Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes? What have you done to tackle this health issue? Are you like me and millions of people in diabetes denial?
Ignoring high glucose levels, over time, began affecting my eyesight, energy, weight and sleep. I quickly learned after several years of being in denial, it forced me into the emergency room. If you’ve read my book, The Virgin Diabetic, then you know my cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose levels were off the charts!
Denial put my life in jeopardy. Why do we deny having chronic disease? I had to be honest with myself about this. I was never overweight until I was diagnosed having gained 18 pounds within that year. Diabetes should avoid me, even though my father and uncle had diabetes. They were overweight, so I didn’t believe I should worry about myself. It was not going to happen to me.
I ran out of energy very quickly. I was able to account for that. I worked long hours and frequently traveled for business. I was in my mid-forties at the time, therefore, it was the aging process taking over. Even my doctor didn’t think my fatigue was driven by diabetes.
I saw my fasting glucose increasing, 180, 280 and higher! I did not see any physical issues, so I was not alarmed; only concerned.
I recognized enough that I should get back to working out and changing my diet. But that took more effort than I was willing to give at the time.
Life was busy and I thought my health could wait. I was out and about having fun, playing golf, dining out regularly. Life was great!
I looked at others around me who were eating what they wanted every day. I wanted to be like everyone else. I didn’t want to be one of those people who made every meal a difficult process.
I loved the taste of foods I was regularly eating. Why would I want to eat foods I didn’t enjoy? That’s not a fun way to live.
One day I find myself lying in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV to be fed intravenously. With a blink of an eye, a diabetic nurse is beside my bed telling me how to take insulin shots. Before my hospital discharge, I was handed a paper telling me how I should eat. Medicine, insulin, being treated like a child being told what to eat and seeing doctors every quarter as well as Walgreens and CVS employees becoming my best friends; what happened?
Food did this to me? No way! Friday night was pizza night and a movie. Sundays during football season were scrumptious sub sandwiches. Chicago summers were filled with ice cream and tasty barbeques.
I can’t do that anymore? I went through a period of being angry. Do I have to be resigned to the rest of my life being ill and medicated? I did everything I was told to do but realized my health was not optimal and it should be.
Diabetes is a sneaky disease. It changed my life instantly. That’s how it seemed. Looking back, my body was giving me hints something was not right. After leaving the hospital, I had the biggest wake up call of my life!
Eating healthy, exercising and transforming my overall life was a must. I realized I no longer wanted to be like everyone else.
Denial delayed my opportunity to heal. I could have avoided drugs and insulin.
Denial put me in a position that I had to make some extreme changes in my life; although, I’m happy to do what it takes to keep my health in check.
Denial caused vision issues.
Denial let me gain weight.
Denial had me tied to doctors and pharmacies.
Denial caused me to do nothing and let my health slip away.
Denying how chronic disease can impact your health today and in the future can take over your life in ways you may not imagine.
Isn't it time to step into a healthier you?