It's the New Year, a very Sci-Fi sounding 2010, and of course it is time to assess one's life and health. I have always known that diabetes ran in my family...both Mom and Dad got it in their early 50's so I was not totally shocked when I began to feel symptomatic. I was so thirsty all the time that I literally stood by the sink pouring glass after glass of water down my throat, lapping at it like some rabid poodle. I just couldn't get enough water in me fast enough. Of course that created another symptom, constant peeing. In the day it was managable, but at night I would look at the clock and made note that it was about every 2 hours at which time I downed another glass of water. Not smart, but thirst is one sensation that has to be quelled immediately. The constant drinking and up all night peeing caused another symptom....fatigue. I was tired all the time. No energy other than to drink and pee. And of course for me, to eat. Then I noticed that when I awoke for my bathroom runs that my mouth was so dry my lips would stick together. So of course I drank even more water. The excess water I was drinking, too much to pee out in any one given day, caused me to have leg cramps. You know the ones where your calf turns into stone and you cry out for your mommy as you try in vain to walk it off! I googled diabetes to look at the symptoms. I had them all....except one. Weight loss.....figures! It was time to call the doctor.
My doctor, a 6'2" skinny ass cardiologist was a nit picker about weight. ! His wife was a nutritionist who I am sure never had to lose more than 5 pounds of baby weight. After going over what my typical menu for the week would be she tried valiently to counsel me on how to make different choices to eat better. She wanted me to eat turkey sausage. TURKEY SAUSAGE. I am Italian....I repeat, she wanted me to eat TURKEY sausages. I may have to cut out the sausage completely, but switch to turkey...sorry that ain't happening. She asked me if I drank milk to which I explained that the only milk I drank was what little I put in my coffee. She told me try to drink my coffee black. Was she really trying to say that the 4 tablespoons of milk I had during the course of the day was making me fat? She told me to switch to smart foods. Smart butter....no taste. Smart mayo....tasted bad. Smart cheese....tasted worse. I was given books, magazines and recipes. I considered them then I threw them out. They blamed everything that was ever wrong with me on my weight. Sinus infection....lose weight. Sore muscle....lose weight. Pink eye....lose weight. I got the message loud and clear...and if I could have, I would have. So I did the next best thing. I switched doctors. To one that was overweight and could relate.
They asked me what I had eaten so far that day, took two vials of blood and handed me a cup for a urine sample. I peed in the cup (and on my hand), then dropped the cup into the toilet. I considered fishing it out but then if the dip stick turned blue it could be because of the Ty-D-Bowl. I confessed my clumsiness and was handed another cup to fill at home. I left still thirsty, still having to pee, dry mouthed and tired. But at least, I told myself I was on top of it full well believeing that I was going to be told that I had just overdosed on carbs over the holidays and I would be fine once I stopped over indulging them. Wrong. The next day, I brought a new cup of urine to the doctor, got chastised by the nasty nurse for placing it on the counter (it was in a plastic bag) and headed off to work. I got a call from the doctors office about an hour later. Their was sugar in the urine and worse the preliminary blood results showed a high sugar level. And then I heard him utter the words I knew were coming....lose weight.
The doctor put me on pills, which he said will make my stomach hurt, probably make me nauseous and could give me palpitations. They more than likely give me diarehea and a headache. So I wondered, tell me again why the hell I am taking this medicine? I am awaiting a monitor from GHI that will allow me to prick my fingertip, draw blood and test the sugar level. Far easier and more sanitary than peeing on a stick. I am not looking forward to its arrival since my virgin fingertips have not be touched in years due to my long nails and I think maybe this is gonna hurt. I am on the pills 4 days now. I have had small whispers of these symptoms but nothing like I anticipated. My stomach rumbles and I am queasy at times but the rest I have dodged. I am dieting again, unfortunately with a 'been there, done that' attitude. I am learning to like green leafy foods and even broiled fish. I have learned where the Produce section in the supermarket is. I will not however eat TURKEY sausage!
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