At an appointment with my doctor on Friday, she reviewed my blood work and was thrilled — my A1C was 6.1, down from 6.6 three months ago. I was disappointed, “I just want to see 5. something!” [I know! I know! There are people who would kill for my numbers.] My reality is that I REALLY want to get off the Metformin. I’ve gone from three pills to two per day — I want NONE! Is that realistic? Well, when I asked my doctor (about six months ago), if she thought it was possible, her response was, “You’ve done it before.” NOT a huge vote of confidence but, she didn’t say it wasn’t likely. She loves my motivation — today is NOT one of those days. I’m allowed to have a miserable day, aren’t I? 😦
This T2D will keep moving on. I’ll walk this afternoon, make the right decision for dinner and start all over again — One day at a time.
I’ve been sick. You know, “praying for death” sick. 😦
Some evil “stomach bug” crept into my system and took over. You don’t want the details. My blood sugar was all over the place. I tried the “natural” route, but I was only able to live in one room in my house (…the room with the echo), so finally, I called my doctor who told me to only eat crackers, dry toast (if I’m hungry — which I’m not), and drink 1/2 water and 1/2 Low Calorie Gatorade for a few days, to avoid dehydration and to give my intestines a break. In the end (no pun intended), I was in the waiting room of a gastroenterologist. She sent me for a ton of tests, the results of which I won’t get ’til Thursday, if I’m lucky.
But, she also gave me a medicine that “calmed” everything down, in the meantime. Thank God!!! That pain was a killer — my poor body. She wanted me to eat more; the thought was disgusting. She added plain chicken, turkey, baked potato. Ugh. She was right, eating a bit more did help.
With every situation, we learn something, right? (Not that I haven’t learned this before…) When I have a stomach issue, I hate the thought of food — including, my addictive junk foods. It’s been 8 days now and I haven’t had a thought about (my drug of choice) sugar. Nothing, Nada. I feel like I’ve been in a rehab for carboholics/sugar addicts.
Do you know what? The Sugar Beast had nothing to do with my being ill but, I’m going to take advantage of this situation, grab onto my proverbial detox and hold on for dear life!
Seriously, regardless of the results of the testing, I want to be done with sugar — SO DONE. Being sick just brought this to the forefront of my mind (again, I say again!). This Type 2 Diabetic’s plan is to do everything in my power to steer clear of it. I know, I know, we’ve all said it before.
I see this “Silver Lining” as a gift, and I’m going to wrap myself in it — like a soft, satin, protective shield. It will be difficult — if anything, I’m NOT naive. I know it’s really hard (at least for me) not to get dragged into a sugar feast, but, the way I’m looking at it, I’ve got a head start, and I’m grateful for it.
I’ve got the motivation, now I have to get back to developing the habit...AGAIN. Every day really is DAY #1.
My sister’s birthday is coming and that will be my first “real” test. Wish me luck!
I recently read an article in Prevention Guide. The theme was Sugar Detox Made Easy — yeah, right! 🙂
I keep telling myself, you’ve done it before, and you can do it again. That’s absolutely true, so what’s my problem?Maybe, my issues are because I’m doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. Isn’t that the definition of INSANITY!
My answer to that dilemma is to branch out, in terms of my research. I bought this magazine sometime in January. I’ll admit to skimming it; like that ever worked… This time around, I read it cover to cover and back again.
Author Aviva Patz wrote, Your Step-by-Step Detox Plan. In fact, she had a slew of helpful hints to formulate an action plan. Action Plan? I didn’t sign up for an Action Plan. However, her program consists of things to DO to help in dealing with diabetes, to overcome the addiction. She talked about the importance of writing down a Manifesto.WHAT? C’mon, I’m a busy woman. I don’t have time for this nonsense! And then, the little voice inside me reminded me that I always have time to eat cookies, and cakes, and candy, Oh, My! Developing a manifesto took about three minutes, and consisted of writing the pros and cons of quitting sugar, and the same for NOT quitting sugar. She recommends keeping your notes nearby for when that temptation creeps in.
Ms. Patz talked about replacing the addictive food with something palatable but not as unhealthy. Example: Fruit — still sweet, so it will stomp out the cravings, while eating healthy nutrients. (Be careful. There is such a thing as having too much of a good thing.) Easy does it — fruit will absolutely effect your blood sugar levels. The goal is to maintain a balance.
Celebrating with a Gala!
I’ll be writing about Patz’ article for a number of days. She presents some great healthy alternatives to poor choices, and I’ll be passing them along to you.
Of all her suggestions, one jumped out at me — why didn’t I think of this??? She suggests that we don’t use the words “I can’t” when sugar is offered to us. Sounds like my usual, “I can’t have dessert, I’m diabetic.” waaa, waaaaah, waaaaaah, poor Kathy… Instead of the “poor me” response, Patz advises us to simply say, “I don’t eat refined sugar.” Simple, to the point. She compares the dilemma to that of the VEGETARIAN who easily states, “I don’t eat meat.” She’s right! It’s a choice — OUR choice! It makes perfect sense. It’s empowering. The decision is ours and the words, “I can’t,” give away our power and weaken our resolve. It’s brilliant! Obviously, this is an easy change in behavior and will likely end with the person offering the sweets to back down. Sounds good to me. No more pity party when the host cuts the cake. 🙂
“I don’t eat refined sugar.” Period!
My sincere thanks to Aviva Patz for an article that was not only motivating, but also made sense.
The goal of this Type 2 Diabetic has been to GET OFF THE MEDICATION!!! Yes, I AM screaming — at myself. My frustration level when my doctor increased the dosage of Metformin to three a day, was overwhelming. I did this to myself kept popping through my head, and it was true! I had been playing games — how much can one piece of cake hurt? The answer is…PLENTY!
FINALLY, I’ve been making progress. It is due in part to my “dental dilemma” — hard to gain wait, if you can’t chew. The problem is that during that time period, I realized that cake’s easy to chew. 🙂
Bottom line is that I was determined to get my act together. I worked on eating healthy foods, portion control (MOST important), and exercise. Don’t get excited. In my world, exercise does NOT include going a gym. Get a grip. No, there will be no sweating, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. NO, no, no — I walk. That’s it — just walk. But, guess what? It works! Try it. Take your blood sugar prior to walking and then again when you return. It’s pretty amazing. It’s been brutally hot here in the
Exercise = IMPORTANT
northeast, which gave me a great excuse to stop hoofing it. However, I let my conscience be my guide and got back on track. I’m not a 5-days a week yet, but I’m building my way back up. Truth is, I live near a mall which is air conditioned. It’s a perfect place to walk in the difficult weather of both winter and summer — so there is NO excuse.
When I’m truly determined to do something, I can move mountains — and believe me, I was determined. Here’s what happened: I went to my doctor last week who was ecstatic. Why? My A1C was 5.8!!!! I practically jumped off the table, I was so excited. She shared my joy. She asked how I did it, and I told her. (Not wanting to take all the credit for my disciplined behavior, I explained the effect my dental dilemma had on my appetite.) She was thrilled. I explained that I had lowered the dosage of Metformin from 3/day to two, because the three, along with what I was doing, was too much and I wasn’t feeling well. For the most part, I was taking just two. She told me to continue consistently with two and, if that became too much (I’d know it), decrease it to one. In three months we’ll see where I am and what the next step will be. Here were her words, and they were MUSIC TO MY EARS — “At this moment, you are in a non-diabetic state.” Did she say non-diabetic? YES, she did!
Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m not a diabetic — it simply means that the blood work indicated those results at that moment. What did this do for me? It made me even more MOTIVATED! Now I’m really on a roll. The thought that there’s a real possibility that I may be able to get off the medication, brings tears to my eyes. I have been working hard to hear those words, but I’ll be working even harder now.
So that’s the question that I’ve been asking myself. AM I a dedicated diabetic or not? Make up your mind Kathy! Either do it or don’t — damn it!
Obviously, I haven’t been too dedicated lately. Oh, I don’t mean to my diabetes — that’s been going along pretty well. I’m talking about my blogging. You see, the reason I started this blog in the first place was to keep me on track in terms of my diabetes (and hopefully impart some words of wisdom on the topic). I thought that if I blogged each day — or at least three or four times a week — I’d stay more focused. Obviously, I haven’t been too successful/committed/dedicated lately. But that’s about to change.
Thanks to Bill at “Simple Living Over 50,” a wonderful blog on WordPress, I’m back on track! As of this morning, probably around 7 a.m. (it’s 1:15 a.m. now), along with my post, I’ll be listing my blood sugar number and my weight! Yep, I think it’s a great idea (Thanks, Bill!), and I’m stealing it. I’ll post both at the end of…well, at the end of whatever comes out of my brain.
Posting my blood sugar, along with my weight, will keep me honest — just another form of accountability, I guess.
Sorry about my lack of pictures, folks. Planning on getting to Apple to cure this dilemma. Somehow, I just haven’t gotten there; life gets in the way. No excuses!!!
After having some difficulty motivating my body to rise early enough to beat the heat, I AM getting my morning walk back into a routine. I tell myself, I REALLY want to walk in the evening too. So, what’s my problem?
I feel like my feet are planted in cement. The reality is, I DON’T WANT TO DO IT! I feel like a spoiled child, stomping my feet and screaming “I’m not going.” It’s absurd. Just do it! — I tell myself, to no avail.
Yes, I’m feeling positive about my morning walks, but this inability to move my butt, as the sun is setting, is making me nuts! It’s a choice, a bad choice, that I keep repeating. Yet, I know — deep down to my core — that there’s nothing better I can be doing for myself than walking. Experience has taught me that walking is a great way to shed that belly fat and it does wonders in bringing down my blood sugar numbers. So, what’s my problem???
I need anattitude adjustment. Seriously. C’mon, Kathy. Get it together, MOVE YOUR BUTT! It’s just a matter of developing a habit — a good one. Grabbing my sneakers, again…and moving along. One day at a time!
Walking “gear”
Thanks for listening. Hey, let me know your exercise regimen. Are you a walking fiend???
The other day I completed a ton of chores and on the way home I decided to stop at the deli. I love their Light Vegi Tuna (very little mayo; perfect for lunch). Of course, there was a line, so I focused on what I was getting — nothing else.
As I waited on line, my eyes wandered into a basket of homemade baked goods. A brownie topped by the crumbs of a crumb cake, drenched in confectioners sugar, caught my eye. Interesting. Seriously, I’ve never see that before. My “crazy self” screamed, Buy it — try it — one isn’t going to kill you. Along came the guy with my tuna. “Anything else, ma’am?” “No thanks, I’m good,” came out of my mouth. And then, my hand inched its way over to the basket of goodies. “Wait, I’ll take one of these.” Money exchanged hands — similar to a drug deal… I took my small bag and drove home, not giving a thought to what I’d just done.
Once in the house, I removed the tuna and the brownie/crumb cake from the brown paper bag. I still can’t believe what I did. I put the tuna in the refrigerator and the brownie on a plate. I sat down at my dining room table, read the newspaper, and ate the brownie. When I was done, I looked up, much like an alcoholic coming out of a stupor, and thought, What did I do? It was pretty amazing. I don’t even LIKE crumb cake, and frankly, I couldn’t tell you what the brownie tasted like. I paid no attention while I was eating. I likened myself to an alcoholic in a blackout, I barely remembered eating it — I swear, it was really strange. I felt awful; remorse took over. I yelled at myself, vowing never to let my guard down again. Physically, I felt like garbage, not unlike the junk I had ingested. All this over a brownie! I took a nap.
Hindsight is a great thing. I knew better, but I did it anyway. I went into that deli hungry — bad decision. I let my guard down. When it comes to food, I realize that I need structure. Planning is the key to success, and I certainly didn’t do it that day. For the most part, my failures regarding my diabetes regimen are centered around a lack of planning.
O.K., I lost that battle, but NOT the war. So, moving forward, get out that LIST, Kathy, and PLAN. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. One day at a time!
Keeping my hands busy working on a project, stops me from feeding my face. Crafting and DIY-ing, are my all-time favorites.
Crocheting is great. I didn’t say I’m great at it, but I love doing it! I’ve managed to make afghans and throws for babies and adults, scarves (straight and infinity), and head/ear warmers. That’s about it. Nothing fancy — no sweaters or hats, not yet anyway. I love the colors and sizes of the various yarns — chunky may be my fave. It’s great to engage in a night of crocheting, sans food. It means I’ve moved toward completion of a gift, or something for myself, without “moving” food down my throat. That’s a good thing!
Large crocheted afghanCrocheted Ear Warmers
I belong to a small group called the “Crafty Bitches.” Truth is, sometimes we craft, sometimes we bitch, sometimes we do both. It’s great just to sit with some friends, talking and crocheting, most of all laughing. We made a pact when we started the group, years ago, that no food would be consumed when we met, and with very few exceptions, we’ve stuck to our plan. Yea, us!
Last year, I decided I wanted to learn to quilt. NOT hand-quilting. Let’s not get carried away. I have an ancient sewing machine that’s heavy, and pretty much dead; so, I bought an inexpensive machine that came with a video (awesome bonus), and I was off and running. God Bless YouTube! I started with a rag quilt; couldn’t be easier. To date, I’ve made five — all for babies. One is an “I Spy” quilt (You know, I Spy a truck, I Spy a butterfly, I Spy…). I’m working on it now for a friend’s grandson. I’ll send it with a list of things the child can find on it — pretty cool. There’s no way I can, or would, eat while doing this; I wouldn’t want to ruin it.
In November of this year, I decided to learn beading. While shopping, I almost always end up looking for a bargain in the jewelry section, particularly bracelets and earrings. I can do this! …and so it always begins. Again, what would I do without YouTube? I made bracelets and earrings for the masses; wrapped them up, and voila, Christmas presents. Unless they were pulling my leg, the jewelry was a big hit. It wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be, but I kept it simple, and with the right colors and a touch of bling, I created jewelry that would rival Tiffany’s! O.K., that’s totally untrue; but, they were pretty good and fun to do. Most importantly, I couldn’t eat and bead, lest I devour an earring or two.
Beading, crocheting, and quilting, are projects that have helped to keep me OUT of the kitchen. I can thank them for assisting me in managing my numbers. I can attest that “crafting helps to keep diabetes under control.” 🙂
Seriously, I hope that you can see there’s some truth to what I’m saying. There’s lots more in the realm of crafting andDIY-ing that I’ll discuss in future posts; relating it to the control of my diabetes, of course.
This Dedicated Diabetic is hoping that you’re staying on track towards a healthy lifestyle.
Posted by K Keevins at 11:30 PM 2 comments:
A War is Won, One Battle at a Time
Last week I saw an ad in the paper for a free seminar on Diabetes. There’s always something new to learn, right? I was suspicious, because it didn’t take place in a hospital. I figured the doctor was probably hawking a book, but I’m o.k. with that, so I went with my mind wide open.
The event was held in a hotel — stop laughing. LOL, I did too 🙂
The room was packed, I took the only seat left. Never, and I mean never, have I ever heard anyone speak so fast — I’m talking auction speed! Some of the terms he spit out were, “concierge medicine, supplements, medications.” I listened anyway.
After his spiel, which lasted an hour, I filed away one important statement. It was a fact that I already knew. It wasn’t what he said, it was HOW he said it. Bluntly.
“You have a choice to make,” he said seriously,
“What’s more important to you, your carbs, breads, cakes, cookies, candy, — or your FEET?” What’s more important, your dairy products, cheese, ice cream, — or your VISION?”
He was right. His words slapped me right across the face. Hard, really hard.
Driving home, I felt sad. Quickly, my sadness changed to motivation. This take-away was exactly what I needed. Time to move forward. I removed the word “cheat” from my vocabulary.
Diabetes is no joke.
Recently, my struggle has been increasingly difficult. Shopping, any type of shopping, is torture. You know what I mean. Almost every store has candy at the register. Think about it; the hardware store, the craft store, clothing store. Why? WHY? I venture in to buy a screwdriver, but the sweet-stuff is always there! It’s calling my name — Kathy, one piece won’t hurt. You know you want me! My mouth is watering, and it’s not over the screwdriver. I bite my lip (a sure sign I’m about to slip), my nostrils flare (I really want to smell it; just smell it). It’s so hard to stay on track.
It’s true. It can be torture; but I’m determined. My feet trump junk food. Here’s my plan: DON’T EVEN LOOK. If there are magazines, read the covers. FOCUS on the purchase, not the surrounding temptations. Finally, cha-ching, my item(s) paid for, and I’ve made it out of the store without caving into temptation. Another battle won!
Nobody ever told me this would be easy. I don’t know about you, but I never thought it would be this much of a challenge. Now, with my renovated attitude, do you know what I say to that moaning and groaning? Tough! Just DO it, Kathy. I’m well aware that my quality of life, my life, is at stake.
I choose good health.
And the war continues. I will win! One day-at-a-time.
…and TODAY, mine stinks!
Diary of a Dedicated Diabetic 