Well, it seems that I have managed to get myself into a bit of a problem. Wanting to start something new, but physically unable right now to do so. Somehow, last weekend I managed to
hurt my back, and simple tasks like walking, sitting and laying down have become an issue. Not to mention how much fun i’ve had this past week travelling slower than a shadow moves across a room as the sun traverses the sky. It’s not been a fun week. Haven’t been able to walk the kids to the bus stop in fear of ceasing up, as has happened 3 times already this week. Now i have the pleasure of a visit of my good friend, the sinus infection.
So, enough of the whining. How are things going? Well, I am seeing more and more regular numbers pertaining to my diabetes. My new meter is really helping. It’s a FreeStyle InsuLINX, which is as the pharmacist who recommended it says, “it’s as close to a pump, without the pump”. Meaning it takes into consideration how much insulin you have in your body presently, the carbs you’re about the ingest, and provides you with the dosage of insulin required to bring you to target. Takes a lot of the guess work out of the equation. It’s a little slow at times, but overall, it’s a lot better than my old. I still have issues remembering to take my insulin. A lot of the time my alarm goes off when i am not in my office, or when i am on a conference call, or I just plumb forget. But at least i am remembering to take my mitt full of pills twice a day. Oh, the joys of life.
Becoming Healthier
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30 percent of all American men and women are obese and 16 percent of children age 6-19 are also overweight. Leading health officials and physicians are concerned with this trend as being overweight and obese comes with heightened health risks including:
- Hypertension
- Type 2 diabetes
- Stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Sleep apnea
- Osteoarthritis
- Coronary artery disease
- Depression
Yes, i have highlighted 3 above, as I have all 3. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure), is minor, in fact until this past summer, my BP has been perfect all my life 120/80. Likely something in my diet over the summer and fall caused my levels to rise to danger levels, and are currently under control by means of medication.
Yes, i have type 2 diabetes. If you have it, you know what i mean when i say, it’s no fun, but it’s life.
Sleep Apnea. Yep, got that too. This is a condition where you can actually stop breathing while you sleep. I will write an article on this later and link back here. For now however, let’s just acknowledge the fact that the term “Severe” was used when describing my condition. I have been using a CPAP machine for the past few years, and for the most part, i believe i am sleeping better now than i did for years when i wasn’t diagnosed.
How do you know when you have one of these conditions? Well, to be honest, each one is very different.
Hypertension
only is noticed by checking your BP. Go to your pharmacy, doctor, or hospital, and you can have yours checked. It’s free in Canada, and will save your life.
Diabetes (type 2) – symptoms
As this disease progresses and blood sugar levels rise, symptoms develop. People with type 2 diabetes may have ANY of the following signs and symptoms:
- blurred sight
- decreased sensation or numbness in the hands and feet
- dry, itchy skin
- frequent bladder and vaginal infections
- frequent need to urinate
- increased thirst and hunger
- male impotence (erectile dysfunction)
- slow healing of cuts or sores
- tiredness
Again, I highlighted the ones that I was experiencing. Thirst was my main one. For a long time, I thought I was being good about the amount of water i was drinking. I have one of those 32oz bottles that i fill up with water. I was drinking one of those every hour. When i started to notice that small cuts that normally took just a day or two to heal, were now taking a week or more. It was time to find a new doctor (a story for another day). Upon finding this new doctor, I described some of the things I was experiencing, and he immediately ordered blood work to be done. On December 31, 2009, I received the news that not only was a type 2 diabetic, but my numbers were some of the worst they had ever seen. I will go into this more in a later article.
Sleep apnea signs and symptoms
It can be tough to identify sleep apnea on your own, since the most prominent symptoms only occur when you’re asleep. But you can get around this difficulty by asking a bed partner to observe your sleep habits or recording yourself during sleep.
Major signs and symptoms of sleep apnea
- Loud and chronic snoring
- Choking, snorting, or gasping during sleep
- Long pauses in breathing
- Daytime sleepiness, no matter how much time you spend in bed
Other common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat
- Morning headaches
- Restless or fitful sleep
- Insomnia or nighttime awakenings
- Going to the bathroom frequently during the night
- Waking up feeling out of breath
- Forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating
- Moodiness, irritability, or depression
Yes, I had all of the ones highlighted in red, in retrospect. What really brought this to light was when i mentioned to my former doctor that I was having issues sleeping, and that Deann said that my snoring was so much louder then than it was when we were married, and that a few times I’d woken up panicking. He sent me to a sleep doctor, where it was determined that I had Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I literally stopped breathing many times per hour while I slept, and would wake 100’s of times per hour – Never getting enough rest. The first night with my CPAP machine, i slept for 16 hours. I woke up feeling the best i had in years.
