[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]Hello Goldens!
I posted some of this on the diabetes thread this morning but I wanted to share it with this special group.
Today I woke to a fbs of 90. I did one hour and 15 minutes of aerobic walking and breakfasted on an apple with a little peanut butter. Lovely.
Today is an anniversary of sorts. One year ago today, I went to the lab to give a fasting blood draw for urgent labs to test for diabetes. I was terrified but I secretly knew the truth. On my way home, I went through a fast food drive-in for a bacon,egg, and cheese bisquit, cinnamon rolls, and a giant dr pepper. A few hours later the dr called and told me that I had diabetes. My A1c was 13.6, my cholesteral was 256 and I had borderline high blood pressure. At 50, I was racing to serious health complications or a heart attack. I had always considered myself a healthy fat girl. Annual blood work the year before had not shown diabetes, even though it runs in my family.
The dr (a dermatologist) was rather rude, saying about my diabetes, "it's not surprising - you are morbidly obese". She wanted to admit me to the hospital and when I resisted, she simply told me to find a dr to treat my diabetes. A couple days later (this was a holiday weekend) I went to the walk-in clinic and was blessed to be referred to my endocrinologist that afternoon. He and his staff have truly been a blessing.
I had a late afternoon appointment and I was such a puddle that I sat in his office for almost 2 hours and cried while he explained things to me and gave me prescriptions. He explained, in depth that diabetes was not a punishment for obesity and that I might have delayed the diagnosis but probably would not have prevented it. I was there so late that he had to escort me out of the office - the doors were locked because everyone else had left. I am not sure that most dr's would do that - stay until 630 pm with a new patient.
He explained a little about carbs and told me to "take baby steps" and start making changes that I could live with. I was horrified when he kindly told me that I was a candidate for gastric bypass. (no offense to anyone) I just had never considered myself to be that overweight.
I told him that I would lose weight and he encouraged me saying that 10% would make a difference.
I was on my way. At my one month appointment, he needed to switch my medication because my bs had dropped and I was having lows. At my 3 month, my A1C was 6.7 and he litterally did a happy dance.
One year later my weight is down 75 pounds and my last two A1C results were 5.5 and 5.0. My cholesteral is 168. My blood pressure is normal although I have stayed on a low dose to protect my kidneys.
I can't say that diabetes has been a gift. However, the new lifestyle that I have is certainly a gift. I look better, I feel better and I am more powerful and stronger than I have been in a long time. I don't know where my weight will stabilize but I can say that I am perfectly content with my eating plan and I feel a sense of accomplishment at my workout regime.
Sorry for this long and rambling post.
I don't have the words to explain how much the golden girls group has meant to me in this journey. You welcomed me, a newcomer, with open arms and generous hearts. This group lets me feel a little less alone on my path to better health. My love and gratitude to you all.
Rie
) anyways yrs of bad eating,no exercise bad back ,back surg,paralaysized legs etc landed me in the hosp for 6 months fighting for my life.which led to more wgt gain,sigh,the gastric bypass surg wasnt an easy decision but saved my life.here.s to new beginings for all of us.its amazing to turn your life around isnt it ,and i too cherish the "GG" and the support we give each other. and yes Rei my dh is like a big child lol.Hoping you all have a wondeful day 
rosey 
