I've seen the repeats of "King of the Hill" in the past, but the season premiere on FOX on Sunday dealt with a subject that may be close to home for a number of readers.
In the episode, Bill eats a bunch of sweets and passes out. In the hospital, he is told by the doctor that he has Type 2 diabetes.
They put Bill on a diet, but he struggles with it. When Bill was advised to stop eating cookies, Bill doesn't like the idea, as he notes, his mother used cookies to cheer him up, or to help him celebrate. “All of my emotions require cookies.”
Bill ends up back in the hospital, and the doctor's reaction is quite harsh. The doctor suggests he buy a wheelchair while he still has good insurance.
I won't spoil the ending, but it was refreshing to see a reasonable portrayal of the disease on television. For the millions of Americans who suffer from Type 2 diabetes, there doesn't seem to be much knowledge among those that don't have the disease.
Those who don't know ask very good questions, but it can't be easy for someone with the disease to have to explain it often, especially when they are trying to get used to the diagnosis.
Hopefully, we will see more in the upcoming weeks to observe how Bill adjusts to his new situation. And here's hoping the stigma of the disease can be reduced.
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