Hi Daniella;

As someone explained to me, when we have an episode of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), that also, can inflame the neuropathy. I never knew this. I always thought, high blood sugar, bad day of neuropathy. It never occurred to me that if my sugar reading was like 60 (if it does that, I start to lose my vision), this rarely happens, but it has happened on two occasions. I was asking questions on this topic and someone on the boards explained that when your blood sugar readings are erratic, well, yes then, it can lead to the neuropathy flaring up.

So, wonder of wonders, I got up this morning and my sugar reading was 100. I could not believe it. It is usually 123 to 135. Sometimes it's 117 but never, never has it been 100. I have been good in my eating habits. Don't cheat, I walk every day. I just do it, I don't think about it. I cut out all the refined carbs and sugars a long time ago. Made the decision, implemented it, never looked back. I guess that's how my mind works. I think there's a bit of OCD going on there. But who cares?? Now my Lantus intake is 30 in the morning. When I began the Cornell protocol it was 46 of the Lantus, along with metformin. As I began to lose my weight, they first took me off pills. Now I had been on various oral meds for 15 or 16 years at that time.

I was amazed that they could take me off half my pills. So I began the 46 of the Lantus. Over a period of 2 years, they would lower it by 4 units at a time. They would go according to my A1c which kept lowering. I started Cornell with an A1c of 9.0 and now I'm 6.1. Not bad for a person with diabetes. A non diabetic would be about 5 (at least that is what I have been told). I go again in October. If my sugar continues to be controlled, I believe they will lower my Lantus to 26. Can you imagine?? From 46 to perhaps 26. They even believe I will someday be off all meds. That is if I can achieve a weight loss that is perfect for my body. Now I have no idea if this will occur.

But they explained this to me. As you lower your Lantus, the fact that you are on less insulin, well this means your body will lose weight easier. I never really understood that diabetic meds are a double edge sword. They keep you from losing the weight you wish to lose. The only oral med that doesn't do this is metformin. But in my case, it didn't do a darn thing except keep me in the bathroom, but I didn't lose any weight on it.

But as soon as I began the Cornell Protocol and I took this very seriously (and unfortunately I had to be the age of 56 to do this), well, slowly, very slowly, the weight is coming off. And it's coming off faster now, because I'm on less insulin.

I cannot wait until the day I go there and I weigh what a 5'7 inch person is supposed to weigh. I will probably start hooting and hollering.

I never knew a person of 59 could do this. And yeah, there is some lose skin on my tummy but who the heck cares. A good SPANX product (ever here of this), well, it holds you in and who knows you are wearing this.

You have no idea how it feels to walk into any store and buy something off the rack and if that something happens to be a size medium (a big size medium) but it did happen to me. I bought a skirt and it was size medium. I got it home and it fit. It kind of makes you want to continue on the program.

I don't know what I weigh. Only Alan and my docs at Cornell know what I weight. Alan knows that when I hit a certain number, he can tell me.

If that day happens, well that's great. If it doesn't, well, I will have at least done my darndest to be healthy. That's about all we can do right??

So you all stay fit and fine.

love, Melody

P.S. And about my friend with the diabetic stomach. I am determined to keep any opinions on her diabetes to myself. I mean, if she can tell a doctor "what the hell do you know", what would she tell me? Even if she asks me my opinion, I will say "go and see an endocinologist, that would be your best bet". I don't want her jumping down my throat. I'm just waiting for her to blurt out "I bet you think you are hot shi* because you lost the weight". I can't wait for that to happen. People do that, you know, because if they are obese, well they are not comfortable being around people who have been able to lose the weight. Happens to me all the time. I just smile and say nothing, because you can't win in a conversation when that happens. I just say "now why would you say such a hurtful thing to me". Then they sit back and realize what came out of their mouth. Happens all the time now. Never happens with the thin people though. Isn't that interesting?