But! You Look Really Healthy

I am sure we have all heard this before, someone new finds out you have diabetes; they look you up and down questioningly then say...

But! You look really healthy.

A friend once said that most people do not and will not take diabetes seriously because I make managing it look so easy plus I look healthy.

I was not amused when I heard those words on Sunday not after the Saturday I had just had.
This past Saturday we set out for a run, it seemed like all the stars were aligned. It was cool but nice out, my blood glucose starting out was at 5.7mmol/l (103mg/l). About 30mins into the run the muscles in my legs ached, I slowed but kept running. 45mins later I checked my blood glucose it read 10.1mmol/l (182mg/l), it explained why? - I muscles were aching for insulin. I pressed on for another 30mins hoping to burn some of this high glucose off, nausea set in and I was feeling downright sick, I checked my blood glucose again this time a reading of 12.8mmol/l (230mg/l).


I took a correction bolus and we opted for a long walk back home instead, my blood glucose took it sweet time coming down ever so slowly.


The rest of the weekend and today has been spent on the high side. How I wish it is as easy as people seem to think.

Taking it to the next level – I have a dream………….

All through 2005, I dreamt of better control over my blood glucose and overall health but did the bear minimum. Most of 2006 saw me doing the same till I started literally dreaming a different kind of dream, complications, I wake up in panic from a nightmare where I loss my vision or where my limbs are being hacked up by a very mean lady who keeps singing.

Weeping will not save you
For you had time to learn
But you chose not to do so
Now you ripe what you sow

A song my dad sang to a seven year old me when I brought home a bad report card in tears, - OK I know I have daddy issues but that is a different post. After the fifth nightmare I resolved to take back the control, which eventually lead me to an Insulin Pump “Pumcy”.

My toolbox contains a number of things some of which I use and use well and others I use but not to it’s full potential. Pumcy and my blood glucose meter are the most used items in my toolbox that also holds the beautiful seawall at Stanley Park I love to run the seawall, I love the ever changing scenery, the calm I feel in the mist of a bustling park that attracts an estimated eight million visitors a year.

Then there are the ones I dream of using even as they collect dust, a set of measuring cups and a nifty nutritional scale both to aid in accurately counting carbohydrate to help tighten my overall control. Last but not least is the all important bathroom scale to help attain and maintain a healthy BMI.

I have a dream that by the end of 2007 I will be using all the tools available to me in my toolbox and will have learnt to use Pumcy and the insulin contain in it to their full potential.