Managing a teenage diabetic

It’s never easy being a teenager. There are so many emotions inside you, and you often need someone to talk to – Someone who will listen to you and empathise without judging.

And sometimes, life takes unexpected turns. For my nephew, one such turn was his mother (my sister-in-law) passing away. This left him a single child, alone with his father. He was sad, but the true gravity of the situation was yet to unfold.

As time passed, my nephew realised he’d lost more than just a mother.

He’d lost a cook – No one could match the food she prepared for him with love and care. Slowly, he moved towards ordering food and binge-eating junk food in front of the TV.

He’d lost a housekeeper – She was no longer there to make his bed and keep his cupboard organised. Or nag him to get up early, take a bath, and keep his room clean (his dad didn’t wish to raise his voice to an already upset motherless child). So, my nephew lost interest in personal hygiene and keeping his surroundings clean and tidy.

And he’d lost a dear friend and confidante – She had been his best friend and used to listen to his stories and guide him. He’d never been close to his father and didn’t know who to turn to. So he sat in front of the TV all day, binge-watching and numbing his mind.

Trying to help

Seeing my nephew was getting fat, I decided to spend more time with him. Sometimes I made his favourite food for him. Sometimes I stayed up with him all night listening to his stories. Sometimes I cleaned his room. And sometimes I discussed his career choices with him.

But I could never replace his mom.

I asked him to get back into his tennis schedule, but he wasn’t interested – Maybe he wasn’t interested, maybe he didn’t like the pitying glances, or maybe he’d just lost the desire to get involved in anything.

Then, it was time for his annual medical checkup.

The wake-up call

As expected, my nephew’s annual medical checkup showed that his blood sugar count and blood pressure had shot up. He was diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

The doctor advised him to lose weight. But weight is very easy to put on and very difficult to lose. And junk food can become an addiction that’s very difficult to get rid of.

This was a rude awakening for him. Not many girls are willing to go out with someone who is pre-diabetic and fat. On top of this, several kids started body shaming him, and his long hair and unkempt appearance added insult to injury.

He could see his list of friends had become shorter, and he could also see where diabetes was taking him.

Where he is now

Today, my nephew has a regular gym routine. And he’s found a reason to get out of bed early – He has to clean his room and prepare a healthy breakfast (as directed by his gym instructor)

And these simple changes have brought a beautiful new atmosphere to their home. The house is clean, happy and vibrant once more.

He still has a long way to go, but he’s getting there!