Diabetes Base Camp

Diabetes Base Camp General Practice, Diabetes Education and more.........

19/07/2025

The everyday frustrations of diabetes (yes, first world issues, but still, nothing that gluconormals have to even consider).

I love Saturdays - I have a sleep in, watch a lot of crap on my iPad, read a bit, then get ready for ballet classes.

I ate some random stuff for breakfast - marzipan, a few chips, some dark chocolate. Glucose was all good.

Nice hot shower, then start getting ready with all my ballet layers - leotard, tights, some sort of skirt or shorts, long sleeved bolero thingy over my leotard for warmth, leg warmers, tshirt, jumper and giant denim dress.

Am a bit low by this stage, so probs could have dressed without my pump on, but I was low, so did not think that through.

My pump gets tangled and tries to pull out when I take my towel off. Then I nearly drop it while trying to hang my towel up one handed. Get both feet caught in the lining of my leotard while trying to hold my pump and feed it through. Tights waistband gets caught on the clip of my pump and tears a bit. Have to select shorts rather than a pretty, filmy ballet skirt so I can wear my pump in class (2+ hours is a bit long to unclip). Shorts elastic has died so I need to tie the drawstring up really tight (MiniMed pump is heavy - normally I use Ypso, which is less of an issue, but am playing with the 780G currently).
I am using a 7 day MiniMed set, which is great, except I prefer 110cm sets, and this only comes in 80cm. It is hard to feed the tubing through all my Lycra layers.
My Lycra bolero sleeves cover my sensors, which is helpful, and stops them catching on anything else. So that is a win!
Tshirt does not fit smoothly over my sensors, but what evs.
My denim pinafore is lovely and warm, but does mean I can’t reach my pump easily.

Finally, I am ready to leave the house, but after all this, I am properly low and can’t drive to do an Aldi run before class. So snacks, and sitting down nicely until I am “above 5 to drive” and writing this little rant.

Most of us living with T1D or insulin using T2D will relate I suspect.

09/07/2025

We are looking to change Wednesday hours for a few reasons - Kirrily and I both have late finishes on Tuesdays (work/ballet respectively), and the car parking is starting to get a bit limited in the Roxy carpark with the building works and Wed morning Dragonfly Dance classes.
I am also thinking to stay later on Wednesdays as Miss Jo from Dragonfly Dance is starting a contemporary ballet class at 8pm which I need to attend.
So Kirrily and I are looking at possibly starting at midday on Wednesdays, but staying a bit later in the evening also.
Just a heads up. This may be happening over the next month or so.

Ok, there is a new Barbie out with T1 diabetes! I am on the waiting list to purchase. What a fantastic thing to do. A...
09/07/2025

Ok, there is a new Barbie out with T1 diabetes! I am on the waiting list to purchase. What a fantastic thing to do.
Apparently Kate Moss’ daughter (model with T1) organised it. Well done Lila!
Now we need some superhero dolls/action figures with pumps and CGM…..

Continuing experiement with Medtronic 780G - I turned Smartguard on at 0001 this morning, and went to sleep, after bolus...
06/07/2025

Continuing experiement with Medtronic 780G - I turned Smartguard on at 0001 this morning, and went to sleep, after bolusing for and enjoying 20g of caramel chocolate.
I am loving the 7 day cannula and tubing so far, much nicer than the Orbit Softs I usually use.
I am not excited about needing to change the sensor after 7 days.
The 48hr (after the first midnight) countdown has been tedious. Apparently my basal is close, but 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ about my IC ratio and timing. Sometimes good, sometimes useless.
This photo is the 8 hours after turning on Smartguard….. Not hating it so far!

Medtronic adventures have started!Kirrily and I have embarked upon a 2-3 month trial of the Medtronic 780G system (using...
04/07/2025

Medtronic adventures have started!
Kirrily and I have embarked upon a 2-3 month trial of the Medtronic 780G system (using Medtronic G4 sensors and transmitters).
As we don’t have any personal knowledge of the system, we don’t feel as if we can recommend it, or even discuss it knowledgeably with T1s. So Medtronic have generously allowed us to trial for a few months and learn about it.
We hooked up last night, keeping our Dexcoms on as well, for safe keeping.
I adore Medtronic cannulae and tubing! I am experimenting with the 7 day set. I also have some Quicksets (my absolute favourite cannula ever).
I am pretty happy so far, and we have not even started the algorithm - we must wait 3 midnights, like some sort of pagan ritual, before Smartguard kicks in. I got a low glucose suspend around midnight - the system will still do that while waiting for the ritual 3 moon rises to occur.
Last night my fingerstick glucose was actually midway between my G4 sensors and my Dex G6 sensor.
I ended up calibrating, which seemed to get the G4 reading a tad more accurately. I think Kirrily noted the same thing (Dex high, G4 lower, glucose in the middle). Weird!
Anyway, I did basal testing overnight, because there is no algorithm running, and I seem to be reasonably accurate with my basal rates.
My Android smartwatch has my glucose displayed from both Medtronic (consistently) and Dexcom (occasionally) sensors. xdrip+ in Companion Mode will do this 😊.
I will be interested in whether the pump stops insulin when I am at ballet class today, I normally wear my Ypsopump in my tights waistband, but this 780G is a LOT bigger! I will wear it if I can.
Photos were taken a few mins apart, after breakfast.

Has anyone else generated so much static electricity it blocks connection between their diabetes devices?I suspect I hav...
03/07/2025

Has anyone else generated so much static electricity it blocks connection between their diabetes devices?
I suspect I have! New Oodie onesie may have done just that the other night.
I woke at 0348 after I heard an unusual noise from one of my devices. Possibly my watch.
My diabetes phone had lost all BT connection with both Dexcom and my pump. I could not reconnect until I changed into less synthetic nightwear, then all was back to normal……
I guess I will now be wearing my onesie to evening ballet classes, rather than to sleep in……

22/06/2025

I may or may not have stuffed up the appointment booking system temporarily (it seems to be working ok now), but it seems there is profound disinterest in my services today, so I am going to have a mini holiday and go shopping and clean my house.
Had a super busy weekend (Winter Flame bagpiping and Scottish Festival), so this unexpected break is not unwelcome.
Back as usual tomorrow at 1200, after a meeting at Move to Live (Health at Every Size exercise physiology) in the morning.

12/06/2025

Patients attending this Sunday 15/6/25 - please be aware that I cannot give/send electronic scripts as my software company is updating something or other exactly then. Apologies. I can still provide prescriptions, possibly printed, almost certainly handwritten 😱.
I was notified of this today, not much warning!

Long weekend hours - I won’t be running a clinic on this coming Sunday (8th June) afternoon - I will be playing bagpipes...
02/06/2025

Long weekend hours - I won’t be running a clinic on this coming Sunday (8th June) afternoon - I will be playing bagpipes in frigid (9 degree) Mount Pleasant for the Highland Cattle Show 🥶 .
Monday is a public holiday, and I will be trying to thaw out. Possibly with the aid of Fluff and Moodle (cats).

31/05/2025

I am reading a mur&er mystery and one of the side characters (father of a jogger who was sh§t while on a run) has diabetes, and in the book, he has had a seizure from hypoglycaemia and collapsed again in a matter of hours. Does this really add to the story? Or is it just another way of “othering” people who need insulin to stay alive.

I really wish diabetes could be portrayed in novels as less dramatic and in need of care from all and sundry. Constant attendance by paramedics. I know this is the reality for some, which is awful, but for many, this is not a thing at all!

There is one series I like reading where a UK detective has T1, but he is always flopping about hypo and needing rescue. He gets in some heroics from time to time, and is very clever, but seriously, many of us do not need constant rescuing from bystanders! He uses MDI and no CGM 🙄. His fiancé/wife is always nagging him to test and inject. Ugh. He is a grown adult!

The author of that series has a wife with T1, so perhaps she flops about a lot needing rescuing? And constant reminding.
It is also the UK, and we know that getting technologically advanced diabetes care in the UK is a matter of chance. At least in Australia we have access to CGM no matter where we live (now - this has not always been the case).

I did a thing in January - I was interviewed by Scott of The Juicebox Podcast, and my episode was published a month or s...
31/05/2025

I did a thing in January - I was interviewed by Scott of The Juicebox Podcast, and my episode was published a month or so ago. I just saw this on the FB page last night.
I love the AI version of me that he has generated. Of course, I am older, greyer and chonkier, but who cares? I was literally doing this arabesque in pointe class last week.

11/05/2025

Happy Mother’s Day to all who celebrate it.

My family does not celebrate such days in a commercial manner, or on a specific day. We do love and appreciate each other very much though, and spend quality time together whenever possible (Thursdays mostly 😂).

My thoughts are with those who have lost their mothers, mothers who have lost their children, and those who do not have a close relationship with their mothers.

Let us all try and observe today in the manner which best suits us and our family, without guilt, mess, or leaving the women of the household to do all the work.

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Kent Town, SA

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