I've fallen off the wagon.

I've fallen off the wagon.  I've eaten cookies, candy, processed sugars that are crazy.  I don't know why but sometime my body screams "I WANT SUGAR!"  There are good days when I can fight it and not so good days where I give in.  I know...some sugar isn't bad right?  Well it isn't just some.  It's like I go on a all out binge, then CRASH for 2-3 days I feel sluggish and run down.  How do I stop this?  First I have to keep busy.  I am a typical type A personality.  I like things to be in order and I like being in control.  I like the satisfaction of a job well done.  I beat myself up when I mess things up and then work twice as hard trying to fix it.  So not fixing myself drives me a little batty. I expect alot of me.  I will succeed.

Now back on the wagon.  Keep focused.  Stay strong!

I can do this!

Stress and my body.

I have noticed that when I get stressed my body lets me know it.  I will feel totally run down.  I don't have any energy.  What I try to do is have a more passive attitude.  I ask myself "Is this really worth getting this upset about?"  As I am getting older my patience is getting longer.  I try to laugh more and worry less.  Get around people who are funny or watch something funny on tv.  It does help.

Wonderful news today.  With the changes in my diet I now can take only 6 units per shot instead of 8!  The doctor was so happy with my proactive approach.  He also told me I was the first patient he had ever heard of making a blog.  He was going to look it up.  The other wonderful news is if I keep this up I may be able to get off the shots altogether!  How much better can this get?  He suggested I started exercising 30 mins - 4 times a week.  I will definitely be starting that new regiment.  I will keep you updated on my progress.

Canning Day

Our garden is producing an abundance this year.  I am grateful.  It is hard work but the benefits of fresh food later in the winter will pay off.  I have always felt that my gift is to feed people.  If I have extra I want to share.  Anyway, I put up 6 pints of salsa, 4 pints of spaghetti sauce and 12 quarts of tomatoes yesterday.  How did that affect me?  Actually I feel better from being up and moving around.  I know you get tired of hearing that but it is true.  I feel alot better when I'm moving than when I'm sitting.  I don't feel as sluggish the next day.  I may feel tired from the hard work but it is not a sugar crash but a muscle burn.  I eat less when I'm busy which helps with the diabetic numbers and with my overall energy level.

I am not a doctor, I am a person with Type 2 diabetes.

I am not a doctor, I am a person with Type 2 diabetes.  I share things I'm going through and often just learn the hard way.  Here is an example...

Your sugar levels have a lot to do with your mood.  I've noticed that if I have very good readings I tend to feel emotionally better.  If I have higher numbers my moods swing quite a bit.  It makes sense.  Just as a piece  of chocolate can make women feel better, too much sugar for diabetics can make them feel sluggish, irritable and emotionally stressed.  

Have you ever seen a child that is calm, passive and a joy to be around until....  "Wasn't it a lovely idea to give Susie that candy bar.  She sure did enjoy eating it."  30 minutes later...  "What in the world is wrong with Susie?  She is so hyper and can't sit down.  I don't understand?"

Yes you do.  

You just flooded her system with sugar.  Because she is young her body absorbed the sugar quickly and sent the body into hyper mode.  The sugar has to be burned off somehow and movement is the simplest solution.

As a diabetic our body doesn't process the sugar as quickly thus the sluggish, tired feeling.  As your body tries to break down the sugars it is working hard making us somewhat tired or extremely tired depending on 

the amount of sugars it has to break down.  Wow I have to say just sharing this helped me to understand the process I hope it helps you.

  

Well I don't know if anyone else has done this but I ran out of the lancets first then the strips.  What a day.  I knew I was feeling a little sluggish but couldn't check the numbers to see where I was at.  Then lost my cap to my pen that pricks my finger.  Ugh!  Back to square one.  Hopefully the rest of the week will go better.

Decided to eat a fast lunch today.  Went to McDonalds and ate a cheeseburger.  What was I thinking.  Feel so sluggish and tired I can't hardly get off the couch.  Won't make that mistake again.

Haven't been moving around alot at work so think I'm going to make up for it at home this weekend.  I need to get out and walk I know I will feel better.

A friend of mine pointed out that she did not understand the numbers I was talking about.  Sorry I didn't think to explain so here goes.  Diabetic numbers are a gauge of you insulin levels.  80 to 120 is deemed normal at this point.  A1C numbers are a 3 month history of your insulin levels because your blood cells hold a memory of insulin levels for that time frame.  A normal A1C should be under 6.5 but I think that is going to change to 6.0.  If you have high numbers over 120 a lot even with diet change and exercise that usually means that you have to start on medicine.  That is usually a pill form first and then proceeds to shots if after a time it is still not under control.  Okay definition over.

My husband is aware of a gentleman that just found out he is type 2 diabetic.  Type 2 is later in life not from when you are a child that is Type 1 or juvenile diabetes.  Anyway, he had a reading of over 800!  Wow!  I thank goodness have never been that high nor do I want to be.  The doctors could not believe he wasn't passed out and I couldn't either.  His family was saying he felt better after a pop.  No No No that is not the fix.  He has a long journey to learn what is correct to keep his insulin numbers in the normal level.

It is wonderful now to have fresh vegetables out of the garden.  Had my first zucchini tonight.  It was so good.  Fresh potatoes and a steak.  A small amount of potatoes seems okay for me.  Doesn't throw me high.

Fourth of July weekend was crazy.  We had all of our children and grandchildren over on and off through the weekend and went to our oldest sons for fireworks and a bbq.  I ate hot dogs, had watermelon and strawberries.  Wasn't to bad of a side affect on me the next day as I had anticipated.  My numbers stayed pretty normal.  I'm doing great with the breakfast either oatmeal or malt o meal style breakfast with pecans and craisins.  I try to have a snack around 10:00 a.m. so my numbers don't drop by noon for lunch.  I've been trying different things for lunch so I do not have to have bread.  Fried ham and small salad, or something along that line.  Cutting out bread has helped wonderfully with my numbers.  I haven't been over 150 for quite a while.  Can't wait until my next A1C to see how it is affected.

This week has been a struggle.  Craving sugary things.  Not much bread in the diet has made a big difference on my stomach by not feeling so bloated and full.  I have been having more low numbers than I have ever had.  Below 60 before I get to lunch and I feel shaky a little scared if I'm going to make it to the place I'm going to eat. I'm eating only oatmeal or malto meal style breakfast with a little Stevia and it does wonderful with my diabetic numbers.  I will have to start snacking around 10:00 or my numbers shoot low.  Still learning and learning some more.

Today was a good day.  Started off a little high 200 but had forgotten my shot last night, by breakfast I was back to normal and doing great.  I can tell so much difference now that I have taken bread and anything that is not a natural sugar example: raw honey, Stevia (raw sugar) and fruit.  I cannot tell you how quick this has impacted my numbers and how I feel.  I'm not sluggish.  Hope this helps you.

When I went to see doctors about the signs and symptoms I was having they would all say "But you don't look like a diabetic."  I didn't know what that meant.  I asked one of the nurses and she said that most diabetics are apple shaped.  Hmm I'm not sure if I still know what that means but anyway I kept complaining about how tired I was, my readings were always high over 150 and feeling so sluggish.  Metaformin was the first medicine I was put on.  That didn't really help.  Then when I had finally said no more I'm going to a doctor and get this figured out my A1C was 11.5 and it was recommended to go on shots.  I now take shots 4 times a day.  I feel alot better but not feeling totally up to par.  

Well not a great weekend for diabetes.  I ate some sweets that was way above for me.  I try not to beat myself up about it but learn from it.  Why do I crave these?  What is it about that cupcake that I couldn't say no too?  I know I'm not the only one doing this.  I am doing so much better this was my mind and bodies way of wanting to up my sugar amount.  Will try again tomorrow.

I kow there is a lot of misinformation out there.  I've been told not to eat oatmeal it will spike your sugars the next day because it processes slowly.  Wrong.  Diabetic living website says oatmeal is one of the best breakfasts we diabetics can have.  I just started eating this regularly this week and have not noticed spikes.

In the process of trying to figure out what to eat and not to eat someone quoted to me "You know the best thing to do is to grab something to eat open the box throw the contents away and eat the box.  That is about all you get with diabetes."  I started to believe this until I took the classes at Golden Valley hospital in Clinton, MO.   Not only is this class a crash course of how to eat as a diabetic but how we should eat in general.

In the courses which I think took me six weeks to complete you are taught how to read your meter, when is the correct time to test your blood sugar and what are the best numbers.  The dietician taught us how to understand the carb count on the boxes and so much more.  Did I happen to mention this is when my A1C was 11.6 and the doctor said you are going to the hospital NOW.  They started me on insulin shots and now a year later I'm still struggling but my A1C was 7.6 on the last reading.  If you do not know the A1C is a test that shows your sugar average for a 3 month period.  The better numbers are 6.5 and below.

The beginning of the journey

A blog on diabetes and the frustrations that go with this complicated disease.

I learned I was a diabetic approximately 8 years ago.  I have been through denial, frustration, joy, anger and about every emotion in between.  

I have done extensive research at times for issues I have dealt with and felt that maybe sharing my personal struggle may help others.