Getting a Second Chance

Getting A Second Chance

It seems that a lot of people in my family have diabetes. I guess we were lucky or something. On one side of the family every cousin, aunt, and uncle struggle to keep their sugar levels low so they won't have to face the consequences down the road.

Some do better than others.

Others seem to totally ignore the condition, which is hard for me to understand.

I know it is difficult to accept; but, there isn't a cure, so deal with it. I think the most shocking moment for me was when my doctor looked at me and said, "This is what you are going to have to do to combat this disease."

Disease—who said anything about a disease. I just got a little sugar diabetes, nothing to worry about.

Well, that thought lasted all of two minutes and then the cold hard facts set in; this is serious and life threatening.

One of my family members has been given a second chance with this dreaded scourge. I think they got their wakeup call. Diabetes can't be cured but it can be managed quite well if you put your mind to it.

I'm the Diabetic Diva tune in next time when I hope to discuss the successful implementation of an exercise program into my daily regime.

The Diva speaks again

My favorite Diabetic Diva

The last time we were together I mentioned that I may or may not talk about exercise in my next discussion on diabetes. I've decided that I wanted you to know about something else.

So, please bear with me as I give you a descriptive reflection on my daily injections.

I'd like to meet the person that said my body was to be used as a human pincushion.

No, I'm not into acupuncture.

I'm not one of the carnival people that like to put needles all over their bodies.

I don't have an tatoos.

I'm one of the lucky people that rely on a needle to give my body insulin to keep me alive. I don't think I worked very hard for this honor. I surely didn't want to be the best in my field. Who wants to stick needles in their bodies? Not once, but four times a day.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. It's a lot better than the alternative, if you know what I mean. But sometimes, you just get tired of doing it.

Depending on the time of day a typical injection can go like this:

Locate syringe for the injection and decide which insulin you will be using. Locate area you will be injecting and cleanse with an alcohol pad. Pull desired amount of air into syringe for injection into insulin bottle. Depress air into insulin bottle and then draw desired amount of insulin into the syringe. Hold needle up to the light and tap the side to release any air pockets. Pinch up the skin and insert needle into your desired locale (stomach, thigh, arm, hip, butt, or anywhere you can reach) scream like mad when you hit a nerve and depress the plunger until all of the insulin has been successfully transferred from the syringe into your body. Withdraw needle and discard properly.

I do this four times a day. I begin my day with a shot to the stomach and end my day with a shot in the ass.

For now, I'm the Diabetic Diva, and kids, don't play with the needles.

The Diabetic Diva Is Back

I'm trying to eat the diabetic way—which is a diet consisting mainly of fruits and vegetables, small amounts of proteins and even smaller amounts of carbohydrates. It isn't working very well.

Why?

I'm glad you asked. I'm a meat and potatoes kind of girl. I don't like all of those fancy vegetables like peppers, onions and sprouts. I like beans, peas, corn, and my favorite, potatoes.

I love potatoes cooked any way. Fried, mashed, steamed, baked, au gratin, boiled; I'm beginning to salivate just a little. Anyhow, mashed potatoes with brown gravy are my favorite food.

There's only one problem: Potatoes are very high in carbohydrates, and, as you know, carbs break down into sugar which your body then uses to provide you with energy.

Wait! Slow down! Hold up a minute! I know what you're saying. Aren't diabetics supposed to avoid sugar? After all, the term sugar diabetes has been used to describe Diabetes Mellitus for many years.

You would be correct. But, it just isn't potatoes; it's also rice, bread and grains, everything that I enjoy. I was raised on a farm and we didn't grow bean sprouts; we grew potatoes, corn and beans. I really think it's hard to change a way of eating that I grew up with.

Shoot, I gave up the desserts! I once had a doctor tell me that he would rather I ate a piece of cake instead of a baked potato. Go figure!

All the Diabetic Diva is saying is that I don't mind altering my diet in some ways to keep my glucose levels low, but, leave my taters alone. That's one food I'm not giving up!

Tune in next time when the discussion may or may not involve exercise.

Diabetic Diva and Desserts

My favorite Diabetic Diva checks in:

I've developed a bad habit and I think that it is affecting my cat as well. I like to cook, especially desserts, but I don't normally eat them for myself. I'll take them to work or give them to family or friends.

After years of being deprived of dessert because of diabetes I have started to sample my tasty treats. That, in itself, isn't a bad thing. It started out quite innocently, I would go to the refrigerator and open the door just to sneak a peek at the dessert. I never tasted it; I just looked at it. However, each time I opened the refrigerator, the cat, no matter what he was doing would come to investigate. He would look, I would look and then he would look up at me with a look that seemed to say, "What are we having?"

So, that's how it started. I would have just a small tiny piece of something scrumptious and the cat would get a bite too.

This had gone on for several months and I think was beginning to add a few extra pounds to both of us and make our sugars higher than normal. I decided that I was going to stop cooking--just the desserts and focus on something more healthier.

The cat doesn't see it this way.

Now, every time I open the fridge for anything whether it's a cold drink, a tasteless baby carrot or a stick of butter I am met with a sulking, annoyed kitty who wants to know what happened to his desserts.

His disgust is mutual, I miss the desserts too; but I don't miss my waistline which seems to be shrinking since I stopped making dessert.

Tune in next time when the Diabetic Diva will discuss something other than the yummy food that she and her cat aren't supposed to eat.

The Diabetic Diva returns

The latest from my favorite Diva:

I got a call from my veterinarian a few weeks ago informing me that they were discontinuing the insulin that my cat uses.

What?

You heard me correctly, my cat is a diabetic just like I am.

My insulin costs are $120.00 for two different kinds of insulin and usually lasts about three weeks.

My cat's insulin costs $125.00 and will usually last about a month.

Those costs are just for the insulin, it doesn't include the syringes that are needed to inject the insulin subcutaneously.

I have health insurance, my cat doesn't.

There will never be a cure for diabetes, because there is so much money to be made from the poor folks who have it.

However, there is a bright side: My cat's new insulin is only going to cost $25.00 a bottle. I guess the insurance and pharmaceutical companies realized that my cat was never going to be able to pay them a dime.

Tune in next time when I discuss my favorite topic: Just desserts.