How dog ownership can save your life - or...a shamless plug for Pet rescue.

This is by far the best piece of exercise equipment we own - our one year old Lhasa Apso, Jackson (he's the furry critter in the middle). We adopted Jackson on November 3, 2007, from the Atlanta Pet Rescue Organization. Or should I say, he adopted us. He's full of energy and loves to drag Mommie on really long walks through the neighborhood, making sure to stop at every tree, shrub, utility pole, mailbox and fire hydrant. Jackson has brought so much joy to my life, which in turn has been beneficial to my health. I'm so glad he chose us! By the way, if you're thinking about adding a new furry member to your family, the Burns family highly recommends you visit Atlanta Pet Rescue. Check out their web site - you just might find the pet of your dreams! http://www.atlantapetrescue.org

A Spicy Remedy...

I've recently heard about the cinnamon connection to Type 2 Diabetes. According to some studies, cinnamon just might improve blood glucose and cholesterol levels. It's believed that a substance in cinnamon called MHCP is the reason for its beneficial results. Recommendations are a quarter to one full teaspoon of cinnamon daily. I'm taking cinnamon capsules - 1000mg once a day. I haven't really been on this regiment long enough to notice any results. But I am optimistic, as other Type 2 Diabetics I know have seen some good results with the cinnamon. I look at it this way - it's cheap, it's easy and it can't hurt.

Stay out of my stash!

So yesterday my husband and I stop off to have a quick bite of lunch at one of our favorite local homegrown restaurants. I was ecstatic when I saw sugar-free coconut crème pie on the menu. Of course I had to order a piece – what Type 2 Diabetic in their right mind wouldn’t? Our waitress brings the dessert to our table with two spoons. I, being the considerate wife that I am, offered to share with my husband. But no, he refuses, as he doesn’t really care for coconut crème pie. However, three bites into my pie, and he picks up his spoon to take ‘just a bite of the pie crust.” Did he stop there? No! The plate was almost cleaned with the exception of one tiny morsel of a bite. Now, you and I both know that the last bite contains the most flavor and is the most revered bite of the pie, or any dessert for that matter. Well, I must have delayed just a micro second before scooping that last bite off my plate and into my mouth, because ‘Mr. I don’t like coconut crème pie’ beat me to it, and was chewing and grinning at the same time while I sat there catatonic in my own astonishment. This man could have had ANY sugar-laden dessert in the restaurant, but chose to deprive me of my last bite of sugar-free coconut crème pie. I was speechless. I was shocked. I was furious. And I was plotting his demise. This is NOT over.

Top 10 things you hear in a diabetic’s home: (well, at least THIS diabetic’s home)
10. Touch my sugar-free Hershey’s chocolate and die.
9. Touch my carb smart Breyer’s vanilla ice cream and die.
8. Touch my diet Pepsi with wild cherry and die.
7. Touch my leftover whole grain pasta from Macaroni Grille and die.
6. Touch my thin crust low carb Archer Farms pizza with Canadian ham and die.
5. Touch my carb smart Orville Redenbacher’s microwavable popcorn and die.
4. Touch my sugar-free raspberry Jell-O gelatin and die.
3. Touch my sugar-free Altoids cinnamon gum and die.
2. Touch my packets of Sweet N Low, Equal or Splenda and die.
And the #1 thing you will hear in this diabetic's home: Touch my last bite of homemade sugar-free coconut crème pie and die.

I recommend...

"Zen and the Art of Diabetes Maintenance" by Charles Creekmore

I can't say it any better than the book cover does, so I am quoting, "Zen and the Art of Diabetes Maintenance shows you how to cope with the spiritual depths of your own personal diabetic crisis."

OK, I am going to openly admit that I bought this book because of its catchy title. Lately I seem to be drawn to anything that mentions diabetes maintenance - most likely because I'm having a lot of issues with my own maintenance. I now find myself reading and re-reading many passages from this book, desperately looking for answers. In some cases, I've actually found those answers - in other cases, I'm still searching. At any rate, I'm putting Charles Creekmore on my list of living authors I would like to meet.

MOLTING SEASON IS HERE

I apologize in advance for the graphic nature of this post, but hey, if I can't share these things with my fellow Diabetics, then who can I turn to? There is no simpler way to put this than...I am molting - or shedding or peeling - you get the picture. I feel like the 8th dwarf, Flakey. It started with a patch of dry skin behind my left ear - now both ears are inflamed inside and out. And to top it all off, they itch like crazy! I have tried all the OTC remedies that my doctor has recommended - hydrocortisone cream, anti-itch cream, A&D ointment, petroleum jelly, lotions, potions, magical spells, and prayer. Nothing works. I read a suggestion from someone on the ADA message board that I should clean my ears with Head and Shoulders shampoo. No luck. Beside being excruciatingly uncomfortable, this is also embarrassing. I can't pull my hair back behind my ears, I avoid wearing black because of the flaking, and I've even had to trim all my fingernails to the quick just to keep from scratching til my ears bleed. So, if anyone has ANY suggestions or remedies, please please please post them. I will forever be in your debt - well, maybe not forever - but at least until next molting season.

Local Comedy Clubs - a GREAT night out!

OK - so I had my fun earlier with the blues song. This site is all about using laughter to deal with our diabetes. And if you didn't laugh at my pathetic attempt at song-writing then there is something seriously wrong with you, and I don't mean diabetes!

So, while we are on the subject of laughter, let me link you to some of the local comedy clubs.

http://www.punchline.com/
http://www.showcasecomedy.com/home.php
http://www.funnyfarmcomedyclub.com/atlanta/joomla/index.php

Enjoy!

I've got the sugar blues.

I just stuck my finger
And tested my blood.
My numbers are high now
And that ain't no good.

I'm so tired of eating healthy.
I'm ready to shout.
Right now I'd sell my baby sister
For pizza carry-out.

(chorus)
I've got the blues.
The low down mean ole sugar blues.
And that is bad. It's makin' me sad.
I've got the blues.
The cravin' sweetness mean ole sugar blues
And it's getting worse. So here's the next verse.

I drove to the Quick Trip
To find me a snack.
I passed by the candy aisle
And walked straight to the back.

The whole grain taquitos
Smelled like nasty feet.
So I went back to my car
And found a Hershey's Kiss wedged in the seat.

(chorus)
Oh I've got the blues.
The low down mean ole sugar blues.
It's making me sad. I'm gonna be bad.
I've got the blues, and what's a girl to do?
I can't lie - I don't wanna die.
So I'll just head to my refrigerator
Dig into a bowl of fresh greens, and cry.


disclaimer: no animals or small children were hurt during the writing of this song. Alcohol was not a factor. Chocolate was not eaten. But there is a missing bowl of Breyer's low-carb vanilla ice cream.

Where no man has gone before...

Well guess who had a colonoscopy and endoscopy this week? Uh, yep - that would be me. Talk about an invasion of your inner soul! Prep night (Monday) was horrific. I will spare you the details and just sum it up by saying I think I flushed away about 15 pounds of myself along with some corn I ate over 3 weeks. One thing I must confess - the sedative you get for the procedure is magnifico! My anesthesiologist is my new best friend. In fact, I kicked my oldest son out of my will just to make room for my anesthesiologist.

Now here's the good news - no colon cancer for this gal! And I don't have to suffer the indignity of this barbaric torture again for at least 5 years.

OK - now the bad news - the stomach lining had a 'hot spot' that had to be biopsied. Most likely just a pre-ulcer type thing. I should have the results back at the end of next week.

So stay tuned for further developments. Next on the agenda is this new procedure that involves swallowing a capsule that contains a camera that videos the inside of the small intestine. Anyone here ever see the movie 'Fantastic Voyage?'

Confession is good for the soul.

Today I attended the wedding of a close friend’s daughter. How romantic and reassuring it was to see two young people declare their undying love and faithfulness to each other. The ceremony was charming and the reception was lively. Upon entering the reception hall I immediately spotted an old friend that I had once adored, but thought was forever gone from my life. I tried to hide the sparkle in my eye, but the flutter in my heart was overwhelming. How long had it been since we were last together? Two years? Five years? Ten years? I felt this rush and an incredible tension build up inside me. Was I actually lusting? As I made my way across the room, the little voice in my head told me, “No, don’t do it. Sure it might be pleasurable now, but you will regret this later.” But did I listen? No. I gave in to my urges with a very willing subject. Today I was weak. And tonight I am so ashamed. I’ve been very critical of others who have given in to their momentary lapses of good judgment. Now I am one of them. But this afternoon I guess I just got caught up in the moment, what with the crowd and the excitement. All I could think was how chances like this don’t come often in one’s lifetime, and if I don’t do this now, the chance might never come again. It would be quick and it would be so fulfilling. No one would ever have to find out. And I did it. I gave in to all those old emotions. I cheated. Now, hours later, I am living in the miserable reality that being a cheater brings. I literally feel sick. I can’t even look my husband in the eye. All I can say is, “As God is my witness, I will never eat wedding cake again.”

Yet another side effect of Diabetes

We all know the many risks of being diabetic – heart disease, stroke, blindness, nerve damage, and so on. But there is one risk your physician or diabetes counselor most likely did not discuss with you – Internet-itis. You substitute being a sugar junkie for being an internet junkie. Here are the most common symptoms of Internet-itis:

1. After your initial diagnosis of diabetes, you turn to your computer for support rather than your family. You spend hours upon hours looking for message boards, chat rooms, or blogspots that are dedicated to the disease. You MUST find others like you, who will share and understand.

2. Every time you have a new ache, pain or bruise you google it under diabetic symptoms and spend the rest of the day worrying that your ingrown toenail will certainly lead to amputation of your entire leg because you are diabetic.

3. You send e-mails to all the local fast food establishments warning them of a massive boycott if they don’t start using whole grain buns. (By the way, Chick-Fil-A now offers whole grain buns. Coincidence? I think not!).

4. You are furious that you can’t find glucometers on E-Bay.

5. Instead of sending out an annual family newsletter during the Christmas holidays, you now send one out every time you have a change in your A1C number.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Don’t be ashamed. Internet-itis is a common side effect of diabetes. You don’t have to hide in the closet with your laptop anymore. Be proud of the fact that you want to be an informed diabetic. Now, give me your email address so I can add you to my newsletter group.

Now what is THIS number supposed to mean?

It's Wednesday, Sept 12th, and today brought more bad news on the diabetes frontline for me. Bloodwork at the doctor's on Monday revealed I have an elevated insulin count of 47.9 - I am not even sure what that means, but I am certain my doctor will be calling me tomorrow to explain it to me. I do understand that my pancreas is now putting out way too much insulin, and that if my pancreas doesn't slow down, it will shut down. Of course we all know what that will mean - I get to go to the head of the class and advance to Type 1. (insert sarcasm here). I am really fighting the urge right now to throw myself a big old fashioned pity party - but I will stick it out until I hear from the doc. Then, when I do, you are ALL invited.

Yeah, yeah, we all know that denial is not just a river in Egypt.

After 19 months of living with diabetes, I find myself in denial, once again. I wish I could win the lottery and hire myself a personal diabetes counselor - or a former Marine drill sargent. Fortunately my primary health care provider has been very resourceful by providing information for personal counseling. Now, if I can just get past the stigma I attach to seeing a life counselor.