Time Out From Diabetes

Thinking of Extended Family

Weight:            185

Morning FBS:  126

Tonight:             93

Daily Meal:

Breakfast was green drink

Lunch was a large taco salad

Evening meal was veggie meat balls with 1/2 cup spaghetti and scalloped potatoes.

Bedtime snack was an apple and handful of chips

Day two is looking pretty good.

I have had some requests and comments over the past couple of weeks that went into my spam box - mainly because someone added a link to their blog and my blog engine sees that as spam so it took me a while to find the spam folder and respond.  If you want to leave a comment on this blog, and you want to make sure everyone can see the comment, please do not add links to outside sites.  You can send those to my personal email address.

Just getting back into the community and watching the news had me thinking of our readers as an extended family and how much we should keep them in our minds and prayers.  So instead of adding anything about being diabetics and adding new topics, I thought today I would dedicate this post to individuals I know and those reading this blog.  I want to send up my prayers for them and also ask you as readers to do the same thing.

Malaysia

We have several readers from Malaysia and everyone must now know about the plane that went missing 11 days ago and how it might now be a hijacker event.  Either way, there are hundreds of people on that plane and are either suffering at the moment or have perished.  I hope none of our readers are on that plane or have family members on the plane.

Heavenly Father, please find it in your heart to be with those passengers and help them find a little comfort in their potentially terrible situation.  If they have perished, please find it in your heart to take them home.

Ukraine

We also have several people from Ukraine that read our blog.  It should not matter to us who is right or wrong in the current situation.  I am sure some people will feel more comfortable in the Russian family and others feel better aligning with the EU.  It would have been nice in my mind if the people would have had an open and honest opportunity to vote their hearts.

Heavenly Father, we ask that you be with the people in Ukraine and if this is truly their desire then let the region move back to peace.  I pray that our readers are not in harms way at the moment.

UK

From an earlier post you found out I had a friend in London who is suffering from an inoperable brain tumor.  He is doing well and I do not get to spend that much time on the phone with him and it has been a couple of years since I have had the chance to be with him.

Heavenly Father, please be with my friend in London and continue to reward him with a good life with you and his new found partner.  I also want to thank you for the years he has been given and how you have helped extend his life and his quality of life.

US 

This list is made up of friends, family, ADA members, and readers of this blog.

My wife suffers from deteriorating ligaments and muscles in her thumbs.  There are days she cannot use them.  Her only relief is to fuse them and lock them in place.  Not a good option for her at the moment.

I have just found out that a very close cousin of mine has cancer of the throat and the same cancer on his lungs.  He just started treatment today.

I have a long time friend who has been battling cancer and is always in a fight state as they cannot completely clear  the cancer as it finds locations in the body and hides for a while and then comes back.  His life is a constant on and off switch.

A military friend from 40 years ago is a Vietnam veteran and now has Parkinson disease from Agent Orange.  Killed in that crazy war and did not even know it.  He is in good spirits and I got a chance to see him this past Christmas vacation.

My partner at work was just told they are going to finally replace his knee and that is actually great news as he can hardly walk and is on heavy drugs.

Marty and her husband Gabby need our prayers as Gabby's health continues to be up and down.  Marty is the one who often adds a lot of comments and is a walking talking dictionary when it comes to diabetes and a very good supplier of comments on this blog.

Dora is an individual we have mentioned before and a person who Marty helps bring a little happiness into her life as Dora lives in the same home as Marty's mother.  Dora is slipping and now has cancer.  She has lst body parts because of this disease - so she has had a troubling life.

Dolores is a friend from the ADA and while she is not struggling at the moment or complaining, she has heart problems along with diabetes.  Something that happens to a lot of diabetics.

There are countless people on the ADA and they have other serious issues and battle health issues along with diabetes.

 

Heavenly Father, while we know you do not bring these diseases and troubles upon us, we do know and believe you can help us deal with the trouble daily.  The Bible tells us to bring our problems to you and lay them at your feet and you will help.  We ask now that being relief to our extended family members.  Especially those like Dora who are nearly that glorious moment when she will be coming home to a peaceful life with you for eternity.  We ask that you provide relief while she prepares for her journey to cross over into eternity.  For others that are battling and still have a solid foot on this side of that journey that play an important role in the reduction of their suffering and help them life as fruitful life as possible.

We also thank you for each day you give us and each meal we are provided.  We thank you for the roofs over our head and the opportunity to be an extended family with you in the center.

Bob,

Where is Bob?

Lost?

I must apologize and I will update everyone in another week.

My home machine was corrupted and I could not get to it or my blog.

I am now going to be on vacation until February 9th and will not have my PC with me.

I really appreciate everyone's reaching out and sorry I could not get back to you.

Give me one more week and I will be back.

Things are good with me and going extremely well.

I miss all of you and hope God has been taking care of you during this past month.

May God watch over all of us for the next week but I ask God to grant me a quiet week to regenerate as this past month has been extremely stressful but good. 

Bob,

The Value of A Higher Power - Part 2

Calming storms within us

To all my readers, again I apologize for being absent.  I left you hanging when I was struggling last week - still struggling but for many reasons.  I am not as depressed about being a diabetic as I was and I am not quitting.  It was a storm for a short time period and I know it is a storm that will come again.

FBS - 121 this morning.  Not bad after I had a lot of home made toffee last night during the movie.  That is truly my down fall.  I just love toffee and it is nothing but sugar.  I am going to have to find a low-carb toffee recipe for the upcoming years - NOT!!!!

As you know, it is Sunday and this is the day I want to keep our Higher Powers in our minds and working for us.  I am a Christian and practicing Catholic as I have said before.  I think I am blessed as I have two Higher Powers, God and Jesus.  To me they are one in the same; but represent different strength in my life.

I think it important that your Higher Power play the same role for you that mine does for me when it comes to calming life's major or minor storms.  This topic is fitting today for two reasons, right now my life is filled with many storms and last night we were out as a family and got caught in the storms that went through the area.

The evening just made me realize diabetes is like a storm and we have to constantly have mechanisms or methods to help us deal with the storms of diabetes.  We have to test to make sure we are monitoring the "storm" patterns.  We have to manage our food intake so we do not create any major storms.

So let me explain how my Higher Power(s) calm my storms.

Jesus Calms The Storm

Matthew 8:28 - 34 from the New International Version bible.

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

This verse in the bible has always been a player in my life.  Yes, Jesus calmed the storm and weather was the storm.  But to me, like so many things in life, the storm was symbolic of  life's storms and how my Higher Power can calm those storms that are much easier to control than the weather.

We know that stress drives up our glucose levels.  So let's examine my life and how daily events can cause stress and how I use my Higher Power (God and Jesus) to help calm the storms.

Work Related Storms

I have a career that can cause a lot of stress from deadlines. failed computer outages, or people just wanting to get something done quicker than they should.  I also have my own business so on top of the normal storms that occur within the technology field, I compound mine by adding the stress of finding new contracts or work.

At the moment, I am on a contract and the pressure is on to deliver ahead of schedule because the company is out of money; but, the project needs to get done.  So we are all under a lot of stress to make it happen.

In addition, I am running into a stream of good luck and I have created 3 proposals for potentially new business just this past two weeks.

In the past I would have worked all night doing both and would have put myself through a lot of stress.  I would not have eaten right, I would not have gone to the gym, and I would not have gotten much sleep.  All of these things lead to my diabetes onslaught and my levels continually rising.

Today, I now go to church twice on Sundays and listen the word of God and give myself a 3 hour break from all of the noise.  In the past I would go to church - maybe - and I would be thinking about work.  I would tune out the sermon and the time time I could relax and find comfort from life's storms.  I did not realize I was removing the one thing in my life that could help the rest of the week be better.

I also used to worry about deadlines and I would work all hours of the day to make it happen.  Now I realize, that is not that important and giving 8-10 hours a day is enough time for work.  Yes, I still put in extra hours and do more than my fair share - but I do limit it and when possible - I take some quiet time.

So use your Higher Power to grant yourself some personal time and time to pay attention to your Higher Power and to yourself.  Your diabetes will appreciate the quiet time.

Relationship Storms

Relationships are important to all of us - they make us feel like we belong, like we are loved, and like we have value.  If you are lacking in relationships, then I would encourage you to get one with your Higher Power - it will really help.

But here I am talking about how these relationships can cause stress and storms in our life.  I love my wife and I am positive after 38+ years she loves me.  But we do have our moments - maybe more than we both like, when we are in love but not loving each other.  We have things that get in the way.

During those times, I feel rotten, I feel alone, I feel anger, I feel frustration, and just about every other feeling you can imagine comes out.  I do not eat right and I do not think about taking care of myself.  I just do not care!  I never used to know how to move on from these situations - none of us come with owner manuals to explain these things.

These are the times I "lean" into my Higher Power the most.  I ask God to calm my heart, take away my frustration, and get me off my dead butt and go apologize - even if I do not feel I did something wrong - just go engage and get the conversation stared.

Do not let these kind of storms run for a long time - this is the tornado, hurricane, or typhoon in your life.  It is you cancer that eats at your heart and destroys the very thing that makes us humans.

I have two lovely children, Sarah and Brian.  I have not always been a good Dad and there are times I was wrong in my punishment or anger.  They are over 30 now and I still think there are times I am supposed to be their Dad and tell them what to do.  This puts strain on our relationship.

Then I remember my Dad and how I hated when he would tell me what to do.  Then I smarten up and back off and know they must run their own lives.  Then I look to be their Father not their Dad, if you get my drift on that one.

My God is like that, he is my Father in Heaven and the beauty is, he does not tell me what to do.  He laid out some simple rules to live by that are nothing more than being a good human being.  Then he sits on the side and pours out his love and waits for me to come to him.  If only us earthly Fathers could be like that.

So let your Higher Power show you how to manage your relationships and calm those storms in your life. Do not let these storms rage without calling on your Higher Power to be the source of love and a support team. 

 The Diabetes Storm

Ah yes, the beast that lives in all of us.  The "perfect storm."  The one that can make our live miserable, can cause us to go blind, can cause us to lose body parts, and can cause us to have all kinds of other diseases.  The "beast" that drives our lives to the brink of quitting.  The "monster" that haunts us in our sleep and lives below our skin in places we cannot see.

Our Higher Powers are truly needed to help us fight this horrible storm.  I use God to talk to, to help me when I am weak, and to listen to my pain.  I "USE" him and I think he is okay with that.  I use him to remind me when I should not eat something.  I use him to let me know it is better to go work out than do something else.

I use him as my most effective medicine to fight this disease with all his power and might.  For without him, I think I would lose the battle.  

All I can say is use you Higher Power to give you strength to eat right.  Use your Higher Power to remind you to test, test, test.  Know what is going on inside you at all times.  Never ever go without knowing what the monster inside you is doing.

Use you Higher Power to lift you up when you are down - no one else might be around.  My God wants to lift me up and care for me.  As I have said before, I feel lucky, I have learned to face my disease with my family and my God.  When I let it alone inside where no one could see it, I failed.  When I brought it out in the open and faced it, I started winning.  I have a long ways to go but I believe I have the support from God to get there or fight the good fight.

The Calmness of Love

I mentioned as a Christian I get two Higher Powers.  I have Jesus, Son of God, who came to earth to bring a new message for all of us - the message of Love.  Love thy God, Love thy neighbor, and Love they enemy.  His message was simple and to show me how simple and easy was his message, he stretched out his arms on a cross and gave his life because he Loved me.  It is as simple as that.

So his Love, can calm my storms as easy as he looked to the skies and asked the raging storm to leave and it left.

He is the greatest Higher Power as he was with us today.

'Lean" into your Higher Power to calm your storms.  Your Higher Power wants you to feel calm and wants to help you manage your disease.   "Lean" into your Higher Power and find strength that only Higher Powers can bring.

May God calm our storms. May he brush them away with the love of his heart.  May he bring us peace when our diabetes is raging within us and the lightening is striking and our earth is shaking.  May he give us the strength to stand tall against the winds of temptation to eat wrong.  And may he allow us to find those moments of solitude when we can relax and know we have braved another storm with His help.

IN CASE I DO NOT HAVE TIME TO WRITE ANOTHER POST - MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND MAY THIS BE THE SEASON THAT HIS COMING LIGHTS UP YOUR LIFE AND WAYS YOU COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED. 

Bob,

The Value of A Higher Power - Part 1

How can a Higher Power Help Manage Diabetes

Once again I have to say I am completely amazed at the number of readers and people coming to this blog.  I truly appreciate you taking the time and energy to read about my journey.  But more importantly, I hope one of you can start a journey of success and complete a life style change as I am on.  We have a long ways to go - I hope many years of the journey.

You have been able to top the 2,000 mark and we now have ten countries in our little community.  We are truly blessed to know each other.

FBS - 126 this morning.  I watched the Carrie Underwood Sound of Music last night and got so carried away - I ate a lot of pop corn.  All of that, after I just posted how much sodium us Americans have.  Well, sometimes, you just have to enjoy life.  I can honestly say if you get a chance to watch the special or it comes on again, it is worth it.  Carrie has done some amazing things with her voice and has taken many lessons to get it where it is at.  I am not saying she is Julie Andrews, that would be a real difficult act to follow - but man was she close.  I could not put down the pop corn - just keep eating and watching.  It was fantastic - oh yeah - Carrie was really good as well!!  LOL (Laughing Out Loud)!

So many of you have sent nice compliments on the series God's Amazing Body and I appreciate the feedback. I only hope this Sunday series is as good as that one.

This series will focus on Our Higher Power and how they can help us manage our lifestyle change and how they can help us get our diabetes under control.  We will explore stress management. relationships, support, and many other aspects of a High Power and how they can contribute to our lives.

Introduction to my Higher Power

I do not know who your Higher Power is; but, there is a good chance your Higher Power is my Higher Power - God.  I say that as the world claims that 75% of the religions people follow are based on Abrahamic (Abraham) - God focused.  

I have another blog which is being done out of passion and not from a desire to help manage a chronic disease.  That blog is about a historical view of Christianity and the United States.  One of the posts, I discuss One God, Three Religions.  This is who my Higher Power is.

I am a Christian who practices the Catholic faith.  I am a true believer that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and arrived here on earth to remove our sins.  But that is just part of the story and what a Higher Power can do for us.  On this small journey I hope to show you how eating right, exercise, and medications are not the only thing that helps.  They are the only things we will read about in magazines, journals, and from doctors; but, for this community, we will use our Higher Power also to help manage our diabetes.

A Higher Power Other Than God - Story

I was listening to my Christian radio station and heard a story about a young lady (well younger than me) and she was discussing when she was a drug addict, living on the streets, a prostitute, and  an alcoholic.  WOW, and I only have diabetes, this is amazing that someone like her could be on a radio discussing her Higher Power.  She is truly lucky to be alive today to tell her story.

But her story got me wondering, does our Higher Power do more for us then we think, and the answer is probably yes - and that is what this series will explore, how do we tap into that power to help manage our life style change.

Sorry, back to the young lady.  While she was living on the streets at night, she had picked up a Power Ranger (you know the Power Ranger heroes) along the way when she was first getting started.  That Power Ranger went with her everywhere and she relied on that Power Ranger.  

She kept it in her pocket and when things were difficult she would pull out the Power Range and she would talk to it and she could hear it talking back to her and helping comfort her.

When she was afraid or something was happening to her, she would pull out that Power Ranger and she would cling on to it with all her hopes and all her fears and the Power Ranger would help her make it through the event.

Being lonely a lot, she would use the Power Ranger as a companion and talk to it.  She would share her dreams and innermost thoughts with the Power Ranger.  These conversations would give her hope and allow her to stay alive and try one more day.

When she needed something, she would pull out the Power Ranger and explain her needs and somehow the Power Range would deliver what she wanted.

Then one day - the Holy Spirit arrived on the scene and demonstrated to her a better POWER RANGER - the one true POWER RANGER!  She was able to give her life to Christ and defeat her addictions and is now on a better path and journey.

Now we know, and she knows, the Power Ranger did not do any of those things - but to her it did and it was real.  I think she still has the Power Ranger just to remind her of those days.

My point with this series will be, how can we use our Higher Power to help us on the journey.

"Lean" Into Your Higher Power

The basic concept of this series will be for us to learn how to "lean" into our Higher Power and use our Higher Power to alter our lifestyle.  The young lady I just mentioned, "leaned" into her Power Ranger for support and comfort.  We will explore ways of doing that and how that lean will help us manage a better lifestyle.

Leaning into your Higher Power means to give it all up and fully trust your Higher Power.  I am not an inventor of this Higher Power concept - it really comes from the 1930s and Alcoholic Anonymous.  They use it in their 12 step program of recovery.  Here is what they say: 

Alcoholics Anonymous

The terms 'higher power' and 'power greater than ourselves' appear in the "Big Book", on three occasions:

• "Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity." 
• "The alcoholic at certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink. Except in a few cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power." 
• "Follow the dictates of a Higher Power and you will presently live in a new and wonderful world, no matter what your present circumstances!"

Simple concept - NOT!!!  This is not easy - we often discuss this and we mention it - but I challenge you to truly lean into your Higher Power for support.  Get ready to use them as effectively as you use eating, exercise, and medicines to control your diabetes.

Times I Leaned Into My Higher Power - God

You are reading this blog so you know how I leaned into God to help me quit smoking and how I leaned into him to help me with my life style change.  These stories are just a few times that I leaned into God for his help and trusted him to deliver.

The most difficult time in my life is when I lost a business during the 2008 - 2009 Credit Financial crash.  I had a business that developed software for banks and was just getting started.  We were making good traction and then the crash hit.  Many small businesses went under during that time - I was not the only one.

Kathleen and I was in the process of losing our house and home.  I had invested our life savings into the company and I lost it all.  We had no idea where we were going to live, how we would survive, or what would happen to us.

During the business years, I traveled and worried more about the business than my relationship with God or Kathleen.  So when it all went south, I had a choice, lean into God or be angry.  I am so fortunate to have a steadfast wife who talked me into leaning into God for help and support.  During that time, I learned to pray more, learned to love a little more, and learned to live a little more.

Most importantly, I learned living in the "Present Moment" with God and Kathleen was the best moment of my life.  Then I noticed each day and each moment started feeling like that.  We prayed together, we played together, and we learned to love each other as we did when we were younger.

I am a firm believer that without God, I would have never pulled through those times.  But what really happened is I found it okay to "Lean" into my God and ask him for help.  I was worthy of his love and support.

That is the place I want you to get to with your Higher Power as we go through this series.  Learn to trust them.  Learn to listen to them.  Learn to "Lean" into them.  No matter who or what your Higher Power is, get close to them to help you through this life style change.

God, a simple request, please give us all the ability to "Lean" into you and to allow you to give us the gifts you want for us.  Allow us to take care of this temple you have provided and this Amazing Body you gave us.  Give us the courage to treat it right.

Bob, 

No Carbohydrate Diet - Part 2

What Do Carbohydrates do for us

FBS - 11/2/7/2013 - 122

FBS - 11/28/2013 - 106 - still fluctuating with stress and work - not totally out of the woods yet

BP - 139/87  home machine and is slightly above 110/70 at this reading / HR - 61

I want to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving.  I know for my international readers this a United States holiday but I think we all have something to be thankful for - so we can all call this a Day of Thanksgiving.  Give it up to your higher power(s) and thank them for what they have done for you today.

My dad left me with three basic things to be thankful for:

1. When you wake up in the morning, give thanks to God for he brought you through the night and you are looking down at the ground and not up at it.
2. When you go to bed at night, give God thanks for every second he gave you during the day to experience the life he meant for you to experience.
3. But most of all, thank God for the people he put in your life - and I thank God for each of you.  Strangely enough - I have to thank him for my diabetes because without it - I would not know any of you.

What are the functions of carbohydrates in our body.

According to most sources there are really six functions:

1. Providing energy and regulation of blood glucose
2. Sparing the use of proteins for energy
3. Breakdown of fatty acids and preventing ketosis
4. Biological recognition processes
5. Flavor and Sweeteners
6. Dietary fiber

I will take each one and provide some detail information  and at the end of the series, will wrap up with why we should not go without them.

Providing energy and regulating blood glucose

This might be considered the most important function and why not having them in our diet can be a major risk.

Glucose is the only sugar used by the body to provide energy for its tissues. Therefore, all digestible polysaccharides, disaccharides, and monosaccharides must eventually be converted into glucose or a metabolite of glucose by various liver enzymes. Because of its significant importance to proper cellular function, blood glucose levels must be kept relatively constant.

Among the enormous metabolic activities the liver performs, it also includes regulating the level of blood glucose. During periods of food consumption, pancreatic beta cells sense the rise in blood glucose and begin to secrete the hormone insulin. Insulin binds to many cells in the body having appropriate receptors for the peptide hormone and causes a general uptake in cellular glucose. In the liver, insulin causes the uptake of glucose as well as the synthesis of glycogen, a glucose storage polymer. In this way, the liver is able to remove excessive levels of blood glucose through the action of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes may have two problems - our cells do not recognize and take in the glucose thus leaving large amounts in our blood - or we do not produce enough insulin to manage the glucose produced.  This is much the same problem of a Type I diabetic.

In contrast, the hormone glucagons is secreted into the bloodstream by pancreatic alpha cells upon sensing falling levels of blood glucose. Upon binding to targeted cells such as skeletal muscle and brain cells, glucagon acts to decrease the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. This hormone inhibits the uptake of glucose by muscle and other cells and promotes the breakdown of glycogen in the liver in order to release glucose into the blood. Glucagon also promotes gluconeogenesis, a process involving the synthesis of glucose from amino acid precursors. Through the effects of both glucagon and insulin, blood glucose can usually be regulated in concentrations between 70 and 115mg/100 ml of blood.

Other hormones of importance in glucose regulation are epinephrine and cortisol. Both hormones are secreted from the adrenal glands, however, epinephrine mimics the effects of glucagon while cortisol mobilizes glucose during periods of emotional stress or exercise.

Despite the liver's unique ability to maintain homeostatic levels of blood glucose, it only stores enough for a twenty-four hour period of fasting. After twenty four hours, the tissues in the body that preferentially rely on glucose, particularly the brain and skeletal muscle, must seek an alternative energy source. During fasting periods, when the insulin to glucagons ratio is low, adipose tissue begins to release fatty acids into the bloodstream. Fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains consisting of single carboxylic acid group and are not very soluble in water. Skeletal muscle begins to use fatty acids for energy during resting conditions; however, the brain cannot afford the same luxury. Fatty acids are too long and bulky to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Notice through fasting or starving, our bodies start to find a different source that is not as good.  Leave it to our "smart brain" to know this is not good for us.  If the brain knows not to consume fatty acids, then we should be smart enough to feed our brain some real glucose.  No carbohydrates - might be a danger to our brains.  When I went on my "no carb" eating; it might have saved my life but what did it do to my brain?  Oh yeah - forgot I do not have much of one anyway - I am okay!

 Therefore, proteins from various body tissues are broken down into amino acids and used by the liver to produce glucose for the brain and muscle. This process is known as gluconeogenesis or "the production of new glucose." If fasting is prolonged for more than a day, the body enters a state called ketosis. Ketosis comes from the root word ketones and indicates a carbon atom with two side groups bonded to an oxygen atom.

 Ketones are produced when there is no longer enough oxaloacetate in the mitochondria of cells to condense with acetyl CoA formed from fatty acids. Oxaloacetate is a four-carbon compound that begins the first reaction of the Krebs Cycle, a cycle containing a series of reactions that produces high-energy species to eventually be used to produce energy for the cell. Since oxaloacetate is formed from pyruvate (a metabolite of glucose), a certain level of carbohydrate is required in order to burn fats. Otherwise, fatty acids cannot be completely broken down and ketones will be produced.

It surely appears to me that these "No Carb" diets make no sense.  What I think makes a lot of sense is using these no carbohydrate snacks to help put a little fuel in our body.  Again, as I have stated many times, you must know what your body needs, on a regular basis on at the given moment you are ready to eat.

By the way, today is Thanksgiving and a day of coming together and sharing a great meal.  My family is not in Nashville and I have an ex-coworker, Steve Megow, who invites us to participate with his extended family each year.  See why my Dad said be thankful for each person God puts in your life.

Oh yeah - he smokes some great meet and none of his family are diabetics so they have a good time.  Lookout for my readings on Friday - for today I feast and thank God for every second he allows me to graze today!  Carbohydrates are in this blog and in the dictionary; but, they are not on a Thanksgiving table!

May God grant you many seconds each day for which you can be thankful.  May he watch over you at night while you sleep and bring you through those unguarded times.  Most of all, I ask that he opens my eyes and allows me to see the "real" person he put in my life today, not one based on race, religion, or political views; but, the one he created.

God bless each of you and have a most Thankful day!

Bob,

God's Helpers

The women in my life - how they care for me.

I have finally this morning finished up the project I am on and getting back to normal.  I was running so ragged I did not even test this morning.

This month I am being honored in the ADA Newsletter on on the story - My Story.

I thought I would be lazy and just add it to this blog - much of you guys already know but since it was supposed to be Sunday - just want to thank God for where I am at.

My Story: Bob (robertdant)  - my user name in the ADA community.

                                          

I am positive I am like so many other diabetics and my story begins in 2000 by my doctor telling me he is positive I have diabetes and wants to schedule a test.  At that point in time, I am pre-diabetes and allowed to control it with diet and exercise.

My Dad developed diabetes late in his life and my Grandpa Matheny (my Mother’s Dad) was a Type I diabetic.  So I grew up around it but did not have much exposure to it.  I do not even think I felt anything because I thought – no big deal.  Unfortunately, my wife Kathleen, was told by the doctor it is a big deal and it was her responsibility to make sure I took care of my health through diet and exercise.  Looking back on it now some 13 years ago – I was a fool and so was my doctor.

After 13 years of battling this disease, I finely figured out this year it is my disease and not my wife’s and I do need to take it seriously.  Before telling you about my life style change, I should set up what my life style was before the dramatic change this year.

In 1999, I decided to leave the corporate world and branch out on my own and start my own business.  We were lucky to pick up a nice contract in Des Moines, Iowa and at the time we lived in Chaska, Minnesota.  For two years, I traveled to Iowa on Sundays and back on Friday as it was a 4 hour drive.  Sometimes Kathleen would go with me and we would stay a couple of weeks in Iowa so I could relax.

Get the picture, I was always on the road and never really stable in any environment.  On top of that, I have situation where I never have had a hunger pain.  So I would forget to eat, sometimes for 1-2 days.  Then I started developing times I would feel faint and start to sweat.  I guess instinct told me to dump in some sugar and keep going.  What havoc was I wreaking on my poor body?

This life style of being on the road and traveling to jobs and pouring my entire life into the business continued until 2009 – when I lost the business during the great financial crisis.  We moved to Nashville to get out of the cold and for my wife to be close to our kids; Sarah and Brian – as I was never really home.  Within one month of moving to Nashville, I received another two year contract in Cincinnati and moved up there and come home on the weekends.  I finally landed a gig in London and was there for 3 years.

I had started to smoke again, reached a weight of 250 pounds and was in horrible shape.  While living in Cincinnati, I reached a point of knowing I should lose weight.  All the time knowing I was a diabetic; but did not buy strips as I needed the money for the business – and, after all I was losing weight and thought I was eating right.  I even started walking again just to make sure.

My lovely wife (Kathleen and God's best angel), who should have kicked me to the curb long ago, knew I was not right.  Later I found out she could tell I was not healthy because my skin was grey and many of my neighbors noticed it as well.  She persisted and finally found a study I could apply for and they would put me under their care for two years - SHE SIGNED ME UP.  To get in the test, you could not be on medications and you had to have an A1c less than 11.  Go figure I failed the criteria, I had an A1c of 13.1 and that day my FBS was 540.  I knew I was in trouble.

I started eating meat and vegetables as my only source of food.  Two months later there was another study and this time you had to be above 11 and not on medications.  The doctor called me immediately and I went in.  I nearly failed again as I was 11 on the number. 

Roll time forward and for the next 8 years I traveled and fought the numbers game along with smoking.  When I lost the business in 2009 I knew I had reached rock bottom and God was intervening for so many reasons in my life – probably to save my marriage along with my health.  For the next 4 years I was able to maintain and found out as a disabled veteran I could use the VA – what a fool I had been – it was always there for me. 

In March of 2013, this year, I had my six month checkup and my numbers were heading up again, I had an A1c reading of 8.1 and out came the threat of insulin.  It is not the insulin that worried me it is the needles – I hate them.

Usually when I come home, my family would say nice try Dad; better luck next time; or my poor wife would take on the guilt of not managing my disease for me.  I am blessed in so many ways as I have a daughter (Sarah, God's second angel) who said enough is enough.  No more dad!  I am not going to take care of you when you are older if you do not take care of yourself now.  She is a professional golf instructor and I like playing golf with her.  She told me no more golf or lessons unless I straightened up.

Not sure what scared me the most, the needles, the disease, or my daughter.  Does not matter, I told myself I had to get better and I need help from a higher power who had helped me to quit smoking 2 years earlier.  It was time for my God to help once again.

I bought books, I tried diets like Vegan, and I tried getting back the YMCA for exercise.   My diet had been oatmeal in the morning, salads made by my lovely wife for lunch, and some kind of meat and vegetables for supper.  This had been going on for two years and that is why the numbers being up were so horrifying – I thought I was doing better.

Then a funny thing happened to me and I received this email marketing a book by Suzy Cohen RPh, Diabetes without Drugs (God's special outside angel).  Now this email must have come directly from above because I was having a hard time to determine even how to start.  But this book caught my eye because I grew up with a mother who did not believe in medications if you could avoid them.  I thought, “WOW, Mom to the rescue.”  I ordered the book and started to read it.  I could not put it down - it read that well for me and I loved what she had to say.

So I started the program.  It is now November and I have reduced my weight from 224 to 179.  My A1c in September was 6.4.  All of my medications were stopped but my high blood pressure medicine.  One month later that was even taken off my list by my doctor.  I am now medicine free.

Yes I have been very blessed to have three exceptional women in my life.  My wife has been with me through thick and thin and there is no one in the world better than her.  She has kept me grounded in my faith, my rock when I was on the road chasing a dream, and my best friend when it all fell apart.  My daughter, Sarah, who just simply cares about her Dad and that in itself is another very long story.  Finally, having Suzy come along and writing a book to help me change my life style was amazing.  I still go to her book as there is much to learn that I just glazed over the first time. 

I have also added a new set of friends from the ADA community.  Knowing and realizing I am a diabetic and will always need help – I joined the ADA and participate in the community.  It is great and there is a post were we all get on each morning and register our morning FBS level.  This makes me do this each day as I feel I will let them down if I do not respond.  Another special female Marty (God's fourth angel) really knows a lot and has become a close friend in the ADA community.  She provides knowledge, encouragement, and just good companionship.  You can see her comments in some of my posts.

God has blessed me in so many ways and I know no this thing I used to hate called diabetes, is the very thing God has used to help enrich my life.  I now eat right, exercise 2 hours each day, and live a much healthier life style.  All of this will help me live longer.

If I can do this – I KNOW YOU CAN!

By the way - if you cannot afford Suzy's book - just let me know and I will try to help.  I think it is that good.

May God put special people in your life to help out.  May God give you the sixth sense to know when he has and to listen to them.  They just might be delivering that very special message you need to hear.

Bob,

Faces Of Diabetes

I stepped out today to step on diabetes

BS  - 111 this morning before going to the Diabetes Step out walk.  I had some really good Mexican food last night - wife come home and I wanted to celebrate.

Each year the American Diabetes Association holds a fundraiser in communities called Step Out.  The step out is a walk to raise funds to fight this disease.  This was my first year of doing this and it was awesome.

I thought it would be good to share some of the faces there and let them speak for themselves and how much this means to us diabetics.  I am not a professional writer as you can tell from these posts and I am also not a professional photographer - but what the heck here - goes.

RED Strider

People like myself who walk and also have diabetes - we are the honored

guests.  Yep that is me in my nice red strider shirt.

Eleven year old Type 1 Diabetic explaining what it is like to be a child living with diabetes and the technology that has helped make her life better.  She too is a RED Strider and God bless her courage.

People who care

These are just the hundreds that show up who do not have diabetes but it has touched their lives and they walk to support us.  God bless them for caring about all of us.

 

 

Those that sponsor the event

Those that entertained us

May God bless those who care for us diabetics and who had the courage to step out today in our honor and for us.  May he grant those who can help find a cure with this money the courage and knowledge to do so!

Bob,

Where Am I in My Journey?

What is next for me?

I want to say thank you to all readers out there and hope this blog does some good.  We added new readers from Malaysia yesterday.  During my sad rant in the morning, I noticed that as soon as I create a post my pages read number goes up, meaning some must get this automatically or via email.  Anyway, over 45 people are getting each new post as soon as I write it.  I am really grateful for the support.

Also, yesterday we reached a new milestone as over 100 people come to the blog and opened at least one post.  I am just blown away by all of you reading this and again hope my journey can help you.

I also hope that means 100 prayers went up to higher powers for Dora and our young mother needing strips.  By the way, I decided to reach out an offer those strips.  Turned out she was okay and was not offended by my reach.  Nice to know it is still okay to offer a hand to a stranger.

BS - 110 this morning.  I am the VP of our church's men's club and on the first Thursday of each month we have our meeting.  Someone always cooks the meal for the guys.  Last night, Matt, one of our better cooks, prepared the meal so I did not worry too much about my carbohydrates - it was the day I was going to enjoy.

Since we had a couple of long series on journaling followed by a heavy sad post - I felt today I would take a lite day and take stock of where I am at and where do I see my journey going next.

Am I healthier?

I am asked this question and I know the answer is yes - but I also want to say I know I am a rookie when it comes to understanding my body and what will make it work more efficiently, effectively, and take care of itself.  

I weighed 224 pounds in March 2013 when I reached my rock bottom.  Today I weigh 179 pounds.  I do not have a goal or established weight in mind.  I am working out each day, eating right, and I think my body at this age will tell me how I am doing.  When I left the Marine Corp in 1979 I weighed 170 pounds - but it was structured much differently than it is today.  Will I get back to that weight - not sure and not my dream.  I do this so if I do not succeed, I do not set myself up for failure.

While weight has always been one of those things in the back of my mind and I always wanted to lose the weight - I did not feel it was the most important factor in being healthy.  The weight loss has helped my blood glucose level and high blood pressure - there is not doubt.  I just do not believe it will be the thing that drives me forward.

My A1c was 8.1 and during my September visit it was 6.4.  A 6.4 puts me in the medical classification of pre-diabetes.  But I know better because I know where I have been.  But again, I do not use this number to drive the healthier question.  This number is what the doctors use to see how I am doing long term.  For me, it it is still the constant testing and knowing what I am eating and what it does to the body.

I seldom exercised and thought walking the dog 2 miles was enough.  I still do that but have also added 1.5 hours in the gym.  Do I use any of those numbers to define my health.  No, as I know my body now wants and demands this exercise.  I missed yesterday to play golf and it is crying out - please go do something.  It is telling me what it needs and wants.

So am I healthier - yes I am.  But not by the numbers.  I am healthier because I have learned to listen to my body, my support team, and my God.  I am healthier because I do understand the impacts of foods and drinks on my body.  I am healthier - BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT ME NOW!

My challenge - get yourself healthier.  Do not let a number drive you - let your heart, your spirit, and your mind drive you.  All of these together will put you in a healthier place and that is the true goal.

New beginnings.

Now that I have become healthier, I want to learn to live a healthy life style.  My ADA support community has helped me understand there is more to live than a number - there is a style of living called Living with Diabetes - and enjoying life.  I want to know what that means.

I want to spend more time loving my wife.  Now that I can be more active, I want to spend more time going places and enjoying things together.  I want to learn to spend time just enjoying live versus marching through it.  I can only do this when my life style changes include her and for the moment - they have been about me.  My entire family does Hot Yoga.  That would give me 2 hours three times a day with my wife - sound s like a plan.

I want to spend more time with my support family; specifically my children.  I have two lovely children and have missed a lot of time with them because I have blown through life.  I want to spend time playing golf with my daughter and letting her make me better.  I want to spend time with my son developing some software or learning software together.  They are special and I need to learn to enjoy and appreciate what God gave me.

I want to get to know my extended support team - and that includes all of you.  When I started this blog, I think it was about me and telling my cousins what I have done.  Little did I know it was about me; gaining knowledge and learning from all of you.  I have received more from this blog then I have given and I thank all of you for that.  By knowing you are there is keeping me on the journey and that makes me the winner.

I want to learn how to eat healthier and know what is healthy in a restaurant.  I want to know more about cooking with almond flour or being gluten free.  I want to know what organic products do for me versus the ones on the shelf at the store and I want to know if the price difference is worth it.

I want to know more about my body and how to replenish its natural minerals, vitamins, and nutrients.  I want to understand all of those crazy tests they run and what do they tell me each time I take this body in for a checkup.  I want to know how this great machine given to me by a special God, can heal itself.

Finally, I just want to get to know my God better and learn to appreciate the good things in this life I am given and the challenges.  I want to be able to understand how they are all good for me in the end of time.

Posting future.

So where does that leave us and where this blog will go.  If you have ideas - leave a comment.  If not, then here is where I am going to take it going forward.

I will leave Sundays as a day for God.  It gives me a chance to think of things he does for me and how wonderful life can be.  I like the God and Science theme and that will stay for sometime in the future.

I will leave the form as a journal of my journey.  There are some great blogs out there that have lots of information and organize them as a catalog of information.  That is good - but I want this blog to be about a journey that can help people relate and create their own journey.

I will start a series on eating and what I learn from that.  I will share things I learn and hopefully will create some great recipes that can be added.  Many of my extended support have already done that and I will call on them to help learn as I go through that portion of my journey.

I will also continue to pull forward education on diabetes and how I am learning more each day.  I will often point to sources of information and allow you to read for yourself as well.

I hope this direction works for you all and you continue to get from this blog as much as I do.

Remember our goal is to help one person help themselves to a healthier life style.

By the way, in searching for some information on how to build a journaling product for the community - I found a very good beginning of a site.  It is mainly around food but also has diet,  A1c or sugar level readings, and exercise management tracking.  That site is - http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ and in the middle of the page is SuperTracker.  I am going to give it a try and see how it does.  It, along with my VA health portal should give me some excellent ideas.

May god bless us on our journey.  May he give us the strength to set new directions when we have reached a junction in the road.  May he give us the ability to see into the future by knowing and understanding our past.  May he grant us the courage to go beyond our current boundaries and explore new horizons.

Bob,

Sad Heart

Difficult day today - we all have them and nothing to be ashamed about.

I had a reading tonight before evening meal of 71 and I was getting the cold sweats and shakes - have not experienced that since coming off medications - I hope it is a good sign.  I reached out to my ADA community support group for some ideas - glad they were there for me.

This past week has been a pretty heavy intense set of posts and I hope you are thinking about your journal and your journey.

I am sitting here tonight working late - or early and yes I will miss sleep tonight.  It is part of the job and I know it will impact my blood glucose - but stuff has to get done.

So while I sit here, I go out to the ADA community and read messages and also my own blog comments and emails.

In both sections today I received some really heart breaking news and on top of that, I had a co-worker say some really nasty things about me.  I have gone through life and have never felt hate towards anyone and probably do not feel that now - but I am struggling for the first time actually forgiving someone.

If that is not bad enough - my wife is in Florida helping her parents and I miss her so much.  While she is down there she got sick and I cannot be there to help her - so I am an emotional wreck tonight - reader beware.

But that is not for this blog on diabetes, but the other disturbing events are.  So while it is weighing on my heart and I have nothing else to do but watch jobs execute on the computer, I am going to let you be my ears today as my feelings poor out.

I am not intending this to be political in anyway and many of my international friends will understand some of the same issues in their country.  You see, I have had the opportunity in my life to manage people in 21 different countries and have gotten to know a lot of people around the world.  I think that is why I am so excited to see people from all countries reading the blog.

The news is simple - people need our help and prayers and I am going to reach out tonight for your prayers and support.

When Bad Things Happen To Good People.

Many of you have noticed Marty adding comments to these posts.  She and her husband have diabetes and other ailments.  I know I am older than she is but I still see her as an expert, a mentor, and a friend - yet I have never met her and cannot tell you much about her.

If you read her comments on the journaling post yesterday - you noticed she was asking for prayers for Dora.  So my request is that we all add Dora to our prayers.  I am not particular who your higher power is, please let them know about Dora.  Oh yeah - they already do - we just need to remind them we care.

In case you did not read the comments, Dora is 87 years old, in a nursing home in this great country, has lost both her legs to diabetes, and does not appear to be getting the care she should.  Shame on all of us for letting one person go through this suffering.  We are a greater nation than this - or I hoped we were / are.

My heart aches at times like this because as a human being I desperately want to know how bad things happen to good people.  How do those that appear to love God and are faithful - become afflicted with such a bad outcome?  I could go on this topic forever.  I simply let myself rest after a while knowing that maybe just maybe, there is more to all of this then what happens here on earth.

I imagine Dora staying in the Big House above and she will have a beautiful body for all of eternity and her pain and suffering will be replaced by loving arms and a joy none of us can imagine.  He suffering here on earth and her faith will elevate her into a much higher status when she goes to be with God.

So please add Dora to your prayers and others that are suffering.  Our prayers should be of her getting the right help and to help reduce some of the suffering.

Why must someone go short of strips? 

I was also reading some messages today on the ADA community and noticed that a young mother (29) of two children is not testing because she cannot afford strips until payday.  In this country that is sad.  Those strips do not cost that much to make and yet it is easy to keep the price high when us diabetics have to buy them.

Even Marty talks about going short once in a while because the government will only buy so many.  I too faced that with the VA and found it strange that they only wanted me to test 2 times a week!!  How does that help me help myself.  Is it hard for me to understand that if we catch a young individual and move them towards preventative solutions and education - we will stop the next Dora from happening.

You want to know what my real delima is? I too have financial problems from a failed business and the 2008 world credit crisis.  For several years I could not afford the strips and did what the VA asked me to do and struggle through it all.  Now things are a little better and I can afford to get what I need - no insurance or VA help.

But, I still want to reach out to that young mother and say - do not go short of strips.  Let me help you in anyway I can.  

But I am afraid of how it will be taken or how she might interpret my meaning.  How sad is that? I am struggling with that and wish my wife was here to talk it over with her.  She is my best friend and usually keeps me think through these events.

I am a very logical and result driven individual at work - but on the street, I lead with my heart.  I just know there are ways to help.

Finding a way to help.

As I sit here, working on my computer, I am suddenly struck with an idea.  I have architect some of the world's largest systems.  I have helped big companies get their products to you faster, I have helped banks move money, and I have helped insurance companies develop policies.

Now I am in the health care industry and is my last horizon and hopefully end before I retire - if I ever do.

So why not put something together for the diabetics of this world.  As I look back on my journey, I had to find different products to help and yet I never did find a really good journaling system.  I found bits and pieces every where.

Since I have the knowledge and most likely have the means to get this done - I will work on the concept over the next few weeks and  see what I can do.

Not being a marketer, but I think something nice like Dora'sdiabetes.org would be a nice thing to get in place in honor of her and the a person I would say has caused me to get serious about helping where I can.

I will ask each of you to join me in a pledge.  We diabetics, and those who have diabetic family members, will work together as a community to help diabetics help themselves.  We will find ways to provide tools, support, and even money where possible so no diabetic has to feel alone or they cannot afford the supplies they so desperately need.  I know the ADA is a great source but we can go farther as a team.

Now that I have lost you all together, my apologies but sometimes I you just have to lay it out on the table.  By me ranting, I feel better now as there is something we can do.

Here is how my crazy mind thinks - and it is crazy ask my wife.  There are 27 million people afflicted with this disease.  Let's assume that 50% of those test once a day.  Now let's assume that strips can cost $.10 / a strip - and that would be cheap.  That means 13 million people spend $.10/day or $1,300,000 / day spent on strips and I can tell you it is more than that.  What would happen then if we could just harness a small piece of that - we could have a private fund to help Dora, the young mother, or even Marty when they need supplies.

No, I have no idea how to do that but I will figure it out.

Now my sadness has been turned into a real energy boost - I better go to bed before I give myself a brain aneurism.

May God grant Dora some peace with her remaining time here on earth.  May he grant her many friends and many visits from Marty.  May he grant all of us the courage to mention her in our daily prayers and lift up her burden to the one who can help.

Thanks for listening tonight - it is greatly appreciated.

Bob,

 . 

God's Amazing Body and Science - Part 1

Do I think both can exist - they do 

Once again I think we have added a reader from Taiwan - welcome.  Just so everyone knows how this all works is I get statistics on how many people have come to the blog for the day and open a page.  If you read 3 posts while there you count as one reader for the day.  It will show me what countries have found the blog and it is cool as it then starts to color in the world map for each country who has read a post and it gets darker with the number of readers.  That is all I know about any of you.

If you register to receive this via email, I cannot see who signs up..  My family has and we do not receive any junk mail so that might be the easiest way to stay on top of the blog.  Those numbers do not count as part of the daily read.

It is Sunday and this is when I pay homage to God on his day.

BS  - 107 - I had a wild afternoon yesterday but still in good shape

BP - 119/ 76 (home machine) - HR 52

God's creation story and science

Many of us God fearing people have read Genesis.  God created the heaven and earth.  Now it does not go into any definition how God created the heaven and earth.  Science has a few thoughts of its own and probably the best known is the Big Bang theory.

According to Wikipedia "The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that describes the early development of the Universe.^[1] According to the theory, the Big Bang occurred approximately 13.798 ± 0.037 billion years ago,^{[2][3][4][5][6][7]} which is thus considered the age of the universe.^{[8][9][10][11]} At this time, the Universe was in an extremely hot and dense state and began expanding rapidly. After the initial expansion, the Universe cooled sufficiently to allow energy to be converted into various subatomic particles, including protons, neutrons, and electrons. Though simple atomic nuclei formed within the first three minutes after the Big Bang, thousands of years passed before the first electrically neutral atoms formed. The majority of atoms that were produced by the Big Bang are hydrogen, along with helium and traces of lithium. Giant clouds of these primordial elements later coalesced through gravity to form stars and galaxies, and the heavier elements were synthesized either within stars or during supernovae" 

To me this does not say that God did not do this.  Who is to say he did not; nor can we prove it.  So as a young man studying science and Christianity - I have always believed both can be true.

God's creation of man and evolution

Furthermore God said, "Lets make man in our own image.  Now science and Darwin try to tell me I either evolved from an earlier primate "ape" or life began as a single cell split and started to form different forms of life.

This is when I have a very difficult time linking the two together.  If either happened, then I have a million questions I would like to ask those people.  I f it did occur this way, how did our bodies get so sophisticated on their own.  We know the eyes and nervous system can be effected by diabetes so I will focus a little on the eyes in this post.  

Eyes

The Anatomy of the Eye says it best.  Follow the link to this amazing article.  The eye is very sophisticated and just the design of it makes it hard for me to believe it evolved to this sophistication.  And if it did, why has it not evolved to something even better over the past millions of years.

Lens - just one part

The lens is where about 20 of the eye's 60 diopters obtain diopteric power. The remainder of the eye's diopteric power is contained in the cornea. Furthermore it is the lens that enables us to change the focus according to different distances, e.g. when we change focus from a TV screen across the living room to a newspaper in our hand. The lens is attached to a mass of threads called zonula threads.

Read the article - it is amazing about this thing we call an eye.  Once you read it, you will also understand why it is important to have them checked and even do a retinal scan to see if there is any damage or check the blood vessel damage - mine is good at the moment.

Science as a marvel

Now lets give science their due as they are extremely valuable to us and each week I will add something of a marvel from science.  Today I think the marvel is what they are doing with the artificial Pancreas.

Click on the above link and it will show you that for Type 1 diabetics, there is finally an accepted breakthrough on an artificial pancreas that can help Type 1 diabetics control insulin production.

According to the article; "The first human trials of the latest design of an artificial pancreas for people with type 1 diabetes found the device worked without causing low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).

Ideally, this type of automated device would finally free people with type 1 diabetes from the insulin injections that many require each day, while relieving them of the constant need to check blood sugar levels and monitor the food they eat accordingly."

I think this is when God loves science and science should love God.  God's great machine, the human body is not all perfect.  But he did give us smart humans and a scientific community who can develop such wonderful equipment.

I think they both exist and I am glad.

May God continue to send us marvelous people to help us with our afflictions.

Bob, 

Neuropathy or Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)? - Part 1

Wrongly diagnosed?  I do not blame Doc!

BS 98 - Fasting sugar level this morning

BP 110/80 (home machine) - HR 62

BS at 11:00 PM - 107 after working out

BP 115/70 (at YMCA) HR - 81 after workout.

Symptoms

It was during my March 2013 6-month visit when I finally complained to the doctor about the tingling in my feet at night, it would wake me up, and I was starting to have troubles walking around the house without shoes as it felt like to soles of my feet were sore and hurting.  I also complained my feet were always hot and I had to take my shoes off or get very light net shoes to wear.

He gave me the feather and pin test and was puzzled as I felt everything and it appeared my feet were normal.  Being a good doctor, he did not want to take any chances so he prescribed a neuropathy medicine - 300 mg of Gabapentin twice daily.

Within 3 months my feet felt like leather, I could not even walk with shoes on as it hurt the bottom of my feet and I felt like I was walking on rock slate.

I could not take it any more as each day it got worse.  So going against my belief system, I went to the internet to research tingly feet.  I found a lot of material but I will stay with what I found at Mayo Clinic - they are pretty reputable.

Neuropathy

From Mayo Clinic, "Peripheral neuropathy, a result of nerve damage, often causes weakness, numbness and pain, usually in your hands and feet, but it may also occur in other areas of your body.

People generally describe the pain of peripheral neuropathy as tingling or burning, while they may compare the loss of sensation to the feeling of wearing a thin stocking or glove."

Restless Leg Syndrome

From Mayo Clinic, "Commonly described sensations - People typically describe restless legs syndrome symptoms as abnormal, unpleasant sensations in their calves, thighs or feet. Sometimes the sensations may be in the arms, often expressed as:

• Crawling, Creeping, Pulling, Throbbing, Itching, Pain, Tugging, Gnawing, Burning

Sometimes the sensations seem to defy description. Affected people usually don't describe the condition as a muscle cramp or numbness. They do, however, consistently describe the desire to move or handle their legs."

Mechanics and Doctors - checking vitals

WOW - no wonder they call it practicing medicine - how would a Doctor know from my description which is the root cause of my feeling.  Doctors are like mechanics and our bodies are like automobiles.  I can go into my mechanic and he can hook up to the computer and it will tell him if my car is sick or he can check the fluid levels to see if I am low on any fluids.

Our bodies are like that.  We can go to the doctor and he can take our A1C and get a three month average of our sugar levels - our computer can tell him if something is wrong.

The doctor can take blood, urine samples, and all kinds of other samples to see if our fluids can tell the doctor if something is wrong.  This is like checking our fluids.

Mechanics and Doctors - listening to me

Lets say with my mechanic I can no longer can rely on my car to tell the mechanic what is wrong - I have to do that.  Just recently I had to do that.  My car was making noises in the front end.  So I went in and tried to point to the location, I tried to describe the noise, and I tried to make the exact sound.  Can you imagine an old man standing in front of his mechanic pointing to the dash and squealing like a stuck pig!  My mechanic is a great guy from Jamaica - he must go home some nights and wish he never made the journey to Nashville.  Or he goes home and says - WOW I just got that comedy show for free and better yet - I get to charge him for his stupidity.

So is it any different went I went to the doctor and tried to explain my feet situation.  Holy cow, I am a diabetic - what else would he think.  Just look at the similarities between the two.  Naturally he had to go that route.  He also has to be careful I do not come back and sue him for malpractice.  That can be a post all by itself.

So what have I learned?  Do a little research to discover what is going on with your body.  My wife, the non geek in the relationship - jumps on the internet and starts searching when she does not understand.  I am not one of those men who will not stop and ask for directions - ladies you know what I am saying - but I do not jump on the internet other than for work research.

I have never said I am the smart one in this relationship!  

My point is simple.  Go  ahead and get on the internet and do some research.  learn, study, get to know your body.  Then when you go to the doctor (mechanic) you can help him/her help you.  This makes a lot of sense.  What does not make sense - "Any of us playing Doctor!' This is not like playing house or hospital when we were kids - no one got hurt.  You being your own doctor - do not do it!  If you do not like what the doctor is saying - get a second opinion.

In part 2 and 3 of this series I will discuss what I found with each of these problems and what I did to course correct.

May God grant you and your doctor the ability to listen and learn what is going on with your body and mind.  May he grant us the knowledge to help our doctors help us.

Bob,