Close Encounter of a Certain Kind.

It seems so long I have not started a new post. We experience different kind of encounters, some  bad some blissful some life threatening! Some we may live to tell some we may not live to share.

There are people who need a stent or a bypass to survive, other a pacemaker. Still other have to live with diabetes, high cholesteral or high blood pressure.

Had my quarterly appointment with the doctor yesterday after a delay of one month. My reading for glucose shot through the roof, 14 and above. Doctor asks me, Dan wat to do? Strange question you are the doctor you tell me wat to do? Doctor wants to hear from my mouth. He knows that I have put it off for more than three years.

I said okay, let’s do it, put me on insulin. For the last four months I chose not to take my medications. Someone  told me that virgin coconut oil is good for me so I took two bottles  courtesy of a friend. After consuming the two bottles, I got no better.

A nurse show me how to take the insulin, one before breakfast and another before dinner. First, wash you hands, use a alcohol swab to clean your stomach, put the needle in two fingers from the navel. I used to faint at the sight of a needle. Here I inserted it in stomach and feel nothing, no pain not even a ant bite.

It was a breeze going though the process, all my fear were unfounded. I wish I have done it earlier. Last night I slept soundly through the night, waking up at 9:30am and feeling very good. So my friend if you see be taking out my shirt before dinner, encourage me on. It would be better too if I say a prayer!

Whatever we may go through in life, let’s try to accept it and hope for the best. Do you have a worse scenerios than this?

Desperate Dan

34 thoughts on “Close Encounter of a Certain Kind.”

  2. Hi Dan

    Sori to hear about your medical condition. Do take care and listen to the doctor’s advice.

    Ref: your second last para, yes, prayer changes things; do your best and God will do the rest. Also God only helps those who help themselves.

    Let me end with this quote:

    “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think..”

    Cheers and get well soon,
    G

  4. Hi Gabriella,

    Appreciate, this a life long process and I shall do what is necessary. Too many things to do and experience in life and I will not want to miss out.

    Yes, prayer is our legacy, I shall tap on it!

    Dan

  5. Hi Dan… stay courageous. I know it’s not easy, having a health challenge. But hang in there, and make the most out of life, as it comes along. Remain cheerful, as you are, always.

    Shalom,
    LydiaC.

  6. Hi Dan,

    I am new to SHC and log in just to reply you. Change your diet and lifestyle. I was diagnosed with Type II daibetes 4 years back. Went on medication and regular check up. Change my diet to a fibre base and exercise regularly. Dropped 7 kg in the process and now off medication and have no signs of diabetes in my check up for the last 3 years.

    Still sticking to a discipline diet and exercise though do eat durian once a while. Never felt better in my life. Now my taste repulse salt and sugar.

    You can do it.

    Leon

  9. Hi Dan. it is indeed a difficult time for you..
    It is overwhelming when one is facing such issues. But i hope that we can look around us to see that other people’s issue may be worse than yours. At least, diabetes is a chronic but controllable and still predictable ailment. For those who are suffering from cancer, stroke, etc – they are in the midst of greater uncertainties and sufferings. Let us pray for all to get better.

  10. Hi Inez,

    I dun see it as a difficult time for me as long as there is breath in me I will enjoy with wat I have. I brought this upon myself for my indulgences is not restricting my diet and not having a proper exercise regime.

    No more char kway tio, laksa, lontong, deserts and all the fried and oily foods. Probably need to go on a vegetarian diet.

    Yes, there is sufferings and pains in the midst of us which we are not aware of. So, to those who are healthy and of a sound mind, count your blessings and name them one by one.

    Why I am sharing here is I hope to attract those who are going through some health maladies to confront them and hoping to come together to share and support one another.

    Dan

  11. Hi Dan,

    Sorry to hear of your maladies. But having read Leon’s comments, they look pretty good advice, especially from a practitioner. You should try to give it a go.

    Stay strong and stay connected.

    Cheers

  13. Gabriella,

    How come you cannot see? Something long?

    Anyway Leon just says he had Diabetes for 4 years but with medication, fruits and veges and exercise, all his Diabetes disappeared. Now he does not take salt and sugar.

    So just exercise and take fruits and veges. Simper lidat

  14. Hi Dan,

    V. sorry to hear you have chronic diabetes and on insulin.

    My ex colleague who had many years of diabetes suddenly fed up and did NOT take his medication for a few months. He is now courting with death.

    His left leg has gangrene n was AMPUTATED not once but twice and is now wheel chair bound. Now the skin on his right leg is turning black too. It is a matter of time that the other leg too had to go.

    Before getting diabetes he loves to eat pei kah ( stewed pig knuckles with lots of fats ) but seldom exercise. :(

  15. Hi Charles,

    Thanks for the kind words. Yes, on Leon’s experiences I see there is hope ahead.

    Gabriella, a good question which you brought up and I have no answer. Two comments are now in limbo and only admin can clarify. I dare not add further.

    Steven, must you paint such a beautiful picture? Indeed pig trotters is one of my favourite. So is curry and laksa.

    Dan

  16. my reading : 5.2 or 94.55mg/dl
    safe range : 3.90 – 6.40 mmoI/L or 71-116mg/dl
    (5.5 mmoI/L =100mg/dl)
    100-125mg/di is pre-diabetics; above 240 is type 2 diabetic

    It is not true that you eat laksa, char kway teow, pig trotter etc or sugar or salt you get diabetic nor taking lots of fruits will save you

    I have been eating lots of these food, sugar and salt from age 20s-40s and I hardly take vegetable or fruits too (now I don’t eat these food nor sugar because my taste has changed – I enjoy eating rice, bread)
    I also do not think exercise more will save you.
    I think it is more likely your eating habits from 5-20s and gene that play the part

  17. Thanks, Christina, for sharing.

    I have never had checks for diabetes, so I have no idea what is my state of health regarding this.

    Like you, I hardly eat fruits, perhaps once in ten years though I kinda take vegetables (which I love) when I feel I should do my body a favor and buy and cook them.

    When I do cook certain vegetables, they are blanched in unsalted water for about 20 seconds and tossed in olive oil and minced garlic.

    I do tone up (hopefully daily) such as sit-ups (which we all hate), squats etc which certainly help in looking toned, just so the jeans would fit; not certain if it helps with the diabetic problem though.

    Yes, gene does play the part and whatever our eating habits way back then will certainly affect us now but I think it is still good to do some form of exercise to keep the oxygenated blood circulated to give us the feel-good after glow, whether or not it will help with type 2 diabetes.

    When I next go home, I must have laksa, char kway teow and pig trotters as I miss them.

  18. be of good cheer Dan, everything is in the hand of your sovereign almighty!
    we should always breakdown the rest of our meaningful life into manageable and mendable portions. still playing badminton i hope. Do your best and your almighty will do the rest!

  19. Hi Christina,

    If it is in my gene I will have to accept it. So I can continue to indulge in my favourite pastime that is eating the kind of foods I craves?

    Geraldine, I can imagine you doing sit-ups and squats at this point in life. No wonder you have that top heavy delight if you know wat I mean.

    Feztus, I will manage as there are so many friend out there who care and share. Yes, today we played and we missed you as there were not enough players.

    Sorry Lydia and Leon both your comments are in suspense animation and I cannot response to you. Please check with admin why.

    Dan

  20. Hi Dan,

    It sometimes does need some ” waking up prodding ” by the Doc to warn you abt stepping on the “Red Line” eh?? Good for you. Control your diet , switch on your will power ..learn to say no / avoid those unhealthy food. Take more BRISK walks, breathing exercises like qigong. cycling, swimming ,etc
    We sure would like to see you around for the long term eh?
    stay healthy, be happy..have a great sense of humour..

    Cheers ! Seeing you soon!

    Ronald Lam

  22. It is good to remind ourselves aptly that “RESPONSIBILITY BEGINS WITH ME TAKING CHARGE OF MY CHRONIC ILLNESSES, WHATEVER THEY ARE.” Only the striken can take proactive steps to contain their chronic illnesses from worsening to the point of saying the last goodbye(from fatal kidney or liver failure). I have heard of a serious diabetic case of a sufferer abroad waking up one morning to find himself totally blind forever. Losing a leg to diabetes, although bad enough, is not as worse off as total blindness. At least the one-legged fellow can walk on crutches and feed himself.
    Blessings,

  24. Hi Big Boss Dan(Head of our Westerlies Group),

    Oh yeah, I totally agree with Geraldine Ting #1,

    When you take off your shirt in your dining room with open windows, all the homemakers in your neighbouring block will have the chance to peep at your muscular V-shaped upper torso and bulging arm muscles like the evergreen moviestar Mr. Terminator.

    Blessings,

  25. Hi Ronald,

    Yes, we tend to take for granted that all is well without realising that what we sow we reap. Thanks for the encouraging words.

    I used to skip breafast, now I cheerfully boil water every morning for my quaker oats, add an egg and a banana. Now I got to think of more topping like cranberries, almond seeds, bird seeds and wat else?

    Terry, you have kept yourselves in good form, how did you do it? Indeed I have to worry about a lot of resulting complications.

    If I have those muscular V-shaped upper torso, then there is nothing to worry about but I dun. Should I need a jab before dinner it will be done discreetly, maybe under the table so that the girls won’t peep.

    Dan

  27. Hi Dan #25

    You can get mixed berries (cranberries, yellow, brown raisins and the elongated yellow raisins, blueberries, wolfberries) and mixed seeds (sunflower, pine and pumpkin seeds and sliced almonds) from Pat’s Oven in Parkway Parade (Basement) – near the Cedele cake shop to add to your oats. Can also add fresh milk or soya milk. This will give you a bowl of really nutritious breakfast. Moreover, oats will lower one’s cholesterol.

    Just speaking from my own experience.

    Cheers & take care,
    G

  28. Dan

    I like to mix oaks with multi grain (oats, wheat, rice), a little bit of milk, a teaspoon of honey instead of sugar and to make it crunchy, I sprinkle cereal on top but do not mix them into the oak mixture and eat immediately, otherwise the cereal will become soggy.

    This makes the otherwise very textureless oat meal more interesting to consume.

  29. Hi Dan:
    I had Diabetes Type II and presently on oral medication.
    My blood glucose reading is “up and down’ like a “yoyo”,
    at times it would be overwhelming/daunting task and you felt you are fighting a “losing battle”.

    A recent session with Dietician at Diabetic Society S’pore at Boon Keng Branch, he set me with 4 focus areas for monitoring and my personal targets for next review in 3 months’ time.

    Here are the 4 focus areas which I would like to share with fellow diabetes patients:
    1) Consistency in medicine taking (no skipping for whatever reason)
    2)Eat home cooked breakfast like oats, wholemeal bread, etc.
    3)Outside meals in this order of merit:-
    Firstly soapy dishes eg yong tau hoo soap, fish ball soap
    Secondly less oily food and thirdly fried foods (if cant find anything else)
    4)Exercise at your own pace and timing eg morning brisk walking but remember not to over-stress yourself otherwise it would become a chore and you might end up not doing it at all.

    Anyway I hope I can get 2 out of 4 then qualify for passing my next review.

    Hope to be of help to those who need it.

    Cheerio
    Maureen Lee

  30. John,

    #26 Very profound statement, thanks for the thought!

    Gabriella, so many nice toppings to go with the oats. Now I may have oats for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    Geraldine, yes honey, milk and cereal was wat I now added to make it more palatable.

    Maureen, appreciate your stepping forward to share. Thanks also for the great tips. I now avoid oily and friend foods and opt for yong tau fu and fish soups and porridge.

    Dan

  31. Hello Dan,

    I am also a diabetic (type 11) on oral medication.

    Just like Maureen, my Glucose test readings fluctuate whenever I have visitors Otherwise, they are at acceptable levels. So.. I would laugh and say that my diabetes is Visitor/festival-induced. Hahaha.

    On a more serious note,
    Generally, I eat steamed/boiled foods and high fibre rice Monday to Friday and eat out with family on weekends. We do use salt, sugar and oil in our cooking but only minimally.

    Drinking tea/coffee-See is an acquired taste. Sipping it slowly helps you make the change more pleasant.

    Drizzle olive/sesame oil on your steamed meat, fish and veges will cut down oil w/o missing it drastly in your foods.

    Try use chillies in lemon juice and alittle soya sauce or spices to flavour your foods if you nust have some salt. Our body does need a little salt, fat and sugar but Not to over indulge on these.

    You do not have to give up your favourite foods but lessening the portions is a good practice.Try lessening by 30% then 40% or as instructed by your Dietician, if you have one.

    When you reduce your food and sugar intakes, you’ll need to monitor your Glucose Level and may need to adjust your Insulin too.Important to work with your Doctor on this.

    Remember to take your medication as instructed.

    With all the encouragement from fellow SHCians, I am confident that accepting and learning to live with Diabetes and its treatment will be your new life-style. Hope that you may be able to achieve good reports from the regukar blood tests and be downgraded to oral medication someday.

    My 2 cents worth of advece.

    Geok Suan.

  32. Hi Geok Suan,

    Appreciate that you are willing to share your experiences with us. I would like to thank Leon for sharing too. It seems that will proper control of diet and exercise I can be totally free of this malady.

    Now I am on oats everyday, dried cranberries and honey are added, I have recently bought a big bottle of Bovril to enhance the oats taste, dun know whether it is the right thing to do?

    Dan

  33. I am back with some good news. Today at the clinic my glucose level went down to 8.1 from 14. 7 is a safe level. I am jubilated with the improvement, there is still hope for me to recover fully.

    The insulin work wonder and thanks to Jonathan I am taking Glucoscare together with the jab.

    How now, my durian trip is on tomolo, should I go?

    Dan

  34. Dan,

    I am glad to note that your glucose level is down to safe level. Keep it up! Give yourself a “pat”. If you could, try to include some regular light exercises (tai chi, walking,dancing,etc.) in your daily life. Exercise will help your body to lower the sugar level and keep you well. All the best and hope to see you fit and healthy.

    JL2e

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