So, one year ago today I was given my Diabetes Type II diagnosis. I don't know an exact date for when my Diabetes developed, but I know that it was sometime between April 2010 (had bloodwork done & my numbers were normal at that time) and January 2011 ( had bloodwork done & my numbers were not normal). And based on symptoms I can even narrow that down a little more. We took our grandkids to Disney World in late May 2010 and I had no symptoms but by Thanksgiving I was experiencing hypoglycemic lows. So I have it narrowed down to a five month span of time. I'm going to lean closer to the end of that 5 month span since my symptoms are probably a good indicator. So we could say Fall 2010.
So much has changed in this past year with regards to my health and diet. I now know a lot of numbers regarding glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure and the likes that I had no clue about before my diagnosis. I was already on blood pressure medicine, but I just took the pill every day - no real knowledge or concern what the numbers were or meant. I was also on meds for my triglycerides. And again, I was just taking the pill - let the pill take care of the number. But once I was told I had Diabetes I realized that any and all of the health issues I was taking meds for would all become more important simply because Diabetes tends to complicate most health issues.
I also now know how, when and why to test my glucose. Who would have thought that pricking my finger daily would become such a non-event? But after the first few weeks it pretty much became a non- event. I do it almost without thought now. In fact, my 7 year old grand-daughter does the finger prick for me when she is here. For some reason she loves helping me with my Diabetes - be it fthe finger prick or reminding me that I can't eat sugar (not that I do anymore, but she will ask for a snack and tell me she would like a Kit Kat Candy Bar end then say "But you can't have it cause it has sugar, right?").
And, when first diagnosed, my BG and A1C were both so high that I was immediately put on Metformin and Insulin injections. And while the injections never became a non-event, it did get easier before it got better. Initially I had a herder time injecting myself so I had my husband do my injections, but God love him, I know he cared and I know he meant well, but I think he became too complacent after a few weeks and I started feeling the injections more than I thought I should. I knew that I needed to tough-up and do this myself. It wasn't all that bad and I actually got pretty good at it. But fortunately I was also making major changes to my diet and exercise and was able to get my blood glucose numbers into control well enough that I came off the insulin completely.
With continued diet modification (I can't say continued exercise since that has more or less fallen to the way-side - but honestly, who wants to stand in their den and do exercises all alone day after day - it is just so uninspiring and un-motivating to me.), but anyway, with continued diet I have managed to keep my BG controlled well enough that I eventually came off the Metformin also. Coming off Metformin was primarily to address major hair loss I was experiencing. I was shedding worse than a sheep dog in the dead of summer in South Alabama. I could walk from my bedroom to my kitchen and drop no less than 10 hairs on the way - and that is a short stroll in my tiny house. And, having now been off Metformin for a few months my hair loss has subsided. If ever my BG becomes too hard to control without meds I will address the hair loss issue at that time. But until then, I will stay the course and hope my diet keeps my glucose in good control for a long long time.
So, that brings me to my One Year Diaversary - and I now consider my Diabetes to be a non-event. It is a fact of life and a pert of who I am, but all in all it is currently just the impetus behind my diet choices. I will never eat sugar as I once did and I will forever choose diet drinks over regular drinks (something I wanted no part of prior to my diagnosis) and I will be selective and limiting in regard to carb foods.
My next goal is to reach my 5 year Diaversary without having to get back on any Diabetes meds. Here's to the next five years being non-events! (clink clink)
I don't expect to have to update this blog for five more years, so, until then, Goodnight Moon. :D
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