Diabetic Recipes
Wayne Photo Guy
Diabetes has made me a hypochondriac. Every ache, every pain, every change is some condition, disease or syndrome. Now typically I don't truly believe I have any of the things I so often "self-diagnose," but I have to admit that I am constantly living in the shadow of my diabetes.
A few months ago, I went in for my annual eye exam. An Optomap (a detailed picture of the eye) showed my optic nerve was VERY enlarged. At nineteen years old, my nerve should not be this large. The eye doctor informed me this was a leading sign of glaucoma (luckily other tests showed this is the only sign I have right now). I immediately blamed the diabetes (which is a risk factor for glaucoma). Is this disease going to steal my sight the way it has stolen so many other things? Should I be treated for glaucoma just in case? Are annual appointments good enough to catch it before it gets worse?
I often swear I must have the smallest bladder in the history of the world because it seems like every liquid goes straight through me. A friend commented once about my frequent bathroom trips suggesting it could be a kidney problem. What hateful words! Kidney problems! How dare they mention this? I am constantly driven mad wondering if my bladder issues are from a larger problem. I don't need to be reminded of this incessant fear. What if it is the beginning stages of nephropathy? Should I be tested more often and more intensively for kidney issues? What if my diabetes has finally killed my kidneys? My friend can't possibly understand the panic those words bring on me. Kidney problems, kidney failure, kidney transplant...my mind swirls knowing these aren't irrational things.
That's just my point. My hypochondria is not some crazy, irrational phobia to eternally be ill. My hypochondria is completely sane (well maybe not completely). From the size of my nerves to the level of my cholesterol, I am constantly measuring the years of diabetes against my own organs. Instead of trusting that I am young, I have to trust the facts of complications. Do I know the warning signs well enough? Should I be checking up on these things more often? How much longer should I expect to have healthy nerves, kidneys, and eyes? Have the years of bad A1c levels finally caught up with me?
I'm not saying I'm obsessed. I'm not saying complications are definite. I'm only saying that diabetes really has a way of casting shadows over the rest of your body. It makes it easy to assume all the other problems are caused from diabetes. It increases the fear of the thousands of things diabetics are at "heightened risk" for. It steals the trust in youth as a natural cure-all. All too often, it steals life.
For someone like myself who tries his best in managing my Type 1, it is very frustrating to hear from so many doctors that after you have been living with diabetes for 25 years, "there is an good chance complications will start to catch up with you." I want to be told the truth, but its hard not to become a hypochondriac.
You explained exactly how I feel. I've been Type 1 for 17 years since I was 14. My biggest fears are my eyes and kidneys. Every slight twinge in my back makes me think that dialysis isn't too far off. I know I already have some damage. I wish there were more extensive tests. I've been told that the only kidney tests there are, are the urine specimens....there has to be something else.
Diabetes does steal our youth, and makes us worry about things we shouldn't have to at such a young age. You're not alone in how you feel.
Take care,
Tracy
mark- I hate hearing that too. The whole statistic of at least one complication if you have A1c's over a certain number. It's disheartening that our hard work usually doesn't pay off that well!
Tracy- I am glad that I'm not alone. It definitely makes a difference to know that there are other people out there that have been through exactly what I go through. It's like a secret club.
Don't worry yourself too much. I've been a hypochondriac even before the diabetes. Every headache was an anurism, every small pain major organ failure..
But over the years, and after the diagnosis, I've slowly been able to calm down, breathe, and realise that the headache probably wont kill me... Hopefully.
Humor keeps me sane, and Diabetes ruined my 21st birthday. But, just because we're diabetic, doesn't mean we can't live life.
Right?
Never give up,
- Jenn
Jenn- Thanks for sharing! Diabetes doesn't mean we can't live! No way am I giving it THAT power!
Greetings Lindsey, The "Horror Stories" main purpose is to keep us checking our blood glucose levels about every 2 hours. This is how we can keep ourselves from a life that does what it wants to do, until we learn what we need to do to feel good physically, mentally and emotionally. You don't say if you are a Type I or Type II. Maybe you are neither. If you are neither, my (diagnosed in 1950 at 5 years of age of Type I) advise is to get your carbohydrates from fresh fruits and vegetables and also include some form of protien into your meals for the protien slows the absorbtion of the carbohydrates into your bloodstream. Above, all of the above, GET PHYSICAL EXERCISE = walking around: in or out of the house for 30 minutes a day (can be in 3 10 minute times during the day). IT is the EXERCISE that keeps the functions of the body muscles, heart, circulation, lungs, kidney, liver, pancreas, pituitary, etc. functioning as they were ment to function - SITTING MAKES THEM NOT FUNCTION.
If you are a Type II that information is very important to you especially because High Blood Sugar makes you feel like you DONT' WANT TO GET OFF THE COUCH OR IF ANYONE ELSE DOES EITHER.
If you are a Type I, EXERCISE 30 minutes a day also helps the insulin injections (syringe or pump) to get to where it needs to go in a timely manner. SITTING SLOWS THE INSULIN'S MOVEMENT THROUGH THE BODY TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO TO TAKE CARE OF THE FOOD EATEN thus raising the blood glucose levels beyond desired numbers.
Having Type I for 57 years and taking insulin injections from the very beginning I have gone through childhood Motherly strict dietary care, teenage "wannabe like all the others" sugar addict, and at 30 years of age being Type I 25 years I admitted I couldn't do it by myself and took I Corintians 10:13 for my situation and found that God stands by His Word to perform it. Yes, I still take shots, but the desire/cravings for sweetsugared items is GONE.
My husband and I married in 1965 and we just celebrated our 43rd Anniversary. Our first child (1963) was a miscarriage, but in 1970 we gave birth to our daughter, 1980 we gave birth to our son. In 1997 our son-in-law and daughter gave birth to their first health son and in 2002 their second healthy son. This January our son and wife gave birth to their and our-grand first daughter.
GENERALLY, Type I is not inherited. TYPE II IS.
I hope this helps your thinking and calms your fears. Keep movin and livin the LIFE you were born to LIVE. God LOVES you and He is for you.
Greetings Lindsey, The "Horror Stories" main purpose is to keep us checking our blood glucose levels about every 2 hours. This is how we can keep ourselves from a life that does what it wants to do, until we learn what we need to do to feel good physically, mentally and emotionally. You don't say if you are a Type I or Type II. Maybe you are neither. If you are neither, my (diagnosed in 1950 at 5 years of age of Type I) advise is to get your carbohydrates from fresh fruits and vegetables and also include some form of protien into your meals for the protien slows the absorbtion of the carbohydrates into your bloodstream. Above, all of the above, GET PHYSICAL EXERCISE = walking around: in or out of the house for 30 minutes a day (can be in 3 10 minute times during the day). IT is the EXERCISE that keeps the functions of the body muscles, heart, circulation, lungs, kidney, liver, pancreas, pituitary, etc. functioning as they were ment to function - SITTING MAKES THEM NOT FUNCTION.
If you are a Type II that information is very important to you especially because High Blood Sugar makes you feel like you DONT' WANT TO GET OFF THE COUCH OR IF ANYONE ELSE DOES EITHER.
If you are a Type I, EXERCISE 30 minutes a day also helps the insulin injections (syringe or pump) to get to where it needs to go in a timely manner. SITTING SLOWS THE INSULIN'S MOVEMENT THROUGH THE BODY TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO TO TAKE CARE OF THE FOOD EATEN thus raising the blood glucose levels beyond desired numbers.
Having Type I for 57 years and taking insulin injections from the very beginning I have gone through childhood Motherly strict dietary care, teenage "wannabe like all the others" sugar addict, and at 30 years of age being Type I 25 years I admitted I couldn't do it by myself and took I Corintians 10:13 for my situation and found that God stands by His Word to perform it. Yes, I still take shots, but the desire/cravings for sweetsugared items is GONE.
My husband and I married in 1965 and we just celebrated our 43rd Anniversary. Our first child (1963) was a miscarriage, but in 1970 we gave birth to our daughter, 1980 we gave birth to our son. In 1997 our son-in-law and daughter gave birth to their first health son and in 2002 their second healthy son. This January our son and wife gave birth to their and our-grand first daughter.
GENERALLY, Type I is not inherited. TYPE II IS.
I hope this helps your thinking and calms your fears. Keep movin and livin the LIFE you were born to LIVE. God LOVES you and He is for you.