Call Me Ishmael

If someone asked you to describe my traits, I suppose along the way most people would mention that I'm vegetarian. With an exception of a bite here or there, for 25 years I didn't eat any type of meat - no chicken, no fish, nothing.

Recently, I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes. The doctor was perplexed about how a 150 lbs. vegetarian runner could be pre-diabetic. Then he took a look at the family history. That, added with an over-reliance of carbs, gave us the diagnosis.

He strongly suggested that I change my diet to include fish. I sought a second opinion from my niece, Lyndsey, the nurse. "Eat some fish," was her advice. I went to a dietician. After discussing my diet she added, "How do you feel about eating fish?"

So after much reflection and on the advice of three medical professionals, I have started eating fish. I am no longer a vegetarian. I am a pescatarian.  I have very mixed feelings about this. (By the way, Gus is disgusted, and Niko is hopefully intrigued.)

Last Friday, I ate fish for the first time in I don't know how long. I had a tuna salad sandwich - my first in decades. At hearing the news of my lunch choice, my cousin Laura said, "All the fish in the sea and you choose tuna?"

Baby steps, people, baby steps.