Just finished driving from Brisbane to Innisfail (about 1600km or 1000 miles). After relaxing for a day, Mum asked me the question that I was dreading - "Show me your foot!". Slowly, I took my shoes and socks off and showed Mum ... with some fear!
It looked like Mum was going to faint. In my mind, I didn't think the ulcer was bad but the fact that it hadn't healed by itself should have been a clue right there ... that it was BAD! Ooops ... and I forgot to mention, that it hadn't healed in about 4 months. Without a moment to waste, Mum was on the phone to make an appointment at the doctors! So the appointment was made ... I knew this was going to be the start of something.
Arriving at the doctor's surgery, waiting for the Doctor is always a nervous time. But this was something else. After a little time, I was called in and Mum came with me (for emotional support). Talking with Dr B., he asked me about the sore on my foot and then he kept looking me up and down. The next minute, I'm taken into another room and asked to sit up on a bed. An assisting nurse, then tried to remove the dead skin around the ulcer and then Dr B. came in and asked me to give him a finger. I knew I didn't have much of a choice in this argument, so I obliged. He disappeared for a while and then returned. "What is the normal blood sugar range?" Dr B. asked. Confidently, I answered -"4-8", thinking that my Human Movement Studies at University had paid off! "Congratulations, You are close to 23". So this couldn't be good!
From that moment, I was diagnosed with NIDDM (non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) or Type 2 Diabetes.
Also, I had won a two night stay at the Innisfail Hospital. A place, I had been twice before. First time, was when I was born and the other to get my tonsils out! The plan was to have some heavy antibiotics as well as shots of insulin to bring that high level to down to normal!