Diabetes Health Talk

My name is Lessa, and I’m the daughter of the previous writer of this blog, Barbara. She’s moved on with other things (but is still knitting away!) and when I opted to expand my list of sites to obsess over at 451Press, it seemed natural that take over here.

A little bit about me, while I’m getting my feet wet here on a ’serious’ blog. I, myself, am not diabetic currently (much to the shock of my doctors, as I am rather round and Rubenesque.) but as Barbara explained before me, my dad is, and has been battling the Diabetic Demons since I was but a wee lass. My sister also fights against her blood sugar among other ailments, in between running Triathlons. (If I’m not careful, she’s going to take over my ‘Good Daughter’ status!) It’s highly likely that if I don’t start to behave soon, I’ll be on that sugarless train too.

I’m a SAHM, 38 widowed with three kids - two teenagers (16 and 14) and a 9 year old. Oddly enough, I don’t worry so much for my health (Yes mom, I know I should even more now) but for that of my kids, though changes are hard to make. I’ve two kids who are overweight - though not as bad as me, not even close - and one with a metabolism that boggles the mind. She works off meals by BREATHING. Seriously. I’m hoping that while I write this blog, and delve farther into the issues, it will cause me to get off my ass and try something new.

Covered in butter. Dipped in chocolate. And wrapped in bacon.

…wait, where was I?

Introductions! Yeah!

Clearly I’m a bit more irreverent then your your every day medical type blogger. It stems from a severe dislike of research, and a healthy dose of snark. Please feel free to comment, use the comment form, say hello, say “OMG WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WOMAN”, and be as opinionated as you wish. All I ask is for common courtesies - we’re not here to attack one another, but to help.

So bare with me while I get a handle on this here ’serious’ thing, hm? We’ll have fun. I promise. (Yes, I’m completely aware of the connundrum there. Heh.)

Today . . . at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month we salute our Veterans in thanks for all that they have done for us.

A few years ago I discovered that Taps (played at funeral services for men and women who have served in the US armed forces, as well as at memorial events) has not only a haunting melody, but the following words:

Words to Taps
(Note: there are no “official” words to Taps - below are the most popular.)

Day is done,
gone the sun,
From the hills,
from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well,
safely rest,
God is nigh.
Go to sleep,
peaceful sleep,
May the soldier
or sailor,
God keep.
On the land
or the deep,
Safe in sleep.

Thanks and praise,
For our days,
‘Neath the sun,
Neath the stars,
‘Neath the sky,
As we go,
This we know,
God is nigh.

I can no longer hear this haunting medly played without a lump in my throat.

This page has a “history” of Taps.

My thanks to all who have served . . . those who are still serving . . . and to those who have lost loved ones in service. I have a grand uncle and an uncle buried in Arlington National Cemetery. And, my father and his brothers all served in the Army during WWII. All have now been laid to rest in various places.

I salute you and thank you all for your selfless service to “man and country.”

Back in September I wrote about Billy Garcia (from Survivor) doing a walk for Diabetes. I was privileged to be the one to put Billy over the top in his fundraising efforts. Of course, I hope that someone else gave even more money than I was able to donate - so that his fundraising totals would be even higher.

It seems that Billy has a heart for those with diabetes. He is going to compete in the Reality Castaways Dodgeball event in early December to benefit Reality for Diabetes.

How can you help?

Come watch or even better, play against, no wait, even better, play with your favorite past Contestants from the CBS show Survivor in a Celebrity Dodgeball tournament. Then hang out for a special VIP after party where you can rub elbows and hear stories about Reality TV’s biggest Reality TV Show.

In the First Tounament, Fans will compete with and against the Reality Castaways then in the second Tournament watch teams from Fiji, Cook Islands, Guatemala, Vanuatu, Asia(Thailand & a surpise), Panama(Exile & Allstars), and a Hybrid Bomb Squad compete(Palau, Pearl Islands & Exile).

There are 4 ways you can get involved to help raise money for a great cause.

1) Purchase a ticket to the event/after party - Cost $100
2) Purchase a VIP pass and participate in the tournament against your favorite Survivor contestants - Cost $150
3) Purchase the Immunity Idol pass and get to play on a team with your favorite Survivor contestants - Cost $200
4) Make a seperate donation to help us find a cure.

Check the above website for more VERY IMPORTANT!!! information, okay?

And, Billy . . . thanks from the bottoms of our hearts! Muah!

Billy Garcia, Survivor, diabetes, Survivor Dodgeball

Really . . . I know it’s been a bit quiet over here, but that is just life in this house at this point. We all go through things, right?

Hubby has been a bit down since his cataract surgery - oh, the surgery went well and his recovery from THAT has been all good . . . but . . .

He caught a bit of a chill up in the big city while pumping gas. From there it was kind of all downhill - he couldn’t get warm for several days and huddled under his blankie in his chair sipping echinacea tea and taking vitamin C.

As if that weren’t enough, then he discovered a sore on one of his toes - as you all know, diabetic foot ulcers are NOTHING to play around with. He immediately made an appointment to see his doctor and got some antibiotic cream for the toe. He also brought home a script for hyperbaric treatments. They have helped heal foot ulcers in the past.

Then, of course, my mind went a little crazy . . . would getting all that oxygen treatments blow out his eyeball from the recent cataract surgery?????? A call to the big city docs was in order. I was reassured that the treatments would NOT cause any harm to the new eye. And, so we go on one day at a time.

In the meantime, daughter, Lessa, has flown the coop to CA to visit friends and family - leaving us with her treasured children. We are blessed big time.

Part of a diabetic’s daily regimen should be a complete and healthy breakfast. I often get health tips from AARP’s Route 66 website. Today’s was about eating a good breakfast and how that will fortify your day, keep you more alert, and how it really, REALLY, is the very best thing you can do for yourself.

Add to that - exercise! Yeah, that dreaded many lettered word - EXERCISE!

I think we would all agree that it is TOUGH in this day and age - we are all super busy with our lives. We work, and even if we don’t “work”, believe me, we WORK! Whether it be with household chores or running around after our kids (or grandkids) we work.

It can be hard to find the time - or the energy - to go to the gym and work out. Just one sweaty body among many sweaty bodies - right?

Sometimes we just have to force ourselves to get into the routine of getting up just a bit earlier, forgoing that morning sit down with a cuppa and the papah. We have to force ourselves to find some activity we can stick with, and, well, stick with it.

My current enjoyment comes from an early morning (VERY early) workout at the high school pool with my youngest daughter. She and I meet at the pool in time to shower and suit up before the gates are opened at 6:30 am. Then she swims laps while I do this funny looking (I’m sure) jog/walk thing in laps.

Only, of course, since I’m walking I can only do half laps in the 100 yard pool. I walk to the 5 foot level, turn and tread against the oncoming wash of water that I was bringing with me to that point. Then, when I get my feet under me and some forward motion, again I jog back to the end of the pool. I meet my daughter there about once every three laps.

We talk and we laugh and we have a jolly good time.

Then we chart our mileage over at AARP’s Get Fit on Route 66 page. How much fun is that???
—————–
Speaking of fun . . . Be sure to check out Lessa’s Big Brother Craze in the next little while. She seems to have something up her sleeve, that one.

reality tv show I know nothing about. Hmmmm - that could be because we only have basic, basic, less than basic, cable tv in our home. We watch a LOT of AFN, you see.

At any rate, daughter Lessa sent me the link to Bret Michaels and Rock of Love - apparently Bret has had diabetes since the age of 6 and he is sharing and educating the lovelies vying for his love.

In one episode he even allowed his date to give him his insulin - after having all of the women inject an orange first to see who had the best touch. He used the top of his butt cheek (more fatty tissue there) and chose the smallest needle he had. Says she did a great job.

There are lots of celebrities who have diabetes, I’m sure. (It only stands to reason - since there are a lot of people in the world who have diabetes.) One who comes to mind is Mary Tyler Moore. I used to watch her on tv when I was a child. She has been very active in fundraising and working to raise awareness.

A quote attributed to Mary Tyler Moore: Diabetes is an all-too-personal time bomb which can go off today, tomorrow, next year, or 10 years from now - a time bomb affecting millions like me and the children here today.

Even though Bret is only 13 years my junior, and Mary Tyler Moore is 14 years my senior - I feel a lot closer to her - having grown up with her in my front room. It’s all a matter of perspective, I guess.

After a morning of honey-do type things - which included the purchase of a new mattress for our bed (yay!) hubby and I decided to go for a drive - we didn’t really care where we ended up - we just set out on the road.

For the most part, I am the driver in our family. At least, I am whenever it is the two of us in the car. Hubby is content to sit back, relax, and let me be his chauffeur. Sometimes we quibble about WHERE we are going - today he told me that he didn’t care.

So I turned left towards the mountains and Anchorage late this afternoon - did not intend to go all the way to Anchorage as that is a loooooong trip to start that late in the day. Nope, just driving to be driving.

We stopped in Cooper Landing to deposit liquid and to pick up some liquid. Water, sillies!

Water is VERY important to everyone, but VERY, VERY important for diabetics.

As we left the little store and headed back for home, I took an unplanned detour by taking a left turn. “Have you ever seen the Cooper Landing post office?” I asked hubby. Nope, neither had I . . . so we drove a short way up Snug Harbor Rd. to see it.

Then we kept going - and going - and going some more. We reached the end of the pavement and decided we had not seen all that we wanted to see, so we kept going. After all, what is an Alaskan adventure with a few (10+) miles of gravel road????

Exactly!

This is where the water came in very handy. Driving on a dusty road is well, thirsty work. Hubby opened his bottle of water and drank with gusto. So good tasting at a time like this.

We finally reached the end of the road - at a small lake. We are thinking from this map that it is Upper Russian Lake.

Whatever the name - however far back that road went - the view was priceless. And, so was the time spent with hubby.

Hope you had the same sort of day.

water, diabetes, diabetic, fun day

maybe not - actually - absolutely not

Mushrooms are great to eat, but this is not - this is a toadstool and poisonous. It is also quite plentiful around small town Alaska right now due to the amount of rain and cool weather we’ve had lately.

Pretty to see - pretty to picture - not so pretty if eaten, or so I’m told. I am a bit leery of even attempting to gather ’shrooms up here without an expert (of whom there are only a couple I would trust) alongside me to guide me and show me which are safe to harvest and eat.

Here is some good information from the California Poison Control System - on symptoms and such in case you get a little venturous yourself.

Bear in mind that the American Diabetes Organization website food pyramid includes mushrooms in its list of vegetables diabetics (and all of us) should eat. They suggest that more veggies be added to tomato sauce, for instance.

Tonight I have a tomato based soup simmering on the stove - with chicken and lots of fresh veggies. No mushrooms, however. Maybe next time.

apropos of this subject, the Palmer State Fair is weighing its giant cabbage entries tonight. That’s a lot of coleslaw, folks. Be sure to check out the Veggie Cam!

veggies, mushrooms, toadstools, veggie soup, yummy

This site is currently in need of a writer. If you have any interest in writing on the topic this site covers, feel free to submit an application at 451 Press. Thank you.

451 Press, Diabetes, Writers Needed

Hello All!

Today I want to talk about Fibromyalgia and children. Fibromyalgia is a hard disease to diagnosis. It usually takes 4 years to be officially diagnosed, however our children are suffering. As hard as it is to have Diabetes as a child it is especially hard for a child to have Fibro.

Fibromyalgia causes pain throughout the body, which can not be detected by todays equipment and in turn looks as though the child is ok. The frustration this can bring to a family is enormous.
Most parents tell the child it is simply growing pains when it is in fact not.

We have become a society which relys strictly on what the doctor says, and while a physician is our best guess, they too are limited to what they can do. All of the conditions and diseases we know about today at one time did not exist. They were also found through medical science.

The human body to has a great amount of mystery and we must realize that the doctors are just as human as you or I. As my mother once said “All Humans make mistakes” yes even your doctor!

The symptoms for Fibromyalgia are very generalized right now making it difficult to rule out other conditions:

1. fatigue
2. confusion/fibro fog
3. generalized pain in muscles/joints
4. reoccurring infections

If you feel you may have these symptoms contact you local physician.

for more information on Fibromyalgia and Diabetes contact:

American Diabetes Association:
www.diabetes.org

Until Next Time,
Smiles!
Lisa

Note: Today a great wrestler was found dead, Chris Benoit to discuss this or read more on the topic go to:
www.unmaskinginsanity.blogspot.com

Salutations!
Today I would like to give a few key tips for Diabetic Travelers.These are things you should think about before you get on the plane, train, bus, car, etc… Not only will it keep you safe but others around you as well.

Being a diabetic has a large responsibility it is important that you eat regularly. Stay on the same schedule. This will throw off your schedule. Keeping a very strict schedule will insure there are no hypoglycemic episodes.

When learning you will be traveling, instead of looking for your luggage you should be looking for your meter. Be sure before you leave you have a nice sized meal.

Some Tips For the Road:

1. always wear your id bracelet, or get on if you don’t

2. be sure someone is traveling with you

3. carry your meter with you where ever you go.

4. Do not let the stress of the trip get to you.

5. Carry a snack or carbohydrate with you(i.e. Orange Juice, Crackers, etc…)

6. Keep a log of your sugar levels when traveling!

It is always important to keep track of how you are feeling when traveling, not only can you hurt yourself but others also. When traveling long distances you may want to make periodic stops to use the restroom and stretch your legs. Constant sitting can be hard on diabetics.

For more information on this topic follow the links below or ask your general physician!
Happy Travels!

American Diabetes Association:

Give information on diabetic travel, as well as things to bring with you.

www.diabetes.org

Until next time!
Smiles,
Lisa

Good Morning All!

As diabetics we often concern ourselves with measuring sugar levels, eating healthy, and taking our medication. Unfortunately that is not all we need to worry about when it comes to diabetes. For those of you that are newly diagnosed or are know someone who was recently diagnosed, there are many other things that require regular attention. The feet being one!

We don’t pay a lot of attention to our feet generally until something goes wrong, or they hurt! However diabetics must pay special attention to this area. Think of it as pampering. For women this should be easy, and though we use our feet everyday how many of you truly look at them?

Most foot complications can be prevented by looking at them daily. Who else would know your feet better then you. To help you understand the things that can be harmful or should require a doctors care I have included a list of how to examine our feet.

Diabetic Foot Exam:

1. Examine them after washing: It is best to exam them after washing, because it makes it easier to see small details when the feet are wet. It also develops a daily routine.

2. Make sure that you look over the entire foot: The front, back, side, bottom!
Most people think this is something one would know, but the larger majority would look at the top and go!

3. Separate each toe and examine in between: You know the saying ” out of site, out of mind!” This is an area that can be affected fast, and since we don’t usually pay attention to this area it is important to check daily.

4. Look for change in texture of skin: Sometimes patches appear on the feet when the skin is drying out. Diabetes cause dryness of the skin.

5. Look for discoloration in the skin: Around the toes, and top of foot.

6. Make sure the heels and bottom of feet are not rough or dry: This causes cracking in the feet, leading to infection and sometimes amputation.

To find more information on diabetic foot exams go to the following links or ask your physician:

American Diabetes Association:

Foot Care, exercises, daily planning.

www.diabetes.org\

Mayo Clinic:

Has informative information on foot care, symptoms of trouble, and complication related to diabetes.

www.mayoclinic.com

Next time we will be discussing complications related to the feet.

Until next time
Smiles,
Lisa

Greetings all!
Yesterday it was brought to my attention that following a Nutritional diet is not always easy.Two of the reasons are:

1. Cost of Food: Their are many Americans today that suffer from diabetes and its complications, and have trouble controlling it simply because they can not afford to eat the diet prescribed to them.

2. Lack of control: Many of us simply can control ourselves enough to change the way we eat. We often go back to our normal diet simply because it is easier.

However when is change ever easy? That is why it is important no only to teach ourselves how to eat healthy but teach our children as well. Give them a head start now so why they reach our age it will be normal for them!

I have been researching support for people with Diabetes, and complication related to diabetes for help with at least on of these reasons. The lack of money should never hinder ones health though often it does.

Please look at the links below for assistance with food or related items:

United Way 2-1-1:

This Group finds resources for assistance in your area, financial, support, charities , etc…

www.211.org

Nassau University Medical Center:

This facility provides financial assistance, as well as food services.

www.numc.edu

I hope this information has been of service. I will provide additional links daily to support for diabetic services. Please share your expericnces on the links for others benefit.

Until next time
Smiles,
Lisa
www.lifewithasthma.blogspot.com

Hey Everyone!

Often times people become diagnosed with diabetes and are unaware of what that means, or what they have. I would like to help with that, by explaining a little more about it. Today I want to discuss Type 2 Diabetes. There are a few forms of Diabetes we will go over the next few days!

So please come back to read about the other forms later. I want to start out with this form because it is the most common form. It is found in 80%+ cases in the U.S. today!

Type 2 Diabetes is also known as Insulin resistant diabetes, and Adult onset Diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes often appears in adults later in life because their body become resistant to the insulin in which it makes. When this happens the body can not remove the sugar from the blood stream and it causes it to “Back up” raising the blood sugar level.

An elevated blood sugar level can wreak much havoc in the body over time. This is why it is important to be tested and treated when it is first suspected. If you have Diabetes in your family there is a 20% greater risk of you developing Type 2 Diabetes in your life.

Prevention of this is an important factor. Since Diabetes is a hereditary disease it is better to prepare yourself, be knowledgeable, and take care of yourself to help lessen your chances of getting Diabetes in the future.

Check back later for prevention, risk factors and symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes!

Below are some links for further reference to Type 2 Diabetes:

American Diabetes Association:
This organization provides support and resources for diabetics both online,as well as by phone.
To contact them go to:

www.diabetes.org

The Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology:
This organization provides one-on-one counseling, nutritional support, and treatment for diabetes.

For more info on these services go to:

www.smmmc.org

The Center for Diabetes:
Provides services for diabetics, for more info on their services and treatment options go to:

www.centerfordiabetes.org

I hope this helps you a little bit on what Type 2 diabetes is. I will go over the risk factors, symptoms and prevention in the days ahead!

Until than,

Smiles,
Lisa Robertson

Dealing with diabetes is a hard task to manage. Though remembering all the appointments and checkups is a even harder burden. So what things can we do to help us manage our tasks, tests, and appointments more efficiently?

In order to get a hold on our everyday life with diabetes we must find out what things are most important to remember as diabetics. As I am sure you are aware having a life and managing our diabetes can be quite a juggling act!

However there are several things to help you balance it out!

For instance:

1. Keeping a daily log: Documenting our sugar levels for the day, will help us know if our medications are working!
2. Writing down what you eat: This will help monitor the foods you eat and how they affect your levels on a daily basis.
3. Getting a timer for your medication: When you have diabetes keeping track of when to take your next dose and when you took the last dose are often difficult. This will provide a reminder so you are not alone.
4. Asking for help: it may sound strange or simple for me to state this but several of us do not like to ask for help. We feel we do not need to have someone fuss over us. Or we do not want to be a burden to our families. However it is important to ask for help sometimes, especially when diabetes is a contributing factor! Which it is!

Below are links to resources for diabetics: Take a look and see what you think

http://www.diabetesorganizer.com
The planner and logbook for diabetics

www.dlife.com

Diabetic Community, provides support and resources for diabetics!

www.usnews.com
Provides news and information for diabetics!

Take a look at these sites and help yourself as well as others keep up with diabetes!

Until Next time!

Smiles,
Lisa Robertson