BMI 26, Lacoste Polo Size 6

West Bromwich Albion 0 v Sheffield United 2

The Championship

Saturday 29 October 2022

SUFC 2022/23 Game #26

Bristol City 0 v Sheffield United 1

The Championship

Tuesday 1 November 2022

SUFC 2022/23 Game #27

Sheffield United 5 v Burnley 2

The Championship

Saturday 5 November 2022

SUFC 2022/23 Game #28

Well. That's been quite the week. A good week to remind myself that this Blog is just my journal, my diary. I've been conflicted as to whether to include personal details. But, why not? Monday, the day before the Bristol game, I was in my hotel room behind the Left Handed Giant BrewPub in Bristol. And I fielded a call from my GP Surgery about my most recent blood test. I also had to be available the next day, (the day of the Bristol game), during a three hour window, for a telephone consultation with the Nurse.

I don't want to sound dramatic. I was born in the 50s. And, I'm in my 60s. I portray my health as…

"A cocktail of low level, non threatening issues that are not unusual for someone of my age & lifestyle."

High Blood Pressure. High Cholesterol. My Body Mass Index is 26. I'm overweight. I'm not obese. I don't smoke. I average 10,710 steps per day. I'm just about to begin Week 8 (of 9) of Couch to 5k (meaning I am currently running for 25 minutes three times a week).

I consider myself healthy & active. Sure, I feel knackered at times. But I don't feel ill.

The main metric I use to judge my health is that I can still fit comfortably into a size 6 Lacoste Polo (but, fuck me, avoid SlimFit).

But. But. But. I am Type II Diabetic. Diagnosed fifteen years ago. As the "witty" terrace Bantz Chants tell us…

"Diabetes, it's coming for you…"

Perspective needed. People in a far worse position than me. Real, here and now, life threatening issues. Grand scheme of things, I'm still fully in the game.

But, take it in abstract. There's this illness. Where you might never have "symptoms" - I never have. And, although there are diet and lifestyle things at play, you might consider yourself to be just a bit unlucky that your insulin is not quite up to scratch.

It's potentially life limiting. You're ticking away. Building up problems for when you're a bit older. Too much sugar rattling around. Blocking things up. Your heart. Your liver. Blood vessels. But, today, now, you don't feel ill. You don't have any symptoms. In my case, you only know you've got the fucking illness because it showed up in a Blood Test you had when there was something fucking else wrong with you. It's an OBTW condition.

"Oh, by the way, you've got Type II Diabetes"

And, I love science. No mate, I ain't dun me own research. I've let the fucking hero coneheads take care of that for me. The HbA1c Blood Sugar Test is genius. You can't cheat it by laying off stuff the week before the test. From a single, point in time, armful of blood, it gives you the three month average of sugar in your blood.

A thing that doesn't make you feel ill. But is likely to kill you if you're not careful. That you check with a Blood Test. Which is stark & you can't fudge it. And, let's be honest the way through it is obvious - cut out the chocolates, wine gums, biscuits, Aldi knock off Magnums and ALE.

Get to fuck, man. That's not an illness. It's an episode of Dr Who.

But, as I say, science. The Nurse prescribed me another Wonder Drug. At the current rate I'm being prescribed Wonder Drugs, if I live until I'm 80, I'll be on 20 Wonder Drugs per day.

As you may know by now, I'm a ticker, a recorder. I've already quoted my Steps. Over a period of many years, I average 29.19 units of alcohol per week. I started this Blog exactly three thousand days ago. And I have Blogged from 1,166 days/games/events. Say, on average, I Blog from a game every three days.

If I were to drink two pints of 4% ale at every game I Blog from, no ale at any other time, I would average just 12 units of alcohol per week. That is below the NHS recommendation of 14 units. Recommendations. Paaaah. Love it, loathe it, dismiss it - but my Blood Sugar is too high. I've got to work with something, from somewhere.

Here's the deal. I've asked for a Blood Test week commencing 23 January 2023. The dreaded HbA1c you're only fooling yourself test. Until then - no choccies, sweeties, biccies or ice cream. And ale only on "away days". And controlled as best as possible to 14 units per week.

And, you didn't sign up for this, but if you stick with it, you're now my support group. No choccies, etc. AwayDay only ale. Unrealistic. So, rather than abstain. I'll come clean. I'll post in this Blog my successes and failures. (As if the fucking thing isn't self indulgent enough already).

Help a Brother out…

"My name is Phil, I'm now Blogging as ball_sugar, and since the Bristol City game, I have consumed NO choccies etc. And NO ale."

(There is actually a thing called Diabetes Anonymous. Good luck to my muckas who go down that route)

All that by way of explaining, there might not be as much Beer Blogging as we're used to. But, let's see where "we" are the end of January.

So, to get out of the hole, we'll have one beer from West Brom. And some Hot Takes from today's superbalous win against Burnley.

Our mates, the Black Country Bozos, kidnapped us after the Brom game. I'm going to single out;

The Vine Inn, Bull & Bladder

10 Delph Rd., Brierley Hill DY5 2TN

Home to the institution that is Bathams Brewery. They basically serve Bitter & Mild.

Bathams Brewery, Best Bitter on Cask at 4.3%

Which was wonderful. And, well, what can I say, doesn't taste like a Best Bitter.

Burnley Hot Takes

Ball Tampering

I'm sure you all saw the Ball Boys with the towels to dry the ball for Jack Robinson long throws. But, on 40 minutes, did you also see the Burnley sub rubbing the ball into the grass, plastic and white line with his feet to make the ball as wet as possible before the throw?

We're in it

I knew this to be true on 50 minutes. Wide right. McBurnie and a Brunlea challenging for the same ball. McBurnie, correctly on this occasion, not interested in the ball, puts his full weight in. Knocks the fucker over. Puts himself in the game. And the game in himself. Towered over him on the deck and said…

"There's fucking more of that later if you still fancy it"

tbh, I couldn't really hear, so that's a creative interpretation.

Minutes Applause

Not my thing. Condolences etc. Do what you have to do. No problem with it. But, not my thing. After the choreography, Gazza Sinclair thanked the crowd, and the crowd effectively applauded the applause. We are where we are.

Top on GD

When our fourth went in, I enthusiastically announced that had put us Top on Goal Difference. Whoop. Whoop. The Carrier Bag Firm gently pointed out that the EFL rules mean you take Points first, before Goal Difference, and Burnley were in fact still three points ahead of us. The CBF are good with details like that.

Final Hot Take - don't forget about 'Dre.

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Stats

I have now Blogged from 1,166 games in 3,000 days