Diabetes can strike at any age. In addition to sneaking up on individuals, diabetes has a history of symptoms which, if not identified quickly can take a huge toll on a person and greatly interfere with their life.
Diabetes can attack a homemaker, a business man or woman, a person of any ethnic group or age, and even amateur or professional athletes.
One case in point is the Washington Nationals Baseball Team. Their first baseman Dmitri Young, has diabetes. This does not stop him from playing baseball, just as it does not stop Mary Tyler Moore from acting.
However, when a person – even a pro athlete – is battling symptoms of diabetes that are affecting his or her ability to play, that is a different story. Dmitri Young is having trouble controlling the symptoms of his diabetes and, as a result he was unable to join his team on the road for part of last summer’s season. He had to stay in Washington, D.C. to try to get his diabetes under control.
There are times when the symptoms don’t create enough problems to cause someone away from work. However, in some cases the symptoms interfere with basic performance. In Dmitri Young’s case, his symptoms did not allow him to play ball. He is suffering from vision problems and dizziness, not a good combination for a ball player.
Many diabetics experience flare ups from time to time and have to work with their physicians to get their symptoms under control. This can involve a variety of things including special diet, adjusting medication, exercise and/or rest and other assistance to get the individual back on track.
It is not known how long it will take Dmitri Young to get his diabetes under control. This can be devastating to anyone, but especially to an athlete. Hopefully, he and his medical professionals will find the right combination of tools to control his symptoms and help him get ready to be back in the game for next season.
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