I’m so sorry you’ve been through all of this and so glad you’re on the other side. Rest up, regain strength (more grilled cheese!), and we can’t wait to get the POOL update!
Also, I am thinking that we need to do an FUD NYC meet up at the grilled cheese diner. You’ve got me craving!!! xoxo
So glad you ate back home and feeling better. Yes, i agree with @JessicaD, it would be great for a FUD meetup and we could all enjoy those best ever grilled cheese! Looking forward to your update to the pool!
I would LOVE to get together and do that!!! ANYTIME (preferably late afternoons ) All R Welcome from our Tribe!!!. ( and they also have the BEST menu of any diner i’ve ever been to…albeit a little on the pricey side of things) 
SLOW AND STEADY; EXPERIMENT # 1:
Talk about atrophy!!! OMG. after about 2 months out of the pool, after 1 and a half months of hospitalizations, two heart surgeries, and several more weeks in the hospital to rid me of sepsis (begot from years of diabetic gastropareses), i was finally cleared to swim again!!! Hooray. But holy cow, was i slow and struggling to get my breathing back. Its amazing what some time away from what has been regular exercise can do to my body. And i have to admit, too, that i was spending a little time wallowing in self-pity for the time i was out of the water. But my husband kept reminding me about being patient and being self-forgiving, I did not intentionally stop swimming for no reason at all. I had to take good care of my body and do what needed to be done and follow doctors orders. After each heart surgery i was not even permitted to take a bath for two weeks post procedure (yes, i could shower, just no submerging myself in any water whatsoever…much less go swimming)
so im back. Yahoo!
11:15am BG 89 turn off pump to zero basal and waited 1/2 hour before walking to the pool
12:05pm BG 85 took 10gms fast carbs and jumped in (nervous about being below 100, but kept reminding myself to trust the time on zero basal. Then i just meditated with each stroke)
12:40pm BG 70 finished swim and bolused .4 units to cover all the zero basal and cortisol
walked home and on my way, I bolused 2.6 units for my 2 Boost Shakes (32 gms carbs and protein)
cortisol spike at 1:40pm BG 191. awe, darn. Usually, when i spike like this after a swim, i dont need to do a correction, bc the BG comes down on its own, especially bc i have so much IOB. No worries. No self flagellation or blame. It is what it is. Also, today was my first day back in the pool after a while, and i dont want to judge my BG numbers. I just want to feel proud of my accomplishment. I dared myself to start swimming on the low end of my BGs, and i trusted i wouldnt sink. And now that my sugars are so high, im going to take advantage of it and go for a nice long walk. I’m gonna sleep well tonight!!!
Thank you all for your support during my challenging times these past months. It truly meant and means the world to me. Without this forum, i dont know what i’d be like, how i would feel, what kind of goals i could have for myself. You are all my inspiration. I borrow your courage and am ALWAYS so happy when i pop onto the thread and see your 
s folowing my posts. You guys ROCK 
siging out,
DM
But you float on the water. Glad you were able to get back in the pool 
And how hard that is to get back in to your swimming routine after so many challenges! What perfect BGs, too!! Yes, we are all proud of you, DM!!! So glad you had a great first swim!!!
turns out it was no cortisol spike. When my Dexcom alarm went off, and i took one look at my BG number (336), i realized something else was going on. I took my pump off and tried to prime it but NO INSULIN was coming out at all. I primed and i primed and i primed but NO GO at all. So i ripped the sucker off and redid the entire thing. First though, i gave myself a whopping injection of insulin by syringe. Dont know if i gave myself the correct amount as i havent been this high since i got CoVid two years ago. And, i dont even know when this error with my pump started (earlier today it was obviously working just fine, thus the lower BGs i already reported.)
On an ordinary day, if this were to happen, i would probably blame myself without my mind being on my head straight and before even looking at my pump to consider whether it was working or not. This is one of those things i just take for granted…well La Dee Da, La Dee Da…If my head werent attatched to my neck, i’d probably leave it somewhere without a second thought 
Now its just a matter of time and patience. Darn Pump. UGH!
Coincidentally, i am seeing my Endo this week on Friday. I know he’ll take one look at my Dexcom and say something silly. I am glad that my latest A1c is 5.1% (found that out when they were taking all of my blood while i was in the hospital). Its just nice to know i’m doing something right 
signing out,
DM
PS: as i am finishing writing this, i looked at my Dex again and my sugars are coming down. Its a relief to be UNDER 300! (at least i know my insulin is working 
)
ONLY A LITTLE ATROPHY TODAY; EXPERIMENT #1:
It was an absolutely wonderful swim today. I felt relaxed and i had the entire lane to myself (the pool was practically empty). I cant believe that within just a week, i felt like i returned to my normal pace. Nothing i had to struggle though. And although my sugars were on the high side, it didnt take away from the joy i was experiencing. Just gliding through the water was exactly what i needed.
Yesterday, i saw my Cardiologist. He was thrilled at my recovery since my heart surgery and encouraged me to keep on swimming. He said it was a wonderful way to stregthen the heart.
My BGs have been really wacky lately, so its been a bit of a roller coaster. One day i’m on 65% TB, then another day i was on 160% TB. But when i think about it being due to stress, its easy to figure it out: My dad, who is in his 90s, has been VERY infirm. I had to take him to the hospital 3 times, where we sat in the ER for over 30 hours till they found him a bed. Apparently, his gallbladder had to be drained and he will need to wear this drain for the rest of his life. Is anyone familiar with this? Then he went from the hospital to an acute care facility where he stayed for one month. Now he is home with round the clock nurses and aides and someone from PT and OT. I visit with him, and often he doesnt know my name anymore and cant hear a word i am saying, so i have to scream. He refuses to wear a hearing aide ( vanity ). So, stress is inevitable lately. Please keep my father in your prayers! I adore my father. always have. every day that he’s above ground is a celebration.
anyway todays swim stats:
woke up several times during the night and had to do bolus corrections. woke up on the high side of things (111 BG) but at 10am, my BG was 88.
by 11am, when i had no more IOB, my sugars had climbed to 131 (excited about swimming perhaps) walked to the pool at 11:10am
11:30am BG 125 took 1 Gtab and jumped into the pool.
12pm BG 110 bolused .4units, showered, dressed, and walked home
12:30 bolused 2.6 units for 32gms refuel carbs/protein
now i am sitting at my desk and enjoying that exercise “high” i experience after every swim.
I’ll be back in the pool on Friday, and i am so looking forward to another great swim.
siging out,
DM
It’s great that you got back to swimming today @daisymae!
I wanted to ask - did you also swim in the street, on your way to the pool? 
NYC, 3 days ago:
So glad to hear you are feeling great being back in the pool. The way you describe it makes me wish i had access to a pool! It is not only great for your body but also great for stress reduction! I’m so sorry to hear of your father’s health issues. 
I don’t have any advice re gall bladder but I’m sure glad he is back home and you get to visit with him!
TRUSTING THAT ZERO BASAL;EXPERIMENT# 1:
so this morning about two hours after my bfast, my sugars went down to 40. OMG! And, when i am that low, for me anyway, i see stars. I couldnt even read my meter. My husband was right on hand, read my meter for me, and he dashed to the kitchen to get me a full glass of grapefruit juice. I was VERY beligerent about drinking so much juice. I thought he was over-shooting the mark of my TR, but he literally forced me to drink it all. (and he knew i was planning on swimming and he didnt want me to be low. “Always better high than low,” he says.) He believes that when i go low like that i am burning brain cells. He’s most likely right, but i hate being anything above 130. I get absolutely frustrated and angry. But thats just me.
but all was well. I landed at 95 after an hour. And the timing couldnt have been better. I was planning on leaving the house at around 11:30ish.
Lately, i’ve had to do a TB of 75%. I was having some insulin resistance, so I did an experiement and inserted my infusion right under my rib cage. A brand new, never-before used location. Absolutely no scar tissue at all. I’ve done it a few times now, and ever since, i’ve needed LESS insulin (and i’ve had to change my ICRs too). I think, despite rotating my pump site every 2 days, that over the years of just using my belly site, i have developed scar tissue which may (or may not) have had an effect on absorption of my insulin. Who knows. The only thing i do know, is that i have been needing only 75% of my usual basal dosage ever since.
today the pool was mobbed. There were four people in my lane and we had to swim in circles. There was one woman in front of me who was VERY slow (she should have been in the "slow lane and not the “medium”) But it was what it was, and it was a GREAT swim despite the inconveinience. I swam stronger than on Tuesday and the time just flew by. I really was in pig heaven. Even my back felt some relief. (which was unbelievably awesome)
at a BG of 95 before i left for the pool, i did 15 minutes of ZB. Then a 15 minute walk to pool. When i got there, my BGs had come up to 110. I took 1.5 Gtabs, I detatched from my pump, changed into my suit, climbed down all the stairs to the pool, and i jumped right in.
Stats for today:
6am BG 78 bolused for bfast
9:45 BG 40 drank 1 C Grapefruit Juice
10:30 BG 95
11am BG 105 turned off pump for 15 minutes before leaving for the pool
11:35 BG 110 took 1.5 Gtabs and jumped into the pool
12:05 BG 85 bolused .4 units for both cortisol spike and the hour of ZB. Showered, dressed, walked home. On my way home I bolused 2.6 units for my Refuel shakes
Now i am back on 75% TB and we’ll see if i bolused correctly. It really was anyone’s guess how much insulin i needed.
My newest goal is that in a month i will start swimming for 1 full hour. I am still building up my strength, but i think i will get there to the point where i am physically strong enough to do it. I am really looking forward to it! Of course, i will have some experimenting to do on my prep for the longer swim. Will i do a longer ZB? Will i just hop out of the pool after half an hour and take some Gtabs? I dont know. Ony trying it will give me a good plan. And i am definately willing and believe i will be definately able in one months time.So i am currently high as a kite (swimmers high ) and happy as can be.
I wish everyone a delightful weekend.
Signing out,
DM
PS: I look forward to hearing back from you! (your encouragement keeps me reaching for the moon and the stars.)
Not just you, me, too!!
You had an amazing swim! I have no doubt you will achieve your goal within the month of swimming 1 hour sessions!!
DM, you really are a rockstar. Can’t believe you’re swimming already (and rocking the “medium” lane to boot!) and maintaining such incredible blood sugar. I truly am in awe of all of you who are so steady eddy, g-tabbing it up, unhooking your pumps, etc! Impressive! I hit a few bad serves on the tennis court and get mad and my cortisol rages and blood sugar skyrockets and doesn’t come down until I bolus after the match (anything I inject during the match just … sits there!). Long way of saying: thank you for checking in and keep it up, sister! You are an inspiration! Have a wonderful weekend! xo
SWIMMING AFTER COVID VACCINATION; EXPERIMENT #1:
Well yes, i got my CoVid and Flu vaccinations (same day, different arms). I didnt anticipate the reaction i would get from them. Basically the Flu vaccine didnt bother me at all. My arm didnt hurt, etc. But the CoVid vaccine, OMG, was that a nightmare. I got a fever of 102,teeth chattering chills, freezing then sweating, body aches, exhaustions…I dont care what anybody says that the vaccine is a Dead virus and shouldn’t effect you. BS. I have reacted to EVERY vaccine since CoVid shots became available. This is no coincidence. So, swimming was delayed a bit. Also, I had to take care of my father, who i think i mentioned in past posts, who is infirm and despite having a private nurse, health aide worker, and PT specialist, still needs me to coordinate how everyone will work best with one another for my fathers benefit. ( He is very very belligerent, beginnings of dementia, nearly deaf but refuses to wear hearing aides so anything you would want him to hear must be screamed at him, cannot dress or wash himself…all so sad to see his quick decline) (Please pray for my fathers health 
.)
Back to swimming: after bfast this morning I had an unpleasant surprise : my sugars dropped to 38 !!! Dont know why. I drank a large glass of Grapefruit juice and uncomfortably, patiently waited for my sugars to come back up. And i didnt want ANYTHING to get in the way of my swim today, so along the way, i took two more large sips just to cover my bases. From all the healing i have had to do in these past 3 years, with all of my surgeries and hospitalizations, if anything, i have learned how to practice patience despite how miserable it was. But, I have found that i am actually a rather patient person in my aging. The younger version of myself had very little patience. I wanted everything YESTERDAY 
.
I enjoyed my swim today. The pool was almost empty (which i LOVE) and i paced myself nicely. I felt stronger and more courageous. (i went into the pool on the lower side and hadnt done any ZB beforehand; I was just relying on Glucose Tablets to keep me afloat ) So it was Courage over Fear.
Stats:
7am BG 67, blolused for Bfast
9am BG 38 drank lg glass of Juice
10am BG 83 (phew)
11:am BG 110 left for the pool
11:30 BG 100 took 2.5 Gtabs and jumped right in. (a little nervous that i might sink from low BGs bc I did no ZB beforehand, but courage over fear
12pm BG 78 went back upstairs to my locker and bolused .3u/h to cover any cortisol spike
on my way home (about 10 minutes away) I bolused 2.6 u/h to cover my Refuel Shakes.
now just resting and chatting with all of you 
have a great weekend everyone !
signing out,
DM
What you and me as well experience from the Covid vaccines in the response of our immune system. The mRNA vaccines are not dead viruses but, I forget the process, but cause us to create the Covid spikes that will train the immune system to recognize and respond.
My vaccination response is much shorter and milder than an actual infection, a couple of days vs 2 weeks.
Wow, great swim, @daisymae !! You have not skipped a beat despite the challenges you faced and that is all due to your perseverance and YOU!!
Btw, my go to hypo correction is grapefruit juice, too. Nothing works as fast and I feel a little better that it is also a healthy correction with nutrients unlike just glucose tabs.
My best to your father. He is fortunate to have you caring for him and he you.
My Favorite of all is the Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice. It is the BOMB!! Guess that would make us Juice Sis’tas 
Thank you so much. It really means the world to me, Trying. I’m planning of sneaking in those hearing aides again this weekend, I gave him a fantastic haircut without slicing his ear off, so i think i could stuff one of those tiny ear buds inside his ears. FINGERS CROSSED 
CarlosLuis is correct. All the current vaccines, like the previous ones, are stabilized mRNA encoding spike proteins. In this case two different variants. I always have a strong reaction to the vaccines, but it is very short compared to the three weeks of Covid I had back in 2020. It is a sign that your immune system is reacting, not too dissimilar to as though you were infected, but less severe in length and amplitude. So consider your reaction a success!
Mike
SWIMMING ON NO SLEEP; EXPERIMENT #1:
That darned Dexcom has been frequently saving my life with its alarms, however last night it kept going off, and despite keeping it under my pillow while i sleep, there is no mistaking its loud ringing noise. I know its doing its job, but for Christs sake! Give a girl some peace!! Throughout the night i was in my low 60s. No biggy, but usually i just take a glucose tablet and go right back to sleep. Last night i was twisting and turning, trying to get into a comfortable position, sweating through two T-shirts , and just not getting any rest. Finally at 5 in the morning, i gave in and just got out of bed and had some Bfast and a mug of Camomile Tea . Then i went back to bed. I usually take a nap after my “normal” bfast hour, but again with that stupid dexcom, i couldnt get any rest. The alarm kept going off, despite the Gtabs. At 9am i climbed out of bed and and i drank a Diet Pepsi bc it has caffeine in it and i thought that would certainly wake me up. Nope. I was so tired and my BGs started climbing. I guess bc my body was exhausted and also bc i’ve been having terrible back pain all this week. Who knows. But my BGs continued climbing. I knew that my bolus from bfast would finish soon, and i got ready for the pool. Its chilly here in BKLYN today so i bundled up.
It was a disappointing swim. It was labored and i felt unproductive. I’m certain it had to do with my lack of sleep. But it is what it is and every swim cant be fantastic.
Stats:
5:05am BG 63 Took nothing bc i have FOTF and my sugars ALWAYYS rise when i get out of bed.
7am BG 67 took 1 Gtab
9am BG 127 (darn it all) but i had IOB and had to wait till the Bfast insulin was finished before leaving the house.
9:45am BG 135, and dashed out for the pool
10:10 BG 124 took 1 Gtab
11:05 BG 100 (not bad and kinda what i expected) bolused .4u/h and showered, dressed and dashed home. On the way i bolused 2.6 u/h to cover my refuel shakes
I feel a little disappointed, but i’l get over it My main issue right now is dealing with the pain i am currently in. My back is killing me.I think i am going to go for it and have another Ablation epidural procedure I know it hurts like hell but the relief i got was a definite plus
so thats all there is to print right now. I think i’ll go out an buy myself some flowers to put a smile on my face. My favorite are white daisies with the yellow middle. They never let me down. ALWAYS cheer me up. I could use a little cheering up!
Signing out,
DM
MY FIGHT WITH THE LIFEGUARD; EXPERIEMENT #1:
the pool pugalist: it went something like this: I dont usually swim on Sundays, but i am having some surgery this week and i wanted to get in as many good swim days as possible. I didnt know the Sunday Lap schedual, but i figured that people were either at church or having brunch at this hour. How could i go wrong. The locker room was completely empty (good sign), so i figured my thinking was right and that the pool would b just as empty But, when i got closer down the stairs, i could begin to hear the screams and the loud hysterical laughter. Oh no, children. I hadnt thought of that: Family Swim Day. Half the pool was closed off for family and children. and three quarters of the other half of the pool was for swim “exercise” (walkers and such). But there was one lane that was COMPLETELY EMPTY. So i figured i would just jump in and swim my laps.
But the Lifeguard on duty told me to “GET OUT!” I was baffled. He told me that this empty lane was completely reserved for family. "But its completely empty, " i said and pointed out. Then i promised that i would swim but if someone wanted to get in for any other reason, i would exercise in the far lane. (a kick board wasnt even allowed.) We went back and forth with a loop of an argument. I even tried playing the Diabetic card: I pointed out my dexcom and explained that i was diabetic and would i wear one of these for no reason at all? I just took my insulin (lie and something that no one but a diabetic or family of would be educated enough to understand that). Nothing i said worked. And i had just gobbled down enough glucose tablets that would significantly raise my BGs and i preferred swimming that off than not. So belligerently, i jumped into the pool and started swimming my laps anyway. If someone needed that lane i would just grab a “noodle” and exercise my legs like a bicycle ride. a little is better than nothing.
No one ended up getting into the lane i was in. But instead of enjoying myself and taking advantage of the wide open lane, i spent the time thinking absolutely horrible thoughts about the Lifeguard. Use your imagination. I was so angry. bummer.
stats:
6:50am BG 66 out of bed and bolus for bfast
10:15am BG 110 get ready for my swim and a few spoons of peanut butter
10:50am BG 120 (that darned peanut butter!) leave for pool
11:20am BG 120 took 1 1/4 Gtabs and went down to the pool
11:50am BG 91 bolused .4 u/h, showered, dressed and walked home
ill b back in the pool on Tuesday when i know with 100% certainty that there are no children, no family swims, no exercisers. Just swimmers in lap lanes.
signing out,
DM