Diabetes, life and all that - personal diary

[Garr]

Kali Merra Pavlos, I follow and enjoy your thread, especially the photos. I lived in Zakaki for a year and then moved to Akrotiri for another 4 years where my daughter was born. The day I came back here was one of my saddest days. I love your photos of Cyprus as they bring back very happy memories and make me long for a day at the beach with an ice cold Keo. Keep the photos coming......

 

[pavlosn]

Weighing oneself after exercising is probably cheating but who cares!



89.9 kg looks a whole lot better to me than 90.1!

Pavlos


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[DiamondAsh]

DiamondAsh

You really are doing wonders for my moral!

At least I know there is one person out there who enjoys this thread!

Thank you

Pavlos

Oh I do enjoy it. Most indubitably.
I enjoy having a peek into the surroundings, the beautiful greenery and the dazzling sunshine, and of course your adventures in treating your Diabetes.
It's most enlightening!

 

[Beshlie]

Thank you for your beautiful photos, Pavlos, and you are doing so well with your exercise. I have been suffering from agoraphobia for about 18 months and been unable to leave my home, except for medical appointments, in all that time and it's lovely to turn on my computer to see your photos of Cyprus and its beauty. . I desperately want to get out with my Nikon and this afternoon I'm going to force myself out - not with my Nikon though as I plan on going to B&Q to look at rugs and vinyl flooring! It's surprising how we all help one another on this forum, and not just with our diabetes...

 

[pavlosn]

Hi Belshie

Thank you for your kind words. I am very happy that you enjoy the thread and the photos.

I can not begin to imagine what having a condition like agoraphobia must be like.

It does sound like you are ready to meet its challenge face on with your planned trip shopping this afternoon. It may be a fairly small routine thing to do for the rest of us, but I am sure that to an agoraphobic it must be a huge and vary brave step to take in controlling her condition.

Good for you!

I hope things work out today but even if they don't remember that tomorrow is always another day!

All the best

Pavlos


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Giverny]

Thank you for your beautiful photos, Pavlos, and you are doing so well with your exercise. I have been suffering from agoraphobia for about 18 months and been unable to leave my home, except for medical appointments, in all that time and it's lovely to turn on my computer to see your photos of Cyprus and its beauty. . I desperately want to get out with my Nikon and this afternoon I'm going to force myself out - not with my Nikon though as I plan on going to B&Q to look at rugs and vinyl flooring! It's surprising how we all help one another on this forum, and not just with our diabetes...

My camera is also what encouraged me to leave the house. I was somewhat of a recluse in my teenage years, but as soon as I got my first digital camera and discovered some beautiful places close to my home I started to feel more comfortable with spending time outdoors appreciating what it has to offer. If you do get out and about with your camera, please share some of the pictures with us - you can even start up your own photography thread in the general chat section at http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/category/general-chat.5/

I've also been following this thread with interest, Pavlos.. and now I want to visit Cyprus!

 

[pavlosn]

I've also been following this thread with interest, Pavlos.. and now I want to visit Cyprus!

Hi Giverny

Nice to here fro you.

Maybe I should get in touch with the Cyprus Tourist Organization - see if they can put me on the payroll.

If you do make it over here be sure to get in touch

Pavlos



Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[DiamondAsh]

Thank you for your beautiful photos, Pavlos, and you are doing so well with your exercise. I have been suffering from agoraphobia for about 18 months and been unable to leave my home, except for medical appointments, in all that time and it's lovely to turn on my computer to see your photos of Cyprus and its beauty. . I desperately want to get out with my Nikon and this afternoon I'm going to force myself out - not with my Nikon though as I plan on going to B&Q to look at rugs and vinyl flooring! It's surprising how we all help one another on this forum, and not just with our diabetes...

I've struggled with agoraphobia amongst other things too. Since moving house I'm happy to leave the house as long as I don't go anywhere noisy. SOme years ago I bought a dSLR camera and used to go out just to take pics... of wildlife and scenery etc. I ought to take it up again. That would get me some 'walking' exercise in. I use a stepper in the house to speed up my heart rate. I'd like to be able to take up golf.

 

[pavlosn]

Gallery of some of my photos of Cacti and Succulents

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/ind...ery---Cacti-and-Succulents.54198/#post-496318

Thank you for viewing

Pavlos


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[pavlosn]

Begining of last December was a watershed for me. I was unfit feeling unhealthy and in all honesty not enjoying life.

So a made up my mind that this year I would make my New Year's resolutions early and, unlike all previous years, stick to them. So far I am pleased to say that I have done so.

Some of these resolutions were practical: visit my doctor, exercise more, eat better.

Probably the most important resolution was a little more abstract: to adopt a more positive attitude and take time to appreciate life rather than let it happen around me. To open up my eyes and other senses to the beauty that is around us and to which, blinkered by my rush to succeed professionally, I had voluntarily, if unwittingly, blinded myself.

My morning walks and my camera have been invaluable tools to this end and I would wholeheartedly advise others to try something similar.

Even in the middle of suburban Nicosia the signs of nature coming alive are all around us this morning


Peach tree blossom


Grape vine setting out new growth



Orange tree blossoms


Bee gathering pollen from an orange tree flower


Apple tree


Lemon tree

Now, if you have never smelled lemon or orange tree blossoms, put it quite high in your things to experience.

Pavlos

Morning level at 94mg/dl (5.4mmol/l)


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[pavlosn]

Rather liked the interplay of light and shadow on this dew covered field this morning

Pavlos


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[pavlosn]

Putty cat


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[DiamondAsh]

That cat is a beautiful colour

 

[pavlosn]

A bid too preoccupied with work related stress to truly enjoy this mornings walk but at least I did get out there for an hour.

And I did have my camera with me!



Probably my frame of mind but I thought there was something wrong in seeing something as pure and beautiful as this Calla Lilly seemingly caged behind chicken wire.




Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[pavlosn]

I thought the sight of this yellow daisy growing against the odds, out of a sprinkling of dust caught between the road and the pavement rather moving and inspiring

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[pavlosn]

Aeonium arboreum flowering in a roadside planter


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[pavlosn]

Clivia miniata making a splash of color in the patio.

Weight down by 0,5kg to 89,4kg today!

- Fasting level: 100mg/dl ( 5,6 mmol/l)
- Two hours after breakfast of on whole meal multi grain toast a slice of cheese and a cup of tea and after one hours tennis: 110mg/dl (6,0 mmol/l)
- Before lunch 84mg/dl (4,6 mmol//). Lunch was fried red mullet fish, calamari and Greek salad. Probably had a bit too much bread with this
- Two hours after lunch a rather high 152mg/dl (8,4 mmol/dl). I really should not have had that white bread


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[pavlosn]

I had my first Chinese meal in ages last night.

My son wanted to have some and I thought I would try this once just to see if Chinese food really is as bad for glucose levels as people say. After all, how much harm would one night of high blood glucose levels do.

Tried to make more diabetes friendly choices. I ended up having
- Crispy Peking Duck (but skipped the pancakes and hoy sin sauce)
- beef in black bean sauce
- salt & pepper prawns
- a small helping of hairline noodles with bean sprouts
- no rice

I had no idea how it would all affect my bloods. As it turned out I need not have worried too much.

- I was at 103mg/dl before dinner.

- At 1 hour after the meal 174mg/dl. I usually aim to be under 140mg/dl at 1 hour and under 120mg/dl at 2 hours post meals.

- At three hours after meal I was 110mg/dl (6 mmol/l). Frustratingly I fell asleep on the sofa and did not test at two hours.

- Fasting blood glucose this morning 102mg/dl (5,7 mmol/l)

I did another 6km walk this morning, taking in the garden of the local monastery and their collection of birds.

Field with yellow daisies and young pine trees


Wildflower


Swans



Black swans



Peacocks




Pavlos


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[pavlosn]

Fasting blood glucose this morning 102mg/dl (5,7mmol/l). In fact my morning blood glucose levels appear to have settled to a boringly constant level.



I should not complain as boringly constant is in this case a desirable trade.

I leave you with another picture or two from my garden, this time of strelitzia reginae, the bird of paradise flower:




Pavlos


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[DiamondAsh]

Doing Great!
Wow, look at those beautiful flowers..... my word!! Gorgeous.