One morning, I was greeted by a crisp million dollar bill, neatly laid on my desk.

"Hmmm. Someone tipped me well," I thought smilingly.

A Call from A Friend

Just then, I received a call from a physician - friend, also my patient.  I set the bill aside.

 "X,  I need your help," he said. "I have a young diabetic here.  A brittle case. He was doing well on insulin shots, but at 18, he's rebelling. He's admitted to a diet of junk food and sweets these last few months, thinking he was getting away with it by shooting up more insulin.

Today, his diabetes is out of control.  From GHRs (glucosylated hemoglobin ratings) of 7 and less, today, it 's 15.  I talk to him about losing his sight, his limbs. He's in denial. It's that "invincibility thing" -- always someone else's problem. I'm not reaching him.  

I know you're not taking new patients, but would you help me out on this one?  May I send him to your office for a diabetic eye workup, but more importantly, would you talk to him?"

Brace Yourself

Within a short time, the young man was in our office. I greeted him, and seated him beside my desk.

I liked him immediately.  A friendly kid, brimming with youthful ebullience. Reviewing his test results, I prayed a quick one, "Please help me on this one."

"I wish you were 17," I began, "because if you were, my job would be easier today.  I'd be speaking to your Mom, and she'd go home and break the bad news to you.

But you're 18 and now responsible for your choices, actions, and their consequences.  It's hard for me to show you this, but I must.  Brace yourself."

Good News, Bad News

I showed him the photographs of his inner eyes, his retinas. 

"First, the good news.  Your left eye is fine. But this is why your physician sent you here.  Without dilation, he couldn't see beyond this area of your right eye.  In this corner,  your retina has these tiny red spots. Your blood vessels are beginning to hemorrhage.

Eventually, the other eye will do the same. Now you know why diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness in America.  You're bleeding inside your eye, yet you see 20/20 and feel no pain.

Your physician sent you here in time.  You've got a chance to turn this around. It's up to you."

Choices

Reality was setting in. He slumped in his chair, without a trace of invincibility.

"You have two choices: a choice to help yourself or a choice to hurt yourself.  I will respect your right to choose.  It's your life.  But if you choose to hurt yourself -- keep up the junk food and sweets, then I feel great compassion for you, and I'd like to give you something.  Please open your hand."

As I held his hand in mine, palm up, I continued, "I've studied diabetes well and I continue to study it, as diabetes is up by a full third in America, largely due to poor nutrition and lack of exercise.  I am caring  for a lot of diabetics these days, and too many teach me the same lesson over and over again.  If they choose to hurt themselves, they are gambling with their sight.  If they know this, why in the world would they choose  that?  I've concluded that most make this choice unconsciously."

Money, Money, Money

I reached for the bill that I had set aside earlier, and laid the million dollar bill across his palm.

He perked up, eyes riveted on the bill.

"If you choose to hurt yourself, then I am giving you a million dollars. You are to go out in the world and see everything beautiful.  With a million dollars, you'll see a lot.  In ten years, when you are only 28, there's a good chance that you will be at the Braille Institute."

Now Let's Pretend.  
(Gentle reader: this is when you pretend you're this young man)

"Now let's pretend it's tonight that you go blind forever.  But there's a treatment that'll save your sight.  It's expensive.  A million dollars.  You're too young to go blind.   I'd buy the treatment for you, but I just gave you my last million dollar bill.  Would you like to give it back so we can get the treatment  started in time?" 

(Gentle reader: Ask yourself:  What would I do?)

One Second of Conscious Thought

He  handed it right back. No hesitation.

"Good," I said. "Your choices of  junk food and sweets lead me to believe that you thought your eyes were worth a penny apiece.  But with one second of conscious thought, you've just told me that you think that they're worth a million dollars.  

You're getting to the truth of the matter: Your eyes are priceless to you.

And now I can break the worse news to you:  Temptations are everywhere and dealing with them is what you will do for the rest of your life.

Look at me. You think I'm a grown woman, right?  Wrong.  Every  human being, however young, however old, has a child in them.  Sometimes that child is well-behaved and obedient,  sometimes naughty and willful.

When my inner child sees something tempting that it can't resist, it says, "Yes, I want it, I want all of it.  NOW. And if I could, I'd have everyone else's!"  

Sound familiar?"

"I can relate," he said, nodding with a slow smile.  

"And I bet yours is cake and ice cream," I said.

He laughed out loud, "You got that right!"

A Suggestion

The power of laughter.  It broke the tension.

"Let me make a suggestion, " I continued.  "Whenever your inner child is sorely  tempted, call in your inner adult.  Everyone has one of those, too.  Ask your adult,  "What are my eyes worth?  It'll remind you what you said today, "A million bucks!"  

Your inner child will try you.  It'll try to convince your adult that your eyes are worth a penny apiece, who cares.  It'll try to make deals with you,  "Just this once.  I'll be good."  It'll try to make you feel guilty, "You're mean!"  It'll pout. It'll be cranky.   It'll whine, "Just this once. Pleeeeeease." It might even scream and throw a tantrum.

Your logical, caring adult will calmly tell your child:

 "Child, we're in the same body.  If we go for that temptation, that's quick pleasure. It'll hurt both of us.  We want that long-term happiness of seeing like everyone else.  We want to protect our sight, our fingers, our toes.

The answer is, "NO!  No, because I love you."

Practice, Practice, Practice

I concluded with  "Practice this. Practice, practice, practice. We'll be taking retinal photos every three months to closely monitor your retinas, so I'll see you then.  In the meantime, take this report back to your physician, and he'll be monitoring you as well. Be sure you thank him for taking such good care of you."

Now I know what parents go through.  I worried about this young man every day for three months.  He was so new at being an adult. And that "invincibility thing" haunted me. I prayed for him.  

Thank You!

Three months later,  the young man returned, on time and more anxious than me.  As the polaroid photos were developing, he was craning over my shoulder.  

When they developed, this is what I said to him:

"What I'd like you to do is.... hug your child, and say, "What a great kid!" and then pat your adult on the back, and say, "You are a caring, responsible adult.  When it counted,  you said NO!  You meant it . You stuck by it.  You protected your sight. Out of love. Because, take a look,  this did not happen by itself."

I showed him his photos.  NO spots!

"Only you could have made this happen.  You and your child make a great team.  Thank you both for taking such good care of each other!" 

I gave them both a thumbs up.

Lessons 

That fateful day, I learned huge lessons from a brand-new adult.  My teachers in life come in all sizes, all shapes, all ages. I have my temptations in life, so do you. We can follow this young teacher's example to overcome them.

This year, sharing this lesson with my patients, I have literally given away MILLIONS!  

My paybacks are immediate. The biggest is the satisfaction of helping my patients see -- with clarity -- the preciousness of sight,  a gift to be cherished and protected.  

The original $1,000,000 bill  remains on my desk. I just can't seem to give it away!  

It's only money.

When confronted with temptation, 
ask yourself:

 "What are my eyes worth to me?"

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