About 7 or 8 years ago - I really don't remember when - I was
suffering. I was exhausted ALL the time to the point where I would
become too tired to sit up and have to lie on the sofa. I knew
something was wrong but I didn't know what it could be. Then I
developed the "Case of the Never ending Crotch Rot". I mean I
would medicate this yeast infection and it would go away for 2 days
and then come back with a vengeance. It was driving me insane but
I had no insurance so I kept trying to self-medicate.
Finally, in desperation, I decided to go to a walk-in clinic and see if
a prescription would work any better. This doctor was really cold
and impersonal and after leaving me waiting in the room half naked
- which was really cold - for a long time. She finally came in and
said they would need a second blood test. GREAT! I waited again
for a very long time. Eventually she returned and told me in an
accusatory tone, "You have diabetes. What are you going to do
about it?"
My God! I was numb. How the hairy heck did I know what to do
about it? Wasn't that her job? She prescribed medicine for the
yeast and put me on Glyburide and wasn't nice to me in any way.
(She's still waiting to be paid too - I don't respond well to nasty
people - lol).
Well I was good as gold for a long time but then I just got lax and,
while I continued to take my medicines. I started to get an "I don't
wanna attitude" and started to eat whatever I wanted to eat. The
medicines helped though and I only got yeast infections maybe 3
times over the coming year.
I started seeing a doctor at the medical offices on my street and I
adored that doctor. I had done business with him at a previous job
I had and we were old pals, but he soon had a stroke and his doctor
made him retire. The doctor who bought his practice was nice and
she hired a dietician but the dietician didn't know Jack about
diabetes and suggested I have breakfast cereal with water - can you
imagine? Needless to say I kept the doctor but not her dietician.
A while later the practice was sold again, but I learned that the
Public Health Department had a clinic that worked on a sliding
payment scale so I started going there. That was the best thing I
ever did - finally - doctors, et al who didn't need to be concerned
with payment! All they care about is the patient's health. I've been
there probably 6 years now and I have a wonderful doctor who
listens and who treats me like an intelligent person and who
allowed me to figure out how much insulin I need. I still take
Glucovance too and the "dire rear" is no picnic but one takes the
good with the bad.
When I discovered ADI. I was still pretty much eating anything I
wanted but taking medicine. Then Marilyn said the magic words
and it hit me what I was doing to myself. I had so little
understanding of this condition - and the medical pros don't seem
to really understand it either. I guess you have to live with it to
really know. Suffice it to say that my recent AC1 and cholesterol
tests are proof of the efficacy of the information disseminated in
this group - to say nothing of the value of having the support of
people who truly understand and know of which they speak - lol. I
wouldn't trade ADI and the friends I have made here for anything -
not even a cure,
ok maybe for a cure for all of us .......... lol!
Donna "Rusty" Douglas
Virginia, USA
16th Edition- Nov 2006