[Editor’s Note: Today is the American Diabetes Assn.’s Type 2 Diabetes Alert Day. Culver City’s poetess laureate addressed the City Council on the subject last evening.]
All over the country people will be encouraged to take a one- minute Diabetes Risk Test to find out if they are at risk for Type 2 Diabetes.
The test is online at www.diabetes.org/alert I urge everyone to take it to see what your numbers are.
I have had Type 2 diabetes for five years. During that time, my lifestyle has changed drastically.
I check my blood sugar levels twice a day.
Within the past year I have had to begin insulin shots and oral insulin.
Dietetic adjustments help, but when you get to my age and have had back and knee surgery it is difficult to exercise, even harder to keep yourself in shape.
Please take a minute to find out if you are at risk.
If I had known about the test and taken it, I may have been able to avoid the “needling” that I deal with on a daily basis.
Here’s a parody I wrote that is sung to the tune of Mona Lisa…
Diabetes, diabetes, so they call you
You’re the blood disease that hasn’t any cure
Now I’ve got you, I can’t lose you, diabetes
And I’m stuck with sticking fingers, that’s for sure
When the needle hits my finger, diabetes
And the blood begins to gather at the spot
How I wish I’d not eaten so much sweet stuff
Or carbohydrates
Or cherry phosphates
Now I’ve got you, I can’t lose you, diabetes
Although I’ll stick my finger
You’ll still linger
Here.
Take the risk test.
You may be very glad you did if you find you are at risk.
Dr. Hoult may be contacted at HOULTight@aol.com
