Living with Diabetes

Blog

  • Powerful article

    Obesity: Pain and Prejudice


    Over the past 4.5 years, as Psychologist for the Bridges Surgical Weight Loss Program at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, I have been privileged to personally interview more than 2000 patients seeking bariatric surgery. This experience has obliged me to reflect on the treatment that many have received at the hands of the very people who these vulnerable individuals contact for help with this traumatic condition. It is not a secret that the base rate of abuse (physical, emotional, and sexual) in the obese population is higher than in the nonobese population.[2] The stories that have been shared with me about how these people have been treated by friends, family members, and yes, even medical professionals have revealed the cruel and inhumane conduct to which the obese patient is regularly exposed.[3,4] Why those trained under the principle of primum non nocere would engage in emotionally harming those who have come to them for help is a mystery and speaks more to the issues of the professional than to the physical status of the patient.

    This is a really powerful article. I can’t tell you how many times a health care professional has made being overweight worse that it is.

  • This should be helpful!

    Transportation Bill Passed in Congress to Prevent Discrimination Against Employees With Diabetes

    Transportation Bill Passed in Congress to Prevent Discrimination Against Employees With Diabetes

  • Master’s Degree — Grades are Official!

    I just checked UNT’s system and my grades are official.

    I made an A in each of the two classes I took this summer. In fact, I’ve made an A in each of the CECS courses — my major. My only “B” in my degree plan was from the Computer Science department.

    The degree won’t be official for several weeks, but man, that’s good news.

  • Life is good!

    I’ve seen all of my classes now except one. Class size is very reasonable, portables are reasonable, and I’m getting a much better handle on everything as each day goes on.

    Right now, I’m focusing on this week alone, but tomorrow, I’ll thinking about the rest.

    I also know what my job used to be like and life is SO much better. The nicest thing, is that I do not share my classroom!

  • I graduated!

    It’s still unofficial, but I got my grade this evening on my final. I made a 96 out of 90!

    The official grades probably won’t be out until Wednesday.

  • Graduation Celebration

    Met several of my fellow students for a graduation celebration tonight.

    It was the perfect restaurant — except for the price. It was a Brazalian Steak House.

    They had appetizers and cheese biscuits out. I did finally eat one of the cheese biscuits and it was more cheese than biscuit, and very small.

    They had a salad bar, and I ended up with the lettuce leaves on top of the salad and the other veggies on the bottom, but it was very good and everything was well labled.

    They had “gauchos” wandering around with meat, and I tried several different types of meat, including their lamb, which I really like.

    All told, I used no insulin, just the symlin that I ended up dosing an hour a head of time, but it worked out okay. I think we finally ate around 7:00 pm and at 9:00 pm my blood sugar was 145.

    Nothing was very fatty.

    The only problem was the price, $120 for two, but we don’t eat like that very often. Even my husband liked the place.

    All in all, a perfect place for a diabetic, except the price!

  • Doing MUCH better

    I actually slept all night last night. I went to bed somewhere around 10:30, woke up around 5:30 piddled around, felt sleepy and went back to bed until 7:30.

    I think I’m having a massive allergy attack, but that makes sense since I am allergic to dust, and haven’t been in our building this summer — I usually drop by and stay for an hour or so every other week but haven’t the last two years because of the difference in personnel.

    It could be a cold, but I don’t think so.

    Some of the extra weight loss, as I expected, was because I was dyhradated. I concentrated on drinking water all day yesterday, and now my weight is a bit better. Three pounds less than last Sunday, which I’m comfortable with, as it’s a bit more than 10% of my body weight.

    Still haven’t gotten my grade on my final back, but I only need 1 point of out 90 points. I sort of think I’ll graduate.

    I’d be a lot happier if I was teaching the subjects I’m comfortable with in the room I was comfortable in, but sadly that room doesn’t even exist, so things are much better.

    I called all my Algebra I students which was a HUGE chore, and verified some phone numbers. It was hard, but I think I made an impression on a couple of kiddos. My next goal is to call every student who is absent the day they are absent.

  • Symlin

    A commenter who is just starting on Symlin was asking about skipping doses for certain meals.

    One thing to remember, is that you don’t dose if you are eating less than 240 calories or less than 30 carbs.

    I have skipped symlin other meals, I just don’t reduce my insulin usage.

    The patient information at http://www.symlin.com explains everything in detail.

  • Symlin

    A commenter who is just starting on Symlin was asking about skipping doses for certain meals.

    One thing to remember, is that you don’t dose if you are eating less than 240 calories or less than 30 carbs.

    I have skipped symlin other meals, I just don’t reduce my insulin usage.

    The patient information at http://www.symlin.com explains everything in detail.

  • A bit worried

    I’ve lost 5 pounds this week so far, since Sunday. The last time I was this weight, I’d just gotten back from Europe, so I’m sure this isn’t real weight gone, though I would like it to be.

    I have been eating under 1500 calories a day all week which is very bad for me. I’m not sleeping, but it is getting better. Last night I slept 4 hours straight, which is the longest since Saturday, I think.

    It’s the waiting for the Master’s degree grades, worried about this school year, and letting people push my buttons. Also change in activity level. I’m walked the building a bunch of times looking for people. I’ve hauled stuff from one end to another of the school complex (just can’t call it a building now that I’m in a portable).

    I have been refluxing so much, my throat is sore and burning. One big reason for that, is that the bulk of the calories I have been eating have been eaten in the evening. That’s got to stop.

    My whole body is sore, but I still have some Bextra left, so I did some yesterday and today. My teeth were bothering me, they do whenever I’m not sleeping but they are better. I did some Tums last night too, and I’m going to see if I can get some Pepcid A/C somewhere.

    I’m going up to campus, finish working on my classroom, and drop off some CD’s I made for the Algebra I teachers last night. At some point I’m going to write down my fuzzy plans. I’m also going to try to call all my Algebra I students and welcome them to my class.

    I’m going to make it. I’m going to spend lots of time taking care of me.