Diabetes education

So we met with the diabetes educator yesterday. She was very knowledgeable and easy to talk with. This appointment went so much better than the dietitian!! At least the educator realizes that hubby is young, fit, works a hard labor intesive job and that he needs to put a few pounds back on. She agreed that hubby should be eating a 2400 calorie diet and he should be eating a few more carbs during the day.

She agree's with me that she believe's hubby is not a type 2 diabetic. She is recommending that the doctor do some specific blood test that will help in determining what type of diabetes he has. She said that is cholesterol for the most part was good. It was a little out of wack but she said that was only because his sugar was sooo high when they did the test. He does not have hight blood pressure and he is not over-weight and that is why she thinks there is something more going on with him than type 2. We spoke brievely about type 1.5, this type of diabetes is similar to type 1 with the exception that if they are put on certian meds that increase insulin production and slow the release of sugar from the liver, the person's sugar will go down and the meds will help for a few years until the body eventually destroyes the remaining beta cells. Drugs used to help with insulin resistance will not work, because there is no insulin resistance. Judging by what she has told us and what the doctor has told us, my own research and hubby's cousin that is a doctor is telling us, it sure sounds like the type 1.5 is what is going on here. I guess only time will tell. She also is recommending that the doctor allow him to start exercising. He really wants to get started and so do I. It will help with controlling his blood sugar.

She also mentioned that hubby's bad teeth and other dental problems are affecting his sugar. They will make it high. So the sooner we get those teeth pulled and get his gums better the better!!!! So I will be on the phone with the dentist today to see what the hold up is.
She is very impressed with how well we are handling things. His sugars are very close to his target range and we are making smart decisions with the food that he eats. She also agreed that he needed to be eating a 2400 calorie diet, so he can eat more than what the dietitian first told him.

She also gave him a new monitor that works better than the one we have. It is really not the monitor but the lancing device that does not work well. We cant seem to get enough blood. But now we have to use up the stuff we have with our current monitor before we can get a script for the new stuff to go with our new meter. That will probably take about two more months. I have 200 strips at home to use up!

Hubby was funny. She was showing us how to use the new monitor and how to make getting the blood easier, so she had hubby test his sugar and he would not do it. I thought for sure that he would be too embarressed to have me do it in front of her like that, but no he don't care, he will NOT test his own sugar!

She was very helpfull and I think the appointment went great! We learned a lot! She even gave me some advise on different things I can do for lunches for hubby. That's what I really need. I am not creative with food and I double guess myself all the time. I always wonder if I am giving him enough food, the right combinations of food etc. She said she was prob creating more work for me. I had to chuckle, all of this has been more work for me. It doesn't matter if it is that much more work for me. This is the hand we have been dealt and we have to make the best of it. If that meens that I have to spend more time in the kitchen then that is what I will do. I only want what is best for him and for him to be happy. Don't get me wrong we both have our moments when we don't want to deal with this, when we feel depressed about all of this. But I think the majority of the time we are handling things head on. We are not going to let diabetes get the best of us! And together we can accomplish GREAT things!