So, I am officially on Diabetic drugs. I did not want to take insulin, so at least that part of my request is being honored. I started Amaryl yesterday. 2 mg. About 2 hours after I took it, I began suffering from HYPO-glycemia. My blood sugar plummeted! I had to drink chocolate milk to get it back up again! (And eat a croissant, but must we go into details?)
But throughout the day, my numbers were SUPER low! Between 90 and 130. I haven't had numbers like that in awhile. It makes me feel good and I can slowly feel myself begin to wonder what all the fuss was about when it came to taking DRUGS! Oh yea, I wanted to remain drug free and treat it naturally. I have done this to myself really. I have no self discipline. So, I will take the drug for now. Taking it forces me to be disciplined with my eating. At least the timing of my eating. I have to eat regularly or else my blood sugar PLUMMETS. (I like that word today: Plummet) So, Amaryl, my new drug. So far, I can handle it.
Wednesday, September 7
Tuesday, September 6
A Little Diversion, If I May...
Can I tell you how saddened I am by Hurricane Katrinna and her aftermath? The destruction of so many cities and lives. Including those who aren't talked about who reside in the long shadow of New Orleans. The towns of coastal Mississippi who are STILL waiting for help 8 days later. I am relieved my family members got out. Their homes are destroyed in New Orleans, but they were able to evacuate before Katrinna hit. Ironically, New Orleans was fine in the immediate aftermath of Katrinna. George Bush declared it a federal disaster zone on Monday, BEFORE the levees had even been breached and the flooding began in earnest. What saddens me is the irresponsibility of the media in situations like these. Liberals, whose sole purpose is to promote their own agenda in the face of tragedy. Was everything done right? Of course not. But is it fair to point a finger at ONE man and blame him for all of this? NO!!! So, you hate the president, FINE! But please set aside your agendas, for now, and focus on the real issues! I agree that the Federal Response has been slow. But reality is, we are looking at a devastated area the size of the UK! That is huge. Reality is, there were some major shortcomings at the local and state level of government here. As I heard someone say, it was unrealistic to herd 30,000 people into the Superdome and then to realistically expect them to be evacuated within a few hours. This is a disaster, the likes of which we have never had to deal with. And ALL levels of our government could have done more! The mayor of New Orleans could have provided city busses to evacuate the poor and homeless 2 days before Katrinna hit. He didn't. The governer could have requested 'early response' action from FEMA before Katrinna hit. She didn't. The current administration could have granted the funds for the Gulf Coast restoration project in October of 2004. They didn't. This isn't any ONE person's fault. It shows the shortcomings of a nation. A nation with a great divide between classes. A nation with no national health care. A nation, who until now, has done well to hide her urban poor and homeless behind sleek buildings in huge cities. Reality has been uncovered. The question is NOT who is too blame, but rather, WHAT can we do to come together as a nation?
Those are just my random thoughts.
Those are just my random thoughts.
Wednesday, August 24
Enough Already!
So, ok, I am trying to 'Livestrong', really I am. But I have a dilemna. Since my last post I still have not been to the gym. In my head, I have been several times, each time completing a greuling workout that leaves me sweaty and out of breath. The reality is, I am too tired to go to the gym. Really, I am. When I first moved to Norway, my husband and I were contemplating the idea of opening up an authentic Tex-Mex restaurant as there are NONE here. So we concluded that I should get a job in the service industry to 'learn the ropes'. So, there is this quaint little cafe by our house called 'Evita'. I applied for a job. In my mind I envisioned myself to be like Rachel on Friends. Having relaxing days serving cappucinos while various friends came in to visit, and along the way, learning a bit about how the service industry works in Norway. The illusion was quickly shattered. NEVER, and I mean NEVER, in my life, have I worked in a place so utterly stressful. That place is PACKED. Norwegians do not drink coffee the way the majority of Americans do. I used to run into Starbucks and grab a coffee and run back out, my paper cup securely in my hand. Here, they drink out of GLASSES. Latte glasses. They look like run of the mill water glasses, but they are Latte glasses. And then the Cortado glasses. And everyone drinks water with their coffee. Out of glasses. So you are CONSTANTLY running around, trying to find glasses. Washing the glasses. (now I have said 'glasses' so much that it doesn't look like a real word. It is kind of freaking me out. Has that ever happened to you?) Glasses. Glasses. Glasses. EVERYWHERE. I hate them. I secretly delight everytime I hear one break, but then I panic cause I know it means that we are now short one glass and I will have to work harder to find and clean new ones to feed the endless supply of Norwegians who walk through the door and want their coffee in GLASSES! If only we could use paper cups. ONLY paper. But I assure you, there would be a riot if we tried to sneak away the Latte glasses. We would lose customers over it. It's true.
SO...an average day for me working at Evita is: I get up at 5.23am. AT work by 6. Spend half an hour unchaining 16 heavy iron based tables and moving them into their proper places for outdoor seating and then carrying out about 45 chairs and setting them up. (That qualifies as weight training doesn't it??) We open at 7. The second person gets there at 10.30. At this point, the two of you work together to clean up the place, which has been TRASHED from 7 to 10.30, and wash GLASSES to get ready for the lunch crowd. Suddenly it is 2 in the afternoon. I have been there since 6. Running around. Somedays you get a break, somedays you don't. My Canadian friend Tyler who works there with me, he wore a pedometer to work one day, to see how far we 'scurried'. TEN KILOMETERS. That is 6.2 miles. In my mind, I think that is alot. So, like I said, I am TIRED. The mere thought of having to go to the gym after that is torture. So, on Monday I asked Tyler if he thought that the 6.2 miles was enough exercise, or if I needed to do something extra. Tyler says that even though it is 6.2 miles, it still really does not produce any cardio vascular exertion. That is not the answer I was looking for. It is movement is it not?? Then I come home and walk up 4 flights of stairs. More movement that leaves me breathless everytime. So, Monday, I am passed out on the couch, and all I can think about is Tyler saying 'It really doesn't have any cardio vascular benefit as far as exertion goes', and I am doing my best to NOT have to go exercise. Well, I decided that I would go for a jog. So with a lot of whining, I put on my exercise outfit, and out I went. 2 miles. One of which was uphill. Every inch of me ached. I came home and collapsed. But my bloodsugar was 5.9 (about 100), the lowest it has been in a month. I was happy, but at the same time, kind of sad, cause now I knew that even if I work my ass of for 9 hours, I still have to do something else to get my blood sugar down. Oh well. Tyler and his pedometer! I wish I had never known that we go 6.2 miles on average per shift! Because the knowledge that it is not enough is really disappointing to me! I know it is beneficial and good. But it doesn't supply the cardio vascular kickstart that my body so desperatly needs to drive down my blood sugar.
Well, I have to go and get ready for work. It is kind of overcast today, so maybe we will be a little slow. But Norwegians have a saying, 'There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes'. So, even if it starts to rain, they will be there. And they will want their coffee in a glass.
glasses. glasses. glasses.
SO...an average day for me working at Evita is: I get up at 5.23am. AT work by 6. Spend half an hour unchaining 16 heavy iron based tables and moving them into their proper places for outdoor seating and then carrying out about 45 chairs and setting them up. (That qualifies as weight training doesn't it??) We open at 7. The second person gets there at 10.30. At this point, the two of you work together to clean up the place, which has been TRASHED from 7 to 10.30, and wash GLASSES to get ready for the lunch crowd. Suddenly it is 2 in the afternoon. I have been there since 6. Running around. Somedays you get a break, somedays you don't. My Canadian friend Tyler who works there with me, he wore a pedometer to work one day, to see how far we 'scurried'. TEN KILOMETERS. That is 6.2 miles. In my mind, I think that is alot. So, like I said, I am TIRED. The mere thought of having to go to the gym after that is torture. So, on Monday I asked Tyler if he thought that the 6.2 miles was enough exercise, or if I needed to do something extra. Tyler says that even though it is 6.2 miles, it still really does not produce any cardio vascular exertion. That is not the answer I was looking for. It is movement is it not?? Then I come home and walk up 4 flights of stairs. More movement that leaves me breathless everytime. So, Monday, I am passed out on the couch, and all I can think about is Tyler saying 'It really doesn't have any cardio vascular benefit as far as exertion goes', and I am doing my best to NOT have to go exercise. Well, I decided that I would go for a jog. So with a lot of whining, I put on my exercise outfit, and out I went. 2 miles. One of which was uphill. Every inch of me ached. I came home and collapsed. But my bloodsugar was 5.9 (about 100), the lowest it has been in a month. I was happy, but at the same time, kind of sad, cause now I knew that even if I work my ass of for 9 hours, I still have to do something else to get my blood sugar down. Oh well. Tyler and his pedometer! I wish I had never known that we go 6.2 miles on average per shift! Because the knowledge that it is not enough is really disappointing to me! I know it is beneficial and good. But it doesn't supply the cardio vascular kickstart that my body so desperatly needs to drive down my blood sugar.
Well, I have to go and get ready for work. It is kind of overcast today, so maybe we will be a little slow. But Norwegians have a saying, 'There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes'. So, even if it starts to rain, they will be there. And they will want their coffee in a glass.
glasses. glasses. glasses.
Wednesday, August 17
Livestrong
So, I have returned to Norway after traispsing through the vastness of the good ol USA for 3 weeks! I went places I have never been and suddenly found myself wanting to impress my Norwegian husband and our 2 Norwegian friends with my country. Let me assure you, there is nothing that will bring out every bit of latent patriotism in you like traveling through your country with a bunch of people who are not from there. As we drove through the Grand Canyon, I thought to myself, 'This is MY country.' As we drove along California's highway 1, I thought, again, 'this is MY country'. I was so proud! America is beautiful. Filled with beautiful and generous people. It was so good to reconnect with that!
So, I mentioned that I have been a bit of diabetic daredevil. This is my term for my reckless culinary behavior while on vacation. For some reason, this whole 'diabetes thing' just won't sink in. I am lazy. I am lazy. I am lazy. I know that going to the gym will lower my bloodsugar. Have I gone? NO! I don't want to take insulin, but HAVE I GONE TO THE GYM?? no.
So, while we were in San Franscisco, I went into the Border's bookstore in Union Square. Now, a little background information on this excursion. When I moved to Europe, I was amazed the first summer because in July, all regular scheduled programming is pre-empted for 5 hours of daily coverage of...yes...Le Tour de France! Or as we say in the states, The Tour of France. So, I have never really known ANYTHING about cycling, but I got hooked, and it was even better that an American named Lance Armstrong was winning. It was very exciting and I became a huge fan. I read about him and was truly impressed with his recovery from cancer. So, we went into Border's and I saw his book, 'It's Not About the Bike' on the shelf. I bought it. I read it. I was inspired by it. I mean, if Lance can beat testicular, lung and brain cancer, SURELY, I can manage my Diabetes!
Now, I am going to admit something. I have always disliked those yellow bands that everyone in the world seems to be wearing on their wrists. Yes, the one that say LIVESTRONG on them. And I have not been too big of a fan of the countless reproductions that followed in every color from the rainbow.
BUT....
I had a conversation with my two selfs. The lazy self and the self who wants to be healthy.
'OK lazy self, I will make a deal with you. You are going to march into that Nike store and you are going to buy one of those yellow Lance bracelets.!'
'NO!!!, I don't like those. I don't want to look like I am trying to be trendy!'
'Too Bad! You should have thought about that before you refused to tackle diabetes! You are going to get one of those bracelets and you are going to wear it, and everyday, you will look at it, and you will be reminded that you can BEAT this! That you can get yourself to the gym for natural insulin and that you don't have to be sick! To remind yourself that you can LIVESTRONG and not sick! And you cannot take it off until you reach your goals!'
'I don't wanna wear it!!!'
'Tough luck kiddo! Shut up and buy it!'
So, healthy self won out over lazy self and I bought one. Three of them actually. But lazy self refused to put one on until she returned home to Oslo. So, I finally put one on. It's like a binding agreement. I look down and I see these words 'LIVESTRONG'...powerful words those. Live strong. And I tell you. I am going to try.
I don't want to die from this. I don't want to be sick from this. I don't want my eyes to go bad from this. I don't WANT this. But since I do have it, I am going to do everything in my power to make my body a VERY uncomfortable place for Diabetes to live.
Wow. It sounds so good. So, here's to living strong.
I'll let you know how it goes.
So, I mentioned that I have been a bit of diabetic daredevil. This is my term for my reckless culinary behavior while on vacation. For some reason, this whole 'diabetes thing' just won't sink in. I am lazy. I am lazy. I am lazy. I know that going to the gym will lower my bloodsugar. Have I gone? NO! I don't want to take insulin, but HAVE I GONE TO THE GYM?? no.
So, while we were in San Franscisco, I went into the Border's bookstore in Union Square. Now, a little background information on this excursion. When I moved to Europe, I was amazed the first summer because in July, all regular scheduled programming is pre-empted for 5 hours of daily coverage of...yes...Le Tour de France! Or as we say in the states, The Tour of France. So, I have never really known ANYTHING about cycling, but I got hooked, and it was even better that an American named Lance Armstrong was winning. It was very exciting and I became a huge fan. I read about him and was truly impressed with his recovery from cancer. So, we went into Border's and I saw his book, 'It's Not About the Bike' on the shelf. I bought it. I read it. I was inspired by it. I mean, if Lance can beat testicular, lung and brain cancer, SURELY, I can manage my Diabetes!
Now, I am going to admit something. I have always disliked those yellow bands that everyone in the world seems to be wearing on their wrists. Yes, the one that say LIVESTRONG on them. And I have not been too big of a fan of the countless reproductions that followed in every color from the rainbow.
BUT....
I had a conversation with my two selfs. The lazy self and the self who wants to be healthy.
'OK lazy self, I will make a deal with you. You are going to march into that Nike store and you are going to buy one of those yellow Lance bracelets.!'
'NO!!!, I don't like those. I don't want to look like I am trying to be trendy!'
'Too Bad! You should have thought about that before you refused to tackle diabetes! You are going to get one of those bracelets and you are going to wear it, and everyday, you will look at it, and you will be reminded that you can BEAT this! That you can get yourself to the gym for natural insulin and that you don't have to be sick! To remind yourself that you can LIVESTRONG and not sick! And you cannot take it off until you reach your goals!'
'I don't wanna wear it!!!'
'Tough luck kiddo! Shut up and buy it!'
So, healthy self won out over lazy self and I bought one. Three of them actually. But lazy self refused to put one on until she returned home to Oslo. So, I finally put one on. It's like a binding agreement. I look down and I see these words 'LIVESTRONG'...powerful words those. Live strong. And I tell you. I am going to try.
I don't want to die from this. I don't want to be sick from this. I don't want my eyes to go bad from this. I don't WANT this. But since I do have it, I am going to do everything in my power to make my body a VERY uncomfortable place for Diabetes to live.
Wow. It sounds so good. So, here's to living strong.
I'll let you know how it goes.
Friday, August 5
The Wild Blue Yonder
Hello all! Thanks for your inquiries as to my whereabouts! We left for vacation on July 22nd and I was so stressed trying to finish up baking (I bake cakes and cookies and sell them to cafes to make extra money) before we left, that I simply ran out of time! I am in Houston right now and we are going 24 hours a day trying to get ready for Courtney's Crusade which is Saturday night! It is going to be a huge event this year and we think we are going to make ALOT of money to buy AED's and save lots of lives! All in memory of my little sister Courtney! Check out the website: www.courtneyscrusade.com
Anyway, we have been all over so far. The Grand Canyon, VEgas and all of California! I have to confess, I have been what I like to call a 'Diabetic Daredevil'. It has been hard. I have NO discipline and my blood sugar has been out of control most days to the point where I have felt sick many days! I know it is irresponsible, but I have this SICK mentality of 'well, I am on vacation, so my diabetes must be as well.' It is so stupid. I think I am having a bit of shock about all of the diabetes stuff a little delayed. So, we are back in Oslo on August 14. I look forward to writing more in depth and catching everyone up with what is going with me.
I assure you, I have a plan...I always do. The question is, will I stick to it?
Talk to you soon and thanks for caring guys!
Anyway, we have been all over so far. The Grand Canyon, VEgas and all of California! I have to confess, I have been what I like to call a 'Diabetic Daredevil'. It has been hard. I have NO discipline and my blood sugar has been out of control most days to the point where I have felt sick many days! I know it is irresponsible, but I have this SICK mentality of 'well, I am on vacation, so my diabetes must be as well.' It is so stupid. I think I am having a bit of shock about all of the diabetes stuff a little delayed. So, we are back in Oslo on August 14. I look forward to writing more in depth and catching everyone up with what is going with me.
I assure you, I have a plan...I always do. The question is, will I stick to it?
Talk to you soon and thanks for caring guys!
Thursday, July 14
Is It Just Me??
It seems as though there are thousands of different opinions on how to deal with Diabetes, especially when it comes to eating or more specifically, what not to eat. There are so many websites with so many different reccomendations. I have never been one of those people who does something just because someone says so. I think it comes from my mother saying to me when I was young, in response to, 'But mom, EVERYONE else is doing it!' and she would say 'Well, if everyone else were jumping off a bridge does that mean you would to???' The same has been true with Diabetes. The doctor told me: 'No sugar, low fat, exercise, no fast food, no white flour'. I think we also have to take into consideration that I live in a country where I am not 100 percent fluent in the language and my doctor happens to be a Vietnamese gentleman speaking a mixture of heavily accented English and Norwegian. Gives a new meaning to 'lost in translation'. (The care is good, I just chose not to go the 'So, you've got Diabetes' course at the hospital because it was in Norwegian. Also, my doctor recommended taking the summer to adjust my diet, lose 10 to 15 pounds and monitor my blood glucose and come September we would decide if any medication needs to be added) So, I have depended less on the doctors here and more on information I gather on the internet. And I must say, the contradictions are shocking. Especially when it comes to diet recommendations. I am still in Diabetic Kindergarten, but I have a sneaking suspicion that just like DNA, Diabetes is individual. I want to know how individual foods affect MY blood. I don't want to read about how the 'experts' say those foods will affect it. I hope I don't sound cavalier about this, but for me, it is important that I understand MY disease. And for me, understanding comes through experimentation. I KNOW I am not supposed to have that pizza, but I want to see how it affects my glucose. I test before I eat it and then again 2 hours later. Ok. Crazy high glucose levels. Now I know. Now I can start developing new pizza recipes with a spelt crust and lower fat cheese and chicken. But at least I know! Does that make sense??? It's not like I do this EVERY night. I largely maintain a 'healthy diabetic' diet. I could just be naive, but I don't think experimenting like this will cause me to go blind or have a stroke or have fingers or toes chopped off. (Granted, I think, from what I have read, Type 2 diabetics have more lee way here.) So, those are my thoughts for today. All set off by one website where they SWEAR you should have margarine rather than butter after I just read a different website a week ago where they SWEAR you should have butter instead of margarine. Oi Vey.
Wednesday, July 13
The Story of my Little Sister
230. Clearly a strong indicator of Diabetes. Strangely, I was really calm inside. I wasn't scared. I wasn't upset. I was numb. Really nonchalant about the whole thing. In fact, I kept making myself laugh, as I am prone to do, by telling myself in a thick southern accent in my head 'Well hun, looks like you got yourself the Shuga' Die-bee-tees' (Trust me, it's funnier if you could hear me saying it!) And I think this is why I was so calm about it: August 10, 1999 my little sister Courtney died suddenly from Long QT Syndrome. She was only 24 years old. A week later me and my other little sister Kindel, who also happened to be Courtney's identical twin, had heart surgery to implant ICD's. (ICD's are a combination pacemaker and defibrallator).
If you have a moment or want more info on Long QT Syndrome and the annual benefit my family holds in Courtney's memory, check out our website:
www.courtneyscrusade.com
(There are lots of links to good information and pictures of me and my family and of past benefits! A good site for a good cause!)
So after being through all of that TRAUMA and DRAMA, most things in life tend not to scare me too bad. Most things. I did worry about telling my mother. The thought of her losing another daughter is sickening. What it would do to her. But she really surprised me. She was very upbeat and glad that I had finally gone to the doctor and as I told her the news of my diagnosis, she said, quite matter of factly, 'Well, if you have to have a disease, Diabetes is the one to have!' 'What??' 'Well, it's so treatable and managable.' The woman had a point. So ever since I got diagnosed I like to tell myself that Diabetes is treatable and managable. And for some reason, that makes me feel better.
If you have a moment or want more info on Long QT Syndrome and the annual benefit my family holds in Courtney's memory, check out our website:
www.courtneyscrusade.com
(There are lots of links to good information and pictures of me and my family and of past benefits! A good site for a good cause!)
So after being through all of that TRAUMA and DRAMA, most things in life tend not to scare me too bad. Most things. I did worry about telling my mother. The thought of her losing another daughter is sickening. What it would do to her. But she really surprised me. She was very upbeat and glad that I had finally gone to the doctor and as I told her the news of my diagnosis, she said, quite matter of factly, 'Well, if you have to have a disease, Diabetes is the one to have!' 'What??' 'Well, it's so treatable and managable.' The woman had a point. So ever since I got diagnosed I like to tell myself that Diabetes is treatable and managable. And for some reason, that makes me feel better.
Tuesday, July 12
The Diagnosis
July 12, 2005
Picking up from where I left off...WHAT??????????? Needless to say, 'We think you might have Diabetes' was the last thing I expected to hear. I was blown away and immedietly thought the Norwegian health care system was seriously flawed. My mind was running 10,000 miles a minute! 'There is NO way I could be diabetic! Doesn't this only happen to overweight, old people??' Then, to make matters worse, I suddenly remembered playing in my Grandmother's carport when I was little. I remember finding a box and in the box was this crazy pair of glasses that belonged to my Grandfather. I remember putting them on and almost falling over they made me so dizzy. Special Diabetic glasses to help him see better. I remembered hearing about special socks Diabetics wore. I called my husband in an absolute panic. I just screamed 'I DON'T WANT TO WEAR WEIRD GLASSES AND DIABETIC SOCKS!!!!!!!!'
As soon as I got home, I attacked the internet. Keywords: 'Symptoms of Diabetes'. The first thing I saw was 'Fatigue'. I had a sinking feeling. That had been the biggest symptom for me. I had been EXHAUSTED for over a year. 'Extreme Thirst'. Well, I drink water like a camel. But I thought it was just because I love the water here in Norway! It comes out of the tap ICE cold and is sooo PURE. It tastes so good. In Houston, you only drink the tap water on a dare. When ice cubes melt there are things floating in your glass. I AM NOT KIDDING! (sidenote: If you go to Houston, do not drink the tap water! I am not exaggerating on this point!) Ok, so I was tired and thirsty. That didn't sound too unique to me. 'Weight Loss'. HA!!! I had GAINED weight since I moved here! In my married bliss I had become a gourmet chef and Mexican was my speciality! At least 15 pounds! So, I had one up on Diabetes.
Diabetes 2- me 1. Ok...'Frequent Urination'. Well of course I pee a lot! I am drinking TONS of water!--duh...'Increased Hunger'- Well I was hungry alot, but I thought it was due to all the 'fresh air' and needing more fuel in the dark winter time. 'Blurry Vision'--WEll I thought my contacts were dried out. As you can see, I had an excuse for everything. I still couldn't believe it though. There was just NO WAY I could have diabetes. I DIDN'T FIT THE TYPE!!!
So, the next morning I went back to my doctor to have my fasting glucose tested. 120! 'That is LOW' I thought. (my first blood result was 180). My doctor agreed. 'You are probably just PRE-Diabetic, but tommorow you will go and have an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test'. Hmmm, I thought I was off the hook! Next morning I went to the hospital. Fasting glucose about 135. Nothing to be too concerned over. Then they mixed this HORRIBLE sugar water drink. It was sooo thick. Now, I am not a vomiter, but it was all I could do to swallow that mess. I finished the glass, relieved, and was shocked to find I had 3 more to go! The nurse saw my distress and graciously offered me 'lemon flavoring'. Yes please. That wasn't so bad! It now tasted like any glass of lemonade or sweet tea you could get in Atlanta. So down they went and off I went to the waiting room. 'I'll show them' I thought. '2 hours?? No problem!' After an hour, I suddenly felt very sick and weak. My hands and feet started tingling. I got the nurse and asked her 'Excuse me, is it normal to feel like I am vibrating? and I also feel very cold. And I feel sick. Is this normal? Is it?' The poor nurse. Stuck in a room with an American in panicky denial who seemed like she was about to go into Diabetic Shock or something. They monitered me closely for the next hour. Then came the final test. They took what seemed like a GALLON of blood. I begged them to give me the 'prick' test! 'Ok, they said, as long as you don't expect us to diagnose you! The only test that is used for diagnosing is when they run your blood through the lab.' 'Fine, I just am curious to see what my Blood Glucose is.' I was sure it would be back down under 120. So she pricked me. 7-6-5-4-3-2-1-BEEP BEEP BEEP 230. 230. 230.
You could have heard a pin drop in that place. I was absolutly STUNNED. No way I thought. And with that, the nurse looked at me, with a lot of sympathy and said, 'Well, you must try to have a good weekend anyway! Be brave!'
Picking up from where I left off...WHAT??????????? Needless to say, 'We think you might have Diabetes' was the last thing I expected to hear. I was blown away and immedietly thought the Norwegian health care system was seriously flawed. My mind was running 10,000 miles a minute! 'There is NO way I could be diabetic! Doesn't this only happen to overweight, old people??' Then, to make matters worse, I suddenly remembered playing in my Grandmother's carport when I was little. I remember finding a box and in the box was this crazy pair of glasses that belonged to my Grandfather. I remember putting them on and almost falling over they made me so dizzy. Special Diabetic glasses to help him see better. I remembered hearing about special socks Diabetics wore. I called my husband in an absolute panic. I just screamed 'I DON'T WANT TO WEAR WEIRD GLASSES AND DIABETIC SOCKS!!!!!!!!'
As soon as I got home, I attacked the internet. Keywords: 'Symptoms of Diabetes'. The first thing I saw was 'Fatigue'. I had a sinking feeling. That had been the biggest symptom for me. I had been EXHAUSTED for over a year. 'Extreme Thirst'. Well, I drink water like a camel. But I thought it was just because I love the water here in Norway! It comes out of the tap ICE cold and is sooo PURE. It tastes so good. In Houston, you only drink the tap water on a dare. When ice cubes melt there are things floating in your glass. I AM NOT KIDDING! (sidenote: If you go to Houston, do not drink the tap water! I am not exaggerating on this point!) Ok, so I was tired and thirsty. That didn't sound too unique to me. 'Weight Loss'. HA!!! I had GAINED weight since I moved here! In my married bliss I had become a gourmet chef and Mexican was my speciality! At least 15 pounds! So, I had one up on Diabetes.
Diabetes 2- me 1. Ok...'Frequent Urination'. Well of course I pee a lot! I am drinking TONS of water!--duh...'Increased Hunger'- Well I was hungry alot, but I thought it was due to all the 'fresh air' and needing more fuel in the dark winter time. 'Blurry Vision'--WEll I thought my contacts were dried out. As you can see, I had an excuse for everything. I still couldn't believe it though. There was just NO WAY I could have diabetes. I DIDN'T FIT THE TYPE!!!
So, the next morning I went back to my doctor to have my fasting glucose tested. 120! 'That is LOW' I thought. (my first blood result was 180). My doctor agreed. 'You are probably just PRE-Diabetic, but tommorow you will go and have an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test'. Hmmm, I thought I was off the hook! Next morning I went to the hospital. Fasting glucose about 135. Nothing to be too concerned over. Then they mixed this HORRIBLE sugar water drink. It was sooo thick. Now, I am not a vomiter, but it was all I could do to swallow that mess. I finished the glass, relieved, and was shocked to find I had 3 more to go! The nurse saw my distress and graciously offered me 'lemon flavoring'. Yes please. That wasn't so bad! It now tasted like any glass of lemonade or sweet tea you could get in Atlanta. So down they went and off I went to the waiting room. 'I'll show them' I thought. '2 hours?? No problem!' After an hour, I suddenly felt very sick and weak. My hands and feet started tingling. I got the nurse and asked her 'Excuse me, is it normal to feel like I am vibrating? and I also feel very cold. And I feel sick. Is this normal? Is it?' The poor nurse. Stuck in a room with an American in panicky denial who seemed like she was about to go into Diabetic Shock or something. They monitered me closely for the next hour. Then came the final test. They took what seemed like a GALLON of blood. I begged them to give me the 'prick' test! 'Ok, they said, as long as you don't expect us to diagnose you! The only test that is used for diagnosing is when they run your blood through the lab.' 'Fine, I just am curious to see what my Blood Glucose is.' I was sure it would be back down under 120. So she pricked me. 7-6-5-4-3-2-1-BEEP BEEP BEEP 230. 230. 230.
You could have heard a pin drop in that place. I was absolutly STUNNED. No way I thought. And with that, the nurse looked at me, with a lot of sympathy and said, 'Well, you must try to have a good weekend anyway! Be brave!'
Monday, July 11
The Very Beginning
So, about a month ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I am still somewhat confused by the diagnosis. I don't fit the profile. I am not obese. I am not over 45 (only 33). I do not have an immediate family history of the disease. I really do not know where to begin. I suppose the easiest way to tell the story is to start at the beginning ('a very good place to start' according to Maria)...
So, about 2 years ago I married a Norwegian and moved to Norway. I am a native Texan, born and raised, so you could say that the climate change was somewhat of a shock. I have heard of snow. And also heard rumors of places where snow fell and actually accumulated on the ground. Where I am from, if there was even a HINT of snow, panic ensued. The store sold out of bread, water and batteries within an hour. School shut down and we were warned not to drive as the roads were 'slick and dangerous'. So, when I arrived in January of 2004, it would be an understatement to say I was shocked at what I saw. Everything was white. As far as the eye could see. I was like a 5 year old. Absolutly fascinated. I would sit in front of the window and just stare at the snow falling. Big, fat, fluffy snow. I was enchanted. Everytime it would start to snow, I would beg my husband to come outside with me. I just wanted to stand in it. To let it fall on me. It was amazing. I think my husband was secretly wondering what he had gotten into and how anyone could be so abnormally fascinated by something as ordinary as SNOW. But I was, and I like to think that it added to my charm!
A new beginning in a strange land! The next oddity was the lack of daylight. At first I thought it was just getting cloudy at 3 in the afternoon, but I quickly learned that it was in fact the setting of the sun. At 3.30 in the afternoon. And then it didn't get light again until 9.30 or 10.00 the next morning. But you could still see the snow. Snow lights up everything. It is like it lights things from the ground up and everything just starts glowing.
So, time went by. I noticed I was tired. Tired a lot. But just thought it was the winter depression I had heard about. I complained to my husband that I was tired all the time. I told my mother I had no energy. I was yawning ALL the time. It was very strange. They all told me to go to the doctor. But I am from America, I have never had good health insurance and had never considered going to the doctor for something like 'being tired'. It just seemed silly...'So, what brings you here today?' 'Well doctor, I'm just tired.' So I didn't go.
Fast forward to a month ago. I had some sort of flu. Again. (I have never been sick so much in my life since I moved to Northern Europe. Other American's and Australians say the same thing) So, finally my husband says 'You are going to the doctor!' So off to the doctor we went. The doctor poked and prodded and then, because he had very little information on me, he ordered me to the hospital to get a full blood work up so he could have it in my file. Of course I had no intention of going to the hospital to get my blood taken! But again, my husband said 'you are going!' Ugghhhhh...FINE!! So I went.
The next day I got a call from the doctor's office. And because my Norwegian is still not so good and their English is not fine tuned in the art of B.S, what came out of her mouth was quite BLUNT. 'Your bloodwork came back. Everything is fine. (Phew) EXCEPT...Your blood sugar was quite high and we think you may have Diabetes.'
WHAT?????????????????????????
So, about 2 years ago I married a Norwegian and moved to Norway. I am a native Texan, born and raised, so you could say that the climate change was somewhat of a shock. I have heard of snow. And also heard rumors of places where snow fell and actually accumulated on the ground. Where I am from, if there was even a HINT of snow, panic ensued. The store sold out of bread, water and batteries within an hour. School shut down and we were warned not to drive as the roads were 'slick and dangerous'. So, when I arrived in January of 2004, it would be an understatement to say I was shocked at what I saw. Everything was white. As far as the eye could see. I was like a 5 year old. Absolutly fascinated. I would sit in front of the window and just stare at the snow falling. Big, fat, fluffy snow. I was enchanted. Everytime it would start to snow, I would beg my husband to come outside with me. I just wanted to stand in it. To let it fall on me. It was amazing. I think my husband was secretly wondering what he had gotten into and how anyone could be so abnormally fascinated by something as ordinary as SNOW. But I was, and I like to think that it added to my charm!
A new beginning in a strange land! The next oddity was the lack of daylight. At first I thought it was just getting cloudy at 3 in the afternoon, but I quickly learned that it was in fact the setting of the sun. At 3.30 in the afternoon. And then it didn't get light again until 9.30 or 10.00 the next morning. But you could still see the snow. Snow lights up everything. It is like it lights things from the ground up and everything just starts glowing.
So, time went by. I noticed I was tired. Tired a lot. But just thought it was the winter depression I had heard about. I complained to my husband that I was tired all the time. I told my mother I had no energy. I was yawning ALL the time. It was very strange. They all told me to go to the doctor. But I am from America, I have never had good health insurance and had never considered going to the doctor for something like 'being tired'. It just seemed silly...'So, what brings you here today?' 'Well doctor, I'm just tired.' So I didn't go.
Fast forward to a month ago. I had some sort of flu. Again. (I have never been sick so much in my life since I moved to Northern Europe. Other American's and Australians say the same thing) So, finally my husband says 'You are going to the doctor!' So off to the doctor we went. The doctor poked and prodded and then, because he had very little information on me, he ordered me to the hospital to get a full blood work up so he could have it in my file. Of course I had no intention of going to the hospital to get my blood taken! But again, my husband said 'you are going!' Ugghhhhh...FINE!! So I went.
The next day I got a call from the doctor's office. And because my Norwegian is still not so good and their English is not fine tuned in the art of B.S, what came out of her mouth was quite BLUNT. 'Your bloodwork came back. Everything is fine. (Phew) EXCEPT...Your blood sugar was quite high and we think you may have Diabetes.'
WHAT?????????????????????????
the beautiful diabetic takes flight
July 11, 2005
I have sat staring at this blank space for quite some time, frozen by the fear that I won't be clever with my words. But then I remember that this is for me. If others do read it, that is wonderful, but it is only me that I need to be clever for, and considering how easily I entertain myself, this shouldn't prove overwhelmingly difficult.
So, welcome to the beautiful diabetic! I will start with the name. I didn't decide on the name out of vanity and strong conviction of my beauty. I decided on the name because I am tired of disease marking people as 'flawed' or 'weak' or 'sad' or 'dying'. I decided on the name after living with disease throughout the last decade. After watching an UGLY disease kill my little sister, who truly was beautiful. After realizing that I have spent too many years at war with this thing called my body. Calling it names that are ugly and spiteful. No more. I am diabetic and I am beautiful. Therefore I am the beautiful diabetic. I expect those words to love each other. To be what my mother always called 'Fast Friends'. To wrap around each other in a warm embrace, like two things that were always meant to be, but were always somehow kept apart. A homecoming of sorts. Where diabetic will say to beautiful- 'At last!' And beautiful will say to diabetic- 'It's so good to see you!' And two words who have been kept apart, will fall together naturally, and suddenly the beautiful diabetic will have taken flight.
I have sat staring at this blank space for quite some time, frozen by the fear that I won't be clever with my words. But then I remember that this is for me. If others do read it, that is wonderful, but it is only me that I need to be clever for, and considering how easily I entertain myself, this shouldn't prove overwhelmingly difficult.
So, welcome to the beautiful diabetic! I will start with the name. I didn't decide on the name out of vanity and strong conviction of my beauty. I decided on the name because I am tired of disease marking people as 'flawed' or 'weak' or 'sad' or 'dying'. I decided on the name after living with disease throughout the last decade. After watching an UGLY disease kill my little sister, who truly was beautiful. After realizing that I have spent too many years at war with this thing called my body. Calling it names that are ugly and spiteful. No more. I am diabetic and I am beautiful. Therefore I am the beautiful diabetic. I expect those words to love each other. To be what my mother always called 'Fast Friends'. To wrap around each other in a warm embrace, like two things that were always meant to be, but were always somehow kept apart. A homecoming of sorts. Where diabetic will say to beautiful- 'At last!' And beautiful will say to diabetic- 'It's so good to see you!' And two words who have been kept apart, will fall together naturally, and suddenly the beautiful diabetic will have taken flight.
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