It's winter time again. Blech. Short, dim days. Cold rain. Dreary surrounds. Everyone is a crab apple. Well, except for me. I'm a ray of sunshine. So, there I was about two weeks ago sacking around the house and decided that I needed to put forth a token exercising effort. I was starting to feel blah – ey in a big way. So much so that it reminded me of the time 7 years ago when I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Back then I weighed almost 300 pounds. It was a life-changing event for me. I lost 70 pounds and started exercising regularly. I've managed to keep the blood sugar demon under wraps with just exercise and diet for 7 long years.
Alas! I fell off the train. I hadn't checked my blood sugar in quite a while so I did and it was high. I decided it was time for a run and to get control of the diet. Too much eating and drinking. I had been running intermittently but it was nowhere near enough to offset the amount of eating I was doing. I wasn't putting on weight, just eating the wrong stuff. So off into the twilight I went on my normal 2.5 mile route. The route winds in and around Old Town – a good mix of hills and flats.
I had my headphones on and was jogging along in a groove – up Moseby street, approaching Grant. It was night and there was a fair amount of traffic so I decided that, instead of going all the way to the corner and turning onto the sidewalk, I would cut through the parking lot of a building on the corner. Sometimes it is easier if the cars don't even see you. I veered right through the parking lot and was about halfway through it when half my foot came down on terra firma and the other half on thin air – above a pot hole. My ankle rolled outward and I went down like a ton of bricks.
Not Broken
When it happened I remember thinking that my leg bones were coming through the ligaments on the outside of my ankle. I lay on the pavement (in the freezing cold) for about 5 minutes trying to sort it all out. I was in a lot of pain and wasn't sure I could walk. I rolled (yes, rolled. I looked like a giant neon log) through the parking lot to pick up all of my belongings that went flying out of my hand and pockets when I crashed and sat on the curb for a couple of minutes. I could tell the thing was already swelling but I tested it out and it didn't hurt to stand on it at all. There was, of course, no stability in the joint but I could walk. I shuffled home…
The next morning I was still in considerable pain and determined to set out for the ER. Sarah suggested Patient First. I resisted, "that's a doc in a box and it's for ding-dongs." She politely offered to drive me there or nowhere. I went to Patient First. I will admit that I was wrong about PF. It was quick, efficient and well organized. X-Ray and exam in about 70 minutes. I would have been in the ER for half a day or more. However, I really didn't receive too much happy news. While my ankle wasn't broken the sprain was severe enough we had a discussion about casting it. In the end they put a brace on it and sent me off with directions to see an ortho to get further evaluation. The Dr. also noted that my blood pressure was high and it should be checked by my family doc.
I really didn't want to do that. I knew what I was going to hear: less food, medication (blech!), maybe some weight loss and more exercise. I had no choice in the matter if I wanted to live and so I went. When my doctor walked into the room I did what everyone else does: throw myself on the mercy of the court. She let me off easy on the lecture side and sent me off to the lie detector: blood work.
By way of reference, during my initial experience with Diabetes, I got my A1C (a long term measure of blood sugar) down below 5. Close to 5 is healthy. When I went back in to get my results my Doctor laid it out for me: my A1C was nearly 10! Humans are capable of grand amounts of self-delusion but I was pretty pragmatic about it. There wasn't a mystery as to how this happened. Even though I do exercise a bit, I'm also guilty of counting on that exercise to soak up the sins on the intake side. That had worked for a long time but time moves ever onward and it wasn't working anymore.
So I'm back on the wagon but it's a tough row to hoe. My blood sugar is coming down nicely – it is about half where it was – but I can't workout at all due to my ankle. I'm riding the trainer a bit but even that is pretty limited as any amount of resistance makes it hurt. I'll get there from here but I'm not thinking it is going to be a happy winter. Hopefully I can get the ankle settled down and get back on the bike. The bike is therapy and it'll help. My goal is to lose an additional 30 pounds. I'm currently at about 220 – which is my college weight and at 190 I'll be around my High School weight!
December 9, 2013 at 11:18 am
Never once sprained anything swimming…just a thought. Not suggesting you go all Mark Spitz, but you might want to mix it up now and then, to avoid over-use injuries.
December 9, 2013 at 12:07 pm
I realized how much my eating habits changed when I was at a party at the Old Town Sports Pub, raving over the tomatoes in the veggie platter while others hit the wings and meatballs. I have begun to talk to food now — there is so much out there that looks pretty…but it just isn't food. Yesterday at church, they were serving up wedding cake (a postponed event because of the weather) along with the plate-sized doughnuts and bagels that are four servings each. It's not food. I am trying out the fitness center at Novant Health Prince William this month. I love the weight room. Just have to get over my intimidation of the machines and computers, though. Steve's right about swimming….
December 9, 2013 at 12:55 pm
I hate swimming. When I was rehabbing a back injury I tried it and it just isn't for me. However, I may try the lap pool at LA Fitness. When I gave it a whirl before it was at the freedom center and that pool was cold enough that it made my back hurt. Maybe this time it'll be better.
December 9, 2013 at 1:14 pm
As my Daughter says…as soon as I have this baby…I'm going on the Nettie diet. It's worked for me!!!! I can help…it will bring your sugar AND BP down too…PROMISE! The first year is a killer…just removing the bad food from your attention and moving on but you become so accustom to it, it becomes "muscle memory", if you will. Weigh myself everyday just to keep me "honest" with myself. "Diets" don't work…life style changes do. HOWEVER, you will hate me…you'll have to remove the wine from your shelves or at least take it to Once a month…ok, don't throw anything at me! NO CALORIE counting, NO POINTS counting, eat all the food you want (at least I did)…just good wholesome food…no PROCESSED SUGAR, no WHEAT, no Carbonated beverages (NONE, not even diet or beer), NO process fruit juice (only fresh squeezed) NO WHITE STUFF (i.e. potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, crackers etc…however you can have white meat/fish) I eat a LOT of beans, fruit (except grapes, they make me gain weight), very little corn or peas, but most other veggies like squash (of all kinds), cabbage and it's whole family, etc etc AND I didn't exercise one second…just fyi…but I know you like too…ME?!?!? NOT SO MUCH!
December 9, 2013 at 1:53 pm
Andy, for when your ankle is better this is a new exercise routine with low impact, running/biking
http://www.elliptigo.com/
December 9, 2013 at 4:24 pm
Glad you clarified about Patient First as I thought I might have to go into a rant 🙂
Good bunch up there. Been our Primaries for the last two years. Of course, it does ebb and flow in terms of getting in depending on number of people in the waiting room. But beats heck out of sitting in the ER!
December 9, 2013 at 4:31 pm
Net, when I lost the 70 pounds initially that's more or less what I did. I didn't exercise at all. However, I like to exercise. I feel better when I do it.
December 9, 2013 at 4:32 pm
The other reason that exertcising is soooo important is that it helps level blood sugar and I reduce meds. The meds can make your blood sugar a little crazy from time to time and that just turns me into a complete grouch. I'd rather spend some time in the gym.
December 9, 2013 at 11:11 pm
My form of exercise is barking orders and keeping folks straight! LOL OR a good walk home from a evening of OTM! LOL