In the morning of June 3rd, 1975, I was a high school sophomore that stayed away from school thinking I was sick with the flu. By 3 p.m. I was in St. Francis Hospital in Santa Barbara in dka and diagnosed with T1d.
Today on my 45th diaversary, I decided to write about a few tools and mini goals I use to keep me motivated to improve. Many of these goals help me get to the ultimate goals that I can only see quarterly at the Endo’s office (or over a lifetime).
I was diagnosed several years before blood sugar testing but I always loved the way many parents bribed their kids with dollar bills for a unicorn (See the picture of new looper Tyler at the end of the post). I think there are many tools and short term statistical goals that we can use to self motivate even if our parents or spouses will not longer give us dollar bills.
Within the next month I would like to have a zoom session where we talk about diabetes statistical measures like TIR (Time in Range), Standard Deviation, GMI (Glucose Management Index), Co efficient of variation and things like that and look at short term statistical measures from Sugarmate and Clarity to help us use short term data for motivation to reach for our longer term goals.
Following this post in the comments, I would like you to comment/share some of the tools you use to keep motivated and improve your diabetes.
What types of goals do I measure (and what tool do I use to evaluate the goal)?
- Time in range over a 30/60/90 day period (Dexcom Clarity)
- Number of continuous hours in range (Sugarmate)
- % of time in range – 24 hours (Sugarmate)
- Standard deviation (Sugarmate and Dexcom Clarity)
- Coeffecient of variation (Sugarmate)
- Number of unicorns in the current day (Sugarmate)
Guide to photos:
Photo 1 – New looper Tyler Shelly and Tyler’s Mom, Leesa demonstrate how parents use short term goals to motivate our children to have better long term diabetes results.
Photo 2 – Using the modular complication to set up the apple watch face with diabetes info.
Photo 3 – Screenshot of the statistical tools I use in Sugarmate.
Photo 4 – My apple watch and the complications I use to keep statistical data on my wrist
Photo 1 – New looper Tyler Shelly and Tyler’s Mom, Leesa demonstrate how parents use short term goals to motivate our children to have better long term diabetes results.
Photo 2 – Using the modular complication to set up the apple watch face with diabetes info.
Photo 3 – Screenshot of the statistical tools I use in Sugarmate.
Photo 4 – My apple watch and the complications I use to keep statistical data on my wrist
Please share the data items you use in the comments below and yes unicorns are allowed. Show us a picture your watch face or maybe your favorite tool that helps you improve. What is that elusive statistic or goal that you are trying to beat?
You can follow Glenn Weber on the Facebook group, So Cal Loopers, where he is an admin and a very frequent contributor as well as a Loop mentor to Loopers across the globe. He is also involved with The Savvy Diabetic and OC Diabuddies. HAPPY DIAVERSARY, Glenn!
My 46th diaversary will be on June 21. I recall those days of no test strips and even less information like HbA1c. Ahh those were the days. Or not so much.