Dad Update...
So, a little bit of good news on the Dad front.
A regime of insulin injections with gradually increasing doses over the last three weeks has got his blood sugar levels down from 26 to 12. Which is still too high, but much more into a high/manageable range rather than a high/how are you still alive? range.
The district nurse is going to keep coming daily and administering the injections for the foreseeable future until they've got his levels down to about 6/7 and can hold it there. Then they're going to teach him how to administer his own shots.
I spoke to my Dad a couple of night ago and he sounded far brighter. I'm not surprised, his blood must have been like treacle, the effort of pumping that gloop around his body for god knows how long must have been exhausting!
The one thing that I've considered in all this, is he must have the heart of a bull to keep going all this long. I hope I've inherited bit of that!
As we spoke, I asked him if he felt better in himself, and he said he really did. He said to me, 'yes, it's all good. I just measure my blood sugar in the morning with a little finger prick, then the nurse comes at lunchtime and gives me the injection in my stomach - only takes a minute. Piece of cake.'
Piece of cake???? I thought, I'm glad you think so, after Mum and I have been worrying ourselves into neuroses for the last however many months!
Anyhow, when the time comes for him to go it alone, I'm going to try to talk him into getting an insulin pump. That way, he won't have to prick himself every day. It's just a canula that stays in place and lasts, I believe, around two weeks, and it measures his blood and administers appropriate levels of insulin throughout the day without him having to do a thing. They're not cheap, and he may not go for it, but both Mum and I like that idea. So my plan over the next few weeks is to do some further research and get together some good reviews and information!
I'm almost scared to say it, but right now, I feel I can take a breath and relax on the parent front for a moment. Let's hope that's the last of the Dad-related curveballs - for now, at least!
via GIPHY
A regime of insulin injections with gradually increasing doses over the last three weeks has got his blood sugar levels down from 26 to 12. Which is still too high, but much more into a high/manageable range rather than a high/how are you still alive? range.
The district nurse is going to keep coming daily and administering the injections for the foreseeable future until they've got his levels down to about 6/7 and can hold it there. Then they're going to teach him how to administer his own shots.
I spoke to my Dad a couple of night ago and he sounded far brighter. I'm not surprised, his blood must have been like treacle, the effort of pumping that gloop around his body for god knows how long must have been exhausting!
The one thing that I've considered in all this, is he must have the heart of a bull to keep going all this long. I hope I've inherited bit of that!
As we spoke, I asked him if he felt better in himself, and he said he really did. He said to me, 'yes, it's all good. I just measure my blood sugar in the morning with a little finger prick, then the nurse comes at lunchtime and gives me the injection in my stomach - only takes a minute. Piece of cake.'
Piece of cake???? I thought, I'm glad you think so, after Mum and I have been worrying ourselves into neuroses for the last however many months!
Anyhow, when the time comes for him to go it alone, I'm going to try to talk him into getting an insulin pump. That way, he won't have to prick himself every day. It's just a canula that stays in place and lasts, I believe, around two weeks, and it measures his blood and administers appropriate levels of insulin throughout the day without him having to do a thing. They're not cheap, and he may not go for it, but both Mum and I like that idea. So my plan over the next few weeks is to do some further research and get together some good reviews and information!
I'm almost scared to say it, but right now, I feel I can take a breath and relax on the parent front for a moment. Let's hope that's the last of the Dad-related curveballs - for now, at least!
via GIPHY