How My Diabetes Complications Taught Me to Take Care of Myself Better (and How You Could Avoid Them)

“The operation was a success”

Nothing about me no longer having a foot sounded “successful” to me.

I couldn’t even bear to think about the healing process, being in a wheelchair, getting used to prosthetics…

My name is Brooke, and it’s been a little over a year since I lost my right foot to diabetes. I am a thousand times better off today (as hard as that is to believe).

My type 2 diabetes is under control. My A1C is down from a solid 7.4 to 5.6. I’m over 50 pounds lighter. And I’m much healthier, happier, and stronger than I was that day at the hospital.

Diabetes complications can be prevented. I might be better off than I ever was, but you don’t have to go through the same challenges.

The longer you leave it, the more long-term damage you could do. There is an easier way than waiting till it gets worse.

I’m happy to be around to tell you what has helped me the most.

But I didn’t always have everything sorted out.

When I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I tried my best, but I never felt clear on what I had to do.

I googled around and found a lot of conflicting information about what my diet was meant to look like.

I tried to follow some of the diets I saw recommended on the web. All those diets were impossible to stick with. One cheat meal would turn into a cheat day until I didn’t pay much attention to what I was eating or drinking.

Not because I didn’t care. It was just hard to stay accountable without a clear set of rules.

I constantly heard that I needed to “eat healthily” and “exercise” – but that didn’t help. Most doctors talked about a “balanced lifestyle” as something straightforward to achieve.

Cut down carbs. Eliminate sugar. Eat smaller meals throughout the day, exercise five times a week for 30 minutes. Feel motivated no matter what.

But for most of us, it isn’t that easy.

What if I tend to overeat? Have sweet cravings and a late-night snacking habit? Or have no time to cook every day?

And so, I failed to make the lifestyle changes my primary care physician advised. My doctor warned me about the complications of elevated blood sugar levels. But I ignored the signs I should’ve listened to – until it was too late.

I’ve always had a nagging feeling that managing diabetes on my own was way more difficult than it had to be.

I never thought I’d be one of those who struggled with diabetes complications.

I convinced myself that none of this could happen to me.

I would find out soon after that I was wrong.

I stubbed my toe at work one day but didn’t think much about it. I told myself I’d heal – I always had before.

But my blood sugar began to climb.

Over the next week, it turned for the worse. By the time I got to the ER, I had a 105ºF fever, my blood sugar was through the roof, and my toe seemed to be a darker shade.

I waited anxiously while the doctors and nurses did loads of tests.

The nurses kept looking at my chart nervously, as if bad news were on the tip of her tongue.

I will never forget the diagnosis.

At one point, a doctor sat me down to explain that the gangrene in my foot was spreading rapidly. I had damage in my blood vessels and the toe wasn’t able to heal as quickly as it would in a non-diabetic person.

They told me that the only way to “fix” me was to remove the foot and stop the gangrene from spreading any further.

I was crushed. My life was about to change completely.

A couple of hours later, I was in surgery. After a 4-hour operation, the surgeons had successfully removed my foot.

I had to stay in the hospital for weeks after that. I had to heal and go through physical therapy to learn how to walk again. 

It was the single most challenging experience of my life.

I knew that I would now become more reliant on others, which didn’t sit right with me. I didn’t want to become a burden to my family and friends.

I was heartbroken. Most of my family were sympathetic, but some of them put the blame on me for not taking care of myself better.

I was tired of blaming myself for something I felt I had no control over.

My doctor told me I was lucky it didn’t progress into something even more severe. 

And as I’ve come to learn personally, even a small thing can lead to a big issue if left unattended.

I was already overweight and I didn’t have a system in place to help me manage my diabetes.

I knew I had to lose weight, monitor my blood sugar, and eat better to avoid serious complications in the future. And even then, it sounded like no easy task.

I had to track my BG levels and keep up with medications. Watch what I ate and drank all the time, manage my calories and macros. I felt overwhelmed.

The hospital fees took a huge toll on my savings. I knew my mobility issues were going to have an effect on how I go through life. I didn’t want to stand on the sidelines watching my friends and family enjoy life while I had to recover in more ways than one.

To help me cope, my doctor recommended this new, all-in-one diabetes management solution that I can now firmly say saved my life.

It was called Klinio. 

It wasn’t the regular, one-size-fits-all approach you usually see with other diabetes diets and treatments.

A team of professional nutritionists and diabetes specialists create a personalized meal plan. It’s based on your diabetes type, age, weight, eating preferences, health conditions, and so on.

All I had to do was take a simple quiz and answer a few routine questions about myself.

At first, I was skeptical… but I had a lot more to lose than just one foot. So, I signed up for the Klinio plan.

Just 3 months in, I could already see the difference – in my weight, blood sugar, and health.

My A1C is down to a healthy level. Instead of having extreme spikes, I no longer struggle to control my blood sugar levels. 

Even the family that didn’t trust me to manage my diabetes saw the difference. My support group was cheering me on.

When I first signed up for Klinio, I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to avoid cravings. That I wouldn’t be able to stick with it and stay consistent.

But months flew by with no setbacks. I didn’t feel deprived or restricted like when I tried dieting before – no cravings, hunger pangs, or those awful sugar highs and lows. I even felt less tired!

Soon enough, I felt like I’d fallen into a smart routine.

The meal plan is incredibly easy to follow and stick to because all the hard work has been done for me.

With 10,000+ custom-made recipes and daily menus, I know exactly what to eat to keep my blood sugar stable. I can easily swap ingredients to generate new recipe variations in the app. There isn’t anything I don’t like because they let me include my favorite foods. 

They even prepare weekly grocery lists, so I don’t have to worry about food at all.

For the first time, I had something I could easily stick to. It was consistent, informative, and convenient. And it probably gave me a second chance at life.

Despite everything I have been through, I now feel like I’m in a good place. I have greater control over my diabetes than ever before.

I know it would be easy for me to feel down and hold a grudge over my previous handling of the situation. But now, I am proud of who I have become.

I feel free.

I just wish anyone struggling with diabetes management knew about this personalized program.

And if someone had told me about it earlier, I’d probably still have my foot.

But it’s too late. All I can do is take from it what I can and make sure I never make the same mistakes again – maybe even pass on what I have learned to others.

And now you know – you’re one step ahead of me.

I had to own up and take responsibility for my health. And if Klinio helped thousands of people like me, it can help you too.

Been struggling with diabetes, blood sugar, food choices, weight loss, medication, ineffective diets? Here’s the good news:

You can get your own personalized all-in-one diabetes management plan today. It can reduce the chance of diabetes and help get your numbers to a healthy level. I can help you become a better version of yourself, no matter how long you’ve had diabetes.

Try it for yourself – take the quiz and see how Klinio can help you.

Results may vary due to personal factors.

Always consult a professional for medical advice