Passing For Normal

Very full day! I haven't even answered comments from yesterday yet, and I've been trying to keep up the discipline of doing that before doing the new day's post -- but I'm taking it out of order today, just this once, because I got very little sleep last night (the neighbors are weaning calves, I think? much bovine hollering all night long; such angst and woe, you cannot imagine) and may crash very early tonight.

Day 5 post, I guess, is going to be Mal's medical update, which I imagine the majority of y'all will skip on by, and I can't say I blame you. I'll work on being more interesting tomorrow.

Saw primary care doc, he of fewest possible words and briefest possible office visits while still giving competent care, for 3-months diabetes check-up. I'm two years and a few months post-diagnosis, and after the initial phase of slowly coming down from blood sugar readings in the 375-425 range (yikes!) right after diagnosis to the 90-130 range that's my target, today marks right around 18 months of "excellent" blood sugar control. During that time, my A1C levels have all been between 5.9 and 6.1, which has my doc delighted if slightly astonished, if I'm reading him correctly. He's used the word "perfect" more than once.

Less sparkly news is that I've had pins-and-needles prickling first in the feet and more recently the lower calves (pretty much the area that a sock would cover) for about five months. At this point it's 24/7, if I pay attention to the sensations, but I'm usually only really aware of it at night while trying to fall asleep. The weird thing -- seriously, I perplexed my doctor, got the full forehead crinkle out of him, and he's not an expressive guy -- is that when he does the special-pokey-filament test on the soles of my feet, I can feel every poke at every spot on both feet. With diabetic peripheral neuropathy (the presumed culprit in my pins-and-needles, which are a typical symptom), apparently the diabetic person will normally lose fine, pinpoint sensation in the feet and fail the pokey-filament test before developing any of the prickling stuff. I'm doing it backwards.

So my doc is going to "do some research" and see if there are any tests I ought to have to find out what's going on with my nerves. No clue what those might be. Not sure what would happen as a result of whatever might be found; I think the only options are in medications, but I certainly can't swear to that. I asked if there were any proactive things I could/should do or not do in the mean time (exercise, for instance). Not really, he says, aside from "Don't injure your feet, don't wear tight shoes or get blisters, and don't do things that make the prickling worse." So pretty much exactly what I'm already doing. All righty, then. Though I must admit it tickles me to be wearing nothing but Birkenstocks or shearling slippers on doctor's orders instead of just because they're comfy and my feet are happy in them. (I have always been willing to trade pretty for comfortable. Always.)

Wish me quiet cows tonight. *cross fingers*