It’s hard to believe that it’s almost been six months since I heard those three words that forever changed my life, “You have diabetes.”
I can’t decide if it feels like I’ve been diabetic forever or it was just yesterday. I guess it doesn’t matter. What does matter is how far I’ve come from that crying petrified woman in the doctors office on March 2nd.
Almost EVERYTHING in my life that I have started, I’ve quit. You name the sport, I did it. And then subsequently quit.
- Am I a Prima ballerina for the New York ballet? Nope.
- Am I a gold medal gymnast or equestrian? I can’t even do a somersault and haven’t been on a horse in 25 years.
- Hey, where is that flute I played? Piano?
- How about that stint joining the crew team? Trained all winter indoors on a boat in a pool and never made it out on the water. That was my father’s personal favorite.
- I was a three time loser with Weight Watchers. Wait, maybe four. Hi Jenny Craig. Bye Jenny. Hi Nutri-System. Goodbye to you too!
However, there are four things in my life I haven’t quit. This here blog, Matt (he’s impossible to quit), being a mom (never did leave the kid on social service’s door) and now my pursuit to kick this Type 2 Diabetes in it’s big marshmallow butt.
After six months I’m proud to say:
- I still haven’t had a single bite of a candy bar or any candy for that matter. Not even the bank mints touch my lips.
- I haven’t eaten a doughnut. Not even one doughnut hole.
- No cookies.
- Not even a taste of cake.
- I’ve stayed away from all juice. Even a tiny testing sample at Trader Joe’s.
- The only ice cream I’ve allowed myself is sugar-free and even then I check and double check that I got the right one.
I now know what happens to me when I drink something that has real juice in it (on accident), or eat too many carbs without protein.
I also know how with each step down in my blood sugar it takes my body a few days to adjust. Those days remind me why I do what I do. Because after all I still am diabetic and feel it when I’m not vigilant.
There has only been two weeks since March that I haven’t worked out at least twice. Mostly it’s 3-4 times a week. I now get antsy if it’s a day off. I feel guilty and scheme to see how I could get a quick walk in.
I walk faster than I ever have. I can climb up mountains hills without passing out. And even though it’s not regular, very new and quite ugly, I’ve begun to run.
Sometimes I think, “Wow, I’ve really stuck to this…” but I guess it’s easy to do when you see such powerful, in your face results.
I’m down 25 pounds. It’s been slow but steady. I have a lot more to get off but losing 10% of my weight is a good start.
Especially when I look at pictures of myself from last fall and now.
September 2009
August 2010
My blood sugar in the mornings are in the low 120′s. This morning it was 118. Six months ago I was at 274 for a fasting blood sugar.
The reason for this post isn’t to get compliments or praise. And it surely isn’t bragging as I have a long way to go.
But I wanted to write this to give an update on my health since I don’t often talk about my diabetes, least you think I went into a diabetic coma or fell off the wagon and have taken to bathing in chocolate milkshakes with whipped cream for bubbles.
It was also to show that we are all in control of how we manage our lives. And solely in control of what we decide to quit or what we set our minds to complete. If the girl who ate Peeps and BBQ chips before 10am can turn her life around, ANYONE can.
Some might read this and think, “Well that’s great for six months but we’ll see how you are in three years.” To which I would say “So you’re going to be at the finish line of my first marathon to see me then?”
I may have quit the diving team at Shorewood pool in the early 80′s, but I have no intention of ever quitting this new happier, healthier life of mine.
