http://wnyt.com/article/stories/s3646960.shtml
Three million Americans have Type 1 diabetes. It happens when the pancreas stops producing insulin. Genetic and environmental factors are believed to be the cause. It can strike at any age.
Good control of sugar levels is key to staying healthy. A local man knows all too well what happens when you don't.
“There've been a lot of challenges,” explained Jim Mextorf, 48.
His 6 ft. 6 in. frame bears that out. As he coaches the Junior Varsity basketball team at Albany Academy you can see the hitch in his gait because of a prosthetic right leg.
As the team aims for the basket they miss the scar across his scalp, covered now by a full head of hair.
It's from surgery to repair a brain aneurysm.
They never notice the host of other scars and dings caused by diabetes when something as simple as a foot sore can lead to a life threatening event.
“In that process, between vascular surgery and everything else, I had the infection go to my heart and to my brain and I wound up needing a valve transplant after the amputation and then, an aneurysm surgery last February,” he said.
Mextorf was diagnosed with type one diabetes when he was 14-years-old. He took insulin as prescribed but otherwise was too cavalier, he'll tell you, about paying attention to the details of the disease.
“I didn't check my sugars like I should,” Mextorf noted.
He was too busy setting records on the basketball court at his high school in Pennsylvania and then at Siena College where he was named captain, twice.
“I thought I could get away with it because I was so active, and I felt great. Problem is, you can feel great and your body's still getting damaged,” warned Mextorf.
Now, he's dealing with the damage. Poorly controlled sugar levels wreak havoc on the cardio-vascular system of people with diabetes and too often that leads to kidney damage.
Three years ago his kidneys shut down. He's been on dialysis ever since.
Now it's three times a week - four and a half hours each session as he waits for a kidney transplant.
However, he's not wasting his time. He's starting to go public with his story - especially focusing on kids - to help them avoid his fate.
“You should eat good food. You should take care of yourself. You should watch the fats. You should watch the sugars. All that stuff that they tell you that anybody should really do, not just the diabetic,” he suggested.
Mextorf, who manages the data center operations for New York State and also sings in a band, knows many of his best shots will be blocked. He's got more surgery in January to remove his parathyroid glands.
However, he's got a clear game plan. Share his message, hit the hardwood for solace and rely on his family, two sons, two step-daughters and wife, for support.
“I want to get to know my grandkids and beyond so I plan on staying whether they like it or not. I'm here,” he said as he laughed.
More information on Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can be found here.