Post by Coral!
I have to admit, I feel like one of the luckiest women alive. In this last year and half, my health has made an incredible turn for the best. There are so many people responsible for this directly and indirectly… I wouldn’t even know where to start to thank everyone. However, coping with type 1 diabetes is so much easier and dear I say … fun… when you have a great group of people (women and men) there to support you. I have learned so much from the men and women who attend and lead the ACT1 support group meetings, I wish I could bottle up all of the info and share it with the rest of the world. Since I can’t, I will try to capture as much of it in my weekly blogs 
Anyways, I am entering 2010 with a very positive outlook and completely energized. I have set a few goals for myself that I wanted to share with you:
1. Conquer the pump! I am joining Venus and Katie as pump converts. After a few horrible years of pump mishaps in college, I had sworn off the pump and thought I would NEVER use it again… Luckily I have no problem admitting when I’m wrong… and boy was I wrong! I finally got approved for the Animas Ping and it is en route to the office. I should be pumping by end of January!
2. Give the CGM a try. I am also joining the gals in trying out the Dexcom CGM. The CGM was actually shipped to me prior to the holiday break, but I haven’t started on it yet. I am following my endo’s advice and starting out with the pump first, then I will give the CGM a try. Stay tuned!
3. Exercise 3 to 4 days every week. I truly believe that exercise has made all the difference in my BG control and overall healthy mind-set. Some weeks are more of a struggle than others, especially since the weather is crummy in NYC, but I am really going to push myself to exercise 3 to 4 days a week.
4. Learn how to Cook! This is probably one of the most important and scary goals I have set for myself. Basically, I don’t like to cook, and I don’t think I have actually cooked dinner in my current apartment since I moved in 6 months ago. My endo is really pushing me to start cooking meals for myself and eating at restaurants less often. I shared this goal with two of my best friends from high school the other night and they are going to help me out by sending me easy, tastey receipes that have worked out for them. They are two women who really enjoy cooking and swear that it can be easy and fun. Sunday will be my designated cooking day and they have promised to be on call in case I have any time sensative questions (or if I burn down the kitchen). Stay tuned for the successes and mistakes!
5. A1C target < 7.0 by Jan 1, 2011. All of this talk about babies has really got me thinking about my own future and the possibility of motherhood. I met “Katie from SF” this winter break and she has been working to get her A1C to 6.0 because she plans to have to kids in the near future. (Sorry if I just blew up your spot, Katie). In fact, we were with her when she took an at-home A1C test last week (which you can buy over-the-counter at almost any pharmacy). It was so inpsiring to be there with her to celebrate her fantastic A1C that met and past her goal! Although I do not have plans to make any babies soon… (I have to work on getting a boyfriend first)… I figure it can never be too early to my body and diabetes in baby-making shape. It took me over 10 years to get my A1C below 8.0. I think getting to and staying below 7.0 by 2011 will be a good challenge.
All in all, I think 2010 should be a great year. I hope everyone is just as pumped and energized as I am!
Did you make any new year resolutions or set any goals? I would love to hear about them!
Fabulous goals Coral! Keep up that positive energy. Working towards being able to have children is a great goal for any T1 woman… an A1c reduced by 1 point lessens your chance of complications by 40% (or so it says on the home A1c box…). Keep up the good work, and keep us posted on your progress. Maybe someday I’ll come out to NY and share in the joy of you doing your home A1c!
Awesome goals Coral. I love that all of us are moving forward with things!
I really like the idea of exercising 3-4times a week. On a good week I get 2 or 3 in!
What about potluck Act1 evenings where you cook for one another? That would get your cooking skills in better shape. Or have an Act1 speaker who goes ever recipes with you and maybe even demonstrates cooking a dish? Really, cooking is easy and fun, and all you need is a few basic skills (browning veg or meat, poaching, boiling, mixing sauces and dressings) before you can do an infinite number of dishes. So I’d say, plan some social events around cooking together. Continued good luck to you.
Coral! We are very similar…I used to HATE cooking. Like, I was afraid of the kitchen and all appliances inside of it. I started cooking over the summer and now LOVE it! If you want, I can send you lots of yummy and EASY recipes. I also went back on the pump but am still afraid of starting the CGM which is sitting in my apartment staring at me. I’m telling you though, cooking at home has brought my A1C down tremendously!
Start with cooking one dinner a week and slowly increase. You can do it!!!!
Coral-I am so proud of you! So many wonderful things are going on in your life! I miss spending time with you guys-but life has been really hectic and traveling into the city (except for class) has been non-existent. I would LOVE to help you with your cooking adventures! I have tons of recipes and I usually do the carb counts on them so its easy to bolus accurately. Good luck!
It is so exciting even for me to see all the things that are coming your way! And to Gen, Katie and Venus too! I was very stubborn against the pump myself for the longest time and now since using it the past 3 years, I could kick myself for not doing it sooner. Just realize that it won’t make your BG perfect (something I had to remind myself) but it will help tremendously in managing it.
My only goal really is to get back to exercising. I have been one lazy gal the past few months & really cannot snap out of it. Can you give me some of your energy please?
It’s so wonderful to hear about all the improvements in the past year and the ones you have planned for the next!! I made several similar resolutions about lowering A1c, cooking food, exercising, pumping – let’s hope we can help hold each other accountable so we can see another year of improved health! Your positive energy is so contagious.
Awesome goals! I agree with your Doc, learning to pump and CGM at the sametime wouldn’t be a great ideal. Good luck on cooking and exercising! I’m cheering you on! Go Coral!
Hey coral great goals, wish I could join you in some of those, janetgolds’s potluck idea seems like one I should definitively try, while I can cook for myself, this I do know, I would like to get some critique on my cooking and my friends kinda think a diabetes diet equates to hospital food so they wont do it..b@#$%^ds lol
Coral I cried reading this. I remember how angry you seemed toward your Diabetes when I first met you. I cannot believe all the things you are taking on as well as the things you have accomplished. I promise (if, no, just kidding) when I get my house you can come up any weekend and we can having cooking parties. I love to cook, as a matter of fact I have been making Pyrohy (Ukrainian Perogies)for 5 hours and will continue you it all day tomorrow. Between us all, we’ll convert you. I really am proud of you girl. Oh, if I teach you to cook, will you help me remember what exercizing feels like? Because that’s my main goal, losing this weight.
I also hate to cook, but may have to start at least so the baby gets nutritious food. We have similar goals and I hope we can accomplish them together!