My Trip and Living with Diabetes
My cousin two weeks ago found out he had type one diabetes. He is a student in Austin, Texas with no family around. For about two months, he had signs of diabetes, he could not quench his thirst, he was tired all the time, and he a blurry vision. After losing about 15 pounds and having head aches he finally went to the military hospital were he was admitted to the ICU immediately. The doctor stated if he went to sleep there was a chance that he might have entered a diabetic coma.
His mom flew from Germany to be with him and my other aunt "the nurse" flew from Massachusetts to be the organizer. Once he got out the hospital, the nurse suggested that they fly back to Massachusetts to reorganize. When I heard they were flying home, I decided to go home. I wanted to calm ever one down and bring some levity to the situation. My aunts seemed more effected by my cousin's illness more than he.
When I got there he showed me were he has been sticking his needles, including saying he prefers sticking it in the butt as we walked into Brooks Brothers. I laughed and said I wonder what all the people that are looking as us are thinking about. Well, I was hungry and said we should get something to eat and he agreed, but wanted to go to one more store. As I was picking out a new pair of running shows I see the aunts moving quickly to leave. The nurse comes up to me and says the couz was feeling dizzy and needed to eat something.
Couz gets his sandwich and hits on the hot blondes behind the counter. I'm glad that aspect about him has not changed. It is a pretty tough time for him. He just turned 21 and can no longer have an alcoholic beverage and will have to watch what he eats. When I finally got something to eat, we went to Friendly's, because I love their Resse's Pieces Sundae. He was all depressed because he could not drink soda nor have any sweets. I told him you have think positive and not dwell on the negative. Most of the food and drink he can no longer have is bad for us anyways. I just hope he becomes more disciplined in taking control of his disease.
It was great to see the family and enjoy a nice relaxing day at the Cape. It is so easy to fall asleep in a hamock only to be awaken by the smell of steak and chicken on the grill.
http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp
posted by DCMASSHOLE @ 8:48 PM
2 Comments:
Treatment of diabetes has made great strides during my medical career. The way we treated diabetes in the early years of my practice seems primitive compared with today's modalities.
With the advent of newer types of insulin, insulin pumps, accurate blood glucose monitoring, the picture for dibetics gets brighter all the time. Not that it is not a serious condition.
However, with research in gene therapy, pancreatic or islet cell transplants, and other modalities, we may soon be realistically talking about "curing" diabetes as opposed to "controlling" diabetes.
It is important for all diabetics to control their diabetes so when the time comes that there is a cure, they will be candidates for such definitive therapy
Good luck.
My younger cousin found out she was diabetic in very much the same way as your cousin. She's now having a very productive life and doing everything you or I would do, just as we would do it; however, she has a pump that's roughly the size of a pager attached to her.
Thank God for the fine folks at Medtronic.
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