Okay, now it's officially out that I have diabetes. It was only a matter of time before I acquired it; it wasn't a question of if or maybe but a question of when. It runs on both sides of the family. I was hoping that I would get it later rather than sooner. However, now that I have it, I have to deal with it.
Oh sure! I could ignore it ... and face the consequences later: kidney failure, circulatory problems, heart disease, limb loss. Nope! If I want to have any quality of life when I get older, I must deal with it now. Apparently, I was already dealing with the more immediate consequences of high blood sugar when I went to see my doctor that Tuesday morning when I could barely stay awake, much less move.
I've done some reading on the Internet about diabetes, mainly located at WebMD.com. Apparently, my consumption of starchy food in combination with my weight has made my body more resistant to the insulin produced by my pancreas. My doctor prescribed Actos to make my body more sensitive to the insulin.
In the meantime, I've got to reprogram my diet to where starches and carbohydrates are not the main part of my diet. That's the hard part. Despite my mother's best intentions, I was a meat-and-potatoes girl. Even now, I've got lots of lean meat in the freezer that can be cooked to perfection on the George Foreman grill. Now, what do we have to go with it? Hmmm ... we have rice, instant mashed potatoes, pasta, frozen french fries ... are you starting to see a pattern here? I'm having to watch my sodium intake, so a can of green beans could do me more harm than good. Looks like I need to make a trip to the supermarket to stock up on fresh and frozen veggies.
I got my glucometer this week. I'd hate to think what the Actos, the glucometer, the test strips, and the lancets would cost if I didn't have my HMO. I forked out $85.00 for all that ... that was my copay. Looking back, it probably wasn't much, but it still took me by surprise.
Now, anyone who knows me will tell you that I HATE NEEDLES! I don't like getting shots, and I don't like having my blood drawn. If I ever say I want a shot, it's either because I'm sick or in pain. The last time I requested a shot was when I became violently ill at 3 AM one morning ... throwing up and diarrhea. I couldn't keep anything down, not even water. By 8 AM, I was calling my doctor's office, begging to be seen so I could get a Phenergan (an antihistamine with anti-emetic properties) shot. Yes, I was THAT sick. It worked, though. Within 30 minutes of that shot in my butt, I actually felt a little snacky. I was also high as a kite. I'm sure the pharmacy people at Eckerd Drugs wondered if I could legally write a check in my condition I was so loopy. However, Dad thought I was the only one who could get it filled, so he made me get out of the car and go in. I'm getting off the subject here, but I think you get my point.
I hate needles, and now I have to prick my finger four times a day to check my blood sugar level. Oh well, it could be worse. I could have to give myself insulin injections, so I guess I'd better count my blessings and work with the cards I've been dealt. Well, after five days, I'm used to it. I still don't like it, but my fingers are not as sensitive to it like they used to be.
Speaking of insulin injections, I hope I never get to the point that I need to do that. However, I've read that there are other options, like the insulin pump and the insulin pen. If I ever have to go there, I think I'll try the pen. I've had inoculations with an air gun, and I'd much rather use an insulin pen that functions similarly than insert a sharp foreign object into my body. I'm kinda funny about that.
That's about all I have for now. I will update on my progress periodically.
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