Discover the transformative power of knowledge and support on your journey with diabetes, as we host Tracy Thornton Wesley, author of "Living Better with Diabetes." Tracy turns the spotlight on essential diabetes management insights, from distinguishing type 1 and type 2, to recognizing ketoacidosis and the profound impact of diet on blood sugar levels. Our conversation goes beyond the medical aspects, diving into the heart of community empowerment and the importance of accessible resources, especially in Black and Brown communities where diabetes education is crucial.
Advocating for yourself or a loved one living with diabetes can be daunting, but it's a vital step on the path to wellness. Tracy and I navigate through the importance of professional guidance, as well as the invaluable role of family and caregivers in providing support. We touch on the nuances of navigating healthcare systems, the necessity of having an advocate during doctor's visits, and how to hold effective conversations with healthcare providers to ensure that patients' needs remain the central focus. Our episode highlights the power of patient empowerment and its impact on improving health outcomes.
As we conclude, Tracy leaves us with practical tips for monitoring blood sugar levels and embracing the latest advancements in diabetes technology for a more seamless management experience. We also ponder the delicate dance between maintaining health and indulging in life's pleasures, offering creative ways to enjoy food within diabetic health guidelines. Join us in a closing moment of reflection, as we offer a prayer for strength and healing for those living with diabetes, grateful for the knowledge that empowers us to navigate this condition with courage and faith. Tracy Thornton Wesley's inspiring message is a beacon of hope for anyone looking to live better with diabetes.
Discover the transformative power of knowledge and support on your journey with diabetes, as we host Tracy Thornton Wesley, author of "Living Better with Diabetes." Tracy turns the spotlight on essential diabetes management insights, from distinguishing type 1 and type 2, to recognizing ketoacidosis and the profound impact of diet on blood sugar levels. Our conversation goes beyond the medical aspects, diving into the heart of community empowerment and the importance of accessible resources, especially in Black and Brown communities where diabetes education is crucial.
Advocating for yourself or a loved one living with diabetes can be daunting, but it's a vital step on the path to wellness. Tracy and I navigate through the importance of professional guidance, as well as the invaluable role of family and caregivers in providing support. We touch on the nuances of navigating healthcare systems, the necessity of having an advocate during doctor's visits, and how to hold effective conversations with healthcare providers to ensure that patients' needs remain the central focus. Our episode highlights the power of patient empowerment and its impact on improving health outcomes.
As we conclude, Tracy leaves us with practical tips for monitoring blood sugar levels and embracing the latest advancements in diabetes technology for a more seamless management experience. We also ponder the delicate dance between maintaining health and indulging in life's pleasures, offering creative ways to enjoy food within diabetic health guidelines. Join us in a closing moment of reflection, as we offer a prayer for strength and healing for those living with diabetes, grateful for the knowledge that empowers us to navigate this condition with courage and faith. Tracy Thornton Wesley's inspiring message is a beacon of hope for anyone looking to live better with diabetes.
God has already put inside of us everything we need. See, god's gift to us is more talent and ability than we could use in a lifetime. Our gift back to God is what we do with it.
Speaker 2:I would wear a thick skin on the outside. Inside you would never see, I'm hoping, wounds and these bruises bleeding, but that don't even bother me. The one thing that I swear I couldn't take. Then it happened right in front of me. I confront the pain buried deep. Then it blew me right where I'm supposed to be. But this what I've been waiting for. Yeah, this what I've been waiting for.
Speaker 1:Waiting for, waiting for. Hello everyone, welcome to Gentry's Journey. We have a special guest today, tracy Thornton Wesley, and she's going to educate us on her book Living Better with Diabetes. Let's go ahead and start with something inspirational. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, foods, despise, wisdom and instruction that comes from Proverbs 1 and 7. Now, tracy, hello there. Thank you for being here. I do appreciate you. How has your day been?
Speaker 2:My day has been wonderful and I am so happy to be here with you today.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much and guys for full disclosure. Tracy and I are cousins and she just recently wrote her book Living Better with Diabetes and I wanted her to come on and share her experience and her knowledge regarding living with diabetes. So, Tracy, you have the floor.
Speaker 2:Okay, so, as Carolyn stated, my name is Tracy Thornton Wesley and I am a first time author of Living Better with Diabetes, and it is my pleasure to be here on this platform to share my insights and strategies for managing diabetes and helping others to live healthier and just to have a more fulfilling life. As someone who has personally navigated through different types of health issues, I wrote this book just to provide practical advice, some inspiration, to my readers and to support others who are facing similar journeys. I am just so excited to share some key takeaways and answer any questions that anyone would have when it comes to living better with diabetes. Thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Okay, tracy, we would love to hear. Can you give us a brief summary regarding your book and what readers can expect from it?
Speaker 2:Sure, Okay, so readers can expect to understand the differences between type one diabetes, type two diabetes. You would also understand what ketoacidosis is. You would also understand the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia, as well as hyperglycemia. I have within this book the different types of foods that you could eat, especially fruit, because we all know that fruit can be sort of high in sugar, but we do have some fruits that we can eat that are not as high in fruit toast and in sugar. So I also want to give you some pointers when it comes to our community.
Speaker 2:Our community has a disadvantage and when it comes to having farmers markets in the areas, so you will be able to shop for healthier foods, there are other options, and so I want to share those options with you, because my goal is to help you to live better, and education is important. If you're not educated, there's no way that you could actually live better with diabetes when you're uninformed. So that's what I have inside of my book, and this is a informational book that you could carry around with you as you go into the grocery store shopping If you forget anything, if you want to get an idea of what foods to shop for in order to help you to maintain your blood sugar. I also have information here where you could actually log. You could log your numbers, you can report them and send them to your give them to your doctors. I have information about the good and bad choices when it comes to foods and I also have a test at the end just to test your knowledge. A test teacher.
Speaker 1:I don't want to take a test.
Speaker 2:I might have to test that again.
Speaker 1:But that is good. That is good because once you read, you want to understand and you want to be able to comprehend the knowledge and then pass that knowledge off to others. So, yes, no, I'm just teasing about this, but you know, we don't like taking no test. We want to take a test for a teacher. But that's a nice little surprise. That's no longer a surprise, is it Okay? Now, what made you write about diabetes? Was it a personal journey? Or did you just see patients being stuck or being extremely non-compliant when it came to their healthcare regarding diabetes? All of the above.
Speaker 2:Okay, all of the above, carolyn, and what really inspired me? Looking at my family, my friends calling me, and they're asking the same questions over and over again, and so I became puzzled and I started asking questions well, what's your doctor? What is your doctor telling you? What type of education have you received from your doctor? And it's baffling to me that the education portion has lessened when it comes to going into the doctor's office and receiving education when it comes to this disease, when it comes to diabetes. So and I also the environment in which I work, I am able to look at different clinical levels. I'm just seeing patients come in readmissions with the same issue their blood sugars are out of control and I want to help my community Black and Brown community to really understand, and just to understand that they can manage their diabetes. Don't give up. You know education is very, very imperative and you must educate yourself. So, yeah, it was. It's all of the above Noncompliance, readmission, family, friends. It became personal for me.
Speaker 1:Okay. Okay, it is funny, it's odd, but you and I are both nurses and one physician told me and he was a neurologist, carolyn, if you can control the diabetes, you can control the patient. And I thought about it, I thought about it and I went, I think I understand and I said because once your diabetes is out of whack, their entire body is out of whack. I said that's what I was coming up with, because diabetes is not just sugar. Diabetes, it's not just high blood sugar. It affects other organs, it affects other systems. Can you elaborate on that just a little bit please?
Speaker 2:Yes, and diabetes for sure, it affects your cardiovascular system, it affects your neurological system, it affects the way in which our blood is flowing through our body. And if you control that with eating properly, you would be. If you control your diabetes with eating properly and managing your blood glucose, you can also manage other things. You can manage your cardiovascular, meaning you could manage your blood pressure, because, guess what you're going to start doing? You're going to start eating right, so you're going to start eating those foods that are possibly low in sodium. You're going to start focusing on those foods that are not high in fructose, so you're going to get your diet under control. And remember, food is our medication. I've always.
Speaker 2:When you eat good food, you're feeding your body good medication. When you eat bad foods, what are you doing? You're feeding your body toxic, toxic, toxic foods, and you don't want that. And that is a sure way of really getting your entire cardiovascular system, your neurological system, out of whack, your neurological system out of whack and everything else. Just imagine if I control what I eat, I can possibly control everything else that's going on with me. I might not need to take these hypertensive medications, that's true. That's true. Well, this cholesterol medication.
Speaker 1:I had a conversation just the other day. Just because you have a disease process and you are on medication does not give you carte blanche to eat any way you want to. They feel as though the medication is countering everything. Well, the medication is helping, but you have to help the medicine, you have to help the medicine work. And if you can help the medication work, you may not need the medication and your body is the better for it. So, yeah, I get it. That is great. That's great. That was beautiful how you put that. Now, what made you decide to go ahead and just write the book? I know you've probably been playing with it in your head for a while, but what made you decide to put pen to paper?
Speaker 2:I was at a high school reunion, 40 years to be exact. I know I'm telling my age, but you're looking good now, don't let nobody know.
Speaker 2:And one of my classmates. We were all downstairs doing praise and worship and we noticed that he was nowhere to be found. Someone started screaming. We found him laying on the floor blood sugar in the 30s, and he's what you call one of those diabetics where their blood sugar just fluctuates Any little thing, that if he goes off of his diet, his blood sugar just goes extremely high or it could go extremely low. So it fluctuated.
Speaker 2:He's our class president, so, with that being said, I would ask him how long have you been a diabetic? Well, he had been a diabetic for years, and he stated to me that his blood sugar has never been under control. He's always had issues with his blood sugar, and I went on to ask him so when you go to your endocrinologist, that is the specialist that will follow you when you're having issues with your diabetes what information did he give you? He didn't know anything about the foods that he needs to eat in order to keep his blood sugar under control. It was just a lot of information missing, and I just couldn't understand that. And, that said, I said to myself that's it. I'm going to write this book. I'm going to write this book. I have family calling me every day, but it was when that happened with my classmate. I decided it's time.
Speaker 1:OK, and I hate that happened to him, but it pushed you to do with probably something you had been wanting to do for a long time. I guess you said, ok, all right, come on, here we go, let's get started with this. No more putting it off. I need to be able to help some people. And you found out so much about him, to the point that he knew very little and he did not know how to properly care for himself. That's right. Ok, how is he doing now without disclosing anything? Is he better?
Speaker 2:He's better, but he's since been hospitalized and he started having neuropathy. He developed a wound, in which I go into that in this book, how it will affect your neurovascular system if you do not control your blood sugar, because it can damage your blood vessels which could lead, like I said, to heart disease and probably a stroke. It can also harm your eyes, it can affect your vision, your nerves, your kidneys and it also slows down the healing of wounds. It does, and you could possibly have a wound and not even know it, because you might not even feel it.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, that's true, and that's part of the neuropathy, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Yes, that's part of the neuropathy, the decreased sensation. Yes.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, and especially I had one patient. He did not know he had a wound on the sole of his foot. Obvious reasons, he never looked at the sole of his feet. He touched it, he bathed, but their sensation is so decreased he didn't realize it. The home health care nurse found it and when she located it, she taught him how to look under the bottom of his feet by putting a mirror on the floor and holding his foot over the mirror so he could visualize it. Because you don't want people trying to stand on one foot, you know she had him sitting in the chair.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know, like you say, you know, you know we're 40 years older, so we may not can balance that. Well, that's right. Yeah, so we need to. You know, we need some helpful tips and hints on how to get this done without injuring ourselves. The more Exactly, yes, so, um, so that's great. Now, other than your knowledge base, I know you had to do some research. So how did you go about researching your book?
Speaker 2:So what about researching by looking up peer reviewed articles and I did it online, did some research just to make sure that the information that I provided within my book it's been researched, peer reviewed, so make sure that the information is current and is accurate. Sure, as possibly, you know, as as as close as I can possibly get it, and I always want to look at the year as well when I'm looking at these peer reviewed articles, because you want to make sure that you get articles that are within at least two years, two to three years.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay Now. Did you seek out any professionals such as endocrinologist or someone else who's in the field? You know some hospitals have diabetic management nurses. Did you seek out any of their assistance?
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, okay.
Speaker 2:Okay, there's a lot of information out there on this particular disease, diabetes. It's a wealth of information out there. It's just you just have to sit down and do your research and look it up, because it's out there. But if you don't want to look it up, that's why I have a book living better with diabetes. It's a very easy read and I mean you could, you could, I would say maybe a 10th grader could, probably, or even a fifth grader can read this book and understand it. So I know that adults would be able to, and if you, if you're not a reader, I am going to have an audio version available soon. I know a lot of people enjoy listening when while they're driving, and some people just don't like to read, and I understand that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because we're all different, we're all different Now.
Speaker 1:Some people love to pick up a book and fill the pages, and I have been in the car with some people and I said what you listening to? Oh, my audio book, Wow, you know, yeah, the way I can get my reading on while I'm driving. So you are correct, you are correct, and that way someone else may pick up on some knowledge that you have. Now, when it comes to engagement family or caregiver or spousal engagement how important would you say that is to the productive healing or control of a disease process that they love one may have?
Speaker 2:It's very important for the significant others to understand the disease process as well, Because sometimes you will probably be the one that's going to be given the insulin of giving them their foods, so you need to know as well what types of foods they should eat, what they should not eat, how much insulin they need. The side effects of high blood sugar and low blood sugar the side effects of keto acidosis, which is very critical, can be very critical. So it's very it's imperative for your significant others to understand the disease process as well.
Speaker 1:Now, do you encourage? Because I do. I encourage people when you go to the doctor to take someone else with you because they may hear some things you did not hear, because you may be too anxious to really listen attentively, because you're scared. You know what that white coat syndrome is.
Speaker 2:Real that's true, that's true.
Speaker 1:So do you implement that in your practice?
Speaker 2:I encourage that. I encourage you to take someone with you. I also encourage you to write down the questions that you may have for your doctor prior to going to your visit because, like you said, that white coat syndrome and you start, you forget everything that you wanted to ask this doctor when he's standing there in front of you with that white coat on. And I also encourage you, don't be intimidated. They are humans just like we are. This is your health. Ask the hard questions.
Speaker 1:I agree.
Speaker 2:Learn, educate yourself, so that you would know what types of questions to ask.
Speaker 1:I agree. I agree totally. I have gotten frustrated with my patients. When I was working in the hospital full time, they would hey, doc, how you doing, how the kids Did you like that game? And I would be wanting to just stop. You should be asking him about your health. How did my test results come out? How does my blood work look like? The doctor definitely answered their questions. So what makes you think you shouldn't be? He should be asking your questions.
Speaker 1:So when the doctor left out because if I see a doc go into one of my rooms, if I'm available I go in because I know I have to be the one to interpret the conversation so on that particular gentleman, when the doctor left out, I left out as well because I figured it was over. I knew it wasn't, but he called me in on nurse, can you tell the doctor? You know I didn't sleep well last night. I was hurting I said, yeah, I'm gonna call him and tell him. I appreciate you saying that and I hate you had a bad night. I said but why didn't you tell him about you're not sleeping? While he was in there, I said you asked him about the game. You asked him about his wife and his kids. You're the patient. You should have been concentrating on you.
Speaker 1:And so I said when I call him he's gonna be a little nifty. He said why? I said because he's gonna say I was just in there and he didn't say a word about that. Your time with your physician is your time to connect with that physician and discuss you. Yes, and when I called the doc he was like why didn't he tell me that? I said he was too big, asking about your kids and the grandbabies in the game and I said I kind of stowed him a little bit, but he needs some people. It's like that just burns me up. I said I bet it does, but to a degree the patient couldn't take 100%. I didn't tell the patient that and I haven't told the physician that the patient that's not 100% his responsibility. You came in to examine him. You should have been the one say I appreciate you asking me about my family. I love that we have this relationship, but tell me how are you feeling today? Yeah, that's his to me.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:That's his responsibility to do.
Speaker 2:Yes, it is. Definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree, I agree, yeah, but the patient and I tell him, if you don't talk about yourself, if you never complain, they will never know. And I'm glad you have a good enough relationship with him. But you need to have a better relationship with yourself, because this is you being in the hospital, and nowadays you and I both know you don't just come in the hospital like you did 30 years ago. They stop you at the door. You're going to get stopped at the emergency room and not just you're going to head back home. So it is different. It is different.
Speaker 1:So the time is valuable and we need to make sure that we're utilizing that time wisely. So that's when I come in saying that I am an advocate. I advocate for you, but you also need to advocate for yourself. And, as you say, write your questions down. I tell people family, friends, church members who ask me questions. I answer them to the best of my ability and I tell them go home, write down your questions and when you go to the doctor, when they call you on the phone, or when you go there, have your questions ready and say doc, I have a few questions for you and he will listen. He or she will listen and get your questions out, because when they come in, just like you say, they forget.
Speaker 2:They forget.
Speaker 1:They forget and it's okay to forget, but that's why you have the questions written down, so that that can be your reminder.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:You know, because I try to write things down or I have in my head certain things I'm going to ask, so we're going to talk about, because that's my time with you.
Speaker 1:That's right, so we still need to encourage friends, family, patients to be advocating for themselves by asking questions regarding their health. You need to know what your A1C is. You need to know how your blood sugar is running. You need to be able to tell them because if you're taking your glucose at home, you need to. As you say, you need to have a log, and your book has a log in it, correct?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:So you need to have a log of that history. Doctors like to see numbers, they like to compare them. So we all have a part to play, but you, as the patient and or caregiver or loved one, you have a role to play as well. Help them think. Help them think of the questions that need to be asked Now, since you're in nursing, there's not too many people that influence you to write this book other than yourself and seeing the non-compliance and I'm glad you brought up about the womb. Can you tell us a little bit more about how those wombs can develop and how long it could possibly take to treat that womb, to get it back to closure or get it back to baseline? Do you have any information on that one?
Speaker 2:A lot of times the wombs they develop because of the poor circulation, because of poor nutrition. Again, nutrition, food is your medication. If you're not feeding your body the proper food, then there is a possibility that the womb you may have a little small sore, but because you're not eating right, that womb can get worse. Because the nutrients are not the blood, the oxygen, the nutrients are not traveling to the tissue. In order to feed that area, the blood supply needs to go to that area, oxygen needs to go to that area. And just know that if you don't have the blood supply going to that area, if you don't have the oxygen going to that area, you can develop gangrene. That area can become necrotic, meaning that it's dead, no blood supply, and then the next stage would be cutting that tissue off so that gangrene would not spread throughout your blood system, and so it's just so important.
Speaker 2:It's so important to exercise because exercise would also increase the blood supply and the oxygen to that area. And just watch yourself, watch your limbs. Because of the neuropathy, because of that, you may not feel that you have a wound or you didn't even know that you possibly burnt yourself, that you hit your leg and you develop a sore. You may not even know because of the neuropathy. So it's imperative for you to observe yourself and take care of those wounds or any little cuts. Make sure you also have a podiatrist taking care of your toenails, not doing it yourself, because you may damage it even further. Yeah, it's just so critical.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and talking about I'm glad you brought up the podiatrist, because we can. What did? They used to call it Bathroom surgery. Sometimes we want to do things ourselves, so that means we do it in our bathroom, you know, we get the clippers and you know, we're trying to get it and we mess up.
Speaker 1:So so, yes, it is important to have a podiatrist to look at your feet, to look at your toenails and to to cut them properly, because you can, like you say, make an error, cut too deep and you can start a wound right there and that wound can spray it. So, but if you have someone who's looking at it, you need to at least that is better than a physician not looking at it Notify him that. That is what your physician is for Notification questions. If you need to go back in, just go back in. It's better to be. As I said the other day, it is less expensive to maintain than to repair. So that's that's basically what we need to do. We want to maintain, we want to keep our glucose levels in a healthy level. Can you give us those levels tracing?
Speaker 2:Yes, and so we do have our fasting levels, which would be 70 is a very good level, and that is before eating anything, and then any levels that are over. I think it's 200, 180. And every remember everyone is different, so it's not a one one size fits all. So I would say from 70 to 180, those are some of the normal numbers, or even or less than 180. And it depends on if you are a diabetic. If you're not a diabetic, 70, if you're not a diabetic. If you are diabetic, if it's higher than 180, that may be a little too high for you and you may need insulin, Whereas for someone that's not a diabetic, if that may be fine for you because you probably had just eaten something that has a spike in your blood sugar.
Speaker 1:And that's true, that is very true. Now, if a person is to see a podiatrist, how often should they see one?
Speaker 2:I within my book and I think when I did the research, I at least once a year you should see a podiatrist. Six months, every six months, or once a once a year you should see a podiatrist. And if nothing is going on, once a year is fine. Okay, as long as your skin is intact.
Speaker 1:That I truly did not know. I didn't know how often, and you should see them Now. I am just curious what are some of the best and or the worst fruits to try to consume when you're a diabetic?
Speaker 2:All right. So the fruits that we have, some fruits that are very sugary, that's very, very high in food toast, and so we do want to stay away from those. Now we do have what we call low glycemic fruit and then we have a fruit that that's high in sugar. They call them high glycemic foods. So the fruits that are low would be your great fruits, your pears, your apricots, your apples, oranges, plums, strawberries, berries. Berries are very good.
Speaker 2:Now the fruit that are a little bit higher in sugars are your pineapples, your grapes, especially the, the grape grapes, not the green grapes. And then you have watermelon is kind of sugary but it's good for you, and I'm not saying that not to eat these fruits, I'm just making a distinction. I'm just telling you that you do have some that are low In glycemic and then you have some that are higher in your glycemic. So you want to make sure that if your blood sugar is out of control, any little thing that you eat it spikes it. I want you to pay attention to the types of fruits that you're eating. So this book here will let you know and it's on pages 16 and 17, the types of fruits that are high in sugar and the types of fruits that are not so high in sugar, and I think you need to watch those.
Speaker 1:Show us, can you show us a picture of your book? Sure, so this is the book here. Okay, living with diabetes, take it up just a little bit, and she has this nice array of fruits and vegetables, the stethoscope and the glucometer. We're going to have to talk about the glucometer and it's written by Tracely Thornton Wesley, rn, mba, msn. Now let's speak on that glucometer a little bit, if you don't mind.
Speaker 2:Okay. So is it that a lot of people and I'm going to go back to family they don't like to take their blood glucose, and I don't know why. How would you know what your blood sugar levels are if you're not monitoring it? Some people keep them in their drawers and they never take them out. Why not? This is important for you. You need to know your levels. You need to be proactive when it comes to your health and also I know that there are different types of glucometers. Now you have you know, you can purchase some in Walgreens, cvs. You also need to make sure that you understand how to use these different glucometers. They need to be calibrated. I understand that. So you need to become very familiar with your glucometer because there are so many different types.
Speaker 1:I totally agree. I am baffled by the variations in them, even though they are simpler. But if you're still not accustomed to them, you know it can. It can build up frustration in you, and some of them it's truly is. Once you get that drop of blood on that strip, seconds later it is red and I just think simpler is best. Yes, for you know, for everyone, the simpler it is, the best it is. Now are you finding more patients who desire to have my what's the? What's the patch that they're putting on their arm now and they just put their? Do they put their phone up to it or do they put their little cometer up to it?
Speaker 2:They put you can put your phone up to it and it'll actually read your, your blood sugar, and then your phone would also keep account. It's like a graph and it'll, it'll, it'll. It keeps a measure of you know how well you're doing. You know you can, you can monitor how well your, your blood sugars are doing throughout the day, and so that's technology for us. That's why, that's why I wanted to was saying you know, it's so many different types now. So, yeah, technology, these smartphones, and so many different ways to monitor your blood sugar that it's just no excuse not to.
Speaker 1:That is true. I'm seeing more people with that for lack of a better term that patch on them. And you can tell that it is for monitoring because it has a device in the middle of the patch. And the reason I say I'm seeing it because when I go out to the gym, you know, after you've worked out you're going to try to come out some of those clothes and then you can see it where they have it on their arm. I don't know how long they last. How long do they last? Is it five days, seven days? Are you? Are you?
Speaker 2:I'm not sure. I'm not familiar with how long they last, but I do. I do understand that a lot of the diabetics that have these fluctuating blood sugars I mean is that they have those patches on more so than the ones that their blood sugars are better managed.
Speaker 1:Okay. Now, speaking of that fluctuation in the blood sugars, I know we still teach them the size and symptoms of what to look for correct, and then we also do they still take insulin with that monitoring device on? Yes, okay, okay, okay. So do you guys encourage people to use glucagon if they feel as though their sugar is getting real low, to keep some glucagon on them?
Speaker 2:I, that's for the diabetics that where their blood sugar would go down to like maybe 30s very low, they would those type. Those patients would keep the glucagon on them because that's like an emergency thing for them. And those are people that have those fragile, they're very fragile diabetics. Okay, okay, okay. But for the other diabetics, when your blood sugar starts to go down and you, you have educated yourself, you know what the symptoms are, you know that you could drink what? Orange juice To spike up your blood sugar, a protein, peanut butter, mm-hmm. And so they would, you know, use foods in order to bring up their blood sugar. And it's just so important for you not to take insulin without eating, because that that could become another issue, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I never took a tray into my patient's room when I worked critical care until I knew they had had their insulin, because why give it so soon? And then what if the tray is delayed? Right, you know you're starting problems for yourself, so you truly have to be proactive as a healthcare provider. You have to be proactive as a healthcare provider and that's what you want to instill or educate your patient and the caregiver about. You know, don't give it so early and breakfast is not ready or lunch is not ready, because then you have another whole problem on your hand and then you're starting from scratch again.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:You know so, so we do. It's a constant learning curve knowing yourself, knowing your body, and I think that bedding and correct me if I'm wrong they're kind of up there Close to number one is the most non-compliant people I know.
Speaker 2:Because they want to eat everything like everyone else, and and it's nothing wrong with that. You can balance. You balance everything, it's not. It's not as if you hands off, like you cannot eat anything. No, that's not true. You can still enjoy your food, but you just have to. There has to be a balance and you have to make sure that you're choosing the right types of foods. There are so many books out there that could, with different recipes, different foods that you could. You can create. You can become creative and make your your desserts without having so much sugar, and you can still enjoy them. You can. You can still enjoy your food. Don't think that you can't Enjoy your food. You can enjoy your food, but we want to be healthy. Healthy. We want it what we want to eat, to live, not live to eat.
Speaker 1:And I agree with you and I tell people. I mean, I just confess I am a dessert person, I love cookies, I love cake, I love ice cream, but I know I can't have it every day, I know I can't, and so we have to back away A lot of sugary drinks. That's part of you being compliant. And I have seen people and I'm a people watcher, I will admit that and you know if you're at like a banquet or you're at a restaurant and you can tell when people are kind of being defiant when they eat like I'm going to have this, I don't care what anyone says, and you know, and I'll be fine there goes a noncompliant patient. You know I said to myself I'm trying to start nothing, but you can tell, you can tell.
Speaker 1:And I've had a patient, not just one, but this one sticks out to me. I guess I'll never forget him. He wouldn't let us do anything. They came to the emergency room, was admitted to our unit we at the time of the cardiac step down unit and he wouldn't let us put the monitor on, he wouldn't let us put the Ted hose on. He just wouldn't do anything. So we're constantly calling his physician saying he has refused this. He's refused that, he's refused everything and but he would let us take his blood sugar. And then he was like he came up with this. I bet my wife is worried now. And I was like why is your wife worried? Because she's the reason I ate the snicker bar. That's also she made you eat the snicker bar. Well, we got into an argument I ate the snicker bar and it just drove her crazy. Now I'm here in the hospital, but you have been in the hospital basically a day and a half Sugar still up.
Speaker 1:And when his doctor came around he said well, he said he didn't refuse this and he didn't refuse that. I said, doc, how many phone calls have you gotten from us about what he has refused to do? Now you go in there with him for five minutes and he has changed your mind. He has cussed, he has clowned and he blames his wife for him eating the snicker bar. So he was like well, he said he'll do this, that and the other. Now I said I wanted to say it doesn't work that way. You know because? And what we did? What we did? Because we are nurses. But you get it's the mistreatment. Yes, you know, it's the disrespect. We're here for you, you're not here for us, you're not here for us.
Speaker 1:And when he said that his wife made him upset so he ate the snicker bar, I was like maybe he needs a trip to the psych unit, because that's not. If that's the case, you are truly not in control of what's going on. Or you want her to be upset. Well, you know, she might have been at home chilling, because she definitely was not in that hospital bed with him, she was definitely not in the hospital room with him. Maybe she was over his behavior at that point in time. And we all get that way, you know, with our children, with our spouses. You know, sometimes you don't want to be bothered with yourself, but you don't take it out on rank strangers who haven't done anything to you. So you know I was. I'll just never forget him.
Speaker 1:And then, when the doctor came in, oh yeah, they didn't ask me to do that. Why are the wires hanging off you? Because you refuse to wear the telemetry? Can you stop it? Doc, don't encourage him. And I told him. I said so you're encouraging his behavior. Well, no, it's just that I said no, sir, no sir, no sir. We're not supposed to beg him to allow us to take care of him.
Speaker 1:He is alert, he is oriented and it comes down to him and his wife had a fight and he ate a snicker bar and she said she was done with him. He's not. No, he's not what what I call a compliant patient. You know, and everyone is documented, what he won't allow them to do. So you know, maybe maybe you coming in has changed his mind and he wants to change his story. But the bottom line is he's diabetic. He ate a snicker bar. He knew it was going to send his blood pressure up. He came to the emergency room and that's what the doctor told me on the phone before he got there. I said he said that we fooled him. You fooled him into coming here and he said he's a grown man, I didn't fool him. But when you get in here and talk to him, you want to change the narrative. No, stick to what you say, stick to what you say this is your patient.
Speaker 1:I'm sure he's done this before. I'm sure he's done this before you know. So they can be manipulative Patients as a whole, not just diabetic patients, patients as a whole, and some people want more attention than they deserve. It is what it is. That is the life of a nurse that is, patients in the hospital and, I'm sure, outside of the hospital as well. But what we teach is compliance with your diet, with your exercise, with your medication. Yes, and that's what really any disease process that you have, you know. Stick to your treatment plan. Now Tracy any closing thoughts on diabetes.
Speaker 2:Yes, just I want people to be proactive and just remember that you can live better when you educate yourself with anything, and that not just with diabetes, with hypertension, with heart disease, knowing the signs and symptoms of your illness, especially diabetics. You need to know the signs and symptoms. You need to adopt good eating habits. You need to monitor your blood glucose, exercise, take your insulin as prescribed and as needed. It's very important and I just want to encourage everyone. You can do it. You can do it. I'm not a diabetic, no, but I have other issues and I have to watch what I eat as well. When I wake up in the morning and I know that the day before I've eaten what I was supposed to eat and I feel good, I mean, that makes me happy and each day, you know, I am working towards putting in my body what's good for me, because food is your medicine. It is.
Speaker 1:It is Now, let me. Let me let me back up when it comes to activity. Which one do you recommend when it comes to being active or exercising?
Speaker 2:Walking.
Speaker 1:Okay, I agree, because that's the first one that I, because it is the least expensive one to do. You know, all you need on is a decent pair of walking shoes and take it slow, and I tell people, slow and steady, you know, wins the race.
Speaker 1:If you're not accustomed to walking, start off with five minutes up, five minutes back. You know you have to get some confidence, you know in that area. But just make sure you have on a decent pair of walking shoes and just take it slow. Just take it slow. This is your journey. You're not on someone else's journey, you're on your own journey. Now do you have any more books in the works or you're not wanting done, Are you?
Speaker 2:No, I do. I have one that's coming soon and that is congestive heart failure.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, that's going to be interesting. That's going to be interesting. I've loved your talk on diabetes, so when you get that one done, I would love to invite you back to discuss congestive heart failure. Now, thank you. Now, where can they get your book, tracy?
Speaker 2:Amazon. Right now it's on Amazon, yep, amazon, and I can repost it as well. Okay with the link.
Speaker 1:Okay, you can do that, Put it in the chat. You can put it out on your your Facebook page as well. Okay with the link. Okay.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And that'd be great, and they will hold your book up again.
Speaker 2:so they can get the title or you can tell the title, and the title is living better with diabetes.
Speaker 1:That's great. By Tracy Thornton, wesley R N. Okay, all right, thank you so much, and now any. We've done the closing thoughts and thank you for coming on Gentry's journey and sharing living with diabetes with us. And you're more than welcome. I have enjoyed it, and if you would close us out with a short prayer, we would appreciate it.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, father God, in the name of Jesus, we thank you, dear Lord. I pray, father God, for everyone that's dealing with an illness, that's dealing with diabetes. Father God, that they will be proactive when it comes to their health. Father God, that they would know. Father God, that they can do all things through Christ, who strengthens them, father God. I pray, father God, that you would open up their minds, open up their hearts, give them understanding. Lord Jesus, encourage them, father God, to exercise, to eat right, father God. We thank you, father God, and we thank you for healing, father God. We thank you for blessing us with the knowledge, father God, so that we would be able to take care of ourselves and help manage our illnesses that we're dealing with. Father God, we love you. We give you all the praise in Jesus, mighty name. Amen.
Speaker 1:Amen and thank you all for listening to Tracy Thornton Wesley, living with diabetes, on Gentry's Journey. You all have a great day.