[Diabetes-talk] Introduction and the first of many questions.

[COLLEEN ROTH]

Hi Lynda,
I think you are having a natural reaction to your diagnosis given the fact that no one in your family has experienced this disease.
Yes, Lynda, it is a disease, but it's not the end of the world.
Your husband is not being very helpful.
Diabetics do count carbs.
There are materials available to help you manage your Diabetes. I got some materials from Independence Market of the National Federation of the Blind for about fifteen dollars.
The books are very helpful. There are cookbooks available and sometimes the blind recipe exchange list posts some.
You will find many ideas and suggestions on this list.
You do need to practice using your Prodigy Voice Meter so that you will be proficient when testing becomes more important.
I can tell you that I lost 48 pounds in a little over a year.
I had weighed the same for 23 years so this was quite an achievement.
The key is you do not have to say no to things. You have to be careful what you eat but you do not need to view this as a denial of things you like to eat.
You just need to reduce portions.
For example I love Chocolate pie. I know that when I go to the doctor's office I will stop at one of my favorite restaurants with Amish food. Knowing this, I plan around this for that day so that I can have that piece of Chocolate pie.
Try using multigrain bread, wholewheat or multigrain pasta, sugar-free drinks. I also cut down my portions.
The first six months were very difficult. I was hungry at times so had to figure out how to adjust to this feeling.
My stomach did shrink. I did go back to sugar in my coffee because I simply cannot stand splenda.
Sometime I can just use cream but if coffee is strong I have to put in that sugar.
Your husband is not you. If you want to eat half a bagel, go ahead.
Just remember to figure out how many carbs that is. In the beginning, you may want to have people read carbs on packages.
Choose someone who is not going to tell you what to eat.
Ultimately, that is up to you.
The main thing is portion control. Three fourths of your plate should be vegetables.
Good luck.
You may feel free to write me offlist.
Colleen Roth



----- Original Message -----
From: Lynda Canaday <lynda at samobile.net>
To:  diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Date: Friday, Sep 28, 2012 06:37:55 PM
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Introduction and the first of many  questions.

>
>
> Hello to All:
> 
> This is Lynda and I was diagnosed with diabetes type 2 almost 2 months 
> ago.  Because my blindness is congenital, I didn't think I could get 
> this disease? condition?  My doctor says it is a disease.  I hate that 
> label!  I'm having a very hard time coping with this.    Embarrassment 
> is my immediate reaction to this because no one in my family has it and 
> it has never been one of the things we have delt with.  Is this common 
> or, am I as out of place in the world as I now feel?
> 
> I am a Classical singer and voice teacher in Kansas where I currently 
> reside with my husband, Jim and our pet yellow lab, ten-year-old Darby 
> who should be getting out of surgery about now.
> 
> I followed the "Weight Watchers Quick Start Plus Program when it first 
> came out in the 1980s and several people in my class who were diabetics 
> followed it as well.  so, I thought, "I'll just go back on that because 
> it was the one version of the program that I completely understood and 
> I love it!  However, this time it isn't working.  My husband has blood 
> sugar problems because He takes a lot of steroids for his various very 
> complicated health issues.  Although he watches his sugar he is not 
> diabetic.    He says that with diabetes you count carbs not calories.  
> Of course, he can't explain how it's done but, if I have a "bad 
> carbohydrate, like half a bagel, he can say it's bad.  He also says 
> that the Weight Watchers exchanges are different from the diabetic ones 
> but he can't tell me why that is or the conversion formula if there is 
> one.    Can anybody help put this right for me?  How are the exchanges 
> different?  How can you tell which carbohydrates are good or bad?  How 
> about portion control?  Both of us could stand to lose more than a few 
> pounds which is fine with me, I would happily change whatever I need 
> too in order to accomplish that.  As far as Jim goes... ask him what he 
> eats in one meal and you will get the picture.  I have asked more than 
> my one question.  and I have so many more about diet and nutrition, 
> obtaining glucose readings or ratings.  Are there diabetic cookbooks 
> available?  Where might I find them?  My doctor says that if I can drop 
> the excess weight, I won't have this any more.  Is this true?  
> Sometimes I can't tell if that man is joking or telling the truth.
> 
>                 Some time ago when Jim ordered more sugar testing 
> supplies, the company gave more than requested.  We didn't know that 
> they were going to be needed so soon.  They sent him an extra Prodigy 
> Meter, and enough neetles to last him for a lifetime, several lancets, 
> testing solution and bottles of strips.  I have benefited from this 
> bountiful supply.  After inheriting the new Prodigy Meter, two Lancet 
> shooters, strips for the Meter, about thirty boxes of neetles, and 
> testing solution for the strips, and a carying case I am in the process 
> of figuring out just where to store things until I need them.  Learning 
> to take my blood sugar before my first cup of coffee is difficult at 
> best and some mornings I can't get it at all.  My diabetes educator at 
> the hospital said that I have to practice taking my blood sugar in the 
> same way that I practice for an upcoming performance.  If I did that, 
> my fingers would be varying shades of purple and who knows what other 
> colors I might turn.  I can't see myself poking my fingers for four 
> hours a day just to get one silly little two or three digits to flash 
> across a screen and tell me what they are.  What do they mean and why 
> is it necessary to know them.           I will look forward to your 
> answering as many of my questions as you can and it is my hope that 
> some of us will become good friends.  I'll be watching my inbox.
> 
> Lynda
> 
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