My Life, My Rules... Then My Diabetes, My Trouble!

At the OPD, a patient holding her reports said, "Doctor, my sugar levels are not coming down despite everything."

I asked, "What are the current readings?"

She replied, "Fasting 260, post lunch 350."

"Are you taking your medicines?"

"Yes, but there is no difference."

"What time do you eat?"

She smiled and said, "Sometimes at 3 PM, sometimes at midnight. I live alone, so I have no control over when I eat."

"Do you exercise?"

"No, I am not used to it. But I do household chores."

"How is your sleep?"

"I fall asleep around 2-3 AM. My mind keeps racing."

I asked cautiously, "Do you drink alcohol?"

She answered simply, "Yes, every day. To relax and help me sleep. It started as a little, now I drink half a bottle daily."

"Do you work?"

"No, I am a housewife. But My Life, My Rules!"

Then her 21-year-old son said, "Doctor, I see everything. My mother’s health is deteriorating, but I can’t do anything."

A worried look and a silent son.

I was quiet and thoughtful:

"Her sugar is uncontrolled, but the cause is not just about glucose numbers. It’s a complex lifestyle equation."

"I am no longer surprised because this has become the new normal."

"Body, sleep, digestion, brain — none follow ‘My Life, My Rules.’"

"Ultimately, diabetes has one formula: Tracking > Excuses. Sorry, but your sugar doesn’t understand your attitude!"

Dr Ravindra L. Kulkarni, MD, DNB, FSCAI (Cardiology) Just For Hearts