Breakfast of Champions

"To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone." ~Reba McEntire

After fasting from midnight until ten in the morning, the only thing that I could have for breakfast was a bottle of orange liquid that a nurse handed me to drink. The sugar coated mix of glucose vaguely resembled the citrus beverage Orangina in a way, but ten times sweeter. This breakfast of champions concoction was meant to test my glucose tolerance. And so the glucose challenge began....

The reason I was having this test done is because it is common in those with Cystic Fibrosis to develop Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes(CFRD). Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes is a unique type of diabetes and is not the same as diabetes in people without CF. The two types of diabetes in a non-CF population are Type I diabetes(insulin dependent) and Type II diabetes(known as non-insulin dependent). CFRD has some features of both types of diabetes. I have been more fatigued and my lung function has been low which are common symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes. I was hoping deep down inside that I wouldn't have to add CFRD to my CF résumé. CFRD develops in CF patients because our pancreas becomes scarred causing the body to not properly produce insulin.


Blood was drawn before as well as after I drank the orange goop. The results came back that my fasting level was 88 and 2 hours after I drank the orange glucose my level was 172. My fasting level was normal which was great to hear and the 2 hours after showed impaired glucose tolerance(borderline diabetic), but was not high enough to declare that I have Cystic Fibrosis Related Diabetes. I was happy to hear those results! I don't mind staying borderline and would hope to remain that way for years to come(my optimistic side coming out). After the blood draws and fasting were done, I immediately ate a plethora of food, and enjoyed each scrumptious bite!