Dear Tom's Wife
I tried to post a comment on your blog and it wouldn't let me. If you see this post, please let us know how you are doing. It's been almost a year since you posted and things weren't going so well. Keeping you in my prayers.DW (Source: Wife of a Diabetic)
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - October 27, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
A very good comment
a reader posted this:I know exactly how you feel. And this blog illustrates to me just how long a non-compliant diabetic's chronic decline can affect their loved one's lives. It seems endless, and with no hope for getting better. Only a promise of years to come with losses and horrible physical and mental problems to contend with. Having your own life aside from that horror is key to maintaining your sanity and health through the duration of this event in your life. The option is to leave. So if you decide to be there for your loved one, you must take care of yourself first. Even if it sounds sel...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - October 24, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
More surgery or not?
I don't post unless there's something new or different. There's still the roller coaster ride of highs and lows...but he is trying hard to contain them. I appreciate that. He has had significant back pain, so finally had X-rays done. As predicted, his upper back now needs to be fused and he's been referred to a neurosurgeon.If you remember back in 2011 when he had his spinal fusion surgery - it was a nightmare. They wrote down the wrong insulin and cut his dose by 90%. So he crashed on the operating table. Afterwards, he had blockage in his intestines and had a stomach pump in for ...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - October 24, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
Starting over
Hubby has moved back here. Been a week and things are going ok. But I do realize we are in a "honeymoon" phase. I will say that he is working overtime to make this work and I am not complaining. He has not had labs done yet. He has not seen a doctor yet. He is doing great at keeping his anger in check. He inherited his dad's chihuahua. She broke her leg at a young age and had to have it amputated. So now I am "mom" to 2 chihuahuas after 3 years of no pets. That may be the biggest adjustment. :)The house is completely torn up and in total disarray as I would expect...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - August 17, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
Life goes on
A week after my last post, hubby's dad passed away. We left the next day to go back. Hubby had just finished his last doctor's appointment that day.So things just went downhill from there. In retrospect....was it grief? was it a diabetic low? was it just stress? I will never know, but the fights were horrendous and just seemed to grow. Hubby started making terrible decisions faster than I could absorb them. I tried to be supportive. His brother was there and pushing so hard as he needed to get things done before he went home.Eventually, I broke down. Walked out - ...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - June 3, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
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Since my last post in February, I have come home, gone on a month long vacation with my sisters, gone back and spent 3 weeks with hubby and now we are both home for 3 weeks as he needs a break from taking care of his dad. Until yesterday, things had gone great. The plans are to spend a couple more weeks here, then go back to his dad's where I will spend a couple of weeks, then I'll head home for the summer.What happened yesterday. For the past few days, there have been horrible smells coming from his room whenever he opens the door. I assumed it was our aging dog. So I started on a mission wit...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - May 9, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
keeping your privacy
Had a comment from someone who couldn't figure out how to keep their identity private. Well, I simply set up a fake email account with yahoo. Then I used that "valid" email name to set up an account with google and thus this blog. If I have an address....it's pretty much fake. Keeps my location private that way as well. I only have about 3 days left of this visit with hubby. We had an interesting day today - a true Friday the 13th, so I'm pretty much writing it off. But I dropped him off to get his haircut while I ran an errand. Got back quickly and pulled into the handicapped park...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - February 14, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
Things continue to improve
Hubby has been gone 2 years, 5 months. After his November visit, I let him fly me to visit him in December. 3 weeks. I was so anxious. But it went really well and I'm going back the end of this month for another 3 weeks. He now calls numerous times a day telling me how much he misses me, that he loves me....WHAT HAPPENED? What changed? and w-h-a-t-t-h-e-h-e-c-k????? LOL!!!Thinking back. In Jan, 2013, I was ready to divorce him. It got worse in Sept that year. But in Nov, that visit went ok. Just ok. Not great, but not horrible. Jan 2014, th...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - January 16, 2015 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
November update
He was here for a week this month. First time since January. Things actually went just fine between the 2 of us so perhaps caring for his father and being gone for over 2 years has been good. He has to come back to get labs and see his doc in order to continue to get his prescriptions.A1C was at 10.2. Not good at all. But looking back at the grid I used to keep, he has been at 8 and 9 most of the time since Feb 2010, which is when he had his heart attack. His cataracts are growing, but they prescribed new contacts. He had cornea transplants 30 years ago and they don't want to do cataract...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - November 10, 2014 Category: Endocrinology Source Type: blogs
Summer's over!
And I'm just getting back to this blog. I received this comment:Your blog has helped more than anything else I have read. Just knowing that this can go on for years and years gives me the courage to know that I MUST protect my own life. I still can't help wondering about the future and how I will make it, but at least I won't let it take me down with him. Thank you! I am very curious if after their spouse's passing, anyone out there who has gone through the long years of decline has been successful in forgetting those horrible things and remembering just the wonderful spouse they used to have before Diabetes changed ...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - August 31, 2014 Category: Diabetes Source Type: blogs
From Wife of a Diabetic 2
Here's a note from Tom's Wife:Hi DW, I had a major computer problem and in the recovery process, I lost access to my blog. Google tells me it is not recoverable -- no one can access it at all any more! :( So I am requesting that you post this the next time you are on line (its a good thing that's not very often anymore because your life has changed for the better!) I don't know if I am going to create a new blog now. Tom's health is good, mine is getting better and the blog is not as important to me as it once was. (I am guessing the same for you) Do you find it interesting that there are more options for people today than...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - June 10, 2014 Category: Diabetes Source Type: blogs
Time flies
Hard to believe that nearly 3 months have passed and I haven't blogged. Life is very good. I am busy with my gardening. Busy with my sisters. Hubby says he wants to come for a visit in August or October...he's still a thousand miles away staying with his dad. Hard to believe he's been on disability for 2 years and now we start the process of getting him on a Medicare plan that will pay for his humulin r u 500 concentrated. About $431 per month for the cheapest plan in his state. I'd like to get him something there so he can get labs done locally. Lots of research to do next ...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - May 15, 2014 Category: Diabetes Source Type: blogs
Another visit - went well
Hubby was here for about 10 days. Everything went well. He visited his docs, got his prescriptions renewed, had his labs done. And he still has not "allowed" me to know the results. I just find that pretty suspicious!!! But I have decided this is part of letting go. There is no reason for me to know what his labs are. As long as he is not living here in the same house with me. We were very "polite" to each other during his visit. I was gone for 4 days to an art retreat so we really didn't have much time together.I often wonder what will happen when his dad dies. D...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - February 19, 2014 Category: Diabetes Source Type: blogs
in answer to my question
Deb wrote:t's me again. Ironically I am a health care professional in dialysis and very familiar with ESRD. Because of this I also know too well the outcome of many noncompliant diabetics.Diagnosis of ESRD is only conclusive through examination of a person's blood work, of course. Some physical symptoms include fatigue, muscle aches and cramping, dry and itchy skin, and lessening of urine output. Many ESRD patients still make urine. The blood work tells most conclusively whether the kidneys are efficient in removing toxins from the body. Most diabetics, especially uncontrolled ones, should also be under the care of a nephr...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - January 22, 2014 Category: Diabetes Source Type: blogs
I know....I know....
it's new year's eve and here I am writing another post on this blog. Yes, I live a boring life! LOL!!!First - I need your help. Does anyone out there have experience with ESRD? What are the signs of the final end stages? I have read about it, I'm just looking for personal experience - not textbook information.Hubby is still gone - still taking care of his dad. He has been gone 1 year, 3 months and 2 weeks. This week he got sick. He has not been able to keep anything down in the last 3 days. Everything he eats and drinks comes back up. No, he will not go to a doct...
Source: Wife of a Diabetic - January 1, 2014 Category: Diabetes Source Type: blogs
