Good News!

Today was the day! A 2-month follow-up on my diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus in February.

The very nice and competent medical assistant weighed me first, and I was more than a little pleased to see that the doctor's scale (and you know those scales are never wrong like the little cheapie ones we have at home) says I have lost 18 pounds!

He then checked my temperature, took my blood pressure, poked my finger, did a monofilament testing on my feet, and filled everything in on the computer. Then I was off to the restroom to get a sample for the microalbumin test. Back in the room about 2 minutes, and in comes my doctor!

She exclaimed over how well I am doing. Just as I thought, she asked if I was having any side effects to the metformin! So I explained that I am not taking it, and how my chiropractor has helped me to have a plan. She looked at all the info and lab work, and then she said what I am doing is exactly right. Keep it up! Yes, 30 more pounds is a very good and realistic goal. Tap, tap, tap on her little electronic device. "That will put your BMI at 24.9 bringing you just under 25 which is the recommended goal." (What? I must have been WAY skinny with a very low BMI when I was younger!)

So both doc and I were very happy campers today! And I grinned all the way home!

(Oh, and as I was leaving, she asked me my chiropractor's name!!)

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Diabetes update...

It has been 2 months now, believe it or not, since I found out I have type 2 diabetes. (See previous posts for the details, please.) Just as a reminder, when I had my blood work in mid-February, my fasting blood sugar was 308, and my hemoglobin A1c was 10.4. Terrible numbers...

So for the past 2 months I have been doing (with a very few exceptions) just exactly what my chiropractor told me to do. Meat, fish, fowl, and eggs with as much as I want of vegetables. A little olive oil and butter. Lots of fresh salads. In fact, I think my ears grew a bit, as I am feeling more like a rabbit than ever before in my whole life! No carbs except from vegetables. Plus the 4 supplements he gave me, without fail. As much exercise as I could manage.

Even though it has been absolutely killing my wallet, I have been checking my blood sugars usually 3 times a day. (Are those little chem strips made of gold??) Most of my blood sugars have been between 110 and 130. I've lost somewhere between 10 and 15 pounds. (If I count all the things I have NOT eaten, I feel like I should have lost at least 50 pounds!)

Tomorrow is my first follow-up with my medical doctor, so this past Friday, with a bit of nervousness, I took myself over to her office first thing in the morning for a blood draw so that she could have the results in front of her for my appointment. I had no idea what the A1c would be, and I could just feel my blood sugar shooting up with the stress of it! "Are you fasting?" asked the nurse as she watched the blood squirting into the little bottle. "Yes, I am," I told her.

On Saturday morning I was sitting at my computer when the phone rang. The caller ID told me it was the doctor's office. What? On the weekend? Jeff, the medical assistant, said he had the results of my blood tests. "I have good news," he said. I was still a little unsure. "Is there any bad news?" I asked him. He laughed. "No!" Then I laughed, too! "Okay, then!"

Jeff told me that I have had DRAMATIC improvement in my diabetes control. My A1c is now down to 6.5! I could not believe it! I had been hoping for maybe 8, so this was indeed good news. And the best part is, I haven't had to take any metformin!

So now I am actually looking forward to seeing the doctor tomorrow...after which I will update you again!

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Unless We See...

"Unless I see the nail marks in his hands...I will not believe it." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands..." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" --John 20:25-28

Unless we see in his hand the print of the nail that marred it
Unless we see in his side the mark of the spear that scarred it
We are right to refuse to believe, to challenge his claims and doubt them
For the wounds are the sign of the Christ, and He will not come without them.

Vain are the saviors of men who can show no wounds for a token
False are the christs of the world whose hearts have never been broken
We are right to reject their claim, since only the One may dare it
We are right to deny their name, since only the One may bear it.

Can they spread the nail-pierced palm that the finger of doubt may feel it?
Uncover the riven side and to doubting eyes reveal it?
The wounds are the sign of the Christ, and only the One can show it
And only those who have touched His wounds will prove Him Lord and know it.

For it is not enough for our faith that others have seen and known Him
But each for himself must see, and each for himself must own Him
And each must touch the print of the nails, the proof of His claim receiving
And each must cry, "My Lord, my God," and fall at His feet, believing.

--Annie Johnson Flint

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That Terrible Wonderful Day

The cross...



wicked

cruel

evil beyond my understanding

a blessing beyond my imagination



... that terrible wonderful cross.

And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.
--Hebrews 13:12