Category: Health & Well Being

No Water Or Food In The Dojo… Important Lesson Or Unnecessarily Harsh?

When I used to train in my home dojo, there was a hard and fast rule that carried all the way until the day Sensei closed the doors; no food or drink in the dojo. For the most part, this seems pretty reasonable. His rationale was that those two hours were his to teach, and taking the time to eat or drink detracted from that time. Further, the eating of food during a karate lesson shows disrespect for those who were sweating and putting in the effort while you sat at the back, wolfing down whatever you may have brought.

There were some exceptions to this rule, of course. My black belt test was an all-day affair, lasting nearly eight hours. It would be categorically inhumane to expect a person, especially someone with Type-1 Diabetes, to go an entire day without food. But for the majority and all regular classes, Sensei would limit the allowance of food or drink past the boundary of the dojo door. This included parents or spectators, who would often bring their coffees in. It wouldn’t be unusual for him to go ask parents to step out and finish their coffee elsewhere or get rid of it.

I never questioned the reasoning behind this rule until I got older and started teaching myself. After all, I had a bit of a carte blanche to step out and treat lows, if I had to. So I had more leeway than some of the other students. I never saw it as a benefit or an advantage; just another part of my condition that needed to be addressed. But in essence, Sensei held the belief that one needed to be able to control their needs for the short, two-hour period that we were in class. One could have a sip of water in anticipation of the class, even consume as much as they wanted after. But the discipline required for those two hours included abstaining from food or drink. It would be loosely comparable to being in the middle of a real fight, where you ask your opponent to pause for a moment so you can grab some water. Wouldn’t make much sense.

The other aspect is the sheer distraction it can cause students. And for this, I have a perfect example. Just a few short years ago, I was training in a dojo as a guest. I won’t disrespect this dojo by naming it; suffice it to say I haven’t trained there in a few years. We were having a weekend class with plenty of students present. We were in the second half of class when my nose detected something familiar. Off to the side, not ten feet from me, one of the students was standing there eating a fast-food burger from a paper bag. Having arrived late for class, he opted to finish up his meal in the dojo instead of skipping class. While I can admire the dedication, one does not gain much by standing there eating instead of training.

But the more important detail is the overall effect it had on the class. Within minutes, most students could smell the tempting aroma of fried meat and condiments. Almost as soon as I detected the smell, my stomach responded with a series of audible grumbles, indicating that if I valued my life, I would get us some of that! The effect was distracting and made it challenging to focus on the lesson while most of us now had to contend with an unexpected hunger pang. In my old dojo, Sensei would have definitely told this student to leave the dojo until he had finished his meal. Of course, Sensei also didn’t allow for late arrivals. If you couldn’t be on time, better not to show up. Come to the next class instead.

This raises the question that is the whole point I do this post: Should food or drink be permitted in the dojo? Certainly, and strictly from a discipline and traditional standpoint, the answer would be no. But in all reality, we live in a world of Starbucks soccer moms and people addicted to their coffees and snacks. The thought that a parent will sit for a couple of hours on a Saturday morning watching their child practice without their hot cup of java is practically ludicrous. But then, it also raises the question about the parent showing the same level of discipline and restraint as they hope to instil in their child through this training.

So what do you think? As personal health and wellbeing is pretty important these days, staying hydrated is quite important. This raises the same question about food or drink, once again. I would still be inclined to believe that one should be able to go a couple of hours without a sip. Plus, having water or food during a karate lesson can have detrimental effects. Burping, indigestion, water and/or food sloshing around your gut while you’re trying to train… It can cause quite a bit of discomfort and nausea, leading to inherent distractions all their own. My personal take would be to leave the food and drink for after the class. Especially since most classes these days only seem to be for an hour or so. Some traditions are best kept. Food, but not in the dojo, for thought… ☯️

Slow And Steady Wins My Race…

I may have written about this before. Who knows? At this point in my life, I can’t keep half my fuckin’ shit straight with planners and calendars, so I can’t say much. But I wanted to touch on a significant change in lifestyle that I’ve had over recent years that has played a pretty major role in my overall health and wellbeing. It’s something most people don’t recognize or acknowledge within themselves but I’ve been fortunate enough to grab onto it. I’m talking about slowing down…

To be clear, I don’t mean slow down while driving. I still exist in a perpetual state of heavy-footed goodness and I don’t envision that changing anytime soon. And light help you if you slow down in front of me WHILE I’m driving behind you. But I digress… No, I mean slowing down in the sense of approaching the daily grind on a much slower scale. For decades, I spent every morning where I would it the ground running and keep up the pressure and speed until my head hit the pillow at the end of the day.

Certainly as one begins to get older, one recognizes that there’s an inherent value in seeing the importance of slowing down. As a child, I used to become incensed whenever I would walk with my mother, because she would shuffle along at a slow gait that took twice and often three times the amount of time that normal walking should. She had no health issues or problems that caused this, she simply chose to go that slow. I would often try to coax her along, to which she would usually reply, “There’s no hurry and this is a fast as I’m going. So you can deal with or you can slow down with me.”

For decades, it drove me nuts because I always felt like I had to get the task done so I could move on to the next one as quickly as possible. I often lacked the vision that my mother had, where there was nowhere we NEEDED to be and we could take our time; something people very rarely see. By virtue of this, she would often be of the opinion that there was nowhere need to hurry, since the task would get done regardless. I never recognized the importance of this until the past few years.

As a law enforcement officer, I always had somewhere to be and someone’s wellbeing often depended on how quickly I would respond. Stands to reason. Even in the more administrative side of things, I was always rushing, in a harassed state, and striking the panic button when my tasks became many. No matter what job I held or what position it entailed, I would often be at work nearly an hour before my scheduled time, putting in extra work, rushing to get things done early and stressing myself beyond reason.

In recent years, I’ve changed gears. Now, when I wake up in the morning, I spend the first ten minutes sitting at my desk instead of rushing to shower, shave and dress. I start the morning with those first few sips of caffeine, take my meds (Diabetic bullshit) and check my news feeds. I usually touch on a few daily tasks in some of the games I play on my devices, since I can’t do this at work. Then, in the comfort of my jammies, I prepare my work bag and my lunch and start to move towards a hot shower and slowly get dressed, often while sharing “good mornings” with one and/or both of my sons, who usually don’t sleep in even if they’re perfectly positioned to do so.

Once ready, I make my way to my vehicle where I casually make my way towards the office. Music playing and sun shining, I focus on the songs and not on what work tasks may be waiting for me once I arrive. I think and look forward to the more pleasant aspects that I’ll experience towards the end of my day, including having dinner with my wife, playing with my children or just flat out relaxing at home. The difference is I walk into work with a sense of purpose but without being pent up with stress that hasn’t yet been justified or needed.

The results I’ve seen include less tress, more calm, less irritability towards my colleagues and staff and it contributes to lower overall blood pressure. Too many people spend their lives dealing with a state of hypertension due to job-related stress. While it’s important to have coping mechanism outside the job to deal with that stress, and I’m not talking drinking or smoking but things like meditation, relaxation exercises or even things like gardening or sitting out on a deck and watching nature, how you approach you day and address it go was a long way, as well. One should never have to “get through” or “face” their day. It’s far more important to experience the day, or live it. This will contribute to better overall health and much better outlook on life. Food for thought… ☯️

Unintended Dependences…

I remember my childhood with bittersweet fondness. The reason I say bittersweet certainly includes the Type-1 Diabetes diagnosis I got at the tender age of 4. I lived a simple life, even before that. Unlike many people who are diagnosed, I had no “bad habits” to speak of, no addictions to sugary products and no horrible diet. This, in part, was due to my older brother and his own ailments, which kept anything artificial, sugared or high in sodium out of the house. By virtue of this, the biggest pain in my ass (literally) were the insulin injections. Otherwise, I was an overall pretty content child.

One of the best aspects that I can remember from my childhood is a lack of dependence on technology. The concept of “binge-watching” television wouldn’t become a prominent aspect of home life for another thirty years. Computers in the home weren’t common. Cell phones weren’t a domesticated thing. When I woke up in the morning, I had breakfast, at. A dining table and conversed with family. this was followed by either school or playing with toys and/or going outside. My entertainment came from my own imagination as opposed to streaming clips of random people doing weird bullshit out in society for my enjoyment. It was simpler time.

As I got older, friendships developed and my time was spent playing away from the home. Once I learned to tell time., I had a simple wristwatch and was given a curfew. As long as I was back by that time, my parents rarely knew where I was, what I was doing or who I was with. There was a simple freedom to it all; knowing that if one needed a touch of peace, one could escape to the cliff-side ledge I used to sit on, that looked out over our open bay, or sit on the stone outcrop atop Dalhousie Mountain and stare out at kilometres of lush boreal forests spreading south of me. If someone wanted to get a hold of me, they’d call my home, where a message would be taken and not delivered until I decided to return.

While the respective peace of my childhood is greatly missed, this isn’t to mean that I don’t have a fond appreciation for the advancements in technology that we’ve made over the past several decades. After all, those advancements have brought me from manual insulin injections and poorly controlled blood sugars to a world of insulin pumps, constantly monitored and adjusted blood sugars and better health. I predict that in the next couple of decades, I may find my way into something akin to never having to address my Diabetes again, even if it means it’s controlled and monitored by technology instead of me.

The negative side to all of these advancements comes from how society uses the technology. Privacy, while deeply coveted by most, has become a thing of the past. People can reach you anywhere, anytime, at any hour via cell phones. Apps, devices and even our televisions listen to us and make “recommendations” or “suggestions” based on our habits, preferences and even what we say in a room. It’s no coincidence that if I mention to my wife that I’m craving pizza, an ad for a pizza chain will “coincidentally” pop up on my social media feed. Big brother is always watching.

But we’ve become inadvertently tethered to our technology. I’ll be the first to admit that I’d be in horrific health, if not for my continuous glucose monitoring system. But we all have our devices, our smart phones, our streaming services… And they effectively govern our lives, now. No one ever needs to try and find directions somewhere or ask for them; just look it up on your phone. No one ever needs to research a particular topic. Why would you, when you can just Google it? Ever sit in public transit or in a food court? No one is usually speaking; everyone has their eyes down at their phones. A major pain in my ass when I’m trying to walk from point A to point B and some wretched son of a bitch is walking into me because his eyes are on his fuckin’ phone… But I digress…

Technology is fast becoming a commonality in daily life, with many aspects of it considered more of a necessity than a luxury. In many ways, this is reminiscent of when cars were invented and became common. While only the wealthy may have initially taken advantage, eventually it became a necessity for most family households to have at least one vehicle. The same can be said now, with the internet. In the 1990’s, the internet was that annoying thing that took almost ten minutes to get connected, where a full page would take minutes t boot up and would usually have that shitty 8-bit feel to it, with no picture resolution and everything seemed to be written in Times New Roman.

These days, the internet, and more specifically wifi, controls almost everything. Our phones, tablets, computers and televisions are primarily wifi-driven. And even some smart homes are designed with their critical functions tethered to the home’s wifi. So this begs a very important question; what happens when your wifi fails? My family and I discovered this the hard way this past weekend. After a brief power outage, we realized our wifi connection was no longer maintaining itself. After attempting resets and reboots on my own, a short call to our service provider confirmed it; our modem was outdated and would no longer function. A situation brought only to light by the brief outage of power.

It was Friday night, a night famous in my household for gaming and movies with my oldest, who has never known a world without internet and devices. I made my peace a long time ago with the fact that my children would never have the childhood I did. But I never realized just dependent they were on internet until this weekend happened. The earliest we could attempt a fix would be Saturday afternoon. This was made possible only if I brought the old modem into my local provider’s store and got an upgraded replacement and installed it myself. Waiting for. A technician would require a further number of days.

Anxious to restore the status quo, I got up first thing on Saturday morning (my usual morning to try and sleep in) and made my way into the downtown area to hit up the shopping mall that held my nearest supply store. I hate crowds of people at the best of times. Hobnobbing with shoppers on their weekend excursions did NOT appeal to me. But i got the replacement modem and installed it on my own. Using the instructions the tech on the phone provided the previous evening, I was able to get it up and running and connect wifi to our television and devices around the house. A collective sigh of relief ensued.

It was barely twenty four hours but it was a significant wake up call for me to realize that my family was utterly dependent on the internet. Despite books, toys, puzzles and games, the outdoors, the almighty Skynet still reigns. Ultimately, there’s no putting pandora back in the box. Technology, barring some major global catastrophe, will continue to evolve and improve our lives in some ways. But it will also strengthen our dependence on it in other ways. is it a bad thing? Time will tell. But it’s important to remember that we’re still human. And as humans, we should occasionally take the time to sit on a stone outcrop and stare at the sea. Food for thought…☯️

Monday, Bloody Monday…

I’ve often written ab out how Type-1 Diabetes affects just about everything in a person’s life. And this is true. But on occasion, it hits a particular level of annoying. This was the case with a particularly troublesome infusion set change that took place a little over a week ago. For those who aren’t familiar with insulin pump therapy, the infusion set and reservoir for an insulin pump needs to be changed out every three days. This is because after three days, insulin will start to crystallize within the tubing walls, causing an inaccurate delivery of insulin.

On this particular Monday, I noted that I only had about two or three units left in the reservoir. Usually, this means that I’ll need to change it up before I reach my next meal, since I won’t have enough to bolus for any carbs I may consume. I was walking towards my home office and had just finished a round of rather hot, sweaty yard work at home. The weather was summery as fuck and I was wearing khaki cargo shorts. I pulled the pump from my waistband and raised my shirt enough to access the infusion set. A quick twist of the infusion set disconnected it from the cannula injected into my abdomen.

Then, came the bloody part. The cannula is injected into the abdomen using an IV-style injection method. This means that the cannula sits over a surgical needle that injects into the abdomen. As I pull the needle out, the cannula stays in. Seems pretty simple, right? It usually is… The infusion set is then held in place by a significantly solid adhesive. This not only prevents the cannula from prematurely coming out of the abdomen but provides some water-proofing as well, for when I shower, swim, etc.

Ever use wax strips? Had a piece of packing tape, a sticker, anything, stuck to your flesh and pulled it off suddenly? It’s uncomfortable and irritates the skin at the best of times. It’s even worse for people with body hair that wasn’t MEANT to be waxed off! As I walked towards my desk, I gripped the cannula cover and pulled hard in order to peel the adhesive from my abdomen and free the cannula.

While it’s normally never comfortable to start with, I felt a searing sting, not unlike walking into an area with a number of wasps buzzing around. I felt skin stretch and hair tear away; once again, hair that wasn’t meant to be removed. I whimpered ever so slightly, aware that being any louder would likely alert my two young sons, who absolutely LOVE any excuse to expose daddy’s weaknesses. I continued to walk towards my desk to get fresh components to refill my pump and thought the worst was over.

Oh, how wrong I was… As I was filling a fresh reservoir with insulin, I felt an odd dampness every time I leaned forward. Not one to usually wet myself, I looked down and saw a grapefruit-sized blood stain across the front of my shorts. I also noticed a trail of quarter-sized droplets of fresh blood on the basement floor, starting roughly where I had pulled the cannula patch out. Looking like something out of a shitty horror “B” movie, there was blood everywhere.

I quickly stemmed the bleeding at its source and proceeded to install a fresh infusion set so that I could restore insulin delivery. I made my way upstairs, only to be greeted by my wife and both my kids in the kitchen. They looked at me with a horrified look. My wife asked what happened. The boys were just fascinated. After quickly explaining what took place, the boys ran downstairs, enthralled by the prospect of spilled blood. Little psychos.

They came back up giggling, with the oldest saying “Wow, dad… It looks like you murdered someone in the basement!” This prompted a tirade of “Daddy murdered someone, Daddy murdered someone” from the youngest. I had to calmly explain how perhaps we didn’t want to be yelling that Daddy murdered someone. But they were having way too much fun. I spent the next thirty minutes cleaning up my floor and spot treating my shorts before the blood could set.

Pulling out any of my pump equipment will rarely cause such a level of bleeding. But once in a while, the stars align JUST right for there to be a gushing comparable to an arterial spray! This was just such an occasion. Just one more aspect of type-1 Diabetes that causes extra work and issues. What is one to do? Luckily, everything my pump does to keep me alive and healthy far outweighs any occasional, negative aspect that rears its ugly head. ☯️

Don’t Stress About It…

Ahh, stress… Like a constant, unwanted passenger on an otherwise uncomfortable ride. Everybody experiences stress in some given way, shape or form over the course of their lives. In many ways, without even realizing it, but there are no exceptions. While not inherently a good thing, most folks don’t realize that stress is a normal function of the body and is usually the response to a significant change or challenge that pops up on you.

According to WebMD, which I love to peruse. “When you feel stressed, your body releases certain hormones. […] The hormones your body releases when you’re stressed get you ready to meet the challenge or demand in your environment. During the stress response, your body gets ready to flee or fight by increasing your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure.” Sounds pretty reasonable, right? Something that preps you for the challenge you’re about to face?

The point, and the article touches on this, is that stress, in controlled amounts, helps us to get things done and accomplish tasks. Without stress, we’d be left with a “fuck it” mentality where most of us would accomplish very little. The problems arise from being in a stressed state constantly or semi-permanently. The problems arise is that prolonged periods of stress can affect the entire body and mind. It’s taken a lot of decades for people to wake up and realize that emotion and mental health plays a huge part in physical health.

On the emotional side, prolonged periods of stress may cause unusual bouts of emotion, good or bad, sadness, depression, restlessness, short term memory issues and issues focusing long enough to meet your goals or get things done. A lot of this actually sounds like symptoms of poorly controlled Diabetes. Imagine that? And I know for a fact THAT shit is stressful! But an important thing to keep in mind is that every person deals with stress differently. While something may be a big deal to one person, it may come off as nothing at all to another.

On the physical side, there’s a lovely grocery list of potential symptoms that may arise from prolonged stress. These symptoms apply to so many things that one may be experiencing stress while simultaneously thinking they’re just unwell. I’m talking about headaches, inability to sleep or sleeping too much, muscle and joint pain, increased heart rate and blood pressure, fitfully breathing, upset stomach and/or diarrhea and loss of sexual desire. Sounds fun, eh? Pair that with the fact that prolonged stress affects your overall immune system, making it easier to get sick. Also sounds like Type-1 Diabetes.

Ultimately, there a varying forms of stress, not just the emotional or physical, and there can be long-term, permanent effects to prolonged or “chronic” stress. The challenge is in recognizing it and taking steps to address it and manage it in a healthy way. Personally, I’m likely the worst in taking steps to address stress. I’m more of a “jump towards the threat head-on” kind of guy. The result is that I’ll often fight my way through stress instead of recognizing and addressing it. The problem with this is that stress releases a bunch of hormones into the body that can significantly increase blood sugars; cortisol being among them. As I’ve often mentioned before, EVERYTHING affects a Type-1 Diabetic’s blood sugars.

At the end of the day and as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, stress is normal. There’s no getting away from it. But staying healthy depends on how you address it and deal with it. When speaking with others, I’ve often compared getting through a period of increased stress to falling into a river with strong current. If you try to swim against the current or get directly out of the water, you’ll likely exhaust yourself and drown. But if you swim with the flow and slowly make your way to the outer edge, you’ll likely exhaust can manage your way to safety. Stress is very much the same. Food for thought… ☯️

The Uncertainties of Life, The F$%kin’ Aftermath…

I wasn’t certain that I would bother posting this, but given that there is a quasi-happy outcome to it, I figured, why not? Plus, it’s my fuckin’ blog so if you don’t want to read, just scroll right on by. Okay, rant over. So, as some of you who have read my posts in the past week are aware, I found myself caught in an unfortunate emergency trip back to New Brunswick to see to my father, who was admitted to the ICU with pneumonia and a fungal infection in his lungs, rendering him incapable of breathing on his own.

The first thing that came as a surprise to me is that he allowed himself to be intubated. My father has been waiting to die for well over a decade now, living his life in chronic pain and relegated to a wheelchair. He hasn’t had any measurable quality of life for years and as a result, every time he gets sick, he usually gets angry when he recovers. He’s also in his mid-70’s, which adds a layer of ornery to the mix. I get all my anger instincts from him. The second surprise was that the hospital had no knowledge of my existence and without proof of my identity, would tell me nothing over the phone. Apparently, living on the other side of the country didn’t sway them at all.

Hence, my impromptu trip back to the Maritimes. I’ve already walked you through what went down through the days that I was home, so I won’t rehash all of that. The morning of my departure, I visited my father one last time before starting the 3-hour trip down to Moncton to catch my flight. Still sedated and intubated, I consulted the doctor who updated me on his condition and that he would likely be that way for days to come. By virtue of this, I made the decision to carry out my travel plans and return home. There was nothing else for me to do there and I was of no help. So, I travelled home.

Setting aside flight delays, fighting through crowds in Toronto Pearson Airport and exhaustion. I got home in the early hours of last Thursday morning. On Friday morning, I received a phone call from the hospital advising that my father was taken off sedation and they removed the intubation. He was now breathing on his own and was now starting the rehab necessary to allow him to swallow on his own and complete his antibiotic regimen to fight off the infection. I missed him by just shy over twenty four hours.

I asked the staff if he knew I had been there. They offered to let him know so I passed on that he should be told I was with him for three days, had checked in on mom repeatedly and that all he needed to worry about was recovering. If anything changed or help was needed, I was to be called immediately. They agreed they’d pass on the message and let him know. It’s a difficult thing, recognizing when one has reached the point in life where one must care for one’s parents in much the same manner as they care for you. But we all get there.

I’m not surprised that my father recovered. He’s the only man I know who’s even more stubborn than I am. I’m also not surprised when he advised medical staff that regardless of his condition, he would not be consenting to intubation ever again, come what may. True to form, he was pissed to wake up and find himself well and alive, which is consistent with how he’s been for the past few years. I would have liked to have been there when he woke. Maybe if I still lived in New Brunswick, that might have happened. But you know what they say, we most often find our destiny on the road we least thought to travel.

I can take comfort in the fact that at least for the moment, my father is alive and recovering and should soon be making his way back to the care home to be with my mother. Despite how much of her mind is gone, she definitely hasn’t forgotten him and is looking forward to seeing him back home. ☯️

Slow and Steady Wins the Race…

You know, there was a time, not so many years ago, that I was like a wind up car with an infinitely long wind up spring. I swear that by my early twenties, I almost felt superhuman. I would wake up in the morning and hit the ground running. Besides work, which in my early twenties was as a McDonald’s manager, you know, when they actually worked fast, worked hard and got your order right the first time, I had karate classes three or four times a week, jogging workouts, cycling workouts and my body existed in it’s final years before a drop of alcohol touched it. I had energy, I had speed and much like the Flash, I felt as though I could run forever.

Bear in mind that this was during the years following the period of my life with rampant, uncontrolled blood sugars. I often wonder about how much faster and efficient I would be if I had been on pump therapy back then. Friends, colleagues and fellow karate practitioners had a hard time keeping up with me. It was amazing. It was majestic. And as I write this, I’m realizing how braggy it sounds. But it’s accurate. But as with all things in life, everything eventually changes. This includes one’s ability to keep running indefinitely. And that where today’s post comes in. Because eventually, time catches up. And this causes the sense of urgency to dry up.

Up until recent years and especially during my years as a police officer, speed and being on the ball was exceptionally important. If the phone rang before dawn, I had to be out of bed, geared up and out the door within minutes. Considering someone’s life may be in jeopardy, that much was obvious. Even during my new career, I always had the habit of getting up at the ass crack of dawn, getting to work an hour early and still attending multiple karate classes. Hell, in 2020, I logged over 1,000 kilometres in cycling and jogging.

Considering time, age and all other factors, I’ve changed my perspective significantly. My work allows me a flexibility of time. As a result, my days no longer start in a blur of rushing and urgency. I still wake up to an alarm but I get started slowly. I take my time, go through my shave and shower routine, slowly sip and enjoy the first caffeine of the day and proceed to prep my breakfast smoothie and lunch to bring to the office. More often than not, I’ll even hop on the ol’ iPad and get through some dailies for the games I have. Sometimes, I’ll pop in to the corner convenience store to check my lotto tickets (Yes, I get those! Don’t judge!) and grab a coffee.

The difference that this approach has made is noticeable. I start my day far more relaxed, which means I feel less harassed by the needs of the day. I’m in a significantly better mood, which means I can deal wth people far better. I run with the clock instead of trying to run ahead of it. Blood pressure is lower, attitude is calmer and my overall disposition has improved ten-fold. All of this has also had a positive impact on my blood sugars and Diabetes symptoms. Are there still times when I’ll need to rush? Of course! Life would never allow otherwise. But in the meantime, I can take satisfaction in knowing that between the rare, occasional deadline or emergency, I no longer have to walk to the beat of a different drum. Instead, I get to be the one who controls the beat. ☯️

The Sedentary Seduction…

It’s no secret that the pandemic changed the world in a very measurable and noticeable way. Between distancing rules, effects on peoples’ jobs and finances and the fact that everyone STILL hasn’t recovered rom everything just goes to show how much of an impact COVID-19 has had on the world. One of the most interesting results of the pandemic is remote work. All of sudden, people had to work from home for the first time. And for the most part, it was mostly positive. Peoples’ productivity increased (in most cases), absenteeism lowered and it was realized that a significant portion of the working world could still perform their jobs from the comfort of their homes with very little issue. Oh, there are plenty of employers who fought this and imposed conditions and restrictions, most with very little success. And to be clear, there are obviously some jobs that can’t be done remotely.

From my perspective, working from home is problematic at best. My bloody ADHD makes it extremely difficult to focus at the best of times but trying to do it from home is even worse. I’ll be working on something work related then think “I should start a load of laundry while I’m here…” or grab some lunch in my kitchen and think “Maybe I should get these dishes done while I’m at it…” And before you know it, I’m burning through the work day on stuff that should be done after hours. Another issue is my son. I’m blessed with a red-headed 5-year old son who, once he realizes that I’m actually home, clings to my hip, making it difficult to properly sit through meetings or get any measurable work done. I absolutely adore my son but the added stress of trying to get work done as opposed to playing with him and accepting his hugs makes going into the office important. Plus, working from a small laptop screen as opposed to two large, tandem screens isn’t ideal.

About two weeks ago, I developed a bit of problematic cough. Typically this wouldn’t be a concern. After all, I tend to get sick at the drop of a hat, given I have Type-1 Diabetes. It’s not unusual during the winter months for me to catch a cold and/or get sick at least three or four times. But after a number of days and realizing the cough wasn’t subsiding, I started to realize it may be something more. Last year around this time, I developed a lung infection that progressed to bronchitis. A round of steroids, antibiotics and using an inhaler for the first time in my life, coupled with about two months of lost time hacking and throwing up FROM my lungs (yes, you read that right). One can’t throw up directly from the lungs, of course, since they’re not set up to expel like the stomach. But coughing hard enough can trigger vomiting.

How does this relate to the remote work aspect? I promise I’m getting there… For almost two weeks now, I’ve been mostly working from home. It couldn’t be avoided, as most office staff don’t appreciate their boss hacking and coughing all over the bloody place. And whether I have something contagious or not, it still doesn’t alleviate the anxiety of having someone ill within one’s midsts. So, with the inclusion of a second large screen at home, I’ve been on meds and recovering while working remotely. And I’ve come to realize that the modern world basically allows for one to live entirely from the comfort of one’s home without ever having to step foot outside. I’m not saying I want that, am into that or enjoy that but it’s a realization nonetheless.

Need groceries? Order them online and have them delivered? Prescriptions? Same thing; most modern pharmacies have a delivery service. Anything you could possibly want to purchase can be bought online and delivered right to one’s door. Even one’s banking and finances can be accomplished online. Of course, this brings a significant amount of risk that is lessened by performing these tasks in person. Being delivered the wrong goods, being incorrectly charged, being defrauded by online scammers… The list goes on. But as long as your careful and do things right, one could potentially live out their days from the comfort of their home without ever having to leave. Provided your job allows you to work remotely on a permanent basis.

There is a certain allure to this concept and some of the positives could almost make it worth it. As long as there are no outlying factors at play, you could save significant cost by not owning a vehicle, which requires gas, insurance and registration overhead. Grocery shopping becomes about what you need instead of walking the aisles and grabbing impulse buys that you didn’t go in for. The same can be said for any retail location or business you may walk into. However, one could argue that home utility costs may be a bit higher, since you are running power and utilities throughout the work day instead of being in an office. I’m not sure which of those options would cost more on a month-to-month basis, but it’s a consideration.

Now, I’m not saying this is what I want to do. My specific job wouldn’t allow me to work remotely on an indefinite basis anyway. All I’m saying is that for one who is well-positioned to do so, one could enjoy their years from the comfort of their home without ever having to leave. With everything purchased online and delivered, one could find themselves in a position where they wouldn’t have to leave unless they wanted to. And from a very small, silent corner of my brain, the concept is appealing. And who knows? By the time I retire, that just might be how I spend my final years. Just chilling inside my home, binge-watching Star Trek movies and smoking cogars in my backyard. Time will certainly tell… ☯️

Remembering to Appreciate…

Sometimes it’s easy to take things for granted. Even when they’re essentially life saving or life maintaining. I was diagnosed with type-1 Diabetes when I was 4 years old. That means I’ve been managing and living with this condition for over 40 years! I’d say time flies when you’re having fun but very little of it has been fun. I remember as a child, all of my Diabetes therapy was tedious, annoying and usually got in my way. Kids are usually busy and have things to do, so having to stop several times a day to test my blood or treat a low was annoying to me.

I didn’t understand or realize how important those steps were as a child. Or how very fortunate I was that there was even a therapy that could allow me to live with my condition. Not everyone is so lucky. These days, I’m often blown away by how far I’ve come, considering many if not most people with my condition tend to deteriorate after a few decades and often end up with organ failure, amputations and blindness. Granted, a lot of my good fortune comes from the effort I’ve put into my self care. This includes proper nutrition and fitness habits, the latter of which I admit I haven’t done so well with in recent months.

I saw a post a few days ago about the first use of insulin on patients, which occurred in January of 1922 in Toronto. I’ve often written about things like the fact I wouldn’t survive a zombie apocalypse because once I’d run out of insulin, it would be game over. Ten days is the basic standard, without any insulin therapy. Once you’ve reached that point, you generally slip into a coma and die shortly thereafter. But reading about how Frederick Banting visited a coma ward and injected a young, comatose patient who awoke about a day later and whose blood sugars started to regulate, reminded me of just how fortunate I am indeed.

Considering that until the 1920’s, Type-1 Diabetes was effectively a death sentence for children, it was a discovery that changed the world. It was made all the better with the fact that they sold the patent for a dollar so that the whole world would have access to insulin. I can’t imagine how things would be different if they took the monetary approach and sought to get rich off their discovery instead. In a series of unlikely events that took place decades before I was born, my health and longevity was secured by individuals I’ve never met and will never get to thank.

That’s why I consider it so important to be grateful for the options I have. If I had lived in the early 1900’s, I likely would have died. So on the days where it feels like a pain in the ass to test my blood, take medication or change up a glucose sensor, I remind myself that while it would be far better for my life if I was Diabetic at all, these things are keeping me alive and healthy. And it’s impossible to put a price on that. Food for thought… ☯️

The Most Unlikely Discrimination…

Among some of the worst conditions are the ones that are invisible to the naked eye. The best example is the scenario where someone parks in a handicap spot without any visible, physical handicaps. Despite the driver having a registered handicap placard on their windshield, you’ll always get that one asshole who decides to stick their nose in and try to convince this person they should be packed there. Despite that issue, the person in question may have some underlying condition that the complainer simply doesn’t see. But I may be digressing just a little bit here…

The point is, Type-1 Diabetes is very much or of those conditions. Although there will usually be nothing visible on the surface, there can be a tumultuous storm of symptoms and issues under the surface that simply isn’t visible to anyone watching. True, there are a lot of long-standing, inappropriate jokes about Diabetes, such as an obese person MUST be Diabetic or eating a candy bar will cause it, but on the whole, having Type-1 Diabetes isn’t something you will SEE. But it’s always there and it always creates obstacles.

For the most part, I’ve always operated on the basis of full disclosure. This is especially true with family, friends and employers. After all, the last thing I want someone to do if a Diabetes-related incident occurs, is have someone do something that could harm me or exacerbate the issue further. For example, the most important thing I tell everyone in all circumstances is, if I have a Diabetic incident near them, it’ll always fall under one of two categories. Either I’m conscious, in which case I’ll either treat myself or ask for your help and instruct you on what to do, or I’m unconscious, in which case you shouldn’t try to treat me and should simply call 911 and get medical assistance.

Some people have always claimed that when in doubt, feed the person orange juice or some other fast-acting carb because, even if the issue is high blood sugar, it’s easier for medical staff to bring it down and could potentially save you IF if a low blood sugar incident. Not only is this grossly inaccurate, but if I’ve lost consciousness due to high blood sugar, it’s a guarantee that it’s high enough that anything you fee me may kill. No thank you. I’ll roll that dice all day long. Bearing in mind, this is my preference. Like any other condition, the person who has it should be the one instructing others on what they’d prefer.

That being said, there are certain discriminations that apply to people with Diabetes that others likely aren’t aware of. They range from the simplest and smallest of things to some reasonably life-altering statements and decisions. ON the former, a good example would be someone who brings sweet treats into the office to share with everyone. But when you come around to see what’s there, you get the sympathetic look, followed by “oh, I suppose you shouldn’t be eating these…” as they pull the items out of your reach. That’s pretty presumptuous at the best of times. Practically-speaking, someone with Diabetes isn’t inherently restricted from eating any given foods, so long as they bolus properly for it. That’s the whole point of insulin.

On the heavier side, it can even be someone that would affect a chosen career or path in life. For example, I originally applied to the police force all the way back in 1998. If I had successfully gotten in, I would have a twenty seven year career under my belt. Instead, I was denied at the outset because I checked off a box on the application that asked if I had Diabetes. realistically, it isn’t something I could have hidden or lied about and if I’d been willing to do so, I would have had no business carrying a badge. But there’s no denying that it dealt a serious blow to my self-confidence and self-worth that took effort and years to recover from. The sad part is that I had better physical health and a greater fitness regime than many of the other applicants I joined that night.

It wouldn’t be until 2007 that I would discover that the condition in question had been lifted and my application would be accepted. I chose to apply, ready to face whatever challenges would be laid before me. The part I wasn’t prepared for, was the extended application process that would follow, that contained increased medical testing and examinations. While I can understand the Force’s need to ensure the “I’s” are dotted and the “T’s” are crossed, it took me twice as long to be accepted as any other applicant. I persevered and got in, but my time as an academy cadet was marred with little jabs as well. Between being labeled as sub-par in physical benchmarks, often due to low blood sugar or other illnesses and being denied food in classrooms due to the “rules,” even when I was having lows, they certainly weren’t ready to deal with the prospect of accepting Diabetic candidates.

I’ve often faced that same issue with several employers, where the need to stop and step away for a few moments to treat a low or test blood sugars have been met with responses that it’s against the rules or “if you can’t do the job” statements. It’s never been that I can’t do the job, but sometimes five minutes of compassion can allow an employee to flourish and become one of your most-valued as opposed to feel ignored as though they’re being discriminated against. I’m blessed in that my current employer has a deep understanding of such things. While the working world has improved its duty to accommodate when someone has such difficulties, there’s still a long ways to go.

While I wouldn’t expect certain jobs to accommodate certain disabilities, for example, I would expect someone with no tongue to be a food taster, having an underlying condition or chronic illness doesn’t automatically render one incapable of doing a particular job. There are things you can do to protect yourself and ensure you put yourself in the best situation possible. Open honesty about your condition is always the best policy. While employers aren’t inherently allowed to ask you specifics about health conditions, I’ve never understood why people want to keep such details to themselves. I much prefer open transparency. Not only does it keep everyone on the same page, it could also potentially save your life, if the people around you know what the issue may be.

Another important aspect is open communication from both sides. When applying for jobs, be sure to ask what accommodations can be made for your specific condition. This plays into the previous paragraph. While you may not HAVE to provide specifics about your condition, giving a potential employer some high-level information can help them be honest and forthcoming about what accommodations may be available, as well. For example, asking “what accommodation can you make if I need to step away from my till for ten minutes in the event of low blood sugar?” Could mean the difference between finding a positive place for you to hang your hat or moving on to the next potential career option.

All of this information is based on the premise that little of what’s happening is intentional. If you find yourself in the midst of a situation where you feel someone may be straight up discriminating against BECAUSE of a medical condition, you may have bigger problems to address. But that’s for another post. For now, suffice it to say that there’s plenty you can do to protect yourself. Even though you shouldn’t HAVE to. But such is the world we live in. A little effort can go a long way and sometimes you just gotta pick your battles. Just always ensure you’re fighting on your side. Food for thought… ☯️