A Small Victory

I did it .... I did it.... I did it did it did it!!!!! My Hemoglobin A1C is now a very respectable 5.3!!!!! The standard referrence range is 4 - 7.  That means in three months I have worked my arse off and brought that number down from a scarey 11 to the 5.3.  I was shocked when I got the results. I was shooting for a least a 7, that would have made me happy and would have put me at the high end of the acceptable range. I didn't think I was going to get there but it was my goal. So when I saw my results I almost fell out of my chair. I did a little happy dance around the patio and promptly posted the results on facebook for all to see.
I did get some other news, seems my mom passed on that crappy Yugo pancrease to my little brother as well. He had his own "Diagnosis of Doom" day two weeks ago. I guess all the times that I complained that he got all moms good traits weren't all true. But he still got her long thick eyelashes and super strong, long fingernails and I will still give him a hard time about it lol!

I got another shot of good news today at my doctors appointment..... He cut my meds in half! He said since I did so well the past three months and brought my A1C down so far he wants to see if I can handle the lower dose. He was impressed and proud. He asked how I did it.... My response.... I'm strictly compliant 99.9% of the time and make sure I get in my exercise time.

I was able to fufull a craving this past weekend, I had a PANCAKE!! and it was yummy! I savored every little bite. Thanks Brandi for talking me into going and eating with me!

Yummy Stuff

Sorry it has been a while since my last post.... I was aiming to post once a week, yeah well that ain't gonna happen sorry. So all I can say is I'm gonna post when the feeling strikes, hopefully that's at least a few times a month. Spring Break has come and gone as well as a weekend away to visit my daughter who is away at college so it has been a busy few weeks. I was a little nervous going to visit my daughter since this would be the first time on a long drive going solo, almost anyway since my 12 y/o doesn't count driving wise :-)   But all went smooth and we had a great time.
There is not a lot to report about health wise and for that I am extremely thankful. Sooooo I thought I would use this post to give a shout out to some of the yummy low/no carb foods I have found since starting this new phase of my life.....

The first savory snack is Green Giant Baked Veggie Puffs Cheddar flavor



Thanks to my daughter, who found these and said I had to give them a try I now have a delicious trade for cheese puffs. I was a little skeptical at first because they are made from corn, navy beans and potatoes..... huh? beans???? But they are really flavorful and the best part is I can have 43 of them for 17 carbs and 7 g of fat. I am not going to eat 43 of them at one time so half of that for a snack is great for me.... oh yeah winner winner chicken dinner!!!

Next up is Minute Maid Light Peach Fruit Drink with Tea



I love fruit juice and was really bummed that I was going to have to drastically cut it down...well almost completely out unless my sugar is low.... in my new food routine. So when I stumbled upon this juice on one of my jaunts to the grocery store I almost danced a jig in the isle. If you buy it looking for the tea flavor you will be a wee bit let down because it is almost non-existent but that is what I like about this juice because it lets the peach flavor flow nice and strong. I can drink this all by it's lonesome, add it to a stronger tea or mix it with another juice and it is great. (psst... Minute Maid has several other "light" flavors that are just as good as the peach) Here's the carb breakdown...
one 8 oz serving has just 3 carbs!!!!!! Yes 3 see why I was so happy!

And I saved the best for last, Gold Peak Diet Tea



I am a true Southern Girl when it comes to sweet tea, I can drink it all day everyday! The stronger, the sweeter the better, that was until Dooms Day. I was in despair when I thought I was going to have to give up my tea, sure I could use Splenda but it's just not the same. Not that I don't like Splenda but the after taste is kinda yucky sometimes. Then one day I happened to go into a Cefco (local gas station) and didn't want a diet soda or water.....again..... so I was checking out the tea to see what was available and saw the Gold Peak Tea and said why not give it a try, I am SOOOOOO glad I did. Now it will never replace Bushes or homemade tea but it is the next best thing. I buy two jugs, they are not very big don't judge me lol, every week when I go grocery shopping. My family knows those are mom's so don't touch or suffer her wrath hahaha.
If  your adventurous you might want to give one of the items I mentioned a try. If you do feel free to let me know how you liked it.

I am hoping to grow some veggies this summer. I think I might need to get started on that project real soon if I want to be serious about it but our weather just has not been very cooperative since it was down in the 30's again last night, not ideal for planting. But if I do get that up and going I'll post on how that project is panning out.
Until then enjoy Spring, it starts tomorrow!

Weathering my first storm

I made it through my first illness as a diabetic like a champ... battered and sore but the winner of the match! The last week or so at work has been kinda rough with a stomach bug going around not only with the kiddos but the staff as well. I do my best to keep my hands clean but with a broken thermometer I have been having to use "mommy hands" to see if the kiddos feel warm before making calls home so I was just waiting to see if the bug was going to get me. I also thought I jinxed myself when I told a co-worker it had been forever since I had been sick.... should have kept my big mouth shut!! But it was not the stomach bug that got me!! Let me just say that Whataburger and I will NOT be friends for a looonngg time after Saturday night/Sunday morning! I woke up with that yuck feeling about 2:30 A.M. and thought "Oh No I don't wanna be sick". But I was also thinking "I wonder what my blood sugar is?" so I checked and it was 80...all good there, let the "fun" begin. Through out the the whole episode my highest reading was 158, Thank You God! I don't know if I was more afraid that I would not stop getting sick or that my BS would shoot up. I hear horror stories from my friend at work with diabetes about how his numbers get into the 600's and I knew I couldn't handle that but God heard me and kept me where I needed to be. About 8 A.M. I got in touch with a friend (My Hero!) and was able to get some meds. to stop the nausea and help me sleep, and sleep I did, until 5 P.M. then I was in and out until 10 P.M. when it was lights out again until 6:30 A.M when I got the kid and hubby up and out the door then back in bed until 10 A.M.......that's a lot of sleep folks. And I still felt exhausted which made the hubby nervous. I had to assure him several times that my blood sugar was fine and no I didn't need to go the hospital or call the doctor. He was very caring during this whole time (except when he said it smelled bad in my room.... no sh*t I was sick, sickness stinks) Anyway I feel a little better today although my muscles hurt like I really did fight a boxing match and the little broken vessels in my face (currently semi cover by make up) makes me look like I am flushed..... lovely look really.... not, but I can say with confidence I never had a high blood sugar yippee!!

You have diabetes.... but your not "fat"

Thank you so much for that ummmm...compliment. A very well meaning co-worker came to me and said "Hey I saw all your posts on facebook and at first I seriously thought you were joking about the diabetes thing, but your serious aren't you?" Well yeah I am. She was so funny and I was surprised that of all people she would be the one to ask since she has personal experience with diabetes. I had to explain the difference between type 1 and type 2 so she could understand how it is I was diagnosed. Since I don't look like the typical picture of bad health she didn't believe me at first. Also, I don't fit in the norm of getting diabetes as a child (which is a type 1 usually) nor am I a 65 year old grandparent. And let me digress on that topic for a whole minute... Dear advertising executives, companies and agencies.....NOT ALL DIABETICS ARE OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As a matter of fact A LOT of diabetics are young, as in children, teens and twenty somethings (and those like me that are in our 40's but act younger hehehe). So why are diabetic ads and commercials almost exclusively geared to the elderly? Come on move into this century people!! OK I'll get off my soapbox now....
 I am "fluffy" although I say fat all the time. I have lost 21 pounds since October and have 19 to go to meet my first goal. Once I reach that I will decide if I am comfortable with myself or not. If the answer is no then I will set a new goal and go from there. I think those doctor guidelines are foolish... for me at least, I am never going to weigh 128 lbs. nor do I want to really. I just want to be comfortable in my own skin and for my diabetes to be under control. And those are goals that I can and will reach.

I can still have it silly....

It's funny what a 12 year old takes away from a conversation about food. When all of this started I had a frank discussion with my son about the basics..."OK dude, if mom is asleep and YOU CAN'T WAKE ME UP, call 911 then your Tia/uncle since they live 2 minutes down the road, then call your dad... got it?" He says he's got it. I also explain that I won't be able to eat some of the same things he does and that it does not mean he has to change his eating habits necessarily but that he could stand to be a little more adventurous with me. His smirk to that might as well have been him saying "yeah right mom!"  He was witness to the famous Spaghetti Meltdown.... see post Save the Spaghetti.... and my occasional frustration about what to eat when I don't feel like cooking a meal and we have a fend for yourself night. 
Ihop is going to drive me insane!!! I will be glad when their all you can eat pancake special is over!!! I want pancakes, not the healthy for you kind I can find a recipe on pinterest for, that I could have with sugar free syrup, NO I want the huge fluffy, buttery, drowned in sticky sweet syrup pancakes that you can only get at Ihop!! Not only do I want the pancakes but I want the crispy golden hash browns and scrambled eggs that go with them!!.... are you hungry yet because my mouth is watering even as I sit here typing this. My tummy is even joining in on the act with a little growl. With that said, here is what my son took away from the conversation I had with him about what I could eat and what would be better for me to avoid.....
"Mom, you can't have the pancakes but you can have all the other stuff you want." Me- "Why can't I have the pancakes?" Son- "Cause the syrup has carbs in the sugar" Me- "Only the syrup?" Son- "Yup, see I was listening when you were talking"......I love that kid, if there were only carbs in the syrup I would eat a giant stack of those pancakes without the syrup, and have those hash brown with not a care in the world!!!!! So it seems I need to do a little more education with him. I can still have those things, just in moderation. Even if I am very strict on myself.

Unexpected Perk

I have worn glasses or contacts since I was a freshmen in high school.... I had my 20th reunion in 2011, you do the math on how many years I have needed corrected vision. Two summers ago my family along with my brother's family went on a day trip to a Krause Springs, a spring feed swimming pool, waterfall and campground. I decided not to wear my contacts because I didn't want the hassle if I got water in my eyes or if they started to get dry, if you wear contacts you know the drill. Off we go, with me driving my family and not thinking a thing of it until we are on the way home and I made the comment to my husband that dang I could see pretty good with out my contacts. He however was a little worried since I was once again driving.... our brand new truck hahaha. Fast forward to this past September, and all that time I went with out my contacts. I thought "Hey maybe my 'older' eyes aren't so bad".... maybe I should have been wondering why but nope I didn't. Then September rolled around and my vision took a nose dive and I thought well I guess the honeymoon is over and I made an appointment for my eye doctor about the same time I did for my regular doctor. Funny how that all worked out. After getting the diagnosis I called my eye doctor back and talked to him. He is wonderful, he had me come in for a follow up with him to take a closer look at a few things. My eyesight went from negative lenses to positive, way positive. My vision has been on a roller coaster with all of this.  Things seem to have leveled out for now and guess what.... NO GLASSES!!! My vision was passing with out needing correction. So I will take this perk and be happy with it! And I want to give a shout out to Dr. Michael Moses because he has been great to me through all of this and he has not charged me a single penny for the last three visits, since he just calls the "follow ups", I feel like I owe him so much.

Support Group, to go or not to go.... that is the question

Here is my dilemma... I'm not a "Hi my name is Wendi and I just found out I have type 2 diabetes blah blah blah" kinda person. I'm not big into sharing with strangers, face to face anyway. Let me paint you a picture of what I see in my head as the support group for diabetes.... a group of old people, mostly grandma's talking about bingo and their grand kids. NO THANKS! I still consider myself on the younger side.... I like to drink wine, I listen to Miranda Lambert, Five Finger Death Punch, Justin Timberlake....a wide range of musical taste I know, just no hip hop crap (no offense to those that like it) .... and I'm not looking forward to grand kids for many more years thank you very much.
However...... I know they do some fun stuff at the meetings, like share recipes for diabetics, have desserts that are diabetic friendly and have guest speakers on numerous topics that deal with the one thing we all would have in common.....Diabetes. Oh and they have freebies and give aways, who doesn't like free stuff right?!
It would be nice to get some one on one advice from people that have been dealing with this longer than i have on things like.... what kind of allergy medication can you take, or upset tummy... what's good for that that we can take cause I'm freaking clueless. I never thought I would have to worry about those types of things.
So what to do what to do...... It would be nice if there was a support group for "younger" women with this but if there is I sure can't find one. I guess no one can advertise it that way because you don't want to discriminate against the old blue hairs.... sorry meant granny's out there.
I'll you know if I attend a meeting..... until then I'll just keep hogging the internet for all my information.
Oh and bugging my one and only friend at work that has it, sorry dude but your my information guru for now.....lol