tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79010349752618594602024-02-19T05:19:45.772-05:00DiabeticicalWe all have our paths to follow and sometimes we fall offPamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-53861475439525946092016-04-27T10:55:00.000-04:002016-04-27T10:55:34.489-04:00Diabetes is a Cash Cow for Big Pharm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFk7carc3d_-m_8pEHfskscbOJ9Ir_En-pzcPeNn4KvcYzTXK8A8liyUr6ab0bqbTrVaumpiVeSapqAlTyfgRbrQOoXehMXzIYLtL0wfT2TaWY20WZBEld4c1tmwioiaE7CLnTdOSIFMy/s1600/sbnfa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLFk7carc3d_-m_8pEHfskscbOJ9Ir_En-pzcPeNn4KvcYzTXK8A8liyUr6ab0bqbTrVaumpiVeSapqAlTyfgRbrQOoXehMXzIYLtL0wfT2TaWY20WZBEld4c1tmwioiaE7CLnTdOSIFMy/s320/sbnfa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I knew about this, at least on some level. I mean it makes sense doesn't it? The much-touted ADA diet that is spoon fed diabetics does little or nothing to help control blood sugars and yet it still seems to be the "golden rule" for diabetics, type 1 and type 2 alike.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<br />
I knew there had to be a reason and that someone, somewhere was profiting in some way off this very skewed approach to eating as a diabetic. Of course, I knew that the biggest profiteers had to be associated with either insurance companies or....<br />
<br />
Yup Big Pharma. Read it and weep my friends, read it and weep. And if you still think the ADA diet is the way to to, well hows that working out for ya?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.diabetes-warrior.net/2014/02/05/big-pharma-pays-31-5-million-to-ada-supremely-naive/" target="_blank">The ADA Diet Lie</a><br />
<br />
If you are on industrial strength doses of insulin or taking some of these new Type 2 diabetic drugs that only burn out your pancreas and lead you to insulin much sooner then is needed (As in my case) you REALLY need to read this....<br />
<br />
After you have picked your jaw up off the floor, seek out Dr. Richard K.Bernstein's website and facebook group and get educated....Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-40434305880804943202015-07-21T16:34:00.001-04:002015-07-21T16:53:21.740-04:00A Diabetic Dream Recipe<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
OMG YUM! I plan on making this tonight and maybe adding cocoa powder to "chocolate"it up. Been having major chocolate cravings for a while now :) I will let you know!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
Cream Cheese Mousse, great for a diabetic who is practicing the low-carb lifestyle!!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
8 ounces cream cheese<br />
1 cube butter (yes! 1 cube) (8 ounces)<br />
1 cup heavy whipping cream <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br />4 svgs sweetener of your choice<br />1 Tbsp almond extract</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
Melt butter until it's barely soft or allow to sit till it's room temperature and soft. With an immersion blender mix together all ingredients. It will be tough to blend and take a bit of man handling. Add more hwc if neccesary.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
About 4-5 servings.</div>
<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" style="line-height: 1.38; overflow: hidden;">
<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_55aea51544d866388333023" style="display: inline;">
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
As with any food, please test using your meter. Heavy whipping cream and various sweeteners might spike some people.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
</div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px;">
<form action="https://www.facebook.com/ajax/ufi/modify.php" class="live_494411870713768_316526391751760 commentable_item" data-ft="{"tn":"]"}" data-live="{"seq":494433610711594}" id="u_jsonp_38_3n" method="post" rel="async" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="_5pcp _5vsi _52i6 _4l4" style="color: #9197a3; margin-top: 12px; position: relative;">
</div>
</form>
</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 16.0799999237061px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div data-ft="{"tn":"H"}">
<div class="mtm" style="margin-top: 10px;">
<div class="_5cq3" data-ft="{"tn":"E"}" style="position: relative;">
<a ajaxify="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202804491113600&set=oa.475331512621804&type=1&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xft1%2Ft31.0-8%2F11728859_10202804491113600_624562824806856565_o.jpg&smallsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xpf1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F11209533_10202804491113600_624562824806856565_n.jpg%3Foh%3Dcddcedac6b22eb78f5f55a712b2aeceb%26oe%3D56562B94&size=2048%2C1365&player_origin=groups" class="_4-eo _2t9n" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202804491113600&set=oa.475331512621804&type=1" rel="theater" saprocessedanchor="true" style="box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0470588) 0px 1px 1px; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; display: block; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: 470px;"></a><br />
<div class="_46-h _4-ep" id="u_jsonp_38_2x" style="height: 312px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 470px;">
<a ajaxify="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202804491113600&set=oa.475331512621804&type=1&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xft1%2Ft31.0-8%2F11728859_10202804491113600_624562824806856565_o.jpg&smallsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xpf1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F11209533_10202804491113600_624562824806856565_n.jpg%3Foh%3Dcddcedac6b22eb78f5f55a712b2aeceb%26oe%3D56562B94&size=2048%2C1365&player_origin=groups" class="_4-eo _2t9n" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202804491113600&set=oa.475331512621804&type=1" rel="theater" saprocessedanchor="true" style="box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0470588) 0px 1px 1px; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; display: block; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: 470px;"><img alt="Lillian Stevens's photo." class="_46-i img" height="315" src="https://scontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/s851x315/11209533_10202804491113600_624562824806856565_n.jpg?oh=8ed31fec38fdf9a865d91d86dbbc93d2&oe=56496934" style="border: 0px; left: -1px; position: absolute; top: 0px;" width="473" /></a></div>
<a ajaxify="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202804491113600&set=oa.475331512621804&type=1&src=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xft1%2Ft31.0-8%2F11728859_10202804491113600_624562824806856565_o.jpg&smallsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fscontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net%2Fhphotos-xpf1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F11209533_10202804491113600_624562824806856565_n.jpg%3Foh%3Dcddcedac6b22eb78f5f55a712b2aeceb%26oe%3D56562B94&size=2048%2C1365&player_origin=groups" class="_4-eo _2t9n" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202804491113600&set=oa.475331512621804&type=1" rel="theater" saprocessedanchor="true" style="box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0470588) 0px 1px 1px; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; display: block; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: 470px;">
</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-68489115558610737682015-07-14T14:39:00.004-04:002015-07-15T00:43:16.079-04:00Amazing Low Carb, Gluten-Free Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidgSIIsl55p8hYPjC8WF1HplcIGJ-SSgw9BBocFWJIV0bRLg8FJIlOhD-pBEIHGWYwc_oEXzXN5MAqxUbfKZTGBPVHm5pIG9CovyBWwMcCGy935mcmYrcW2P-ArA_WUSQ2Amtiu2XTh_D/s1600/grease-drain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjidgSIIsl55p8hYPjC8WF1HplcIGJ-SSgw9BBocFWJIV0bRLg8FJIlOhD-pBEIHGWYwc_oEXzXN5MAqxUbfKZTGBPVHm5pIG9CovyBWwMcCGy935mcmYrcW2P-ArA_WUSQ2Amtiu2XTh_D/s320/grease-drain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am always looking for recipe's that fit into my LCHF lifestyle. (Low-Carb, High fat) I stumbled on these in a group I belong to and couldn't be happier!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Low
Carb Red Lobster Biscuits<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 cup cheddar cheese, grated<br />
1 cup almond flour<br />
4 eggs<br />
4 Tbsp butter, room temp<br />
1 tsp garlic salt<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make
dough as you would ordinary biscuits making sure not to overmix so they are as
light and fluffy as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">400 degree oven<br />
Bake 12-15 minutes<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clearly, these are the best
biscuit/bread anything I have tasted on low carb. I made mine in muffin tins so
they had more shape. I coated my muffin tins with butter as well so they'd be
more crispy where the dough hit the pan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remove from the oven, melt 1-2 T of butter, mix in 1 t of Italian season. Drizzle over bisquits.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* Note: I am not a salt eater and between the garlic salt and the regular salt that is added, I found it to be a bit much, so I am going to cut down the salt if I am able to make these again. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 4.5pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also it is important for diabetics to test before and after eating one of these to see if the almond flour is going to spike you. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.05pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202769297793789&set=pcb.491044534383835&type=1&relevant_count=2"><span style="background: white; color: #3b5998; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></a></span></div>
I am editing this post to add that before I ate one of these, I tested at 86, 1 hour pp I was 91 and 2 hours pp I was at 76. So has minimal effect on MY numbers. YMMV.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.05pt;">
<br /></div>
Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-47707306092516625342015-07-14T11:01:00.000-04:002015-07-14T11:01:11.966-04:00So Diabetes, Remind Me Never to Do That Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCrYeYTK7OD-TYZC168xs_JmV06kXPwkX6Sr9jP6WGJ0FkDEvwMm9gBdIAHFvI8h5g4ssRBMs5h7j_ztwRr4fYM2JeKKyrtWAlWmR9Qhr1AtRNmxoBH9bZxHHhxbaWIFtZw5iARb7bWav/s1600/110982-Ooopsy-Doopsy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPCrYeYTK7OD-TYZC168xs_JmV06kXPwkX6Sr9jP6WGJ0FkDEvwMm9gBdIAHFvI8h5g4ssRBMs5h7j_ztwRr4fYM2JeKKyrtWAlWmR9Qhr1AtRNmxoBH9bZxHHhxbaWIFtZw5iARb7bWav/s320/110982-Ooopsy-Doopsy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This was a big "Ooopsy" And at the time I was doing it, I knew that. Somewhere in my primal reptilian, limbic brain I just knew it was wrong and would result in nothing good coming out of it. In my limited and somewhat flimsy defense, I have to say I was trying to reward myself for a job well done through the whole rest of the day.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Seriously, my numbers yesterday were nothing short of stellar; my carb intake was phenomenal, my fat intake astounding, my protein intake right on the fuckin money, my calorie intake, while not what I would call incredible, it was adequate and as a result my bg numbers through the day hovered consistently from 80 mg/dl to 95 mg/dl. Right in that sweet sweet spot I am aiming for. Not only were my testing numbers something that I marveled at, my insulin usage I adjusted to match these numbers down to less than half of what I normally do in the course of a day.<br />
<br />
Wow, this LCHF (Low-carb, high-fat) woe (way of eating) is really doing the trick and the most important things is that my numbers and my poor diabetes ravaged body are loving it like a (pardon the very inappropriate pun) like a fat kid eating cake!<br />
<br />
So whats wrong now. Why is my limbic brain slapping you around, you may be asking yourself.<br />
<br />
I ate fruit. Not even fruit, watermelon. The devil of the fruit.<br />
<br />
The woe (way of eating) that I have adopted, fruit is pretty much a no-no. Used in very sparingly portions you might be able to indulge in it every few weeks and just understand that it is going to spike your bg. But that is a risk that you knowingly face. <br />
<br />
Yup, there you go. there you have it, fruit, the LCHF poison. The one thing I knew, I KNEW was going to send my bg into the clouds and I decided that that was what I needed in that weak, headdy moment of celebration last night. Ugh. No, fucking UGH.<br />
<br />
I must have had a couple of cups of diced watermelon and I lived to regret it.All the while my hubby was sitting there giving me sideways glances asking me benign little questions like;<br />
<br />
" So, when your bg goes up, over your target numbers I mean, well do you feel it?"<br />
No.<br />
"Oh. I mean you can't feel anything happening inside you that would tell you enough is enough...if you were, say, eating something you shouldn't be?"<br />
No.<br />
"Oh, okay. So you just test with those little strip thangies and THEN you know if you ate something you shouldn't have?"<br />
Yes.<br />
"So how long before you test after ingesting something?"<br />
What the fuck? Why are you taking such an interest now, can't you see I want to drive my numbers up? Can't you see I just want to eat like a normal person for a change? Can't you see that I am being a total dumbshit and that I want to see my numbers raise to something near 250 mg/dl and then beat myself up afterwards???!!! Geez! Husbands.<br />
<br />
Well I got what I wanted after all. I new what was happening and I told hubby as much, I also told him I refused to test before bed. I would just dose myself with my long-acting insulin and let the night do her work. But, I also knew that two wrongs don't make a right and if I was going to put in my big girl panties and stop burying my head in the sand over this very invasive, devastating and life changing disease - I had to test. So I did.<br />
<br />
248 mg/dl. I think my meter groaned long before I did.<br />
<br />
I havn't seen that type of number since the first week after my A1c came back at 13.5.<br />
<br />
After a night of sleep and a shot of Levimir, my numbers are back in acceptable range. I woke at 92 mb/dl.<br />
<br />
Time to climb back on that horse and make it my bitch.....Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-37478740777291753972015-07-10T23:06:00.000-04:002015-07-10T23:07:14.756-04:00Diabetic Induced Anger and Frustration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHstCU_ZvWpgkpAs1au9Fs6YGaPI-0A6kuTcxGI0FVE-3rf6D1e4MQl9Tywv8Bt4QPOGj5ZONVDy3x20_p6yGMI8HerOAGOoU3f7xx4bjgCeVCIHdTTuvmTjhTwJQKWpfrdYqYhA75sLF/s1600/Happy_Bunny_Fanart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHstCU_ZvWpgkpAs1au9Fs6YGaPI-0A6kuTcxGI0FVE-3rf6D1e4MQl9Tywv8Bt4QPOGj5ZONVDy3x20_p6yGMI8HerOAGOoU3f7xx4bjgCeVCIHdTTuvmTjhTwJQKWpfrdYqYhA75sLF/s320/Happy_Bunny_Fanart.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
<br />
GOD DAMNIT I AM MAD!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<br />
I am mad and I am hungry. Nothing new with that statement, millions of people all over the world, every moment of every day probably utter that statement..<br />
<br />
But, I AM hungry! So go eat! :sigh: Were it that easy...<br />
<br />
You see, my hunger/food processing mechanism is badly damaged. Food has become the enemy to me and the really depressing part is that it will always be this way. I have reached a point of no return.<br />
<br />
We are mammals, we need food to sustain us. I am no different, what is different is that I cannot just go to the kitchen and grab something. food has become an experiment and I am the guinea pig. Mindless eating is no longer possible and I absolutely long for those carefree days. Its disheartening and frustrating to live this way. We, as human beings have pleasure centers in our brains. One of these pleasure centers is the ability to eat that which we truley enjoy and want to taste. We want to eat the things that taste good and feel satiated when we are done with a meal.<br />
<br />
I am allergic to carbohydrates and my allergic reaction manifests itself in high glucose readings. This has a system wide effect. Nerves, organs, muscles are all effected by my high blood sugar. My body no longer produces the things that I need to deal with the things i shove in my mouth.<br />
<br />
Insulin is a tricky thing and I must manually inject insulin in an effort to live a semi-normal life for a semi-normal length of time.<br />
<br />
I used to chide my husband for his anger towards his diabetes. He is dead now and I find myself feeling more and more what he must have felt; a deep resentment to the disease, to my body and to those people around me who don't have this problem.<br />
<br />
I want to be healthy - well most of the time I want to be healthy, other times I just want to ignore my broken system and eat what I want.<br />
<br />
No one else in my family, save for some non-blood relatives, have diabetes, why did it have to hone in on me? What did I do?? Ugh I hate this "oh woe is me" way of thinking....Come to think of it, I hate most everything tonight.<br />
<br />
End rant.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-54277230785149321112015-06-25T15:10:00.001-04:002015-06-25T15:10:13.898-04:00If Its Not One Thing, Its Another...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyAj6YM1xCBR_T7C8dzqrxgBelvoPvKSFa2A3mB4sTyj-M6rI-A4tE4WBOgcOaRNR3Gll6G2lXvR2kRIba9QUOPiQ1AkLkDnIG3YkIGaIuqC9VMldPOF3xSd0MRe8aOkuLoQzEVpsqWGN/s1600/high-diabetes-supply-costs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyAj6YM1xCBR_T7C8dzqrxgBelvoPvKSFa2A3mB4sTyj-M6rI-A4tE4WBOgcOaRNR3Gll6G2lXvR2kRIba9QUOPiQ1AkLkDnIG3YkIGaIuqC9VMldPOF3xSd0MRe8aOkuLoQzEVpsqWGN/s320/high-diabetes-supply-costs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Here it goes again. I sometimes wonder why I even attempt to keep up a blog. I never stay with it. My mind is much too busy to think of one coherent thought, let alone write a few hundred words on whatever subject I can manage to get my mind to focus on.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<br />
Really, its very frustrating and trying to keep up on a blog just brings home the fact that it is hard for me to finish something that I have started. But, like so many of us, I am nothing if not masochistic, so here I go again. Actually this is something I want to continue from the last post I made here in February.<br />
<br />
That general malaise feeling I was having back at the beginning of the year, remember that? Turns out I do believe it was related to the diabetes. I was not taking care of myself and my blood sugar was outrageous. I have never experienced this before in my diabetes career. So I was hesitant to label the ill feeling as a result of high blood pressure, but I am convinced that is what was causing it.<br />
<br />
Winter turned to spring, turned to summer and I finally got myself back to the doctor. She of course, chastised me for not taking my high BS seriously, but I am used to that. My hide has gotten very tough throughout this diabetic journey. Doctors love, I mean they just LOVE to rip you a new one if they see you are not taking care of yourself. Its their job after all to point out the obvious, and the not so obvious.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I am getting back on track. Insulin scripts have been re-uped, Hypercholesteral meds re-uped. Hypo thyroid meds check. Addition of Myrbetriq, check.<br />
<br />
Now to sit by the phone waiting for the nurse to call me with results of tests run. I already know my blood work is miserable, its the back and hip x-rays I am worried about. The term Severe Degenerative Disk Disease, or DDD was bandied about when I called to leave a message for the nurse, since I missed her call earlier.<br />
<br />
Ugh, so what fresh hell has been thrust upon me? We shall see.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-5894703365694536112015-02-28T14:59:00.000-05:002015-06-25T12:40:55.251-04:00I am Not Sure This is Diabetes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstW1Bn3cDcTNwnOY43YayrbSFAdk4B9gvLrsdDyZJuQg_KCFJEm_GZ-yEKdVv71VZOXd7LjuyBu93H11GAjQDBMwKdE5mH3RdNM1HI8obf3fhEVk2RBsXFLP4CH7zeZ4EFNMwLjFNPJus/s1600/coughandcold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgstW1Bn3cDcTNwnOY43YayrbSFAdk4B9gvLrsdDyZJuQg_KCFJEm_GZ-yEKdVv71VZOXd7LjuyBu93H11GAjQDBMwKdE5mH3RdNM1HI8obf3fhEVk2RBsXFLP4CH7zeZ4EFNMwLjFNPJus/s1600/coughandcold.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Yeah, so okay, I am a diabetic, but I have been feeling something for a few months now, and although I feel it, it is hard to put into words just what that feeling is.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<br />
I am going to try to do that here so that I can sort this in my own mind. First and foremost, I do not think that this is diabetes type 2. It might be, but I have never felt like this before - well at least not in direct relation to my diabetes.<br />
<br />
I have felt this before, but before, I knew what it as. This is a feeling of what I call a very vague feeling of over-all general malaise. You know that feeling you get after you have the flu. Not just a few day thing, but the full-on, knock-you-on-your-ass flu that keeps you flat on your back with aches and fever. The kind of flu that takes weeks to get over, even after the flu itself is gone.<br />
<br />
You feel weak and any sort of exertion is met with lightly perspiring and huffing and puffing tying to catch your breath. You feel better than you did when you were in the middle of the flu, but you know you are not quite at 100% yet. Maybe you are more like 75%. THAT is how I feel right now and have been feeling this way for at least 6 weeks.<br />
<br />
I have not been sick this winter, I was a good girl and got my flu shot back in November. So I am pretty sure this has nothing to do with the flu or a cold or whatever cold wintery junk is floating around out there. It was a sudden onset of this feeling. I have trouble catching my breath and even just sitting watching TV I experience those light sweats I mentioned above. It happens several times a day and night. I am not sure if I am feeling these things, or perspiring at night when I am asleep.<br />
<br />
Its not the feeling you get when you think you might be coming down with something, this is definitely more like I have just recovered from something, but what??<br />
<br />
About 3 years ago, I went through some sort of a gastric issue that made me feel somewhat similar, but not really. Still to this day no one knows what it was. I had stomach issues, diarrhea, those disgusting "eggy, sulfer-ish" burps and when I went to the doctor my blood tests shows a very high eosinophil count (white blood cells) indicating that I was fighting some sort of infection. I even subjected myself to a colonoscopy ( I was 50 so needed one anyway) to try to diagnose what was happening. The colonoscopy showed nothing unusual and just as sudden as the symptoms appeared, about 2 months later, they disappeared and I felt fine.<br />
<br />
Maybe this is related, I don't know. What I do know is that it will be very hard for me to answer the question - "Why are you here to see the doctor today?" with any intelligence and not sound like a complete hypochondriac.<br />
<br />
I have been under a tremendous amount of stress since about June of last year. Could it be the stress taking its toll on me? I have been under a lot of stress before, but never had these symptoms. Of course, I am getting older and I am sure that my body handles things differently now. Still I am not sure I can just dismiss this as stress. I have run the gamit of what this might be and so far nothing. Or everything. You would be surprised (well maybe not) how many different diseases start with "A feeling of general malaise or feeling unwell."<br />
<br />
So what is this?<br />
<br />
I will take any and all advice or thoughts. ....Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-39561915656548568012015-02-27T14:40:00.000-05:002015-02-27T14:40:42.535-05:00Diabetes and Alcoholism Do Not Mix<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrFueOp_zZG-WdIAX1oTNBtPHi7Suolt7OQRoBAZ7gJX7jqC5SPrxbZLOjqXCikbzIroJbFvIv6X1VE3jHefVobNf0E8C0GA2RbxoIi-o3LsApVNOXhfjCdcdj4FOZTqohbvjK4D3bSQ3/s1600/GFE6rko.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrFueOp_zZG-WdIAX1oTNBtPHi7Suolt7OQRoBAZ7gJX7jqC5SPrxbZLOjqXCikbzIroJbFvIv6X1VE3jHefVobNf0E8C0GA2RbxoIi-o3LsApVNOXhfjCdcdj4FOZTqohbvjK4D3bSQ3/s1600/GFE6rko.gif" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
My diabetes is not a happy camper right now. Recently my family has been dealing with some issues that, reflecting back a few years, I never would have guessed - even in my wildest dreams - we would be dealing with.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<br />
My youngest daughter is an alcoholic She is sweet, funny, brilliant and what is the most frustrating, an adult which limits just how far we can help her or push her towards help.<br />
<br />
The mental gymnastics that I have recently been doing over this issue would qualify me for the Olympics gymnast team and I would most likely be a medal winner. This is much to the disgust and anger of my diabetes. Its unique to me to be thinking in terms of my chronic disease as a person, but lately that seems to be what it has morphed into.<br />
<br />
My diabetes type 2 has taken on a new life of its own throughout all of this and I am not happy that I have allowed "him" to become such a constant companion. Every night as I lay in bed waiting - begging - for sleep to come, he whispers in my ear things that I just don't want to think about right now. Things like "You need to make an appt with your endo," or "Did you really need to eat that last cupcake??" I wake up every morning with him already in the middle of planning out my day for me and I resent that so, so much. Underneath it all are the constant thoughts of my daughter and what she needs from me.<br />
<br />
I have taken steps to deal with my daughter - she finally agreed that she needs help and so we have admitted her to a residential treatment center far away from home. This was done due to the fact that I am very susceptible to her manipulations and if she were to call me begging to come home, I could not honestly say that I would ignore that phone call and not go get here. She is self-admitted so she is not under any restraint to stay there. So shoot me, I am a mother and the curse of a mother is to worry about her children, no matter how adult they become.<br />
<br />
Now I need to take steps to silence my diabetes. I know he will always be a dull roar in my ear, no matter how in control I become, but I don't want to listen to him yelling at me for doing the things I need to be doing to take care of myself. I am a rebelious sort of person and if someone tells me to do something, I typically do the opposite. I need to warn Mr Diabetes that if he does not stfu I might start to rebel.<br />
<br />
So I must admit that for the last few months, about a month after I started on insulin, I became very lax about my eating, my shots, my exercising, my thoughts on this disease that I have. This all coincided with the discovery of my daughters addiction and I need to stop doing that. I NEED to start taking care of myself. Any words of wisdom out there?? Anyone want to offer me a pep talk or guidance about how to handle all of this with my family and my diabetes too?<br />
<br />
One of the rules of someone who has been impacted by an alcoholic is to start putting yourself first. I have not learned how to do that, but I am willing to learn. That's half the battle right? Now tell me how to do that: How to change a life time, primal need to put my children first.<br />
<br />
I thinking climbing Mt Everest would be an easier task.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1LT14su_LP_TBzbqNgjHjm0Nz52Jpu8nrVUt8lt_wDCzhJDozCciJcs_2lyQmGKOw3fRojcmDBA3TIOk5SYWA8YGChy2p__BW0WVZFMREScc3kuFslrmW0_Fvs80WeRbLUnaGi6rg9VM/s1600/Quotation-Katlyn-Charlesworth-anger-fathers-sadness-children-mothers-Meetville-Quotes-279493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju1LT14su_LP_TBzbqNgjHjm0Nz52Jpu8nrVUt8lt_wDCzhJDozCciJcs_2lyQmGKOw3fRojcmDBA3TIOk5SYWA8YGChy2p__BW0WVZFMREScc3kuFslrmW0_Fvs80WeRbLUnaGi6rg9VM/s1600/Quotation-Katlyn-Charlesworth-anger-fathers-sadness-children-mothers-Meetville-Quotes-279493.jpg" height="218" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-20296448975675259202014-09-29T20:50:00.001-04:002014-09-29T20:50:10.246-04:00So Much for Positive Thinking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0GggfGZa3aPHRZnAYisIn99-G1mqztciJb7FP3fvOJcSCzSpW1G9noeTja0y0WycxIgDRG6Ch375YiyG8gC46pTInRVMPmzddaI0hqpMweMzxtXhAHrlE4pzqeqc90utpGYgybkqP_k5/s1600/Positive-Minds-Construction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0GggfGZa3aPHRZnAYisIn99-G1mqztciJb7FP3fvOJcSCzSpW1G9noeTja0y0WycxIgDRG6Ch375YiyG8gC46pTInRVMPmzddaI0hqpMweMzxtXhAHrlE4pzqeqc90utpGYgybkqP_k5/s1600/Positive-Minds-Construction.jpg" height="117" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Reading back through the last few posts I am realizing what a whiney baby I have become!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Its true, but chronic diseases such as diabetes tend to do that to you. I get fed up, I do. I get tired and old with the routine that comes with attempting to manage this disease. Sometimes I don't even want to look at food because I can't just shove it in my gob and forget about it. I have to analyze it, read labels, plan, decide if it is worth eating, and if it is, how much of it I can eat. Its exhausting. It makes an otherwise very comforting and enjoyable moment in the day and turns it into a science experiment. And its not just once a day you are playing mad scientist, its AT LEAST 3 times a day, every day, every week of every month of every year for as long as I walk this earth. So blah, sue me for whining sometimes.<br />
<br />
Now, I really have something to whine about - look away if you are done with my self-pity....<br />
<br />
My poor pancreas has finally given up and called it a day. It no longer produces insulin, or at the very least if might still be pumping it out, but at minimal levels - certainly not enough to sustain a healthy human being. I am now insulin dependent.<br />
<br />
From the moment I was diagnosed 15 years ago, I dreaded saying that phrase. It always felt so tasteless in my mouth, so final. No hope of going back to my fun and carefree days of eating what I wanted when I wanted. Its a carefree and childlike life non-diabetics live when it comes to food and I miss that so much. But those days have gone with the wind. I am now turning my eyes slowly (and stubbornly) towards a new life in which timing, counting and testing is the new normal.<br />
<br />
I saw an endo for the first time in my life last week. I can't say that I like them very much. Mine was very brusk, almost angry at me for trying to manage this diabetic monster without insulin. She was especially testy when I told her I was diagnosed 15 years ago and never used insulin. (well that is not true, after Victoza stopped working for me, I tried a long acting insulin for a month and it didn't touch my readings, but she seemed not to hear me when I told her that, she didn't hear a lot of things I said) So it would seem that if you have been a type 2 diabetic for longer than, what maybe 2 months? Her answer is INSULIN! YOU MUST BE ON INSULIN.<br />
<br />
She also seemed quite angry at my PCP because she dared to put me on Janumet rather than take the YOU NEED TO BE ON INSULIN approach. Whatevs. Her nurse pissed me off too. But that is a story for another time.<br />
<br />
So I am on insulin now and it is working, so I must grudgingly admit defeat in my efforts to stay off the insulin band wagon.<br />
<br />
So now my blog is going to transform into my insulin journey.<br />
<br />
I started my insulin regimen on Friday and it is now Monday. I have had 2-3 significant low BS events, but I have gotten really good at recognizing the signs before I enter the zombie state. My blood sugar has been so high for so long, when I get down to anything below 100mg/dl I start to feel it. I get the shakes, sweat and can't think straight. Yesterday I made it down to 64 while I was taking a nap and woke up with a sudden panic feeling. I don't think I could have stood up out of bed to do anything, so thank god my hubby was laying next to me. He knows what brings me out of lows - orange juice. It started me thinking, what if I had been alone? I suppose it is a thought that every diabetic who risks lows thinks. So now I have to make sure I have something high in sugar, quickly digestable with me at all times. In my purse, next to my bed, in the car, etc.<br />
<br />
As I learn how to eat and how to take my insulin, I am hoping these episodes will reduce in numbers. I know there are other factors that play into insulin in my system, such as exercise or being sick and I am going to have to learn them as I go. For now it is baby steps for me. My goal today is to keep all my readings under 200. So far so good. I am going to start logging what I eat to help me with this in the future.<br />
<br />
Currently I am taking 25 units before bed of Lantus<br />
10 units humolog before breakfast and lunch and 15 before dinner. <br />
<br />
Fasting reading this am was 128<br />
For breakfast I had bowl of oatmeal with teaspoon of brown sugar and small amount of 2% milk, 1 slice whole wheat toast with margarine and coffee with 1 packet non-dairy creamer and 1 teaspoon sweetner. I know the sweetner is bad, but it is my guilty pleasure and I won't give that up. and it looks like I don't have to.<br />
2hr post prandal reading 156 (yay since yesterday it was 234).<br />
<br />
I have noticed that most of my lows the last few days have come after lunch in the afternoon. I suspect I am not eating enough at lunch and will try to up the calorie intake a bit today.<br />
<br />
Pre-lunch 85<br />
For lunch I had handful of nuts, trail-mix and 2 crescent rolls, a few grapes.<br />
<br />
2 Hr post prandal 107 (!) sadly I can't have candy :( <br />
<br />
I am learning that my eating habits are going to have to drastically change. I am ok with that - today. I have triggers that, no matter how much insulin I inject, these triggers are going to have to be avoided 99% of the time in order to live a healthy life style.<br />
<br />
I also realize I must begin to incorporate some sort of exercise program in addition to diet. My issue is my back and hip. If I had a recumbant bike, that would be ideal :) But I don't so walking is going to have to do for now. The house that we are buying is in a community that has a fitness center and I am hoping there might be more alternatives for me there. There are also 3 pools, although I am not sure if any of them are heated and it is going to cool off quite a bit before we close on the new house here in Atl.<br />
<br />
Just thoughts rolling around in my head.<br />
<br />
I must say I do feel a bit better than I have in months. I don't seem to be as fatigued as I was. I can actually stay away all afternoon, where I used to have to nap.<br />
<br />
More to come ......<br />
<br />
Good news, felt a low episode coming on and had a few grapes which brought reading up to 173 pre dinner. For dinner I had a baked potato with butter and sour cream, a couple of meatballs and some carrots and celery.<br />
<br />
2 hours PP reading - 117<br />
<br />
So fulfilled my goal of staying under 200 all day!<br />
<br />
Now on to tomorrow...Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-13367460003801221142014-09-06T09:14:00.002-04:002014-09-06T09:14:29.679-04:00Grumpy Diabetic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-r1DQWGQqGqQ1YfB4eSYQZkZiazy4L3X0DQF6OPq27WlRgdsNwCC4f5-w08LLC17CTYy7rFpqOVg6Sq43gKTjZgj2RsMLO0DE-zdhXbW-DYnLO2059KwHI0DU8rqk-VQsv4ehlKKqUPEu/s1600/pissed-off-jacko-lantern.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-r1DQWGQqGqQ1YfB4eSYQZkZiazy4L3X0DQF6OPq27WlRgdsNwCC4f5-w08LLC17CTYy7rFpqOVg6Sq43gKTjZgj2RsMLO0DE-zdhXbW-DYnLO2059KwHI0DU8rqk-VQsv4ehlKKqUPEu/s1600/pissed-off-jacko-lantern.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
This just says it all for me today...Fasting bs - 272 blah.<br /><br />Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-85880208890740647132014-09-05T16:05:00.002-04:002014-09-05T16:05:34.368-04:00Monitor timeMy God, you would think that getting the insurance company to help with the costs of a meter and strips constitutes a national crisis!<br />
<br />
I have two meters at home, the problem is I am not "home", I am in Atlanta visiting my poor lonely husband and of all things to forget, meters and strips were top of the list it seems. My new doctor put in a script to get new ones here in Ga, but that is asking too much of lovely Aetna. I really shouldn't complain I guess, with the long and winding road of meds for this annoying disease, they have not baulked once at paying for anything. It just seems that when you want testing supplies, you have to go through different channels and those channels are not quick. The time quoted was 7-10 working days. Shit I will be back in Florida by then! So I went with another solution that required money out of pocket.<br />
<br />
Walmart has come out with their own diabetic testing supply line and expensewise it is VERY reasonable. I bought a meter for around $17, 50 strips for $9 and lancets for like $4 So this will get me though til I get back home.<br />
<br />
So the good news is my reading (about 4 hours pp) is 197. The bad news is that my reading is 197. Not great, but a bit better than the near 400 I was at last week.. at this point I will take what I can get.<br />
<br />
Janumet so far is making me a bit queezy, especially in the mornings when I wake up, but it seems to resolve as I get up and get going with my day. <br />
<br />
It also seems to be making me tired.<br />
<br />
So lets see what the morning fasting result is going to be. <br />
<br />
<br />Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-27810571959501839952014-09-04T12:17:00.002-04:002014-09-04T12:30:15.160-04:00Fell off the wagon, again.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQYETUrDlr0re4tHvbefqzC8xGtem-pOH3jYuR8fPYfu89uCmY9pcRnNjtw9S8CqAQ1yrid1AQrD9C5dVnGyHcQGHbEbTeGE_YBntnPIYlBQ5gofQ3Nd5joL_Fb2CnCkN_SGwe8z0XMCD/s1600/1ugly-feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWQYETUrDlr0re4tHvbefqzC8xGtem-pOH3jYuR8fPYfu89uCmY9pcRnNjtw9S8CqAQ1yrid1AQrD9C5dVnGyHcQGHbEbTeGE_YBntnPIYlBQ5gofQ3Nd5joL_Fb2CnCkN_SGwe8z0XMCD/s1600/1ugly-feet.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I am guessing that after 2 years it might be time to "blog it up" once again.<br />
<br />
<br />
The last few years have been uber busy and stressful, many things I won't go into, but I will tell that I fell off the "Diabetic in control" wagon.<br />
<br />
I call it burn out, others call it fed-up, tired, denial, whatever.<br />
<br />
It happens, we are human after all. A diabetics day (whether type 1 or type 2 or any other of the lastest version of diabetes) is full of reminders, no-no's, monitors, medicine etc. Many days when all we want to do is forget we have a <strike>pain-in-the-ass</strike> chronic disease, we are faced with a myriad of decisions and reminders that we do indeed have this disease and we are not like "normal" people.<br />
<br />
The hardest part of this disease, for me anyway, is the food to mouth aspect. I cannot eat like most people around me, I can't even eat at the same times that many people around me do. I must juggle food timing as well as the actual type of foods I choose to eat every single god forsaken day and let me tell you something - it. gets. old.<br />
<br />
Yeah, yeah I know I should be thankful for _______, or I should count my blessings that I don't have ________ instead of diabetes, and most days I do, but I am, once again, human, and things do get to me. I am the first one to admit that I need to wrestle with that particular demon and slay it once and for all.<br />
<br />
So roughly 2 years ago, the demon slayed me. I was tired. I had been good for 3 full years prior. I lost a lot of weight, my readings were all very good. But I could feel the frustrations setting in when over the course of the last 3-4 years I was put on 4 different diabetic meds (some injections) and everyone of them after a period of time failed. One lasted nearly a year and a half - Byetta, but although Byetta was great for my numbers my quality of life failed. I was left weak as a kitten, felt as though I had a case of morning sickness everyday all day and it made my teeth hurt (a little nuisance I am paying for as we speak).<br />
<br />
I couldn't take it anymore. Luckily a new injectable came onto the scene about this time - Victoza. Victoza was amazing! I lost another 10 lbs and the nausea and tiredness went away. I was on top of the world! That lasted about 8 months and all of a sudden the numbers started rising and the weight started showing up again.<br />
<br />
At this time my doctor (as frustrated as I was) started me on the dreaded insulin injections. I learned a very valuable lesson with Levamir, if you are an insulin resistant diabetic, no amount of synthetic insulin introduced into your system is going to make those numbers drop. Obviously I am still producing my own insulin, my body just doesnt receive it.<br />
<br />
So after a few months of that, back to Victoza I went and it worked again! ... for 3 months. Now what?<br />
<br />
Well low and behold a NEW inject-able entered the arena...well more like a new version of an old medicine. Enter Bydureon. The diabetic Gods were listening to us after all! Byetta is a twice a day inject-able that must be introduced at a specific time relating to food; Victoza is a once a day inject-able that can be introduced anytime daily; now Bydureon is a ONCE PER WEEK injection any time of the day you choose!!!!<br />
<br />
True the system for mixing and loading the syringe can be intimidating (lots of steps) I didn't care! once a week was just this side of heaven for me. So, after months of mixing, drawing and injecting (with a rather large guage needle - ouch) amid little hard lumps that would form under my skin at the injection sites, once again failure set it. Numbers ballooned, thirst ensued, hunger went crazy, ugh.<br />
<br />
That was over a year ago.<br />
<br />
Now, I am beginning again. I went off all diabetic meds about a year ago and stopped seeing my doctor. Throw a relocation into the mix (from Florida to Atlanta) and I have been spurred on to try again. My time-out is over and its time to stop playing this game.<br />
<br />
My labs came back 4 days ago, I think it was a defining moment in my life. My fasting reading was 373, my A1c was an astounding 15.1. I am going to die if I don't get this under control.<br />
<br />
So I am back to being a walking pharmacy:<br />
<ul>
<li>50/1000 mg Janumet</li>
<li>20 mg simvistatin</li>
<li>5 mg levothyroxin</li>
<li>50 mg zoloft</li>
<li>1mg lorazapam</li>
<li>Cipro (bladder infection </li>
</ul>
So here we go again, lets see what road this takes me down.<br />
<br />
Oh and PS just to keep track, weight is 192<br />
PSS That is NOT my foot above, I just wanted to get your attention lol, wow.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-58343121959708716352012-02-01T14:16:00.000-05:002012-02-01T14:16:55.969-05:00Choodles and Seizures: Attempting to understand why<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3xONMVLZ-6UTaMotwVR6imikBSLxJsHIqoNBnnIzdFQkUDRom2FS_YifrFkEhyCkJx0IWPEdZXGF2M6WB6eKsyypfY6C2THwPv56uBl-Ra-qLTYJmzTdBcfQoERWteTpxHZgaDk8ESsj/s1600/bs-maltipoo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="100" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3xONMVLZ-6UTaMotwVR6imikBSLxJsHIqoNBnnIzdFQkUDRom2FS_YifrFkEhyCkJx0IWPEdZXGF2M6WB6eKsyypfY6C2THwPv56uBl-Ra-qLTYJmzTdBcfQoERWteTpxHZgaDk8ESsj/s200/bs-maltipoo.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So about a year ago, my littlest maltipoo (formerly thought to be a choodle, but blood tests have changed our minds), anyway my littlest maltipoo began having seizures. Now that I think about it, it was more in the area of 1.5 years ago.<br />
<br />
I remember sitting on the couch in my living room, the poo's (for lack of a better nickname I will call them poo's since they are all related to poodles in some way) were happily surrounding me and sleeping - something that the poos do very well - all except the littlest poo - my maltipoo, Cheddar. Just about the time I thought how odd it was not to have him nearby, I heard a very loud noise at the doggy door, which turned out to be Cheddar attempting to enter from the back patio. He made it through the door just in time for me to witness his complete loss of balance, falling over to his side. <br />
<br />
Of course I ran to him and picked him up, hoping to sooth away any hurt of embarrassment he might have suffered, only to find he was stiff and unresponsive. His eyes were glazed, and his head was thrown back in what can now only be called a very disturbing angle. As I carried him to the couch, my mind was working 1000mph reaching through to my years as a veterinarian technician to discover what this could be. Had he been poisoned? Or was some unknown disease taking hold. My mind settled not on my experience as a vet tech, but even further back in my life to the memories of when I was a young girl.<br />
<br />
My mother had poodles. Two little black females and their mother a chocolate poodle named Suzi. There were toy poodles. The largest of them all, Sweetie, had seizures and my mind latched on to these memories. All the usual signs were there - stiffening, glazed eyes, legs begin to paddle, drooling - all these things Cheddar was now doing. <br />
<br />
I held him for several minutes as he completed his seizure and settled down into my lap. I have to confess I was afraid to put him down thinking that it might trigger another seizure or that he would no longer be able to walk.<br />
<br />
As it turns out, he was just fine. Since that time a year and a half ago, we have relocated to Florida for good and not a month goes by that Cheddar does not have a seizure.<br />
<br />
It's commonly called "white dog syndrome" and appears to be prevalent on several of the smaller breeds such as poodles, Maltese and no one can find a true cause for the seizures.<br />
<br />
I have discussed the issue with my veterinarian and she and I both feel that if the seizures are not affecting him and he sticks to one per month, that there is no real reason to worry or to put him on anti-seizure medications. Many experts even feel that adding anti-seizure meds can increase the seizure activity - go figure.<br />
<br />
So I continue with my little seizure prone Cheddar and he has learned to come and find me before the seizure hits. It must be a feeling he gets before the seizure activity begins. Sometimes he makes it to me and judging by the panic stricken look on his face I know what is to come. Sometimes he doesn't make it and I will find him under chairs, in hallways seizing.<br />
<br />
But I always hold him quietly until it passes and after about 10 minutes or so he is fine and on his merry way to bark at the TV, or one of the ducks that roam the back yard.<br />
<br />
This dog has it made, maybe he plays me with these seizures - but it works.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-10080248532118966112011-11-16T13:53:00.001-05:002011-11-16T14:02:12.088-05:00Thanksgiving and type 2 diabetes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__07H-ntpHbGippyPbSqfjeElyrtojYgkzf5yNp8kGJx7nydNJW0uu-piih-szRE9NaoCrJg7PgMCA2AYHjwS-t3K7S8P7eOIZBAN0mLSun0g4iuKA70JpjVfPcyXkeZdR5sDe6T_Kavx/s1600/Dovesinlove670p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="110" width="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi__07H-ntpHbGippyPbSqfjeElyrtojYgkzf5yNp8kGJx7nydNJW0uu-piih-szRE9NaoCrJg7PgMCA2AYHjwS-t3K7S8P7eOIZBAN0mLSun0g4iuKA70JpjVfPcyXkeZdR5sDe6T_Kavx/s200/Dovesinlove670p.jpg" /></a></div>
With the holidays just around the corner, I thought this might be a good time to mention my approach to eating during this time of the year. There are no real tricks to my approach, just some common sense views and ways to avoid the pitfalls that diabetics face while everyone else stuffs themselves.
The typical Thanksgiving fair is tough on a diabetic, and there are diabetics who say "ey wth, its one day a year, I am going to splurge and then go back to all the restrictions the day after" I cant do this. I have learned that it takes me just one bad meal to reorganize my brain into thinking it can eat anything that it wants. Call this poor self-control, or no will-power - call it what you want but it is how my brain works. For this reason if I go off the wagon once it takes me weeks or months to get back on. So I just avoid the whole issue and continue to make good choices even when temptation is spread out before me.
So <a href="http://www.diabeticszone.net/enjoying-thanksgiving-because-of-not-in-spite-of-diabetes-type-2.html">here at The Diabetic Zone</a> is my strategy for the big day coming up. Maybe you can use it, maybe you can't I will leave that decision up to you.
Either way, best wishes to you and yours as we enter the holidays!Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-11341941439760865812010-01-15T09:10:00.004-05:002010-01-15T09:51:20.047-05:00And the rest of the story<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ORsbmK5aZmzjfe4xQGMhWvDX9Q9aRBebqMh6DO7C5glNBzydtR629KUPmtR9e-t1vSzgiG7rvFsfdOnvI8j6vPEF0h5Lt_zvlu7F-H1VHo8ERTcMHb7I7eiOXGKPV_dO637DidbgG5rK/s1600-h/Tampa_Chilled_2380897.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ORsbmK5aZmzjfe4xQGMhWvDX9Q9aRBebqMh6DO7C5glNBzydtR629KUPmtR9e-t1vSzgiG7rvFsfdOnvI8j6vPEF0h5Lt_zvlu7F-H1VHo8ERTcMHb7I7eiOXGKPV_dO637DidbgG5rK/s400/Tampa_Chilled_2380897.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426975679514177074" /></a><br /><br />Well, I have a feeling that this is an ongoing story that, as the more farmland in Florida becomes populated, the more widespread it will become. You might remember the post I did on sinkholes?<br /><br />Back when I first moved to Florida I slowly became aware of a HUGE issue here in Florida, an issue that has succeeded in convincing myself and my husband that buying a house here in Florida is NOT the wisest of decisions and that is the problem of sinkholes.<br /><br />It is so bad in fact, that the county I happen to live in at the moment (the county that my husbands business is located - so unless we are happy with an hour commute for him everyday we also must live in) is virtually uninsurable when it comes to home owners insurance. Ok, let me rephrase that. You CAN get regular home owners insurance on a home for not much more then the national average, BUT you have to buy a sinkhole rider if you want to be protected against this little...nuisance. Most insurance companies won't even offer sinkhole coverage and those that do the prices are unbelievably high.<br /><br />Ok a bit of a geology lesson here. Florida basically floats on large aquifers. These aquifers need to be fed and replenished when the water drops below acceptable levels. Mother nature in her infinite wisdom, and not to mention just basic principles of physics, compensates for the depletion by opening up sinkholes. These sinkholes range from small depressions in the ground to house swallowing monsters and appear out of no where and eat anything within close proximity of it. The sinkholes occur mostly because the water table in the aquifer has dropped so therefore there is just air between the limestone and the top of the water table. The weight of the earth will collapse in on itself and this in turn is another way to feed the aquifer when it rains. Florida is covered with small lakes many of which were originally sinkholes that through time and sediment have become bodies of water which wild life makes good use of. We have one such lake at the back of our house as I have shown pictures of occasionally on this blog.<br /><br />Ok, so everyone knows the cold snap that Florida just endured right? We have not broken the 60 degree mark yet in 2010... well not until yesterday that is and there were nights that we were in the teens and twenties.<br /><br />Yeah yeah so what has this got to do with sinkholes you are asking? Patience I am getting there.<br /><br />Freezing temps have a huge impact on the water levels of the acquifers but in a round about way and here is how.<br /><br />Farmers.<br /><br />Yes farmers. Seems that the farmers in many places of Florida rely on the water in aquifers to water these crops. In normal situations with normal weather that is not a big deal, I guess the water used makes little impact on the aquifers and the rain tends to replenish them quickly so no harm no foul. BUT when the weather is extreme, as has been the case for the last few weeks it has done great harm and a lot of people are crying foul.<br /><br />For instance, we have a city that is in eastern Hillsborough county ( same county that Tampa is in) that has self proclaimed itself strawberry capitol of the world. Strawberries are very vulnerable to below freezing temps. So the farmers of these crops will water them in order to provide a layer of insulation on the tender plants. The ice that builds on the strawberries keeps them IN MOST CASES at a constant 32 degrees. and the destructive 28-29 degree air cannot get to the plant. At least that is how I understand it. The above image I have included is the tactic that the farmers use to try to save their crops. <br /><br />Great, more power to the farmer, right? But this has an adverse effect on the aquifers in that it drains more water then normal from them. The last figure I read was that the aquifer is running some 60 feet BELOW normal levels and mostly this has to do with the farmers insulating their crops. Oh and btw it is not just the strawberry farmers doing this. The citrus farmers insulate their crops in this manner as well.<br /><br />So over the last few days the domino effect has begun. Some 22 new sinkholes have opened up in the area, one is on a major interstate that bisects the state from east to west. While diverting traffic in order for the state to deal with that sinkhole, the road that the traffic was being diverted to is showing signs of forming a sinkhole as well. Houses are being swallowed, land is disappearing. Many of the people who are losing parts of their land and buildings did not have sinkhole coverage.<br /><br />Sometimes I think that Florida is just going to sink into the sea.<br /><br />So thanks farmers. I dunno if I was a homeowner that this was happening too, I think rather then having strawberries on the table come summertime I would rather keep my house.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-76586188042077013002010-01-05T15:12:00.002-05:002010-01-05T15:21:51.084-05:00St Petersburg Pier<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPq5-QL65ZmnQdN-eBAe7PmwhjbnniG0stFvDXuZxstHqG9I3ScAT8R9XT0TZUmFy5FjLuchK2WcONAAZhxwIwrElDmvDT2ITA5qBqRLSoBv1Es3nNVknTBzQyFPgByJMKRK9Z0R4FOmA/s1600-h/celipeir.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPq5-QL65ZmnQdN-eBAe7PmwhjbnniG0stFvDXuZxstHqG9I3ScAT8R9XT0TZUmFy5FjLuchK2WcONAAZhxwIwrElDmvDT2ITA5qBqRLSoBv1Es3nNVknTBzQyFPgByJMKRK9Z0R4FOmA/s400/celipeir.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423351371020543906" /></a><br /><br />Recently my youngest daughter came for a visit. She lives back in Arizona at the moment and one of the reasons for the visit was an appt. that she had with a cosmetology school she wants to attend. So we made time for that and the rest of the 5 or so days she spent here was getting to know the area and doing a bit of sight-seeing, something I have not really been able to do myself until she came.<br /><br />So one of our stops was the famed St. Petersburg pier, in of course, St Pete. This pier was originally opened somewhere in the late 1800's I believe with a rail way that was laid down here to help transport some of the goods that were shipped over from various parts of the world.<br /><br />The pier itself was torn down and rebuilt in 1973 in a more modern-istic style (at least what was considered modern in those days - personally I love the "retro" look of it with the quirkiness of a Salvador Dali painting) and became the inverted pyramid that it is today. You can see it over the shoulder of my daughter in the picture and Tampa Bay on either side of the road/walkway leading up to the pier.<br /><br />There has been some rumblings in the community that the powers that be, are discussing closing and/or demolishing the pier. It has not really been reno'd or updated to meet building codes since it was built and with the advent of the modern shopping experience ( malls big and small) it does not draw enough revenue through its little pyramid of eclectic shops that are housed with in it to pay for any such renovation.<br /><br />Personally I think it would be a sad thing to see this very interesting landmark disappear. There is a grassroots organization of local businesses and residents who mark the area to save the St.Pete Pier....but who knows what will happen in this economy.<br /><br />EnjoyPamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-60151316059914244832009-12-31T09:02:00.005-05:002009-12-31T09:25:48.794-05:00Happy New YearThis being the last day of the year I thought that this day of all days deserves a post on the blog. <br /><br />New Years Eve is a time of reflecting and I have to be honest with you all, I am not all that jazzed about reflecting on the past year.<br /><br />Each year as take down the Christmas tree I place all the fragile ornaments in their holders/tubs/wrappings, usually the last thing to go is the angel at tree top. As I remove her I wonder to myself what will my life be like the next time I see her, lately I add to that wonderment the question, "will I even be around next Christmas?". I think that it is a legitimate question when you reach the half century mark and beyond, especially when I think to myself that my late husband was just 50 when he died. In a few short months I will be older then he ever was. He died just a week shy of his 51st birthday. That is a strange feeling since he was always older then me by 6 years. So my own sense of immortality is called to the forefront as I march into this year. Don't ask - if you are not a widow you won't really get it, like most things having to do with widowhood its a "had to be there" situation if ever there was one. <br /><br />Warning off topic rant below......<br /><br />In the widowhood community there is a label given to non-widows, and that is "DGI" aka "Don't Get Its" for the most part it is a very appropriate label, but the widow community tends to be overly sensitive and tends to label anyone who attempts to make us feel better and falls short simply because they don't know what to do, as a DGI. And it is not always used as a nice thing. Widows like to isolate and elevate themselves. They want to think that they belong to an exclusive club that no one can get membership to unless their SO has died, and that is ok and true mostely - but some widows look down their noses at non-widows and like to chatter amongst themselves about how no one can POSSIBLY understand, so why even try "just keep your mouths shut and leave me alone"...of course these are the same widows who get very upset with the people in their lives (non-widows) who don't call them/come over/do things for them, in other words they DO leave them alone - so it is a can't win for losing situation.<br /><br />End rant.<br /><br />Anyway, I have a lot of thoughts running through my head. This is probably the worst Christmas/New Years I have ever spent in my life in so many ways I will not list - it is too depressing to see the words pour out of my head onto something as tangible as this blog. Don't get me wrong, my life has not been a bed of roses, I have had one or two of these things happen to me during many of the holidays of my life, but all of them at once? Never happened, so I am a bit overwhelmed right now and attempting to keep a common sense approach to things - but it is hard.<br /><br />I hope that at least one of the things (and there are quite a few of them) that is making this a rough time for me manages to change this new year. I would appreciate it if you would also hope that for me as well.<br /><br />Thanks for reading and hope everyone has a wonderful celebration and new year.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-38263335738312468892009-12-23T11:09:00.003-05:002009-12-23T11:25:57.241-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOj_5xozZFEFOFow4jQIRnG13uqSuJ1jNlhbGF32QLtL1zHDqfwBwpWMWKmiELgRYL9-JwFSgiWK9q9eyDzsWF4kEigTyqWp2Etmm2hEW8SxH99i_RiUtXX2gu-MjzK5AnumJKjJmapok5/s1600-h/cardinals.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 295px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOj_5xozZFEFOFow4jQIRnG13uqSuJ1jNlhbGF32QLtL1zHDqfwBwpWMWKmiELgRYL9-JwFSgiWK9q9eyDzsWF4kEigTyqWp2Etmm2hEW8SxH99i_RiUtXX2gu-MjzK5AnumJKjJmapok5/s400/cardinals.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418464561149157426" /></a><br /><br />The wild life in this swampy part of the world is quite amazing and there is rarely a week that goes by that I don't see something that makes me go "wow" and run to find the camera.<br /><br />Currently, we have a little red headed woodpecker ( think Woody) making what seems to be a nest in an old dead palm tree that happens to be center stage in the back yard. It appears to be a home that over the years either many woodpeckers have used or the same one winters here, and then I am assuming, in spring brings his/her little brood into the world. Lately when we take the doggies out for potty time most of the time, this little woodpecker is sitting cozy in his hole/nest and all that is visible are his/her little head and eyes closely monitoring us and the dogs. We are trying not to get too close to the nest so as not to scare him away forever and I have yet to get a decent picture of him/her. All day he spends working on the opening and cleaning out debris from the interior and, I believe, replacing it with new debris to line the nest with anticipation of what might be to come in the next few months. So don't worry I am working on that little photo...but until then I discovered a very pleasant surprise during the last rain.<br /><br />I have noticed that during, as well as the first sunny day, following a rainy day the wild life comes out in droves. The last rain we had I noticed that we have red breasted robins...a whole flock of them were out in the front yard, I assume digging for worms that were attempting to make their way out of the saturated soil and I noticed something else - a little family of cardinals... wow. I haven't seen cardinals since I lived in Nebraska back in the late 70's. I am assuming that they migrate down here from a colder part of the country and spend the winter here. <br /><br />Sadly, by the time I changed lenses, set up the tripod for a zoom shot, a school bus had gone by and the noise scared both the robins and the cardinals away.<br /><br />Luckily, I think that this little family of cardinals is living in a tree that is adjacent to our back yard and I found them later in the day when the sun came out in the back yard. The shot was taken with my portrait lens so there is some distance ( portrait lenses don't zoom very well lol) so that is another goal - to get a better photo that you can actually see the bird and not just a red blob in the yard.<br /><br />Anyway, trust me, these are cardinals and of course click on the pic and it will show up a bit larger on your computer screen.<br /><br />EnjoyPamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-39547755757032691032009-12-18T15:40:00.003-05:002009-12-18T15:59:32.101-05:00A murder of crows<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMp6PHsCj9JfKjDc-9PI3qLTTpesVMqyGxXWc7MXosZhBEQfgDe3sb0oxkLQFHggh7NYqB7vyAwTR4MlN9nyFzQhyphenhypheno9gITZoy4ItKcO7wy-eeCw77oIcEK-52aEDGqW7niq4c9xBlARaik/s1600-h/crows2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMp6PHsCj9JfKjDc-9PI3qLTTpesVMqyGxXWc7MXosZhBEQfgDe3sb0oxkLQFHggh7NYqB7vyAwTR4MlN9nyFzQhyphenhypheno9gITZoy4ItKcO7wy-eeCw77oIcEK-52aEDGqW7niq4c9xBlARaik/s400/crows2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416683643942984978" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGPBw0YK6zViCoCnrTS7MAuRyl5bS9n17wjdt6x3Vp7shwM8nSQjP93Vs1DF_P08gENze3Vj-SSI3kyvYgCEQimUDm9cChmbWTNP_zQ6JDJhwaXgDxjGSfd-XM8PgKjYil15jHgEdVzRf/s1600-h/crows.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXGPBw0YK6zViCoCnrTS7MAuRyl5bS9n17wjdt6x3Vp7shwM8nSQjP93Vs1DF_P08gENze3Vj-SSI3kyvYgCEQimUDm9cChmbWTNP_zQ6JDJhwaXgDxjGSfd-XM8PgKjYil15jHgEdVzRf/s400/crows.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416683495698729202" /></a><br /><br />I often wondered why a grouping of crows was called a murder, now I know. <br /><br />We seem to perhaps be the wintering ground for every North American Black Crow that exists within 10,000 sq miles and we all know what crows do best, they caw. and caw, and caw and caw and when they are not cawing randomly, they do it in unison to provide hours of listening pleasure. I am not kidding, I have to turn up the volume of the TV when they are soaring nearby. It might lead me to murdering a few crows if they don't move on in the near future. Oh and lets not forget they poop too.<br /><br />When I am outside and they blacken the skies I half expect one of two things to happen, either Tippi Hedren is going to jump out of the bushes and scream at me (re: The Birds), or a tripod is going to break through the trees and point its ray gun at me and disintegrate me ( War of the Worlds the most recent version with Dakota Fanning), of course Tom Cruise should be nearby if that happens, so maybe that is not such a bad thing...<br /><br />The pictures that I took and posted here represents a mere fraction of the crow population that has been gracing our neighbourhood for the last week or so, but there is only so much that a lens can capture.<br /><br />Our neighbourhood is defo going to the birds.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-9817438104142032702009-12-04T08:55:00.003-05:002009-12-04T08:58:36.265-05:00Rain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipt9hdo7zKPaJ6Z0BM0Wz32CLouGjD0uzXZeca9saCXi_xwJyknC6Ko7QxihSgf6uETHgkD4TqU6lin4eYqS91sNmoJfUzN2Y7FG_Aj6Jd5Svw1dQhr7GLUZ6jcdV-pRiMXsWtPbvWISzj/s1600-h/Rain-Drops.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 305px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipt9hdo7zKPaJ6Z0BM0Wz32CLouGjD0uzXZeca9saCXi_xwJyknC6Ko7QxihSgf6uETHgkD4TqU6lin4eYqS91sNmoJfUzN2Y7FG_Aj6Jd5Svw1dQhr7GLUZ6jcdV-pRiMXsWtPbvWISzj/s400/Rain-Drops.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411380077568685506" /></a><br />Whelp, it is raining.....all day.....again....<br /><br />and thats all I am gonna say about that.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-61646391574105453492009-12-03T09:11:00.003-05:002009-12-03T09:43:07.483-05:00Flori-duh driverz<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHNRLrTsgHSH1nvwuwYg-eSdKKLIoRwG8YH0LV2GmaicMrkwf90nJcppidke36-8mLCggICQ8XxsaZMaNy6BeqWS1f4SXQFYcU-KYrG_b9jUzb7grDmN2PDOqJq-COHa6KWoxCguo1Ead/s1600-h/car-wreck.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 341px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHNRLrTsgHSH1nvwuwYg-eSdKKLIoRwG8YH0LV2GmaicMrkwf90nJcppidke36-8mLCggICQ8XxsaZMaNy6BeqWS1f4SXQFYcU-KYrG_b9jUzb7grDmN2PDOqJq-COHa6KWoxCguo1Ead/s400/car-wreck.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411020480919402946" /></a><br /><br />I have driven in various parts of the country in my life, being 50 years old, having acquired my first license when I was just a month or two past my 16th birthday, and someone (a woman no less) who is a pretty good driver and actually likes driving, has given me the opportunity to see a lot of things in my driving career, both good and bad. Of course it is the bad things that stand out and up until my relocation to Florida I thought I had seen it all. I had come to the conclusion that Phoenix and most of California, have the countries worst drivers. <br /><br />HAH! Not so fast.<br /><br />They ain't got nuttin' on Florida drivers!!! You people have no clue about safety or being a defensive driver. You are the worst lot of drivers I have ever had the misfortune of dealing with, and bare in mind I think I have driven a total of MAYBE 5 days since I have arrived, all fraught with moments of terror and disbelief at the ineptness of driving abilities here ( having driven just a handful of times here is a minor inconvenience due to hubby and I just having one car at the moment). <br /><br />As often as it rains here you would THINK that Floridians would be well versed in the fact that you have to modify your driving habits a bit, you need to turn on your wipers and generally just be careful - not so, rain has the opposite effect here in Florida, drive as fast as you can, don't bother with the windshield wipers ( your speed will wick the water away just fine) and weave in and out of traffic like a well made tartan skirt. <br /><br />On the other hand when the weather is nice and dry, going 45 mph on the expressway (local interstate system) where the speed limit is 70 AND doing 45 in the fast lane is the norm. Floridians either don't bother getting the turn signal "option" on their cars or if they do it is just some odd thing that sticks out of the steering wheel that is to be ignored ( I honestly didnt realize that turn signals were an option. I have to wonder if speedometers are considered an option on a car as well and not part of standard equipment). <br /><br />Child safety seats seem to be a nuisance to most families and it is more fun to let the kids climb all around the interior of the car as the driver does 45mph in the fast lane, in the rain (no wipers) down the expressway. <br /><br />Floridians seem to be in a world of their own when they sit in the enclosed boundaries of their cars. They ignore most other people on the road and do as they please no matter the consequence, that is until you try to pass one. You then, and ONLY then, seem to show up on their radar and the race is on. 45mph now turns into 85mph just to keep you from catching up and passing them.<br /><br />I don't consider not having a car to drive around in the majority of the time necessarily a bad thing, it has probably kept me alive.<br /><br />Maybe this is the reason that everyone drives around on their riding lawn mowers. Too expensive to fix a full size car in an accident.<br /><br />Speaking of drivers here is my Flori-duh story of the week...sad but a wtf moment as well I can't get much past the title....<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tampa woman, 75, dies hot-wiring her own truck<br /></span><br />TAMPA — A 75-year-old woman who was authorities say was trying to hot-wire her truck died when the car started suddenly and ran over her.<br /><br />At about 10:40 Sunday night, Jacqueline Cloward popped the hood to her 1989 Ford F150 truck and was using a screwdriver to start it. The truck was parked in the Sweetbay parking lot at 4519 Gunn Highway and was in drive, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.<br /><br />When it started, it rolled forward over a parking block, knocked Cloward down and ran her over.</span>Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-35963729323174637812009-12-01T09:26:00.003-05:002009-12-01T09:49:20.914-05:00The joys of peanut butter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiQiyw1S5Em4asrGyhwUXRClq73IqdixvAKGLPg8jPRHXZnWynrw7v2MUP-jjQjcHg8l1wRlPDNAv7_2cgeFavZI4cXDoARrvc-Qf3lqD2E8jgHb5lCfHEEqRKznBqala6YQdcRI2cWBe/s1600/choodsfeet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiQiyw1S5Em4asrGyhwUXRClq73IqdixvAKGLPg8jPRHXZnWynrw7v2MUP-jjQjcHg8l1wRlPDNAv7_2cgeFavZI4cXDoARrvc-Qf3lqD2E8jgHb5lCfHEEqRKznBqala6YQdcRI2cWBe/s400/choodsfeet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410274349466744642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQN3RfaaNHuaftaia7ktnSjjTvqJy990JCS5k8HqCZ2aG_zaNFMT2XPeBAPF0Y2M7cKGXBBJqA4AE9Gfvuue98lBisCPo1Cp4KN94izTcE2xDA660_DK2Zwnzu_VK2tTkRseqloV_gd1E/s1600/choods+pbutter.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQN3RfaaNHuaftaia7ktnSjjTvqJy990JCS5k8HqCZ2aG_zaNFMT2XPeBAPF0Y2M7cKGXBBJqA4AE9Gfvuue98lBisCPo1Cp4KN94izTcE2xDA660_DK2Zwnzu_VK2tTkRseqloV_gd1E/s400/choods+pbutter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410274231272757266" /></a><br /><br />Every morning I am greeted with this...<br /><br />Recently I was at my doctors for one of my (seems like weekly) appointments and she jumped me pretty good about my eating. By her calculations I am ingesting about 500 calories a day...I sat like a good patient knowing that no matter what she said there was not going to be much of a change in my diet, not if I want to keep my blood sugar under control. I promised to try and do better, but when everything that you think of to eat either leaves your stomach churning or you feeling very indifferent about food, well what are you suppose to do? About the only thing I can tolerate and tastes decent for me lately is toast with peanut butter. I would say that that is my largest meal of the day and I can usually manage to just fource down half of a piece before I deposit the rest of it with a look of disgust in the rubbish. So this has become my morning ritual coffee - first days injection - one hour passes - toast with peanut butter - 2 other oral meds and I can settle in for my day of barfing and trying to work in between throw-ups.<br /><br />The choods look forward to this ritual as well, they seem to enjoy following me into the bathroom as I deposit my daily intake in the toilet, I dunno maybe the rug is really soft to lay on in there or they are just sadistic dogs? But before that they have come to anticipate the treat that they get while I force feed myself - I always put some peanut butter on my plate and as I am eating they get a little bit of it as well.<br /><br />So I was sitting there today watching them as they lick the remanents of the peanut butter off my fingers and then off their tongues and thought this is cute, let me get my camera! Ok so they are not technically very good pictures, but you get the idea and I couldn't fit Rikki in the picture she seems to have an aversion to getting too close to the choods so her 15 minutes of fame will have to wait. I just snapped a few before running to the bathroom for the last part of my ritual and thought I would post them here.<br /><br />The 2nd thing I would like you to notice in the 1st picture are their feet. I had them groomed recently and I was complaining to the groomer about the sort of grass that "you Floridians" think is grass. How it sticks to dog feet and faces and I am tired of picking it all off. So she suggested poodle feet. They are shaved completely, but the legs are left with that teddy bear look. <br /><br />I owe her my sanity, clean up after the daily outings has become very easy with nothing more then a quick towel to the paws when the grass is covered with dew, rather then spending the next hour picking off vegetation from their feet as well as vacuuming up after them.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-90370467826565017602009-11-30T11:08:00.003-05:002009-11-30T11:14:22.882-05:00From the world of the Florida bizarreThis is going to have to do for now,one of the medications I am on make me quite nauseous on most days of the week, so until they make a computer that I can operate whilst on my knees in front of the "twah-let" (toilet) I can only manage to post cut and paste news....Oh and for those interested, T-giving was torture for me this year, I cooked and what I ate I had the infinite pleasure of seeing two and sometimes three to four times that day.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Bomb threat was ruse to delay takeoff</span><br /> <br />A woman in Sunny Isles Beach, afraid that her boss was going to miss his flight to Honduras, called in a bomb threat to delay the takeoff, the Miami Herald reports.<br /><br /> Unfortunately for Claudia De La Rosa, she also sent an e-mail, which can be easily traced, so she was arrested on Thanksgiving.<br /><br /> She thought he might miss the flight because she was late to work.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-73352312865170443072009-11-23T11:16:00.004-05:002009-11-23T11:52:08.454-05:00Flori-DuhOk don't get me wrong here, I am not saying that of all the states in our union (Arkansas and Tennessee included) Florida has the most "der-de-ders" walking around...I am just saying.<br /><br />Incidentally, "der-de-ders" are those who are perhaps 1.5 steps up on the evolutionary ladder from neanderthals, you know the sloped fore-headed knuckle-draggers. Or if you still need help:<br /><br />Ne⋅an⋅der⋅thal<br /> /niˈændərˌθɔl, -ˌtɔl, -ˌtɑl; neɪˈɑndərˌtɑl/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [nee-an-der-thawl, -tawl, -tahl; ney-ahn-der-tahl] Show IPA<br /><br />–adjective<br />1. of or pertaining to Neanderthal man.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. (often lowercase) Informal. primitive, unenlightened, or reactionary; culturally or intellectually backward.</span><br /><br />Florida does seem to have its fair share of der-de-ders, maybe even just a smidge more then most, especially the upper regions of Florida. I would say from Gainsville north you will find herds and herds of der-de-ders, and they seem not to be listed on the endangered species list anytime soon.<br /><br />I am constantly bombarded by the news with stories that make me go:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0aoByt1GJhX3qgfEwbDi6ihzXzhzEcZC8IesdG43yBbAJjWQAu12H9lC8PUfZPVh3GU6l3ZbWxzQTs_0jgt_p9hZVaARAYCQHwH6qB1ApjbgXtDPjfulg3I4_rsgahpuKVWmUxjsQwPCM/s1600/wtf_cat.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0aoByt1GJhX3qgfEwbDi6ihzXzhzEcZC8IesdG43yBbAJjWQAu12H9lC8PUfZPVh3GU6l3ZbWxzQTs_0jgt_p9hZVaARAYCQHwH6qB1ApjbgXtDPjfulg3I4_rsgahpuKVWmUxjsQwPCM/s400/wtf_cat.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407338108314196754" /></a><br /><br />SOOOOOOO I have decided to include a few of them here when I am feeling particularly uncreative. <br /><br />I normally don't like to do this, and I avoid blogs that just C&P Headlines or news stories, but gosh darnit some of these are just too good NOT to plagerize.<br /><br />So here is todays Flori-DUH story, erm.....enjoy?<br /><br />Fart rage: don't cut the cheese at his table<br />> Posted by Barbara Hijek on September 18, 2009 06:15 AM<br /><br />Two Volusia County men were having dinner when one of the men passed gas on the other man's food.<br /><br />Definately not a polite thing to do.<br /><br />Anthony Stevens, 37, told his friend, 28-year-old Tervoris Baker, that it was rude to pass gas and Stevens kicked his food onto the floor. Baker became angry and started chasing Stevens who said he was laughing because he thought they were playing, reports WFTV News.<br /><br />Baker said he was going to get his gun. Stevens ran out of the house and said he saw Baker with a bat. Baker then began breaking the windows of Stevens' SUV.<br /><br />Stevens flagged down a deputy.<br /><br />By then Baker had shattered every single window and dented the body of the 1998 Ford Expedition in a fit of rage.<br /><br />Baker was arrested and taken to the Volusia County branch jail where he later posted a $1,500 bail.<br /><br />Probably should have spent it on Beano.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7901034975261859460.post-11527603363981652292009-11-16T15:07:00.009-05:002009-11-16T18:22:29.391-05:00Is that a bird? A plane? no its the space shuttle Atlantis!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS4HL6KjmWejM2DluOZpEof-6glWuvBLYDwaLO364svFCX0K54e7SplM9qe9osIxRbimu4OyyNWcMWGa888mcT2Lu5VZGoahAg3wY9LYvTmIdL8o_Q9H8CYAy59UMEr-D9R3UvXEpL35E/s1600/shuttle+atlantis+trail+111609.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyS4HL6KjmWejM2DluOZpEof-6glWuvBLYDwaLO364svFCX0K54e7SplM9qe9osIxRbimu4OyyNWcMWGa888mcT2Lu5VZGoahAg3wY9LYvTmIdL8o_Q9H8CYAy59UMEr-D9R3UvXEpL35E/s400/shuttle+atlantis+trail+111609.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404799133538273090" /></a><br />Just cause I thought this was cool its just the vapor trail<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL4i3ccuCLp5IIOuiDZ6yR-HvcWMHTvjMoehs1NZhuVH5yv_EGINhIp971BXz0dH_gAdI4KhzKMQx7E0QEf6NaeSwKe3s-9U0cPOJghgKYYkVDbiQotReR6QKmOFwKBG6CqAAF21od0pe/s1600/shuttle+atlantis2111609.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicL4i3ccuCLp5IIOuiDZ6yR-HvcWMHTvjMoehs1NZhuVH5yv_EGINhIp971BXz0dH_gAdI4KhzKMQx7E0QEf6NaeSwKe3s-9U0cPOJghgKYYkVDbiQotReR6QKmOFwKBG6CqAAF21od0pe/s400/shuttle+atlantis2111609.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404798951841482514" /></a><br />You can see the dual rocket fire in this one<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnKuWCrqTtx8GUtqPSzrt_rDTHBswdX-LiDioOYdhqoJgj56lJDMtPYrlHS2mc6YPubFIp-dRu3dTXCvQ-k5wKHQNfYsQRMjhoCev92MIBYD1K-1EyPZHZXiMZ6fEkpxRD3RRhQOxO3b9/s1600/Shuttle+atlantis+111609.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnKuWCrqTtx8GUtqPSzrt_rDTHBswdX-LiDioOYdhqoJgj56lJDMtPYrlHS2mc6YPubFIp-dRu3dTXCvQ-k5wKHQNfYsQRMjhoCev92MIBYD1K-1EyPZHZXiMZ6fEkpxRD3RRhQOxO3b9/s400/Shuttle+atlantis+111609.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404795847085811458" /></a><br />As always remember you can click on the picture and it will come up a bit larger on your screen....<br /><br />Ok so maybe I am a little overly pleased with myself over these pictures, after all its just a fire ball with some smoke trailing, but trust me this is the space shuttle Atlantis as she launched on Monday, Nov 16, 2009 from Cape Canaveral. <br /><br />I am on the gulf side (western) coast of Florida, Cape Canaveral is on the Atlantic (Eastern coast) of Florida, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to see much of it when it launched, especially since it was day time - a night launch, yeah maybe, but a full daylight launch ey, maybe not so much, but like the true photogeek that I am I had my camera at the ready just in case.<br /><br />I set it up about 15 minutes prior to launch in the back yard - zoom lens pointed in the part of the sky I guessed might be where it would show up - if it was going to show up at all, manual focus to optimize everything and then I came in and sat down to watch the NASA channel. <br /><br />The launch was set for 2.28pm EST and like any well run and oiled machine it went off like clockwork. So I was watching in the house ready to run the few short steps out the door to my camera in case I could see something. I watched and watched on TV, kept glancing out the back nothing yet. They were giving stats, "the space shuttle Atlantis is now XXX bazillion feet in the air, traveling at a gozillion miles an hour.." and so on. I was just about ready to pack it up and lick my wounds for not being able to get any shots and then there she was arching through the sky just a few degrees more northerly then I had guessed!!<br /><br />Quite a sight for a small town girl from Arizona. I remember as a kid Vandenberg air base in California used to do various rocket launches and at night the vapor trail was visible to us, but this was amazing, to know there were actual people on board and to top it all off the space shuttle program will be scraped in the near future so if you dont see it in the next six tries, you never will. <br /><br />So that was my excitement for the day well could be for the week or maybe the month even! The stats for these shots, I am fairly sure that the shuttle was traveling at around 4000mph (according to what I was hearing in the house on the TV), I didnt catch how high she was though.<br /><br />Of course part of this little adventure only supports my theory that I need a stronger zoom lens for my camera - which is a little depressing lol.Pamelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15697604276076933250noreply@blogger.com0