Dedication

I dedicate this blog, first and foremost, to the Lord Jesus Christ Almighty, Who has sustained me from the very beginning. Without the Lord's blessings, if He did not send the people who have helped me, if He did not send His Spirit in both high and the very low times, if He did not give me His holy inspirations, I might not have made it. I would have lost my sanity a long time ago.

For my mother, Lilian, who has always believed in me, you are a great source of inspiration for me. A Mother's love has no equal. Every time I am sick, I always imagined my mother taking care of me, pouring out her love on every action she does. Wouldn't you agree that mother's care the best? It's like her touch, her mere presence is a soothing balm to my weary soul. I hope you get to read this Ma. I love you.

This blog is also dedicated to Saint Vincent Ferrer. I got to know him when I was still active at our local parish church. He was made secondary patron saint of the parish, and an image of him was installed in the church. We also held a special devotion to him during Fridays, where the priest anoints people with Holy Oils raised for Saint Vincent's prayer, that these oils may be the channel of God's healing. His feast day is on April 5. During a novena in preparation for his feast day, I joined in the prayers. What surprised me was his intercession is so powerful, that my prayer intention was granted to me just on the 2nd day of the novena! Ever since, I have been a devotee of this Saint, and even heard a priest friend exclaim that he too experienced the same blessings. As I research on him, he was known for the miracles he interceded. And during his earthly life, he was truly a man of God. He was a great preacher, and God has blessed him. I would really love to share the devotion to others. I am confident that if Saint Vincent mentions to Jesus my intentions, it will be given.

I also dedicate this blog to my friends, who I know is also mentioning my good health in their prayers. To those friends, may the Good Lord bless you in return a hundredfold.

To my family who is very supportive of me. Thank you, or being there when I needed comfort most. You are God's love manifested here on earth.

To my great and very effective dietitian, who doubles as a spiritual coach as well, Mara, for coaching me on this journey, guiding me how to balance my condition through food, who helped me push the diet through, it is my pleasure to always report to you positive results. Thank you so much for the advises, both nutritional and spiritual in nature. You have been blessed by God with a good heart, continue being a source of guidance to your clients. Guys if you need a dietitian, I highly recommend her! She's very hands on, very personal approach. I see in her the eagerness to help those in need or nutritional guidance, and will make sure that you hit your targets. If you also have diabetes and is looking for a dietitian that really cares and can really help you, comment down below and I'll make sure you meet.

And of course, I dedicate this blog to the one who motivated me to start this sharing, to my better half and future wife, my fiance Grace. Hi dear, you're here in the blog. hehehe For a time when I was at my lowest, you were my inspiration. I keep telling myself when I'm depressed,"Oh, you want to marry her right? You want to grow old with her and with your family? Then go work out!" When I feel so weak due to my body still adjusting to the new diet and medication, being your husband is one of the dreams I imagine happening. I want to be with you, wholly, for the rest of my life. Thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for the love. I thank the Lord always for sending you to my life. Thank you for being patient with me, and always reminding me to be always positive and avoid the negative thinking. I love you so much :)


And this blog is also dedicated to all those struggling with their diabetes. May these writings be your source of inspiration, that it doesn't end there, it's not the end of the world! We are given medication and guidance so we can continue to enjoy life the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Go out! Go to places you want to see! Be with people you want to talk to or inspires you! Do the things you want to do! I realized with this experience that Life is too precious to spend sad or worried or alone or dejected! Don't! Trust me, that's one bottom you don't want to be, much more or us, who have a tendency to have difficulty to become motivated because of some chemical changes in our bodies. You have to help yourself! I will be sharing more on this topic later, but however helpful your support group can be, if you don't pick yourself up, no one can help. You are your own greatest friend and adversary. You have to choose which one to side. Have faith!

That's all! If you made it to this part thank you! Until the next blog! :)

Introduction

Hello friend! Nice to see you here.

Welcome! Thank you for taking time to click on the link to this small space of the internet where I will be sharing my thoughts, struggles, joys and sorrows with this chapter of my life. My story is not that entertaining, because sometimes what I might be able to share here will be full of ranting hahaha! But I know some of you can relate, Who doesn't have problems? But I will be sharing what I have been realizing recently. It's like I've been living my life for granted these past few months, then bam! Reality strikes..

I learned of my diabetes type 2 when I was confined to the hospital due to  very high blood pressure. 240/160 was the reading while I was on the ER. I'm still amused of the circumstances on how it came to that point. I just went to the hospital to get a schedule with a cardiologist because for the past 3 days I was experiencing dizziness. While I was on the outpatient department, I asked the nurse to get my blood pressure reading though I dread to know it. When she got the reading, she said to me, "Sir you might want to pass by the ER, you're BP is very high." Which I did. Fortunately I just got my company health card that same day. What a blessing in disguise! I was checked by the ER doctor for signs of stroke, they got my blood for testing, they attached me to an ECG machine, and asked me to contact someone who can accompany me while they are waiting for the lab results. By the Goodness of the Lord, my body was not badly damaged by that episode, it could have taken my life, but the Lord still has plans and spared me. I was confined to the hospital for 3 days. 3 days I did not expect to be spent in the hospital, but I think it's for the better.

I was visited by the cardiologist on my 2nd night at the hospital, who apparently just came back to town from a cardiologists gathering in the Metro. Then she gave the diagnosis that shook me to my core. Hypertension, an enlarged heart, diabetes type 2, high cholesterol. Bam. These are not unlike the common colds that can be treated easily with rest and some medication and sleep. I had these because of my lifestyle. And now, I have to be very careful with what I eat. What I felt then (and still now) is I'm walking on a tightrope, one wrong move and I fall. maybe that's the cause of my anxiety these past few days. I was so depressed, it's as if I cannot accept that I have diabetes 2, and now I have to watch what I eat and will need to take maintenance medicine! "I am still too young" I thought. Well, this was all my fault, had I continued my gym workout (I stopped last March) and had I controlled myself eating that delicious roast chicken skin, I wouldn't have had to endure this.

So, dear friend, the subsequent stories of this blog will be me sharing my life after my hospitalization and knowing I have diabetes 2, the changes I now experience, how I go on with my life. Apologies if majority of my stories will be about me scared to death, worrying, but not all stories will be like that, because some great realizations also came with what I am experiencing now. Maybe the silver lining. So I hope you can accompany me on this road. If you also have diabetes type 2 and is also struggling, I know the feeling of like having your whole life snatched away from you. May my stories provide some level of comfort for you. This blogging is my way of releasing my fears, so I hope, my dear friend, whatever you are going through, you may find your outlet to help you stay sane in this wonderful world we live in.

See you on the next blog! :)

PS. As you may notice, I'm not a professional writer and you may ind my thoughts and narrations scattered. Please cut me some slack, I know this is not an excuse to become sloppy, but promise I will get better in writing. Hihi :) This is, after all, a personal blog. A diary of sorts. were you judged by your diary for your composition? I hope not. :)