I Live for the Cure

Dr. Mike told me he could cure my diabetes. I was instantly hopeful and skeptical because the whole time I've been diabetic, I've read about 'cures.' I've read about how diabetes is a 'manageable' illness as long as the patient sticks to their diet. BULLSHIT. Something I deal with 24/7 isn't manageable, it's a miserable way of life. And no, I didn't give myself diabetes by eating too much sugar. I weighed 126lbs when I was admitted to the hospital.

But back to the 'cures.' Often I would read an article promising a cure in the next five to ten years. But when I tried to research farther, I would discover the 'cure' was just a theory- there are no clinical trials. There is no new drug in development. There will not even be an answer as to why someone thinks they know what causes the disease. There is no supporting research. All the so called cure is an empty promise. Occasionally I will see an article about a doctor in a foreign country who has the cure but American doctors scoff and mock him. They don't want to believe it. Diabetes is Big Business here in the states. One of the reasons I can get a glucose meter for free is the pharmaceutical company knows I will pay for the meter five times over when I start buying test strips for it. You can't put any strip in any old meter- the strips are brand specific and ReliOn strips don't work in AccuCheck meters.

I'm jaded and annoyed. But the spark of hope remains and I am willing to try almost anything. The first step is to drink more water. But wait, it's not that simple. I have to drink a specially purified, high alkaline water. I can only get this at Dr. Mike's office.

So at work, I drink the water. At first I was not noticing much difference. But then I realized there was a big change. And it was the one thing I wanted to change above all else.

Most diabetics wake up with high sugars. This is because the body produces very little insulin while we sleep. We're sleeping. We don't need as much insulin while we sleep. That means if you ate a lot of carbs before bed, your sugar will reflect that in the morning.

I have what is called the 'dawn phenomenon' I wake up with LOW sugars. I wake up confused, heart racing, soaked in sweat, and unable to rouse myself enough to even be aware that I am on the verge of death. Several times I have passed out early in the morning. Sometimes I trudge around the house like a zombie, unaware of what I am doing or where I am. There is a very real fear that one day I won't wake up. Will is very frightened and he makes me check my sugar before he leaves for work. Sometimes he sees me so glassy-eyed with slurred speech that he just hands me a cookie. He calls every morning to make sure I am still alive. Now I don't wake up like this every day, but it does happen fairly often. And it would be really nice if I didn't start my day at death's door.

Since I have been drinking the water, I haven't woke up with a low sugar. But I do have them in the afternoons, like a normal diabetic. It takes sugar to get through your day. Most diabetics have their lowest sugar around 4pm- after they have been to work, ran errands, and burned off lunch. Expect me, my highest sugar is late afternoon. Until I started drinking the water. OMG, now I'm like all the other diabetics. I'm not weird anymore!

It doesn't sound like much. But it is a huge deal because it means my body is readjusting. That means I had to adjust. I take less insulin at lunch now. And I wanted that, too. I have a very realistic view of Dr. Mike's treatment- I will happily take a life with less insulin. I don't think I can get the cure. But I'm pretty sure I can get better. Just being a little bit better, just taking a little less insulin, just not seeing the worry and fear in Will's eyes as he questions whether or not it is wise to go to work and leave me alone...I don't have words to describe how much better that life would be.

We're getting more in depth now, Dr. Mike has decided I have mineral deficiencies. He thinks this is the cause of me becoming diabetic. So now I am to eat more leafy greens like spinach and kale.

And I keep drinking the water while I hope for the best.