DIABETIC-4-LIFE

I have Diabetes. I didn't ask for it and don't want it but I'm stuck with it for the rest of my life. At one time I could have done something but now it's to late.

I thought I was "Superman" and nothing could touch tough ol' me! Bad things happen to other people and besides "I have things to do and can't be worried about something I can't see." Sound familiar? Boy, was I ever wrong!!

After 15 years of putting Diabetes on the back burner and not accepting what it could do, it almost killed me!

I hadn't been feeling well for several months but still had so much work to do that I kept putting off going to the doctor. Then, the last out of town job of the year, I really felt like "s_ _ _ warmed over" as we say in the Midwest. Even several of my co-workers noticed how bad I looked and urged me to see a doctor when I got home. At this point I agreed with them-I knew I had to find out what was wrong with me.

I went to my endocrinologist who didn't like what he was seeing and he sent me on to a cardiologist for some tests. One of those tests was for an angiogram to be done as an outpatient at the hospital.

An angiogram is a relatively simple procedure (to hear the doctors tell it) where they put a tube with a scope up through your groin to your heart and have a look around. Should take only a couple of hours at the most and home you go!

Well, I have a very supportive family so everyone was there to cheer me on. So with hugs and kisses and several "don't worry, everything will be fine" I'm off. The test is started, a few minutes go by and then everyone in the room put their heads together, started mumbling amongst themselves and pointing at the monitor screen. Then one of the doctors tells me that they see something they don't like and I have to go immediately to surgery for a possible double bypass.

My first thought is "WHOA!!" I don't know what you're looking at but it can't be anything to do with me! I just came in here today for a simple test and I have plans. I have a whole afternoon of things I have to get done-I can't have an operation. I really can't be having an operation on my heart! I'm Superman, remember?

That's when the doctor told me that he's looking at the two main arteries of my heart and they are almost completely blocked. It's what they call a "Widow Maker". I could have a heart attack any minute with little or no chance of recovery. Believe me, this last bit of news has a way of changing your mind about plans for the day!

So with more hugging, kissing, punching on the shoulder (guy stuff, right?) and "I love you's", I left my loved ones crying in the hallway and was on to the operating room. The doctors were right-the two main arteries were almost shut off resulting in a double by-pass. Later I found out that when you're Diabetic, cholesterol can build up faster and the muscles in the heart can be weakened more. Also that if you've progressed on to neuropathy, the nerves in and around your heart can be damaged as well.

Well, my recovery has been slow. Because of the Diabetes, autonomic neuropathy and resulting low blood pressure, it's taken me over a year to get over what would have taken a person without Diabeties 6-8 weeks.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you have Diabetic or know someone who has it, please get them some help to slow down this destroyer of lives. I wish I had found better information when I was first diagnosed. My life would have been so different today! Don't hesitate! Do something about Diabetes today!

RON WALBY

The above article was written by my husband with the hope it will help someone with Diabetes, or make someone who is "pre", to think about what could happen to them if they don't listen to and follow their doctor's instructions.

It's been over 13 months since his heart surgery and
he's doing pretty well now but it's been hard with some pretty scary things that went on with him. I'll talk more about that at a later time.

I know how you feel if you're dealing with Diabetes. I've felt all the emotions, and had all the questions, too. I've researched and read about Diabetes and I think I have finally found lots of information that you can use to approach this disease from a NATURAL direction. Because of ignoring his Diabetes for so long, he has too many complications now to follow all the information I've found. Instead he has to load his body with high priced drugs that science will probably find out later will do him more harm than good further down the road.

Please look over the information that will be in this on-going lens now and in the future. I'm positive it will be of benefit to you or a loved one.

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