The Wake-Up Call
One of the problems that has dogged me my whole life is that I'm a lazy ass.
Not completely. Properly motivated, I'll work my ass off. I'm a hard-working reader; deadlines and paychecks will do it every time.
But other stuff I too often let slide. Things like eating right, and exercising, and even writing; things that go on the back burner when there's other stuff going on, and then stay on the back burner.
It's easy to make excuses. I have a history of good health, I'm not hugely overweight, someday I'll get to the writing, the time is better spent slogging through my pile of work.
I'm not good at setting deadlines for myself. Sometimes I'll go on a writing binge; there are times in my life I have exercised. Not enough.
Not enough motivation.
But everything changed yesterday.
Yesterday I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Fuck.
.............
Now it's all about motivation. Sweets and saturated fats are out, everything else in proportion, and small portions. I'm going to hit the gym tonight. I'm going to get exercise regularly.
Because now it's not about "should" or "could", it's about "need to".
I'm on pills, and my sugar level is already way down from yesterday's elevated levels, though it's still high. I'm in the hands of a good doctor. It's all managable (hopefully), and I'm going to manage it.
Still, it's problem that I ignored too long. Who knows how long I've been living with this (though a lot of symptoms seem recent)? Who knows how much damage has been done?
But, as my mother said, in a way it's good news. The kick in the ass I needed.
Hopefully, while I'm moving things around on the burners, the writing will get new focus as well.
It's never too late to change your life. But sometimes you shouldn't wait until the "need to".
posted by Scott the Reader @ 10:50 AM
24 Comments:
Sorry to hear the bad news. Maybe, like your mom said, it's not a bad thing. Push forward.
Sorry to hear it, Scott. If the symptoms are recent, though, then it's good that you moved on it right away.
This is a totally controllable disease. You're going to kick it's ass.
Exercise and proper diet has always been a "need to". But, like a dripping faucet, we don't address it until the tub is about to overflow. Trust me. My life is a cruel cycle of diets.
Getting older sucks, doesn't it?
We've all got our nasty habits that eventually bite us in the ass. Fortunately, yours is not too nasty a bite and can be managed with a few lifestyle adjustments. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with the twins and was able to manage it with diet. Type 2 is different, of course, but modern medicine is something else!
Take it easy - listen to your doctors - and your wife! :)
Sorry to hear that news. Hope the exercise and diet make things better -- and give you more energy on top of all that!
Bad news, but good response. We're getting to that age where that ache you're feeling probably means something.
Stay strong, follow doc's advice, LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE* and you should be okay.
* I don't know how they do it, but wives usually know a whole lot.
Bad news, but nice to hear you're not lazy enough to do nothing about it.
Always look on the bright side of life Scott, always.
Sorry about the diagnosis, Scott. Take care of yourself and be well. And write. :)
Don't beat yourself up too much. Type 2 Self-Loathing is not something any of us need, and it's not as easily managed as a physical ailment.
I absolutely not minimizing your situation, but on the bright side this is relatively manageable situation so long as you stay on top of it. Also, sometimes these sorts of short sharp shocks can be great for bringing moments of useful clarity and startling focus. Maybe now's a good time for Scott The Reader to give way to Scott The Writer.
Still, I'm pulling for some miraculous news for you.
Stay well. After all, you owe me beer. ;-)
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B
You'll be fine, dude, you're resilient, and I agree that you'll kick its sugary ass.
Sorry to hear that, but it's good you're handling it well. I'm with Brett here; it's time for Scott the Writer to conquer Hollywood.
All the best Scott, though I am sure you will control it with exercise and diet.
cheers
Dave
Attitude matters. Keep positive. Remember what captain Kirk said: "I don't believe in a no win scenario." Got to have that attitude, because the moment you surrender, you become a powerless victim.
Why is it a marker of the human existence that we always wait for the bad to make corrections.
I'm thinking it is because we are eternally optomistic creatures.
You've just hit one of Act II's turning points.
Good luck with the new challenge. Being sick is no fun at all.
My friend was diagnosed with diabetes a few years back - at first he was doing great with the pills and exercise, but he never made the full change to his diet that he should have done...time went by, he didn't lose the weight he needed to, he slipped back into old habits (despite good intentions) and now he has to inject insulin.
It's so easy to let things slip.
Don't just make a partial change to your food intake, make the proper changes required.
See a specialist nutritionist on a regular basis to make sure you're getting it right.
I'd hate for you to have to go through what my friend is going through.
Okay, so it's not the best news ever but your attitude is excellent. As a Mexican-American with a family history of diabetes, I pretty much accept the reality that I'll probably develop diabetes...which is why I exercise regularly and try to keep my weight down. My father ignored his diabetes until right after his heart attack when the doctors couldn't perform the quintuple bipass. Now he exercises and mostly eats right and my mother is right there beside him. (It helps if those around you follow the same eating regimen and exercise with you, if only for moral support.)
Good luck!
Scott, sorry to hear about this. Like everyone else is saying, it's a managable thing. There's a history of diabetes in my family so I've seen more than one person handle it with diet and excersise. It's not easy but I'm sure you can manage!
Sorry to hear the bad news, Scott. Hope you can turn lemons into lemonade with this. Great to hear your intention to do so.
My last girlfriend was diabetic. Had an insulin pump pack so that she rarely needed to inject. I got to know real well the warning signs of an oncoming hypo, like when she would say, "Um... ok, you drive..." (her car). I would know to get her home a.s.a.p so she could get some sugar into her system and wait it out.
But at least your health situation can be managed with sensible regimes and care. I have an older female friend who two months ago got diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and she's about to go for her third chemo session.
Out of curiosity, can you share your symptoms pre diagnosis? I wonder how many of us are walking around waiting to get the same kind of wake-up call?
Sheesh, and this just after Josh Friedman admitting to a funeral fetish. What a cruddy week it's been in the scribosphere. :-(
Thanks everyone for your thoughts.
Apparently one of the big warning signs is frequent urination, particularly at night; if you are getting up to be a lot to pee, that could be a sign that you have high blood sugar.
Regular check-ups can also catch diabetes before it gets bad.
Kick its ass, Scotty.
We're all here to kick yours, when necessary...
Great thing about being forced into exercise and a good diet - you'll look really hot and your brain will work better.
Stay well.
Hey dude. Sorry to hear about it, but glad you found out now and are taking action. Though not as serious, I had a pretty bad report from my doctor when I went for my physical this past week, so I too will be heavily changing my habits (or so I plan). Maybe we should start the Scribosphere Diet and Exercise plan! ;-)
Seriously though, only the best wishes for your health, brother.
Scott,
Very sorry to hear about this. What a drag.
Good luck, man.
By the way, what other symptoms were you having? not to be too self-absorbed in light of your situation, but I've been kinda paranoid about this for a little while now, given my sedentary, junk food scaring lifestyle (though, of course, my efforts to change have been meager and pathetic.)
Any insight you can offer would be appreciated!
Best wishes....
I was diagnosed five years ago (for the love of god stay away from craft services in the morning) and I’ve resisted the urge to go on meds (against my doc’s wishes). My mother-in-law was diagnosed a couple years ago, and through diet and exercise she was able to get off the pills. It’s one of those things that make you feel mortal (I was in my mid twenties when I got the diagnosis) and puts everything in perspective, but I’m sure better people than I have already told you that. Keep healthy, and with spring upon us, get outside and enjoy life. The last thing you want to do is to let this diagnoses get you down, not that you would. Okay, that’s my 1.5 cents.
Rob
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