infusion set! Seriously? That sucks! I would have post a picture of my red flaming agony, but realized people would be dropping off their computer desk chairs puking. My stomach is not my best feature.......

Maybe it's because I don't usually use my stomach. Who knows? Long story short, that sucked!!

Happy Monday! :)

Saturday Sleep In Yay!

Ahhhhhh......

Nothing feels better than sleeping in an extra hour. I slept on the couch at My sweet BF's house last night. I sure hope I didn't snore. He is such a sweetie. This morning I awoke to find him in the kitchen making me Breakfast. I can't believe how luck I am! Later in the month we are going to see the Zoo Lights! Seriously. What could be ore awesome than Christmas Lights and animals?

It's going to be a busy weekend. I have to finish the last of my cards and get them sent out! I don't want anyone getting their cards after Christmas! I have really enjoyed all the cards. Its so fun to come home and see them after a long day at work. I was so thrilled with Super Nate's ornament! The sting of reality did hit a little when a got a brief whiff of insulin, and looked it over... Poor kid. It's one of those moments that shocks you from your pretend normal world into, "Oh my Hell, we really do these things to stay alive?" I love it and I am proud to have it on my tree!

Speaking of weird moments. This weekend is my last couple days before I go back on the pump. I have learned so much, and have done some super stupid things! Last night, I ate a treat thinking I will take a quick shot after. Well, that sucks if you fall asleep, and then wake up a few hours later at 364! Duh! Rachael! You know better!

I have really struggled this year trying to get in the Christmas "spirit". Work has been difficult, and sometimes it is so hard to stay happy when lots of people around you have crappy attitudes. I figure it's not too late. Starting today, no matter what I will ENJOY this last week before the holiday! I sure hope everyone else is already enjoying it. Merry Christmas everyone!

Tired. . . . .

I wish I was this cat right now...... Hope the holidays are treating you well! It is such a busy time of the year!

Life...

Lora at "My Diabetic Child" posted an amazing post. I would like to thank her for her openness and sharing her candid feelings. One thing that makes me so thankful for the DOC is that there is no judging. There is no need to pretend, no need to be anyone other than your self. It seems that now days there is so much pressure to be "perfect". It seems like you have to....

- be perfectly skinny and beautiful

- be the "stepford" kind of wife.

- be happy, and smiling and never take offense

- to have the biggest, cleanest house with dinner on the table every night for your perfect kids that never do anything wrong, and have straight A's and do 5 different extracurricular activities a night.

- to never let the sadness of the world affect you.

You know what I think? It's all crap! Its not normal. I'm glad people are honest enough to say, I haven't hung up my Christmas decorations, I am not in the Christmas mood, right now my life kinda sucks! Thats the real honesty of the world. In turn we are out here ready to offer a kind word, a cyber hug, advice, and a prayer! That's what humanity is all about. I can't count the times reading about someones trail has given me strength, courage, and the will to keep moving forward. It can be a nasty unfair world out there, but together we can do it, and help each other! Hang in there everybody! You are never forgotten! Thanks for your honesty! :)

Night......

Ever since I had my Hysterectomy, I just don't sleep..... I wake up so many times, staring at the clock. What is it about the night? So quiet, so dim, so different? What makes the same thing in the daylight seem so different in the dark. When I can't sleep, sometimes I sneak downstairs with my fuzzy blanket to the porch. The quiet, the coolness, the wondering.

Last night I was on the porch at 3:45am. I think after years of checking my BG at 3:00am my body just expects it. I sat in the bitterness pondering the quiet. My life is surrounded by people all the time, so being alone, and "hearing" quiet is sometimes strange.

I guess it made me feel so thankful for everything I have. Last night we had our Family/Resident party. It was so much work. When it was all over I was stunned by people's complacence with how much people do for them.

Our Chef personally made individual cheesecakes, and cream puffs. She is amazing! She always goes out of her way to help me. My boyfriend came to support me, and stayed to help clean up. Some residents were so happy, while some just were just a little less than nice.

It amazes me how much people can care, and at the same time, other's people's lack of caring. I could only imagine what the world would be like if it was like the amazing DOC. A group of strangers, that go out of their way to treat people with kindness, give support, and cyber hugs! A place where you can feel safe letting of the steam of a hard day.

There are a lot of times at night I think about the amazing D Mamas and the struggles they are facing with such courage. A smile some to my face when I see the pictures of happy kids, and families. You should be proud!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday! I am so happy to have been able to meet so many wonderful people in my life. Because in the end relationships are all that matters.

Update on the Weigh-in...

My doc wants me to "take it easy" this month while off the pump for another week, and get all my basal rates "perfected" and hit it hard next month. I have been meeting with a personal trainer that gave me some great beginner info, and how it get a workout without killing my numbers! The GOOD part? I have kept off what I have lost!

Adventures in the land of "Sugar Free" Chocolate...

My eyes lit up to see your yummy, beautiful swirly goodness! Rows of beautiful brown, filled with yummy fruity, tantalizing delight! Although I gaze like a child wishing for an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle, I know I shouldn't be looking because you really doesn't fit into my "diet" (Ha) plan.

I figure one chocolate wont hurt right (Okay, maybe two)? Besides the lady at the counter has guaranteed me that that are made with all "fake" sugar goodness! So, I leave with a bag, containing my delightful treasures..... ahhhh... a beautiful milk chocolate mint truffle. Beside it, a tart lemon "gummy" drizzled with chocolate. I carefully sit them in the passenger seat as I drive home. At the stop light I glance over. It is almost calling to me as my mouth water's like one of those psychological test dogs...... The light turns green and I am proud that I haven't just ripped open the bag and crammed them in my mouth. I want to enjoy each second of their flavor.

Proudly taking them up to my apartment, I sit on the couch. REALLY "What in the HELL is wrong with me!? They are freaking chocolates!!! No less, I've tried to be good about what I eat, and I have't had homemade chocolates since at least a couple years back. Despite the fact that the shop where they are made is a short walking distance from my house....

The time comes and they are everything I dreamed them to be. Their soft, mellow milk chocolate, the tart of the lemon, the cool of the mint. For five minuets, I am in heaven. I quickly come out of my chocolate euphoric trance, and look up the carb count, test, and take a shot. Was it worth the shot? Oh YEAH!

I lay in bed that night, a bit of a headache, but thinking it was the fact that my whole body was sore because I had just completed a 71 hour work week.... At 3:00am I awake to the blaring of my alarm. I feel so awful. For some reason all I can think of for a moment is Reyna's son's "I feel low" in it's up and down octaves..... I am in slow motion...... I test. I feel low, but not "really". The machine beeps... 498!? Seriously!? I test again.....501! I get up, or rather crawl to the fridge. I take a shot, and crawl back to bed. In the morning I wake still in the mid 200's.

Were the chocolates truly "sugar free"? Did she give me the wrong ones? Sadly, I realized that you really do have to be careful...... So, NEVER again. I am glad that Crystal Light has a nice hard candy that really doesn't effect my blood sugar..... Fare Thee Well Dear Chocolates!

Dear Pumpsley,

We will be united soon, Oh how I have missed you!

You're Fondest Admirer,

Rachael

TOTAL RANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DISCLAIMER........ There is NO HOLIDAY CHEER in this post. It truly is just me ranting! If you are in a good mood, you may want to move on to someone's post.........

LAZY PEOPLE........... PISS ME OFF SO BAD! EVEN WORSE THAN THAT? LAZY PEOPLE WHO GET PISSED BECAUSE YOUR "HARD WORK" MAKES "THEM" LOOK BAD, AND COMPLAIN THAT WORKING THAT HARD MAKES THEM NOT FEEL TOO GOOD!

ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????

I NEVER play the "I have a chronic illness so I can not give 100%" card. Yes, there are times where I am honestly sick, and can't work. BUT...... I always give 150% effort at work. I work with "Grandfriends" all day in a retirement community. To me when it comes to "certain" things being one person's job, I'm not down!

HELLO! I am so sick of the "YAY Teamwork" speeches on Mondays only to go out into the workplace, and get told because I am doing something out of my "job description" (Which there really isn't one) I am doing it to make someone look bad. DUH!!!!!!! That feeling is called GUILT because a half sick diabetic that has already worked 57 hours this week and is only getting paid for 40 because of salary, is out shoveling the snow and ice off the parking lot because she cares about employee, resident , and visitor safety.

Sorry, I am not taking the 30 mins of "free time" I have to sleep in my office! Seriously WTF! I feel like shit this week! To have a man as old as my mom talking crap behind my back like a middle schooler, just boils my blood! These are the days I have to keep telling myself....

I LOVE MY JOB! `

Sorry for the rant but, I HAD to get that off my chest. I'm NOT sexist, but sometimes MEN are DOO DOO HEADS!

YAY for jammies!!!!

I have slowly crawled my way out of a "funk" this week to find these super cute jammies that I WON!!!!! I NEVER win anything, no, really I am cursed with BAD luck! They are so cute! I LOVE "Scotty" dogs. For some reason they always remind me of my Dad. Many thanks to you Wendy! I sure LOVE them. They make me so thankful for all the amazing friends I have met through the DOC! Have a Happy Day!