You can never let your guard down with Diabetes

 Last week I cleaned out my truck for the world famous Penta-Date and while doing that I thought it would be a good idea to get everything out even my emergency supplies.  Look how nice and clean my truck is with Scentsy Frog just the only thing hanging around.  I even put some leather cleaner on the seats to shine and protect them.  Then once the Penta-Date was over on Saturday night I was supposed to put all my emergency supplies back in but I was lazy and did not do it.  My lazy thinking was that I could go a few days of course before I had a breakdown or the next zombie apocalypse would happen and for sure by then I would have the truck stocked up and ready to roll.

What is it about Murphy's law that says you will need something the few moments you don't have it and that is what exactly happened, not to me but a co-worker.  I was leaving work Wednesday to get my son and go work out when a co-worker asked me if I had jumper cables.  I almost said "why sure I do" but remembered how clean my truck was and the bag of emergency car gear was in the garage.  I told her I did not but would ask around and see if anyone else did.  Lucky for us another co-worker had a pair in her garage as well but she only lived 2 miles from the office.  She headed home and picked them up and we got the car running and on the road in no time.  The co-worker with the dead battery kept apologizing about needing our help but I was the one that felt bad because I should have had that in my truck and was to lazy to do it.  This is what can happen when we get in a routine and start to let our guard down with diabetes.  We always have to be prepared for any emergency at all times and lazy is not an excuse for me or anyone with diabetes.

Now, I have put my essential gear bags back in my truck and am ready for any emergency or zombie attack.  You can see in the picture above my first aid kit in the yellow box, my vehicle emergency kit in the grey bag, my red handled loppers, the yellow handled bolt cutters, and to the left of the first aid kit is the handle to my axe.  On the other side of the vehicle emergency kit is my tool bag with the usual basic tools you would need to fix most items.  Now let the zombies attack and see if I am ready for them, or an emergency either way I am prepared now.  You should see the center console of my truck it is loaded with water bottles, diabetes supplies, goggles, batteries, and all sorts of random things for any need.

Yesterday was my companies annual trip to see the Texas Rangers play a day game.  We take half a day off and ride a bus to the ball park and enjoy some all you can eat seats and a game.  The Rangers lost to the A's in 10 innings but we had so much fun.  My blood sugars on the way to the game got pretty low (40) and everyone was so nice to make sure I was OK and had me check several times after eating some glucose tabs and a snack bar to make sure my BG's were going up.  Back to planning for anything to happen, and that is why I took my MountainSmith bag with a back up infusion set for my pump, lots of test strips, batteries, hand sanitizer, snacks, glucose tabs, sunscreen, a hat, and a water bottle.  I think that is the biggest thing about trying to get all of you to go out and explore the wilderness.  Being outdoors and away from home teaches you how to think quickly on what you will need and how to carry it.  Camping and getting out is the best way for anyone to be self reliant with their diabetes.  It makes you think about every scenario and have to plan for it.  Then camping you get to test how you did and make adjustments.  These things are very important for any child with diabetes or adult with diabetes to practice and be prepared.

Yes everyone here is a picture of me wit my Rangers jersey on that my brother bought for me probably eleven years ago.  All my co-workers harass me because my jersey is dry cleaned and pressed and I wore a polo t-shirt under it.  I am just an old man in this youngins body.