In a memorable sequence from J.J. Abrams' Star Trek, new Ensign James Tiberius Kirk exhibits an allergic reaction to a drug, his hands and tongue immediately swelling to seemingly-ridiculous proportions in minutes. While the sequence is played comedically, the reality of the situation is anything but.

Local insects congregated in the early evening rains before Hurricane Irene passed through our local area, taking refuge in window frames, sneaking through decades-old screens, and so on. Since our air-conditioning is limited to the bedroom, I am loathe to close windows unless and until necessary -- when the temperature drops, or when the incoming rain becomes strong enough to threaten whatever I have sitting near them. This has the side effect of making me a "target of opportunity" on those occasions in which those windows must be closed. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to insect bites.

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"What does pot have to do with diabetes?" The question came up in the course of a lunchtime conversation with Chris Goldstein of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana - New Jersey, as we discussed our respective advocacies. (New Jersey is currently in the middle of a medical-marijuana tug-of-war.) When the uses of medical marijuana are broached in the media, it's usually in conjunction with terminal cancer -- or intense, persistent pain. The last time I sat in on a presentation on medical marijuana, the speaker explained how it eased many of the symptoms of his late wife's multiple sclerosis. But diabetes? Tell me another one.

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One of the challenges of dealing with diabetes is our tendency to ascribe a number of aches, pains, and other medical troubles to our elevated (or wildly-swinging) blood glucose levels. Whether it be unexpected fatigue or snippiness, blurred vision, a perceived increase in thirst or change in urinary frequency, and we start thinking "highs, lows, and complications".

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I have had neuropathy in my both of my feet for a while now. I have almost gotten used to the tingling and burning pains that come now and then.

Almost.

The tingling is not nearly as bad as the feeling as if a lighted match is being held under your foot and it can be on the heel, at the arch or near my toes. Anywhere is free game and at any time. I hate it.

Lately I have noticed something different. My feet are cold, ice cold. I check for color to make sure blood is present and my pulse is there which is seems to be good but this temperature change freaks me out.

As I was going to bed I started to grunt in pain. My wife asked what was wrong and I told her how just the blankets rubbing on my feet hurt. And how no matter what I did, my feet felt like they were cold.

I lifted my right foot and pushed it up against my left shin to feel the cold and felt nothing. (READ MORE)

mzacha

Yesterday was a long day.

I woke up at 6:00 AM to a numb left arm. My first thought was that I must have slept on it and I just needed to give it a moment to get the blood flowing again. I got up and hopped in the shower.

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Right before I turned off my computer monitor last night I read an article about diabetes and amputations. The article is startling.

One statistic, “Currently 40,000 legs are amputated in India each year” really freaked me out.

Losing my feet is a major fear of mine. It is the reason I quit smoking. It is what kept me up all night last night.

I tossed and turned for hours on end. Every movement made me aware of my feet and how numb they always are. Neuropathy has taken its toll on my feet and it terrifies me. (READ MORE)