LadyMagnolia's Daily Blog

Wow I can't believe it's been so long since I have journal-ed. I hope this finds everyone well in J-Land. I am so far behind in reading everyone's journals. But I always think of you guys.

I am finally-finally over the oral thrush and sinus infections! I have never been sick for 4 months straight in my life! I hope to never repeat that.

Fay hit us Floridian's pretty hard! Four days of hard rain and high winds, with lots of flooding. The piers where the boats were docked, were completely under water. They had to use canoes to get the elderly out of a nursing home, so that they would stay safe. But praise God because it could have been worse.

I finally have my diabetes under control yay! It took me 2 months and a lot of trial and error to find what foods I could eat and what ones I needed to stay away from Ü. The plus side of this is I am also finally dropping the weight off of me at a safe pace Ü.

Well, that's about it right now Ü. Hopefully I'll have more interesting things to write about in my next post.

Oh I would like to share two wonderful sites for Moms. Here are the Links.

www.cafemom.com

It's a wonderful place to meet other Moms to share advice, get advice and lots of encouragement.

This next web site has something for everyone. From A-Z literally they have every disease and disorder support groups you could think of. They are awesome. I hope you will check them both out.

HealthBoards.com Message Boards

HUGS~Too All,

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Before you go any farther This is MY political view & my personal journal. If you believe you will be offended please go no further. I ask respectfully that you keep an open mind in a political debate using the comment section.

No bashing of others that do not agree with you/no foul language to others when posting your personal comment.

All comments welcomed

 It is every persons right to be able to agree to disagree. I also respect each persons view here in J-Land for their "personal" views as well.

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First I want to thank everyone who posted SO much encouragement to me in my previous post. You guys are the best Ü.

Mark and I went to see my Dr. Tuesday-we all talked about the concerns we have had. I took my machine and my journal with us, so the Dr. could see it. As we talked our Dr. explained that my numbers are more likely bouncing because of my being sick for the last 3 months & being on 3 antibiotics within the last 3 months and having oral thrush twice in the last 3 months! I still have the thrush and he gave me a new medication for it-called Mycelex Troches. They are gel tablets Yay! I take it 5x a day for 2 weeks. He is starting me on a 3rd diabetic medicine called Glyburide 5 mg 2x a day.

Our Dr. said to give it 2 months for me to get completely over being sick and letting the new meds work in lowering my sugar. He said if after 2 months & my sugars are still going above the 200's then we would have to talk about insulin. I am disabled and it's hurts terribly to try and exercise. I have heard some very positive things about water aerobics. So I am going to call our local YMCA and see if they offer classes.

I am also going to be positive about this and hope the high 200's are from being sick and just needing a 3rd diabetic med to help with the others.  BTW I did lose 8 lbs this month Ü.

HUGS~Donna

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Nothing bad has happened today-I just feel so stressed over my Diabetes. I got up this morning around 6:00 a.m. I checked my fasting sugar and it was an amazing 112! I ate 2 "FiberOne bars" and went back to sleep around 7:30 a.m. Usually I stay up for the day. But today I didn't feel like dealing with the world. So I slept till 2:30 p.m. It's not hard for me to sleep-it's my "escape." I am on depression meds and have been for almost 15 years now. I don't think it's meds/depression-maybe it is and I'm just in denial??? But I have always used sleep as an escape, even when I was way younger. I am so scared of having diabetes!

Everything I read is so negative. I just got my first "Diabetes Forecast" magazine yesterday. I decided to start reading it today-bad idea. Most all the articles I read were depressing. All I hear about is kidney failure, kidney disease, heart disease, foot ulcers, amputation, do this but don't do that, eat this and stay away from this., good fat verses bad fat, eat more protein less carbs and on and on it goes.

I am trying everything I know to educate myself, eat right and keep my numbers under control. But I constantly worry if I am getting enough of the right foods from every food group.

I am a little stressed as hubby and I are going to see my Dr. tomorrow afternoon. Today's numbers were good. But it's a daily struggle. I am so.o.o.o worried that he's going to put me on insulin. We have no medical insurance and I can't even imagine what insulin cost!

I take two diabetic meds already. Metformin 2,000 mg a day and Actos 45 mg a day.

I just wish that there was a small bright side to this diabetes life. I don't want to die early aged and yet the percentage is so high for diabetes patients-woman are more at risk than men actually. I want to see my grand babies grow up, graduate from college and watch them get married.

But it just seems so dooms day right now.

I want to let you guys know that I am sorry I have not come by to visit your wonderful journals. I will try to catch up tonight and tomorrow on everyone.

Donna

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Click on link

Four Chihuahuas, Eight Wheels, One Big Happy Family

This next link was so beautiful it made me cry. Click on the link below and turn your sound up. You won't be disappointed.

Christian The Lion: Full Story :: BEST QUALITY

OMG I am going to cry all day with these touching videos Ü.

Click on link and turn volume up

GodTube.com - My Redeemer Lives - Team Hoyt

HUGS~Donna

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I have been struggling with diabetes now for 7 yrs as of July 5th.

I have been a diabetic for 7 years as of July 7th.Yep a day after the 4th I was in the ER with my sugar being way over the 300 mark. That's how I found out I was a T2 diabetic. I went through a big denial stage. Then got scared I was going to die early and almost starved myself to death. I lost 45 LBS in 3 months. I guess anytime a Dr. says you have a "disease" your mouth goes dry, your heart beats faster, and you make the Dr. say it to you again, so that it will sink in.

Embarrassing as this is too admit I've never taken responsibility for my diabetes. I wanted "IT" to just go away! I didn't want to be told what I can and cannot eat. I'm to young to have this stupid disease. So for the next 5 yrs I would occasionally try to eat right and would sometimes check my sugar. But neither lasted very long to do any good. Because of the neglect from not taking responsibility-I suffer more now in many ways.

When I was first diagnosed I had some weight issues. But my Dr. was very good at encouraging me-that if I lost near 40 LBS, that I could control the diabetes with food and exercise.

But no, not me-I had to see how far I could go without anything going wrong in my body. So to me I figured if I'm taking meds, then I can eat what ever I want. That's what I told myself HA!

I now have chronic neuropathy. I have no feeling what so ever in my feet on the top or bottoms. When I touch my feet it feels like I am touching something fake. I have cut my foot twice in 6 yrs. First time on a piece of glass that had broken in the kitchen. My daughter and I cleaned and swept the whole kitchen making sure we got all of it up. A while later while in the kitchen I looked down and saw blood patches and smears all over the floor. I panicked and thought Brittany had cut herself on the glass that had broken. I checked her from top to bottom. As I was trying to see where she was cut at. Brittany stopped me and said Mom your the one bleeding! It felt so strange to be cut and bleeding and not feel it.

The neuropathy is very painful. Reason being the nerves inside my feet are all whacked out all the time. It feels like when someone would touch a light bulb in-correctly and would get zinged! Your arms ached, and a hurt tingle was felt. Thank God that kind of zap goes away quickly

Mine is like this every day of my life. But thank God for wonderful Drs. that know about diabetes. I have been blessed with the Dr. I have now. I am on meds 3x a day to keep my feet under control & so I'm not always in such pain.

After the first cut years ago, I now keep socks or shoes on. But several months ago I decided to let my feet breathe Ü. Again there was small amounts of blood on the kitchen carpet, & the living room carpet, and me. Hubby was the one that noticed it this time and grabbed my foot. Luckily it looked worse than what it was Ü.

How did my neuropathy get so bad? I was misdiagnosed for several years. I had been in a car accident many, many years ago. From the accident I messed my back up very bad. So the chiropractor said all the pain, tingling, and jerking of my feet were complications from my back injury. So I probably bought the chiropractor his new house from all the money I spent trying to get better lol.

This was several years before I was told that I was a diabetic. So of course being untreated for the real problems it continued to get worse as the years went by. I didn't know why I was always thirsty, going pee every 15 minutes, tired all the time, sluggish etc...

Well, now the neuropathy is not only in my feet but also in all ten finger tips. It's aggravating because I don't feel things like I use to. I miss helping our daughter Brittany put her necklaces on, I miss buying our grand daughter ear rings, and her asking me to put them in...I can't. And so many more that are not coming to mind.

I have always had very healthy teeth. I loved brushing my teeth, always had. When I was a teenager I would just dry brush (walking around the house with my tooth brush)between bushing's lol.

4 years ago I started noticing a change in my teeth and started seeing tiny cavities in the front of my teeth. Speeding up to right now...Most of my teeth have fallen out. Mainly in the back part of my mouth. Now it's closer to the front. The teeth are just breaking off little by little.

Why am I sharing all this? Well, If I can help just 1 person on this board not to ignore their diabetes, and share with them how it has affected me physically and emotionally~then I feel I have done some good. I am now 45 as of this past June. I realized if I kept ignoring the diabetes, kept up my eating habits, not checking my sugar every day and lose major weight~that it's only going to get much worse. So yes, I believe I had a wake up call.

One of my moments I realized something was wrong......in a personal experience.
I love the beach Ü here in Florida we have lots of beaches. If I could I'd spend every day at the beach. But I remember crying a few years ago while at the beach. One of the first things I do after everything is set up, is to wiggle my feet in the warm sand Ü. I loved that warm sand and I'd snuggle my feet right in the warmth. I have done this since I was a child. Except this time....I couldn't feel it at all. it broke my heart! Another thing that diabetes has taking away from me. 

So I got serious about my diabetes a month ago. Several months before all this my Dr. had to up my Glucophage. I was taking 1,000 mg daily. He changed that to 2,000 mg a day. Plus they needed to add another diabetic pill Actos. I took 30 mg in the morning. The Dr. had to up that as well to 45 mg a day.

At first when I decided to not kill my organs with all the junk I was eating. I started down a whole new road Ü. But OMG! When I was trying to pick up diabetic information on every article, web site and message boards, I realized there were many more that were like me, worse off than me-and the new ones that were just diagnosed. I said on one of the message boards. "It's so easy eating the bad stuff." And so hard it is to get the foods you need to become healthier.

I miss...chocolate, real ice cream, A huge banana split with the works,and I am a big bread eater. My favorite bread is sourdough. It comes right out of the oven at Publix Ü. We get a loaf of it, and sit down and add globs of butter to the warm sourdough.

But now I am on 1,500 calorie intake. At first I though I was going to starve!! But as I researched and talked to others with diabetes, I realized I still could have a lot of things that I liked...just in a very small quantity. I have a Diary-Journal where I write down my fasting sugar when I wake up. I also write down every piece of food I have eaten, what I drink, how many sugar free fudge pops I have eatin hehe..no seriously just 1 per day.

But I feel so much better! I eat my 3 daily meals and 3 snacks, so I stay full all day long! My head feels clearer, I have energy! And all that leads me to weight loss whoo-hoo!

Here is a great place to visit. The MessageBoard is what you need to click on. Their are 150 separate boards I believe. From A-Z diseases. They are there to help you, support you and give you guidance. I hope that you will check it out Ü.

http://www.healthboards.com/

Thanks to all who stopped by and read this long message. And for those who are new to diabetes, do all you can to not let it get out of control. The price for that is very high. As Patti LaBell tells us in her commercial...I have diabetes IT does not have me go girl!

HUGS~Donna

Thank you for letting me

with you!

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Medical Miracle - West Virginia's Eyewitness News

Women Thought Dead Is Alive After All

Reported by: Christine Habrle
Videographer: Jerry Criner
Web Producer: Jessica Reed
Story Update: May 22, 2008 4:22pm

Death came for Val Thomas at 1:30 a.m. in the morning Saturday, when her heart stopped at home. Paramedics managed to revive her, but she didn't look right. As paramedics rushed Val to Thomas Memorial, family members scrambled into action, beginning to pray and ask God for a miracle.

Once at the hospital, doctors put her on a special machine which induces hypothermia. Val's heart stopped a third time making her odds of recovery almost nothing. Val odds of surviving at less than 10 percent, her son, Tim, told the doctors to take her off life support.

Once the doctors did everything that they could and the family members made every decision they could using scriptures for guidance, they finally turned Val over to Jesus. That is when the family believes their miracle began. Starting 10 minutes after they stopped the respirator, and were removing the electrical lead, is when Val spoke saying that's okay honey to one of the nurses attending to her. Doctor and nurse say they were baffled with Val sudden recovery.

Good news though, Val had a heart cath Wednesday afternoon, it shows she has no blockages and no damage from the three heart attacks she suffered Saturday night. She does have some type of an electrical problem so she is now on her way to the Cleveland Clinic where more specialists can look at her.

 

The video is wonderful to watch Ü.

 

HUGS~Donna

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    Donna of Ladymagnolia's Daily Blog:
Scotty caught worms through suction tubes.

I can't believe I won another sentence award Ü. I am just tickled pink lol. I enjoy playing the game. Above is the sentence I won with the words (scwtst) Val gave us. Thank you Val Ü.

HUGS~Donna

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---------------------------------

What goes around comes around.....

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer
things of life.  Her coat was new.  She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life.  His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him,
like so many others had done before.
 
"Leave me alone," he growled.

 To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows.  "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No,"  he answered sarcastically.  "I've just come from dining with the
president.  Now go away."  The woman's smile became even broader.  Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.
 
"What are you doing, lady?"  the man asked angrily.  "I said to leave me alone."
Just then a policeman came up.  "Is there any problem, ma'am?"  he asked.

"No problem here, officer,"  the woman answered.  "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet.  Will you help me?"
 
The officer scratched his head.  "That's old Jack.  He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"
 
"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked.  "I'm going to get him something
to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go
in there!"  Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up.

"Let me go, Officer.  I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. " Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack
into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner.  It was the
middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and
the lunch bunch had not yet arrived.  The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table.

"What's going on here, officer?" he asked.  "What is all this?   Is this man
in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed,"  the policeman answered.

"Not in here!"  the manager replied angrily.  "Having a person like that here
is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin.  "See, lady.  I told you so.  Now if you'll
let me go.  I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar
with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently.  "They hold their
weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly
meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

" I,  sir,  am Penelope Eddy, President and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again.  "I thought that might make a difference."   She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle.  "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied.  "I'm on duty."
 
"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice." 

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel  "I'll get your coffee for you right
away, Officer."

The officer watched him walk away.  "You certainly put him in his place,"  he
said.

"That was not my intent.  Believe it or not,  I have a reason for all this."

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest.   She stared at him intently.  "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes.   "I think so -- I mean
you do look familiar."

 "I'm a little older perhaps," she said.   "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."
 
"Ma'am?"  the officer said questioningly.   He couldn't believe that such a
magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college,"  the woman began.   "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything.   Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment.   I walked the streets for days.

It was February and I was cold and nearly starving.   I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile.  "Now I remember," he said.   "I was behind the
serving counter.  You came up and asked me if you could work for something to
eat.   I said that it was against company policy."

"I know,"  the woman continued.   "Then you made me the biggest roast beef
sandwich that I had ever seen,  gave me a cup of coffee,  and told me to go
over to a corner table and enjoy it.   I was afraid that you would get into
trouble.   Then,  when I looked over,  I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register.   I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?"  Old Jack said.
 
"I got a job that very afternoon.   I worked my way up.   Eventually I started my own business, that, with the help of God,  prospered."   She opened her purse and pulled out a business card.   "When you are finished here,  I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons.   He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office."   She smiled.   "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet.   If you ever need anything,  my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes.   "How can I ever thank you? " he said.

"Don't thank me,"the woman answered.   "To God goes the glory.   Thank Jesus...
He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance
before going their separate ways.   "Thank you for all your help,  Officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,"  he answered.   "Thank you.   I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget.   And...And thank you for the coffee."

If you have missed knowing me,  you have missed nothing.   If you have missed some of my emails,  you might have missed a laugh.

But,  if you have missed knowing my LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, you have missed everything in the world.

Have a Wonderful Day.   May God Bless You Always.   And don't forget that when you "cast your bread upon the waters,"   you never know how it will be returned to you.

(Hope this is repeated many times today!)

God is so big He can cover the whole world with His Love and so small He can
curl up inside your heart.

    HUGS~Donna

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