Tag Archives: Endocrine Disorders

The years following my diabetes diagnosis I could have been nominated as the poster child of the “perfect” type 1 diabetic. I kept my appointments, tested frequently, logged my numbers, rode my bike every evening, etc, etc…

Since this post is about getting back onto the wagon, when I say that the perfect diabetic fell off I mean HARD…. with the wagon veering out of control since no one was guiding it. I just wanted to be normal. I wanted to fit in. I wanted to be one of the cool kids who sat on the benches laughing over snow-cones (with sweetened condensed milk) and (fried cod) fishcakes instead of the girl who had to stick herself and got to cut in line because she was “special.” I know most of my friends probably accepted me as I was but I was young and insecure.

So I cheated and skipped testing so that I would not have to explain a high or “HI” blood sugar. I rearranged my numbers, for example, instead of writing 9.4mmol/L I would write 4.9mmol/L. Man I’ll tell you that wagon was definitely O.U.T O.F. C.O.N.T.R.O.L and I oblivious to the damage I was doing until I started getting sick , at this point I would try to do the right thing. I guess you could say that sometimes it worked and I stayed out of hospital and other times… well let’s just say that I have been in hospital more times than I’d like to remember.

There were times I found myself running after the wagon, barely getting a grip on it when a bump in the road would cause it to slip out of my hands again. I was doing all that I could. I wanted to be better and I was trying. Those road bumps included anything from getting periods to studying (both schoolwork and boys) to those days when you have no idea why it is high but it is. Then there would the ride of shame (on the hospital gurney) when I got admitted to hospital where the nurses and doctors would ask, “What you eat now?” or state “You got to be doing something wrong!” but I really wasn’t. I was being really good but puberty meant my body changing and I understood neither my body or the doctors’ answers to my questions. That wagon was on its own again. I just stood and watched it go.

After years of running after it and getting dragged for a ride I got Fed Up! I mean seriously pissed off! So bloodied and bruised I began searching for a solution. I began my search for the answers which included things like the insulin-to-carb ratio and calculating correction doses. I am more aware of what I eat and its effect on my blood sugar and I am exercising again. I think I have finally gotten back onto the wagon. However, this is not the end of my journey but rather the beginning, now that I have gotten on again my new goal is to steer my wagon back home to an A1c of under 7%.

With you guys by my side I know I can do it! If you have fallen off of your wagon then I encourage you not to give up either and get back on – We will get healthy together!