One year ago today, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I tested my blood glucose for the first time. And I started lifestyle changes to help manage the diabetes.
So, how am I doing?
Let’s start at the bottom and mention my feet. Diabetes can make your feet more vulnerable to infection, slower to heal, and sometimes you don’t feel injuries because of diabetic-related nerve damage. So I have been washing my feet every day, inspecting them for any sign of injury or infection, and making sure that I always wear comfortable shoes. The result of this is my feet have never been in such good condition. I do miss walking barefoot, but I’m getting used to that.
I have a lot more energy than I did. It used to be a struggle to get 10,000 steps a day, and I used to have to consciously schedule walks. The same goes for general exercise through the day. I get the target 40 minutes (as recorded by my Apple Watch) usually without having to make a dedicated effort.
I have lost significant weight, particularly around my waist. This is good, because losing weight helps with type 2 diabetes. It is not so good, in that all my trousers from this time last year have had to be replaced. But, hey, that’s probably a good thing too. Overall, I am feeling very positive about my body, which is not bad for someone who was born before the first Star Wars movie came out.
The biggest challenge came in January and February. Michael was unwell and had a brief spell in hospital. Then, after he got out, we had a bereavement. Managing diabetes takes work, whether it is planning food, scheduling exercise, testing blood glucose, or just washing and moisturising your feet every day. It was almost too much for me to do all of that while grieving. Almost.