Received word from the doctor today that insulin is going to be the remedy. The in-house diabetes educator called and set up an appointment for tomorrow to show how to use the insulin pen and pen tips.
When I picked up the prescription the pharmacist brought over a vial with a bunch of orange-tipped syringes. Everything from my stomach to my heart to my appendix went into what I can only describe as a game of internal musical chairs. I wasn’t prepared to inject a syringe into my stomach for the rest of my life. I can only assume that it would begin to chip away at the six-packs abs I’ve worked so hard to maintain. That will not happen on my watch.
After talking with the pharmacist, she put a call in to the doctor and had the prescription changed to the insulin pen. I’ll get my first shot from it tomorrow, but it looks manageable. Most of it is covered by insurance, but it still seems costly to me. What if we were in a position to not be able to afford it? Would it come down to a choice between medicine that can prolong my life or family sustenance? How many people have to make that choice every day in my country? In my city? In my neighborhood?
The pain continues in the top of my foot. I’m glad it is staying there and not spreading. It’s connected to the numb sensation that goes to my middle toes, but so far it’s stayed in place. I might take some tylenol before I go to bed. I can’t stand being woke up by it when the blankets hit it wrong. I’ve never had to wonder how to position my foot while I sleep before. If I lay it sideways my foot doesn’t hurt, but my knee begins to ache. If I position it straight up and down, the top of my foot eventually finds its way to the covers and causes me pain. It’s crazy the things that you don’t notice until you have no choice.
I’ve been doing some research, as I’m told is my practice, and I’ve been learning that some of the key elements to controlling diabetes is routines. Regular healthy meals — emphasis on healthy — combined with exercise, medication at consistent daily times, and good amounts of rest. I don’t believe I’ve ever had any routines that involved even one of these categories, let alone all four at the same time. Harder things have been done, I’m sure. Things like, oh, I don’t know, taking a space walk. Yes, I believe that would be a harder thing to accomplish than developing these routines.