The Diabeatnic Club

The Diabeatnic Club has opened its doors for the first in my series of annual check-ups. It kicked off today and will continue on and off into November. Today was eyes and jabs.

I went to the Club at St George's Hospital to have eye-drops inserted and then the inside of my eye-balls viewed on a computer screen. As the eye doctor politely reminded me, uncontrolled diabetes can lead to blindness. Luckily, my eyes seem to be fine. Or at least they were until I went outside into the sunshine and wham! instant squint! The eye-drops open the up the retina so the doctor can see inside the eyeball and an open retina lets in lots of light. I walked to the bus stop with one hand over my eyes and squinted through my fingers to see where I was going. It was incredibly uncomfortable. I *must* remember to take sun-glasses with me next time (my appointment is on 24 September 2008).

This afternoon I strolled round the corner to my doctor for a flu jab (flu and its remedies play havoc with blood glucose). It was almost like a tea dance without the tea and without dancing, biscuits and orange juice on the table and lots of old folks (made me feel the sprightliness of youth!). Because I'm under 65 (and I am, thank you very much) I was also offered a pneumonia jab. So, pneumonia in my left arm and flu in my right.

My next appointment is in mid-October for the deep blood tests.