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Islets of Hope real people - stories from others living with insulin resistance syndrome |
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Mrs. J. Nadene Delaney
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Real people J. Nadene Delaney Mrs. Delaney was the very first volunteer to help out not only with Islets of Hope's mission, but also now serves on the board of directors for IPump.org, Inc. Although she does not have diabetes herself, she has a passion and heart for those that do. Although disabled, she works many long hours. The following is her life story, in her own words. Mrs. Delaney suffered from severe hypoglycemia most of her life. It was not until she began working with Islets of Hope that founder, Lahle Wolfe insisted she start checking her blood sugars now and then and discovered that she had all the hallmark symptoms of insulin resistance. She now eats a diet rich in vegetables and lean protein and despite her severe physical limitations has managed to drop more than 30 lbs. At Islets of Hope we are proud of her taking her health into her own hands as well as grateful for all the work that she does to help others. Lahle Wolfe, founder, Islets of Hope At the age of 25, after falling off the bleachers at college and having to be seen by an orthopedic surgeon, I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. This doctor told me I would be in a wheelchair by the age of 36. By the age of 36, I was still quite the active and athletic woman I had been most of my life. Also, I had moved from Washington, D.C. area to a small town in West Virginia to attend college for the third time, and try to obtain my long-desired BA. I met a man the first year at college, married and gave birth to my son, three months and one week earlier than my due date, (I had lost six children during pregnancy by my 30th birthday). After bringing my son home from the hospital, I was to learn that my new husband was not happy with our marriage. He became abusive, mostly verbally and emotionally, and by neglecting my son and me. I did not know, at this time, that such behavior can cause physical illnesses. After two years, my husband left, only to continue by threatening to take my son, declaring he “did not want me to have anything.” I was devastated. A year after our divorce, I had to go to work to support my son and myself. I began working full time as a data-entry operator. In 1991, I met Stephen, and we were married in July 1995. I continued to work my 40+ weekly hours. But as time went by, I discovered my hands swelled more quickly and to the extent that I could no longer type even for a 30-hour week. Eventually, fatigue came on me like gangbusters. I was losing my ability to concentrate and/or memorize programs and codes to do my work. I hesitated going to the doctor’s, one more time, with the complaints of exhaustion, pain in various places in my body. Sometimes the pain was so overwhelming, like a severe case of the flu, that I would lie in bed for hours, barely able to move. My sleeping patterns became so sporadic that the exhaustion too, became unbearable. In my own mind, I had diagnosed myself with early, onset Alzheimer’s and possibly MS. Fortunately, my doctor was one who had done his homework, and sent me an orthopedic specialist who put me through extensive testing – diagnosis: Fibromyalgia. I returned to my regular doctor to begin my education, “guinea pig” drug sampling, and new regiment of treatment for this disease. I also came to understand, that when one lives with chronic pain and chronic fatigue, the brain cannot deal with normal input and expression; in other words, one begins to live with “fibro fog.” My doctor told me that the first and most important treatment for fibromyalgia was to get into a good, deep-sleep pattern and schedule. On came the sleeping pills, plus anti-inflammatories and the pain killers. With my diagnosis, I also began going into even deeper depression. I had been a very physically active woman, participating in a wide range of outdoor activities from camping, hiking, and swimming to caving and rappelling. I loved building snow people with my son, riding the neighbor’s horses, and basically running around the small farm where I now live. All of this came to an abrupt stop. Even walking around, trying to feed and care for my dogs, cats and chickens was a trial, all quite too painful to accomplish. More depression and loss of self-esteem, loss of motivation, and of course, I could no long work outside the home. I eventually applied for disability, which I was denied three times by the Social Security Administration. I hired a lawyer who specialized in these cases, and after three years was granted disability. Since that time, I have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), scoliosis, Epstein Barr Syndrome, Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome (TMJ or TMD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The mental and physical traumas I had been through during those eight years had affected me physically and mentally. To date, I have been unable to get into a good sleeping routine, but, with much help from an excellent doctor and a wonderful therapist, come out of the severe depression. I am more physically active (I still cannot work a full-time job). I still drive a car, usually walk around WalMart for about an hour, (sometimes I do take advantage of their motor cart devices), I still do housework (very slowly, resting every 15-20 minutes), and, have even helped to redecorate my kitchen, living room and guest room. I am able to take care of my pets and chickens (even though the girls are not laying at this time), and have obtained a riding lawnmower, which I enjoy using each Spring & Summer to cut my three-quarters of an acre lawn. The biggest blessing I have received, in spite of all these “problems” is my BA degree in Writing. With the help of the Ingomar Woman’s Group, and professors at our local college, I spent two years, full time, and graduated in 2001. Fibromyalgia, like any crippling or debilitating disease, has taken a number of years for me to understand and deal with on the level I have now obtained. My family has never truly been able to understand nor accept what it has done to me. As many who have this disease know – “we do not look sick.” How does one understand and give sympathy when there is no injury, cuts, blood, casts or devices which show the injury? I have learned, by the help of several, dear friends, and my therapist, how to live with my diseases and conditions. I have learned how to understand and not take on the rejection of family and society. I do not take sleeping pills, nor as many pain killers as I use to take. Learning how to remove thoughts which cause stress has been, I believe, my greatest healing device. Most importantly to me, is, as a Christian woman, I depend completely on my relationship with my Lord. I do not blame Him for any of my problems – on the contrary, I thank Him for the many things I have learned through all of this experience, and so many wonderful people I have met who also live with these diseases. What is a thrill for me now, is I am again able to care for myself, live alone, wherefore I can walk, talk, sleep, rest, “goof off” and care for my home as I am able or just plain want to. I am an overcomer – I will continue to add exercises to my daily life, and, hopefully, finally get into that deep-sleep schedule which I believe will give me more days without pain and stress.
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