Rollar Coaster Blood Sugars

I am just returning from a great weekend of riding and spending time with my daughter, sister and niece.

The weekend began with a ride heading towards Gates Pass and ending with a great climb on A mountain in Tucson. I have to admit the ride up 'A' mountain was work and I didn't consider the impact on BS. Halfway through the ride, I ate 1/2 PB&J and drank 1/4 of my regular Perpetuem drink. My BS were already at ~ 200 so I took 1.5 units for the food and the high reading. Well it didn't take long before I saw my blood sugars dropping and I mean dropping. It kept going.... immediately I began drinking more of my Perpetuem and downed 5 sugar tabs. I headed up 'A' mtn thinking all the sugar I ate would catch up to me. It didn't and I spent the whole rest of the day in a yo yo with highs and lows. Not quite sure how it happened, as I reduced all my doses for food and it still didn't seem to be enough. I continued to yo yo all the next day.

What used to take 1 unit to correct a high BS now drops me to 50 from 200. I spent the entire night with alarms going off almost every two hours. I had a high at midnight, dosed 1/2 unit with a low alarm going off at 4 am (corrected with food), with a high alarm at 7 am. I have been on this roller coaster for 24 hrs. I am tired from the riding, the rock climbing and the fluctuating blood sugars.

I am just two weeks away from the Tucson Tour De Cure ride and I am getting anxious for the festivities to begin, but wondering if I am going to get my BS in control to last the 100km. I am inspired by the Tour De California Race and the great effort by Team Type 1. Phil Southerland, a type 1 diabetic, gave it his all as did other cyclists. On one of his last days riding in the race he was trying to get caught up with the peloton when Lance Armstrong with a few of his team mates were heading back up, Lance gestured to Phil to hop on and ride the draft. A gesture only someone with experience, compassion and true sportsmanship would do. Phil's logs of his BS and the amount of carbs he takes in to perform at this level helps me realize that the harder I ride the more carbs I need, a science I will have to figure out to continue to ride distances more then 50+ miles.

The good news was, after my ride I drove to Phoenix and I was with my sister who has a son with type 1 diabetes. Both my sister and my niece have a great understanding of the challenges and complications of having diabetes. It makes it a whole lot easier when folks are around who can help in case of the unexpected. I look forward forward to getting back to my regiment and gettimg my BS back in control.

Still working to meeting my goal of $2k in donations for the Tour de Cure, just $400 dollars away.

Keep on trekking
Penny