The Sexy Diabetic

  Thought I’d keep the timeline to help me be able to remember what happened when…   15 March 2022:          blood test 29 March 2022:          diagnosis by Dr. L 31 March 2022:          call from dietician at CDEPO 14 April 2022:            group Zoom with CDEPO 26 April 2022:            Zoom with dietician 28 April 2022:            ?? sometime in next few days: receipt of                                                        loaner   sample CGM  following 2 weeks:                                                   collection of blood sugar info via CGM 9 May 2022:               Follow up Appointment with Dr R. 31 May 2022:             Follow up with dietician in person to see                                                   results of CGM nd learn how to use regular                                              glucometer

photo by Charles Earl   Charles and I have been trying some diabetic friendly recipes, including Morroccan lentil soup and a lasagne dish that uses zucchini instead of noodles, both were terrific. He’s learned to make really good omelets as well. There have been some cooking disasters, like when I burnt the oatmeal in the slow cooker. Maybe it was the pecans, I substituted for the almonds? I dunno. On that day I did dishes, over and over again. The fridge was stuffed with fruit and vegetables and I felt overloaded, overwhelmed and I admit I burst into tears and went out for my walk which I saw as a mandatory walk. We talked and I got through it, thanks to Charles. This is a very different lifestyle from the one we  had pre-diabetes diagnosis, and that’s less than a month ago.   Today I had a good Zoom meeting with the dietician from the Community Diabetes Education Program of Ottawa (CDEPO). She was impressed by how much we’ve changed things and also reminded me that there are 21 mea

  photo by Charles Earl When I experienced my health crisis, I received emergency and immediate treatment. This is what I’m used to. I have been overwhelmed and frustrated since my diabetes diagnosis because I’ve expected emergency and immediate treatment. I finally realized that diabetes is a long-term condition. Well, duh. I know, I know. I should have probably understood this from the news of the diagnosis, but I didn’t. As a result I’ve been struggling, trying to solve things right away and expecting medical professionals to have the same attitude and response. I’m at the stage where diet and exercise will help. Will it alleviate the condition? I’m not sure. For now, the main thing is to learn, to figure out what works and what doesn’t. I also realized that I have to take charge of this. I can’t expect anyone else to figure things out for me and provide me with all the answers. Firstly because the answers aren’t easy or obvious, and secondly, because it’s not an emergency. That doe

  This afternoon I had a group Zoom session about diabetes management with the team from the Community Diabetes Education Program of Ottawa (CDEPO). It was informative and somewhat reassuring. The biggest takeway for me was this: “Diabetes can be overwhelming! We don’t expect you to be perfect. Small sustainable changes are the key and can take you far!"   I don’t have to count carbs (unless I want to); I just have to visualize the nutrition plate and try to aim for that for each meal: half veg, quarter starch/carbs, quarter protein. And I have to aim for more physical activity. They emphasized that they weren’t asking people to join a gym but rather to move every day, every hour, focusing on both cardio and resistance. I’m close. I don’t move every hour; I often sleep for hours in the daytime. I already do my fitness class three times a week and I do walk, just not daily, so I’ll try to change my walking to a daily half-hour.   Stress can also cause trouble, so as the nurse

  photo by Charles Earl I thought about what it might be useful to know in order to figure out how to work out my diet and various other routines that might have to change due to the diabetes diagnosis.   RELATIONSHIP/SEX   I have been with Charles, my husband since 2001. We have no childern. We are polyamorous and in an open marriage. I have a high libido and will often spend weekday mornings in bed for self-pleasure. I rarely have penetrative sex (I don’t orgasm during vaginal intercourse). My husband and I give each other orgasms once or twice a week typically and are always intimate and affectionate. We can talk to each other about anything. We are best friends, confidantes and lovers. I haven’t had much in person sexual involvement with others during the pandemic, I had a one-time encounter and a three time encounter in fall 2021, when we had a lull between waves.   I engage sexually with others via apps or sites online.   HEALTH   I am 58. I am a non-smoker. I don

the pink lady takes the sun after the breakdown, and with Charles’ help, I’ve done some thinking. I’ve been bending over backwards trying to solve this diabetes thing as if I somehow have the answers based on my internet research. I’ll do my best but I can’t do much until I’ve received the necessary guidance. I haven’t even been told or given support to monitor my blood sugar levels yet. I always take on all the responsibility for things myself and try to fix things or resolve them quickly. this is not a scenario where I can do that. I will read and I will avoid simple sugars as much as I can, I will do more fitness when I am capable. that’s the best I can do without guidance. so I’m going to stop beating myself up over my inadequacy at taking care of this.   today, I slept in and skipped my fitness class. I’ll do the recorded one tomorrow. instead I went for a long walk in the sun. this is what I needed. my fitness instructor, a charming United Church minister and former basketbal

i am full of anxiety   I’m not sure when I saw the doctor to get the diabetes diagnosis, but last week the dietican called to set up an appointment. as I’ve said she was very caring, but booked up until the end of the month. I will participate in a group workshop of some sort mid-April. I’ve been trying to figure stuff out on my own, including diet, but also exercise. I thought I would also be talking to a nurse from the same clinic, but haven’t heard from any yet. I know medical staff are extremely busy and overwhelmed as well. I like to sort things out for myself and help as much as I can.   Yesterday and today I had a breakdown. Charles has been helping me through it thank goodness, but it’s been difficult. I want to do everything right. I don’t want to fuck up. I researched and tried to figure out how to balance my lack of a colon issues with good food for diabetics and came up with a few ideas, but not really a lot.   I tried eating an apple with almond butter. Soon after I

  I was in the grocery store again, ogling the vast varieties and styles of bread. Folks, bread is everywhere in my regular grocery store, stuffed along the aisles and in the middle of the aisles, in the freezer, even sometimes along the edges of some aisles. I must have spent an hour reading the nutrition facts. It’s very confusing because serving sizes are inconsistent: 1 slice, 2 slice etc. It’s hard to get a good comparison. In order to compare apples to apples, I’ve decided to start tracking some of the foods I try in this experience, to try to figure out what works and what doesn’t, what has the lowest sodium, carb, sugar per gram ratio and what tastes like crap and I’ll never try it again, such as Maison Riveria’s Oat Based Vegan Delight Vanilla Yogurt, which is god awful. It’s like it was made by demons in the River Styx. This is 9 th circle of Hell bad. On the other hand, Sigis’ skyr plain yogurt is tasty, creamy and has good carb,   One big issue for me is snacks, as they

hey, has anybody seen a missing colon? How does my body differ from those with colons?   I have a shortened small intestine which has been resectioned in a few different places and is attached to 8 inches of signmoid (the little bit of colon that is attached to the rectum). I have no large intestine aka large bowel aka colon. I like the word colon best. My dear friend, the writer and musician John Lavery, (who died in 2011 and I still miss him) after the removal of part of his colon, referred to it as a semi-colon. I stated that I am steadily losing all my punctuation, first my colon, then my period, and I think another dear friend said, “but you still have dash.” Nerdy writer moment brought to you by Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss.   This is a very simplified explanation of how the digestive system works. Don’t hire me to do your colectomy, please. The large and small intestines make up the digestive system, which turns food into nutrients that go into the blood stream

photo by Charles Earl I don’t eat big meals. My stomach feels bloated and sore if I eat big. I eat several small meals (meals/snacks) throughout the day. I don’t like eating one big thing, I like a lot of little things per meal. I get bored of the same thing all the time. Due to the lack of colon and the scarring, I can’t eat a purely plant-based diet. I have to avoid seeds, hard to digest nuts, high fibre items like popcorn. I have always loved nuts. I have to be moderate about my high fibre intake, of grains such as quinoa, bulgur and barley, which can hurt my stomach. My food aversions are a big issue. My husband and I have a meal kit service for 4 dinners, eat a fast and easy meal like chicken nuggets for a 5 th , and order in for the other 2. I love Asian food and South Asian food, but just mild spices. I was supplementing small meals with junk food. I was eating a little chocolate every night, a triangle of Toblerone or a square or two of a Dairy Milk Bar.