Big City Reunion Love

I was in New York these past few days for my grad school reunion and had such a fun time being back there. I will always consider myself a savvy New Yorker even after moving elsewhere.

While there, I caught up with a lot of classmates as well as other friends and former colleagues over lunches and coffees. The Mister stayed home because he doesn't have the same NYC-love I have, so I was able to run around and see friends and stay out late and have a great time.

I lived in NY for many years, and know my way around. However, this didn't matter to my mother, a longtime worrier from the best of the Jewish mothers.

"You're doing a lot while you're there," she said. "How will you get around? Will you promise me to take cabs everywhere?"

"Uh, sure, Mom."

"You're going to take the subway, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Please be careful. Did you bring good shoes to walk in?"

"I lived here for eight years. Of course I did."

Despite all that walking, my blood sugars weren't so great. I ate fairly well and despite going to a different cocktail reception or late night party and drinking club soda every time, I still saw some weird highs. I'd thought with the extra exercise, things would have been smoother but no. I ate fairly well, as well, but the one New York bagel I allowed myself really did a job on the blood sugar.

The reunion itself was terrific: I caught up with a lot of people I'd lost touch with. My classmates on the whole are a funny, sharp, intelligent bunch, and most people are doing well today. I'm really glad I went to grad school where and when I did.

Random thoughts: Went to a blogging seminar and was one of a handful of people in the audience of more than 100 that actually blogs.

Learned that my posts are typically longer than most blog entries.

Learned about monetizing content, i.e., how to get some cash for blogging.

Talked about my book proposal about the t1 pregnancy guidebook to a few people, none diabetic but all writers. People seemed interested in the project's viability, gave some great insight, and wished me well.

Learned (not at the reunion, but while talking to some diabetic friends who still live in NY) that taking Clomid might explain why I needed to buy bigger bra sizes and that my recent weight gain might be due to hormones and not necessarily eating.

While I'm sorry my blood sugars weren't a little more predictable (as they are while I'm home and at work), it was nice to get myself out of my usual routine of thinking mostly about pregnancy and blood sugars and eating the same thing every day. For these past few days, I could talk about my career, or my recent marriage, or my move out of New York, with people and diabetes wasn't the only thing people associated me with (which is how I feel sometimes when back home in my everyday, trying-to-get-pregnant life).

One friend, over dinner, asked me how my diabetes was doing, and I was touched that he asked. I kept all the pregnancy issues out of the conversation and just said things were fine, but I was impressed he remembered. Then *I* remembered I'd once had an insulin reaction while visiting him back in the day and had gone clawing through his kitchen cabinets looking for sugar cubes (this was before my days of always carrying LifeSavers with me and testing every two hours), so I later made the connection. Still, it was nice to be asked.

And finally, when I returned home to the Mister, he told me he'd missed me terribly and was so glad I was home. It made me realize that while I love NY, and had loved my grad school and single years, they are all a chapter from my past that makes me appreciate what I have at home even more: a great husband, a thriving career, a quiet and spacious living space, and support while getting through the challenges of diabetes, infertility and hopefully pregnancy.