It’s a mystery

**Edited 7/17/15 (at the bottom)

I have found the cure for type 2 diabetes. You heard that right…I’m cured. Here is “all you have to do” in order to be cured:

Contract a wicked summer cold, go tent camping for 3 nights, lose your voice and endure a couple of weeks of 90 degree weather…without air conditioning. Oh, and don’t forget to throw out your back! That’s all it takes to finally see consistent, near-normal readings on your meter. (That and 2,000 mg of Metformin daily.) Amazing, right? Why didn’t I do this sooner?

Yes, I’ve been enduring all of those things during the month of June. Is it over yet? I haven’t had much appetite for a while now but the incessant heat has made it impossible to think about eating. Just the bare minimum to get by. Now normally, not eating would cause my blood sugar to soar since my liver hates me. Not lately. I can go without eating for hours and my blood sugar just hangs out near 100.

It’s a mystery.

I’ve been struggling with high fasting readings for scores of months and yet my readings have hovered near 100 for a week now.

Unheard of!

It’s no secret that I’ve been eating a low carb diet, called Esther, for quite some time now. I’m certain that my level of carbs has been at the extreme low end during this month of “fun”. I honestly haven’t been paying much attention. The fact that there are very few processed carbs in the house and I haven’t had much energy to climb out of my recliner, let alone shop, means that what I have been eating is most likely a protein or a vegetable. I’ve eaten like this for more than a year and never saw these meter readings.
 

Scratching my head.

The normal reaction to illness is to see higher glucose readings, so why aren’t I seeing them?

Oh…I’ve lost 7 lbs. I’ve been trying to lose weight FOREVER with little to no success and now…it’s disappearing without effort. I’m not even exercising!!!

Call in the Mystery, Inc gang! Scooby, we’ve got a mystery to solve.

You know how frustrating it is when, no matter what you do, your blood sugar soars or dips or generally freaks out? You know the feeling of complete lack of control you get when you do the same thing every day and yet your blood sugar is all wonky and unpredictable? Yeah, well this feels just the same. I’m not complaining, believe me. It’s great to see these numbers and feel “skinny” for a change but I know it won’t last. The fact that I have NO idea what is causing this makes me fear that it will disappear; that I’ll go back to seeing 156 in the morning and the scale in the bathroom creep back in an upward trend.

The point of this post? It’s to remind you (and me) that all we can do is our best. All we can do is eat as healthfully as possible, exercise when we can and take our meds as directed. Diabetes is going to do what it’s going to do. It’s up to each of us to attempt to steer the ship the best we can and hold on during the storms. What I’m currently experiencing might feel as if I’m cured, but don’t be fooled. I’m not.

**Nope, not cured. (BIG surprise!!) Here it is halfway through July and my glucose readings are going back up, slowly. I haven't seen anything in the 150s in the AM but I have seen some 130s. I'm still not feeling 100% and am still eating on the lite side, but I have had a few munchie attacks and my meter has noticed. If I stay true to my food plan, my numbers are acceptable but we all know that there will be "those days" when I say, "what food plan?" :D In other words: back to business as usual!

It’s Just a Number, Right?

Yesterday, June 15, 2015, marked the 10^th year I’ve been living with type 2 diabetes. Well, I’ve known about it for 10 years, I’ve definitely had it longer than that. I was diagnosed in June of 2005. I don’t know the exact date so I chose the 15^th to mark the day. Many people with diabetes call it their diaversary and celebrate with a cupcake or some other treat. I woke up yesterday and said, “Huh”. No cupcake. No celebration. It was just another day.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that I’ve managed to live with my diabetes for this long and not develop any complications. I’m thankful that I can deal with it, most of the time, without much struggle. But there are still “those days” when diabetes can take a flying leap as far as I’m concerned.

Things other than diabetes have stepped up to take the front seat in my life which has caused me to not pay close attention to my D. I try to pay attention to what I eat and since I’ve dramatically changed my diet it isn’t that difficult really. I still struggle with munching when I shouldn’t. I wouldn’t call those times binges but I always end up eating something that isn’t good for my blood sugar. Good old stress. I test, but usually only first thing in the morning and those numbers have crept up and up. It is obvious to me that my diabetes has progressed because I can no longer “get away” with eating processed carbs. I used to be able to handle them on occasion but now, when I do eat something carby, my numbers are atrocious.

I have a regular appointment with my HCP this morning. I won’t be shocked if my A1c is elevated but I’m not ready to make any medication changes yet. I’d like to attempt to rein in my food issues on my own; tame the beast in my head and corral the stress as best I can. If I can’t, then I’ll see what meds can do for me.

10 is just a number. My A1c is just a number. Diabetes is a reality in my life and it’s important that I stay vigilant, regardless of the hard stuff that pops up. Life has constant changes. Some are good and some aren’t but I can never let the bumps in the road throw me off track. I can do this. I can. So can you.