Diabetic Tomorrow

Halloween is like one of those dreams where they're scary but there is a part of the dream that makes you extremely excited and thrilled. For me at least, this year, Halloween was a dream.

This was my first Halloween as a diabetic. Thankfully I'm nineteen and going door to door collecting candy wasn't on the to-do list; however, eating candy was definitely on the list of things to do. How could I not have candy?

Clinton and I decided we would make some Halloween cupcakes for the party we were going to that night. We headed to the dollar store and the bulk barn to stock up on candy and cake mix to make the, 'spooky' cupcakes.

Wow, is all I can say, as I walked up and down the isles of the bulk barn. So much candy was packed into the little plastic containers in which you can take as much as you want and put into plastic bags. Jelly beans, gummy bears, macaroons, so much candy. I read the odd label, just curious at the carb count. 99 g, 75 g, 100 g.... I couldn't believe it. I automatically associated it with insulin. Almost 7 units of insulin for not even a cup of candy. My head was spinning and my legs were shaking. Wait, could this be a low?

I was excited, it seems odd. My legs were shaking intensely and I checked my sugar with hopes of a possible 5.0 or even a 4.5, so that I could at least have a little piece of candy. To my surprise I was a 3.9 or if you're American, 70 mg. Clinton told me I could pick anything but to be quick. Quick? When I'm low, I think not.

I skimmed up and down the isles, panicking, just overwhelmed. Clinton kept saying, "I know you can't pick but please just find something." I grabbed the metal shovel and poured gummy frogs into a plastic bag and we rushed to the counter to pay. I thought it was just good timing but Clinton I was faking so that I could have something. I had a meter to prove my low.

After all was said and done and my sugar had climbed back up we began on our way to make the cupcakes, which only lead to more sugar coated experiences. Licking the bowl, trying out the candies, the whole bit. Before I knew it my sugar was 19. Of course! I kept telling Clinton, I'll have diabetes tomorrow but today I just want candy.

I know it's horrible to say something like that, but I just couldn't help it. Halloween is hard! There are candies in bowls everywhere, people giving you little plastic treat bags of candy and everyone is talking about candy. How can I, someone who eats one mini chocolate bar and spikes up, not want to try some of this candy everyone is talking about.

I think for that one day, Halloween, I didn't do too bad. Of course I had extremes on both ends but I managed them quick and effective. Since I said I'd be a diabetic tomorrow, which is today, I will start again, back to my good habits.

Kayla