Category: Health & Well Being

Don’t Stress While Reading This…

Stress is without a doubt one of the most insidious and harmful things that a person can fell, short of paranoia and distrust. The reason behind this is quite simple; prolonged stress will cause all sorts of measurable, physiological effects on the human body. In fact, prolonged stress in one’s life can be almost as damaging as Diabetes, in that it can cause digestive and sleep issues, cardiac issues, not to mention potentially harming and damaging personal relationships, if not managed properly.

“Self-care Is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From An Empty Vessel.”

– Eleanore Brown

It continues to amaze me, how people manage their stress so poorly. But don’t lat that amazement fool you; I’m just as guilty of being unable to do so. Even recently, I’ve found myself managing my own stress quite poorly and as I’ve written about before, you can’t truly help others until you’ve helped yourself. Therefore, if you’re stressed and managing it poorly, you’ll be ill-equipped to help others or deal with issues outside of that stress.

A lot of people are afraid of taking the time to self-care because they either feel that it’s a selfish thing to take time for oneself or are made to feel this way by others. The caveat there is that if you’re surrounded by people who consider you selfish for taking care of yourself, they’re likely a big part of the stress you’re feeling. And although I’m not suggesting throwing momma from the train, eliminating those negative sources of stress from your life is a huge step towards self-care.

There are a number of things you can do that are extremely helpful with managing stress within one’s own life. They seem obvious and may be common sense to some but if sense were common, it wouldn’t need saying. For that reason, I’ve decided to share some tips on what one can do to help manage daily stress. Here are a few gems:

1. Exercise Regularly: Look, I don’t care if cardio, weightlifting or fuckin’ speed-walking is your poison! Just get up off the couch and do it. Regular exercise not only helps improve your overall health and mood, it will help mitigate the feelings of stress. At least three or four times a week, set aside at least an hour for some sort of physical activity. I know that in the hustle and bustle of modern life, finding this time can be difficult. But the benefits of doing so far outweigh the struggle of finding said time. As the popular logo says, just do it!;

2. Maintain a Proper Diet: Again, this might seem like common sense but the reality is that if you eat like trash, you’ll feel like trash. And if you’re one of those people who justify their diets because they eat fish and poultry a few times a week, it doesn’t count if those foods are battered and deep fried. Eat lean proteins and be sure to includes some freakin’ veggies in that mix (something I’m sorely lacking). There’s nothing wrong with occasionally snacking, but this doesn’t mean eating the entire bag of chips or binging, even if it’s only one day a week. Contrary to the joke where an entire cake is only one piece if you believe in yourself, moderation is key;

“If Your Compassion Does Not Include Yourself, It Is Incomplete.”

– Jack Kornfield

3. Get Enough Sleep: Please take note that I didn’t say “get some sleep.” I said to get ENOUGH sleep. There’s a big difference, there. I recall a time where I could get away with five or six hours’ sleep and still function normally the next day. The problem with that kind of thing is that rejuvenating sleep is not cumulative. You can’t skimp on proper sleep all week and then sleep for twelve hours a night on the weekends. that won’t repair the damage it does. Proper sleep will greatly help in decreasing feelings of stress and anxiety one experiences. A rested mind will manage daily stress far better than the opposite;

5. Get A Hobby: Look, it may sound easier said than done but the purpose to life isn’t to simply go to work, come home and have dinner then flop on the couch and wait for bed. Wash, rinse and repeat. There needs to be some purpose to your life, whether that means playing with your kids, building models, playing with LEGO’s, whatever! There needs to be something that you do for yourself that takes you out of the humdrum habit of the daily grind; and

6. Find Your Inner Zen: Yes, I know! Not everyone is into religion or spirituality but you know what? You really don’t have to be, in order to reduce stress and anxiety within one’s life. Meditation, yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi… Hell, just go sit by the water and have some quiet, contemplative time to yourself. All of those things will go a long way towards helping you overcome stress and live a happier life.

Having some stress in life is normal. After all, a sense of urgency is necessary in order to reach and accomplish some goals. But if your stress is deep and affects your overall daily life, you may want to consider some of the above elements that can affect one’s overall ability to manage that stress. Your health’s be wellbeing are paramount to a happy life. And you can’t take care of others until you’ve learned to take care of yourself. Food for thought… ☯️

Time Catches Up…

Nathan and I watching TV together for the first time in the hospital

Sometimes it takes me a moment to stop and recognize that not only am I a father but I’m the father of two. Although I have very clear memories of what life was like before having children, the daily routine of my life has changed significantly and has come to feel like the “new normal.” I now get home from work every day to have two loud, rambunctious little balls of my DNA come running to the door, yelling and screaming, “Daddy’s home!” It’s a significant difference from coming home and having the time and ability to slowly drop all my work materials, change into more relaxing clothing and grabbing a stiff whiskey to finish out my day. But I digress…

There are significant differences and difficulties I face with my children. And just to be clear, I don’t mean with THEM specifically, so much as I mean with the fact that I had my children reasonably later in life than most. I was 36-years old when Nathan was born, nearing my 40’s and beyond the point in my life that I thought I would actually be having children. But as I’ve often said before, life rarely cares about one’s plans and I couldn’t help the fact that I fell in love and got married later in life than most would. After all, there’s no “set” plan to life; stuff happens when it happens. But the added birthdays I’ve celebrated prior to having my first child has had its effects, especially as it involves a little ol’ thing called Type-1 Diabetes…

Nathan and I, sparring

Being a little further in life while raising a young child comes with a unique number of challenges. And I certainly don’t mean being woken every few hours during the night for feedings and changing; that shit is exhausting no matter what age group you find yourself in. But one’s energy levels tend to be lower and one’s availability also takes a hit. For myself, I’ve always worked really hard at maintaining my fitness and overall wellbeing. The problem is that I get to choose where and when I perform my fitness routine and workouts. One NEVER gets to choose when a little one will suddenly want to play a rousing game of “dive on daddy.”

Realistically, I get home from work at night and all I want to do is slip into some jammies, pour a stiff drink and binge-watch some Netflix with my wife. But in most cases, I get home and it’s mealtime, homework, showers, laundry and dishes… all between trying to accommodate either son when they’re asking to spend time with me and play in ways that my body tells me I have no rightful business playing. It sometimes makes for some hard feelings as my boys don’t have the age or maturity to understand that daddy doesn’t necessarily have the energy to keep up, although I sincerely wish I did. If I could bottle whatever gives Nathan his endless reserves of energy, much like Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, i’d put that shit on everything!

Brothers! Nathan and Alexander

Sharing presents a significant challenge as well. Not because the boys aren’t learning about the use and importance of sharing but mostly because I often find myself in a situation where I suffer a low and have to try and explain to either child that no, daddy can’t share his jellybeans because he needs them to stay alive. Over the years, I’ve trained Nathan to understand that he needs to be careful around my insulin pump and CGM so that he doesn’t accidentally yank something out while we play. Alexander is slowly starting to get it, pointing and saying “ow” whenever my pump parts are exposed.

Given that Alexander was born after I had reached my 40’s, this phenomenon has become more pronounced. Although I make efforts to spend time playing with either and/or both sons and doing activities with them, I usually opt for independent forms of entertainment , such as bringing them to outdoor parks or indoor play structures where they can socialize and play with other children their age while their aging daddy sits comfortably on a bench and watches.

Two against one! Let’s get daddy!

Being several years older than many of my counterparts, a more traditional approach t life would have seen my children reaching their teen years by now. This would allow for a significantly different type of relationship that would better accommodate the added years I have. It would also mean that the frequent lack of energy and motivation that fluctuating blood sugars cause would be mitigated as well. But such was not my path. Luckily, I still find myself in situations where I can freely play with my children and not everyone has that benefit. I’m definitely blessed in that regard. I’m looking forward to the summer months where I can start playing with the boys in the back yard, tossing a ball around or dousing them with water guns.

By the time Nathan graduates from school, I’ll be in mid-50’s. Maintaining my health and keeping my energy levels up play a big part in how well I can participate and stay active with my children, which is why it’s SO important to exercise regularly, monitor blood sugars frequently and stay in regular contact with your health or medical practitioner for the things you can’t self-monitor or diagnose. Taking good care of yourself means being able to take care of those who mean most to you. Even if this means sometimes disappointing one’s children by telling them that you need to rest and recover and can’t necessarily play. Take care of yourselves. ☯️

When A Facepalm Isn’t Enough…

So a couple of days ago, I wrote a bit of a lengthy post surrounding my weight loss ambitions, some of the background behind how/why I’ve gained some weight and different times during the past ten years. I was a little taken aback by the number of people who reached out through my feedback function and I felt that I should take time today to address some of the comments and concerns that were sent my way.

First and foremost, I will once again reiterate (for the millionth time) that I am not a doctor or health/medical practitioner nor am I a nutritionist or dietitian. When I write posts in my blog, I do so based on what research I’ve personally done and what has worked or not for me. Anything anyone reads in my posts should be taken with grain of salt and your own research should be done. After all, how can you confirm anything I may have looked up myself? I do my best to cite my sources when they’re attached to a webpage that i can include.

For example, I’m not opposed to diets. That’s a feedback comment I’ve often gotten, regarding previous comments I’ve often made about how fad diets don’t work. Here’s the thing: they don’t work for ME! Every person is different. Every metabolism and level of health is different and as such, every fad diet will provide different results for different people. This doesn’t mean that they’re universally bad, they may simply not provide the results that EVERY person is looking for.

If someone decides to try and lose weight by cutting carbs, that’s fine. So long as you’ve consulted a professional and you acknowledge that carbohydrates are actually a primary source of fuel for the human body, there’s nothing wrong with cutting back on them. Trying to eliminate them altogether brings a certain host of problems but this is why you should consult a professional before making such a change.

Since every person is different, maybe going on a specific diet has helped you shed some weight but does absolutely nothing for someone else you know who has tried it. This doesn’t make it bad, especially if it worked for you. Just be cognizant that as with all “fad” diets, the weight will likely return unless you stick to it permanently or make significant lifestyle changes.

The next aspect I’d like to address, which seems to be thrown at me often, is self-image. One’s self-image is important because it helps to define you to YOU. It’s important to one’s overall sense of wellbeing to be okay with one’s body type, weight and overall image. If you are not, it’s incumbent on YOU to make the changes necessary for you to be happy, provided it doesn’t risk your health. And that’s the caveat; being overweight and/or obese is unhealthy. But positive body image and positive health are two different things. Is it a good thing if you love yourself regardless of your weight and have a positive self-image? Abso-fucking-lutely! However, do you need to acknowledge that your health may be impacted if you’re overweight? Also abso-fucking-lutely! I

t’s up to the individual to discern and recognize that difference. I’m not lending an opinion on what any one person’s body type SHOULD be, I’m simply pointing out that weight loss is good for the body. granted, that’s to an extent, as well. As with all things in life, there needs to be a balance. One can lose TOO much weight and that becomes dangerous, as well. Living a healthy life contains many moving parts that all require attention.

Last but not least, it’s not just about the food. If you’re committing to eliminating certain “bad” foods and eating healthier, good for you. Just be sure that you recognize that you exercise regularly as well, as part of your fitness and health journey. Lack of exercise will render all other efforts moot. Diets help but you need to burn some of those calories in order to lose weight. Fat won’t necessarily burn away JUST from eating better. But don’t take my word for it, I’m struggling to slim down.

My blog is a platform for me to describe and share the experiences, knowledge and information I’ve accumulated during more than three decades of studying martial arts and four decades of living (reasonably successfully) with Type-1 Diabetes. And flex my writing muscles but that’s neither here nor there. As with all things in life, if one does not agree with content I write, I’m always open for constructive discussion, so long as the respect due to the person whom you’re addressing is observed. Otherwise, to those sending snarky or rude comments, this is why I won’t reply or engage. I don’t intentionally allow others to bring suffering into my life. Have a great weekend, everyone! ☯️

But Weight, There’s More…

As if the pandemic weren’t bad enough, with being sent home from my job and losing access to a world-class gym on a daily basis, I was suddenly found gaining more weight in one sitting than I chose to think about. Over the course of the 2020 year, I pudged up to the point where some of my favourite pieces of clothing weren’t fitting me anymore (probably didn’t help that sitting at home gave me time to sit in my garage on my ass, sipping beer and eating snacks).

Everything seemed to align in just the perfect circumstances to promote this phenomenon, with karate classes closes due to the pandemic as well. I was left to my own devices, which as much as I would like to say that my sheer strength of will would be enough, it wasn’t. Don’t judge, I’m sure most of you would be the same. Although January of this year saw me take some positive steps in the right direction, joining a new karate club and performing specific workouts throughout the week, an injury that took me off my feet in early April saw me sitting still for almost two months while I recovered.

The worst part is this time, I had no choice. The end result has seen my weight fluctuate by only a few pounds; the issue is that I’ve lost a fair bit of muscle mass and gained a fair bit of fat. now that I’ve returned to the dojo, I find myself in a quandary over how to shed these pounds in a healthy, reasonable way. And that brings us to the topic of today’s post, which was supposed to actually be a video but the amount of time it takes to successfully take a video without mumbling over my words and looking like an idiot, edit and prepare the video, upload it to my YouTube channel and then link all my pertinent platforms so they receive the video for those who aren’t subscribed to my channel (GET TO YOUTUBE AND SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL!), it’s far more time-efficient to write it out. But I digress…

Diabetes and weight gain have something of an inappropriate relationship, feeding off one another like a couple of co-dependent leeches that can’t seem to cut me a break. On the one side, fluctuating blood sugars, poor management habits and gorging on sugared goods when hitting a low definitely don’t help. The other side of the Diabetes equation is that insulin is technically a growth hormone and will promote weight gain in the least wanted of places; namely, the gut and overall abdomen.

Although I’ve always been a bit on the heavier side, I’ve also remained intensely active, which has played a huge role in keeping the tide of weight gain at bay. Genetics also plays something of a role, with my father being a significant hefty man, sitting at over 300 pounds of raw, red-headed aggression. But my decades of constant exercise, karate and trying to mind what’s on my plate has played well in my favour. And then, 2009 happened…

In 2009, I travelled to Regina, Saskatchewan to undergo the Cadet Training Program at the RCMP Training Academy at “Depot.” I was subjected to a gruelling 24 weeks of intense physical and educational training, and the learning curve was steep. On a good day, I’d be out of bed between 4 and 5 am. I’d make my bed, shower up and dress in the uniform of the day. I’d attend morning parade, grab a brief, 10-minute breakfast before starting my day, which often consisted of several workouts of varying kinds and trying to stay awake through classes where we covered off the various subjects required by a police officer in the course of their duties. The evening would involve heavy amounts of study, followed by more workouts on our down time.

After 24 weeks of that bullshit, all I wanted to do was sleep. To put that into perspective, the basic training program for the Canadian military is anywhere between 10 to 12 weeks. All of that complaining notwithstanding, I arrived at Depot weighing a reasonable 185 pounds. I had just reached my 30’s and I still had that youthful energy that I sorely miss, these days. By the time I completed basic training, I had dropped to 165 pounds. I was the slimmest and felt the lightest and fastest that I ever had. Granted, this came at the cost of working out beyond what was healthy, functioning on minimal calories and severe lack of sleep. Some nights, my head wouldn’t hit the pillow until 1 am and I’d be up again at 5 am.

It didn’t take long for me to balloon up beyond the 220-pound mark, what with shift work, poor eating habits and the lack of consistent exercise. It wasn’t until 2016, when I returned to Regina to take a teaching position at the academy, that I was able to see some stability and start shaving down the weight I had gained. I had full access to the academy’s training facilities, I joined a local karate school and I broke out the bicycle and started making it a staple of my fitness regime. Without delving into some of the more unhealthy habits from my academy days, I was able to hover at the 200-pound mark for the longest time.

As of writing this post, I’m sitting at 208 pounds. Certainly not the heaviest I’ve ever been but I recognize that my muscle to fat ratio isn’t what I would like to see it at. To be clear, I don’t consider myself fat or even unhealthy; I simply recognize that recent events have put me in a position where I need to make a concerted effort to slim down in order to be healthier, whether I regain muscle mass or not. The burning of excess fat is important for overall blood sugar and Diabetic control, as well as cardiac and overall health.

Diabetes and weight loss will continue to be a challenge and the only thing that can really help is rolling up one’s sleeves and finding the inner strength to do what must be done in order to promote one’s health and overall fitness. And as much fun as it is to have others encouraging you and motivating you, never forget that the encouragement and motivation has to come from you. It’s you against you; the paradox that drives us all. ☯️

Trust, A Blind Leap of Faith…

Like most people, I’ve suffered through trusting people who have burned me badly in life. This has applied to both my personal and professional life, with some of the ones who violated my trust being something of a surprise when it happened. It’s a special kind of hell when someone you know and trust contravenes that trust, especially when you opened yourself up and made yourself vulnerable; something you may not have done in most cases.

As my 7-year old awkwardly found out a couple of weeks ago, trust is a bit like a fart… If you have to force it, it’ll likely be shit. We all have an inherent instinct to recognize when someone is significantly untrustworthy. But what about the ones that AREN’T significant? Does that make that lack of trust any less important? I guess it depends on the nature of the mistrust.

For the most part, people tend to fall under two categories: the ones who believe that trust is earned and the ones who feel that they can trust an individual until they betray that trust and then the trust needs to be rebuilt or re-earned. I’m sure there are many other sub-categories” and I’m mostly thinking out loud, here. But it’s important to acknowledge that unlike respect, which includes individuals who may have some passing entitlement by virtue of their station or association to you, trust falls under a different category and can be murky waters to try and navigate.

Nothing that I’m saying here is rocket science and I don’t think any of you are slapping your forehead in some sudden shock of epiphany. All I’m saying with today’s post is that life doesn’t care about one’s plan and some times, the only way to genuinely learn is by taking the leap and seeing where it takes you. There are a number of individuals that I’ve met, associated and befriended that although I don’t necessarily wish I hadn’t, I recognize that they’ve said and done things that have brought damage and difficulty to my life and are no longer deserving of my trust.

If such instances never happened, one could easily develop and unfortunate “blind trust,” where one believes that trusting anyone in any situation is just fine and there are no issues with that. Ultimately, we all need people we can trust in our lives. For me, I’m blessed to have my wife and a few friends and associates that I know I can trust implicitly. But the only way I know that is because I’ve been through the difficult situations that are the opposite of that.

They may have sucked and have been difficult to get through, some have caused damage to my life that I may feel for years to come, but they were a necessary part of my growth and life experience. As long as one ensures to protect oneself as best as they can, that’s really all one can do while navigating the stormy seas of life. As usual, food for thought… ☯️

Unseen Enemies

There can be a lot of obstacles and unseen enemies when one is trying to accomplish any fitness, health or martial arts goals. Some of these that include things like lack of motivation, discouragement, wanting what others have (seeing more advanced students or their progress) and even seeing others discouraging or making fun of people who are trying to better themselves. That last one is particularly bad but as anyone who’s rocked out to the soundtrack of Rocky IV, “it’s you against you; the paradox that drives us all.”

We are our own worst enemy. Sometimes, this is a results of how we’re biologically programmed. As living things, our bodies are designed to preserve energy and be at rest as much as possible. This can often make it difficult to push through, when we need to attend karate classes, do workouts at home or try and find the energy to play with one’s kids. This is aggravated when one has a condition that causes apathy due to blood sugars. I’m not complaining (anymore than usual), jus’ sayin’… But there’s a reason why people always shit like, why put off ’til tomorrow what you could be doing today.

Most people always believe that they have more time and that it doesn’t matter. “Meinh, I’ll get to it tomorrow” or “I’ll start AFTER this weekend…” People rarely stop to consider the damage that’s done while waiting for that better time or the time they lose BECAUSE they wait. We are our own worst enemy, and there are consequences to putting off until later what we can start on, today. A perfect example of this was made clear to me last Saturday; not so much from a fitness standpoint but on a personal level.

A few weeks ago, I made my peace with the fact that I had to start mowing my lawn. Although I enjoy the perks of owning my own home as opposed to renting, I absolutely abhor yard work.That means that things like lawn-mowing, weed removal and all those different things that one needs to get done for the outside of their home, I despise. I rather be writing, doing karate or playing with my kids. Adulthood, am I right? The point is, I had dandelions sprouting and my front lawn looked like shit so I popped in my earbuds, grabbed my lawn mower and got to work.

I only planned to finish the front lawn and call it a day. By the time I finished the front, I decided to start tackling the rear. I managed to get half of the back lawn done before my upper back and shoulder started reminding me of my age. This sucks on many different levels, because I couldn’t plan on when I would get to the second half and my OCD was really going to LOVE seeing half the grass at a different growth level. The following couple of days, one thing after another came up that gave me excuses not to get to it.

The following weekend, we were out as a family, doing our weekly family activity and I planned on getting the lawn done once we got back. But my neighbours were staining our side of a piece of fence they were using as a windbreak for their sitting area. Didn’t seem polite to start mowing some lawn right by their ankles or potentially throwing up grass clipping against freshly stained wood. I opted to wait until later so that the fence’s staining could dry. Are we seeing a pattern of behaviour here? Putting off a needed chore?

That was over a week ago and last weekend I decided it needed to get completed as the back half of the rear lawn was starting to look like a small jungle. The result of my laziness was no small task. As a result of my putting off this chore, my weak-ass electric lawnmower had no chance of cutting through that tall grass. I had to spend over an hour with a whipper-snipper, cutting through it all manually. Then I had to rake and collect all the clipped grass by hand before finally running the mower over the clipped grass to bring everything back into balance.

Several hours work for what would have only been about an hour of lawn-mowing, had I been smart enough to get off my ass and get it done when i should have. My apathy and unwillingness to push through my urge to stay comfortable actually caused me a greater effort once i had no choice. And yes, I’m writing about clipping grass, which isn’t exactly a life-altering thing. But the lesson applies to all things in life. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can jump on today. Start those fitness goals. Start eating cleaner. Build some goals and start working towards them. Everyone thinks there’ll always be more time; until there isn’t. Food for thought… ☯️

Anything Is Always Something More Than Nothing

The title is something I came up with years ago, usually referring to one’s personal health & fitness goals. The reasoning behind it, is that many people will assume that because all one can do is take a light walk or use extremely light weights, that it isn’t making a difference in their health and fitness. But nothing could be further from the truth. Even the lightest weights will offer more than sitting on the couch. Taking a walk may not be going for a 10-kilometre run but it will still give you more than snacking on a bowl of chips while binging a streaming service.

This concept also includes meditation. Although there are various forms of meditation and different ways of doing it, for some proper meditation means clearing their minds and thinking of nothing. Although this is a great concept, having completely nothing on one’s mind is more difficult than the average person is inclined to believe. Even with decades of experience in meditation, sitting in a quiet room and focusing on absolutely nothing is almost as elusive as trying to catch a glimpse of an eye floaty that always strays right out of your immediate view.

Speaking from personal experience, when I manage to meditate to the point where I clear my mind, I always find myself drifting and my mind will idly stray to random thoughts, memories and ideas. Although not an inherently bad thing, if one is genuinely trying to focus on nothing and allow their conscious mind to cool, this can lead to some frustration and cause the practitioner to consciously move their mind back to nothingness. This is where the connection to the first paragraph comes back into play because focusing on nothing is still something. And anything is ALWAYS something more than nothing.

Unless you’ve committed yourself to a monastic lifestyle or discipline that requires it, it’s critically important to remember that the meditative experience can be different for everyone. You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself if the type and manner of meditation that you’re pursuing tends to be elusive for you and quite difficult. For those who aren’t simply going through the motions of making it look like they’re meditating for the gimmick of it, it can take years of study, practice and in some cases even guidance from others, before you can successfully achieve one’s goals.

What’s important to remember is that if meditation allows you to relax, lets your mind cool and reflect as opposed to dwell on any particular thing, you’re still doing something beneficial for your body. And don’t be afraid to reach out to various sources for help. After all, you wouldn’t try to bench press 300 pounds if it’s your first time in the gym, right? Why try to carry the full weight of one’s mind on the first time out? Be patient. Be consistent. Work towards what YOU want to get out of meditation. You’ll be all the better for it. Food for thought… ☯️

There’s Something About Mary…

Yesterday I travelled back to Regina from Saskatoon after having spent the night recovering from my eye injections on Monday afternoon. As is my usual habit, I spent Tuesday morning attending some work-related meetings from my hotel room and part of my afternoon dealing with the closure of an office location in Saskatoon. The result is that I got home much later last night than I normally would have. And interestingly enough, My Monday/Tuesday was a bit more interesting than my typical visit to the hospital and evening in the pub. And here’s where you het to hear about it…

I arrived in the city around lunchtime and headed straight for the hotel. I’m almost always a few hours early for check-in and I do this to ensure I can accommodate any unexpected delays, such as construction, road closure, a flat tire, etc… It’s never happened but I know that the one time I leave so that I arrive on the hour, I’ll have some issue come up. I used to wander one of the local malls or stores to get closer to check-in but I stopped doing that when I realized the hotel would allow me to check in early, provided there was a room available.

Zombie eyes…

My check-in and walk to the hospital went off without a hitch, despite the cold winds and slightly lower temperatures than we’ve been getting lately. I arrived at the hospital about thirty minutes before my injection appointment. This is always by design as well, because they have to dilate my pupils and take surface photos of my eyes before I get to see the doc for the injections themselves. I’ll usually try to get through all of that prior to my scheduled appointment so that I can be on time. I can’t help but feel that if everyone did this, there would rarely be any hold ups. But I digress…

I got through the vision exam, dilation and photos without issue. Then, the wait began… Amazingly, the doc could be seen floating from one room to the other as he usually does. It seemed as though they were on the mark but everyone had been waiting well beyond their scheduled appointment. As any of you who may have read some of my previous posts would know, I’m not a big fan of being kept waiting; especially when I intentionally take steps to prevent keeping others from waiting. I was getting a little frustrated at the wait (it was already 15 minutes past my scheduled appointment) when one of the nurses came into the waiting room and called for a “Mary.”

One of the ladies stood and said she was called Mary but when the nurse checked her name tag, her first name was actually “Cora,” with a middle name of “Mary.” This was not the lady they were looking for (cue Sir Alec Guinness’ voice, here). I made a passing joke about how I should have piped up and said that I went by Mary so that I could slip in earlier. The whole room got a laugh and it alleviated some of the tension that everyone was feeling, which was a good thing. I finally got in to have my injections more than a full hour after my scheduled appointment.

My dinner, once all the hospital stuff was done

I could get angry and frustrated about the extended wait I experienced. After all, what if I needed to get back to work? What if I had to pick up children or had other obligations? Being made to wait for that period of time is inappropriate in any setting. Unfortunately, this has become the norm in the Canadian health care system and I’ve learned to roll with it and be sure that I can accommodate the added wait. So as much as I dislike waiting, I was prepared for it and knew it could happen. And here we are. I staggered back to the hotel room for a brief nap to let the dilation wear off prior to going to dinner.

My evening started at about 6 pm, where I made my way down to Finn’s Irish pub on the ground floor of my hotel. I love Finn’s on a Monday night. Never much of one for clubs or bars, it allows me the pleasure of relaxing in a pub environment without the crowds or business that comes with being in such locations. As you can see from the photo above, I indulged well beyond what I would usually consume at ANY meal. between the beer and the “Irish nachos,” I was looking at almost 90 grams of carbohydrates. I can feel my insulin pump having a panic attack just looking at that photo.

I was in the midst of enjoying my meal, sipping my beer and watching Disney+ on my phone while sitting quietly in a dark corner, when I could hear yelling and swearing around the corner. Although I’m no longer in law enforcement, self-preservation is a natural instinct and I’m still naturally inclined to help others who may not be able to help themselves. I took a subtle stroll to the washroom so I could see what was happening. It appeared as though a couple were arguing at the bar and the bar staff were trying to kick them out of the bar. Since there appeared to be no physical violence, I kept walking.

About fifteen minutes later, a tall security guard comes in and all hell breaks loose. Likely told they had to leave, the couple decided to get nuts and this one security guard somehow managed to arrest and remove them both. I’ll admit I was a bit impressed. Unless there were police around the corner where I couldn’t see, it was pretty ballsy (and unsafe) to try and arrest two people by oneself. I never would have attempted it. I decided my evening was over after this and crashed quite early, which had me with my eyes open early as fuck, the following morning.

The moral of the story is that I didn’t stick around beyond that first beer so despite the fact my pump got an olympic-level workout throughout the night to bring my blood sugars down, I got a reasonable night’s sleep despite being away from home. But even in the quietest of environments, the potential for violence and danger is always present. It’s important not to allow paranoia to prevent you from enjoying life. The distinction is to be vigilant, not paranoid. If only I’d had told the nurse I went by “Mary,” I could have gotten though sooner and maybe missed all the action… Who knows? ☯️

Summer Lovin’, Happened So Fast…

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is the first day of June and with it comes the warm, balmy weather of summer. Although the first day of summer is said to be towards the end of the month, I think we can all agree that some of the summer weather starts to kick in well before that. People are funny creatures in that we complain that we want summer during the winter months, followed by whining about the heat once we have it. But I rather sweat than push a shovel so as long as I have decent air conditioning, summer is my jam (yes, I really just said that).

Like all things in life, the pleasant climate brings its own set of potential problems and issues that one needs to be aware of. For me, the biggest problem is convincing my 7-year old that it’s actually bedtime DESPITE the fact the sun is still brightly shining outside. But the heat, humidity and climate can play hell on the body, especially for someone with type-1 Diabetes. Here’s my summer list of things to remember:

Stay Hydrated: I often feel as though I say things that people already know but one would be surprised at how many people overlook these simple things. With increased heat comes increased perspiration and loss of bodily fluids. That why it’s important to stay hydrated by consistently sipping water throughout your day, especially if spending time outdoors in the sun or engaging in physical activities. Dehydration can play a detrimental role in one’s overall blood sugar levels as well.

Wear Sunscreen: Do it! I don’t care if you want to try and tan or if you feel that a bit of roasting is healthy. It’s not. Melanoma is no joke and I know people who have had it, not least of which being my mother. The sun is unforgiving in this respect and it’s something that’s easily preventable by wearing sunscreen. And that shit is available everywhere. The key aspect is that the sun’s rays will affect you even if it isn’t that hot out, you’re in a swimming pool and feel cool or even if it’s cloudy. Don’t take a chance, glop that shit on!

Take Breaks: Even when I’m sitting in the relative shade of my garage, I’ll still take breaks to go inside, cool off, grab a drink, whatever! There’s no shame in it, especially if you’re engaging in physical activities outdoors, taking breaks can mean the difference between dehydrating or getting heat exhaustion or enjoying the weather properly.

Pay close attention to yourself, your family and children while playing outdoors. If you notice yourself or others start to feel dizzy, lightheaded or clammy but feel cold, it could be a sign of a serious health hazard caused by exposure to the heat. Taking a few precautions and strips will ensure that you can enjoy the warmer weather ahead. ☯️

On The Road Again…

That very special time has come again… The time when I need to leave my home and travel for a few hours to a neighbouring city to be put into a chair and have needles inserted into my eyes… Yes, you read that right: NEEDLES IN MY EYES! If you had told me, six years ago, that I would be having this done every 8 weeks I likely would have laughed at you and called you crazy. But yet, here I am. Doing it again…

I suffer from something called Diabetic Macular Edema, which is a condition where a Diabetic sufferer will develop an accumulation of fluid in the tissue of the eyes. A side effect of living years with type-1 Diabetes, the fluid causes a swelling that can blur one’s vision, hinder sight and eventually cause blindness. The only treatment currently available is to inject a prescribed medication into the eyes that reduces the swelling and dries up the fluid.

Sounds lovely, eh? Picture the scene from Clockwork Orange where the guy has his eyes held open by metal clips. I’d like to say I’m exaggerating but that’s pretty much what they use to keep my eyes open during the procedure. Freezing drops are used and I’m fully conscious and can see while this is happening so I’m usually treated with a show of swirling colors and lines, directly in my line of sight despite the fact that it’s all happening on the inside.

I’m usually blind, by the legal definition, for several hours after the injections and once the freezing drops wear off, it’s an unwanted visit to pain town for many hours to follow. Given the need for my kids to stay at home and my wife to work, I usually embark on this adventure on my own, which means I book a hotel room near the hospital and pass out for a few hours to let the pain subside once the injections are done.

Although the process is onerous and painful, it would be a lie to say that it’s entirely a bad experience. Besides the fact that it’s a proactive step towards ensuring my continued visual health, I get to have dinner in a nice, stylish little Irish pub that’s located on the hotel’s main floor. A little place called “Finn’s,” it’s usually all but dead on a Monday night, which means I get excellent and speedy service on my food and drinks and I get to observe a bit of society from a dark corner while I recover.

I’ve never been much of a club or bar person. unlike most of my counterparts, I didn’t spend my youth hitting the clubs or getting shit-faced at parties. Instead, I spent those formative years training and studying the martial arts. Some may claim they had more fun than I did. I have the benefit of saying I clearly remember all of it. But I digress… Since there’s really nothing I can take to alleviate the pain caused by the injections, a couple of cold brews help to take the edge off and I’ve yet to find a place with a burger as flavourful as Finn’s.

Given the new job I’ve been in for the past year, tomorrow morning will see me attend a couple of meetings virtually in my hotel room before checking out. Gotta love the way of the new world. It seems kind of rainy in Regina this morning, but the forecast seems to suggest it’s sunny in Saskatoon, which is important since I need to walk to the hospital. I guess I need to pack up and get on the road.

I could be bitter and complain about need to get injections in my eyes but two important facts come to the forefront. The first is that I’m pretty lucky in the sense that many people are much worse off than I am, and if getting needles in my eyes helps me to maintain my sight, I’m in! The second is that when I started taking this medication, I was going every four weeks. Now that it’s been stretched out to every eight weeks, it feels like a walk in the park by comparison, which is kind of ironic since I take a walk through a park to get to my appointment. ☯️