I was 61 years old and my doctor ran yearly tests to stay on top of any problems I might be experiencing. I do not remember going to him specifically to be checked for diabetes. I think he had run his yearly blood lab tests and it showed up on the results.
I do remember having to urinate a lot but that is the only symptom I can really remember having. I probably mentioned that problem so it keyed my doctor into looking for diabetes.
I was diagnosed on my 61st birthday in March of 2006. I told the doctor thank you for my present and explained that I was grateful that it was not cancer.
We then discussed what I needed to do that would help me deal with my Type 2 diabetes.
It was suggested that I check my blood sugar every morning before breakfast and every evening before dinner.
The diet I was put on was a low carb diet. I believe it was 40 carb per meal. I was also encouraged to exercise.
This is the diet I set up for myself to eat every day:
Breakfast: cup of green tea; Carbmaster yogurt; V 8 juice
Lunch: I had a ham/cheese sandwich; small bag of chips; apple sauce (individual containers)
Dinner: I ate TV low carb dinners like Lean Cuisine or any other brands which were low carb.
As for exercise I walked everyday. I was teaching at an Alternative high school, we had a 10 minute break for the kids to eat snacks in the lunchroom. I would walk up and down the hall for the 10 minutes. After school I would walk 15 – 30 minutes going around the lunchroom. I would walk every time I was at school and we had a break from class time. I was put on Januvia medication (I think that is what I took).
Being a Type 2 diabetic did not change my life because I did not allow it to. I do remember one change it did make was my body’s reaction to hot and warm water temperatures in the shower. I could no longer tolerate as hot of water temperature as I previously could.
I was told in the Fall of 2011 that I was no longer a diabetic. I continued to check my blood sugar twice a day from 9-1-11 to 12-18-11.
I had retired from teaching school Sept. 1, 2011. I no longer had a set schedule at school to continue my dedication to exercise.
My daughter and two grandsons came to Burley to live with me from July 2011 – July 2012. I was also working a part-time job so I did stay somewhat active.
At the end of July 2012 I moved to California to live with my son and now I was totally inactive. I continued to check my blood sugar until Jan. 2013. My blood sugar was then checked sporadically the rest of 2013 – 2014. A lot of times I only checked it once a month.
And than because I was no longer sticking to my low carb diet or regularly exercising, I was told on Wed. Oct. 15, 2014 that I was once again a Type 2 diabetic. I was put on Metformin and told to check my blood sugar once a day in the morning before I ate breakfast.
My blood sugar count fluctuates but has never reached any where the over 200 mgs as it was when I was first diagnosed.
I still don't exercise like I should and don't follow the diet I had success with and I eat foods and sweets I shouldn’t. I am 70 years old and I feel like I should not have to give up all of my favorite sweets but I do know that if I returned to what I did with my diet and exercise from the first time I was diabetic I believe I could defeat it again.
I try to keep my blood sugar count at 130mg but it fluctuates a lot with what I eat, medication, pain, and lack of exercise.
Our guest poster today is my mother, Alice Hill. She is an amazing woman and a wonderful mother! If you would like to connect with her, she can be contacted at alihill@hotmail.com.
Labels: Stories, Type 2 Diabetes
