Monday, January 4, 2016

2015 Year in Review



Oh 2015, the memories! I'd usually include my favourite books of the year, but I fell off the wagon of record-keeping my reading. And I'd recap all the personal stuff, but I have a swiss-cheese brain and I'd forget so many things that I'd keep editing this post for the next six months. I will include one personal adventure - and I don't remember if I shared it with you before or not, so bear with me.

I did not pay as much attention to my health as I should have. I trusted my doctor to accurately read lab reports, and to look out for my best interests. I have diabetes (and high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, and allergies & asthma, and bipolar disorder) and take about 30+ pills per day, including supplements to try and offset some of the side effects. For years I've mentioned my utter exhaustion (at some points sleeping 16 hours a day) and got a shrug in return. The week after Thanksgiving I felt just wrong altogether - in bed, unable to summon energy for anything - and although I wasn't eating, my sugar was skyrocketing. I finally developed ketoacidosis. My sugars had been hovering around 20 for days, and as I've since learned, it affects your brain. Friends urged me to go to the hospital, and I said naaaah I'm fine.

I developed severe abdominal pain and vomiting, and sent my husband to work - naaah I'm fine, I'll just lay down. Chatting with two friends on FB saved my life - their knowledge of diabetes was more than mine, and they wanted me to call an ambulance or they'd do it for me. I called my husband, who turned around and came home, and when I was instantly admitted to the ER my sugars were 22. The next step would have been a coma - and home alone for the next 8 hours, it may have been too late for me.

I found out all sorts of things when I went to the diabetic clinic - which my doctor had refused to send me to - I was diabetic 3 years before I was told. That's available in my blood work - which is in my file. My lack of family history (and having gestational diabetes at 22), multiple other factors suggest that I may have type 1 diabetes that has been missed for nearly 20 years. My sugar has never been under control - and I've been taking a variety of oral medications for 5 years.

My takeaway from all this? SEE the labwork. Be active in your own care. Ask questions & demand answers. I would never have accepted this if it had been my childrens' health at stake - and I will no longer accept it for myself.

All that said, I picked out some fun cards from last year - because that lesson aside, that's really what you're here for after all!

JANUARY
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FEBRUARY

(toilet paper? I had to pick this one!)
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MARCH
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I know I keep picking my DT cards from Shopping our Stash - but we had so many awesome challenges that helped me grow creatively!

APRIL
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MAY
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JUNE
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JULY
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AUGUST
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SEPTEMBER
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OCTOBER
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NOVEMBER
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DECEMBER
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*phew* Blogger was not being my friend there - here's hoping it publishes!
Wishing you all a fabulous 2016 - and I can't wait to catch up with all my crafty buddies :)
xoxo,
Jessi

4 comments:

Lynne Mizera said...

So like WOWZERS!!! Seriously awesom post and AMAZING year!! Thanks for sharing Sistaaah... I may just be taking a page from your Blog... Grin (Cuz isn't imitation the sincerest form of flattery?) GRIN

Lindsey said...

Excellent card choices all — even if a lot of them have buttons on them! :P Glad to see a few with your awesome ink-dipping abilities showcased, too. And as to your health — you gotta take care of yourself so you can take care of everyone and everything else, as you're expected to! ;)

CarlaKH said...

love these and am so glad you got to the hospital when you did!

Dotty Jo said...

Glad to see some of my favourite cards created by your good self have made it into your top picks! So sorry to read about your health problems... Thank goodness you chatted with your friends and got good advice. Let's hope 2016 brings you the health and happiness you deserve, Jo x