Lately, unwittingly thanks to myself, I’ve been getting a fair amount of diabetes education.

Lately, I’ve become aware that the risk of my becoming diabetic is fairly real.

I’ve never gotten tested. In all the 24 years that my father has been diabetic, I’ve never deliberately gotten tested.

Lately, I’ve learned how to be afraid of testing. I had a bit of an opportunity to get tested at last spoonful of sugar meeting, but I didn’t. It was kinda too public for me. Felt like an alter call. Ugh. Or going to the VCT, whether or not you have reason to worry. Seriously. Even with diabetes, you neednt have symptoms to have it. I remember, when I went to get my first HIV test, how i worried about the blade or two I’d gotten cut with while playing with other kids when I was little. And the sterility of the needle and instruments the time I went to a sketchy clinic in a low income somewhere for stitches.
that was the breadth and depth of my worries and I was worried.

My dad tests his sugar every day these days, morning, noon and night. And he injects insulin at least twice a day, often more. That’s a lotta jabs. So the other night, before dinner, I asked if I could test my sugar along with him. We had to find a needle. His is his, and the many others have special functions. The food got cold. My mum just shook her head at our 11th hour now emergency project. We found one that would need sterilizing. He offered to jab me. I refused.

First time I didn’t go deep enough. Couple of similar tries. I dislike pain. One time I get in, but its so shallow, it won’t bleed enough. Dad says the side of the index is good. Less skin in the way I think. Jab jab. I get two more shallow bleeds, but I can collect enouGh.
Glucometre. Tester stick thing.
I’m 4.6. Good fasting sugar level!! Ie, on an empty stomach. Hurrah! My pancreas works!

I’m good for the year. I ought to test again next year.

You can get yours tested at the Diabetes walk on July 12 at carnivore grounds. It’s a good
thing to do.

Eat well, more importantly. It matters in and beyond diabetes.