Our April Support Group Meeting

Our April meeting on April 11 turned out to be more relaxed than I thought it would be. Jason had received the materials from Brenda and was ready to have the presentation. First, Tim had Brenda's daughter give us an update on Brenda's progress and recovery. Brenda has returned home, but has a full-time nurse and other people coming in during the weekdays for physical therapy and speech therapy. Then Tim introduced the new person, Joyce and asked for a vote for membership. The voice vote was unanimous and Jason was given the floor.

Learning how to interpret blood glucose readings is the topic and Jason felt with what he and Brenda had prepared before the heart problem, we should understand more about our food intake or reducing foods or eliminating some foods from our menu. Jason continued that by using the health logs to adjust medications if the doctor allowed or recommended this for certain illnesses, it should be possible if we understand our blood glucose readings.

Tim brought up the first slide which explained the necessity of testing before a meal and testing at various times after the meal. The before meal test (preprandial test) should be determined by the type of medication being taken. Oral medications can vary on how quickly the medication takes effect and the same applies to insulin.

The after meal test is more variable and depends on the medication, the individual, and the food consumed. Only testing will help you decide the best time to test postprandial. Jason said his best time is about 2 hours after last bite and I know that several of you test about 90 minutes after first bite and a few test at 90 minutes after last bite. Others test a one hour after first or last bite. All times are fine and only you can determine this from tests. The one warning Jason stated is being consistent with first or last bite.

Jason then said that he tested every 15 minutes after last bite to determine when he had the highest blood glucose reading and stopped when he had the reading start down. Jason said to do this with several different meals and many different food combinations. Most were all near 2 hours when his blood glucose levels peaked.

Jason said that without the twin tests, preprandial and postprandial, one reading is worthless as it does not tell you what the increase in blood glucose levels are and you will not know what foods or food combinations may be causing the spike in blood glucose levels.

Then Jason asked if we wanted him to cover hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia since Bob has written about both? Only one person said he would still want it talked about. Tim asked if the resources I had used were part of what Brenda and Jason had prepared. Jason answered that I have been part of the discussion and much of what I had written was from the same sources.

Jason said several of what they had came from my blogs and they had borrowed the book that I used. Gale asked to speak and said she would like to work with the person that wanted Jason to cover the topics as she felt that if she could get their notes and use my blogs, she could explain it to her. The person said she would accept that, as she was the only one that felt there was something she missed and at the same time did not want to hold the group back.

Tim asked Jason and me if we would supply information and answer questions Gale had that would help. Both of us said we were available by email or telephone to assist if needed. Our newest member, Joyce, who had joined that evening, asked if she could participate since she was not aware of what had been covered in my blogs. She admitted that she did not understand the terms other that she was guessing that one was about having lows and the other about having highs from something the doctor had talked about when she was still in shock from her diagnosis.

Gale agreed and thanked her for speaking up. Tim asked if anyone else would want to do this. No one spoke up and Tim asked Stan, who had joined the previous meeting, if he was having any problems. Stan said that my blogs were what he needed and had read many of them. He continued that the blogs on the complications were what he needed and he was asking me questions that he had, and I was helping him gain confidence in researching different topics.

With that, Tim ended the meeting. Several people gathered around Gale and Tim decided to let that happen. I was ready to leave and several of us headed home.