a "been-there" mom of six offers encouragement
to wives, young mothers, and those not so young,
and simple common-sense approaches to
the "ings" of life:
child-rearing (hints and helps), homemaking (all areas),
cooking (simple, cheap, and do-it-yourself)
making (toys and gifts), preparing (for the unexpected),
maintaining (sanity and peace in this increasingly crazy world) and more---
all aspects of making the most of making do on little---
and having fun in the process.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

The Initial and Emotional "Trauma" of a Newly Diagnosed Diabetic

 My doctor has been telling me for years to lose weight and for the past couple of years that I was pre-diabetic.

Six weeks ago I began to eat really well---  mainly, I must admit,
so I could prove him wrong at my visit next week. 

When  my pre-visit blood work results came back.......... the numbers were up!!!

I am now officially, apparently undeniably, diabetic!!!

My first action was to eat three of Dave's malt ball Easter eggs. I hadn't had one single piece of candy up until then --- not even one of looked-forward to yearly treat: Peeps  Note when they started making Peeps for the other holidays I refused to buy them.  It just didn't seem right!

For years I have (alternately and repeatedly) counted calories, fat grams, "points" and exchanges and
felt really really righteous eating all fruits and non-deep-green-veggies and stuff labeled low-calorie.

Now, it's count carbs!!!!  Not just the obviously high-carb items but the many I had never considered high-carb. Fruits? Vegetables?

Low-Fat foods have more carbs than full-fat! Don't ya love it.

And things I previously ate, along with the accompanying guilt I can now have actual guiltless servings --- bacon, ham, beef, eggs, cheese!

This I can love!

It seems so wacky.

After several hours of book and internet searches and trying to grasp it all. I came to the conclusion that it not only "seems" wacky it is and consoled my self with a generous slice of pecan pie which I had stashed away in the freezer.  I first consumed a smallish "sample"  in its still frozen state ---- and it was fantastic.

Since that splurge I have been back to not just being good, but extremely good. Looking up the carb count of zillions of foods, actually measuring the servings of food*, counting those carbs, writing them all down, and totaling them up each day.

*I imagine I will be able to "guestimate" after a time.

I still have to learn to eat lots of low-carb veggies (which are mainly dark and not, to my mind, very tasty) and lots more of them to beef  bulk up my diet.  Baby steps!

I know it is waaay too early to brag or think I can keep doing this forever but I have to tell you what I have found out already.


  • I feel much better.
  • I walked 1/3 of a mile for the first time in many, many months (for me, a big deal).
  • I don't have cravings (and I am not making this up).
  • One 12 ounce can  of V8 juice and two one ounce mozzarella sticks will keep me feeling full for 4-5 hours. Honest!!! (This became my main go-to breakfast.)
  • I have lost 10 pounds! (without my usual going to Curves for two weeks because of cataract surgery--first one last week and the second yesterday). 


Last week in  going through my favorite recipes (to pack away---deep, deep, away---) I ran across a newspaper clipping from 2005 which I had never tried.  Until NOW!

Foolproof Omelet in a Bag

Quick, simple, no mess and next to NO CARBS. I've had it twice this week and it is foolproof just as promised.  Could be a fun build-your-own-omelet bar l for a family or small party.

First,  Put a large pan of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Or two pans, if it is a group thing!

1. Crack one extra large or two large eggs into a one-quart zip lock bag and smooosh it around, breaking up the yolks a little. 
2. Add to the bag: whatever else you want, in whatever quantity you want. I did sliced olives, red bell pepper, green onions, shredded cheese and chopped cooked bacon, plus a dash of  Lawry's season salt and pepper
3. Give it another smooosh or two, press out the air, close the bag and put it in the boiling water.
4. Set timer for exactly 13 minutes and let it boil away---no need to do anything else with it. 

Immediately remove bag and open (careful of the steam), turn it over your plate and watch it roll out on the plate (in even an omelet shape!!!.)  No sticking, very little residue in the bag.

And, enjoy.


  • Warning/Apology/Explanation (you choose)  In case you hadn't previously noticed, I can be (read am) a wee bit compulsive and  must immediately try to wrap my head around whatever it is that comes my way.
  • (this dot and the one below mean nothing (except I can't find the way to eliminate them) 
  • I  will probably be sending low carb recipes your way.  But hopefully no whining!


  • I haven't  been feeling well for quite a while, thus the lack of posts.

  • .Oh yes, we just purchased an air fryer --- had never heard of such a thing until a couple of weeks ago. (They are apparently very popular in India, Europe, etc. Read great reviews for cutting out fats, and mess, and with no possibility of  bad burns (been there done that not fun). 
  • Found a Faberware one at our local Wally store for $79 whose reviews compared very favorably to the $200-$400 models. Because of my post-surgery blurry eyesight I haven't opened it yet. But very soon! 
  • So possibility of air fryer results/recipes, also.
Many years ago in Missouri there was a gas station that had some kind of shiny silver pumps. I don't know how it "did it" but when you looked at your reflection while pumping your gas, this is the image you would see.                                        That station did a LOT of BUSINESS!