Howdy Humble Readers...
We're beginning to feel a little like Noah around here and wondering if we need to build an ark. Another few days, and I may have to start checking for moss between my toes. It's been raining pretty much for a week. The upshot is that the grass is nice and green, but I'm getting a little tired of walking in the rain every morning. I'm trying to remember how I managed when I lived in Seattle for four years. All the rain never really bothered me then. Hmmm...
*****
I had an appointment with Dr. B today. Just another follow-up on my blood sugars. He's very happy with my sugars, and my weight loss (47 pounds down!). He basically told me that he normally sees diabetic patients once a month for at least 6 months as they adjust and commit to the changes they need to make, but he doesn't need to see me again until I need a refill on my prescriptions (sometime early August). Woohoo! My blood pressure was a little high today, but he chalked that up to the lingering cough. We did talk about my goal of being med free (at least for the high blood pressure) by my 40th birthday a little over a year from now, and he's very confident that I can get there easily. So long as I stay on track.
*****
Pippin has cut two teeth in the past week. So with the congestion from the cold he's still got, and the runny nose stuff from teething, my life has been all about snot the past few days. You know, I can handle the poop, vomit, and pee. But drool and snot just make my skin crawl. Ick.
*****
Ginny has been doing really well with her letters and numbers, being able to name all her uppercase letters for the last few months. Recently she's started figuring out that there's an order to them all, and has begun counting to 10 by rote, as well as singing the alphabet song. This week I started working with her on recognizing her name printed out. We had some dollar store beach balls from Pip's birthday party, so on one of them I wrote out all our names in block letters, and she's gotten very good at picking out her name. I toss her the ball, and when she catches it she has to find the name I say. Next we'll start working on lowercase letters.
*****
AF is here, and true to form, she's been a little strange. For the last 6 months or so, there has been a lot of spotting before and after, and killer (KILLER!!!) cramps. This month, no spotting, hardly any cramps (mostly just a backache)... just 'hey I'm here' and that's it. Could this be due to getting my sugars under control? Being more physically active? Or simply that it's been a year since Pip was born and my body is getting back to normal? Probably a bit of all three, but still it's strange.
*****
Planning on buying myself a new pair of shoes for walking this weekend, maybe some more yoga pants for when I'm working out, and a belt! Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've owned a belt? The capris that I bought at the beginning of April are already getting to be too big, and the jeans I got in January are starting to slip when I walk (especially if I've got my keys or phone in my pocket). Since another wardrobe of pants isn't in the budget, a belt will have to do the trick. I haven't worn a belt in more than 20 years. I'm super excited. Dorky, huh?
Showing posts with label Big D. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big D. Show all posts
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Spring Fever
Howdy Humble Readers...
Spring fever indeed. Ginny and I are both suffering with the crud... sinus congestion, hacking cough. Ginny seems to be okay most of the time, until she throws a tantrum (she is two, after all) or eats something. Me, on the other hand... oy. So much for a fun extra long weekend.
*****
The crud has been taking it's toll on my new exercise routine. There's no way I can walk 6km+ when I'm hacking up a lung. And quite frankly, I don't have the energy to do it. It's also wreaking havoc on my stick-to-it-ivness as far as the diet is concerned. I haven't given in yet, but it's getting harder. All I want are my old comfort foods... potatoes, fries, pasta, bread (and not just my low carb stuff. I want a thick slab of brioche with strawberry jam). MUST. STAY. STRONG. I've even relaxed my self-imposed ban on artificial sweeteners, just to help manage the pressing need for sweet. Diet Dr. Pepper, anyone? The lack of exercise, and the cold itself are making an impression on my blood sugars, not for the better.
*****
Are all toddlers/preschoolers more than a little bit OCD? Or is it just Ginny? I swear it's getting worse. The toys from her farm set CANNOT intermingle with her toys from her airplane set. And heaven help Pippin if he messes with her tea set or picnic basket once she gets them set up. Certain books have to be on particular shelves (ok, she may have gotten that from her mummy) or she will throw a fit. Meal times can be a challenge at the best of times (where oh where did my good little eater go?), and if she gets the wrong colour utensil or plate? Yikes! Please tell me this is a phase.
*****
A couple of you asked, so here it is... my thoughts on the new Star Trek movie. I loved it! (Technical difficulties at the theater notwithstanding... ended up getting a free movie pass because the sound was messed up so I can go see it again. With my Beloved this time.) I thought that it was spectacularly well done, and the story was awesome. Like the first in this reboot series, it's very accessible to new Trek fans, and still honours the original. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but there are some great tributes to the original series. And of course, the eye candy in the movie is outstanding. :) I never would have thought that I would find a Vulcan attractive.
*****
I've given up on "The Purchase" by Linda Spalding. I got 150 pages in, and it was just too depressing. I swear, if I wanted to read about Job I would read about him in the Bible. Life is too short to read boring maudlin books. I've moved on to "Shepherd's Abiding" by Jan Karon (second to last in the Mitford series), and I picked up a couple of books at the library yesterday that I'm looking forward to reading... "Lost Art Of Mixing" by Erica Bauermeister and "Winter Palace" by Eva Stachniak. What are you reading right now?
*****
It was supposed to stay nice all day today, but the clouds are rolling in. I would guess that we're in for some rain earlier than anticipated. It suits how I'm feeling. Maybe once the wee-lings are settled for their afternoon naps, I'll get a chance to curl up on the couch with my book and a cup of tea.
Spring fever indeed. Ginny and I are both suffering with the crud... sinus congestion, hacking cough. Ginny seems to be okay most of the time, until she throws a tantrum (she is two, after all) or eats something. Me, on the other hand... oy. So much for a fun extra long weekend.
*****
The crud has been taking it's toll on my new exercise routine. There's no way I can walk 6km+ when I'm hacking up a lung. And quite frankly, I don't have the energy to do it. It's also wreaking havoc on my stick-to-it-ivness as far as the diet is concerned. I haven't given in yet, but it's getting harder. All I want are my old comfort foods... potatoes, fries, pasta, bread (and not just my low carb stuff. I want a thick slab of brioche with strawberry jam). MUST. STAY. STRONG. I've even relaxed my self-imposed ban on artificial sweeteners, just to help manage the pressing need for sweet. Diet Dr. Pepper, anyone? The lack of exercise, and the cold itself are making an impression on my blood sugars, not for the better.
*****
Are all toddlers/preschoolers more than a little bit OCD? Or is it just Ginny? I swear it's getting worse. The toys from her farm set CANNOT intermingle with her toys from her airplane set. And heaven help Pippin if he messes with her tea set or picnic basket once she gets them set up. Certain books have to be on particular shelves (ok, she may have gotten that from her mummy) or she will throw a fit. Meal times can be a challenge at the best of times (where oh where did my good little eater go?), and if she gets the wrong colour utensil or plate? Yikes! Please tell me this is a phase.
*****
A couple of you asked, so here it is... my thoughts on the new Star Trek movie. I loved it! (Technical difficulties at the theater notwithstanding... ended up getting a free movie pass because the sound was messed up so I can go see it again. With my Beloved this time.) I thought that it was spectacularly well done, and the story was awesome. Like the first in this reboot series, it's very accessible to new Trek fans, and still honours the original. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but there are some great tributes to the original series. And of course, the eye candy in the movie is outstanding. :) I never would have thought that I would find a Vulcan attractive.
*****
I've given up on "The Purchase" by Linda Spalding. I got 150 pages in, and it was just too depressing. I swear, if I wanted to read about Job I would read about him in the Bible. Life is too short to read boring maudlin books. I've moved on to "Shepherd's Abiding" by Jan Karon (second to last in the Mitford series), and I picked up a couple of books at the library yesterday that I'm looking forward to reading... "Lost Art Of Mixing" by Erica Bauermeister and "Winter Palace" by Eva Stachniak. What are you reading right now?
*****
It was supposed to stay nice all day today, but the clouds are rolling in. I would guess that we're in for some rain earlier than anticipated. It suits how I'm feeling. Maybe once the wee-lings are settled for their afternoon naps, I'll get a chance to curl up on the couch with my book and a cup of tea.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Sunday Night Chit Chat: One Extreme To The Other
Good Evening Humble Readers...
I'm hoping you've all had a lovely weekend. Ours was busy but good. Errands, housework, an impromptu date night, church, and a fun/interesting afternoon today (more on that later) made for a lot of running around, but it was good.
First and foremost, we have had the most astounding change in our weather. Tuesday we had a daytime high of 1C. Today we got up to 28C... from winter to summer in the span of six days. While I'm going for my walks I've noticed that the trees are finally sporting green buds! Hooray! It's supposed to get back to seasonal by midweek, but tomorrow is supposed to be another hot one.
My Beloved and I decided, rather on the spur of the moment to go out this weekend. MIL came to spend time with the wee-lings, and we did a little antiquing (just window shopping, trying to find some interesting/affordable pieces), went for dinner, and to a movie. It was fun, and I did splurge a little bit on dinner (felt it later) but I did enjoy it. We went to see "42" as well... fabulous movie. I loved it!
The highlight of my weekend was this afternoon. One of the local malls was hosting a sort of antiques roadshow. I heard about it on the radio a few weeks ago, and made an appointment to have my family heirloom violin appraised (you can read about the violin here). The gentleman who was looking over my family treasure was intrigued by the history of the violin, even more so when he spent some time looking for my grandfather's great uncle in multiple lists of British violin makers and through auction records and not finding anything about him. It fits with the story that I've been told that he was a cabinet maker by trade. The appraiser speculated that the violin may be something that Frederick Barnes may have made it as an apprentice or perhaps as a hobby. Because there were no auction records and nothing about Barnes in the lists of UK violin makers, it's hard to establish a value. However, he said that it was beautifully constructed and even with the damage and repairs that happened when I was a child, he felt that it could easily be worth up to $3500. It's nice to know how much it's worth, but it will never be sold. It belongs to the wee-lings now. I simply hold it in trust. I just hope to hear one of them play it. I long to hear it make music.
On to this week's chit chat. Here's what I'm...
Reading - I just finished "In This Mountain" by Jan Karon early this morning. Now I'm onto "Plan D" by Sherri Shepherd. It's about her journey with type 2 diabetes and how she has managed to go from medication to controlling the disease with diet and exercise alone. I'm hoping to get some insights and ideas, and hopefully laugh a bit too.
Watching - Call the Midwife (tonight's episode was particularly heart-wrenching. Poor Sister Bernadette), Mr. Selfridge, and Bletchley Circle. I love Sunday nights on PBS!
Listening to - the neighbours thumping up and down the stairwell. There was a break-in in the building (a basement unit on the back side of the building) on Friday, and I'm finding I'm a bit hyper-aware of the outdoor sounds now.
Cooking/Baking - Typical Sunday night fare... lemon dill roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli, gravy. I did a bit of baking this weekend too... I was on the volunteer list for church this weekend, to make the communion bread. I tried a recipe I haven't used in a while, to make a brioche loaf. It tasted great, very eggy and yummy, but the shape of the loaf was a bit off. Looked a little funny when our pastor was holding it up at the front of the church. That's what I get for trying to be fancy, I guess.
Happy I accomplished this week - I hit my 10000 steps! Yesterday and today. I don't know how I'll manage it during the week, but with errands and grocery shopping it was easy to get there the last couple of days.
Looking forward to next week - I'm half excited/half dreading Pippin's birthday on Friday. How is it that my baby boy is a year old??? I'm hoping that the party comes off okay.
Thankful for today - The fact that the Big D is coming into line. That I have this chance to change my future and my health.
****Bonus Question**** What are the top 3 things on your to do list for next week? Wash all the windows. Clean the blankety-blank fridge. Bake a cake!
*****
This has been posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat. Click over to see what the others are chatting about tonight, or even better yet, join in!
I'm hoping you've all had a lovely weekend. Ours was busy but good. Errands, housework, an impromptu date night, church, and a fun/interesting afternoon today (more on that later) made for a lot of running around, but it was good.
First and foremost, we have had the most astounding change in our weather. Tuesday we had a daytime high of 1C. Today we got up to 28C... from winter to summer in the span of six days. While I'm going for my walks I've noticed that the trees are finally sporting green buds! Hooray! It's supposed to get back to seasonal by midweek, but tomorrow is supposed to be another hot one.
My Beloved and I decided, rather on the spur of the moment to go out this weekend. MIL came to spend time with the wee-lings, and we did a little antiquing (just window shopping, trying to find some interesting/affordable pieces), went for dinner, and to a movie. It was fun, and I did splurge a little bit on dinner (felt it later) but I did enjoy it. We went to see "42" as well... fabulous movie. I loved it!
The highlight of my weekend was this afternoon. One of the local malls was hosting a sort of antiques roadshow. I heard about it on the radio a few weeks ago, and made an appointment to have my family heirloom violin appraised (you can read about the violin here). The gentleman who was looking over my family treasure was intrigued by the history of the violin, even more so when he spent some time looking for my grandfather's great uncle in multiple lists of British violin makers and through auction records and not finding anything about him. It fits with the story that I've been told that he was a cabinet maker by trade. The appraiser speculated that the violin may be something that Frederick Barnes may have made it as an apprentice or perhaps as a hobby. Because there were no auction records and nothing about Barnes in the lists of UK violin makers, it's hard to establish a value. However, he said that it was beautifully constructed and even with the damage and repairs that happened when I was a child, he felt that it could easily be worth up to $3500. It's nice to know how much it's worth, but it will never be sold. It belongs to the wee-lings now. I simply hold it in trust. I just hope to hear one of them play it. I long to hear it make music.
On to this week's chit chat. Here's what I'm...
Reading - I just finished "In This Mountain" by Jan Karon early this morning. Now I'm onto "Plan D" by Sherri Shepherd. It's about her journey with type 2 diabetes and how she has managed to go from medication to controlling the disease with diet and exercise alone. I'm hoping to get some insights and ideas, and hopefully laugh a bit too.
Watching - Call the Midwife (tonight's episode was particularly heart-wrenching. Poor Sister Bernadette), Mr. Selfridge, and Bletchley Circle. I love Sunday nights on PBS!
Listening to - the neighbours thumping up and down the stairwell. There was a break-in in the building (a basement unit on the back side of the building) on Friday, and I'm finding I'm a bit hyper-aware of the outdoor sounds now.
Cooking/Baking - Typical Sunday night fare... lemon dill roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli, gravy. I did a bit of baking this weekend too... I was on the volunteer list for church this weekend, to make the communion bread. I tried a recipe I haven't used in a while, to make a brioche loaf. It tasted great, very eggy and yummy, but the shape of the loaf was a bit off. Looked a little funny when our pastor was holding it up at the front of the church. That's what I get for trying to be fancy, I guess.
Happy I accomplished this week - I hit my 10000 steps! Yesterday and today. I don't know how I'll manage it during the week, but with errands and grocery shopping it was easy to get there the last couple of days.
Looking forward to next week - I'm half excited/half dreading Pippin's birthday on Friday. How is it that my baby boy is a year old??? I'm hoping that the party comes off okay.
Thankful for today - The fact that the Big D is coming into line. That I have this chance to change my future and my health.
****Bonus Question**** What are the top 3 things on your to do list for next week? Wash all the windows. Clean the blankety-blank fridge. Bake a cake!
*****
This has been posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat. Click over to see what the others are chatting about tonight, or even better yet, join in!
Friday, May 3, 2013
A *Surprising* Doctor Appointment
Howdy Humble Readers...
I can't believe what I'm about to say.
(If you've been around here a while, you know that I'm not terribly happy with our family doctor, the underwhelming Dr. B. His dismissive attitude when I went through my miscarriages and his brusque bedside manner made for a bad start to our doctor/patient relationship. Unfortunately, the way the medical system works here makes it extremely difficult to change doctors. Anywho...)
I just had a great doctor appointment.
(let that sink in)
It was awesome.
Dr. L, the doc who diagnosed me with diabetes two weeks ago, had been adamant that I have a follow up appointment with Dr. B. So, I printed off my blood sugar/exercise chart and my food diary and headed downtown this morning feeling a bit anxious.
Maybe it's just me, but I have always felt that there is a lot of judgement out there in the world at large about type 2 diabetes. It's not like type 1, where you can't help it. Whenever I read an article or see a report on tv about type 2 diabetes, there always seems to be an attitude of "well, you did this to yourself you lazy fatso" (and no matter how true that is, no one wants to hear that). So, given all that, and my less than stellar relationship with Dr. B, I was sure I was in for a sermon about diet and exercise.
At the beginning of the appointment, before I had a chance to say much, Dr. B was going to add ANOTHER medication to my lineup, possibly even insulin. When I was able to ask him to look at my blood sugar chart, he changed his tune.
He actually started smiling. He asked where I had gotten the chart and where I was getting my information, I told him that I had just set it up myself and that I was using reputable websites to get my carb information along with measuring everything. I also told him that I was working toward my 10000 steps a day, and that I had just passed the 35 pound mark for weight loss (check out my new ticker up there on the right!).
He asked me where I got my motivation. My answer was simple (albeit a tad cheesy). I want to be around when Ginny and Pip graduate high school and be at their weddings. I told him I want to be off the high blood pressure medication by the time I'm 40 (a year and four months away). I want to be managing my diabetes with just diet and exercise in two years. And along with those goals, I want to get to a healthy weight.
I'm not targeting what the BMI chart says I should weigh, because I think that would be too extreme for my frame. I'm shooting for somewhere in the 160s, but I'm not thinking seriously about that yet. I have a long way to go to get there, and I know me. I need smaller, more achievable short term goals.
After I prattled on for a few minutes, with Dr. B just smiling away, he looked at me and asked if I would consider coming to talk at a town hall meeting that he's heading up next month. He wants me to talk about motivation and exercise, not from a doctor/medical perspective, but from a real person perspective. To be honest about the challenges and the rewards of it all. (oh yeah, there's going to be about 100 people there... Yikes!)
To say the least, I was floored.
I walked out of that appointment laughing, the exact opposite of my appointment with Dr. L two weeks ago. Talk about unexpected.
I can't believe what I'm about to say.
(If you've been around here a while, you know that I'm not terribly happy with our family doctor, the underwhelming Dr. B. His dismissive attitude when I went through my miscarriages and his brusque bedside manner made for a bad start to our doctor/patient relationship. Unfortunately, the way the medical system works here makes it extremely difficult to change doctors. Anywho...)
I just had a great doctor appointment.
(let that sink in)
It was awesome.
Dr. L, the doc who diagnosed me with diabetes two weeks ago, had been adamant that I have a follow up appointment with Dr. B. So, I printed off my blood sugar/exercise chart and my food diary and headed downtown this morning feeling a bit anxious.
Maybe it's just me, but I have always felt that there is a lot of judgement out there in the world at large about type 2 diabetes. It's not like type 1, where you can't help it. Whenever I read an article or see a report on tv about type 2 diabetes, there always seems to be an attitude of "well, you did this to yourself you lazy fatso" (and no matter how true that is, no one wants to hear that). So, given all that, and my less than stellar relationship with Dr. B, I was sure I was in for a sermon about diet and exercise.
At the beginning of the appointment, before I had a chance to say much, Dr. B was going to add ANOTHER medication to my lineup, possibly even insulin. When I was able to ask him to look at my blood sugar chart, he changed his tune.
He actually started smiling. He asked where I had gotten the chart and where I was getting my information, I told him that I had just set it up myself and that I was using reputable websites to get my carb information along with measuring everything. I also told him that I was working toward my 10000 steps a day, and that I had just passed the 35 pound mark for weight loss (check out my new ticker up there on the right!).
He asked me where I got my motivation. My answer was simple (albeit a tad cheesy). I want to be around when Ginny and Pip graduate high school and be at their weddings. I told him I want to be off the high blood pressure medication by the time I'm 40 (a year and four months away). I want to be managing my diabetes with just diet and exercise in two years. And along with those goals, I want to get to a healthy weight.
I'm not targeting what the BMI chart says I should weigh, because I think that would be too extreme for my frame. I'm shooting for somewhere in the 160s, but I'm not thinking seriously about that yet. I have a long way to go to get there, and I know me. I need smaller, more achievable short term goals.
After I prattled on for a few minutes, with Dr. B just smiling away, he looked at me and asked if I would consider coming to talk at a town hall meeting that he's heading up next month. He wants me to talk about motivation and exercise, not from a doctor/medical perspective, but from a real person perspective. To be honest about the challenges and the rewards of it all. (oh yeah, there's going to be about 100 people there... Yikes!)
To say the least, I was floored.
I walked out of that appointment laughing, the exact opposite of my appointment with Dr. L two weeks ago. Talk about unexpected.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Spring in the Shire
Howdy Humble Readers...
I'm hoping that you're all doing well, wherever you are. I haven't been commenting much lately, but I do promise to improve that, and please know that I am reading and following what's up in your parts of the world!
*****
Spring has sprung in the Shire. Finally!! Warmer temps are here most days, and it feels good to be able to have the windows and doors open on the hobbit-hole. I confess, I did have to turn the furnace back on yesterday (if it had just been me, I would have just put on a couple of sweaters and sucked it up, but the wee-lings were cold and that changes everything). Another sign of spring... my snow mold allergy has kicked in. Oh well. It means that summer will get here eventually.
*****
I have had a miniscule interlude of single parenting. My Beloved had to go out of town for work (to be on-site at the part of the company that he does the accounting for... does that make sense?). He has been gone one night, but I sure do miss him. He should be home in the next hour or so, and I'm very glad. I really don't know how the multitude of single parents out there do it, and do it well.
*****
For the last couple of days, my morning workout has consisted of doing workout videos (can't go for my walk and leave the wee-lings at home alone, and if I don't do it early in the morning, it just doesn't happen). I've realized just what it is about workout videos that I don't like. The host/trainer. The fake cheerleading/encouragement/patronizing commentary. It gets on my nerves and makes me want to spew a string of expletives at the screen. I'm going to have to get past it, though. Because once there's snow on the ground again in the fall, I'm not going to be able to go for walks. Any good recommendations?
*****
INPUT NEEDED: Plans for wee little Pip's birthday party are coming together. I'm struggling with the menu though. We are doing a beach/surf's up theme party, and for the life of me I can't decide on what to serve. I have the cake figured out, but other than that, I'm hooped. I've been toying with the idea of shrimp or fish mini-tacos, but I'm not sure. It's an afternoon party, so it doesn't need to be too much in the way of food, but I still want something yummy and beachy. Any thoughts?
*****
Something I'm pondering today... can diabetes have an affect on my cycle? And vice-versa? For the last few months, AF has been, well, odd. I start getting cramps about 3 days before she actually shows up. I was fully expecting her to show up on Sunday, because I had wicked cramps for a few hours (needed my heating pad). The cramps died down a bit, but she didn't actually make an appearance until today. Odd. And my sugars, which had been going in the right direction, yesterday jumped up for no apparent reason. Hmmmm...
*****
Well, I have to go get to work on supper. Crock pot beef with broccoli on brown rice, with broccoli slaw. Yummy!
I'm hoping that you're all doing well, wherever you are. I haven't been commenting much lately, but I do promise to improve that, and please know that I am reading and following what's up in your parts of the world!
*****
Spring has sprung in the Shire. Finally!! Warmer temps are here most days, and it feels good to be able to have the windows and doors open on the hobbit-hole. I confess, I did have to turn the furnace back on yesterday (if it had just been me, I would have just put on a couple of sweaters and sucked it up, but the wee-lings were cold and that changes everything). Another sign of spring... my snow mold allergy has kicked in. Oh well. It means that summer will get here eventually.
*****
I have had a miniscule interlude of single parenting. My Beloved had to go out of town for work (to be on-site at the part of the company that he does the accounting for... does that make sense?). He has been gone one night, but I sure do miss him. He should be home in the next hour or so, and I'm very glad. I really don't know how the multitude of single parents out there do it, and do it well.
*****
For the last couple of days, my morning workout has consisted of doing workout videos (can't go for my walk and leave the wee-lings at home alone, and if I don't do it early in the morning, it just doesn't happen). I've realized just what it is about workout videos that I don't like. The host/trainer. The fake cheerleading/encouragement/patronizing commentary. It gets on my nerves and makes me want to spew a string of expletives at the screen. I'm going to have to get past it, though. Because once there's snow on the ground again in the fall, I'm not going to be able to go for walks. Any good recommendations?
*****
INPUT NEEDED: Plans for wee little Pip's birthday party are coming together. I'm struggling with the menu though. We are doing a beach/surf's up theme party, and for the life of me I can't decide on what to serve. I have the cake figured out, but other than that, I'm hooped. I've been toying with the idea of shrimp or fish mini-tacos, but I'm not sure. It's an afternoon party, so it doesn't need to be too much in the way of food, but I still want something yummy and beachy. Any thoughts?
*****
Something I'm pondering today... can diabetes have an affect on my cycle? And vice-versa? For the last few months, AF has been, well, odd. I start getting cramps about 3 days before she actually shows up. I was fully expecting her to show up on Sunday, because I had wicked cramps for a few hours (needed my heating pad). The cramps died down a bit, but she didn't actually make an appearance until today. Odd. And my sugars, which had been going in the right direction, yesterday jumped up for no apparent reason. Hmmmm...
*****
Well, I have to go get to work on supper. Crock pot beef with broccoli on brown rice, with broccoli slaw. Yummy!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Sunday Night Chit Chat:
Hey Humble Readers...
All things considered, it's been an okay week here in the hobbit-hole.
The good...
Reading? I'm about 30 pages away from the end of Taliesin. I'm going to finish it up tonight and then dive back into the Mitford series.
Listening to? My Beloved as he slurps his iced tea.
Watching? Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridge. There's also a new series on PBS called Bletchley Circle that's an interesting mystery/procedural drama that I'm recording. Who knows when I'm going to get around to watching.
Cooking/Baking? Tonight was a typical Sunday dinner. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots, asparagus, and mushrooms. Was very yummy. Tomorrow is a new recipe for pork chops, mashed sweet potatoes, and roasted cauliflower. I'm very into roasting our veggies just now. Roasted mushrooms are seriously the best thing I have ever eaten. At least this week. :)
Happy you accomplished this week? I'm very proud of myself for sticking with my walking this week. There have been moments when I didn't feel like getting up at the butt crack of dawn, but this is important.
Looking forward to next week? Planning Pip's birthday party. I think I have the menu sorted out, now I need to decide on the cake and do some dollar store shopping for decorations.
Thankful for today? The things that make our lives easy. Dishwashers, washing machines, and hot water heaters (when they blankety-blank have the gas to make them work).
****Bonus Question**** What is your preferred method for contacting someone? (email, text, phone, letter, etc...) I prefer anything but the phone. I hate talking on the phone. My cell phone rarely actually is used for making or receiving phone calls. I guess I would have to say email is my preferred method, although texting can be good for quick messages. My sister loves to text and I'm just not that into it.
*****
This has been posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat. Click over and check out what others are chatting about tonight. And better still, join in!
All things considered, it's been an okay week here in the hobbit-hole.
The good...
- I've been consistent with going for walks every day this week. I've increased my steps per day from a low of around 2500 to a high of just over 8000 (target - 10000). I'm averaging between 5000 and 6000 right now. Starting tomorrow I'm going to be adding in my walking poles (for those unfamiliar... imagine ski poles with blunted ends) to help work out my upper body.
- I have been counting all my carbs (as best I can... it's an inexact science I'm afraid) and measuring everything. I'm keeping my counts below my self-imposed targets (breakfast < 30, lunch < 45, dinner < 60) and I may be able to lower those targets soon.
- My blood sugars have been dropping steadily, and while they aren't where they need to be, they are markedly improved. I'm not sure how much of that is attributable to the metformin and how much to diet and exercise (I'm guessing maybe two thirds/one third), but however it's happening, I'm glad of it.
- I have lost a little over two pounds this week, so I am less than half a pound away from my original weight-loss target!!! Woohoo!
- Pippin went for his first haircut this weekend. He looks like such a big boy. Less than two weeks until his birthday... how the time flies!
- We actually had weather warm enough for me to break out my new capris and flip flops. Of course, there is a possibility of snow in the forecast for the next few days, but we are supposed to be back up around 18C by mid week.
- While the metformin is doing its job on my blood sugars, it's also doing a number on my lower GI. There has only been one day in the past 10 where I haven't had an IBS flare. Not fun, and certainly not convenient.
- When I got back from my walk on Friday morning, my Beloved and I discovered that we had no hot water. If you've been around here awhile, you may recall that we had just had the hot water tank replaced a year and a half ago, so you can imagine how unimpressed I was. After waiting all day for the plumber to come, we discovered that our gas had been shut off. On a Friday. There has been a huge mess about the gas bill (basically, my Beloved who is our condo board treasurer hasn't been getting the bills. Our board president changed our service provider a couple of months ago, and has never gotten around to giving us any of the paperwork... like I said, a huge mess). We have been without hot water all weekend, and likely won't have it back until sometime tomorrow. Ask me how much I like cold showers and boiling water on the stove to was my dishes... I dare you.
Reading? I'm about 30 pages away from the end of Taliesin. I'm going to finish it up tonight and then dive back into the Mitford series.
Listening to? My Beloved as he slurps his iced tea.
Watching? Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridge. There's also a new series on PBS called Bletchley Circle that's an interesting mystery/procedural drama that I'm recording. Who knows when I'm going to get around to watching.
Cooking/Baking? Tonight was a typical Sunday dinner. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, and roasted carrots, asparagus, and mushrooms. Was very yummy. Tomorrow is a new recipe for pork chops, mashed sweet potatoes, and roasted cauliflower. I'm very into roasting our veggies just now. Roasted mushrooms are seriously the best thing I have ever eaten. At least this week. :)
Happy you accomplished this week? I'm very proud of myself for sticking with my walking this week. There have been moments when I didn't feel like getting up at the butt crack of dawn, but this is important.
Looking forward to next week? Planning Pip's birthday party. I think I have the menu sorted out, now I need to decide on the cake and do some dollar store shopping for decorations.
Thankful for today? The things that make our lives easy. Dishwashers, washing machines, and hot water heaters (when they blankety-blank have the gas to make them work).
****Bonus Question**** What is your preferred method for contacting someone? (email, text, phone, letter, etc...) I prefer anything but the phone. I hate talking on the phone. My cell phone rarely actually is used for making or receiving phone calls. I guess I would have to say email is my preferred method, although texting can be good for quick messages. My sister loves to text and I'm just not that into it.
*****
This has been posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat. Click over and check out what others are chatting about tonight. And better still, join in!
Monday, April 22, 2013
The Plan: Phase One
Hey Humble Readers...
When I got home from the doctor's office on Friday, and was all kinds of a wreck about the diabetes, my Beloved was amazing. He held me as I cried, didn't judge me, and told me that we are in this together. He refuses to hear any negativity from me about this, and in no uncertain terms am I allowed to throw the towel in.
Over the weekend we began to formulate our plan to battle this. Phase one is primarily changing how I think about the whole issue.
First and foremost, my self worth will NEVER EVER be defined by the number that shows up on my glucometer. A bad blood sugar reading does not mean I am a bad person. Shame has no place in getting healthy. My blood sugar numbers are between me, my Beloved, and my doc. No one else needs to know where I'm at.
Second, type 2 diabetes does not happen overnight. It took me 38 years to screw up my body, it's not going to be fixed overnight. In order to make some serious life-long changes in my life, I have to build better habits. And habits take time to develop. We are going to tackle things in small steps. I know me, and if I try to make huge sweeping changes all at once, I will slip up. And a slip up will make me feel like a failure, and I will want to give up. Small changes will lead to larger changes.
Third, we both recognize that insulin is a hormone, and as such it can have a pretty serious affect on my mood. I have to be proactive about recognizing that I'm in a funk and do something about it. Putting on my favourite music and dancing around the house, going outside and breathing some fresh air, or finding something to laugh at (like a stupid video on youtube or my pinterest board full of funnies). When I get into a funk, I am more likely to turn into a slug and make poor food choices. Best not to let it happen, if I can help it.
On the practical side, I will...
Dr. B will likely have a few things to say about this plan, and it doesn't really deal with the cholesterol issue in any way. But this is a start.
As always, Humble Readers, I value your suggestions and your input.
When I got home from the doctor's office on Friday, and was all kinds of a wreck about the diabetes, my Beloved was amazing. He held me as I cried, didn't judge me, and told me that we are in this together. He refuses to hear any negativity from me about this, and in no uncertain terms am I allowed to throw the towel in.
Over the weekend we began to formulate our plan to battle this. Phase one is primarily changing how I think about the whole issue.
First and foremost, my self worth will NEVER EVER be defined by the number that shows up on my glucometer. A bad blood sugar reading does not mean I am a bad person. Shame has no place in getting healthy. My blood sugar numbers are between me, my Beloved, and my doc. No one else needs to know where I'm at.
Second, type 2 diabetes does not happen overnight. It took me 38 years to screw up my body, it's not going to be fixed overnight. In order to make some serious life-long changes in my life, I have to build better habits. And habits take time to develop. We are going to tackle things in small steps. I know me, and if I try to make huge sweeping changes all at once, I will slip up. And a slip up will make me feel like a failure, and I will want to give up. Small changes will lead to larger changes.
Third, we both recognize that insulin is a hormone, and as such it can have a pretty serious affect on my mood. I have to be proactive about recognizing that I'm in a funk and do something about it. Putting on my favourite music and dancing around the house, going outside and breathing some fresh air, or finding something to laugh at (like a stupid video on youtube or my pinterest board full of funnies). When I get into a funk, I am more likely to turn into a slug and make poor food choices. Best not to let it happen, if I can help it.
On the practical side, I will...
- Keep the fridge stocked with veggies and fruit to make snacking healthier.
- Continue to drink 4-6 litres of water every day, and have cinnamon tea at least once a day
- Stay on top of my meds.
- Focus on my carb counts... max 30 at breakfast, 45 at lunch, and 60 at dinner.
- Work on getting my 10000 steps a day. (I acknowledge that it will take some time to build up to that.) I am starting by walking early in the morning while my Beloved is getting ready for work.
- Check my blood sugars twice a day.
- Record everything. My sugars. My food intake. My exercise. This will keep me honest, and I will have it to show my doctor.
- Allow myself the occasional small treat, not as a reward, but because deprivation will lead to resentment, which will lead to cheating, which will lead to giving up.
- Allow myself non-food rewards for achieving particular goals. (First up - new work out clothes when I see a particular number on the scale. 12.5 pounds to go!)
Dr. B will likely have a few things to say about this plan, and it doesn't really deal with the cholesterol issue in any way. But this is a start.
As always, Humble Readers, I value your suggestions and your input.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Sunday Night Chit Chat: Moving Forward
Howdy Humble Readers...
First and foremost, thank you all for your kind words on my last post. While I'm still not in a great emotional place about the whole thing, I am doing much better than I was on Friday. This weekend has been all about wrapping my head around my new reality. The metformin has been a biotch, no two ways about it. I'm praying that maybe after a couple of weeks my body will adjust to it and not have to spend quite so much time in the bathroom. Metformin + IBS = hell.
My Beloved and I are formulating a plan, and when I see Dr. B in a couple of weeks I hope that I will have a bit of a change already in progress. I'll tell you all about the plan tomorrow.
Oh, and guess what? It snowed again this weekend. Argh!
Ok, on to the Chit Chat...
Here's what I'm
Reading - Still rereading Taliesin by Lawhead. I love it. It always takes me a bit longer to read fantasy, but I'm really enjoying it.
Listening To - Nothing in particular just now. However, since I joined the 21st century and began downloading music, I have found that I listen to it a lot more. I've been spending some time tracking down some favourites that I have never actually owned (like K.D. Lang's rendition of "Halleluiah")
Watching - It's Sunday, so that means Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridge. I love CTM, and I really enjoy most of the characters in Selfridge, I have to admit that Mr. Selfridge himself is a bit irritating. I'm not sure if it's how he's written, if he was really like that, or if it's Jeremy Pivin's portrayal of him.
Cooking/Baking - Tonight was a balsamic pork roast, mashed potatoes (I just had a little bit), and roasted broccoli. I'm excited because I've decided I'm going to try faro this week. I came across a few new vegetarian recipes that I want to try, and faro is the primary ingredient in one of them. I'll let you know how it goes.
Happy I accomplished this week - We converted Ginny's crib to a toddler bed this week. She had finally started climbing out, so it was time. It's been a challenging few days to say the least. She seems to do better at night than she does at naptime. One concession we have made for her is to allow her to have a couple of books in bed with her. It seems to make her more settled in bed. Everything is a process, right?
Looking forward to next week - While I'm sure it sounds ridiculous, I'm looking forward to cleaning my fridge. It's one of those jobs that I'm terrible about getting to, and I've hit my breaking point. I'm going to clean it on Thursday, when it's at its emptiest.
Thankful for - You all. Your encouragement, your continued patience with my prattling and my absences. You are wonderful.
****Bonus Question**** Fill in the blank: I am by far the biggest ______ snob. Water, no doubt about it. My family used to own a water purification company, and as a result I can't drink any water that isn't purified by reverse osmosis. I can even tell when the filters in our RO need changing just by taste.
******
This has been posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat. Pop over and check out what the others are sharing this evening.
First and foremost, thank you all for your kind words on my last post. While I'm still not in a great emotional place about the whole thing, I am doing much better than I was on Friday. This weekend has been all about wrapping my head around my new reality. The metformin has been a biotch, no two ways about it. I'm praying that maybe after a couple of weeks my body will adjust to it and not have to spend quite so much time in the bathroom. Metformin + IBS = hell.
 |
| OMG My Pancreas Just Texted! |
Oh, and guess what? It snowed again this weekend. Argh!
Ok, on to the Chit Chat...
Here's what I'm
Reading - Still rereading Taliesin by Lawhead. I love it. It always takes me a bit longer to read fantasy, but I'm really enjoying it.
Listening To - Nothing in particular just now. However, since I joined the 21st century and began downloading music, I have found that I listen to it a lot more. I've been spending some time tracking down some favourites that I have never actually owned (like K.D. Lang's rendition of "Halleluiah")
Watching - It's Sunday, so that means Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridge. I love CTM, and I really enjoy most of the characters in Selfridge, I have to admit that Mr. Selfridge himself is a bit irritating. I'm not sure if it's how he's written, if he was really like that, or if it's Jeremy Pivin's portrayal of him.
Cooking/Baking - Tonight was a balsamic pork roast, mashed potatoes (I just had a little bit), and roasted broccoli. I'm excited because I've decided I'm going to try faro this week. I came across a few new vegetarian recipes that I want to try, and faro is the primary ingredient in one of them. I'll let you know how it goes.
Happy I accomplished this week - We converted Ginny's crib to a toddler bed this week. She had finally started climbing out, so it was time. It's been a challenging few days to say the least. She seems to do better at night than she does at naptime. One concession we have made for her is to allow her to have a couple of books in bed with her. It seems to make her more settled in bed. Everything is a process, right?
Looking forward to next week - While I'm sure it sounds ridiculous, I'm looking forward to cleaning my fridge. It's one of those jobs that I'm terrible about getting to, and I've hit my breaking point. I'm going to clean it on Thursday, when it's at its emptiest.
Thankful for - You all. Your encouragement, your continued patience with my prattling and my absences. You are wonderful.
****Bonus Question**** Fill in the blank: I am by far the biggest ______ snob. Water, no doubt about it. My family used to own a water purification company, and as a result I can't drink any water that isn't purified by reverse osmosis. I can even tell when the filters in our RO need changing just by taste.
******
This has been posted as a part of Carla's Sunday Night Chit Chat. Pop over and check out what the others are sharing this evening.
Friday, April 19, 2013
The Big D
Hey Humble Readers...
So, yeah, I went to the doctor today. Got some not so great news.
I went in because the yeast beast that I had a couple of months ago has not gone away entirely. It has just kept on flaring up (and making me mega miserable in the process). I was hoping for a rx cream or something.
I wasn't able to see the Dr. B due the short notice, so I saw Dr. L (one of his associates). She was friendly enough, but as soon as she pulled up my file, her demeanour changed. To back up a bit, I had to go in for an rx refill for my blood pressure meds a few weeks ago. Dr. B gave me a req for some bloodwork. He wanted to follow up on my blood sugars since it's been almost a year since Pip was born and my cholesterol because of my weightloss (hoping it had gone down).
Let's just say that things are bad.
My blood sugars are through the roof. And my cholesterol is pretty awful too.
Needless to say what I was hoping was going to be a relatively quick, albeit uncomfortable (always awkward having a stranger look at your lady bits, especially when they aren't at their best) appointment that would result in a rx for cream to stop the itch.
Instead I walked out of there barely holding it together and feeling like a big old failure. I am officially diabetic. I'm a friggin' statistic. I'm one of those faceless bellies that they always show on the news when they talk about type 2 diabetes and the 'obesity epidemic'.
So, in addition to my blood pressure meds, I am now on metformin (and I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the bathroom now... lovely), oral meds and cream for the yeast beast (totally connected to the big D), and in a couple of weeks Dr. B and I will be discussing meds for my cholesterol.
I guess this explains my lethargy and exhaustion. I just feel like a big old idiot and failure.
I know that in a few days, I will be able to have my brain wrapped around all this. I need a game plan.
Right now I'm just wallowing.
So, yeah, I went to the doctor today. Got some not so great news.
I went in because the yeast beast that I had a couple of months ago has not gone away entirely. It has just kept on flaring up (and making me mega miserable in the process). I was hoping for a rx cream or something.
I wasn't able to see the Dr. B due the short notice, so I saw Dr. L (one of his associates). She was friendly enough, but as soon as she pulled up my file, her demeanour changed. To back up a bit, I had to go in for an rx refill for my blood pressure meds a few weeks ago. Dr. B gave me a req for some bloodwork. He wanted to follow up on my blood sugars since it's been almost a year since Pip was born and my cholesterol because of my weightloss (hoping it had gone down).
Let's just say that things are bad.
My blood sugars are through the roof. And my cholesterol is pretty awful too.
Needless to say what I was hoping was going to be a relatively quick, albeit uncomfortable (always awkward having a stranger look at your lady bits, especially when they aren't at their best) appointment that would result in a rx for cream to stop the itch.
Instead I walked out of there barely holding it together and feeling like a big old failure. I am officially diabetic. I'm a friggin' statistic. I'm one of those faceless bellies that they always show on the news when they talk about type 2 diabetes and the 'obesity epidemic'.
So, in addition to my blood pressure meds, I am now on metformin (and I'm going to be spending a lot of time in the bathroom now... lovely), oral meds and cream for the yeast beast (totally connected to the big D), and in a couple of weeks Dr. B and I will be discussing meds for my cholesterol.
I guess this explains my lethargy and exhaustion. I just feel like a big old idiot and failure.
I know that in a few days, I will be able to have my brain wrapped around all this. I need a game plan.
Right now I'm just wallowing.
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