MOVED INTO MY NEW "Home"

WE'VE MOVED!!!!!

Diary of a Dedicated Diabetic can be found at WordPress.com

Please join me on laughing our way to good health!

Follow me -------

Moving SOON!

I'm packed up and almost ready to move 

Diary 
of 
a 
Dedicated 
Diabetic 

to WordPress.  I'll let you know, as soon as I'm 

ready to go!


Just a few more last-minute touches on my blog, 

and we'll be off.        :)

Success! "I Don't Like Chocolate Anymore"

Yesterday was rough.  Last night I had a conversation with my daughter; we discussed my struggle with junk food.  She suggested that I tell myself, "I don't like chocolate anymore." I laughed; like it's that easy. We laughed some more and moved on to another topic.

A few hours later, I started to think about our conversation. Why not try it? I looked in the mirror and I said out loud, "I DON'T like chocolate anymore!" Then, I said it again, and again, and again, three more times.  I went to sleep.

Today's another Day One.  I started out with a blood sugar of 116, pre-breakfast, and post-bkfst = 107.  As I got dressed, I repeatedly told myself, "I don't like chocolate anymore." Calmly, I kept repeatedly saying this to myself. My brain was absorbing these words, and I felt good about it. 

Went to the theatre, a matinee, today.  On the train, I slipped into a seat with a friend and looked up.  Further down on the end wall was a large poster with a picture of a bunch of nuts. (Did you think I was going to say YODELS?) The caption above the picture read, New York is full of nuts!"  We laughed, and I told her about my Yodel incident on the train.  We were seated at the opposite end of the train, and as we were talking to each other, I had my back to that wall.  After a while, I turned and what do you think was next to me, plastered on the wall? A gigantic poster of, yep -- a Yodels ad.  Bright orange background with two "highly-polished," cream-filled, chocolate delights, staring right at me. The caption read, "YES, PLEASE. Listen to Your Craving." We both burst out laughing; I clicked a photo and turned away from it, because -- "I don't like chocolate anymore."

My pre-dinner blood sugar was a beautiful 95. We walked in the city today, so that, in addition to eating the right foods/portions, probably helped to bring it down. 

I am one happy lady tonight.           :)

Is It Even Possible..?

IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE TO RAISE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR, SIMPLY BY THINKING ABOUT JUNK FOOD???

No way, right?  Here's what happened ---

I started the day by eating that first important meal later in the day than is my normal routine.  I ate the correct portions of the healthy foods I'd planned for breakfast. At this point, my blood sugar was perfecto!

Skipped having a snack -- no need, because I got up late. (I know, I know.)

Company was coming for lunch, so I went to the store to get a few healthy items to be sure I'd stay on track.  It was difficult shopping. I was getting hungry, and guess what was calling me?  Yep, my favorite junk foods.  

I stuck to my list, while -- Kathy, one little cookie won't hurt you was being screamed through my head.  I flew past the candy aisle -- detoured down another section, to avoid the pastries in the Bakery.  I'm almost out. WHY can't I get this junk out of my head????

The real test was still ahead, the dreaded line at the register.  It was my turn and, as I've been doing lately, I faced the conveyor belt, placed my items on it, with my back to the you know what. I REFUSED to listen to the York Peppermint Patties, Hershey bars, and Reeses' Pieces, singing in unison to get my attention. Focusing on the register and my items moving along, I jumped further up and started packing -- fast, really fast.  "Thank you, have a nice day," from the cashier, and I was on my way to the car.  Safe.

Thoughts of what had just happened bounced around my brain on the short drive home. Why is this still happening?  I'm doing so well. 

Company arrived and we enjoyed our conversation and lunch.  Mine was just a sandwich and half an apple. (Normally, I cut one slice of toast horizontally so I'm still having a "real" sandwich, but only one slice of bread.)  What happened?  No clue.  We were talking and laughing. My brain was somewhere else, and I didn't even notice what I'd done.  2 slices consumed, a "regular" sandwich. Ugh. I determined that it would be fine --- no cheese, mayo, etc., so maybe that would make up for the extra slice. No dessert for me.

Doesn't sound like a big deal, right?  

Imagine my surprise when, later,  I stabbed my finger and that healthy blood seeped out onto the test strip and the numbers went UP!!! I was crazed.  How could this be?  Impossible.  NO, NO, NO!

I grabbed that miserable glucometer and looked more closely, hoping that I'd read it wrong.  I shook it, turned it over, shook it again.  It MUST be broken.  

Of course, at this moment, I'm vulnerable. Creeping in, 
ever-so-slowly, and then like a barrage of gunfire, my thoughts ran amuck!  ALL I could think about were all things covered in chocolate. Finally, 

     that's it! I'm going to Dollar Tree.  Candy, cookies, cakes, were      in my future-- and only $1/each.  I don't care.  Nothing's working, blah, blah, blah. All I did was THINK about the tempting treats, and my blood sugar went up.  There's no justice in this world, I ranted in my mind to my "crazy" self.

By the time I'd put my shoes on, bag and car keys in hand, ready to go, I had a sudden epiphany.  

Are you nuts? (Yes.)  Stop!  You've worked too hard to cave now. I sat down and listened to my now sane self speaking the voice of reason.  I didn't go. But, I was concerned that it wouldn't be long before I did.

What to do..?  Something else has to change--

ON A ROLL!

NOT eating the roll --- I'm ON a roll!  :)

It feels so good when you know you're doing the "right thing!"  Moving along, day to day, totally focused.  I'm eating the right foods and the correct portion size.  Guess what?  My numbers are dropping!  

At day's end, upon reflection, I realize that this wasn't a day without struggle.  The temptations were there, but I made it through.  One day at a time is working.  I'M working it.  Those of you who have been in this struggle, on this journey, you know what I'm talking about.  

Diabetes is difficult, but we CAN beat it.  We can fight really hard to be healthy.  

Want to join me?  

C'mon!   Know that it won't be easy, but we can do it.  Oh, and we'll laugh along the way -- promise.   :)

Another Day One = PERFECTO!

Yea me!

So far, so good.  I went out for dinner, perused the menu and chose Chicken Scarpariello.  Probably not the best choice, but I didn't have time to check out the menu online.  I chose the lesser of the evils.

New restaurant -- horrible meal. I ate about a third of it and took the rest home. Dessert? No thank you.

When I returned home, two-thirds of my dinner in hand, I decided on the way in the door that this food was never going to enter my stomach.  What possessed you to bring it home?  It was awful.

I walked directly into the kitchen and deposited the bag into the garbage --- it never even made it to the refrigerator.  Good for me.

Another day filled with good numbers.  Whew.

What Happened to the Travel Posters? :(

What do travel posters have to do with diabetes?  

I've been taking the train from my home into the city forever.  Usually, I pass the time reading a newspaper or book, but there are those days when I people-watch and peruse the posters/ads on the walls of the trains.  

A poster for Air France, splashed across the wall of the train, may have a beautiful photo of the aircraft, along with additional pictures of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Louvre. As an avid traveler, the photos pull me into my thoughts of Paris and paint a smile across my face. This diversion helps to shorten my trip home.

That's just one example among many; I've traveled, in my mind, to Germany, London, Africa, Russia, thanks to these posters. In addition to the travel posters, there are many regarding health, education, fashion, etc. All of them help to move the clock forward for many a weary passenger.  

So imagine my surprise, last Monday, while coming home from a class in the city, I looked up, only to see an enormous poster of a chocolate-covered, cream-filled Yodel!  It was dinner time, and I was ravenous.  I looked away, as if not looking at it would make the temptation disappear.  It was SCREAMING at me, Kathy, I'm over here.  Look!  I'm right here. Slowly, I glanced at it again, and I thought I might actually cry. Printed at the bottom of the poster was, 
                Don't resist the temptation.

I scoured the train, looking at every passenger. Satan. He's here. I know it.  

My mouth was watering.  The dark, chocolate-covered Yodel was depicted as a shiny treat consisting of fresh, "devils" food chocolate cake, chock full of creamy white joy! My heart was racing, my palms sweaty. I was in pain.

A conversation took place in my brain. WHY would they write that sentence? It's irresponsible advertising -- Don't they know what they're doing? Of course they do! If it were a bottle of scotch, would they advise the reader not to resist the temptation? I think not.

My destination was approaching. I got up, lowering my eyes to avoid viewing the tempting poster, and moved to the exit in the opposite direction.  It was calling me.  Finally, the doors of the train opened, and I escaped! I ran for my life.  

Once off the train, I never looked back. I walked swiftly along the platform and down the stairs to "safety."  My car was a few rows back; I couldn't wait to get into it.  I started the engine, but not before taking a deep breath.  I counted my blessings.

Managing diabetes is difficult at best. This post may sound like an exaggeration to the non-diabetic, but to those addicted to sugar, I'll bet you can relate.