Why I am competing for Mrs. Idaho

What a great way to celebrate some major changes I have made in my life. I am running for Mrs. Idaho. It brings me great joy to share my story. I have been so blessed to speak to so many people about the positive changes I have made since being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

Here is my story to share.

I was pregnant with my 3rd child at age 37. I went in for my normal check up. As I stepped on the scale and noticed I had a 10 pound weight gain. I simply could not believe my eyes. The nurse softly said do you have diabetes? I said NO!! She then started quickly looking through my chart and said that is weird I can't find your blood work from your gestational diabetes test. She then went on to say she would give the Lab a call. As she walked back towards me looking down I felt something wasn't right. She said I am so sorry to let you know but your test came back positive. I asked why I was not notified and she said somehow my test results did not come over from the lab.

She sent me right over for a 3 hour blood glucose test and I again tested positive. Knowing I only had 6 weeks until my due date I needed to work fast and learn all I could to know how to eat and what to do to better my health for myself and my baby. She gave me a load of paper work to read on gestational diabetes and also gave me food guide lines to follow. I followed the food guide and when I returned each week for testing my test were in range. I felt much relief.

I ended up delivering my baby 3 weeks early so I only knew I had diabetes for 3 weeks of my pregnancy. I had my post glucose tests after my son was born and the nurse said that there was no diabetes showing. I got one more my test the day we went home. Again I was told I could return to regular foods that the diabetes gone.

My son was very sick his first year of life. I was up with him nightly and was at the Doctor office many times to find out he had bronchitis and ear infections. It was really hard on my body because I was feeling well myself. I could not drop a pound no matter how hard I tried and I was having really bad headaches. I wanted to go to the Doctor to see what was up but my son was so ill I just kept putting it off. Finally I could not take another day of the headaches and I called my Doctor.

He got me in the next day and did a bunch of tests. He also ended up sending me home with a blood monitor. He taught me how to use it and said now don't get worried I just want to see how your blood sugar tests out. When I get the monitor in a few weeks we will discuss the results. He went on to talk about the different types of diabetes than he said with a smile I see you back in a few weeks. A few weeks past and I went back in to see my Dr. He asked how I was feeling? I told him I was not feeling any better. :-(

He took the monitor back and had it hooked up to his computer that printed out the results. He came in and said Well, Jill you do have diabetes. I froze and then began to cry. He said listen, I am going to give you a diet plan that will help allot and the pounds will start dropping off. He then said I need to do some type of aerobic program, machine or walking will do but you need to do it faithfully 5 days a week for the next month and then let’s have you back in and see your progress. He then went on to say that he would like me to test my blood before I eat and 1 hr after I eat 3 times a day.

Well, my next visit brought Joy as he told me your numbers look great so I can tell you have been eating right. I stepped on the scale to see a there was a 13 pound loss. I remember the feeling of relief that came over me. I knew what I had to do to get myself better. It was such a pleasing thought to know that I could act upon what my Dr. said to do and I will continue to get good results and that is exactly what

In January 2008 I slipped and fell on black ice.
I had a rotation fall where when I fell my ankle turned both ways and broke on both sides. I had to have surgery and a plate with 6 screws put in my Fibula and while in surgery my surgeon was going to add 3 screws to my Tibia but because it aligned he decided that in the long run it would be better for that bone to heel all the way through. I was on the couch off of my ankle for the 7 weeks than had to use crutches for the next 4+ months. Total healing time was 9 months.

In that 9 mo I could have sat around and ate and watched the weight come back on. I just could not do that after all the hard work so I did the opposite and with the continuing of eating 6 small meals a day I reached a weight I haven't seen in 14 yrs. I have seriously had to get rid of all of my clothes and start from scratch.

I have lost 95 pounds now. I feel great and the best thing of all is sharing my story with others and being able to help others educate others with the the factors of diabetes and start now to live a better healthier life so they don’t have to go through what I went through.

I want to thank my family for being there for me though this very big trial and standing by my side cheering me on through my successes.