My diabetes doctor is like my George Clooney – I have had a crush on this guy since I was like 14! Sorry Mario, but we have history.
Before he was my doctor, he was my camp doctor, one of two doctors at Camp Elphinstone on Gibsons (a camp for diabetics and “normal” kids too), and I kid you not, every morning and evening when we’d have to go and see the docs, all the girls would be in my doctor’s line, a line that extended well out the door. When he officially became my doctor at 18, I was practically jumping out of my skin with excitement. He’s always had the salt-and-pepper look that Clooney has, and the coolness of Clooney, and a little bit of the dorkiness too … he so sports the bow tie! Love the bow tie!
And so this morning I had my yearly visit with the doc (the downside of being in such good control of my diabetes is that I only get to see him once a year) and the first thing he said to me when I walked into his office: “Have you lost some weight?” Ahhhhh, my heart melted even more.
And that wasn’t even the best part of the visit! My hemoglobin A1C tests (a three-month average of my blood sugars) showed that my blood sugars were averaging near perfection at 6.6 – a really good number. They were up 0.3 from the last time, which is not a huge fluctuation at all, and which could probably be explained by the adjustments of switching over to the insulin pump.
Dear Doc told me that these are numbers to grow old with, which, for me, was a pretty incredible statement to hear. Not too long ago, probably about six or seven years ago, I wasn’t raking in those numbers. My blood sugars were all over the place, drastic highs, debilitating lows – it was like living on a permanent roller coaster ride with my health. Getting my blood sugars to level out wasn’t an easy task at first, I really had to monitor my entire lifestyle, cutback on the late night beers and all-day chocolate devouring, and get my butt off the couch, and now, the excitement that bursts through my body at the sight of this one small number makes all that work so worth it.
Tonight I had a long school board meeting to cover, so I didn’t get a chance to do any exercise, but I did have an opportunity to spend some quality time with a great friend (who makes amazing, all-natural soap and other such bath-like products) and who provided me with some yummy fuel for the evening: rice noodles and chicken and some kind of tasty spice, and chocolate from Charlie’s Chocolate Factory of course – we’re both chocolate fiends, so it works.
Thanks Tawnya – you and your food are amazing! Now I just got to get you to teach me how to sew 😉
Congrats! I’m reading a good book tracing the history and politics of Type 1 treatment. Will loan it to you after if you like.
Congratulations Katie!!! Your doctor looks like Ricky Nelson!