#FlashbackFriday My last High School Football game & a 558 blood sugar

October 28, 2005.  11 years ago today, I played my last Football game.  I played a year in college, but I never count that to be honest.  The first half of our season, we lost 3 games across a combined 4 points.  We had 3 key starters missing due to injury and vs. the defending WPIAL champs, this was one hell of a round one playoff game to step into.

Our team rallied mid season after a tough loss to Center in week 4, and rebounded the following week with a memorable whooping of the highly respected Aliquippa Quips. 36-0 to be exact.  Something I'll never forget.  That whole night was surreal, against a tough, talented, well coached team, you just don't expect it.  Fast forward one month and we scratched our way into the regional playoffs riding a huge momentum swing after a 4 game win streak. 

My lack there of blood sugar control during this time period of my life is well documented.  My blood sugars on Friday nights ranged anywhere from 270-430ish.  Looking down at my meter pre game or during halftime was always scary, but at 17 and 18 years old, my only concern was being out there with my teammates, and not labeled, "the diabetic who can't play."  

I ate my usual pre game meal, chicken marsala and potatoes from Levanti's, and 1 half cup of gatorade.  My blood sugar was 193 about an hour pre kick off, which was easily the most controlled reading I had one hour before kickoff.   However,  I panicked.  Yes, I panicked thinking my sugar would crash during the game if it was already 193.  See, I didn't really understand the effects of adrenaline and stress and how it impacts a diabetic at this time, so any excess sugar consumed could pose as a real problem.  

Well, I hurried and chewed up a package of crackers, washed it down with a small cup of gatorade and went out to field punts and warm up.  As the "early birds" headed back to the locker room after our warm up, my cotton mouth mirrored Wiz Khalifa with painfully chapped lips.  I couldn't get this odd sensation of dryness out of my mouth.  My legs felt weird too.  Maybe it was the nerves, maybe it was the extra cup of gatorade, probably just nerves though, right? I drank some water but I felt unusually odd, still I assumed it was just pregame nerves.  I assumed my sugar was up a bit from the 193 pre warm up reading, plus I ate a few crackers, so I guesssed it was maybe high 200's.  I was too caught up in the moment, and ignored rechecking before heading out. Another rookie mistake. 

Shortly before kickoff, Coach Beltz confirmed with me that I would indeed be back returning kicks since our other returner was ruled out for the game.  I returned punts for two years, so getting a chance to return kicks was exciting.  When I Lined up for the return and I tracked the ball in the air, my vision felt odd, it appeared blurry.  My legs felt like jello.  I felt slow, I resembled somebody who smoked a pack of cigarettes and then tried sprinting.  I shook it off as nerves once again and assumed I'd settle down within the next few minutes.  Before the end of the first quarter, we were down 21-0.  My breathing felt very heavy too early in the game, and my mouth was still terribly dry.  I'd experienced lethargy during most games but never anything this overwhelming.  I needed some water and a breather.  

I signaled to my coach to send somebody in place of me.  My brother Matt was a manager on the team that year, he hurried over to me and asked, "is your sugar ok?"  I replied, confused, "dude I have no fucking idea, I don't feel right though."  He pricked my finger, and in 5 seconds, it read, "558."  His eyes, appearing as if he just saw a ghost, "here start drinking this water, you need to sit down."  Mr. Burke, our athletic trainer, ironically too a Type 1 Diabetic, came over to me, "Trbo, what's your sugar?" As a cold towel was draped over my head and I sat on the bench, I heard Matt utter, "Burke it's 558."  Matt turned around and hand gestured to my parents in the stands, "558."  My Dad ran down and asked if I was ok, I said I just needed a few minutes, and was doing my best not to panic.

As terrifying as my glucose reading was, I looked up and the score was 28-0, then in a blink, 35-14.  We scored twice, but Seton La-Salle was overpowering us.  I sat out the whole 2nd quarter.  As my parents, trainer, and brother were rightfully worried about my health, I can recall a calming sensation that overtook me.  I guess you could chalk it up as one of those divine moments that forever sticks with you.  I asked for just enough strength to get me through this game, one last time with my teammates and best friends.  A few moments I can remember blanking out, and just looking out at the field, not really hearing much, I was numb.  Not going back in wasn't even an option in my mind.  I did deep breathing exercises, drank water, and walked up and down the sideline talking to all players.  I kept telling myself, "just get to halftime, stay calm, drink some water, please stay calm."

We went into halftime now down 42-14.  Emotions ran high in the locker room. The end of the road realization for the seniors became all too real, this was our final game together.  More than anything, I remember looking over at fellow senior captains, Evan Nardone, and Ryan Brink, two of my best friends, giving each other a head nod, "let's finish this, we're going out together."  Now mind you, they have zero idea I am a few points away from my blood sugar telling me to seek medical help.  After consulting with Mr. Burke and my Dad, if my sugar was still in the 500's I had to sit out the rest of the game for my own safety.  I checked again, praying it had come down, "377" I read on my one touch ultra.  I went over to Mr. Burke, "Hey I am 377, can I go back in?" He looked at me, shook his head, "if you feel ok, go, but please don't risk anything, this is it, there's no more next week Trbo."  

I wish Hudl existed back then, because that tape would prove that we came out and were the better team in the second half.  We played tough, we played loose, we played with confidence again.  I remember playing one of the best defensive games of my career.  7 tackles, an interception, pass deflection, and a highlight tape esque hit on a receiver. I had a 15 yard fade touchdown catch that the refs called out of bounds (where the hell was instant replay in 2005).  I remember smiling a lot out there, even in the 4th when I knew I'd never play with these guys again, we were all soaking up the moment.  Strangely enough, I felt my sugar regulating itself, I could tell it was coming down as the extreme side effects I felt in the first half had faded off.  As the game ended and we lost 42-24, I looked around and thought, "Wow, that's it, that just happened.  Wow...."  

As upsetting as you'd think we'd be, our team rallied together when all playoff hopes were shot, and we walked off the field one last time together, our pride held high.  I can recall a dude who talked trash to me all game, tried cheap shotting me several times, even called me sunshine probably 100 times (jealous of my blonde surfer locks) hugged me while in line,  "dude, one hell of a game."  Their head coach patted me on the shoulder, "24, that was one hell of a defensive game you played son."  Damn, if he only knew I was a few gatorade swigs from an over 600 blood sugar earlier on, he'd asked for my autograph.  A true rollercoaster of a night, upon arriving back to Beaver and winding down from the night, my blood sugar reading was 100.  An absolutely crazy swing.  Luckily, I didn't give myself any fast acting insulin, or for sure, my sugar would have bottomed out in a bad way.  

Not all athletic careers end with a 4th quarter game winning touchdown in the State Championship, or as a Super Bowl MVP.  I had a lot of fun while I played and learned a lot about myself.  In 2016,  I am most thankful I was never carted off the field, or that my parents or teammates had to witness any dramatic health scares.  I never wanted to be known as a diabetic, I tried living secretive about it at all times.  So it's pretty cool and even more ironic now to open up and reflect on how unique of a night my last Football game played out to be.