DIABETES FACT~#13 A NEW TREATMENT FOR TYPE II DIABETES?

Ok, I watch the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams every evening before going to work. In a recent health report, he stated, "24 million Americans have diabetes. That is up 3 million in just two years..."

WOW! That is a staggering number!

The rest of the report stated that an unexpected side effect to gastric bypass surgery has been found to eliminate type II diabetes in about 76% of patients who have had the procedure. The thing that scared me the most, were the two doctors who they interviewed who are performing a study where they perform gastric bypass on a group of patients and see if their type II diabetes is "cured". One spoke up and said, "We don't know how general anesthesia works, but we use it."

WHAT???? I wouldn't let that guy operate on me!

That can't be a true statement. I'm going to ask one of the doctors I work with. Because I disagree. In simple terms, anesthesia induces a sleep-like state with the use of drugs to make the patient as comfortable as possible in order to perform medical procedures.

But what wasn't on the report was how dangerous gastric bypass surgery is. Before moving to Arizona, the hospital I worked at performed a lot of gastric bypass surgeries. All patients who'd undergone gastric bypass was an automatic ICU admit. Some patients did relatively well, but many more had complications such as renal failure and a condition called Rhabdomyolysis. I took care of several who died. Young men and women in their thirties and forties. Needless deaths, leaving behind spouses and young children.

The bottom line is, do we really know how this procedure is going to affect people 10, 15, 20 years down the road? What are the chances of malnutrition? What abnormalities in food absorption are these patients at risk for? I oftened wondered.

I have to agree with a doctor speaking out against this study in the report and stated that diet, life style changes, and medicine are the safest way to treat diabetes.

Really, folks. You're taking your life into your hands with a risky procedure. Losing weight is a daily struggle, but it can be done. I admire those folks who have been on THE BIGGEST LOSER. They really take control and learn how to eat right and change their lives. Which you need to do if you have gastric bypass surgery. There are several types of gastric bypass surgeries, but a lot of them require that you have to completely change your eating habits according to the type of surgery you have.

So, why not be safe?

The patient who is a participatient in the trial said, "It would be so great to go into a pizza shop and order 2 slices of pizza..."

HUH? Okay. No comment.

EXCERPT #2 FROM THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION

HELLO FRIENDS!!

Anyone who can email me at kathleengrieveauthor@gmail.com and tell me when Stone and Faith share their first kiss, will get a bag of Hershey's kisses! Be sure to include your home address so that I can mail them to you. I will run this contest until the Fourth of July!

Excerpt:
Faith moved her stethoscope over Mrs. Humphrey's heart, listening to her the steady beat. She prayed the tone wouldn't be muffled, an indication of fluid build-up around the heart. She heard a "squeaky" sound with every beat and released a sigh of relief. Mrs. Humphrey had the same "rub" she'd had an hour ago when she'd returned from her open heart surgery. A clue that the extra blood around Mrs. Humphrey's heart was still minor. Faith would have to make sure the rub didn't worsen.

Faith assessed the blood draining from the tubes placed in her patient's chest during surgery. Everything appeared to be in order. Mrs. Humphrey aroused to her name and followed commands when questioned, but drifted back off to sleep from the anesthesia still in her system. When she woke up a little more and stayed awake, Faith would work with the respiratory therapist to pull her breathing tube and withdraw the respirator.

Charting her findings on the bedside clipboard, Faith's mind drifted back to Dr. Lassiter. She wished she'd had a camera to capture the look on his face when she'd pulled the short straw out of her pocket. Talk about priceless! A chuckle escaped and turned into an all-out belly laugh.

"What's so funny?" Dr. Lassiter asked.

Faith stiffened and her amusement died. Damn. She'd hoped to be at lunch when he arrived to check on Mrs. Humphrey. Fate was definitely against her today.

Turning, she came face to face with him. She stepped back and bumped the rail of the bed. "Nothing. Just thinking about something that happened earlier. It kind of tickled my funny bone, that's all."

"Why don't you tell me what's so amusing?"

"I'm not in a particularly sharing kind of mood." His scent crossed the inches of space he'd left between them, teasing her senses. He smelled of lemons and spice.

Hmmmm. His own brand of lemonade.

What was she thinking? Holy cow! Stay away from those thoughts in connection with Robo Doc.

Sidestepping, she moved around him and her arm brushed his, tingling from the brief contact. The urge to rub the spot was strong, and feeling his gaze on her, Faith fought the tug-of-war roiling inside her.

Her brain told her he was off limits. But her body's reaction to him said something altogether different. Disturbed, she placed the bedside clipboard on the counter by the sink and started to wash her hands.

"Why not? I like a good joke now and again."

Drying her hands with the paper towels from the dispenser, Faith turned and rested a hip against the sink. "Are you serious? You haven't cracked a smile in the year I've known you—not even to your patients." She pinned him with a suspicious stare. "What's this all about?"

He shrugged his broad shoulders and the material of his green surgical scrub top tightened against his chest, leaving little to her imagination. Dr. Lassiter certainly seemed to have muscles in all the right places. The sight of golden chest hair teased her from the vee in his top.

Her throat went dry. What was wrong with her? Her admiration of his particular brand of eye candy had died after his first day on the unit. Why was she reacting to him now?

"What do you mean? I smile." Dr. Lassiter said with an almost cheery quality to his voice.

His lighthearted tone surprised her. Her gaze flew to his face, and she realized by the smug look in his deep brown eyes that he'd caught her staring at his chest. Faith frowned. What was with him anyway? He definitely wasn't acting his usual sour self.

"You. Are you trying to be nice or are you coming down with a terminal disease and feel the need to earn your way into heaven?"

He rubbed his jaw and stared at her like she was a jigsaw puzzle he couldn't put together. "No. I'm not sick." Dropping his hand, he turned toward Mrs. Humphrey. "How's she doing?"

Faith grabbed the clipboard and handed it to him, glad for the change in subject. It was none of her business what was wrong with him. "She's doing great. She's waking up nicely, and I think we'll be able to extubate her soon."

"You know I don't like my patients on the vent too long after surgery," he said, studying the patient's bedside nursing chart.

"Yes, Dr. Lassiter, I know," she said with exaggerated sweetness. Jekyll and Hyde apparently showed up to the hospital today. Not that Faith cared about Dr. Lassiter's dual personality. She preferred his surly attitude—easier for her to keep her distance.

He gave her an odd glance and the silence stretched between them. Only the sound of Mrs. Humphrey's mechanical respirations filled the room with the occasional beep of the heart monitor from the wall above the bed.

"Well, if you don't need anything else, I'm going to have Jolene cover for me so I can grab a quick bite to eat," Faith said, turning to leave.

"Wait." Dr. Lassiter placed a halting hand on her arm, preventing her from leaving.

Faith arched her brow and tugged her arm from his loose grip. Her skin quivered where he'd touched her. "You had another question about Mrs. Humphrey?"

"Ah, yes—I mean no." He shook his head. "No," he said firmly. "I wanted to talk to you about something. I'll tag along for lunch."

The nice quiet study time Faith had envisioned dissolved like quicksand. How could she study for the MCAT with Dr. Lassiter along?

"Well, actually, I do mind. So whatever you have to talk to me about, you can spill here."

Dr. Lassiter gazed at her hesitantly. Faith decided he wasn't going to yell at her after all because he stared, saying nothing. Just as she was about to give up waiting for him to speak, he nodded his head.

"Okay. Have it your way." He shut the door to Mrs. Humphrey's room, effectively closing out the rest of the staff.

He leaned against the door and casually crossed his arms. Faith tried not to notice how sexy he looked. His honey-blonde hair was slightly tousled from the removal of his surgical cap. He could've jumped from the pages of the current medical pin-up calendar that graced the bathroom in the nurses' lounge.

She wished she hadn't been aware of him at all. "Well? What have I done now? Or, is it one of the other nurses? You should know, I'm not the one to complain to today. Cheryl is the charge nurse."

"This isn't about work." He ran his hand through his hair, messing it further. "Come with me to the charity dinner on Saturday."

Whatever she'd been expecting, that hadn't been it. Her mouth dropped open before she could recover herself.

"What?" she said a little too loudly. She glanced over her shoulder at Mrs. Humphrey in the bed to be sure she hadn't disturbed her.

He pushed away from the door and drew closer. "I'd like you to go with me to Deerborne's—"

She held up her hand to maintain the space between them. "I heard you the first time." Faith lowered her voice. "Frankly, I'm surprised by your invitation. I can't go this year. I've already turned down one invite. I've put myself in a self-imposed dating exile, even though it killed me to do it."

He scowled and straightened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Oh, yeah. Definitely Jekyll/Hyde.

"It means," she said patiently. "That I'm not available. Sorry."

She grabbed the handle and opened the door, leaving him behind. Walking past the nurses' station, she spied Jolene. "I'm going to grab lunch. I'll be in the lounge if you need me. Respiratory is supposed to come and put Mrs. Humphrey on CPAP mode on the ventilator. If you hear the alarm, have them change her back. She's probably ready for the spontaneous breathing trial, but just keep an ear out for me."

"Sure thing, Faith."

Heart pounding, she fled to the lounge. Dr. Lassiter had asked her out. If she were dating, would she have said yes?

Nah. Doctor Uptight wouldn't know how to have a good time. But wouldn't it be fun to loosen him up?



--
Kathleen Grieve

AUTHOR OF FUN AND SEXY MEDICAL ROMANCES!
The Doctor's Deception Available in
Print/Ebook form on 06/25/08
Print ISBN:1-60154-287-9
Order your copy at WWW.THEWILDROSEPRESS.COM
myspace.com/kathleengail789
WWW.KATHLEENGRIEVE.COM
Keeping A Pulse on Life & Romance Blog at http://kathleengrieve.blogspot.com/

GUEST BLOGGING TODAY AT SIMPLY ROMANCE~

Stop by SIMPLY ROMANCE REVIEW BLOG http://simplyromancereviews.blogspot.com/
today because in between snatches of sleep (This is one day I wish I hadn't worked last night)I'll be checking in to see what everyone has been tempted by! LOL.

Anyone who comments on temptation will be entered into a drawing to win a free download of THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION, plus a gift basket with some of Nurse Faith Daniels favorite things~her guilty pleasures that have nothing to do with the MCAT or studying! LOL. Over at my website, www.kathleengrieve.com , if you sign up for my mailing list, you'll be entered for a drawing to win Faith's favorite--A two pound box of Godvia Chocolate. Watch my myspace myspace.com/kathleengail789 and blog-- Keeping A Pulse on Life & Romance Blog at http://kathleengrieve.blogspot.com/ for information on A FIRST KISS CONTEST, too! Lots of fun things going on this week for the launch of my book! I hope you enjoy!

THANK YOU!!

I wanted to thank Jenny Gilliam who posted information about my book release on her blog today happening tomorrow. Her blog url is: www.jennygilliam.blogspot.com. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't also thank Jane Richardson over at Home Thoughts From Abroad blog for posting today, too! What a GREAT TREAT! Her blog url is http://janerichardsonhomethoughts.blogspot.com/

The support from my fellow garden members over at THE WILD ROSE PRESS has been outstanding!!! With everyone's help, I'm sure the launch of THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION will go smoothly!

DON'T FORGET!! I'll be over at SIMPLY ROMANCE REVIEWS BLOG tomorrow http://simplyromancereviews.blogspot.com/

Anyone who comments on temptation will be entered into a drawing to win a free download of THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION, plus a gift basket with some of Nurse Faith Daniels favorite things~her guilty pleasures that have nothing to do with the MCAT or studying! LOL. Over at my website, www.kathleengrieve.com , if you sign up for my mailing list, you'll be entered for a drawing to win Faith's favorite--A two pound box of Godvia Chocolate. Watch my myspace myspace.com/kathleengail789 and blog-- Keeping A Pulse on Life & Romance Blog at http://kathleengrieve.blogspot.com/ for information on A FIRST KISS CONTEST, too! Lots of fun things going on this week for the launch of my book! I hope you enjoy!

THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION LAUNCH PARTY!!

Well, the accumulation of a lot of hard work all starts this week! I'm foregoing my regular DIABETES MONDAY FACT today to let everyone know that my book, THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION will be released on Wednesday, June 25th at WWW.THEWILDROSEPRESS.COM!!

Anyone who comments on temptation over at SIMPLY ROMANCE REVIEW BLOG http://simplyromancereviews.blogspot.com/ where I'll be guest blogging on Wednesday, will be entered into a drawing to win a free download of THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION, plus a gift basket with some of Nurse Faith Daniels favorite things~her guilty pleasures that have nothing to do with the MCAT or studying! LOL.

Over at my website, www.kathleengrieve.com , if you sign up for my mailing list, you'll be entered for a drawing to win Faith's favorite--A two pound box of Godvia Chocolate. Watch my myspace myspace.com/kathleengail789 and check here for information on A FIRST KISS CONTEST, too! Lots of fun things going on this week for the launch of my book! I hope you enjoy!

Here's more information about THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION available at www.thewildrosepress.com on Wednesday, June 25th!


The Doctor's Deception
Kathleen Grieve
Champagne Rosebud
180 Pages Spicy
Print/Ebook _Release Date 06/25/08
Print ISBN:1-60154-287-9

Blurb
Heart Surgeon Stone Lassiter has successfully transplanted beating hearts. It's his own that is causing him the most agony. With a death bed promise to his fiancée, he's driven to open a transplant center in her hometown, and arrives at Deerborne County General Hospital . Single minded in his focus, he inadvertently alienates the nursing staff he needs to make his dream a success. He sets his stethoscope on intensive care nurse, Faith Daniels, to improve his image.

Nurse of the Year, Faith Daniels has passed every nursing exam, but when faced with the task of the MCAT, she has severe test anxiety. Burned by her ex-husband, who used her while she put him through law school, she has become focused on passing that darn exam, and achieving her own dream to become a doctor in her own right.
Will the white lie Stone tells Faith jeopardize the love they find?

Excerpt:

While glancing at her watch, Faith repeatedly pushed the button to call the elevator. Almost eight-thirty. With a groan, she cursed herself again for leaving her study guide in the nurses' lounge. After exiting the parking garage, she'd remembered she didn't have the book with her and had hurried back inside to retrieve it.

Staying after her shift to finish her charting had cost her precious study time. Her patient who'd had the appendectomy had to go back to surgery, but not before she'd had to give him several units of blood to stabilize him. Thank goodness he was going to be okay.

She tapped her toe impatiently. What was taking the elevator so darn long? The evening hours were rapidly dwindling. Her thoughts trailed back to the MCAT. She'd made it a habit to review a portion of the test each night before going to bed, and she hadn't even had dinner yet. All she wanted was someone to rub her aching feet and feed her

Was that so much to ask?

She sighed, and her stomach rumbled loudly while she waited for the elevator that would take her back to the parking garage.
Chinese sounded good. Should she call ahead and order take out to pick up on the way home? There was a book full of to-go menus in the nurses' lounge where she could easily find what she needed. She glanced up at the lights outside the closed elevator doors. Still stuck on floor nine.

Decision made, she turned and ran straight into a solid wall of muscle. Knocked back from the impact, her purse went in one direction and her MCAT book flew in another. Strong arms enveloped her in a secure grip, keeping her from falling on the floor.

Pressed to the man's chest, the familiar lemony scent hit her first. Dread roiled in the pit of her stomach. Faith knew who held her. She forced herself to tilt her head back and peer into eyes reminiscent of a block of hardened deep chocolate.

Doctor Stone Lassiter.

Her earlier thought returned. What would it be like to melt that chocolate? Too bad she didn't even own a fondu pot.

Warmth crept up her neck and into her cheeks. "Sorry. I'm in a rush."

His eyes narrowed, but he made no move to release her. "Are you late for a date?"

Faith had difficulty concentrating on his words. Heat burned through her scrubs and settled low in her belly. "Wh-what?"

"You know? A date? Where two people go to share a meal or a movie?"

The deep timber of his voice slid up her spine, and she shivered. "A date?"

"You're not usually this dense, Faith."

The sardonic expression on his face snapped her out of the fugue-like state and sparked her temper. "Gee, thanks for the confidence booster. You can let go of me now, Dr. Lassiter. I'm in no danger of falling any longer."

Surprise lit his eyes and he released her. Bending, he picked up her book and purse from the floor. He glimpsed the cover of the study guide and appeared puzzled. "The MCAT? You're studying to get into med school?"

Faith snatched the book out of his hands. "That's none of your business." Her gaze touched on her handbag. "I'll take my purse. Like I said, I'm in a hurry."

He retained her purse and stared at her with penetrating eyes. "Have you eaten?"

"No. I was going to pick something up on my way home. Why?" she asked warily.

"Because I have a proposition for you. We'll talk about it over dinner."

Let's see. Dinner with the self-important Greek Adonis or study? Cozying up with her study guide for the night seemed to hold even larger appeal all of a sudden.

Faith laughed. "Oh, that's rich. I may have appeared dense to you a few minutes ago Dr. Lassiter, but I'm not stupid. There is nothing you could possibly have to say outside of work that would interest me in the least."

He grabbed the book from her unsuspecting hands.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"This is what we have to discuss, Faith." He smiled without humor and jiggled the book in front of her, just out of her grasp.

Hands on her hips, Faith stared at him. Dr. Lassiter was acting completely out of character for the second time that day. "I think I like your snide, arrogant persona better. I wasn't aware you belonged on the fourth floor with the other psych patients when you were off duty."

He scowled, smoothed his red tie, and buttoned his navy suit jacket. "I'm not snide or arrogant."

Faith chuckled. "It's rather interesting, don't you think, you didn't deny you belonged on the psych ward." Sobering, she held out her hand. "Really, I'd love to stay and exchange insults with you all day, but I have to get home. My stuff, please."

He started to hand it over to her, then pulled it just beyond her reach. "I heard the nurses talking in the med room a while ago. They said you froze up while taking the exam. Is that true, Faith? Do you have test anxiety?"

Her amusement died. She felt the color drain from her face. Damn gossips. She stiffened her spine and straightened to her full height of five-foot-eight inches.

"So what if I do," she admitted, hating the defensive tone that had crept into her voice. "Lots of people have trouble taking tests."

"Then it appears we have something important to discuss, after all." He gave her an engaging smile. "I'm even willing to overlook the fact you called me arrogant and snide and pay for dinner. I can help you with your problem if you help me with a little problem of my own."

Faith opened her mouth to make another sarcastic comment. What kind of problems did this guy have? He seemed to have everything. She had several suggestions for his "little problem".

He held up a finger, halting her before she spoke. "Ah, I'd watch it, Faith. I'm only going to make this offer once. How badly do you want to score high marks on the entrance exam? Or better yet, how bad do you want to get into med school?"

Now, that was a loaded question. Damn him. He played dirty. It was just like him to use her dream to get what he wanted. Faith expected no less from the conceited jerk. She'd give everything she had and more, and he knew it. Her dreams had been put on hold long enough. The only thing standing between her and med school was the damn test.

Maybe he could help her. After all, he was a doctor and had taken the exam. What could it hurt to hear what he had to say? Dubious about his intentions, but curious all the same, Faith nodded. She was starving. "All right, Dr. Lassiter. Do you like Chinese?"

ON THE ROAD HOME~

I'm on my way home today. My cell phone did not survive my vacation, so a trip to the Verizon store is on the agenda. Do you ever need a vacation just to re-coup from your vacation? UGH! That is totally me right now. But no rest for the weary. Back to work tonight at 7 pm sharp. It will take us 6 hours to drive home and I hope to be on the road by 5am but it is looking more like 5:30 am. That will put us in our drive way around noon. I can take a nap after the car is unloaded.

I TOTALLY miss my bed!

LETTING LUCE RELEASES TOMORROW!! SNEAK PEAK!

A friend of mine, Jenny Gilliam, has a new book that releases tomorrow! Enjoy a sneak peak below!


BLURB:

When Lucy Hollister tried to drop-kick her personal computer out her second-story window, she had no idea it would eventually lead to the seduction of her very hot, very yummy best friend, Rory Carlisle.

After all, she’s the queen of passivity, and he’s the reining king of the non-committed relationship. When a sexy online flirtation leads the couple into some steamy situations, Rory realizes that his cute best friend is letting loose—in the best possible way.

Can this couple get past old hurts and guarded hearts to embrace the passionate love that awaits?

Excerpt:

“Who did you do it for?” Rory asked.

Lucy’s heart thudded in her chest. She couldn’t quite meet his eyes. His velvety voice, rough yet smooth, caressed nerve endings strung tight like piano wire.
“Lucy,” he said softly. “Who did you wear that dress for?”

Oh, he was good. He knew damn well she’d dressed up for him. In a sudden flash of insight, she realized she wasn’t fooling anyone, especially Rory.

“I know you,” he said, his voice whispering over her. “ScorpioCutie.”

Her breath caught, and her eyes moved to his face. He watched her with the single-minded intensity he saved for naughty co-eds and naughtier computers.

“What did you just call me?”

“You heard me,” he answered huskily.

Silent, her gaze skittered away from his, flying away like a nervous bird before landing on a spot a few feet beyond his shoulder. She considered denying it all. How much could he know, after all? He might be guessing. Then she thought of his heated gaze, those knowing eyes, that flash of insight.

Her skin heated with embarrassment. “How long have you known?”

God! Why couldn’t she just be ScorpioCutie? Why couldn’t she charge over there and throw him down on the grass? What stopped her?

Three words: Lucille Louise Hollister.

“A couple of weeks.”

“How did you find out?”

His heated stare burned her flesh. “You forgot to delete the chat logs.”

Duh! “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“Why didn’t you?”

Good question. She didn’t know if he wanted to hear the truth. So she lied. “It was part of the game.”

He lifted a brow. “So this is just a game?”

Lucy nodded, but she couldn’t look him in the eye. He turned to her with predatory grace; stalking her, closing her in, forcing her to lean against one of the metal beams. The cold seeped in from the steel, saturating her skin as a prickle of goosebumps that spread across her body.

He looked like a large feral animal, and she was his prey.

With nowhere to go.

Rory stopped an inch from her. He was so big, towering over her. His hot breath fanned across her cheek. He lifted a finger and ran it down her neck. She couldn’t control the delicious tremor that ran through her...


OH! And Jenny leaves us hanging!!!! To order your copy of LETTING LUCE, go to www.amirapress.com

KEEPING A SENSE OF HUMOR~2

Examination Room

At the beginning of my shift I placed a stethoscope on an elderly and slightly deaf female patient's anterior chest wall. "Big breaths," I instructed. "Yes, they used to be," remorsefully replied the patient.
Doctor in Washington


I was performing a complete physical, including the visual acuity test. I placed the patient twenty feet from the chart and began, "Cover your right eye with your hand." He read the 20/20 line perfectly. Now cover your left." Again, a flawless read. "Now both," I requested. There was silence. He couldn't even read the large letter on the top line. I turned and discovered that he had done exactly what I had asked; he was standing there with both his eyes covered. I was laughing too hard to finish the exam.
Doctor in MA



There's nothing worse than a snotty doctor's receptionist who insists you tell her what is wrong in a room full of other patients. I know we all have experienced this, and I love the way this guy handled it.

An 86-year-old man walked into a crowded doctor's office. As he approached the desk, the receptionist said, "Yes sir, what are you seeing the doctor for today?"

"There's something wrong with my penis," he replied.

The receptionist became irritated and said, "You shouldn't come into a crowded office and say things like that."

"Why not? You asked me what was wrong and I told you," he said.

The receptionist replied, "You've obviously caused some embarrassment in this room full of people. You should have said there is something wrong with your ear or something and then discussed the problem further with the doctor in private."

The man walked out, waited a few minutes and then re-entered.

The receptionist smiled smugly and asked, "Yes?'

"There's something wrong with my ear," he stated.

The receptionist nodded approvingly and smiled, knowing he had taken her advice. "And what is wrong with your ear, Sir?"

"I can't piss out of it," the man replied.

The doctor's office erupted in laughter.


More medical humore next week!

Take Care,
Kathleen

PERFECTION?

Do you demand perfection at work? In your family? In your significant other?

In my opinion, nothing is ever truly perfect. You can kill yourself trying to make it so. The drive for perfection can alienate those around you, setting you up for failure. And, make you physically ill.

My character, Heart Surgeon Dr. Stone Lassiter, from THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION has this flaw when it comes to his work. It isn't until toward the end of the book he realizes what he's been doing and makes changes. But it takes the love of a strong woman to help him see the error of his ways.

But what about you? Trying to find the right balance in your life is a difficult thing to do. Don't obsess about the small stuff. Sometimes, all you need is to take a step back, take a deep breath, and let a few things roll off your shoulders.

It is impossible to control everything. So, look at the broad picture of what is going on in your life. Prioritize, organize, and don't stress about the things you have no control over.

Take Care,
Kathleen

DIABETES MONDAY~FACT #12~DIABETES & ALCOHOL PART 2

OK, so last Monday I talked a little about how it is all right to drink alcohol if you have established blood sugar control and only have 1-2 drinks per day. But then my mind started to wonder more about the topic of drinking alcohol if you're a diabetic. I wondered, "How do people truly stay safe?"

There are some instances when diabetes and alcohol DON'T mix.

If you suffer from diabetic neuropathy, drinking can make this condition a lot worse. Why? Because heavy or prolonged alcohol use can cause nerve damage. So, think about this a minute. If your nerves are damaged from your diabetes already and then you add drinking alcohol into the equation, aren't you adding kerosine to an already lit fire?

The next problem could be with your liver. If you have high triglyceride levels you shouldn't drink alcohol. Remember from last Monday I said that one of the liver's job is to produce sugar. Another duty the liver has is to clear fat from the blood. If you are drinking alcohol, the liver's primary function turns to clearing that alcohol from your blood stream. Sugar production and getting rid of fat from your blood stream does not get done. So you become a hypoglycemic at risk for a major heart attack. (Kind of an extreme example, but you get the idea).

If you have a condition called hypertension (high blood pressure) which is treated by medications you shouldn't drink alcohol because alcohol raises blood pressure. As a diabetic, you are already at risk for hypertension. Chronic high blood pressure puts you at an increased risk to have diabetic related complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, and retinopathy. Worst case scenario and I have seen this happen to people, is that you'll be a patient in my ICU on chronic dialysis (because your kidneys are fried), who has suffered a heart attack or stroke, and are blind or legally blind. Definitely not a fun position to be in.

All that said, if you are a diabetic considering having a drink or two, here are some things to consider.

**Always eat something when you drink. This is a no brainer.

**Make sure mixed drinks are accurately measured or you could consume too much by accident.

**Don't exercise before drinking because exercise will lower your blood sugar. And be smart here. If you're planning on going to a dance club, remember dancing counts as exercise.

**Since you know that drinking alcohol lowers blood sugars, be prepared for hypoglycemia. Make sure you have a carbohydrate snack available. Carry something in your purse/pocket. I buy those glucose tablets that are available over the counter for my mother in law. Her sugars drop without warning. They are quick and easy to use.

**Remember to monitor your sugars throughout the night. If you are going out, take your glucose meter with you and check your sugars frequently.

**When you come home from your night out, eat a snack before bed because after a few evening drinks, your blood sugar levels may crash in the middle of the night. It might even be an excellent idea to set your alarm to wake you after a couple of hours of sleep so that you can check your blood sugar. You may need another snack.

EYE CANDY FRIDAY~

I'm on vacation today! YES! I thought I'd leave you with some pics of some of my favorite actors. Enjoy~

Take Care!
Kathleen

REVEAL YOUR INNER NURSE!!

Who's Your Inner Nurse? "Nurses of the world unite!" LOL. I thought it would be fun to take this quiz to see what kind of nurse I really am. Here are my results:

KATHLEEN, you're like Florence Nightingale Like the nursing idol herself, you're determined and persistent in your efforts — day or night. Your brave nurse counterpart helped out on the front lines during the Crimean War and pushed for better hospital conditions. And it's your similar commitment to raising the bar on nursing standards and patient treatment that puts you in her fine company.

Like her, you're a selfless and devoted soul who's not afraid to go the extra mile to help your patients — or the greater good of humankind, for that matter. Whether you're aiding one patient, a whole hospital wing, or an entire school body, it's clear that you've got lots of dedication and a big heart. And that's what's sure to make you a well-loved and well-known nurse.



Now, for those of you who may not know this, but my husband is a nurse, too. He took the quiz and here are his results:

MIKE: you're like Greg Focker from Meet The Parents Laughter is the best medicine. And it looks like you are skilled at using humor as a remedy for what ails you, or your patients, for that matter. Like Gaylord (Greg) Focker from the film, you've got a finely-developed funny bone and you're not afraid to use it. With your disposition, you can lighten even dark moods and more importantly, put a smile on patients' faces.

Like your nurse counterpart (who, let's not forget, endures constant ribbing for being a male nurse), you're proud of your profession and enjoy helping people. You feel fulfilled when you care for others and maybe even get them to laugh, too — even if they're laughing at, not with, you. So keep lifting people's spirits. It's sure to give a lift to their health, too. And that's what nursing is all about.

To take this quiz: http://web.tickle.com/rd/53516/tests/innernurse/

A SENSE OF HUMOR!

Working in my ICU can be a depressing place to be. Thank goodness I work with a great team of health care professionals that use a healthy dose of humor to help keep our sanity. While surfing the net, I found these funny medical jokes:



Delivery Time

A man comes into the ER and yells, "My wife's going to have her baby in the cab!" I grabbed my stuff, rushed out to the cab, lifted the lady's dress, and began to take off her underwear. Suddenly I noticed that there were several cabs, and I was in the wrong one.
Doctor in Texas



Diet Problems

I was caring for a woman from Kentucky and asked, "So, how's your breakfast this morning?" "It's very good, except for the Kentucky Jelly. I can't seem to get used to the taste," the patient replied. I then asked to see the jelly and the woman produced a foil packet labeled "KY Jelly."
Doctor in MI


Do you have humor in your workplace?

More humor next Wednesday!

Take Care,
Kathleen

4 OUT OF 5 STARS FOR THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION!!

Crystal's Book Reviews has reviewed THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION!

Here is part of the review:

A quirky tale of love, friendship, dreams, trust and betrayal in the ranks, dragging you down the halls of your local hospital and settling you into one big daydream you'll have the book finished in no time. Its like having an episode of ER in your hands and playing in your head. I'd recommend this book to anyone over the age of 18 years and older. An excellent read sure to have you turning page after page in a single sitting unwilling to take a break. Definitely something to curl up with on a cold night or rainy day with a glass of wine or a tub of ice cream before bed and capable of lifting anyone’s spirits.

I give this book a hearty (lol) 4 out of 5 stars.



By R.N. Hadley

To read more, go to http://bookreviewsbycrystal.blogspot.com http://rnhadleybookreviews.blogspot.com

THANK YOU SO MUCH Ms. Hadley! I am so thrilled that THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION has been well received so far! THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION makes its debut on 6/25/08 from THE WILD ROSE PRESS www.thewildrosepress.com!

Take Care,
Kathleen

TRUE STORY!!

The Telegraph
London, UK
22 February, 2008


'Firemen's lift is not for a 42-stone man'

A crew of 10 firemen were called out four times in one week to lift a 41-stone (574lb) man in his own home.

They travelled in two engines to Robert Marsden's council house and on one occasion were asked only to move him from one side of his bed to the other.

It led to a fire brigade union leader complaining yesterday that crews should not be dealing with obese people when they could be needed at real emergencies.

The call-outs were made to Mr Marsden's ground floor flat in Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, last week, where he receives daily visits from carers.

Gordon McQuade, of the Fire Brigades Union, said: "On one of the occasions it was simply to assist the council's Mobile Emergency Care Service to move him across his bed. That is not a medical emergency. Firefighters will always attend to help out in medical emergencies. We have no problem with that.

"But when you tie up two fire engines and 10 firefighters to move someone two feet across a bed you have to ask, should we be doing that in case other incidents come in?

"We don't have any special equipment or portable hoists to lift people like this. Even with 10 firefighters, if you're pushing someone who is more than 40 stone (560lb), you can put your back out."

Mr Marsden, 40, who is unemployed and spends much of his day in bed, said he did not understand "what the fuss was about".

He added: "The firemen came here and got on with their job, and once they were finished they went on to their next job. Sometimes I slide to the floor in my living room, and it's hard to get back up.

"I try not to make a regular habit of ringing for help, but sometimes there is nothing I can do. Of course I'm grateful to the fire service. There are people up and down the country just like me.

"My weight isn't something I like to discuss. It comes up in every conversation I have. I am tired of talking about it." The FBU said that with morbid obesity becoming more common, the NHS should provide on-call assistance and hoists to allow firemen to concentrate on their real duties.

Mr McQuade added: "We are seeing a large increase in this type of call where obese patients require to be moved within their house, but there is actually nothing medically wrong with them."

ARTICLE TAKEN FROM:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/mai.../22/nfat122.xml




On a side note, I wonder if I can get a fireman to come to my house to ah...help me? LOL. I'll take the one above! Compliments of the 2008 Houston Fire Department. This guy is the month of March! NICE! OH! And I must tell you all to make sure and stop by jj Keller's blogspot today. She is doing a small piece on "Sex In The Closet"! Here is the link: http://jjkeller.blogspot.com/ ENJOY!

Take care,
Kathleen

DIABETES MONDAY~FACT #11~DIABETES & ALCOHOL PART 1

Before I delve into my discussion about diabetes & alcohol and how they don't mix, I wanted to thank everyone who participated in Brenda Novak's 4th Annual On-line Auction for Diabetes Research. The auction is now over. She raised $252,300!! This brings her total to a little over a half million dollars since she started her fund raising efforts! CONGRATULATIONS Brenda!! That is a phenominal amount of money!

Sending you a CYBER CHEER for your continued success for future online auctions!!

Now on to today's fact~

If you have diabetes, is it acceptable to drink alcohol? While researching this topic, I would've said no. Surprisingly, the answer is yes according to the ADA. But as with anything, the key is MODERATION. And, before you incorporate alcohol into your daily diet plan, you need to have stabilized your blood sugar control first.

Let's review the pathophysiology of how alocohol affects the body. One of the jobs of your liver is to release glucose (sugar) into the blood stream where it can be circulated and used for energy by your body's cells. When you consume alcohol, the liver shuts down sugar production so that it can clear the alcohol from your system. This results in a condition called hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This can be a HUGE problem for people who have diabetes for two reasons. First, some people drink on an empty stomach. So, no new source of sugar will be forthcoming. Second, if the diabetic person had taken his/her insulin or oral diabetic medication the person's blood sugar will be even LOWER!




Not a good situation to be in. If you're a diabetic in this condition, you'll end up warming one of my ICU beds. We may have intubated you (placed a breathing tube down your throat and hooked you to a respirator) if your level of consciousness is such that you may not be able to protect your airway. Next comes the D-10 drip (a 10%dextrose solution) that we infuse intraveniously (IV). And, don't forget that every hour we'll be drawing blood to check your blood sugar.

So, here's what you want to do if you are a diabetic who will drink alcohol.

Remember, this is for individuals who have well-controlled blood sugars!!!

You have a two drink maximum per day if you're a man. Women are allowed one drink per day. Sorry ladies, but this is because women have a lower body water content than men and we metabolize alocohol more slowly.

One drink is defined by the USDA as:

12 ounces of regular beer
5 ounces of wine
1 1/2 ounces of 80-proof distilled liquor

Also, it is important to know that alcohol has NO nutritional value; and one drink equals 2 fat exchanges; regular beer is an additional 1 starch exchange.

So, go ahead. Enjoy the occasional glass of wine or have a beer with that football game. Just make sure you 1) have your blood sugars well established first; and 2)and don't drink to excess.

Take Care,
Kathleen

IT IS FRIDAY!

YEAH! I made it through another week! How about everyone else? Did you get everything accomplished that you wanted to? I made a great dent, but still have plenty to do before we go on our rafting trip next week. There is no cell service out in the boonies which means my verizon gadget I bought a couple of months ago won't work to get me onto the internet!

Ten days with no computer? OMG! While this is a very good thing as far as relaxation goes, I really won't be able to truly relax because the entire time I'll be thinking of all of the work that will be waiting for me when I get home.

UGH! Anyone else have problems letting go when they're supposed to be on vacation?

Moving on. What is everyones plans for the weekend? The temperatures are in the TRIPLE DIGITS already here in sunny Arizona! I'm melting already! LOL.

Have a nice, relaxing weekend!

Take Care,
Kathleen

MEET THE JUNES 2008 MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN!

It is June and another month has flown by. I can't believe how the months seem to change without me even aware of it. But I can't blog in June without revealing who the Most Beautiful Man of June 2008 is! Above is Nick Adams! To learn more about Nick, stop by this link: http://www.mostbeautifulman.com/misc/NickAdams/bio.shtml

Today I'm going to try and finish my current chapter, get the six critiques done that are sitting in my "to be completed file", and then get ready for work tonight! I'm looking for blog topics for my guest blogging appearances. Is there anything you'd like to know about? Leave a comment with your preferences! :)

Take Care!
Kathleen

WORK, WORK, AND MORE WORK!

Yesterday was very productive! I worked on a lot of promotional stuff to get ready for THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION release. I'll be guest blogging over at Romance Junkies and Simply Romance Reviews. As the dates approach, I'll let you know where I'll be and when. In the meantime, STOP by my website at www.kathleengrieve.com for a sneak peak of THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION. The first half of chapter one is posted. My novel will be released by THE WILD ROSE PRESS on 6/25/08! Keep checking either here or over at my website for information on DD's LAUNCH PARTY!

I also got several pages of my newest novel written and networked some on myspace. YEAH! WHEW! I'm tired! Now I'm off to do it all over again!

I hope your day today will be as productive as mine!

Take Care,
Kathleen

WHAT IS YOUR MOST ROMANTIC MEMORY?

I recently learned that my older son had his first school yard romance. (If he knew I was writing this, he'd be absolutely mortified, so let's just keep this between us, shall we?) As school yard romances go, it was over before it started. But before it had ended, he'd given the young lady a poem that had her name in it, flowers, and sang her a song. (Although I had to wonder what song because he only knows how to play AC/DC, some Rush, and a little Deep Purple on his guitar. LOL)

*sigh* My little Casanova!

But, my mind started turning as it usually does and I began to wonder. That young girl now has quite the romantic memories for her first "romance". Would she remember this 5, 10, even 15 years from now?

So I ask you. What is your earliest romantic memory? Mine probably has to be when my husband was stationed in Kosovo during our tenth wedding anniversary. The florist delivered 14 long stemmed roses. Ten red ones (one for each year we'd been married) and four other roses, each a different color that symbolized our four children. Of course, the diamond anniversary band didn't hurt, either. *g*

Your moment doesn't have to include diamonds and flowers, though. If I'd been an archeologist and he'd given me something cool that related to my job that symbolized our first dig, I would've been just as thrilled.

So, I ask you again. What is your most romantic memory?

Take Care,
Kathleen

DIABETES MONDAY~

Everyone involved in Brenda Novak's Online Auction to raise money for diabetes research received her email over the weekend stating she has raised over $250,000 with the raffle tickets still selling. Final total to come soon as Brenda is enjoying some well deserved time with her family at Disneyland!

CONGRATULATIONS Brenda!!! That is a staggering amount of money that will go to help find a cure!

Thanks to everyone who participated. Without the steady support of everyone out there, this would not have been possible.



The above picture demonstrates all of the health problems a person with diabetes encounters. Diabetes does not just affect one body system, but your entire body! The number of people that die from diabetes or diabetic related complications is growing every year. That is why work like Brenda's is so very important! I'll keep you posted on the final talley!

I look forward to next year's auction! As for my prize, I bid on some ad space to promote my book, THE DOCTOR'S DECEPTION to be released June 25th, 2008 by THE WILD ROSE PRESS. I also threw in $$ for the raffle! FUN!

Next week, will see a return of regular Diabetes Monday Facts~

Take care,
Kathleen