Diabetes, life and all that - personal diary

[connie104]

Always feel deflated coming back from a holiday especially an enjoyable one. It will pass and Christmas will be here soon!!!!

 

[pavlosn]

@ Mike D

Thank you for your kind comments and generous praise.

This thread is my personal therapy session. My way of working through, rationalizing and finally coping with situations, just like I did today in discussing the luck of enthusiasm I have been feeling over the last couple of days.

If by sharing it, I am helping others cope as well, then I am pleased.

I do not hold myself out to be extraordinary in any way, not as a person and not as a diabetes sufferer.

In the context, this ordinariness is a strength. As you so rightly state, if I can manage to control and live with my diabetes, there is absolutely no reason why you or anyone else can not do so as well.

All it takes is a little self discipline and perseverance.

And there is no reason why all our lives, even with this condition of ours, can not be as full and satisfying as the next person's.

If anything, with the heightened awareness of our one mortality brought on by the diabetes, we should be even better equipped to appreciate life's many simple joys.

Pavlos

 

[Mike d]

@ Mike D

Thank you for your kind comments and generous praise.

This thread is my personal therapy session. My way of working through, rationalizing and finally coping with situations, just like I did today in discussing the luck of enthusiasm I have been feeling over the last couple of days.

If by sharing it, I am helping others cope as well, then I am pleased.

I do not hold myself out to be extraordinary in any way, not as a person and not as a diabetes sufferer.

In the context, this ordinariness is a strength. As you so rightly state, if I can manage to control and live with my diabetes, there is absolutely no reason why you can not do so as well.

All it takes is a little self discipline.

And there is no reason why all our lives, even with this condition of ours, can not be as full and satisfying as the next person's.

If anything, with the heightened awareness of our one mortality brought on by the diabetes, we should be even better equipped to appreciate life's many simple joys.

Pavlos

You deserve every minute of my attention (and my wife who LOVES your posts) because of YOUR attention to others. That's what's makes us human and FAR more so because we share compassion.

Have a GRREEATTT day Pavlos

Mike







're worth evevyDon't thank me mate ... there vas a time

 

[pavlosn]

There's a spring to my step again this morning, a welcome feeling of renewed alertness.

Somewhat surprisingly, it took a visit to my invalid dad at his nursing home, to bring me out of the apathy that has plagued me for the last couple of days.

As I walked into his room, I found him as I expected in his bed with my mom as always sitting by his side.

His face lid up with what I can only describe as pure joy.

He tried to greet me but of course the aftermath of his latest stroke ensured that once again all that came out of his mouth was gibberish.

For once though his damaged speech center was no obstacle to him getting his message across. His smile and shining eyes were enough. It was like a beacon shaming me out of my air of indifference.

We had a rather strange conversation, me responding to questions I could only pretend to comprehend by telling him about my son, his grandson, school and about our recent trip to England. I even told him about the football game. The smile never left his face so I hope he understood what I was saying.

My visit ended up being much longer than I originally expected it to.

When it came to time to go, I was giving my mom a lift home, he took my mother's hand and kissed it. In Greek culture the kissing of hands is much more than a sign of affection, it is a sign of respect and gratitude.

My mom broke into a somewhat embarrassed laughter and told him off for being silly.

Momentarily though the tired and worried look that seem's permanently etched on her face these days was gone, replaced with a more familiar smile.

Even the shell of the man that my dad once was, that now lies before me, can still teach this son a lesson.

When I I tried to shake his hand goodbye, he tried to kiss my hand as well.

I resisted.

I leaned down and kissed his hand instead.

Pavlos

 

[Mike d]

There's a spring to my step again this morning, a welcome feeling of renewed alertness.

Somewhat surprisingly, it took a visit to my invalid dad at his nursing home, to bring me out of the apathy that has plagued me for the last couple of days.

Pavlos

GOOD !! Thought I detected that. Have a sweet and pleasant day brother Mike and Laurel

 

[pavlosn]

GOOD !! Thought I detected that. Have a sweet and pleasant day brother Mike and Laurel

Or it could be the spinach omelette I just had for breakfast!

 

[Mike d]

Or it could be the spinach omelette I just had for breakfast!

View attachment 8050

Unbelievable ... exactly what i'm planning for brekkie tomorow

 

[pavlosn]

Having completed an early morning game of tennis

I am now getting plenty more exercise helping to pick the olives from my parents' trees.

These will then be pressed at the mill to produce owe own "vintage" of virgin olive oil.

As this was one of my dad's tasks, I've never had to do this before but with him in the nursing home now someone has to take over. I know that although my mother Is grateful for my help, my presence here makes my dad's absence all the more real for her.

At least we have good weather for it. Shorts and tee shirts still my attire of choice.

Pavlos

Sugars at a nice 5,2 mmol this morning

 

[pavlosn]

Went out to lunch and then passed by the nursing home for my son to visit his grandad

It feels great to see my dad looking so happy.

Of all the scary complications that diabetes can bring, a stroke and brain damage is the most scary to me. My dad is sometimes too painful a reminder of that possibility. But to reduce him to just that, a warning of what might be, is to do him a great disservice.

I am fortunate to still have both of my parents alive and I really should not and can not take that as granted.

We have a saying in Greek ( I know we do have a lot of sayings) that "if you do not have old people in the family, you should buy some".

There is something about the unconditional love that only a grandparent, unburdened by a parent's responsibility to set limits, can give to a grandchild that no one else can quite match.

This is something that all children must experience. I was fortunate to feel loved like that by my own grandparents and grateful that my son can now experience the same.

Pavlos

 

[pavlosn]

Just completed my morning walk; all 12,500 steps covering 11km over one hour fifty minutes and taking me past a nearby olive orchard, it's fields now green with emerging growth

Past a citrus orchard, with trees carrying an almost impossible load of ripening fruit, their branches bending under the weight

And on to the grounds of the monastery round which I love to walk on Sundays.

The blue sky above and the warmth of the morning sunshine lift my already high spirits even further.

The reason I am in such good mood this morning is that I weighed myself before I set out and I am now exactly 92kg, a loss of 10kg since mid September.

Now the number 10 always seems significant in these decimal dominated days, but the reason I got excited is different.

You see when I first started this thread back in February, I weighed exactly 92kg.

Somewhere along the way I got complacent abandoned this thread and this forum, took a wrong turn and lost my path along with control of my glucose levels and my weight. By September 16 when I resurrected this thread, tail tagged firmly between the legs, my weight had ballooned to 102kg.

So today's 92kg represents a return to the beginning, a coming of full circle back to where I started or rather back where I want to be, hopefully not about to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Now I know that there are no guarantees that the road ahead will be smooth. I know that my mortal nature will ensure that I am fighting a war that I am doomed to eventually (hopefully some time in the very distant future) lose.

For now though, this weight loss feels like a small victory and I am celebrating and taking pleasure from it, all the more so because I feel I fought hard to earn it.

If only I could package and sell the way I feel at this moment!

Or rather if I could store it for my own future use, for my own future reference at times of temptation and need.

Maybe this is exactly what I am doing in writing it all down in this diary.

 

[Mike d]

Just completed my morning walk; all 12,500 steps covering 11km over one hour fifty minutes and taking me past a nearby olive orchard, it's fields now green with emerging growth
View attachment 8081
View attachment 8082
Past a citrus orchard, with trees carrying an almost impossible load of ripening fruit, their branches bending under the weight
View attachment 8083
And on to the grounds of the monastery round which I love to walk on Sundays.
View attachment 8084
The blue sky above and the warmth of the morning sunshine lift my already high spirits even further.
View attachment 8085
The reason I am in such good mood this morning is that I weighed myself before I set out and I am now exactly 92kg, a loss of 10kg since mid September.

Now the number 10 always seems significant in these decimal dominated days, but the reason I got excited is different.

You see when I first started this thread back in February, I weighed exactly 92kg.

Somewhere along the way I got complacent abandoned this thread and this forum, took a wrong turn and lost my path along with control of my glucose levels and my weight. By September 16 when I resurrected this thread, tail between the legs, my weight had ballooned to 102kg.

So today's 92kg represents a return to the beginning, a coming of full circle back to where I started or rather back where I want to be, hopefully not about to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Now I know that there are no guarantees that the road ahead will be smooth. I know that my mortal nature will endure that I am fighting a war that I am doomed to eventually (hopefully some time in the very distant future) lose.

For now though, this weight loss feels like a small victory and I am celebrating and taking pleasure from it, all the more so because I feel I fought hard to earn it.

If only I could package and sell the way I feel at this moment!

Or rather I could store it for my own future use, for my own future reference at times of temptation and need.

Maybe this is exactly what I am doing in writing it all down in this diary.

Yep, keep going Pavlos

When I was diagnosed, I was near enough to 90 (89.7 to be exact) and I'm 6 foot tall. In three months thru some rather simple (but arduous walking) exercise, I got it down to 79. I'm now 77 kgs.

Yes, I still have the same issues as everyone else, but I at least know weight is not one of them. I know one thing from it despite the fact I've cut back on the exercise (and yes, I have my reasons for doing that as I choose each battle (diet / exercise etc)) and that is I have a great deal more energy. and though I'm now retired, I'm still up and hungry for brekkie at 6 a.m

Mike

 

[pavlosn]

Yep, keep going Pavlos

When I was diagnosed, I was near enough to 90 (89.7 to be exact) and I'm 6 foot tall. In three months thru some rather simple (but arduous walking) exercise, I got it down to 79. I'm now 77 kgs.

Mike

Now I feel fat again!

Pavlos

 

[Mike d]

Now I feel fat again!

Pavlos

Oh sheesh !! I'm sorry mate

I wasn't bragging brother, just guess it took a kick in the rear end to get me doing the right thing. I never thought I was overweight until I looked hard at my bulging waistline back in June. Guess it's just the way I'm built

Have a great day and our love to you and the family

Mike and Laurel

 

[pavlosn]

Spend the day with friends at our village in the North of Cyprus.

We enjoyed a very nice lunch al fresco at the veranda of my parents in law's house

Where the bougainvillea made an especially striking display,

And some potted plants were doing their best to compete

We decided to stretch our muscles thy walking the three kilometers to our farm; an excellent opportunity for my son and his two friends to burn some of their excess energy in the open traffic free fields of the village.

The farm itself with all its different animals is always a fun place for the kids to visit.

Chasing and scaring the various farm birds half to death seemed to be a real hit with the boys

This cute little bunny also proved a real favorite with the kids

Probably the highlight of the farm visit for the boys was probably getting to take turns riding on of the horses; my son not wanting to waste a chance to showcase his riding skills in front of his friends.

The log house in the farm looked particularly attractive, covered in pink podranea

By the end of the day, with all of this morning's walking followed by yet more walking this afternoon my step count has reached a kind unprecedented 23,300!

Having not tested since this morning I just took a pre dinner count of 5 mmol.

Actually, I will skip dinner as I need to give a fasting blood sample for a full lipid profile test tomorrow morning. It's been s month since my last one and I want to make sure that the extra fat in my diet has not had an adverse effects. I will be testing my HbA1c at the same time so wish me luck.

Pavlos

Pavlos

 

[daisy1]

You live in such a beautiful place. I really enjoyed looking at these photos

 

[pavlosn]

I have just been given my latest hba1c score: a very nice non-diabetic 5,2% or 33,3 mmol. ( my last month's score was 6% or 42mmol)

My a1c score corresponds to an average glucose level of 5,7 mmol over the last three months.

All lipid counts improved as well!
-Triglycerides down from 1,5 to 0,99 mmol.
-Total cholesterol down from 3,9 to 3,7.
-LDL down from 2,3 to 2,2
-HDL up from 0,85 to 1,01

Feeling very very happy

Pavlos

 

[alliebee]

Absolutely delighted for you

 

[Kezzer4321]

You live in a truly beautiful place the pictures were great, I especially like the turkeys - they reminded me of Christmas and how much I am going to enjoy my turkey dinner.

 

[daisy1]

Well done Pavlos. Your hard work and walking are paying off

 

[douglas99]

Brilliant result, congratulations!