Some of you likely wonder where I've been. Frankly, since my last post here, I spent most of my time gradually dying.
I saw a long-term friend of mine in April 2019 and afterwards, he told family and friends he didn't think I'd make it a year.
Image credit: Vectors by Vecteezy.
I had a bad attack of congestive heart failure in June 2019, and was keeping my fingers crossed I'd be able to escape nursing home care.
On August 1, 2019, I was on 100 u insulin/day with bG usually over 200, sometimes over 300. I was on carvedilol and lisinopril for elevated bG which they didn't fix really, it was still high. I was on lasix for CHF, used a lymphapress daily for leg edema, on prednisone for adrenal insufficiency and on 37.5 mcg liothyronine for thyroid issues.
On August 2, I started an extended fast. I had some trouble getting myself sorted when I ate again, had to experiment quite a bit, but eventually got myself to my current schedule wherein I fast Mon-Wed and do OMAD (one meal a day), usually the RBS (ridiculously big salad), Thu-Sun evenings.
In September, my friend back to visit and seeing me, called his daughter and excitedly told her I wasn't going to die after all.
Today, on no insulin, just metformin, my bG for the past 30 days has averaged 111. On no BP meds, my BP ranges from normal to borderline/high. I am off lasix with no CHF symptoms and haven't used the lymphapress in months but have normal looking feet. I have weaned off pred entirely and am 1/3rd the way off weaning the thyroid meds.
I'm down 27 pounds; I'm a slow loser compared to many on the Eat Like a Bear Facebook group. But that's OK!
The non-scale victories (NSV) are the biggest deal; moreso than the medical improvements or the weight loss. My life has changed so profoundly, I can't even begin to express it.
And last week, there is a new NSV!
I sent literally over ten thousand dollars worth of insulin to a charity that provides insulin to T1 diabetics in third world countries. I packed it up in loads of bubble wrap with a bunch of freezer packs and went to the UPS store and shipped it off.
I also gave away my rollator last week and am in contact with a charity that can use my wheelchair and walker for folks locally, so that will be disposed of shortly too.
I don't need any of this stuff "just in case" anymore. I have been horribly sick and weak and am committed to the path of being strong and healthy.
There's no turning back.
I'm no longer posting on this blog because my focus has changed so profoundly. I am no longer obsessed over getting all the right amounts of all the nutrients.
I am now obsessed with autophagy, the process by which lysosomes within the cell "eat" malformed proteins and damaged organelles and then use those components to rebuild. The guy who turned me on to this, Dr. Jason Fung, likens it to Lego. It is profound healing on a cellular level, and likely useful for much more than diabetes.
I'm not minimizing the necessity of good nutrition; it's one of the reasons I adopted the Ridiculously Big Salad as my main meal. But it's the fasting-induced autophagy that is buying me the most. I've been keto before and not had anywhere near the results fasting has bought me.
This is a total transfiguration for me; as such I am primarily posting on a new blog. Check out Reversing Diabetes to follow my new journey.