Diabetes Step-by-Step

We’ve been playing host to a guest this week and have been rediscovering this wonderful area in which we live. It’s been exciting sharing where we call home from the desert to the beach. A lot of this rediscovery has been on foot and watching my wife conquer the marches step-by-step is very inspiring because that’s how we win our wars on Diabetes; step-by-step.

Today we made the pilgrimage to the local beaches made famous in the songs of the 60’s. On the itinerary were Redondo, Manhattan, Hermosa, Venice, and Santa Monica Beaches. Each beach has its own character often representing the surrounding area, as our guest found out. And, each beach has a pier and/or boardwalk area that we walked. It was a day of walking – a lot of it. If my fitness band is close we covered well over five miles walking.

For me, it was no big deal. I walk over three miles everyday. But my wife is a different issue. Her name is Joy, a name she lives up to everyday, and she happens to wear a set of braces on her lower legs. With them she can walk; without them, not so much. But, the steps don’t come pain free. In fact, there is some pretty serious pain most days. As a result, I keep my eye on her.

Today I watched her put one foot in front of another. She places one foot in front of another again and again. Step after step. Joy’s attention is split between looking down to watch for obstacles and looking up to keep her eyes on the goal, or destination.

And, isn’t that the way we need to be when fighting our wars on Diabetes? Looking down for the obstacles – the foods we need to avoid; getting the exercise we need; taking our meds as prescribed; and, losing weight if required – those are the daily battles we face. But, like Joy, as we watch for obstacles we need to keep our eyes on the goal – controlling, mastering our Diabetes. Sometimes, like Joy we will trip and be embarrassed for a moment, but we need to get ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and take that next step toward our goal.

Mastering Diabetes doesn’t happen in one day, week or month. Mastering Diabetes doesn’t come from taking a special pill, potion, herb, or happen over night. Put enough successful days together, approach and successfully navigate obstacles, and you will reach your goal. You can do it. I believe it. You should, too.

May all your days be Joy-ful!

Guest blog contribution by Phil Ruggiero, Founder of War on Diabetes