I Drove Myself to the Hospital

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I had chest pains for awhile. I wasn’t sure if it was from reflux, diabetes, asthma, or what…but it was left-sided pain. I went and walked about 2 miles last Sunday afternoon and about a half hour later, had chest pains with burning. It didn’t go away. And the pain moved around. And it was more severe. And everyone in my family dies of heart attacks and strokes. Yikes.

So, after trying to rationalize the pain…and I couldn’t, I drove myself to the ER. It felt rather silly, but then, I thought, if I croak at home, that isn’t good either, and I don’t think I am bad off enough for an ambulance. “I am driving myself to the hospital.” I got a good parking spot outside of the ER.

My EKG and my cardiac enzymes were okay.

But they kept me and did more tests, including a stress test and two nuc med tests. I asked if I could get an echo too, since I was there.

Everything came back okay. I kind of jumped in the hallway because I was so happy.

I ordered Jenny’s book today. Everything she says makes sense. And more.

I don’t know if I am going to go to the “Diabetic Education” I was set up to go to. They are associated with the American Diabetes Association. Just ask me what I think of the ADA!

I would probably get mad at them and tell them what I really think. I have had to work really hard to get to where I am in medicine, and I don’t sit well with someone telling me misinformation. I see fatty livers on a daily basis, and just last week, I met someone like myself, who is Type 2. Years ago I went to ADA dieticians, and I couldn’t believe their “diet.” They told me it is a myth that diabetics can’t eat sugar or what others eat. “Just eat smaller amounts” they cooed. Well, that is like someone saying, “have one bite” because it sets up the sugar/carb cravings. I do better without ANY. Smaller amounts, eh…why drive oneself nuts trying to measure and weigh and such of those foods?

I am now learning to forgive myself for becoming fat. I used the fat word, not the “blithely challenged” or whatever…I thought all this time, I just wasn’t doing things right or well enough. But now I know what really happened, and it wasn’t my fault.

I remember my last family reunion, and the hints from relatives about how great Weight Watchers is and how so-and-so lost 30 pounds…

I have changed how I eat. I am eating LOWEST on the food chain, which is low in refined carbs. I do love vegetables and am glad for that. I just wish they would quit feeding fish all that mercury…

I am glad I have another chance, that I am okay. I was only in the hospital for 2 days, but you should have seen the diabetic meals they gave me. It was a joke. And they took my blood sugar readings always before I ate. “Don’t eat just yet, we have to test your blood sugar.” I asked why they didn’t test me 2 hours after I ate. No one knew why…but the staff was awesome. Really good people. Like the people on this forum.

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Glad you’re ok!

I can relate to the hospital food. What a joke! I wouldn’t eat most of my “diabetic” meals & got reprimanded by the nurses. C’mon honey, you really should eat your potatoes to get your strength back. HA! Not that I would eat it anyway, but the bread they had was white bread. Sugar-free jello & pasta. Meatloaf & corn & beans. Sandwiches on huge pieces of white bread Texas toast. Every meal was loaded with carbs & far more than I ate before being diagnosed. Hospital saved my life & then were slowly killing me.

Jenny’s book is great & get Dr. Bernstein’s Diabetic Solution, too.

Eat small fish. The smaller they are, the less mercury they’ve accumulated. Sad.

Happy new year!

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They think it was actually true heartburn but were not sure. All I wanted to know is that it wasn’t my heart. My Xrays looked okay with my lungs, too.
I have had acid reflux, but it never felt like that, so that is why I was suspicious, with most of my family members dying of heart disease.

Saundra, I know what you mean about the ADA recipes. They believe we can eat what everyone eats, only in smaller amounts. To me, it sets up cravings, and I think cravings have a lot to do with our blood sugar. I don’t see any reason to eat the foods that are bad for people in small amounts.

Heck, vets tell us not to give certain foods to our pets. Those foods are not good for us either.

I don’t believe that sugary foods make us diabetic either, like the insurance companies would have us believe.

Renee, thank you for your kind words! All “Renee’s” are great. (My daughter is a Renee!)

Gerri, they would take my blood sugar before I ate, and say, “Ohhhh, you’re blood sugar is nice and low.” I would say, “Sure it is, I haven’t eaten in hours.” I told them they are supposed to take it about 1 1/2 to 2 hours after a meal. Of course the techs didn’t make the rules and were just doing their jobs.

One nurse came in and asked me what insulin resistance was, and I told her. She was heavy, and I think she may have been curious. I told her what happened with me…

One meal, considered “LOW CARB” for diabetic, that they fed me, was scathingly ADA!!

Chicken sandwich on white bread
Potato salad (ahahhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa)
White roll (more laughs)
A salad, which I requested with oil and vinegar, not the dietetic dressings.
Diet Jello, which I cannot eat because Aspartame gives me headaches
White cake, which they called Angel Food cake, a small piece with whipped something or other.

You know the “Angel Food Cake” is really ADA…they have been hawking this for years. “You can have Angel Food cake”…because it is “LOW FAT”…but heck, it is full of white flour and sugar…and white flour IS sugar. A starch is just a Large Sugar Molecule!!

I will try to get the Bernstein book, can’t wait to get Jenny’s book. I saw she got top ratings for her book on Amazon!