Today was one of those "we just have to do yard work" days. I noticed that he kept sitting down on the steps so when we broke to get some lunch, I asked if he was OK. He said that he is just totally wiped out and feels weak. I asked if it could be one of the new drugs that he is on or a combination of drugs and he looked a bit surprised, thought a moment and then agreed that it could be. So I suggested that he let his doctors know the next time they see him. He said that he thought he might have low iron. And I reminded him that they could also do something for that.
Then we were talking about contacting landscapers to re-do our yard. I think we want more trees and border hedges. I threw out a couple of ideas and he said that there was no way we could do it ourselves, his back hurt him too much. He said, "Just bending over picking up the few branches you trimmed just about killed me."
Well, that just doesn't seem quite right because I had been bending over picking up branches, twigs and leaves for about 2 hours and he had only done about 5 minutes.
I wonder if at this age, the less you do, the less you are able to do? Has he lost muscle from sleeping so much? Will he ever be able to regain it if he wanted.
So, at lunch, I asked him what his thoughts were about getting a bowflex machine and he said that might not be a bad idea. I know that I could use some muscle building help and it's obvious that he can. My question is....would we use it? I guess we'll find out!
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3 comments:
I cannot thank you enough for sharing what your life is like. To know I am not alone in this is like being thrown a life preserver.
My husband is a 48-year-old, type II, insulin dependent, 100% noncompliant diabetic. He does not take his insulin or any of his bp, cholesterol, etc., meds.
The last time he tested was 12/01/06 and his glucose was 542. Other than a few weeks of compliance here and there, his sugars have run over 400 in the seven years I've known him. A1cs have been as high as 15+.
He's had laser surgery for retinopathy and four months of wound treatment for huge blisters he got from sitting too close to a fire. Viagra or other meds cannot touch his ED and his moods are out of this world. Who knows about his kidney function? He had protein in his urine the last time it was checked well over a year ago.
Still, he'll drink a blender full of malted milk, eat several king sized candy bars in a sitting, and plateful after plateful of food at buffet restaurants. He refuses to get any type of medical or pyschological treatment. It's been over a year now since he saw a doctor so on the rare incidences he actually takes insulin (always without testing first), it's with an expired product.
No one can know what it's like to experience this as a spouse unless you've been there and done that. I have no idea how he's even still alive or how I'm even half way sane. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this blog.
I can understand him feeling done in after 5 minutes, I've been there myself. Wildly bouncing blood sugars can seriously take it out of you, particularly if you are high at the time you try to exercise. Him doing more exercise will help of course, but the real problem is getting his day to day blood sugars even, or close to it.
Just a thought... is it possible to get hold of one of the continuous blood glucose monitors for him to wear for a week? That would give a true picture of what his levels are really doing. Having an A1c in the sixes is great, getting that A1c by going up and down like a yo-yo isn't good. A lot of the damage diabetes causes is when you are high.Two hours at 72 and two at 180 give an average of 108, which is excellent, but that two hours at 180 has done a whole pile of no good.
Jean, I am so saddened to read your post, but I truly, truly understand what you are going through. I think the saddest thing in all of this is that my husband, yours, and the others out there who suffer from this disease, do not know what they put us through when they do not take care of themselves.
I think it is a downward spiral. Their disease may prevent them from having the desire or will to care for themselves which makes their medical conditions worse which makes it impossible for them to even want to care for themselves. Make sense?
Both of our spouses are in for a horrible future. All I can do is write about it...it's my personal therapy.
Many hugs to you, my dear!
Simon.....I have asked him to do this and he said no. But I don't give up easily, so in a month or so, I will mention it again. We do know that his daily blood sugars are doing just what you said. He did test for 4 days (yes, only 4 days) but he tested before and after every meal and at bedtime. He tested way low several times and the nutritionist told him that in order for him to have a normal a1c, that he had to be having an equal number of highs.
My concern is that we do not know the duration of the highs. And he has refused to test since then. I know he is exhausted and I'm certain it comes in a large part from the out-of-control levels. I think today I'm just wishing for a miracle!
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