SweetLifeStories Diabetes Blog

sometimes it takes something that puts fear into your heart to get you to move forward.

for me, it came within days of running agility trials with Zoe, my 5 year old whippet. the chant of “something’s wrong” came in the form of pain; aching in my foot that wouldn’t go away despite soaking and massaging it in hot baths, and getting extra accupuncture appointments designed to increase blood flow. it stayed, along with much higher than normal blood sugar levels, that swept a raw fear into my heart and mind.

that kind of deep raw fear is something that sometimes gets the better of those of us who live with diabetes. it’s like a refrain–a low pulse lurking in the background of our lives, but there nonetheless, whispering: do you think you can escape the long-term effects of diabetes? this is IT for you; you might lose your foot or your leg if you don’t get those blood sugars down NOW!

i always try my hardest to keep my sugar levels low. but sometimes, it’s a losing battle. insulin resistance? maybe. stress? probably. usually, these episodes resolve within a few days or hours, and i go back to being my more relaxed self. happy in being and doing so many things i love! but this go-round, lasting almost two weeks, definitely rattled me.

how did i cope and what did i do? i kept upping my insulin (higher basal rates on my pump and giving extra boluses). and of course, when too much insulin hit me, i had several severe reactions (low blood sugar episodes). then my blood sugar level rebounded spitefully–into the 370 range. but at a friend’s suggestion, i joined a Zumba exercise class. it had been a long time since i attended a group class like that, but it helped. finally, my blood sugar levels came down, and the class lifted my mood and worries.

hooray for the benefits of exercise. i was even able to go without formal exercise the very next day; thrilled to be on a photography trip with girlfriends. but these kinds of incidents remind me that quality time doesn’t just mean time connected with others. it’s obviously critical–whether or not you live with a disease like diabetes–to be connected to oneself in order to make your own life as positive and healthy as possible. and yes, Zumba’s on tomorrow’s schedule.

B well, b happy. And keep trying to stay connected!

Until next time, kath

Jules and me, we go together like pb & j. We’ve shared our triumphs, worries, and defeats over 25 years. Our husbands laugh and share stories about our sometimes obnoxious low blood sugar behaviors. I don’t know what I’d do without Jules in my life. She’s my touchstone. A sister of the highest order.

Today, Jules emailed to tell me she’d undergone laser treatment yesterday. A visiting once-a-month specialist from CA who collaborates with her regular eye doc came to do the surgery, and the news is GOOD! No pain, no more floaters, more oxygen restored to the eye, and little likelihood of vision loss . . . all due to the use of the most modern equipment and genius skills of a retinal specialist. A miracle conducted in the context of everyday living, so taken for granted.

Both Jules and I can breathe a little easier now. We can get out our calendars to schedule more SOUL-TIME together. That’s my euphanism for what’s good for all of us–no matter what challenges we face. I’m so grateful for the small miracles that surround us.

celebrating Jules' bd 2gether

B well; b happy.

Until next time, kath

Kath + Tess' first show- Scottsdale

Whoever said life–despite living with diabetes–can’t be fun?

Having come back recently from showing my puppy Tess in our first AKC conformation shows, and entering  local AKC Agility Trials with my 5 year old whippet Zoe for the very first time, I can swear to the magic that intense participation in something–anything–you love doing is worth it!

I’ll admit I was a tad overwhelmed when I drove all the way from Albuquerque to Scottsdale for my first dog show a few weeks ago! Mostly, I was a little rattled at having to stand my puppy correctly as show judges scrutinized me, her, and other entrants. But it took only a day or two into the showing process (along with some lessons and advice before I’d left home for the show), to realize that I really could do this! And aside from the political aspects of the dog show world where well-known breeders and their dogs and handlers sometimes garner judges’ attention and the top awards, we did well enough to be encouraged! Two 2nd place ribbons, several 3rds and 4ths, and a world of experience in the realm of showing my puppy! Woo hoo!

Next up, reminding me of the importance of exercising, eating right, practicing agility signals and moves, and just striving to improve, came the AKC 3-day agility trial. I entered Zoe with a little trepidation. Like me, she’s quirky and gets stressed in situations that are new to her. But we’ve worked hard for almost three years trying to learn agility together. I was happy, knowing my dog had found a niche in which she could do well. But I didn’t know if she would hold up at the competition level. So we registered for our first agility trials to find out.

What did I learn? Because I didn’t give up, Zoe and I are finally a team. Running two agility runs each day of the 3-day trial was great for me; the stress, well, sometimes less than great! But the lure of working at agility to get better is, well, simply alluring. I actually have dreams of earning any coveted titles of AX (Excellent A Agility), AXJ (Excellent A Jumpers With Weaves), or even, dare I say it, a MACH (Master Agility Champion)!

Camaraderie with other agility enthusiasts, the potential to make good friends, the focus it takes to stay physically active and get  stronger to compete–all for the love of a dog and a sport. Voila! How powerful to find a niche that makes your heart (and not your blood sugar!) soar.  Ahhhhhh; all is well.

Kath + Zoe in Agility Trials- Albuquerque

B well; b happy.  And find any niche that helps u soar to new heights!

Until next time, Kath

Just a quick thought to share today as spring tempts us to be more active outdoors and blood sugar levels start to drop . . .

I love challenging myself to guess my blood sugar several times every day. It’s like playing a game, but the reward of being satisfied that you are close to being in the right range is great! Except, of course, when you’re not, but that’s a different story!

Today, for example, I was lured outdoors by the warmth of a sunny morning. Before I knew it, I began to trim a few roses and collect fallen leaves from the garden soil. An hour later, I started to feel a little shaky. I’d only eaten a light bf of egg and tea since I’d awakened at 170. But gardening worked its magic in more ways than one; I knew I had to check my blood sugar, and I used the moments before doing so to guess what it would register on my meter. Hmmm; I’ll bet it’s 48 right now, I thought. And moments later, voila! 52 appeared on my meter.

Not a bad guess at all! And a fun way to check up on affirming I’m in touch with reading–correctly or not–what’s happening with my body and blood sugar shifts. Such a strange way to poke at living day to day with diabetes, I know, but also an important tool to focus on connecting with my state of health, too.

B well, b happy, b FUN.

Until next time, Kath

The recent published study* (see below) about the high concentration of diabetes found within southeastern U.S. states gives me cause to consider so many unanswerable questions, mostly leaning toward incredulous denial. My first reaction? You’ve got to be kidding!  It just doesn’t seem likely . . . or at least, that simple, as a geographic preponderance having higher rates of diabetes than is found in the rest of the country.

The words used to describe the so-called “diabetes belt” jolt my reality. And that reality includes living in the southwestern (not southeastern) U.S. where vast numbers of Hispanic and Native American-indigenous people suffer from diabetes and its ongoing impact. You almost cannot talk with anyone in this region who isn’t personally affected by the disease or knows someone who is!  Thus, my disbelief in this simplified media report.

Still, I’m willing to concede, to a degree, that there are many factors that might have played a role in the study’s initial outcome. Larger concentrations of people living in southeastern states (vs. the southwest), high levels of diabetes running rampant in specific ethnic/cultural groups (i.e., Spanish; African American; Hispanic; Jewish-European; and others), group customs, socio-economic level, weather conditions not being conducive to exercise, and too little and/or too much access to food; all may have impacted the reported results.

But let’s be smart about this! It’s important (for me, too!) not to take the report at face value–other than as a warning sign that we should all take good care of ourselves. Exercise. Dietary awareness. Getting enough sleep. Doing things to relax and make life meaningful. Those are the most important reminders I can think of after reading this sensational study that makes me shudder.

B well, b happy. And b smart, too!

Until next time, Kath

* Here is the article in full:

 

By Catherine Donaldson-Evans Mar 8th 2011 9:53AM

 The area of the country that’s already gotten a bad rap as the “stroke belt” now has another black-mark moniker to add to the list: the “diabetes belt.”

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the southeastern United States earned the latest nickname based on data they collected in 644 counties to determine where Americans have the highest risk of the disease.

Nearly 12 percent of people living in the “diabetes belt” have the condition, characterized by the abnormal production of blood sugar, compared with 8.5 percent in the rest of the U.S. Currently, about 26 million Americans have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

“We have known for a long time that diabetes was more common in the Southeast than it was in the rest of the nation, but in many ways that’s not an adequate definition,” said the CDC report’s lead researcher Lawrence Barker, according to Reuters.

Barker and his colleagues analyzed national health studies and used that data to create a map of the country with the diabetes rates for each region.

The CDC’s report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, which provides more specific, detailed information about who has diabetes and where they live, “allows us to identify areas where the need is greatest and where we can direct our attention and efforts to prevent and control diabetes,” explained Barker.

The analysis brought a clear pattern to light: 15 different states had at least some pockets with especially high rates of diabetes, according to Reuters. Those states include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and all of Mississippi.

People living in that swath of the country were more likely to be obese and lead an inactive lifestyle than those from other parts of the U.S., the study showed. Those factors contributed to nearly a third of the difference in diabetes rates within the diabetes belt versus outside it, according to Reuters.

There were also more residents who were African American and over 65, both risk factors for the disease. But even younger, thinner Southeasterners had a higher chance of diabetes than those who lived elsewhere.

“We suspect there are cultural factors that are very hard to measure — for example, traditional diet [or] attitudes toward seeking medical care,” Barker said.

High diabetes risk showed up in isolated counties in other states, but the problem wasn’t as widespread in those areas, so the CDC didn’t include them.

The yearly cost of treatment is estimated at more than $100 billion. Diabetes sufferers are also more prone to other health problems like kidney and heart disease and certain types of cancer.

The diabetes belt has many states and counties in common with the previously classified stroke belt and heart failure belt, Reuters said.

When Reporters Become Targets

 Perspective

CBS News / AP

Until next time, kath

 Kathy . . . in haiku

      January 2011

 I was born early—

long struggling to find my way

in spirit and place.

Survivor, thriver—

I’ve learned a key to living

is looking forward.

My visions are strong—

realized through a camera’s lens

and other art forms.

I am a thinker;

creative problem-solver;

a great listener.

I relish in play—

everyday interactions

wrap me in happy.

I’m swept by passion—

more artist than scientist;

dreaming in color.

I’ve tasted success—

teaching and training, giving

to make a diff’rence.

Passionate trav’ler–

I love grasping warp and weft

of other life beats.

Still, dreams are many—

motivational speaker,

writer; gard’ner, too.

Despite challenges—

yet perhaps from their impact,

I assume little.

Laughter is a gift—

and opportunity looms

every day I wake.

Push onward, I say—

live extraordinarily

and never give up.

And those dreams? Still strong—

despite the cacophony

of spooling months, years.

They all nourish hope—

feeding every embarked step

of dazzling passage.

All in my quest to stay active and healthy both physically and mentally, I’ve been calendar-driven and goal-focused to the max. It’s not only friends and family who can’t believe how full my days are; I, too, wonder how I’ll get through most everything on my list. I mentally check off everything a week contains: a writing-critique group meeting, dog classes, 2 clay classes, photography club, calling (and maybe trying to get over to see) my parents. The list goes on and on. But then I take a deep breath and think, So what if not everything gets done? It’s working on the process that counts, and whatever goals and tasks haven’t been “checked off” should be worthy of my continued attention over a longer period of time.

So I am left wondering about the “whys” of overfilling my lists each day, week, month. There’s no doubt that keeping busy staves off overeating and my fears about the future.  But then I take another look, noting that most of my activities are fun. Meaningful, too. Staying so busy, keeping my daily life brimming with learning opportunities and connections with others makes me happy. Provides a road toward new skills, some laughter along the way, and anticipating new challenges with more zest than trepidation.

But I know, too, that building in some give time is essential. “Give time” . . . as in giving meaningful time to connect to others, and allowing myself time to reflect, to revamp direction and some of my efforts, where necessary. Thus comes the big question on how to manage adding too much: 2 new writing groups; 5 dog classes;  a multitude of springtime dog trials and shows; 1 new mentor photography group filled with amazing women and potential friends; weekly visits with one dog to hospice patients; all important, rewarding, and somewhat altruistic, right?

So why the nagging? Why do I still find myself struggling with how to embed the highest priority item of exercise into my routine: walking every day, for instance, or exercising somewhere–anywhere!–to manage my blood sugars, keep my heart healthy, and help my body and mind stay strong after so many years of living with Type 1 diabetes.  So I’m struggling, realizing that the 3-4x I’ve committed to x-c skiing and snowshoeing every winter month–for me an extraordinary commitment–are still not enough.

How much IS enough? Am I being too hard on myself? Or do I reluctantly realize that the Number One priority of physically taking care of yourself every single day when you live with diabetes cannot have much “give” to it month after month, year after year? So many of us can rationalize this issue by saying: both physical and mental nourishment go hand-in-hand. One is void without the other. But I sure wish–I think I wish–I knew the answer!

Until next time. B well, b happy, Kath

today– 1/1/11 –was such a lazy day. so c-c-cold here in the aftermath of arctic air sweeping down to the southwest, even my pup tess was curled up in front of the space heater. so i just took time to catch up on the computer, immersed myself in a good book, and picked up around the house. of course, lazing around makes me feel so guilty, what with not exercising or actively working on managing my blood sugars. but everyone needs to build in these cerebral quiet kind of days to reflect and move forward with new plans.

and those resolutions are definitely on my calendar:  3 new puppy training classes starting at the end of the week.  joining a local gym (a have-to, but all i can say about going there a few times a week is . . .  ”blech!”). and, if i don’t freeze to death while doing it, getting out to the local mountains to x-c ski in two days for the first time this winter!  i prepaid and thus obligated myself to 6-7 x-c and snowshoeing trips through february with a great group of people, so aside from whining about the possibility of freezing, i expect to have lots of fun and reap the benefits of getting outside during the worst of these cold winter months.

here’s hoping you’ve had a chance to plan out and make good on some health(y) resolutions, too! wishing a happy and healthy new year filled with ongoing zest for life’s passions to all my friends and family!

B well, be happy. Until next time, Kath

My life has been a whirlwind–turned upside down not by the expected stress of the holidays, but by an innocent adorable puppy! I didn’t expect or even want to add a 3rd dog to our brood until summer, but a friend of ours we know through lure coursing with our whippets begged us to “try” her as part of our family–one who is eager to train and work their dogs on agility courses. I have been training Zoe, our 5-year old, for over two years in agility (which is really to say, I’ve been training myself to do the right things!), and we’re finally ready to start competing. The skills classes and agility drills alone have done wonders for keeping my blood sugar levels under control! And they’re so much FUN!  But just how in the world do you just “try out” a dog?    

So our brindled Tesla (whom we call Tess) came to stay the day after Thanksgiving at four months of age. Despite turning down a pup from this litter several times, we were finally and unabashedly worn down by the breeder’s begging and belief in us. And zapped full force by the puppy’s adorable antics! I’m enrolled in not one, but THREE new year’s classes for little Tess:  Puppy Foundations in Agility, Puppy Obedience, and even the much dreaded Conformation Skills (yes, it’s really killer out there in the show ring, much like the world portrayed in the cult classic movie “Best in Show”). All to see what potential this charming beautiful smart-as-a-whip puppy has to offer . . .    

And I’ve unexpectedly found a delightful benefit of training a puppy: Little to no holiday stress or time to fixate on holiday food! No time = no worries. Oops; except for the albatross of housebreaking, which means I have to run, grab some reinforcing treats, and get Tess outside NOW!    

My newest piece of heaven

B well, b happy, b full of spirit and purpose! Happy holidays to you and yours! Until next time, Kath