Diabetes: A Year Later

Not so scary getting on this thing anymore.

Last year at this time, I stared at my reflection in the mirror with the realization that I was a diabetic.

It was probably the best thing to happen to me, since I finally had an answer about what was wrong with me and concrete ideas about what to do about it.

Diet. Exercise. A new lifetstyle.

A year later, looking in the mirror, now what do I see?

I see someone wearing size 8 leather miniskirt instead of an 18.

I see the effects of trading potato chips and candy for baked kale and vegetables with dip. 

I see the feet of an athlete: toned, muscular, capable of more than I was aware.

I'm seeing someone I haven't seen since college.

What I don't see is the 34 pounds I was carrying around a year ago, weight it seemed like I tried losing for the last 20 years. And it's finally gone.

It's been frustratingly slow-going, and there's been plenty of times that I have pouted, eating salad when everyone else is feasting on french fries and chicken wings. Also, even though I'm working on all this, I don't know what my sugar numbers look like (tests I'm sure are looming), and even though I'm seeing all these results, I'm still seeing the side effects of having PCOS on a daily and monthly basis.

I've made changes. Big changes. Positive changes. And I'm pretty sure it's for life.