10: May the A1c be with you

At the close of May, I get to report a real-time reading of my A1c. On May 29, 2024, I went to my primary care provider (PCP) and had a 6-month check-up to see how my sugars have been.

In November, my A1c was 5.5 and, for the first time, went down during the Fall instead of up. In the previous 2 years, my A1c increased to 5.8 each time. It was perplexing how my A1c would increase in the Fall compared to the Spring. I never felt like my A1c should have gone up during the fall. In the Fall of 2021, my weight never changed from August until November, but the A1c went from 5.6 to 5.8. But then, in the Spring of 2022, as my weight increased by 8 lbs, my A1c went back down to 5.6. 

That change in A1c taught me that weight is not the real factor in determining someone's sugar control. How much they eat and how much they exercise does factor in. Additionally, genetics play a huge factor. The more something runs in a family, the more likely future generations will acquire it. Although I didn't do enough to help myself before 2021, I was fortunate to be able to make the needed changes to improve my circumstances. The motivation is what can be hard.

Not everyone who has ever had a high A1c can testify to being highly motivated to correct it. Sometimes, the news of an A1c of 10 could seem insurmountable. You spent your whole life getting to this high A1c; how could you change it in a few weeks' time? 

It's very much like Luke Skywalker trying to become a Jedi. From Luke's perspective, something sudden came up, and he had to determine where to go. He pursued a path that changed his life forever. It led to an awakening that gave him the power to overcome all obstacles and set things right for his life. Another figure has a similar story to this fictional character, Jesus Christ. Jesus, too, had a moment in His life that forever changed its course. People love a heroic story.

I'm not comparing myself to Luke Skywalker or Jesus Christ, just the journey. We all embark on a journey, and the final destination is uncertain. But if you have faith, believe in something greater than yourself and yourself, and strive to do your best, you can accomplish anything. Both of these men also had a lot of help along the way in guiding them. I, too, have had the same. So, today, it's my privilege to share the final result:

All my other vitals and blood work were normal, except for a blood glucose of 110. That was up this morning for whatever reason, but it had no bearing on where my A1c was for the last 3 months. This signifies that for the last year and a half, my A1c has been completely normal, with no elevations above 5.6. 

An accomplishment like this is not easy, but anyone can do it. The key is faith. 

So, where do we go from here? Well, first things first, celebrations are in order. I celebrated by eating the one thing I've been holding aside for months to enjoy, a Whatchamacallit bar. I love those things! Next is starting back up again to keep it going for 6 months. How will I do that, you ask?

Tune in next time for 10: The Future...

10: Nurse's 5K

 

The Nurses 5K was the first run/walk by the South Carolina Nurses Association (SCNA) and the South Carolina Nurses Foundation (SCNF). I've worked with SCNF since 2020, attending my first meeting right before the pandemic began in February that same year. It's been a wonderful experience being part of SCNF for the past four years, which has culminated in me being the President of SCNF currently. Last year, the President of SCNA, Angela Dykes, came up with the idea of SCNA and SCNF teaming together to host the Nurses 5K in 2024 as a way to raise scholarship funds for nurses and student nurses across South Carolina. Our goal is to promote the profession of nursing, celebrating it as one of the most trusted professions in the world.

At the time we began formulating this plan, I was stoked. Immediately, I wanted to do all I could to help make the Nurses 5K a reality. At that point in 2023, I had already run multiple 5Ks and had at least two more I planned to do, including America's 5K in July. Little did I know then, however, that America's 5K would be the last one I participated in until the Nurses 5K.

On July 1, 2023, I ran the race at 30:40, which isn't bad for a 46-year-old man. I was tired afterward because it was hot and muggy in summer. After the race, we loaded up for vacation at Wilderness at the Smokies for our summer family getaway. After that vacation, though, was when COVID hit the household, leading to my issues with Atrial Fibrillation (Afib). As mentioned before, at the beginning of June, I received a clean bill of health from my Cardiologist and was told I didn't have to return for 2 years. I was stoked about that, too. Running the 5K at the beginning of July was just icing on the cake for my health and well-being. So, it was a complete surprise to have Afib impact me.

I was heartbroken, no pun intended, because with my heart accelerating to 170-190 beats per minute, about the same pace it had been doing during many of my runs, that scared me immensely. I've outlined my anxiety extensively to this point, so I won't belabor that issue. But I began to realize my running days were over.

I didn't feel safe running anymore. I was scared it would trigger something in my heart that was irreversible. Fortunately, my heart returned to a normal sinus rhythm without much intervention other than Cardizem. I still take the Cardizem to help with my heart and blood pressure. But despite good things, my mind was not in a good place from late August through the end of December. I struggled mightily with my mentality. I truly am amazed sometimes I could do any of my work I needed to during that time. I can honestly say it was by God's grace that I could work at all.

But one thing that was certain to me was that I wasn't running any more 5Ks. I had already signed up for the Electric City Gobbler 5K in November that year and the Swamp Rabbit 5K in February 2024. Both of those were canceled for me. Then I realized the Nurses 5K would be in May 2024. At first, I wasn't planning to attend.

This saddened Angela, as I initially had told her that my son's birthday would be the same day as the event, so I couldn't come. But the real reason was twofold. One, I wanted nothing more to do with 5Ks and two, I was scared to even approach Columbia, where the Afib had occurred. When I made this statement to Angela in January, I was not over what happened, even though I felt better. I was still debating whether I could attend the Palmetto Gold Gala, which was also held in Columbia in April. 

I was being ridiculous. That's the truth. In both cases, I was the President of SCNF, and the expectation was for me to attend both events representing SCNF. In one case, I had to give a speech as the President of SCNF during the Palmetto Gold Gala. The other, SCNF, benefited the most from funds received from the Nurses 5K to support scholarships. The President of an organization has to be there. It really isn't an option not to attend. Especially at first-time events like the Nurses 5K. Certainly, I wouldn't always have to be there in the years that followed, but not for the first one. For Palmetto Gold, I had to be there.

The Palmetto Gold Gala broke me out of my concerns about going to Columbia. The circumstances of the trip were quite similar to the trip on July 13, 2023, when we drove down then. I was going to be presenting something, and I drove down in my truck. Both concerns went off without a hitch, and Leslie and I had a wonderful evening celebrating others' achievements. 

Going to the Nurses 5K was now not a problem, and we decided to make a weekend trip out of it for the family to celebrate Charlie's 13th birthday, much like we celebrated Abby's birthday back in February at Wilderness at the Smokies. The problem now was simply participating in the 5K with Leslie. The reason that was a concern, the last time I had even walked with Leslie, I had heart issues on Labor Day.

September 2023 was the month that didn't seem to want to end, and the beginning of the month set the tone. On Labor Day, the first time I had ever been off for it while working or attending Clemson, I had a bad panic attack that I mistook for a heart attack. This type of issue not differentiating a heart attack from a panic attack is not uncommon amongst people with severe anxiety issues. There are a lot of similarities between the two. That day, Leslie was out walking with me, enjoying the beauty of the day as I tried to push the distance we walked and increase the time to do so. That was my downfall that day. I landed in the ER, embarrassed at the issue. Since then, I haven't felt completely comfortable walking with anyone, much less attempting to run. Running wasn't really an option.

So, for the Nurses 5K, I was doing both. I was going to walk the entire race with my wife, Leslie. Part of me even thought we might even run a little bit. But running worried me. Any type of running, no matter the pace, gets your heart rate up much more than walking. So, it was a concern, but I was willing to try if we did.

The day of the race was overcast, perfect weather for an early morning run/walk. We had almost 100 participants, and for a change, I went way towards the back because I knew I wasn't running. Once the race began, I felt great. The scenery as we walked the course was also amazing. We walked through some beautiful neighborhoods in Forest Acres in Columbia. Past the golf course, beside nice homes, rolling past the highways. It was nice to participate in a 5K again, even if I only walked. Then Leslie said, "Why don't we run a little bit?"

I knew that phrase was coming. I knew it before the race ever started. I also knew I had to try. So I replied, "Why don't we."

We ran during two stretches of the race. The first was a short section of uphill running on a back road with no one around. I felt fine. So, on the home stretch coming down the highway, we decided to run for the last half mile. I was nervous, but I did it anyway. It felt great to run again, however short the distance might be. We finished strong and crossed the finish line together. As we ran that final stretch, Leslie would gradually increase the pace. She was doing that to help me see I could still do what I had always done.

As I stood there catching my breath from that final half mile, I listened and felt my heart beating. The heart was, of course, beating faster but gradually slowed back to the expected pace. I felt great. I was running again. I had done it. I had run a 5K again.

So, naturally, we are planning to do another 5K. I just signed us up for the Electric City Gobbler in November 2024, a nice way to start the day before eating an enormous amount of Thanksgiving Dinner.

If I can just get my knees to stop bothering me, that's a completely different issue I've been dealing with for 14 years. I think that one is age combined with weight mostly.

But with the first Nurses 5K behind me, I can't wait for the next one. It was a monumental success filled with joy, happiness, togetherness, celebration, and love. I was so happy to be part of it and enjoy working with the people I am associated with in helping set up this amazing event. These events did so much to help me recover from what I endured last year, and I'll never forget that. We'll let you know when next year's event is all set. 

My next event, however, is the next A1c check-up on May 29, 2024. Stay tuned for the next segment, 10: May the A1c be with you. 

10: Heart Follow-Up

April 29, 2024, came a few days after a busy weekend. 

Leslie and I made the trip to Columbia, which was a deeper concern for me than I realized. This trip to Columbia for the Palmetto Gold Gala was my first time anywhere near the city since July 13, 2023. I was anxious about it. It didn't help that I had to speak as the South Carolina Nurses Foundation President in front of 750 attendees. This crowd was the largest I've ever spoken in front of before. A speech like this is anxiety-producing enough but add to it my past issues during the summer of 2023, that only made for greater concerns. On top of this, we decided to drive my truck down, which was the same vehicle we were in the day the Afib happened. It was a harmonic convergence to have all this come together the night of the gala, but that also seemed like the best thing that could have happened.

I drove down to the event without issue. I felt calm, for the most part, and did my speech well. It was a festive, lively evening full of fun and joy. There was no better way to break the cycle of my anxiety than an evening like that. I had returned to Columbia and came back without incident this time. That meant I was ready to have my heart checked out.

My appointment with the Cardiologist was at 8:50 AM that Monday morning, and our new refrigerator decided to show up at 8 AM that same morning. Nothing like stress on stress. I was already a little worried about the heart check-up, so why not add on our 20-year-old refrigerator dying and the new one arriving as early that morning as possible. I was in a mad dash, taking stuff out of the fridge and getting trash together before heading to the doctor. They got the new fridge in without issue, and I said, adios, then ran out the door.

I just arrived at the doctor at 8:50 and only had to wait a few minutes. But the whole time, I was calm. I was the calmest since last June when I came in for a 1-year check-up. I walked in and got my weight, sat down, let the assistant hook me up to the electrocardiogram (EKG), and had my vital signs taken.

My BP pressure was awesome, 123/86, with a heart rate 78. My weight was up to 219 lbs. On November 1, during that follow-up visit, my weight was 204 lbs. So, I had gained 15 lbs in 6 months. I didn't like that, but I have a reason that I believe is true. We'll get to that reason in a minute. After the EKG was finished, the assistant disconnected me, asked a few questions about my medications and other things, and then left the room. When the provider came in, everything was normal.

My EKG back in October showed Normal Sinus Rhythm but with still some mild ST depression. Now, to help you understand ST depression, it can have various causes. One cause is a blockage in the heart, which was ruled out for me. I had a perfusion test to see if blood flow in my heart was good, and everything came back normal. So, no blockage. Another reason is more psychological in nature. Anxiety, especially severe anxiety, can also cause ST depression and T wave inversion. I had both of these EKG changes back in September 2023. What this meant was I was suffering from severe anxiety as a result of the Afib. The anxiety was releasing cortisol and adrenaline and thus increasing my metabolism, too. I also started eating less. I began eating less to help with a potential blockage I thought I might have, so naturally, that made my weight go down. But, the anxiety was also making my weight drop.

Due to the fight or flight response that was in overdrive for me from the beginning of September through the end of December, I dropped weight rapidly. I spoke before about cool waves surging through me sometimes and almost minor panic attacks trying to happen if I didn't eat at certain intervals. All of that was anxiety-related. But until I had the all-clear on November 1, 2023, from the Cardiologist and came off the Eloquis, my anxiety wasn't letting up. Until we went to Jacksonville, my anxiety over going on trips wasn't letting up. Finally, until I stepped foot back in Columbia, SC again, my anxiety wasn't letting up completely.

But, finally, on Monday, April 29, 2024, I could say to my cardiologist, without any hesitation, I felt fine. After 9 and 1/2 months of a highly stressful situation unfolding that wasn't done until that day, I finally felt completely like myself again. I had begun to feel better almost immediately after returning from Jacksonville. Therefore, my metabolism wasn't on high alert anymore like it had been, and I was now only burning the sugar I consumed. That's why I had lower blood sugars a few times in January when I wasn't eating as much. I had to increase my food intake to help out. I had already been trending upward in weight about a month after the November visit. At my A1c visit on November 29, I weighed 205 lbs. On February 1, I weighed in at 210 for my kidney follow-up. So, it's no surprise my weight continued upwards because I was finally feeling good again. I was back at the weight I had been before the Afib hit in July.

With my EKG being normal, my blood pressure being normal, no Afib being present on the loop monitor for the whole 6 months, and everything looking and sounding good, my provider told me to come back in 1 year to reassess. That was a relief. It was truly a blessing to know my heart was essentially back to normal after all that happened that day.

But next up would be the bigger check-up--my next A1c on May 29. So, my goal is to lose some weight between now and then, but based on my blood sugar readings for the last few months, everything feels on par with what I usually do. So, I'm hopeful there is no upward trend. We shall see with that check-up in a month.

For now, it felt like smooth sailing, so much so that my wife and I decided to do something together we hadn't done in a while. We're doing a 5K again, this time in Columbia.

Tune in next time for 10: Nurse's 5K.