ERROR RG P4 17.11.1992 The names of Mr. John Dill and Mr. Myron Furbert were inadvertantly transposed in the picture caption and feature on Type II diabetics which appeared in last Friday's edition of Taste. We apologise for any embarrassment caused.

Hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, Elephant beers and no exercise. How sweet it was! Or so John Dill, Myron Furbert and Osdel Simmons thought until they were diagnosed as Type II diabetics and told that their lifestyles must change. In fact, at first they didn't know which was worse -- the diagnosis or the proposed treatment.

"I was a tremendous eater who liked everything, especially fast foods,'' Mr.

Dill related. "It was a case of `chips and the works' -- ice cream, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, you name it. I ate three meals a day and snacked in between. The only exercise I got was moving the fork -- that was one of my specialties!'' Indeed, the electrical salesman tipped the scales at between 280 and 290 pounds.

"I was built like a jumbo jet and definitely heart attack material,'' he joked.

But the way he felt about himself was no joke. Not only was Mr. Dill uncomfortable about his weight and the way he looked, but also how it prevented him from doing simple things.

Then, one year ago certain symptoms began to manifest themselves: frequent urination, impaired vision, a 'flu-like feeling, and a tendency to be disagreeable.

A visit to the doctor and a battery of tests revealed his diabetes -- something that ran in both sides of his family -- and a hospital stay soon followed.

As with all newly-diagnosed diabetics, Mr. Dill's treatment included attending the education programme at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital's Diabetes Education and Counselling Centre. There he learned that the key to successfully managing his illness was diet and exercise.

Being put on a 1500-calorie-per-day diet and told to exercise was anathema at first, but now it comes naturally.

"At first it was like being on another planet,'' he confessed, "but in three months I learned to change my lifestyle completely.'' With a supportive wife to help him, today's John Dill is slim, trim and rarin' to go. He still enjoys his food but eats sensibly and in moderation. His weight has dropped to between 225 and 230 lbs., and he's become "a cycling addict'' who pedals 30 miles Monday to Friday, and up to 70 miles on weekends.

The father of two not only looks entirely different, but feels good about himself. Best of all, his blood sugar has gone from a sky-high 600 to an average in the 70s (80-120 is normal), which means he does not need insulin to control his diabetes.

And because he exercises so vigorously, he's also allowed between 2000 and 3000 calories of healthy food per day.

"Diabetes is probably one of the best things that ever happened to me because it made me wake up 100 percent,'' Mr. Dill admitted. "I feel comfortable with the new regime; it's just about second nature now.'' For retiree Mr. Myron Furbert the story was similar. He thought ending his working career meant putting his feet up and indulging himself in the things he liked best -- fries, fried fish and chicken, and ice cream among them. As for exercise, forget it. He enjoyed his car, and with emphysema it was all he could do to walk a few yards anyway.

But then he noticed that the medication prescribed for his illness didn't appear to be working. Moreover, he was urinating frequently and his vision was blurred.

A visit to the doctor in June soon pinpointed the problem: type II diabetes. A stay in the hospital promptly followed, where "they used me as a pincushion, giving me insulin injections four times a day'', the sexagenarian said ruefully.

Like everyone else, Mr. Furbert also attended the Diabetes Education and Counselling Centre to learn how to change his lifestyle. When he was released from hospital, he was on two insulin injections a day.

Today, just five months later, he weight is down from 200 lbs. to 170 lbs., he is able to exercise a full 15 minutes at a time without getting out of breath, and his emphysema is greatly improved.

Off insulin completely since August, Mr. Furbert now controls his disease with exercise and diet, and couldn't be more pleased.

"I follow a healthier diet now, and don't eat any fried food or use salt,'' he said proudly. "I have been going up and down the stairs in my two-storey home for exercise, but now I'm going to start walking. If I gain a little weight I do a little more exercise. I sure don't want any more needles!'' Angry is what Government ferry senior relief pilot Capt. Osdel Simmons was when he learned that the reason for his frequent urination and blurred vision was type II diabetes.

With a glass of water for breakfast and no lunch, the young family man liked to "eat like a horse and chasing the driver'' at night, as well as downing herds of Elephant beers. Fries, baked potatoes with lots of sour cream, huge steaks, chicken -- he loved them all. The occasional craving for something sweet was satisfied by eating two large chocolate bars in succession.

So when, a week before Cup Match this year, his doctor told him "No more'' he was furious. After all, he didn't feel sick, there was no history of diabetes in his family, and he was only in his '30s.

"My doctor wanted to put me on insulin immediately,'' Mr. Simmons said. But King Edward's diabetic nurse, Mrs. Debbie Jones, noticed the patient's keytones weren't "spilling'' and he didn't feel terrible, so she successfully negotiated a four-day trial of diet and exercise, together with insulin tablets, to see if his blood sugar could be brought down.

By the Monday following Cup Match, she had good news for Mr. Simmons: his blood sugar had come down to 200 from a high of between 500 and 600.

"Debbie explained to me what I should and shouldn't eat and drink and I said, `Well, there goes my four cases of elephant beer!' and I started walking and doing sit-ups,'' the pilot said.

Today, Mr. Simmons does between 75 and 100 sit-ups every morning, and another 150-200 at night. He also walks a lot. He's comfortable with his diet, and receives a lot of support from his wife and family. The short temper he once had has dissipated, and whenever he feels stressed he "jumps up and goes for a walk''. His blood sugar hovers between the 70s and 80s, and he is off insulin completely.

All three diabetics had high praise for Mrs. Jones, and the Diabetic Education and Counselling Centre, in helping them come to terms with their disease.

"It's not like going to the doctor,'' Mr. Simmons said. "Mrs. Jones really shows that she cares about you, and that means a lot.'' But Mrs. Jones was quick to share the praise.

"The aim of the Centre is to have people take control of their diabetes. A key ingredient for these gentleman was that they really wanted to do that and they deserve a lot of credit for succeeding.'' Information on diabetes and how to control it is available from the Diabetic Education and Counselling Centre (tel. 236-2345 ext. 1307).

STEPPIN' OUT ... Type II diabetics, from left, Mr. John Dill, Mr. Osdel Simmons and Mr. Myron Furbert do plenty of walking to help control their disease. By faithfully following their prescribed exercise and diet regimes, all three have eliminated the need for insulin.