Health & Fitness

Category: Terry Foster's battle with diabetes

Fighting for the family

I was not afraid. I did not view it as a death sentence. I simply thought of my wife and kids after I was told I had type 2 diabetes. I was determined to fight this disease with every ounce of energy I had.

I have known of people who had kidney failure, had limbs chopped off and went blind. A family friend had diabetes. She was a numbers runner who somehow kept the books despite almost being completely blind. I remember my Aunt Margo used to take her grocery shopping because she could not drive. And this woman named Blanche wore the thickest glasses I'd ever seen. But she kept the books.

I do not want to end up this way. I need to help my family for as long as I can. My daughter Celine recently turned 10. My son Brandon turns 8 in December. I helped bring them into the world now I must try to carry them for as long as possible.

I recently heard from a man who said he weighs more than 300 pounds, has diabetes and said he drinks a liter of Pepsi a day along with burgers and fries and whatever else he wants. He said he cannot stop his addiction to food. He also has two children. My advice to him was simple: Think about the kids. It is not just about you and your health. It is about raising a healthy family and our children and wives need us to be there.

With that in mind it was time to take step one of battling diabetes and controlling my weight.

I can be reached at Terry.Foster@detnews.com or 313-222-1494. Follow me on twitter.com/bigscoop.