Highways and Byways

Oh how the time has flown by! I can not believe its been since July that I last posted. So much has happened in the last 3 months.

August 2011 - I took a diabetes education class (4 weeks) that was phenomenal. I learned so much throughout these few weeks and I am getting better blood sugar readings at home. Still need to work on diet and exercise, but I finally feel like I'm in control of the disease instead of the disease being in control of me.  During August, I also started back to school to finish my Masters Degree in Professional (Biblical) Counseling through Liberty University.

Budgeting and Menu Planning (9-15 July 2011)

So the goal this week is to eat whats in the freezer and minimize what I have to buy at the store. And to use coupons when I can.

Breakfasts: omlets, scrambled eggs, coffee
Lunches: salads, leftovers, roastbeef or ham roll ups, veges
Snacks: cheese, protein, full fat greek yogurt, berries, apples, peanut butter
Dinners:
Saturday - not sure, since we have a birthday party at 4 and have to be at Lifeblood at 7 to set up and music practice
Sunday - taco salad w/homemade taco meat/seasoning, pepperjack, salsa
Monday - chicken breast sauteed with broccoli & cheese (freezer, need cheese)
Tuesday - CI Group - crockpot-pot roast w/celery, onions, beef broth, carrots, salad (freezer, need-celery & salad stuff)
Wednesday -sauteed snapper with green beans or broccoli (freezer)
Thursday - CI Group-  Leftovers
Friday - Out!

Fighting Diabetes Type II

I can't believe it is July already! Where has the time gone? I want to journal to keep a history of how I am doing with fighing/controlling this disease. I need to lose some weight and this will help with controlling diabetes, but since this runs in my family (strongly rides my paternal line) I may not be able to reverse it completely.

Current diabetes meds: metformin 1000mg x2, glipizide 10mg

Goal: lose weight and get off meds (or at least reduce them) by 31 December 2011.

Pounds lost since 17 June 2011 - 7lbs

So, my doc put me on metformin and glipizide and I have to test my blood sugar twice a day (since 15 June 2011). I also am eating low carb (for the most part) and my doc gave me a referral for diabetes education classes (which, hopefully my insurance will cover because its $450 for four classes). Will find out next week what insurance will cover (supposedly should cover the cost since my insurance is BCBS out of Maryland and Maryland law requires insurance companies to pay for such classes).

So I have definitely noticed a drop in my fasting blood sugar, as it was 200-232 and has dropped to around 150-165. This is still rather high, as my doc wants it under 140. But since I can't quite control that "Dawn Phenomenon" I am not too concerned. From what I have read, it is the hardest to control and will probably work itself out once my non-fasting blood sugar comes down to normal range. Which was actually really good yesterday before dinner @ 126.  I always thought it would really be awful to have to stick myself every day to check blood sugar, but actually its not all that bad. Its also kind of cool to see how food affects my blood sugar - like a lab experiment, which is how I am working this thing. I created a spreadsheet so I can log blood sugar, meals eaten, and exercise for each day. I can then take the numbers and find the average, which I can loosely associate with the A1C chart to see how my A1C is doing. Its dropped from a 9.5 to approx 7.5 in a month.  My doc wants it under 7, and i want to try to get it in the 5-5.5 range (which is considered normal).

Whatnot Wednesday - Summertime!

OMGoodness! Its Wednesday again already! I can't believe it! It only seems like Tuesday because of the holiday weekend last weekend.

Whatnot Wednesday - Mid-May Edition

• In all the busi-ness thisweek, I totally forgot about Whatnot Wednesday until I saw my friend Emily's post on Facebook! Gotta love FB!
• Too much going on this week at work with FY12 budget planning...yuck! But, if we want jobs next year, its a necessary evil.  Don't know about you, but I kinda like getting paid. :)
  

Whatnot Wednesday

WHAT!!! Is it Wednesday again already???? Where has the time gone?

--Hope everyone had a great Mother's Day.  I did. I came home from church and our son had put a card for me in the door window (so I'd see it). He had to work Sunday morning (long story) and so, we left before he did. He drew me a sweet card and wrote the most sweetest message in it. The funny part, though, was he put "I got you a Starbucks Card and I was going to give it to you when you woke up - but I couldn't find it. I looked in my truck, and in my room. And then found it in my pocket." HAHAHAHAHAHA! Love it! And the Starbucks card. :)

Whatnot Wednesday

--We had a great time in Orlando last week at Exponential Conference (church planter conference). There were approximately 4,000 fellow church planters. Funny thing, it seems every where we go, my husband knows someone. This time, we met up with a good friend & fellow church planter from Jacksonville. Our son is always amazed or amused (not sure which) and teases Dave when this happens. So, yes, Shane, your dad knew someone there too. :)