DNA

As a reasonably well-educated woman, and wife of a healthcare professional, I have a good understanding of the role genetics plays in a person's health.  I knew that I had the high chance of becoming diabetic since my grandfather, one uncle, mother, and brother all are or were Type 2 diabetics.  Did this really serve as the object lesson it should have?  Apparently not, as I am overweight and sedentary- like so many Americans - and even though my sugar readings kept climbing over the past two years, I didn't change my lifestyle.  Obviously, I lived in a mental fantasy land where I dodged that diabetes diagnosis bullet that hit so many family members.  On January 11, 2018, at the age of 63, the bullet hit me.

Since I go through a healthcare network that has an online portal for members, I saw my lab results two days before my appointment with a new primary care physician.  I prepared myself for the conversation that would take place when I met with her and knew neither of us would be happy.  I had been so proud of the fact I had lowered my blood pressure, but this wasn't anything to be proud of and I knew it.  So I went to my appointment a bit stressed and ready for a verbal berating. Not quite what happened.

We met.  We talked about all other issues and saved the diabetes diagnosis for the last item.  It was a long discussion.  While there are several excuses, and I'll elaborate on that over the course of blogging what's happening to me, they are just that:  excuses.  My new doctor called me on my bullshit excuses - in an abrupt yet polite way.  It was perfect.  No recriminations, just "what should we do from here on out?"  As she pointed out, this diagnosis is and should be life changing - literally.  I needed to make solid, longterm changes in my lifestyle.  No blaming my DNA - I can still overcome that with changes. So, a game plan was formed.

This blog is about making those changes - and hopefully keeping them all.  It's easy to be determined early in any diagnosis, but this is rest-of-my-life longterm.  Together with my doctor, we set a goal of being able to control this with diet and exercise after a year.  That means a year to get my act together, take the medication, get educated, track my blood sugar, exercise, eat right, and then re-evaluate.  I decided to write this blog as a helpful warning to others in my position about making those changes.  But I also want to look at factors in our American society that contribute to Type 2 Diabetes affecting a huge portion of the American population.  Bear with me - it promises to be an interesting year.