Managing in the Midst of COVID19: Diabetes: My Personal Journey - APRIL, 2020

It's now April. After three months of managing my Diabetes, I feel I'm headed in the right direction as far as getting a handle on what I should do to accomplish my goal.

First, it's time to check my progress for the past three months.

The first step I took was to chart my A1C levels monthly. Below is my chart for January through March:

My A1C level on April 1, 2020 was 102. Was it an April Fool's joke? No. My doctor had already warned me that my level would rise in April after the significant drop in March. She stated that my A1C level was adjusting itself.

As you can can see below, my level rose 6 points. So I wasn't alarmed with the increase. What did surprise me was the fact that it didn't rise significantly higher, closer to the range in the 120s. I'm happy that I'm at least on the right track in terms of lowering my A1C monthly as planned. Reducing my A1C level 61 points overall since January is a major milestone.

However, I know from experience these past 11 months that any prolonged illness or steroid injection can wipe out any progress I make. So I just have to be careful with minor illnesses occurring.

The past two weeks, I was ill with a severe sinus infection. Not feeling well, I tend to slip in terms of my eating, opting for a quick meal of soup while taking my medications.

I have to be especially careful during this COVID19 crisis. Learning that underlying health conditions that include Diabetes can increase my risk of infection from this virus, I opted to stay indoors.

On Friday, April 3rd, our state finally issued an official Stay At Home Order. This action was needed for the public's safety. With over 10,000 Americans who have lost their lives to COVID19, it's imperative that everyone follow the Order in place. Predictions are that the worst is yet to come. For me, this means staying away from the general public. I already have stocked what I need for my family's long term stay at home if necessary.

I no longer purchase fresh fruit and a few types of produce. I have a stock of frozen fruit I prepared earlier this year. Also, I purchased and keep in stock packaged brands of fruit.

Since I deal with a few other health issues that require me to take different types of medicines for my thyroids and heart, I try to be extra careful with my eating habits.

The next eight months will tell whether I'm able to reduce my A1C level to my doctor's goal she set for me. I can only take one day at a time.

But my primary concern for the month of April is to focus on getting well from a sinus infection. It takes me longer to overcome any illness. Dealing with my Diabetes in the face of COVID19 is my next priority. This underlying condition places me at a higher risk to contract the deadly virus. So, it's imperative that I stay away from any crowds.

I've stocked up on canned and frozen food items I need over the long term. Today, I made a small salad for dinner to complement my alfredo chicken with angel hair pasta.

Thanks for accompanying me on this journey.

See you in May.