20090713 - Sugar Low

Those of you who are regular readers of this blog know that I am diabetic. Last night I experienced my second major blood sugar low. Here’s my story, and I am sticking to it.

I entered a fitness challenge July 21 (to “walk” to Page, Arizona) so I have been trying to work out most days. I started out walking on the treadmill, but now I bike about 4-6 miles. Yesterday evening, as I had not been to the fitness center yet, I decided to go after dinner. I normally eat dinner and within an hour have some popcorn and ice cream so I figure the snacks into my dinner insulin shot. So I took my shot, had dinner, and left for the fitness center. I carry sugar pills (just in case, since the first incident) and while I was biking took one, and after biking my 4 miles, I left the fitness center to go home. Well, in between my genetically inherited poor sense of direction, the darkness, (because of the proximity of Quail Creek to a telescope, Quail Creek does not have street lights), and my sugar low, I could not find my house. Mind you, my house is within 5 driving minutes of the fitness center. Nothing was recognizable to me, lots of fairy (small yard) lights, and no street names I could see or read. I kept driving around thinking I would eventually recognize where I was but it did not happen. I also kept eating the sugar pills but they did not seem to help (I was not giving them time, I just wanted to get home). In between the exercise and the delayed snack my blood sugar just plummeted. I drove to dead-end streets and kept thinking there were no dead-end streets in Quail Creek. Actually there are, and in fact, one is about 3 blocks from my house. I finally ended up out at the guard gate and thought to myself “now that I know where I am, I can find the house”. Unfortunately, that was not true, I still did not recognize the turn. Luckily I was staying on the main roads and they keep circling around. The second time I came to the gate I realized I needed help, and that the gate was the perfect place to get it. So I stopped and told the guard what was going on and asked for help. They looked me up (to check my address) and one of the guys volunteered to drive or lead me to the house. Finally, 1.5 hours after I left the fitness center I arrived home. And still did not recognize it, if he had not stopped I would have driven by it again. Rich came out, parked the car, and I was home.

What did I learn?
One, Always take the cell phone, you never know when you are going to need it.
Two, Either change the insulin, or no exercise after dinner. (Most likely no exercise after dinner since it solves 2 & 3.)
Three, Do not drive after dark, things here do not look the same.
Four, How lucky I am to live in Quail Creek (a limited place to get lost in) and to have the Patrol. I am always grateful to the guard who greets me with “Welcome home” when I come through the gate (such a warm feeling). Now I have a more personal reason to be thankful for existence of the gate and the Patrol who man it. Thank you guys!
Five, If what I got was a small taste of dementia, I do not need a bigger taste, thank you very much.
Six, Well, I am sure there is a six, seven, etc but right now I can’t think of them.