My Journey with Prediabetes: It’s Work, But I’m Well Worth It!

About five years ago, I was diagnosed with prediabetes. I’ll admit that I spent a lot of those years in denial. As a retired nurse, I know all too well the dangers of ignoring that diagnosis, but knowing something and actually doing something about it are two different things.

Both my father and his mother had diabetes, although neither was diagnosed until they were in their 80s. My grandmother’s vision was affected to the point that she could no longer see well enough to fill her insulin syringes or give herself injections. Dad’s diabetes was fairly well controlled until he fell and broke his hip at age 100, at which point he started insulin.

I know the risks. Amputation, dialysis, vision loss, heart disease…these are not things I want to face as I age.

Three years ago, I decided to take control and went on a strict Keto diet. It was restrictive, but effective. I lost over 30 pounds in four months. I felt better, had more energy, and was able to be more active. Keto wasn’t particularly difficult to follow, but I eventually longed for a banana, an apple, or even some popcorn! So, I stopped before a trip to Israel.

Over the next two years, I gradually gained the weight back. And that, unfortunately, has been the story of my life for the past 40 years: yo-yo, yo-yo, yo-yo. Get desperate, go on a diet, lose weight, and slowly gain it all back.

This time, I was determined to do things differently.

My goal as I age is to need LESS medication rather than MORE. I wanted to find a way of eating that I could maintain for the rest of my life, rather than another temporary diet. I also chose to work on lifestyle changes rather than pursue the popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications.

Last January, I discovered the Homemade Method for Women Over 50. It is a Mediterranean-style eating program with an online support group. For a monthly fee, they provide weekly meal plans, recipes, and shopping lists. There is also a private Facebook group where women connect to vent, celebrate victories, share ideas, and encourage one another.

Initially, the program cost around $40 a month, but I quickly signed up for a year at approximately $20 a month.

The recipes are normal, everyday foods. I will admit, though, that preparing the meals and cleaning up afterward can be a lot of work. I often borrow a line from a commercial: “It’s work, but I’m well worth it!”

Ten months into the program, I have lost nearly 30 pounds, and I am feeling good!

One of the biggest benefits has been that eating more whole, balanced foods seems to reduce a lot of the “food noise” in my head. I no longer feel like I am constantly fighting cravings or depriving myself.

And guess what? I can eat a banana, an apple, or popcorn! I have learned that the way I combine foods, portion sizes, and physical activity can make a difference in my blood sugar response.   I have a serious love for ice cream, and I’m not willing to give it up entirely. Yes, it occasionally means breaking my “clean eating” rule, but life is meant to be enjoyed, too! I’ve discovered some great Carb Smart products that allow me to indulge my sweet tooth while being more mindful of my carbohydrate intake. It’s all about finding a balance that works for me. I don’t believe healthy living should mean giving up every food you love. Sometimes a little ice cream for the soul is just as important as eating your greens!

Some Guidelines and Things I Have Found Helpful

These are some of the habits I have incorporated into my daily routine:

• Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up.

• Include protein, healthy fats, and green or orange vegetables in meals whenever possible. Think balanced plates rather than eliminating entire food groups.

• Include healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, olives, salmon, walnuts, almonds, and flaxseed. Remember that healthy fats are still calorie-dense, so portion sizes matter.

• Avoid overloading on fats from fast food and highly processed foods.

• Move as much as you can every day. It doesn’t have to be a formal workout. Every bit of movement counts.

• Give carbs some company! Pair carbohydrate-containing foods with protein, fiber, or healthy fats. For example, I enjoy my banana with full-fat yogurt. This can help moderate the blood sugar response.

• Berries are often a great fruit choice because they contain fiber and tend to have a lower glycemic impact.

• Reach for greens at lunch.

• Stay hydrated. I try to make drinking water a priority throughout the day.

• Avoid highly processed foods when possible and prepare meals from scratch. Buying pre-cut squash and other vegetables can be a real time-saver!

• Learn about the glycemic index and how different foods affect your blood sugar. Keep in mind that the glycemic index is only one piece of the puzzle.

• Pay attention to portion sizes, but don’t starve yourself. Eat balanced meals and learn to recognize when you are comfortably full.

I also believe we need to be careful about becoming so obsessed with controlling food that we lose touch with our natural hunger and fullness cues. Children need access to healthy choices, and we need to learn to trust our own bodies, too.

My Continuous Glucose Monitor Has Been Life-Changing

One of the most helpful tools in my journey has been wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

Unfortunately, insurance generally does not cover the cost for people with prediabetes who are not using glucose-lowering medication, so I have been paying out of pocket.

I have tried both the Freestyle Libre and the over-the-counter options, Stelo and Lingo, over the past six months. In my experience, the Libre sensors seem to stay on better and may be more accurate, although everyone’s experience can differ.

I finally settled on Stelo because I can view my glucose readings on my smartwatch. That makes it much easier to see what is happening without constantly pulling out my phone.

The frustrating part? These sensors are supposed to last two weeks, but mine sometimes fall off early. I suspect water aerobics and my frequent bathing contribute to the problem. There are overpatches available that help keep them in place, but it is still frustrating when a $40–$45 sensor doesn’t last its full two weeks.

Despite the frustrations, being able to see how my body responds to different foods has been incredibly valuable.

I can experiment, learn, and make more informed choices. It has helped me understand that not all carbohydrates affect everyone the same way, and that I don’t necessarily have to give up every food I enjoy.

Why This Matters

Prediabetes often has no noticeable symptoms. You can feel perfectly fine while your blood sugar is elevated.

Type 2 diabetes can also develop silently. Some people eventually experience increased thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, or blurred vision.

Without intervention, prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes, although that progression is not inevitable. Both conditions are associated with increased risks of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, nerve damage, and vision problems over time.

I don’t share this because I have all the answers. I share it because I know how easy it is to ignore a diagnosis, especially when you feel fine.

I also know how discouraging it can be to lose weight only to gain it back.

This time, I am trying to focus less on a temporary diet and more on creating a healthier lifestyle that I can sustain as I grow older.

Nearly 30 pounds down. Feeling better. Moving more. Learning every day.

And still enjoying my bananas, apples, and popcorn!

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, please don’t wait until you have symptoms to take it seriously. Small, consistent changes can make a meaningful difference.

We deserve to age well.

It’s work, but we’re well worth it!

I have a serious love for ice cream, and I’m not willing to give it up entirely. Yes, it occasionally means breaking my “clean eating” rule, but life is meant to be enjoyed, too! I’ve discovered some great Carb Smart products that allow me to indulge my sweet tooth while being more mindful of my carbohydrate intake. It’s all about finding a balance that works for me. I don’t believe healthy living should mean giving up every food you love. Sometimes a little ice cream for the soul is just as important as eating your greens!

Sent from my iPhone

Change

This was a post I made a year ago. So many changes for Lisa (and us) since then. One of my favorite hymns is Abide With Me. I have sang it over and over during difficult times. Some of the words are “change and decay in all around I see. O thou who changest 

not, abide with me.” Lisa continues to be happy and content but we are s-l-o-w-l-y losing her whether it’s due to the stroke or dementia, it doesn’t matter. We just appreciate every day we get to see her smile. 

“ I took Lisa for a recheck on her elbow yesterday and it is healed and she is as fully functional as she will ever be with the arthritis throughout her body. What struck me was how happy and cheerful she was to everyone we met. She wasn’t focused on that she had to wear a mask or that we had to walk quite a bit (for her) from the parking lot to the check in to the ortho clinic and then to X-ray and then back to the ortho clinic and down the long hallway to an exam room. Here’s what she focused on....the housekeeper stocking shelves in the hallway...”how’s your day?”.... the nurse taking her vitals...”I like your shoes”.... and the teeny finger wave she gave another nurse. She doesn’t see size or color or what position they hold. Although she is a 50 year old woman and not a child, she is childlike in her purity, authenticity and spontaneity. There are times in her past when I’ve tried to change her but in my maturity I have learned to just enjoy her for who she is. Everyone should have a Lisa to hang out with! Have a great day! #wearamaskforher”

Going Camping!

 Our family has always loved to go camping. Perhaps it’s because we started our married life in the little town of White Earth ND which was less than an hour from Lake Sakakawea. We started with a borrowed tent and moved up to a tent we bought, then a pop up camper and then a pull behind camper and finally an over the hood pickup camper. We also liked to snowmobile but Lisa does not tolerate cold well so going camping was our go to activity. Camping was fun because we could all be together and it was what we could afford to do. We had to eat whether we stayed home or went camping so the greatest cost was our time in getting ready and cleaning up each week. We went nearly every weekend in the summer while the kids were home. We often went with my sisters and their families. My sisters and I would visit about who would bring and prepare what food for the weekend. There was much laughter and food and of course sunburn and everyone was welcome to camp with us. Lisa had tubes in her ears for most of her childhood so she could sit in the water and splash but couldn’t swim because she had to keep her ears dry. She loved the water and playing in the sand. Of course the kids all had extra treats and pop while we were camping so they loved it. Lisa also enjoyed going to summer camp at various locations. Summer was fun and Lisa loved it! 

To Do Lists

 To Do Lists

 

Today is cool and windy so it’s a good day to check things off my to-do list before fishing and pontooning starts.  There’s also the countdown to our 50^th Anniversary party on June 26^th and our lake home is now 10 years old and in some serious need of care.  I swear that I have been trying to downsize for at least 15 years and with my asthma acting up when there’s dust on all of our stuff, the “to-do” list is long and probably unrealistic. I have always been a list maker and like to check things off as I do them.  Evidently, I passed that trait on to Lisa.  I remember that I started to leave her to do lists in the summer so that her days had some structure and she truly was a big help to me.  Her biggest chores were to empty the dishwasher and later to wash clothes.  

 

I was delighted when I came home from work one day and she had written a to do list for me!! Her room used to be filled with paper lists she had made for others. She made others their grocery lists as well as their to do lists.  I think it is so neat that we raised women who are leaders…we used to say “bossy” but that’s no longer politically correct.  Lisa loved directing others and I would have to remind her that she was not the CEO of the organization but would have to take direction too.  She would get upset when others tried to direct her.  

 

Not everyone has that need or drive to be in control but Lisa certainly does and I love it! It may have been difficult directing those bossy women when they were teenagers but it’s been fun watching them as they mature and direct their own lives. After high school, Lisa lived in Williston for awhile until we decided to move her to Minot.  During the transition, she had to live in Crosby and the transition took longer than any of us wanted.  One day she came into the kitchen and said “Mom, when can I get a life of my own?”  

 

I am grateful to staff who let her look at  the choices on the menu for the day and let her choose her clothing and socks to match. That gives her a little control over her life where she has lost so much control. 

 

So here’s to leaders and to do lists and getting things done.  Be like Lisa!!

 

“We plan the way we live, but only God makes us able to live it.” Proverbs 16:9 

The Message Bible

 

 

 

 

Jokes and Laughter

Years ago, Lisa’s staff and I consulted a psychiatrist to discuss some behavior issues that Lisa was having. The psychiatrist told us that he saw Lisa as someone who loved to have fun and if she didn’t have fun at work or with the everyday chores of life, she might react with bad behavior. He was a wise man and he helped to change our approach with her and indeed her bad behavior went away. Lisa loves to have fun and to joke. It’s so fun to see her laugh until her face is contorted and until she snorts. It’s hard to get her to laugh that hard since her stroke but that doesn’t mean that she has lost her need to have fun. This is one of her favorite jokes and before her stroke she wrote me a note about her love of the “pig story”. A guy found this pig on the side of the road... Not knowing what to do with it, he brought it over to the police station to ask what he should do with it. The policeman tells him to take the pig to the zoo. A couple weeks later the same police officer was on highway patrol and he sees the same guy driving in his convertible with the pig lounging in the passenger seat, wearing a bathing suit and sunglasses. The police officer, pulls the guy over and says, "Hey you! What are you still doing with this pig? I thought I told you to take it to the zoo!" "Well officer," the guy replies, "I did take it to the zoo, and then last weekend I took it to get ice cream, and now I'm taking it to the beach!"

Work

Lisa has tried various jobs throughout her adult life. There’s been a lot of trial and error to find just the right fit for her. We will always have a soft spot for Taco John’s as she’s worked at the one in Williston and also the one in Devils Lake. She worked over the noon rush hour and her job was to sweep the floor and to wipe off tables. She was very focused on her tasks. Customers didn’t really appreciate when she was sweeping and ordered them to “move” as they were putting in their order! When she was in Minot, she worked at a recycling Center for awhile. I don’t think she liked the hours which were 11am to 7pm. She was used to getting home by 4 or 5pm and getting her jammies on and having her evening meal so working until 7 pm did not appeal to her so I think she figured out how to get fired. She deliberately put plastic in the glass bin or glass in the paper bin! Oh, Lisa! Most recently she cleaned at a bar/restaurant before it opened in the morning. I had to pick her up from her job a few times and I was impressed with her work and how she knew how to punch in and out on an I-pad. She was hesitant at first but learned to take pride in her work and love it. Her best job and all of her loyalty went to her job working at a Second hand store in Stanley. She considered the store manager, Nancy, her best friend. They joked and laughed and worked together all day long. Lisa would change out clothes for the season or dust or organize shelves. She always found treasures she wanted and started to sneak things into her bags to take home so we worked out a system for her to set things aside and once a week, Arden or I would look at her treasures and say yes or no to them and buy the ones we said yes to! Sometimes she chose toys for her niece and nephew that were too young for them….she forgot that they were growing up or she would choose clothing of the wrong size or too similar to something she already had. Anyway, she worked there for nearly 10 years and loved every minute. At the end of her day at the second hand store, she had another part time job. A staff person drove her around to businesses and Lisa would hop out and go into the business and get things they wanted to mail out. After they finished their rounds, they would take those items to the post office. One time the driver wondered why Lisa wasn’t coming out of the bank she’d gone into so the staff person went in to investigate. The bank staff had invited Lisa in for cake and ice cream at a birthday party they were having for someone so of course Lisa joined them without letting her driver know! Oh, Lisa! I hope and pray that you can and do have fun at work!

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 (NIV) I recently re-read the book Angel Unaware which was written by Dale Evans in the 1950’s. Dale Evans was a singer, actress, writer, speaker and cowgirl who was married to the cowboy singer/actor Roy Rogers. The book is about their daughter, Robin who was born with Down Syndrome. It is told from Robin’s point of view in heaven. Both of my parents loved to read and we were so thankful for the county bookmobile where we could check out books. It stopped at our country school during the school year and stopped in our farmyard in the summer. I think it came every 2 weeks. We would all place the books we had gotten on the kitchen table so Mom could count them and write the number of books on the calendar for when the bookmobile came the next time. Mom was short and after 6 children in 9 years she had bad varicose veins so she often sat on a stool in the kitchen while she worked. She would sit on that stool while she stirred our supper with one hand and held a book in her other hand. I would often ask her what she was reading. I remember her telling me about the book Angel Unaware. I wonder if that influenced me in our decision for Lisa to come into our home? I know we were influenced by the concern of over-population at that time so we had no qualms of accepting a child who was not born to us. Lisa is definitely the work of the Holy Spirit in giving us just the right child (as He did with all of our children) and in giving us a child who gave as much to us as we gave to her. Truly a miracle and a blessing. Lisa continues to struggle with her speech, comprehension and memory. She is content and pain free so we are happy with that. I’ve been in Van Hook for a week but will drive to Fargo tomorrow. I will go to Fargo every 7-10 days throughout the summer. She is so excited to see me or anyone else in the family. Visiting is sporadic for other family members as the facility is on lockdown off and on when a staff person tests positive for Covid. They continue to grant me compassionate visits for which I am thankful. I believe there are many people in our lives who are angels and they are not always recognizable. It’s easy to be friendly or hospitable to those who look like us or to those that we know. But Angels may come in all kinds of disguises. They may be dirty and messy and crude and they may have lessons to teach us and wisdom to impart. I concentrate really hard when Lisa and others with speech impediments talk because I don’t want to miss what they have to say. If you keep your eyes and ears open, there can be a lot of ministering done in a bar or other places where the lost and lonely hang out. Arden is very good at that kind of ministry. He is non-judgmental and loves to hear people’s stories. He has taught me to listen despite appearances or pre-conceived ideas of a person. I wish I had learned this years ago but I guess it’s better late than never! Thank you agai

n for all of the cards and gifts that you are sending to Lisa. She loves getting your mail and looking at the cards. God Bless You!!