A CASE OF MAGAZINES

My doorbell rings with the man in Brown(UPS) holding a heavy case of "DiabetesHealth" magazine for me to sign off on. I always receive one issue/month, so this was strange that the Publisher decided to send me a case. He probably wants an increase in exposure to the magazine, so more people will subscribe to it.
So I think to myself, "What am I going to do with a whole case of this stuff". Since NYC is big and filled with many people who have the classical soma-type of Metabolic Disease, aka Insulin Resistant Disease, aka Type 2 Diabetes, that then would be the way for me to get rid of the stuff.
I am on the subways a lot and it is fairly easy to "spot" those that either have Insulin Resistant Disease or the potential/eventuality for it.
Starting off with a case of 50 magazines, I am now down to 8 copies.
My presentation, "do you or anyone in your family or friends have Diabetes"?

VALENTINE'S DAY

All of us(Men) know what this feeling is like. It is as if an Antigen has seized our bodies the way it has once before "infected us with its wrath", causing T1DM to come into existence. This time however the fever is created within the stirrings of our heart and is relentless. There is no let up, but a persistent pursuit of only that which can satisfy our longing. This is for all of us who know and who have experienced this "Thing" called Love.

DO YOU HAVE THIS ILLNESS?

CHECK-OUT AT TRADER JOE'S

Opening and ingesting small available packets of sugar found in my jacket pocket
as the Trader Joe's store clerk rings up my organic loaf bread with jars of organic creamy peanut butter......
My eyes remain open, but I continue to lose moments of consciousness while I
stand at the counter.
Groceries are bagged and given as I then tumble out the store and looked upon as "having too much to drink".
Nearest store approaches as an Angel in Rescue.
Dunkin Donuts appears as I enter the source that will be my Rescuer from the doom of impending unconsciousness.
A pornographic display of sugar coated sweetness greets me that will be the Redeemer to my20mg/dl.
I quickly order two Boston Cream Doughnuts w/Chocolate Glaze that appear in front of me like a woman's sensual breasts.
As I quickly devour them and drink down the bad tasting coffee to hasten the "fix", I slowly begin to feel my presence return back into the Time/Space Reality of Existence.

A NEW WAY TO TAKE INSULIN

One Step Closer.....Scientists/Researchers from Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University have developed a better way to administer Insulin other than injection and inhalation(not good for people w/Respiratory Problems). This would be an "Oral" administration of Insulin, similar to the taking of any pill/capsule. The problem w/oral administration of Insulin until now, is that the stomach breaks down proteins and since Insulin is a Protein, it would have been broken down before it reached the blood stream. Thus making it in-effective for oral use.
However Dr. Hsing-Wen Sung and his colleagues tricked the stomach into accepting the Insulin molecule by coating it w/Chitosan(nano particles created from the shells of shrimp, lobster, and crabs.
In testing on male rats w/Diabetes the results showed a release of the insulin into the blood stream and a lowering of blood glucose.
The next step of course would be animal and then human testing if results are favorable.
Thank you Dr. Hsing-Wen Sung and colleagues.

DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?

In frustration with the people that work in Health Care dealing with Diabetes, I told the fairly young Certified Diabetes Educator,"you really don't know how difficult and how much time is devoted to keeping myself in a balance where everything is optimized. I have been doing this since I was 6". I then proceeded to show her as she walked with me in the street and I spread my arms horizontally to shoulder length traversing along a narrow curve in order to emphasize the difficulty in keeping a balance without falling off. My outstretched arms would go side to side as I struggled to keep the balance. She then remarked, "I have been doing that since I was 13".
It was at that point that I heard the sound of persistent meowing in the background to find myself laying on my bed as the morning sunlight entered the room and my cats tugging at me to wake up.
My blood-sugars were 50mg/dl.

(SOME) ENDOCRINOLOGISTS WHO TREAT TYPE 1 DIABETES

NEW TOOLS FOR DIABETES

It is expected in 2007 that this Diagnostic Tool(NMB- 200) for Diabetes will be able to measure Glucose in "Real Time" as well as O2 levels in the blood, red blood cells and iron in addition to the Heart Rate.... What I like best about this product, is that it is "non-invasive" and is worn like a wrist watch. No idea as to its price. Wow, who needs a doctor and lousy insurance forms with gossipy/up-tight/unprofessional office staff? Unfortunately, this probably will not be available for about one year. A reward for those who have patience. Read more:

Non-invasive Glucometry from Orsense Wins Award
Filed under: Diagnostics , Geriatrics , Medicine , Pediatrics

OrSense Ltd., of Nes Ziona, Israel, is another recipient of the technology innovation award from Frost & Sullivan for its non-invasive glucose monitoring system NBM-200. The system, based on proprietary "occlusion spectroscopy" technology, allows continuous measurement of blood glucose, hemoglobin, hematocrit, oximetry, and heart rates. Results from a clinical trial, reported in September, have shown that the system "accurately measures levels of glucose in a home-like setting."

OrSense's patented technology, known as Occlusion Spectroscopy, uses a non-invasive optical measurement platform combined with a ring-shaped cuff. The pressure applied by the cuff temporarily occludes the blood flow in the finger, creating new blood dynamics which generate a strong optical signal, yielding a high signal-to-noise ratio that is wholly blood specific. Analysis of the signal provides the sensitivity necessary to measure blood glucose, hemoglobin, and other analyte concentrations.

TAG LIST

The Music that I listen to this time of year is pretty much the same what I will listen to any other day of the year.Here is a list of the "5", which I have listened to for the past week.
1. Silent Night/The Temptations
2. The Way You Look Tonight/The Jaguars
3. Visions Of Johanna/Bob Dylan
4. The Bells Of St. Mary's/Bing Crosby
5. Pop Star/The Pretenders
Thanks for your Tag Andrea@ My Blog?? :D/www.acthoughts.blogspot.com
I in turn, will Tag the following as to their Music Preferences for this Christmas/Holiday Season:
1. Kathy@ PurpleHaze/kathy4762.blogspot.com
2. Scott@ Scott's Web Log/sstrumello.blogspot.com
3. Megan@ This is My Life/www.thisismylife3.blogspot.com
4. Anne@ annetics/annetics.blogspot.com
5. Lyrehca@ Managing The Sweetness Within/thesweetnesswithin.blogspot.com

THE BURDEN OF DIABETES

Sometimes on a Long Cold Night, the Burden of Diabetes Becomes Heavy.

TODAY'S MENU

This evening for dinner, I prepared and had a poached chicken in a pool of noodles simmering in a turkey broth with fresh mixed vegetables.
Dessert is a yellow cake with a rich chocolate sauce that is now cooling in the refrigerator.
Ahhh................Life with Diabetes. What more can you ask for?

ANIMALS WITH DIABETES

Since all of us go through the emotional and physical upheavals daily in dealing/living with Diabetes,
do any of you have pets that have this illness as well?
If so, are you treating your dog or cat with a basal injection of insulin (Lantus or Detemir) 1X Daily?
How do you go about testing your pet's glucose level and is it done more than 1-2X Daily?
Are you then covering any Hyperglycemia with short acting insulin and if so, what are the acceptable Glucose range in
Animals?
These are some questions that I have been thinking about since dogs and cats do develop Diabetes.

THE WHOLE DIABETES PACKAGE

As those of us with Diabetes(T1DM) already know, this Chronic Illness is more than a problem of metabolism. It is a "Package Deal". For no matter how well your blood sugars are controlled and your diet is optimized, the risk of complications related to T1DM are always there. Of course, this is only my opinion but having Diabetes(T1DM) since childhood and always educating myself about this Illness, I have come to the conclusion that the potential for complications of CHD(Coronary Heart Disease), Autonomic and Peripheral Neuropathy, Kidney Disease are always present and await for the "right opportunity" to make their presence known.
Fortunately there are those within the Medical and Science Communities who have created a number of impacts to starve off a number of these horrible "Side Effects" associated with long term Diabetes. They range from the ACE Inhibitors to protect our Kidneys to the Statins offering protection related to certain aspects of CHD. There has until now, been no way of protecting the body against the damage of Peripheral Neuropathy in Diabetes until now.
Thomas Brannagan, MD and his Staff are now in Phase ll Studies to evaluate the efficiency and Safety of a Research Medication in Patients with Mild to Moderate Diabetic Polyneuropathy.
Details of this study can be found in: The Journal Of Diabetes/3/2006 called "Orally Active Neurotrophin Enhancing Agent Protects Against Dysfunction Of Peripheral Nerve in Hyperglycemic Animals".
I have met with Dr. Brannagan and found him to have the qualities that we all wish/want every Physician that we encounter to have. They are intelligence, caring, ability to communicate and optimism for what they do. These are the qualities that describe Dr. Brannagan. Corinna on Staff w/Dr. Brannigan is both intelligent and efficient. She is responsible for the Research Medications, Study Protocol, Laboratory Tests, Appointments and "just making sure that everything operates smoothly". To reach Dr. Brannagan or Corinna here in NYC and enroll or ask questions about the study you can call @212-888-8516.

TOOTH EXTRACTION

BLOOD OOZIES FROM SIDE OF MOUTH
ONTO FRESHLY LAUNDERED PILLOW CASE
AS A BROOK IN SPRING AWAKES AFTER LONG DEEP WINTER SLEEP.

PURPLE HAZE

Diabetes has its own set/time and way that it deals in destruction. It is like a truckload of Illegal Lilliputians that are not visible to you and who have a destiny to rake your Fields(Organs) for Harvest that brings forth its fruit to those in white uniforms/Lab coats as they draw your blood, inject medicines and listen to your heart.
Dedicated to: Minnesota Nice

THE PICKPOCKET

Diabetes is like a Pickpocket.
He is able to steal your Soul w/o looking.
He is able to work Days or Night.
He is unsuspecting until too late.
He can make his presence felt or not.
He is a constant Traveling Companion.

REMEMBERANCE

God Bless All the Rescue Workers/Firemen/NYPD/Medical Personnel and Volunteers from NYC and elsewhere who helped to heal the Many on that day of 9/11/01 and the ones following.
......and God Bless the Friends that I have lost.
What we need Now are less tears and more closed fists to destroy Radical Islam as well as a change in the policy of the INS who were responsible (partially) in allowing these Terriorists to enter our country.

COFFEE, CAKE & STARBUCKS

The Lunch Rush Hour has ended in Midtown.
I arrive and take my seat at the Starbucks along the Great Window that faces the passing of people.
The Air-Conditioner provides a comfort level mixed with the Chocolate Cake Doughnut and Sumatra Coffee that will "fix" my Hypoglycemia.
My earphones play Dylan's, "Desolation Row" as I look at all the Hominid passings from the Large Starbuck's Window.
Virtual Reality at its Finest Hour

HAIKU

Hot days and nights
No Wind
Sticky sweat with Glucose lays on skin.

FINALLY!! DIABETES SOFTWARE FOR MAC OSX USERS

As most of us know by now, there is almost ∅ amount of Diabetes related software for Mac Users, which is why I was elated upon coming across
Diabetes Logbook X 1.0b5 - Track and report diabetes related events. Since Mac does have the "best" Graphics available, why not take advantage of this feature that Developer Paul Nesfield from UK has provided. The Application is a Log Book for all T1DM persons where you can input Glucose levels, Insulin amounts, Carb. numbers, Medications (in addition to Insulin) taken, Ketone data and "Notes" regarding any Problems. It is however formatted in 24hr rather than 12 hr time (which is no big deal). It has a color code that lets you visual "see" your results in the Log Reports that are generated from 7 days to 12 months. One can also "Import" and "Export" Data. Everything is very well done. What I personally would like to have as a possible "Update" is the availability of a scatter and simple line graph as well. Currently the only representation besides the numbers Data is horizontal Bar Graphs in the Report Section. BTW this is a "Freeware"/"Donationware" which is of additional benefit to many. However, since this is a Freeware and Paul Nesfield did take the time to put all this together and make available, why not "Donate" what you are able to offer. He and the Wife must now put the energy, time and anxiety (as we all know) in the caring of their wonderful 6½ yr. old son who was diagnosed w/T1DM 3 years ago. Donations will be going to The Diabetes Association of UK.