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Marice Pouesi: Wanting a healthy future for her grandchildren
Petrina and Marice with Antonio
Marice, an advertising consultant from Avondale in Auckland, has a family history of diabetes on her mother's side. Her mother, from Matakana, and her aunts, uncles and grandfather all had Type 2 diabetes and died of diabetes complications. Her sister has diabetes and Marice was diagnosed 30 years ago in the seventh month of her third pregnancy.
'I was fine with my first two children but with my family history of diabetes I was tested all the way through each pregnancy. Once I was diagnosed I went on to medication.'
Marice has had quite a challenge to change to a healthier lifestyle. 'After my daughter Petrina was born, I controlled my diabetes for a while with medication but then I went on to insulin. I keep eating the wrong things and my doctor says I'm a walking time bomb. I love the taste of fat, bacon and eggs fried in butter and fish and chips and I crave for orange juice.
'I get help through Diabetes Auckland and have regular tests at the hospital but am still unsure of how to get on track so I don't get complications. It's hard to change, but if we want to do it, we will do it.'
Marice is determined her children and grandchildren will have a healthier future. Her daughter, Petrina Pouesi-Chong Nee, is 28 years old and in May 2006 gave birth to her son Antonio. 'Petrina was very overweight and had a miscarriage with her first child. That's when she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and put on to metformin.
'When Petrina got pregnant again, she was under the care of a specialist and mid-wife and went on to insulin two and half months into her pregnancy and continued with metformin. She didn't have toxaemia but did have a caesarean. However, my grandson was born a healthy weight and didn't have any of the problems gestational diabetes can cause.'
Petrina is now making lifestyle changes. 'She has lost a tremendous amount of weight and eats healthy food such as fruit and vegetables and non-processed food. She drinks water and diet drinks and is breast feeding. Petrina will also get back to walking and using her treadmill.'
After experiencing the costs of diabetes in her family, Marice has some recommendations for a healthier life for your children and grandchildren. 'Cut down on eating all those fatty and starchy foods like pork boil ups, brisket and doughboys. Try using top roast instead with your puha and watercress. Use olive oil instead of butter and just eat small amounts of bread, potatoes and kumara.
'That way, your children and grandchildren will have a better future without diabetes and they’ll enjoy having you around for longer too.'
© Diabetes New Zealand Inc. August 2006