Diabetes & kidneys

I had a visit with my doctor on Friday.  It was a follow up after having been diagnosed with diabetes three weeks ago.  Among other things we talked about kidney disease.  The two leading contributors to kidney disease are diabetes and high blood pressure.  As a precautionary measure he has given me a prescription for a medication that is generally given to diabetics to help ward off kidney problems.

This came as bit of a shock.  I already knew that those who suffer from kidney failure are generally diabetic, but I had not viewed this as a problem that I might experience.  Given my vocation in life, I know a bit about a renal diet which those with kidney problems must follow.  It is a very restrictive diet.  Way more restrictive than a diabetic diet.  This is not exactly something that I want to experience.

Since then I have reflected on the life one of my aunts, Velma Gill Stokes, pictured above.  Velma was one of the world's great sweethearts.  Kind, loving, dedicated, and caring.  Velma passed away nearly two years ago at the age of 87.  Velma had diabetes and suffered from kidney failure.  She had to undergo dialysis treatments for the last years of her life.  She did not let this slow her down.  At her funeral her bishop remarked how Velma would go for dialysis in the morning and would be in the temple in the afternoon.  If I end up facing  the same type of challenge, I think I would be thrilled to live 87 years and serve in the temple all while living with these challenges.  Velma Stokes, a modern day pioneer, who blazed the path that I (and others) may have a clearer road to travel.