Trouble with everyday realities of diabetes

Hold off on the walker because you have just begun the journey to better health and you don't want to think that you are stuck with a disease. Perhaps I didn't have much neuropathy and my blood sugar numbers weren't high, so in a short while my neuropathy pain disappeared with exercise in the evening if I overate, mostly marching in place. I also did heel lifts in the shower. I got up to 50 at a time. We are not dealing with a static disease. You eat better, you exercise better, you lose a few pounds, things change and so do your symptoms. Once you see the cause and effect, it is easier to control your eating because you know that birthdays are only once a year, so you might have pain from eating the cake, but you can make it disappear. I must admit I apparently do not have severe problems or complications, yet, so perhaps I am just lucky. I credit it to eating a lot of veggies and fruit for many years, but admit I overate the amount of food cooking for six and not wasting any of the leftovers. I still have cold feet but no neuropathy pain. I have nerve damage in my left foot which the neurologist thinks is damage from my back surgery. My big toe lacked feeling when she tested it. She said nothing would help it, but hey, I exercise my left foot all the time and know that it isn't getting worse. It could be problems from my knee replacement as well. Who knows. But I keep my walker in the basement furnace room, and never plan to use it if possible. I don't believe my condition is hopeless. I am very stubborn. Dorisena

Dorisena, you are a trip! I enjoy reading your posts more than any! Like you, I'm interested in so many different aspects of this world and am never bored.. can't imagine how anyone could be.. I'm pretty much confined to my home nowdays, as my feet can't take being stood on very much.. but I live out in the country and am surrounded by tall trees and blackberry vines.. herds of deer wander through our yard and birds build their nests in birdhouses we've put all around the house.. My husband put up a camera so we could watch one family grow up and fly away.. You are a dear, and I always love what you have to say.. We are a couple of tough old birds, aren't we!! Billy Graham had it right... and I'm just looking forward to a new address one day, too.. Blessings

Hotfooted, today I worked hard pulling up the onions thinking it would help my blood sugar numbers which have been higher than normal. We brought the onions into the garage and discovered a young groundhog in the garage trying to find a place to hide. Daughter has been watching them with a camera on the patio, so she arrived and put the cage in the garage. The young one would have no use for the cage or the dog food inside, so he tried the basement stairs, fell, and knocked himself out a little. Daughter took advantage of his stunned condition and scooped him up in a bucket and put him in the cage. She is going to view the situation until morning on the camera to see if the family comes forward to visit the young one in the cage. Tomorrow will be relocation day. We laughed so hard at the whole thing, which is good for everyone' health, and I suspect my blood sugar will be lower in the morning, as I went out in the nice evening and pulled more onions. It is exercise which makes for success. But my injured arm is not going to be too happy for a while. I have been willing to give up most of the gardening because my balance is so bad, but, but now I have changed my mind. Those onions are beautiful and Daughter is so good at catching groundhogs! I thought you would enjoy this story. The company came today to install the monitor for my security button, but I plan to wear it on my waist because I am no cow. Then the darn thing didn't work so he has to order another button. At least I will be safer in the bedroom while I am asleep. I will let everyone know how I like the security alarm after they get it corrected. It will cover me 600 feet in each direction, they said. Dorisena

Dorisena, I did enjoy hearing about your groundhog in the garage.. My husband discovered a porcupine in ours one night... poor thing was trying to hide behind a ladder.. and Fred, being a city guy, had no idea what it was even.. We left the side door open and it was gone the next morning..
I'm in California with our son right now.. and will be staying for a while.. He has decided that the Diabetes, Parkinson's, and vision loss have progressed so far that he needs more help than the caregiver who lives next door.. My granddaughter lives here, but works full time and has a long commute to her job.. Dad is here, but will be going back home to Oregon tomorrow.. The stress level is extremely high for all of us, but I'm grateful that I can be here with my son.. He is so weak, and very glad to have Mom here for comfort..

Hotfooted, I am so glad you can be available for your son, as my mother was when I was overloaded with stress on the farm raising three children and trying to do it all. Oh, how she loved coming to the farm where the eating was so good and I did the cooking. I hope your son is taking all the vitamins recommended for vision problems that my husband never knew about, and my sister learned about too late in life. I am learning more about Parkinson's from a couple of friends and reading what I can because I think we do not know enough about prevention in old age. I keep telling people that most of these problems are not "measles" and we don't get them out of the air like when I was a child. I am so glad we got on top of polio when I was young, and know we can eventually prevent some of the old age chronic illnesses if we begin to learn about them sooner in life. I have become a real nutrition nut in eating.
I feel good being on the nutrition team on the web and supporting each other. Dorisena

I can share what helped me and if it works for you, I would be very pleased as well. First of all, I watched my stubborn husband die, too young, from diabetes untreated as well as cancer. I vowed never to be that stupid. it worked for me to be disciplined. Second, my life got better as I lost weight, and I realized that God loves us very much, even when life is difficult, and we are protected from the results of bad things if we ask for help and believe we are loved. My husband never really loved me, but others can and some do. I learned to depend on other friendships for comfort and support, even though I thought I had to be very independent and do everything myself. Sometimes I can lose a little weight, so I do not gain anymore. I love to cook and have changed my cooking and eating for variety and good health. I have "winner" days and enjoy the victory. You many have many years to go, but you may not. Each day is an opportunity in case your life is cut short. Today, I hope I live long enough to see my greatgrandchildren, but I know time is fleeting. Well, I have to be in good shape to get to enjoy them, so I get up and get moving. I think of diabetes as an annoyance, not a big disease, and I study often. We can be winners.
I never did sports and had little ability, but I think I can be a winner with diabetes. I want to be on a team that succeeds. Please join with me. Dorisena

We are not in a wheelchair, yet, with humped shoulders, fat middles, and many physical limitations. I do not believe I will get in a wheelchair unless I get hit by a truck or something. There is no sign I will get worse and have complications if I follow the latest advice and instructions. I never have depression since I learned that it is anger turned inward. I have learned to like me and I have learned skills so that I am good at doing a few things that give me pleasure instead of disappointment. I never had a job outside of the home, except for a few years, and now I realize how terrific that time was for me and my children.
I think of the wheelchair and am happy that I escaped it when I had my back surgery. Another victory! I would rather be well than to have a cookie. I don't like chocolate cake and I really don't like mashed potatoes and gravy. I can put a smile on my face and be pleased most of the time. Once in a great while I have a big cry and sob until I am exhausted. Someone talks to me and I get back up and go at life again. I am in training for success, like the young athletes I could never be. I am 84. There may not be too many years left. I can still win a few victories, little ones. And I color my hair to erase the gray. Who knows I am declining with this smile on my face. Dorisena

@dorisena You have a wonderful attitude, you are an inspiration.
JK

God Bless All and this site

Thank you all for your support. I want to be on everyone's team and I want to abolish any loneliness. Dorisena