Ok, I'll give you a heads up - this is going to be a long one. I think it has a point but feel free to skip.
I usually read fiction because I like to disappear into another world (not necessarily a fantasy world). But I am currently reading "Invisible Women". It is not fiction. It is about how women are not always considered. I believe everyone should be treated equally but this book is showing me that is not always possible.
For example, in the US, the academic policy is you have a certain period of time (about 10 years) after completing your PhD to get a research grant or something. Given the age most people get a PhD, this time period is about the age most women are considering having children. They realised this but didn't want to come across as unfairly beneficial to women. So they decided to add one year for every child you have ... for men and women. Because men are involved with childcare. However, what happens during that year is women are busy suffering from morning sickness and breast feeding whilst men gain an extra year to write more papers.
And women's bodies are different so some of what applies to men doesn't necessarily apply to women.
For example, the safety standards for toxins that may be absorbed through the skin are based on the impact for a man. Women, on average, have thinner skin and more fat, The fat makes it easier to absorb toxins. And the type of toxins being considered are in cleaning products and cosmetics that are used in nail bars ... where more women work.
There are more examples around design, health and safety, transport, and more but I won't bore you by going on about it (for now).
This book and some recent discussions on the forum have been making me think more about diabetes management and gender differences. There was a thread (and news article) recent which suggested low carb diet does not work as well to reduce BG and lose weight for women. One of the theories is around our reproductive gubbings.
And Dr Bernstein has some thoughts around this - he suggests women should go on the pill to avoid the complications menstruation has on our bodies. In other words, artificially get rid of the difference.
Then there are psychological differences - females are more likely to suffer from diabulimia; personally, I resent the sight of my pump whereas most men seem happy to just chuck their's in their pocket and not worry about the bulge (just another one with their wallet, phone and swiss army knife); monthly we have to change our basal doses; ...
This book (which I am only 30% of the way through) is certainly making me question what is meant by gender equality.
Also luckily it was just the usual needing to be ordered status rather than Brexit related chaos.
Hmm, Japes, all the hassle you got was maybe just a government ordered practice run for November....
I must say infections happen so quickly. My bf had a shower yesterday and he said he got water in his left ear. He felt off after cleaning it and putting a warm cloth on it. Today he said the pain was worse, I said call NHS111 but he kept putting it off saying they’ll make him go to A&E. Im like no you are in pain, I’m sure the doctor would look in your eae and determine whether it’s a blocked ear. Sometimes blocked ears cause pain, discomfort and possibly an infection. He has been in pain all afternoon, I bought painkillers for him and say just call them. I had a look in his left ear with a torch and the best way I can describe it was “ear wax” blocking the entrance of his ear canal.
He got an appointment about 20 mins ago and he called me just now to say it’s an ear infection and the doctor issued him antibiotics. I’m glad I kept pushing him to call them, I didn’t know it was an infection.
Oh boy, if you asked his teenager years, we'd be like oh yeahhhhhh. We were into metal in our teens,I used to get this a lot as a kid, then it stopped in my teens.. Then in my late 30's I thought I was going deaf. When I hit 40 it was so bad it affected my balance (I felt like I was on a rocking ship.).. So I went to the doc.. "Ah, you're diabetic." Nope, second opinion, it's not a hypo. Ear infection antibionics don't drive. Sudden head movements made me giddy.
My ears cleared & it was like having new hearing which to date hasn't returned.
In the years I didn't have the issue... I honestly believe that "head banging" helped with wax control...?
Seriously! Lol. It helps with long hair. It also helps to stretch out first, or you can wake with "whiplash" the following morning.
(Especially as one matures.)
If your BF isn't already into it. Get him into Metal.
I survived the first introduction to DAFNE meet of only seven participants. Some people have had T1 for 28 years. Here I assumed they'd all be new to this insulin malarky. I wonder if there is anything new to learn after such a long time on insulin.
My former younger self would have said "sleep is for the weak"Morning All,
@MeiChanski I hoep you are getting sleep during your uni work and that your boyfriend is looking after you.
@SueJB Yay! for the steroid BG affect wearing off and Yay! for the pain gone away. I wouldn't feel guilty about the physio appointment - hopefully it is a short one.
At 1am, I realised I was wearing the wrong curry blouse. I had gone to bed on a happy 5.8 and knowledge that there was some IOB to deal with the delayed fatty curry. I forgot my homemade peanut, coconut and aubergine curry was not as fatty so there wasn't much to delay. I am annoyed by the night time hypo. But pleased with the way I dealt with it - 3 x GlucoTabs, 30 minutes basal suspension (based on remaining IOB) all followed by a reduced temporary basal - which gave me a 4.7 upon waking with the alarm/radio.
It will be a quiet one today ... apart from the forecasted rain which I expect to hammer down on the velux windows.
Hope all is well in the rest of D-land ... whether the "D" stand for "Diabetes" or "Ducks".
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