Thanksgiving 2006

Another Holiday spent alone...

Thanksgiving was always 'big' with my family, then my kids. When they grew and flew, I used to invite folks in and I still 'cooked'. Over the years, it just became physically impossible for me to do all that cooking and clean up; so Thanksgiving eventually downsized to include only me. For a couple of years, I tried 'going out' for this celebratory meal, but it just was not satisfying, and there were no leftovers. I'd rather have what I can cook and eat!

This year, as usual, I fixed my by now 'standard' diabetic holiday meal: baked chicken thighs, a box of cornbread dressing, sugar free Cranberry Jello, brown & serve dinner rolls with butter, and a cold diet coke. Food that will provide a yummy dinner for several nights!

Basically, it's a good Thanksgiving meal, and one I enjoy. Of course, I don't 'pig' out on this sumptuous stuff. That's not allowed. I do measure/weigh my food...

Notice the LACK of goodies that I would have enjoyed 20 yrs ago, ie turkey with homemade dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, Waldorf salad, canned cranberry sauce, etc.

Still, have NOT given up my pumpkin pie covered with Cool Whip (Lite!), I have it as a bedtime snack, and not as part of my meal. In fact, I buy a small pie, and have this snack for 4 nights, and pay for it with a higher morning blood sugar. But it is worth it.

My son Jon in Indianapolis did call me today, and I got to talk to both of those grand kids.

T.C.O.Y.D.

Take Care of Your Diabetes! Even though these conferences started in San Diego, CA in 1995, by Dr. Steven Edelman, I'd never been to one. There was always some reason not to go...

From their web site:
T.C.O.Y.D. "invites people with all types of diabetes to its 12th annual flagship program for a full day of seminars, workshops and one-on-one opportunities with leading experts in diabetes care, to the San Diego Convention Center on November 18. This is the 78th conference nation-wide."

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But this year I did attend TCOYD, San Diego, and it was great! It was held at the San Diego Convention Center where Diabetics, family members, all kinds of medical folks, suppliers, etc. took over a large part of the 2nd floor.

Billed as the "Nationally-renowned patient conference on latest treatments for diabetes", after attending, I have to agree!

I have no idea how many people were in attendance, but my guestimate would be HUNDREDS! You spent the day literally 'rubbing' shoulders with other people.

I was diagnosed with DM type 2 about 15 years ago (though I truly believe that I developed it by age 8), and have been injecting insulin for much of that time. (By the time I went to this event; I'd been using my new Deltec Cozmo pump for a couple of weeks!). My point being, I've ALWAYS taken care of my Diabetes by conferring with my docs, reading the latest studies, taking my blood sugars, et al. So I can't say I learned anything 'new' here, but I'm sure a lot of people with Diabetes did.

When the day's event was over, I was exhausted. And, I came away with a heavy shopping bag FULL of freebies, handouts, coupons, booklets, etc. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I took home with me a renewed commitment to TCOYD which is something EVERY Diabetic, perhaps especially those of us who are 'long time Diabetics', who tend to suffer 'burn out' need most!

I urge you; if you have Diabetes or have a loved one that suffers from this horrible disease. Please, please attend a TCOYD event!

The Sisters finally have all shots!

Today, a friend came and took the Sisters in their big, old, airline crate to get the second half of their initial shots!

We are done with 'shots' for a year!!! Yea! And next year I will 'stagger' them. Lucy one month and Ethel the next, so it won't be so hard on the bank account.

What a long hard road it's been with them! Had I known they were sooo ill, and that it would be sooo long before they were well; I might never have 'adopted' them.

They are 2 1/2 years old now, and just finishing up their 'baby' shots! The URI virus they were born with (and the vet said that it was the worst year for virual pneumonia, uri, etc, that she'd ever seen!) ruled our lives for almost two years!

The could NOT go outside, nor be exposed to other animals (even if immunized animals!) till they'd had their own shots. They could not GET their own shots till they were free of all viral symptoms for a month! And it took 2 years for that to happen...

Just when I thought I could get them immunized, one or the other would come down with a runny nose, runny eyes, sneezing fits, or a cough! It's been gruesome.

Then, because they were WAY past the age to be immunized, they had to have TWO sets of half dose (but not half price!) vaccines.

But they are not only healthy now, but immunized! So hopefully they won't be getting all that kitty URI stuff again.

The next step? To get Advantage in here. Then I will start taking them outside! They can have a 'real' kitty life, chewing grass, laying in the sun, chasing blowing leaves, etc.

I will really have to be careful though, as they have NO experience with cars, other people, etc. I will only take them out when I can go out! They may not even 'like' it out there...

I am only planning on doing this because they are so well trained to come to me when I shake that Kitty Caviar can! And the only time the will get it is when they COME inside for me...

This Blog need pruning!

Spent a brief amount of time reviewing this blog, as BlogSpot has some 'new' features I'd like to incorporate. So I was looking over 'evvy's blog'.

I think I need to dedicate a couple of hours to 'pruning' and tweaking!

Parathyroid Doc - Round 2

The first labwork came back with a normal Calcium level and a hight PTH. So we are on to a repeat of these at a second lab. That was drawn today.

In the meantime I am suffering severe muscle cramps in my hips at night. Am hardly getting any sleep at all...

And have episodes of irritability where I'm not fit to be around anyone or anything.