I discovered I have diabetes when I was 37 years old. I was on vacation with my then-girlfriend. We went to Florida and stayed with my friend Wendi. I have never been much of a drinker but when on vacation you tend to cut loose. Alcohol had the opposite effect on me and my girlfriend. For me, I got really slow and tired. For her, it amped her up. You could tell that we were arrows pointed in the wrong direction.
This picture was from the first day that I ever had my blood sugar taken. We were drinking these super sweet alcoholic drinks from a can. As you can see, I was laid out and she was lit up like a firecracker. So, later that night, she was worried and asked if I might get a blood test.
As luck would have it, Wendi had a roommate named Zephyr and he was a Diabetic. He had the kit at the home to test his sugars. He was a Type 1 Diabetic and tested his sugars for years multiple times a day. So he brought it out and we tested my blood. I got a 245 blood sugar level. The next day, I got a 225 blood sugar level. (Figure Out If You Have High Blood Glucose Numbers here)
What I learned on that day is that I have Diabetes. When I got back to Philadelphia, I made an appointment with a doctor that my girlfriend trusted. It was Dr. Charles Catania. He confirmed for me that I was a Type 2 Diabetic.
Blown away was the word for it. I had not been that unhealthy. My healthy mission for the few years before this vacation was to battle food allergies. I had seen some specialists that looked at food allergies but they were still a mystery to me. I never thought much about my blood sugar level. That was two years ago. Thanks to Merridith and Zepher and Wendi, I learned that I have a curable medical condition that affects millions of people. Guess what? From then on I fought it.
Once I Have Diabetes, What Do I Do Next?
Since that diagnosis, I have checked my sugar when I wake up. Maybe not every morning, but, well over 90% of my mornings. I have fought and learned all I can about this condition. I hope to add it to this blog. It has changed my life and I am sure that it will change the health of you or somebody close to you. I now see sugar everywhere.
This week, I go back to Dr. Charles Catania, with the hope that new blood testing will confirm that I am a pre-diabetic and no longer a Type 2 Diabetic. When that happens, if it happens, then I will celebrate. But, I will celebrate without sugar and alcohol. This is because I Have Diabetes. No positive blood tests are going to change that. It is possible to come back from the danger zone but I will always be a Diabetic.
Words By Matthew Baron
