I am so thankful for my life now....

[cheryl]

I am going to cry my eyes out. Ok here is the story. About two years ago with swinging sugars I went out of town and met up with Brent's friends, they are hubby and wife...also OK....well I already knew thru talking to the wife, that her Mom was a type 1 diabetic. We got into detailed conversations, cause my bg's were massivly out of control on that trip. I mean I am not lying when I tell you it was from 60-510 the whole trip. Then she tells me My mom is always like that. She was in a coma yada yada yada.....About scared the horse poop out of me.....I tried really hard to do what "I" thought was right....I did ok, not good by you guys standards, but atleast more level....then again swinging loosing my mind anxiety fear the works, then I join two different forums on the internet, and learn how to flipping actually take care of this disease the right way....

Ok back to the point. I just talked to this woman's Mom not this past Saturday but last Saturday, at the girls son's birthday party. I was telling her about my pump and what i had to do, and what not. She was asking me some questions I told her a lot of things. She said I just don't know if I can do all that work. It is so sad because she is this close to being on dialysis, and what not, never had a doctor who know's what the heck to do, I TELL YOU THEY SUCK where I live. I am surprised I am alive.....She already has stints in her heart. And she seems like such a nice woman. Really she does, and all her grandkids were just running to her constantly....I said well when you get your rates figured out it is so much easier. She said I just don't know, I was like do you even know how lantus is supposed to work....She said no, then we got interupted by some things, and never got to talk again. The other day, Brent told me she was in the hospital because of her heart. Brent just told me like 10 minutes ago, he had to finish his friends work, cause he is on the way to the hospital, cause she is going in for surgery.........This is so scarey and just such a smack in the face sometimes....How I just couldn't handle the swinging sugars and I had to do something about it.....I didn't listen to the flipping doctors, they were no help, I found a forum and learned to live, I read books....This lady is following doctors orders. I know this would of been my future, i refused to even go there.....She was also amazed at what my bg's were I showed her my meter, and she said I never see my bg's look like that, and she saw my peaks, and what not, and still thought that was good, because this poor woman is never under 200.........ever....so I guess my bg's looked like gorgeous numbers....

I am so thankful for modern day internet, and that I was smart enough to search for answers, rather then wallow in my self pity, which I was doing and living in fear of swinging sugars, and what if this and what if that....

I am now extremely worried for this lady, and this part of my state really pisses me off....to no end, NO ONE cares about her because she is on medicare caid whatever.....I hate politics and medicine.....they were gonna kill me off too, sorry state....ok done venting.....but I still hate this sometimes...

Cheryl

[Alice]

Cheryl, I'm not sure what part of TN you live, but there are good doctors in most of the "larger" cities...such as Nashville, Knoxville & Chattanooga. Even Oak Ridge is known for their excellent doctors. I've heard that Crossville is getting more doctors to handle the new "retired" residents....is there a larger city near you that you can send friends who are having the trouble you describe.

I'm a native Tennesseean...Vanderbilt Medical Center is excellent for anyone in "dire straits". Oak Ridge is tops also. UT Hospital in Knoxville has great doctors also. Memphis is excellent too...I just don't know that "end of the state".

Chattanooga, I'd probably go with Erlanger, but that's just from personal experience.

I also know several diabetics that live in TN...of all ages. I have to also say, that a few of them "don't wish" to get on the latest bandwagon...preferring to live in the 60's as far as diet and care. I'm not saying that's what your sweet friend did, but I wouldn't generalize by state...that stuff happens everywhere and is a worldwide problem with diabetes...lack of education about carbs and insulin and glucose.

It's not a TN thing...many of us have to travel out of our "hometowns"...

[cheryl]

Well the so called "good doc's" don't take certain medical insurances, that is why I say it sucks....You have to be somewhat financially stable to see a decent endo....seriously....that is what sucks....ERLANGER put me on sliding scales for my pregnancies....never introduced carb counting when it was well established...cause of the health insurance, now when I had good insurance, OH Yea, I was taught the works....

When I finally went to my first endo visit, since I was 18 about 3 years ago, upped my lantus and said keep trying and test more. HUH!!!!!!! The other endo was pretty decent, but it was his way or the highway.....I am saying that in this neck of the woods if you want atleast some knowledge you better have the funds or the right insurance to do it, if not, your are on your own buddy.....and have to deal with people who don't know nothing about how diabetics are supposed to be....

I hate that more then anything we were so broke in NYC, but I was still seen, here nope, not at all.....To which is why if you don't have funds they rather kill ya off....seriously that is how I take it.....and it's funny the woman in is in Erlanger been there for four days, they just can't seem to get her bg's down at all....hmmmmmmm I dunno....nothing lower then 200 at all....oh and eralnger hospital food goes by the food exchange, for diabetics not the carb counting....I asked the girls mom on the phone what are they feeding her oh ya know the one meat the two vegetable exchange thing, yea, I doubt it's cutting edge seriously...

I am not saying knoxville or nashville or Oakridge isn't but it ain't here....seriously I live here.....I know....LOL.....Ok I am not angry with you, I just know what it's like to be completely clueless....and all....

Erlanger does have a killer NICU unit though and all that....i'll give em that one...

Cheryl

[Alice]

I think the frustration you (and I) are feeling is true in almost every medical setting across America.

The dieticians in hospitals are just about the worst...and I was told that by a nutritionist taking a group of diabetics through a grocery store...she said that regarding jumping on the carb counting bandwagon...that nurses and dieticians were the most "reluctant" to change. They are still preaching the "no sweets" religion instead of "count all carbs" religion. This is deadly to most and makes well-meaning diabetics feel guilty about their food choices....which of course, is deadly in the long-run.

That angers me.

I know when I move to a new city, I seek out good doctors...or at least a good fit for me...I can run through 3 endo's in a couple of years.

I know other diabetics (mostly older) who have gone to the same doctor...often not even an endo...and haven't changed their regimen in years.

Yes, I know an Erlanger patient who's not doing well...but in his case, he's not very aggressive about learning new things.

I still think this is true across the board...with all the $$$ spent on research, we are embarrassingly behind on educating our medical professionals.

[susique333]

Cheryl, Youre voicing what Ive felt for so long. When my mother had diabetes (in the 1980s) her Dr. called it Sugar Diabetes (she lived in New Mexico) and told her all she had to do was avoid cake and candy! When I went on insulin with my 1st pregnancy 14 yrs ago, I told her about my shots, testing my BS and carb counting and she said "Huh?" No one had ever taught her anything about her condition, yet she was under the care of a Dr. twice a yr. Now mind you she finally passed away from Leukemia (11 yrs ago) but Im CERTAIN her diabetes was NEVER properly treated all that time. What a shame! Im sending positive thoughts to your friends mother that she gets good treatment and is taught how to take care of herself.

[Alice]

What I find ironic is that often complain about "non-compliant diabetics"...and we are on the flip side complaining about the backwards diabetes education.

I think we are the lucky ones...those of us who've found a forum such as this...if there is even a trickle of new info...it's usually on this forum in a matter of hours, if not minutes. Like your topic title Cheryl, I'm thankful for that!

Cheryl, I think you are just going to have to run for State Senator....or how about Representative?...Tee hee!

[cheryl]

Thanks guys I appreciate all you thoughts, yes State senator, that sounds like my kind of thing, I have always wanted to be the head of things...LOL...

Seriously though, I called my friend like right after i posted the first time too, and she told me the whole story....Her Mom had a heartattack again, this is the third one, The artieries are blocked, they don't know if she will come out of this cause of her severe kidney damage, and she also has neurothopy...She has to take care of her two grandchildren because her daughter a sister of my friends completely dumped them on her.....So I guess that is what she meant by saying she don't know if she can do this....I understand that, I never wanted to really really work at this constantly cause of all the other things going on in my life....I told my friend, when she is feeling better I want to help her....and I told her to buy the book Using Insulin.....This lady has been diabetic since she was 8 years old, and she is now 55, has had three kids, three heart attacks and was in DKA coma for two weeks...like 7 years ago, and her kidneys are to the point of dialysis....and she has been on disability for two years....I feel so bad, she is such a good caring woman....Not that anyone deserves this but I hate it, I was really depressed about it. I didn't realize this would impact me so much, but I guess since I have talked to her a few times and we really had a nice conversation the other Saturday and she is a type 1, now she is like this.....It's so depressing and an eye opener....

I am awaiting what and when my friend calls she told me she would, after the surgery it was supposed to be at 3pm so I'll let you all know.....Keep our fingers crossed for our fellow diabetic fighter...

Cheryl

[Alice]

Cheryl...keep us posted. This is also a horrible reminder for me as to why I was put on "preventative" meds years ago by my good endo's...I was young at the time (Still like to think I am now...but getting older every day)...but really, this is why we take the Ace and cholesterol lowering drugs at an early point...before the damage is done...

But, as you say, she would have needed that care early on...

[cheryl]

Well, she had four more stints put in and is going to be or probably start dialysis really soon. Her blood sugars were averaging....250, they wanted to give her 20 units of insulin at the hospital to bring down a 390 something, but they negotiated 10 units....I don't know anymore...I think she scared herself to death, to stay and run higher....I had to retrain myself....I just hope she can to....I have no clue what will be instore for her at all, and it's just really really sad...She was taking preventative medications by the way for years.....That at least the doc's were smart about....pills for cholesterol, and the ace....for 15 years.....U just can't only rely on the magic pills, you have to put the work into it too....

Cheryl