When I was first diagnosed with diabetes my concerns turned to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and baseball games. Would I have to give up stuffing and green bean casserole? Would I have to say no to a chocolate Santa or a marshmallow Peep? Would I be able to sit in the stands, eat a hot dog, drink a beer and cheer for the Kane County Cougars?
These thoughts whirled around in my head until I learned about carb counting, and how to use insulin to cover carbs. Then I realized there are no off limits foods. That was a huge weight off my spirit.
I've discovered there are some foods that spike my blood sugar more than others. Because I don't like how high blood sugar feels I have voluntarily eliminated pizza and Chinese food from my diet, but that doesn't mean I can't eat them. I can. I just have to pay the piper later.
I learned it is OK to have a whacked out high blood sugar once in a while. It's not the end of the world to mess up and fail at counting. I plan for cookies and cupcakes in my meal plan -- carbs, fats, calories and all. I have to be able to enjoy my life around my diseases. Diabetes and MG are two big rocks in the middle of my life. I flow around them as best as I can. Diabetes didn't make me any less human. It didn't diminish my need to gather with people I love and have a meal together. I still need the social connections that happen over food.
What I don't need are busybodies telling me what I can and can't eat, what I should and shouldn't eat. I'm an adult and I hate being treated like a child. That doesn't help. What does help? Doing the carb counting math with me.
The veggies are 7 grams of carbs. The chicken has zero. The potatoes have 36 grams. How much was that? 43. OK. I have a 1/10 insulin to carb ratio. That means I need 4.3 units to cover this meal. But, oh snap! I can't give fractional dosages... until Monday when I start my pump. That's going to be awesome. I can't wait.
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