Health stuff
russ
anymore are CEPTs.
Anyhow, I turned 50 this last August. Bleah.
Been a diabetic for many years, although I have not really done much
about it. I do take meds when I have insurance, which I just started
having again in October.
My blood sugar had been running in the 400's (not a typo) on the few
randome times I would check. Since being on meds again it is coming
down.
But, I had a series of blood tests done when I went to the doctor
again for the first time in a year and a half(no insurance means no
doctor for me).
Yes, I am getting to the point. It is really hard to deal with right
now. I am not even tellling my parents or other family until I know
more.
Long and short of it is the dr's office called and said I have signs
of kidney damage and they are setting me up to see a nephrologist. The
appointment is for next Monday. No word on what signs or how much
damage.
The real problem is that I don't know what I want to hear. Part of me
wants to hear "terminal". Part of me is afraid to hear "dialysis".
Part of me doesn't want to hear" change of diet". That is probably the
scariest part to me. I won't change. I enjoy very little anymore, but
food is one of the things I still do. I owuld honestly rather die
younger and be happier while alive than to die older but be a
miserable prick while alive.
I have an appointment with the regular doctor this afternoon and am
going to ask. Not sure if she will tell me much.
Not really sure why I am even posting this. It doesn't feel like I got
much off of my chest.
russ
Cindy Wells
Cindy Wells
(a change in your way of eating doesn't need to leave you feeling
deprived. Frequently, changing of your portion size is sufficient. If
you can get your doctor to prescribe more strips, test different meal
combinations (at your peak bg, usually 1 hour after you finish eating
for normal meals, up to 4 hours for pizza and the like) until you find a
combo that doesn't go sky high. I will admit to having to skip starchy
vegetables for a while until I stopped pigging out on sweet corn.)
Wes Struebing
wrote:
>Been debating whether to post anything since all it seems like I post
>anymore are CEPTs.
<snip>
>
>russ
Can't offer anything but goodthoughts, Russ, that you'll come to the
best decision FOR YOU.
But they are there for you.
(sending strong thoughts to the Elder Ghods to get Congress off its
collective butt and pass REAL reform!)
--
Wes Struebing
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,
and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples,
promising liberty and justice for all.
Homepage: www.carpedementem.org
linkedin profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wesstruebing
Barry Gold
[snip]
>Long and short of it is the dr's office called and said I have signs
>of kidney damage and they are setting me up to see a nephrologist. The
>appointment is for next Monday. No word on what signs or how much
>damage.
>
>The real problem is that I don't know what I want to hear. Part of me
>wants to hear "terminal". Part of me is afraid to hear "dialysis".
>Part of me doesn't want to hear" change of diet". That is probably the
>scariest part to me. I won't change. I enjoy very little anymore, but
>food is one of the things I still do. I owuld honestly rather die
>younger and be happier while alive than to die older but be a
>miserable prick while alive.
I can understand your point of view, but I have to warn you that
diabetes isn't that nice. It's not, "Oh, I didn't take care of my
diabetes, now I'm dying, so sorry, bye folks."
LASFSian Dan Alderson had diabetes. He refused to alter his diet
(although he did at least keep insulin in the club refrigerator. Most
of the time.) He felt, as you do, that he would rather be happier
alive and die young, than take care of his diabetes and live longer.
The problem was, the last year of his life wasn't so great. He
went blind from diabetes. Then he developed diabetic neuropathy in
his fingers, so he couldn't even read Braille. This for someone who,
like most fans, used to read several books a week.
Then he got sores on his feet, which didn't heal because of the
diabetes. So his feet had to come off, and eventually his legs above
the knee.
A friend would bring him to LASFS, where he would sit on the couch and
talk to whoever came over. But he couldn't see who was in the room,
or move around much. And of course he was in a nursing home, so he
got to eat what they gave him.
Not much fun.
But, hey, it's your life. You decide what to do with it, what chances
to take. I'm not in a good position to lecture: if I really cared
about my health, I would lay off the salty foods, not order Sweet &
Pungent Chicken (deep fried, then wok-fried) at Chinese restaurants,
not eat the candy and pastries at the Con Suite when I go to a
convention, etc.
But... I do eat healthy most of the time, 6 days a week at home,
exercise twice a day for about 20 minutes (and working my way up to 30
as my muscles get used to it), etc. My weight and cholesterol have
come down since I became retired and was no longer exposed to junk
food at work 5 days a week. (In short, changing my environment was
more effective than any attempt at willpower...)
--
Barry Gold, webmaster:
Conchord: http://www.conchord.org
Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, Inc.: http://www.lasfsinc.org
Moira
father died of complications from late life diabetes. In his case he
had great health care and health insurance but a lifetime of doing as
he pleased (a little wine, liked a little ice cream, hated exercise)
eventually shut down his kidneys and he died within about 6 months of
that time. He never went on dialysis but that was his decision.
This whole situation goes into the health care thing everyone is
screaming about..as if health insurance and the ability to go to
doctors will actually keep you from dying. Most of us die from
behavior related illness, (heart attack, strokes, etc..) that could be
prevented or reduced if we had lived better lives.. But as a rather
greedy lab rat, I too, like my ice cream and hate exercise and smoke..
On the other hand, a runner friend of mine just keeled over at the
ripe old age of 54.. so maybe that exercise thing is over rated.
You state you could not get to a doctor.. I have lived in both
Southern California and West Virginia and in both places there were
times I did not have health care insurance and could not frequent a
doctors office, but if I needed, due to a serious problem, (ear
infection, really bad flu, cut needing stitches) I could go to a
clinic for about $40.00. there are clinics in both areas that would
treat for nearly free if my financial situation had been even worse.
They also would provide the insulin if the individuals financial
situation was dire. So perhaps this was also more of a choice than a
"situation" you could not find a solution for...
Again..I will keep you in my thoughts and hope that this condition can
be rectified to some satisfactory level.. I know my brother was
diagnosed with early diabetes but reversed some of it quickly by
changing diet and pumping up the exercise.. this solution is not a one
size fits all and may not be the one for you.
Good luck and know that many will be thinking of you and OMG yes even
offering prayers for your health and safety.
Moira
Tom the Alien Cat
light on what is happening to you in body and soul.
tom tac
russ
well, first, thanks for the thoughts.
I am not dying. darn. The visit next week with the nephrologist is
more of a get to know him/her and get on the patient list in case
things get worse later and I won't have to wait for months to get in.
At least according to my primary care doctor.
Now for some numbers.
A1C is over 12. I didn't know that the scale went that high.
Another test taht shows kidney function was like 1200, should be less
than 100. Can't remember the name of this one. Some sort of urine
test. She did not mention ketosis though.
Blood sugar running around 330ish. I haven't been testing very often,
need to start.
I've been losing some weight, not sure why though. Was actaully under
300 for the first time in a few years, and that time it was due to
serious dieting and exercise. Neither of which I am doing now, but I
am not eating so much junk food anymore.
Dr's office is supposed to be setting up an appt for me and my wife
for nutrional counseling. Problem is I really know what I should be
doing, but this will help my wife, who btw isn't doing so good either.
Her A1C was around 10. Her blood sugar is running around 200.
Am on a lot more of the Actos+ med now. Also wife mentioned depression
to the doctor, so now I am back on prozac. yeah. Back when I was
seeing the psychologist I was on something like 4 different meds. So I
am not expecting much with just the prozac. Plus a pill for
cholesterol and I think one for high blood pressure, can't remember
for sure. BP wasn't that bad, but she was worried since I am a
diabetic.
russ
Barry Gold
>I really don't know you, Russ, but I can feel for your position. My
>father died of complications from late life diabetes. In his case he
>had great health care and health insurance but a lifetime of doing as
>he pleased (a little wine, liked a little ice cream, hated exercise)
>eventually shut down his kidneys and he died within about 6 months of
>that time. He never went on dialysis but that was his decision.
>
>This whole situation goes into the health care thing everyone is
>screaming about..as if health insurance and the ability to go to
>doctors will actually keep you from dying. Most of us die from
>behavior related illness, (heart attack, strokes, etc..) that could be
>prevented or reduced if we had lived better lives.. But as a rather
>greedy lab rat, I too, like my ice cream and hate exercise and smoke..
>On the other hand, a runner friend of mine just keeled over at the
>ripe old age of 54.. so maybe that exercise thing is over rated.
All of us die from having a fatal disease: life.
As for your runner friend, Lee found a webpage that predicts
approximately how long you will live. It asks things like whether you
smoke, how much you exercise, your weight, various other risk factors.
Lee started out answering honestly, and it said she would live to her
mid-80s. For those who don't know Lee, she is about twice her ideal
weight, her main exercise is going around the house straightening up
and pushing a shopping cart around the supermarket (where she mostly
buys healthy foods because she's shopping for me).
So she started playing around. She put in that she exercises a lot,
that added about 6 months. She put in her ideal weight. That added
another 6 months. It turns out that the biggest predictor for your
lifespan(*) is how long your parents lived. Smoking is the second
biggest factor.
(*) Assuming you die of "natural causes"
I've said this before and I'll say it again. We should provide free
treatment for contagious diseases, as a purely selfish measure to
defend against having a permanent reservoir of TB or something in our
population. And normal pre-natal care and "well-baby" care,
vaccinations against childhood diseases, etc.: the well off and the
retired are going to need the goods and services that those children
will grow up to provide.
Anything more, you should buy insurance. Too stupid to buy insurance?
That's sort of like being too stupid to stay away from ice-covered
cliff edges.
Since some people will be born with problems that are "not their
fault", we should provide insurance that you can buy before the baby
is born. Even before the baby is conceived -- for $X premium, you have
the right to buy health insurance (of specified type) for N children
at the "normal" rates.
And no more post-claims underwriting. Health insurance policies
should not be rescindable after 1 year, the way most life insurance is
incontestable after 1 or 2 years. That gives the insurer a reasonable
amount of time to investigate and see if the insured is lying on the
application, but not to say 5 years down the line, "you left out this
disease you were treated for, so we're canceling your policy".
And, regardless, once the insurer has told the doctor/hospital that
they will pay for a treatment, they should pay for that treatment,
even if the rescind the policy with respect to later treatments for
the same condition.
Jette Goldie
>
> I've been losing some weight, not sure why though. Was actaully under
> 300 for the first time in a few years, and that time it was due to
> serious dieting and exercise. Neither of which I am doing now, but I
> am not eating so much junk food anymore.
That's the diabetes. "unexplained weight loss" is a symptom of
uncontrolled diabetes. Because your body can't process the glucose
your blood is swimming in (because your insulin is either missing or
working less efficiently than it should) it starts to burn muscle
tissue and fat. NOT good. Meanwhile the excess blood glucose is
causing kidney damage, peripheral nerve damage, damage to the retina
of your eyes, etc. How's your eyesight been recently? (it was the
optician who caught my Dad's T1 adult onset diabetes - he'd been
putting the constant tiredness down to "stress" and "overdoing things")
They'll probably put you on some medication to increase the efficiency
of your remaining insulin, or make your body produce more, to get the
blood glucose numbers down - but if that doesn't work, you may find
yourself on injected insulin.
--
Jette Goldie
jette....@gmail.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfette/
http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
http://wolfette.livejournal.com/
("reply to" is spamblocked - use the email addy in sig)