So today's post will be about diabetes. My kids are 24, 23, 22 and 17. The 22 year old is the one with the 2 kids. Husband is history and they live with us. As do the 23 and 17 year old (until fall when she goes to college) I was gestational diabetic for 3 of my 4 pregnancies. 2 and 4 I had to inject insulin. All this time I was not below 200 pounds. Wow to put that on the web... Anyway, I was told "sooner or later" by almost all my doctors in the last 20 years. In December 2007, sooner came. My family doctor put me on Metformin and sent me on my way. No literature. Not a word. Only a script. By February, I had IBS. Bad. Like can't get thru a trip to Walmart without spend 2 twenty minute trips to the bathroom. I told my doctor she said, "well, metformin can do that but it usually goes away in a few months." Sugars were better. But she sent me for another 6 hour glucose tolerance test. Side note for those souls that have not had to do one of these. Nastiest fluid on the face of the earth to have to ingest. I can't drink orange soda to this day...
Test comes back the same. Diabetes. A few more months go by and the one year since diagnosis appointment comes up. She says your sugars are still too high. Let's try adding another pill. Take 2 Metformin one before breakfast and one before dinner. Well, potty time became twice as fun. I didn't leave the house to go any place where I could not get to a restroom in seconds. After a month of this, I call the office and come in again. She again reassures me that my body just has to get use to it. But adds another medication, glipizide. Also tells me to eat better. And maybe exercise. Exact words. I say the same things to our cat. Don't eat lizards and run more than nap.
First, day out and I have my usual freaky breakfast of a cup of soup. A trip to the craft store. When we are done, I don't feel so good. Sweaty. Now fat people sweat a lot and I am hot all the live long day but this is different. My arms are warm like at the wrist. I feel like I am blushing. I think oh maybe my sugar is low? I test. It is 43. I know that is not as low as some people get but I have never been that low. I am suppose to be between 80-120. So of course I panic. I look up. I see golden arches! Awesome! Soft drink not diet. Wait 15 minutes. 110. Good to go. I am more careful in the future but plod along for the next 3 months.
Next visit March. I will now give the readers digest verison of the next couple of years. Dr. sends to Endocrinologist. Hate him. Prescribes first insulin injections. Changes meds. Wait. Repeat. Wait. Repeat. Getting Fatter and gallstones get worse and so does muscle and joint pain.
FINALLY the good part. I actually read blogs. Not doctor sites. But BLOGS. Nice sickly people just like me. I tell them my woes. 4 shots a day. Carb counting sucks. Bleeding issues so low iron and low vitamin D. Tired all the time. Don't like to go away because I have to carry all the crap that comes with diabetes and insulin. One of them, http://www.diabetes1.org/blogs/Annas_Blog/all_posts, says the magic words. Insulin Pump. Of course, I had heard of them but they are pricey and my insurance sucks. So a no go for me right now. This is summer of 2012. But other stuff she and others say, Mari Ruddy I love you!, make so much sense about other things about the multiple daily injections. IT DOES NOT WORK JUST LIKE A PANCREAS. A pump is closer to a pancreas. So I wait and pray. And then...my husband changes back to his old job. I pray again. God, I want to live. I am not doing well with this. It is not working for me. If a pump is for me, help me get one.
I call the new insurance company. I hear the words that make me cry. "After your 200 dollar deductible your pump and supplies are covered 100 percent" I could have fainted. I kept repeating 100 percent? Old insurance---death was the only thing covered and you had to have 3 doctors sign off on it.
I researched pumps. Called the one I liked best. Animas. Wonderful woman walked me thru the 2 pages and then said, "I will take care of the rest." In the mean time I found a new endo that did not annoy the stuffin out of me. He signed off on the pump and I was on my way. I had to do a class which was basically a joke compared to the service and care I get from current trainer, Clyde, at new endo office.
I read some great books. I set some goals. Lose 100 pounds. A1C at 5. I read all the pumpers blogs I can find. I am ready. I expect miracles. I have a hard time with food. With no friends and no place to be food is a comfort. I read more and more. I don't want my husband to bury me because of diabetes like he did his father. I don't want to lose sight or limbs or die.
This brings us up to speed. Tomorrow, more on what needs to be done but this is the story so far.
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