"Information and motivation are the keys to success for all people with diabetes. DiabetesSisters is fulfilling both of these needs with a focus on the unique needs of women with diabetes. Clinical experience has shown me that women experience diabetes differently from men, so having a resource like DiabetesSisters is essential."--John Buse, MD, PhD; Chief, Endocrinology Division, Department of Medicine, UNC-CH School of Medicine; Former President, Medicine and Science Division, American Diabetes Association
Saturday, 05 December 2009 19:22 |
Written by Laura Ely
| Newsletter
December 2009
DiabetesSisters December Newsletter
'Tis the Season!
Merry December, DiabetesSisters! Well, we've survived the first round of the holiday season - now it's on to round two! Yes, the holidays bring lots of joy and good cheer. However, as a person with diabetes the holidays can be quite stressful. Not only do we spend spare minutes shopping for gifts, prepping for holiday gatherings and endless hours of baking and/or cooking, we must balance our holiday traditions with our diabetes management. At times, resisting the sweet temptations of the holidays can be exhausting. How many of you reading this have the carb count of Aunt Martha's fruit cake memorized? If you take insulin, how many units will you allot for parties filled with scrumptous finger foods? If you do not take insulin, will you be able to resist that second helping of sweet potato casserole or that delicious piece of pecan pie? Yes, the holidays can be stressful for people with diabetes. Have no fear! We here at DiabetesSisters are here to help! Our Certified Diabetes Educators have posted some excellent tips on the Ask the CDE column and our Nutrition Tip of the Month to help you eat healthy (or as healthy as possible!) throughout the holidays. And don't forget to support one another by visiting our Women's Forum!
Until next month!
Laura Ely
Communications Coordinator
2010 DiabetesSisters Weekendfor Women hosted by DiabetesSisters and TCOYD
Read here each month to find out the recent happenings with Weekend for Women
Last month we announced the 2010 Weekend for Women Committee Members. This month we would like to recognize our 2010 Weekend for Women Sponsors! Supporting us as an Amethyst Level Sponsor is Bayer Health Care. Our current Ruby Level Sponsora are GlaxoSmithCline and Aetna Foundation. And finally, joining us at our highest level, the Diamond Level Sponsor are Sanofi Aventis and Roche Diagnostics. We gratefully send out huge THANK YOUS to our amazing sponsors!
Secondly, for all of you anxiously waiting, we are happy to announce that registration for Weekend for Women will open on January 1st, 2010. We will also be offering a limited number of sponsorships to those in need of financial assistance. So be on the lookout for our big registration announcement on January 1st!
The Weekend for Women Conference will take place in Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday, May 22nd (immediately following the TCOYD Conference) and end on Sunday, May 23rd. To find out additional information about the Weekend for Women location, registration and cost click here!
The DiabetesSisters Sister Spotlight!
Meet Rose Marie Holsing...
(Rose Marie attended the 2009 DiabetesSisters Meet & Greet at the conclusion of the Raleigh TCOYD conference. Read on to see her first experience giving insulin as a woman with Type 2 Diabetes.)
I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes in 1993 and have been in denial most of that time. Except for that, I have been generally a healthy person and loathe taking pills. I didn’t do well on Metformin due to the side effects and my doctor put me on several other meds, which I didn’t like either. Finally one day, my doctor broaches the idea of taking insulin.
It freaked me out. I resisted for months. I had one question, which I posed to anybody who would listen at the TCOYD conference in May: If Type II diabetics don’t use the insulin they already make in their bodies, why is adding more insulin going to solve the problem?
I never got an answer any better than, “Well, just because.” Despite that fact, on Mother’s Day, 2009, I took my first dose. Emotionally, I thought it was the beginning of the end for me. I just knew I was on the downward spiral now, it was just a matter of when. But I had heard so many people at the conference who were taking insulin say that it saved their lives. Some said it is what we have been waiting for as diabetics. I didn’t understand it, but I was beginning to open to the idea.
After the conference, DiabetesSisters had their first get-together (DiabetesSisters Meet & Greet) and I met several wonderful women, many of whom were taking insulin. One particular woman (who will remain anonymous -- she tells me someday she may come out of the closet, but not until she’s sure people will not judge her for every bite she takes) and I became fast friends. We had so many things in common that we felt we were long lost sisters. She also had been resisting her doctor’s suggestion to start taking insulin.
The last straw was the free eye exam I got at the TCOYD conference. The technician looked at me with a face that showed lots of information he wasn’t saying. Hedid say, “Your left eye is hemorrhaging. You need to see your doctor immediately.” Scared to death, I made an appointment, got in the same day and finally acquiesced to the insulin. He put me on a very low dose of 10 units a day, with instructions for increasing every other day until my morning reading was at a certain point. He showed me how to give myself the shot on a cute little red spongy toy. I took my samples and went home prepared to meet my fate.
I called my new friend and we discussed the matter thoroughly. I gave her my emergency contact information, (my doctor’s name and number). We agreed that if she had not heard from me by 7:30 a.m. the next morning, she would call my doctor and come to my aid. I opened the package, assembled the number 8 needle on the end of the pen, dialed to the number 10 and inserted the needle. It was painless. Later, I told my friend, if I hadn’t seen the needle go in with my own eyes, I wouldn’t even have known that it happened. Courageously, I went to bed.
To my surprise, I woke up the next morning. I was giddy with the excitement of survival and called my friend way before 7:30. She was so glad to hear from me and thanked me for being the guinea pig, because now she thought she could do it too. I have increased my dose several times since then, but leveled off after about four months. My readings have stabilized and come under a tighter range. Eliminating the huge ups and downs in my blood sugar helped minimize the emotional roller coaster I was on. I really didn’t understand the stress that put me through until it was over.
All in all, starting the insulin was rather anti-climatic. No drama. I have miraculously awakened each morning since then, and God willing, for many mornings to come. I have no idea why adding more insulin to a Type II diabetic actually works, but it did, well, just because.
Director's Note: Patients with Type 2 diabetes suffer from two major defects: insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. In other words, not only does the body not use insulin properly, it also does not produce enough insulin. For a more detailed explanation, please read the following article: Insulin for Type 2 Diabetes: Who, When and Why? by Dr. Robert Tanenburg in Diabetes Health.
News Briefs, Updates & Events!
The 2010 Weekend for Women Conference hosted by DiabetesSisters and TCOYD will take place on May 22-23 in Raleigh, NC. We're now looking people to help us plan this exciting event. Email info@diabetessisters.org and stay tuned for more details to come!
DiabetesSisters became a federally recognized 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization on January 21st, 2009. All donations are now tax deductible.
person and loathe taking pills. I didn’t do well on Metformin due to the side effects and my doctor put me on several other meds, which I didn’t like either. Finally one day, my doctor broaches the idea of taking insulin.
