Our New Normal

Izzy announced last week via Ping/Twitter/Facebook/Livejournal that he had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. One of my sisters immediately responded on FB asking when he was planning to tell the rest of his family. He replied that by posting on a social network, he HAD informed folks. (NB, I don't know if Momala and Pop have been called - he's not here right now to ask.)

Unlike Izzy, I confined my announcements/updates to the smaller audience of this blog, back when I was in the pre-diabetes/newly-diagnosed stages. (Samples posts here and here and here.) I was freaking out a bit, and worried about how people would respond. Izzy is, and always has been, much more "out there."

We're known that this was coming for a while based on symptoms, family history, visual changes, etc. During our beach trip last December/January (here and here), Izzy was feeling a bit shaky as we entered a restaurant. After checking my blood sugar, I looked over and said "Your turn." As he later tweeted, he had a reading and a re-check over 200, and a nearly 300 reading 2 hours post-prandially. That's diagnostic. Welcome to the d-life.

His reaction was to skip most of the Kubler-Ross stages, and go pretty much straight to acceptance. Appointments were made, and he was officially diagnosed and given a couple of meters. He has been assessing the effects of his intake on blood sugar readings. Eye and diabetes education/nutrition appointments are pending. I am so grateful that we both have good insurance for meters, test strips, etc. I've had good success in managing this condition and have lab values where they need to be. I'm certain that Izzy will soon have these, as well.

Diabetes is yet another thing we share, like our Catholic faith, tri-lingual puns, Jesus Music oldies, similar motorcycle helmets, and love of Italian food*. We're working on the best ways to lower carbs counts for the latter, even as I look for what will be the perfect low-carb pie/pie crust recipe that does not include an artificial sweeteners (which Izzy really dislikes.)

For better, for worse, in sickness and in health...

*List is not all-inclusive; there's also the cat, Monty Python, the beach in winter ....