Type 1 -
pancreas does not work, insulin not created.
10-15% of all diabetics.
Juvenile onset.
Appears before patient is age 40, but can appear after age 40.
Type 2 -
pancreas works. Either not enough insulin, or insulin does not work properly.
Tends to start later in life but can start in the 20s. Adult onset
85 - 90% of all diabetics.
So, when a type 2's pancreas stops working altogether, then there is no difference between the 2 types.
Do they become the same.
My hubby's pancreas no longer works.
He is insulin dependent (takes RU500 which is 5 times concentrated)
Has been told there is no cure. But told to diet and exercise.
His body no longer makes any insulin.
His diabetes started at age 30.
One website states you can have both type 1 and type 2 diabetes at the same time. Interesting.
He was insulin resistant until his body quit producing insulin completely, then he became insulin dependent.
"Brittle" means unstable. He is definitely unstable.
Remember he had c diff when he had his spinal fusion surgery? Today he read an article in USA Today and then announced to me that he had just had some bad news - he was probably going to die because this is still in his body. I read the article and told him it is in everyone's body, but yes, eating tums like they are candy, or doing any number of other things could set if off (again).
Hubby had Hepatitis A 35 years ago. Forever barred from donating blood. Kidney damage at that time and it went undetected?
all just things to contemplate.
His shoulder is absolutely killing him. I'm sure he needs surgery. He refuses to see a doctor. He made some kind of pact with himself that when we moved down here, he was never going to a doctor again.
DW
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Putting life into perspective
Mom is getting better. I'm back to sleeping regularly. But for the last 3 weeks, every day has been touch and go. It went by in the blink of an eye. Spending nights on the floor by her side, sleeping 1 - 2 hours at a time. I found I entered a complete brain fog and had no idea life was slipping by so fast. But when it is your mom, when she is in excruciating pain, when she is in tears....you forget everything else in the world and try your best to make her as comfortable as possible.
Now that it's over (for right now) and I can focus on getting back to my life, I'm trying to put it all into perspective.
How is it that for 3 weeks he managed everything on his own. Never had a low. Never got mad at me. Never raised his voice. Is it because I wasn't here? Is it because he knew my stress level and knew not to raise it? I don't know. But something tells me that either consciously or not, he know somehow that there is a tolerance line in me and he stayed under that line the last 3 weeks.
His normal is to get quite ill if anyone else is sick. But he did not do that. Maybe all my little talks with him have helped? Maybe the gentle counseling that now we are living here, we are here to help others - is sinking in?
I learned that his diabetes, heart surgery, back surgery, highs, lows, missed pills......those are his problems. I can be here to support him, to care for him, to love him.....but I can't fix those problems.
Just as I couldn't fix what was wrong with mom. I could only provide her with the best care possible and try to keep her as comfortable as possible.
She is much better
And he is much better
So now I rest and refresh myself and try to prepare for whatever is next.
I'm learning that a good, solid night's sleep is worth more than just about anything else!
Digging in the ground may just be the second best thing! I planted 30 Iris and 30 Lillies tonight. More Iris to plant in the morning. They make great background borders! I have all the paths done in the back yard and next is to start digging the hole for a small pond. I'm slow. But I'm making progress!!!
DW
Now that it's over (for right now) and I can focus on getting back to my life, I'm trying to put it all into perspective.
How is it that for 3 weeks he managed everything on his own. Never had a low. Never got mad at me. Never raised his voice. Is it because I wasn't here? Is it because he knew my stress level and knew not to raise it? I don't know. But something tells me that either consciously or not, he know somehow that there is a tolerance line in me and he stayed under that line the last 3 weeks.
His normal is to get quite ill if anyone else is sick. But he did not do that. Maybe all my little talks with him have helped? Maybe the gentle counseling that now we are living here, we are here to help others - is sinking in?
I learned that his diabetes, heart surgery, back surgery, highs, lows, missed pills......those are his problems. I can be here to support him, to care for him, to love him.....but I can't fix those problems.
Just as I couldn't fix what was wrong with mom. I could only provide her with the best care possible and try to keep her as comfortable as possible.
She is much better
And he is much better
So now I rest and refresh myself and try to prepare for whatever is next.
I'm learning that a good, solid night's sleep is worth more than just about anything else!
Digging in the ground may just be the second best thing! I planted 30 Iris and 30 Lillies tonight. More Iris to plant in the morning. They make great background borders! I have all the paths done in the back yard and next is to start digging the hole for a small pond. I'm slow. But I'm making progress!!!
DW
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
catching up
things are stable with hubby
is it because the rest of life is so unstable?
My mass/scheduling surgery/pre-op
Closing on our old house in a week
My mom took a turn for the worse/on hospice/moved her into my sister's house
all in the last 2 weeks
Now 2 of us are staying with mom every night, so either I get no sleep in 24 hours, or stay at least 16 hours
hubby never sees me
Mom is better today. I have been home for 10 hours now and plan to spend the night at home. Hoping things calm down with her at my sisters
Other sis is depressed because they didn't get the house they made an offer on
And when you think it can't get any worse....you simply wait for the next "thing" to happen!
Tonight, I am grateful for you. For people who send me kind notes. For friends I will most likely never meet. For faith and belief and trust. For my own bed!!! For a hubby who can back off when he knows I can't take another thing.
And it will all get better. I have faith. This is but a bump in the road and one day soon it will be smooth sailing. I did get to work a few hours in my garden and made great progress. The perfect therapy - I found a new bloom this evening!
DW
is it because the rest of life is so unstable?
My mass/scheduling surgery/pre-op
Closing on our old house in a week
My mom took a turn for the worse/on hospice/moved her into my sister's house
all in the last 2 weeks
Now 2 of us are staying with mom every night, so either I get no sleep in 24 hours, or stay at least 16 hours
hubby never sees me
Mom is better today. I have been home for 10 hours now and plan to spend the night at home. Hoping things calm down with her at my sisters
Other sis is depressed because they didn't get the house they made an offer on
And when you think it can't get any worse....you simply wait for the next "thing" to happen!
Tonight, I am grateful for you. For people who send me kind notes. For friends I will most likely never meet. For faith and belief and trust. For my own bed!!! For a hubby who can back off when he knows I can't take another thing.
And it will all get better. I have faith. This is but a bump in the road and one day soon it will be smooth sailing. I did get to work a few hours in my garden and made great progress. The perfect therapy - I found a new bloom this evening!
DW
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