Last week I had my regular three month check up with my diabetes practitioner, Clarene. After showing her the pants, we talked about the possibility of getting off of insulin. I had a blood test done, and was patiently waiting for results... all week.
I didn't realize until Saturday that our answering machine was full, and I thought "I wonder how many calls are on voice mail". Voice mail was pretty busy, too! Clarene had called... TWICE! Argh! She gave me her cell phone number, but I didn't want to bother her at home. I mean, really, who wants to be bothered by their patients at home on their days off? So I waited until today (Monday). That was fun, because I spent a good deal of the morning playing phone tag. I called her, but she was in with a patient, so I left a message. Then, while I was on the phone with another doctor, she called. I called her back, but she was in with another patient. She called me on her lunch break with the test results.
Great news. I have a once in a lifetime opportunity to reverse my diabetes. She said that getting off of insulin is a possibility. So that's what I'm going to spend time working toward. This journey isn't about weight loss any more. It's about righting a wrong. I feel as though I brought this disease upon myself, and it's my job to chase it off. If there's even the tiniest of possibilities, I'm going after it.
I'm optimistic. Yesterday I took off my insulin pump and have been too lazy to put it back on. I had a horribly sugary snack last night before bed. One that would spike anyone's sugar (torched ginormous campfire marshmallow, smooshed between two keebler fudge grahams, and washed down with chocolate milk, anyone?)
My sugar was 133 this morning. BOO-YAH! Up to 120 prior to eating breakfast is terrific. Considering that atrocity I ate before bed with no medication, I think 133 is pretty fabu, too.
So the goal is to:
1) stop being lazy & put my pump back on after I finish typing this post
2) gradually dial down the amount of insulin I take on a daily basis until I don't take it anymore.
It's a long road, but if it means I can cure diabetes, I'll travel it. I hope to look you in the eye one day and tell you: "If you're diabetic, there's a cure for it. It's YOU."
Monday, August 23, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Hump Day
Wednesday is commonly referred to as hump day. Ever since Friday, I've been pushing myself to run for at least 20 mins straight, because, really, there's no excuse not to anymore, knowing that I can do it. The hump today was 25. I ran to 25, walked 1 minute, and ran to 31, then did intervals and finished TM run at 4.05 miles in an hour, and 677 calories torched. That means I can has a treat tonight, and it will be guilt free, cuz I have the calories for it.
Yesterday I had my 3 month diabetes checkup. I showed my doctor THE PANTS. The pants are what I wore a year ago, size 24. She was so floored she had me show the nurses, who were equally impressed. I asked my doc about getting off of insulin, and she sent me down to the lab for a blood test. Still waiting to hear results. My hA1c came back 6.2 though, which is good. My goal is to have my diabetes under such tight control by the time we have kid #2, that the doctor let me go into labor on my own. I loathed being induced.
Anyway, hard workout warrants nap and hard-earned treat tonight :)
Yesterday I had my 3 month diabetes checkup. I showed my doctor THE PANTS. The pants are what I wore a year ago, size 24. She was so floored she had me show the nurses, who were equally impressed. I asked my doc about getting off of insulin, and she sent me down to the lab for a blood test. Still waiting to hear results. My hA1c came back 6.2 though, which is good. My goal is to have my diabetes under such tight control by the time we have kid #2, that the doctor let me go into labor on my own. I loathed being induced.
Anyway, hard workout warrants nap and hard-earned treat tonight :)
Friday, August 13, 2010
Fat Friday
Many people consider Friday the 13th to be the unluckiest day of the year. Luckily for me, it isn't.
Today I became fat. I hit 185. That's right, folks, I am no longer obese! Just some chubby chick who is only getting healthier and stronger by the day. To mark the occasion, I wore my shirt that says Proud to be Awesome. I then proceeded to FINALLY break through the couch to 5k program week 5 twenty-minute barrier that so many people struggle with. It wasn't as hard as I feared. I simply needed to suck it up and get over myself. I set the treadmill low and slow at 4.2 mph and trotted from just under the 5 min mark to the 25 min mark. Then I hit the weight room and moved 15 tons... cuz that's what fat people do!
I can do hard things now. My body is capable of amazing feats, and it's only going to get better from here on out. My goals for the next few weeks is to keep jogging a mile every time I step on that treadmill. I'm worth the effort. Eventually that mile will turn into two, and then three. There's an all girl's 5k/10k in October I'd like to do with my girlie friends. Now's a great time to get serious about training again, knowing what I'm capable of.
If this chubby white Kenyan can do hard things, imagine what you can do. And don't let ANYONE tell you that you can't. Just go out there, do it, and shove it in the doubters' faces! Blow raspberries while you're at it ;)
Today I became fat. I hit 185. That's right, folks, I am no longer obese! Just some chubby chick who is only getting healthier and stronger by the day. To mark the occasion, I wore my shirt that says Proud to be Awesome. I then proceeded to FINALLY break through the couch to 5k program week 5 twenty-minute barrier that so many people struggle with. It wasn't as hard as I feared. I simply needed to suck it up and get over myself. I set the treadmill low and slow at 4.2 mph and trotted from just under the 5 min mark to the 25 min mark. Then I hit the weight room and moved 15 tons... cuz that's what fat people do!
I can do hard things now. My body is capable of amazing feats, and it's only going to get better from here on out. My goals for the next few weeks is to keep jogging a mile every time I step on that treadmill. I'm worth the effort. Eventually that mile will turn into two, and then three. There's an all girl's 5k/10k in October I'd like to do with my girlie friends. Now's a great time to get serious about training again, knowing what I'm capable of.
If this chubby white Kenyan can do hard things, imagine what you can do. And don't let ANYONE tell you that you can't. Just go out there, do it, and shove it in the doubters' faces! Blow raspberries while you're at it ;)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Answering Service
I love our new "answering service".
When Andy & I see an unfamiliar number in the evening (usually a telemarketer), we let Grace answer. We tell her it's for her, and to pick up the phone. Being the sweet, helpful, obedient, and very social two-year-old she is, she obliges.
"Lello? Uh-huh. Elephant. Phhhht! Buh-bye." *click*
I'd almost feel sorry for the telemarketer if listening to her carry on a conversation wasn't so gosh darn funny.
Great news, by the way, I saw a glimpse of 185 yesterday. Then I blew it by splurging on a hot pastrami, swiss, kraut, and deli mustard sandwich for lunch. Got back down to 186.2 today, but didn't workout. I feel as though I ate pretty healthy today, though. I had a bowl of kashi cereal for breakfast with a whole banana, pineapple chicken for lunch, fruit for afternoon snack, skinless chicken thigh, peppered veggies, and pasta roni for dinner, and even snuck in some dark chocolate gelato. Should probably hit the gym tomorrow so I'm not a total hoser.
When Andy & I see an unfamiliar number in the evening (usually a telemarketer), we let Grace answer. We tell her it's for her, and to pick up the phone. Being the sweet, helpful, obedient, and very social two-year-old she is, she obliges.
"Lello? Uh-huh. Elephant. Phhhht! Buh-bye." *click*
I'd almost feel sorry for the telemarketer if listening to her carry on a conversation wasn't so gosh darn funny.
Great news, by the way, I saw a glimpse of 185 yesterday. Then I blew it by splurging on a hot pastrami, swiss, kraut, and deli mustard sandwich for lunch. Got back down to 186.2 today, but didn't workout. I feel as though I ate pretty healthy today, though. I had a bowl of kashi cereal for breakfast with a whole banana, pineapple chicken for lunch, fruit for afternoon snack, skinless chicken thigh, peppered veggies, and pasta roni for dinner, and even snuck in some dark chocolate gelato. Should probably hit the gym tomorrow so I'm not a total hoser.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
New Goals In Mind
Okay, so hubby had a point when he said I lost my oomph after my cousin's wedding. I had something to look toward, because I wanted to impress my family enough that they would want to change, too, and get healthy. Now that I don't have a goal to work towards, I'm kind of in limbo and not being as careful with my eating and exercise as I was before. So I obviously need new goals.
Short Term Goals:
Get to 150 lbs by Christmas
Take 6 inches off my waist by my birthday in September (that's a tall order of 3 inches this month and next)
Run 30 mins nonstop
Long Term Goals:
Do a pull up
Do a 1 armed push up
Run a half marathon
Have a body like a jockey (dude, they are buff!)
And continue to believe in 6 impossible things before breakfast! (the long term goals are a good start)
We went grocery shopping yesterday. We got a huge flat of strawberries. They are already almost gone. I had Andy cut them up last night, except for 10 which I dipped in dark chocolate (a decadent way to get TONS of antioxidants in while getting a heavy chocolate fix).
Can't wait for dinner tonight. We're having homemade veggie supreme pizza.
Short Term Goals:
Get to 150 lbs by Christmas
Take 6 inches off my waist by my birthday in September (that's a tall order of 3 inches this month and next)
Run 30 mins nonstop
Long Term Goals:
Do a pull up
Do a 1 armed push up
Run a half marathon
Have a body like a jockey (dude, they are buff!)
And continue to believe in 6 impossible things before breakfast! (the long term goals are a good start)
We went grocery shopping yesterday. We got a huge flat of strawberries. They are already almost gone. I had Andy cut them up last night, except for 10 which I dipped in dark chocolate (a decadent way to get TONS of antioxidants in while getting a heavy chocolate fix).
Can't wait for dinner tonight. We're having homemade veggie supreme pizza.