Back seats

So, as you can probably guess, diabetes and I are once again strangers. I've decided to let it take a back seat in my life again. As you wonderfully astute readers will have observed, I am a student nurse. This means I spend a bit of my time on placement. Well, a fair bit of my time. Diabetes often takes a back seat when I'm working, unless I am hypo or in urgent need of a set change. My job comes first and I love it. I often experiment with temporary basal rates. Usually what seems to work is a a temporary basal of approximately fifty five percent. When I eat I tend to have a large meal and give a slow bolus over an hour and a half or so. That does work in the short term. In the long term however, it means that I delay a hypo until later in the shift or for when I get home. I'm currently working out how much I can reasonably reduce the bolus so I can get the correct balance simply because diabetes is a life of compromise.
Like I said, I do love my job and frankly I relish every day, well most days that is. On this placement which is a private surgical ward I am less busy than I am within the NHS which I have now fallen even deeper in love with I still get on my feet and make things to do because I cannot abide being idle and sitting on my arse end. Therefore I make work for myself. I can also take my time doing things which I might not necessarily have had in the NHS. That said, please, please send me back to the NHS.
So diabetes has taken a back seat. Yes I am struggling a little bit with it at the moment thanks to being back on shift work and season related changes but it's nothing too dramatic. I'll stand by for a bollocking from my consultant but hey, she's a decent old bird so she will understand. I think I might also see the shrink that is attached to my team as well, I think it's about time because I am getting more than a little tired and apathetic towards my diabetes. I suppose that this is just an occupational hazard at the end of the day. I reckon all diabetics go through ups and downs in relation to their mental health. Statistics would have me believe that diabetics have a raised chance of acquiring depression, one in four diabetics also have depression if memory serves. Ah well. Let's see how this goes.
Interestingly, I have yet to meet my new DSN, despite being under this team for about a year. I know, I'm a terrible slacker but I think I'd best get on with it sooner or later. I suppose I'd better get my arse in gear and actually touch base with this lady.
Before my wonderful dementia (I hasten to add I am self diagnosing therefore to be taken with a pinch of salt, well bucket of salt) one of my modules at university takes you through the journey and experiences of a patient. It takes into account the anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology and the current evidence based treatments for it. The next module I believe may well cover diabetes so I have offered my services to the leader of the current module to do the patient based part of it as we have had some wonderful people with the conditions being lectured upon come to share their experiences. Most notable was an HIV positive woman who was wonderful. We all loved her and felt humbled by her. Maybe I'll be able to do the same. Who knows.

Until the next time dear proletariat!

Up date!

So my module leader got back to me and my email. He said they'd be greatful for my experiences. I'm more than happy to share.