A few weeks ago, I was having a gout flareup. It was my first flareup since my Summer of Gout in 2016, so I went to a medical clinic here in Seoul, Korea where I live.
Of course, they took a blood sample to see my uric acid level. Turns out my uric acid was high, and my blood sugar was super high.
A second blood test confirmed the readings from the first one, and I officially became a diabetic on April 29, 2019.
My reaction?
Goddammit. The list of things I can’t eat just got a lot longer.
See, I’m already not supposed to eat red meat or drink beer due to gout. Now, with diabetes, I have to cut out sugar and carbohydrates. Goodbye ice cream, pasta, rice, bread, and everything else.
I didn’t really despair too much when I heard the news. It’s diabetes, not cancer. But I was both surprised and dismayed.
I was surprised because most people associate type 2 diabetes with obesity and a generally self-destructive lifestyle. I guess that’s why type 2 diabetes is considered the “your fault” variety of the disease.
But I’m not obese! I’m about 5′ 3″ and 150 lbs. I’ve been described as “stocky” and “stout,” but never obese.
I am, however, Asian. Apparently certain ethnicities (including Asians) are more at-risk for diabetes than others. Wonderful.
Beyond that, I don’t know what else led me to be diabetic. My lifestyle has never been super healthy, but I wouldn’t say I live an exceptionally UNhealthy life. Maybe it’s genetics. I was adopted, so I don’t have a family history to hold up as evidence, but I suspect my crappy genes are involved to some extent.
My dismay at having diabetes mostly stems from the additional restrictions I now have to place on my life. It’s just annoying.
But honestly, I can’t be too upset. There are much worse problems to have than diabetes and gout.
Nonetheless, diabetes is bad. I would prefer to not be diabetic, but I guess this is my new reality! Yay.
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