My diagnosis "officially" came from my neurologist at Virginia Mason in Seattle but it first started with complaints of pain and numness in my toes that were first diagnosed as a bulging L5S1 disk. After a couple years of PT and Spinal Injections, it did not get better. I ended up in the ER after a week of vomiting because of pain when the ER doc came in and said your Blood Sugar is over 400 did you know your diabetic?? My A1C at that point had been dangerously high. I had a consult for back surgery scheduled with a neurosurgeon at the time so I went in and he told me based on my MRI that surgery would help with the sciatic pain in my left leg but as far as he could see nothing was wrong with my right side (from a spinal standpoint) he referred me to a colleage a neurologist who did an EMT and confirmed diabetic peripheral neuropathy. After that it was a matter of surgery to correct for sciatica and trial and error with pain medications to get the pain that is now in both hands, both legs below the knees under control, AFO braces for motor neuropathy, and a wheelchair for at work. Along the way in there somewhere was a bout with gastroparesis that caused six trips to the ER in 2 months and caused me to lose 60 pounds because I couldnt hold down food. Thankfully that part of my life is over.

I always wonder about the if onlys... if only my docs had done a 5 sec blood glucose test along the way, if only i had eaten better and excercised more, if only they didnt keep saying you havnt had Diabetese long enough for neuropathy.. but if onlys dont feed the bulldog.

Now I swim, watch what I eat, take my meds, and am more assertive with my doctors.