Well, it's kinda depressing to see the BG numbers starting to reflect my having come off of Metformin. My good sense knew there was a very high probability this would happen, but my questionable sense held onto the hope that we actually caught my Diabetes and got it in control quickly enough that maybe my body would have forgotten that it was suppose to have Diabetes. I mean, I've seen people post things in discussion boards to the effect of "use to have Diabetes" or "once had" and such as that. And, every time I would see this I thought to myself that this/these person/people are delusional. All of the medical information I have read says that there is NO cure for Diabetes. That's the part my good sense was always referring back to. But I guess my questionable sense kept pushing it's naive wonderings (yeah, that may be one of my made up word) in there by saying that maybe, just maybe that really only applies to Type 1 Diabetes since that seems to actually relate more to a non-functioning pancreas whereas Type 2 Diabetes seems to relate more to an insulin resistance (and I will disclaimer here: I AM NOT A DOCTOR, REGISTERED DIETITIAN OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. THAT STATEMENT IS SIMPLY MY THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSIONS, MISALIGHNED OR NOT, REGARDING THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN T1 & T2 DIABETES). But anyway, my questionable sense kept saying that maybe, just maybe, if caught early enough, and quickly gotten in control, T2 could actually reverse and the body's cell would actually accept and use insulin correctly again.
Well, I reduced my Metformin last Monday to 500mg per day. I took the last 500mg dose Sunday morning. I am not taking any Metformin at this time . . . and my BG numbers are starting to show it.
Good Sense knew this was a possibility, so why does it make me feel depressed when I see it in my meter? I sure wish Questionable Sense would not be so naughty!!
Showing posts with label emotional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emotional. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
#Diabetes - Type 2 Diabetes: Coping With Your Diagnosis
Another good article I want to save & share. This one is from Everyday Health DOT com. Article located on their website at THIS LINK.
Type 2 Diabetes: Coping With Your Diagnosis
Living with diabetes means accepting the diagnosis and making the necessary changes to your life.
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
"Depressed" and "disappointed" are the words used by New Orleans resident Gary Davis to describe his feelings when he received his type 2 diabetes diagnosis two years ago.
“I am a nurse, so I knew what was happening, what was coming,” recalls the 51-year-old, referring to the long-term damage diabetes can wreak on a person’s health and body. Davis admits that initially, he didn’t want to try to make the changes that would improve his health. “At one time, I didn’t even try, but I try now. Every day I try harder,” he says.
Type 2 Diabetes: Avoid Denial
Receiving a diabetes diagnosis can stop you in your tracks. But for many people, hearing the news is the wake-up call they need to start healthy habits.
A Yale study of 20,221 overweight or obese adults under the age of 75 showed that people who receive a diagnosis of diabetes are more motivated to lose weight than their peers, dropping, on average, three pounds more with their diet plan.
“The big thing is to avoid denial. It’s so easy to deny,” says Paul Robertson, MD, president of medicine and science for the American Diabetes Association.
Many times doctors are part of this pattern of denial, says Dr. Robertson, especially when they tell patients that their blood sugar is a "little high, but we’ll just watch it." Robertson emphasizes, "That’s the time to jump on it! Don’t deny it — watch your weight, watch what you eat."
Related: Ease Your Insulin Needle Fears
Type 2 Diabetes: Make Changes
Two years after getting the news, Davis confesses, “I’m still confused about what I can and can’t eat.”
And, he adds, there are some foods, like white rice, that he can’t give up. Living in the capital of gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans, all of which are accompanied by white rice, this challenge may be understandable. But although Davis takes insulin to control his blood sugar, he is also taking steps to tackle diabetes by changing his diet and increasing exercise.
Based on his experience, Davis offers the following tips for coping with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis:
“It’s hard because you have your certain lifestyle for so many years — I had mine for 49 years — and then someone is telling you [that you] have to completely change it,” says Davis.
Related: Eight Celebrities With Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes: Get Educated
Still, there is a wealth of good information out there about how to be healthy with type 2 diabetes, notes Davis. “Take advantage of the research projects. Take advantage of the literature. It’s really all about education,” he says.
Good resources for information on type 2 diabetes include your nurse, a diabetes educator, or a dietitian, all of whom can help you develop a plan for lifestyle change that will help control your blood sugar.
Type 2 Diabetes: Cope With Depression
If you find that you have a hard time getting motivated or you are continuing to feel sad or anxious many weeks after your diabetes diagnosis, consider talking to your doctor or a mental health professional about your concerns.
Not everyone who receives a diagnosis of diabetes experiences depression. But those who do may have a harder time taking steps to manage their disease. A study of 2,902 Native American adults showed that while depression does not make a person more likely to have diabetes, it does make it more difficult for people with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. Treating depression is a necessary step towards blood sugar control.
“It won’t happen overnight,” says Davis. “But if you keep trying, you can succeed.”
Monday, June 13, 2011
#Diabetes Day 148
1:45 p.m.
While reading a post on Karen Graffeo's blog, Bitter~Sweet, I came across a link to the resources page on the Behavioral Diabetes Institute (BDI) website for a pdf on Diabetes Etiquette (for people without diabetes) and thought it was worth sharing.
Here is an image of the etiquette card pdf:
I like the layout and presentation, but because it may be harder to read (and may not show up at all on some mobile devices, here are the 10 rules of Diabetes Etiquette in plain text:
1 - DON'T offer unsolicited advice about my eating or other aspects of diabetes. You may mean well, but giving advice about someone's personal habits, especially when it is not requested, isn't very nice. Besides, many of the popularly held beliefs about diabetes ("you should just stop eating sugar") are out of date or just plain wrong.
2 - DO realize and appreciate that diabetes is hard work. Diabetes management is a full-time job that I didn't apply for, didn't want, and can't quit. It involves thinking about what, when, and how much I eat, while also factoring in exercise, medication, stress, blood sugar monitoring, and so much more - each and every day.
3 - DON'T tell me horror stories about your grandmother or other people with diabetes you have heard about. Diabetes is scary enough, and stories like these are not reassuring! Besides, we now know that with good management, odds are good you can live a long, healthy, and happy life with diabetes.
4 - DO offer to join me in making healthy lifestyle changes. Not having to be alone with efforts to change, like starting an exercise program, is one of the most powerful ways that you can be helpful. After all, healthy lifestyle changes can benefit everyone!
5 - DON'T look so horrified when I check my blood sugars or give myself an injection. It is not a lot of fun for me either. Checking blood sugars and taking medications are things I must do to manage diabetes well. If I have to hide while I do so, it makes it much harder for me.
6 - DO ask how you might be helpful. If you want to be supportive, there may be lots of little things I would probably appreciate your help with. However, what I really need may be very different than what you think I need, so please ask first.
7 - DON'T offer thoughtless reassurances. When you first learn about my diabetes, you may want to reassure me by saying things like, "Hey, it could be worse; you could have cancer!" This won't make me feel better. And the implicit message seems to be that diabetes is no big deal. However, diabetes (like cancer) IS a big deal.
8 - DO be supportive of my efforts for self-care. Help me set up an environment for success by supporting healthy food choices. Please honor my decision to decline a particular food, even when you really want me to try it. You are most helpful when you are not being a source of unnecessary temptation.
9 - DON'T peek at or comment on my blood glucose numbers without asking me first. These numbers are private unless I choose to share them. It is normal to have numbers that are sometimes too low or too high. Your unsolicited comments about these numbers can add to the disappointment, frustration, and anger I already feel.
10 - DO offer your love and encouragement. As I work hard to manage diabetes successfully, sometimes just knowing that you care can be very helpful and motivating.
The Diabetes Etiquette Card is free. Click here to view the pdf, or click here to go to the website to order printed copies.
While reading a post on Karen Graffeo's blog, Bitter~Sweet, I came across a link to the resources page on the Behavioral Diabetes Institute (BDI) website for a pdf on Diabetes Etiquette (for people without diabetes) and thought it was worth sharing.
Here is an image of the etiquette card pdf:
I like the layout and presentation, but because it may be harder to read (and may not show up at all on some mobile devices, here are the 10 rules of Diabetes Etiquette in plain text:
1 - DON'T offer unsolicited advice about my eating or other aspects of diabetes. You may mean well, but giving advice about someone's personal habits, especially when it is not requested, isn't very nice. Besides, many of the popularly held beliefs about diabetes ("you should just stop eating sugar") are out of date or just plain wrong.
2 - DO realize and appreciate that diabetes is hard work. Diabetes management is a full-time job that I didn't apply for, didn't want, and can't quit. It involves thinking about what, when, and how much I eat, while also factoring in exercise, medication, stress, blood sugar monitoring, and so much more - each and every day.
3 - DON'T tell me horror stories about your grandmother or other people with diabetes you have heard about. Diabetes is scary enough, and stories like these are not reassuring! Besides, we now know that with good management, odds are good you can live a long, healthy, and happy life with diabetes.
4 - DO offer to join me in making healthy lifestyle changes. Not having to be alone with efforts to change, like starting an exercise program, is one of the most powerful ways that you can be helpful. After all, healthy lifestyle changes can benefit everyone!
5 - DON'T look so horrified when I check my blood sugars or give myself an injection. It is not a lot of fun for me either. Checking blood sugars and taking medications are things I must do to manage diabetes well. If I have to hide while I do so, it makes it much harder for me.
6 - DO ask how you might be helpful. If you want to be supportive, there may be lots of little things I would probably appreciate your help with. However, what I really need may be very different than what you think I need, so please ask first.
7 - DON'T offer thoughtless reassurances. When you first learn about my diabetes, you may want to reassure me by saying things like, "Hey, it could be worse; you could have cancer!" This won't make me feel better. And the implicit message seems to be that diabetes is no big deal. However, diabetes (like cancer) IS a big deal.
8 - DO be supportive of my efforts for self-care. Help me set up an environment for success by supporting healthy food choices. Please honor my decision to decline a particular food, even when you really want me to try it. You are most helpful when you are not being a source of unnecessary temptation.
9 - DON'T peek at or comment on my blood glucose numbers without asking me first. These numbers are private unless I choose to share them. It is normal to have numbers that are sometimes too low or too high. Your unsolicited comments about these numbers can add to the disappointment, frustration, and anger I already feel.
10 - DO offer your love and encouragement. As I work hard to manage diabetes successfully, sometimes just knowing that you care can be very helpful and motivating.
The Diabetes Etiquette Card is free. Click here to view the pdf, or click here to go to the website to order printed copies.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Day 21
3:00
Well, I am learning that this disease is not easy to learn. I expected my BG to go up after lunch today, but it didn't. In fact, it was still below 90 when I checked 2 hours after lunch. And, if you are wondering why I think it should go up, well, because I ate rice & gravy at lunch today. Not a lot mind you, but since rice is one of the foods (I thought) to be high in starch, which will convert to sugar, I really expected my BG to be high, or at the very least to be higher than it is.
I was also confused by my cereal this past week. I had a BG over 200 for the first time in 13 days and I saw no cause for it. The differences between that day and the day before were 1) I slept late that day and therefore ate breakfast late; 2) a difference in the cereal I ate. Both were Special K. The day before the spike I ate Special K Blueberry - 11:00 BG was 154. The day of the spike I ate Special K Cinnamon Pecan - BG 221.
I verified the serving sizes are the same. And the differences with the 2 cereals are:
Calories - Blueberry 110/Cinnamon Pecan 120
Calories from Fat - Blueberry 0/Cinnamon Pecan 15
Total Fat - Blueberry 0/Cinnamon Pecan 2
Sodium - Blueberry 140/Cinnamon Pecan 180
Carbohydrates - Blueberry 28g/Cinnamon Pecan 24g
Sugars - Blueberry 8g/Cinnamon Pecan 7g
Other carbohydrates - Blueberry 15g/Cinnamon Pecan 14g
Calories - Blueberry 110/Cinnamon Pecan 120
Calories from Fat - Blueberry 0/Cinnamon Pecan 15
Total Fat - Blueberry 0/Cinnamon Pecan 2
Sodium - Blueberry 140/Cinnamon Pecan 180
Carbohydrates - Blueberry 28g/Cinnamon Pecan 24g
Sugars - Blueberry 8g/Cinnamon Pecan 7g
Other carbohydrates - Blueberry 15g/Cinnamon Pecan 14g
Looking at the nutrition labels and would have thought the Cinnamon Pecan was a better option since it was slightly lower in carbs and sugar. But, I had to suspect the cereal and was annoyed since I really did like the Cinnamon Pecan better. But not at the cost of having to inject a supplemental Humalog shot.
Being curious by nature, and ... needing to better understand my foods and how they will affect my BG I tested the cereal a bit.
Well, I ate the same cereal again yesterday morning and this morning. I woke at my normal time both mornings and ate at my normal time both morning.
Yesterday I tested my BG at the regular intervals - 8:00 BG = 90 & 11:00 BG = 102.
So, assuming the issue the day before was related to the shorter time between getting up and eating and then taking the 11:00 BG check I decided to do an extra BG check this morning. This morning I tested my BG at 8:00 and it was 86. I checked at 10:00 and it was 111. So since it was not back up into the 200 range with the abbreviated test interval I have no explanation.
This journey is really going to be a roller coaster ride - never really knowing what caused spikes and what caused lows.
On the bright side - I don't look at the cereal with a suspicious eye anymore, which is a good thing since it really does taste good!
Yesterday I tested my BG at the regular intervals - 8:00 BG = 90 & 11:00 BG = 102.
So, assuming the issue the day before was related to the shorter time between getting up and eating and then taking the 11:00 BG check I decided to do an extra BG check this morning. This morning I tested my BG at 8:00 and it was 86. I checked at 10:00 and it was 111. So since it was not back up into the 200 range with the abbreviated test interval I have no explanation.
This journey is really going to be a roller coaster ride - never really knowing what caused spikes and what caused lows.
On the bright side - I don't look at the cereal with a suspicious eye anymore, which is a good thing since it really does taste good!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Day 7
9:00
Good numbers for my last 3 BG checks. I like the 3-in-a-row, but would love some 4-in-a-row's. And I am ever sooooo happy that my vision is actually a good bit clearer than it was this past Monday. I can again read the clock in my den and I no longer have to sit with my face 18 inches from my (big, like 22" big) monitor. I can't say how safe I would be driving yet. i will have to go out with Terry and see if I can read street signs again or not. In time, in time.
Kinda got a slight let-down with my breakfast this morning. I decided I need to start counting the fats as well as the carbs and discovered my "fallback" frozen breakfasts will seriously undermine my attempts. I have got to find a better solution that is quick and easy as well as tasty. I will finish the week and a half worth of what we already bought, but then I will pass on the Jimmy Dean Breakfast Bowls. I have one that is a Jimmy Dean "D-Lights" Breakfast Bowls and it has better numbers, but it is turkey sausage and I haven't much cared for the turkey sausage I already tried. But, if that's what it takes, then I will go with it. I am also going to look at some type of cereal, but it will have to be a tasty cereal - I will not eat things that taste like cardboard, so for me Product 19 is out (that's the one my dear hubby is pushing me to go with. Nope, tried it before and don't care for it.) I think I want to try Total cereal, one of the ones with little chips of dried fruit in it.
6:00
So happy! I have had 5 BG reading in a row below 200. And while they are not necessarily within the prime range of 90-120, they are below 200 which means I do not have to give myself the supplementary Insulin injections (of course the 9:00pm is always the exception since I have to inject the Lantus at 9:00 regardless of the BG number). So for right now I am just happy to be below 200! Once below 200 is the norm I will change my Happy Meter to register the numbers that fall in the acceptable range.
Overall I think I am doing okay with this. I had one day of shock & one day of emotional distress, but all in all it's okay. I expect there to be other days that fall into the emotional distress category as I deal with adjusting my diet to fit the Diabetes. Diet is gonna be my biggest obstacle to overcome because I am a very picky eater.
Today I also found a website that I think is going to be pretty helpful - http://www.everydayhealth.com/
This site has a calorie tracker that is pretty neat. I set my calorie, carb & fat ranges and then just plug in the foods I eat and it calculates the balances for me. It has a lot of foods already pre-built so all I had to do for most foods was search it my name, such as Arnold's Italian Bread, and it found it for me. And for items that I can't find in the food search I have the option of loading the food and it's nutritional information and going forward I can select it from the list on the "Foods I Added" tab. And for foods that I consume either more or less than a serving I can edit the entry and the site does the math for me. Like for lunch today I had a leftover steak - roughly 8 oz., the food search gave me a 6 oz so I just edited to show I consumed 1.33 servings.There is also a Glucose Tracker and several other tools, so I think I will be using this site a lot.
6:00
So happy! I have had 5 BG reading in a row below 200. And while they are not necessarily within the prime range of 90-120, they are below 200 which means I do not have to give myself the supplementary Insulin injections (of course the 9:00pm is always the exception since I have to inject the Lantus at 9:00 regardless of the BG number). So for right now I am just happy to be below 200! Once below 200 is the norm I will change my Happy Meter to register the numbers that fall in the acceptable range.
Overall I think I am doing okay with this. I had one day of shock & one day of emotional distress, but all in all it's okay. I expect there to be other days that fall into the emotional distress category as I deal with adjusting my diet to fit the Diabetes. Diet is gonna be my biggest obstacle to overcome because I am a very picky eater.
Today I also found a website that I think is going to be pretty helpful - http://www.everydayhealth.com/
This site has a calorie tracker that is pretty neat. I set my calorie, carb & fat ranges and then just plug in the foods I eat and it calculates the balances for me. It has a lot of foods already pre-built so all I had to do for most foods was search it my name, such as Arnold's Italian Bread, and it found it for me. And for items that I can't find in the food search I have the option of loading the food and it's nutritional information and going forward I can select it from the list on the "Foods I Added" tab. And for foods that I consume either more or less than a serving I can edit the entry and the site does the math for me. Like for lunch today I had a leftover steak - roughly 8 oz., the food search gave me a 6 oz so I just edited to show I consumed 1.33 servings.There is also a Glucose Tracker and several other tools, so I think I will be using this site a lot.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Day 4
9:00
Good Morning! I woke up closer to the time I use to wake up. That doesn't seem like much, but I realize it as a small improvement. When I first retired I relished the idea of not having to get up every morning at 5:30 to be at work by 8. But I didn't want to sleep my retirement away so I decided my new wake up time would be somewhere between 7 and 8. And it was, but of late that time had crept to 9:00 - 9:30. And I have had several days of late that I would get up around 9, have my morning hot chocolate and a snack cake and then fall back asleep in the recliner. Some days I would wake again around lunch and some days I would sleep until mid-afternoon. And I have always hated sleeping my day away. It makes me feel like I have cheated myself out of one of the limited days God gives us on this earth.
I hope my new breakfast menu is going to be good and acceptable on this journey. Today I had my coffee (made in my new coffee maker) and a breakfast bowl - a frozen quick food by Jimmy Dean - sausage, egg, cheese and potato (but I pushed part of the potatoes aside - yay me?).
10:30
It's funny (not in a ha ha sense) how things creep slowly up on you in life and you don't realize it until it has fully grabbed hold of you. That is what has happened to me in the past few months - little things crept up on me and got a good hold of me. Sleeping later, going back to sleep after my morning bite, sleeping the entire day away and not doing as much crafting as I did a few months back. With sleeping later and later I would just tell myself that is one of the benefits of being retired. With sleeping all day I wrote that off to my bodies natural inclination to sleep when I fight things like colds, UTI, sinus infection, etc. I never tried to justify my loss of interest in my crafting. I think, for one reason, that it was partly due to having committed to helping make 40 invites and admission tickets for my granddaughters 16th birthday and when I wasn't too tired to do any crafting I was working on that project. But honestly, looking back I realize that project should have taken only about 1/3 of the time it actually took me.
I guess Diabetes has been creeping up on me for years and just recently decided it had enough ground to launch a full on attack. Considering I have never had good eating habits it had a very big open door for that attack! I am the first to admit I am a "Picky Eater" (synonymous for Pain in the A**). My friend Brenda once told a waitress that if she would not serve something to a 5 year old then don't serve it to me. I have had weeks where (for lack of an option I was willing to eat) I have had chicken fingers for lunch 5 days in a row. And I have been known to pass up dessert in favor of more bread & gravy. Gravy is a true weakness. I don't think there is anything edible that cannot be improved on with some good homemade gravy. "homemade". Not that nasty powder stuff. The real McCoy, grease, flour, water, salt & pepper. Sometimes with some beef or chicken broth for added flavor or with tomato sauce for Tomato Gravy (sooo good over rice!). Yeah, like I said, I left the front door so wide open for this disease that it should have been more of a shock that it didn't get in sooner than the fact that it finally did come on in.
Okay, I will finish today's post after my doctors visit this afternoon.
4:30
Back from the doctor visit. He says so far so good and he confirmed my numbers should be all over the board right now but that they will stabilize with time and continued attention to the meds and diet. He also wants me to start adding some workout to my schedule. I don't know how I'm going to work that in unless I spend 45 minutes four days a week just going up & down the stairs to my basement. And with my house being as small as it is there is truly no room to add a treadmill or anything else that will help facilitate the exercise requirement. Gonna have to think on this one for a bit (maybe while going up & down the stairs to my basement for 45 minutes.
My doctor is a GP, so he really couldn't answer some of my questions about how many carbs per day/meal etc., but he did give me a number to call a Registered Dietitian if I feel I am not getting a good enough understanding of the dietary issue. However, his nurse printed me out a couple dozen pages of information that I looked over (and will read more thoroughly later) that seemed to have a little better explanation of some of it.
He has not reduced any of the injections. He said that would be a while. But he did increase the units of one medicine.
So, currently my schedule is to test my sugar at 8:00A, 11:00A, 4:00P & 9:00P. For the 8, 11 & 4 sugar sticks I have a sliding scale that based on the number of my sugar I will inject a certain number of units of Humalog. Humalog is a fast acting Insulin that my body will absorb and put to use right away.
For the 9PM sugar stick I inject Lantus regardless of what my BS is. Lantus
Theoretically I could be injecting at all four sugar checks, and so far there have only been 2 where the sugar was at a level that I did NOT need to inject. And, YAY! Today's 4:00 BS was one that I did NOT have to inject (so glad since I still feel the spot where I injected my 11 med.
In addition to the insulin injections I am taking Metformin twice a day. Right now it really has no effect since it is a medicine that has to build up in my system. But eventually it will be doing something to help my body "reduce the amount of sugar made by the liver, limit the amount of sugar absorbed into the body from my diet, and make insulin receptors more sensitive (helping the body respond better to its own insulin" (copied that, don't ya know!).
6:00
Gonna add one more time to today's post. This one is one I started to tell my daughter when she stopped by here a few minutes ago, but since she needed to get home I told her I would blog it.
It's kinda sad how much damage we can do to ourselves . . . unintentionally. While this Diabetes has been building up to the point of my diagnosis over time I only became really concerned with something being really wrong when I seemed to have lost half my vision in a matter of days. Well, that and the fact that we went to see my financial manager & something his assistant said kinda scared me. She & I have both had disc surgery twice. We have discussed and compared symptoms and side effects just about every time we have seen each other. On our way to the financial manager's office I mentioned to my husband that I was becoming concerned about my vision because even that day it seemed to have gotten blurrier than it was the day before. Well, we get there and Samantha & I start comparing symptoms again & before I even mention my vision she says she has started having issues with her vision and with the other symptoms (which we both have) her doctors has scheduled her for an MRI to look at the possibility of MS. I looked at my husband and opened my eyes wide in that OMG look. So yeah, after we left there I knew I would be seeing my doctor sooner than later. (quick side note - her MRI ruled out MS)
Tomorrow is a new day - another opportunity to reduce my sugars and carbs and another step towards getting this disease under control. :)
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
My New Frienemy?
I started a new journey in this trip called Life - A Walk with Diabetes. And yes, I shall call this my Frienemy. The friend in it is probably the only thing in the world that would have made me look seriously at improving my eating habits. The enemy in it is adding additional heath concerns and health risks to my already full medical agenda.
Day 1
I was diagnosed day before yesterday. I'm not sure how most people find out they have diabetes, but I have to assume that, like me, they have things going wrong one by one until they finally realize they probably need to see their doctor. And it's not as if I hadn't seen my doctor in a while. I had. I have been seeing him twice a year (actually more, but certainly twice a year) since I was diagnosed with hypertension a couple of years ago. And I saw my doctor back in October. At that time there were no significant symptoms and everything appeared to be fine. My blood pressure was being sufficiently controlled by my meds and my Triglycerides, which became an issue a little over a year ago, were down.
Well, it's pretty obvious I'm not a very healthy person, but I never considered myself to be sickly. I do have a problem with my weight, but I have had a problem with my weight since hormones started bombarding my body as an adolescent. And I'm sure my weight plays into my overall health, but I feel slighted by the fact that I know and have known many people who are more overweight than I am and yet they don't fight hypertension, triglycerides or diabetes. How did I get so lucky (sense the sarcasm?)?
So, what did I really expect the doctor to say when I went into his office Monday? I don't know. Really? Yeah, really. I knew there was something wrong, and I had had Diabetes suggested by a couple of people, but I think I had a mental block that made me think he was going to say my vision issues were an unfortunate side effect of my meds. Or even just the results of Lasik surgery reversal, as my daughter suggested. And I guess I expected him to tell me I'm no thirstier than the average person should be and that I was drinking an insufficient amount before that. Funny how, without a conscious effort, you can put on a pair of rose colored glasses and think everything looks so nice.
And knowing that Diabetes had been suggested; and knowing that Diabetes runs in my family, I still sat in my doctors office almost in a state of shock feeling a bit of depression setting in. I was also confused because I had so many questions, but I really didn't know what those questions were. So I sat, looking dumbfounded, while the doctor & his nurse came in and out of the room with more information & more pieces of equipment that was soon enough to be referred to as my "kit".
And, my oh my what a kit I acquired in such a short time (well, if you call a 3 hour doctors visit a short time. When I got home with my supplies & prescriptions and laid it all out on my kitchen counter I just stared at it wondering how I was going to keep up with it all and even more-so, how was I going to remember it all. But, as the shock wore off I realized I needed to organize it and condense it into a smaller expanse. Fortunately I do crafts and had bought some "Snap 'n Stack" Craft Organizer plastic-ware that I thought might work out so down to the craft room I scurried & dumped all the contents of one case. It turned out to be a great solution. I filled the small divided compartments with lancets, needles, test strip vials and alcohol wipes; I filled the bottom compartment with my prescription boxes (collapsed of course) and my notes given to me by my doctor; and I filled the top compartment with the meter kit, my log book and an ink pen. I felt a little better since being condensed did not look as daunting as spread all across my kitchen counter looked.
Day 2
Well, day 2 started okay. I woke up and checked my sugar and it was considerably lower than it had been at the doctors office the day before - 316 as opposed to 612. I felt better - I thought. Made myself my usual cup of hot chocolate and a slice of toast (I buttered it more lightly that I usually do in consideration of the need to reduce the fattening things I consume). I sat down to watch some morning television and fell asleep within minutes and did not wake up again until [just in] time for my next sugar check. (And I think this is when my first emotional reaction was triggered) My sugar had shot back up to almost 500. I was more than upset - I was pretty much devastated by this. I could never have imagined that one cup of hot chocolate and one slice of toast would do that!
One thing I knew right then was that I would have to give up hot chocolate, but that was a whole 'nother issue. You see, I had an issue with my old coffee maker or the grounds I bought. One or the other had introduced some foreign matter into my coffee and I refused to use either again. That was several months ago and at that time I switched to hot chocolate. When I said something to my husband (who has been such a wonderful support through this) he said there was nothing wrong with the coffee maker other than it sitting unused for so long and that I needed to just clean it up and run some vinegar through it. Being in a dejected state of mind with no will to argue or fight anything I got the dishcloth and proceeded to wash the accumulated dust off the top of the coffee maker. But this was a short venture since there was an accumulation of hard water deposits and whatever else hard water (and a crummy water company) contains that leeches into every nook & cranny it can in this house (I could mention that I hate our water supply, but that may already be obvious). Anyway, before I digress into a tirade on the water company, back to the coffeemaker issue. When I attempted to wash those water deposits from the water reservoir I lost it - my emotional being just started crying & after turning a couple of circles I started to sit in the floor to cry it out. I guess that caught my sweet hubby off guard because he caught me under the arms before I could get to the floor, hugged me close and said "we'll go buy a new coffe maker". (Have I mentioned how wonderful he has been through this?)
Day 1
I was diagnosed day before yesterday. I'm not sure how most people find out they have diabetes, but I have to assume that, like me, they have things going wrong one by one until they finally realize they probably need to see their doctor. And it's not as if I hadn't seen my doctor in a while. I had. I have been seeing him twice a year (actually more, but certainly twice a year) since I was diagnosed with hypertension a couple of years ago. And I saw my doctor back in October. At that time there were no significant symptoms and everything appeared to be fine. My blood pressure was being sufficiently controlled by my meds and my Triglycerides, which became an issue a little over a year ago, were down.
Well, it's pretty obvious I'm not a very healthy person, but I never considered myself to be sickly. I do have a problem with my weight, but I have had a problem with my weight since hormones started bombarding my body as an adolescent. And I'm sure my weight plays into my overall health, but I feel slighted by the fact that I know and have known many people who are more overweight than I am and yet they don't fight hypertension, triglycerides or diabetes. How did I get so lucky (sense the sarcasm?)?
So, what did I really expect the doctor to say when I went into his office Monday? I don't know. Really? Yeah, really. I knew there was something wrong, and I had had Diabetes suggested by a couple of people, but I think I had a mental block that made me think he was going to say my vision issues were an unfortunate side effect of my meds. Or even just the results of Lasik surgery reversal, as my daughter suggested. And I guess I expected him to tell me I'm no thirstier than the average person should be and that I was drinking an insufficient amount before that. Funny how, without a conscious effort, you can put on a pair of rose colored glasses and think everything looks so nice.
And knowing that Diabetes had been suggested; and knowing that Diabetes runs in my family, I still sat in my doctors office almost in a state of shock feeling a bit of depression setting in. I was also confused because I had so many questions, but I really didn't know what those questions were. So I sat, looking dumbfounded, while the doctor & his nurse came in and out of the room with more information & more pieces of equipment that was soon enough to be referred to as my "kit".
And, my oh my what a kit I acquired in such a short time (well, if you call a 3 hour doctors visit a short time. When I got home with my supplies & prescriptions and laid it all out on my kitchen counter I just stared at it wondering how I was going to keep up with it all and even more-so, how was I going to remember it all. But, as the shock wore off I realized I needed to organize it and condense it into a smaller expanse. Fortunately I do crafts and had bought some "Snap 'n Stack" Craft Organizer plastic-ware that I thought might work out so down to the craft room I scurried & dumped all the contents of one case. It turned out to be a great solution. I filled the small divided compartments with lancets, needles, test strip vials and alcohol wipes; I filled the bottom compartment with my prescription boxes (collapsed of course) and my notes given to me by my doctor; and I filled the top compartment with the meter kit, my log book and an ink pen. I felt a little better since being condensed did not look as daunting as spread all across my kitchen counter looked.
Day 2
Well, day 2 started okay. I woke up and checked my sugar and it was considerably lower than it had been at the doctors office the day before - 316 as opposed to 612. I felt better - I thought. Made myself my usual cup of hot chocolate and a slice of toast (I buttered it more lightly that I usually do in consideration of the need to reduce the fattening things I consume). I sat down to watch some morning television and fell asleep within minutes and did not wake up again until [just in] time for my next sugar check. (And I think this is when my first emotional reaction was triggered) My sugar had shot back up to almost 500. I was more than upset - I was pretty much devastated by this. I could never have imagined that one cup of hot chocolate and one slice of toast would do that!
One thing I knew right then was that I would have to give up hot chocolate, but that was a whole 'nother issue. You see, I had an issue with my old coffee maker or the grounds I bought. One or the other had introduced some foreign matter into my coffee and I refused to use either again. That was several months ago and at that time I switched to hot chocolate. When I said something to my husband (who has been such a wonderful support through this) he said there was nothing wrong with the coffee maker other than it sitting unused for so long and that I needed to just clean it up and run some vinegar through it. Being in a dejected state of mind with no will to argue or fight anything I got the dishcloth and proceeded to wash the accumulated dust off the top of the coffee maker. But this was a short venture since there was an accumulation of hard water deposits and whatever else hard water (and a crummy water company) contains that leeches into every nook & cranny it can in this house (I could mention that I hate our water supply, but that may already be obvious). Anyway, before I digress into a tirade on the water company, back to the coffeemaker issue. When I attempted to wash those water deposits from the water reservoir I lost it - my emotional being just started crying & after turning a couple of circles I started to sit in the floor to cry it out. I guess that caught my sweet hubby off guard because he caught me under the arms before I could get to the floor, hugged me close and said "we'll go buy a new coffe maker". (Have I mentioned how wonderful he has been through this?)
So, after a lunch of lettuce with a scant bit of cheese and a few slices of pepperoni we headed to the local Wal-Mart and bought a new coffee maker, some new grounds and searched through aisle after aisle checking the carbs in the foods. I have resolved myself to giving up on fruit juices because I had been drinking those like water (gonna go with water, which I have never much been able to abide until the symptom of diabetes caused me to have an unquenchable thirst). I passed on so many foods that I have always stocked on my pantry in exchange for some new additions. I will do my best to snack on Hot-N-Spicy Pork Skins over potato chips and I will have to make salad a regular addition as opposed to an occasional addition.
My afternoon sugar was odd (or at least it was odd to this un-knowledgeable diabetic), it was below 100. Wondering if I had made a mistake in the testing I repeated it and registered 102. Figuring there is no sense in repeating the test over & over I recorded it in my logbook for my doctor to explain. But, I figured I had done well for lunch and treated myself to some ham & pineapple pizza for supper. Thankfully the bedtime reading did not make me regret my supper choice - I was barely over 250 at bedtime.
Day 3
Today I started my morning with coffee and applesauce. It didn't seem very satisfying, but I called it breakfast. Oh, don't get me wrong - I was happy to have a cup of coffee in the morning after so many months without my morning coffee, but I was still hungry and that didn't go away. Finally about mid-morning I ate a slice of sandwich ham to try to make my stomach a little happier. That held me okay until lunch.
I still have so many questions, the difference is that now I can put words to some of them. I have added a post-it note to my logbook so I can record questions for my doctor. And I am hopeful that I am emotionally a little better with all this than I was yesterday, but we won't know that for certain unless I have another meltdown. So right now my biggest regret is the (as I understand it) "temporary" loss of vision. It has hindered my ability to be a my PC in comfort, my ability to drive and my ability to read. The first two due to blurred vision and loss of distance vision. The reading due to my eyes getting tired very quickly. And so I sit and stare at blurry people on TV. I know it will get better, I just wish it could be miraculously fast (call me impatient along with the other things this blog has thus far revealed about me - lol).
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