In 2017, when 34-year-old police officer Prince Blue wasn’t feeling right, he couldn’t figure out why. Regular check-ups showed normal lab results, but he was experiencing symptoms like frequent urination, dizziness, and unexplained weight loss.
It was during a vacation in Mexico, when he struggled to read street signs, that Blue first considered diabetes as a possible cause.
Back home in North Carolina, similar symptoms while on duty prompted him to get medical help. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a condition where the body doesn’t use insulin properly.
With medical guidance, insulin therapy, other medications, diet adjustments, regular exercise, and a glucose monitor, Blue now effectively controls his blood sugar, blood pressure, and weight, though he admits it’s a constant effort.
He also deals with neuropathy, a common diabetic complication causing nerve damage that affects his ability to feel and grip.
His family history and personal health indicators, like weight and high blood pressure, hinted at diabetes, but he wasn’t diagnosed until his blood sugar levels spiked significantly.
Blue regrets not taking earlier advice about managing his weight and blood pressure more seriously, which might have contributed to his condition.
He also never received a prediabetes diagnosis, where blood sugar levels are high but not high enough for diabetes.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 40% of Americans have prediabetes, with more than 10% suffering from diabetes, either type 1 or type 2.
