For much of the past two months, my left arm has been a persistent source of pain and overall discomfort. In 2020, prior to the COVID-19 lock down, I was formally diagnosed with spinal stenosis. I was also diagnosed with type II diabetes early that year and around the same time of my spinal stenosis diagnosis, and while I'm not a doctor by any stretch of the imagination, I want to say that the two conditions are not connected or in any way related. As I write this, my left arm goes through intermittent period of numbness, which sadly, I've come to expect and somewhat enjoy. I can't explain it, but truth be told, the numbness really does not bother me. What absolutely kills me is the recurring pain that can permeate through the entire arm if I move my head a certain way. It's particularly bothersome at night when I try to get to sleep. It seems as though I have to position and even contort myself in such way so that my arm doesn't hurt. I tend to move a lot during the night and so what happens is that I might find that proverbial sweet spot, but only for a few moments, before I move again and screw it all up. My left arm is functional. It just hurts all the time and when it's not hurting me, it just goes numb every so often.
Jay was recently diagnosed with type II diabetes himself. I think that the diagnosis caught him by surprise, but I guess he's dealing with it as best he can. He has taken to asking me about the condition and how I've dealt with it these past five-plus years. Common sense would have it that a diabetic would minimize their sugar intake, maybe exercise, and take measures to improve their diet. I may have some of those things, but truth be told, I tend to rely on the medications that I've been prescribed. Jay was prescribed metformin, but is only taking 500mg daily. I take 2000mg. Because of that ridiculously high dose, I tend to take in more sugar than I probably should. My blood sugar is not out of whack and I manage to keep my numbers respectable. As of June, my A1C stood at 5.6. When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, that number was well over 13. Indeed, I have come a long way. I think Jay will be all right as well.
I used to suffer from migraine headaches, but those have subsided. I can't explain why, but I'm glad because those kinds of headaches are the worst. I used to get migraines when I was in grade school and it had reached a point where I believed that I would always get them. There were some days where I'd have to battle a headache while in the middle of the school day and that would be without the benefit of any medication, over-the-counter or otherwise. Mom had even speculated that I may have had a brain tumor, though now that I think of it, she never did anything to explore that possibility and verify whether I really had a tumor. Maybe she was the type who preferred not to know, even when it came to her children's overall health and well-being? Well, as I write this, I don't think that I have a tumor. In following Mom's lead apparently, I haven't done anything to confirm or refute that this tumor exists. I guess the apple doesn't fall too far.
Amidst all of the health challenges I have and have had, I will still tell people that I'm healthy.
For the most part, I am?
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