November is Diabetes Awareness Month!

Great! Since it's a short month, I guess I only have to have diabetes for thirty days.

Haha! Well, lucky for you! I've gotta have it for the rest of my life!

Speaking of which, how are you doing these days?

Are you over the recent episode?

Me too, but only for thirty days in November.

Hi Butrflynet!

I think I was having trouble a little while ago because there was just alot going on and I was sick and I wasnt eating so I didnt take much insulin. And I dont want to gain weight from it.
Im doing pretty good now. Im eating right and Im not skipping meals and I went to the doctors when I was in DKA and they upped my dosage and I inject like, 4 or 6 times a day AND I get enough exercise doing Gymnastics and Dance.

So, Im doing everything right and Im feeling great!

Thanks! No worries.

Good to hear, Gracie. I'm glad you're on top of it and you're feeling better.

Mother was a diabetic, as was Uncle Stephen, as was....come to think of it there's been quite a few in my family; both in the bloodline family and the adopted family...

It's not just the diabetes which is problematic, there are all the extra side issues which go with it, such as blindness and kidney damage and many other horrifying problems.

In the words of our hero, Wilford Brimley: "If you have diabetes, you check your blood sugar and you check it often. There's no reason not to."

Besides, diabetic comas and insulin shock aren't pretty sights.

Yea! Kidney problems and blindness. I'm not looking forward to those when I get older. Let's hope I dodge those bullets!

DKA was pretty scary too, even though it was my 3 time getting it. And the hypoglycemia sucks. When I was in DKA my stomach was killing me and I was soo tired and thirsty and my head hurt and I was throwing up. Ugh! It was awful.

I've been checking my blood sugar and I've been taking better care of myself so that's awesome.

Haha! That shirt is AWESOME!

That sucks Gracie! Please take care of yourself.
I read somewhere... a theory of how diabetes came to be, was that northerners in ancient times developed it as a way to keep their blood thinner and prevent freezing in harsh climates. Now that we have indoor heating it would be great if it just disappeared.
I have a few members of my family that have diabetes as well. Hopefully, the will find a cure and soon. Interestingly, one type seems to be cured when the duodenum is surgically removed from the stomach. Not sure why, but doctors have seen this time and time again after stomach bypass surgery. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Now, that's a theory I've never heard. I'm kind of sceptical though. One of the earlier complications is loss of circulation in the feet, which sounds especially problematic in really cold weather.

The Native American hypothesis is probably correct. With a highly active life style and very little exposure to convenient carbohydrates, the genes allowing diabetes didn't have much effect on survival, and so were allowed to perpetrate. With a more sedentary lifestyle and available junk foods, the problems become common. The little town of Farmington has its own Davita dyalisis center. Our population is about 1/3 Navajo, and are within 25 miles of the largest reservation in the country.

Sorry to hear, Gracie.

{{{{{{Gracie}}}}}}

Thanks Ceili! I'm fine now. I haven't gotten DKA in like, 4 years and the first time I got it was when I was like, 2 years old and I was just being diagnosed with Type 1. I'm usually really good with checking everything and taking the right dosage and eating and exercising and stuff. Everythings okay now.

Thanks, really! It means alot that you guys care.

I never really 'researched I guess' how diabetes started. So, those theories are kinda interesting.I always wanted to know how 'I' was unlucky enough to get it. My brother and my sister don't have it. My dad doesn't have it and he says my mom didn't either. My grandpa and one of my aunts have Type2 but they werent born with it like me. They just didn't take good care of themselves.
My doctor said something like it could be from a combination of genes or maybe one of my parents carry it or something like that. Either way it's totally unfair.

And yeah, we need a cure and fast!

Thanks Reyn!

S'not soo bad. It's manageable. I just get annoyed and tired of it sometimes.

I can relate to the health concern you have.

I had cancer back in 1995, but I seem to have beat it. Been clean since then.

[knocks on wood]

Wow! I'm soo glad you beat it Reyn!

Cancer sucks! What kind was it?

(I'm knockin with ya! )

Thanks, Gracie.

It was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Lot's of cancer around these days, despite all the advances.

Diabetes is tough, too. I'm sorry you have it at such a young age.

You're welcome Reyn!

Cancers tough and you beat it. That shows how strong you are.

Diabetes sucks but I can handle it. I couldn't beat cancer though. That's why people like you and Roberta are really amazing to me.

You could beat anything Gracie. Don't discount your inner toughness. Sometimes people get the wrong side of the roll. It's not fair but we all have battles and you, like Reyn, prove that the strong survive.