We would like to remind you of this upcoming event.

ALL Diabetic International Joining Time

Date: Thursday, May 6, 2004
Time: All Day

Time to join
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/alldiabeticinternational/

We would like to remind you of this upcoming event.

ALL Diabetic International Joining Time

Date: Thursday, May 6, 2004
Time: All Day

Time to join
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/alldiabeticinternational/

Christmas comes this time each year
It's always there to see
Please celebrate this joyous time
for what it was meant to be

Pains and trials may come each day
but are never permanent
since each new day brings bright beginnings,
please use them…that's why they've been sent

Take each second and smile to yourself
remember the good in your life
your children, your friends, your warm winter night,
your parents, your husband, your wife…

See each day for the good that is there….
Have a very merry Christmas!

(I've drawn a special holiday greeting card for you.
Please go to this URL:
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/present/
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Hi all,

         I've had to make the decision to shut down all of my DFAN
activities until I can figure out who is is consistently hacking my
computer and my online accounts.   This week the person disabled my
modem, and has something running in my computer that won't allow me to
install another  modem.  A customer service representative at the
computer company says it looks like they have disabled some parts of my
mother board too.  This all amazes me because I had Zone Alarm up and
running for about two weeks...so they've broken through that and a Norton
Anti-virus program.

         If you go to the websites and notice that files are missing or
that material is there that doesn't look viable or looks confusing, it's
because the websites have been attacked too.

         I tried to use an older computer to get online over the past few
days, but that computer was hacked too, so I'm in a corner right now
(where I don't want to be).

         Since, the attack is apparently personal in nature I have to go
offline.  Writing this e-mail is tough for me, since the person doing it
might be reading it right now and have a sense of accomplishment in
shutting down DFAN (and my other projects down)....but I felt I had to
let you all know what was going on.

         Until I can find something to protect my computer and/or find out
who is doing these things to me DFAN (and all the DFAN activities,
e-mails, discussion lists, etc....) is going to be frozen.

         I hope this all is taken care of soon, but I have no way of
knowing when things might get back to normal.

Belver
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Hi all,

         A friend of mine suggested that I write a poem about my feelings
about what happened in New York this week. Please feel free to share this
with others if you feel it might bring them some comfort or help them in
any way.


Love Never Ends

Love never ends
not with the passage of time
or the wants of a few

Love never ends,
it's the constant source
of life for our hearts which may be aching

Love never ends,
remembering times when
smiles were what we knew best

Love never ends,
and can never be stolen,
it's the truth of our daily journey

Love never ends


Belver
DFAN Diabetes Webpage http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/charcot
Diabetes Angel Network http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/angel
Need Help Getting Out Of Debt?  Let us pay it for you!
http://www.gettinouttadebt.com/
Instant Messenger Name: Belver  Paypal Address: belve@...
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DFAN DIABETES NEWSLETTER
JULY 2001 EDITION

Although I've had to cut back on a lot of my
DFAN duties the newsletter was one thing I wanted
to get completed.   I want to thank everyone who has
sent well-wishes and prayers for my recovery.

Note:  Many of our websites have new URL's
which are listed at the end of this newsletter.


_______I REFUSE TO GIVE UP_______

I refuse to give up
can't let this beat me
I refuse to give up
success will meet me

I refuse to give in
diabetes can't stop me
I refuse to stop trying
I won't let it rob me

Sure it might slow me
or throw me a loop
but life is just like that
a fast spinning hoop


____BATTERY FUNDRAISING WEBPAGE_____

The Diabetes Angel Network has received a donation of
78 blood glucose testing meters.  This donation was
extremely appreciated, but the meters come without a
battery and lancing device.   We've negotiated a deal
with an online medical supplier to give us the lancing
devices free of charge if we purchase the batteries
for these meters.  The cost of each batter (6-volt J-cell)
is 7.54.    We've set up a fundraising webpage to help
us get the funds we need for the batteries.

Those 78 meters can help a lot of people.   If you can
only buy one of these batteries we would appreciate
it.  We've set up a PayPal link at the webpage to help
collect the purchase price for each battery.

The link to the Battery Fundraising Page is:
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/angel/page15.html



_____CHARCOT FOOT STORY______

I would like to share a true story that happened in
Nov. of 2000. My husband was accidentally shot in
the right upper thigh while him and a buddy were
unloading guns after a hunting trip.  After a week
long hospital stay and three surgeries later he

was discharged to home. A couple of months past
and he started complaining of pain in the foot and
ankle. We requested that x-rays be done in February
of 2001.   The x-rays showed some "washing away
of the bone" (which is how the Dr. described it.

At that time he was told to continue to wear the sole
boot with the sheep skin lining in it.  He was also told
not to put any weight on the foot, so this left him still
on crutches. In March, when x-rays were taken we
were given the Charcot-foot diagnosis. Treatment at
that time was a fiberglass cast that can be removed
two times a week for skin care. This allows him to
put a shoe on his foot and go through the motion of
walking with crutches. His Orthopedic doctor has
referred him to an Adult Foot Specialist.

We have been told the most important thing with
charcot foot is to protect the foot, from any type
of accidental bumping, tripping, etc. because of
the bones being brittle.  My husband has always
been the type of person that has done manual
labor all his working life and it really bothers
him that he is not able to do the things he could
do prior to being diagnosed.   The vibrations of
riding in an auto also causes pain in his foot.

My only advice for one or any family member
of a loved one that has charcot-foot is to keep
their spirits up and to help the person find hobbies
that they can do.  Keeping their hands busy helps
to keep their minds off their problems. And please
remember through GOD all things are possible. Don't
give up the faith. Good luck to all Charcot-foot
patients and their loved ones.

To learn more about Charcot Foot Disease
visit our webpage at:

http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/charcot/


DFAN WEBSITES

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/dfansite/

Christian Diabetes Living
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/cdl/

Diabetes Angel Network
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/angel/

DFAN Poetry Page
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/poetry/

DFAN Charcot Foot Support Page
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/charcot/

DFAN Diabetes Bookstore
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/bookstore/

Weight Loss Motivation Kits
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/kits/

DFAN Diabetes & Weightloss Site
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/weight1

OneStep Christian Diabetes & Weightloss Site
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/weight2

Family N'Friends Diabetes Learning Page
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/famfriend

DFAN Kids Diabetes Webpage - Updated!
http://www.geocities.com/dfankid

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...

Hi,

         Some of my websites have been moved and here are the new links.
Please update your browsers.  Thanks!..:)

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/dfansite/

Christian Diabetes Living
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/cdl/

Diabetes Angel Network
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/angel/

Weight Loss Motivation Kits
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/kits/

DFAN Poetry Page
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/poetry/

DFAN Diabetes Bookstore
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/bookstore/

Weight Loss Motivation Kits
http://www.geocities.com/dfanish/kits/


Belver
Want To Earn Money?  Bears N' Baskets!
http://pages.prodigy.net/motivationu/basket/
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Hi all,

         I wanted to let you all know what's going on with the DFAN
websites.   As of this month, I've given up the ISP servers I've been
using.   I was originally using Prodigy and AT&T but paying for the
services was a bit too much for me to afford.  I was trying to but it got
to be too much.  For me, my websites were a big part of my
life....sometimes they were the main things that kept me busy.   In my
mind I had to keep them up and running, no matter what....so trying to
pay the cost of the online services was just another necessity to me.
I've come to realize that wasn't the right way to do things.   You could
say that the orginal DFAN was built on "hay"...<g>..I couldn't really
afford to do what I was doing, but I was doing it.    So, as of last week
most of the websites are shut down until I move them to some free
servers.

         I'm checking into getting a domain name too.  I'd only have to
pay a one time fee and maybe one other fee for forwarding the URLs to the
free sites which would be a lot better than what I was trying to do.

         So, the websites will be down for a little while...but they'll be
back..and better...:)   I was feeling low when I had to give up the space
I had for them, but in the grand scheme of life this is just a small bump
in the road...something that might slow me down but won't stop me.

         This doesn't affect any of the discussion lists....only the
websites.

Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got any strips or meters you don't need? -
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel
Weight Loss Motivation Kits - http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kits
________________________________________________________________
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DFAN/ONESTEP DIABETES NEWSLETTER
April  2001 Edition


_____ABOVE THE AIR_____

It's taken such a long time for me to write about this
"thing" that I've noticed over the years.  I initially
found it online, once I started meeting more people
with diabetes.  I didn't socialize too much with
others who had diabetes so my only exposure to
other diabetics was through an online setting.  What
is this "thing"?    Diabetes elitism.     Diabetic-on-
diabetic prejudice.

Yep, a set of social rules set up for us in the diabetic
community.  Wow….there I said it.   Hard to believe?
Well, I'll do my best to describe it to you.

I first noticed this set of prejudices when I was chatting
one day.   I heard some people with Type 1 diabetes
pouncing (and I deliberately use that word) on a Type
2 diabetic because that person allegedly didn't under-
stand what a Type 1 diabetic goes through.  It was
strange.   To me, diabetes is diabetes.  I know there
are some differences in how each is treated, but that's
true for every person with diabetes.  Even among people
with the same type of diabetes.   No two people take
the same amount of medication, eat the same amount
of food, or even test at the same time each day.   So
that was my first exposure.

Next, I noticed a set of prejudices among  Type 2 diabetics,
I was surprised.    The first I noticed was a prejudice
between those who take medication and those who don't.
This was very peculiar to me.   How could Type 2's be arguing
among themselves this way?    I was on an e-mail
discussion list and there was a conversation going on between
two people.   The hostility began when one person began
speaking about the foods they could still eat and the other
person felt that was akin to bragging.    I saw the
conversation degrade from that point.

A third type of prejudice?   One of the latest types of
diabetic-on-diabetic prejudices I've seen is the new "low carb
prejudice.   This is the prejudice some  people who use
a low carbohydrate meal plan have for those of us who
don't follow that plan.   This is one of the most heated
prejudices I've seen.  I've actually seen conversations
where people are told to change their management plans,
abandon their treatment regimens and switch to this
new way of eating.  Don't get me wrong.  If eating a
low carbohydrate meal plan works for some people with
diabetes, that's great, but the prejudice and pressure I
see for others to switch isn't a good thing.

I once heard it said that if everyone on this earth was
the same color, we'd still find something different about
each other to complain about.    The fact that I've seen
this happen in the diabetic community reinforces this with
me.   I just hope we can learn to live in this diabetes-world
in a calmer, more supportive way.  Our differences are
what make each of us our own personal diabetes managers.
Each person has a separate and unique plan that is just
for them….no one else.  There's no need to try to feel
superior because one can eat more flour or because one
doesn't have to exercise three times per week.  Just be
grateful that each of us has a plan to work with….and
that's what we should be doing…..working toward our
diabetes management goals.    Not trying to tear each
other down with our differences.



______NEW KIDS SITE!_____


Our new DFAN Kids Diabetes Site is up
and running!   Our old site was fine, but we
must admit that it was time for a make-over.
So we've re-worked the site and given it a
fun new look and hopefully a fun new feel
too!

The kids site is for diabetic kids, their
family members and especially their
parents.   So if you know a child with
diabetes or know anyone who you think
might benefit from our website please
send them to this URL:

http://www.geocities.com/dfankid/


_____POLL QUESTION OF THE MONTH_____

One of the articles this month talks about prejudice
in the diabetic community.  Do you think there is
a difference between the way a Type 1diabetes views
diabetes and the way a Type 2 diabetic views diabetes?

Send your responses to:

dfanrequest@...  -or-  dmmteam@...


_____LETTERS NEEDED_____

Hello, My son is Andrew Gibson of Fremont and he
was chosen by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
to represent California kids with diabetes in Washington
DC. 200 kids from across the country will address
Congress and other Administration to tell what it is like
to live with diabetes. They will advocate for an increase
of funding for research for a cure.  Andrew must bring
  support with him. We have set a goal of 1000 letters from
Californians. All we need are basic letters showing support
for funding toward a research for a cure. I ask you today
for a letter from yourself and to increase the amount of
support could you please pass this on to family, friends,
neighbors, etc. Andrew has created a website that explains
further and I can deliver you flyers. Thank you for your
  time and ink. Andrews Mom (Anna)

Go to this URL to get instructions on how to write
the letter and where to send it to!

http://hometown.aol.com/boywizkid



_____WEBSITE WORTH VISITING_____

Two years ago we reviewed a novel diabetes Website
that we thought well worth visiting.  At the time we wrote:

"This program is a wonderful VISUAL component
in letting a newly diagnosed insulin user 'see' what is
happening and how it is happening, and how the
insulin HELPS their condition become treatable and
livable," says one AIDA user.  "Diabetes doesn't have
to be thought of as a death sentence.  With the right
information, and the correct way of presenting it,
anyone can understand it."


Well that is what we said then.  AIDA on-line and the
AIDA downloadable software have recently moved to
a new, dedicated facility (at: http://www.2aida.org).

What's new since we last reviewed these diabetes simulators?
Well, AIDA v4.3 has been released and can now be downloaded
for free from www.2aida.org

This upgrade offers glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)
estimates  for the blood glucose simulations.  Therefore
assuming the simulated  blood glucose control was
maintained for a 2-3 month period, users can get an
indication of what the HbA1c level might be.

AIDA v4.3 also provides a new case scenario
import / export facility which allows cases to be
transferred between users/computers via email / the
Internet.  The intention is that over time this should
permit a larger database of interesting case scenarios
to be compiled for free downloading from www.2aida.org

Technical upgrades with the move to AIDA v4.3 include
a streamlined installation procedure for Windows users,
a 'fix' for AIDA usage on fast Pentium II / III PCs, hot
key by-passing of introductory caveat screens (much
requested!), and a reduced file download size (1.0Mb
instead of 1.5Mb) so the download will be faster and
the install file will now fit on a single floppy diskette.

Also to keep people informed about future upgrades to
AIDA - including the launch of 'AIDA for Windows' - a
new, automated AIDA registration /announcement list
has been set up.  To subscribe to this very low volume
list users simply need to send a blank email
note to:  subscribe@...

In addition to all this, AIDA on-line has been integrated
in with the main AIDA Website, and can now be accessed
directly at: http://www.2aida.org/online    This new
Web-based simulation facility runs on a faster server
and makes use of smaller graphics / simulation files
than before, thereby potentially reducing the on-line
simulation times.

Furthermore there are a whole series of articles about
the use of computers in diabetes care which are freely
available at the Website.  These can be accessed directly
at:  http://www.2aida.org/articles

So for a fun Website - with some very useful, free
diabetes content - why not pay www.2aida.org a visit!


AIDA on-line:  http://www.2aida.org/online

Announcement list:  subscribe@...


_____BOOOK OF THE MONTH_____

The American Diabetes Association Guide to Healthy Restaurant Eating
by Hope S. Warshaw
List Price: $11.16

Provides nutrition information; fast-food restaurants
This volume had detailed nutritional data (calories,
fat content, fat grams, sodium, cholesterol content, etc.)
on many fast-food items. Included are common items
from McDonalds, Wendy's, Arbys, Taco Bell, KFC,
Subway

Availability: This title usually ships within 2-3 days.

To learn more about this book click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580400043/teamdiabetes


_______POLL RESPONSES_______

When diabetes comes into a life it's very important that
rest and relaxation play a role in a diabetes management
plan.  We asked our readers how they pamper themselves
and here are some of the responses:

Response #1:

"As a fisherman I tie flies. Though tedious, for me, it is
relaxing.

Reading. Since we turned off the TV almost 5 years ago
we read a lot, talk and listen to the radio."


Mike T2


Response #2

"Well, having retired from 31 years of working for IBM
and now heading up the local diabetes support group I
am impelled to be constantly reading technical journals
to keep myself current. To relax, I read a murder mystery
by Grisham or Clancy, or a book by Chuck Swindol. To
divert my energies to something pleasurable is indeed a
good reward and something relaxing."


Response #3:

"My favorite way to pamper my self is to get a professional
massage, especially when I've had an especially rough week.
Follow it up with a warm shower, and you'll sleep like a baby!"


Response #4:

"This was hard for me. I thought I never had time to
pamper or relax  :)    But after I thought a few minutes:
If I take a walk in the woods with my cat, or read a good
mystery, or slather on nice smelly lotion, …those are the
ways I  relax and pamper myself. Never really thought
about it before."




_____DIABETES MANAGER SERIES_____

We've started running a series of short
tidbits called "Diabetes Manager Series".
These are quick tips on how to be the best
Diabetes Manager you can be for yourself
or your diabetic child.    Here are two of the
series:

Diabetes Manager Series #1:

Treat your diabetes like it's a client.   It might be better
to do this, especially when you see diabetes as an
"invader" that's crept into your path.   As your own
diabetes manager you're working toward a goal that
will influence your world...no one else's.....your own.
When you lose the weight it's going to be something
you do for yourself...even if others are a reason for
losing the pounds.

In a practical sense, don't make yourself wait if there
is something you need to do.  Don't tell yourself it's ok
to make yourself a low priority issue.   That doesn't
mean to drop everything else...or to neglect others....just
keep yourself in mind EVERY day.   Those diabetes
management tasks you put off might be just what you
need to get the breakthrough you need.


Diabetes Manager Series #4
BACKWARD GOING FORWARD

Being a Diabetes Manager means you might have to
get creative with yourself sometimes.    Getting
yourself to change habits or think a different way
might seem foreign and a bit too difficult.  Here's
an idea.  Have a "Backwards Day"....it might sound
counterproductive but bear with me a bit.    See, if
you're used to overeating, not exercising and giving
in to your fears, "Backward Day" is just what you need.
This will be the day that you do things that are opposite
  to your normal habits.  The goal is to only be
"backward" for the habits that need changing.  So
when you get up in the morning if you have a
problem not doing your exercises, get up and do
them immediately.    If you have a problem with
drinking too much soda, have some water that day,
etc....etc....   If you can't remember to take your
medications, try to take as many of them as you
can in the morning (according to your doctor's
directions)

The fact that you'll know "Backward Day" is  only
going to last 24 hours might help you get the tasks
done, and being able to do it for one day might be
just the motivation you need to keep moving toward
your goals.

Having a "Backwards Day" might be the most forward
thing you do this week.

Copyright 2001

Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got any strips or meters you don't need? -
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel
Weight Loss Motivation Kits - http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kits

________________________________________________________________
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DFAN DIABETES NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2001 EDITION

The new year is here!   Yes!  A time to think
about what you've done and make plans for something
  new in your diabetes management plan.  Don't
get caught up in New Year's resolutions.  Just
try to make your diabetes management plan the
best it can be for your or your child if you're a
parent.

As always, we can use your diabetes related
articles, stories, poems, jokes, etc….  They don't
have to be long or sound "professional".  Just
send them in…we can use them!

Send any written pieces, questions or comments
to:  dfanrequest@...  -or- dmmteam@...


_____POWER-OF-ONE MOVES_____

Make some Power-Of-ONE moves today with your
diabetes management and/or weight loss plan:

a) Make sure you know your blood sugar at least ONE
time today

b) Eat ONE meal on time today

c) Do ONE exercise today, even if it's a chair exercise.
(Need the chair exercise file?   Click below
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite/chair.html


d) Write in your diabetes journal today for ONE minute.

e) Drink at least ONE cup of water today.

See, just doing ONE thing can make a big difference in
your life and in your diabetes management plan.  Don't
underestimate the power of ONE.



__________BOOK OF THE MONTH__________

101 Nutrition Tips for People With Diabetes
(Amer Diabetes Assn)


For those with diabetes, proper nutrition and meal
planning are key components to controlling their
diabetes and staying healthy. This guide offers
the inside track on the latest tips, techniques,
and strategies on nutrition, weight loss, meal
and medication, and more.
:
Today's Dietitian magazine says, "Simple, succinct,
and straightforward, this book is ideal

To learn more about this book click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580400280/teamdiabetes



_____THIS MONTH'S POLL QUESTION_____

Since having diabetes means we have to take special
care of our bodies, being able to relax and pamper
ourselves can be a welcome break in the day.  What
is your favorite way to relax and/or pamper yourself?

Send your responses to:

dfanrequest@...  -or-  dmmteam@...



__________ARTICLE__________

THE TOP 10 STRATEGIES FOR STAYING ON
TRACK WITH YOUR DIABETES AND WEIGHT
LOSS PROGRAM

1. Keep your diabetes management plan and weight
loss program as simple as possible-the more complicated
  it is, the less you'll want to stick with it..


2. Keep a food/blood glucose diary.

3. Set clear written goals for yourself.   Goals can be as
short as "Eat less food today." or "Walk around the block."


4. Set your initial mid-range goal to lose 10% of your
bodyweight.   A weight loss of just 10% of your bodyweight
has been shown to help some diabetics get their blood sugars
in a good range.   It may also make a huge difference in how
you feel, look and how motivated you are to continue with
your diabetes management and/or weight loss plan.


5. Join a support group (online, offline, etc…..)   This
can give you a feeling of being supported, even if you're
  only a lurker on an e-mail discussion list.  Joining a
support group can also get you out of the isolation you
may have created for yourself.

6. Get plenty of rest every night.  How about getting
an extra hour of sleep over what you're getting now?
Is it possible?  Can you go to bed one hour earlier?


7. Exercise first thing in the morning.   Get it over
with and the exercise can help your metabolism all
during the day.


8. Get a workout partner to exercise with you.   If
you can find another diabetic to be your buddy that's
great, but if not, that's great too.  Having the support
of someone else might be just what you need.


9. Take before and after pictures and update them
every four weeks.   This is a great way to keep
track of your progress.


10. Create a chart or other visual display to track
your progress.    This can be as simple as a list of
your weigh-in results or an elaborate spreadsheet
that you can make with a computer program.   Choose
the style you like best, but try to keep track of your
success.

The main intent of this list is for you to acknowledge
and motivate you toward success with your diabetes
and/or weight loss plan.  It doesn't matter what you've
done before…the time to do this is now.

Click below to read our parent's version of this article:
http://www.geocities.com/dfankid/topten2.html


__________LAST MONTH'S POLL REPONSES__________

Last month's poll question was:

"A book entitled "Diabetes For Dummies" may
turn out to be a top-seller.   Does the title offend
you?   Do you think diabetes needs to be "dumbed
down" in order for people to understand it?"

Here is a sample of the responses we've received:


POLL RESPONSE #1:

"In my view, the more good quality and accessible
information available to diabetics the better, since it
will empower them to make better choices on their diet
and lifestyle management.  The only concern is that
some people may consider "Diabetes for Dummies" to
be beneath them - this would be unfortunate if the content
is really informative.  It doesn't matter how well educated
or informed you are, most people will gain some benefits
from well-presented and readable material."


POLL RESPONSE #2:

"I think "Diabetes For Dummies" is a good idea for
newly diagnosed diabetics. When I got my computer
2 years ago I bought "Macs for Dummies" and it sure did
help me to learn my new iMac, as I had never used a
computer before. I was lucky that I knew a lot about
diabetes already having worked in hospitals for almost
30 years. Not every diabetic is that lucky and a lot of
them really don't understand all the manifestations and
implications of the disease. I think such a book would
be very helpful in helping them learn to deal with diabetes.
Any questions they would have after reading the book could
be put on a list to ask their doctor or diabetes nurse. This
could be a very useful addition to the arsenal of information
they will need.  The title does not offend me in the least
and for a lot of people having everything put in simpler
language so everyone can understand would be very
helpful. Whatever and wherever the help comes from is
appreciated by anyone with diabetes or any other
chronic condition like those I had long before the diabetes
was diagnosed. Diabetes has turned out to be a complication
of my previously diagnosed conditions (congestive heart failure,
rheumatic heart valve disease, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol and triglycerides, osteoarthritis and
rheumatoid arthritis, gallstone disease, just to name
the most important ones, so I appreciate all the information
on diabetes I can get including diabetic recipes I have
downloaded from the web and from your cookbooks.
Diabetics shouldn't be afraid to ask for help and I think
such a book would help them, especially giving a list of
further reading."


POLL RESPONSE #3:

"Yes the title offends me.  Wouldn't it be just as easy
to produce an "Empowering Guide to Diabetes"?  I
don't want to buy a book that has that title as a gift
for anyone, even if it's chock full of excellent
information.  It's demeaning."


POLL RESPONSE #4:

"I find the title *GREAT*. It does not offend me in the
least. YES, DM needs to be explained simply.

Moreover the whole XXX for Dummies started
out as books for Computers (Word for Dummies,
Excel for Dummies, etc...) and I find some of them
really superb at their job."



POLL RESPONSE #5:

"Although i don't care much for the title i think a
simplified book for all would be great also why
can't canada and the u.s get together and use the
same number system and information:)  guess my
answer to poll is yes."



POLL RESPONSE #6:

"I am a 37 year old male who has been diagnosed with
Type II diabetes.  It came on because of my sever/morbid
obesity. Years of not eating the right foods and within
the last 20 years a lack of exercise.

As I grew older my appetite grew larger. I ate and
ate giving no thought to my health. I just grew.

Today I weigh somewhere between 550 and 600 lbs.
I first found out I had diabetes (or at least a possibility)
almost 2 years ago. I found out because my Step-Mother
insisted that I go to my physician and have Hg A1C
test. The results were horrific. 15.1%! Right away
my doctor put me on Glyburide, 5 mg. I've since
been taking the largest dosage of Glucophage (2250 mg)
and Advandia (8 mg).

This past week (Dec. 12 - 15) I attended diabetes classes
at the University of Iowa. This was probably the best
thing I've ever done for myself. I learned more in
those three days about diabetes and living with it than
a lifetime of watching family members and friends
lose limbs and even die because of mismanagement
and lack of education.

My point is this: Without education, not "DUMBING
DOWN", most people would die. . . and do die, in
fact, because of the lack of education.  When the powers
that be write a book for "Dummies", I think they are
tending to put the cart before the horse, so to speak.

Shouldn't the point be to EDUCATE and not be '
condescending to those who have this terrible disease?
I realize there are those who try to  "cash in" on other's
misfortunes, but making a book for "Dummies" is
truely insulting.

People who are afflicted with diabetes come from all
walks of life.  Why do we have to be dummies?

Just my humble opinion,"


POLL RESPONSE #7:

It all depends on the language and book's organization.
Diabetes I & II, needs to be explained in detail. I
believe that people need as much medical info as is
possible, explained in language they can understand.
Usually the more a person knows, the better control
he/she will have.

My questions:  Is who is the targeted audience?
What are the author's aims?

Also, there must be information on the social
implications.  People don't get tight control in a
vacuum!  Children will have a harder time than
adults living w/its restrictions, etc.

A book, any book, in itself, is not THE answer.
Diabetes to be controlled has to be lived out,
depending on food choices and activities.

I would consider this book and other ones, simply
sources, information.  The best helps for Diabetics
are medical people, a support group and information.



POLL RESPONSE #8:

Yes, I would buy another book about diabetes. I try
to read what I can, then I can use part of the
ideas/menus/whatever in my own program. I don't
think "for dummies" would stop me. Actually maybe
that's just what I need- basic basics. melody

POLL RESPONSE #9:

As insulting or dull as the title might sound, I am
grateful for anyone who takes on the subject of
diabetes and makes it easier to understand. If the
book encourages any diabetic to take a more
active role in their treatment, then the book
is a godsend! Perhaps, friends and relatives
of diabetics will be more inclined to read a
"Dummy" book.


__________NEED STRIPS & METERS__________

A special thanks to everyone who has sent in strips
and meters for diabetics in need.

As always, we can use any extra testing strips and/or
new/used meters you may have.   If you have any of the
following strips (that haven't expired and/or meters
(new or used/in working condition)  please send them in to us.

STRIPS WE NEED

Lifescan (One Touch, FastTake)
Dex
Accucheck
Precision QID

Meters - any new or used (in good working condition)

Lancing Devices

Check your shelves and drawers!   If your have items
collecting dust please send them in!   If you have the
manuals for meters you will be sending please send them
too.

The address is:  Diabetes Angel Network, c/o Ladson,
P.O. Box 570324, Bronx  New York  10457


Send all questions/comments/ideas to:

dfanrequest@... -or- dmmteam@...

Diabetes is a serious disease. This e-mail should not
Take the place of competent medical care.

DFAN WEBSITES

DFAN Diabetes Story - http://members.aol.com/dfandm

MyJournal! - http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal

Diabetes Prayer Chain!  http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep/prayer

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...



Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got any strips or meters you don't need? -
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Store - http://members.aol.com/dfandm

________________________________________________________________
GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
Join Juno today!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN DIABETES NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 2000 EDITION

Here in the U.S. November is the month for Thanksgiving!
What do you have to be thankful for this year?   Take a minute
and think about it.   Diabetes can bring frustration, change and
worry into a life, but it can also bring support, motivation and
caring family & friends into a life too.   So, look at things from
the good side of life….it’ll help in all areas.

We are in desperate need of diabetes related articles, stories,
poems, jokes and anything else you can think of.   You don’t
have to be a professional writer….we like “normal” pieces from
“normal” people..<g>

Now, on to the newsletter!


__________TIP OF THE MONTH__________

THE PERFECT DIABETIC

Perfection leaves no room for error, and striving
for perfection might seem like a worthwhile goal.
It might, until you realize that once you strive
for perfection, nothing is ever good enough.  When
it comes to diabetes, “good enough” can change
from day-to-day so finding out what’s perfect
for each day can become a game you can never
win.

You may soon find yourself upset over a 3 point
difference in your blood glucose level.   Or you might
get upset because you ate one potato chip too many.

Diabetes management, just like life is full of
possibilities and we have to be able to roll with
them.   No matter how much you plan to have
a good blood glucose level it can always go
higher or lower than expected.  You might want
to exercise today at 3:00 p.m., but if something
happens and you can’t, what would happen?

Remember that perfection leaves no room for
error…..even if the error is just life being life.





__________POLL RESPONSES__________

Last month’s poll question was:

SCENARIO:   Eddie has dealt with diabetes in his life for
five (5) years, since he was 9 years old.  Adolescence has
brought out some rebellion in his behavior.  He hasn’t tested
his blood glucose in 2 weeks and refuses to stick to his meal
plans.   His room is full of empty snack food bags and the
only “plan” he is following is his own plan to eat whatever
he wants.    His parents are at their wits end and decide to
take away his television for two weeks and ground him for
one week in an attempt to change his attitude.”

This month’s poll question is:

“Should the parent of a child with diabetes punish the
child if the child doesn’t test his/her blood glucose levels
or stick to their meal plans?”

Here are some of the responses we’ve received:

Response #1:
“I'm 14 years old and I think that the parent should not
punish the child, it will only make things worse!
Being punished would make me more upset. The
parent should talk to the child (tell them that if you
take care of yourself you would feel much, much
better!), etc.”


Response #2:

“Between the getting the belt for not doing one's
chores and the attitude that the child is an
individual and has rights, is plenty in between.  The
exercise of one's right does not extend to taking away
one's life, or letting diabetes run riot.  Then when
the pieces have to be picked up, the bills are handed
all round, as the diabetic is probable unable to pay
them.  Even if he could, does that give him the right
to buy his near to suicide type of life?  Young
children are not aware of the implications of what
they do, and more often than not, they have the good
sense to choose the sensible way out, which often is
just the correct way out.  Instruction, what if, and a
trip to those that were not so lucky, or did not get
on the job early enough.  Not just talking, just go
and see.  If they do not want to go and see, then they
are chickening out and avoiding  information.
Then those in charge should insist on it, with plenty of
  bribery and love - they can make assessment in whatever
way they wish, after they get the facts.  Not as a pamphlet,
but seeing chaps in the hospital, or as close to possible the
unvarnished truth.”


Response #3:

“The child should be explained the consequences once
again and then advised that if he/she is not going to
follow instructions for the doctor and therefore the
parents will then be encouraged. Then YES punishment
would be at my wits end if it was to work. Rather
  punished than dead!


Response #4:

“Yes absolutely.  Caring for one's diabetes is a RESPONSIBILITY
no different than any other responsibility that any other teen
  would have.  If a child refuses to care for himself and take on
responsibility of that, then they will have to suffer the unfortunate
repercussions that follow it as well.  Taking away privileges is
reasonable.  We as parents always are saying "we want the kids
to be treated normally, they are not any different than any other
child."  Well if there was a "normal" child acting irresponsibly
they too would have to suffer the consequences.  Diabetes should
be no different.”


Response #5:

n answer to dealing with a teen with diabetes let me tell
you a little about our family.  Our daughter was diagnosed
with diabetes at the age of 9 months.  Our son was
diagnosed at the age of 8 with diabetes.  My husband
was diagnosed about the same time as our son. When
our daughter reached the teen years she hated what she
had and hated being different.  She didn't want to do the
schedule but I insisted that she do it.  As she got older
that did not change and by the time she was old enough
to take care of herself she refused to test and go to the
doctors.  Our daughter passed away at the age of 21.  She
died in her sleep from what the doctors said was heart failure.
She was just beginning to take better care of herself but I
feel that it came to late.  Our son who is now 13 has seen
what happens when diabetes is not taken seriously.  I try
not to compare him with things that happened with our
daughter but that is hard because I don't want the same
thing to happen to him.  My thoughts with our son is to
take a more laid back approach and allow him to make
decisions on his own.  We have also put our lives in Gods
hand which we should have done a lot sooner.  It is my
prayer that our son will put his life in God's hand and do
his best to take care of himself.  With our daughter I may
have tried to control to much causing her to rebel more.
We need to understand more of what the teen is going
through.  They don't like being different and diabetes
makes them different.  We are homeschooling our son
giving him a good Christian education and removing the
problems that teens have in larger school settings


__________DIABETES SUPPORT ONLINE__________

There is a new place for you to get diabetes support!   This
diabetes group called Kelly Online Diabetes Newsletter is
great for day-to-day questions, insurance questions and
finding information on the web.    If you’d like to subscribe
please send an e-mail to marsha.surad@...

There is also a group for fibromyalgia.  To join this group
send an e-mail to queenie-fibromyalgia-subscribe@egroups.com


_____POEM_____

LOVE YOURSELF FOR YOU

Love yourself for you
not how you look
For how you look is just the wrapping….
the main treat is what’s underneath

Love yourself for you
and not for what you do
For what you’ve done might
not have been the best decisions

Love yourself for you
not for the want of others
For others may want what you can’t give…
never try to measure up to another’s fancy

Love  for yourself comes
before the prize


__________POLL QUESTION__________

This month’s poll question is:

A book entitled “Diabetes For Dummies” may
turn out to be a top-seller.   Does the title offend
you?   Do you think diabetes needs to be “dumbed
down” in order for people to understand it?


Send your responses to:

dfanrequest@...  -or-  dmmteam@...


__________DFAN DIABETES STORE NOW OPEN!__________

The DFAN Diabetes Store is now open! We’ve put
together many different books and other items related
to diabetes management under one cyber-address.  Please
visit out new website and see if anything there interests you.

The URL for The DFAN Diabetes Store is:

http://members.aol.com/dfandm


__________PROJECT HOPE__________

WHAT IS DFAN PROJECT H.O.P.E.?

So, what is DFAN Project H.O.P.E.?    H.O.P.E. stand for

  (H)elping
  (O)thers
(P)repare for
  (E)xcellence.

Project H.O.P.E. is a commitment.   A commitment to
help you be the best person you can be, living with
diabetes in your life.   To us, it doesn’t matter if you’re
a person with diabetes, a family member or friend of a
person with diabetes, or just an interested party.   If
diabetes is in your life, we want you to live a life of
diabetic achievement, not one of doubt, sadness and
grief..  How can we do this?

We’re going to use all of our DFAN text files, websites,
and other resources to bring hope into the lives of anyone
with diabetes.   If you ever have to go through diabetes
complications (yourself or someone else) we want to
help you understand it and come out of it as healthy
as you can be.


PROJECT H.O.P.E. LIFE GOALS

1. HELPING - To help myself and others live life,
with diabetes, in a productive way.
2. OTHERS  - to help diabetics in need with resources,
experience, knowledge, and any other help I can give
3. PREPARE for -.make and carry out a set of diabetes
management plans that are realistic, challenging and goal
oriented
4. EXCELLENCE - doing your best to reach your goals
and not giving in to thoughts of defeat.  Realizing that an
excellent effort is worth acknowledging.


__________NEED STRIPS & METERS__________

As always, we can use any extra testing strips and/or
new/used meters you may have.   If you have any of the
following strips (that haven’t expired and/or meters
(new or used/in working condition)  please send them in to us.

STRIPS WE NEED

Lifescan (One Touch, FastTake)
Dex
Accucheck
Precision QID

Meters – any new or used (in good working condition)

Lancing Devices

Check your shelves and drawers!   If your have items
collecting dust please send them in!   If you have the
manuals for meters you will be sending please send them
too.

The address is:  Diabetes Angel Network, c/o Ladson,
P.O. Box 570324, Bronx  New York  10457




__________ARTICLE__________

DIABETES FOR PARENTS – Part 2
By Darrin Parker

For me as well as dozens (hundreds?) of other
diabetic kids I've talked to (who are now adults)
and who were brought up being "forbidden" to
express anything but positive feelings found that
upon reaching adulthood, all the balled up anger and
frustration had manifested itself into rebellion or
denial or worse psychological problems.

If you have a competent diabetes team:  No one
will ever refer to tests as being "good" nor "bad".
Comments like:  "we don't want to see that"  or
"I am so pleased with your tests"  will not exist.
There will be no hint of  judgment nor blame.
There will also be no false hopes (lies) given to
the parents or children.  Statements like:  "a cure
is only a few years away" or   "you can grow up
to live a normal life and be anything you want to be"
will not exist.

The first tool any parent of a newly diagnosed diabetic
child should be given is a book on building self esteem
in children.  If the emotional side of diabetes management
isn't being addressed as often as the physical side;
then you have an incompetent diabetes team.

Upon adulthood many of us find that in addition to
various career restrictions we can't get life insurance;
no matter how tight our control is!   Because of this
we can't get mortgages, consumer loans, business
loans etc.   We are left in a gray area.  Since we are
not disabled; we do not qualify for special loans
available to the disabled.  Yet because of our
health - no matter how great it is - we do not qualify
  for most loans from any bank.  The fact is that kids
with diabetes have limited career options.  But we
were told that we could have a normal life!

So what do you tell us kids?  All I can suggest is the
truth:  "There is no cure or control for your diabetes
now but there might be in the future"......and...  ... "You
might be an astronaut someday but first a control or
cure must be found for your diabetes.  That's why
it's so important to keep as good a blood glucose as
you can.  So if a control or cure is found; you
can be healthy enough to be an astronaut"!

I can give a personal guarantee that,  for whatever
reason, not being able to express frustrations (adult
or kid) - or being lied to - will hurt diabetes management
at some point in a person's life.  The frustration and
anger catches up to you as surely as lack of blood
glucose control will.  Life isn't all numbers and ratios;
neither is good diabetes management.  Good diabetes
management starts with good mental and emotional health.
This is something no one can have if they continuously
hide their frustrations.

Three things I wish parents and health care providers would remember:

1.  Kids are kids #1 and diabetics #2.

2.  There are no "good" nor "bad" test results.  Just the facts.

3.  No person can manage diabetes in a "good" or "bad" way if they simply
do their best.  You manage it the best way that you can and that starts
with gathering knowledge.  Don't stop at the diabetes team. Look to other
sources and to the experiences of others.

Longer term diabetics often experience what I call "DBO", Diabetes
Burnout.
Although this can happen with parents of kids with diabetes as well.  DBO
seems to come from decades of trying but never achieving perfect control
and from holding in one's frustrations about diabetes or it's
complications.  Life for most of us long term Type I's is no longer just
"simple" diabetes management.  Dealing with the treatments, appointments
and paying for drugs for the eyes, kidneys, impotence, blood pressure
etc.
is difficult to juggle.  In my humble opinion:  The only cure for DBO is
to
get support and information (which I've done via the net).

Doctors don't have time to deal with patients' frustrations.  Many of us
have no friends or families to act as a support group. There are places
on
the net in which people are realistic and mature in accepting their anger
and frustration with diabetes.  Seek them. Here's a starting point:  Go
to
the #diabetes channel on undernet. One guy has been type I for 40+ years
and has managed great control!  One girl is 24 years old and is on her
third kidney transplant!  And both of them can talk about their
respective
conditions without being judged!

There is no place in diabetes for judgment nor lies.  Leave those at the
door please.

(To contact the author of this article send your
e-mail to dp@... )


Send all questions/comments/ideas to:

dfanrequest@... -or- dmmteam@...

Diabetes is a serious disease. This e-mail should not
Take the place of competent medical care.

DFAN WEBSITES

MyJournal! - http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal

Diabetes Prayer Chain!  http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep/prayer

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...


Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got any strips or meters you don't need? -
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Store - http://members.aol.com/dfandm

________________________________________________________________
GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
Join Juno today!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN DIABETES NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2000 EDITION

October is here in the U.S. and the chill is in the air here
in the Northeast.    When the temperatures dip it’s time
to get out the sweaters and go for a walk in the brisk autumn
air!   It’s always a good time to go for a walk, huh?..<g>

This month’s newsletter contains an article about attitude and
how it can affect your diabetes management, an article from
an adult-child with diabetes to parents, as well as a provocative
poll question!   I hope you enjoy this month’s reading!

As always, we need your diabetes related articles, poems,
stories, puzzles and anything else you can think of!   It
doesn’t matter how long or short your piece is….please send
it in!  This newsletter depends on your participation.   You
don’t have to be a “professional” writer….just write your
story in your own words….we want to use it.

Send your articles, stories, questions or comments to:

dfanrequest@...  -or-  dmmteam@...



__________IN BETWEEN THE MOMENTS__________

I’ve come to a conclusion about the time I spend in
my life with diabetes.    For years I’ve tried not to
think about it as if my lack of attention would make
it go away, but that doesn’t work.    It’s taken a long
time but I’ve come to a conclusion….I’ll live in
between the diabetes moments in my life, but I’ll also
live in ALL the moments of my life.

My life used to be measured in the time I could spend
away from the diabetes.   The time I could get lost in
reading a book or be involved in a project that would
keep me busy.  It was always gauged against how much
time I could keep the diabetes out of my realm of reality.
I’ve learned that trying to run away from this disease
(even if only in my mind) isn’t going to get
me anywhere.

Acknowledging the diabetes in my life and going from
moment to moment is my life goal now.  I may have a
moment that I don’t like (like pricking my finger) but
right after that is over I can grab my crocheting and
work on some new stitches.  A new moment.   I might
not like my trips to the doctor.  But after that hour or two
is over I can get a magazine and read about something
that can bring some new knowledge into my mind.

It’s great in between the moments because that’s when I
can look forward to what I will be doing….and be thankful
for the time I’ve had.



__________POLL QUESTION__________

SCENARIO:   Eddie has dealt with diabetes in his life for
five (5) years, since he was 9 years old.  Adolescence has
brought out some rebellion in his behavior.  He hasn’t tested
his blood glucose in 2 weeks and refuses to stick to his meal
plans.   His room is full of empty snack food bags and the
only “plan” he is following is his own plan to eat whatever
he wants.    His parents are at their wits end and decide to
take away his television for two weeks and ground him for
one week in an attempt to change his attitude.”

This month’s poll question is:

“Should the parent of a child with diabetes punish the
child if the child doesn’t test his/her blood glucose levels
or stick to their meal plans?”


If your children would like to chime in on this poll please
send me their responses too.

Send your responses to:

dfanrequest@...  -or-  dmmteam@...



__________ FREE LIFESCAN METER OFFER__________


Dana G. McGiboney, R.Ph. and Lifescan are offering free Lifescan
meters again.   If you need a meter or know of someone who needs
a meter please visit this website:

http://www.mcgiboney.com.



__________ARTICLE__________

DIABETES FOR PARENTS – Part 1
By Darrin Parker

I've been type I for about 27 years. Being diagnosed
at 9 years of age; I am speaking as a big 9 year old
when it comes to diabetes.

From my own experience, kids must be encouraged to
vent their negative feelings and frustrations (not to feel
sorry for themselves nor dwell on negative aspects but
to vent) as much as they are encouraged to express the
positive aspects or else:  The child may end up with
severe anger depression problems 10-30 years down
the road!

Indeed I find most of my anger comes not from what I
deal with now but what I was "forbidden" to deal with as
a child.  I used to lead the fight against diabetes research
and cure by telling people "it wasn't so bad" and that it was ]
"not a big deal" and that it was "100% controllable" and that
"a cure is just a few years away".  Was I ever wrong!  This
however was what my family and doctors wanted to hear
me say.

Often parents' body language or words will show disapproval
of the test numbers.  As a kid, we see the disappointment and
frustration on our parent's faces when they see a "bad" test result.
We grow up in fear of each test and doctor's appointment because
anything less than perfect blood glucose control may cause our
parents anger and frustration because of us;  not the diabetes.

Please make sure you explicitly tell your child that your frustration
or anger is with the diabetes and not with him or her!

It's easy to deal with positive aspects and most people are in
denial of - or just too lazy to deal with - the negative aspects.
Children with any chronic disease (I was one) know from a
young age that the last thing their parents want to hear is
anything negative.  So unless encouraged very forcefully,
we kids withhold all our frustrations about daily diabetes
management and our fears for the future.

You want to know what really creates anger? -- Being lied
to.  As a kid, people would see the long term diabetics with
their dialysis and amputations and say:  "That'll never happen
to you if you keep good control".  This does two things:

1) It makes one feel guilty and inadequate when you do get
diagnosed with a complication and

2) It makes kids realize at some future point that they
were lied to.  By far, many of us grew up lying about our
tests as the judgment  passed on us for having "bad" tests
was too difficult to deal with.

Tests are facts to be dealt with.  Test results are not good
nor bad. They are simply facts to use as a tool in trying to
achieve better control.  Absolutely nothing more.  Any health
care professional who does not understand this should not be
practicing.  As the DCCT concluded; complications are not
directly correlated with how tight blood glucose control is.
Tight blood glucose control can delay the onset of
complications but will not prevent them.

The medical personnel will often even encourage a kid
to withhold their frustrations by using phrases like:  "Now
we don't want to hear that. Do we?"  or "...there, that's
nothing... ...just another little prick".  These statements
instruct us kids to feel that it is shameful to express any
frustration to ourselves let alone the family group.

We swallowed the physical discomfort caused from
hours of high blood sugars.  We accepted that high blood
sugars meant we were bad or poorly self disciplined (even
though the highs just happened despite our best efforts).
We rolled all the anger and frustration up into a dark, black
ball deep inside us.  It was a shame to ever get frustrated
about a "disease which we could control" and it was a shame
or a sin to have frustrations; hence something must be wrong
with us?

Watch next month for part two of this thought provoking
article!

(To contact the author of this article send your
e-mail to dp@... )



__________NEED STRIPS & METERS__________

I want to send a heartfelt thanks to everyone who has
donated blood glucose testing meters and strips to
the Angel Network.   Nine people have received strips
and/or meters because of your generous donations.

As always, we can use any extra testing strips and/or
new/used meters you may have.   If you have any of the
following strips (that haven’t expired and/or meters
(new or used/in working condition)  please send them in to us.

STRIPS WE NEED

Lifescan (One Touch, FastTake)
Dex
Accucheck
Precision QID

Meters – any new or used (in good working condition)

Lancing Devices

Check your shelves and drawers!   If your have items
collecting dust please send them in!   If you have the
manuals for meters you will be sending please send them
too.

The address is:  Diabetes Angel Network, c/o Ladson,
P.O. Box 570324, Bronx  New York  10457




__________POLL RESPONSES__________

Last month’s poll question asked:

“Would the fact that a candidate for President is
diabetic have any influence on whether or not you would
vote for him/her?   Why or why not?”

Here are some of the responses we received:


Poll Responses # 1:

“No, being a diabetic would not influence me.  I vote
for the agenda.  I would be very interested on their
platform regarding diabetes, however.”


Poll Response # 2:

“It would make no difference if it were under
control”


Poll Response  #3:

“The fact that a candidate for President is diabetic
will have any influence on whether or not I vote
for him/her, because they understand our problems
and will very likely fully fund the diabetes research.
In addition if there was someone that was not diabetic
but IF they came out supporting FULL funding for
diabetes research, as Vice President Gore has, that
WILL have some influence.  George W. Bush not
only has not come out in support of funding for
diabetes research, but also has NOT answered
email I sent him, and I live in TEXAS.  That
will help influence me to vote for Al Gore.”


Poll Response #4:

“Yes, I think that the fact that a candidate for
President is diabetic would have some  influence
on whether or not I voted for him.  I would think
that he would work harder for diabetics , trying
to pass laws that would make it possible to get
supplies that we need to get Medicare to pay
for them, Try to get it passed that Medicare
would also pay for at least part of our expense
for medicine that we need as diabetics. I'm
probably dreaming, a president has his all
paid for.   He doesn't have to worry about it.”



Poll Response #5:

At first I started to say it wouldn't make a difference,
but the more I think about it, I do think it would
influence me.  Anyone who has diabetes and has
reached candidacy for President has been successful
at self control and is strong.  I would probably be
favorably impressed.


Poll Response #6:

regarding the poll question and the president
YES! it would effect who I should vote for
because to me the most important thing in my
life is my family and if I knew one was against
something I strongly believe would benefit one
of my family members especially my child then
I would not vote for them!!!!!!!!!



Poll Response #7:

“Is one of the candidates a diabetic?  I don't think
that should change my vote if they were.  I'm sure
there would be a nurse or MD on call at all hours
just in case of any emergency.  More important to
me would be the stand he/she takes on healthcare
issues.  We need reform there, badly.  Monitors
and strips should be available to all diabetics FREE.
This would save lots and lots of money in diabetic
healthcare!”



Poll Response #8:

“I don't know.  Would depend whether he/she was type
I or II.   Hopefully, he would have the common sense to
eat right, take his meds or insulin, etc.

Although Jimmy Carter had an agricultural background,
he still placed an  embargo against Iran if I remember
correctly.  Wouldn't automatically mean more funding.
Would  heighten awareness.

As the candidate or president, he or she would have
all the diabetic care available to him that is possible.

If a candidate, would want to know how carefully he
  takes care of himself.  Is possible for him to hide it,
John Kennedy was able to hide his Addisons disease.

The best person to be a diabetic would be either the
First or Second Lady.  She could humanize the treatment.
Maybe someday we will.

I don't vote for a person on a single issue.  Returning
to the question, unless the person is hypoglycemic, his
actions and temperament might be affected.

Mr. McCain has done so much for skin cancer awareness
already.  He puts a human face on melanoma.”

Poll Response #9:

I would vote for a Diabetic President if I agreed with
his agenda.  I don't feel that Diabetes has anything to
do with intelligence or the ability to perform if it is
taken care of.  It would not sway me in any way.
Character is what I look at most.


Poll Response #10:

I would NOT vote for him: being a diabetic is
FULL-TIME WORK with much worry and anxiety
that would be better spent on thinking of the country's
problems not his own problems ;-)

Fortunately I am not a US citizen so it's irrelevant...

BTW I wonder if the erratic way Yeltsin managed his
country wasn't due to his being a diabetic.



Send all questions/comments/ideas to:

dfanrequest@... -or- dmmteam@...

Diabetes is a serious disease. This e-mail should not
Take the place of competent medical care.

DFAN WEBSITES

MyJournal! - http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal

Diabetes Prayer Chain!  http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep/prayer

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...



Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got any strips or meters you don't need? -
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN DIABETES NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2000 EDITION

We’re in the midst of summer here in the U.S and fall
is so close now.   The cool summer nights really make
me think about the time when the leaves will be falling
and we’ll be able to wear sweaters again!

Hopefully, you are enjoying your summer and taking
advantage of outdoor activities.

We need your diabetes related articles, stories, poems,
anecdotes and jokes!  Please send them in no matter how
long or short they are.  Please take note of the announcement
for the Diabetes Angel Network in this issue.

Send all questions, comments and ideas to:

dfanrequest@...  -or-  dmmteam@...


____________ARTICLE__________

CONFESSIONS OF A DIABETIC

I must confess that I’m not as “together” as people
think I am.   Sure, I put on a good show.  I know the
facts.  I know what I should be doing, but during the
night when no one is awake, I sometimes cry myself
to sleep.   I always ask myself why am I crying.?
After all, the past is the past and I can’t change it
right?   It’s just all the things that I miss so much.
I never knew how much they meant to me.  To just
go for a walk without having to think about diabetes.

My confession is something I needed to do for myself.
My smooth, brightly colored outer layer might give
people the wrong impression.  They might think that
diabetes doesn’t do anything to me, and that’s just
not true.   I just try to put the best foot forward.  I
could be sitting in my chair or curled up in my bed
afraid to live my life…..but I decided against that.
Even if things get bad I don’t want to give up.  I
won’t allow myself to do that.  When I think about
the children that have this disease it makes me realize
how much I have to try….they try…so I know I can
try.


__________POLL QUESTION__________

This month’s poll question is something that could
possibly happen and in the United States we’re in the
midst of campaigning for an election so I expect some
“hearty” responses..<g>

This month’s poll question is:

“Would the fact that a candidate for President is
diabetic have any influence on whether or not you would
vote for him/her?   Why or why not?”

Send your responses to:

dfanrequest@...  -or-  dmmteam@...



__________NEED STRIPS & METERS__________

The requests coming in to the Diabetes Angel Network
have increased in the past months while donations of
strips and meters has gone down immensely.   If you
have any of the following strips (that haven’t expired
  and/or meters (new or used/in working condition)
please send them in to us.

STRIPS WE NEED

Lifescan (One Touch, FastTake)
Dex
Accucheck
Precision QID

Meters – any new or used (in good working condition)

Check your shelves and drawers!   If your have items
collecting dust please send them in!

The address is:  Diabetes Angel Network, c/o Ladson,
P.O. Box 570324, Bronx  New York  10457



__________WEBSITES WORTH VISITING__________

FREEWARE DIABETES SIMULATIONS * *
aida_simulator-subscribe@...

If you are interested in glucose-insulin / diabetes simulations –
an updated version of the freeware AIDA diabetes software
simulator is shortly to be released on the Internet (to be
available from http://www.2aida.org).

If you wish to be automatically informed when this new
version has completed beta-testing – a dedicated AIDA
simulator registration / announcement list is available
specifically for this purpose. This list is open to everyone,
and it is completely free to join. However the list is
‘closed’ in the sense that only the AIDA developer’s can
post to it. Therefore traffic on the list is low / non-existent –
and only consists of official announcements about the AIDA
simulator.

To automatically be informed about updates to the AIDA
diabetes simulator software range all you need to do is
send a blank email note to:
aida_simulator-subscribe@...

Then you can be among the first to try out the updated
glucose-insulin /diabetes simulations – once they have
been fully tested!

Both AIDA v4.3 and ‘AIDA on-line’ (a Web-based Windows
version available at: http://www.shodor.org/aida) are being
made available via the Internet as non-commercial contributions
to continuing diabetes education. They are both completely
free to use.

For your information new features in AIDA v4.3 include:
HbA1c estimates provided for the blood glucose simulations,
and an import / export facility to allow case scenarios to be
swapped between AIDA users; plus a whole load of technical
upgrades to make installation / usage easier. E.g. a new,
dedicated 32-bit Windows installation procedure and various
problems /‘bugs' fixed to make the new version even more
robust than AIDA v4.0


__________POLL RESPONSES__________

In last month’s newsletter we asked this question:

"You wake up in the morning.  You're not vomiting.
You don't have a fever, but you feel ill.  Why?  Your
blood glucose levels are very high and you feel like a
sluggish snail.   Do you think it's a good idea to call in
sick?  Or do you think you should just go to work do
the best you can?"


Response #1:

I'm Type I on the pump using Humalog exclusively.
This happens, every once in a while.  I calculate the
amount of bolus required to bring my BG into
target range, and reduce it by 25% and instruct the
pump to deliver it.  I wait 15 minutes for the Humalog
to begin acting and go for a run.  After about 45
minutes  of exercise I test again.  Usually the BG is
closing in on the target range.  If not, and it hasn't
reduced significantly,   I check to see if there is an infusion
set problem.  If there is, I correct it and try to figure
out where to go from there,  if not, I try to contact my
diabetologist.  I haven't found  that staying home from
work makes a positive contribution  to my wellness,
nor does it lead to getting my work done.


Response #2:

You should go to work.  Take your medicine and
move around as much as possible.  You need the
exercise to help bring down the blood sugar.  If
you're sick enough to call in sick, you need to
contact your doctor.


Response #3:

I believe such a situation can crop up with an impending
Ketone coma (or less serious, but still involving a high
ketone release in the body). Over here we are instructed
in such a situation to get fast to ER in a hospital...


Response #4:

My answer - get it together and go to work


Response #5:

Go on to work. If you stay home you probably will
eat more and make your blood glucose level go up
higher, whereas if you go to work you probably
will feel better being with people and not think
of yourself as much.  You probably will not eat
anything and your blood glucose level will go
down.

  Response #6:

I feel is you can go to work it is best because
movement is better, and will help lower the blood
sugar (as opposed to laying in bed), it will distract
you from how bad you feel.  You can always go
home if you just can't make it.


Response #7:

I myself would call in sick. My employer knows
of my Diabetes.  They also know that if my blood sugars
aren't in a good range that my vision goes on the blink.
Therefore, if my sugars aren't where they should be I'd
call in.  My life and taking the chance of crashing on the
way to work means more to me then my job.


Response #7:

  I think that I should probably stay home.  Feeling that
way may cause accidents of I might black out or something
else, so it would be better to rest for awhile, and monitor
my condition.


Response #8:

I would probably call in, I am not currently working, but
I used to work for a domestic violence shelter for women
and children, and for their safety if nothing else, I needed
to be at my best.  Since I am no longer working away from
home, I just feel like crawling back into bed. Sometimes, I
have to push myself and go on, thinking, I have a chance to
bring the sugar down.


Send all questions/comments/ideas to:

dfanrequest@... -or- dmmteam@...

Diabetes is a serious disease. This e-mail should not
Take the place of competent medical care.

DFAN WEBSITES

MyJournal! - http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal

Diabetes Prayer Chain!  http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep/prayer

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...

Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got any strips or meters you don't need? -
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN DIABETES NEWSLETTER
JULY 2000 EDITION


Summer is in mid-swing now (here in the U.S.) and
I hope all of you are getting outside and enjoying
the weather.    Be careful about the heat.  Carry your
water and try to stay indoors during peak sun hours.

Here at DFAN we’re in a transition period.   Trying
to get all of our website, files, courses and other help
coordinated and running smoothly is taking a little
time, but once it’s completed it will be worth all
the time and effort it took.

Last month’s free blood glucose testing offer was
a major success.  If we come across any other offers
like this we’ll let you know.

As always, we need your articles, stories, poems,
anecdotes and anything else you want to send us
for publication.<g>  The only requirement is that
it be diabetes related.  It can be as short as five
words and as long as a book!  Send it in!

dmmteam@...   -or-  dfanrequest@...


_____SMALL CHANGES MATTER_____

It's funny how just a few changes can really make such
a difference.  I have discovered a way to really help
myself stay on my meal plan recently and it is helping
me so much.  It's really simple but has helped my blood
sugar levels.  I have been getting up a little earlier and
have been preparing everything for dinner which I can
ahead of time.  Example: cut up salad, brown meat, cut
up vegetables, fix meatloaf, boil eggs, fix jello, etc., etc.,
etc. The reason this helps is that I have much more energy
in the morning than I have at dinnertime.  If I wait until
dinnertime to decide what to fix, I am so tired and hungry
that I tend just to grab anything to eat and I don't stay on
my diet very well.



_____POLL QUESTION OF THE MONTH_____

This month’s poll question is:

Scenario:

“You wake up in the morning.  You’re not vomiting.
You don’t have a fever, but you feel ill.  Why?  Your
blood glucose levels are very high and you feel like a
sluggish snail.   Do you think it’s a good idea to call in
sick?  Or do you think you should just go to work do
the best you can?”

Send your response to:  dmmteam@...  -or-
  dfanrequest@...


_____NEED STRIPS AND METERS_____

The Diabetes Angel Network is DFAN’s attempt at
helping diabetics in need.  Right now, we’re in need
of unused blood glucose testing meters, strips or lancing
devices.  If you have any extras that are just gathering
dust, why not send them to us?   We’ll make sure they
get into the hands of people who can use them.   Right
now we need the following blood glucose testing strips:

Accucheck (Comfort Curve and Advantage)
One Touch
Dex
Fast Take

We can’t use strips that have expired, so please check the
expiration date before you send them.

As for meters and lancing devices, we can use ANY
meters that are in working order (new or used).  If
they are used and you have the instruction booklet
please send it.

We can’t accept insulin, syringes or any other supplies.

If you have anything you’d like to donate please send it to:
Diabetes Angel Network, c/o Belver Ladson, P.O. Box 570324
Bronx, New York  10457

To visit the Diabetes Angel Network site go to:

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel


_____ONE BITE TOO MANY_____

When I was at the lake over Memorial Day weekend, a
fire-ant bit me on my big toe.  That night it was so painful
I couldn't sleep so I got up and put ice on it for at least
twenty minutes, then went back to bed.  The next morning
I went ahead and went walking and swimming.  I did the
same activities that night.

Monday morning, we came home and by that time my toe
was really in a mess.  I had a appointment at my doctor's for
my usually three month blood test on Tuesday morning, and
when his nurse saw my toe, she had me see the doctor.  The
doctor said it was infected, gave me antibiotics and told me
to soak it twice a day.

Last Tuesday  I saw the doctor again, toe still looks bad, but I
thought it had improved!   He put me on more antibiotics, and
had me get an x-ray.  The ex-ray shows the bone clear, but they
wanted me then to get a bone-scan.  I refused since the x-ray
shows the bone being clear.  The toe still isn't completely well,
I will see the doctor again this next Wednesday.   The doctor had
his nurse call me and made an appointment so I would be sure
and come in, and told me not to take the trip to Colorado yet
that my husband and I wanted to take.

That is my story!  Oh, yes,  the doctor thinks it wasn't a fire-ant,
but a spider that bit me.


_____POLL RESPONSES_____

Last month’s poll question asked:

“If you met a newly diagnosed child with diabetes what
advice would you give them?”

Response:

“My response to this question would be to tell them to not
give up. There is so much to tell them, but, basically, I
would tell them not to give up.”



_____MUTED WORLD, BRILLIANT ENDING_____

Living life in a muted, blurry haze wasn’t much fun.
My eyesight had been getting worse and worse over
the years but I adapted.  I’d look at television and
pretend I didn’t notice that I couldn’t make out most
of the details on the screen.  When it was time to read
something I’d pretend like I knew what it said.   I even
figured out ways to cross the street by following the
crowd so no one would know I couldn’t see the cars
clearly.   I had become my own best friend…a friend
that could keep me from facing the fact that something
was wrong with my eyesight.

The doctors told me that something was wrong with my
eyes about three years ago.  I knew something was going
wrong before it got confirmed, but I dealt with it. As the years
went on I pretended that nothing was wrong as much as
possible.    It got to the point where I couldn’t read my
books which really was a blow to me.  Most of the
work I do involves reading my books and typing.   I was
able to adjust my computer monitor so I could see the letters.
Dark background with light letters.  That did the trick.

I started seeing a new eye doctor in the fall of 1999.
He was very nice and seemed to want to help me.  He
told me that he thought cataract surgery would give me
great results.   I believed him, but my fear of the surgery
was too overpowering.   We would set up dates for the
surgery but things would happen to postpone it.   I was
glad it was being postponed so often.  I didn’t want to
do it.   In the spring of 2000 we finally set a date for the
surgery and I had made up my mind that I was going to
do it.  Fear or no fear.   I couldn’t live the way I had
been living when there was something available that
would fix it.

  As the date of the surgery got closer I knew I had to get
myself together so I starting thinking about the fact that once
it was over I would be able to see better.  I had to take my scary,
negative thoughts and turn them into thoughts of gratitude.  I
had to be grateful that the doctors could help me see better.
After all, there are people in this world who have no hope at all.
I had to be  grateful that the surgery would only last sixty to
ninety minutes.  I had to have a “gratitude party” and think
good about it all.

  The nurse took my blood pressure, tested my blood sugar
and checked some other things.  My blood pressure was
so high that I thought they’d postpone the surgery.   The
nurse took my blood pressure again and it had gone down.
She knew I was nervous so she told me the high readings
were  due to the anxiety.   After giving me some drops to
dilate my eye the anesthesiologist came out to talk to me.
I knew the surgery time was getting closer.

They wheeled me into the operating room….I was praying
the whole way.  The word “nervous” can’t describe what
I felt.  I was nervous, afraid, anxious and anything else
you can think of.   The nurses introduced themselves to
me and then I was given a sedative.  After about a minute
or two I was asleep.   I woke up to find the doctors putting
a cloth over my face so he could work on my right eye.
The cloth had to cover the left side my face as well as
everything on the right side except for my eye.   I’m
claustrophobic and even though I had the sedative I told
them to stop.  They tried to put it on again and I told them
to stop.  The nurse suggested that she leave the side of the
cloth open a bit so I could see out.  That worked.   Next
thing I knew is that I was asleep again.

I kept waking up and hearing the doctors talking.  I
couldn’t feel any pain, and my anxiety was gone.    I
went back to sleep and woke up a few times.   I honestly
thought I was only on the operating table about ten (10)
minutes and the doctor told me they were done.   I
remember seeing out of the eye they were working on
for a second before they covered it with some gauze
and an eye protector.  I saw the most beautiful color
blue.  This was notable to me because I haven’t been
able to see true color for years.   Then I was wheeled
out of the operating room and into the room where the
nurses would take care of me.

I was given some crackers and juice and was told to
leave.   I couldn’t believe it.  I was operated on about
7 a.m. and at 9:10 I was ready to leave!   I still didn’t
feel any pain, and I was ecstatic!   I had gone through
my fear, had the surgery and came out a conqueror!

The next day the gauze and eye protector were removed.
When it was taken off I could see better immediately!
I saw the white lights.   They were so clear and bright.
Before the surgery lights looked yellowish.    I was so
amazed at how bright and colorful everything was.

On the ride home I was at the point of crying.   The day
before I couldn’t see much of anything clearly and now
I could see the people walking, the cars, the license plates
and I could read the store signs as we drove by.

I really wanted to tell this story for the people who need
cataract surgery and are afraid to do it.   I had no pain
at all during the surgery.   I have very little pain now
and my eyesight is 300 percent better than it was.  I still
might need eyeglasses but that’s fine.  At least now things
are sharper and the colors are brilliant again.    The cataract
on my right eye has to be removed but I’m at peace about it.
No more nervousness.   I know how easy the surgery is now.

So if you need this surgery please have it.  If you have any
questions about it please feel free to write me.  I’ll be glad
to share my experience with you and answer any question
that you have.

To contact the author send your e-mail to:
dfanrequest@...


Send all questions/comments/ideas about this newsletter to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...

Diabetes is a serious disease. This e-mail should not
Take the place of competent medical care.


DFAN WEBSITES

MyJournal! - http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal

Diabetes Prayer Chain!  http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep/prayer

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...

Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Angel Network $1 FundRaiser - http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

Independence day
is here, it’s true!
Independence helps with
diabetes too

Independent from fear
independent from strife
independent from worries
that can ruin your life

You’re not just a number
measured with a small meter
Commitment is measured with
your heart, and it’s dealing

Independence is here
so grab hold of it’s reins
be bold with confessions
and successful with gains

Happy Independence Day!



Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Angel Network $1 FundRaiser - http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN/ONESTEP DIABETES NEWSLETTER
April  2000 Edition

As always, we need your articles, poems, stories and other
diabetes related work.   Your pieces can be as small as 5 words
or as long as you'd like..<g>  We really need your submissions
to keep the newsletter interesting.  Don't every think your story
is too boring…..people would like to read about you.  The pieces
can be about anything diabetes related (diagnosis, coping, eating,
family issues, etc….)   Send your pieces, comments or questions
to:

dmmteam@...   -or-   belve@...


SEEING CLEARLY

I had a diabetic eye exam done.   They
took photographs of the inside of my eye.  I suppose,
it is to enable subsequent doctors to compare what they
see with what was on the photograph.  The camera used
instant film, so there was really no waiting.   I was told to
"Watch the red light," and when you do, you get the
photo taken with a flash - it is pretty dark inside the eye.
The doctor put drops in my eyes to dilate the pupils so
the doctor could look inside.  They let me wear sun specs.  It helps
to cut the glare when they are finished.

I also had my feet tested.  The technician was a joker - he told me he
would
tickle the bottom of my feet, and started right off scratching a little
on the top of my foot - just to see what sort of liar I was!  He warned
me he was a technician only, doing the test, and if I had questions,
then get them ready for the doctor, who would be looking at the test
results and answering my questions.  He told me my feet were ok when we
finished (big grin from him).  I suppose I am super sensitive to
electricity - it was a thin wire with electricity and he could dial
the electricity amount.  Mini cattle prodder!


_____DIABETES ANGEL NETWORK____

FREE LIFESCAN METERS

Visit the Diabetes Angel Network site to get the
link to receive a free Lifescan blood glucose monitor..
A health professional who attended a diabetes
education training seminar received free coupons
for the meter and she is graciously offered to give
them to people who want them.  Once you get
to the website click on the red and yellow

Here's the link:

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel/



_____POLL _____

Here’s last month’s poll question:

"Diabetes education is something we all need once a diagnosis
is made. Right now, we get our diabetes education from our
doctors, Certified Diabetes Educators, nurses and many other
health professionals. Do you think there is room for layman
educators? Do you feel a person who is not in the health
industry can be licensed to teach about diabetes management?

Here are some of our replies!


RESPONSE #1:

"In a word, yes.  Of course that would put them in the health industry,
wouldn't it?"

RESPONSE #2:

:Yes, I think there is room for this! I have learned so much from this
Diabetes site and from Belver.  Most of the input is from people who are
not in the health industry or certified.  Knowledge is for everyone."


RESPONSE #3:

"I think a person who has had diabetes for a while and
has managed it as well as possible would be a good
diabetes educator and motivator."


RESPONSE #4:

When it comes down to it, anyone with an interest can be
trained to be a diabetic educator.  However, they will only
believe what they learn from a book and try to apply their
theory to diabetics as a whole.  Diabetes is a very individualized
disease.  What works for one person may not work for another.
Doctors, nurses, dietitians, and educators know their job
and most do it well.  However, the only people that can
understand a diabetic is a fellow diabetic."

POLL RESPONSE #5:

From: timiller@... (Tim Miller)

Response:

"I definitely feel that a layperson should be able to teach.
Especially someone with Diabetes themselves.  I have
several experiences myself and if I had been taught
about the mistakes and trials I have been through,
maybe I would be even better at my diabetes management
than I am today.  I had to take several classes recently
because something changed in my metabolism and after
24 years with Type 1 and never having low blood sugars
where I had to be helped out by someone else, I had 3
major ones in a months time.  Thank God my wife was
there to force the sugar tablets in me.  So I took the
classes and learned a few things, but found comments
from other students in the class also helped, taught and
encouraged me to take even better care of myself.  I am
now on different insulin and doing fine."

Response #6:

Definitely.  The person can give helps in coping,
putting medical terms, conditions in layman's terms,
or simply re-explaining what is being presented.  When
I went to the Certified Diabetes Educator  I was
bombarded with new ideas, terms,  etc.  In the best of
both worlds, the person would have diabetes himself/herself.
And of course, have the CDEs  blessing to be a
presenter. Might make people more comfortable with
the experience.  Say you have a adult who reads on
grade school level, I don't know how many
would attend, even if it is mandatory.


Response #7:

yes we should have a person to help us . I have one that
taught me about my sugar and any time I need help she is
their for me .



_____THIS MONTH'S POLL QUESTION_____

Sometimes having experience with diabetes gives us
much more wisdom than we think we have.   If you
met a newly diagnosed child with diabetes what advice
would you give them?  Keep in mind that you're speaking
to a child and they might not understand big words..<g>

Send your responses to:

dmmteam@...  =or-  dfanrequest@...


BLAST FROM THE PAST

I Will Never Give Up!
By Janice Hendrix

I have always viewed my 33 years with diabetes as
a challenge. I have always strived to have a fighting
spirit even though my family history with diabetes
was very poor.

It became more of a challenge 4 years ago when I
began to develop complications from having
diabetes so long. First there was peripheral neuropathy,
retinopathy, gastroparesis, hypertension, kidney
disease and peripheral vascular disease.  I said that
I would not give up.  The will to live was very strong.
I didn’t think I had anything else to face till July 1995.
I had been hearing a noise in my head in the sound
of my heart beat.  An angiogram was done at my
suggestion. I found out I had very severe cerebrovascular
disease. One carotid artery was 100% blocked
and there were other problems. I was told that I
would have a massive stroke.

In September a doctor from South Carolina said
that he could do something. He did another angiogram
and said that it was probably a blood clot. They still
couldn’t do anything. I still wouldn’t give up. I began
calling specialists all of the United States. They
came back saying that it was plague on the arteries.
The right carotid artery couldn’t be touched because
of where it was at in the brain. I started having mini
strokes on a regular basis.  I kept on being told that
my life was at stake but nothing could be done.
In November I happened to sit down to listen
to the national news on television. They had a
story on Stanford University and the experimental
work they were doing on the arteries deeper in
the brain.  It was an answer to a prayer!

I called Stanford University the next day and got to the
right department.  I sent the X-rays to them the
next day.  On Tuesday of the following week a
doctor called and said that they could do something.
On December 14th a balloon angioplasty was performed
on the right carotid artery. It was successful!
The point of this story is to fight diabetes and its
complications. Keep strong the will to live. In my
case I will never give up!

Glossary For This Article:

Peripheral Neuropathy - nerve damage that usually affects
the feet and legs

Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) - disease in the large
blood vessels of the arms, legs and feet

Retinopathy - disease of the eye specifically concerning the
retina

Gastroparesis - diabetic complication that affects the
stomach

Cerebrovascular Disease - damage to the blood vessels in the
brain that can result in a stroke

Angiogram - a study of the blood vessels where a dye is
injected


Send all questions/comments/ideas about this newsletter to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...

Diabetes is a serious disease. This e-mail should not
Take the place of competent medical care.


DFAN WEBSITES

MyJournal! - http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal

Diabetes Prayer Chain!  http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep/prayer

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...




Belver
Visit The DFAN Diabetes Webpage: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Visit Christian DiabetesLiving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Free Lifescan Meters: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN/ONESTEP DIABETES NEWSLETTER
April  2000 Edition

April!  April!  April!  The month for spring (in the U.S.)
and the time for all the flowers to get ready to bloom!  Try
to do the same thing with your (or your child's) diabetes
management plan.  Clean out the old and get ready for
the new.  It might mean new knowledge (diabetes books
or magazines), new meters (or batteries for your old meter),
or just a new way of thinking about diabetes.   Just remember
to always do your best and give yourself the same *D.L.C *
(Diabetes Loving Care) that you would give any friend
in need…..only you'll be your OWN friend today!

As always, we need your articles, poems, stories and other
diabetes related work.   Your pieces can be as small as 5 words
or as long as you'd like..<g>  We really need your submissions
to keep the newsletter interesting.  Don't every think your story
is too boring…..people would like to read about you.  The pieces
can be about anything diabetes related (diagnosis, coping, eating,
family issues, etc….)   Send your pieces, comments or questions
to:

dmmteam@...   -or-   belve@...



__________TIP OF THE MONTH__________

(This tip (and more) are uploaded to the
DFAN Diabetes Discussion lists from time
to time.)

IF NOT ME WHO?….IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

Now what could these two questions possibly
have to do with diabetes management?

Well, once you've gotten used to doing things
one way it can be difficult to make yourself change.
If you're used to piling food on your plate and eating
until you can't move, changing to eating controlled
portions might seem drastic.   Going from being a
couch potato to exercising three times a week is a big
change too.

If you're still in "think-mode" about it, ask yourself
the question, "If not me, who?".  That's what it comes
down to when you're trying to improve your diabetes
management plan.  Your spouse can't do it for you.  Your
children can't do it for you.  Your doctor can't do it for
your…..the changes have to start with YOU.

The second question, "If not now, when?" is a great
question to ask yourself any time you doubt your
ability to change or when you try to procrastinate.
Time moves whether you change or not, and the diabetes
in your life needs you to work hard NOW.  So, when
you think about putting something off diabetes-wise
try to stay in the NOW…..when?    Now.


__________DIABETES INSIDE__________

Having diabetes has always been something that I thought
was a "quickie" disease.  I'd just have to take a shot and then
be on my way.    I found out soon that wasn't the case.  I had
to think a lot more than I thought I'd have to.  I had to think
about what I ate.  Think about what I drink.  Think about the
injections.  Think about the complications.   It was nothing
like the picture I had in my mind.  When I was first diagnosed
I was afraid, but then I thought that if I'd just do things right
everything would be fine.    That was true most of the time,
but diabetes doesn't stay on a schedule and it doesn't try
to fit itself into a neat little box (although I'd like it to..<g>)

So, this diabetes-thing isn't something I can forget.  It's not
something I can tuck away and bring out when I want to
show it to people, or dust it off.  It's there all the time.  Even
when I don't want it around.   I try not to complain too much
about it.   Yes, it's there, but does it have to ruin my life?  That's
up to me, mostly.   If I try to forget it, then it can overtake me
and mess around with my body and mind.  But if I try to take
care of it (as much as I can) then I might head off any problems
that can pop up.  I'm not fooling myself.  I know that complications
can happen, but if I try my best they might not show up, right?


__________CHILDREN'S WRITING CONTEST WINNERS_________

The winners of the DFAN Kids Writing Contest (2000)
have been chosen!   The winning entries are:

First Prize – Dreams

Second Prize – Diagnosis (Marilyn)

Third Prize – I Almost Forgot (written by Sara, Age 9)

Congratulations to all the winners!

	 To view the winning entries go to this URL:

http://www.geocities.com/dfankid/page11.html



__________POLL RESPONSE_______

Last month's poll question asked if fear or
anger was your first emotion following
diagnosis, and how you overcame it and/or
cope with it in your daily life.  We received
some great responses to this question!

POLL RESPONSE #1:

"Disbelief was my first reaction, then it was fear,
I had relatives, aunts that had  lost their lives to this
disease at a very early  age, and I figured  that this
might become my fate also. It is very hard to be so
limited as to what you can put into your mouth.  People
who do not suffer from this disease have no concept of
it's destruction on the body. Most people think if you
give up sweets, a person should be OK. How foolish
they are."


POLL RESPONSE #2:

"When I was diagnosed, I was 15 (now I am 38) and in high
school. I was very sick with what I thought was the flu. I went
into the hospital to learn how to take shots etc. (back in the 70's
they wouldn't even let me wash my hair for those several days -
I think I was more mad at that than my diabetes!) I was scared,
but my father is a physician, so I was lucky there. My main
feeling was anger - it's not fair, my sisters didn't have to do this,
my life was ruined, I was only a kid,  etc. I remember one day I
just closed my eyes and prayed and I know God answered me
and let me accept it. I have not been angry since. My parents
never discouraged me from trying things and they never let me
know how scared they were (I'm sure they were), My sister was
diagnosed later that same year and now we both have pumps."



POLL RESPONSE #3:

"I Find it hard to admit to myself that I am a diabetic.
It seems to me an admission of weakness that I find
hard to fight.  It seems that at first you think why me what
have I done, and of course you have done nothing. It is just
one part of your body that ceases to function properly.
It does not stop you using your brain to learn how to live
with it  I am still fighting."


POLL RESPONSE #4:

"I'm a type two and I would say "Anger" and "Apathy"
have been my most negative emotions.  I haven't
overcome it.  Some times I deal with the diet.  Most of
the time I watch the sugar intake, but eat basically what
I want.  I don't care too much for the diet.  It didn't make
me feel "better."   I am just as exhausted as in the start.
After six months I gave it up.  I still check the blood but
not every day.  Last month I just tested it once.  But with
Easter, I may pick it up to two or three times a week.  Don't
get me wrong.  I still read, and take my medication, but for
the most part I don't take the time for "it."  There is too much
to do.  I need to spend my energy on things that needs doing
and works."


POLL RESPONSE #5:

"For me who diagnosed last May, it was fear: How
would my family adapt?  How could I change my eating
habits?  Would others understand?  Anger, no.   The only
anger I felt was not being able to eat way I used to.  Had
to give up a lot.  "


__________GRAB A METER CAMPAIGN__________

We're always trying to find new/used meters for diabetics
in need and we've come up with a good way to get them!

Read about the latest campaign at the Diabetes Angel
Network!

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel/page8.html



__________POEM__________

Tomorrow is always the day
for the rest
Not sleeping or napping
but the work you do best

Don't worry about things
that you didn't complete
as long as you've done
your best ordinary feat

You don't need to fit
everything into one day
just do each task in a
good, kind way

Keep your eye on today
and the things you can do
For you'll never fail as
you try, through and through

(Don't put off your diabetes tasks…make
them a priority….but try not to burnout)


__________THIS MONTH'S POLL QUESTION__________

Diabetes education is something we all need once a diagnosis
is made.   Right now, we get our diabetes education from our
doctors, Certified Diabetes Educators, nurses and many other
health professionals.  Do you think there is room for layman
educators?     Do you feel a person who is not in the health
industry can be licensed to teach about diabetes management?

Please send your response to:

dmmteam@...



__________BOOK OF THE MONTH__________

Diabetes Burnout: What To Do When You Can't Take it Anymore

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580400337/teamdiabetes


This month's book can be a big help to those with diabetes
who are finding it hard to deal with their life situation.




__________BLAST FROM THE PAST__________

(This article originally appeared in the February 95'
edition of our newsletter)

THE JOY OF A TRANSPLANT

By James Appel

Sometimes I wish that everyone would need a transplant, so
they would experience the joy, the appreciation of life,
that it has given me.  We all go through life taking many,
many things for granted and we don't miss the water until
the well runs dry, or in my case until the kidneys stopped
working.

I find myself day dreaming in amazement about everything
that happened, how sick I was, how good I feel now, my
looks, my attitude, my appreciation of what was done, the
fact that I don't have to take insulin or worry about eating
on time, etc: etc:.

Getting a kidney and pancreas transplant ended my 38 years
taking insulin as a diabetic.  The diabetes was at a point
where I could not control it any longer and it was causing
more and more complications.  I picture myself walking in a
tunnel which was getting narrower and darker as time went
on.  The transplant was a light at the end of the tunnel for
me.

The wait for a donor wasn't easy, doing HEMO dialysis is NOT
a pleasant experience I was getting sicker and weaker as
time passed.  It was an emotional roll-a-coaster, for me and
my family.  I was admitted into the hospital and scheduled
for surgery four times.  Each time, but the last, the donors
organs where not acceptable, for one reason or another.  I
look back now and say "Thank God For Un-Answered Prays" for
if they had transplant one of those organs, it would have
compounded my problems.

During this waiting period my motto was and still is "Keep
The Faith" for I realize there was no alternative, and
without faith there is nothing.

My surgery went smoothly I remember being wheeled into the
pre-op room and given a shot.  The next thing I remember was
looking at the clock, it was 9:00 o'clock, and I said to
myself "I'm Alive".  The operation was a success, the kidney
starting working right away, along with the pancreas.

The next day I was sore, hurting from surgery and they had
me up taking some steps.  A few days later they took the
IV's and other tubes out, after that I really started to
feel much better.  The transplant took place on a Monday and
I went home 13 days later on a Saturday.  I didn't get many
get well cards, most of the cards where congratulation
cards, as if I just had a baby.

A month later I was re-admitted back in the hospital with a
rejection episode, this time I was in for 12 days.  They
assured me that a new drug called "OKT3" would help, it did,
but I was scared.  Was I going to lose the organs?.  The
treatment was ten injections, one each day, for ten days.  I
remember the first few times they administered the "OKT3"
they hooked me up to a heart monitor, gave me oxygen, had
two doctors in the room and told me this could make you
sick, you may get the chills, fever, shakes, nausea,
diarrhea, etc:, etc:.  My pulse rate went up to 150 BPM
(beats per minute) and it all happened at once, every thing
they told me could happen, did happen.  But it stopped the
rejection, and I have not had a problem since.

My doctors and all the members of the transplant team should
sleep well at night, knowing they make a fantastic
difference in another persons life.  There is very few
people who have such an opportunity.

My 38 years of fighting diabetes, left many battle scars on
me.  I still have problems due to the neuropathy (nerve
damage) from the diabetes and dialysis.  I "Keep The Faith"
and hope that maybe the nerves will rebuild there self, but
only time will tell.  This life style is so much better than
doing dialysis and trying to cope with diabetes, I had
forgotten how it is to feel healthy and well.

Since the transplant in May of 1993, a day never goes by
without me thinking and being grateful about it all.  It has
been the most unforgettable adventure of my life.

I consider myself to be very lucky for I have a loving wife,
two wonderful kids, a beautiful grand daughter and a person
I never meet, who saved my life, MY DONOR.  God bless that
person and that persons family, for we will never forget the
wonderful gift given to me.

Keep the Faith.
Ex-Diabetic........Jim Appel in New Jersey

PS...To obtain a donor card at no charge, call
1-800-24DONOR (In The U.S)



Send all questions/comments/ideas about this newsletter to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...

Diabetes is a serious disease. This e-mail should not
Take the place of competent medical care.


DFAN WEBSITES

MyJournal! - http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal

Diabetes Prayer Chain!  http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep/prayer

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...

Belver Ladson
Visit The DFAN Websites!
DFAN  Diabetes Site:  http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Christian Diabetes Living: http://home.att.net/~belve
DFAN Diabetes Book Of The Week:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580400337/teamdiabetes

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN/ONESTEP DIABETES NEWSLETTER
March  2000 Edition



Hi all!   I'll just give a brief call this month for articles.
It's been awhile since anyone submitted an article to
the newsletter and we really need your help.   We want
your diabetes stories, poems, anecdotes, tips, and
anything else you can tell us that is diabetes related.
Your piece can be from 1 line to infinity…<g>..it's
up to you.   Please send your pieces to
dmmteam@...

This month's newsletter is a collection of reading
material that should keep your interested!..<g>  Happy
reading!



__________POLL QUESTION__________

Once you were diagnosed with diabetes would
you say that fear or anger was your most powerful
negative emotion?    How did you overcome it?
If you haven't overcome it, how do you deal with
it in your daily life?

Answering this month's poll question might make
you face some things you haven't thought about
in awhile.

Send your poll response to:'

dmmteam@...    -or-   belve@...




__________LAST MONTH'S POLL RESPONSE__________

Last month's poll question asked what would you do if
you could go without diabetes for a weekend.  Here is one
of the poll responses we received:

Poll Response #1:

"Gob up all the cakes, sweets, pasta, etc available in the
  shops/restaurants till I was about to explode."


Poll Response #2:

"I would like to eat a big plate of spaghetti and go wading
barefoot."



__________WEBSITE WORTH VISITING__________


*  FREEWARE DIABETES SIMULATIONS  * * *
           aida_simulator-subscribe@...

If you are interested in glucose-insulin / diabetes
simulations - an updated version of the freeware
AIDA (v4) diabetes software simulator is shortly to
be released on the Internet (available from
http://www.diabetic.org.uk/aida.htm).  Also a new
version of the 'AIDA on-line' Web-based diabetes
simulator (available at: http://www.shodor.org/aida)
is also being developed.

If you wish to be automatically informed when each
of these new versions becomes available - a new
dedicated AIDA simulator registration / announcement
list has been setup specifically for this purpose.  The
list is open to everyone, and it is completely free to join.
However the list is 'closed' in the sense that only the
AIDA developer's can post to it.  Therefore traffic on
the list is low / non-existent - and only consists of
official announcements about the AIDA simulator.

To automatically be informed about updates to the
AIDA diabetes simulator software range all you need
to do is send a blank email note to:

                 aida_simulator-subscribe@...

Then you can be the first to try out the updated glucose-insulin
simulators - when they become available!

Both AIDA v4 and 'AIDA on-line' are being made
available via the Web as non-commercial contributions
to continuing diabetes education.  They are both completely
free to use.



__________ARTICLE_________

READING, WRITING & RIGHTS

(There are links to contact parent contributors at the
end of this article)

When a child has diabetes it has a great impact on his/her
life in many ways.  They may have to change their way
of eating, the way they get their recreation, as well as
the diabetes changing the family dynamics.  All of a
sudden one child needs more care than the other children
in the household.  Diabetes also has an effect on the
child's schooling.  Dealing with diabetes in school
is a major concern for parents. I've had problems
with schools in the past," says Kathy, whose daughter
was diagnosed two years ago. "In third and fourth
grade it was horrible.  There seemed to be a lack of
knowledge and the school wouldn't let her test, etc…
The school my daughter now attends has been very
helpful."

The initial contact with the school about diabetes
might be a meeting with the school's principal to
explain that a diagnosis has been made.  At this
time, the school should be informed what
accommodations the child might need, such as
access to food (sugar) in case there is an insulin
reaction, if the blood sugar goes low, or access
to a place to test (if the child is not testing in the
classroom). Arnold's daughter is nine years old
and was diagnosed in 1995, "Anyone who has
contact with Sara has been briefed  on her
diabetes including the school principal, her
3rd grade teacher, the music teacher, the arts
teacher, the physical education teacher, the
school nurse, and the school secretary.  As far
as food service personnel, my wife is the school
coordinator."


A meeting with the child's teacher should be done at
the beginning of every school year.  The child's
teacher should be told about the diagnosis in person.
Don't leave it to the principal or another school
official to tell the teacher what is going on.   If you
don't know who your child's teacher is find out the
name of the teacher and make an appointment to see
him/her.    At the meeting you should tell the teacher
your child has diabetes and ask the teacher if he/she
knows anything about it.  If they say they don't briefly
explain what diabetes is and what treatment your child
is receiving.   The American Diabetes Association
and the Juvenile Diabetes Association offer booklets
and pamphlets that will help you.

At this meeting you should tell the teacher that your
child will have to eat mid-morning and mid-afternoon
snacks.  Let the teacher know what time the snacks
have to be eaten and stress that this time must be
adhered to,  It doesn't matter what activity is being
done, the child must be allowed to eat, even if it
means taking the food to the auditorium or into the
school yard.

Find out what time your child is having lunch since
this will have an effect on the timing of insulin doses.
The word "lunch" can mean different things in
different schools.   One child may have lunch at
10:50 while another has lunch at 12:45..

It's imperative that your child's teacher and others
in the school know the symptoms of hypoglycemia
(low-blood sugar) and how your child may act is it's
happening.    There are some classic symptoms
(shaking, sweating, confusion, etc….) but since
each child reacts differently it's important to point
out any symptoms that are unique to your child.
  This is also the time to give the teacher a supply of
snack foods and foods and/or glucose tablets/gel
that should be used if the child experiences an insulin
low.    It's important to specify that if the teacher thinks
your child is having an insulin reaction that he/she NOT
be left alone.  If your child has to go to the school
nurse/clinic to test your child should NOT be sent alone.
Arnold shares, "Two years ago, Sara was getting low
and was unable to stay focused on her spelling test....it
was a child behind our daughter who informed the
substitute teacher who immediately went into action."

Meet with any other teachers or school personnel your
child may come in contact with.  Meet with the gym
teacher, music teachers, librarians and lunchroom
workers.  As an extra warning for gym teachers let
them know that your child should NOT exercise if
their blood sugar is 240 or higher since this may
indicate that your child is in need of insulin.

It's a good idea to give written instructions to each
teacher to make sure they know and understand
everything you've told them about diabetes and
your child.  Don't leave it to memory.  Write it
down and give each person a copy.  Even if you
take all the advice in this article, have the talks
with the teacher, give the written warnings and
do tons of other work with the school it's still very
important to teach your child the best diabetes
management skills that you can.   "Don't assume
that the teachers will really understand the ins
and outs of juvenile diabetes," says Robert,
"Don't expect others to do for your child what
you, and your child, need to be doing.."

If it's possible get a pager so the school can reach
you if there is an emergency situation with your
child.  Give the number to your child's teacher and
school nurse. Kathy's daughter is 10-and-a-half-years
old, " I use a beeper or cell phone as  a back up in
case I'm not home or the telephone line is busy.    I
am glad I have always had another way for the school
to get a hold of me.  There was an instance when
they claimed my beeper didn't work so they called
an ambulance and took my daughter to the emergency
room. It's important that you be able to be reached if
your child's blood sugar falls below a certain level.

If you find that your school and/or school board are
uncooperative with you and aren't able to or refuse
to meet your child's needs you might have to go
higher up and complain.  This might include filing
a lawsuit under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973.  This law deals with discrimination and can
be used to force the issue for a child who isn't being
accommodated in school due to diabetes.


You can contact Parent Contributor Arnold at: AML50311@...


__________BLAST FROM THE PAST_________
A PLACE TO THINK

Joe closed the door to the den.  His day was over and he
wanted to relax a bit, “Finally, some time to myself,” he
sighed.  Joe’s watch beeped letting Joe know it was time
to take his insulin injection.  Joe was a Type II diabetic
but he needed to take insulin injections to help control
his diabetes.  He didn’t like to take his injections in front
of anyone since Joe thought taking insulin meant he
was a failure.  He’d often think to himself, “If I could
have eaten better and exercised I would never be taking
insulin.”

Joe would rarely raise his voice.  As a matter of fact his
friends would be the first to tell you that Joe was the
kindest, sweetest, most jolly person they knew.  He
was always making jokes.  Joe even joked about his
diabetes, sometimes telling people, “Yes, I’m the one
who’s too sweet for my own good!”

This day was different.  Joe had been cross with his
wife, antagonistic with his boss, and had scolded the
children for playing in the living room.  This wasn’t
  “like Joe”.  As he sat in his den Joe started thinking
about his life.  The diabetes was the latest change in
his life.  Joe had always been a person who liked
changed.  He liked the challenge of life and rolled
with the punches, but the diabetes-punch was one that
he couldn’t handle.  He smiled on the outside and told
everyone things were, “Okay”, but they weren’t.  It was
Friday and Joe decided to take an unplanned trip up to
a cabin his brother owned.  It was next to a lake and Joe
thought the time alone would be good for him.  He
wanted time to think about his life.

At sunrise the next morning Joe was already on the
highway driving to the cabin.  It only took about an
hour to get to the cabin but Joe wanted to have as
much time as he could to be by himself.  When he
spoke to his brother about using the cabin his
brother told him it might be a good idea to start
keeping a journal.  So there Joe sat, alone in the
cabin with a spiral notebook, ready to write down
his thoughts.  After sitting for about half an hour
the page was still empty.  Joe couldn’t think of
one thought that was important enough to write
down.  “Maybe that’s the problem,” he thought to
himself, “nothing seems important anymore.”  Then it
hit him.  That was the first sentence he would write in his
new journal.

Here’s Joe’s first journal entry:

“Nothing seems important any more.  I used to think
everything was important in my life.  I love my kids.
I love my wife.  I love my life.  Well, I used to love my
life.  Ever since I was diagnosed with diabetes things
seemed to have changed.  I think I’m still the same person.
I try to smile as much as I can but inside I feel like crawling
under the covers and staying there all day.  I don’t know
how to handle this.  Everyone told me that living with
diabetes was a piece of cake.  I thought I’d be able to do it
with one hand tied behind my back, and here I am getting
nervous about taking an insulin injection.

Oh yeah.  Insulin.  I couldn’t even control myself
enough to stay off insulin.  Sure, the doctor told me
that sometimes people with Type II diabetes just can’t
control it with pills, but I know I must have done
something wrong.  I’m just fed up with not having control
over my life anymore.”
(Reader:  Here’s your assignment!  If Joe were one of
your close friends what advice would you give him?



____DFAN FAMILY N' FRIENDS DIABETES LEARNING CENTER_____

It's finally open!  Our new Diabetes Learning Center is
open and it's specifically for the family members and friends
of people with diabetes.

This site caters to those who love us most, and is done
in a friendly atmosphere with easy to read files. There
are special sections for

Spouses, Boyfriends & Girlfriends
Others Like You
Parents

If you have family members or friends who want to learn
about diabetes but can't seem to understand the textbooks
please send them to our site.   Please visit the site yourself
and let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas about
what should be added.

The URL for our site is:

http://members.aol.com/dmmteam


DFAN WEBSITES

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

MyJournal
http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...


Belver Ladson
Visit The DFAN Websites!
DFAN  Diabetes Site:  http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Christian Diabetes Living: http://home.att.net/~belve
DFAN Diabetes Book Of The Week:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580400337/teamdiabetes

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN DIABETES NEWSLETTER
February 2000 Edition


This month we're working at DFAN towards getting all
of our websites tied together in a central location.   We've
been toying with the idea of calling it "DFAN Town", but
that's still up in the air.  Got any ideas of what we should
call it?   Please send them in to dmmteam@...

Now that all of our websites are almost complete we can
concentrate on other DFAN projects.   We're working on
"kits" that can be sent to you at home so you can study
and learn about diabetes in a more personal way.   We're
also working on more motivational materials for children
as well as adults.   Our Children's Writing Contest 2000
is now underway so please share the news with any children
with diabetes that you know.

We have a computer crash earlier this month so if you sent
in a request for anything and didn't get a response please
send it again.

We need articles!   If you'd like to write about anything
related to diabetes (stories, poems, etc….) please send them
in.   You can write us at dmmteam@...   -or-  belve@...


__________NEW MYJOURNAL WEBSITE__________

A new addition has been added to the DFAN website list!
This new site is called "MyJournal" and it will follow the
diabetes management plan of a person with diabetes.  The
purpose of the site is to show how a real person with diabetes
copes with making the changes necessary to live a good
life.

It can be tough to explain how to get through the denial,
anger, grief, pain and other emotions that come along with
a diabetes diagnosis.  Hopefully, this addition to our websites
might help others.

The URL for MyJournal is:

http://members.aol.com/belve/myjournal



__________LAST MONTH'S POLL RESPONSES__________

First, I want to apologize to a reader who responded
to last month's poll question.  I had to re-format my
computer hard drive and I lost all of my files and e-mails,
including that poll response.   Now let's read some
of the other responses we received.


Here is last month's poll question was:

Having diabetes isn't always something people want to
share with others, especially at the workplace.  If you
heard some make these three comments:
__________________________
"All people with diabetes are just lazy.  If they moved
around more they could get rid of that thing"

"I heard that diabetes can be controlled if they take a pill.
What's the big deal?

"Who cares about diabetes.  It's just another excuse for people
to claim they're disabled



We received many responses.  Here are a few:

Poll Response #1:

I explain diabetes to everyone who listens because if
they don't have diabetes someone in their circle does.


Poll Response #2:

I would say that is not true and it is genetic in Type 2
and probably viral in Type 1.  I would also tell them
many thin, hard-working people get diabetes and there
is a new belief that actually the weight problems in
type 2 may be caused by the diabetes rather than the
other way around and then I would go on to explain it.

I would explain that even when it is controlled, it can
be a fatal disease.  Sometimes too tight a control can
kill a patient but the worse complications related to
diabetes are stroke, heart problems, kidney problems,
and that diabetes is a long-tern chronic AND fatal
disease.

I guess I would remind them that there is an increasing
population of Type 2 because other diseases are
identified, and when it leads to blindness, loss of limb,
and CAD, then it leaves people disabled.  I would also
look at them straight in the eye and say, "Do you really
think people prefer being disabled."   they're disabled"


Poll Response #3:

I would be unlikely to hear these in my work place, since it is a
university/medical school biochemistry department.  In the event that
such ignorant claims were made in my presence, I would simply and
definitely assert that the speaker was clearly unaware of the
different forms of diabetes and their causes and effects and of the
potential severity of complications.  Any further discussion would be
backed up with specific details if necessary.


Poll Response #4:

I just found out I have type 2 diabetes a few weeks
ago,  I didn't know that's what was causing me to
forget things, fall down, and a few other embarrassing
things.  I had a few of my friends tell me to get off the
drugs and drink.  After they found out I had diabetes
they told me I was faking these problems.  I went and
got a bunch of medical brochures on diabetes and we
all sat down and looked them over.  Some of them
understand the problems with diabetes now.  Some
of them don't care enough to find out what this
disease is.  I used to think just like them, until I met
my ex mother-in-law, she helped me to understand more.
If more people cared about anything but themselves,
more would know how serious it is.


__________NEW WEBSITE__________

DFAN FAMILY N' FRIENDS DIABETES
LEARNING CENTER

It's finally open!  Our new Diabetes Learning Center is
open and it's specifically for the family members and friends
of people with diabetes.

This site caters to those who love us most, and is done
in a friendly atmosphere with easy to read files. There
are special sections for

Spouses, Boyfriends & Girlfriends
Others Like You
Parents

If you have family members or friends who want to learn
about diabetes but can't seem to understand the textbooks
please send them to our site.   Please visit the site yourself
and let me know if you have any suggestions or ideas about
what should be added.

The URL for our site is:

http://members.aol.com/dmmteam



__________ARTICLE RESPONSE__________

We recently had a person write in asking for advice.
They were having problems coping with diabetes,
especially with taking insulin injections.  Here is
a response we received:

Hi. I'm Ellen, 12 year old Zachary's mother.  When
Zachary was 15 months old,  a still nursing on
demand toddler, he was diagnosed with Type 1
diabetes.  I had a phobia of needles prior to the
diagnosis and couldn't fathom piercing my baby
two times per day with injections and four times
per day with lancet device.  But I knew I had to
do what I had to do to keep him alive.  I also knew
that I had to raise him to feel good about himself
and his own care of his diabetes.  For me, I found
that praising him made me feel good about what was
becoming routine.  So my very humble words of
wisdom are - PRAISE YOURSELF.  When you
give yourself the injection, no matter how long you
delay, or how much you hate it, - say aloud to yourself
"good job"  "excellent work" or something similar.
Even if it feels funny at first, I truly believe it can
make a difference in your life.

I don't know how long you have had diabetes, but
perhaps reading the stories of the children who have
switched from insulin injections to pump therapy will
lead you to contemplate pump therapy for yourself.  It's
been fabulous for my son.  You wrote: "I despise having
to be on a schedule all the time.  " The pump eliminates
the "schedule".

(Note: Ellen h as a terrific website devoted to children and
how their lives have changed since changing to insulin pumps.
Please visit this site!

The URL is: http://members.aol.com/CamelsRFun/index.html


__________POLL QUESTION__________

This month's poll questions deal with a little fantasy
and a lot of daydreaming.

If you could go away on a vacation for one week,
and medically be able to "forget" your diabetes (physically
and mentally)  for that week.   What two things would
you want to do before you came home?

Now, during this week any complications you now have
would be gone completely and you wouldn't have to take
any insulin or oral medications.  Your eyesight would be
great and your mind would be clear.

Send your responses to:  dmmteam@...


__________ARTICLE__________
BLAST FROM THE PAST

HEALTHIER NOW & OTHER THOUGHTS

By Laurie M. Green

Am I being naive to think that the article "Diabetes..talks" is
not quite right? Fear is so debilitating and the grief one goes
through already is hard enough to handle. Most of us suffer
depression at first and anyone not used to the lifestyle may be
scared to death!  He sounds bitter.
The routine of this life gets to us all, but hope has to come
out strong above all else. Enjoying everything (except most
foods) God puts in our path, day to day. Without fear, this
life is much easier.
I am part of a drug protocol for a new drug that the FDA
is considering letting on the market. It is already in Europe
and been in use around 20 years. Since it's a double blind test,
no one knows if I am actually getting the drug. So the "beauty part"
is the doctors instruct their clinicians to teach us about food plans,
not diets. We start by losing as much weight as can be done without
stress. We do an aerobic exercise such as walking.  Something cheap
and at your disposal! A set of inexpensive arm weights is around
$15 for adjustable weights.  Arm curls and extensions are done in the
rainy weather or watching TV or when you can't walk.  They are every
bit as effective and as aerobic as walking!
The secret is to control the blood sugar by aerobic exercise.  At least
45 min 3 times a week or broken up into smaller pieces over
the week. Of course food is an important consideration, but that part
of the lifestyle seems to dominate everything!
I hurt my knee a couple months ago and couldn't walk.
So I found a local Parks & Recreation program that
allows injured or arthritic folks to swim at their own
pace. There is an exercise portion, taught by a lifeguard.
After that, a 20 minute period of freestyle swimming.  The
program includes an adaptive lap class that lets us
non-Olympians go at the speed they find comfortable.
No screaming kids and no athletes impatient to get by.
If prescribed by a doctor, it's only $10/month.  Otherwise
it's a mere $2 a session.  Surely a local pool or YMCA
could be convinced of the need to start such a program
if one doesn't exist!
My fear is blindness. My diagnosis was hard for me but
the people at work were great.  My boss lets me off for the
swimming and everyone has food if I ever need it (I try to
explain that as a Type II the low sugar isn't my problem,
but they think we all need sugar and take insulin. I explain
as much as possible, but it's hard)  They are all so cool.
And diabetics at my campus came out of the woodwork.
It's like a club! Although it shouldn't be so secretive.
All in all it has been a positive experience for me to be
diagnosed. I know that sounds weird but I never would
have taken such an interest in my health if it hadn't been at risk.


__________DFAN Kids Writing Contest - 2000__________

Ok Kids!  It's time for the annual DFAN Kids Writing
Contest!  This is the year 2000 and we need a new
winner!   You can write about anything that has to
do with diabetes.  You can send in a story (real life
or made up) or a poem.   Your contest entry doesn't
have to be long (unless you want it to be long).  One
winning entry we received one year only had three
lines!

The prizes for this year's contest are:

First Prize
$25 Toys R Us Gift Certificate PLUS an envelope
full of DFAN Kids Stuff (trading cards, StoryCards, etc…)

Second Prize
$15 Toys R Us Gift Certificate PLUS an envelope
full of DFAN Kids Stuff (trading cards, Story Cards, etc…)

Third Prize
$10 Toys R Us Gift certificate PLUS and envelope
full of DFAN Kids Stuff (trading cards, StoryCards, etc…)

For more information visit the DFAN Kids Diabetes Webpage

http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Cove/9144/index.html

Send your entry in to us by March 15, 2000.  The
winner will be chosen by April 2, 2000.  All entries
become the property of DFAN.

Send your entries in today!   If you have any questions
send them in!   Write to:  dfankids@...  or  dmmteam@...


DFAN WEBSITES

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...





Belver Ladson
Visit The DFAN Websites!
DFAN  Diabetes Site:  http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Christian Diabetes Living: http://home.att.net/~belve

________________________________________________________________
YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET!
Juno now offers FREE Internet Access!
Try it today - there's no risk!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

DFAN/ONESTEP DIABETES NEWSLETTER
January 2000 Edition


Hi all!  It’s the new millennium and it’s time to get your
diabetes management plan in shape!  Good shape for a
great new year!   This new century may be ushering in
some great new ways to take care of the diabetes in our
lives, but it can also be the beginning of new motivation
and determination in your life where diabetes is concerned.

This month’s newsletters contains some great articles.
The first is "Discipline In The House".  Learn how to
add discipline into your diabetes management plan in
a few simple steps.    Next is a poem that talks about
new beginnings (we all get one each day).   Next,
one woman shares her weight loss experiences and
gives some much needed tips and advice.   Last,
we have a Blast From the Past.   This is an article
that appeared through the years in an old issue of
our newsletter.

As always, we need your stories, poems, jokes,
columns and anything else you’d like to send us
that’s related to diabetes.    You don’t have to be
a "professional" writer.  We want your own words
about your own experience.   If you have a story
you’d like to share or have questions and/or comments
about this newsletter send them to dmmteam@...


__________ARTICLE__________

DISCIPLINE IN THE HOUSE

Discipline is something a lot of us wish we had, but
don’t know how to get.   It’s that invisible motivation
that makes us stick to our diabetes management plan
even when we feel like giving up because we don’t
want to be on a schedule any more.    Discipline often
doesn’t come easy, but it is something we all can
have if we follow a few steps.

Step #1: BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF

Honesty is one of the best things you can do to bring
more discipline into your diabetes management plan.
Being honest in your diabetes management plan bring
integrity into the steps you take each day to try to
bring your blood sugars into a good range.  It means
that most of the excuses you have for not following
your diabetes management plan go out the window
and are replaced with better habits.

Step 2:  GET A PLAN

How many of you think you have a diabetes management
plan, yet you have no set plan?  This might sound unrealistic,
and in essence it is, but it is reality for many people with
diabetes.   When speaking about a "diabetes management
plan" there has to be actual steps you set to go into action
when certain things happen.  Do you have a plan for the
days you get sick?   Have you worked out an exercise
schedule or do you just try to walk a few more steps
whenever it hits your mind?


Step 3:  SET LIMITS FOR YOURSELF

It’s important to have limits you won’t cross.   Leaving
your diabetes management plan to your whims or to how
you happen to feel from day-to-day often leads to bad
habits.   If you know that you’re not supposed to have
more than three slices of bread each day, set that limit
for yourself and try your best to stick to it.  Telling ourselves
"No" isn’t something we might like to do, but when it
comes to diabetes management it’s something we have
to do at times.


Step 4: KNOW YOUR STRENGTH & WEAKNESSES
AND USE THEM

You can really excel in this area, even where your weaknesses
come into play.   Find a way to use your strengths to help
make your diabetes management plan more disciplined.  If
you’re great at setting schedules, use that when you make
your meal plans or exercise schedules.  If you’re good at
cooking, use that when you decide what to eat each day.

As far as weaknesses go, make a list of what is giving
you trouble with your diabetes management plan.  Try to
think of ways to overcome these weaknesses.  Sometimes,
just having more discipline will make a weakness a strength.

In the end, discipline is something you’ll need to work at
each day.   Don’t give up if you make a mistake because
diabetes is gauged over the long term.  A day, or even a week
of undisciplined diabetes management might not hurt you
much, but if it’s allowed to go on for months and years
you might end up with diabetes complications.   So try
your best!


__________POEM__________

BEGIN TODAY

Begin today
what you thought you couldn’t
Begin today
what you thought you wouldn’t

Take aim today
at what you fear
Take aim today
at what’s so near

Success can come
to those who try
Don’t limit yourself
to "Why, why, why…."

Why doesn’t always matter
as much as we may think
It’s sometimes the cause
but often the link
to a new beginning without
the intrusion
a solution worth reaching,
a welcome conclusion


_____LAST MONTH’S POLL QUESTION__________

Here was last month’s poll question:

  You’re leaving your friend’s home and you notice his
  brother using a blood glucose monitor. You also
  notice that he’s not using the meter in the correct
  way (touching the strip, etc….). Would you go up to
  him and let him know the correct way to do it, or just
  leave?

Here are some of the response we received:

POLL RESPONSE #1:

"Of course I'd go help out!  I test my friend's blood
sugar when they let me and they always miss the spot
where you're supposed to put the blood!"


POLL RESPONSE #2:

"I most definitely would tell them the proper use of
a meter."


POLL RESPONSE #3:

"I would make a note of taking my stuff there to use in
front of him, more or less, so he could know that I am
also a blood glucose taker. If he was doing it so that I
could see it in his home, I think, especially if I ask for
  permission of him, I could do it there too. Asking him
permission, would draw attention directly. Finally,
showing how it could be done properly, is perhaps
better than directly pointing out a wrong procedure."


POLL RESPONSE #4:

"As a parent and a friend, I feel its necessary to help others
cope with their disease.  If anyone is not using their glucose
testing meter correctly, I feel its  important that they do
Mistakes do occur but walking away from  that would be a
larger one. False readings can and do hurt, not only the
diabetic but also people around them."


_______POLL QUESTION OF THE MONTH__________

This month’s poll question is:

Having diabetes isn’t always something people want to
share with others, especially at the workplace.  If you
heard some make these three comments:
__________________________
"All people with diabetes are just lazy.  If they moved
around more they could get rid of that thing"

"I heard that diabetes can be controlled if they take a pill.
What’s the big deal?

"Who cares about diabetes.  It’s just another excuse for people
to claim they’re disabled"
___________________________

If you heard these comments from a co-worker what would
you do?   Would you calmly explain what diabetes is all
about?   Or be quiet and not try to have any confrontations
on the job?


__________ARTICLE__________

Type 2 -- Managing Diabetes
by Ilsa Demby Barber

I had type 2 diabetes before I could admit it
and before my doctor could admit it.  But I had it,
and I will always have it.  Like my cross-addictions, I
can be in recovery -- but the disease never goes away.

I also have heart and lung disease and at my worst, my
weight was 255 pounds on my scale.  Twenty-four pounds
of this was hanging around my ankles. I have lost about fifty
pounds and hope to lose another 90.  My goal weight
is 115, the weight I once achieved by dieting in a healthy
way.  I am 5'1" and my body was not designed to be a
sedan but as a finely tuned compact model.

Type 2 diabetes is defined by the fact that my pancreas
produces insulin but the fat in my body makes me insulin
resistant.  As a result, my doctor will not let me off of
insulin until I have lost enough weight so that going off it
will not cause my pancreas to go into a kind of overload
that could cause it to stop producing insulin.

I used to be afraid to test my blood glucose level.  Now,
it is easy for me and that information is feedback to guide
me on how much to eat and when.  If my blood sugar is high,
I feel hungry because my cells aren't getting enough
nutrition, but eating at that time won't help because my body
will literally urinate it away.  I have to wait until my body
is ready to absorb more food.

I try to walk as often as possible. Exercise not only burns
up calories but it stokes up the metabolic process, making
it more efficient.  It also helps turn fat into muscle.  I was
on prednisone for six months which caused those muscles
to be flabby.

The scale is also a feedback mechanism so long as I
remember that muscles weigh more than fat and plateaus
are a necessary part of keeping off weight.

A positive attitude helps, too,  I feel that if I believe
I can reach my personal best, I am more likely to succeed
at it.  I don't compare myself to anyone else.  Like a long
distance runner, I try to beat my own records.

I don't consciously count what I eat anymore although
I did in the beginning.  But I developed other techniques
to help reduce the amount of food I take in.

1.  Think of your stomach as having been stapled.
You can only eat a little at a time.  Also, think of it as a
funnel.  If you put in too much at a time, it will spill over
with fats and sugar.

2.  Even on Thanksgiving, I used a salad plate. It makes
it look like I’m eating more.  In a restaurant, cut the
portion in half or thirds before eating.  You can take home
the rest.

3.  Learn to stop  eating before you are full.  Listen to
your body and stop eating when you are no longer hungry.

There is always the YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)
factor.   I know people who are much stricter than I am
but who have complicating conditions which makes it
difficult for their blood glucose level to stay below 250.

All things being equal, I can usually stay within the
target range for my blood glucose level, selected by
my doctor and myself of 100-200   Why this range?
When I get to about 110 or below 100, it usually
means I am going to have a hypoglycemic episode.
This happens quickly with me.  On the other hand, I
don't have a lot of swing to my blood glucose readings
and I average 140-160.

My doctor fully expects me to get off insulin and all
diabetes medicine in the future.  He thinks this will also
help alleviate some of my heart and lung conditions and
that it is possible I will not need most of the medicines I
take in the future.

In the meantime, remember a diet is something temporary.
When you develop diabetes, you have to change your
lifestyle or the problems will return.  Certain things will
always be true.  You will always heal more slowly, you will
always tire more easily, and you will always have to wear
booties on the beach.  Get over it.  You have to take care of
yourself to increase the quality as well as the years of life you
have left.

I knew a man with diabetes who died because he would not
have a toe amputated.  Having grown up with an uncle who lost
his right arm at the age of 19 in World War II, I could never
understand  why this man chose death.   Life is sometimes difficult
but we can only change what is within our power to change.  The
rest is not in our hands.

Pancreas - an organ behind the lower part of the stomach, about
the size of a hand.  It makes insulin

metabolic process (metabolism) - the term used to describe the way
cells chemically change food so it can be used


_______Blast From The Past__________

Diagnosis
By Peter Gracie
I was barely eight years old when my life took an
unexpected turn.  It was a warm day in May when my mother
took me to the hospital where I was diagnosed  with diabetes.
I remember it well because it was my father’s birthday and of
course I missed the party.  The night before we had been shopping
and in 1976 diet pop was scarce.  All I could find to quench my thirst
was sugar sweetened orange juice.

I was in ketoacidosis but luckily my mother had a friend with diabetes
who was forever with high blood sugar, so she knew the symptoms.
We trundled off to the hospital where in no time at all I was diagnosed
and would have to be hospitalized.  I was feeling sick but that didn’t
stop
me from riding in the front seat of the ambulance for the ride to
Toronto’s
Sick Children’s Hospital much to the dismay of the ambulance attendants,
stretcher in tow, and my worried sick mother who rode in the back.  I
arrived at the hospital awaited by an insulin shot and an Intravenous
solution to rehydrate my bone dry body.  My eyes on the other hand
were pretty wet, especially when my mother went home.  I sobbed
myself to sleep amidst cries of "Why Me?".  I awoke the next morning
to the sounds of a bustling children’s ward.  I also awoke to a really
neat urine test that seems so primitive compared to testing today, with
a cup, an eye dropper, a test tube, a Clinitest tablet and a clock.  The
technique followed was this:  first I emptied my bladder as usual, then
half an hour later I urinated again, this time into the cup, then
put two drops of urine into the test tube using the eye dropper.
  This was followed by ten drops of water.  Next, I took the
Clinitest tablet and dropped it in.  I then stared at the clock
awaiting the proper time to pass and watched the flurry of color
and bubbles.  It finally ended in either a really blue color for
negative sugar in the urine or a bright orange for 5% sugar in
the urine.  I wouldn’t have ever imagined checking for sugar any
other way, but look at the choices today.
So with that almost fun exhibition of life as a diabetic out of the
way, the next two weeks were spent forming the foundation of
what was to be the roller coaster ride of diabetes and its trials and
tribulations.

DFAN WEBSITES

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)

You can join these lists by sending a request
to dmmteam@...



Belver Ladson
dfanish@... AOL IM: Belve  Yahoo IM: dfanish
DFAN Diabetes Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Christian Diabetes Llving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got extra strips you don't need?  http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

________________________________________________________________
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DFAN/OneStep Diabetes Newsletter
December 1999 Edition

In this holiday season I’d like to wish all of you healthy
  and happy lives.  It will be the new millennium by the
time we "talk" again so I’d also like to wish all of you a
great and terrific New Year and please make this coming
year the best diabetes management year you can make it!
On to the articles!


___________ARTICLE__________

LEARNING
Ilsa Demby Barber

Before I was officially diagnosed with diabetes, I had so
many other health problems my doctor was in denial and
we both called it a temporary increased blood sugar.
Looking back at his case file I also have had it since at
least 1998.   I nearly died of oxygen insufficiency in 1993
and had a triple bypass and valve replacement in 1995.
And every time I would start a walking regime the air
was too dangerous for me to go out.

I am now taking minimal doses of insulin and large doses
of glucophage.  I am on SSA and SSI and I finally got
Medicaid for medical coverage.

Somehow we think if we just exercise and eat right, the
diabetes will disappear.   Today I am sedated to deal with
terrible PN.  I did too much walking.   I am fragile.  But I
have this superwoman conflict that if I am perfect I can
change everything,  The truth of course is I can slow
down the disease but like AIDS, it is forever.


__________SEEKING ADVICE__________

"I really don’t understand all of this.  I’m supposed to be
good to myself, but all I feel like doing is hiding under the
covers all day.  I feel that I’m an intelligent person.  I feel
that I can understand all this diabetes management "stuff",
and I really do want to feel good physically and not have to
deal with complications.  But I still cringe at taking injections.
I really don’t like testing for my blood glucose level and
I despise having to be on a schedule all the time.     Don’t
get me wrong.   I love life….I just don’t like the diabetes.
Anyone have any words of wisdom for me?"

If you feel you have some words of insight for this person
please send your responses to:

dmmteam@...


__________DIABETES ANGEL NETWORK__________

The cost of diabetes supplies can take a big chunk out of any
budget, especially if a person doesn’t have insurance to help
cover the costs.   When it comes to diabetes management,
being able to test the blood glucose level is a mandatory
task…..and if it’s not possible, a person with diabetes can
find themselves making choices that not only might harm
them, but could potentially kill them (if they suffer from an
insulin low and don’t know it).

It’s because of this, that the Diabetes Angel Network is
distributing blood glucose testing strips and meters to
diabetics in need.    If you have any blood glucose testing
strips that you don’t need (that haven’t expired), have in
excess, or just want to donate please send them in.  We are
also collecting blood glucose testing meters (in working order).

For more information you can visit our website at
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

We have our Needs List at the site, as well as links to
other sites that can help diabetics in need.   If you
know of any new programs that can help diabetics in
need of supplies please send them in too.  If you have
any questions, comments or would like to donate some
testing strips or a meter(s) send an e-mail to:

dmmteam@...


__________POLL QUESTION__________

SCENARIO

You’re leaving your friend’s home and you notice his
brother using a blood glucose monitor.  You also
notice that he’s not using the meter in the correct
way (touching the strip, etc….).  Would you go up to
him and let him know the correct way to do it, or just
leave?

Send your responses to:   dmmteam@...
Please put "Poll Response" in the subject line of your
e-mail.


__________ARTICLE__________

(I’d like to thank everyone who helped with this
article!)

THE B’S AND C’S OF DIABETES

Vitamins and minerals are important since they help the
body process foods and are involved in many other body
functions.  People with diabetes often ask if they should
take vitamin and mineral supplements.  If you are eating a
balanced meal plan you shouldn't need to take vitamin
supplements, but there are some instances where taking
extra supplements have been shown to help diabetes
management.    Remember, each person is different and
the only real way to know if you or your diabetic child
needs vitamins and mineral supplements is to have lab
tests done.   We decided to go to the source (people with
diabetes) and ask them about vitamin and mineral
supplements and how it has affected their diabetes
management plans.

Pamela takes a supplement that includes vitamins,
minerals, vegetable extracts and antioxidants.   She
was diagnosed five years ago, " I believe that
supplementation is important for diabetics, especially
if they're using a low carbohydrate meal plan. Supplements
for diabetics in my opinion make good life insurance policies."

Recent medical studies have shown that certain vitamins,
particularly vitamins C and E, may help prevent some of
the long term complications of diabetes such as cataracts,
retinopathy, nerve disorders and blood vessel disease.

Ken,  has had Type 1 diabetes for 55 years.  He takes
Regular and NPH insulin. "I've noticed a 33 percent drop
in my blood sugar levels.  I take garlic, fish oil, flax,
glucosamine and lots more," he says.  Ken shares, "I
did not support alternative medicine until my wife
encouraged me to try it. It worked better than I thought.
In fact, people guess my age to be younger than I am
by five or more years. My arthritic pains have disappeared;
my insulin intake is greatly reduced; I eat healthier foods
and time the eating to match the insulin effect; I avoid
eating anything with high glucose content; I examine
store products as to ingredients; my cholesterol is under
very good control; my prostate is also managed with
saw palmetto and flax seed; and given more time there
would be more items to add."

If you do want to take supplements you should check
with your health care team.  Some of these supplements
may be toxic if taken in large quantities.

My doctor is not pro-vitamins except for the Selenium
that he says is a good product. For the rest he doesn't
forbid or authorize it clearly, says Phillippe who has
Type 2 diabetes.   He takes Vitamin C, selenium and
other supplements.

If you or your child’s diabetes has been poorly managed
over a period of time B vitamins may be lost in the urine.
Some research has shown that impaired glucose tolerance
is related to a deficiency in vitamin B6.  If you have impaired
glucose tolerance means that your body has a harder time
using insulin.

Ruth, who was diagnosed in 1996 shares, "I have taken
supplements long before I was diagnosed.  Since diagnosis
I have added supplements as I learned of their reported
benefits.  My doctor is fully aware of all my supplements
but he did not suggest any particular one. He oversees my
treatment but he fully recognizes that I have educated myself
and believes that I am capable to manage the day to day options."

Most people with diabetes get enough chromium, but if
not, taking a chromium supplement might help get better
diabetes management results.

"I would NEVER recommend. I can only tell them it worked
for me," says  _______, who was diagnosed with diabetes
eight months ago.   She takes a multi-vitamin without iron,
chromium picolinate, garlic and a few other supplements.
She's noticed that her blood sugars have become more stable
since taking the vitamins/supplements.

Ron was diagnosed with diabetes one-and-a-half years ago
and has noticed better blood glucose results since taking
supplements, "I do not agree with the quack-buster mentality
that prevails, especially with policing the internet.   The big
drug companies would prefer that we never use any
supplements that they cannot patent...and the US government
follows along with them."

So, as you can see, taking vitamins to help with a diabetes
management plan can be as varied and unique as each person
with diabetes is, so it’s best to choose wisely.  There’s no one
special "formula" that works well for each person so gain as
much knowledge about vitamins and minerals as you can and
try to work them into your diabetes management plan.


Send all comments, questions & ideas to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...

This e-mail can not take the place of competent
medical care.

DFAN WEBSITES

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Christian Diabetes Living
http://home.att.net/~belve/

DFAN Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Christian Diabetes N' Weight Loss Site
http://members.aol.com/dfanonestep

Diabetes Angel Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

Warm Fuzzies (Teddy Bears For Diabetic Kids)
http://members.aol.com/belve/fuzzy/

We have some DFAN e-mail discussion lists
you can join!

Christian Diabetes (dfan-Christian)
Diabetes & Weightloss (dfan-weightloss)


Belver Ladson
dfanish@... AOL IM: Belve  Yahoo IM: dfanish
DFAN Diabetes Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Christian Diabetes Llving: http://home.att.net/~belve
Got extra strips you don't need?  http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel

___________________________________________________________________
Why pay more to get Web access?
Try Juno for FREE -- then it's just $9.95/month if you act NOW!
Get your free software today: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

DFAN/OneStep
Online Diabetes Newsletter - September 1999

Hi all!  Fall is in the air and it's time to get back
to school!    This month's issue of our newsletter
contains articles about diabetes "old timers",
diabetes isolations, a recipe for your taste buds,
and some new information about our DFAN
websites.

I have a new printer now so if you'd like to send
out any of our free Diabetes Greeting cards please
let me know.  We have cards for kids with diabetes,
as well as cards for adults with diabetes and those who
have helped with a diabetes management plan.



_______ARTICLE_______
Old Timers

Being an "old timer" when it comes to having
diabetes can be a double edged sword.  It might
mean that you have tons of experience and that you
are comfortable with living with diabetes in your life.
It may also mean that you've ignored the diabetes in
your life and have decided that living in denial is
better than dealing with the various diabetes tasks
that may come into play.  Either way, being a diabetes
old-timer means that you always have something to
share with the newly diagnosed.

Having diabetes a long time doesn't necessarily mean
you're an expert on the disease, but it does mean that
you have encountered many of the trials that a person
with diabetes will go through.   Rose, who was diagnosed
at the age of 15 says, "I have had this disease for the
majority of my life and I am grateful that I was diagnosed
at the tender age of fifteen rather than forty-five.  At least
I have had a lifetime to adopt a food and exercise program
that I can live with.  Even though I have been diabetic for
so long, I do not consider myself an expert;  there is
ALWAYS something to learn.  Of course, it would be
fantastic NOT to have this but at least I have something
that I can live with!"

One main part of managing diabetes is having a
relationship with a doctor.  This might be your
family doctor, a diabetes specialist, or a changing
clinic doctor who you only see twice a year.
Interacting with your doctor is one of the best
diabetes management tools you can  have, so choose
your doctor carefully.   A lot of us took more time
choosing what we'd eat for dinner then we took
choosing the doctor we see regularly.  Try to find a
doctor that makes you feel comfortable and who
will answer your questions.

"See your doctor frequently, and work with him to
maintain control of this disease.   Try to follow a
diet that works for you. and be sure to take your
medications. Listen to your body and if something
doesn't feel right let your doctor know because only
you know what you are feeling. Don't let anyone tell
you it's all in your head," shares Catherine who was
diagnosed in 1987.

Coping with diabetes brings experiences to you that
are extremely valuable.   Living with diabetes in the
family can bring so many difficulties.   Being able to
talk to others about the disease and how you coped with
the way it entered your life and your relationships is an
important part of helping those who have just been
diagnosed with diabetes.

Catherine has Type 2 diabetes, "First, I would like to say
without family support it is very hard to keep this disease
under control.   I have spent a lot of time in denial.  Now I
suffer with neuropathy in my feet and legs due to nerve
damage caused from prolonged blood glucose levels above
200-300,  and also being very obese."

A different style of family support diabetes old timers report,
occurs when the family is helpful, but allows you to "do
your own thing" without interfering.   "My family (spouse)
is helpful b/c they (he) let me alone to do my diet and exercise
thing.  They are not overly helpful BUT they do not stand in
my way or hinder me in any way," says Rose.

As we can see, being a diabetes old-timer means that
you have a lot to share,  a lot to give and tons of
information that can help others manage the diabetes
in their life.   Please share as much of yourself as you can.
Maybe you can talk to diabetic children who need to
learn the ropes about diabetes management.  Or you
can participate in an online diabetes mailing list or
chatroom and discuss how you're dealt with diabetes
management tasks and trials.   Always remember that
no one can take your experiences away from you.
Whether they are good diabetes memories or bad…they're
yours to share and others can learn a great deal from the
paths you've taken.



____ARTICLE_______
ISOLATED INCIDENT

Wendy decided that she didn't want to join the others
for dinner.  After all, she never liked chili that much
anyway, "Sooner or later they have to realize that I'm
my own person."    So, while the others enjoyed a nice
meal at the restaurant, Wendy went home alone.   The
door creaked a bit as she opened it, but that didn't bother
Wendy.  She was used to it.   "Let's see, what should I
have for dinner tonight," Wendy thought to herself,
"Ah!  A chicken dinner!   That sounds good."   The
meal was gone in under ten minutes.    By then the
family was back home.

"Gosh sis, didn't you want to join us?" Josh asked
from the living room.

"Nope, I didn't have enough time," Wendy explained,
knowing that it wasn't really true.   Wendy decided to
go up to her room.  She was twenty-three years old but
still lived at home.  It was a good situation for her.
Wendy lived at home, paid her parents rent and even had
her own telephone and grocery bin.  She even had her own
small refrigerator full of goodies.  Wendy kept her
diabetes management tasks to herself, not even letting
her family see her test her blood sugar.  "Why should I?"
she'd say to herself, "it's my business."   So, all in all
Wendy's diabetes was just that….HER diabetes.  There
was no room in her life for any outside help or concern,
even if her family did want to help.

"Wendy!" called her Dad from the backyard, "do you
want to come down and play a little football with us?
Work a little of that dinner off?"

"Nope, Dad.  I don't need football.  I have some work
on my puter' that I have to get done."  That wasn't really
true either.   The work could wait.

This scenario isn't too uncommon.  Diabetes can make
anyone want to run and hide, but isolation doesn't help.
Sure, it might give someone a safe place to overeat or not
exercise as much as they should, but the denial that can
happen can be devastating to a diabetes management plan.
Being alone can be great.  It gives you time to think of new
ways to help yourself, and gives you a place to think about
aspects of your diabetes management plan that might need
deep concentration.   But don't use the isolation as a place
to refuse yourself good diabetes care.

Remember, isolation is good for germs and viruses….not
for people.


_______ARTICLE_______
Recipe Of The Month

Butter Beans & Turkey (Makes 8 one cup servings)

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces smoked turkey breast
1 /4 cup chopped onion
1 pound mature lima beans (soaked overnight)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
1 /4 teaspoon salt (optional)


DIRECTIONS

Boil the turkey and the onions in 1 quart of water
for 45 minutes.  Put the beans, garlic, pepper, bay
leaf and thyme in the water and cook for 1 hour (or
until the beans are tender)   You may need to add
additional water so watch your pot.

Optional: Add the salt in the final 15 minutes of cooking.


NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Per Serving: 216 Calories; 36 grams Carbohydrate;
1 gram Fat; 423 mg Sodium; 18 grams Protein
Exchanges: 1 ½ Starch; 1 Very Lean Meat

_______New Additions To Our Websites_______

There are some new additions to our websites!  One of
our newest website additions is our Christian Diabetes
Living Website.  This site is for Christian diabetics who
want to get diabetes information along with other discussions
and materials about Christianity.   We have also been chosen
to be the opening website for QUEST, which is a new way to
study the Bible   The URL for the new site is:
http://home.att.net/~belve

If you're not a Christian you can still visit our DFAN Diabetes
Homepage site, which has no religious discussion.   The URL
for that site is: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Our Diabetes Angel and Diabetes Weightloss site have also
been updated so stop by and see if there's anything there
that interests you.    The URL for the Diabetes Angel site
is http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/angel    and the URL for
our Diabetes Weightloss site is http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan

Send all questions, comments, ideas to:  dmmteam@...
Belver Ladson
dfanish@... AOL IM: Belve  Yahoo IM: dfanish
DFAN Diabetes Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Got A Diabetes Story or Poem You Want To Share?  Write me!
Diabetes Angels http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/resort/3146/angel

___________________________________________________________________
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DFAN/OneStep Diabetes Newsletter
July 1999 Edition


We're back in action!   After a hiatus our newsletter
is being published again.   I'll keep this short, but  I
want to thank all of you who stuck with us during
this time.    We need your diabetes related articles,
poem, jokes, anecdotes and anything else you'd
like to send it!

Send all your questions and comments to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...

Website URL: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite



_____ARTICLE_____

HELP TO ORGANIZE YOUR MEDICATION
by Marsha Surad

I want to share something with the group that has
been  a big help to me.

I get almost all of my prescriptions filled through a
mail order pharmacy.  I get a three month supply
mailed to me.  If there are refills, they always
include a piece of paper to return for the refill.  I was
ALWAYS losing these pieces of paper, and in trouble
sometimes, not ordering my medications in a
timely manner.

I got a calendar, which I use just for prescriptions.  I
keep it here at work, since this is where I tend to do
my ordering.  When the doctor gives me a new
prescription to send in, I staple it to the calendar in
the current month (usually they also give me samples
for a month), so that I can remember to mail it in, and
not lose it in my purse.

When the filled prescription comes to me, they will
include the papers for renewals.  I staple those to my
calendar in the month in which I must send them in.
If the prescription does not allow for refills, but I will
need a new prescription from my doctor, I make a note
on the date two weeks before this supply should run
out, to call the doctor and ask for a new prescription.

This system would also work well for keeping track of
medical  appointments.  Just staple  your little reminder
appointment card  to the calendar. You should keep a
separate calendar just for drugs  and doctors.

I take a number of medicines, because not only am I
diabetic, but I have allergies, blood pressure, thyroid
problems, and fibromyalgia.  It is a lot of medicine to
keep track of.  I use one of those sets of 7 containers
with 4 compartments in which to place your medications
according to how you need to take them.  I have one
compartment for the medications to be taken on an
empty stomach. Then, the next compartment are my
morning medications.  Next are the pills I take with
lunch/dinner.  Finally, there is my after dinner/bedtime
medications.  This system works great for me.  I
encourage everyone to consider laying out their
medications this way.  There is less confusion about
whether or not you got your medications that day.  You
can also see when you are getting low on some
medications.  In fact, some people might want to keep  a
separate container filled, so that they always have a two
week supply of medication, if they get theirs through the
mail, as I do.

I hope these two types of organization of medications
will help others.


_____ARTICLE_____

SIBLING RIVALRY

In speaking to both my brother and sister, I  now realize
how much diabetes can wreck a life.  For so many
years I thought I was just the odd one in the family
who couldn't deal with this dreaded diabetes-thing.
I thought I was the only one who didn't like taking
shots or being responsible about all this.

Well, much to my surprise, or maybe I knew it
all along, my brother and sister have followed in
my footsteps. Lock, Stock and Barrel.

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes I went into a
mental shock.  At first, I was diligent and wanted
to be the perfect patient, but as time went on I found
myself locked in a battle against myself.   I kept
fighting with the parts of me that wanted to acknow-
ledge the diabetes and the part of myself that wanted
to run and hide.  It's years later, but I still battle with
those two parts of me each day.   I can honestly say
that I'm doing better with things now.  It took a lot
of physical and emotional pain for me to get to this
point in my diabetes-life, but I'm here now and I'm
glad.

But back to my siblings.  My brother, who is now 46
years old is a Type 2 diabetic.   He told me recently
that his blood sugars average between 150 and 670
(8.3 and 37.8 mmol/l)  Yes, that's right 670.  He
WANTS to keep his blood sugar that high so he won't
have to deal with insulin lows.   Then there is my
sister.  She's a Type 2 diabetic also, and she's almost
in the same boat my brother is in, except she's trying
to take care of herself now.

As I look at my siblings I see so much of myself.  Running
away from the diabetes when there is really no place to
run.   Hiding from it won't help.   Trying to block it out
of the mind won't work.  It's something that has to be
faced head on, not matter how scary or frustrating it is.
I know all this now, and I feel I have to let others know that
we CAN live with diabetes, even if it's tough sometimes.
So please, always try your best.  You can never go wrong
in trying your best. For you, or your child if they are the
person with diabetes.   Give it your all!


_____RECIPE OF THE MONTH_____

RICH RICE PUDDING - Makes 10 half cup servings.
One serving is one half cup

(This is our 100th DFAN recipe!  It's taken a few
years to get to this point and we hope our recipes
have made your diabetes management plans easier
to live with!)

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups cooked rice
¾ cup raisins
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of  nutmeg
2 cups fat-free (skim) milk (scalded)
2 teaspoon melted reduced fat margarine


DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Combine the rice,
raisins, sugar, eggs, egg substitute, vanilla, cinnamon,
and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Add the milk and
margarine and mix well.  Pour the batter into a 1½
quart casserole dish.  Place the casserole dish in a
hot water bath (pan with hot water) and bake for 1
hour or until the pudding Is firm.

Per Serving: 148 Calories; 2 grams Fat;
28 grams Carbohydrate; 6 grams Protein;
78 mg Sodium

Exchanges: 2 Carbohydrate


_____A PLACE TO CHAT_____

NEW HOME FOR EXPERIENCE & SUPPORT

There's a new place for folks with diabetes or their
families to chat on the internet.  It's the diabetes
channel on a network operated by NdrsNet.

The folks there are friendly and interested in hearing
what others have done in their lives to live with diabetes.
Many have come from other diabetic related chat
channels and if you might already know them.  Doesn't
matter if you're a type 1 or a type 2, all are welcome
there.

This network is different from any other I and most of us
have seen.  It is clean, no porn, no hacking.  Troublemakers
are  not  tolerated.  So it's a comfortable and friendly place to
get together and just chat.

We talk about what we've read on any of the diabetes related
mailing lists and share with new folks the means to subscribe
to them.

Server names to connect to this new diabetes channel are:

IRC.ndrs.com

or http://www.ndrsnet.com/webchat.htm
** select #diabetes from the pulldown
menu
Note: must be Netscape 4.0 or IE 4.0 or higher

If you use WebTV you can use the WebTV chat located at
http://www.ndrsnet.com/webtv.htm

You can also get connected by using this following web page
address: http://www.ndrsnet.com\diabetes-support
Contact Person: Eric Spears


_____NEW FEATURE_____

THE DM ADVISOR

The DM Advisor will be a new monthly column in our
newsletter and at our website.  Each week (at the website)
and each month (in the newsletter) we'll choose
questions that have been submitted and show them to
you, along with The DM Advisor's responses.

The DM Advisor will handle questions that deal
with emotional aspects of diabetes, as well as
with any problems you might have concerning
how your family, friends, co-workers and others
relate to you and diabetes.

What kind of questions can you ask?  Well,
maybe you want advice about how to get
your family to support you more with your
diabetes management plan.  Or maybe you
have a friend that keeps trying to get you
to eat things you shouldn't eat.  If you're
feeling unmotivated and want some
help.   Ask these questions and more.
The DM Advisor will always give you
a courteous, kind response.

So start sending your questions in!  Send
them to dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...
please  make sure you  include that your
question is  for "The DM Advisor".


_____DFAN COURSES, LISTS,  & CLUBS_____

DFAN now offers diabetes discussion lists as well as
diabetes knowledge courses for you and your family
members.  All are offered FREE of charge so if you'd
like to learn more about diabetes we might have just
what you need. If you'd like to subscribe to any of
these offers or get more information just send your
request or question to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...

You can also get more information at our website:

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

DIABETES KNOWLEDGE COURSES
Diabetes 101 Course - for diabetics
Family N" Friends - self explanatory..<g>
WOW! Weeks Of Weightloss - 21 Day Plan for
      weightloss and diabetes management

DISCUSSION LISTS
Christian Diabetes
Weight loss & Diabetes

DAILY/WEEKLY
Daily Diabetes Motivation/Information E-mails
Weekly Diabetes File Club
Weekly Recipe Club


_____DFAN WEBSITES_____
Diabetes Site
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite/

Charcot Foot Support Page
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/charcot/

DFAN Diabetes Bookstore
http://members.aol.com/dmmteam

Diabetes Kids Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm

Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan/

Angel Network Site
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/angel/

Copyright 1999

Belver Ladson
dfanish@...  Instant Messenger: Belve
DFAN Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
Got A Diabetes Story or Poem You Want To Share?  Write me!
Diabetes Angels http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/resort/3146/angel

___________________________________________________________________
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Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month!
Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.

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DFAN/OneStep Diabetes Newsletter
March 1999 Edition

Is the March wind blowing through your town yet?

This month’s issue has some very interesting
responses to last month’s poll question (what
would you do if you knew your doctor was wrong?).
We’re also reviewing a website that can give you
  insulin related diabetes management experience
even if you’ve never injected a drop of insulin into
your body.

We also have a new DFAN Diabetes Website!
Our poetry site contains poems written by
diabetics, their families and friends.  So stop by
and read a little!   The URL for our new site
is:

http://members.aol.com/dfandm/poetry

Our main diabetes website now has diabetes
word games, along with a diabetes book of
the week!

Http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

We are in desperate need of diabetes related
articles, poems, jokes and anything else you’d
like to submit.

Please send any questions, comments, or ideas
to:

belve@...  -or-   dmmteam@...


_____WEBSITES WORTH VISITING_____

Would you like to see how insulin affects blood glucose
without having to inject it?    How about "seeing" glucose
lows on a screen instead of experiencing them yourself?
AIDA On-Line and it’s companion program AIDA v4.0
is exactly what’s needed to do both of these tasks.

AIDA-Online is a site every diabetic should visit at least
once, if not more.   The AIDA information describes it as
a "simple model of glucose-insulin interaction" but the
understanding this program might bring to diabetics and
their families and friends is far more reaching.

"This program is a wonderful VISUAL component in
letting a newly diagnosed insulin user 'see' what is
happening and how it is happening, and how the insulin
HELPS their condition become treatable and livable," says
one AIDA user.  "Diabetes doesn't have to be thought of
as a death sentence.  With the right information, and the
correct way of presenting  it, anyone can understand it."

When it comes to diabetes, visual models can explain
aspects of the disease that words might leave confusing.
The illustrations used are simple and very easy to understand.
Another user shares, "It does help a diabetic understand
more clearly the relationship between carbohydrate uptake
and insulin.  It would be very useful in teaching new
diabetics how to control their blood glucose levels.

So take a few minutes, visit the AIDA On-Line site,
and download their program.  It’s well worth the time,
and you may just understand diabetes a little better.

http://www.shodor.org/aida


_____POLL QUESTION_____

This month’s poll question is a bit scandalous, but
it can be part of many diabetes management plans.

QUESTION:  Have you ever cheated/fudged/falsified
your blood glucose testing results?   If so, why?



_____POEM_____

Diabetes Abbreviation Day
was a day when no one could play
for learning the letters
meant getting it better
and then there was what you could say

"My BG is doing so fine.
My A1c is coming in line!
A GP explains DKA...
and YMMV is ok!

So look over what you've just seen
and figure out what they all mean!



_____LAST MONTH’S POLL RESPONSES_____

Last month we asked if you would correct your doctor if
he/she gave you diabetes information that you knew was
wrong.  We received some very interesting and diverse
responses.

Response #1:

When I visit my doctor and he tells me something that is
contradictory to what I have discovered during my reading
(Diabetes Forecast, web sites, etc)., I bring up this item for
discussion. There is so much new research going on (but
not enough!) and new information being produced that it is
almost impossible for anyone to be completely up to date. If
my information just happens to be fresher than my doctors,
then I have helped him, helped his other diabetic patients, and
helped myself.

No debate, no right or wrong, just teamwork.



Response #2:

"I would not bring it to their attention.  "


Response #3:


"I would not correct the doctor, that is the worse thing
you could do.  The better way would be to gather
information and then present it to the doctor with the
explanation that his/her statement was of interest to you
and you decided to find out more about it.  Then tell
him/her the different opinions.  I already have made my
MD unhappy by consulting an endocrinologist  because
I wanted tests  done that he did not think were necessary.
For my trouble,  I was berated by the endo for changing
doctors without being referred to him, and the statement that
even though I was in good control, my medications would
have to be changed.  So much for that endo. but at least
I did get my tests done.

Now, I am much more careful about how I state what I
think as I have no desire to change my medications as long as my
control remains in the normal range.  I no longer argue, just do
what I know is right for me. I am a type 1 on insulin and
hypothyroid and have slight kidney dysfunction, as per the tests
done, and the medication he wished to change was my thyroid
med. I am only able to take a natural product, due to side effects
caused by synthroid, and it is very hard to find a doctor who
will prescribe what is best for the person, and not what the drug
firms push.  Unhappily, the world has changed and meds are the
latest drug release pushed by most doctors today, I live in fear of
losing the one that is best suited to me, this has made me much
quieter and less argumentative with my MD."


Response #4:

"If a doctor told me something about my diabetes that
was wrong I would certainly correct the doctor.  It is
impossible for a doctor to know everything and since it
is me that lives with this disease I am sure that I
know more than he does."



Response #5

I would probably not say anything to the doctor.
In my experiences they usually tell me how I'm feeling.
I'll tell them such and such hurts and they'll say no no it
doesn't.

So now I only view their recommendations as opinions and
usually  decide for myself."



Response #6

"Yes!! I would quiz my doctor, and ask when did the
medical community make the change.  And if I wasn't
satisfied with the reply, then I would check it out with
another doctor."



Response #7

"I have done this though I did not tell my doctor that he was
wrong.  I told him I had read an opposite opinion and quoted my
source (important).  Depending on the issue, I might copy my
source and mail it to him and he would call me with discussion or
I would take my source to the next meeting for discussion."



Response #8

"If my doctor was providing some misinformation I would
definitely tell him about it.  I would use diplomacy.   I
would say that from my own studies I got the impression that
it was this way.........   Perhaps you could have a
discussion about the discrepancy and see how he/she
responds.  If no consensus can be reached then I would ask
him/her  for some literature or references which clearly
indicates his/her understanding.  If the doctor does not
agree or puts me off, I would have to look for another
doctor.   Doctors are not all knowing and the reasonable
ones know this.  One who is not willing to learn from his
patients is not a good doctor.  How else does medical
practice improve but through feedback from patients?

No one should hesitate to challenge the doctor (in a nice
way, of course).  Sometimes the patient can be
misunderstanding the doctor and getting further explanation
would be helpful to resolve this.  Assuming the doctor is
wrong and not addressing the issue is not in your best
interests.  You owe it to your own treatment to discuss
anything that you believe is incorrect or not clear."



Response #9:

"What a question!  Of course I would let them know.
This is my body and my health.  If my doc tells me to
be sure and eat 3 candy bars a day (ok, so I am being a
little melodramatic there) I'm gonna say something.  I
would try to be as diplomatic as possible, and try to
compare notes on what we both thought, but I would
not just say ok and blow it off.  Doctors are people
too and they sometimes make mistakes.  They need
people to help them learn too.  My Dr is wonderful
because she allows us to learn from each other.
I would never go to a doctor that was not willing to do
that!"




_____DFAN COURSES, LISTS,  & CLUBS_____

DFAN now offers diabetes discussion lists as well as
diabetes knowledge courses for you and your family
members.  All are offered FREE of charge so if you’d
like to learn more about diabetes we might have just
what you need. If you’d like to subscribe to any of
these offers or get more information just send your
request or question to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...

You can also get more information at our website:

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

DIABETES KNOWLEDGE COURSES
Diabetes 101 Course - for diabetics
Family N" Friends - self explanatory..<g>
WOW! Weeks Of Weightloss - 21 Day Plan for
      weightloss and diabetes management

DISCUSSION LISTS
Straight Diabetes
Type 1
Christian Diabetes
Weight loss & Diabetes

DAILY/WEEKLY
Daily Diabetes Motivation/Information E-mails
Weekly Diabetes File Club
Weekly Recipe Club


_____DFAN WEBSITES_____

Charcot Foot Support Page
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/charcot/

Diabetes Site
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite/

DFAN Diabetes Bookstore
http://members.aol.com/dmmteam

Diabetes Kids Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm

Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan/


Copyright 1999



Belver Ladson
dfanish@...
DFAN Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
DFAN Diabetes BookStore: http://members.aol.com/dmmteam
Diabetes Angels http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/resort/3146/angel

___________________________________________________________________
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Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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DFAN/OneStep Diabetes Newsletter
February 1999 Edition

This month’s edition of the newsletter gives you a
good mix of articles to read.  First, we have one
woman’s battle with a little known diabetic
complication (Charcot Foot).  Second, we received
some very good responses to last month’s poll
questions ("managing" or "controlling diabetes?).
Next, there is a simple  yummy recipe for brownies
that you can use to add some variety to your meal
plan.

We need your diabetes related articles, poems,
anecdotes and anything else you’d like to submit..<g>
We’re also looking for people to contribute to
weekly columns at our diabetes websites (diabetes
and diabetes-weight loss).

_____ARTICLE_____

CHARCOT EXPERIENCE
By Susan

I discovered the trails of Charcot in 1995 when I was
sent to a podiatrist by my Diabetes Dr. due to foot
swelling.  I was diagnosed within 3 months (it takes
a while for a true diagnosis due to having to track the
joint deterioration) but that did not make things any
better.  I went through the same feelings of getting a
shoe on....ANY shoe.  I also had a brace for the left
foot which I dubbed the "Frankenstein foot".  I must
tell you they are really attractive with short skirts - ha!

One day I was wearing my brace and took a hard step
off of a high curb.  Two and 1/2 weeks later I also
walked into the hospital for some x-rays on the right
foot, which was swelling, and was told I had shattered
my heel bone.  I'd not realized that it was broken and
actually split the bone in half and broke it off.  I wore
a cast on THAT foot for approx. 4 months.  That is
not the half of it though.  Due to the force exerted on
the left (Charcot) foot, my ankle eventually collapsed.
Almost all of 1998 was spent trying to reconstruct the
bone and draining abscesses - I've been off of work since
February.

The worst part was in August when I thought I was
getting better - I went to visit my grandparents.  Little
did I know that the osteomyelitis that had invaded my
left foot was turning toxic.  To make a long story short,
the ended up taking my left foot in an emergency below
the knee amputation.  Well, that's one way to get rid of
Charcot.  Now I'm left with a mangled right foot - due
to the break - that also has Charcot and some
osteomyelitis. in it.  Last week they amputated 1/2 of
my big toe.

This is a horrid disease and it is SO sneaky.  I can't urge
you enough to get to a good specialist (I would not
recommend an orthopedic surgeon though) and
monitor any ulcers that show up.  Life has certainly
changed - I never thought that I would be an amputee,
that Charcot disease could lead to this.  I feel that a lot
has been taken away from me at a fairly early age due
to this, but also that I can not lets this stop me.  I have
a prosthesis for the left foot (I think my days of soccer
are now over but there are other things) and am
waiting on the healing of the right foot.


_____WEBSITE UPDATE_____

DFAN CHARCOT FOOT SITE RE-VAMPED!

Want to know more about Charcot Foot?  It is a
condition ALL diabetics and their loved ones should
know about.   This devastating foot condition can
happen when all you think you have is a "sprain".
Please visit this site at least once so you can find
out what the symptoms are and then pass the infor-
mation on to someone else.

Also, if you’d like to share your own Charcot Foot
experiences please send them in!

The URL for our newly updated site is:

http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/charcot


_____POLL RESPONSES_____

Last month’s poll question asked:

There seems to be a difference in the way some people talk
about how they take care of the diabetes in their life.  One
phrase used is "controlling diabetes" and another is
"managing diabetes".  Which phrase do you prefer and
why?

Here are some responses we received!

Response #1:

"Well, I have never learned to control diabetes. As a
matter of fact, I find that diabetes controls my
life to a very great degree.

However, I have learned to manage diabetes. I can
eat when and where I choose -- management --but
I must be very careful about what I eat -- control. I can
exercise when and where I choose -- management  -- but
I must exercise -- control.

Can I ever control diabetes? I really don't think so, since
my pancreas is gone and I am using artificial means to
"control" my blood glucose (insulin).

Can I manage diabetes, the controlling factor in my life?
Why yes, and very well, thank you."

Pat

Response #2:

"I prefer the phrase "managing diabetes" since this reflects more
correctly, in my view, the nature of surviving the condition.  I feel
that there are aspects of diabetes which control my life, and I must
therefore manage them.  After all, if I really had control of diabetes
I would eliminate it completely."

Peter A. Stockwell
peter@...


Response #3:

"Controlling Diabetes is what I do for my condition.
What, when, and how much I eat.  Food supplements,
oral drugs, and self Blood Glucose Monitoring.  Exercise
and attitude are essential as this is the only chronic
disease where you can really control the symptoms.

Managing Diabetes is what your Support Group does.
Your Doctor checks you long term blood sugar levels
and checks for Kidney and Liver health.  Your Eye
Doctor  checks for early symptoms of problems.  You
know when your Neuropathy or other symptoms flair
up and you need to get back on track. Diabetic friends
and Educators offer emotional support and new therapy
ideas.

Some people are very independent and do well
Controlling their own destiny. Others need a large social
network to maintain their control.  Personally I Control my
Diabetes using my medical resources which I find fits.
Nobody from Certified Diabetes Educators to my Doctor
to my Diabetic friends have all the answers but each one has
new ideas that worked for somebody and might work for me.
Web Sites like this one are a huge aid to pass on success
stories and ideas."

Henry Poland
HenryP@...

Response #4:

Purely from a psychological point of view, I would
rather use the term "managing".....because just when
you think you have it under control, it takes you for
a roller coaster ride.....I would not want my
granddaughter to feel she must "control" it, because
once she finds out that she can't always control it, it
might make her feel as though she did something
wrong.....(Just a Nuni's point of view)

Nuni
Sunny99999@...


_____Recipe Of The Month_____

CHOCOLATE FUDGE BROWNIES
(Makes 24 Servings)

(The only odd ingredient you may have to find for
this recipe is the apple butter.  Also, this recipe does
use sugar but the end result is a 112 calorie brownie,
so consider it for a special treat)

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup unsweetened apple butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup egg substitute
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a
9x13 inch baking dish with nonfat cooking spray.

Combine the apple butter, sugar, brown sugar,
vanilla and egg substitute in a large bowl.  Mix
until blended and smooth.

  Stir in the cocoa,  flour,  and the baking powder.
Mix until all the ingredients are blended.  Spoon
the batter into a your prepared baking dish and
bake for 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool to room
temperature.

Per Serving: 112 Calories; 27 grams Carbohydrate;
2 grams Protein; 24 grams Sodium
Exchanges: 1/3 Starch, 1 Fruit


_____POLL QUESTION_____

If you visited a doctor who told you something
about diabetes you KNEW was incorrect, would
you correct the doctor?  Or not say anything to
him/her?  Please give a reason for your response.

Send your responses to:

dmmteam@...  -or-   belve@...

_____POEM_____

Negative Notions

Negative notions
are those that just say
"I can’t", and don’t think about
what’s in the way

Think of the ant
all small and weak
yet they build great cities
with the success they seek

If an ant can do it
why can’t you?
If an ant is determined
can’t you be too?

So think of it now,
the goals you can reach
And remember the ant
and how much it did teach

Teaching stick-to-it-tive-ness,
not-giving up, spunk
and great diligence
cuz when you think
about it….it all makes good sense!


_____DFAN COURSES, LISTS,  & CLUBS_____

DFAN now offers diabetes discussion lists as well as
diabetes knowledge courses for you and your family
members.  All are offered FREE of charge so if you’d
like to learn more about diabetes we might have just
what you need. If you’d like to subscribe to any of
these offers or get more information just send your
request or question to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...

You can also get more information at our website:

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

DIABETES KNOWLEDGE COURSES
Diabetes 101 Course - for diabetics
Family N" Friends - self explanatory..<g>
WOW! Weeks Of Weightloss - 21 Day Plan for
      weightloss and diabetes management

DISCUSSION LISTS
Straight Diabetes
Type 1
Christian Diabetes
Weight loss & Diabetes

DAILY/WEEKLY
Daily Diabetes Motivation/Information E-mails
Weekly Diabetes File Club
Weekly Recipe Club


_____DFAN WEBSITES_____

Charcot Foot Support Page
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/charcot/

Diabetes Site
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite/

DFAN Diabetes Bookstore
http://members.aol.com/dmmteam

Diabetes Kids Website
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm

Diabetes Weightloss Site
http://members.aol.com/belve/dfan/


Copyright 1999

Belver Ladson
dfanish@...
DFAN Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
DFAN Diabetes BookStore: http://members.aol.com/dmmteam
Diabetes Angels http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/resort/3146/angel

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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Valentines Day is here, so why not give yourself
a little Tender Loving Care today!  DFAN would like
to wish you all a Happy Valentines Day and we have
made a special greeting card for you to download.

Remember, today is a day to celebrate love, but
don’t forget to love yourself.  The diabetes in your
life WILL reap the benefits.

The  URL to get the card is:

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/Cards/

Belver Ladson
dfanish@...
DFAN Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
DFAN Diabetes BookStore: http://members.aol.com/dmmteam
Diabetes Angels http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/resort/3146/angel

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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DFAN/OneStep
Online Diabetes Newsletter - January 1999

The New Year is here and we at DFAN want to start it
off in a good way!  Our new website is now up and
running.  We’ve kept it simple, but have given it
a new look.  The new URL for our site is:

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite

Please visit our website often and recommend it to anyone
you think can benefit from the information we provide.

I’m pleased to present three articles this month, written
by people just like you, dealing with diabetes on a
day-by-day basis.  All the articles are well written and
please free to respond if you have
any tips or wisdom you think might help (in the case of
the first article).    Also,  our  DFAN Children’s Writing
Contest is underway.  If you know of a child with diabetes
you think would like to participate please let them know
about the contest.

As always we need your articles, stories and poems!  They
don’t have to be long and they don’t have to "sound"
professional…just tell us your story, give us your comment,
and share what you want to share.

Send your stories, articles, poems, comments and questions
to:

belve@...   -or-  dmmteam@...


_____ARTICLE_____

Seems Hopeless
By Jodi Simpson

This is my first year with diabetes.  I have found that
some days are harder than others.  Thanksgiving was
not hard at all, so I thought I could handle anything.
Wrong!!!

I went to a friends for two days to bake.  We made about
ten dozen cookies, five or six different bars, five different
types of bread and a lot more.  The first day I did really well.
I would just lick a little dough to see what it tasted like and
my blood sugar was just about normal (or at least what I have
been running).  The second day we made this new bar and I
just had to taste it.   It was good!.  I had a cookie,  then I had
to have a taste of this and a taste of that.  My blood sugar was
sky high. Thank God it went back to normal, but I found that
by having a lick of the cookie dough I was okay, but as soon
]as I tasted it, I could not stop myself.

Moral of this story?  Don't give in.  You can not stop all of the
time,  I was lucky and my blood sugar was back down by the
next morning.  I did not eat any more the next day,  but NOT
everybody is going to be able to do this.  It has been hard.  I
struggle all of the time.  I never know what is going to happen.
I am supposed to eat three meals and two snacks a day.  I find
that I can not eat the breakfast that they want or the afternoon
snack.  Is this hurting me?  I don't know but I bet it is.  I have
lost about ten pounds, I started out at 250.  I feel a lot better,
but I am having a hard time.  I just don't feel like walking, it
hurts my legs to much and I can not tolerate the cold any more.
I use to love the cold, but know I don’t.  My feet start to hurt,
so bad,  I feel like I am falling apart.  What next?


_____DFAN Kids Diabetes Writing Contest______

Want to try to write a diabetes related story or poem?
Well, if you have one in  your mind send it to us and
you might win our annual Kids Writing Contest!  You
can write about something that has happened to you or
make up a story or poem about diabetes.

Your entry doesn’t have to be long.  It can be as short
as one word or as long as you like.  If you can’t write yet
ask a grownup to help you.

Here are the prizes:

First Prize: $25 Toys "R" Us Gift Certificate

Second Prize: $15 Toys "R" Us Gift Certificate

Third Prize: $10 Toys "R" Us Gift Certificate

The deadline for submitting your stories and poems is
January 31, 1998

To send us your entry, or get more information about our
contest write to:

dmmteam@...  -or-   belve@...

DFAN Diabetes Kids Website:
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm


_____ARTICLE_____

Learning All Over Again
By Toni Fuller

I had a youngster in my kindergarten class with
diabetes. I began to read everything I could find on
the subject. The more I read, the more I thought, "Hey,
that sounds like me...that does sound like me!"  So I
went to the doctor, and sure enough...diabetes, type 2.
What in the world did that mean?  It meant that the
doctor said, "Here is a diet. Follow it."  What a lot of
help he was! Years later another doctor put me on 5 mg.
of glyburide after I went in for a yeast infection! Another
diet!  An admonishment to follow it!  And a pill to take!
WOW!  So much help and support!

In 1986 I moved to  Austin, TX (which I believe to be
"the Health Capital of the World!") I read a lot about
nutrition, lost 60 lbs., exercised on a regular basis and
went off medication!  Remember I called Austin the
"Health Capital!"   Everyone jogs, walks or rides bikes!
Most eat right! The town is full of health grocery stores!
What a place! But alas, all good things come to an end.
We moved back to the Dallas area with no jobs and no
insurance and lots of deaths and stress in our lives.  I regained
20 lbs., got neuropathy in my feet (which I thought was a
pinched nerve!) and after getting insurance went on more
glyburide than ever!  That didn't work. Soon I was on triple
therapy oral medication!

Finally I got into a year-long education program called TEAM
Baylor. The educators suggested that I was doing everything
right, but after 20 years my pancreas had given out!  I found a
wonderful endocrinologist and began insulin therapy immediately!
After 6 weeks I feel like a different person. So much energy that I
look for things to do!  (I have gained weight, but it seems, as of
today to have leveled off and I have actually lost part of it!)  With
education and the proper doctor, diabetes is a manageable problem
that you can live with! My blood glucose level went from an average
of 239 six weeks ago to an average of 123 this morning! What a
blessing to get the help you need!

Postscript: The neuropathy is almost non existent! As
long as I keep my blood glucose levels low, I have
almost no pain. (If they ever do go up, as they do
every now and again--remember--I am still learning)
the pain goes  away after the blood glucose levels are
normal again. My average is now 110! The weight gain
has leveled off, but I haven't lost any of  that gained! I
am learning to deal with "hypos." which I had never had
before! I'm also trying lots of new foods and researching
all the time!


_____POLL QUESTION_____

There seems to be a difference in the way some people talk
about how they take care of the diabetes in their life.  One
phrase used is "controlling diabetes" and another is
"managing diabetes".  Which phrase do you prefer and
why?   Send your poll responses to:

dmmteam@...  -or-  belve@...


_____ARTICLE_____

AN OUTPATIENT EXPERIENCE
  Michelle Schlight

I have Dequervain's tendon-something in both of
my wrists from a fall down the last two basement
stairs in June, and therapy, Motrin and time did not
make the intense inflammation of the tendons in my
arms (or the severe pain in my wrists) diminish.

When the mobility started to decrease (and my
complaining to increase!) the doc decided that
surgery to release the pressure was in order.  The
day before the surgery, I got a call from the Intake
Nurse, who asked a LOT of pre-admission questions.
(Any removable crowns, bridges, caps in your mouth?
Do you wear contacts or glasses? Heart disease? etc.)
When they got to the question of Diabetes?, they had
to stop.  'What, 30 years?'   I could hear them thinking
OH NO.......)

When they got to the 'Don't eat anything after
midnight...' part, I stopped them, since the surgery was
after 1 PM.  I mean, if they can perform surgery at 6 AM
on a 'no eating after midnight' order, then it makes sense
to me that I should be able to eat a light, early breakfast....
Actually, I told them that my blood sugar naturally goes
up around 9 AM , and that I planned to take a few units
of regular (Humalog, actually) if it got to 180.  That I did
not want it to be higher than 150 when the surgery
happened, etc.  The poor nurses, they got all excited, and
decided to set up an appointment with the anesthesiologist
for me.  I explained to him that I understood that he
did not want a low to occur during surgery, but that I didn't
want my blood sugars to be 200+, either.  I told him that I
would really like it to be under 150, so that I could have a
better chance of healing properly, etc.  (A max of 150
works well with the operating room people, without being
too high, it lets them feel safe, without terribly! increasing
the chances of not healing)

Well, although the nurses were in the dark, the doc and the
anesthesiologist felt that they could do a good job.   They
asked me to please bring my Humalog (this is outpatient,
remember!) and they'll check my blood  sugars frequently.

When I got there, sure enough, as soon as the papers were all
signed and in order, they checked my blood sugar, and
continued to check it immediately after the IV went in and again
as soon as I got out of surgery.  They didn't use a glucose IV, and
I was told they checked it during the 45 minute surgery time.

Before the surgery, I had one of those nerve tests done (to rule
something out) and I got a 'non-diabetic' scoring!!  In the operating
room, since I was not completely knocked out, I listened
to the doc talking about the nerve results; I also overheard the
doc talking about how badly inflamed the tendons were, about
how good my circulation seemed ('after 30 years with diabetes...')

My blood sugar was less than 130 when I checked in, and
just over 130 when I left a few hours later.  Everyone involved
was AMAZED that a diabetic was concerned, knew what they
wanted,  and demanded it.  When the nurse called the following
day, she was surprised that I hadn't needed any 'serious' pain
medicine that I had only taken the Motrin for inflammation.
When I visited the doc for the follow up a week after the
surgery, he was surprised at how well everything was healing.
I reminded him that the blood sugars were the key to good
healing.

Well, I felt pretty good about my experience there, caring nurses,
people who listened to my concerns, even when they couldn't
believe them!  (who ever heard of a diabetic caring about their
numbers during surgery) until this weekend.

I am going in on Monday to have the same release surgery done,
as well as surgery for a trigger thumb and ring fingers.  (All
caused by the same fall down the stairs, catching the hand in
the rail!)  I got the pre-admittance call and went through the same
zillion questions, but when we got to the don't eat after midnight
part, and I told them that I would be checking my blood sugar to
make sure it didn't get too high, the nurse lost it.  I explained
everything (at least I thought I did!) explaining that I would only
take Humalog-Regular if my numbers got close to 200, because
I wanted them below 150 during surgery, etc.  She seemed to
understand, and I left to pick up a high schooler who had
stayed after school.  En route, I got a call on the cell phone
from hubby that they had called back. I called them back and
no one knew who or why they had called.  A half hour later,
I got called by hubby (who hates phones and is struggling
with a teenager’s volume of phone calls!) that once again
they were calling, but this time with distress about the
insulin thing.  Seems they were concerned about me taking
the entire amount of Humalog, and not eating, going into
insulin shock, etc.  By the time I did all this DARN calling,
I was heated.  What kind of idiot did they think I was?

Well, my husband and mother will both be there
and I know I can demand what I need, but after
such a good visit 2 weeks ago, what a
disappointment!!

PostScript: the surgery went well, the nurses
that were there the day of the surgery were exceptional,
and again, my blood glucose levels were kept very
normal.  The cuts are healing nicely, and I am doing
physical therapy daily to stretch my wrists and fingers,
gaining mobility everyday!  However, I did learn from
the surgeon that DeQuervain's Tenosynovitis (like
Carpal Tunnel) is MUCH more common in diabetics
than in the regular population.  That was news to me!

You can reach the author of this article by writing to:
schlight@...

DFAN Websites:

DFAN Angel Network:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/angel/

DFAN Kids Diabetes Webpage:
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.com/dfan

DFAN Diabetes BookStore:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/bookstore/

DFAN Charcot Foot Site:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/charcot/

Copyright 1999

Belver Ladson
dfanish@...
DFAN Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/dfansite
DFAN Diabetes Kids Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm
Diabetes Angels http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/resort/3146/angel

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]

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DFAN/OneStep Diabetes Online Newsletter
December 1998

I’ll keep this short and sweet.  Happy Holidays!

My laminating machine is still broken so if anyone requested any
of the motivational materials I make, there will be a delay.

As always, we need any diabetes related stories, poems, jokes,
or anything else you want to send us..<g>

Please send all stories, poems, comments and ideas to:
belve@... -or-  dmmteam@...

_____ARTICLE_____

Spousal Support - Sleepwalking Problem
by Jim

As a spousal supporter of a Type 1 diabetic for over 20 years, I wish
to thank Mary for her article in the November 98 Newsletter and welcome
her
to the club. I agree that it is quite a change of lifestyle and not easy,
particularly to handle the mood swings which occur with low sugar levels.

My spouse, Dorothy, follows a very strict regime. She takes, at
least, 4 blood sugar level tests a day and three insulin injections.
After
breakfast and after dinner she takes a one hour brisk walk in hilly
terrain,
regardless of the weather or time of year, at home and on holiday, 365
days a
year.

The big effect on our social life was the evening walk which has
made it difficult to join in many evening activities. Because of this we
usually attend concerts, theatre etc in the afternoon rather than in the
evening. We are now in our early 70's.  In our mid-life, before diabetes
(BD), we would perhaps once a month go dancing, have a little drink or
two,
and an enjoyable evening. That abruptly came to an end as it didn't fit
in
with energetic evening walks, after dinner - we were just too pooped and
the
drink was a no no! A relaxed evening of dancing, without the walk, did
not
give sufficient exercise.

As far as diabetes is concerned it seems that the strict regime has
paid off for after over 20 years the only complication to show up, so
far,
is the beginnings of diabetic retinopathy. Dorothy is now quite "brittle"
in
that her sugar level is quite a roller coaster, despite her best efforts.
I
am very proud of her.

Before retiring to bed she takes her final blood sugar test and
usual requires a glass of milk. On most nights there is no problem but
occasionally she has a low blood sugar reaction in the night. Sometimes
I can catch this is I wake in time to feel her perspiring very freely. I
then wake her
and persuade her either to take a test or drink some skimmed milk. At
other
times I find her sleep walking and this is a bigger problem, for me, as
she
strongly resists my suggestions and tells me that she is OK with no
problem.
I have to stay with her to make sure she doesn't fall down the stairs and
have to keep trying to get my message through to her. Sometimes I will
manage to get a little milk into her. Eventually when she comes round,
which
she has always done so far, she has no recollection of her actions or
words
while sleep-walking and will then co-operate.

Night-time sleep walking as my main problem. How should I handle it?
Can I leave her alone at night time and go away for a few days?
__________POEM__________
Note from the poet:

I wrote this poem specifically about the problems I had coping with
diabetes (I am type 2, diagnosed last year) although I'm sure the
sentiment would be similar for anyone else told they have a life
threatening and currently incurable condition.

P.S. I'm a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, so I have to admit some slight
influence in the style of this poem.
Shadow
By Ian Cotton

A shadow crept into my frame
And lurked a leaden weight
It’s charcoal presence I ignored
Attempting to avoid my fate

And as it sat there darker grew
It’s likeness in my face
But still I tried to laugh it off
And so it’s growth advanced at pace

So to the point I could no more
Avoid its fateful round
In anger I did turn within
"Explain yourself", I shrieked, "Expound"

"I’m part of you" the voice came back
"Ignore me you cannot"
So then the fear did grip my mind
My gut a tangled icy knot

But soon the moments dulled the fear
And left me time to muse
I looked upon the shadow new
And saw it’s deathly, crafty ruse

I took the shadow as a friend
And listened as it taught
And so I changed myself to match
So soon my fears did come to naught

The shadow changed from black to grey
In moments as I watched
It didn’t shrink It didn’t grow
It’s colour to my soul it matched

The shadow is a soulless thing
Not touched by right or wrong
Accept it as a part of you
And learn its cold insistent song

You can reach the author of this poem by sending an e-mail to:
ian_cotton@...


__________ARTICLE__________

GIFT GIVING

Deciding what gift to give this holiday season can be hard
if you don’t know what the person likes or doesn’t like.  But
when the receiver of the gift has diabetes that actually makes
the decision making process EASIER.  Here are some ideas
on gifts to give the diabetic in your life:

For Eating: a new cookbook, a new set of kitchen utensils
(along with the cookbook), a trip to a restaurant that serves
food that fits into a meal plan

For Exercise:  a set of handweights, a membership to a local
gym, a new pair of walking shoes/sneakers

For Motivation: a nice sign/wall hanging with a motivational
messages, a certificate/plaque for diabetes management achievement

For Recordkeeping: a journal to keep track of blood glucose records
and other information


__________DFAN HOLIDAY GREETING CARD__________

If there is a child in your life (with or without diabetes) you might
want to download the DFAN Diabetes Holiday Greeting card we
have available at your DFAN Kids Diabetes Website.

It’s easy to download this file, double-click on the file once it’s
downloaded to your computer and enjoy the card!

The URL for the DFAN Kids Diabetes Website is:

http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm

_____DIABETES CHATTING ONLINE______

Picture this:

"The chat room was full of names.  Binky, Duster and
Ana-Windell  graced the screen with their familiar words
of cyber-land.  "LOL" and  "BBL" could be seen scrolling
down the screen.  "Is this what chatting is all about?", Anna
  thought to herself, "This is boring."     Anna decided to give
it a few more minutes before she’d shut the computer off and
go do some vacuuming.   "Well, five more minutes.  If no one
talks to me that’s it for my online chatting experience," she
giggled to herself.

With one minute to go Anna saw three people enter the chat
room she was in.  The topic of the chat room was diabetes talk,
so Anna knew she might learn something new, or at least meet
some other diabetics.   She hadn’t met many people with diabetes
in her life.  The computer chat room seemed like a good place to
get to know some other people living with diabetes in their life.
One of the people who just entered the room, Billy Bob sent a
"Hello!" to Anna.  This person actually typed Anna’s screen
name so she saw it immediately.  "Hie!" she typed back.
Hmmmm, she thought to herself, "This is my first cyber
conversation.  I wonder where he’s from?"

This little scenario is repeated millions of times each day
as people log on to the Internet chat rooms and talk about
everything from sewing to firefighting to cooking, and yes,
even about diabetes!    Talking about diabetes online is one
way to get valuable information about diabetes, as well as
support.

Where do you go for these chats?   One place to go is America
Online.  They have a diabetes chat room (type diabetes once you
get to their chat area).  There are also various chat lines available
in IRC (Internet Relay Chat).  To get to these chat areas you need
to have a program like MIRC.  You connect to a "server" and then
join the chat room.   There are servers such as Undernet, Dalnet,
and Efnet that have regular diabetes chats.

All of this talk and exchange of information is free, so it’s something
you can try.  If you don’t like it, at least you found out what it was
about.  One thing to remember is not to take everyone seriously or
think everyone is credible online.  Just because someone SAYS they
are a doctor doesn’t mean they are.  Just because someone SAYS
they’ve had diabetes for ten years, doesn’t mean they have had it for
that long, or that they have it at all.  Be prudent and cautious when
taking advice from strangers.  Basically, that’s who people online are,
strangers that you speak to in a personal way.  Over a period of time
you might speak to people and get to "know" them, but remember,
you’re typing at a screen, and you don’t really know who’s typing
back at you.

DFAN Websites:

DFAN Angel Network:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/angel/

DFAN Kids Diabetes Webpage:
http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm

DFAN Diabetes Webpage
http://pages.prodigy.com/dfan

DFAN Diabetes BookStore:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/bookstore/

DFAN Charcot Foot Site:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Resort/3146/charcot/



Belver Ladson
dfanish@...
DFAN Website: http://pages.prodigy.com/dfan
DFAN Diabetes Kids Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/dfan/kiddm.htm
Diabetes Angels http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/resort/3146/angel

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
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The DFAN Diabetes newsletter is e-mailed motnhly.  Learn about diabetes from the
people who live with it.  Articles are written by diabetics, their family
members and friends.  The newsletter also contains articles that will help you
learn about and cope with diabetes in your life.

Group Moderator: dfan-newsletter-owner@egroups.com

To subscribe, send a message to dfan-newsletter-subscribe@egroups.com or go to
this e-group's home page at http://www.egroups.com/list/dfan-newsletter