Should I Be Ashamed?

I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the awful news of President Kennedy being shot and later the announcement of his death came on TV. The same goes for the assassination of Dr. King, Bobby Kennedy and the attempt on President Reagan. Ditto for when the Eagle landed on the moon.

Try as I might, however, I cannot remember when I was diagnosed as being diabetic. I have noticed that most folks who blog about diabetes know the day, month, year and (in some cases) the time of day. It wasn't that it didn't have a major impact on me, it did. The impact, however, was in reality a positive one. It was a relief to find out why the weird things that my body was going through were happening.

I do know that it was approximately 15 or 16 years ago. Like everyone else I have had my highs and lows. (No pun intended - Well maybe a little) The highs mostly occurring in the first legs of the journey when control was relatively easy; a couple of pills a day and watch what I ate. The lows started happening several years into the trip and could probably be attributed to my taking the disease for granted.

This lack of attention culminated with a week long hospital stay with 4 mega powered antibiotics alternately being pumped into my veins in order to bring under control an infection that started in my lower left leg and that had become, because I ignored it, systemic. My hospitalist MD, also referred to as MY HERO, explained that they were trying to "savey my leg."

They did!

Since that adventure 3 years ago I have been a very good boy.(Almost 69 years old but still a boy) My pancreas has started fading into the sunset and Lantus has taken the place of part of my oral medication. When I look at my condition I can truthfully say that I am in better shape than the majority of my friends that are my age who do not have diabetes.

Diabetes has changed my life but certainly has not ruined it.