Jo's Cafe

From the American Diabetes Assocations’ website:

November is American Diabetes Month! 

Diabetes is a serious disease that affects the body’s ability to produce or respond properly to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. Nearly 21 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes. It is the fifth deadliest disease in the U.S. and it has no cure.

Every November, the American Diabetes Association encourages the public to learn more about diabetes and the risks associated with the disease. Below are some ways you can become involved in this year’s American Diabetes Month.

Last year I ran news stories every day for American Diabetes Month; and I hope to try and do that this year too.   But in case I don’t find anything worth posting, you can start learning yourself.

There is of course the link above to the American Diabetes Association website.  Start there for the latest news and information.  Hop over to their Gift Shop and purchase a Christmas gift or some cards. 

Then to About.com, the Diabetes support area.  Here you will find other people with diabetes.  You can laugh, cry, complain, get ideas, and they cheer you own when you meet a goal.  If you do not have a support group locally that you attend, or are too shy to, try here.  They are a great bunch of people.

Try out the diabetes links on my sidebar next.  There are tons of great blogs out there with stories from other diabetics. Do a news search through your favorite search engine.

And most importantly — ask your doctor to give you a stick test on your next visit. 

I was diagnosed going on two years now with a 557 sugar level at 3 pm in the afternoon.  I weighed in at 123 pounds and looked like a skeleton walking.  I’m not what you call a “typical” diabetic.  I didn’t have to loose weight, I had to gain it.   And I didn’t just go at this in small doses.  I pushed when the medication didn’t work fast enough for me.  I researched until my eyes bled – and I cried a lot.  The SGM got me through the initial pharmacy visit and helped keep my spirits up when my sugar levels refused to come down to 100.  After 9 months of fighting, and starting to loose feeling in my heels, I walked into the doctor’s office and asked to be put on insulin.  This diabetes soldier was bringing on the big guns.  I had a sugar level that afternoon of 327, took my first dose of insulin (Lantus) that night and was a nice 115 the next morning. 

Just two months ago, I had an A1C of 5.7. 

You have to fight this disease with everything you can and then some. 

I refused to let it control me – I control it.

Today with God’s help, I will continue to win.