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Two Titans Battle Diabetes Daily By Jim Wyatt posted 08/15/02 Titans safety Tony George still remembers the reaction of his new teammates when he pulled his kit from his locker and began emptying it on the bench in front of him. Needles. Alcohol swabs. A small bottle containing clear liquid. Then he lifted up his shirt and gave himself a shot. ''Guys were like, 'What are you doing? Are you doing steroids? Drugs?' '' George said. ''Everyone was looking around. No one knew what was going on.'' Today, every player around him knows George, signed by the Titans during the offseason, has diabetes. He was diagnosed with the disease nearly 11 years ago and fights the battle to control it every day of his life. Titans rookie cornerback Mike Echols can relate. He's also a diabetic, diagnosed roughly seven years ago. Like George, he takes at least two shots a day and pricks his finger four or five times a day to test his blood and make sure the blood sugar level doesn't get dangerously high or low. ''It is very comforting, knowing there is somebody you can talk to about it and somebody who is right there with you,'' Echols said. They have Type 1 diabetes, meaning their bodies don't produce insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. When insulin is absent, the blood sugar level increases. High blood sugar levels can lead to short- and long-term problems, including kidney disease and blindness, so diabetics require daily insulin injections. George and Echols, their lockers just two stalls apart, are believed to be the first NFL teammates with Type 1 diabetes, although a spokesman for the American Diabetes Association said Broncos defensive end Mike Sinclair has the disease. Titans trainer Brad Brown said George and Echols are the first diabetics he's worked with in his 16 seasons with the team. ''To play football and go through everything else they have to go through, … they are some tough individuals,'' said safety Aric Morris, whose locker is between those of George and Echols. ''You have to admire them for everything they do.'' Alerting others As a second-year pro with the Patriots in 2000, George was in the same boat as every other player trying to make a good impression on his new coach, Bill Belichick. ''He had just given his no quit, no excuse philosophy,'' George said. ''I was thinking, 'How am I going to tell him my sugar is low, and I can't keep going?' '' But one day during a conditioning test, George had to stop running. An average blood sugar level is 80-120, and his had dropped to a dangerously low 46. He needed a boost of sugar. George failed the test and had to sit out practice as a penalty. He made the roster and played in 15 games that season but then was released and didn't play in the NFL last year. Did Belichick know George had diabetes? George isn't sure. ''I was a quitter to him,'' he said. ''And I never quit anything in my life. From then on it was a tug-of-war between us.'' At the time, Belichick refused to say whether George's problems with the conditioning test were related to his diabetes. Since then, George has gone out of his way to make others, including his teammates, aware of his condition. ''You have to make people aware of what the disease is and what it can do to you. If not, a lot of things can be misunderstood,'' George said. ''I wanted to tell them exactly what I'm doing — the medicine, the needles — so they can understand, so they can look into my eyes and say, 'Hey, Tony, your eyes are looking a little funny. Are you OK? Do you need some sugar?' ''I tell everybody, 'If you see these symptoms, go get a trainer because I am not feeling well or not doing well.' '' The daily routine George and Echols keep their diabetic supplies in their lockers. They check their blood sugar levels before each practice, and it's one of the first things they do once they return to the locker room. They each average two shots a day, but there's always the chance they'll need more. Game days can require a balancing act because a rush of adrenaline can cause blood sugar to rise to dangerous levels quickly. If they overexert themselves to the point their blood sugar drops dramatically, then they munch on a snack or a grab a sugary drink if they need a quick boost. Signs that the blood sugar is too low include shakiness, dizziness, sweating, hunger, headache or sudden mood changes. Signs it's too high include fatigue, nausea, blurry vision and dry mouth and skin. ''I can usually feel it when something isn't right,'' Echols said. ''I start getting cramped up or fatigued and can catch myself before it gets real bad.'' Brown said the Titans training staff has stocked diabetic supplies and now has an extra meter to monitor the blood sugars. There's also insulin and sugar tablets, as well as a Glucagon shot which can be used if a diabetic passes out. ''The biggest adaptation for us was to make sure we had all the supplies they need,'' Brown said. ''But both are very good about how they handle everything, from their diet to everything else they have to do.'' No excuses George and Echols found out they had the disease the same way as many diabetics — they had an unquenchable thirst. Frequent urination, extreme hunger, weight loss and weakness are other signs of diabetes. George said he drank a gallon of milk, a gallon of orange juice and a gallon of water in less than 30 minutes and was still thirsty. His mom took him to the doctor. ''When I first found out I had it, I immediately started crying because I didn't know what diabetes was or what it meant. No one in my family had ever had it. It became a life-altering experience,'' George said. ''At the time, I thought was the most traumatic thing that had ever happened to me, but it turned out it was the best thing that ever happened to me.'' Despite their tougher daily regimen, George and Echols said they still live life to the fullest. George has spent time volunteering with the ADA, and both players said they can be an inspiration to other people with the disease. ''I pride myself and try and let other young kids know that this is nothing that should stop your dreams,'' George said. Insulin-dependent diabetes can occur at any age, though it develops most often in children and young adults. But George and Echols are proving that no matter what path in life people choose, those with diabetes can avoid its related problems if they manage the disease properly. ''It is just something I had to take in stride. I always felt like it's something that's going to make me stronger, and I believe that,'' Echols said. ''It is something I have to do every day, but everybody has something they have to deal with. This is just something I have to deal with. Only here, I don't have to do it alone.'' Source: The Tennessean. |