I always think of 1969 as when Mary became diabetic and was extremely skinny in everything she did that year but I recently saw a photo from the special and I'm not so sure. Does anyone know her timeline from that year? I remember seeing "Run a Crooked Mile" that year and the change in her was shocking. But maybe everything else she did that year was when she was on the edge but just before she became ill? That was a life changing year for her.

I always think of 1969 as when Mary became diabetic and was extremely skinny in everything she did that year but I recently saw a photo from the special and I'm not so sure. Does anyone know her timeline from that year? I remember seeing "Run a Crooked Mile" that year and the change in her was shocking. But maybe everything else she did that year was when she was on the edge but just before she became ill? That was a life changing year for her.
According to her biography on IMDB.com Mary was diagnosed as a diabetic at age 33. She turned 33 in December of 1969 so I'm guessing she was diagnosed sometime in 1970.

Mary was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in 1969.

(Mary had a miscarriage and a few days later in the hospital, she was told that her sugar level was 750, which is extremely hazardous to your health, and then told she had diabetes)

After finding out, she had bought a box of powdered doughnuts and I believe consumed pretty much the whole box.

And sadly now she's going blind...due to the disease.