Lessons learned

So, if you take anything away from my first post, it should be to GET REGULAR CHECK UPS.

When is the last time you've had fasting blood work done?

I'm so fortunate to have caught it when I did.  Most people don't find out until their blood glucose and A1C levels are extremely elevated.

So I started to tell people, primarily nurses where I work (!?!), here are a lot of the common responses I got:

1.  But you're too skinny to have diabetes. Type 2 is generally associated with overweight people, type 1 doesn't discriminate
2.  Well you must have eaten a lot of sugar.  Your mom must have given you a lot of sugar as a child. Etc. Eating sugar has nothing to do with what causes type 1 diabetes.
3.  Why can't you just take the oral medication?  I can't take oral medication because my pancreas produces little to no insulin.  The oral meds are used when your body produces insulin but doesn't know what to do with it.  Believe me, if there was a way to not take shots, I'd be taking the oral medications.
4.  You better not eat that cake, cookie, candy, etc.  Fortunately because I am insulin dependent, I can eat more or less whatever I want in moderation if I account for it with my insulin doses.  Should I eat pancakes for breakfast every morning?  No.  But honestly, neither should non-diabetics!
5.  How will this affect your ability to have a baby?  Honestly, it shouldn't, but I'm not sure what details, precautions, and preventative measures I will have to take. While it's not on my immediate radar, it's definitely on there.  I did find it funny that most of my close family and friends asked this question right off the bat.



 Here's the 2011 Diabetes Fact sheet, courtesy of the American Diabetes Association.  Interesting stuff, you should check it out.

Hope everyone has a happy Easter tomorrow!  Yes, I will indulge in a little bit of Easter candy!!
XOXO,Ashley