ON ITS HEAD
diabetes
I’VE FLIPPED
When were you
diagnosed with type 2?
I was diagnosed about 10 years
ago during a check-up. My blood
glucose level was really high,
at 22. My doctor said “Oh my
God Julie, you’re diabetic.
I’m surprised you’re actually
not on the floor right now.”
It wasn’t surprising. I was
severely overweight, I’d been
eating badly and my nan is
type 2. My weight became
more of an issue after my
eldest daughter, Brittany,
was diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis. I was very emotional,
which I dealt with by eating.
I put my head in the sand and
said “I’m fat – this is just me.”
But it caught up with me.
I started getting numb toeson my left foot and I couldn’t
feel hot or cold, or even pain.
The doctor explained I had
neuropathy in my feet. It was
permanent.
He put me on tablets, but I
just thought ‘Oh well, it’s just
another thing I’ve got to deal
with.’ I’m a single mum, I work
full-time and my two girls are
my priority. My weight kept
ballooning. I just thought ‘I’m
destined to be overweight for
the rest of my life.’You’re looking so
healthy now!
I’ve lost 50kg and my blood
glucose levels are 6.1 (today),
which is officially in the normal
range. I’ve flipped diabetes on its
head and I couldn’t be happier.After 10
years of
living with
type 2,
Julie Knight
decided
to ‘kick
diabetes in
the butt’.
And so – as
a mum who
lives for her
daughters –
she did!
TYPE (^2)
diabetic living JULY/AUGUST 2019 121
my story: type 2