I'm sorry that you ad such a bad week, Donna :hug::hug::hug:

I'm gad that it is over, and you are thinking of things in a different light even though you will be very busy. I hope that all these new cases are manageable. You have such a great attitude :)

I'm so happy to hear how well Dan is doing, and to hear that he has become more involved with Kortni and Harmony. That's fantastic! :)

Glad to hear that Derrick and Devin are doing well also :)

Well it snowed again last night. Ugh, its supposed to be in
the negatives tonight and tomorrow morning. So we will
see. I am supposed to be at a case conference tomorrow
afternoon we will see if my car will start.

Derrick sounds and looks so good. Saw him on Thursday.
We went to the gym and he did most of the gym things.
So I was pleased I'm going to have to work on it. Because I
just did the bike I have always loved at therapy and at gyms
from before. I couldn't figure out the other equipment.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I am so sorry for your lengthy winter...sub temps is awful.
My family is vacationing in florida so they are warm.They always get out of the cold for a few weeks in feb/ march. Mom turned 80 this year.


Happy that you went to the gym with derrick!!!
good for you!
bizi

We got a lot of snow last night, too.
I'm sorry that you're going to have temps in the negatives. That's terrible! :hug:

I hope your car starts for you, and you can get to your conference...
When are you going to get a new car?!

I'm so glad that Derrick is doing well at the gym, and in general :)

Doing the bike is great! :)
But if you decide to get more adventurous, I'm sure that someone there can help you figure out how to use some of the equipment, and tell you what would be best for you to use.

Well We are due for more snow tonight and tomorrow.

Not sure when we are supposed to finally see spring.
The weather has been cold so guessing not too soon.
Just life. It will come one day I guess.

I can't seem to figure out how to find good weather, heehee.

I have switched my diet coke as much as I can too tea.
But made a mistake of drinking sweet tea. So now I gained
some weight. Ugh, I was finally doing some good. And was finally
losing some. I'm trying to switch to unsweetened tea, with sweet n
low and other things. We will see.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Donna,
 

I hope you are safe in the winter weather.



M

Have you ever tried Stevia, Donna? They sell it in boxes with packets or in bottles of powder. When I was doing the South Beach Diet, I used it as a sugar substitute and it was good, but I finally weened myself off of any sweetener in my coffee.

Thats what I bought the other day. So I could try it. It seems to
be working right now. I'm working to get back to were I was at weight
wise. Hoping I can before my appointment in a couple weeks.

Ugh, we will see. I still need some diet coke, because I need the caffeine.
Because I just can't get used to regular coke. But one a day or so is it.
So I'm doing better.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Donna,
zevia makes a cola with caffeine and it is sweetened with stevia. You can get them at your health food grocery store like whole foods.
They also have a kick off like dr. pepper with caffeine.
bizi

I liked Coke Zero, which is called Coke Zero Sugar now, but it's the same thing. It tastes a lot like regular Coke, but not quite. I really love A&W diet root beer and cream soda. They really taste like the real thing. To my knowledge, neither one of them has stevia tho.

zevia is the only soda with stevia that I have noticed because I look for that.
here is to some weight loss.
I just bought some hard sugar free candies....that sweeten with sugar alcohols. I will have to go lightly with them as the last time I had sugar alcohols was the chocolate when I ate the entire bag and had extreme gas and explosive D.
bizi
I believe dannon makes a yogurt called zero that has stevia as their sweetener so few sugars carbs.
bizi

I bought some Atkins bars when I was on the South Beach Diet, and most of them were really good. But I bought one that Corey tried first. He said it tasted funny, and it gave him terrible diarrhea. I didn't realize that it was high in sugar alcohols. He was not happy with me lol.

One bar would not normally do that. He must have a sensitivity to the bar.
bizi

He has digestive issues. He's sensitive to a lot of things and everything runs right through him.

Sorry about that Kay.

I ended up having to cancel the fair I had been looking forward
to tonight. I got up with dizziness and a slight headache and problems
with my neck. So much so I had even slept well, but went back to
nap at 2pm. Ugh so much fun.

Its better now but someone is screaming in the neighborhood, its kids
but they sound like they are in my yard. Which they might be.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Well its been a nice day other than it rained all morning. I am relaxing
after going to get Derrick this morning he has track this afternoon.

He will spend the night and tomorrow we will go into town for the
arcs board meeting and then I'll drop him and Doby off at home.
I"ll come home and relax on Friday. Yesterday was a packed busy
day. So I'm ready.

I went to my doctor yesterday, I'm not sure why but seems I've gained
some weight and for some reason my blood pressure was acting up
yesterday with their electronic machine. So they waited a while and
re-took it with the non electric one. It was lots better, so I think
they want me to get a meter, and I need to find one I can take it with.

I also have to start remembering to take my sugar readings, I don't want
to and keep losing my equipment. That is not good.

I have an cyst on my right eye and will see the opthamalogist in May for
that and a diabetic visit, together. Ugh, I hate getting my eyes dilated.
Donna :hug::grouphug:

could another dr. see about your eye?

2 months is a long time to wait.

does it bother you much??
bizi

No it honestly doesn't bother me at all. And this is the opthamologist that
I always see. And most of the other ones in town have at least this
long of a wait. The doctor didn't really think it needed seen except that
I need a diabetic check up anyway. So I'll just have to wait.

The other thing is the one I don't want to do at all. I will probably have
to bit the bullet and have to see the doctor about the colonoscopy doctor.
I am not thrilled with this idea. I still don't want to have to try to get
a different example of taking the prep. To many are still being told they
didn't get cleaned out enough.

And I'm getting another bone density test at some point.

Any way,

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I rescheduled my mammo and bone density for tomorrow morning.
bizi

I'm sorry that you have to do all this unpleasant s- :hug::hug::hug:

If I can clean myself out, anyone can get cleaned out lol. When the time comes, let me know what they want you to do for prep, and I will help you out without blowing you away, Donna :hug:

The best BP monitors are made by Omron. I would buy one made by them. An arm cuff is much more reliable than a wrist cuff.

I hope you have a nice, relaxing day tomorrow! :)

I'm glad that you are getting those tests over with...
Does that mean that your chest/ribs are finally feeling better?

Kay

My biggest problem is the arm monitor goes so tight on the arm that
it hurts my arm and the pain causes pain, and anxiety goes up or
whatever that is. So it causes my blood pressure to raise. Or it
wont read the blood pressure, so it has to start or be taken again.

Luckily I can monitor and retake at a different time. But another
part of this problem is thanks to the lymph nodes out of right
arm I can only take out of left arm and that is the problem its
always been harder to read out of that arm.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I don't remember if I told everyone about the dog fight the neighbor
had last night. It was right before I went to get Derrick from Track
practice. THis year he is just helping with practice pretty much.
They found him a bowling partner. But anyway, the two dogs that
live across the street that are pretty mean were not on the leashes
like there supposed to be. I knew something was up because my
dog, and Derrick's dog Doby were both really loud and barking up
a storm. Should have known why, but didn't think. Doby was really
getting into the theme. But he has been attacked by a big dog and is
skittish with big ones. But the neighbors dog got attacked, he is a
german shepard, and the lady down there got attacked, her husband
had his gun and shot it trying to protect his wife and dog. The dogs
ran I heard the lady that owns the dogs, screaming I'm trying to get
them. But if you can't control them, don't let them lose in my opinion.
Then her boyfriend was driving around trying to find them. And she
was yelling I'm trying to get them, with the neighbor talking to cops on
the phone. Some kid out in the street telling the neighbor guy were the
one went. I'm thinking and yelling tell that kid to get inside. The lady yells
the dog wont hurt anyone. I said, I didn't say that I said get that kid
inside period. The guy told the kid to go inside, because he did.

But gosh, why the heck are you letting kids stay outside when your dangerous dog is being chased down. Even when your own kids aren't always safe with
them.

Ugh, what a bit of excitement I didn't need.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

Donna,

:hug::grouphug:

What mayhem and chaos. Such a mess.



Good to hear that the kid DID go inside.


M

Donna,


You do a good job of taking care of yourself.


You can work out a system that works for you.

You are doing so many things. But please find way to do the sugar
readings. Where do you keep the machine? Is it in a handy place?


M

wow. how scary

I think you need to order one with a larger arm cuff, or order a separate larger arm cuff. The aides/medical assistants may be too lazy to grab the right size, or may not be aware that they are using the wrong size. Sometimes you may be on the border between one cuff and another, but it can make a big difference- not only can a too small cuff cause discomfort, but it can cause inaccurate (high) readings.

You will have to measure your arm to be sure you have the correct size. Usually there are directions for doing so. I would try the Moron site.

I really hope that doing this makes a big difference for you. Right now taking your BP sounds like torture :hug::hug::hug:

The situation with the dogs sounds just awful! :hug::hug::hug:

I hope that the poor lady and dog who got attacked will be okay :hug:

You are right that those dogs need to be on leashes, and thank God that little kid finally went inside!


Of course Mari is right about testing your sugars and putting the testing equipment in a safe place. This is too important to neglect :hug:

Yes I know about the sugar equipment. I was doing well and
then I misplaced the equipment. I'll start looking for it again.
I know about were it is. Just need to mainly find the machine,
or go buy another one. Probably will get another machine,
after I locate all the other things, the lancets, and the strips.
I'm pretty sure I know where those are at. Just not exactly
sure of the machine. Part of the problem is I can't always
get the blood to come out of the finger when I do the stick
so it takes two or three sticks. And that is so upsetting.

Its such a weird thing. But its part of me and life. I know
its not anything I'm doing wrong, I double checked with the
nurse at the doctor's office a few years ago that I trust to
help me with that. So I just have to prep my finger more
so I do. But it still doesn't like to come out again.

At least I'm not limited to which fingers I can use, or haven't
been. That would not make it easy.
Donna :grouphug::hug:

ps, thanks for the different sizes on the monitor, I didn't know
that they had those. But the girl did use the biggest they had.
But I can buy a bigger one. If so I'll find the best one for me

Did the RN show you to push up from the base of the fingertip until it's reddish to get a better blood supply up there before trying to stick your finger?

Also, still at the top but more towards the side of your finger, close (but not too close) to your nail is also a good place to stick. It doesn't feel nice, but you usually only have to stick it once, so it's a good trade-off. I would milk blood up there first, too just to be safe...

Keeping your hands as soft as possible by applying lotion regularly will help prevent them toughening up too much and making it harder to get good sticks.

The more often you do it, the more you will find what works best for you, and it will get easier :hug::hug::hug:

excellent advice kay!
bizi

Thanks, The pushing it up yes. And I have always done the stuff
with the nails. But it doesn't help.

I'll start using the lotion. One of the problems is my hands
are always cold so I try to warm them up first too.

It just isn't easy to do.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

also try holding your hands down and run hot water over them to warm up your cold hands.you can also try whirling your arms around. I know it sounds silly but really helps to get your blood flowing.
bizi

I'm sorry that you are doing all the right things, and are still having trouble :hug::hug::hug:

Sticking your hands between your thighs helps warm them up pretty good. That's one of the warmest parts of your body. You know what they say tho... cold hands, warm heart :hug::hug::hug:

Thanks everyone

I bought both a new monitor for sugar tonight, and an monitor for
blood pressure. I got it after we returned from Kokomo.

So I'll try it tomorrow. We got my car, an book case, antique china
cabinet which are both for Derrick's new house. And then Dale
bought an motorized riding chair that one of my sister's had
gotten for my mom years ago from her for $40.00 dollars.
He was just wanting it to play with pretty much. But if it stays
working it will be great.
We will buy the nice living room love seat and couch that are
many years old for Derrick's House too for $40 each. And that
is really going to be good buys too. My sister had really wanted
to sell these all along so its fine with me to buy them. I was
afraid she would want lots of money.

And the big thing was Dan is buying a car of my sister Dee's husband
Walt. He is a lot like my husband and buys vehicles a lot. And
has an red older car that Dan will enjoy for $500.00. So I think
we all came home happy.

We had a good day.

It was fun.

Donna

When momma is happy, everybody is happy!
((((HUGS))))
bizi

Well I got the results of the blood draws today. My a1c was lower
than its been in years I'd say. Wow 5.7. That is real good for
me. My blood glucose machine is working better I don't now
but I did I think find out that its mainly one finger that I can't
use one finger to take blood out.

It wont get enough out period. The others are working pretty
good. So I'm just going to stay away from it for now.

I am I hope working better with my blood pressure machine.
I had some problems with it yesterday. But it worked better
today, when I figured out what the problem was. So that
was good.

Donna :grouphug::hug:

that is great

Donna, that is an awesome a1c!!!!!!!!!
congratulations!
bizi

I'm happy that your sister didn't want a lot of money for all that furniture, and Derrick will have a lot for his new place :)

Congrats on your lower a1c! You must be doing something right! :)
You may want to look at a new glucose testing kit. Some of them only need a teeny bit of blood.