The Time Change Challenge
You're telling me, that you built a time machine, out of a DeLorean...?!?!?!
No DeLorean needed here. No 1.21 jigawatts or bolts of lightenting to generate that kind of power.
1.21 JIGAWATTS!... What the H#* is a jigawatt?!?!?!
Nope. Our annual time came this past weekend, with Daylight Savings Time kicking the clocks back an hour for the annual "fall back" - going from 2 a.m. Sunday to 1 a.m. and, among other things, offering an extra hour of sleep (so very needed).
Oh, time travel. Or whatever this really is.
So, just like Doc Brown sent his dog Einstein "one minute into the future," we've now been catapulted one hour into the past. Einstein caught up to that minute within a few, while we'll finally catch up the hour we lost when we "spring forward" again on Sunday, March 13, 2011.
The history buff wants to point out that Daylight Savings Time began in 1918, though it had been first proposed back in the late 1890s. Most of the U.S. observes the change, except for Arizona and Hawaii inside the continental borders. From 1987 to 2006, the change came on the first Sunday in April and ended on the last Sunday in October. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extended the period starting 2007, to start on the second Sunday in March and end on the first Sunday of November.
Growing up in Michigan, time changes were never a big deal. They were usual happenings twice a year. We usually reset the clocks before bed so all would be well when waking up. Then there's Indiana...
When I moved to the Hoosier State in January 2004, the state didn't embrace this time changing concept - to the confusion and entertainment of everyone else nationally, as West Wing once poked fun at. That changed in April 2006, when for the first time the state went to Eastern Daylight Time thanks to a legislative change the year before. It was and still is controversial for many here, who believe we should be on Central Time and not what "those New Yorkers or D.C. elitists" want. Farmers, see. Well, this native Michander prefers the extra hour of daylight in the summer and I'm happy about it.
While time changes are pretty natural to me, I never remember this time change despite it's twice-a-year appearance. Always have to ask someone and it usually slips my mind until it dawn on me why none of my Sunday morning news shows are appearing when they should be. We use this time each year to not only readjust the clocks, but also check the fire alarm batteries and replace the furnace filter in the house. Some have even pointed out it's a handy time to do that too-often forgotten task of changing out lancets (you know, because we People With Diabetes do that so often!).
This year, Minimed offered a helping hand in reminding me of the nearing time change. On Thursday afternoon, my faithful pump company sent a reminder emmail about this being "Time to Fall Back." Aside from resetting the house and car clocks, Minimed reminded me to not forget about my pump (and by extension blood meter) times. The email also sent some handy tips about writing down basal rates and pump settings in advance just in case, and that it's also cold and flu season and even time to start thinking about year-end supply refill orders. All around, a handy and helpful reminder! Thanks, Minimed.
As far as my D-Care, I've never noticed any issues when it came to my D-Care upon the time changes, since it was only an hour and really when your on injections (non-Multiple Daily Injections, but the two or more "standard" shots) that hour switch doesn't translate to anything for your body. Once I started pumping in 2001, nothing changed - because again we're only talking an hour here and historically my basals have been pretty consistent. Apparently, Your Diabetes May Vary and this does differ for some as I've read about "hiccups" over at the Children With Diabetes forums. I've never experienced that, at least as far as I recall. Of course, I can't claim to hovered in the 100s during the times or had a CGM to really watch for trends... Who knows what really has been going, on thanks to the time change? Maybe I'll see that at some point in the future...
But with that, we get to the point and my Time Change Challenge to CGMers, who I invite to examine their numbers and lines surrounding Daylight Savings Time and report their observations! Could be interesting, but ultimately reveal nothing- which would be even better, I think! So there it is! Change your clocks (if you haven't already) and then take a look at your CGM numbers. Tell your friends. C'mon... everybody's doing it.
Oh, and if you don't like your results, then I think we'll just have to arrange for that bolt of lightening come March 2011, when we can finally hear Doc Brown say: "Next Saturday night, we're sending you... Back to the Future!"
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