How I Became FatCatAnna Within the #DOC

I've had a few people asking me at other forums I belong to as to how I came about using the name of FatCatAnna.  It's not something I talk about alot - not in detail like this - but here I go.

My name is Anna as you all know - but the Fat Cat bit came from having to think of a name for our Catalina 25 sailboat we bought when we decided to take up sailing instead of an expensive gas guzzling runabout (called " Le Putt Putt "). At the time we had a cat - by the name of Beauduoin (for those of you from Québec - remember Beauduoin? - the coke head in " Cruising Bar " with Michel Côté?).  Just think of me yelling "Beauduoin" and you'll laugh!!  Try it - yell out "Beauduoin" with much emotion in your voice.

Well, Beauduoin sort of lived up to his name from the character in the movie - but used legal drugs when he became an insulin dependent diabetic at the age of 10.  Low and behold – we both were shooting up together a few times a day (he used Lantus twice a day) – he’d crawl up my leg to ask for the shot at times (he knew shots equaled food ) – but I’d have to shove him away (gently) – because it was my turn and not his sometimes.  It was kind of neat having another diabetic in the house even though he was not human.  

On our sailboat – the Fat Cat - we had originally planned on bringing him on board when we did some of our travels on the “high seas” – only to discover that he was happy at port the most – sunning himself on the deck – but not quite into the heeling process when under sail in choppy water. So, we tended to leave him at the vets when we went away on holidays.  One year, 2007 – we had friends that insisted on taking care of him rather then taking him to the vets.  I showed them how to fill the syringe, inject, etc.  The strange thing is – when I left him at their house – I had this feeling something wasn’t right – and I should have trusted my instincts – urrrhhh!!!!

We were just entering into the 2^nd of our 3rd week of our journey to Lake Ontario – when we got a call from Montreal.  At that time we were at the port of Kingston - only a 4 hour drive away by car - but by boat - at least 3-4 days (for every day on the road in a car - it's 1 day sailing on a sailboat). 

We were told by our friends that Beauduoin had to be taken to the vets – that was ALL they told us – they seemed abit broken up.  We immediately called up the vets to discover that he was very ill – and that we should come back to Montreal right away.  Luckily Mike didn’t tell me the truth at that time – because if he had – I would have flown in a private jet to get home faster if I could.  We managed to leave our sailboat at a marina - renting a car to drive back to home.  

We managed to see Beauduoin for about an hour – before he had to be put down – they had kept him alive for us just to be able to say goodbye.  I’m sorry, I’m crying here – luckily I can type without seeing what is on the screen (former secretarial skills come in handy at times).  It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life.  For some reason – his body was infested with things I cannot write about – but it was something that is not seen in a cat that does not go outside.  The vets / nurses explained how he’d been brought to the office in a box and dropped off by our friends quickly – it was all very bizarre – and we were all shocked - even the staff. No one seemed to understand how he got into that state and unfortunately we have never found out the truth. 

I like to think he knew we were there wishing him the best – he was so drugged up against the pain – but he nudged my hand when I touched him (I had to wear surgical gloves he was that badly infected). What really still gets to me is that he was a well managed diabetic like myself (he had better A1C's then me) – and could have lived on for a lot longer – if it hadn’t been for this mishap.  Ten days at sea for us – and God knows what he went thru’ in those days without us.

Anyway, Beauduoin lives on in the memory of our sailboat the Fat Cat and is the pen name I use at all the forums I post in.  I miss him still (it’ll be 2 years this summer that he passed on). Meow!

~~~~ The End ~~~~

Please note - this blog was originally posted at Diabetes1.org on January 25th, 2009 at this link - this posted version you are reading here has been modified with new pictures and editing

Also, for those of you sailing in Lake Ontario - if you see a Catalina 25 - with logo you see in the pictures - that's our boat - a young couple purchased the boat from us when we went to a larger Catalina  - and when I told them the story about Beauduoin - they asked to keep the boats name the same - we felt very honoured.  The last time we saw our boat was in this video link off to it's new home with Jarrod & Karoline in GTA.

Roasted tomatoes with garlic - good food on a budget- can be done

Roasted tomatoes with garlic-to be created into something later on-for now-they're saved from the bin of doom :): Roasted tomatoes with garlic-to be created into something later on-for now-they're saved from the bin of doom :)



On a tight budget - how do you make it possible to eat a healthy meal?  I made two meals that will feed two for most of the week - that cost under $10 (including the hydro it took to convention oven roast for 45 minutes).

Diabetes Photo-A-Day - Day 1 - PAST

UPDATE for my posts - despite what it says at the bottom of this page - they are going to be scattered in various areas due to amount of time I have on my hands for Internet.  It all depends on my story behind the picture (I ike to sometimes put explicit details in my picture posts LOL) - so if you follow me in Twitter or Facebook - you will ALWAYS be able to find my contributions!  If I have time I will post in G+  (so many great diabetic groups in the social media - so little time to play!!!  Where's my ball of wool to chase around the room????

I'm in abit of a shock right now.  My endo - who I have been seeing since 1994 after I'd been without a endo for about 5 years was someone I lucked in on due to my basically walking into his office with no referral from my GP - based on word of mouth that he was a "good dude".  I was arguing with the reciptionist at the time - and either I was low or high - but I was I think maybe in tears.  He came out of his office at that time for the next patient - saw me - we spoke - he took me on - no questions asked.  Wow - my brain still functions in the memory category when I have abit of time to reflect.

Anyway, they gave me all my records of blood work a few years ago due to lack of space for old files (there was more - but for some reason - I seem to have kept one manilla envelope of them).  I have NEVER EVER looked at them until today - when I was searching for the topic of the #dmpad from Day 1 ( see  SixUntilMe blog post for the explanation of what pics to post each day).

Back then I was on needles and who knows how often I injected, I can't recall what I was using insulin wise (it's hard to remember everything you've been doing for almost 50 years with diabetes - unless your anal about writing everything down - which I am not - except for blogging <lol>).

I thought my diabetes was really out of control back then - today's subject has caused me to think alot about my years with this disease.  Hmmm - should I start keeping a diary - and just blog about it??? LOL

To see Day 2 post - go to this link - I'll be alternating between the two areas over the month as I post pictures.

National Diabetes Awareness Month (NDAM)

Hmmm, I've been seeing various places within the DOC (diabetes online community) going on about this being some celebration of diabetes month (NDAM). Yuppers, glancing at my calendar on my wall - THIRTY days of advocating in many different forms about my disease I've had for almost 1/2 a century.  Boy oh boy - do WE feel special or what? On further research (gotta love search engines) - I discovered that in the United States - Mr. Obama has declared that it indeed is true. JDRF Canada has as well -along with ADA (American Diabetic Association).  I was even surprised after abit of sleuthing that the CDA (Canadian Diabetes Association) website that they have as well!   I could probably post more - perhaps from other parts of the world - but I'll leave that up to you to let your fingers do the walking across your keyboard (and if you find any good ones - post them here). Everyone has their different approach to how to celebrate.  I have to admit one of my favs has always been the Lee Anne Thill's World Diabetes Day Post Card Exchange (details can be found at the bottom of this blog for 2013). A new one I've come across this year is well known American advocate/blogger Kerri Sparling's of Six Until Me - Diabetes Month Photo-A-Day project.  I always like to take pictures (have mobile - will click) - so you'll either see those pics posted here at The Roller Coaster Ride Diabetes or at Diabetes1.org website.  All depends on how many projects I get involved in (I mean - there is a life outside of diabetes - right?) So - what will you be doing this month to tell the world about diabetes?  I can't wait to see - but remember - awareness and advocacy isn't just a once a year thing.  It's all the time for many of us that advocate / educate. Remember though - if a person's eyes start to glaze over as you yammer on - retreat - some of what you'll have said will enter into their already over-logged brains - and hopefully they'll walk away with abit better understanding of what diabetes is all about!

DKA on the high seas - the pictures that you couldn't view at Diabetes1.org

Bent over cannula

If you're here - it's because you've just read my blog at Diabetes1.org - where my ability to post larger pictures is not possible  (they're working on it - allowing we the users more flexibility/ease of use for posting quickly/efficiently at their website as I test their system out for them like a faithful dog .. cat).

So, with further adieu - here are the more detailed pictures of my infusion set - the Inset II - that went bad!!!
I hope that this never happens again - and sad thing is - if I'd still been on MDI - this wouldnt' have happened - since I would have known I had injected the insulin - unless the insulin was not good.  In this case, due to problem with infusion set - no occlusion alarm - DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis) occurred - due to no alarms from my pump - and my slowness at reacting to what to do.

The cannula never entered the skin BUT went into the adhesive bit on the side

Me the next day - feeling like death warmed over ( and it was a warm day - but I was still feeling frozen from the ordeal)

1000 Islands in Canada

The Antidote - August 10th from 5-7 PM - Northampton, MA

Have nothing better to do on a warm summer night?  Do you feel like being an audience member or a participant?  If you're wondering where I'm going with this - check out the BLOG I posted  the other day at Diabetes1.org - Ms. Heffern is looking for T1D's to fill up a dinner table (5 course meal - I'll be there - what more can you ask for?).

I've attended this event before - back in July 2011 - it was a blast - helping to educate the audience members about what Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is all about - no acting required - it's just sitting back - at a great meal (being served to you - now how often do you get this at home?) - and chatting away to others at the table.

Hope to see you there - it'll be well worth the 5 hour drive from Montreal to see you all.  I'm making a weekend trip of it due to the distance - mini-break for myself and my DH - who will also be at the head table - so you can grill him with questions as to "is she really as wild & crazy as she seems after being on the juice of life for almost 50 years???"

I'm no longer a VIRGIN in a few areas of the insulin pumping world

Okay - yesterday I posted a few pics of myself on Twitter/Facebook - wearing an infusion set on my arm - along with where the pump was kept.  I have NEVER done this before - wearing my infusion set on my arm - but since my posting of the pics - heard from a few gals who do the same - which is good to hear (along with - get longer tubing - since I have always used the 23" tubing - and they suggested longer - except my Animas order form only shows 23" for the Contact Detach - so I may be stuck there with having to use the Inset II set which comes in 23" & 43" tube length).  It's really odd though - that in researching the infusion sets at the American Animas website - that the infusion sets are way cheaper than in Canada - and that they carry a 43" tubing for the Contact Detach (stainless steel needle).  It's like what gives - our dollar is pretty well at par - why do we pay more - is it due to Canadians paying less for insulin or what??? Do Animas users from other countries besides the USA have same issue with paying more for their supplies?

Anyway, before I have to start doing some relaxation breathing lessons on this infusion set issue with Canada - one of the reasons for trying the arm site is seeing an Omnipod user last week at an Insulin Pump meeting in Cornwall - proudly showing off his pod on his arm.  Well, I have a mini-me version on my arm - with the pump itself nestled you know where.  So there!!  Though I'm really keen to see what an Omnipod is all about - especially with it being smaller now - though not sure when Canadians will see the new version due to Health Canada having to put their stamp of approval on it - tap, tap, tap.

Actually having the pump nestled there - when the pump vibrates for an alarm - like it did earlier this AM - made me become yet another "not a virgin" in a new area - aka

ALARM AUTO-OFF NO DELIVERY

You can read more about this - and my semi-excitement over it (little things get me excited as you can see <lol>) and how not jumping to the gun - I realised that the alarm that followed that one - is a good thing with the Animas 2020 pump (not all of my blogging about the Animas pumps is bad like my previous ones).

Sadly, to view this blog - you will have to click on this LINK to be sent to an alternate universe - feel free to comment there if you have a Facebook a/c (otherwise you have to sign up to post at Diabetes1.org - sorry - they're abit behind the social media times I'm afraid to say).

Meanwhile - I leave you with this picture of ' my girls ' (I'm not shy am I - but really I am) - I feel like I'm a character from Star Trek <lol>.

UPDATE on infusion sets available to Canada - the website for Canadians SHOWS the longer tubing length BUT no pricing which is shown at the USA site.  Why I have a list from Animas Canada that does not show all the same info as their website (at least the list shows the price - but more expensive for Canadians is another story) - that is just too trange.  I am only finding out now - that I can actually order the longer tubing lengths.  When I queried Animas Canada before on certain products I was looking into - they didn't offer anything else than what I saw on the Order form I am given each time I order up supplies (dated Dec 1/07).

I've printed up the list for my own reference (along with the date) - and going to inquire into this when I have to order up more infusion sets (I have enough for 2 months due to being on pump holiday) - with the longer tubing in order to wear set on my arm.  Hopefully they can give me a truthful answer as to why pricing is higher in Canada as well.