2015 = 2014

Well, I planned to have a period of debauchery at the end of 2014, and I did.  I'm glad I had a "last hurrah," because it looks like that was all the break I was going to get.

Beginning in early December, I started to lose feeling / have tingling in my fingers and toes.  It was similar to the neuropathy that I had with chemo, but was also different.  The sensation progressed throughout December, so, after New Years', I made an appointment to see the Oncologist.  When he heard the symptoms, he scheduled me for bloodwork.  In the meantime, I started taking vitamin B12, presuming (thanks internet!) that it was a circulation problem.

When I met with the NP at the oncologist's office, I got the bad news.  My blood sugar was 350.  I had no idea how high this was, until she mentioned diabetes.  Shit.  And I had just started my 2015 clean-living program.

Follow up that wonderful day with the appointment with my GP.  After fasting, my blood sugar was 280 - still elevated.  Guess what - I've got diabetes.  Everyone thinks it's manageable.  Feeling sorry for myself at having to prick my finger for blood sugar every day, I started the course of medicine to bring my blood sugar down.  Goodbye sugar and carbs.  So much for midnight chocolate ice cream (how I missed you during chemo!).  Goodbye to bread-only lenten fasting.  Goodbye to Funyuns and Lays Stax, Hardee's biscuits and hamburgers.  No more french fries.  No more Zero bars.  No more beer.

Still adjusting to the concept of lifelong diabetic management, and still with no resolution on what was causing the numbness/tingling in my hands and feet, I began the medication and monitoring blood sugar.  Immediately the blood sugar dropped to the 100's.  So the medication is working, along with eating salads and lean meat.

Then my vision started to go.  In the space of a few days, my vision has gotten to the point where I can't read anything without reading glasses.   Calling my GP, I am informed that blurred vision is a consequence of diabetes, and doing a little research, find that various serious degenerative vision loss scenarios might be playing out.

Today I had a CT scan with barium contrast (both oral & IV) - looking for what?  Apparently to see if my pancreas is screwed up (thus explaining the lack of insulin and the elevated blood sugar).  Or something.  I have to wait until Thursday to find out.  I have to wait till next Thursday to see an eye doctor - hopefully the vision degeneration doesn't get any worse.

So, 2015 starts out with dead fingers & toes, diabetes, and rapid vision loss.  Sins of my past coming to visit me?  Too many tacos?  Or is there something more sinister going on - perhaps cancer jumped to my liver or pancreas.

Ain't life a bitch?