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This is a continuation of some of therecent discussions within our group with members from the secondgroup present. We have been discussing testing rather intensely andgetting mixed signals from those on oral medications. Finally, westarted asking questions of them, when they were testing, and why. It seemed like we were talking to ourselves.
Allen did realize what was happeningand started asking questions without saying it was for them. Theypolitely listened and excused themselves early. Sue then asked totalk about testing for her brothers Ben and Barry who are both oninsulin. Before we started, Ben said thank you to Tim. He statedthat the day we had met was a very low period for him and now that hewas getting his diabetes under better management, he was feelingbetter, more positive, and with Barry now living with him we couldstop worrying about him.
We did discuss the level of his visionand he said it was not as bad as first thought, but he was going tohave to get and keep his A1c much lower to save it. All of uspresent expressed our concern saying that we have been researchingand talking about depression since Tim was the only one that reallyknew what to do. Ben stated that was one reason he was listening tohis sister about how much we cared and that she had given us everyreason to make life miserable for her, but we had not retaliated. Instead, we had done everything to make sure she got the knowledgeshe needed.
Even Allen expressed his thanks for oursupport and for trying to talk to the others, but he felt that theymay still be in denial and for the present, we were not going tochange their minds. Ben agreed and started asking questions aboutthe insulin. Since I am on the same insulins and obtain mine throughthe VA, I told him that as soon as he got an appointment to let meknow so that I could talk to him before the appointment.
We covered a lot about testing and theimportance of keeping blood glucose levels down. We also talkedabout reducing his carbohydrates even though he was not overweight,insulin would make food more available to the cells and he could gainweight. He said that he and his brother were starting an exerciseregimen and trying to walk several miles each day, weatherpermitting. Barry had a treadmill that they would be usingespecially during bad weather and would be looking for another pieceof equipment over the summer.
Then we got into this blog by DavidSpero. Since Tim had a laptop, we pulled it up and covered it verycarefully. Ben and Barry were both surprised when we pulled up the site for the calculator for converting A1c to average blood glucose. They both wanted to see their most recent A1c converted average bloodglucose levels. Surprises all around and Ben said it was no surprisenow why his doctor converted him to insulin. Barry said this evenmade his A1c more meaningful.
Ben asked if it might be possible oncehe learned what his food was actually doing to his blood glucoselevels and he was managing his levels better if it would be possibleto get off insulin. All of us agreed that it could be a goal, butwith his sight problem, he may want to consider remaining on insulin. We all explained why we would stay on insulin and he said we havegiven him a lot to think about and he was glad that his brother andsister were with him. We kidded him about some of the insulin mythsand he agreed that was what drove his question.
I asked him if he had a computer andBarry spoke up and said he did. He gave us his email address andasked that we include him in our lists. Tim said he would send himone that evening and include the rest of our emails, my blog site,our telephone numbers, and several other sites we used to get himstarted. Even Ben was now more interested and asked how long itwould take him to become computer literate. We asked if he couldobtain a computer and he said that should not be a problem and askedseveral questions about what he should consider. After some moreconversation, Sue said she needed to get home and we broke up for theevening and I promised to talk more with Ben and Barry.
In a few days, Ben has seen what hewants and knew of the business I took him to and the owner and hisfamily. After seeing one set up with a monitor that would greatlyassist him, he ordered a computer and would purchased the monitor ofhis choice. Barry said he has been surprised about the sitesprovided him and did not realize all the information existed aboutdiabetes. Ben says he now understands why Allen wanted to be amember of our group and expressed his desire to belong as well. Itold him that it should not be a problem, but that they should ask atour next get-together.
Barry commented that in the few dayssince our meeting he has learned more than he had learned the fiveyears since diagnosis. He said he thought he was doing well to havethe A1c's he was obtaining, but he now understood why and how luckyhe was on his own. He even commented about how lucky it was to havea family that now understood about diabetes even if they did not wantto have diabetes. He explained that his doctor had started him oninsulin and that he felt lucky that even happened.
Then he surprised me when he asked whywe were so open about our diabetes. He said where he lived before,he only knew one other person with diabetes and he was a type 1 andseldom talked about diabetes. He then stated that in the week ofbeing here he has met two others from the group that Ben had been inand seven of our group. I said there were eight of us, but thatBrenda had not been at the last few meetings. She is the sixth ofour group to be on insulin and only Allen and Sue were not.
Tim stated that one of the reasons wewere open to discussion was because we had found each other quite byaccident and in the process decided to meet somewhat informally. Wedid not want the formality of a support group and liked the idea ofnot needing to attend if we had other obligations. We all hadcomputers and enjoyed reading and researching and discussing what wefound either via email or telephone. We all felt the format of ourfriendship was getting together and clarifying something we may havemisinterpreted or misunderstood.
Ben then stated that only Allen hadheld the group together and that the rest, including himself, had notbeen all that interested. They were just good friends that haddiabetes. I said that could have been the reason Allen wanted to bepart of our group since he wanted to learn more. Ben agreed and saidhe now needed to learn more and was looking forward to learning aboutthe computer and being able to do some reading. He admitted he wouldnot being doing the level of research that several of our group wasinto, but he said that reading over his brother's shoulder wasinteresting and he was learning.
I commented that it was good to havenew people asking questions because this helped us review old topicsfor us and incorporate new material. Plus with others askingquestions, this would keep us on our toes and remembering to not letnew articles and blogs get by-passed because we thought we knew it. This was why we had used the recent blog by David Spero as it hadsome points that were good review for us as well.
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