Changing Directions

OK so I have decided to change ALONG THE HEART TRAIL just a little...No I am not shutting it down....yes I am still going to post about my progress with the transplant but I have decided to use it as away to keep myself focused on things I need to do.

What are these things that I speak of? I am glad you asked...in addition to being blessed with a Congenital Heart Defect and some Pulmonary Problems....I was given a gift that I would not wish upon people I hate(not that I hate anyone) but if I did I would not wish this upon them...what is it? DIABETES!!!!

For some reason because I was diagnosed at age 33 everyone assumes that I have Type 2 which can be controlled with Diet and Exercise.....WRONGO BONGO.....I have Type 1....My Pancreas makes no...nada..zero...zilch insulin of its own. I have a insulin pump...this little device the size of a beeper is my pancreas....does it work...in a quick response the answer is yes....but only if I can control what goes into my mouth and what amount of time I spend exercising....So in away I must do the same thing that a person with type 1 needs to do...

However, and let me shout this from the roof top, IT WOULD NOT MATTER IF I LOST WEIGHT...I WOULD STILL NEED TO BE ON THE PUMP!!!!

Last Thursday morning my sugar reading was 571...high..hell yes it was high....the problem and danger that this can cause a body is down right scary....my problem is that I can not tell when my sugar is high....I can tell when it is low...but when it is high I can function without a care in the world....which is sad..and scary...one day my glucose meter did not even register a reading it just said high....so I guesstimated that it was about 500 and gave myself insulin...2 hours later it was down to 550 so it was not at 500 it was a lot higher. But last Thursday it was at 571...what ticked me off was that someone told my wife...well if he would just lose some weight he would be fine....NO....if I lose some weight I would have better control but since my body does not make insulin....let's say it together class...I WILL STILL BE DIABETIC!!!

sorry but ignorance is not an excuse for stupidity!!!

I have also discovered as I have written here before...that I do well when I follow a Gluten Free Diet....Some people find it strange...normally you don't connect Gluten with Diabetes...other illness yes...but Diabetes not so much....Maybe my wife is right can I have an allergy to Gluten? I don't know...but the one thing that I do know is that I feel better without it.

So I am going to start again to get off the Gluten....I had zero yesterday....but that fact is I have done it before...only after awhile slipping back into eating it again......I must approach this battle with Gluten much like and alcoholic or drug addict, sex addict, gambling addict and food addict deals with their addiction....

ONE DAY AT A TIME.....that is so much easier said then done...because your mind starts to play tricks on you....the voices in your head tell you...go head one cookie, slice of bread, slice of pizza, bite of pasta is not gonna hurt you...it not like you eat this way everyday...well I am here to tell you that it does hurt...because once I have that one bite something triggers in my mind and I do nothing but grab anything and everything with Gluten in it....and much like other addicts how do I feel after...like a worthless piece of shit. So how do I punish myself....you guessed it I just eat more Gluten....

Do I feel like exercising when I am eating this way....Hell to the NO!! And that is the other part of it....Do I need to exercise? Well DUH...the new heart is not going to do me any good if I don't....so for this reason I will be sharing my journey with you all here as I battle this addiction.

Yesterday....April 3rd I had no Gluten....I did have a high sugar reading of 410 but that was because I did not pay attention and got a smoothie protein drink that was not sugar free...while there was no Gluten in it...there was sugar....for the rest of the day I drank water.....I ate fruit with peanut butter, chips with salsa and a protein bar...my sugar was under 150 for most of the day...it did go up at one point to 211 after I ate but quickly dropped down to under 175 and has stayed there. I also walked for an hour and a half today...this was the first time since returning from Israel where I did a lot of walking that I actually got out and walked...and I felt great...

So you see I have 1 day under my belt so to speak....I have been up since 9am Sunday and it is now 4:30am Monday.....this is called healthy living...Hopefully it is just a little hick up and my body will learn to use all its energy during day light hours.

I am documenting the journey here for one reason and one reason only....this blog is posted on various social networks....so what I need from you is to keep me honest and to call me out if I do not post every couple of days....CAN YOU DO THAT FOR ME????

I have been blessed by having you as readers and friends...we have been through some rough waters together but have always come out OK....I know that I will be OK with your continued love and support.

Thanks