Newbie Intro

Hi Flute,

I'm a wedding cake designer and I produce a huge bridal show every year so I totally know where you are right now! I read your other posts in the byetta thread and after reading this as well.. I guess I want to tell you some stuff that might help you but I don't want to stomp all over your feelings. Diabetes is an evil disease. It doesn't feel like anything much is happening while it's doing it's wicked work. It isn't until you all of a sudden can't see as far or need a huge change in your glasses script that you realize it's trying to steal your eyesight. Cold feet and hands... no big deal... Stabbing or throbbing pain in your foot that feels like you dropped a huge book on it!!! Now it's neuropathy from the death of the tiny nerves in your feet. They give off horrible signals as they are dying and you know something is happening then, but it's too late to fix it!

Kidney disease, loss of limbs from foot sores that won't heal... This is awful stuff to deal with and you NEVER HAVE TO PUT UP WITH ANY OF IT! Just learn from somebody who didn't listen to her doctor the first time around. If I could have just one new young diabetic learn to follow their food plan and take their meds on time because they read what I and many other diabetics have been thru it will make it worthwhile. Girlfriend, you have to get fighting mad at this disease because it won't go away and it's always going to be in the background of your life. You have to kick @$$ and take names later because if you don't meet it head on it will just keep coming at you. You have to become educated about the glycemic index and which foods affect your blood sugar the worst. You might need to keep a "food/exercise/medication/blood sugar readings" diary to keep track of what is working and what is holding you back. And you need to take very good care of you ... because if you don't no one else will. If I could go back to where you are (I'm 54) and start again there are so many things I would have done right the first time because it would have made my life so much easier.

Please Flute, do whatever it takes to help keep your sugars in line. And if you do over do and have a cheat be really brave and take a blood sugar reading about two hours afterward. Look at the number and face it. That number will stay with you and will become part of your decision process the next time you want to cheat. I used to stop testing my sugars when I was off my food plan... Well duh! One of our members on the forum says, "What isn't measured isn't managed." and that is so true. I hope you can become another one of our members who is successful and integrates the coping skills of handling diabetes into your everyday life so that it becomes second nature. You can do this. We can help each other every step of the way. Hang in there girlfriend.

Hi Flute. I am a newbie here, too, though I was diagnosed and put on metformin some time ago. I wasn't taking it seriously at all, partly because I had more immediate (I thought) health concerns, and partly because I was just plain in denial.

I'm a lot older than you (67) but when I was 62 I decided to start subtracting a year every birthday. But then I turned 65 and needed my medicare; so I had to "fess up." I still remember 28 very well, though.

I tease my teenage grandsons sometimes. You know how kids whine, "But you don't understand. You're too old." I tell them, in a mock whiny tone, "I was your age but you were never mine. You can't understand me."

Okay, way off topic, but that's what we oldtimers do -- ramble.

Hi there T Bird,

                      welcome aboard!You have had an earful of good advise and to let you know that here it's not always a serious show ,here i go!Flute is a great instrument and can really bring in tranquility which all of us need so much.You are on the playing side of music and iam on the listening side.I too am a music guy and dig rock bands that sing from the heart and not from the tip of the tongue!That's why "DIRE STRAITS", "CREED", "SIMON AND GARFUNKEL" AND "COLD PLAY(they took their name from a band they knew when the original Coldplay broke up. The band we now know as Coldplay was called "Starfish." The original Coldplay got their name from the poetry book "Child's Reflections, Cold Play" by Philip Horky) are high on my list.Like you i too wish to stay 40,so many happy 28's to you!Eleven years of staying as friends can surely bring in a lot of understanding and i bet your married life will be a bed of flowers with only an occasional thorn.What's life without an occasional thorn that pricks but dosen't hurt?KEEP POSTING!We are all sailing in the same ship but booked in different names and into different rooms,so communication is the key.I understand that you don't like crowds.I too don't like crowds as even three can be a crowd,so let us keep it down to two which is company.Iam a bit of a lone wolf myself but by profession i have to interact constantly with people.Ya,alcohol is a real pain as i found out last night,when i had Bacardi rum and my senses took leave.Iam writing all this with a bad hangover and promise not to touch the stuff again!Ha Ha!I can't even laugh as my brain starts shaking inside it's bony cage(skull).

                                                                           your's in pain,OUCH,

                                                                                             call me spooks(spooky)