Here's your lesson on type 1 diabetes for the day!
My pancreas produces less than 5% of the amount of insulin needed to support life processes. Your pancreas (unless you're also a diabetic) moderates your body's insulin levels and keeps your blood glucose (sugar) level between 70 and 120 naturally. Anything below 70 is considered hypo-glycemic and anything above 150 is considered hyper-glycemic. They're both uncomfortable, in totally different ways, and both are bad news for your body. Hyper-glycemia causes organ damage with time and puts tremendous strain on your circulatory system, which is why so many diabetics go blind or need appendages amputated. With hypo-glycemia, it causes systems to shut down (they don't have the glucose - fuel - to function) and lead to comas and death. If you saw Memento, his wife dies from hypo-glycemia from insulin overdosing.
So now that you know all that cool science, you can see why I'm so frustrated with my body deciding to drop me in the middle of the night. Both nights I went to bed in the perfect range - one night was 88 and the other was 95. Within an hour or 2 of falling asleep, I woke up feeling AWFUL and discovered my blood glucose was dangerously low. It takes a huge toll on my body and leaves me absolutely exhausted. Its also super scary! What if I hadn't woken up? I could have died in my sleep!! I have no idea what's going on with my body and why this is happening. I haven't changed my diet drastically recently or anything else big.
Anybody want to volunteer for slumber parties to make sure I don't die or anything? Lucie's a good snuggler...
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