Living with Diabetes and Lapband

It takes a lot to get me out exercising.  Face it, my knee hurts.

However, it doesn’t take much for me to take care of my dogs.  Between allergies and some other issues, Macy is around 2 pounds over weight.  But she’s a 16 pound dog, and I ask her to do agility.  So I’m been taking her for a walk every day, in an effort to get her to lose weight.

I’ve been using an website, with an app (works with Windows Mobile, Blackberry and iPhone.  It measures how far you go and if you want, posts it to Facebook and Twitter:

Here’s a post: 

Kathleen Weaver Was out walking 0.90 miles with Endomondo. You can see it here: http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/nQW-4CMZZKQ

Here’s the plus on making the twitter and facebook post – occasionally someone sees them and gives positive feedback.

That’s really nice and makes me feel good about myself.

So Endomondo gives:

Measurable feedback

Lets your friends know so they can give feedback

Also, the neighborhood people recognize it and visit with us.  So far, I’ve run into a former student – twice.  And have gotten to know the neighbors better.

I just been told about and just bee to the Fearless African-Americans Connected and Empowered (F.A.C.E.) Diabetes Website.

Here’s their advertisement.

All 16 new fabulous webisodes include practical information, from cooking demonstrations by the Hebni Nutrition Consultants, creators of the Soul Food Pyramid™, to tips from a certified diabetes educator, fitness expert and singer/songwriter Angie Stone, who has been successfully managing her type 2 diabetes for the last 10 years.
We will be adding new webisodes frequently to the site on topics including:

• Exercise Tips with Angie Stone and physical fitness educator, Mocha Lee
• Barbecue Time – Barbecue and Soul Slaw
• New Years Meals – Black Eyed Pea Caviar; Sweet Potato Soufflé Bites
• Myths of Diabetes with Angie Stone and Shani Davis, a Certified Diabetes Expert

So far, looks like a good website.

I really want to stop hurting and the idea of getting a knee and not hurting sounds good. 

However, having my knee chopped out, having new stuff put in and months and rehab does not sound good.

I’m ambivalent on missing work.  It looks like I have a bunch of kids who want to take my class – if that is true, then I don’t want to miss work.  I had some stuff go on with adults last year, that if they go on again, I would be just glad to be away from them for several months.

So I got a phone call this week, “we’ve been trying to get a hold of you and you’ve been approved for more physical therapy”.  We won’t get into the fact that it is REAL easy to get a hold of me.  Leave me a voice mail.

I went to physical therapy yesterday and when I left the only thing hurting was the knee.  On Monday, my whole leg was about a 10, went to Massage Envy, and left at a 7.  At the end of the physical therapy appointment the only thing that was hurting was the knee, and I think it was down to a 5.  That’s good.  And I haven’t taken a pain pill since though I woke up a few times uncomfortable.

So if the physical therapy can bring the pain down to manageable levels, you can bet I won’t be going for the surgery!

I’ve been listed at this site –>  They missed that I’m the oldest diabetes blog on the internet.

Living With Diabetes: This blogger shares her experiences with diabetes treatments as well as getting lapband surgery. Recommended posts: "Still Losing weight and still adjusting insulin" and "No wonder I've been hitting the 300's."

50 Best Diabetes Blogs | Nursing Schools.net

@alfredtwo aked how someone cheats at 4square.  There is no checks on double (or triple, etc.) check-ins, so someone can check in several different times – yes, I’ve tried it, I didn’t think it was cool that someone who lived 20 miles away was mayor of MY park.  Yes, I have a park, it’s across the street.  I and each of the neighbors who face it get equal dibbs <vbg>

Also, you can check in via the week – which I am about to do now – by going to http://www.foursquare.com/mobile

Being mayor gives you an advantage at some venues – not many – they might give you a free drink.  Would love it if more would.  Of course at our park, you can get a free drink at the drinking fountain, or a free pooper scooper bag from one of the convenient trash cans.  Or a free ride on one of the swings.

So why cheat?  Well, to get free stuff is there is any.  Or to be on the leaderboard.  Silliness.

I see several specialists, and my sleep doctor was the last follow up appointment of the year.  He was pleased with the download of my machine – said I was a model patient – about 1 apnea episode and hour and somewhere around 7.5 average on the machine a night.

Let me tell you as a sleep apnea patient having a machine that shows compliance makes a huge difference in how the doctor perceives and listens to you.  Back in the day, the machine didn’t do that and the doctor, frankly didn’t believe you when you had issues.

I also asked him about knee replacement as I was pretty sure he had had one done – he had, and is very happy with the results. 

Nice to have all the appointments done and out of the way.

Disclaimers:

Glucerna OR Abbott Nutrition provided complimentary product to sample and offer to readers

Glucerna nutrition products are formulated for people with diabetes and should be used under medical supervision.

We didn’t do very well on the last contest so we’ll give it another try.

Here’s the prize:

A giveaway package for your readers that contain a mixture of great-tasting Glucerna shakes, snack bars and cereals, Mother Love’s book “Half the Mother, Twice the Love,” packaged in a chic reusable lunch tote that’s perfect for summer picnics.

There are three available.

Here’s why:

Glucerna and Mother Love, author, speaker and entertainer, have teamed up to educate Americans and raise awareness for diabetes. Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1990, Mother Love, who you may remember as the host of the syndicated TV talk show “Forgive or Forget,” made smart lifestyle choices to gain control of her health. Now as research ambassador for the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation, she travels the country sharing her success story to inspire others to take charge of their health to either mange or prevent diabetes. 

Here’s how to win:

First three comments with valid email address will win.  Tell us anything about how living with Type 2 diabetes has impacted you.

Disclaimers:

Glucerna OR Abbott Nutrition provided complimentary product to sample and offer to readers

Glucerna nutrition products are formulated for people with diabetes and should be used under medical supervision.

As much as I would like to be a spoiled brat and get the surgery over immediately, it looks like putting it off until November would be a better thing.

Here’s the deal.  They are saying 6-8 week recovery.  I have 36 sick days.  Best case is 6 weeks and that means I have 6 days left.  If it goes to 8 weeks, I have my pay docked.  Not good.

However, if I do it in November, I have the week of Thanksgiving off.  I’m also off through the 20th and January 1.  The optimum time to do the surgery is on November 15th putting the eighth week ending on January 1st. 

Yes, that means missing Dallas Market Hall, but Mildred COULD show Dulce as bred by if she looks good enough, and I would be up and about to show her at Nolan River.

It also means using only 25 sick days – worse case, leaving me with 11.

Talked with the orthopedist office today and am now scheduled for September 13. Getting lots of advice and will take any and all given.