One of these quilters never misses my Water Walking classes.  The class she attends is designed for physically challenged people. Introducing Kathy Ward.  She plans her schedule around this Water Walking class.  She says, “It is easy to exercise in the water.”  Water exercise has been the key component in Kathy’s plan to lose weight and overcome Sugar Diabetes.

Four years ago, Kathy was a size 24.  She has lost 100 pounds.  In 2001, eight years ago, she was diagnosed with adult onset, Type II Diabetes.  For the first three months she took diabetic medications.  She then stopped the meds and began a heart healthy 1800 calories a day way of life.  Throughout each day she eats three meals and a bedtime snack.  She has carbohydrates, protein and fats.  She has fruits, veggies, salads, chicken, turkey, eggs, dairy, and bread. 

My Water Walking classes are just twice a week for one hour.  As they needed much more exercise, Kathy and her husband joined a revolving group of 10 or 12 friends who go to our indoor pool at 6:45 PM each evening and walk for an hour.  When the serious water walking is finished, they gather in the pool to socialize and enjoy life.  Adding fun to exercise is the secret to sticking to your plan.  They all look forward to the enjoying the evening with friends.

For those in the group who do not suffer with diabetes, they are doing the best thing possible to prevent crossing the border to a lifetime of blood sugar testing.  John Buse, President for Medicine and Science at the American Diabetes Association says, “Our only hope is to do prevention.”  Existing medical therapies for type 2 diabetes have not stemmed the growing obesity related epidemic which now affects 24 million Americans.  Another 57 million Americans have blood sugar levels that put them at risk for developing diabetes.  Millions of these people could change their lives by having fun with friends just by Water Walking.  I see far too many adults lounging on noodles in the water without moving their arms or legs.

The stakes are high and getting higher each year.  The number of people with diabetes has increased 13.5 percent since 2005.  Continuing at this rate, 1 in every 3 people born in 2000, will develop diabetes.  This will put them all at high risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and nerve damage.  As an aquatic exercise professional, all of your classes give you with the opportunity to help hundreds of people in the prevention of diabetes.  That is an awesome challenge.

It has not been smooth sailing for my class member, Kathy.  She had a hip replacement last April.  And she has had back spasms, a ruptured disk and a broken vertebra.  She was out of the water for six weeks.  A terrible sore throat when a virus attacked a nerve resulted in major taste problems.  She has celebrated 65 birthdays.  When the years roll by, more and more physical problems can block ones path to weight loss and interrupt one’s exercise plan.  This is true for all people in those “Golden Years.”

The roadblocks have not stopped Kathy.  This past year alone, she lost 30 pounds.  Her focus is always on getting back to class, getting back to water walking.  And she bounces back.

Last week, Kathy had major blood testing done.  This is the best part of the story.  Her doctor said,”You are no longer in the diabetic blood range and I don’t think that is going to change.”  Overcoming sugar diabetes is an amazing accomplishment.

Congratulations to a brave lady who pursues her goals and always finds time to think of others, especially those wounded military heroes.  The water has helped her turn her life around.  I truly have been watching a miracle.