Diabetes

Diabetes is an enormous and complex topic. I won't even try to scratch the surface on this one, but rather will talk about some observations and a couple of quick food tips.

First, my famous three food tips:

• If you are a spaghetti fan, buy a big ol' spaghetti squash, cook it up, and when it's done open it. The meat falls out and looks a lot like noodles. Slather with spaghetti sauce. It's actually very good!
• Rather than a sandwich with that wonderful bread that boosts your blood sugar up, wrap the ingredients in a thick leafed lettuce, like Romaine.
• For snacks, try string cheese sticks.
  

If you've just returned from the hospital and were NOT diabetic when you went into the hospital, perhaps your body is trying to adjust from medications and the lousy food. It's possible you're not diabetic. Consult with your doctor and bring this to his or her attention.
You see, when you are sick, your blood sugar naturally increases, so don't be too quick to jump into the insulin/oral medication routine. Let yourself normalize.

All RN's have dealt with diabetics, no matter what the setting is. In Home Health we have "new diabetics" come on service so often that I for one, am questioning whether these patients are truly diabetic, or if their high blood sugar levels aren't caused by various factors while in the hospital.

In either case, diabetes is a very serious illness, and the complications are horrendous.

Over the years I've noticed diabetics falling into 2 categories (this is only my opinion and it doesn't mean much)

• Diabetics that will do anything to get their blood sugar to a normal level
• Diabetics that refuse to admit they have a disease, refuse to comply with medication regimes, and who suffer dire consequences.

The first group is very easy to work with. Compliance is never an issue.

The second group is a huge challenge, and not one with which I have any patience at all. Actually, when I'm dealing with a patient with any disease, the less compliant they are, the more quickly I'll move on, there's just no point.

A wise and learned diabetic nurse once said, "Diabetics are unable to taste the sweetness of life."

While this is true in regard to food, it sure isn't true in regard to all the rest of the riches of life, perhaps it's the inability to see beyond the disease. Perhaps not. The psychology of diabetes is far too complex, and out of my field.

I'd just like a world where no one lost limbs or eyesight, or kidneys to this disease.

See webnurseonline.com for more information.