Friday, March 5, 2010

Waking Up With Another Woman

Living with diabetes is a challenge, after thirty five years the rules have changed so many times it is not funny, about the time you think you have a handle on it something changes in your body that changes everything else from treatment options to how many cookies you can sneak without getting caught by the glucometer.

Hypoglycemia is a condition when your blood sugar drops too low, when this happens a lot can happen in a small amount of time, over the years I have had a lot of episodes that were not funny at the time but if you cant laugh at yourself then you just have to listen while everyone else does, the first serious “hypo” I remember was when I was about eighteen years old, I was working for a construction company out of town during the week and home on weekends, I remember being on a scaffold and everything just started to not make sense, the foreman was angry because I wasn’t getting anything done and sent me off the job, it was about quitting time so the rest of the crew and I went back to the motel to get ready to go home for the weekend, I woke up in the Emergency Room back home not knowing how I got there, I had stitches in my knee and a bad headache which comes along with a good hypo. I was later told that we got our paychecks back at the jobsite in Waynesville, North Carolina, went back to the motel and packed up, while coming down the stairs I evidently fell busting open my knee and tearing the knee out of my jeans, we elected not to eat because “Jimmy was feeling bad” Strike One, and headed down the mountain for home, we arrived in Greenville, South Carolina where our cars were parked and I am told I walked away, they all loaded up their cars and found me in a store trying to cash my paycheck for a canned coke, my friend who found me explained that I was a Diabetic and traded the Coke I was trying to buy for a Diet Coke, Strike Two, I was then helped back to my ride and taken home, I lived in Easley, South Carolina at the time and when I got home had to unload my luggage and tools to carry into the house, Strike Three he is out, down I went and that’s when I was taken to the hospital.

We learned then that a balance of good nutrition and exercise is key to controlling this condition, get too much of one and not enough of the other and bad things can happen, the above came from too much exercise and not enough to eat. Now that I am an expert do I control it properly all of the time, you bet I do, just ask my wife she will tell you the truth. Cindy could tell you quite a few stories about me on this subject and I will share some of the stuff I remember or have heard the stories about.

Once in the middle of the night after being wakened by our dog she called 911 to come help because I was not responsive, evidently the paramedics arrived and were attacked by our poodle who did not want them messing with me, after the dog was rounded up they came to the conclusion that the gurney would not fit down our hallway, they were going to walk me out to the living room and load me up there, I am told that it took four of them to get me through our bedroom door because I grabbed the doorframe with both hands and feet, no wonder I was so sore the next day. After several rounds with paramedics, to which I wont go through them all Cindy finally figured out it was easier to call our good friend Nan and treat the low blood sugars at home.

Over the years we have learned that Orange Juice will raise my blood sugar quickly and also over the years I have come to Hate Orange Juice with a passion, Cindy and Nan tag teaming me usually got the OJ into me and my blood sugar raised without tying up the ER, once when this happened in the early morning hours Cindy called Nan for help, all I know is when I woke up I am propped up in bed leaning against who I thought was Cindy’s chest with a glass of OJ in front of me to which I was biting the straw, Nan’s voice is saying something like “Dammit Jimmy quit biting the straw” I take a drink and look up to see Cindy at the foot of the bed standing next to Nan’s Husband Bill, that is the morning I woke up with another woman.

Thank You Nan for making Cindy’s job easier and Yes I still hate Orange Juice.

12 comments:

  1. oh my Lord do i remember all the times i ended up in bed with you trying to get OJ down you..or that sticky gel that got all over your beard and me..i dont know if you were scared of me or what but most of the time i was the only one that could get you to do what you needed to do.. must have been my NY charm ..lol.. I am just glad that i was able to help.. it is not every woman that gets to sit on your chest.. I hope the episodes of low sugar are under control cause i am not coming to calif to be in bed with you..
    love ya buddy
    nan

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  2. Yes Nan we did have some times, Cindy has threatened to call you once or twice since we moved here but all in all we have it under control a lot better than there for a while, I guess you were on my chest at least once :^)

    Tell Mr. Bill we are looking forward to dinner and sitting on the deck when we come down.

    Love Ya Too

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  3. It is wonderful you can tell your story with humor. I have still not had one of those severe episodes yet...however I have gone as low as 30 and did feel sort of drunk. I am so scared of this sort of thing happening to me. In the beginning of all this last year, I don't think my family understood the severity of a low and how to treat it if I was unable. I do think my husband has come to accept what I have and know how serious a bad low can be. I have told him one of my greatest fears is dying in my sleep from a low. I do get a lot of them. I seem to be pretty insulin sensitive. Anyhow, I only hope I will live to tell my stories with humor the way you have! This is one of the reasons I am so glad to call you my friend.

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  4. Susie,

    I have faith you will be just fine because you care enough to learn and help others, yes families mostly do not realize how serious these type of lows are and sad some have no clue what to do, I don't think this is a problem with your family if your husband is coming to terms then he will be ready when you need him.

    Fear is a biggie and it will help you make sure you do the right thing as far as checking your sugars and eating properly, I have faith you and I will be sharing stories with humor for a long time and our spouses will be there to grin because they helped. Good Friends are a blessing like Nan is for us and I am also proud to call you a friend.

    You ever need us just yell OK

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  5. Thanks Jimmy...I feel like I have been yelling and you have been very good at answering. It gives me faith and hope when I hear how loving and caring your wife is with you. I have a wonderful husband...he is my best friend and I do feel like he is finally on board with this awful diabetes thing. But it certainly helps to have friends who actually live with the same disease and the same fears and concerns. Thanks again!

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  6. It's a wonderful thing to have a great spouse and wonderful friends to be there when you need them. You told this story with great humor. Enjoyed.

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  7. CLEVER post title, Jimmy!

    It really drew me in, only to discover your flawless ending!

    HAHAHAHA!

    Thoroughly enjoyed your humor! Isn't it ironic how the humor in any situation rises to the surface. Humor is truly the best supportive medicine.

    So glad to hear that Cindy and Nan were there for you!

    YAAAAY Cindy and Nan! You GO, girls!

    Hope you're having a great Saturday, buddy!

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  8. Hey Susie,

    A loving spouse sure helps you through things life throws at us and Diabetes is just a stepping stone we all have to learn to step on rather than stumble like it is a stumbling block.

    Good friends going through the same thing can be a good sounding board also, and by going through Diabetes together we can always give advise because we are living it rather than just studying it so yell at me anytime I can take it :^)

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  9. Thank You Suzicate,

    I have been blessed to be surrounded by people who care enough listen when I am down, hug me when I'm blue and to jerk a knot in my tail when I need it.

    You have to Love Good Friends and Family

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  10. Hey Ron,

    You said it my Friend "Humor is truly the best supportive medicine" because as I said you have to laugh at yourself at times, crying is not really an option although it may help, humor just gets us to feeling better quicker.

    Cindy and Nan have been my saviors more than once, I think I'll keep em!!!

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  11. I came on over to have a look see at the person who left such a nice comment on my blog. I am not disappointed. I loved this story. We certainly have to laugh at ourselves don't we.

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  12. Trisha,

    I am honored to have you stop by for a peek, pull up a chair anytime because we do have to laugh at ourselves often and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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