August 25, 2020 I walked into a CVS minute clinic to treat a slight UTI and walked out with my life forever changed..... I walked out a diabetic, long story shortened, many Doctor appointments, lab work, and medications ordered..... I was now a "diabetic" on 2000 mg of Metformin, I didn't know it at that very moment, But that diagnosis was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I remember being very scared, I had no energy my weight was creeping up to a number that i can't just admit yet, I was 53 years old, My Dad died at age 52, my Mom died at age 58, was i heading down that road, I remembered a few years back my Brother Chris had a 6 artery bypass that saved his life from a massive heart attack, I remember asking him, about his cholesterol levels, etc as to why his heart was damaged..... I remembered him telling me........ It was his years of diabetes (at times uncontrolled) that ultimately damaged his heart. with the bypass, and the weight loss and his immediate control of diabetes and his exercise. Chris' years post heart attack had been active and wonderful. . . . so back to my diagnosis, I spent a week absolutely depressed, sad, sick and scared... and i mourned the life that I had, and then I got back up and looked at diabetes as a part of me, I could not change my diagnosis, so i would become friends with it. back to that day in August, I left the CVS minute clinic went home and threw away every carb, every sweet, every processed food............and I never looked back....... Being diagnosed with Diabetes was the "best" thing that has ever happened to me, it forced me to look at me, and not make excuses anymore, about the hockenberry size *yes we are big people , about how the cookie won't hurt me. and how i just have to have that pasta. i was so excited to start this journey, a journey that i have never taken before. about one month after my diagnosis........ My brother Chris died from his heart just stopping. He did everything right the past 3 years......but diabetes still had his heart in the end, just too much damage, the 6 artery bypass gave him a few years. I miss him so much, but it is because of him and his journey , that I will not let his death be in vain, and i vowed that i would not let diabetes control my destiny., Chris and I shared a joke about Pelicans, and now i love them so much so i had a pelican tattoo put on my left forearm to remind me of my promise to beat diabetes. actually the Spirit meaning for the Pelican is pretty cool...... "The pelican spirit animal comes into your life to empower you with determination. People with this spirit totem have a determination that can move mountains." how can i not be excited about that!!! and that is how i came about the name of my blog the diabetic pelican, at my 3 month post check up, i was taken off of my medications, which i asked if he could still take a smaller dose, my A1C was 5.7 and i had dropped maybe 40 lbs. My 6 month check up was very recent, and my A1C was still 5.6 i dropped a total of 68 lbs. and feel amazing.
I am starting this blog, or at least giving it a try, to honor my brother Chris, and i have had several personal messages asking me about my diet, recipes ect. so i though this may be a place for that , and a place to be honest and accountable. i eat a variation of a low carb keto diet, and i do intermittent fasting, i eat for 8 hours and fast for 16 hours..... i have not even thought about going off of it or falling off the wagon so to speak, and now it is time to up my physical activity part. I would like to drop about 60 more pounds, although frankly the weight doesn't matter it is how i feel that matters, and i feel freakin good. And Chris i just know he is proud of me. and i won't let him down. So here it goes. God Bless You all.
Remember to stretch well. Hugs.
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