no news is good news

patient: hey doc. did you have a chance to look over my blood results?

doctor: i did.

patient: and?

doctor: well, your glucose levels are a little high.

patient: glucose levels? so does that mean i have, like, diabetes or something?

doctor: probably.

(long pause)

patient: well, that sucks.

doctor: yeah.


and with that, the news was official. well, sort of. i still have to go back in three months for a follow-up test. you know, to confirm the diagnosis and all. but for now, i have no choice but to take my doctor at his word. type 2 diabetes. the silver medal of blood sugar disorders. yay.

actually, i had been expecting the news for quite some time now. you see, i've been suffering from the symptoms associated with the condition for as long as i can recall - fatigue, excessive thirst, frequent trips to the restroom. ahem.

but the good news is that the changes required to control my blood sugar levels are fairly simple and straightforward. in a nutshell, diet and exercise.

naturally i had been most concerned over the changes required to my diet. food, after all, is the window to the soul. especially my soul.

but it turns out that a typical diabetic diet is not much different from a typical healthy diet. five or six small meals a day is recommended. fruits and vegetables are good. dairy products are good, too. white meat is better than red, of course. and we all need starches like bread and pasta.

at the same time, try to avoid salty or sugary foods. saturated fats are a no-no, as well. and so are fried, fast and processed foods.

and finally, everything in moderation. common sense really.

common sense to all but me, it would appear. for i spent the better part of the past four decades or so indulging myself in the absolute worst the food chain has to offer. frozen pizzas, fried chicken, assorted subs, potato chips... and that's just a typical tuesday. nothing was too rich for my blood. or so i thought.

looking ahead, even if my glucose levels are noticeably lower at my next examination, i still think i'm in it for the long haul this time. the lifestyle change, that is. besides, it was time. and i've got a lot to lose if i don't play my cards right this hand.

you know, diabetes is fairly common in my family. to be honest, i should have known better.

"the eyes are the window to the soul." - author unknown

hey, alanis was born in ottawa, too



p.s. wait a minute. you're depressed because you do have me in the mornings or because you don't have me in the mornings?