Tuesday, October 29, 2013

A Life Lesson Learned the Hard Way

I had something pretty scary happen a few days ago. I tend to like to keep personal things personal, especially medical things, but after about three minutes on Facebook I noticed a trend that worries me so I thought I should share.

I have a medical condition I’ve been living with for years. It has a handful of side effects but the one that gives me the most trouble is my insulin production. I take medication that helps regulate my insulin levels. My doctor also has ordered me to limit my sugars and to exercise daily. Did I do what my doctor asked? Well, I take my medicine every day so that should count for something, right?

I live a busy life, like everyone else I know. I have three two year olds that are my world. They ALWAYS come first, no matter how I feel or what else is going on. This means that most of my day is spent taking care of my kids, my house, and my husband. The one thing I never seem to take care of is me and that is the trend I’ve noticed.

I usually get about four hours of sleep a night. I drink diet coke and energy drinks all day to stay awake. I eat whatever I can grab quickly and it’s usually high carb. Also, unless walking around Target counts, I never get proper exercise. I am running on fumes most of the time and I’m not alone.

Why am I telling you this? Well, a few days ago my body said enough. I was packing for my very first trip to Canada to go to a signing that I was really excited about. I had been busy and grabbed a piece of key lime pie for dinner. I sat on the couch to take a break and noticed my vision start to blur. I stood up from the couch and the room began to spin. Next thing I know I’m waking up lying on the ground.

It turns out my insulin issues have gotten worse. My blood sugar had spiked and then dropped so low I passed out. I ended up missing my trip that I had been looking forward to for months and learned a valuable lesson. Thank God it happened at home and not while I was driving with my kids.

It really scared me the hell out of me. I’ve learned my lesson. I’m listening to my body and cleaning up my lifestyle. I’m doing my best to make my health a priority because I would like to be there as long as possible for my kids. I keep reminding myself that I can’t take care of anyone if I’m not alive. I know that it will be a challenge to not fall back into bad habits but I’m making an effort every day. Please, do something, even if it’s small, to take care of yourself today because you matter.


Nicole xoxo


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