Dilation

Dilation,  as in eyes.

Not pregnancy or anything related to babies.

Just my eyes.

found via google images

I had an eye appointment today with the an ophthalmologist here in Jacksonville.

I had been seeing the doctor that my sister works with in Lansing, MI, but when I went for my exam in June he found some issues that required me to see someone local to me.  So, now I have a doctor here in Jacksonville.

The Lansing doctor had given me a clean bill of health 2 years ago and then when I returned in June of this year he noticed some leakage.  If you have diabetes it is indeed an extremely serious problem that can lead to blindness.   I really don't want blindness and my vision to be in the same sentence, so we're going to keep up to date with all appointments and make sure I take care of my eyes.

I honestly don't know why I had the leakage issue in June, because I've really been very good about keeping my blood sugars in check.  I take insulin, I eat well, I take my vitamins, etc.  I honestly didn't do anything different the past three months and the problem went away.  It's not cured by any means, but at the moment it's not an issue.  I'm due back in 4 months. 

If you'd like to know more about Diabetic retinopathy you can click here to find a quick rundown and see if you are at risk.

I've been a scary sight most of the day with those giant pupils.  Of course it was very sunny today, so I had on sunglasses and I covered them with a thick brochure that I got from the doctors office, plus I had my hands over the top of both of those!  

Maybe I was being a bit dramatic, but it was very sunny.

Fingers crossed that I continue to have great eyesight.

Have a wonderful day!
Kristin

Great News!

The end of September of 2008 I was given the news that I had "out of control" diabetes.

My doctor put me on insulin that very first day.

An A1c number is a number that averages out a persons blood glucose level for the past three months and it is a number that diabetics use as a guide on how they are doing.

My A1c in September was 11.5 -- a blood glucose average of 332 (that is really really high)

I got my blood work taken a week ago and finally got my numbers today...

My latest A1c was 6.1 -- a blood glucose average of 140 (this is excellent!)

I am just barely into the "desirable" range, but I'm in the DESIRABLE range!!

I would like to get my A1c to 5.0 - 5.6 (a BG level of 101 - 122) - that is my long term goal.

I have to say - I am so excited about the numbers I got today.

I have worked really hard to get my blood sugars in control.

I've been re-learning how to eat, how to identify a carb, how to judge the amount of carbs and then determine how much insulin to take.

I have put my health first in so many situations - I even asked my cousin (who was our personal chef that weekend) to make diabetes friendly foods for Thanksgiving, so that I could have most of the food available.

I went out to dinner last night and ordered a broiled fish entree. It came with potatoes and veggies. I asked if I could have a double order of veggies, no potatoes, and the waitress said "I'd be pleased to do that!" The woman sitting next to me said, "You are such a good diabetic."

I have tingling in my feet. That is a kind description of the sensation, but it is diabetic neuropathy and if it gets worse I could completely lose the feeling in feet.

The thought of losing the feeling in my feet makes being a good diabetic really easy.

The thought of possibly getting rid of the tingling in my feet makes it even easier to be a good diabetic.

I have been very aware of my condition and have been doing what I can to get those numbers down - but that real test was the A1c.

I am just so happy.

Have a fabulous day!
Kristin

If your A1C is this:	Your average mean daily plasma blood sugar is around this:
%	mg/dl
12.0%	345
11.0%	310
10.0%	275
9.0%	240
8.0%	205
7.0%	170
6.0%	135
5.0%	100
4.0%	65

Dr. Visit

I went to the doctor today for my check up on my Diabetes and to get a pat on the back for doing so well. I have been so proud of myself. I've gotten my diabetes to a manageable level in less than 3 months after diagnosis.

But...That didn't happen.

I weighed the exact same as I had the last time (although on my scale I was 4 pounds lighter) and so he started talking to me about food addictions. That he wished there was a pill for weight loss and that I'd need that pill because of my addiction to food. Then he started telling me that in the time since he has become a diabetic, his cravings for sweets has increased and I nodded telling him that I've started chewing gum to help that craving. He told me that he eats ice cream.

What?

Yes, he eats ice cream and his insulin pills keeps his blood sugar down enough that he can do that.

I told him that I couldn't possibly do that and I don't. I haven't had ice cream since... I can't even remember when. Last year maybe?

Then he told me that if I can't control my food addictions then I need to seriously consider lap band surgery. I just nodded at him and let him talk, but I had totally tuned out. I was thinking about where I could find another doctor and how long it would take to get that project accomplished.

Then he sent me off to the lab to get some blood work done. I have shallow veins and getting blood from me is a real art form. I was stuck three times and not a drop of blood was received. I have a huge lump on one of my arms. I'm going to have to hydrate real well for a day or two and go back.

I called my husband when I finally left the doctors office and started sobbing. It wasn't anything like I had imagined.

My blood sugar levels for the past month have been incredible. I've been able to lower my night time insulin by 20 units, from 50 units to 30. This is all because I have figured out how to eat properly to keep my sugar levels below 100. my goal is to never have my sugar levels go above 90 and I've been doing real well with that.

This was not discussed.

So, is Christmas time a bad time to start looking for a new doctor?

Hope you have a better day than I've had. Mine is looking up though - my husband is doing dishes in the other room, something he only does when I'm out of town for a few days. Thanks Tom.

I'm not going to let this affect the rest of the day. I had to let it out though. So I'm done. I'm putting on a smile - see? :o)

Thanks for listening.
Kristin

The learning never ends

Have you ever had one of those months?

You know the ones...the months where you think you have some free time and all of a sudden something totally off the wall comes in and fills that space?

I've had one of those months.

The day before I went on my trip to Nebraska I went to the doctor. I haven't been to a doctor in years (insert many types of lectures here) so I met Dr. for the first time that day. He and I had a really nice chat. He told me to lose weight and then asked me to please give blood. Lots of it. He also scheduled me for a mammogram. Which I blogged about already and it went real well.

OK - so I get back from my roadtrip with my mother and sister and baby Stella and there is a post-it on the fridge.

Call the Dr ASAP

uh-oh

Next day. I call. I ask for the lab results and am told that I must see the doctor in person...can I come in today. (Is it really that urgent?)

The Dr. walks in and he says "you have out of control diabetes and we're going to get you started on insulin today."

WHOA

Huh?

Seriously, it was just like that.

Then he pops out of the room and comes back with a large handle bag -- large like the Large Big Brown Bag from Bloomingdales - yea that size.

Although mine was one advertising VIAGRA! of all things.

I was given a lot of booklets, two glucose meters (one for home and one for my purse,) and these very interesting insulin pens. He explained how to give myself an injection and then said OK, do it.

So I did it.

Then he gave me a ton of verbal instructions and sent me home. See you in a week he said.

I asked him what I was supposed to do about my diet and he said that he knew I would be looking it all up on the internet anyway, so I could just research it there. What he gave me was the basic food pyramid and a diet of 1800 calories.

This is where the learning was really beginning.

I fumbled and fuddled around the first week pretty much eating what was in the fridge and taking my Blood Sugar levels to see what happened with that meal. When I went to my first Drs appt after being an official diabetic for a week the Dr. told me I was doing real well. He told me he was proud of me. He was pleasantly surprised that I had tested my blood sugar as instructed and had given myself insulin as instructed.

(this is where I have to say -- Why wouldn't someone follow instructions on such a serious disease? I can understand denial but when I was told "out of control diabetes" I listened. And then Googled everything I could, just like he said I would lol)

He upped my long lasting insulin in the evenings and told me to come back in two weeks.

The next two weeks I had a lot of trouble sleeping. My feet were absolutely killing me. They hurt, itched, ached, shot pains up my legs and pretty much made for horrible sleep. Then last week the horrible pain stopped. I can sleep now. I've had some weird issues with my feet for a few years now - as I've read, it is probably a diabetic issue. I think they are actually getting better though. I'm going to talk with the Dr. more about my feet at the next appt. I've got a list going into each appointment.

The other night I was having some problems so I asked a friend to just talk to me. She suggested a support group. You could have knocked me upside the head. I go to the Liver Transplant support group and encourage others going through the process to get involved in it - why it never occurred to me to join a support group is beyond me. I haven't found a physical group here in my town yet but I did find an online community last night, Diabetesforums.com.

The things that group were talking about just blew my mind. Not all carbs are created equal. Sugar is OK in some things. Some foods are just poison to a diabetics system. Goodness.

I ordered a few books today. I'll talk about those when they arrive.

This is going to be a whole new chapter.

The learning never ends.
Kristin