Three years ago today I met with my diabetes specialist for the first time. I had been officially diabetic for a couple years but never took it seriously. Only pricked my finger about a month before quitting. Just took my pills. Finally went to see the specialist my regular doctor had been recommending.
My A1c was 11.2 — 11.2 that’s highly diabetic. The fear of terrible path I was on finally sank in. Deeply in. I’m going to go blind…a primal fear from childhood. Loose a foot, need dialysis, have a heart attack — diabetes takes your health away long before it takes your life. Living disabled and in pain was a journey that was already in motion. I walked with a cane and drove with a handicap sticker. I struggled walking up and down the stairs in my own house.
“It’s not your fault, diabetes is genetic” the specialist told me as she added the $1000/month Trulicity to the Metformin and Glipizide I’d been taking for years. She said at our next appointment, she’d start me on an insulin pump.
That was three years ago. That day I made the turn, I was going to reclaim my health and abilities. In three months I was off all the meds and never needed to go on insulin. My A1c is not diabetic anymore, it’s not even pre-diabetic. I have normal blood sugars. “Why wasn’t what I did what you teach?”, I asked her. “Not everyone is willing to make the changes you did”.
How about you? Is she describing you? She sure had me nailed – until I decided to make that change. Diabetes may not have been my fault, but taking care of my health is definitely my responsibility.
You can rebuild your health. You can overcome type 2 diabetes. Yes, you can.
Yes. You can.
YES YOU CAN!
I’m not special. It’s hard work, but you can do hard things.
Did I think I’d still be working on my health three years later? Yes, but not really. I was shocked how quickly I was able to overcome the diabetes part of my health. Three months. I’d have been discouraged to learn that in three years I’d still be grossly obese. Down 50lbs in three years. I had been down 85lbs but gained 40 back. Weight is still a struggle.
The beauty is – all of your body’s systems work together. Unlike taking pills and shots. What I did for my type 2 diabetes helped with my osteoarthritis pain. The exercise I did for my diabetes built my leg strength. I was able to let the cane go. Then walk longer, walk faster, then with a LOT of effort, I was able to run. A year more and I was able to run 5k’s.
I’ve been reclaiming my health and my abilities for three years. Sometimes it’s two steps forward and one step back. I believe I’ve finally made my peace with the journey. This is me. This is how I live. Always. I work to eat well, exercise hard, sleep deeply, and handle stress better. How amazing it is to eat yourself healthy. Exercise yourself into ability.
Here are links for the beginning and each anniversary of my journey. There are details for what I did in those links. I promise you, if you feel like I felt three years ago, and could live my life for one day the way I feel now — you’d make my doctor a liar. You’d be willing to make all the changes I did. It is so worth it.
Year 2 Review: https://lessoflee.wordpress.com/2023/04/15/the-former-diabetic-2-years-in-a1c-of-5-2-no-meds/
Year 1 Review: https://lessoflee.wordpress.com/2022/04/19/the-one-year-blessing-of-diabetes/
The Start: https://lessoflee.wordpress.com/2021/05/03/im-back-8-years-later-now-diabetic/
p.s. Always consult your own health team for your specific needs
p.p.s. Educate yourself to fully participate in your health strategy
Ok…so you aren’t going to read my earlier blog posts. How’d I do it? Keto diet, intermittent fasting, cgm, and continually exercising a bit more and a touch harder.
Less of Lee 
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