Weird Wacky Weather

Sigh! I really don't understand what is happening with our weather this summer or should I say fall. Ever since last winter we have had the most unusual weather. It was a very long and enduring winter to say the least. A very late and cool spring and now a very cool and wet summer. I am totally amazed it is nearing the end of July already. When we lived in Fort McMurray and since we have lived here in Elliot Lake I have viewed the month of August as a signal that summer is nearing it's end. The mornings are cooler, especially towards the end of August, and the leaves have the beginnings of that familiar yellowish tinge to them. Most days this summer have reminded me more of a nice autumn day. The air seems to have a smell and feel about it... pleasantly warm but not hot and sultry like summer days should be. I have missed enjoying the hot summer I am used to and hope our fall is long and mild. I am not sure if I could take another never ending snowy winter again so soon.

I have borrowed the photo above from the Elliot Lake online site (link: http://www.elliotlake.com/spotlite/2009/072609.htm) where contributors display their photos weekly of areas around town and outside of town of nature in it's splendor. This is a male hummingbird... an amazing photo. I love hummingbirds and have noticed many around our yard... they look like large bees flying here and there around the honeysuckle and clematis bushes.

Latest Test Results and Our Newest Baby

I recently had a three month random blood glucose test done at the lab which my diabetic nurse/educator had ordered for me and which I will have done every three to four months for the rest of my life. To better explain what this test is I have provided an explanation below....

The HbA1c

Haemoglobin, in your blood, joins up with glucose to form the chemical called HbA1c.
In the blood stream are the red blood cells, which are made of a molecule, haemoglobin. Glucose sticks to the haemoglobin to make a 'glycosylated haemoglobin' molecule, called haemoglobin A1C or HbA1C. The more glucose in the blood, the more haemoglobin A1C or HbA1C will be present in the blood.

Red cells live for 8 -12 weeks before they are replaced. By measuring the HbA1C it can tell you how high your blood glucose has been on average over the last 8-12 weeks. A normal non-diabetic HbA1C is 3.5-5.5%. In diabetes about 6.5% or lower is good.

The HbA1C test is currently one of the best ways to check diabetes is under control; it is the blood test that gets sent to the laboratory, and it is done on the spot in some hospital clinics.

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Shortly after I was first diagnosed I had this test performed and my results came back at 10.2 millimoles per liter: mmol/L which is the canadian measurement for blood glucose. This number is considered to be too high for a diabetic and my doctor prescribed more medications in an effort to help bring my levels down to a more acceptable level.

After my latest test (beginning of July) which was done three months after my last test, my result was 6.4!!!! This is an excellent improvement and I was very pleased and obviously my hard work has paid off. I have done much research and tried many different things all in an effort to make a difference and it has worked. But there is still room for improvement and I am still working towards even better numbers next time around.

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We have recently made a change in our family. We decided to trade our Honda Fit in on another car and chose another Honda Fit. This one is the 2009 Sport model. A bright fire engine red color which I chose. It is a really fun little car to drive and very attractive I think. Bruce loves it so much and says it is by far his favorite car of all the cars he has owned over the years. We chose now to do this since the price of cars is so reasonable. This year's model has had a few upgrades in the features which was another compelling reason to go ahead with it. We got a fully loaded model this time and I think we plan on keeping this one around for a few years.

So what do you think????? Here's a photo of Bruce in the driver's seat...........