Halloween...aka diabetic genocide!

I love Halloween, but I always eat way too many sweets. This year, one way I have tried to curb my sweet intake is to buy small containers of playdough to give out instead of candy. (I probably won't eat those.) Usually I eat a lot while I am giving out candy. I tried buying candy that I don't like, but that didn't work. It turns out that my craving for sugar is not thwarted by the fact that I don't actually like the candy with the sugar in it. lol

On a lighter note (future pun) I fit into my skinnier jeans tonight and have lost 4 lbs. I am bringing my insulin to Leann's party because I take it at 6, and I need to keep up my ritual. (Like a 2 year old) I am now taking 40 units twice a day, but the readings are coming down. I am starting dance classes at Payton's studio. I want to take tap. I'm sure I will suck, but what does it matter if it's fun. :)

Testing

Stress

Did you know that stress raises your blood sugar? It can cause spikes so try to keep yourself even, if you can. That is a tall order especially on days like this. Collab day in the morning. Modified schedule all day, so the kids will be a mess. WASC meeting after school from 3-430. Then taking mom out to eat and a movie. (Mom leaks stress from her pores.)

Stress Management:
http://www.medicinenet.com/stress_management_techniques/article.htm This is a medical site that explains stress and tells how to manage it.
http://www.buddhanet.net/metta.htm This is a link to "Loving Kindness Meditation" I used to think that meditation was a load of hooey. It has worked very well for me. (No you don't have to sit "crisscross applesauce") There are instructions for both adults and children. You also do not have to become Buddhist to meditate, and there is no religious undertones, just loving kindness; most religions promote that. :)

Monday Morning lol..I Laugh in Your Face!!

This morning I met with some success!!! Sugar at 168 this morning, even though I had some "No Sugar Added" Vanilla Ice Cream last night. Have you ever noticed the serving size on that? 1/2 cup. Does anyone eat that amount of ice cream. Well, I did last night, and I must say it wasn't very satisfying. I also noticed that that ice cream has 14 grams of carbs (12 when you take off the dietary fiber), and the regular Moose Tracks with fudge and peanut butter cups in it has 17 grams of carbs. I was hoping the difference was greater. Hmmmm. I think my help came by having a few mixed nuts with my ice cream. (on the side)  That way, I had plenty of protein with my ice cream.

BTW I forgot to mention what medicine I am taking. I take 35 units of Levemir (Insulin Injection) 2X a day and 100 mg. of Januvia a day. I had trouble getting the Januvia approved by my insurance, but the doctor finally got it approved a month later. I hope it works. The insurance company suggested 4 other medicines 2 of which were Sulfa drugs which would make me unable to breathe due to throat swelling, and one which I had already taken and made me sick to my stomach and running to the bathroom all day. NICE!!

Time for work!! I leave at 645 each morning to take my daughter to Orange County High School of the Arts; she is in the Commercial Dance Conservatory. Then, I drive myself to Santiago High School where I teach. Traffic blows. (I am trying to stop saying that things suck. rofl cracking myself up)

It's not just the sweets!!

Some people think, "Hey, it's not that difficult to cut out sweets. There are sugar-free alternatives for diabetics."

It's not just sweets. I can't eat bread, cereal, crackers, chips, bagels, pasta, potatoes, rice, yogurt, milk, juice, fruit, and...sweets without thinking and counting and worrying. Some of you eat low-carb diets to lose weight, but imagine doing that for the rest of your life. You mess up; you do a couple extra reps at the gym. I mess up; I lose eyesight, kidney function, sensation in my hands or feet, or worse.

I gave up drinking (my favorite pasttime) in July2009. It was making me black out. It didn't used you. Even a small amount of alcohol started causing blackouts. My sugar was going too low when I drank; I am lucky I didn't end up in a coma. (That's life)

Giving up comfort food is so much harder than giving up alcohol. (yet alcoholics get more sympathy than type 2 diabetics). Ok...enough of trying to educate the haters. lol I just finished grading essays for my freshmen, and I need sleep like crazy.

Spread some loving kindness whenever you can.

Just for those Interested...my diabetic stats.

I went to the doctor last Wednesday. I weigh 184 pounds at 5'8" tall. My A1C is 10.0. For those of you non-diabetics, this is my 3 month sugar average. This is bad. It means that my average is 240. Here is where I found a chart that converts A1C to our normal readings on our monitors. http://www.elviradarknight.com/diabetes/a1cnumbers.html I need to get this number 10 down to 7 or lower.

I know that this may all sound like a dream to many diabetics. I know that my diabetes is not as bad as most of yours; however, diabetes is still horrible no matter. Maybe those people who blame the diabetic for their disease, will take a hard look at themselves and see that they aren't that different from me. Hopefully, they will make the connection and see that NO diabetic is at fault for getting a disease and see how hard it is to control this evil illness that kills millions yearly.

Keep trying. I am.

This is why I give up.

I think this will sound familiar if you are a diabetic. Woke up shot my insulin. My sugar was at 181 fasting which didn't surprise me because I haven't had it under control for months. It should be under 120 for a diabetic. Ate a Chorizo and Egg burrito for breakfast. The only food that concerned me in that was the tortilla, the rest was protein and veggie. I took my two-hour-after-breakfast reading and it was 246. That isn't right. It makes me feel like what's the point, but I did fine for lunch with cheese and meat only. Hopefully my readings get closer to normal the longer I go. I would love to eat some candycorn about now lol. Diabetic coma anyone?

Rookie Blogger

     Ok, so I am just creating this and it is after 11pm. I just want to get my feet wet. (While I can still feel them!) I'm 43. I'm a mom, teacher, and wife. (Order changes from time to time.) I have Type II Diabetes that is not under control, and I'm not going to whine.
     I LOVE food even though most of it is poison to me. I am going to fight my way through this because I don't want to die. I have had Type II for about 9 years. Diabetes runs in my family, and I had Gestational Diabetes when I was pregnant. I used to be able to control it with diet, but now I have to shoot insulin.
     I really hate it when people who don't know any better decide to blame the diabetic for their condition. I will admit that I have been terrible in controlling my diet for the past few months, but because I felt like I HAD no control, I LOST all control.
     This blog is my attempt to get some control back. I put "No Whiners" in my title because I don't want to be a whiner, not because I didn't want anyone to whine to me about their situation. I don't mind listening so much, but I had fallen into feeling sorry for myself. I don't want to whine anymore. I am tired of feeling like crap, and it is my responsibility to take care of my body so that I don't die before I get to meet my grandchildren.
     I want to live and be active. I am not obese but I am heavy. Size 16. I am going to try whatever it takes to get my control back. I want to share what I do and how it works. I hope my experience can help me feel that I am an active participant in my health instead of a passive observer in the demise of my body. I will not "go gentle into that goodnight." (I know that was a little dramatic, but I love that poem.) Goodnight for now. (Irony completely intended)