Diabetes

(Cliquez sur le titre pour article en Francaise)
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I recall, vividly, the day the experts decided I was Diabetic Type 2, not so long ago!
I was surprised, to say the least, because no family history had ever showed this disease as present, but then again, I wasn't exactly like the majority of my family in diat or living style!
However, it disturbed me, simply because of the notions and mental images I had of other Diabetics I had known, forced to prick their fingers a dozen times a day, take medecines, regular controls, and an upheaval of normal life, for the rest of their lives!
Certainly, one should not pleasant with the malady, and I confess having had felt the presence of various symptoms (once they had been explained to me) in the past! I presumed that the specialists had done their work correctly, and that was that.
At the time I was participating in my re-education course at Hospital, after my 3 bypass coronary intervention, so strict controls of my Diabetics was simple!
I had to spend hours extra, together with 2 or 3 other diabetics in my group, listening to the ramblings on of a diaticien, a lady who evidently had no idea of the price of living, if one could, or did, buy the products she proposed in our diats. You would have to be a millionaire to follow these suggestions (actually, she tended to demand rather than suggest).
The only positive note of these hours of misery was the gentleman, more obese than myself, who - after days of listening - made his one and only comment:
"Eh ben - nous sommes cuite et ruinee!" ("Well-looks like we're ruined and the biscuits are cooked!")
This was so humerous under the circumstances, that moral was lifted immediately, and Mr Cuite et Ruinee became a personal friend.
(I have already written a short article on the subject - "Pagnol" I think it was called)
None the less, the finger pricking, taking medecines etc carried on, and only some 3 months later, when I was undergoing yet another blood test, did I ask them to test the blood for diabetes (on this test not normally done).
Imagine my surprise when the analyse arrived, marked in thick black letters on the top of the page:
"PATIENT IS NOT DIABETIC"!!!!!
Immediately to the house doctor, who proposed stopping the medicaments, and taking blood pricks now and then just to control, until I saw the specialist later in the year.
OK - did that, and another 3 months later, when my 6 monthly diabetic control was due, the Specialist was over the moon! "You see, Mr le Marquis", said she,"We got it under control, didn't we!"
Only then did I let her in to the secret! She blustered something about "Yes, but your blood counts WERE rather high!"
End result? I am no longer considered diabetic, but like everyone else (a bit more, actually) should be, and am, controlled for the blood sugar count in the blood.
You see, some Specialists just won't give up!
Now my reason for writing this? Well apart from the shock received by the announcement of my diabetical condition, I hear and read that this diabetic Type 2 has become a raging plague in society. I do not doubt that there has been an increase, due to our unhealthy life styles, and I do not suggest for one moment that one should ignore symtoms or advice given by specialists, but I do think that more and stricter controls should be made over the diagnostics made by these specialists, in their own clinics, which need lots of money to exist.
I ask myself how many of the newly diagnosed patients are like me, but will just never find out, and will continue pricking their fingers and taking medecines all their lives, at enormous costs for the Health Systems.
I know that my own story has cost a small fortune for the local Health system, in material, medecines, hospital visits, blood laboratories, taxis to and from Hospitals etc. etc. etc.
If I've helped to reduce the costs, I would propose that they put these savings towards paying the other bills they are demanding from me - 'cos I ain't got the money to pay you!
(iwmpop) ********** Mr le Marquis *********