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

[Bill Lewis]

Hi Linda, my name is Bill, and I am now blind and have diabetes-2.

Since you are unfamiliar with diabetes resources, first, contact your 
talking book library and ask for suggestions for the increasingly large 
number of books and magazines on the subject.  Diabetes Forecast is a 
monthly mag you can subscribe to on tape or download from the NLS book site 
onto a NLS cartridge that plays in your regular book and disk reading 
machine you probably already have.

Learn to use available resources -- again, starting with materials via your 
TB library.  There are hundreds of recipe books and recipe sites in 
diabetes-related mags.

You no longer have a lack of information on diabetes available.  It is, 
rather, almost a matter of information overload which can become a bit 
daunting at first.Best of luck.

Bill




-----Original Message----- 
From: Lynda Canaday
Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 5:37 PM
To: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
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

_______________________________________________
Diabetes-talk mailing list
Diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
Diabetes-talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/diabetes-talk_nfbnet.org/wlewis19%40cox.net


-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2221 / Virus Database: 2441/5298 - Release Date: 09/29/12