PrintI spent the entire day at my home office catching up on emails, and working on various writing projects. This is by far one of my favorite ways to spend my ‘working hours’. Laptop on my desk, mind clear, coffee, tea, water and food available, and my dog Mickey to keep me company. As a highly distractible individual, this is the perfect environment for focused, uninterrupted time – except for when I can’t sit anymore and turn into Hyper Joel. Of course, this too has its advantages as a diabetic. Impossible not to move the body.
First order of business, take Mickey out for a late morning walk. No need to test the blood sugar, I know it’s high. Honestly, I just don’t feel like testing, so I give myself a safe amount of Novolog insulin. Not so much that my sugar crashes in the middle of my walk, but enough to knock it down a few points, so I don’t feel so crappy.
The temperature outside is about 65 degrees. It is a sunny day, and perfect for a dog walk. Something about a good 45 minute walk on a perfect day, with a well disciplined dog… it just makes you feel good. Of course the added benefit is that I know it will keep the blood sugars stabilized in the ‘normal’ zone for hours to follow, as long as I don’t eat the wrong things. Today’s first walk was definitely a good one, so I was able to quickly get back to my laptop.
Of course, I find myself snacking throughout the day, but it’s mostly almonds, and salad type things, so no harm done. Suddenly hyper time hits me again, and I can’t concentrate on the screen for another second. I go upstairs to my bedroom, and grab my rotating pushup apparatus, and start cranking out alternating sets of pushup variations, and hindu squats (made popular by Matt Furey). Alternating between upper and lower body exercises makes the heart work a little harder, and since I am in pretty good shape, this is a good thing.
It’s hard to believe that I am approaching 42 years of age, and was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes over 30 years ago; and I still get hyper like a little kid. My remedy back then? Do lots of pushups, jump rope, hit the heavy bag. Although I have gone off the path in the past, it seems I always go back to the beginning. Now I basically do the same things to keep my mind calm and body relaxed. I guess the main difference is now I have my own home and family.
I got to wrap up my afternoon by receiving the kids off the bus. After the kids had a snack, it all really came full circle. I found myself in the front hallway with my son Moshe, giving him a boxing lesson. He borrowed his sister’s boxing gloves, and I held the mitts for him, calling out different punches and combinations. We both had a good time, and he got to get his energy out in a focused, skill building sort of way.
Related posts: