Nothing for granted

Okay, I know that blog posts about my diabetes are going to start getting tired soon, and I promise that once I’m back in the real world (later this week) I will have amusing observations about other people (other people! imagine!), but there’s just one more thing I’d like to mention.

One of the Big Things I’ve realised from these past few weeks.

It’s a good idea not to take things for granted.

Things like health.

My whole life (all 25 years of it), I’ve been cheerfully healthy. I’ve always recovered from sickness quickly, never had that much to begin with, and have been able to pretty much ignore my health and nothing bad ever happened (well, till now). That’s not to say I’ve abused my health — I’ve always eaten really well and done a wee bit of exercise and I’ve stayed away from cigarettes and alcohol and all that jazz, but I never gave Health (with a capital H) much thought.

These past few weeks I’ve given Health (with a capital H) a whole lot of thought. Because, when you think about it, it’s very difficult to do anything if you’re not healthy. Two of my most frustrating symptoms have been a fuzzy head and blurry vision. Which means no clear thinking, no reading, no writing. Yikes! Where’s the quality of life without thought and words? And it’s only in the past two days, since my eyes and head have cleared, my sugar has come down and my energy is (at last!) returning, that I’ve recognised how incredible it is to feel well.

Just average, common or garden well.

It’s such a thrill!

I’m hoping this sense of joy in my health — in being able to climb a flight of stairs and carry a bag and drive a car, all those little ordinary things — will continue.

It feels as if I’ve won the jackpot.