Diet Update

Ok, I had to share this one.

I had my quarterly check up with my doctor today. First and foremost, I lost 11 pounds since my visit in August. Yes, I know I've slowed way down on the weight loss but that's ok. Less 11 pounds is still better than gaining 11 pounds! This brings a total weight loss to 64 pounds. Go me!

Just for giggles, I had her take my height too. Still 5'7". Not shrinking yet. Go me!

We went over the usual questions. I'm doing as well as I can be doing, all things considered. The big news is my A1C test. This is a test that tells you what your sugar has been running for the last three months. There is no cheating on this test as even if you fast for a week before you doctor appointment, it doesn't help. This test checks the average for the last 90 days! A diabetic should have an A1C of <=7. My first test I was over 10. Three months later, back in August, my A1C was down to 5.9 which is borderline between normal and diabetic. Today, my A1C is down to 5.7 which is in the normal range. GO ME!! Granted, it's in the normal range with taking medication, but still. I'm working on that whole medication thing. I still plan on being a "former" diabetic one of these days.

So, weight is down, sugar is doing very well. He poked, prodded and listened. Then came the bad news. More needles. I got a pneumonia vaccine which will now be good for the next seven years. That is a recommended vaccine for diabetics. Fine, got that. He also talked about a flu shot, but for the last 30 years I've heard if you have an egg sensitivity to not have a flu shot as the vaccine is cultured in egg. I told him my reluctance and he was jiggy with it. Good thing because I had no intention on getting a flu shot no matter what he thought!

I also had blood work done to check on everything else. If that's not bad enough, the girl in the lab also handed me a cup for a urine sample! For real? Women know this is barbaric. I just don't have the equipment necessary to aim my urine into something with an inch and a half wide target. I get more on my hands than in the damn cup. But, I digress. I was able to get enough into the cup on the first try. Sweet!

Aside from that, my back is worse. I have given up on most of my exercising because I just can't do it. Not only is my back hurting, I again have the pain that travels down my right leg. I spent too many years with this pain. Enough to know it's not going to just get better and go away on its own. We talked about this issue as well today. My doctor's advice here is to go back to a pain management doctor. Yeah, been there, done that. Over the years, I've been to two different pain specialists and have had four spinal blocks. Not one of them did me any damn good and the last one was so painful, I refuse to go through it again. See another pain specialist? Yeah, right. I'll take that advice under advisement.

That was my morning. I went to work and tried to work some sympathy out of Mike with the needle for the pneumonia shot, the blood work and the finger stick for the A1C. I thought that was worth the rest of the day off!

Mike's philosophy however is, if a bone's not sticking out, you're not hurt. Back to work!

I may have worked the rest of the day but I'm telling you, my mind wasn't in it. I am so excited and proud of how far I've come. I still have a long way to go before I'm done but I'm actually starting to believe I just might get myself healthy yet. It could happen! My sugar is definitely under better control than it's ever been, but this will be a lifelong struggle. Somedays I will win the battle and some days I won't. Here's hoping I can win more than I lose. I don't think I can ask for better than that.