More context: after the diagnosis

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes there was some concern that I might actaully be a Type 1a or LADA (latent autoimmune diabetes in adult) diabetic. After many blood tests, which search for certain antibody markers in the blood, it was determined that I was a non-obese type 2 diabetic. The ketoacidosis was a stumper initially, and by far the most dangerous aspect of my untreated diabetes. The ph balance of human blood exists in vary narrow band of homeostasis: 7.35 to 7.45. Above or below that blood becomes acidic or basic and when that happens, systems start to shut down. When a body can no longer burn glucose (because insulin isn't present or isn't being utilized) it starts burning fat; and when the result of that burning (acetone) can no longer be properly be removed from the blood stream fully, the breath becomes "fruity" because the body is trying to get rid of the excess acetone the only way it can: through the lungs.
After stabilizing my diabetes through the fall and winter of 2004 and 2005 I was working out more and riding my bike some more. And in the spring of 2005 I became a bike mechanic for Erik's bike shop on the west side of Madison. I was in shape and felt like my life was moving foward even though I was working for a bike shop as a mechanic in my late 30s. Maybe I felt that way because I was working there. For the first time in my life I was working in a job that actually interested me...though I would find that would change soon enough. A lot of it had to do with the people I was working with. Cool guys who were for the most part also nice guys (with a few exceptions, notably one assistant manager, who was cool most of the time, except under pressure!).

I wish I had the records of what my A1Cs were at that time. They are on paper somewhere, whereas everything after 2006 is online so I can readily access that, so I will have to request those records.... ok, the beauty of the introwebs, I just went to my PCP interface and requested paper records of my results previous to September 2006.

Needless to say I was in shape, felt good, and was healthy, with one notable exception: Alcohol. At this point, in the spring of 2005, my alcohol consumption was at its lowest but was still higher than it should have been. Mostly my inappropriate usage at that point was in social situations: I was drinking a lot with the guys after work, or during fishing trips, but not at other times. It got progressively worse, many stories that I will cover, in as much depth as possible, in other posts.