Thursday on Tuesday

Hi,

How silly of me. When I got to the doctor's office on Tuesday I discovered my appointment was for Thursday!! They took me in anyway -- Thanks Dr. Robbins!! I am just so used to my appointment being on Tuesday that I did not check the date, I just showed up. There was only one person before me in the waiting room and I only waited about 30 minutes.

When I saw the doctor I shared all about what I had done the previous day (the diuretic and the magnesium to show the weight lost) and she laughed. I asked about the side effects of Triamterene because I was suspecting that was the reason my blood sugars went so high that morning -- 132 for wake up -- and it was 127 at the office, after having eggs, sausage, and salad for breakfast, which should not have raised the blood sugar level at all.

I shared about the program I am doing and how I feel like it is the perfect one for me, because I am not craving, and I am actually able to follow the directions. I showed her my copy of the food lists, and also my food journal and I'm glad I brought it with me. I had evidence that I was doing things right even though the blood sugars were so high that day. Doctor's do not tend to believe that you are being compliant if their tests say you were not. This time I had proof.

The Carbohydrate Addicts Lifespan Program is so much easier for me to do than anything I have tried in the last two years that I am completely amazed. Thank you Lord for reminding me of it and guiding me to it. I am grateful.

I am also actually using my daily food journal to keep track of my blood sugars, my water drinking, my weight, and my meals. I sometimes have to list the meals after the fact because I often forget to list them right after I've eaten -- but I am following the program eating guidelines better than any other program, too. The program, itself, makes it easy, because the cravings and the madness have disappeared with the doing of it. That is part of the purpose of the program: to eliminate the madness of cravings -- and I think it does that very well. Thank God!!

My morning blood sugars are very slowly dropping down again (119 this morning), and I am taking that as evidence that the Triamterene raises my blood sugars artificially, which also causes inflammation, and gout along with the inflammation. I am only going to use that stuff in an emergency. I am hoping that after a time, I won't have so much edema. I was also surprised that the day after I had taken the diuretic that my ankles were like balloons, again, but I was not tempted to take another one to get rid of that swelling. I just waited, elevated my feet, and ate right, and drank all the water I am scheduled to drink. They look much better this morning, but may increase by evening.

I have physical therapy today and am looking forward to it. I have all my pool do-dads packed and ready to go. I wear my swim suit under my clothes so all I have to do is take off the outer layers, put on the water shoes and climb the stairs to the little exercise pool. Getting in and out is the hardest part, because my PT wants me to sit on the edge and swing my legs over. I only wish I could "swing" my legs over -- ha!! Doing that is the hardest part for me to perform, but I do it the best I can. It is very hard for me to get my legs that high while seated. I struggle to get my foot up over the edge and then inch it along the ledge until it gets to the other side. Then I have to do it again for the other leg -- but the joy of being in the water is worth the struggle of getting in and out. I just love being in the water, although, I really don't like having my face in the water.

My reward meal last night was salad, turkey sausage, and half of an individual Pizza from Taco Bell/Pizza Hut across the street from the MHP I live in. I had gotten used to not having high blood sugars after a reward meal, but it was 149 after that meal. Perhaps I should have eaten only a fourth of the pizza.

I thought I had it all figured out. Literally half of my plate was green salad with a little homemade dressing. I consumed half of the salad before partaking of the sausage and a bite of pizza which was a taste treat for my mouth. I figured that since part of the pizza was cheese and meat and veggies, that it actually increased the amount of protein and veggies that I had by a small percentage. I always get the "supreme" from that store. At a real Pizza Hut I get the "super supreme." I am now wondering if they put MSG in their ingredients or have some other hidden sugars in abundance, because a blood sugar reading of 149 is really high, in my estimation for the equivalent of one regular slice of pizza.

The one other thing I am being tempted with is the high carb item for the reward meal. The pizza experiment is evidence of that. The program says I can consume ANY high carb that I want -- up to and including candy -- but it also points out that it would probably be better to choose more healthy items. The CALP program also points out that you have to add the one high carb item to your reward meal (that is why it is called that). It is not really a option to not have the reward meal.

Don't worry I have not eaten any candy in any of my Reward Meals this time -- although I did when I did the program in 1998 (which is probably why I did not stick to it, then). If you begin being out of balance with your carbs, the cravings and insanity start coming back and they sneak in a little at a time so you might not even notice it until you are completely crazy again. They are like "a thief in the night." The one thing that I'm having trouble with in planning the reward meal is that I keep thinking of grain items, then have to remind myself that I'm better off without grain.

I decided to go with avocados and new potatoes (not at the same time) for my upcoming reward meals which I bought at Sams after PT. They are whole foods and should be better for me. I don't think the avocados will cause any harm, but the potatoes may cause a spike, so I'll have to be vigilant with my record keeping and watch my blood sugars.

I seem to be in a better place with CALP than back in 1998. I think that some of the programs I did recently that lead up to this one helped me get off most of the bad stuff before I started: sugar, grains, and dairy except for cheese. For the most part I am choosing better HC items and don't really have many in the house -- which is part of the reason I stopped for pizza last night. It was late and I thought it would work. I paid attention to the portions but am not happy with the result.

Well... I am toddling down the path, making corrections as I go. I feel gladness in my heart.

Hope you are well,

Be back soon,

Marcia