I am 64 years old. I am a diabetic and have been for 20 years this November.
I get up at 6:45 AM. I take a urine test looking for the possibility of ketones. I take a blood test with a device called a glucometer. I use a spring loaded device, that looks like a ball point pen, to propel a lancet into a finger. The blood drop is then applied to a test strip in the glucometer. Every time I get a new tube of test strips, I have to code the meter to match the code on the test strips to get an accurate reading. This is called monitoring.
According to the blood test reading, I then take an insulin injection in units to match the information from the reading. My doctor has told me how much insulin to take according to the blood reading. I also take a morning pill for diabetes, a pill for blood pressure, a pill for enzyme levels, a pill for heart, and a pill that helps the insulin injection work. I then eat my breakfast according to blood reading and medications taken. I must eat my breakfast no later than 7:15 AM or it will throw my artificial schedule off enough to cause problems. A typical breakfast would be artificial eggs such as egg beaters, a sausage or bacon made of soybeans, a slice of tomato, and a cup of coffee.
At 12:45 PM, I take the tests again. I take an insulin injection and only one pill according to the test results. I must eat my lunch no later than 1:15 PM. A typical lunch would be a salad with lots of greens such as green onions, spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, lettuce, vinegar and a little soy oil. I spice the salad up with soy bacon bits or soy sausage.
I do it all again at 6:45 PM. I take the insulin injection according to the test, a pill to help the insulin work, a pill for diabetes(helps absorb sugars) a pill for enzymes, and pill for circulation. My supper would be baked or broiled meat,(my wife makes a diabetic meat loaf that is out of this world) green vegetables,(steamed green beans, steamed asparagus, steamed cabbage, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, and such) onions, garlic, and a 4 ounce glass of extra dry white wine. I have to drink dry white wine for supper if I eat any flesh, fish, foul, or meat. It lowers my blood sugar an average of 14 points and greatly helps digestion. I hate dry white wine.
For treats, I can have one bottle of either Miller Lite, Busch Light, Natural Light, or Rock Green Light.
At 10:00 PM, I take another injection of overnight insulin calculated by my doctor. It is the same each night.
If my blood sugar goes low, I become completely disoriented. I would not know who my wife was, what a car is, the difference between sitting and standing as examples.
If I were to be without insulin, I would begin to have difficulty seeing clearly, I would be extremely tired, I would have an uncontrolled thirst, I would eventually pass out, then go into a coma.
I plan on going fishing tomorrow. I will have to take my lunch and my supper with me, and of course insulin and other medications. I will also have to take something, like life savers candy, because the increase/difference in activity could cause my blood sugar to go low and I would need to bring it up again quickly, less I reach the point I do not know that I cannot walk on water(not a joke)
I must especially avoid potatoes(about 90% conversion to carbohydrates/sugar) any grain served in any way(no bread, cake, doughnuts, cereals, no oats for breakfast). No oranges and very little, if any, other fruits.. Oranges are so high in convertible carbs that orange juice is one of the emergency treatments for low blood sugar. Much of my fish, foul, meat is grilled out on the deck. Even in winter, our grill gets used.
I have to be very careful not to injure myself as diabetics heal slowly or not at all. A foot injury could be critical or even lethal.
Having said all of this, I enjoy working on my vehicles and tractors, I love yard work and have way more of a lawn tractor than I really need, I fish a lot, I rode a motorcycle, long trips, until by back gave out in May, 2007, I design and tye my own trout flies, I am a ham radio operator, I have a distinguished master rating with 6 different firearms. I shot in archery competition up until July of 2007. Now I just shoot to amuse muself. I taught my grandchildren fishing, archery, and sport shooting. I have a 11 year old with a master rate and a 9 year old with an expert rate. I am careful, but not fearful.
I am very active with the Church. I teach adult catechism, youth(14-17 year old) catechism, I am youth director, and safety director.
When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I was rather shocked and very confused. I asked my doctor if this was going to kill me. He said possibly, but not likely. There was always the chance I would wreck my motorcycle, fall over a waterfall on a trout stream, shoot myself, or die of old age. I have narrowed it down to falling over the waterfall or old age
