Interesting comment about the "some people will never understand me."

We are having a law day dinner dance in May. I have tried twice to nail down
what the menu is and the student body president says amorphously - oh, chicken,
starch, vegetable and dessert. I have told her twice that I have dietary
restrictions and I must know if the chicken is fried or baked, whether it has a
sauce or not and what the sauce has in it (starch/sugar). She is totally
unwilling to even discuss it. There is a fair amount of expectation that I will
pay the big bucks to attend because I am the school newspaper editor. If I were
Orthodox Jewish or observant Muslim and needed a meal I could eat, she would not
be so blase. I figure if I pay $40 a ticket for a dinner dance where I can’t
eat the food without harming myself and, as a hard-of-hearing person I have to
shout over a DJ to other people who are shouting over the DJ and over other

people’s shouts that it just ain’t worth it. One I could endure, both are just
too much.

I have worked too hard for too long to get the modest BG dimunition I have to
blow it. I also refuse to go somewhere I cannot eat for hours because the SBA
won’t deal with a health need. I can only imagine what they’d do if attended,
brough all my own food in a cooler and refused to eat - I doubt the country club
would allow it.

I don’t really think that asking the person who is planning the dinner to find
out what is being cooked (is the chicken baked or fried, coated or plain, sauced
or not, and what the sauce contains) is over out line.

So, I vote with my dollars and my feet - I won’t pay and I won’t attend. I
don’t make a huge deal of it, but when SBA members try nailing me to the wall
about why I won’t attend I tell them that it is because they refuse to make it
possible for me to attend by giving me food I can eat. Sheesh - one wonders if
they would have a chicken peanut dish that would kill the dean and if by
pointing out that peanuts could kill him he would be considered cranky and
inconsiderate. 8^P

Cheers!
Marsha

It’s interesting, but I never had any back pain with my back problems.
It was the sciatic nerve down my leg that caused me the grief. My back
didn’t hurt even after the surgery. I didn’t study anatomy in high
school or college, so what did I know about that particular nerve? <g> I
thought it was my knee, which took the brunt of most of the sciatic
pain. After surgery, I had worse pain in my leg because the nerve was
waking up, and now my leg feels partially numb. But I’m functioning and
can walk two miles, and probably more. I just can’t sit for any length
of time. I have to be getting up and walking around or it affects my
leg. Two doctors told me what I had happen is rare (disc breaking off
and lodging against the nerve). All I know is I never, never, never want
to go through that kind of pain again.<s>

I’m 56, and one thing I’ve been forced to come to terms with this past
year is that some people will never understand me, including being
diabetic. I acknowledge I’m not perfect and am learning to forgive
myself as I forgive others. But when I look at how these same people
treat others, I have to conclude I’m not totally at fault here. They
need time to grow up, and have a need for drama in their lives right
now, and no amount of talking or meeting them half way is going to
change that. Shrug… But I’m fortunate in that my husband, mom, close
friends and most everyone in my family is supportive, and that helps, as
diabetes is toxic mentally and physically in and of itself.

I’ve also learned, through prayer and study, that I would rather be
human and feel all the emotions that come with the territory, then to
dissociate and become apathetic. In other words, even though I’m hurting
and I often wish I didn’t hurt so much, I’m glad I’m me. While this
helps, I know some of the hurt will always be there because I’m an
empathic person. Whenever I get down and think of these people who won’t
make an effort to meet me half way, I visualize a butterfly flying from
my heart and landing softly on their shoulders, as a reminder to them
that I still care for them. This is my way of shielding myself from
their negativism - focusing my thoughts on something more positive so I
won’t be held hostage by their problems. It took time for me to learn
this, and I had to focus on learning one thing at a time so I wouldn’t
get overwhelmed.

Around 6 months ago, our paper published some letters to the editor
slamming people with weight problems. The writer’s didn’t realize there
are medical and psychological issues involved. How can you slam someone
who has gained 3 dress sizes because of the medication she takes to
control her heart problems? Or mental health problems? Or diabetes? But
it happens.

Before byetta, I often wondered why I couldn’t keep up with friends my
own age, or even older. I admire the ADHD friends I have as they are so
energetic. <g> I did some calculating one day, and came to realize the
major stressors in my life were accumulative. Adding them up, and it’s
over 90, and I’m 56. So it’s no wonder I can’t keep up with people my
own age.

All in all, I know exercise is a big help for depression, and you’ll get
more active as you feel better.And please share your concerns with your
doctor; he is there as a partner in your care.

It’s one step, one day at a time, and hope is right there with you.

Hugs,

The diabetic guru I (mostly) follow is Richard K. Bernstein. His methods are
draconian, but they work. I don’t know if you want to go there right now - or
maybe you want to jump in and get at fixing the problem. His book is Diabetes
Solution. If nothing else, it will give you an excellent understanding of how
diabetes works.

I have cookbooks by Dana Carpenter on low-carb cooking and they are life-savers.
Everyone loves it when Dan and I bring food to a pot-luck because our food is
really great food. People forget it is diabetic fare. We adapt Dana’s recipes
to fit our needs. We met her through her husband, who used to be on a list of
ours (now defunct).

When I had knee problems I was not fortunate enough to have a doctor who knew

how to help me. I hope yours does. I went to an acupuncturist and got relief.
Some people with knee problems require surgery (one of our friends just had one
of her knees totally replaced and she is in her 20’s). If the G.P. is no help
I’d suggest a sports medicine doctor. Or an acupuncturist. The Physical
Therapy made me worse. I’m one of those people who respond really well to
acupuncture - not everyone does. It is a YMMV thing, I think.

Good fortune to you!
Marsha

If walking is too painful, how about yoga?
nothing to lose by trying!

Cheers!
Marsha

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———————————

I was taken by your mention of magnesium. When I was seeing the PA, he
had me take a series of magnesium shots to help my heart. What surprised
me is that it helped heal the nerve pain I had after a serious bout of
sciatica and subsequent surgery. My left leg is still numb (the disc
broke off and lodged against the sciatic nerve), but I can function
fine. I just can’t sit for any length of time. I also had generalized
muscle pain that was helped with the magnesium shots.

It had been a year since the series of magnesium shots, and my muscle
pain returned full force a few month’s ago. My naturopath scheduled a
series of four magnesium shots to include B12 (takes the sting out),
then once a month from now on. The pain is gone. Even thought I was
taking magnesium supplements, I don’t assimilate it. This is just my
experience with magnesium, and I’m not a doc, so please take this in the
context of which it is written.

Having three cracked discs would make it so you have to carefully watch
what you do. I didn’t realize how disabling back problems were until I
had problems with mine.

Yes, diabetes is roller coaster, but there’s hope, Rosy. It just takes
time to put the pieces of the map together to help you figure out the
direction you need to go. And Byetta has made it easier for me to follow
your roadmap.

Hugs,

Janie

Author; Homeschooling & Special Ed Advocacy Resources
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." Einstein

Anything posted in this group is the opinion of the person who posted it.

Visit your group "Diabetes_And_Byetta" on the web.

———————————

I was taken by your mention of magnesium. When I was seeing the PA, he
had me take a series of magnesium shots to help my heart. What surprised
me is that it helped heal the nerve pain I had after a serious bout of
sciatica and subsequent surgery. My left leg is still numb (the disc
broke off and lodged against the sciatic nerve), but I can function
fine. I just can’t sit for any length of time. I also had generalized
muscle pain that was helped with the magnesium shots.

It had been a year since the series of magnesium shots, and my muscle
pain returned full force a few month’s ago. My naturopath scheduled a
series of four magnesium shots to include B12 (takes the sting out),
then once a month from now on. The pain is gone. Even thought I was
taking magnesium supplements, I don’t assimilate it. This is just my

experience with magnesium, and I’m not a doc, so please take this in the
context of which it is written.

Having three cracked discs would make it so you have to carefully watch
what you do. I didn’t realize how disabling back problems were until I
had problems with mine.

Yes, diabetes is roller coaster, but there’s hope, Rosy. It just takes
time to put the pieces of the map together to help you figure out the
direction you need to go. And Byetta has made it easier for me to follow
your roadmap.

Hugs,

If walking is too painful, how about yoga? Very
gentle stretching exercises, not the wrap the foot
around the neck and blow your nose with your toes
type. Some of the yoga exercises are good for bad
backs. I don’t find much helpful for my neck with the
compression fractures but the lower back exercises are
helpful as are the arm and leg ones.

The pain in your feet and legs may subside as the
diabetes is controlled, assuming there is a
relationship there between the pain and the diabetes
and it is not of some other origin.

I don’t know if it is possible financially or
emotionally for you to see an acupuncturist, but mine
has done great things for me. When I first went to
see her I had been told by a doctor that I’d have to
learn to live with the incredible pain in my knees
that I felt would end up crippling me. I was amazed
that rarely did a needle hurt at all (they are really,
really tiny) and my acupuncturist/nurse
practitioner/chinese herbalist understood both western
and eastern medicine and was able to help me with
relaxation and other techniques to get me past the
pain. Although I have one knee that still gives me
grief now and then I am doing so much better than I
ever thought I could. I rarely take pain medication
stronger than an OTC med and I rarely take those now.
You might want to see one, who like mine, is skilled
in both western and eastern medicine if you are
concerned about trying a new area of care which is
unfamiliar to you. My initial treatment was pretty
intensive and expensive, but since that time I have
only needed periodic treatments to get back on track.

You may find the EFT/tapping helpful for pain as well.
Being in pain causes us to tense up and be in more
pain which then creates the cycle of tension, pain,
more tension, more pain. Sometimes, stepping out of
the pain is the only way to go. Pain clinics will
teach ways of dialing down the pain or stepping away
from it in one way or another. That is another option
- a pain clinic.

The thing that really messes me up about my knees is
not the pain, but the fact the knee cap will give way
and I can lose my balance and almost fall on my face,
but I am working on that with EFT too - heck, I have
nothing to lose by trying!