stupid diabetic idiot

[Bertha Venation]

I just realized: I just sat here and ate a piece of extremely rich chocolate cake, 20 minutes before I'm supposed to take my 2-hour postprandial glucose reading.

I'm finding it difficult to get back into the rhythm of testing. I've neglected it for years.

Any diabetics out there who had to build up the discipline to keep up on your testing?

Me -->

[Katashi_itto]

1. I am a new Diabetic sort of, 2 years. I am having hell keeping up with anything

I exercise madly to keep things in balance

[Bertha Venation]

2. Oh, I wish I would exercise madly.

I have read that it helps. Again:

I was diagnosed in '05 and was fastidious for years. I don't know what happened.

[Katashi_itto]

3. Walk, if not that, try Tai-Chi

it's very slow and build muscle tone. Very gentle execise.

If you having problems with money send me an email with your real email I will buy you a DvD of it from amazon.

[Bertha Venation]

4. Iaido!

My nephew has been practicing that particular art since he was eight years old. He is now 22 and wants to become a sensei.

Anyway -- thank you for your very kind offer. I will be able to get a DVD -- I just never thought of it. There are poses, right? Someone told me it's rather like yoga without getting down on the floor -- is that an apt description?

[Katashi_itto]

7. Thats a great way to look at it :)

Thats is awesome your Nephew has done it that long. You could try Iaido too. The basic postures are easy on you too.

Its a great way to tone too.

[magical thyme]

10. I studied Tai Chi with a master for a short time...

It is a sequence of 50 or so postures, but also the movement between them. It's actually a martial art and the movements and postures are ultimately defensive and offensive motions, strikes and kicks. But you practice for years in slow motion. The goal is to practice as slowly as possible. Your strength and balance increase as you slow down.

I learned the sequence forwards and then backwards.

Then a couple years ago, I picked up a VCR of David Carridine for free at a yard "giveaway" and started practicing again. Until my VCR broke.

If you have a functioning VCR, I could mail it to you.

[magical thyme]

5. you're not a stupid, diabetic idiot...I write with authority on the subject

We had a stupid diabetic idiot in my ED a few weeks ago. Went on a drinking binge and arrived in full blown DKA. Arterial blood gas had pH of 6.9. 6 point 9. We kept repeating it, and then tested the venous to be sure.

I kept remembering in school when our program director slowly blinked and stammered at us that "Anything below 7.0 is not compatible with life."

Now THAT is a stupid diabetic idiot.

You're just getting into the rhythm of a new routine and are bound to slip up now and then. Now put that piece of chocolate cake down,put your hands in the air and back away slowly....

[Bertha Venation]

6. YIPES

Fortunately I have never had any health crises as a result of my diabetes. I am just fatigued to my marrow, sleeping like van Winkle (nodding off behind the wheel, at my desk, etc.) and looking for the reason. Had a sleep study, following up w/ doc next Tuesday, but meantime, I thought, Kim, you're diabetic -- maybe that's why. Started testing my blood and my sugar is quite elevated.

I will have to willfully remember not to eat chocolate cake and other such crap. Thank you for your kind words.

[magical thyme]

8. I remember you writing about your exhaustion issues

I very nearly started a PSA thread after that about people suggesting you get this, that or the other thing tested because they had it, lol. Something along the lines of "diagnosis is not anything like House!"

Yes, if you are type 2, then diet and exercise can make a big difference. Type 2 is less likely to end up in DKA than Type 1, if I remember correctly. More likely to have other, less dramatic, responses. Although nodding off at the wheel could certainly lead to high drama

[Bertha Venation]

9. I fixed the nodding off at the wheel problem.

I eat celery. It keeps me alert.

[magical thyme]

11. good to know

I think I recently read that celery has some good phytochemical or other, too. I can't remember now, but I think parsley and celery were good sources for some specific nutrient...

[RebelOne]

12. If you like chocolate, you can buy sugar-free chocolate ice cream.

I am pre-diabetic, so I try to eat as sugar-free as possible. I am an ice cream addict and discovered sugar-free ice cream. I am trying to stave off the diabetics as much as I can. Type II diabetes is prevalent on my mother's side. My grandmother, my mother, all my aunts and uncles as well as my two sisters all had it. So it is genetic, and there is no way I can avoid it.

[HeiressofBickworth]

13. Hey, Kiddo --

You're the LEAST stupid person on DU. Very intelligent, well written posts. I look forward to them.

About this diabetes thing. It's the shits, I'll grant you that. I've been at it for the last 18 years. Testing is a real issue with me for several reasons. First, there's the thing about poking holes in one's self in order to bleed. Ugh. I don't have pierced ears for much the same reason. Poking holes in my person in order to insert decorative pieces of metal just doesn't sound like fun.

The other revulsion is a new one, it came with Medicare. The first time I took a prescription to the pharmacy for test strips, I was told that there was a form that needed to be filled out and sent to Medicare. It is a report of the number of times and the results of testing. Being inquisitive, I asked the purpose of this. (I managed to keep the profanity out of my conversation). The answer was that the form would be reviewed by Medicare and if I didn't meet their requirements of the number of times of testing, I would be required to pay full price for the test strips. And no, they don't know what the requirements are. My jaw hit the floor. I told them that I was disinclined to do that. What I was really thinking was: I WON'T HAVE SOME FUCKING BEAN COUNTER IN A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY USING A CHECK LIST TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT MEDICARE WILL PAY FOR TEST STRIPS. So I told the pharmacist that I would be purchasing my test strips from Costco and the number used and results are no one's business but my own.

There is much one can't control in the distribution of personal information, but I think I just hit my personal line below which I will not venture.