Day by Day with a Movement Disorder

I'm OFF the Carafate!!

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:43:00 +0000

Everything seems to be doing OK now that I have finished three rounds of the Carafate. This has to be taken an hour before eating and at bedtime, and it coats the stomach lining where the infection, ulcer, irritation is, so that it can heal. It doesn't taste great, but mostly I'm glad to be off of it, because it meant remembering to take it and to be sure my stomach was empty before taking it. Adhering to the empty stomach rule put a serious dent in my herbal tea intake. But now I can get back in the habit of drinking about 8 cups a day. We've decided to cut the amount of Stevia I put in each cup in half, both as a precaution that I might have been getting too much of it each day, plus it will save money. Nothing wrong with that, and it has such a sweet taste that half a packet will do, anyway.

We decided to wait a week after going off the Carafate before starting to add back in the vitamins and supplements I have been taking for the last few years, so I'm not taking as many pills right now as I'm used to. That way, if I have any digestive problems adjusting to the pills again, we'll know the problem is from the pills, not that my stomach wasn't healed yet. It's kind of nice taking so much less medicine for awhile. I am still on the MiraLax and the metamucil, and I've started eating prunes for my afternoon snack again. I can't afford to let myself get constipated, as it really throws my whole system off when I do.

We've had a long record breaking cold spell here in Alabama, so I haven't been out of the house much of late. Today's our Date Day, but there are only a couple of brave souls trying to have yard sales and such, so I'm not sure what we'll do today. Our weather is getting back to normal temperature range, so it will be good just to get out of the house for awhile, no matter what we end up doing.

I've even worked on a little bit of our taxes already, so I really do feel like I'm keeping my resolution to be more efficient with my time usage. It's so easy to while away the days when you're retired, if you're not careful. And now that I'm feeling better, I get a lot more done. When I don't feel well, my brain just goes into slow motion.

I did have one very upsetting thing happen this last week. Out of nowhere, someone I went to high school with called me. Sadly, I didn't remember him at all. He had located me from the WHOIS information about our website. It was a very pleasant conversation, but he kept asking me if I remembered so and so, and it's all a huge blank. I can only remember a few people I went to school with, and that's mostly boys I dated LOL. I guess they made a bigger impression on me, eh? But I was very upset by the time the conversation was over. I had to tell him that I was having some memory problems to get him to stop bringing up name after name that drew a complete blank for me. It was extremely embarrassing and frustrating.

So I get reminded at such times that all is not right with my brain. Between age related forgetfulness, drug related brain fog, and just plain old neurological brain fog, I am pretty much a complete blank on my past. It's scary when I allow myself to realize that, but mostly I just live for now.

On a happier note, I continue to lose weight slowly, and I'm doing much better with my exercising. I'm up to 3 minutes twice a day on the treadmill, and I've recently started back on the recumbent bike for about 5 minutes twice a day. The treadmill is on an incline and not adjustable (translation = cheap), so by the time I've been on it 3 minutes my heart is really pounding. That should improve with time, though, and it's good for my heart, anyway.

All in all I'm feeling very good, and hope to keep it that way, with the daily blessings God brings my way. I'm blessed to have a wonderful family who love me and I love deeply, and we all live in the same state. That's better than most people my age can say!

Still Improving

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 11:22:00 +0000

Well, the Christmas and New Year's holidays are over, and things are about to get back to "normal" around here. I made it through all the holiday foods without upsetting my stomach again, and I've finished the round of antibiotics.

I've stopped taking the Reglan and also the Nortriptyline for now. One of them was giving me horrible nightmares, and I haven't gotten back to my usual sleep pattern yet. The Reglan is not to be taken long term anyway, as it can cause Dyskinesia, and I sure don't want that! I plan to ask the doctor why he put me on the Nortiptyline, since it's an anti-depressant. So many of these meds have off label uses, that I don't want to just stop it completely without knowing why I was taking it.

I still am taking the Carafate an hour before meals and at bedtime, and I won't go back to the supplements and vitamins I normally take until I stop that. It was just too hard trying to schedule all those extra pills and have my stomach empty for the Carafate.

I even managed to lose another pound during the holidays!! That surprised me, because I allowed myself to enjoy meals with family without concern for glucose readings or calories. I guess my stomach has shrunk, plus my eating habits have changed considerably since April 1, 2009, when I started dieting in earnest.

I am now trying to build back my exercise routine. I did Tai Chi yesterday morning for the first time in I can't remember when, and I used the treadmill for 3 whole minutes. I know that doesn't sound like much, but it's an inexpensive manual one that only has the one incline setting, and walking on it for 2 minutes at a time has been all I could muster, until yesterday. I'm such a weakling! LOL

I never have been much for New Year's Resolutions, but I guess mine needs to be to get back on a regular exercise routine and stick to it. I've lost enough weight now that I'm really in need of some toning up. I don't know if this old body can recuperate from the baggy skin, but I need to try, at least. And I certainly do need to improve my stamina.

I didn't do a very good job of testing my glucose levels regularly during the holidays. My results page has lots of empty spots in it. It seemed like every day I would either forget to take it, or we would be out of our normal routine, and I couldn't take it at the right time. We went to see a lot of movies over the last couple of weeks, and I couldn't take it then. The rest of the times were just negligence on my part.

My Diabetes doctor said I was doing fine and not to be so concerned about the high readings, and I think I've succeeded in not stressing over them to the point that now I'm not diligent any more. It's always hard for me to find balance, and this is just another example. I'll try to do better in January. I see him at the end of the month, and I guess he'll do another A1C then. That will tell the tale, for sure, from my holiday laxness. I'm growing more and more confident that my weight loss will eventually get me out of the diabetic range. I know that's my goal for April, 2010. I expect to have lost 50 pounds by then, and no longer be diabetic.

At my heaviest ever in March, '09, I weighed 182, and I'm down to 142 now. So I've come a long way. I'm totally motivated to get the rest of the 12 pounds off that I set as my goal, and who knows, maybe I'll lose a few more than that! I know I couldn't have done it without keeping track of my calories and carb intake daily. There again, the test will be whether I can achieve a balance of right eating without having to count calories when I'm down to 130. I'll have to watch the scales pretty carefully to keep from gaining it back!

Sounds like I do have some New Year's Resolutions after all! And I'm sure I join lots of others who plan to eat more healthy foods, exercise, and lose weight this year. I look forward to twenty ten as being a good, healthy year for me!!!!!

Continuing to Feel Better - Had a Wonderful Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 21:55:00 +0000

I think my stomach is finally healing, although I am still taking the meds. We enjoyed our family Christmas time yesterday, because one of our daughters had to work on Christmas. We just treated yesterday as if it were the 25th and exchanged presents and enjoyed being together.

I did the same thing I did for Thanksgiving - I did not worry about calories or glucose levels. It was a nice break from my usual diet, and I thoroughly enjoyed eating some of the forbidden foods that I love so much. My glucose numbers were high, but not really too high. I think I'm gradually resolving the diabetes problem as I continue to slowly lose weight. My target is to eat about 300 calories each day less than I actually need, which means I would lose a pound about every 10 days. I've been graphing my weight on Fitday.com, as well as keeping up with my calories there. That's been a great motivational help.

I've not had any more problems with tics and twitching, since I added a half pill to each dose of Primidone. But I try really hard not to let myself get stressed or upset, and for the most part I've been successful.

We've had a great time helping people find their childhood lovies and backups and replacements for their children's lovies. It's very gratifying, and I think it has a lot to do with the great Christmas mood I've been in this year.

So I'm looking forward to 2010, and expecting to be in better health by this time next year!

Showing Improvement

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:56:00 +0000

Well, I've been on the antibiotics and other meds that my Gastro put me on for over a week now, and I'm beginning to see progress. I still have problems with my tummy, but the constant feeling of nausea is gone ... and good riddance!

We wrapped all the presents and filled the stockings last night, so we're all ready to enjoy the next few days with our family. We'll all be together this Christmas, and that always makes it extra special. Some years we have to share our daughter with her in-laws, which is only fair, but I'm glad she and her hubby will be celebrating with us this year.

We've had a particularly rewarding Christmas this year already, helping a large number of families find replacements for lost or bedraggled lovies for Santa to put under their Christmas trees! We've received wonderfully excited thank you's from many of them, and each time one was received it just made this Christmas that much more meaningful. It can't be said often enough that it really is more enjoyable to give than to receive!!

My hope and prayer is that you have a Christ filled Christmas this year, too!

So THAT's Why I Wasn't Getting Better

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:48:00 +0000

Well, I had an endoscopy Monday morning, and the pathology report came back yesterday. I have an infection of the stomach lining - Gastritis. So now I'm on antibiotics again, and still taking the Carafate. I decided on my own to drop all the supplements for now, and just take my prescription meds - which is a lot!

I felt lousy yesterday, but I've waked up this morning feeling better. I'll know when I eat breakfast in a bit if the medicine has had a chance to calm down the stomach lining any. They gave me a photo of it when I had the endoscopy, and it looks raw alright, so I can't expect it to clear up overnight. I sure hope I feel better by Christmas, at least.

I've been swamped with requests for help finding lovies in time for Christmas, and I'm sure that has put some stress on me. But it feels so good to help someone find what they could not find on their own that I can't stop. My inbox was not as full this morning, and it should start slacking off until after Christmas now, as there's hardly enough time to get anything in time for Santa to deliver it.

I've been so busy on the computer, plus really not feeling up to doing any cleaning, that I haven't put up any Christmas decorations, yet. Hopefully, I can get that done today. All the big presents for our grandchildren have been bought since Thanksgiving (online, of course), so now I need to wrap them. We still need to put some more things in everyone's stockings, too. That takes the most time of all. All these Christmas doings that still need to be done puts stress on me, too. So I am trying my best to just go with the flow and get done what I can. There have been some years when I was wrapping on Christmas Eve, so I have time yet! LOL

We did go to my Sunday School class's Christmas party and to the Open House at our preacher's house for the Deacons and their family, so I've had a chance to party a little. I took a sugar free dessert to the party, so I could have something sweet without upsetting my glucose readings. I didn't feel like eating much, but I enjoyed going.

So, I continue to hope that I will feel better by Christmas, and still trying to get as much done as I feel like doing for now.

Not Getting Better Yet

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Well, I'm on my second round of the Carafate, and my digestive system is still not back to normal. So I called my Gastro again and basically asked for an Endoscopy, which I will have on Monday. I'm hoping he will see the cause of this constant nausea and be able to treat it more effectively. It's been a good six weeks of this unsettled feeling, and I'm ready to be rid of it!

The Myoclonus is behaving itself, at least. I haven't had many more jerks and facial tics since my Neuro changed my prescription of Primidone to 1 1/2 tablets twice a day. Now if I get cold, which is easy for me to do, that's another story. I do get the occasional shoulder jerks then. Also, I can tell that my mouth tics are just barely under control, as if they are just waiting for a good reason to start up again. But I can live with the dose I'm on now, and I don't want to take any more of it than I have to.

Eating out continues to be a challenge with the blood glucose levels. You'd think as many diabetics as there are in the US that restaurants and fast food places would be more diabetes friendly, but they're not. Well, I guess I'm not really being fair to them, because I would find it easier to eat out if I could eat lettuce, as the vast majority of places do offer salads. I can enjoy a spinach based salad, but not a lettuce one. I've probably been off lettuce for the last 20 years or so! Since diabetics can't have baked potatoes or mashed potatoes, either, that severely limits the sides that I can order in most places. Luckily I like sauteed mushrooms, and can usually get those.

Since I've not been feeling well, I've not been exercising, either. And the scale shows it, as I have not lost any more weight. We bought ourselves an early Christmas present the other day, though, and maybe that will help. It's a manual treadmill. I had tried out several motorized versions some time ago, and we agreed that I would not be safe on one of them. With the manual one it's very easy for me to stop and get off, if I feel like I need to. It's an extremely simple one, with just the one incline level, so I'm only walking for 2 minutes on it right now. We have the resistance level set to a point that hubby can use it, too. So we'll leave it there until I build up some leg strength again.

So I'm hopeful that the endoscopy will show what needs to be done to stop the nausea, my blood glucose continues to be under control when we eat at home, and hopefully the treadmill will jump start my weight loss again.

I Jixed It

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:11:00 +0000

Well, I held off saying my tummy was better in my last post, because I thought I would jinx it. Well, I did. When I tried to go back to a more normal diet my tummy started feeling nauseated again. I've been on the Align for a week now, and just wasn't satisfied with the way I've been feeling.

So I got an appointment with my Gastro yesterday. He said the Align might take a whole month to help, but that he could give me some things to help now. So I'm on Carafate (generic is Sulcrafate) 1 hour before meals 3 times a day, and I have a Scopalamine patch behind my ear. Surely, the nausea will subside now. I sure hope so.

We ate at the Golden Corral yesterday, and even though this is a huge buffet, I had trouble finding anything I dared to eat. I did get a little mash potatoes, which I would not normally get, because of my diabetes, but I was having trouble filling up my plate, so I took a chance. I even ate a little bit of carrot cake, without the icing. My blood glucose reading was only a little high afterward, so I didn't do too badly.

My blood glucose readings have been much better than they used to be, since I started limiting my food intake to the blander items that we eat. I'm not eating as much as usual, either. Just don't feel like it. It's good to see several days of readings with all of them in the narrow limits my diabetes doctor has given me.

It was interesting that, when I saw my GP as a follow up to the urinary tract infection, my GP says he doesn't get concerned about glucose readings unless they go over 200, while my diabetes specialist uses 135 as my upper threshold. But then that's why I'm going to the specialist - he's much more aggressive. And it may just be my weight loss has finally come close to getting me out of diabetic range. Whatever it is, I'm glad. It's no fun to try so hard and still see high results.

So today I'm hoping for a better tummy soon, and celebrating the trend of my glucose readings.

Feeling Better

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:13:00 +0000

Well, the Align probiotic that my Gastro's nurse told me to use has definitely helped my stomach. I've not been nauseated this morning for the first time in almost two weeks, and it feels great. I'll continue to be more careful than usual with what I eat for another day or so, just to be on the safe side, and I'm going to finish out the month's worth of the Align. Then I'll go back to using the generic Acidophilus I've been taking daily for the last couple of years.

I did go back to using the Triavil, which is used to treat IBS, for the full 3 doses. My Gastro had just recently suggested that I cut back to 2 doses a day, and to see if I still did OK. I had cut back a few days, but then all this stomach upset hit, and it just didn't seem like a good time to be changing things. So I'm not sure when I'll try cutting out a dose just yet.

I did lose another pound this week, which isn't too surprising, since I haven't felt like eating a whole lot. I was actually hungry last night by supper time, and that's another good sign that things are returning to normal. I haven't felt like exercising, and really didn't think it was a good idea while I felt so bad, so now I need to slowly work my way back into that routine.

The mouth tics subsided a couple of days ago, but I've been waiting to be sure they were under control again before jinxing it by saying anything about it. I'm not sure if the strong antibiotics neutralized the Primidone, or if it was just because I felt so bad. Maybe it was because everything, including medicine, was going through my digestive tract at high speed for a change. Who knows...

The important thing is that I can tell I am finally getting over it, and that's a wonderful relief. Particularly since Thanksgiving is getting so close, I'm glad I can look forward to being able to eat with the family. I had already decided that I would ignore my glucose readings for that day and just enjoy being with everyone and enjoy the food. Then I'll go back to the 1200 calorie diet I've been on since April and continue to limit my carbohydrate intake. I've been giving myself a splurge meal about once a month, anyway, so this month it's for Thanksgiving.

In a effort to prevent another UTI, which started this whole snowball effect of digestive problems and Myoclonus tics, I'm trying to consciously be sure I have completely emptied my bladder each time I urinate. When I became so conscious of it, because it was painful, I realized that I haven't been emptying totally, probably for some time. The nerves that send such messages just don't work as well as they did when I was younger, or before the neurological disorder reared its ugly head. And, from what I've read, diabetics are more prone to this problem, too.

So, it's a good day today, and I can look forward to many more, as long as I continue to persevere with a good healthy diet and exercise program and take my meds religiously.

Puny

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:39:00 +0000

It's not been a very good last couple of weeks for me. It all started Saturday a week ago when I woke up with a urinary tract infection. I didn't think trying to tough it out until Monday sounded like a very good idea, since I'm diabetic, so we went to a doc in the box early that morning, and he confirmed my diagnosis.

They gave me a shot of antibiotic, plus a prescription for an oral antibiotic and some kind of urinary tract analgesic that turns urine blue. Also, since I had just finished taking a round of antibiotics for a root canal, they gave me a prescription for Diflucan, so I could deal with the likely yeast problem all those antibiotics would cause.

It took several days before I really felt less pain on urinating, but by then my stomach was upset from all the antibiotics. I started eating less and eating mostly bland foods, so my whole diet has changed. I also had some Greek yogurt and blueberries, thinking that would be good for both the tummy and the potential yeast problem. Nothing I've done so far has gotten rid of the nausea, although the diarrhea is under control. For now I'm sipping on diet caffeine free ginger ale.

I talked to my Gastro's nurse today, and she told me to start taking Align, which is, according to her, the best probiotic I can use. I told her I was taking a generic acidophilus daily anyway, but she said this Align would work better to replace the good bacteria that the antibiotic killed off. She also said to stay away from spicy foods or anything fatty or acidic. I'd already been doing that. But, she said it would be OK to eat the raw vegetables we normally eat for lunch, which I had not been doing.

And then, out of the blue, on Sunday afternoon my mouth started the tics again. My tongue is thrusting, and my lips are involuntarily squirming around. I hate when it does that. By the end of the day my whole face hurts from all the extra movement. This is the first time I've had any of these Myoclonus jerks on my face since I went on the Primidone.

I had hoped it would go away on its own overnight, but woke up to the same thing Monday through today. So I took an extra Primidone pill and have been doing that ever since. So far it's limited the squirming somewhat, but not completely. I'm hoping that when my tummy gets back to normal and I feel better, that the Myoclonus will behave itself again. If not, I'll have to put in a call to my Neuro.

So I've not been having a fun time the last few weeks. I'm still looking forward to Thanksgiving with family, so I've just got to get better before then!

My How Time Flies

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Wow! It's been almost a month since I posted here! I can't get over how quickly time is going. For the most part I've been doing pretty well, although the blood glucose numbers continue to peak at higher numbers than I would like. I'm not stressing so much about it though, so that's a good thing.

I was increasing my daily exercise quite nicely, until I came down with an infection. These powerful antibiotics always sap my strength, not to mention upset my digestive system, so I haven't done any exercising lately.

My weight continues to drop ever so slowly, but I'm pleased that I seem to be past the plateau I was on for what seemed like forever. Of course it really wasn't that long ... it's just that I am not one for patience. I know that losing the weight this slowly is preventing the sagging skin problem that can come with large weight losses. I just have to keep reminding myself of that.

I continue to be frustrated by how hard it is to order from restaurant menus. I'm beginning to learn a few tricks that work, though, like asking to see a dinner menu to see what other options might work better for me. Yesterday we ate lunch out for hubby's birthday, and I was able to have part of my order from the lunch menu and part from the night menu. And my test levels were good!

I was very pleased with myself that I made the transition from Vista to Windows 7 with no major hitches. And the one minor glitch, that left me with a corrupted mouse pointer file, I was able to find a fix online all by myself. I've always been good with computers, so any evidence that I've "still got it" is always welcome.

I do continue to have odd brain glitches from time to time. I can forget something completely in a matter of seconds, and I find all kinds of mistakes I've made in our online business. Those kinds of goofs really frustrate me, and I get so upset with myself. And that only makes things worse. I need a big dose of I Don't Care pills at times like these. Hubby is always telling me it's no big deal, but every little thing I do that's so bizarre just adds to my negative self talk. I know some of it is my age, and some is from all the medicines I take, so I try think of that when I'm so down. When you've taken care of Alzheimer's family members for years you can't help but see yourself heading down that path at times. Then I try to tell myself that it's not forgetting to put something in the refrigerator that counts. It's that I still know what a refrigerator is for that's important!

I'm looking forward to having the family here for Thanksgiving, with all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season not far off, either. So time better not fly too fast, or they will be here before I'm ready for them. If so, they'll just have to overlook the mess and enjoy the day together anyway!! LOL!!

Doing Pretty Good

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 22:20:00 +0000

I've been consciously not allowing myself to get upset each time the blood glucose reading is too high. If the doctor is satisfied with my results, and I picked him because he's an aggressive Diabetes doctor, then the thing for me to do is just write down the numbers and quit stewing over them. I've been pleased so far with my efforts to be more nonchalant about it all. I'll still use the higher numbers to help me decide if there is something I ate that might have touched it off, but when it's the same thing I've been eating with good test results sometimes, and bad on others, I'll just ignore it.

I'm also doing much better about exercising than I had been. Doing them every other day seems to have worked out pretty well, and I think it kick started my weight loss again, too. And that's a good thing. That long month staring at the same number on the scale was no fun, since I knew I was being careful about calories. I've never been on an extended diet like this before, so I really didn't realize that plateaus could last a whole month, but obviously they can.

I've spent the last few days rearranging one of our storage rooms for our plush toys. It's been hard work, but it's beginning to look better now. I've added a few more things to the Yard Sale box, too, which means they won't be coming back in the house. That's a good thing. We're both pack rats, and that's a bad combination! It's somehow easier to put something in the Yard Sale stack than it is to put it in the donation box. Doesn't seem quite as "gone", if that makes any sense at all.

We almost had a yard sale this last weekend, but the Alabama game came on early, and hubby didn't want to miss it - of course. So we'll wait for another pretty weekend, now that it's cooler.

Now if we could just get all those storage tubs down to the basement ... I might have a house back! That part of the job will have to be when hubby gets in the mood and finds room for them downstairs. It wouldn't be safe for me to try to walk down the steps carrying a big storage tub. I walk much better than I used to, but my balance is still a little unpredictable. Better safe than sorry.

So, all in all, I'm feeling very good about where I am right now. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving, and having all our family here, too. That's helping me to do the cleaning I've been procrastinating about, and I'm getting more exercise, too!

Diabetes Doc Says I'm Doing Just Fine

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:33:00 +0000

Well, my doctor was not at all upset by my numbers yesterday. He says as long as my A1C is as low as it is there's nothing to be concerned about. So hubby and I are just going to have to put up with the sporadic high numbers.

A1C is a blood test that takes just a few minutes to get the results on. Any time my blood sugar goes too high some of my red blood cells are altered by the extra glucose in the blood stream. This change is not reversible. So, until those blood cells die in a couple of months or so, these changed blood cells are floating around in my veins and arteries. The A1C test measures the percentage of blood that has this glucose marker on it. Mine was 5.5 the first time I had it taken, 5.6 the second, and now 5.7 this third time. Those numbers are very good. Anything below 7 is good for a Diabetic, so I have a long way to go before he's going to worry about me.

I did get my flu shot while I was there. That's the regular flu shot. I asked the nurse when they expected to get the Swine Flu vaccine in, and she said they're not going to get it. I'm glad. This batch was just hurried up too much for me to feel comfortable taking it. I would have, though, if he had recommended it, since diabetes is one of the factors that makes a person susceptible. Older people are not supposed to be prone to catch the Swine Flu, since we were exposed to a similar flu some years ago.

I've only had the flu once in my life, and I sure don't want it again. So, I'm glad our church has put antiseptic foam pump bottles all over the place and is encouraging everyone to use them.

I don't see my doctor again for 3 months, and maybe this time I can actually stop stressing over my numbers. I'm going to try, that's for sure. The funny thing is when I took my glucose level 2 hours after eating lunch yesterday I got the highest reading I've ever gotten. I did have a small piece of carrot cake without the icing, but everything else I ate should have been OK. Of course "should have been" and "really was OK" may have been entirely different.

I did all my exercises and stretching today. They told me to try to stretch out my left leg, which has been hurting for several months now. I thought at first it was arthritis in my knee that was flaring up from exercising. But as it got worse I realized the pain is on the back side of the knee, not the front. The PT felt around and said it was all very tight, and gave me a stretching exercise to try to loosen it up. That's the Myoclonus acting up for sure, as my left leg does a lot more jerking than the right one does.

I've been sitting with a hot pad under my knee this afternoon, trying to calm the muscle down a bit. Since it hurts so much, hubby and I have decided I should exercise every other day for awhile and see how that does.

So, I'm to stop fretting over my numbers, but keep testing as I have been. That's a tall order for me, but I will do my best to let go of the anxiety I feel when the number is higher than my target number. And as I get back on a regular exercise routine that should help to lower my numbers, too.

It's all about keeping a positive attitude.

Numbers are Still Jumping All Over the Place

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:52:00 +0000

The title says it all. I am not getting consistent numbers on my blood glucose tests at all. Many nights it comes back in range, only to have the next morning be high. Often I can't think of a thing I've eaten that would make the numbers go too high, but they do anyway. The most glaring example lately was while we were traveling, and I had a grilled pork chop and 2 scrambled eggs. That's all. No toast or grits or any carb at all, and had one of the highest readings I've had so far.

So, I've made an appointment with my Diabetes doctor for next week. I wasn't scheduled to see him until November, and I just couldn't wait that long.

I did have my last Physical Therapy session yesterday. I've got a pretty good exercise routine now, if I can just make myself do it. I've been so down about the testing numbers that I've not been exercising as much as I should. I'll have to do better, for sure.

I had a strange morning this morning ... up to my old ways ... been up since 3:30AM. Don't know what happened, but I woke up wide awake and couldn't get back to sleep.

That's all I have for today ... just discouraged right now.

Grrrrrr Those Numbers Are Frustrating!!

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:43:00 +0000

Try as I might, I don't seem to be able to consistently keep my blood glucose level where it's supposed to be. Oh, there are always times when I know exactly what I splurged on that shot it up, and I can accept that as a rare occurrence. It's when I think I've eaten a really good diabetic meal and still have a high reading that is so frustrating.

Hubby thought maybe my testing equipment was just registering high, after we read an article stating that home testing equipment can give results as much as 20% in error. So, just to see what would happen I double tested for several days last week, using the same blood drop with two different testing kits. Sometimes the second one would be lower, and sometimes it would be higher. But both kits consistently showed me too high when it went over the limit my doctor set for me. So I can't blame it on the 20% inaccuracy findings.

I seem to be particularly susceptible to a glucose rise if I eat most whole wheat breads, something I thought I could have in moderation. So it's a small piece of sour dough bread with lunch and occasionally a few whole wheat Melba toast pieces with dinner. And I can only manage a very small amount of fruit, which seems to work better if I eat it first. I guess it gets mixed in with the rest of the meal that way and doesn't have a chance to make a big spike of sugar. So, in effect, I eat my dessert first now.

So I continue to learn what my body will tolerate and what it will not, and we both read everything we can get our hands on that might help me beat this disease as quickly and completely as possible.

Our Super Foods Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:36:00 +0000

I've been referring to our Super Food diet for some time now, and today's lunch that my dear hubby fixed has inspired me to show it off a bit. This is a photo of hubby's plate. His is piled a little higher than mine, plus I always have prunes and walnuts or almonds with mine - which I save for my afternoon snack.

I think the photo says more than I can say. We use zero calorie dressing or Balsamic Vinegar dressing in moderation, so we're not ruining it by drowning it with a heavy dousing of dressing.

I usually eat the fruits first, as that seems to work out better with my blood glucose test 2 hours later, and then I mix everything else together and eat it that way. Hubby prefers to leave each ingredient separate, and eat it that way. Either way, we are getting a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals every day. Usually there's a small amount of meat or a boiled egg for protein, but for today the nuts will have to take care of that part of the food pyramid.

I eat high fiber cereals for breakfast, along with flax seed meal (high in Omega3's and mild flavored) and MiraLax, and usually I have a chunky soup or a microwave dinner at night, so I get plenty to eat with a minimum of calories. I've been able to cut my MiraLax dose to just in the morning, thanks to all the fiber we get at lunch.

Now eating out is a different matter entirely. I have to be careful to avoid most of what might raise my blood glucose levels, but hubby and I both splurge when we eat out, which is several times a week.

I've lost 25 pounds, and he's lost 16 without really trying. I have been consciously trying, keeping track of each day's calories as much as possible, and holding the total to around 1200 a day.

I'm also getting some exercise, but not as much as I should be.

We're not vegetarians, but I've learned a lot by reading about the raw food diets and vegetarian diets, since people who follow those life styles have to be very careful to get all the necessary nutrients from what they do eat.

And no, I haven't started twitching my nose or hopping around the house yet, either!

My goal is to lose another 25 pounds and diet my way out of the diabetic condition I'm in right now. And that's a goal I definitely intend to reach!!!

Neuro Visit Uneventful

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:06:00 +0000

Well, I saw my Neurologist yesterday, and it went pretty quickly. He was very interested in the Diabetes diagnosis, and asked a few questions about that, and wanted to know if the Physical Therapy was helping - I said it was - and that's about it. I did ask him about my hands going to sleep, and he did some checking for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but nothing he did made my hands tingle. I didn't really think it was CTS. He thought it might have something to do with the Diabetes, and wants to explore it further in 6 months if I'm still having trouble with them then. Sounds reasonable to me, as I hope to have lost enough weight in 6 months to be out of the diabetic situation.

One thing doctor's appointments do is get me out of the house with an excuse for eating out, and I pigged out at the best Chinese restaurant buffet in town. We don't go there too often for just that reason ... we BOTH pig out. I was pleased that my blood glucose was reasonable afterwards, particularly since I had indulged in a small piece of red velvet cake for dessert. It's so odd how I can eat at home what seems to be a 100% diabetic conscious meal and end up with high numbers 2 hours later, but have a small dessert when we eat out and not have high numbers. Weird.

I've dropped another pound this week, which I'm really glad of, and I'm getting to wear some clothes that I had almost given away, as I didn't think I would get back down to that size ever again. Now THAT's a good feeling!!!

So, without any whining, I'm going to quit this post while I'm ahead!!!

Seeing My Neurologist This Week

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:52:00 +0000

It's time for another visit to my Neurologist this week, and I'm looking forward to seeing what he says about the Diabetes diagnosis and my Physical Therapy exercises. I'm still having some difficulty keeping my blood glucose numbers where they should be, and that keeps me somewhat down in the dumps. I feel like hubby and I are doing everything possible to put the right foods in me, so I just don't understand why I can't keep my levels in range all the time. It is just another complex disease to have to deal with.

I've been working really hard to get our new Collectibles Catalog online for the last few weeks, and the clutter I've made with all my stacks of plates and such is getting to me. It seems like we're living in a warehouse these days, with boxes stacked everywhere, full of plush animals and vintage items, too. It's a fun business, and we enjoy going out on the buying jaunts, but then I come home and have to try to find a place to store our "finds". It seems I can't have my cake and eat it, too ... a clean house and keep on buying new lovies and collectible finds.

I'm still practicing with YouTube videos of Sacred Harp music, and it's a slow go to learn how to do it. My brain power is definitely not what it used to be, but that could be old age creeping up on me, too. All I know is that I don't learn new things anywhere near as easily as I once did, and it's aggravating and frustrating! I read the other day about a 90 something year old lady finishing college, and I thought to myself how impossible it would be for me to absorb all that information now.

I am being very successful with my weight loss attempts. I'm down another couple of pounds, losing at the rate of 1 pound about every 10 days. I'm hoping that by going this slowly and steadily with it that I will not end up with the baggy skin they always show on TV.

Speaking of TV, we've been without any TV reception now for several weeks, thanks to an electrical storm that killed our amplifier and antenna rotator. We've discovered some of our favorite shows on hulu.com, and I have my notebook hooked up to the TV, so we can both watch the same thing at the same time. We have a large collection of movies, too, so we've managed to "watch the tube" several hours a night. I've ordered a new amplifier, and do plan to replace the ruined parts and get our television shows back. I do feel good about my success in getting the picture on my laptop to show on the TV. So some neurons are still firing up there.

I've done a lot of whining today, and for that I'm sorry. I considered erasing the whole post, but I want this blog to be a true look at what it's like to have my health problems, so you're stuck with it. My apologies.

On Higher Glocophage Dose for Awhile Now

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 13:51:00 +0000

I've been on the double dose of Metformin (Glucophage) now for about 2 weeks, and it has definitely helped with the fasting blood glucose levels I test for first thing in the morning. I'm not doing so well, however, with the after meals tests for lunch and supper. I've even had some high readings when I've eaten the same thing I've had other lunches with good test results. It's very discouraging, and I've begun to have bouts of depression over it. Hubby is extremely supportive, but it upsets him so much when I express the feelings of depression that I try to keep such comments to myself as much as I can, or, like here, vent on this blog. Right now it feels as if I'm never going to be able to eat a biscuit or have even a small helping of Italian food ever again, let alone a pizza! Desserts are off limits, too, unless I make them myself with artificial sweetener ... and I don't bake!!! I basically don't cook, really, as hubby enjoys fixing lunch far more than I ever did. And I usually have something microwaved or canned soup for supper.

I get the most discouraged when we eat out. It's awfully hard for me to find anything to eat that isn't going to send my blood glucose too high, or get me off my diet, or set off my GERD. We ate at Waffle House the other night, and I just knew I was going to do OK, because I ordered a ham and vegetable filled omelet. I didn't eat the grits, but I did eat the toast, and that was a mistake. Not only did I have a high reading afterward, but the omelet sat heavy on my stomach all the next day. I was not feeling well at all! I suspect it was because of all the butter they use in cooking their omelets, plus it had lots of cheese in it, which I'm not supposed to eat. Next time I'll have to get one with minimum cheese and see how I do. Between watching my carbs and my calorie intake, and taking into account my lactose intolerance and my GERD ... well, let's just say that there's not much left I can eat! LOL!

My knee is still bothering me, and that's limiting my desire to exercise somewhat, plus it's harder to make myself do it when I'm down in the dumps. I am doing the sets at least once a day on most days, and I go for Physical Therapy next week. I'm still losing a little weight each week, about a half pound a week. I broke 160 this week, which I'm very proud of. It will be several more days before I can call it 159, though, so I look forward to that milestone.

My continued weight loss has been good for counterbalancing my discouraged feelings about my diet. I'll just have to keep on being proud of the weight loss, and try not to be so upset about the blood glucose readings. I think I can...I think I can...

Doc Says I'm Doing Great ... but .........

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:52:00 +0000

I couldn't stand it any more and made an appointment to see my Diabetes doctor earlier than scheduled. I've been so frustrated by so many test results that were more than he had told me to aim for that I felt like something surely could be done to improve things.

So, we went to the doctor Thursday, and he bragged on my 1200 calorie diet and thought I was "doing great" with my glucose numbers. (THAT certainly surprised us both!) But ... in the very next breath he DOUBLED my dose of Glucophage! He said I could cut back on the blood testing to 3 times a day, too. Since the test strips are so expensive this is a big help. Medicare pays for 50 strips a month, and the rest has to be paid out of pocket, since my insurance doesn't cover the test strips.

So far so good on all the testing I've done since doubling the dose of medicine, so I'm feeling optimistic that I will lose the weight and eventually leave this diabetes diagnosis behind. Right now I've lost right at 20 pounds!! Considering how ravenously hungry I was all the time before being diagnosed, when my glucose was out of control, this is great news!!!

Blood Sugar Aggravations Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:47:00 +0000

Well, I'm aggravated, and that's the only word that fits. There have been way too many days this month when my blood glucose level was higher than my doctor wants it to be, and with only a few obvious exceptions, I have absolutely no idea why.

I was scheduled for an appointment with him at the end of July, but I changed the appointment to this week.

I'm trying to read through the Atkins book for Diabetics, but it's very detailed and is slow reading. It's extremely well written, but I am taking it in in small increments. I've read quite a bit of what is presented from other sources, but this book seems to put all the puzzle pieces together quite well. I'm really not finding anything that I am currently doing incorrectly, so I don't understand why I still keep getting so many high readings.

My biggest problem with reading something this involved is that I keep falling asleep. I plan to ask my Diabetic doctor if one of the meds he put me on causes daytime sleepiness, because that has been a real problem for me for some time now. I'm sleeping soundly all night long now, so it's not because of insomnia that I'm falling asleep so easily. I feel like I need to apologize to our preacher, as I nod off during almost every sermon! LOL!!

I've been trying to "get a life", too, and not spending as much time on the computer. There's this book that I'm very interested in learning as much as possible from, plus we are both trying to learn how to sing Sacred Harp shape note music. And I've gone back to working Sudoku puzzles, as I felt my brain needed more stimulation. Now that the television is all digital we have lost some of the stations we used to watch, so we have more time for other endeavors.

I continue to lose weight slowly but surely, and it's beginning to show up with clothes that are too loose. That's encouraging. At the rate I'm going I could possibly lose 50 pounds by the end of this year! I'm doing pretty well at resisting sweets, enjoying fruit instead. And we continue to emphasize low carbohydrates in our diet where possible. Hubby's losing weight, too!

So, I'll continue to read my book, exercise daily, and watch what I eat. Hopefully he can tell me what else I need to do to stop all the high test readings and possibly make a prescription change that will help me stay awake.

Glucose Test Results Have Been High

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:38:00 +0000

I've been very discouraged lately by a large number of glucose test readings coming out higher than my doctor wants me to have. The frustration comes, because I really can't pinpoint anything I'm doing or not doing that is causing the higher than normal readings. I even checked the meter to be sure it was working correctly. My fasting tests first thing in the morning, as well as tests during the day, have been high more often than not for quite a few days this month, and almost every time for the last week.

I put in a call to my doctor's office, but their system doesn't give me a chance to speak to his nurse. I get put straight to voice mail, and then she usually answers the next day. I really don't like that system. I end up staying close to the phone for way too long, and then, like Friday, I'm not home when she calls back. She said she didn't understand what I wanted, so my message was a complete waste of time. That's certainly adding to my frustration. I was impressed with the doctor, but I'm sure not impressed with his office system.

I'll call the office again tomorrow and try to get an appointment, since trying to deal with it over the phone is so difficult. He may say there's nothing to be concerned about, or he may want to change my prescription to a higher dose or add a different med. All I can do is wait until tomorrow and hope I can actually speak to his nurse. Otherwise, I make an appointment for no telling when.

This is bad enough. I hate to even imagine how frustrated I would be if President Obama gets his way, and we have nationalized health care!! I've written my Representative and Congressman expressing my concerns about the quality of care available under a universal health care system. There was a story on the news not long ago about the VA not properly handling colonoscopy equipment and causing 28 people to contract HIV or hepatitis, or both!!! The VA is a perfect example of what national health care would be like, except it would be worse!!!

I'm continuing to log in everything I eat, and I'm managing to stay pretty close to 1200 calories a day, plus exercising, so the weight continues to ever so slowly drop off. I estimate I'm losing a little less than a pound a week, which hopefully means I will find it easier to keep it off. It might even mean a little less flabby skin when I finally lose the 50 pounds I have set as my goal for next summer. I've lost 17 so far, and I'm very pleased with that.

New Shoes, Working Puzzles, and Brain Fog Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:57:00 +0000

I came home with my new pair of Diabetic shoes last Thursday, and in some ways I like them and in some ways I don't. I chose a Velcro closure, which I have never worn before, and that, in hindsight, was probably a mistake, since lace up shoes allow for more adjustment across the ball of the foot.

Even though my foot measured as average width, I am finding it difficult to adjust to the tight feeling across the widest part of my left foot. I've been patiently breaking them in, but getting a little discouraged. So, I took the amazingly comfortable special insoles out and put the original insole back in. Those are not as thick, but the shoe feels much better. Maybe after I've worn them for awhile I will be able to put the super cushion ones back in.

Medicare and my supplemental insurance paid for them, plus enough insoles to change them out every quarter. I figured since I couldn't get much help with the testing supplies I'd save the money for a new pair of shoes that I needed anyway, and use that savings on test strips.

I continue to lose weight a little at a time, and I'm very pleased with that. I've lost 16 pounds since mid April, the first weight I've been able to lose since I was diagnosed with Parkinson's and put on those meds. The change from PD meds to Essential Myoclonus meds didn't help that problem, either. As my weight climbed I was more and more at risk for diabetes, particularly since it runs in my Daddy's side of the family. It was not until my glucose levels were under control that I was able to lose weight, no matter how hard I tried. Adding the discipline of checking blood glucose levels 5 times a day on top of my already busy medicine schedule has just meant more to remember, but it's pretty much routine by now. I still forget occasionally, but considering how bad my memory is, I think I'm doing quite well.

I guess my brain function is the real problem I continue to deal with. I have spells of being extremely forgetful, plus hubby and I have come to realize that I don't process visual information very well any more. He will see a bird outside, tell me where to look, and it will often be a very long time before I can finally "see" it. I can't really explain it, but I do know it's not normal. I've made a few mistakes sending out stuffed animals or dolls that were similar to the one someone had ordered, not noticing the differences until they wrote to say they did not get the right toy. Very aggravating - and it costs us money!!

This Sunday I saw a name on our prayer list, immediately thinking it was someone in our Sunday School class who was having surgery. I embarrassed myself in front of everybody asking how she was doing. Of course she had no idea what I was talking about. I know both of these ladies very well, but for some reason my brain just ignored the last name, as if I didn't even see it at all. I recently had my eyes examined, so I know it's more a processing glitch than a vision problem.

Things like this seem to be happening more and more often, and I'd be lying if I said it doesn't bother me. My mother had Alzheimer's and my Granddaddy probably did, too, so it's disconcerting, to say the least.

Well, that's enough whining for one day. Let me get back to something more optimistic. I am very proud of my weight loss and the efforts I am taking to learn more about proper eating habits and diabetes in general. I just need to keep my eye on that 50 pound weight loss goal, and I know I can do it!

I've gone back to working Sudoku puzzles in an attempt to help with my strange brain glitches. I've also been playing with an old Rubic's Cube we still had, too. And I plan on finding some more brain puzzles I can work on the computer.

Normal Days Continue ... Well, Almost

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +0000

For the most part I am continuing to have what I think I remember normal days were like ;). It's been so long, way before we started taking care of parents, that I'm not really sure I would recognize a normal day if I saw it. LOL!!!

I am continuing to check my glucose levels 5 times a day, but I've had more high readings of late than I did last month. I've even had a lot of morning fasting readings that were high, before I've eaten anything for the day. I have been trying to eat more of the meals that I really enjoy, and I'm finding that even when I think I'm cutting portion size and being reasonable with my choices - my glucose reading says I have not succeeded.

I am continuing to lose weight slowly but surely - down 13 pounds from when I found out I was diabetic back in April. I have a long way to go, and expect it to take until Summer of next year to reach my goal. I continue to use FitDay to log in my food intake for each meal, plus keep track of my activity level. I'm very impressed with this site, as I have a graph of my Weight Goal, and I can follow along to see if I am on track to meet the goal I set to lose 50 pounds. The graphs make it easy to see that I am doing just what I wanted to do, and that's encouraging. It's so much easier to stay motivated when I can find some areas that I am doing well on. It makes it easier to make myself be careful with my eating habits, too. Obviously this is not a short term diet I am on. I want to lose it slowly enough so that it will stay off, and if I'm lucky, I won't have as much loose skin, either. I have plenty of time to get my eating habits in line with what is the most healthy for me.

I have an appointment this week to get my first pair of diabetic shoes from my Podiatrist. Medicare will pay for one pair a year, which helps to offset the pitiful amount they pay toward all the glucose test strips I'm having to buy. I needed a new pair of shoes anyway, although these are not in a style I would have chosen on my own. If they feel good, and I stop ending up with the huge callouses I've had trouble with for years, plus take the pressure off the tops of my big toes, I'll be happy with the trade-off between style and comfort.

We're supposed to get our car back this week from the body shop, and we're both hoping it will be sooner, not later this week. These last few weeks having to use the van (AC does not work) has not only been Alabama hot, but it's taking its toll on my muscles, climbing up each time I get in. There have been a few yard sale stops that I just stayed in the van and let hubby go look, just because I was too tired to haul my heavy self back up in the seat. LOL!!!

I continue to read everything I can find of interest about diabetes, but I've probably read most of the important stuff by now. And, since I don't cook, I'm not interested in the recipe stuff, which is most of what is out there. Hubby takes care of lunch when we eat at home, but our meal consists mostly of a large raw spinach and vegetable salad, with canned beans and hard boiled eggs as our protein sources. We're not vegetarians, as we eat meat when we eat out, but we don't each much meat at home. That helps us keep our food shopping budget in good shape, and makes it easier to always have lots of fresh fruit in the house. We have added black beans and kidney beans to our diet as a result of reading a diabetes article about how they have a low Glycemic Index and lots of fiber. I do still try to get a lot of fiber each day to help with my elimination difficulties.

The Glycemic Index of foods gives a measure of how much a food will raise the glucose level, and how quickly it will do it. Every food that has been tested with real human beings is compared to the rapid glucose increase when pure glucose is eaten. It's a complicated process to get the numbers, but, once the numbers are available for a food, it is very helpful in making food choices. For instance, white potatoes have a high Glycemic index, which means blood glucose levels will jump quickly after potatoes are eaten. So ... no more white potatoes for me. The better foods in the list have a Low Glycemic Index, and don't jump the testing readings up much at all. Most raw vegetables fit that category, although a few starchy ones, such as corn and potatoes don't.

So, I'm continuing to read and learn, trying to develop healthy eating habits that I can continue from now on, and learning which foods send my glucose readings too high. I'm committed to taking care of myself, and I expect to be diabetes free within a year.

Wonderful AVERAGE Days

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Sun, 31 May 2009 11:38:00 +0000

The last few weeks have basically been unremarkable, and that's a wonderful thing. It seems like I've been on a roller coaster now for several years, going from one diagnosis to another, with changes of medicines happening all the time. Then the added learning curve of living with Diabetes to add to the mix. But the last few weeks have been basically NORMAL! I think that calls for a celebration!

I have an eye exam tomorrow afternoon, and, other than a PT appointment late in June, my calendar is empty. I've read and re-read all the Diabetes magazines we could find at the Thrift Store, bought a couple of calorie and carb counting books to help keep me on track with food when we eat out, and I'm exercising pretty regularly now. I even have 3 pair of diabetic socks, so I don't have to keep turning my old socks inside out to wear them in such a way that they don't irritate my toes.

We had a nice Date Day Friday, and once again I forgot to take the cane with me. Luckily, only one home had any slant to speak of to their driveway, and I managed it OK. That's a direct result of the time I've been spending on the recumbent bike, for sure. We still don't have our car back from repairs after the wreck, so I did get tired quickly from climbing up into the van over and over again, but hubby didn't have to push me in, at least.

My jerks are still well under control, although every once in awhile I will get small jerks, just to remind me it's still there I guess. And, as I had hoped, the Glucophage, which lists diarrhea as a possible side effect, has helped me with the constipation problem. I'm not having to take all the meds I was previously to stay comfortable.

I've checked my blood pressure a few times here at the house, and that has been very good, too!

So, I thank God for giving me normal days, and I look forward to a wonderful day today and week to come!!

Looking Forward to an Enjoyable Date Day Today

noreply@blogger.com (Dirty Butter) — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:49:00 +0000

This should be an interesting Date Day today. We had a wreck last Friday coming home, when someone we knew hit us from the rear going at a high speed. Turns out he was high on prescription drugs. Anyway, the car is the worse for wear, but we are OK, with no ill effects. So today's travels will be in our van, which is much harder for me to get in and out of ... but nowhere near as difficult as it was to climb up and then get down from the wrecker cab. That was a hoot, as I have so little strength, but I made it. We'll be going to one of those huge neighborhood sales this morning, one we went to last year when they had their big sale day. Should be fun!

I've started back exercising twice a day with the weights and stationary bike, but the improvement seems to be coming so slowly. I worked with the compost heap yesterday for the first time in several months. It's been a shame to put so much good garbage in the trash can, but with the strep throat, horrible cough, and adjustment to 3 new meds all at once, plus having a toenail removed, I just haven't been up to taking care of the yard. It just about did me in to work out there for about an hour, with several breaks to sit for a spell, so I don't know how much longer I'll be able to work on the compost.

We have some beautiful black soil from last year's efforts, and it looks like a little bit of the centipede grass that I planted last year may have survived the winter. I am proud of the fact that we only have a partial white trash bag to put out for the garbage truck each week, too. We recycle so much of our household trash that we make a contest out of seeing how little we can send to the landfill each week.

I am continuing to lose weight, which I'm very pleased about. I fully expect to be able to stop taking the diabetic meds, and maybe even the high blood pressure and cholesterol meds, too. "All I have to do" is get my weight down to where it should be. I've lost about 8 pounds so far, and that's the first time my weight has gone down in several years. Judging from the last time I lost weight, way back before I was even diagnosed with Parkinson's, I hit a plateau about this same weight, so it's up to me to keep on watching portion sizes and keep working at it.

I'm not on a particular diet, just counting calories and trying very hard to control the number of carbs I get at each meal. I'm using a free online program to keep track of my food intake and exercise routine, and that helps to motivate me. I also bought a book for diabetics giving nutritional information on a large number of franchise restaurant and fast food menus. That has helped me to make some wise decisions about what to eat when we eat out on Friday and Sunday. I was even able to have a very small amount of Cookies n Cream ice cream last Sunday, without elevating my blood sugar.

I am having one problem that I need to call the Diabetic Specialist about, and that's a nagging tickle that sets off coughing spells. I remembered my mother having the same symptom, and someone at church, too, so I looked it up. And sure enough, ACE inhibitors can cause a cough. There are other kinds of high blood pressure meds he can prescribe, so hopefully it's just a matter of changing from one to another. It's a very insistent cough, usually leaving me frantically tearing open a throat lozenge wrapper to get it stopped. And the cough comes out of nowhere ... even wakes me up from sleep ... very strange. It's definitely not the cough that GERD causes, as I've had that cough before. That comes from stomach acid irritating the throat, and I'm not having any trouble with that right now, as I take my GERD into account in planning meals.

So I plan to deal with the cough today and have a fun day, too. I'm pleased with my weight loss program, and hopefully I'll continue to exercise regularly, with no interruptions. I see the Physical Therapist next week, and I want to be ready for him. Maybe he'll even decide it's time to up the intensity of my workout a bit, so I can regain my strength. This old lady ain't ready to quit yet!!!