Living with Diabetes

Author: kathleen

  • Weight Loss — the blog has got lapband in the title

    I am currently at my lowest weight in probably decades.

    I'm doing it through diet and exercise.  Specifically I'm doing Profile By Sanford.  If you decide to try them, use this link: Profile Plan Referral Link. I think we both get something from it.

    I just signed up for another year.

    Here's what I like about Profile — they teach you how to eat correctly.  It's very flexible.  I've done their balance — both when I started before my doctor gave permission, and while I was preparing for and recovering from surgery.  They have plans for pregnant women and breast feeding moms.  

    I also exercise a lot, but that's mainly because I'm recovering from surgery.  I have several memberships to give me access to gyms.  I'll blog about my favorite soon.

    This is the only plan that has gotten me off my very long McCafe Mocha addiction.  I'm currently drinking a peppermint mocha, with 8 oz. of coffee, Veggies Plus, whipped cream and a dash of dark chocolate syrup.  15 carbs.  

    I really like the current plan, as I'll grab a protein bar and eat it mid workout.  Lunch will be their meal replacement and veggies.  I'll have another bar mid afternoon and a fiber drink.  Dinner will be on my own, probably Chili's sirloin and broccoli.  I'll eat a Profile chocolate cake before I go to bed.

    It comes with a coach, app which links to a scale, and a food scale.  

    I've lost just about 35 pounds this year while on profile.  I also had major surgery — L4-L5 fusion and several steriod shots for hand pain.  

    My insulin usage is down from 70 units a day to less than 20.  However, I am on Ozempic.

  • Back Surgery

    This is crazy, as I don't remember just how much in pain I was, but I couldn't stand or walk without a walker for more than say two minutes.

    Standing is still a problem, but I think that will come with time and strength training.

    I finally broke down and went to the recommended surgeon — Dr. Timon with All Star Orthopedics, back in July.  He wasn't hopeful at the time, as he didn't see anything he can fix on the XRay but sent me for an MIR.  He was really excited after seeing it.  He saw a herniated disk which he knew he could fix.

    I cancelled dog shows — especially driving to Ohio for the National Beagle Speciality and scheduled the surgery immediately.  It was set up for Monday, September 13.

    Got there, did all the prep and was waiting for surgery and Dr. Timon comes in.  He was furious because the facility wasn't climate controlled enough to guarateen that the surgical field would be sterile enough.  I had to get dressed and go home.  Got a call later in the day and the surgery was scheduled for the next day at a different facility.  Of course, I had to prep a second time which was hard on the skin.

    That surgery went off without a hitch, but the staff at that hospital was difficult.  Dr. Timon insists that his patients walk every three hours for 24 hours after surgery.  Well, you tell me something and I'll do it to the best of my ability.  Unfortunately the staff wasn't on the same page.  Also they were lazy and disconnected my IV which caused it to clog.  It hurts a lot to unclog it.  Also I had no idea that they weren't alerted when the alarm went off.  They also didn't bother to tell me until the last bag of IV antibotics, that it was diluted with glucose (my endo said they should have used saline).

    They did put 15 pounds of fluid on me (I know, I weighed before and after surgery).

    Once I got home, recovery was easy.  I did insist on home health care which consisted on an OT and a nurse.  The OT came out two times — first recommendation, get a hip kit BEFORE surgery.  That is tools that will help you to keep from BLTing (Bend, Lift, or Twist — which you can't do for 6 weeks).

    The wound got pink once, they threw antibotics on it, and it was all good.

    I got cleared for PT after 6 weeks and scheduled it immediately. 

    Did exactly that the PT people said — and used All Star Orthopedics Physical Therapy — it was my third round with them.  Was cleared after 6 weeks of 3 days a week – about an hour a day.   Did an extra 45 minutes of cardio each day.

    I gained a bit of weight before surgery.  Took it off, and have been maintaining ever since.

    Managed to accomplish my goal — show my dogs at the Dallas Dog Show — and was able to do it by myself, as always.  

    I had a checkup yesterday, got a clean bill of health, and will go back in 6 months.  The PA said I was a textbook case!

  • I’m back blogging — I hope

    I have completely gotten out of the habit of blogging, and I do know that when I do, I do better diabetes management wise.

    It's been an interesting year, but hasn't it been for everyone.

    I fell a few years ago, and wasn't able to get back up.  I went to my orthopedist office and they didn't find anything and sent me to physical therapy.  I used a walker to get around, and did for the past two years.

    Come to find out, I had a herinated disk.  It wasn't seen until we did an MRI, last summer, and I almost immediately scheduled surgery.  Best thing ever.

    The hospital stay itself was a nightmare, but more on that for another post.

    Currently I'm walking 20 minutes a day on the treadmill, doing strength exercises, and doing 30 minutes of Peloton classes.  

    I'm going to keep it short, so that I have other topics in the future.

  • Cardiology appointment

    Fun appointment. 

    My tricuspid valve isn’t leaking as much as it was last year when I was thinking about weight loss. The cardiologist was patting herself on the back for the improvement. 

    This puzzled me because I couldn’t remember what she did. 

    She said it was because she counseled me weight loss.  

    Oh well, if she wants to take credit, okay. 

    Kathleen Weaver

  • Big Scale Victory

    I reached a new scale victory today.  This weekend I had reached a loss of 95 pounds since I had lapband surgery.  30 pounds since I joined Profile by Sanford.

    I currently have no fluid in my band.

    My insulin usage has gone from over 100 units a day to 100 units a week but that’s because Profile by Sanford is so low carb.

    I still have a high amount of arthritis pain but I am finding it easier to get around.

  • Lipiflow

    I have severe dry eye.  So bad, I couldn’t do a full time remote teaching job.  At the end of the day, I couldn’t focus enough to drive safely.

    I had my early visit with my eye doctor and saw a poster for Lipiflow.  I signed up immediately and my only regret is the charge, but I’m hoping it will go down in price.

    There is a lot of after care to it but I should have been doing a lot of the care already.

    They warned that I might have more trouble the two days after than before but I didn’t notice that.  4 days out and my dry eye is the best it’s been in ages.

    Very happy with it.

    They put you in a chair, put relaxing music on, give numbing eye drops and then put on special equipment on your eye.  They stayed and observed, while I babbled about the weekend’s dog show.

    Sent me home with a bag of ointments.  Another than that helped is that they switched me from PM Ointment to Oasis Plus at night, which means I still have some useful vision.

    Definitely worth it.

  • InPen versus Omnipod

    The latest experiment is different.

    I’ve gone from medformim, to insulin only (70/30) to pumping and now I am doing MDI with rapid insulin and Ozempic.

    I’ve lost enough weight that I don’t need basal insulin.  I need bolus insulin and corrections.

    With the Omnipod, I was having to put 100 units in the pod, give the least amount of insulin possible, bolus and corrections.  

    It’s been 5 days, and I’ve used the first 100 units of insulin, so I’m not wasting insulin.

    The Dexcom is making a huge difference.  I’m not sure I could do finger sticks and MDI.

    I think I just convinced myself that Inpen is the answer. 

  • NSV I think. Using a Smart Pen instead of an insulin pump.

    I saw my Endocronolist Friday.  

    I've lost about 30 pounds since I started Profile by Sanford.  My A1C is down to 6.5

    I've gone several days without dosing insulin, and basically had my pump off.  

    She suggested that I set the pump to deliver the minimum amount of insulin as she was concerned about clogging and asked if I wanted to go off the pump.  I asked about smart pen's and she suggested the InPen.  We jumped through insurance hoops and prescription hoops and the InPen arrived today.

    They are a bit difficult to load (I was sent two, I'm keeping one loaded in the refrigerator).

    It's going to feel a bit odd — going from the Medtronic tubed pump to the Omnipod was odd, but I still had a large device attached to me.  Now I just have the CGMS.

     

  • Super trip to visit family

    I just got back from a week trip to visit family.  Got to see everyone, including the latest member of the family.

    It’s rare to visit them without another event going on — usually a dog show.  It’s also the first long trip I’ve made after starting the new job.

    I stayed at a Home 2 Suite and booked a mobility accessible room.  It was very nice.  I was able to work all week.

    I learned that I could drive all day after a full week of work.  I’m still exhausted at the end of the day, so I wouldn’t want to drive after work.  I also learned that currently I can work remotely effectively from a hotel room.

    I also lost weight — I have a feeling it was walking Summer.  She desperately wanted to go and she was a great traveling companion.  

    On a sad note, I lost a ring that means a lot to me.  We’re hoping it in the car.  I remember, an odd sensation as I was adjusting my technology power cables.  My next task to is to clean out the car and look for it.

  • New Low / New Sizes

    I’ve been a bit stalled, but not too bad, since I had the job.  Less sleep, more siting, less moving.

    Since I don’t think your grandmother should be teaching in leggings and athleisure tops, and our dress code is jeans and t-shirt, I have gone shopping.

    Wearing size 18WP for the first time in decades.  Though it’s hard to find that size.  I snagged three pair from Macy’s for under $35.00 and free shipping so I went ahead and snagged some 16WP.  

    I also tried my 1x exercise clothing and I’m going to start easing them into the wardrobe.  There isn’t much difference in size between 1x and XXL, but there is some.

    I’m taking very little insulin and less I cheat and eat more than 20 carbs at a sitting.

    I’m at 11.3% weight change and 29.1 pounds until my goal according to the Profile Scale.

    That also means I’m at 94 pounds loss total since the lap band surgery and I was at my heaviest.