Life threw Pam Burbey a curve ball this past winter when she found out she had a life changing diagnosis of Diabetes. Not a stranger to the “curve balls” dealt in life she drew from past experience and recognized that although you can’t control what pops up in life, you can control how you react to it. In just a few short months she has gained control back of her health and she is writing about her success and sharing her secrets here at Imperfect Women. You can read her first post here.
By Pam Burbey
Now what? As I left the doctors office that cold February day with a diagnoses of Type 2 Diabetes, I felt resentful and lost. Resentful, because I didn’t want to deal with it and just wanted it to go away. Lost, because I didn’t know what I was going to do about it. I had no idea really what diabetes was or what it entailed. At the time, I thought it was related to sugar consumption.
My doctor had given me two prescriptions and an order for a blood test. One for Metformin and one for Glipizide, which at the time I had no idea what either one did. He also told me to get in contact with the diabetic center and a nutritionist. I felt so sick sitting there slumped in a chair in his office, that I barely heard much of what he was saying and understood even less. With a smile on his face, he told me I would feel better before long. I didn’t believe him.
Within the next week, I received a glucose meter with directions on how to use it from a pharmacy my insurance had contacted. It meant nothing to me and I left it on the table still wrapped in the box. I also, got a call from my doctor telling me my blood test results. Yep, it’s diabetes! It’s official. He told me my A1c was 12.1, an important number for diabetics. I was to find out later that an A1c for ‘normal’ people should not be higher than 5.7, but again that number meant nothing to me at the time. A1c is a test that shows the average blood sugar level of a person over the past 2 to 3 months.
Finally, after some phone tag and misunderstandings, I heard from the Diabetic Center. They told me I would meet “one on one” with a dietician to discuss an eating plan that would work for me. I would first have to be evaluated and attend a three hour nutrition class with some other newly diagnosed diabetics. Yuck, how boring does that sound!? Here comes the resentment again. I have to take off work and disrupt my life. Sitting and listening to someone drone on about the awful mind numbing debate of broccoli versus french fries and which is better for you, is not my cup of tea. Duh! No way could I get out of it and believe me I tried.
First up was the evaluation by a diabetic nurse. She took my blood pressure and it was a little high. They had my cholesterol numbers from my blood work that was previously drawn. My bad cholesterol was way too high and my good was way to low. Weighed me. I was overweight. They were not impressed by the fact that I had lost 20 pounds because my diabetes was out of control. They measured my waist and again, another number that was just way too high. I even kinda sucked in a bit and again they were not impressed. Checked my feet. It was determined that I have neuropathy! In other words…my feet are numb due to nerve damage from the diabetes. I was instructed on how to check my feet daily and never go barefoot. If I sustain even a small cut and am unable to feel it, an infection could develop and worse case scenario would be an amputation.
I sat down with the nurse and she showed me how to check my glucose. My first attempt at checking my blood sugar and I bent the lancet and I bled all over! The lancet is a small, sharp object that is used to prick the skin. Resentment made an appearance. I don’t want to do this. Second try, second finger bleeding all over and now a nice little bruise appears. I hate this! After bandaging my fingers, we or I should say she decided we needed to set some goals as to where I want should be in three months. The goals ‘we’ decided were for me to lose nine pounds (again I remind her I just lost 20 ~ is comprehension not her strong suit?) and bring my A1c down to 8 or the mid 7 range. It was that moment I realized diabetes is all about numbers and in my case they were all too high. I am a number. And not a very good one at that.
In the next three months I not only managed to meet the goal ‘we’ set (9 pounds), but I lost over 30 pounds on top of the 20 pounds I had already lost! Could someone please hear me on that? I didn’t bring my A1c down to 8 or 7, but 6.1! It was all due to the nutrition class I didn’t want to go to and the dietician I didn’t want to listen to that turned a light on for me. Imagine that. They actually know what they are talking about.
I look forward to telling you more about what I learned and what worked and continues to work for me in my future posts.
Pam is the mother of a son and daughter and the grandma of an adorable boy. Pam shares a house on the beautiful Kankakee river with her two furbabies, a fierce dachshund and a shy spaniel, searching for life’s answers and only finding more questions.
Congrats on the 50 pound loss. That is fantastic. Glad you are managing this disease so well.
I am so glad “you” made a plan and were able to stick with it (even when you didn’t want to)! Sounds like you accomplished more than you set out to do, physically and mentally! Congrats on your accomplishments and good luck for your future!
Way to go on the weight loss, that’s very impressive! I’m sorry you have to deal with this. Did you figure out a good method for the finger prick? I do my blood sugar sometimes because it gets low at times. I use the lancet with the little button that you push to make it pop out, and put it on the lowest setting so it doesn’t hurt as much.
Congrats on the weight loss! I’m sure you also saw other benefits other than just the lower numbers!
I think I would have been really lost in the beginning too. I wouldn’t have had a clue. It sounds like you have it under control now and woohoo for the weight loss bonus.
I am so very proud of you, way to go!!! That is a crazy amount of hard work to get all those “numbers” in check- but you have done it and should be fiercely applauded. I am so proud to call you friend.
Congrats on the life changes you have made. You look fabulous.
That’s so awesome and this story is very relatable. We all want it to just go away but we have to take control of our health!
Wow congrats girl. Can’t wait to hear what you learned and how you changed your eating habits. i could so use the help.
Congrats, kudos & ‘I knew you could/would do it’, Pam! As I watched this transformation at work I not only saw a physical new you, I also saw my friend gain back her confidence & moxie! You are amazing, girl!
You se the lady of the hour! Congrats! Way to go loosing weight and taking all the steps to cope and manage diabetes
I do worry about diabetes. Thanks for sharing your story!
Sounds like you’re on your way to really getting your health under control! Congratulations! It’s always scary and overwhelming facing a giant at first, but with your slingshot in hand – it looks like you’re going to win this battle!
Wow congratulations what a loss! I hope to join you in the celebration one day. x
That is awesome. Congrats on your hard work! I have PCOS which makes me insulin resistance. Pre diabetic. I went to the same nutrition class. Was put on Metformin. Worked with a dietitian about carb values. Good and bad. Sadly, none of that really seemed to help me.
Thank you for sharing your story! I know there are those who need to hear it!
Congrats, Pam! You look great and I’m so glad you feel better, too!
Chrystal, I know everyone is different, but I really believe for me it was the changing the way I eat and what I eat that made the difference. I now even eat some of those carbs.
I now eat healthy and it is just not for diabetics. My main goal was not to lose weight but to bring my glucose down. Losing weight was an added benefit that surprised me.
Good for you for taking charge and managing the illness so well! And *high 5!!!* on the weight loss. You are doing amazing!
That is a very hard diagnosis and a really challenging disease. It’s great that you have a good team and good support and clearly you are motivated. That’s awesome. I wish you best of luck in continuing to manage diabetes well.
That is an awesome accomplishment. Losing that much weight I m sure was not easy but sure feels good, doesn’t it?
I just got my cholesterol checked and am at 230. Dr. said it’s a bit high so I’ve cut down and it wasn’t hard at all, plus I lost 5 lbs 🙂
It would be some hard news to swallow, but the good news is you can get better!
It’s so important to take charge of our health and to be proactive in our own healing. Wishing you the best as you move forward in your health journey.
Good for you for taking the positive steps you did, and hurrah that you got people who really knew what they were doing. 😉 I’m glad things are now totally on the upswing! 🙂
Wow …. good for you!! Surely would not be fun at all getting any kind of unexpected life-altering diagnosis but glad you are making good progress and feeling a little better about it!
That’s amazing. I’m so glad you got the advice you needed!
Congrats on the weight loss! I think that it is really great that you took charge of this new step in having a healthier life. I wish you tons of luck moving forward!
This post hit my heart as I constantly struggle with diet and weight loss, and I have a family history of diabetes… I can’t wait to read more of your story. It gives me hope and I’m sharing it with my mom to give her the same!
Congratulations on the weight loss! It looks like you’re on the right track and happy!
Way to go Pam, bet you are feeling so much better and have lots of energy! 🙂
Congrats on the weight loss !! And thanks for sharing your story.
Stay fit stay happy
You look great, Pam. What a great success story and what a great example for others who suffer from this disease.
Wow!! I am speechless.Whew .Congratulations is in order for you girl.Way to go and I think it was meant for me to read this because my cholesterol is out of whack and my:numbers are all out of whack too.I have been warned!! Thanks for posting this because I think you just woke me up to those dangers.I am going to try harder now to lose more.Thank you
Your journey is interesting as I am pretty ignorant of the disease. I am lucky, diabetes has not touched me or mine. You have handled it so well. I’m really proud of you!! Thanks for the education and for sharing your experience. It’s a good way to inform and help others.
I bet that now, you are pro with the lancet. 🙂 Ugh, all that pricking.
Actually, Lily I am a pro with the lancet now. I test on some days that I am experimenting with what I can eat 5-6 times.