On Tuesday, December 19, 2023, I was diagnosed with Diabetes. The Monday before I woke up dizzy and when I went to get my clothes out of the dryer and fainted. I felt myself falling but I couldn't stop it. Lucky me I bounced off a stack of toilet paper and only tweaked my elbow. No broken bones! Yaye! However, I couldn't get up. I had to crawl to my office across the foyer to pull myself up on the office couch. Still, it took all the strength I had. If you like irony my job was to drive people to doctor appointments including dialysis. Yet I sat on the couch for 20 minutes trying to decide if I should go to work. I finally called into work and cancelled for the day and then the rest of the week. I was just so weak.
I made a doctor appointment, and they got me in the next day. They immediately tested my blood. My A1C was 14.7. The nurse practitioner said I was diabetic, and it was the highest A1C she had ever seen in the office. I found out later it was in the range where they start cutting off toes. They went over very thoroughly on what I needed to do. The jest of it was cutting carbs and sugar. They suggested no more than 70 carbs per meal. She also suggested that I join the Wellness Center for 60 days. It's a gym and more. They have dieticians and therapists. I joined. They brought out the divided plate and the food pyramid (More on that later). Right after the doctor's appointment I went to McDonalds twice and Hardees once. That was the last of those visits.
That night I was about to eat a nice bowl of Spanish Rice with smoked sausage when the Nurse Practitoner called. "What are you eating now?" "Spanish Rice." "No, no, no! That's starch!" I threw it out. Then went to the fridge and threw out 2 other starchy pots. The next day I threw out all starchy foods in my cupboard and cleaned out the fridge. I gave some away. I never went back to that way of eating. It wasn't easy. I used to eat up to two loaves of bread each week. Every time I made Bacon and Eggs; I would look at the toaster. Then I finally put the toaster away.
Prior to the doctor's visit I had been losing weight. Every time I ate, I got sick. I thought restaurants were serving me bad food. As it turns out it was the bread and French fries. I would be sick for about 2 days after eating out. Then there was the unquenchable thirst. I had all the signs of diabetes and failed to realize that I had diabetes. My doctor pointed out that she spent $200,000 to know these things.
I thought 70 grams of carbs per meal was a low bar. I guessed that was because the doctor was used to people not taking responsibility for their health. I did a ton of research about diabetes and carb intake. I never saw one person recommend anything more that 50 carbs per day and everyone suggested going lower. Most experts on YouTube also suggested fasting to get the fat out of your liver. Fasting! Never! That attitude changed. I found a channel on YouTube that I strongly recommend, "Beat Diabetes".
I started eating Keto. I ate more meat and no starchy vegetables. There went some of my favorites, potatoes, corn, carrots, and peas. I started eating spinach, mustard greens, and similar items. Three months later I went back to the doctor for another A1C test. It had dropped from 14.7 to 6.3. My doctor had written a note to herself to prescribe me Insulin. She tore the note up in front of me. For those who don't know it Insulin will actually make you fat. Dr. Fung said I can make anyone fat, just give them Insulin.
While at that visit my doctor urged me to get a colonoscopy. They have been urging me to get one for 20+ years. They found blood in my stool when I had Pneumonia in October of 2021. Oh, okay. I was tired of being nagged. I really thought I would cancel, I didn't. Afterwards the doctor explained that this was a polyp, and this was a polyp, and this was cancer. I was in shock! Try going through your day with that over your head. I held myself together for 2 whole days. Then I went to work. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I just wanted to go out to the van and do my job. One driver noticed I wasn't joking around like usual. He followed me to my van and asked if I was okay. I said no, barely holding myself together. He went to get another driver. I was sitting in the van when Bob came up to me His wife calls him Saint Bob. Ron, what's going on. I started bawling and told them what was going on and apologized for being such a wimp. Saint Bob said Ron, go home and gave me a hug. He took over my schedule. I had to walk through the office to get to the HR office to let them know. It seemed like an eternity.
My son went with me to the Colonoscopy because I wouldn't be able to drive. He was in shock as well. I teased him about getting a tube shoved up my rear while they gave him gift cards to Starbucks and the hospital cafeteria. I still do.
Within 30 days I was in the hospital getting a Colon Resection. Once again that changed the way I ate. I couldn't have fiber or residue. That means no veggies! Well, I could have fermented vegetables. My kids and my brother all came up for the operation. Prior to the operation I thanked the hospital staff and told them I was scared. The Anesthesiologist said were just giving you a little oxygen, I was out!
The operation went extremely well, no colonoscopy bag, no infections, and no leaks! In fact, I was out of the hospital the next day. My youngest daughter and brother stayed with me for a couple of days to make sure everything went well.
Two weeks later the surgeon called. I was cancer free! The relief was incredible! I have never felt so much stress!
The whole experience changed my way of eating drastically. I now eat mostly meat. For a month after the surgery I couldn't have fiber and never went back to it. These days 90+ percent of my diet is meat, mostly beef. My A1C is now 5.6 which is in the normal range.
I have now lost nearly 128 pounds. I tell people I lost half of my weight because I was sick and the other half because I wanted to live. I'm 71 and now can race my 4 year old grandson. I always lose but I'm in the race.
I weigh 222 pounds. At one time I was over 350. I don't know how much because the sliding scales only went to 350. I would guess maybe 370-375. I just count the 350. My BMI has dropped from 49 to 31. My blood pressure is in the normal range. My pants size dropped from 56 to 38. I don't believe it. I think more clearly and feel the best I have in years.
Back to the food pyramid. One doctor had this to say about the food pyramid, "You live by the Food Pyramid, you die by the Food Pyramid, and along the way you look like the Food Pyramid. The Divided Plate is an abbreviated version of the Food Pyramid in my opinion.
Your mental health and your physical health all start with Nutrition. It was a tough lesson to learn. As mentioned, I take people to dialysis. Some are missing toes, fingers, legs, losing vision. I've had 5 die in my short tenure on this job. Several quit going to dialysis. It's not a pleasant experience. My ex-wife quit going to dialysis and passed away. It was horrible to watch. All of these things impacted my resolve to get well.
The last thing I will say; One of my first thoughts throughout this experience is that, "We are the cure we've been looking for!" Our health is our responsibility. Though it sure doesn't hurt to have some great surgeons and doctors.