I'm super excited to say that the Medtronic MiniMed 770G has arrived! This is the next step in the evolution of insulin pumps (kinda). When it gets the OS upgrade to the 780G, then it will be the true next step and I'm sure blow my diabetic mind like the 670G did when it was released.
This one right now has some feature updates but none that better manage your control. Those features include Bluetooth compatibility to link to your phone for on-the-go uploads to Carelink with monitoring and sharing of data, a new meter which finally reduced the size of the test strip container and that's it.
I have a Pixel 5 which only came out a month ago so the MiniMed Mobile app is not yet compatible with my phone. Therefore, I cannot report on the functionality in the app.
I am confident that it will be compatible shortly as the previous Pixels are listed as compatible.
As with starting on the 670G, they recommend you stay in manual mode for a full 6 days before turning on Auto Mode. This enables the pump to collect more data which in turn provides better Auto Mode results. Similar to if you take a survey if you only receive 100 survey results the big picture will be far less accurate than when you receive 6000 results. I cannot stress enough about how important it is to be in manual mode for 6 days. Many people have said they've had horrible results in Auto Mode in the beginning and they usually only did 3 days in manual mode. Do the full 6 days in manual mode before turning on Auto Mode!
That being said, being in Manual Mode after having been in Auto Mode was really a testament to how good Auto Mode is. During my week in Manual Mode, I had 3 hypoglycemic events which I tried to prevent but was not quick enough and too many high's to count. Clearly, my manual basal rates are way off. I truly wish Medtronic had a way to calculate basal and bolus rates based on the data we upload to Carelink.
I am back in Auto Mode and doing well. Looking forward to the upgrade whenever it comes out.
Confessions of a Complicated Diabetic updated 6/21/2017
The exercise specific routines I've tried out can be found here:Exercise log Updated 4/27/2017
The technical details of my transition to the 670G can be found here: Change Log Updated 6/3/2017
Prior to the 670G my diabetic life proceeded as follows:
Monday: BG’s are all over the place in the evening but fine in the morning. Must remember to tweak basal rates for after 2 pm. Exercising in the am results in a severe low during exercise. Must wait to shower because I cannot tell if it’s workout sweat or diabetes sweat. I have correction bolused and dosed for everything I’ve eaten and I’m not coming down, WTF!
Tuesday: After a suspend on low at 4 am my bg’s are super high. Why can’t my life be easy….Exercising with a temp basal rate 30 minutes before and eating a piece of bread? Went less low during this workout. Why can’t I just run… why do I have to add 3 tasks prior to trying to get in shape? This is not fair. Ok fine. I ate just enough so I should be in range. Afternoon and evening rates are all over the place after eating a salad.
Wednesday: BG’s were good this morning. So this is what success feels like. Victory. 2 pm rolls around after eating a salad and my bg’s are rising. I correction bolus and It plateaus. Maybe it will be good today. After multiple corrections, I’m in decent range. Maxing out at 230 which is great for me. Wow, a great day of diabetes, I’ve finally gotten it down. Maybe there is hope for me to keep my appendages and eyesight after all. I sure as heck work hard enough for it.
Thursday: Did everything identical to yesterday including meals and have a completely different result. My bg’s are rollercoastering like I’m eating brownies every 4 hours. COME ON. GIVE ME A BREAK. If I exercise my blood sugar levels will come down to range quicker. I exercise and they come down. Yay, all is not lost today. I don’t have to feel like a total failure as a diabetic today. I’ll make a healthy super low carb dinner in hopes to keep it stable. Good meal, BG’s rising again. All hope is lost. I’ll write today off as a day that cannot be salvaged.
Friday: A lot of stress at work so my BG’s are rollercoastering regardless of how I try to manage it. I should have picked a different profession. I spend so much time managing my diabetes, it adds so much stress to my life.
Saturday: I need a break. I will perform everything I should but not stress over the minutia of trying to be in perfect control. 32 years of ever changing diabetes with no true trends is wearing me out. I need a break, did I say that already?
Sunday: Ok, time to get back in the mindset of the war on Diabetes. Battle on MF. Performed a lot of yard work, I am so grateful for suspend on low and temporary basal rates. I would not be able to perform this work without it.
Monday: New week, new hope for better management. Do my routine with same erratic results and not many similarities. I’ve standardized my breakfast, exercise, and lunch and daily results differ so much. I’m discouraged from how much work it takes and how little improvement there is. Must revisit basal rates in the afternoon, evening, because like always, I will be higher than I should be. I hate you diabetes, I hate you so much.
Tuesday: The beeping is driving me crazy! I have it set super aggressive in an attempt to better control my philandering diabetes. If only I didn’t like carbs… I don’t eat a whole lot but I do want some. I refuse to let diabetes minimize the enjoyment of my life. It may suck the life out of me, but I’m going to keep trying and keep living.
Wednesday: Why can’t my day to day results be normalized in relation to the reaction of my diabetes towards my standardized schedule. I hate you so much. The incessant beeping is driving me nuts, but it's the only way I can be in the best control possible for me. My settings are super aggressive and it's so much work. I work full time, then I have a second full time job, diabetes. I need a break. I'm exhausted.
WHY WON'T MY DIABETES COOPERATE AND FUNCTION LIKE IT IS SUPPOSED TO!!! For 32 years I’ve been hearing how there will be a cure in 5 years. That they’re on the brink of major advancements in treatment. I have become so skeptical about such statements and don’t believe them anymore. When people tell me big thing A is about to happen, I laugh and say I'll believe it when I see it. When people say, there is a huge breakthrough someplace in a cure, I simply laugh because I'll believe it when it's REAL. 670G in Manual Mode Ok. I'll breeze over this part because people want to hear about Auto Mode. Bottom line, I spent a week in Manual Mode so the pump could learn my trends or calculate average micro bolus rates to keep me in range. You cannot turn on Auto Mode without the pump having your historical data. I utilized the Suspend Before Low function numerous times and had fewer lows. I slept better at night because Suspend Before Low does not beep when it's activated and easily prevents lows for me because it was properly configured to suit my needs. After 8 days in Manual Mode, I was so eager to start Auto Mode. If I had a tail it would be wagging furiously with eager anticipation.
670G in Auto Mode
So this is what’s it’s like to be almost normal! I never thought this day would come.
Day 1 in Auto Mode The future is looking brighter than ever before. I’ve never had such a high percentage in range! HOLY COW THIS IS AMAZING!! I was told that the time in range would be relatively low at the beginning because my pump will adapt. As time goes on the in time range will increase. I’m so excited that I’m getting exhausted. I look at my pump every 5-10 minutes. I tried one method of pre-exercise management and didn’t get low or high afterwards! THIS IS AMAZING. I’m so happy that I’ve baked cupcakes to celebrate (and put the pump through it’s paces). If there were a shining armour SKin-it, it’s warranted, I’d buy that. (The key for this screen is below if you're wondering what all the icons are)
Day 2 in Auto Mode: I have a nearly flat line! I’ve NEVER had that ever. EVER!!!!!! I’m crying from joy. My percentage time in range is climbing as the hours go by and the pump learns about me. Even though it doesn’t respond to long walks on the beach or Pina Coladas, I still love it. I tried a different pre exercise routing which requires less time in advance and had FANTASTIC results. Exercise is now not nearly as much a burden. It’s funny, my stress has vanished. The elephant in the room is now outside the window looking in wondering why it can’t sit on me anymore. Take that elephant! Medtronic’s got my back! I even went to far as to have Nutella and peanut butter. I maxed out at 210 which is phenominal since I likely should have dosed earlier than I did for it. It’s insane. This should be on TV everywhere. This is a game changer. I don’t have to worry about managing diabetes much anymore, only about keeping the pump in Auto Mode. Has anyone had a Tamagotchi? SAME THING. Time to take a breath. I am half heartedly considering getting a tattoo of the Auto Mode shield on my arm, it’s that kind of love.
Day 5 in Auto Mode Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat! 71% in range! That's amazing and it just keeps climbing! The highest "In range" percent I've ever had was 64%. I am so excited to be on this. Less than a week on it and there are already dramatic improvements in my overall control as well as time in range. I was told that the first few weeks would be a little higher than expected while the pump learns my levels and adjusts its deliveries to suit my needs. I must have a super smart one for it to have learned so quickly ;)
I am BLOWN away by this technology. This is a game changer for me. No more mood swings based on sudden drastic highs or lows, no lows. Super easy to manage and the response time is quicker. The sensor is SO ACCURATE it amazes me. In the past, I’d had some fluctuations, but this sensor is dead on. I don’t know what to do with my diabetes self now. I’ve spent so much time managing and stressing about diabetes and control and it’s gone now. My brittle diabetes has been impossible to control over the years, it’s been such a burden. It's like the relief when a war is over.
Why is this device not being featured all over the news?!?!?!?!
Day 6 in Auto Mode: My numbers were off yesterday and slightly off on Friday between SG and BG. The numerous BG required and Calibrate now prompts were getting to be like the old times on the 630G. The pump/sensor finalize realized something was wrong and prompted me to change it. Like normal, I dutifully called Medtronic's Support Line and went through troubleshooting with them. They're sending me a new sensor and I'll be returning the old one so they can figure out what happened. To be completely fair, I did insert the Guardian 3 Sensor with the old inserter, so it might be my fault.
Day 7 in Auto Mode
I was 100% in range today even post meals. I don't ever recall that being possible no matter how hard I worked for it. I'm at my highest "in range" EVER after being on this pump in Auto Mode fully for 6 days (the first day I was only in Auto Mode for half the day at best) and it will only increase. I've never in 32 years of diabetes had a perfect day. The afternoon in range increase was due to a slight modification in my carb ratio. My active insulin time was also greatly reduced due to being told there was greater success when doing so. (I love the exercise icons on the charts). There is a drastic improvement in my results in only 6 days. Imagine what years on this will accomplish. The fear of losing eyesight or needing to amputate an appendage is fading slowly but noticeably. The realization that there is hope for me is so beautiful it makes me cry. I know this seems dramatic, but I've been struggling to get in only decent control for decades, and it's been a full-time job that has sucked my soul dry on numerous occasions. Think of all the possibilities now.
Now if they could only make it waterproof down to 100 feet for multiple hours, I'd take up scuba diving. :-D
Day 8 in Auto Mode Another perfect diabetic day. My in time range keeps climbing. If my results keep performing like this my A1c will from from 7.9 to 6.9. I've never been excited to get an A1c, but alas, it isn't time yet. I spiked a little at the end due to some grapes that wandered across my lap.....Not the pumps fault, 100% mine. They were good though :)
Day 9 in Auto Mode: Well, I am still blown away by how quickly this has changed my life. I knew it would, I just didn't think it would be after 1 day. My blood sugars are better than ever and the pump is fine tuning the micro boluses to get me in better control. I ran the 670G reports in Carelink and was blown out of the water for their estimated A1C. My diabetes has always been exceedingly hard to control, as stated above to some degree. I never anticipated being under 7.0 even when in the tightest life control possible when eliminating any change and a lot of fun. With Auto Mode I am getting stability in my bg's in addition to reliability and accuracy with the new sensor. Words simply cannot describe how great it is. It's a feeling deep down inside of relief and hope.
Day 10 in Auto Mode WHAAAAAAAAAT!?! Mind blown, head explodes.....My in range time seems to be climbing 1-2% a day. I wonder when it will plateau. Likely around the 2 week time frame that they said it takes for the pump, whom I've named Henry, to learn my levels. I am very excited about the future and eager to get my next A1c done in 2 months (I can't believe I'm saying that)
Day 11 in Auto Mode
My percent in range keeps climbing despite my best efforts to be a bad diabetic. I was horrible this weekend and ate a lot of stuff I shouldn't have. But the number keeps climbing. I think I'm at the point where it will climb 1% every other day until it plateaus. I'm super happy with my current time in range and look forward to hitting that plateau to see what it is.
Day 13 in Auto Mode My time dealing with the sickness of diabetes is over. Now, I am simply dealing with a manageable and semi-predictable disease. I had issues with a sensor after inserting a new sensor prior to showering. It got wet and it seems that is what did the sensor in. It never functioned from the initial calibration to 6 hours after it should have been working. I will not shower while the transmitter is not connected again to reduce the time of warm-up for Auto Mode. Lesson learned and percent is once again rising! Yay technology!
Day 17 in Auto Mode
I dared to try pizza today at 7 pm. My hopes were that it wouldn't go too high and the spike would be minimal. But this happened. I HAVE TAMED YOU PIZZA! YOU WILL NOT BAFFLE ME AGAIN! (or rather Medtronic has....) I will no longer feel guilty eating pizza while being a diabetic. The health portion, perhaps.
5/3/2017
Day...who cares! Diabetic life is Good now!
I'm in Mexico on vacation and was looking forward to 3 things: 1. The long overdue vacation, 2. Seeing how the pump did in water as I'd been avoiding it up until recently, and 3. Seeing how it would adjust to my sensitivity change based on weather. I always get far more sensitive to insulin in warm weather.
My bg's were higher than normal for 1.5 days before leveling out again. I figured it would take 1-2 days for it to adjust to my sensitivity changes.
As for the water...well. I went in a pool and noticed that the CGM stopped communicating with the pump after 2-5 minutes. My pump was on the lower back of my bathing suit. Obviously not near the sensor. I moved it very close to the transmitter and it reconnected. I changed the location to the leg trim of the bathing suit and it still disconnected after a longer time. I posted on Facebook and a swimmer replied that she'd had luck with keeping the 670G within 3 inches of the transmitter. It didn't get disconnected when it was that close. Game on! I grabbed my ez comfy sleeping belt and added it to my stylish bathing suit. It worked! I was in for 20 minutes and didn't get disconnected once! The pump kept updating from the sensor data as well as having the blue shield the entire time. And believe me, I was looking every 3rd minute. The EZ comfy sleeping belt is now an EZ comfy swimming belt. Water park, here I come! 5/4/2017 My routine is Mexico is as follows:
Sleep
Eat
Swim
Eat
Nap
Swim
Eat
Sleep
Repeat
5/15/2017
After a very long vacation in Mexico, I've come to the obvious conclusion that pina coladas and the betes are not friends. :)
When arriving in Mexico I did not change my time on the pump which I probably should have. The reason I did not was to prevent any confusion, brain fart I know. I have known since I started CGM'ing that my insulin sensitivity is affected by temperature. In the summer months, I am far more sensitive to insulin than I am in the winter months in the North East. I was very curious to see how long it would take for the 670G to realize the difference and adjust accordingly. It took a day and a half before I was back in golden mode.
5/28/2017
Having the active insulin time at 2.15 hours wasn't working well for me. I've lowered it down to 2.0 hrs for active time. I'm going to try this setting for 1-2 weeks. I think that my most successful results were when I was at 2.5 hours active insulin time. We'll see in a week or two if I need to switch back to that.
On a side note, I am SO grateful for my Medtronic trainer. Lindsay has been fantastic over the whole process and made the change to the 670G so easy. I am SO GRATEFUL for her availability and patience while I learned to let the pump do it's thing while I backed off from the management.
6/7/2017 I am happy to say, the 670G has made another aspect of my life so much easier! I'm an avid motorcyclist and riding while Diabetic could easily be life threatening. Prior to the 670G, I would test every gas stop or 2 hours depending upon which came first. I would keep my blood sugar levels significantly higher because it's difficult to hear or feel the pump's alerts while riding. I never wanted to chance going somewhat low with the general inability to feel it. It was a lot of extra work and a lot of extra eating which I dealt with because I love riding. After taking my first short motorcycle trip on the 670G, a mere 270 miles, I am so relieved and ecstatic about how the 670G handled my BG's throughout the trip. I did not go low, I did not go high, I did not eat (insert a Seussism), I was completely fine. IT WAS FANTASTIC! One less stress to worry about while enjoying a wonderful, yet somewhat dangerous activity. It was smooth sailing with almost a straight line (on the pump, certainly not on the road). Thank you Medtronic!!!
It just keeps getting better, even in relation to itself.
SUCCESS!!!!!!!
I got my A1c done, for the first time in 32 years of diabetes, my A1c is below 7!!!!!!! I cried. It was spot on to what Carelink said it would be at 6.8%. I am so happy! I have tried SO HARD my whole life to get an A1c under 7 including giving up activities and food which I love and never come close. The 670G has made it all possible!
I got my A1c before I started and I was at 7.9%. After 3.5 months on the 670G I've dropped 1.1% which is ridiculous! I am so happy and hopeful for the future. Now they just need to get cracking on the faster acting insulin. As for stress, I'm living nearly carefree. So few beeps, so few swings. Only 2 lows under extreme circumstances and hardly what I would consider low before starting on it.
THIS SYSTEM IS AMAZING!!!!!!!
I 💓 Medtronic 670G
Conclusion...so far
This system has changed my life in many ways. My A1c is the best it's ever been, I feel better, sleep better, my stress level is 10% of what it used to be, I'm no longer worried about highs or lows and my personal relationships have improved due to the lack of Hangry(high angry)/Langry(Low angry) which I used to experience. I simply cannot say enough good things about this system. The CGM is accurate, I would trust it to do everything automatically if the system was capable, including cover for highs. I have forgotten what all the beeps sounded like, and believe me, I used to hear them OFTEN. I am proud to wear this device and fortunate to have it.
Singing:
Flat SG liiiiiines can come truuuuuue
It can happen to yooooooou
When you're on a 67000000 GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
SG Chart Key
I am now a Medtronic Diabetes Ambassador. I receive educational and promo material/items from Medtronic (but not money).Opinions expressed here are my own.
New Rider to Iron Butt Record-Holder in Three Years Flat
Lance Oliver
What did you do in your third year of riding motorcycles? Maybe that was when you stepped up to a bigger bike, or decided you were ready for that weeklong trip. Kate Johnston marked her third year on two wheels by riding coast to coast. And back. And it’s not the two coasts you think.
In July, Johnston became the first woman ever to complete one of the Iron Butt Association’s toughest North American rides, the Ultimate Coast to Coast to Coast Insanity, which requires the rider to go from Key West, Florida, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, and back to Key West, all within 30 days.
That’s right. A little more than three years after she took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourse and bought a Honda Rebel 250 beginner bike, Johnston, of Riegelsville, Pennsylvania, threw a leg over her 2013 BMW F 700 GS and didn’t get off until she put her name in the Iron Butt record books.
Johnston encountered rain for three of the four days she was on the Dalton Highway.
The numbers alone are impressive: rode 10,767 miles in 24 days for the CCC Insanity ride; saw rain approximately 20 of those 24 days; rode a total of 13,560 miles from home to home; felt temperatures ranging from 101 degrees in Tennessee to 40 degrees and snowing on the Dalton Highway, heading north to Deadhorse; used three sets of tires; and crashed one time, on a notorious section of the Dalton, but with no serious repercussions.
Just to add another twist to Johnston’s story, she is also diabetic. Not that her health issues slow her down, obviously, but it did mean she had to carry medical supplies, monitor her blood sugar levels and predict when she needed to adjust her insulin dosage due to the exertion of the long ride.
Of the many beautiful sights she saw, Johnston says this view of Destruction Bay in Canada on a perfect summer afternoon was the one that most stuck in her memory.
So what motivates a woman to go from rank newbie to Iron Butt record-setter in a little more than three years?
“When you really love something, you go into it no holds barred,” said Johnston, explaining her outlook. She did her first Iron Butt ride two years ago, and that only heightened her interest.
After an early scare, Johnston began eating bananas daily (banana chips in Alaska) to keep her potassium levels steady. So Mills arranged to have a man in a banana suit meet her at the finish line in Key West.
“You read and see all these people going on grand adventures,” Johnston explained. “I wanted to go on a great adventure, and this is kind of the ultimate adventure. It just happened that I was the first woman to do that, but that was like a little cherry on the cake.”
The IBA has already certified Johnston’s ride. In 2012, the entire Boge family—Michael, Anavel and their 7-year-old daughter, Laura—completed the CCC trip in a sidecar rig. That’s impressive enough. But Johnston, at age 35, is the first woman to do the CCC as a rider, not a passenger. Johnston rode most of her epic ride alone, and she was fine with that.
“I think everyone should take a trip by themselves at some point,” she said. “You get to know yourself when all the things that revolve around us in life disappear.”
For the final leg north on the Dalton Highway, however, she had company. Anthony Mills introduced Johnston to motorcycles when she began riding as a passenger with him, before quickly deciding to move to the front seat. Mills flew to Alaska and rented a motorcycle so she wouldn’t ride the Dalton alone.
The rain, grime and calcium chloride of the Dalton Highway chewed up her BMW’s chain in short order, forcing her to get an unscheduled replacement.
They encountered rain three of their four days on the Dalton, with visibility sometimes measured in feet. They crossed Atigun Pass, the highest point on the Dalton, without knowing it, because fog obscured the roadside sign. The rain, dirt and calcium chloride used to treat the unpaved sections chewed up her chain, forcing her to seek a replacement.
This is what a BMW F 700 GS looks like after a rainy day on the Dalton Highway.
But it was their first day on the Dalton when Johnston had her most bizarre incident of the trip. She was riding ahead of Mills when she saw a wolf by the side of the road, watching her. She expected to see it run off as she approached.
“As I’m getting closer, it runs at me,” Johnston recalled. “I’m like, ‘Holy crap!’ The wolf charged me! I was not expecting that.”
Aside from the chewed-up chain, one crash, tire replacement, and a 4 x 10-foot sheet of plastic that flew out of a truck and almost wrapped her up in the middle of Atlanta traffic, the journey was trouble-free. Johnston says she will remember the peacefulness of the hours of riding in solitude and the glorious beauty of Canada.
“I’ve never seen purple mountains before,” she said. “You read about that, but I’d never seen it before. They really are purple.”
Having gone from zero to the record books in three years, it will be interesting to see where Kate Johnston goes next.
(This article Quick Study was published in the February 2015 issue of Rider magazine.)
If it’s a rainy day on the Dalton Highway, and you’re covered in mud and still smiling, you must be an Iron Butt rider.
Johnston carried a RevZilla banner with her and displayed it at the Arctic Circle because, at the time, she was a loyal customer. She has since been hired by the company to join its IT staff.
Here are the technical details for the modifications that were made to my settings prior to and after going on Auto Mode.
ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN AND WAIT FOR TRAINING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. Prior to going into Manual Mode on the 670G
My carb ratio was modified to try to accommodate the highs I had after 2 pm each day. My Suspend Before Low was set to 80 to minimize the rebound. It worked well for me.
Prior to going into Auto Mode on the 670G
My active insulin time was changed from 4 to 3 hours based on successful results from trial patients.
My carb ratio for after 2 pm was adjusted slightly as well.
After going on Auto Mode on the 670G
My active insulin was changed from 3 to 2.5 as recommended by the trainer and test results. There is a possibility that it could down to 2. Recommended active insulin in Auto Mode is between 2 and 2.5
My carb ratios are getting slightly modified to minimize sharp drops after meals.
Looking for a most steady line.
After the second full week in Auto Mode, we changed my active insulin time to 2.25 hrs. Might go as low as 2 hours in a week, but we'll see how the 2.25 hours does for me.
In my opinion, the sensor tape is far more comfortable than the previous version. I find that it stays in place better as well. When the sensor is inserted, it's pretty much visually identical to the previous sensor and transmitter.
5/28/2016
Went down to 2.0 hrs for active insulin time
The reason the active insulin is reduced is because the pump gives microboluses. Once the insulins' strength starts decaying, there isn't a point to count is as active. While Active Insulin time applies in manual mode, Active Insulin Time in Auto mode should be considered Peak Insulin Time.
** This page will be updated each weekday until stated it won't be.
I have exercised each day using a Nordic Track skiier during the week after starting in Auto Mode for approximately 1.5 hours each time. Prior to Auto Mode, exercising was very difficult for me. I would go low during the exercise or after. I kept my BG's significantly higher because exercising made my BG's plummet so quickly. To compensate for that, I'd nearly turn off my pump 1 hour before exercising.
Since going into Auto Mode, I've not had to worry at all. It's been so easy. I decided to try 3 different pre-exercise routines (not any settings on the pump, but rather the things I do prior to exercise to compensate for the exercise) to see which one worked the best for me. My exercise routine is always 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes depending upon my day. I normally exercise between 11 am and 2 pm schedule permitting.
On Wednesday 4/5/2017 I put myself into Temp Basal Mode 1 hour before my workout for a duration of 2 hours. I wasn't high enough (135) so I ate a slice of Dave's Good Seed Killer Bread Thin and didn't dose for it. I did not go super low. I had only been in Auto Mode for 24 hours so it wasn't a big deal. I did remember to mark Exercise on the pump at the beginning which I forgot to do each day after.
Thursday 4/6
On Thursday 4/6/2017 I went into Temp Basal Mode 30 minutes prior to exercise for a duration of 2 hours. I exercised for 1h 6m because I had a meeting. I had a piece of Dave's Good Seed Killer Bread Thin right before working out.
Friday 4/7
On Friday 4/7/2017 I went into Temp Basal Mode right before exercise. Dave's Good Seed Killer Bread Thin right before working out. I exercised for 1h 3m. I canceled Temp Basal Mode manually 15 minutes before stopping the workout which worked best for me.
Started Temp Basal Mode 1 hour prior to exercise at 1:30. I did not snack beforehand. I did go down to 79 45 minutes into my workout and covered it with a Kind bar of 23 carbs. That did not raise me quick enough so I opted for old faithful, GoGo Squeeze applesauce and dosed for it. My temp basal turned off approximately 30 minutes prior to the end of my workout. We'll see the aftermath shortly. Tomorrow I am not doing cardio. Wednesday I will put on Temp Basal Mode 2 hours prior to exercise with a duration of 3 hours.
I wanted to try a 2 hour temp target but didn't have the time due to work. I went into temp target mode maybe 5 minutes before starting to work out at 11:45 am. I ate a piece of Dave's Killer Bread with peanut butter right before and prayed for the best. The best avoided me and I had to eat during the workout as I expected I would have to. I bolused for what I ate during the workout to prevent a super high spike. It worked pretty well. Thursday I will try the 2 hour temp target prior to working out.
2 hours prior to workout going into Temp Target didn't work for me. I started my Temp Target at 10 am and started exercising at 12:30. Forgot to mark it on the pump so the running man appears. Halfway through the workout I was at 65 and dropping. I countered that with the good ole GoGo Squeeze. Tommorw I will try suspending 30 minutes prior to exercise then starting Temp Target 30 minutes into my workout and see how that turns out.
Well, my intent was to suspend delivery 30 minutes prior to working out and go in to Temp Target Mode when I started working out. Housework got the best of me and I ended up being suspended for close to an hour prior to working out. Obviously went high but topped out at 210 which is fantastic for a top out. Tomorrow, I will not get sidetracked and only suspend for 30 minutes prior.
Well, I suspended delivery 30 minutes prior to the workout but was ravenously hungry prior to the workout so I ate a tablespoon of peanut butter. When I started working out I went into Temp Target Mode for a duration of 1 hour. I will do this again on Tuesday when I'm back, it isn't the weekend and I'm acting more stable. I think this is the winner for me.
I finally got the incline trainer I've been wanting. My goal is to exercise more efficiently and cut down my total workout time from 2 hours to 1-1.5 hours. I ran for 40 minutes and did strength exercises for about 10 minutes. By BG stayed stable after going into Temp Basal Mode for 30 minutes prior to the workout for a duration of 1 hour. I ate a Dave's Killer Bread Good Seed Thin right before exercising (13 carbs) I did go low after the workout so on Thursday I will be going in to temp mode 1 hour prior without adding carbs before the workout.
Thursday 4/27/2017
Today I turned on Temp Basal Mode 1 hour prior to workout for a duration of 2 hours. I am not eating beforehand.
These charts were pulled from the Weekly Review report after uploading my data to Carelink.
(Bun Burner Gold = Riding your motorcycle 1500 miles in less than 24 hours) This BBG Ride report is brought to you by Beef Jerky…
I was so excited to be doing my first Bun Burner Gold ride
that I couldn’t sleep well the night before.I woke up at least 3 times eager to start my ride.When finally waking at the agreed time, Minna
and I looked at the weather and saw storm warnings and high wind
advisories.WONDERFUL…. Great
start.Minna and I decided it would be
safest to wait until after the storm passed which was expected to be around 10
am.Almost exactly at 10 am, the rain
picked up and it looked like a hurricane out my windows.We were both very glad we waited.We went downstairs to my garage and packed
the final items that we wouldn’t pack the night before.Then my boyfriend signed our paperwork and we
went to the concierge in my building to get the second signature for the BBG
paperwork.We took a quick picture and
left for the starting gas station.
There was work being done on the road so we took local
roads to get there.We got gas and the
clock started at 10:54 am.And we were
off….heading in to strong headwinds…. For the ENTIRE TRIP….
We both notice immediately that we’re averaging 10 mpg less
than normal as a result of the strong head winds.
Traffic was pretty light since it was after rush hour.We rode for a while.After the second gas station, Minna noticed
that her hand protector was loose and flapping.She radioed me and we pulled off on the side of the road to attend to
it.We looked around for a washer to
make the screw we had be effective but we were unable to find one. Enter the
duct tape….part 1.We secured it so it
would not fall off and resumed our ride, still heading in to strong headwinds.
Sometime later Minna radioed me and informed me that the
strap that connects her “Camelbak” shoulder straps together had broken and she
felt like it was going to fall off; we stopped again to attend to it.She used a Rok Strap to tie the 2 shoulder
straps together… problem solved.
Around our second or third stop, I needed to use the
pooper.This was a surprise as I can
usually not need to use the bathroom except for once during a 24 hour rally.I went in and came out.Minna was fixing some other items on her bike
and taking off her rain gear.Once we
finished that, we were back on the road again, still heading in to strong
headwinds.
Enter Tennessee: Known for major highways with many twisties
through mountains….with trucks
We hit Nashville around 1:50 am, since we were behind we had
to search for a gas station to be open.We pulled into a Shell and stopped to see if it was up and working.The gas pump took our credit cards but then
told us to see the cashier.Strike. We
go to get on our motorcycles to head off to an Exxon but Minna’s motorcycle
wouldn’t start.She immediately called
her insurance company for a jump.I
called my boyfriend to see if he knew anyone in the area.He sent out a post for help on Facebook and
Jason Jonas replied that if we needed help, he would oblige.After I spoke to my boyfriend, I saw an
innocent bystander walking towards the gas station.I immediately walked out to meet him and
asked if he lived in the area.He said
he did, so I asked him if he had a car that he could jump start Minna’s
motorcycle with.He DID!Awesome!He told us he lived approximately a mile away but would get his car and
come back.While we were waiting, Minna
was still on hold with her insurance company.The guy came back and jumped her motorcycle.We let it run a while before heading off to
make sure it would stay running.We went
to the next gas station, which didn’t exist, and then the one after that
existed AND was open. Score!We got our
gas and headed off.Minna was using
minimal accessories because the alternator in her motorcycle seemed to be the
culprit for it not starting.At this
point we decided to take the 5 hour energy drink, Breast Cancer Awareness flavor
to get us through until sunrise.Approximately
an hour later, we were on the road again, still heading in to strong
headwinds.
In between stops was a lot of twisty highway.At one point I encountered my first “holy
crap” moment of the trip.The highway
had 2 lanes and I was speeding up to get around the slowpoke in the right lane.The car in the left lane had been steadily
going the same speed as the slow poke for quite some time.As I speed up, so does he, because if you
didn’t get the memo, he is the most important person and must get there
first.Meanwhile the car in front of me
suddenly slows down.This would be much
more noticeable if the person wasn’t driving a stick.But they were, there were no break lights and
I swerved out of the way and avoid an accident.Way too close a call for my tastes.
Around 4 am Mr Rick Germain called me.That was so nice!My 5 Hour Energy drink had kicked in and I
was pumped beyond normality about the ride I was doing, bouncing off the walls
is perhaps a better descriptor.He
talked with me a bit but I had to cut it short because our next gas station was
approaching….so begins the curse of Rick Germain…
Around 4:30 am in Stanton TN, our gas stop is
approaching.We go to the exit and I see
that where a normal exit should be is in fact an unpaved road with small moguls
on it.3”-6” to be exact.This is the point in the story where I thank
Max BMW for holding off-road classes and teaching me the ways.With my training, I was able to easily
navigate the off-road conditions and get to the road with the gas station on
it.We turn left as Ms Garmin tells us
to, and Minna tells me she saw the gas station to the right a while ago.We turn around and head down the road.I’m leading and see the Pilot gas
station.I pull in to what I think is
the Pilot parking lot for trucks and head towards the gas station.Low and behold, this is not the Pilot gas
station parking lot and moments before hitting it, I see a 6”
divider/curb.I can’t stop at this point
so I would once again like to thank Max BMW for holding off-road classes and
teaching me the ways…. I jump the curb in a manner of speaking and let the
motorcycle do its thing and land successfully.Please keep in mind this is the first time I’ve ever been airborne on a
motorcycle.Not something I will
willingly choose to do again anytime soon. HOLY COW! That just happened.Adrenaline pumping, we pull into the gas
station, Minna using the actual entrance, and we get gas.At this point in time Minna notices that her top
case is no longer there.Wow, this
“stop” just keeps getting better and better.We try to think of where it could have come off and determine that the
exit ramp is a very likely place considering the dirt moguls we rode over to
get off the highway.We park our
motorcycles on the opposite side of the ramp where there isn’t anything,
traffic or destination wise and walk down the ramps with flashlight in hand to see
if we could find it.We could not.We looked for approximately 15 minutes.When we return, we see a truck of the
“special” nature attempting to turn on to the exit ramp.The truck made a particularly extra wide turn
and almost hit our motorcycles. We
decided to press on at this point, still heading in to strong headwinds.
…end the curse of Rick Germain.He said he called to wake me up, what
followed certainly did! J
After about 5 minutes I don’t see Minna’s headlights anymore
so I slow down to see if she’s coming.She is, slowly.I radio her and
she tells me that her motorcycle is not running well at higher speeds.I ask what she wants to do and she tells me
she wants to go slower.I feel really
bad at this point but ask if I can motor on to try to finish the Bun Burner
Gold, she tells me to go ahead.So I do,
still heading in to strong headwinds.
Enter Arkansas: known for an absurd amount of abandoned cars
on the side of the road and for god’s sake, PAVE YOUR DAMN ROADS ALREADY!!!
Jesus!
Around 4:30 am I start cruising between 70 and 85 miles per
hour.I know I have to make up for lost
time so go as quickly as I can safely.I’m
starting to feel a little nauseous as this point in time.I loosen my collar a bit to help, which it
does.About an hour later I’m seriously
debating pulling over to throw up.*Note
to self, no more 5 Hour Energy Drink – Breast Cancer Awareness flavor EVER*.I decide that I do not have the time to throw
up so I stifle it and keep on going, still heading in to strong headwinds.
Around 5:30 am I start getting tired and contemplating
giving up, I give my trusty boyfriend a call as he’s been up tracking me all
night concerned for my safety.We talk a
little bit which lifted my spirits.I
pushed on keeping in mind that the next gas station is approaching.At 6:30 I reach the next gas station and take
a few minutes break to waken myself up.I drink, use the facilities then insert a clif bar in my mouth and hit
the road again, still heading in to strong headwinds.
Enter Texas: Land of the higher speed limits!
FINALLY the sun rises and I get my third wind!I am wide awake and very excited to be on the
last leg of the ride. I know if I can make good time I will make the cutoff
time with a little time to spare.I have
a small mental party in my head and I ride like the wind, still heading in to
strong headwinds.
I receive a call from Minna letting me know that everything
is okay sometime after the sun rose.That was quite a relief.I press
on, getting more excited as time passes and I pray that there aren’t any
traffic issues ahead.
The only thought going through my head right now is get
there is be safe and get there in time.If all goes as planned I’ll have approximately 10 minutes for a buffer.
Not nearly what I had originally planned for which was 2 hours.I turn off the music so I can concentrate
solely on riding efficiently.I head on,
still heading in to strong headwinds.
I arrive at the final gas stop with 13 minutes to spare….
THANK GOD! I made it!I am elated that I
was able to complete the ride with all the unexpected events that
occurred.I put a drop of gas into my
gas tank to stop the clock.YAY! I
actually screamed aloud in joy startling the unsuspecting driver filling up
their tank next to me.The guy then
asked me where I was coming from, and I told him NJ less than 24 hours
ago.His jaw hit the floor.He asked why I had done that in 24 hours and
I told him it was for giggles and a piece of paper.He smiled then asked about my
motorcycle.I told him I had 3, a dual
sport, the sport tour I was riding and an expendable Ninja for when neither BMW
would start… once again his jaw hit the floor.
I get a call from my boyfriend as I’m taking off my helmet to
go inside to get food and take a break, finally without needing to run.I tell him I made it and he was so proud of
me.His calls to me in the early morning
made the wee hours far more cope able than they would have been with music
alone.I decide to just press on to the
hotel so I can finish up and sleep.
I arrive at the Big As Texas party hotel and am greeted by Rob
Wilensky who is outside… so happy but so tired.I take off my helmet and my head is buzzing.Rob had agreed to be one of my witnesses for
the finish.My other witness, Mike
Kneebone, would be sought out later.Rob
took a pic of my odo and time for records and we talked a bit.I unpacked all my gear and head inside eager
to get paperwork done and SLEEP.I get most of my stuff and arrange to have Rob
sign my paperwork once I drop everything off in my room.I get to my room and realize I forgot to take
a pic of my odometer…. I go downstairs and do it.I go back upstairs and look at the paperwork
and realize I forgot to grab my GPS and get the odo off that as well….I go down
and get it.I then find Rob and he signs
my paperwork.JI then go find Mike Kneebone and get him to
sign my paperwork as well.He asked how
the ride was and I tell him my ride was fine, but Minna had a whole bunch of
unfortunate events happen to her motorcycle.I then head to my room and hit the bed.Bed sweet bed. Zzzzzz
