A couple of years ago, I sat across from a very kind nurse. She gave me a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. She said it gently, but the message hit me hard — like a wet dishcloth to the face.
The moment I found out — and yes, that doughnut was definitely judged.
I was 62. Not ancient. Still climbing hills in Wales, still chasing after my 11-year-old twin boys, still thinking I had time. But apparently, my blood sugar had other ideas.
And while I was trying to process it all, I couldn’t help but think about my dad.
History Repeats — or Does It?
My father was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at the same age I was. At first, he didn’t take it too seriously — one of those “It’s fine if nobody sees me” attitudes. He’d sneak a treat, skip a walk, mutter, “Ah, I’ll be alright.” But he wasn’t.
Eventually, he needed insulin injections. His feet swelled, he lost a lot of independence, and I watched it all happen. Back then, I was too young to fully grasp what it meant — but now, it was happening to me.
Only I had two boys to keep up with, a campervan waiting to be used, and a wife who would absolutely not let me drift into the “I’ll be alright” camp. So I made a decision: that wasn’t going to be my story.
My dad took one path. I took another. Same age. Same diagnosis. Two very different outcomes.
Step One: Panic (and Google)
The moment I got home, I did what any self-respecting over-60 does. I panicked and Googled.
Within 30 minutes, I was convinced I’d be blind by Tuesday and having my legs measured for amputation by Friday. Classic.
Elaine, as usual, stayed calm while I spiralled. She made a cup of tea and said, “You’ve got a choice here. You can manage it. You can do this.”
She was right. Again.
Step Two: No Pills, Just Willpower
The doctor offered medication, but I asked if I could try diet and lifestyle first. I wasn’t anti-medicine — I just wanted to give it a proper go.
So, I ditched the beige. Bread, pasta, sugary cereals — gone. I started eating proper food again: yoghurt and berries, veg, nuts, meat. I even tried intermittent fasting. (Yes, me — the man who used to sneak to the kitchen for a biscuit at 10pm.)
The hardest part? A cup of tea without a biscuit. It felt like saying goodbye to an old friend. A friend who quietly sabotaged you, but still.
Step Three: Walking the Walk
Exercise didn’t mean Lycra or kettlebells. It meant moving more. Walking more. Chasing the boys around. Getting off the sofa. See my blog on walking one million steps for Diabetes UK in 2025
The best bit? Reclaiming Fridays with Elaine. Once the boys were off to school, we’d blitz the housework then head out. Some days it was a mountain. Other days, just around the block. If the sun was shining, we’d treat ourselves to a low-carb pub lunch.
We talked more. Laughed more. Lived more.
Strange how a health scare can give you a bit of life back.
Step Four: Remission
Here’s the good part: after six months of diet changes, walking, and saying “no thanks” to bread, my blood sugar was back to normal.
I’d lost weight, felt more energetic, and my doctor said I’d put the Type 2 diabetes into remission.
No meds. No insulin. No swollen feet. Just daily, stubborn effort.
What I Learned
🧬 Family history is a warning, not a sentence.
Watching what happened to my dad made me act early. I’m grateful for that.
🏃 You’re not too old to change.
I was 62 when I started. I’m 64 now and feel better than I did at 54.
👫 Support is everything.
Elaine didn’t just support me — she walked the walk with me. Sometimes literally.
🥦 Food matters.
Not in a trendy diet way. In a “what you eat genuinely shapes your life” kind of way.
My weekend tip: a glass of low-carb wine and a little apple cider vinegar in water before chippy chips on the campsite. It works for me!
Final Thoughts
Being told “You’ve got Type 2 diabetes” felt like a smack in the face. But weirdly, it turned into a gift.
Not the kind you put under a tree. More the kind that sits you down, makes you rethink everything, and nudges you toward living better.
I think of my dad often. He didn’t have the support, the internet, or the options we do now. I do. I’ve got my wife, my boys, my campervan, and a life still full of walking trails and the odd cheeky pub lunch — just without the chips.
See my blog on walking one million steps for Diabetes UK in 2025
🔗 Useful Resources
- Diabetes UK: Understanding Type 2 Diabetes – helpful info if you’ve just been diagnosed
- NHS: Type 2 Diabetes Overview – straight from the source
- Intermittent fasting – what I tried – if you’re curious about that part
