Can I afford it? (#itmakessense…)
On the way home from work Thursday, I decided to stop off at my favorite convenience store for a cup of coffee.
While waiting on line to pay, a sign taped to a cardboard box caught my attention. In a large attention-grabbing font and with explosive graphics (and Easter eggs), it read: “REESE’S PEANUT BUTTER EGG — 50% OFF”.
[Related: See Thursday’s post on Moment’s of Wonderful]
50% off. Off of what? I wondered. What was the original price? It was nowhere to be found.
I picked up a package from the box and instinctively scanned the back. No price sticker, but there was this:
Total carbohydrate : 18.0 grams. Servings per container: 1.
(Tip: always check the “servings per container”, carbs like to hide behind that number).
The numbers floated around in the cloud in my mind:
… fifty percent off … eighteen carbs … one package …
It was tempting. I checked my CGM display, which bragged a comfortable 101 mg/dL and showed an ever-so-slight descent.
… 50 percent … 18 carbs … half-off … 101 mg/dL … one-half … eighteen … half of 18 is 9 …
Considering the numbers, I asked myself Can I Afford (to eat) It?, and decided that yes, I can indulge this time. So I pulled an extra dollar out of my wallet (for whatever the price might be), pulled my pump out of its holster, and began to bolus for the nine carbs.
Just before pressing ACT for the final insulin delivery confirmation, I had a feeling something was wrong, and I did a double-take.
Total carbohydrate : 18 grams. Sugars: 16.
Not worth it. I put the treat back in the box and the extra dollar back in my wallet. Wearing a fake smile that denied that denied something so ridiculous ever crossed my mind, I made my way to the front of the line and paid for my coffee.
It was absolutely delicious. And just what I expected when I went in there.
That’s a true story. File it under #itmakessenseifyouhavediabetes
Posted on April 5, 2013, in Diabetes, Insulin pump, Personal and tagged carb counting, temptation. Bookmark the permalink. 9 Comments.
Rolling in the D 
I love these kinds of suspenseful tales! This one left me wanting a peanut butter egg. Chocolate tastes so good with coffee. Or tea. Or a chai latte. Or an espresso.
Too bad candy’s not half off carbs when it’s half price. Then again, it wouldn’t be as good for lows. Esp. since Easter candy is 90% off in some places!
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You’re a smart man.
It totally makes sense if you have diabetes. Sometimes when I have such a lovely BG trend that’s enough to make me not eat the chocolate PB egg. I’d hate to see that lovely trend go to shit. Because it would – go to shit even if I bolused the right amount at the right time.
simply not worth it.
Coffee is far more rewarding 🙂
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Oh, I wasn’t worried about the trend – I just figured 9 carbs would spike me up to 150 or 160, which I could tolerate. If my CGM said I was 150 walking into the store I would never have even considered it.
But 18 carbs would spike me into the 200s which would really make me feel bad about myself. (Those figures, by the way, are not based on any sort of carb ratios or math or anything, just an arbitrary SWAG).
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Now I want one of those Easter Eggs! Soooo yummy! But yeah, good idea to resist the temptation. I thought for sure you were going for it!
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If it was 9 carbs, I definitely would’ve gone for it. But 18 would’ve put me in a bad place… especially so soon before dinner.
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One would think in linking to Sara’s post you are judging her food decions and love of the peanut butter eggs. I know you aren’t crazy enough to do that, but you might want to clarify that. If you are attacking/judging Sara, not cool.
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No, not at all. I think chocolate and peanut-butter together is what heaven must be like. If I’m ever given the death penalty and am granted a last meal, it would be a pile of Reese’s Peanut Butter cups (I’ve never actually had the eggs).
My link was simply to acknowledge the 50% off Post-Easter sale that both of us had referenced. But thanks for bringing up the possibility of any confusion, and I hope this clarifies things.
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Now I want a peanut bitter choclate egg! You are very good at writing!
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I’ve always preferred the regular RPB cups to the eggs… The eggs just have waaaay too much peanut butter/sugar mix in the middle!
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