“Everyone can perform magic, everyone can reach his goals, if he is able to think, if he is able to wait, if he is able to fast.” ― Herman Hesse, Siddhartha

I have had low blood sugars all night from taking 0.5 units of Tresiba before bed – a mistake. One unit of Tresiba in the morning seems to be enough.

The glucotabs (I had to take from going low) have caused gas and diarrhea. I feel a little moody and feeling overwhelmed. My thoughts are telling me I want food but I don’t think that’s my body talking.

No Humalog corrections, today. Blood sugars between 3 mmol/l (54mg/dl) and 5.9 mmol/l (106.2 mg/dl). I do not like the low blood sugar. Yet happy my blood sugar is in a better range — not so high.

Very fatigued. Just want to rest mostly. I push myself to do three saunas a day (2 on dialysis days) – knowing this is a good detox for me. I have aches and electrical pains in my feet, liver and pancreas areas. Have had about 3ml of urine output.

Feeling hungry and want to gobble down food. Part of that is the low blood sugars. Yet I know it is good for clearing my brain. According to Brain Facts: “Obviously, it’s important that their brain and body are able to function well in that fasted state. And that’s what we’re finding in lab animals — the brain and body actually perform better during fasting. In the case of the brain, cognitive function, learning, memory, and alertness are all increased by fasting.”

Knowing this I still feel the struggle daily during the fast and wonder how I can keep going with it; but I still wake up every morning and know it is the right thing to do. As August Wilson says:

“Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing.”

Take courage and soldier on.

—Nicole