Tennis

Just Like Federer

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Earlier this month, I watched Roger Federer make his return to tennis after six months off at the Hopman Cup in Perth. At the time, I hardly would have expected him to make it to the Men’s Final of the Australian Open.

His last grand slam title was back in 2012, and he’s now well into his 30s. He was also matched against one of his greatest rivals, Rafael Nadal, against whom he did not have the odds of beating.

Yet last night, I was glued to the edge of my seat as I watched Federer break back his serve in the fifth set, and then earn a break of his own that saw him serve for the match.

It’s pretty remarkable to think that Roger Federer has been playing tennis for as long as I can remember. Although he hasn’t won a grand slam title since Wimbledon 2012, it hasn’t stopped him from continuing to play tennis.

I suppose the same can be said of Venus Williams, who scored runner up in the Women’s Final on Saturday night after a few quiet years. Mirjana Lucic Baroni, who made the Women’s Semi Finals for the first time since 1999! And Rafael Nadal, who is constantly prone to injury, but continues to persevere.

My diabetes management is feeling like a very endless task at the moment. In January, the victories feel like they have been outweighed by frustration. The motivation to diligently attend to self management tasks subsequently disappeared. The care factor has just not been there.

Yet watching some of these seasoned tennis players over the past two weeks has been so inspiring. For many of them, the victories have been far and few. Yet they continue to persevere. Their endurance never wavers. They are passionate, and enjoy what they do.

Unlike these guys, I can’t say that I am passionate about, or enjoy tending to a broken pancreas.

However just like Federer, I am confident that I will persevere to see the victories once again.

Tennis, With a Serve of Diabetes

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By far, my favourite thing about January is the tennis.

Two weeks ago I went to the Hopman Cup in Perth, one of the tennis tournaments traditionally held in the lead up to the Australian Open this week.

Having seen Andy Murray last year, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind as to who I wanted to see this year – Serena Williams. I was so damn excited to see her play. She is just such an entertaining player to watch. I love her expression and her attitude, which she doesn’t try to hide. I love seeing her come onto the court with a bandage on her leg, seemingly injured, and yet still thrash her opponent. And I love watching her talk down her performance after a killer win.

Needless to say, I was so damn excited to see her play that night.

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When I arrived home after work that day, my blood sugar was 10.4. Which was okay, considering I’d only had my lunch 2 hours ago.

I wasn’t particularly hungry, but I knew I’d be hungry later. Wanting to avoid junk food after all of my festive eating, I packed myself a Burgen Bread sandwich of leftover cutlets from the night before. Even though the Arena had a strict no food policy, I was pretty confident I’d be able to sneak it in. But hey, I could always milk my diabetes for all it was worth, if I had to.

I was still 10.4 as we were getting ready to leave, and I gave myself a generous correction of 2 units.

When we parked the car at the Arena, I dialled up my Lantus dose. It was a little earlier than normal, and I knew that I’d have an hour or so of overlapping insulin. But it would save me the hassle of doing it while I was in there. I knew that the game would be a long one, and I’d likely be eating less than I would at home. I dialled up 10 units, rather than the 11 or 12 that I gave the night prior, and left my pen in the glovebox.

Going past security was a piece of cake. I managed to sneak my sandwich and water bottle through, hidden safely underneath the pile of jackets. Apparently water must be uncapped, in case we decide to launch the cap (rather than the empty bottle) at the court.

Serena came onto court, and it was so damn exciting to see her. She had pulled out of her match the previous day as a precaution, and I was so worried that I wouldn’t get to see her play.

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Unfortunately after the first set, she had to forfeit the match as a precaution for her inflamed knee. It was disappointing, but an hour was still better than no Serena at all.

I was ready to eat that sandwich, and tested my blood sugar. 5.7. I finished it, and quickly went off to the bathroom to bolus 5 units before Lleyton Hewitt came out to play in the Men’s match.

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That night, I was trying so hard to be good. I turned down lollies. I turned down hot chips. I turned down more lollies. Until 8.32pm, when I went hypo.

Not exactly my ideal, carb counted hypo treatment, I really had to give it my best guess. I measured out a handful of lollies into my palm, and began to chew them down. Still feeling shaky and in doubt a few minutes later, I grabbed another handful.

When I headed back to the car at the end of a great night, I was a lovely 19.0. Insert your swear word of choice here.

I had tried so hard to be good that night, and yet one small error with the bolus for my sandwich mucked it up. Yeah, I was bloody annoyed with myself. But it happens. It’s always going to happen, because I’m only human.

But at the end of the day, it’s not the hypo that I’m going to remember about that night.

I’m going to remember one awesome night of tennis that I got to watch.