Question about diabetics

Parent Cafe
1

<p>This is an odd question, but there are so many knowledgeable parents out there, I thought you could provide some information to appease my curiosity. One of my employees’ spouse has been a diabetic since early childhood. I’ve had some experience with relatives being diabetic as well as my sister who developed it after by-pass surgery. My understanding is that blood sugar fluctuates throughout the day depending on what you eat/drink and your activity level. That’s why people need to test their blood sugar regularly and adjust insulin levels based on that. </p>

<p>Well, the spouse eats a diet that would have a toddler climbing the walls, VERY high in carbs and sugar and junk food. I love sugar, but I couldn’t eat like that. This person takes one shot of insulin per day and never tests blood sugar. Dr. recently said that he was amazed this person hadn’t yet had any serious health problem. </p>

<p>I’m thinking the spouse is going to crash and burn at some point, probably in the not so distant future (mid 40s). I’ve been trying to get employee to become educated about diabetes from an authority, not spouse, who probably would not change the lifestyle anyway. </p>

<p>Or am I worrying needlessly? Is this a type of diabetes that can be dealt with this way?</p>

<p>Thanks for any thoughts on this topic.</p>

2

<p>Diabetics who do not well control their blood sugar leves greatly increase their chances of diabetes related complications (blindness, kidney damage, etc).</p>

3

<p>wow… they should be doing that at all. </p>

<p>You NEED to monitor several times a day.</p>

<p>Both my grandmother and cousin have type 2, and its been hell for them.</p>

4

<p>Diabetes is sometimes called a silent killer. People are at high risk for cardiovascular damage, vision damage, kidney damage, neuropathy & peripheral vascular compromise, BUT the damage takes a long time and can be sneaky and silent until it hits. </p>

<p>He could be an amazingly resilient diabetic or he could be a ticking time bomb with stroke, heart, blindness, amputation, etc lurking around the corner. </p>

<p>I don’t know about his diet, but just because he says he only gives one shot a day and does not test his blood sugar does not mean that is the truth. Many people downplay to the public the seriousness of an underlying condition. He may be more diligent than he indicates and just be talkin’ trash.</p>

5

<p>I have a good friend who was diagnosed Type 1 at age three. He does everything right and is nearing sixty without major problems. My Dad, on the other hand, was diagnosed Type 2 in his early forties and refused to follow guidelines. He developed many medical issues before dying of a diabetic complication in his early seventies.</p>

<p>I’m not making any judgements here, I’m just saying …</p>

6

<p>Diet does matter. It sounds like a risky lifestyle.</p>

7

<p>If he is acting as he says he is acting, he will die. And sooner rather than later. But there is very little any other person can do (and I speak from my own experience).</p>

8

<p>My friend was Type I diabetic & took good care of herself. She died of complications related to her diabetes at 30. My brother, Type I from the age of 8, did NOT take care of himself for much of his life, and he died of something totally unrelated to his diabetes at 44.</p>

<p>I am sure the spouse knows what he/she “should” do. If you intervene, you probably won’t be telling the employee anything she/he doesn’t know (the internet has made information mighty accessible!).</p>

9

<p>Sounds like a lot of denial going on. Anyone diagnosed with diabetes is told quite clearly about the risks of complication from non-compliance. However, there is likely not much you or the spouse can do to change that behavior. Some health plans have chronic diseases coordinators that work with subscribers to coordinate care. That might help. Also, many hospitals offer support group and education programs for patients and families. That might be another source. But really, my guess is that nothing will change until that first really bad complication occurs, and maybe not even then.</p>

10

<p>Diseases/injuries that don’t have characteristics that are visually apparent- are harder to get people to take seriously.
Mental illness, heart disease etc.
For example, my mother was at risk for heart disease ( high blood pressure) amongst other conditions( asthma) and she was managing it with some help from the facility where she lived ( they helped her keep track of her meds), however, when my brother went to live with her ( because of his legal problem), he encouraged her to eat * very* unhealthily,:grinders, chips & pastries.
He argued " She * likes* it".
She died 5 months after he moved in :mad:</p>

<p>A friend of H’s had type1 diabetes, was trying to manage it- but he was on medicaid which apparently didn’t cover the apparatus that would have made it easier to constantly monitor his blood sugar & he had difficulty, having already neuropathy & peripheral arterial disease , and had difficulty getting out for groceries etc. ( he lived in a pretty rural area). He died somewhat suddenly almost two years ago, at the age of 50. :(</p>

<p>I think it must be a pretty exhausting disease to cope with, especially if you aren’t able to stabilize it easily & can’t accept that certain restrictions come with the territory.
Depression is also a component, which takes away your energy to cope with it all- they probably know what * they should be doing*, but they haven’t been able to see the benefit of being really proactive as opposed to careless.</p>

<p>I have genetic high cholesterol, and other indications of beginning heart disease, so I try to generally watch what I eat & it is stunning how much others try and undermine my diet. I am not a PITA about it either, I don’t make requests of dinner party hosts or carry little baggies of food around. But just by abstaining from certain foods at a gathering, I have to keep politely refusing when someone is trying to get me to eat something " just this once", it is really annoying .
Who do they think they are? My * Grandmother*?</p>

11

<p>I have T2. Diet is absolutely key to blood sugar control, and blood sugar control is absolutely key to avoiding complications.T1 diabetics have to adjust their insulin dosage to their food intake, and many take a combination of fast and slow acting insulins at various points, according to my understanding.</p>

<p>If a T1 was actually doing what you describe, I doubt they would have survived this long.</p>

12

<p>D was diagnosed with Type 1 at age 6. She has to test her blood at least 6-7 times/day. She requires two types of insulin (humalog (fast-acting)) and Lantus (slow acting). She doesn’t have a pump, so gives herself at least 5 injections/day.</p>

<p>She has to watch what she eats, and adjust insulin accordingly. She has to watch cholesterol, and was recently (a week ago) given a prescription for a daily Ace-Inhibitor medication to help preserve kidney function and lower her blood pressure.</p>

<p>She is majoring in nursing, and hopes to work as a diabetes educator, specializing in pediatric endocrinology. She has been fortunate to be involved with routine visits to the Joslin Diabetes Center. They have great support for families too.</p>

<p>Some of these stories scare the heck out of me, as she just started college yesterday…:eek:</p>

13

<p>I think that today’s diabetic is a lot better off than youngsters diagnosed back in the day. There are so many advancements in monitoring. In addition, college dorm food is healthier now than it was when I was in school … and there are so many great exercise options. Your D will have challenges, but advances are being made all the time. Her outlook should be much better than my friend’s and my brother’s were.</p>

14

<p>Thanks Kelsmom. We are certainly trying to be optimistic. :o</p>

<p>She has never been away from home, so I hope she remains as vigilant about her care without Mom’s constant prodding…</p>

15

<p>tango: “One of my employees’ spouse has been a diabetic since early childhood…
Well, the spouse eats a diet that would have a toddler climbing the walls, VERY high in carbs and sugar and junk food.”</p>

<p>Sadly, no one should have a diet like that, most especially a diabetic. SOME people think they’re invincible. SOME people are totally unknowledgeable about problems. Problem is that this is a serious disease that needs constant monitoring. I’m a T1 diabetic for the past 24 years, and still frustrated I can’t predict why I’m tired, why I’m cranky, or in general if I’m high or low. I explain the results once I see the results, but without a regular check, it could be either way.</p>

<p>But the psychology of denial is a funny thing. Testing myself is so frequent, and I hate failing. But it happens, and that’s why I test. To think I don’t need to test myself is simply foolish and selfish. I hate to be told I have to eat when I’m not hungry, or that I can’t eat when I’m hungry. I hate denying myself those goodies that everyone else gets to eat. I’m thin, so it’s not like I need to watch my weight. In fact, I’ve never been on a special diet, but I know I have to watch what I eat…or at least balance what I eat with insulin.</p>

<p>But I also know of too many stories. My brother’s friend (now age 55) who was blind by age 30 because monitoring systems had not been perfected. Or my MIL’s friend who took one daily dose and died regretting her ways. But then there’s someone else I know who had a pump and consistently needed only one unit of insulin an hour and was rock-steady.</p>

<p>Your problem though, is that you can’t do anything but watch. You can’t test. And you can’t lecture. You’re not involved or even related. Geez. My DH has too much salt and I can’t stop that. He tells me there’s no “real proof” that salt is terrible for him. And he’s related to me! So while you know your employee’s spouse is on a roller coaster with his/her health, that’s your employee’s problem, not yours.</p>

16

<p>Thank you so much, everyone. You have confirmed what I thought. I know that I am just an observer. </p>

<p>Somemom, I am pretty sure the behavior is accurate because I am getting the information from my employee directly, not the diabetic. I have not been asked for advice, although I have been asked specific questions re: what I might know about diabetes. I have basically limited myself to suggesting that the employee check out some Internet sites for specific information–frankly, because I wasn’t sure of my own facts. Just that the diabetics I had been in contact with behaved (and ate) very differently. I also shared a room with a diabetic when I was in the hospital and know that they checked her blood sugar before every meal and numerous other times during the day. </p>

<p>I just wanted to make sure that I was not mistaken in my own assumptions. </p>

<p>Heart disease and strokes run in my family on both sides. I have had high cholesterol for years and take medication for it, watch my diet, exercise, and do everything I’m supposed to. H has glaucoma, which runs in his family, and deals with it the same way. (I continually stress to S1 and S2 the importance of having their eyes checked regularly.) That is why it is incomprehensible to me that someone would be so blithe about it these “silent” diseases. </p>

<p>The spouse (and spouse’s family) are very uneducated, not incurious, but with beliefs about many things that make my hair curl, let alone factual inaccuracies about many issues. </p>

<p>I know only the individual concerned can make changes, if he/she is even willing. But I do care about my employee, and tangentially, what will happen (since we are 3 running this business) if/when something really serious happens. </p>

<p>limabeans, I agree that’s not a healthy diet for anyone. Employee has asked me about symptoms of high/low blood sugar. Spouse claims to be able to “predict” these episodes, but employee notices them happening more frequently and has asked me how to find more information. I actually once had a student in an early morning class who started singing midway through the class (lecture with 60 students) and then got up and ambled out of the room. I thought she was drunk (not an unheard of thing). Later in the day I got a call from her father telling me that she had left class and collapsed somewhere across campus and been taken to the hospital. I told him I was very upset that I had not known she was a diabetic. If I had, I would have suspected immediately a blood sugar issue and gotten help.</p>

<p>Oh well, there’s no way to do anything more than take care of oneself and take care of our kids while they let us and hope we’ve educated them to take care of themselves. </p>

<p>Thanks again, everyone.</p>