Give Me a Little Sugar

Like the unpleasant marital reminder described in the post, Grocery Store Looking Glass, I got a health reminder about my diabetes from a customer at work. I greeted “Bea” at my door as she headed to the store advertisements, and fumbled with what she needed for her shopping trip.

I asked if the medical boot she was wearing on her right foot was due to some injury. Bea informed me she was diabetic. For many years, she’d not watched her food consumption. Both her foot and her kidney were affected by her earlier decision. She was in kidney failure, and did dialysis twice a week.

Bea asked me if I exercised regularly (since this was one important component in managing diabetes.) At one time I did work out three times a week. I gave that up when I started at this store doing the physical work out of a Utility Worker.

My wife had been trying to get us to walk in the evening on a nearby track. She hoped to do participate in a fitness challenge in the future. Though it wasn’t right, we’d both used the exhaustion associated with the mental demands of both of our jobs as a reason not to live an active lifestyle. I got the feeling to Bea this was just a bad excuse.

I told her my sugar numbers were not in compliance. I was using Humulin R, the highest potency of insulin available. I loved eating all the time when at home, consuming sugary fruits and carbohydrates (sugar and junk food), and doing that all at night before bedtime (where it can lay on my stomach to increase my weight and agitate my sugar numbers).

I ended our conversation with the follow question, “If you could go back in time, what would you do?” I didn’t get the answer I expected. Bea dejectedly spoke, “I’m afraid I’d probably do the same thing again.”

I really didn’t want to end up like Bea. The mirror she held up was telling a story that gave a conclusion I didn’t want to be mine. I wanted to make changes with all my devilish hunger issues. If you are a “bad” diabetic maybe Bea’s story can provide you with the momentum needed to make positive, permanent lifestyle changes.