Good afternoon! Hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas Holiday weekend. As promised, I'm going to do a summary of this year's Diabetic Monday Posts...Which will be super easy since I've recently only gotten back into blogging full time these last months. The year 2009 was full of stress and grief for my beloved Mother who passed away late in 2008. 2010 brought forth a lot of changes to my life. I'm can say that I'm finally hitting my stride, balancing work, writing, and life once more.
With that said, let's continue with the DM recap. First, I want everyone who has diabetes to realize that the first step in dealing with this debilitating disease, is acceptance. If you mentally aren't ready to face the changes you need to make in your life, then you won't be successful.
And you need to be successful in order to survive...
Remember, there are two types of diabetes. Type I diabetes is a condition where the pancreas no longer produces insulin. Type II diabetes is a condition where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body does not recognize the insulin made by its own pancreas.
Diabetic "reactions" are related to either hypoglycemia (having low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (blood sugar being too high). It is important to check your blood sugar levels several times a day so that you can monitor how you're doing. Blood sugars should be kept between 110-180. Theses numbers are taken off hospital protocol. Generally, most out in the community say less than 200, but greater than 100. But you need to go by what your doctor recommends for you.
Diabetic complications can include, but are not limited to the following:
Peripheral Neuropathy
Heart Disease
Blindness
Kidney Disease
What can you do to live with this disease? Eat right. Exercise. Take your diabetic medication as directed by your doctor. Monitor your blood sugar levels. See your doctor on a regular basis.
If you don't have health insurance, money for prescriptions, or a doctor to help you manage your diabetes, there are a lot of resources to help you get what you need. These are taken from the ADA (American Diabetes Association) Website: http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/health-insurance-options/health-insurance-options-for-the-uninsured/
HIPAA-eligible
HIPAA-eligible individuals are provided protections under federal law when they lose their group health insurance coverage. These individuals have the opportunity to elect new coverage regardless of their health status.
Individual
Individual health insurance policies may be an option for people who do not have access to job-based coverage. Some states offer individual coverage to all persons regardless of their health status.
High-Risk Pools
Currently, over 30 states offer high-risk pools as an option for persons who are otherwise unable to qualify for health insurance coverage.
COBRA
COBRA allows individuals and their dependents the opportunity to continue their job-based health insurance coverage even after employment ends.
State Continuation
Some states offer continuation coverage that allows individuals and their dependents the opportunity to continue their group health insurance coverage even after employment ends. This coverage is only available to companies with 20 or fewer employees.
Conversion
Many states provide individuals and families the option to convert their group health plan into a non-group health insurance policy that is purchased from their former insurer.
TAA Tax Credit
TAA is a tax credit available to workers who have lost their jobs or whose hours of work and wages have decreased as a result of increased imports.
Pharmaceutical Companies
Most pharmaceutical companies have established patient assistance programs to help uninsured individuals get the medications that they need to stay healthy.Prescription Assistance
Free Clinics
If you or your loved one is unable to see a physician due to the cost of care, there may be a local community health clinic in your area. These clinics generally are free to patients or require a very small fee. Find a clinic in your area.
The year 2011 is right around the corner. We have so many things to look forward to, including award winning Brenda Novak's month long diabetic auction in May! The money raised goes toward diabetic research to try and find a cure!
Happy Monday!!
Kathleen
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