Posted 4/23/2005 7:19 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Lyn, I thought I was the only one who married a younger man. My second husband is eleven years younger than me. I tell most people the age difference is eight years. Don't know why??????
Anyway after my first husband died suddenly it took a long time to find someone who I felt would be a suitable dad. My first husband was very devoted to his son. Perhaps too much.
Anyway I decided if I did marry again I did not want to go through the widow thing twice. I do know that you have gone through many losses and I applaude your strength. I married younger. Unfortunately since we married almost five years ago now, second hubby has gained about one hundred and fifty pounds. In London England, he would walk two or three miles each way to catch the tube if he had misssed the "hop" (some kind of mini bus I think). He walked to the grocery store etc. Now he drives everywhere. He has also been amazed at how cheap Mcdonalds, Burger King, Kentucky Fried chicken is here. The only cheap junk food in England was fish and chips. He never had pizza delivered, just spicy curries. He was hypoglycemic, but I bet he is now one of the undiagnosed diabetics.
I am insulant dependent diabetic, type one. One of the best tricks my endocronologists taught me was to have a bowl of bran flakes when I wanted a snack, or low fat popcorn with only a very little bit of "Becel". I can use the sprinke on toppings as long as they are low in sugar. Salt and vinegar topping is, but ketchup one is deadly for me. I also have to watch the sour cream and onion one. I can also have 3 to 4 digestive or social tea cookies or arrowroot. I can have plain crackers, 20 grapes, 1/2 bannana, 1/2 orange, but a whole apple. I have to be really careful with anything tomato based. Tomato soup or baked brown beans will easily shoot my sugar up to 23 or 27. Plain riice cakes or white cheddar ones are okay, but do not have the caramel ones. Always keep some candy or glucose tabs next to his bed in case he gets a sudden low. Keep a drinking box handy too. however all he would usually need for a low is about 1/2 of a drinking box of orange or apple juice. Then after a low sugar bout he should have protein about 1/2 hour later to maintain a stable level. He will have to test often at the beginning to find out what foods trigger him. Is he on any drugs for this yet? Sugar free jello is good for those midnight cravings along with sugar free cool whip. There is also sugar free creamscicle popsicles and fudgecicals, sorry can not think of spelling. These things are extremely expensive, so make sure other family members do not eat his special treats. Use whole grain breads. Splenda for a replacement sugar is preferred by my endocronologist because it does not stay in the body as long. No more than 2 or 3 cans of diet soda per day. Also make sure emergency sugar glucose tabs, and or drinking boxes are in the car. If he ever is to go unconscious and can not swallow, rub honey around his gums and tongue while waiting for paramedics. Drink choices, the non alcoholic type, are limited and diabetics are frequently thirsty, and itchy and have frequent boils. When I have orange juice I have about 3 ounces and then add another 3 ounces of club soda or perrier water just to give me more fluids. Sometimes tea, coffee, or water are just not what I am in the mood for. Most diet pops have aspartaime (not sure of spelling), however you can get cream soda and an orange pop made with splenda which is supposedly better. It does not stay in the kidneys for as long and passes through the system quickly. I use to love bacon eggs and hash browns or pancakes on the weekend. No more. Bacon must be limited to one or two strips depending on how it was cured. Hash browns have a hidden sugar like all potatoes, corn and pasta. He can have as many green beans as he wants. I eat a lot of those. Peas, beets, carrots and onion have hidden sugar. You might want to get a copy of the glycemic index book. It is filled with lots of good examples of foods that fill you up without turning to sugar too quickly. Hang in there. i was so depressed when i was first diagnosed. After a couple of years I got the hang of it and could guess my blood sugar pretty accurately by how I felt. Irritability goes with high or low blood sugars and so do headaches. Thank God he was diagnosed now. The most important thing is to walk every day. Walking improves pancreatic functioning. Before the fibro I got myself a dog and worked my way up to two 3 mile walks each day. Eventually he will have to take his sugars several times a day and a fasting blood sugar for doc visits. The doc will also do another test that will tell how he has been managing his blood sugars for the past six weeks or so. Therefore he can not just be good for a couple of days before the doc visit. It takes time. It is hard to change a lifetime of dietary habits overnight. BTW, the George Foreman makes great tasting chicken quickly. It is good if you marinate it in a little lemon juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, basil, pepper and a small amount of extra virgin olive oil. Then throw some fresh green beans, broccoli in the microwave with a little water. HE CAN HAVE a small potatoe, but needs to be careful what he puts on it. Never have corn, potatoes and bread at the same meal. Have salads wih sugar free dressing, limit the tomatoes and onions and croutons. Cucumbers are usually a free food. however every food has a different reaction to each diabetic. No more sweet potatoes or tunip and carrot cassarole for me. I CAN HAVE quiche with small amounts of ham and onion. But I can have lots of broccoli in my quiche. I usually onlly have 1/2 of the pastry. There is a neat recuoe fior cheescake made on a vanilla wafer. Everything is in moderation. The more Howie walks, the more he can eatl IT WILL TAKE him awhile to get the hqng of it. Take him shopping again. Try to keep lots of variety around. Switch to one percent milk if you are not already. Good luck, hang in there , this can be hard for the whole gamily. I will keep you all in my prayers. judy formerally essentially friendless noe effie/judy.