Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Seeing the Light
Working on lifestyle changes requires a commitment. Viewed not as deprivation, but as a method of living for the rest of your life. Changing what has been the norm, can be challenging. After a while, the changes do become a way of life.
Eating foods for a day, that I normally do not eat anymore, I found my self feeling deprived. No strawberries, blueberries, cucumbers, and no crisp crunchy veggies. My little luxuries were on the taboo list for two days. It feels great having my fresh treats back again.
My previous diet was not that bad, or so I thought. Dietetic choices are learned from the family. My only saving grace was that I cannot fry food, it is a talent I do not possess. Years of being on a Polish American diet was going to make me look like my Babci. However, I am not out working a farm like she was.
Understanding nutrition was something that did not penetrate my brain. Being told to cut back on carbs, does not do any good if you do not truly understand what carbs are. Taking a more academic and scientific approach is helping me. What is helping is finding what are good choices. Stating what to avoid is not helpful if you do not know what you should have. Finding substitutes helps me make the changes I need to make. Thankfully there are many options available, so more changes are on the way in my lifestyle.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Improving
My funk can probably be attributed to the decrease in exercise last week. Missing the movement and interaction with others in the class did take a toll. Granted the medical procedure and holiday did keep me from going three nights, but I should have opted for exercise Friday night instead of a party.
After going to class last night, my mood elevated to what has come to be my norm. I need to find some form of exercise that I enjoy for when I need to workout when I cannot get into a pool.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Bad Attitude
Let's just say I'm not in a happy place right now. I'll be back to posting when I am in a better frame of mind.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Suburbia sucks
Just another person, living among the masses that are tucked away in their little homes just outside a city, dealing with the high cost of living in this state. Electricity has just gone up. Taxes are going up, but I hear there is a surplus in the state budget? Health care costs are rising. Employees a local chain is about to go on strike about it. I hope the union wins. The little guy has sucked it up for too long. If the corporations make a stink, maybe something will be done about it. Granted I don't have any suggestions at this point, but what is going on right now is not working for the average working stiff. Heaven help the retirees.
What good is health insurance if you cannot afford the co-pays or medicine because you have to pay the high premiums just to have the insurance.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Recovering
I do not remember much. But what I do remember is that I hate IV's. They hurt like hell.
I vaguely remember being told to get dress and drink something. But I do not remember getting dressed. I did take a sip of something. I do not remember seeing the nurse after and do not remember how I got home. When my husband woke me up I was on my sofa. All I want to do is sleep. My appetite is zip, zilch, nic, nada. Saltines and toast are to my liking.
What surprised me is that I was released in the condition I was in.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Fasting isn't so bad
Not eating was not as hard as I thought it would be. Staying away from prepping food and people eating helped. I could have all the clear liquids I wanted, including Jello. I had lemon-lime. Having the jello felt like I was at least eating something.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Feast before Fast
Mardi Gras, Carnival, all celebrations getting ready for lent. Soon the pączki will be gone. Ash Wednesday I will be fasting, not because I am a good catholic. I will be fasting in preparation for a medical procedure on Thursday morning.
So eat, drink and be merry. for lean times come soon.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Another visit
Great news yet again. I'm down another two pounds and I am off one medication. Changing my diet and exercising have been effective. Since things are working so well, I'm going to stick with what is working and continue to make more small positive changes.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Budgetary Contraints
As previously posted, the dollar only goes so far. I thought we were finally getting our head above water. With upcoming expenses and just so much income, it appears that hard choices need to be made. I also need to get more creative so harder choices do not have to be made..
My day trip to NYC, cancelled. (I so needed this for my mental health.) I have not figured out what will replace it. I do need something to look forward to.
My hair cuts are already spaced a bit too long. But I'll talk to my hairdresser and ask for suggestions, but I may have to let my hair grow long. Ugh!
The clothing I have does not fit me. I need new clothing for Summer. Planning my wardrobe is key in order to stretch both the wardrobe and the money.
The cars need to be maintained. This is not cheap. But I do not think we are ready to go down to one car yet. My car is only has 87K and is probably good for another 10 years. The good news is that I can get new tires from the funds coming from Connecticut's Unclaimed Property Division.
The house needs some attention also. so things need to be replaced, like the vacuum cleaner, and minor repairs, updates need to be made.
Cutting medical costs. Not doable. But this seems to be the source of much of the drain on our budget. Insurance costs have gone up close to $300 per month in the last two years. What I could do with $300! Also I am now on various medications. Thankfully that's only about $100 per month. When totaled that makes increase in medical costs really is more like $400 per month.
Much needs to be done. Having a plan will reduce stress and hopefully not change our quality of life too much. Maintaining a positive outlook is difficult, but nessesary.
Let this be a word of caution to those looking toward retirement, your expenses will skyrocket beyond your imagination and there is not too much you can to about it. So plan with this in mind.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Busted
There comes a time when there is no denying, that lightbulb moment when you realize the truth. Or should I say the lightbulb burnt out. Something is not right. That was today for me after seeing how much we owed in taxes. With the increases in health insurance, shrinking saving account and not many more ways to cut back, changes need to be made. As our children grow up we loss the deductions, and the general expenses keep increasing.
Generally I like to have takes done by Valentines Day. But my heart I knew that we would owe. So what is a few more days without knowing the exact figures. The good news is that I did the taxes myself and the expense of the accountant can go directly to the IRS.
Generally I like to have takes done by Valentines Day. But my heart I knew that we would owe. So what is a few more days without knowing the exact figures. The good news is that I did the taxes myself and the expense of the accountant can go directly to the IRS.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Swim Season Ends
The passing of time means some things end and new things begin. My youngest's time as a high school student is coming to an end. Soon he will be moving onto the next chapter in his life. Tonight was his last swim meet. No more pasta parties.
They won. Winning the meet is a nice way to end the season.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Cold Season
Getting out of the pool, I make sure I am dry before going out into the freezing cold air. The night amplifies the sound of the squeaks and crunches of the snow, as I make my quick trip across it. I am dressed warmly and the cold does not have enough time to give me a chill.
There are things that are precious to us, or are little luxuries. Then there are the things that are the necessities. Helping me though this winter have been my wool socks. This is the first year that I have needed the extra warmth and comfort of wool. It was pleasing to find that today's wool socks are not the bulky ungly things that I remember from my younger days.
It is even nicer that the socks have a feminine touch. My guys will not be snagging my socks. It would be nice if I could knit my own socks, however I was not blessed with the talent or patience like my friend at Bald Sheep.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Flowers and Hearts
Although the Northeast is being pounded by a nor'easter, Valentines Day still arrives. My gift to you is this picture of a beautiful rose.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Death of Innocence
We all have to be vary of scams and the seedier side of life. Being naive and trusting makes us targets. It is sad when we have to be suspicious rather than trusting.
Granted there have always been there have always been those that take advantage of people's trust. Now trust is the key to an invitation to be attacked. Me, I tended to trust until that trust has been taken away by misdeeds. Perhaps that is a fault I have. Now trust has to be earned.It is a shame that instead of being open, we have to stand guard. Be wary of the evil that is lurking.
By taking steps to protect ourselves and loved ones it makes it more tedious and difficult to do things. Now we have things like passwords, HIPPA, and other various protective items. These can become roadblocks for the innocent and those that have a tendency to forget seldom used passwords.
Stopping the flow (iced over)
It is with great reluctance that I have enabled the password for making comments. The frequency of spammers posting has increased to the point where I am spending too much time deleting those comments.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Brain Clutter
Being preoccupied prevents my brain from remembering things that I should be doing. So much to do, so much to manage, so much to worry about. Keeping a tight rein on the household finances and worrying about incomes taxes is at the forefront. One can only squeeze that buffalo so much.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Tools
When something does not work it can be frustrating. Sometimes solutions can elude us. Finding what works makes life easier.
My dilema was I was preoccupied with tasks at hand and I would forget to test my blood sugar. This was happening frequently. I would remember too early and wait, then forget. By the time I remembered it was too late to test.
Since I only have 15 days to return my cell phone I decided to check it out some more. I remembered that my son uses his as his alarm clock. Perhaps my phone has an alarm? Sure enough, there is an alarm feature on the phone. So far it is working to remind me to test. I'll have to check out and see if it would wake me.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Accountability
Why is it that if documented, I'm much better at maintaining my new lifestyle and less likely to stray? There is something about having to write down what you have eaten that keeps you from eating more or eating something that is not good for you. Also it helps that the meter is impartial, it displays just the facts.
The A1c does that too, but that test is done a few times a year and gives an average for the about the last three months.
Testing frequently with my meter helps me see how different food impacts my blood sugar. This way I can adjust what I eat and I will not get spikes.
Labels: Diabetes
Friday, February 09, 2007
Spontaneity
Being spontaneous in nature, following a routine is challenging for me. Oh sure things like brushing teeth, laundry, etc., are to be done. But I like flying by the seat of my pants. Routines are boring, but dependable like my husband. Getting out of the routine for him is challenging. I like to think out of the box. He likes in the box. Sometimes it is grounding for me, other times I feel stifled. My spirit soars when out of the house, exposed to new things, ideas, experiences. I find growth. In the house I feel confined, merely existing.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
The Dead Zone
The service provider for our cell phone service offers a new phone every two years. They actually give you a dollar amount that is deducted from the cost of the phone.
Here is my new phone.
Learning where the features that I use are is a bit annoying as each phone is different. I have been on autopilot as far as using my old phone goes. Retraining myself is the pits.
It has tons of bells and whistles that were not on my old phone and I will never use them. For one month the company has given me extended service where I can pay more money to acquire things live video, games and music. That would be fine if I had tons of time on my hands, but I cannot see myself watching a video other than on a bigger screen. The music, well I might put the 1812 Overture on to drown out the rap music that someone is playing on their cell phone while in the store.
I just want a simple non-offense cell phone. The camera on the phone is a plus, for when my batteries in my Olympus die and I do not have spares. Contact list, voice dialing, silent vibrate and speaker phone are my needs. I do not need annoying songs to let me know that someone is calling me, a simple ring tone will suffice.
We live in the DEAD ZONE. Service sucks where we live even though we are surrounded by towers. We live right in the middle and I only get one bar, two if it is cloudy. Sometimes I have to go outside and walk down the street to get reception. I had hoped that this would have improved with a new phone, to my dismay it did not. So this extended service does not work at my home. We'll see if I get a chance to play with it before I cancel the extended service in three weeks.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Keeping Your Money
It seems to be that most people think that being frugal is a negative. Why spend more money than you have to? With the internet you can find ways to save money on purchases. Read reviews to insure that your money is well spent. Why buy a lemon?
After years of good service my vacuum has bit the dust so to speak. As the dust bunnies pile up my desire to replace it is increasing in urgency. Between Consumer Reports and online user reviews I have narrowed down my future purchase of a vacuum cleaner and will not overspend to get it.
I have had this handbag since 2000.
Saving a few dollars here and there allows me to splurge on the little luxuries in my life. Sometimes you have to spend more upfront to save money in the long run. I spend a good chuck of change on a handbag that lasted me for years, a friend had to replace her $30 bag every three months because they fell apart. Over time, she ended up spending more than I on the handbags.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Claim Denied
Insurance companies seem to be banking on people not knowing what should be covered. Their bottom dollar is improved when people just accept that the claim was denied. Sometimes all it takes is a simple phone call and you will hear something like this:
"All our claims are processed by the computer."
The computer is the scapegoat?
"That should have been covered. I will resubmit it for processing."
If I had not called it would have cost me about $300 just this year alone. It's only February. I can only imagine how much the insurance company has saved by people not calling. Sometimes it is not as simple as making a call. Vigilance and perseverance are required to get the claims approved.
Monday, February 05, 2007
the dedicated
With the windchill, it was -2°. Overall attendance at free swim was down. For a few moments, I contemplated not going to class. MY husband said something and I decided to brave the cold. Besides I need the exercise. My body has become adjusted to working out at this time of night.
(Not bad for a cell phone picture)
The class was well attended even with the frigid temperatures. Cold condensation rained down into the pool from the glass roof. The pool water was not too cold if you keep moving, but if you slowed down to stretch it became more difficult to tolerate.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Brrrrrrrrr
Sunny bright blue skies are courtesy of the polar jet stream. The light is much brighter because of the blanket of snow on the ground. While inside, the brightness of light makes us forget how cold it is outside and how much colder it is going to get. Ice on the walks is not melting.
Thank heavens most of my work this week does not require me to go out.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Snow Drought Ended
Until last night the total snowfall for this winter was just over one inch. Last night blessed us with three inches of snowball material.
It has been a long time since we have....
- driven is snow.
- seen such beauty.
- been blinded by the bright reflection of the sun off the snow.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Happy Groundhog Day - Go RED
Did the groundhog see his shadow? Punxsutawney Phil did not, supposedly spring is right around the corner. Does it really matter? No.
Does heart health matter? Yes. Since I tend to champion causes, I will be wearing red today to support the fight against heart disease in women. Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Go to Know Your Numbers for your heart health.
Does heart health matter? Yes. Since I tend to champion causes, I will be wearing red today to support the fight against heart disease in women. Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Go to Know Your Numbers for your heart health.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Hypoglycemia a.k.a. Low Blood Sugar
It is a scary thing for me. I do not like the feeling. Usually hypoglycemia can be avoided by eating at regular intervals and having snacks. Sometimes the person with diabetes does not recognize the symptoms, so family, friends and coworkers should be aware of the symptoms and remedies.
Here are some of the more common mild symptoms:
· Shaky
· Sweaty
· Chills, cold hands
· Pale skin color
· Anxious
· Fast heartbeat
· Dizzy
· Hungry
· Crabby
· Confused
· Clumsy
· Weak or tired
· Trouble sleeping
· Difficulty concentrating
· Headache
Here are some of the more moderate symptoms:
· Increase in mild symptoms
· Anxiety
· Confusion, unclear thinking
· Anger, Strange behavior
· Lack of balance
· Difficulty speaking
· Numb lips
· Blurred vision
Here are some of the severe symptoms:
· Stupor
· Passing out
· Seizures
If hypoglycemia happens and the symptoms are recognized, it can easily and quickly be addressed without serious consequences.
15 grams/15 minute rule
Take 15 grams of carbohydrates and wait fifteen minutes.
· 1/2 cup of any fruit juice
· 1/2 cup of a regular (not diet) soft drink
· 5 or 6 pieces of hard candy
· 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar or honey
· Glucose gel or cake frosting in a tube
If there still are symptoms after 15 minutes, have another 15 grams and wait another 15 minutes.
After the symptoms have subsided and it is an hour or more before the next meal, have a snack.
Labels: Diabetes
