Broughty Ferry man Colin Rattray is warning others of the dangers of sugary drinks and snacks – after losing his leg to diabetes.
Colin, 53, says all ages need to be aware of the devastating effects of bad lifestyle choices.
The former manager of Fat Sam’s nightclub says looking back he was “so stupid” not to modify his lifestyle when he was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2000.
He says: “I was 32, really busy with my career taking off at the time.
“But I’d been feeling really run down – drinking a lot of fluids, peeing a lot and just wasn’t feeling great.
“It was when a friend who is a nurse said she smelled ketones – apparently it smells like pear drops – on my breath she advised I should get to the hospital and get tested for diabetes.”
Colin went to hospital where a test confirmed he had diabetes and, because his blood sugar was dangerously high, he was admitted.
He adds: “The doctor told me my size and the fact I was reasonably fit at the time were the reasons I hadn’t died.
“You’d think that would be enough of a fright, but it wasn’t.
“I was so silly, so stupid looking back. I thought if I cut out Mars bars, stuck to a plain digestive instead of a chocolate digestive with my coffee, everything would work out.”
Hidden sugars
Not only did he have a sweet tooth, Colin admits he was unaware of the dangers of hidden sugars in foods like pasta.
In 2010, he discovered the brutal consequences of neglecting his health.
After stubbing his toe at work, the digits failed to heal due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients in the blood caused by his diabetes.
Medics had to amputate two toes and two metatarsals from his left foot.
“It was a huge wake-up call for me,” Colin explains. “I really became aware of my condition and controlled my blood sugars consistently.”
In 2018, Colin had another accident at work and the long-term impact of his years of inaction came back to haunt him.
He ran over his right foot with an industrial bin, ending up in hospital again.
His body was unable to heal due to poor circulation caused by his diabetes. He contracted a serious infection called osteomyelitis, which eats away at the bone, and then sepsis in the following months.
‘The sound was the worst part’
“They told me they’d have to take my leg off under the knee. They removed it under local anaesthetic – there was a screen up, but I watched it in the reflection of the mirrored lights.
“The sound was the worst part. Once it was done, they put my leg in a bag and took it away. It was the end of one journey, the beginning of another.
“Since losing my leg I have modified how and what I eat and I take my diabetes seriously,” adds Colin, who now walks with a prosthetic leg. “I’ve paid a heavy price for not listening to my body.
“I hope people hear my story and think twice about what they are eating and the lifestyle they lead.
“Junk food and sugary drinks might be nice at the time, but the trade-off is not worth it.
“I abused myself with food the way an alcoholic does with drink. The word should be spread in schools to kids this is the long term effect of too much sugar.”
Free event for diabetics
Professor Calum Sutherland, an expert in the condition at the University of Dundee’s School of Medicine, says more people need to be aware of the causes of type 2 diabetes and its potentially deadly effects.
He was speaking ahead of a major public event to mark the centenary of the discovery of insulin.
Organised by Diabetes Scotland and hosted by the University of Dundee, Why have I got diabetes?, is a free, online seminar which takes place on Wednesday December 1 from 6pm until – 8pm.
Professor Sutherland says: “Many people do not recognise how dangerous type 2 diabetes and how easy it can be to adopt the unhealthy habits that facilitate it.”
