Oh Mee, Oh My (Hic)

Poor Jennifer Mee. She's the 15 year old girl from St. Petersburg, Florida who can't seem to shake off the hiccups. She's had them for more than 3 weeks now. I can definitely relate. Two years ago, I had them for a week and a half and they pretty much drove me nuts, or as my friends might say, nuttier than I already was. I did a lot of research on the Internet, trying to find any sort of cure. I experimented with just about everything I read, to no avail. I tried holding my breath. I put sugar under my tongue and in the back of my throat. I breathed into a paper bag and drank out of the wrong side of a glass. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. I could not sleep at night and I got desperate. Finally, I made an appointment to see a doctor. My doctor had died, so I had to find a new one, one who had never met me or knew of my medical history.

When I got in to see this new doctor, I (hic) explained (hic) my (hic) dilemma. He looked down my throat. "I don't like the redness I'm seeing," he said. He listened to my neck, chest and abdomen. After a few minutes of careful examination, he made a diagnosis. "I believe you have a lung tumor." My heart sunk down into my butt. That should have been enough to scare the hiccups away, but it didn't.

"You're kidding?"

"No, that's pretty much what I think it is. I've had cases like this before and that's what it generally has turned out to be. I'm going to schedule you for chest x-rays and an upper GI."

"Oh, wow. In the meantime, can you give me anything, like Thorazine?"

"Thorazine? How do you know about that?" he asked.

"I looked it up on the Internet."

"No, really, how did you know about Thorazine?" He gave me a rather sharp and puzzled look.

"I'm telling you, I tried looking for a cure on the Internet and read about it." Thorazine (chlorpromazine) is a drug prescribed for schizophrenia. Seriously. It's also used to treat chronic hiccups. I think he wondered if I had a history of schizophrenia or some other psychotic problem.

"Yes. I'm going to give you a prescription for that." I felt a little relieved, in the hope that this drug would cure me. Hic, I mean, heck, I was more concerned with getting rid of this immediate problem than I was about dying of lung cancer. I left, and hiccuped my way to the pharmacy.

When I got home, I immediately unscrewed the cap and swallowed one of those pills. An hour later, nothing. Man, I thought, this is crazy. I took another one. About an hour later, I was in some sort of la la land I had never been to before. Wow. I was somewhere up in the clouds and decided I needed to get into bed. That was it for me. I woke up the next morning and the hiccups were gone. Bingo! Cured! My first solid night of sleep in what seemed like forever.

The following week, I went to get the tests done and a few days later, I went back to see the doctor. As I was walking into one of those waiting rooms, he passed me in the hall and said he had some good news and some bad news, but don't worry, the bad news isn't that bad.

He walked in with some papers. "You do not have a tumor. You have a hernia on your esophagus. You also have one here and here." He pointed to parts of my stomach. "You also have GERD." GERD is short for gastroesophageal reflux disease. I have always had bad heartburn and I knew I had damaged my esophagus through the years.

"I want you to get some Prilosec OTC and take 2 capsules (not one) a day."

"For how long?"

"Until I tell you to stop." which I interpreted as never. "I'm also going to write a prescription for an ulcer medication, not that you necessarily have one, but it will aid in the GERD."

I had a couple of follow up visits and everything seemed fine. I never really got the hiccups again, at least not like that. Every time I do hic a few times, I get scared. Oh, by the way, I asked what I should do with the rest of those schizo pills. "Throw them away. You don't need them." Yeah, right, like I was going to do that. Hah! At least, I never drove when taking them. That would have been crazy.

When Harry Met Stewy or How to ruin a good picture

This is a picture of my best friend, Stewart. He's the one on the left. We've known each other since we were kids. Recently, he and his wife were out in California visiting her brother and his family. Her brother is the head chef at Universal. While there, Stew connected with an old friend, Harry. Harry is an actor and he and Stew had their picture taken together for the first time since they were babies growing up in the small town of Ringoes, NJ. They hadn't seen each other in years. I remember Harry from my old high school days.

One thing that people should not do! Do not supply any sort of picture to someone who has extensive knowledge of Adobe Photoshop because the picture you send may be manipulated. I purposely did that once before in a post called "What you see might not be what you get. Read All About It!" to explain how it can be done.

Just in time for Valentine's Day...

Anyone want to send me their photos?

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part Nine

The Amazing Healing Power of GLUCOBATE!

I would ask ALL DIABETICS to go to the Glucobate website and explore a little bit. Browse through the links and testimonials. It doesn't matter which link you click, they're all the same. If you don't go to a link, come back and click Here.

Remember when hucksters would travel from town to town hawking their magic elixirs from the backs of their wagons, barking out that it would cure whatever ails you? Today, they do it on the internet.

There is no cure for diabetes.

Super Bowl Ho`olaule`a

My sister and her husband are off to Hawaii. They flew out of OIA (Orlando International) this morning. Since they live on the east coast of Florida, they stayed at the Airport Marriott last night and invited me down to watch the Super Bowl. Now, I'm not one to hang out during the big game. Those days have been pretty much over for many years and I prefer lounging on the couch at home, just in case I need to nod off, which I've been known to do. I have no desire to hang around a hotel bar (or any bar, for that matter) where crowd noise is at a maximum, people walk in front of the TVs and arguments may break out among strangers. Besides, because of diabetes, my drinking days just ain't what they used to be and bar food isn't part of my diet plan any longer.

Well, I haven't seen them in a while and I won't see them again for a few weeks, so I decided to go. I didn't know what to expect and I don't think they did, either, but when I spoke with her on the phone, I suggested that we watch the first half at the bar if that's what we agree on and the second half in the quiet confines of the room. I told her I can't stay up and party anymore. She agreed, saying they have a long day ahead of them tomorrow, flying and all.

When I got to their room on the 9th floor, I looked out the window at the airport, which was very near. What struck me was the fact that you can't hear the jets at all as they roar overhead. Not one peep. That was amazing. They are Platinum Members of Marriott and it does come with perks. For one thing, they asked for a refrigerator for food they were sending home with me. They asked for a cot for me to sleep on. These were brought up and there is no added charge. The best part of the membership was the concierge room down the hall. We decided to watch the game there. Good plan. We walked in and saw a nice spread of assorted cheeses, crackers and other appetizer type items, including pot stickers, miniature crab cakes, spinach ravioli and other tidbits. The room had two wide screen plasma TVs and only a handful of people to keep the noise level to a minimum. Except for this one lady who screamed in ecstasy at everything the Colts did. She was really a Panthers fan, she said. One in every crowd. There was an honor bar where you fill out a chit sheet to be added to your room bill. Mostly, it was stuff I can't eat, but I did anyway. I milked a Bacardi & Diet for all it was worth and sucked bottled water the rest of the night. I asked the professionally attired attendant how do you keep tabs on who fills out those sheets and who doesn't? He didn't care, he said. I just keep replenishing food and drinks as we need them. Nothing is counted. Some guests are honest, some aren't. Then, he brought out cheesecake, right around halftime. We went down to the bar and ordered something a little more substantial. I needed something more than high class junk food and gluttonous cheesecake. Seared tuna worked just fine. We finished the game back upstairs and retired to the room. What a game!

My brother-in-law said that I will really like the concierge room breakfast. Good stuff. He was right. I ate oatmeal, smoked salmon with capers, onions and sliced hard boiled eggs, and lots of fresh fruit, like blackberries, raspberries, cantaloupe and pineapple. I washed it all down with orange juice and coffee. Boy, I haven't had a breakfast like that in years. Nor do I want to again. When I got home this morning, my glucose level was a whopping 220.

Oh well, it was a very nice night away from home. It was a good game and many of the commercials lived up to expectations. I was happy to see the Colts win. I got to see my sister and brother-in-law off and I'm eating the homemade lentil soup she made as I'm typing this. You know, the food she sent home with me. Now, that woman knows how to cook.

Mahalo nui loa. A hui hou kakou, aloha Kakou!

WMD - A Government Plant

I don't know if I should even be discussing this matter. It might prompt an onslaught of investigations by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the CDC and any number of other government organizations. In the interest of national insecurity, I feel compelled to open up about this delicate subject. If anything ever happens to me, this might help explain why.

Last week, I contacted a government agency in a clandestine sort of manner, clandestine in the sense that no one else at the time knew I did it. No one was eavesdropping on my call. I was alone. I was given an agent's name and pertinent communication data. I sent an electronically encrypted message via SMTP-AUTH code. My writing was clear and concise and I included digital images to further explain my query. No one witnessed what my message contained. He responded with some interesting information.

It turns out, I have been harboring a deadly plant. A ricin producing plant. I have been for years. Ricin is 6,000 times more poisonous than cyanide and 12,000 times more poisonous than rattlesnake venom. Imagine if my secret toxin got into the hands of al Qaeda or some other terrorist group. I shall do my patriotic best to avoid this type of scenario at all costs.


I own an ornamental castor bean plant. So said Special Agent Al Ferrer of the Seminole County Cooperative Extension Center. He warned that the "seeds are highly poisonous" and that "the fruit is typical of the plant family Euphorbiacea which includes the cassava, coral plant, poinsettia, etc."

Many years ago, a woman I worked with gave me one and said it was a coffee tree. It was a nice looking plant and drew many compliments. After a swift freeze, it was gone. History. Dead. Years later, my brother and sister-in-law gave me one. I don't think they remember where it came from, but they knew I used to have one. It was about 2 feet tall at the time and within a few years it has grown to 8 feet. I had no idea what it was, but I never thought it was coffee. For one thing, the plant doesn't look like one and the beans definitely do not look like coffee, either. It produces thousands of little green pods, each with 3 beans inside. After a while the pod suddenly dries up and it explodes, sending these little toxic bombs all over the yard. Fortunately, the grass is mowed or else I'd have hundreds of those rascals growing all over the place. In Florida, it was used primarily in landscaping for its unique beauty, but it has since been classified by the state as a nuisance weed, because of how it rapidly propagates. There's nothing illegal about it, since many other plants produce poisonous seeds and leaves, but it probably wouldn't be safe to grow around small children because they'll eat just about anything they can pop in their mouths. If swallowed whole, it more than likely wouldn't do much harm, but if chewed, look out. I think most kids would spit it out because of the taste if they bit down on it. It is a native of Africa and grows in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The entire plant is poisonous, but so is poinsettia. Should they be outlawed? Nah. I'm not afraid of keeping it around. I really like it. It's become my plant friend. There are no children in the neighborhood. Besides, there are a lot more pretty berries that could do the same damage if ingested. These beans look like blood-filled wood ticks - not appealing at all. How many kids like to eat those?

I don't know if I should register this plant with the FBI or not, but I don't think you ever want to make me angry. I might just invite you in for a cup of my specially brewed coffee. Now, if I could just ship my exotic espresso blend to some of those autonomous regions tucked away in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan, we might be able to win this war on terrorism. Better yet, maybe we could drop the pods from planes and wait for them to explode on their own. That'll fix 'em.

I'm waiting for the men in black suits to swarm all over my place, asking for help in spreading my own brand of WMDs - Weeds of Mass Deposit. I am here to serve, Mr. President.

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part Eight

Dawn Phenomenon and Somogyi Effect

A very puzzling aspect of diabetes is the contradiction in everything. Glucose levels can bounce around and there doesn't seem to be a clear cut semblance of rhyme and reason to it all. Some people experience weight gain. Some drop pounds. I fit into that category. Sometimes, I'm satisfied with the food I eat. Other times, I cannot satiate my appetite, no matter how much I eat. I have to be very careful with that, too, not just with the types of foods I consume.

A friend of mine works for a bookstore in Winter Park, Florida, called Bargain Books. It was very nice and extremely appreciated when John gave me two books, Diabetes for Dummies and Cholesterol for Dummies. You can't beat good, caring souls. As I was leafing through the diabetes book, I stumbled upon Dawn Phenomenon in the glossary of terms and decided to explore it online. I have this problem and I know many other diabetics do, too.

My blood glucose level is always higher in the morning than it is at night. Why? It doesn't make any sense that an empty stomach level would be higher. My mother has always said that it's a mystery what diabetes does and how the body reacts to it. Everything can flipflop around and doctors don't always seem to have the answers. My father has maintained that what you ate the day before can have that sort of effect on you the next day. Sounds reasonable enough, but then I stumbled upon that phrase. Everyone experiences Dawn Phenomenon, whether diabetic or not. We all have a biological clock. Technically, this one is referred to as Circadian Rhythms and it is rather simple to explain. Your body uses carbohydrates, protein and fat to store energy and during sleep, you use that stored energy to help keep your chemicals balanced. These "macro-nutrients" are converted to glucose stored in the liver and muscles.

Overnight, your body releases some hormones. They come in the form of Growth Hormones from the anterior pituitary gland, cortisol from the adrenal cortex, glucagon from the pancreatic alpha-cells, and epinephrine, otherwise known as adrenalin. These hormones trigger an increase in insulin resistance and add stored or new glucose to your bloodstream. All of this adds up to higher blood glucose levels and a diabetic can have real problems with it.

This activity normally occurs during the hours from 4am - 11am and explains why my sugar is higher in the morning, but what can be done to resolve it? There are different ways to bring that overnight level down and everyone must experiment on their own. One method is to eat a light snack with a slow digesting fat and protein content, such as peanut butter or deli meats and cheeses. The theory is that it holds your blood glucose level high enough overnight to avoid the problem. Some people eat a green apple, such as a Granny Smith or take vinegar supplements to ward off Dawn Phenomenon or Somogyi Effect, which I will try to explain next. Try eating breakfast when you first get up and test your sugar later. There are different things which may or may not work for you. This is not a disease that has any uniformity to it.

Somogyi Effect is often referred to as Liver Dump and usually occurs in insulin-using diabetics and those who go hypoglycemic during the night. When your glucose level drops too low, the liver kicks in and does its best to stimulate and release glucose. One way to try to determine whether you have Dawn Phenomenon or Somogyi Effect is to test your glucose between 2am - 3am several nights in a row without snacking before you retire. If you test normal, it's likely Dawn Phenomenon. If you test low, it could be Somogyi Effect and setting your target number a little higher before you go to bed may eliminate the problem.

I'm going to try the peanut butter (or cheese) snack before I enter the realm of Sleeptown and see if that helps reduce my glucose in the morning. I've been running around 150-160. If that doesn't help, I might have a small (2 ounce) glass of red wine and see what happens. Alcohol lowers blood glucose and it may do the same thing as eating an apple or taking vinegar pills. Who knows? Like I said, it's a very contradicting disease and it could be either Dawn Phenomenon or Somogyi Effect. Certainly, I will talk it over with a doctor, next time I see one.

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part Seven

Most people don't understand diabetes. There are plenty of misconceptions out there. Fortunately, I had been researching it for years before I got the disease because my mother has had it for a long time. Of course, there's still plenty for me to learn. I seriously doubt anyone who has it will ever quite fully understand what are the right and wrong ways to deal with it. For example, some things may effect you one day and not the next. Why? Who knows. I am going to try to explain some of the areas that I get questioned on by my friends.

Before I knew I had it, I had been feeling below par for some time. When I realized what I had and was officially diagnosed by a medical professional, it explained why I had mood swings and why I was rather irritable at times. Normally, I've never had much of a temper. One always wants to believe they are healthy and to find out about this can bring you into an emotional quagmire, which I did kind of fall into. It became almost an obsession for the first month and that seemed to be the topic of most of my conversations. Some of my friends started to drift away in fear that, uh-oh, here comes Diabetes Dave again. I noticed it, too, and began to realize I needed to get on with my life. Granted, it can snowball on you. I wasn't feeling well at all and that was compounded by my fear. I believe the blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol medications have helped me tremendously. My blood glucose levels have come down and I don't feel nearly as achy and weak as I used to. Mentally, I have adjusted as well. I no longer think my life will be cut short. Most people can live long lives as long as they maintain a proper regimen of diet, exercise and monitoring sugar and lipid levels regularly.

One fallacy is that we must give up many of the foods we've always enjoyed eating. Everyone thinks we cannot eat sugar. With proper drugs, there is no reason to stop eating all sugar. Certainly, I'm not going to play a game of Russian Roulette with myself by buying candy and other junk none of us should really eat to begin with. Where I used to do that, instead I eat an orange or an apple. This way, I get natural sugar and nutrition, to boot. Carbohydrates are the real culprit. They raise blood glucose levels. That means a big plate of spaghetti is no longer an option. Neither are many breads, particularly those made with bleached flour. Rice, potatoes, corn and other starchy foods should be kept to a minimum. Instead of eating a plate full of mashed potatoes, I eat less than a quarter. We need good carbs at each meal. Some say to curb fruit and bean consumption because of it, but my first doctor told me I could eat all the fruits and vegetables I want. Beans, too. Eating a diet in carbohydrate-rich foods with low glycemic indices like fruits, beans and oatmeal may reduce the odds of someone getting diabetes. This also has the added benefit of increasing your vitamin, mineral and fiber intake. Protein is very important with each meal. Now, every time I go to the grocery store, I carefully examine the nutritional facts for fat, cholesterol, sugar and sodium content. It's a pain, yes, because many of the things I would like to eat are somewhat suspect. Once in a while, I'll treat myself.

Not all diabetics are on insulin. I'm not. I take a pill. Type 2, or adult onset, means that your pancreas isn't producing as much insulin as it should to properly process sugar in your body. That's where energy comes from. It could also mean that your organs aren't doing the job with the insulin, too. It might be a combination of the two. In type 1 diabetics, the pancreas produces no insulin and the only way to get it is through injections. Ironically, type 2 can eventually turn into type 1 as the pancreas stops producing altogether, but never the other way around. That is the fate a lot of diabetics face and it's not because you're not taking care of yourself, it's just the nature of the disease. It is progressive.

Exercise is of the utmost importance. If you remain a couch potato, your heart, kidneys, liver, eyes and nervous system will begin to fail. I try to park far away from a store so I am forced to walk a greater distance. Every little bit helps.

You don't have to be obese to be a diabetic. I'm certainly not and never was. As a matter of fact, I lost a lot of weight because of it. The most I've ever weighed was 205. I settled in at around 185 for many years. The other morning, I weighed myself. 158. All my friends are really noticing it now. I don't want to lose any more!

Diabetes is brought on by many factors. It could be from a poor diet, especially what's in processed foods today. New York City recently passed a law banning trans fats in all restaurants. Now I know why. You want to increase your chances of getting it? Keep eating those Twinkies. If you ever have felt that smooth grease on the roof of your mouth while eating something tasty, that's the trans fats in action. Remember, trans fats have a higher melting temperature than your body. That means every time you eat something containing it, it solidifies in your system and starts to go to work clogging your arteries and doing other nasty deeds. Long ago, the government gave hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils the green light, assuming it was a healthy alternative to the saturated animal fats in other products, like butter. They were wrong. Avoid trans fats at all costs! Studies have shown that vegetarians have a much lower risk of getting diabetes type 2. Lack of exercise will also contribute to greater risks of getting sick. I can attest to that. Remember that genetics play a giant role in acquiring diabetes. If someone in your family has it, there's a good chance you will, too, especially if you don't take care of yourself. Age also increases the risk. People over 45 are more susceptible and the odds go up every year. American Indians, Hispanics and African-Americans are more prone to develope type 2. Everyone should get checked for high blood pressure and blood fats as they age.

Quit smoking! That is something that's weighing heavily on my mind. With every puff, I'm increasing my risks of having heart attacks and strokes. Smokers are more likely to become diabetic than are non-smokers. Alcohol is bad. For healthy people, moderate drinking lowers blood sugar and improves glucose tolerance. There are alcohols diabetics should avoid, like beer and liqueurs. Anything with carbs and sugar. Diabetics who drink are at a much higher risk for eye and nerve damage in the form of neuropathy. No more than 2 drinks a day, if any at all.

Here are some nutritional supplements to take if you have diabetes:

•Alpha lipoic acid

•Chromium

•Evening primrose oil

•Magnesium

•Cinnamon

Always check with your primary care physician before you take any additional supplements. For one thing, there is a chance that something might interfere with other medications. I will continue to study this disease and report anything I find of interest, that I think is truly of benefit. I will not ever write something that could be questionable. I don't care what some of those quacks out there are spewing, there is no cure. It is a lot more controllable if diabetics take very good care of themselves.

Spiders On Drugs

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part Six

If you have followed my diabetes posts, you know I am now on 3 prescription medications:

GLIPIZIDE (Glucotrol) for diabetes

LISINOPRIL (Zestril, Prinivil) for blood pressure and, mainly, to protect my kidneys from disease

LOVASTATIN (Mevacor) to lower cholesterol and triglycerides

There are some rather interesting side effects associated with these drugs. If I forget what I'm writing or wander off somewhere, I might not remember why or when I did it. If I get cranky or START YELLING AT YOU, it means I now hate everyone and I want to run you off the road. To keep it simple, these drugs also have overlapping effects, but I will only list them once. Some, I have already experienced. I'm not going to tell you which ones, though, and if you ask, I might break into tears.

• Consipation or stomach pain
• Diarrhea (are these top two just so they can cover their butts?)
• Muscle pain and tenderness
• Weakness (duh... the diabetes made me feel that way)
• Severe fatigue
• Fever
• Yellowing eyes and urine
• Dark urine
• Persistent nausea
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Lightheadedness
• Dry cough
• Blurred vision (again, the disease has alredy caused that)
• Sore throat
• Fainting
• Decreased sexual ability (I don't want to talk about it)
• Rash, itching, swelling
• Trouble breathing
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite (I wish)
• Easy bleeding or bruising
• Unusual or sudden weight gain (I wish)
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Confusion
• Mental/mood changes
• Chest pain
• Uneven heartbeats
• And, in very rare cases - suicide

In each case, there is a statement that says, "Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects." I'm trying to explore macrobiotic options. One of the most important thiNs abot tHs florBl gogN roofn jmpofflin gor

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part Five

Last Thursday, I went to Quest Diagnotics to have blood drawn for a lipid panel and a serum glucose test. I also peed in a cup for a microalbumin/creatine ratio. Last night, I went to Shepherd's Hope for my final visit to receive the results of those tests.

For the past month or so I have made a concerted effort to alter my diet. For breakfast, I generally eat a veggie burger, an apple and a banana. The burger is not consumed as a substitute for meat. It is a source of protein, which diabetics must have at every meal, and it is easily heated up in a microwave oven. Very convenient. For lunch, I eat a mixed greens salad with fake lobster for protein. Fake crab is often referred to as "krab." I wonder what artificial lobster should be called? Lovster? I am a little more lax around dinner time, but I try not to venture outside of my dietetic parameters. I have been on Glipizide for a month now. I started to take chromium picolinate and magnesium. Of course, I'm taking Lisinopril for blood pressure to protect my kidneys. My blood glucose levels have fallen dramatically. Where I used to range from over 200-400 per day, my levels generally range between around 100-150. That is a very good thing. Remember, normal is 65-99. Interestingly, and in spite of my change in eating habits, my triglicerides went from 190 to 222 from my previous test a month or so ago. Normal is 150 or less. My total cholesterol remained about the same, 213 to 216. It should be less than 200. My HDL (good) cholesterol dropped from 41 to 37. My LDL (bad) remained about the same at 135. The normal number should be less than 130, but for diabetics, it should be below 100. The urine test was done to determine the shape of my liver. No problems there. Less than 30 is the ideal. Mine is 16. The serum glucose test is the same as what I take twice daily when I prick my finger. The first test was 182. Thursday it was 143. That is the fasting number and it must come down.

One thing I have noticed of importance is the way I feel. My strength is returning. Where, on most days I felt achy and weak, I am now the other way around. I'm not ever quite 100%, but clearly a whole lot better.

On my last visit to the clinic, I had the cold and abrupt Dr. Chan who insisted I didn't need Lisinopril. This time, I asked the attending nurse if I could see a different doctor because of what my pharmacist told me about the benefits of that drug in diabetes and that Dr. Chan would not write a new prescription. I got to see Dr. Velez.

Dr. Velez, it turns out, happens to be a diabetic. I found this out incidentally. I mentioned the Lisinopril and what Dr. Chan had told me. That's not really true, he said. I told him that my mother is diabetic and when she went to see her endocrinologist last week, she took my first test results with her. I wrote down the drugs and supplements I was taking. The drugs were fine and the chromium may help reduce sugar a few percentage points, he told her. Dr. Velez asked me who her endocrinologist is and I told him. "He's my doctor, too!" he responded.

Dr. Velez is a very kind and caring doctor. He is also aware of the benefits of chromium picolinate and magnesium. I asked him if they were absolutely safe to take and he responded positively. I asked him about cinnamon and he said he had never heard about that one. I told him my father's doctor told him it was good for the disease. Well, you can't expect every doctor to know everything about every drug and supplement, but I'm sure he'll look into it. I asked him if I would need to go on a cholesterol medication. Yup. No doubt about it. Mevacor 40mg. Knowing that this would be my final visit there and I would, henceforth, have to fend for myself, he wrote me 3 prescriptions, all for 90 day supplies. Through this clinic, for 90 days, I will save a lot of money on the Mevacor. It will cost me $7 per month for the first three months at the Central Florida Pharmacy Co-op. I checked with my pharmacy and their price is $65 for a 30 day supply. Big difference. $21 as opposed to $195. He also scheduled me for more tests to be done in April at the clinic's expense. This will also save me a tremendous amount of money and will include a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, a Lipid Panel and a Hemoglobin A1C test. By then, I will have already established myself with a primary care physician who would make me take those same tests at my expense.

I really want to thank the dedicated volunteers at Shepherd's Hope for all they have done for me and the many others without health insurance. If not for them, where would I be today? I especially want to thank the doctor I spoke with last night, Dr. Carlos Velez-Munich, who would be my primary care physician if I had health insurance or could otherwise afford all that diabetes entails. He is a very good man.

If you have it in your heart, please contribute to Shepherd's Hope or any type of similar clinic that is there to help those in need who might not be able to afford quality care. They are out there. All I did was Google "free orlando clinics" and up it popped.

Making A Prophet

Click image to enlarge

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part Four

Here is my brand new prized possession. It was my Christmas present to myself, thanks to the generosity of my siblings. It will be my friend for the rest of my life. Or whichever wears out first. Every morning, I will test my blood after a night of fasting, assuming that my last meal was eaten early in the evening. Then, I will test it again, just before I retire for the night. I have been using my mother's kit for the last month and a half. Those test strips run a buck a piece, so that's been $2 a day. Fortunately, Medicare pays for it, but I could not justify continuously using hers. One day, she would have to run out and that wouldn't be a good thing. Plus, when I am up for taking a trip somewhere, I would still have to test myself wherever I am.

I have been keeping a log of my blood glucose levels for the last 2 weeks. This is something I will have to do for the rest of my life, too. On Glipizide, my numbers have come down, although not to normal levels. Last Friday, I began taking 400mg of chromium picolinate (1)(2)(3)(4), an over the counter nutritional supplement. Since I began taking it, my numbers have come down, but I have no idea if it is strictly attributable to that. I will have to monitor my counts for a considerable length of time to make that determination and there is nothing scientific about it since my diet will vary from day to day. Anyone who considers it should talk to their physician first. Of course, I didn't, but I will when I go to my final visit at Shepherd's Hope clinic. Who knows, I may be told to stop taking it. In the meantime, life goes on and I have pretty much adjusted to my diabetes since the initial shock and denial has finally worn off.

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part Three

I just got back from one of my walks. I cannot stress enough the importance of daily exercise. Diabetes is such a debilitating disease. It begins to consume you. God knows how long I've had it. Certainly, it’s been a lot longer than when it was officially diagnosed last week and there’s no test to determine when it stealthily crept into my life. There are many out there who have no clue what may be lurking under the surface.

This morning, my arms were tingly from my elbows to the tips of my pinkies, all along the lower part. From my knees to my toes, I go from numb to exaggerated bouts of the same thing. Today is no exception. I've felt that way all morning and when I walked, my legs felt like they were made of lead. Sometimes, my toes feel like someone hooked up jumper cables and turned the juice on in quick, stabbing pulses. Then, it goes away. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't feel achy and fatigued. Some days, I have no energy at all. Today, I actually feel better than usual in spite of the numbness. One way to explain the ache is to try to imagine someone taking a knife and scraping the meat off your bones. Perhaps, that description is a little too harsh and I never really feel that bad, but it gives you an idea. At times, my heart pumps so strongly, it feels like it is going to explode out of my body.

Since I began taking the medication, my sugar has slowly dropped. I keep waiting for a small miracle to happen, that I will gain my strength again. I'm sure I will. Little things bother me. Lids on jars that, in the past, were so easy to remove are proving more difficult. Frustrating little things that gnaw at your very fiber. Sugar levels that ran in the 200-400 range are now down to 100-170. 170 is still too high, but it is an improvement. Last night, it was 136. This morning, it was 154. The closer in margin, the better. Saturday night, it was 276 and I have no idea why. That morning, it was 160. I don't think I ate anything wrong. Other diabetics have told me that's one of the strange things about it, that there's no rhyme or reason why your numbers can vary so much. You can eat something one day and repeat it the next and your numbers can be strikingly different.

Every night now, I have to get up about a half dozen times to relieve myself. That's a symptom. Of course, I drink lots of water now. I have to. Life as a diabetic must take on a very regimented structure. I should strive to eat at the same times every day, in spite of the fact that I am always hungry and sometimes nauseous. I should consume the same amount of calories per meal, per day, too. Food groups must be balanced, such as protein at every meal, especially in the morning. Proper sleep is of the utmost importance. Getting up to pee every hour is exasperating and disturbs the natural rhythm of the mind and body.

I can't take aspirin or ibuprofen any more, on account of the Glipizide. One of the warnings is to not take any over-the-counter pain medications without talking to your doctor. Instead, I asked the pharmacist if I could take Tylenol. Yes, you can. I think they know more about drugs, anyway. I also told her what Dr. Chang said about Lisinopril not helping the kidneys. She asked me if he knew what he was talking about. She told me to finish taking it and to demand a refill when I go back again. I said I don't go back for another month and I only have a 2 week supply. Take it every other day, she said. I don't know, maybe Dr. Chang has been in practice too long. Everyone else at Shepherd's Hope has been great, but he was not kind to me. The doctors and nurses there, and most of the other staff donate one night per month from their regular jobs. I don't think pharmacists would contradict a doctor unless they are pretty adamant about it. I started taking it the next day. Soon, I will have a primary care physician. That person will keep close tabs on me and will more than likely set me up with an endocrinologist, who will make sure I am put on the proper path. All diabetics react differently. All need special care.

When I was dealt this hand, it took me a while to adjust to altering my "set in his ways" lifestyle. I always played by my rules. No one ever wants to think they will get permanently sick. Where did I go wrong in life? What could I have done differently? Believe me, those are dumb questions and there is no truth to them. What is true is that I am sitting across the table from diabetes. I will play my cards right. I will keep a close watch on my opponent. I may not always win, but I will never fold. I will not be intimidated. So it must be true with any disease or disability. It's the game of life you're playing and you never let the one sitting across from you get the upper hand.

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part Two

Tuesday night, I went to the clinic for my blood test results and an official diagnosis on the diabetes. Gulp. I was not looking forward to the inevitable bad news. I sat patiently in one of those "holding" rooms the nurse stuffs you in to wait for the doctor. Why does it seem to last for hours before their grand entrance?

"Hello. I am Dr. Chan." That was as friendly as he got. He had the bedside manner of a Gestapo agent. Oh well, perhaps his manner was correct, given the somber news he was about to tell me. He scanned over the report and circled the (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel w/EGFR) glucose number. It was 182. That is the fasting number and 65-99 is what to aim for. He went to the second page and circled the Hemoglobin A1C number. Less than 6 is ideal. Mine is 8.0.

"You are a diabetic." He proceeded to give me strong directives. "You can eat all the fruits and vegetables you want. Do not eat coconut. No butter. Only poly and mono-unsaturated oil. NO SUGAR! Eat more fish. Avoid shellfish. Shrimp. Lobster. Cut all fat off beef. No chicken skin. Drink lots of water."

"What about cheese?"

"Follow this order," he said sternly. "Zero, zero, zero. That means you only eat things with 0% saturated fat, 0% trans fat and 0% cholesterol. Two egg yolks a week only. EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE!!! You must eat 3 meals a day. You may have small snack in between." Protein is essential at each meal.

"What about salt?" I never put salt on anything, anyway.

"You don't worry about salt. Why you take Lisinopril?" Lisinopril is a BP med, an ACE inhibitor. "You don't need."

"Kelly, the Physician's Assistant wrote me the prescription two weeks ago when I was here. She told me it was to protect my kidneys from damage. She..."

"It does not help your kidneys. You don't need it."

"What should I do? Should I finish or stop taking it?"

"I don't care. You do what you want."

"But... but?"

"I don't care. You do what you want."

"She also told me I will have to go on a cholesterol drug."

"You may. We see when you come back. OK. Sit on table." He listened to my chest and heart. "We do another blood test. You wait here for nurse." And off he went. She came in a few minutes later and asked how things went.

"Well, he certainly laid it on the line. No messing around with Dr. Chan."

"Nope." She handed me the diagnostic test request for lipids and glucose. Oh, I have to pee when I go. He wants that, too. She gave me a prescription for Glucotrol. Typical doctor handwriting. I have no clue how pharmacists decipher that chicken scratch. Minus the skin, of course. I went across the hall to make an appointment a month from now for those results. It will be up to me to schedule the lab work. They only need a 24-48 hour turnover time. That will be my final visit to this clinic. I will need to find another doctor. For the rest of my life, I will need to take this medicine (or, eventually, insulin), test my sugar twice daily and have the A1C test done every 3 months. The test strips run about a buck apiece. This is not going to be a cheap disease, especially without insurance.

My platelet count is down. The normal range is 140-400. Mine is 102. He wasn't too concerned about that. He talked about my cholesterol level. The ideal number is below 200. Mine is 213. HDL (the good kind) is 41. That's good. LDL (the bad stuff) is 134. Not good. It's supposed to be less than 130. My triglycerides are high. 190. Less than 150 is best. My bilirubin is high. That's got something to do with the liver. Other than that, I checked out pretty good.

Last week, I was IMing with by best and oldest friend. He said it was from all those beers and pizza. Cheap women, too. I told him I haven't had a beer in a long time. Up until today, it was Bacardi & (DIET!) Coke. I typed in that it was from all those years working at the Weiner King, eating all those hot dogs, hamburgers and french fries. Who would think back then that all that junk would take its toll? How was I to know my mother and her sister would get it and be insulin-dependent? That's something we don't think about when we're young. We're going to live forever and never get old. I said it's also from all the trans fat that's in everything today, something food manufacturers have known will kill you for years.

This morning, I popped my first pill. I chose a generic brand because it's a lot cheaper. Glipizide ER 2.5mg. It is an anti-diabetic drug (sulfonylurea-type) used to control high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. It's meant to stimulate the release of natural insulin. With a proper diet and exercise, hopefully it will work. It's supposed to help prevent heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, blindness, and circulation problems, as well as sexual function problems (impotence). I'm waiting.

I would like to thank my family and friends for all the support they have given me. I also want to thank David W. Boles at Urban Semiotic and his dedicated legion of loyal readers and contributors, like Chris and Nicola. I especially want to thank fred for being such a caring person. He has helped me a lot by proffering some much needed advice. Many of the comments can be read here and here.

'Tis the Season to be...Treeless!

When all nine Christmas trees were removed from Sea-Tac International Airport instead of adding a giant Jewish menorah to the holiday display as Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky requested, he said, "Everyone should have their spirit of the holiday. For many people the trees are the spirit of the holidays, and adding a menorah adds light to the season." Bogomilsky works in Seattle at the regional headquarters for Chabad Lubavitch, a Jewish education foundation. After consulting with lawyers, the port authority staff believed that including the menorah would have required adding symbols for other religions and cultures indicative of the Northwest. The holiday season is the busiest time at the airport, airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt stated, and the staff just didn't have time to play cultural anthropologists. Besides, Bogomilsky had hired a lawyer and threatened to sue.

Let's start with a brief history of the Christmas (or holiday) tree. In the northern hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night of the year falls around December 21. Many ancient people believed that the sun was a god and after that date, this god was going to make a remarkable recovery from being sick and weak and would bring forth fresh flora and vegetation. Evergreen boughs were used to celebrate the return of summer, since that was all that remained green at that time of year. Early Egyptians filled their homes with green palm rushes to symbolize the triumph of life over death. Romans marked the solstice with a feast called Saturnalia to honor Saturn, the god of agriculture, and decorated their homes and temples with evergreen boughs. So did the ancient Druids and Vikings.

Nowhere in the New Testament is there a reference of a tree to honor the birth of Christ. As a matter of fact, Germany is credited as being the first to start a Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Early German settlers in Pennsylvania brought this custom with them, which most colonists found to be an oddity. Pilgrims abhorred it and banned them in 1659 Massachusetts, along with carols and any other form of "paganism". All worship could only be done in churches. Period. That continued into the 19th century, but too many German and Irish immigrants undermined the Puritans' decree and Christmas trees found their way into homes in America. In Europe, they had already been established.

The menorah, on the other hand, is sacred and one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith. It is a seven-branched candelabrum used in the Temple and represents the nation of Israel and its mission to be "a light unto the nations." (Isaiah 42:6). Did I mention the book of Isaiah is in the Old Testament? The Torah states that God revealed the design for the menorah to Moses.

I know many people of all religions and no religion at all who celebrate the season by putting up and decorating a tree. To some, it is no different than dressing up your house and handing out treats on Halloween. That's another story, by the way. There is nothing sacred about a Christmas tree. Christianity does not recognize it as a symbol of their faith. The menorah and Christmas tree have nothing in common. One stands for religion. The other does not. If you don't believe me, go ask Santa Claus. If you don't believe him, wait until spring rolls around and ask the Easter Bunny. Better yet, don't. I don't want to have to explain the history of some rabbit to a disgruntled cleric, expecting equal religious billing. Then, I'd also have to explain dyed and hard-boiled eggs and how they got their rise in early pagan spring rituals.

A DIABETIC DIARY, Part One

This is going to be a series of posts about my experiences with diabetes, at least, until I get it under control. It allows me to vent, but primarily, it is about educating people. There are millions out there who have Type II and don't know it. Hopefully, some will gain knowledge about themselves or someone they know and take the necessary steps to catch it before too much damage is done. Before you go on, please read my first post, titled I Never Liked Needles.

"Diabetes is not a disease!"

"Is it contagious?"

The first statement came arrogantly from a friend of mine who thinks I made it up. To him, I was probably trying to elicit sympathy from friends as I sipped on a Bacardi & Diet Coke, my new drink. I knew my days of bellying up to the bar with buddies were coming to an end. His statement was cynical, at best, and, quite obviously, he knows nothing about it. The second question was from an innocent bystander who stepped back upon my pronouncement. Yes - it is a disease and - no - it is not contagious. What I can tell you is that it is often hereditary. My mother has been diabetic for almost 20 years and takes insulin daily. Her older sister is, too. My father has onset. He takes an oral medication. I have researched it over the years because of my mother.

I have no health insurance. My mother tried to get me in to see her primary care physician for blood work and a proper diagnosis. She tried to make an appointment with her endocrinologist, who would not see me without a physician's referral. This was all going to be very expensive. To just peer through the door was going to cost me hundreds of dollars per office visit and a whole lot more for the blood tests. This is money I don't have readily available. I knew I had to do something. I went to a search engine and typed in these four words, "free medical clinics orlando" and came back with a very promising hit, Shepherd's Hope. I went to the website and called the number to explain my predicament. "Yes, we can help you," the woman at the other end told me. They only see those with no insurance.

I had been feeling rundown for some time, at about 93 percent, before that fateful morning I took my first glucose test. I showed many of the signs and symptoms, but was never willing to acknowledge why I was feeling so achy and fatigued. It's not unusual to have this state of denial. I lost 25 lbs in a 6 month period, but I had tried to lose weight anyway. For the next 2 weeks, I took this sugar test morning and night and ran anywhere from 200-370. Not good numbers, and it didn't take a doctor to figure out what my condition was. In the meantime, I've changed my diet and have started to exercise. Some days, I am too weak to. Today, I feel better. Soon, I will take a nice, brisk walk.

When I got to Shepherd's Hope, there were a handful of people waiting for it to open at 6PM. The staff are all volunteers there to help those who can't afford medical attention otherwise. Depending on location, the clinic may only be open one day a week. A woman came out and assigned us all numbers. Some had appointments. We were to write our names and what kind of problem we have. I put down diabetes. When my name was called, the first thing I was asked about was what made me think I had it. I explained. Then, I went into a private room and waited for a doctor. I guess most of the people who go to free clinics are there for the flu or other simple, treatable maladies. Diabetes? I'll bet I was the first one to do that. She knocked. "Come in," I said, "like, I was going to tell you to stay out?" She laughed.

We discussed everything about it. She asked me plenty of questions and I gave her plenty of answers. Do I feel numb here? Tingly there? I told her about the sharp pains I've been getting in my toes, a sign of neuropathy. Mostly, she talked of fatigue. She asked me, if I could, what I would pick my overall average blood sugar level to be during the period of my testing. I guessed around 225. The normal range is around 100 or below, give or take a few. I was well above that mark. She got her stethoscope out and listened to me. "Have you ever had pains here?" she asked, as she pointed to my chest. I had. She said nothing more.

"OK, I cannot tell you that you are, absolutely, diabetic. I am setting you up for some blood work and I can't properly say that until the results come in. I will say that we both know you are and I am going to start you right away on a blood pressure medication, not that it's too high right now, but borderline, yes. Diabetes will bring about all sorts of complications, such as strokes and heart attacks. This is to mostly protect your kidneys from damage. The previous generation of diabetics didn't get this and other drugs you're going to get. Once properly diagnosed, you will also go on cholesterol meds, on top of what your disease is treated with, and regardless of what your cholesterol level is." She wrote a prescription for Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor. "We have [all donated] new drugs here I could prescribe free, but they are $100 a pop. If we run out, can you afford to stay on them?" No, I can't.

My mother has had a series of mini-strokes. Her kidneys are damaged. I asked her if she had taken any blood pressure meds when she was first diagnosed. She hadn't. This doctor (or Physician's Assistant) knows what she is talking about. I think you can call it preventive maintenance. She was very good, very caring and professional in appearance and demeanor. The next morning, I went to Quest Diagnostics where they drew lots of vials of blood for all kinds of tests, including A1C, which monitors sugar for the 2-3 previous months. I have an appointment with Shepherd's Hope on December 12 to find out the results. I will probably be given prescriptions then to get me on the right path. I will have to find a physician after that. The clinic is not there for continuous care. Right now, I'll take it one step at a time.

I have often read about the benefits of cinnamon in lowering blood sugar levels. My sister-in-law, Lindsay, bought me pills, along with dandelion root tea. So far, they haven't helped. I've always been a firm believer in alternative medicines, and I've been looking at other magic herbs, elixirs and anything else associated with "curing" diabetes. Online, I found out about the remarkable benefits of apple cider vinegar, which, at the same time, will eliminate warts. I read about chromium, the magic of bee pollen, how cranberries help and how just about every natural substance known to man will rid you of this dreadful disease. Cancer, too, probably. I wonder, if I switch to eating nothing but a combination of all of these wonderful things, will I be cured? I think, I'll stick with the conventional for now. Take that, Kevin Trudeau, you huckster, you.

This morning, my siblings told me the best Christmas present I could give them was no present at all, to take what I would have spent on them and apply it towards the medications I will need. They want to see me stick around for a long, long time. Their presents to me will be in the form of money, too. I protested to no avail, but they insisted.

Family, you gotta love them. I feel better already.

Please feel free to ask me any questions. If I don't know, I will do my best to find the answers.