I don't know who all has a tropical smoothie near them, but it's a smoothie place that there are a few of near me... I started going there when my cousin got mehooked when i was thirteen.. Well, I've always known they've made a handfull of their smoothies with splenda, if you ask... I've always been afraid to though, because the smoothies are kind ofe xpensive (like 4dollars..?) and i hate the taste of splenda...
But today, non the less, i decided to try one.. and it was a new type of smothie i had never tried before.. Normally I get sunrise sunset, which is strawberries, mango, orange, and pineapple.. today i got pineapple paradise,which is pineapple, orange, and banana..
i think i'm in love.... My famiy doesn't buy a lot of fruits and vegetables (fresh ones anyway... lots of canned and frozen ones) unless i am there to make sure it happens... i hate the grocery store.
So i crave freshfruits and vegetables all the time. I"ve always been a healthy eater.. always. I prefer salad over fries at resturaunts, etc... And the smoothies were always great. but higher-callories & sugar..
they're massive too. they only have one size.. 24oz. so for four dollars, it isn't that bad.. especially considering now after surgery, I can only have 8oz at a time.
But anyways!! you can't taste the splenda at all!!!!! I was amazed. I had it a lot when i was younger to the point now that splenda just makes me sick... but the fruit overpowers it.. and theres only like 200 callories in the 24oz smoothie, instead of the 4-500 that were in with turbinado or whatever sweetner it was they use normally...
I'll pour out some into a cup, and stick the rest in a freezer for another time.. and with smoothies they'll thaw.. and beprettymuch the same consistency before... so it's not a waste.
loveloveloveloveloveloveloveittt<3
If you have a smoothie shop in your area that doesn't make smoothise with splenda, you could request they have it as an option.. it would give them some good rep, and healthier options for people including yourself.
Just a thought. (:
have a great day<3
-ashley(:
www.twitter.com/justashley1637
ashleyellen1637@aol.com
First blog dedicated to Weight Loss Surgery for teenagers. To my knowledge it's still the only one! We're also dedicated to teaching/spreading awareness about childhood obesity, metabolic conditions/diseases, healthy lifestyles, and anything in-between. (Started in May 2011)
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Fear of needles?
Personally, I don't have one.. I have absolutely no problem with needles.. I've grown up being stuck to test my blood sugar 3 times a day since i was 7 years old, and I have multiple piercings (currently I only have my nose, and 4 on each ear.. but total, i've had 7 on each ear, my nose,my bellybutton, and my lip.. 3 of which i did myself..) and a tattoo on my wrist... and i willingly get a b12 shot once a month, instead of a daily vitamin..
But I know a lot of people who do.. My little brother has to take a growth hormogne injection every day, because he has growth hormogne defiency.. and he still is terrified of them, even though he's taken them majority of his life.
And my best friend passed out getting her nose pierced.. she's terrified of doctors.. not sure how she managed to build up the nerve to even walk into the piercing place.. haha.
But anyways.. Basically with surgery, or metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, whatever... even just getting tested for it, a lot of blood is drawn, and what not.. so this is basically what happens, to ease the nerves of some people:
Getting blood drawn:
(keep in mind some nurses who draw the blood do these steps slightly out of order..)
*They'll put a rubber thing around your arm.. if you know you're going to have blood drawn, wear a shirt with sleeves thatcan berolled up, so they can put it over that.. otherwise it pinches your skin alittle bit.. if not, it's not that bad.. its bareable.. and definatley will distract you from the needle..
*they'll put gloves on, and wipe off the area with a rubbing alcohol pad... then pat it dry with gauze. they'll feel around for a good vain to use, too.
*they'll pull the needle/tubing out, and take a capoff.. they'll pull out a few tubes too, that the blood goes in...
*then they'll either count, or they'll just do it... they may ask you.. but they'll push it in.. and just leave it there... switching tubes out of the plasticthing that is hooked onto the needle.. (i don't know the terminology... sorry.. haha.)
*when it's done.they'll stop, they'll take gauze, press down, pull the needle, out, and put a bandage over it... and you're done.
Getting an IV:
*they'll put on rubber gloves, clean off your arm/hand/wherevertheivisgoing with a rubbing alcohol pad.. pat it dry with gauze, or let it air dry... they'll take the needle that is attached to tubing (usually... and the needle is usually a bitthinner than the one you get blood drawn with.) and takethe cap off.
*they'll feel around for a good vain t ouse,lightly pressing on your skin.. (although i'm not entirely sure why.. i can't imagine it helps much.. theres no way it's easy to feel any vains... unless you can see them like on your wrist.. in my experience, anyway.. haha.)
*they'll push it in carefully, and tape it down.. you honestly don't feel it unless you bang it against something orpresss on it.. unless it's in a really awkward spot where if you bend your elbow or wrist you mayfeel it a little.. but that's only happened to me a few times.
Taking blood sugar:
*This is something you do yourself, typically... but this is basically what you do:
*put a clean lancet in the thing that you stick yourself with.. test it to makesure its in properly..
*put a test strip in the meter.
*wash your hands.. some people wipe off their fingers with rubbing alcohol... i don't.
*press the tip of it to your finger(or arm or wherever you do it..) and don't press hard against it, don't ahve it too far away.. just keep it resting on your skin.. if onyour finger, like i do, have it towards the tip, on the side of the finger..
*hit the button. it'll prick you really quickly.. and thats it. pull it away and blood should be on your finger.. you only need a little dot.
*press the test strip to the dot of blood.. wait for it to fill up.. and in a few seconds the number will appear on the screen.
no big deal. (:
-------------------------------
Keep in mind no one is perfect.. if someone is drawing blood or putting an iv in, don't be surprized if they can't hit a vain the first time.. they may have to move it while it's in your arm, or try again. You want to try and do what they do? good luck!
Tips for getting through it:
*personally, it helps me if i watch... but i've been told that is borderline insanity.. peopel are surprized when i say that.. that holds true for not only blood drawing, iv's, etc.. but tattoos and piercings too.. haha. but... anyways..
*don't look. hold a conversatoin with someone, orlook at some small detail of something...
*don't hold your braethe either... remember to breathe.
*hold someones hand if you're really feeling anxious. squeeze if you need too.
*try and stay relaxed..they're not out to get you. remember why you're having it done and why it's important.
And if youra parent with a child going through this? If they want to look.. let them look. I have seen two other kids before who wanted to look, and the nurses didn't let them, or their parents didn't let them, and the kids spazzed out.... i was in the room with one of them.. i eventually just blurted out "let the girl look" and everything was perfectly fine.. and the girl (and mom.. and nurse..) thanked me for that, later.. --- but if your child isn't bordering crazy liek me? (; haha. i hate to say bribe... but it works... say they can get a cool sticker afterwards, or if they're a big girl or boy and let the nurse do what she needs to do (draw blood, iv, etc...) that they'll get to watch a movie with you when theyg et home... or oposite: say big girls and boys have t oget this done sometimes.. tell them if they're mature about it then it'll make them a big girl/boy.. (all of this depends on the age ofthe chidl, obviously..)
Hope this helps. (: have a great day/night.
-ashley.
P.S. sorry for any spelling/grammar errors.. it is 2:35am as i'm finishing this up now.. I can't sleep. I'm heading to the hospital tomorrow morning (or today i guess.) for a 6month follow up from my VSG and i have to get up at 6am anyways... so i'm not asleep now.. what's the point in sleeping? lol. alright. bye(:
www.twitter.com/justashley1637
www.facebook.com/justashley1637
www.justashley1637.tumblr.com
ashleyellen1637@aol.com (:
But I know a lot of people who do.. My little brother has to take a growth hormogne injection every day, because he has growth hormogne defiency.. and he still is terrified of them, even though he's taken them majority of his life.
And my best friend passed out getting her nose pierced.. she's terrified of doctors.. not sure how she managed to build up the nerve to even walk into the piercing place.. haha.
But anyways.. Basically with surgery, or metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, whatever... even just getting tested for it, a lot of blood is drawn, and what not.. so this is basically what happens, to ease the nerves of some people:
Getting blood drawn:
(keep in mind some nurses who draw the blood do these steps slightly out of order..)
*They'll put a rubber thing around your arm.. if you know you're going to have blood drawn, wear a shirt with sleeves thatcan berolled up, so they can put it over that.. otherwise it pinches your skin alittle bit.. if not, it's not that bad.. its bareable.. and definatley will distract you from the needle..
*they'll put gloves on, and wipe off the area with a rubbing alcohol pad... then pat it dry with gauze. they'll feel around for a good vain to use, too.
*they'll pull the needle/tubing out, and take a capoff.. they'll pull out a few tubes too, that the blood goes in...
*then they'll either count, or they'll just do it... they may ask you.. but they'll push it in.. and just leave it there... switching tubes out of the plasticthing that is hooked onto the needle.. (i don't know the terminology... sorry.. haha.)
*when it's done.they'll stop, they'll take gauze, press down, pull the needle, out, and put a bandage over it... and you're done.
Getting an IV:
*they'll put on rubber gloves, clean off your arm/hand/wherevertheivisgoing with a rubbing alcohol pad.. pat it dry with gauze, or let it air dry... they'll take the needle that is attached to tubing (usually... and the needle is usually a bitthinner than the one you get blood drawn with.) and takethe cap off.
*they'll feel around for a good vain t ouse,lightly pressing on your skin.. (although i'm not entirely sure why.. i can't imagine it helps much.. theres no way it's easy to feel any vains... unless you can see them like on your wrist.. in my experience, anyway.. haha.)
*they'll push it in carefully, and tape it down.. you honestly don't feel it unless you bang it against something orpresss on it.. unless it's in a really awkward spot where if you bend your elbow or wrist you mayfeel it a little.. but that's only happened to me a few times.
Taking blood sugar:
*This is something you do yourself, typically... but this is basically what you do:
*put a clean lancet in the thing that you stick yourself with.. test it to makesure its in properly..
*put a test strip in the meter.
*wash your hands.. some people wipe off their fingers with rubbing alcohol... i don't.
*press the tip of it to your finger(or arm or wherever you do it..) and don't press hard against it, don't ahve it too far away.. just keep it resting on your skin.. if onyour finger, like i do, have it towards the tip, on the side of the finger..
*hit the button. it'll prick you really quickly.. and thats it. pull it away and blood should be on your finger.. you only need a little dot.
*press the test strip to the dot of blood.. wait for it to fill up.. and in a few seconds the number will appear on the screen.
no big deal. (:
-------------------------------
Keep in mind no one is perfect.. if someone is drawing blood or putting an iv in, don't be surprized if they can't hit a vain the first time.. they may have to move it while it's in your arm, or try again. You want to try and do what they do? good luck!
Tips for getting through it:
*personally, it helps me if i watch... but i've been told that is borderline insanity.. peopel are surprized when i say that.. that holds true for not only blood drawing, iv's, etc.. but tattoos and piercings too.. haha. but... anyways..
*don't look. hold a conversatoin with someone, orlook at some small detail of something...
*don't hold your braethe either... remember to breathe.
*hold someones hand if you're really feeling anxious. squeeze if you need too.
*try and stay relaxed..they're not out to get you. remember why you're having it done and why it's important.
And if youra parent with a child going through this? If they want to look.. let them look. I have seen two other kids before who wanted to look, and the nurses didn't let them, or their parents didn't let them, and the kids spazzed out.... i was in the room with one of them.. i eventually just blurted out "let the girl look" and everything was perfectly fine.. and the girl (and mom.. and nurse..) thanked me for that, later.. --- but if your child isn't bordering crazy liek me? (; haha. i hate to say bribe... but it works... say they can get a cool sticker afterwards, or if they're a big girl or boy and let the nurse do what she needs to do (draw blood, iv, etc...) that they'll get to watch a movie with you when theyg et home... or oposite: say big girls and boys have t oget this done sometimes.. tell them if they're mature about it then it'll make them a big girl/boy.. (all of this depends on the age ofthe chidl, obviously..)
Hope this helps. (: have a great day/night.
-ashley.
P.S. sorry for any spelling/grammar errors.. it is 2:35am as i'm finishing this up now.. I can't sleep. I'm heading to the hospital tomorrow morning (or today i guess.) for a 6month follow up from my VSG and i have to get up at 6am anyways... so i'm not asleep now.. what's the point in sleeping? lol. alright. bye(:
www.twitter.com/justashley1637
www.facebook.com/justashley1637
www.justashley1637.tumblr.com
ashleyellen1637@aol.com (:
Monday, February 20, 2012
Blood Sugar Test Results
Alright. I'm pretty sure if you click on it, you can zoom in if you can't read the notes.. My handwriting isn't the best. Sorry :x haha.
So... Yeah. Summary: I was messed up,hadn't taken my metformin in 10 days.. The day beforeistarted it back up, i recorded my blood sugar (day 1... 2-13-12on the list.)... and then started it back up the next day.. then for the next 6 days i took my blood sugar,making sure i took my metformin and logged it.. Here are my averages:
Average fasting blood sugar: 81.
Average 2hr after lunch blood sugar: 92
Average 2hr after dinner blood sugar: 87
I found a paper that my endocrinologist gave me at my last appt.. in september i believe. She wanted me to keep it between 70&140.. it only went over 100 once. so I'm really happy. (: I don't think my blood sugars have ever been this great.
I love you Chewbacca<3
Alright. bye(:
-ashley
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Logging!
A lot of people log things.. Their food/fluid intake, exersize, blood sugars, insulin (when diabetic) ... I've never been good at it. Ever. When I was really little my mom would do it for me.. Like.. when i was 7.. But i've never been good at iton my own. I'm good at just keeping track in my head.. I can look back and remmeber everything I"ve eaten/drank.. and add it all together... I've been doing this all so long.. i'm almost 100% accurate on eye-balling portion sizes (although i still measure to make sure, majority of the time.) I just stopped attempting to log things.. Because i'd do it for a day.. then sto pfor a week.. do it for half aday, for 3 days, then not do it again for a few days.. It wasn't helpfull at all. and more frustrating than anything..
But this past weeki've been REALLY off.. not remembering half of my meds.. (i seriously have slept maybe a total of 12 hours... the past week.)... I've had a lot going on... It wuoldn't seem like a lotto most people.. But itsa long story.. ANYWAYS. i realized I havent taken my metformin (or any of my meds, for that matter..)thsi week... normally i'm realllllyyyy good with my meds.. I don't typically havea problemremembering them. it's become a habit for me.. But this has just been a messedup week..
I've been out of test strips for my blood sugar for a few months.. I just got some yesterday.. So i thought i'd take it.. i had just eaten.. figured it would bea ltitle high... no glucophauge(metformin), for a week.. and your blood sugar naturally goes up after you eat, right..? even in a totally healthy person.. well.. it was like 80.... .andi took it again later on.. and it was 78... -- uhm...? My blood sugars have never been... like... that great.. i've kept them controlled most my life.. without much of a problem (for which i'm grateful) but that.. without metformin? i was honestly amazed.. I've been on metformin/glucophauge since i as9 years old...
and for whatever reason this motivated me to start logging my blood sugars.. (get back on track with my meds, obviously..)
but i set a goal for myself.. to take my blood sugar fasting, 2 hours after lunch, and 2hours after dinner.. and see where i'm at.. just because this interests me. Now Itypically eat 4 (obviously pretty small) meals a day.. up to 60grams of protein total, sometimes more, and i keep the carbs under 45-50grams a day... so i take it 2 hours after the first meal and 2hours after the last meal... and log it. I'll probably post my numbers on facebook each day.. because this is really.. id on't know. interesting i guess.. to me. to see what my levels are at. the first day i did (today) no glucophauge.. then the rest of the days i'm taking my glucophauge getting back into it..
(I'm not recommending stopping your medications, at all. This was honestly a mistake.. But i figured.. I'll take advantage of it, instead of sit there mad at myself for messing up so badly.)
then obviously i'll keep taking my meds.. like i'm supposed to. :P
But yeah..
So. the point of this post, is i'm going to try logging just for one week.. my blood sugars anyway. I've tried logging food. i just am not able to do it for more than 2 days without givng up.. its too much of a hassle for me.. I can tell you what i ate all day today.. no problem..:
Breakfast: 1/2 yoplait light blueberry yogurt, and a piece of string cheese.
Lunch: half of a chicken cheese quesadilla, and some milk..
Lunch #2: The other half of the chicken cheese quesadilla, and 2 small pieces of a peach.
Dinner: 5 small shrimp(with a little bit of coctail sauce) and a piece of string cheese.
Fluids: eh.. about 60oz.. made up of diluted diet pepsi, sugar free pink lemonade, orange flavored crystal light, and skim milk..
^^^^^. see? (: I made absolutely none of that up, either.
Butttt yeah. Just thought I'd put that out there. (:
but i did draw up two charts.. a food/intake log, and a blood sugar log.. the blood sugar log isn't exact to the one i'm using now, but it's pretty close.. you can use them as a guide to make you rown, if you want to try logging.. or just print them off. if you print off the picture, (just right click it, and click print picture, i believe..) it should show up when you print it, a full page.. the pictures look better enlarged.
Blood Sugar Log:
Food/Intake Log:
But this past weeki've been REALLY off.. not remembering half of my meds.. (i seriously have slept maybe a total of 12 hours... the past week.)... I've had a lot going on... It wuoldn't seem like a lotto most people.. But itsa long story.. ANYWAYS. i realized I havent taken my metformin (or any of my meds, for that matter..)thsi week... normally i'm realllllyyyy good with my meds.. I don't typically havea problemremembering them. it's become a habit for me.. But this has just been a messedup week..
I've been out of test strips for my blood sugar for a few months.. I just got some yesterday.. So i thought i'd take it.. i had just eaten.. figured it would bea ltitle high... no glucophauge(metformin), for a week.. and your blood sugar naturally goes up after you eat, right..? even in a totally healthy person.. well.. it was like 80.... .andi took it again later on.. and it was 78... -- uhm...? My blood sugars have never been... like... that great.. i've kept them controlled most my life.. without much of a problem (for which i'm grateful) but that.. without metformin? i was honestly amazed.. I've been on metformin/glucophauge since i as9 years old...
and for whatever reason this motivated me to start logging my blood sugars.. (get back on track with my meds, obviously..)
but i set a goal for myself.. to take my blood sugar fasting, 2 hours after lunch, and 2hours after dinner.. and see where i'm at.. just because this interests me. Now Itypically eat 4 (obviously pretty small) meals a day.. up to 60grams of protein total, sometimes more, and i keep the carbs under 45-50grams a day... so i take it 2 hours after the first meal and 2hours after the last meal... and log it. I'll probably post my numbers on facebook each day.. because this is really.. id on't know. interesting i guess.. to me. to see what my levels are at. the first day i did (today) no glucophauge.. then the rest of the days i'm taking my glucophauge getting back into it..
(I'm not recommending stopping your medications, at all. This was honestly a mistake.. But i figured.. I'll take advantage of it, instead of sit there mad at myself for messing up so badly.)
then obviously i'll keep taking my meds.. like i'm supposed to. :P
But yeah..
So. the point of this post, is i'm going to try logging just for one week.. my blood sugars anyway. I've tried logging food. i just am not able to do it for more than 2 days without givng up.. its too much of a hassle for me.. I can tell you what i ate all day today.. no problem..:
Breakfast: 1/2 yoplait light blueberry yogurt, and a piece of string cheese.
Lunch: half of a chicken cheese quesadilla, and some milk..
Lunch #2: The other half of the chicken cheese quesadilla, and 2 small pieces of a peach.
Dinner: 5 small shrimp(with a little bit of coctail sauce) and a piece of string cheese.
Fluids: eh.. about 60oz.. made up of diluted diet pepsi, sugar free pink lemonade, orange flavored crystal light, and skim milk..
^^^^^. see? (: I made absolutely none of that up, either.
Butttt yeah. Just thought I'd put that out there. (:
but i did draw up two charts.. a food/intake log, and a blood sugar log.. the blood sugar log isn't exact to the one i'm using now, but it's pretty close.. you can use them as a guide to make you rown, if you want to try logging.. or just print them off. if you print off the picture, (just right click it, and click print picture, i believe..) it should show up when you print it, a full page.. the pictures look better enlarged.
Blood Sugar Log:
(i just scanned the drawing.. i didn't have the patience to try and do it on microsoft excel or whatever the name of the program isthat you can make graphs on.. sorry. :P haha.)
Food/Intake Log:
(I always hate when doctors would give me charts to try and fill out, that there was never enough room to write everything down.. ever. I'm not very good at writing super small.. so i tried to make this one have more space.. its basically for a week. 7 days. You kill more trees this way, but it's also easier to write.. and keep track of, i think.. anyway.. :P)
so.. there we go. (: I hope this helped some.. Have a great day!
-ashley.
Ps: Feel free to email me, or comment on this, or write on my page on facebook! i'd love to talk to anyone who keeps up with my blog.. If anyone ever has any questions or concerns, or suggestions on things i should blog about... let me know! (:
Monday, February 6, 2012
I know I havent been posting as much as normal..
sorry.
My new goal is to post once a week.. do-able? yes. very.
but this is what i've been up to:
www.youtube.com/aeo1637 (daily vlogs)
www.justashley1637.tumblr.com (finally made a personal blog..)
www.twitter.com/justashley1637 (I'm obsessed.)
oh. and i went to the best concert of my life, four days ago. lots of clips and pictures from it in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CCg4mdghKc&feature=channel_video_title
I love blogging. But I really want to try and explore other things... I always start things that i really enjoy,then give up because I doubt myself... It took me a month to come up with a new years resolution, and I finally decided.. I'm going to try and pursue music more, this year.. Not give up when I have writers block, or if my fingers hurt because i've been playign guitar for too long. nothing worthwhile comes easy, and music issomething that truly makes me happy. a career out of it would be great, but i know its not logical. I'm just enjoying myself though.. I'm sixteen. I don't need to be thinking about what I want to majorin college in yet.... If you don't do stupidthings when you'reyounger, you wont have anything to look back at and laugh at when you're old.
I need to create memories for myself. and music has always been a majorpart of my life... so im writing a lot more songs... playing a lot more guitar.. practiicing more.. and ive started posting coverson youtube again, like i did when iwas younger... theres only one up right now, but that will soon change..
www.youtube.com/justashley1637 (music channel)
soyeah. thats what i've been upto. and i'm still going to be blogging on here. promise. (: this is a huge part of my life too.. obviously. i had 4/5ths of my stomach cut out for cryingout loud. Chewbacca is permanent (:
Oh. side note? finally lost 3 lbs.. ih avent lost any weight since november... till now. thank god..
alright. back to writing. <3 (:
have a good day.
-ashley.
ashleyellen1637@aol.com (:
My new goal is to post once a week.. do-able? yes. very.
but this is what i've been up to:
www.youtube.com/aeo1637 (daily vlogs)
www.justashley1637.tumblr.com (finally made a personal blog..)
www.twitter.com/justashley1637 (I'm obsessed.)
oh. and i went to the best concert of my life, four days ago. lots of clips and pictures from it in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CCg4mdghKc&feature=channel_video_title
I love blogging. But I really want to try and explore other things... I always start things that i really enjoy,then give up because I doubt myself... It took me a month to come up with a new years resolution, and I finally decided.. I'm going to try and pursue music more, this year.. Not give up when I have writers block, or if my fingers hurt because i've been playign guitar for too long. nothing worthwhile comes easy, and music issomething that truly makes me happy. a career out of it would be great, but i know its not logical. I'm just enjoying myself though.. I'm sixteen. I don't need to be thinking about what I want to majorin college in yet.... If you don't do stupidthings when you'reyounger, you wont have anything to look back at and laugh at when you're old.
I need to create memories for myself. and music has always been a majorpart of my life... so im writing a lot more songs... playing a lot more guitar.. practiicing more.. and ive started posting coverson youtube again, like i did when iwas younger... theres only one up right now, but that will soon change..
www.youtube.com/justashley1637 (music channel)
soyeah. thats what i've been upto. and i'm still going to be blogging on here. promise. (: this is a huge part of my life too.. obviously. i had 4/5ths of my stomach cut out for cryingout loud. Chewbacca is permanent (:
Oh. side note? finally lost 3 lbs.. ih avent lost any weight since november... till now. thank god..
alright. back to writing. <3 (:
have a good day.
-ashley.
ashleyellen1637@aol.com (:
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