My Disney Vacation

Last week we went to Disneyland. This is an annual trip for us, we usually go closer to the hubs birthday and our anniversary, but decided we wanted to avoid the crowds this year and go a little earlier. My favorite time of year at the park is Halloween Time. When all the Fall decor comes out, it just makes Disney come alive.

We arrived at the Disneyland hotel, got settled into our room and decided to get our tickets. I finally broke down and got an annual pass which, I had been a little reluctant on due to the cost, but was honestly worth every penny. The hubs and I decided to head into the park that night and enjoy a couple of rides before we headed back to the hotel. The freedom an annual pass brings is intoxicating. There isn't an obligation to do as much as you can to get your moneys worth. You can just relax and enjoy the park.

Any time we go on vacation I usually blog about packing with diabetes and blah blah blah...making sure you're prepared for everything blah blah blah...But this time I realized that sometimes the thing we really should talk about is eating while on vacation and managing your diabetes. We are definitely out of our eating routine, and definitely eating things that make our blood sugars go crazy, but hey, we're on vacation, let us eat like kings! 

I try to make the right choices during vacation, but sometimes, there are just those Disney treats you just have to have. For breakfast the hubs and I did great, we went to Starbucks and grabbed a protein pack to get us off to a good start. Then as the day went on the Disneyland treats starting calling our names. This is where having an insulin pump comes in handy. I am all about the dual wave bolus when I eat terrible things. I can give myself a little bit of insulin in the beginning of my meal and program the pump to give me the remaining amount a couple hours later when my body will need it. For example, One of my favorite places to go in Downtown Disney is the Jazz Kitchen the food in general is fantastic, but the beignets are even better. Because they are fried, it takes longer for your blood sugars to rise so using the dual wave bolus helps me balance out that huge peak that comes on a few hours after eating.

The hubs and I did alright with food. We probably ate more of the bad stuff than the good stuff, but hey it's vacation. Of course I am feeling it and seeing it now, but when I was eating it, it was worth every minute.

Our anniversary trip came to an end on Thursday, but our Disneyland girls trip also started on Thursday. That's right I had another three days in the park! Do you see why an annual pass was a good choice...it basically paid for itself during the week. All the ladies arrived and I was so excited to see them. We always begin the weekend by going out to dinner and celebrating being together. We chose to eat at Tortilla Joes that night which is a nice little Mexican restaurant that I love, but that also means making sure to bolus smart.

The trip continued with loads of Disney fun and of course Disney food. I stuck to my protein packs in the morning, and threw a Nutrigrain bar in my purse for a mid morning snack. Splurged on some places and skimped on others. But was able to manage my blood sugars well. It was definitely a world-win week, but totally and completely worth it.

 

After the girls trip came to an end (tear). My sister-in-law wanted to have lunch at the Anaheim Packing House. I was so tired at that point I didn't care what I put in my mouth, but then I walked through the doors and was a new world. There were so many options it was hard to choose which vendor to eat from, they had Indian food, Chinese food, a Grilled Cheese kiosk and so much more I thought I would flood the place with the drool coming out of my mouth. I finally decided to just go fatty and enjoyed some fried calamari and chips. Once again, my sensor and dual bolus came to the rescue.

 

Managing your diabetes while on vacation can be hard. And honestly don't get yourself down if your numbers aren't perfect, you're on vacation after all! Diabetes is tough and yes it is a part of everyday, but if you take a few moments to think through what you are going to eat it helps make the trip a lot easier.