The Sweet Life
Oct. 20th, 2012 09:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sinanjuOr the not-so-many-sweets life, more like.
I'm diabetic. Just diagnosed around a month ago. When I was in the hospital in July of last year, my blood sugar was noted as being a little high. There were more pressing things to worry about (like fluid on my lung and a perforated bowel...), but my doctor kept an eye on it. Ditto when I had surgery in November of last year. And just recently, and after my last fasting blood test, my doctor pronounced me diabetic.
Now, at a reading 6.5 (in whatever units they use), I'm right on the threshold. It's not like my blood sugar is way out of whack. But it's right there. I'm diabetic.
I was...very unhappy (to say the least) to learn this. I'm the first person in my extended family (to my knowledge, as confirmed by my mother) to suffer from diabetes despite it being at least partly genetic. The diabetes nurse said it's quite possible some of the older generations might have had it and never been diagnosed. But it doesn't really matter.
A combination of genetics plus a very stressful couple of years (stress can exacerbate the tendency) plus a new and very sedentary job over the last year--data entry, which is even more sedentary than writing or being a secretary--and a lifelong habit of eating sweets and drinking soft drinks = diabetes.
So now I am the proud owner of a blood testing kit. I test my blood at least a couple of times a day, in the morning before I eat breakfast, and after my largest meal, usually dinner. Normal blood sugar levels are between 80 and 120. So far, all the readings have been between the low 80s and a high of 143. Since my initial goal* is to keep it below 180, I'm doing well so far.
But that's not surprising. I've drastically cut back on soft drinks (and drink diet soda when I do drink them because it doesn't affect my blood sugar), and sweets. And I'm exercising more. And eating better in general, as part of my new health regimen. And given that I'm only barely diabetic by the numbers, that may well be enough to bring my long-term blood sugar level back down into the normal range.
I hope so. But even if that works, this is still going to be a lifelong condition. Which means the days of happily munching on chocolate and other sweets are behind me. Worse, it means that--unlike a diet undertaken to lose weight or for general health--I don't get "days off." I can't exclaim, "Screw the diet!" and gorge on two or three donuts secure in the knowledge that I can resume the diet tomorrow. Or rather, as my therapist says, I _can_. I just _shouldn't_. Which is what I mean by "I can't."
So I'm getting used to the idea that my self-image must now include diabetes as part of who I am. I'm not thrilled by it, but, well, it could be worse. I could have discovered I have cancer or some other far worse disease. Diabetes can be life-threatening, but it's not like I've been undiagnosed for years, or have shockingly high blood sugar. If I take care of myself, it needn't be a serious problem for many years, if ever.
*Once we have a handle on my day-to-day levels, if I'm consistently staying under 180, the dietician will want me to try to keep it under 140. The closer to normal, the better, naturally.
I'm diabetic. Just diagnosed around a month ago. When I was in the hospital in July of last year, my blood sugar was noted as being a little high. There were more pressing things to worry about (like fluid on my lung and a perforated bowel...), but my doctor kept an eye on it. Ditto when I had surgery in November of last year. And just recently, and after my last fasting blood test, my doctor pronounced me diabetic.
Now, at a reading 6.5 (in whatever units they use), I'm right on the threshold. It's not like my blood sugar is way out of whack. But it's right there. I'm diabetic.
I was...very unhappy (to say the least) to learn this. I'm the first person in my extended family (to my knowledge, as confirmed by my mother) to suffer from diabetes despite it being at least partly genetic. The diabetes nurse said it's quite possible some of the older generations might have had it and never been diagnosed. But it doesn't really matter.
A combination of genetics plus a very stressful couple of years (stress can exacerbate the tendency) plus a new and very sedentary job over the last year--data entry, which is even more sedentary than writing or being a secretary--and a lifelong habit of eating sweets and drinking soft drinks = diabetes.
So now I am the proud owner of a blood testing kit. I test my blood at least a couple of times a day, in the morning before I eat breakfast, and after my largest meal, usually dinner. Normal blood sugar levels are between 80 and 120. So far, all the readings have been between the low 80s and a high of 143. Since my initial goal* is to keep it below 180, I'm doing well so far.
But that's not surprising. I've drastically cut back on soft drinks (and drink diet soda when I do drink them because it doesn't affect my blood sugar), and sweets. And I'm exercising more. And eating better in general, as part of my new health regimen. And given that I'm only barely diabetic by the numbers, that may well be enough to bring my long-term blood sugar level back down into the normal range.
I hope so. But even if that works, this is still going to be a lifelong condition. Which means the days of happily munching on chocolate and other sweets are behind me. Worse, it means that--unlike a diet undertaken to lose weight or for general health--I don't get "days off." I can't exclaim, "Screw the diet!" and gorge on two or three donuts secure in the knowledge that I can resume the diet tomorrow. Or rather, as my therapist says, I _can_. I just _shouldn't_. Which is what I mean by "I can't."
So I'm getting used to the idea that my self-image must now include diabetes as part of who I am. I'm not thrilled by it, but, well, it could be worse. I could have discovered I have cancer or some other far worse disease. Diabetes can be life-threatening, but it's not like I've been undiagnosed for years, or have shockingly high blood sugar. If I take care of myself, it needn't be a serious problem for many years, if ever.
*Once we have a handle on my day-to-day levels, if I'm consistently staying under 180, the dietician will want me to try to keep it under 140. The closer to normal, the better, naturally.