PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Dec. 26 was date night for Old Dominion University alum Reggie Rankins and his wife Melissa. They cozied up while eating popcorn as the 1985 movie-turned-Broadway-show-turned-movie musical dazzled the audience. Rankins was particularly fond of the juke joint scene featuring the sultry Shug Avery.
“We were really enjoying the movie and all of a sudden, my left arm started to tremble,” said Rankin who lives with his wife in Richmond.
The juke joint scene is the last scene he remembers.
Rankins and his wife left the theater and the symptoms subsided as he headed for the emergency room. Once inside, the trembling resumed as doctors and nurses searched for the cause.
Blood work solved the mystery.
Rankins had a series of diabetic seizures that started during the juke joint scene.
“My sugar level was over 600 when normally it’s supposed to be between 80, 85, and 140,” Rankins said.
After three nights in the hospital, Rankins was sent home with a daily routine that keeps his blood sugar levels in a safe range.
“I test three times a day now and take insulin shots right before bed,” said Rankins from his home in Richmond.
What happened to him will, in some form, happen to an estimated 1.4 million Americans this year.
“I’m a diabetic,” Rankins said. “I’ve never had any pre-diabetic diagnosis or anything.”
Drugs are widely used to help control blood sugar levels, but medicine has not been able to turn the tide on a disease that affects more than 38 million Americans. That’s why Rankins shared his story on Facebook on New Year’s Eve. Hundreds responded to his story.
“Well, it’s been it’s been outstanding,” Rankins said. “And it’s what has shocked me about this whole thing is how many of my friends and associates are diabetic.”
Under medical guidance, Rankins is determined to fight diabetes.
“The best thing I’m going to do now is increase exercise, watch my diet, my cigar habit, and any alcohol will be substantially curbed and we’ll go from there,” Rankins said.
Virginia Tech researchers were recently awarded just under $2 million to look into a substance in olives and other plants that could curb diabetes and obesity.
The Rankins say they plan to return to the theater soon to see the rest of The Color Purple.
“Oh, well, I hope nobody spoils the ending for me,” Rankins said, “but my wife and I said we were going back, maybe this weekend, to see that and see the rest of it. But I probably won’t go to the same theater.”
