A Lesson on Diabetes

Kathy, Julie, Judy, and Kimberly Jeffries

 



Working to get out of the two hundreds is quite a challenge. I have to keep reminding myself that I need to focus on one goal at a time. This was a good week for me. Never give up; never surrender is my new phrase for this year. I have given up drinking pop, and I have been drinking a lot of water. I have also been focusing more on portion control. This is my new lifestyle, and I believe that it is working for me.

The lifestyle that I have been living mirrors the healthy choices that Kimberly Jeffries R.N., C.D.E. gave us during our meeting, which was recorded and is listed as episode #5 on our podcast page. She explained the importance of portion control and daily balance during our meeting. I wanted to stand up and clap! This is the lifestyle that works for me. Kimberly told us how diabetes is changing the lives of more and more people every day. There are people that have diabetes who do not even know it.

Here are some of the possible symptoms of diabetes/hyperglycemia

·         Blurred vision

·         Fatigue or drowsiness

·         Extreme thirst and or hunger

·         Increased urination (especially at night)

·         Sudden unexplained weight loss

·         Non healing wounds

When I was a little girl, I saw my grandmother give herself insulin shots in her hip, arm, and stomach.  She said the shot never hurt, but when I looked at the needle I almost passed out. She was a fantastic cook, and she loved cooking for her family. She struggled daily with diabetes.  Some of my family members have diabetes, so I felt like I knew a lot about diabetes, but Kimberly taught me so much more about this growing epidemic.  When I worked at a school I helped take care of a child who had diabetes.  I really enjoyed being a part of that student’s life.  Sometimes I could see my grandmother’s face when she was getting a shot of insulin. She was so young and so strong. I admire that little girl that worked hard to eat a balanced diet. She did very well for her age. I look back now, and I need to be more like this little girl. She inspired me, and I need to follow her example.  Kimberly also inspired me to work on improving my diet. Kimberly explained a lot to us about how to control diabetes and how to eat healthy to prevent or manage diabetes. Knowledge is power, whether you are trying to prevent diabetes all together or whether you are trying to prevent it from taking over your health. I love when she said “You cannot starve diabetes down.” You need to eat, and you have to eat on time. This is a lifestyle we all should live by, even if we do not have diabetes. We all need to come together, and help each other learn more about this health crisis that is affecting our community.

I would like to thank Marion General Hospital and Kimberly for taking the time to teach us all a valuable lesson about diabetes. Kimberly saves lives every day by passing on her knowledge to those around her, and we are very grateful to have people like Kimberly that work to promote healthy living in our community!      Julie