Dr. Visit…

Ugh. I’ve not been looking forward to this.

Last week I went for my blood work so my doctor would have it prior to my visit. Friday was my appointment.

She was thrilled. My blood work was great. A1C = 6.6. She was happy, I was disappointed, actually, amazed!  “If you saw what I’ve been eating, you’d never believe that’s accurate.” Dr. G responded, “It will catch up to you, you know that.”  Yeah, yeah. I didn’t respond — she’s ALWAYS right.

For awhile now, I’ve been taking two Metformin instead of three. My goal is to get off them completely. The ONLY way to do that is to stay on track — no diversions. Lately, I’ve been the Queen of Diversions! 

A little over a week ago denial crept in (with a vengeance). I actually ate potato chips and onion dip. 😦  It didn’t kill me, but what a stupid decision. And then there was the pie…cookies… Yes, I didn’t fall off the “wagon” I took a deep-dive plunge. Ugh.

The good news is, I’m back to healthy choices. If I have to have desserts, I’ll be heading to my sugar free Jello or small portions of fresh fruit.

Celebrating with a Gala!

JELLO — Sugar-free and Cook and Serve, Sugar=free pudding. (BLUE box)

Just remember there is such a thing as TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING (fruit can fall right into that category!)

Monitor glucose regularly

Obviously, I didn’t do too much damage, or 6.6 would have been WAY higher. I absolutely do NOT want to go back to 3 Metformin/day, so I’m re-committing myself again to staying on track — DAMN IT! It’s all about accountability, as always. There’s no hiding those numbers and not taking my blood sugar, is just plain irresponsible. I’m determined.

I know that when I’m dedicated and determined, I get involved in a project using my hands. I know when I do the artsy/craftsy thing, I won’t snack/eat the wrong foods.

Stress Relief

I know that when I sit and watch TV, I’m putting myself at risk. Gigunda risk!!! I become bored and troll the cabinets for something “bad.” Rarely do I find anything, because I don’t buy the foods/snacks that I know I shouldn’t be eating. I wish I could tell you that I give up and go back to watching the tube. That would not be true. There are times when I cave. I’ve walked and driven to the corner store or the gas station for a candy bar to “tide me over.”  (I sound like a drug addict. Well, sugar IS a drug!) .

Diabetes sucks. Yes, it does. BUT, there are worse diseases, that’s for sure! So, I’ll be grateful and get back on the bike and do the right thing — one day at a time.

This disease is one heck of a roller-coaster, that’s for sure. Better days ahead.

Back to DAY #1!

 

Mother’s Day — my FAVORITE!

Very delayed posting — my apologies.

I love Mother’s Day, thanks to my two children. 🙂

For many years, we’ve been having Mother’s Day “Events,” meaning — no present needed. God knows I don’t need anything! What could be better than time with my kids? It’s an awesome day; they plan it, tell me what to wear, and I meet them in the city, or they pick me up. It’s one surprise after another.

Every year is a mystery of culture and epicurean delights. Where we dine and what we eat is always surprise, but my children are very “diabetes-aware,” so the choices are typically in line with good health. Thanks, kids!

One year it was a visit to the Morgan Library and Museum, in NYC, for the Bob Dylan Exhibit — I’m a major fan, so I loved every minute. The exhibition was packed with his compositions, writings, instruments — it was spectacular! They recognized and shared my respect for this musical genius. It was a wonderful day.

Another year we went to the Butterfly Exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, which was sheer joy. Butterflies are the symbol of serenity and who doesn’t need more of that? [Don’t panic! Lunch did not include a butterfly entree.]

The expectation was to move through the Butterfly Room, enjoy the beauties, make our way toward the exit and leave the exhibit. I “may” have cheated a tad when we got to the end.

Instead of exiting, I turned, moved back to the beginning of the exhibit and made my way through again. (I just couldn’t leave — they were too beautiful; dressed in bright yellows, oranges, reds and blues, with black accents.) My chickadees followed suit and we laughed as the exquisite butterflies flew around us, landing on our shoulders, arms and legs. It was amazing!

A Yankee Game was the scene of yet another Mother’s Day — more laughter. Hot dogs made me very happy.  (I know! I know!) Only one.

I adore the Bard, so on one special Mother’s Day my kids took me to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens to see the Shakespeare Garden. It was outrageous. The names of plants, flowers, and herbs are weaved throughout his writings and no less than 80 of them were in bloom. It was outrageous. Both interesting and beautiful!

THIS year I was treated to a stop at the New York Historical Society, where my favorite presidential idol stood on the steps in bronze, hat and all! Lincoln is a major favorite of mine.   

Knowing that I’ve been talking about going to Cuba, my children filed that information away for this occasion. So, when we arrived at the Museum of Natural History,

I realized that was our destination. It was obvious, because an enormous sign hung from the side of the building proclaiming the “Cuba Exhibit!”

 

What an outstanding exhibit! There were so many components. There were displays related to music, art, food, the Coral Reef, cigar production, and the list went on.

The produce cart (above) was filled with fruits and vegetables. It seems to me that on a trip to Cuba, I’d be able to stay on the T2D track in terms of dining options! Can’t wait to go!!!

Colors flashed around the exhibits, and it was obvious that the Cubans appreciate art in every form. Modes of transportation were on hand — most of the visitors had an interest in the “old cars!” VERY cool.

We were hoping to eat at a Cuban restaurant, in keeping with this Mother’s Day theme, but we spent so much time “in Cuba” and missed our reservation. Some examples of Cuban food that was displayed at the exhibit are:

We ate vicariously!  🙂  In fact, we had a late lunch at the museum and yes, I stayed on track. Didn’t even have dessert — which for me is HUGE!

Museum-going is also a great way to get in those steps. That was a 10K day!

We’ve had some great Mother’s Days in years gone by — the Tenement Museum, the Rubin Museum, Museum of Art and Design. One year we ate at “The Burger Joint” in Le Parker Hotel Meridian, (Hard to make healthy choices there, but a glass of water ahead of time definitely helped.), THAT was crazy and a LOT of laughs. I dare you to find it! If you’re successful, be sure to sign the wall.

These are only a few of our many adventures but, they’re always a surprise and mostly healthy food choices. GREAT fun!

I’m convinced that drinking water before eating reduces cravings and helps me to make proper choices. I seem to feel “fuller” after drinking eight ounces of H2O.  I think that feeling of NOT being ravenous, helps to keep me sane when perusing the menu. What are your thoughts on that?

 

 

 

Effect of Weather on Appetite?

 

Welcome to Winter in New York

Ha! Not MY favorite time of the year, that’s for sure. We got hit with eight inches on Saturday — beautiful, but messy and dangerous.

I was in NYC with my children, celebrating my birthday (NOT revealing the number!). 🙂  We went to the Met to see the exquisite Christmas Tree, sometimes referred to as the Angel Tree, and Neapolitan Baroque Creche. It’s a sight to behold, regardless of the religion you profess (or don’t). It’s art, at its finest. Put it on your calendar for next year. You won’t regret it — I promise!

“Angel Tree” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

While we were strolling through the museum,  enjoying the VALETIN DE BOULOGNE — BEYOND CARAVAGGIO Exhibit, it was snowing outside; like CRAZY! We were warm, relaxed, and hungry, so we headed to The Petrie Court Cafe, one of the Met’s restaurants, for lunch — so, Let It Snow! 

We had worked up an appetite and feasted on food fit for royalty. Most museum food doesn’t do it for me, but our lunch was deeeelicious! I won’t write the specifics — just the thought of our epicurean delights is making me salivate!  We were full, and moved on to the remainder of our journey in the museum. Evidently, we walked off that full feeling, because…

View of Central Park from Petrie Court Cafe, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC

Later, after viewing some other exhibits, we returned for dessert. Yes, you heard me right — DESSERT! Something I normally skip when out to lunch/dinner; but, C’mon, it was my birthday. I indulged in a serving of dark, chocolate fudge cake with a small scoop of cappuccino gelato — there go my salivary glands, again! Joking, I said to my kids, “What! No candle?” They chuckled, as my daughter reached into her purse and pulled one out. I laughed knowing they couldn’t light it, but just to be on the safe side, I said, “We’ll get thrown out, if you light that!” At that very moment, my son lit a match and they quickly sung Happy Birthday to You, as I made a wish and blew out the candle!

🙂  That was one of many laughs we had on Saturday. More took place in two Uber rides through the snow (to and from Penn Station), along with a serenade — Happy Birthday to You, just prior to my train’s departure. They made sure that the guests at the restaurant, the visitors and employees at the Met, and the passengers on the train wished me a HB! My stomach hurt from laughing; a multitude of thanks to my chickadees for making yet another birthday — SO much fun. Contrary to research, we believe that a sense of humor is genetic — actually, we know that for sure.

BACK TO WEATHER AND APPETITE and T2D.  I don’t know about your inclinations, regarding food and the change in weather, but I know that I definitely BULK UP in winter. Let’s face it, if you live in the “change of season” states, you’ll be cold in the winter months and looking for a nice warm soup or stew, hot coffee or tea. For me, the warm summer weather signals salads and cold drinks.

That being said, it’s been really cold here in the Northeast of the U.S. and so, along with donning my long johns, I HAVE been drinking a lot of herbal tea and eating heavier meals (while monitoring my blood sugar, I might add).  HOLY METEOROLOGY! Our temperatures ranged from the 20’s on Saturday (with 8″ of the white stuff), moving up to 46 degrees today (Wednesday), to a predicted possibility of 60 tomorrow!

Jones Beach, of course!

CRAZY! BEACH WEATHER! So where will that put our food cravings tomorrow? Chicken salad, tuna salad, big fat Greek Salad? Dare I say, ice cream? NOOOOooooo. I won’t go that far. Just as the outdoor plants are getting confused with the roller-coaster weather, our internal barometers may not know which way to direct us in terms of food. But fret not, It’s “suspected” that the thermostat will take a dive into the 20’s come Saturday, and then rise up once again during next week.

What to eat? That is the question — not Shakespeare!

It matters not the weather (feeling British), the bottom line is that this Type 2 Diabetic must stay on track — regardless of the barometer.

• Monitor blood sugar levels
• Exercise — in my case, walk, walk, WALK
• Eat properly (Yes, we ALL know what that means!)

Monitor glucose regularly

Started WALKING!

Enjoy the journey, folks. We’re going to be just fine,   🙂   despite the weather.

Day #2, 2017! 5 Steps to Keeping on Track

Can you believe it? 2017!

It’s so cliché, but time REALLY does fly. My plan is to make the most — on EVERY level — of 2017. This T2D will beat the hell out of her A1C.  🙂

Cleaning out my refrigerator and freezer is how I started my day. Then, I moved on to food shopping to be sure my cupboards are filled with healthy choices. NO excuses!

I made a batch of sugar-free raspberry Jello, in an effort to be prepared when the sugar beast invades my brain! Sugar-free jello seems to calm “him” down.

“SUGAR BEAST”

I have visions of him “dancing in my head” — NOT “sugar-plum fairies,” the Sugar BEAST! But, it’s okay. I’m prepared to “take care of him” in 2017. BRING IT ON, BEAST!  🙂

Next on my agenda is to create a pot of piping hot Vegetable Barley Soup. It’s threatening to get colder here in the Northeast, and I’ll be ready.  I love to make soup and freeze individual portions. It just makes life easier, and the individual portions help to keep my blood sugar levels in check.

Exercise = IMPORTANT

My walking buddy and I conferred and we’re starting 2017 off on the “right foot” (pun intended)!  We’ll have to walk the mall, but it really doesn’t matter as long as one foot is planted firmly in front of the other! Walking is the #1 way to lower my blood sugar — works EVERY time.

Monitoring my blood sugar has to be at the top of my list, even though it’s a ROYAL pain in the butt. The bottom line is that I know when I write it down (my definition of “monitoring”), I have a MUCH better chance of staying on track.

Monitor glucose regularly

 

So, here’s how 2017 is shaking out thus far. I will be keeping on track by following these 5 STEPS:

1.  Keeping diabetes-friendly foods, not just in the cabinets but, prepared to eat at any time.
2. Maintaining awareness of the SUGAR BEAST lurking around every corner.
3. Preparing and freezing individual portions of foods. Portion control is imperative, if I am to succeed on this journey.
4. Exercising: God bless my “walking buddy,” Maureen,  — she keeps me accountable. You too can have one — ask around!
5. Monitoring my blood sugar.

There are MANY PATHS we can take on this journey

Just a path…

North Carolina, USA

Florence, Italy

with lots twists and turns and forks in the road but, with the support of other Type 2 Diabetics, I believe we can make healthy choices and be successful.

There are a multitude of  choices — let’s take the right path towards a healthy diabetic life!

GOOD LUCK in 2017, folks!

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s My Chance…

Sunday, November 6, 2016

Turning the clock back and, with the extra hour in the morning, I’m hoping to get my sleep schedule on track. I’d love to say, “BACK on track,” but that wouldn’t be truthful. My sleep patterns/habits are horrendous — I’m a night owl. I’ve tried to change that for years, but to no avail.

Going to bed at a decent time is the most difficult part for me. As an adult, I’ve always gone to bed after midnight. My sleep pattern is usually somewhere between 3 to 5 hours, if I’m lucky. I’ve tried developing a routine; i.e., early to bed, early to rise… A cup of hot caffeine-free tea, a dull book, meditation, a warm bath, ocean sounds,  a mist of lavender spray, or a warm shower before bed. I’ve set the alarm for an early hour, with the plan of starting my day with a walk. Up and at ’em, is what I’ve attempted. “Attempted” is the operative word. Attempted, but with little or no success.  😦

ANY SUGGESTIONS? Do you have the same issue?   

WHY is this so important to me???  I believe that sleep, or the lack thereof, effects everything — including diabetes.

So, with that in mind, this Type 2 Diabetic is off to bed. Wish me luck!

 

 

REVERSING Diabetes? Progress!

August 26, 2016, Friday

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.

Wish me luck!

 

August 1st — HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)

Monday, August 1, 2016

As promised, this morning, I put my best foot forward —  DAY #1! 

Started out by checking my blood sugar = 106, weight = 137.0 lbs. Continued 3x during the course of the day. Numbers were level.

Drank 4 oz. of V-8 juice.

Walked from 8:30 – 9:15, in between the rain drops.

Returned home and had breakfast (1/2 peach, 1 slice whole wheat bread/peanut butter) This is the most difficult meal of the day for me. I’m allergic to eggs — everyone’s favorite breakfast food! I’ll be working on finding alternatives for healthy breakfasts.

Jumped in the shower, then off to my writing group  (11 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

Dr. app’t 2:00 p.m

Oops — lunch? Didn’t happen.  😦   Got to dr. office early. Chinese take out across the street. I ran in and got a cup of chicken/rice soup. (ate half.  It’s something…)

5:00 p.m. — HIT THE BRAKES — Kathy:  You’re diabetic — EAT!

5:30 p.m. — Prepare and eat dinner. (bowl barley, vegetable soup/a few saltine crackers.

7:00 p.m. — Dessert (sugar-free pudding. Dollop of whipped cream).

SLOW DOWN — bedtime routine.  This is the most difficult time of the day for me. Why? because most people would refer to it as “bed”time but I’m just getting rolling. My plan is to start to slow down around 8:00 p.m. and actually go to bed at 10:00 p.m.  I brought a cup of chamomile tea to bed with me and started to read.  Perfect, right? It would have been, except that I realized I hadn’t finished my blog. I broke the #1 Sacred Rule of Nighttime Routine — I grabbed my laptop. Ugh. I know better than that! Quickly, I finished this post and now, it’s off to bed for this Type 2 Diabetic.

A quick spray or two of my Lavender and Vanilla Pillow Mist, and off to sleep I go.

Tomorrow? I’ll start over and improve each aspect all the way through the day!

Sleep tight!

 

 

My NEW “TRUTH TELLER”

STILL — Saturday, March 26, 2016

True to my word, late this afternoon I headed out for Bed, Bath & Beyond, to purchase my new scale.  It’s going to be great, I thought.  Finally, truth about my weight.  (Who knows how long this deception has been going on? — See prior post “My Scale and Moi”)

As I wandered up and down the aisles, I made a decision to buy a basic scale — no bells and whistles. I just need it to tell me my exact weight — that’s it!  Sounds simple, right?

When I found the aisle that displayed the scales, I was stunned! The variety was outrageous. Remember, I just want a scale that will report my “tonnage.” That’s not too much to ask, is it?

The prices ranged from $19.99 – $179.99!  C’mon. I don’t want it to cook dinner for me — just WEIGH me!

I walked from one to the other, checking out the absurd features — I mean, it’s a SCALE, people! Just a scale!  Evidently, we can no longer put the words “just” and “scale” in the same sentence.

Now listen carefully — you won’t want to miss ANY of this important information.  Here’s what I learned:

Most of the scales have USER MEMORY  (to keep track of the weight) for other members of your family — I swear!

BONE MASS ANALYSIS and BODY ANALYSIS (whatever they mean) are additional features.

Tempered safety glass — okay, I can accept that.

High visibility, LCD, LARGE digital readout display, of course, was of primary importance.  I agree, these eyes aren’t getting any younger.

Here’s an outstanding feature, if you can decipher it:  Multiple Load Cell Technology.  What is that? The box “explains” that it uses precision electronic strain gauges for extremely accurate weight measurements.   🙂  Well, it sounds like I won’t be able to complain that it LIES to me!

One last feature. I hope you’re sitting down…  Bio-impedance analysis (BIA) — It measurers each user’s body fat %,  body water %, bone mass index!

Well, thank God! I’ll sleep tonight, knowing that my scale is taking such good “care” of me.

Here’s what I read on the box that met MY criteria:

1. Durable Construction  (Check!)
2. Easy-to-use  (Check!)
3. Elegant styling (Who really cares? IT’S A SCALE!!!)

 

Here’s what I bought,*  $29.99 later and with a 20% off coupon.   NOW I just have to figure out how to use it…

Seriously, I just needed a scale…

That being said, tomorrow morning I will begin what I expect will be an honest, long-term relationship with my NEW  “TRUTH TELLER!”

This post falls into the category of “You Can’t Make It Up!”

* DISCLAIMER:  I bought this Weight Watchers Scale but I am not a member.  (A sale is a sale.)

Spring — Holy Cow!

Sunday, March 20, 2016

This baby finally opened completely this morning.  So pretty.  For a moment, I actually believed that Spring had Sprung!

 

But, Alas! It’s 10:00 p.m. and the view from my bedroom windows looks more like New Years than Spring.  IT’S SNOWING!  I know it was predicted, but I was in denial — Big time.  I just made a mistake and checked the weather station. What was I thinking???  My area is expected to get 2 – 6 inches of the white stuff!

 

My poor baby daffodil will probably be dead by morning, along with its “siblings” and the lone crocus, “twins,” cold and covered by the…”S” word.

 

 

I’m telling myself, —it will be fine, soon it will be beach weather, and this will have just been a bad dream.  Soon.

AND, as the weather warms up, so will my diabetes management routine.  Lots of rough spots this winter; I’ve admitted it. I flipped and flopped like crazy, but I gave it my best shot.

I LOVE salads in the summer but they just don’t do it for me when the weather’s cold.  Tonight’s dinner was grilled swordfish, asparagus, and a slice of tomato. That’s it.  It was good and my walk, prior to dinner, added to my appetite. But, remember, it’s the walk after dinner that will help to lower blood sugar levels.

Looking forward to the “real” spring — it’s coming, I just know it!  🙂

Blood Sugar = 130   Weight: 150.2 lbs.

 

And the Oscar goes to…

Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016

And the Oscar goes to…YOU!  

…ME!

I’m watching The Academy Awards. I love to watch the Oscar nominees, winners, and the tiny snippets of films that have been made in the past year.

These are an incredible group of people who work hard every day, studying, practicing, striving to do their personal best. They overcome obstacles in their work and in their lives and THEY REACH THEIR GOALS!

So do WE.  Every minute of each day,  Type 2 Diabetics go through the exact same process — we work hard everyday to stay on track (sometimes just to get on track!). We study and learn as much as we can about diabetes (“Know Thine Enemy”), so that we can fight it, beat it, and sometimes just get along with it. We practice, using the tools we have, to get and stay healthy — and then, we do our personal best — even though sometimes it’s not good enough.

My fellow T2D’s — please stand, go up to the stage and grab YOUR Oscar.  You deserve it! While you’re standing in front of the microphone to say your thank you’s, be sure to recognize your doctors, nurses, family members and friends who have been encouraging and helping you along this journey.

GOOD FOR YOU!

Gotta go — they just called my name.   🙂

Congratulations everyone, on the hard work you do each day to stay healthy!

 

 

 

 

 

121 = Blood Sugar                149 lbs