Sugar Surfing with Dr. Ponder

Last Saturday, we attended a Sugar Surfing seminar with Dr. Ponder.  It was wonderful!  So many things to learn!  I tried to take notes, but there was so much information.  I can't wait for his book to come out so that I'll have the information in front of me at all times.

Big things we learned:

1) Sugar surfing is Dynamic Diabetes Management (DDM).  It isn't a set of rules, it's a way of thinking and  responding to individual situations.
2) Diabetes care MUST be individualized.  One size does NOT fit all.
3) Even non-diabetics do not have a straight-line CGM graph.
4) Start small.  It takes years of practice and patience.
5) Control exists "in the moment."

He explained new vocabulary (flux, drift, nudge, shove, turning a curve, taking the drop) all related to watching your graph and responding appropriately.  You can learn to pre-empt a spike or a drop if you are paying attention.

Micobolusing and microcarbing were 2 techniques he talked about for making small changes based on what the graph is telling you (and of course confirming numbers with a fingerstick before making a correction).

He also talked about finding the balance between alarm fatigue and infomation/BG awareness, in reference to setting high and low alerts on your CGM.  I thought this was important.  Sometimes I think my guys have their high alert set too high, but hearing the high alert stresses them. They have it set to a level where they will take action, not the top of their desired range.  That range can be changed over time as they become better sugar surfers.

After it was over, I asked the guys what they thought.

Seth said, "What he said made a lot of sense.  I do some of those things already."

Jason said, "I'll try it!"

So, I think it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning.  I highly recommend Sugar Surfing, if you have the opportunity to attend!  It's another way to help us KDA!

Isn't this what we wish it could always look like?