It’s been kind of a rough day.

I woke up really early this morning.  I planned on cleaning up the ATV and participating in the Memorial Day Parade with the 150th Anniversary Committee.  I took my pills and such after getting ready.  I went out and got the ATV ready.  I had to run and get gas for the ATV so I was running a bit behind.  This is where things started to go sideways for my day.

I went to the lineup area and met with the rest of the group.  I asked the police officers if they needed help with traffic control since the ATV is decked out with a yellow light bar and flashers.  They asked me to help up the street at the main intersection.  I proceeded with the parade without ever giving a thought to the fact that I forgot to eat breakfast.  My sugar has been slightly high so forgetting isn’t the most terrible thing, as long as I remember to grab a snack or something.  I take both my diabetic medicines before breakfast.  I totally didn’t think about it once I got involved with the parade.  Today… was not a good day to forget.

The parade follows Main Street up to Chestnut Street and then up into Haywood Cemetery.  A short ceremony is held to honor “The Fallen”.  I ended up being the final vehicle in the parade.  I followed straight up to the ceremony.  Two problems started to become noticeable as I stood the whole time.  The first was one I expected.  My back and right leg began to grump because of the uneven slope of the hillside where I was standing.  The second problem came more slowly and much less noticeable at first.  My sugar began to drop.  I get warning signs that its dropping.  I realized that it was dropping about halfway through the ceremony.  It wasn’t a rapid thing but I knew I was going to need to eat as soon as I left the cemetery.

Mistake number two … I didn’t eat when I got back to the house.  I pulled the motorcycle out of the barn and put the ATV away.  I decided I would come in and change, then go get something to eat.  I monkeyed with my malfunctioning computer a bit… Oops!  I got the computer working but quickly realized that I was no longer in the warning stages of dropping sugar levels.  My sugar was down to the point where I start to get the shakes and feel sick.  At this point, I normally am smart and grab some candy, sugar lozenges that I keep around or drink something sweet.

Mistake number three… I hopped on the bike and headed up town.  I ate and decided I would ride north…  Maybe end up at Presque Isle.  I still didn’t feel well, so I sat at the table for a bit.  It usually takes a bit for my sugar to catch up to the rest of me.   I still didn’t feel well.  When I don’t feel well, I usually stay off the bike.  I figured that I would feel better as my body got the sugar back in allignment. Off I went.

When I don’t feel well, my back pain becomes overbearing.  I changed my destination to Goddard State Park.  I got to the park.  There was a lot of people about. I wanted to see if I could see the eagles that nest across from the one launch.  I was hurting so bad that I actually thought about getting off the bike and just lay down on the grass and take a nap.  I knew that was  a bad idea.  I needed to get home.  If spasms started out here, I’d be calling someone to get me and the bike.  I bolted for home.

I stopped in Greenville at Big Lots.  I knew they have a bench in the lobby where I could sit for a bit.  From there, I bolted home.  I parked the bike by my truck and went staight in and laid down on the bed.  It took a while to get comfortable.  I feel a bit better tonight.  It was really dumb to try and ride when I felt that way.

I don’t plan on doing that again.

~Cappy