TUESDAY CHAT (running very late)

We have all heard the expression 'well laid plans of mice and men..... haven't we?  Today it was a well laid plan of this woman that went awry!!

I have been blithering on about no caffeine or tricylic antidepressants for two weeks and how I was going to have a fasting blood test this morning to prove one way or the other if I actually do have phaeochromocytoma.  Yes, you can look that one up of you like!!  It's quite interesting.

Many times I've said how Phil and I are late to bed and late to rise which way of life seems to suit us so well.  OK then...I woke at 8.50am this morning and headed to the bathroom for you know what when I suddenly realised I had this strange spot in front of my eyes (quite pretty really as it was yellow with a red surround) and it wouldn't go away.  I then realised my heart was thumping a bit, I felt shaky and was perspiring a little.  "Oh, no!" thought I "I am having a sugar low!!!".   Damn!!!

I did a glucose test which was only 3.5 (it should never be below 4) so I knew I was on the right track about what was wrong.  I went and woke Phil, who poor fellow, was still peacefully sleeping, and he immediately said "eat a couple of peppermints, cos that's what I do".  He has lows every few weeks but it is year since it has happened to me.  I reminded him I was supposed to be fasting and in addition to the peppermints would need a cup of tea and a couple of biscuits right away.

.

The tea and biscuits were promptly served and I discovered he had put a teaspoon of sugar in my tea.  I usually have about 20 grains of sugar in tea and none in coffee, and this cuppa tasted like straight glucose.  No wonder my mum could tell when someone had put sugar in her tea....it's gross!!  Anyway being the dutiful wife that I am, I drank it all.

A blood test a short while later gave me a reading of 8.5.  I know that is unbelievable, from 3.5 to 8.5, but that is what happens with a low.  You have to have carbs immediately but in doing so your blood sugar spikes afterwards.  You also feel incredibly tired for a while but now, 4 hours later, I think I am back to normal (whatever normal is in my case).  I'm glad it wasn't quite this high though.

The reason I am typing this so late in the day (1.15pm) is because just after all the above happened our lights and power flickered and then went off.   I rang 131351 and was informed that our suburb and two adjoining suburbs were suffering outages but power should be restored at 1pm.  As usual they managed to get it going again earlier than that so here I am, better late than never.  Perhaps someone hit a power pole or cut through cables somewhere.  It seems that even with underground power you can still suffer power outages at times.

Bang go my plans so it will be another day without coffee or tablets and hopefully tomorrow morning I will be off for that long awaited blood test.  Maybe tonight to be sure I'll lower my insulin injection a wee bit so my plans will not once again go awry.