8 Years Ago Today

Sunday at church was the norm. I was leading the band and congregation in praise and worship which I love to do. My wife Jasmine was sitting out in the pews as usual with our son George. They were both singing along and clapping as loud as possible so the rest of the congregation will hopefully figure out to clap on 2 and 4 instead of the dreaded 1 and 3!

During the Pastor’s Sermon my wife gets up and heads out of the church. I assume to use the ladies room. She comes back and tells me, I need to go home. She decided to wait since the service was almost over and we headed straight home. She was sure she had an accident. She was so embarrassed since this had been happening often.

When she got home she started to fill terrible. Her stomach was cramping up and she could hardly stand up. We called a friend to come over and stay with George so I could get Jasmine to the hospital.

Luckily, we got there just in time. We got checked into our room and after only a few hours, we were both introduced to our daughter Gillian.

When George was born I was so excited that I didn’t even care if our baby was a boy or a girl. In fact, I forgot to even ask or check! I was so happy that our first baby was here that I didn’t even think about. Then the doctor said, “It’s a boy!” WHAT? Oh that’s right! What an awesome day!

Well with Gillian, the second she was born I rushed to see what the baby was. The umbilical cord was in the way so I was totally freaking out! “What is it? What is it!?!!!??!!” The doctor said, “It’s a girl.”

I bet the whole hospital wing must have heard me shout for joy! “We got our girl!”

To think that my baby is 8 today makes me feel old and sad sometimes. But, seeing what an amazing person she is becoming and how our relationship has evolved from constant care giver to being able to hang out and talk together has been such a blessing.

Life is good.

The First Step

So, I went and saw my doctor today and I brought in my log of blood sugar readings. The readings look like my son's hair. All spiky and wild like!

I told him, "I don't know what the heck I am doing wrong! I check before each meal and I seem to go up and down and up and down and I have no clue why!"

He said (I swear), "Well, that doesn't mean you F***** up, you may just be the kind of diabetic that fluctuates. It is not your fault!"

Yes, he said the "F" word.

I could not decide if that made him cool or scary but I do tend to bring that out in people so I am told. (I will save this explaination for another post. lol) I mean, it did make him a little more human and as weird as that sounds, I kind of put doctors on a weird pedistal which is probably a mistake but oh well.

Anyhow, he suggested seeing an Endo and getting on a pump. Um? Huh? I was gearing up to have to go toe to toe with this dude to DEMAND MY RIGHT AS A DIABETIC TO SEE AN ENDO!!!!!

I guess God knows what a wuss I am and decided to get the ball rolling before I could even speak.

So now I wait for my referral in the mail and then I will be able to make my appointment to see my Endo (there is no spellcheck on this thing so I am taking the easy way out and typing Endo for short. hee hee)

I am so excited and actually was in a GREAT mood all day today. I am excited about being born again and I am sure my mom is happy that that statement had nothing to do with her!

Post at ya soon!

P.S. Scott, Thanks for the book man, I am really digging it although I stay up too late to get more pages in! :)

Name Change

Originally, I had planned only to blog about my weight loss during the challenge me and a few friends started and things drastically changed.

I found that through blogging, I have connected with some great people with diabetes, learned a bunch about my disease, and have been "born again" in my way of thinking about "the bete!"

I only have all of you to thank for this new focus on my health and life. For 15 years I have been taking my shots, going to the doctor occasionally, and checked my blood sugar but never really moved on beyond that. I have sort of ignored the fact that i am a diabetic and that i am not like everyone else. This is a good thing.

I realize that I can do whatever I want in life but that I must recognize that I am diabetic and I must take some precautions that I have never ever considered.

I hope anyone who reads my Blog will post there thoughts and suggestions. I need all the support I can get!

My next appointment is on Thursday and I am freaking out! I will let you all know what happens with my Doctor on Friday. I may need some help finding a new one.

The Great Unknown

I apologize for not posting sooner. I was at a spiritual retreat, which is part of the reason for this post.

I spent some time reflecting on my health and how it affects my spirit and I have decided that I want to start using a pump. I seem to be one of the last people out there not using one and honestly guys, reading everyone’s blogs has made me realize how totally out of the loop I am.

I just made an appointment for next week and I am already nervous. I wonder if my doctor will say it’s okay for me? I wonder if I should even see him or switch to an Endo? I would love some feedback and guidance from others like me.

Leave a comment please! I would greatly appreciate it!

George

WAKE UP!!!!!!

So, about 4 years ago I started occasionally waking up in the middle of the night with a searing pain on my feet. I swear it felt as if someone mistakenly thought my foot was a hunk of pine and decided to test out their wood burning kit on it! OUCH!

I went to the doctor and he said, "Oh you have diabetic neuropathy." So I say, "Ok, what do we do for that?" "Um, pretty much nothing" HUH?

My doctor told me that basically, 60% of diabetics have this and well, sorry dude it comes with the territory. No help, no medicine, no surgery. nada. except of course the burning.

As if Diabeties wasn't enough. I mean, I know I did not order the package deal so WTF? (can you tell I am a bit touchy on this subject?)

After a few deep breaths and counting to 10 a few hundred times, I realized that this was just another one of the complications that I face having the Bete.

Years later it continues to get worse so about 6 months ago my last doctor, who I no longer see, gave me some medicine to take for the neuropathy that he said would help. Now, I don't drive a forklift at work but honestly, I am scared to work a spoon while on this crap! It made me feel a little like Jabba the Hut (all squishy and blobbish) and I sounded a lot like that guy from Fat Albert (Haybee Buh-Baybee). It was awful and I refuse to turn myself into even more of a blubbering idiot so I guess I enjoy the pain :(

The newest problem is numbness. In between the small grenades going off under my feet now and then there is this wonderful tingling numbness that is going on all day and all night. I told my newest Dr. and he says, "I feel a pulse so you are fine."

So, the day I don't feel a pulse is when I lose all my piggies? Is that how it works? Isn't there some treatment or some way to prevent it from getting any worse? I would love some feedback on this. I am concerned but no one really seems to think its a big deal.

Except the one that has Roast Beef, he is worried!