Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Diagnosis 1600.1: Fish Out of Water

Exactly three years ago today, I had an experience I can only call life-changing. Though, at times, it's led me down a dark and difficult path, it has finally brought me to where I am now - a place of overwhelming gratitude, healing, community and love.

Following is my description of the events, from an online letter I originally composed on Monday, January 28, 2008.
Suddenly Diabetic.

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I'm still picking away the medical tape. 


I keep finding remnants of it in deliberately spaced vital intervals all over my body, and at times, in intimate places, which makes me tearfully shudder, "Where was I?"


But it's my arms that really tell the story of my visit to the ER a week ago Friday. The bruises on my wrists and inner elbows where ER and ICU nurses pumped countless fluids and IVs and drew blood - sometimes with so little success they had to stick me several times or go almost an inch deep - have now turned shades of rancid brown and green. Apparently, I am a Type 1 Diabetic... and I nearly died finding out about it.