Diabetes strikes!

CEBU, Philippines - It never dawned on us how serious diabetes is till our mother got stricken with Type 2. On March 14, my mother suffered from a slight fever which sent her joints aching. The following day, without relief from her usual water therapy believing that she had flu symptoms, she tried self-medication with paracetamol to no avail. However, she managed to babysit while I was away for work.

Throughout the day, she attended to her domestic routine but dozed off as soon as she was relieved of babysitting. That I found unusual because she used to finish her crossword puzzles and wait patiently for further updates in the late-night news before hitting the sack. At 2 a.m., I woke up to her delirious moans; her forehead so hot, her soles too cold. She was having the chills. Good thing that I learned from her the quickest remedy to prevent a convulsion – ice pack on head, lukewarm water in a tight plastic bottle in between her feet, body sponge and a massage.

On March 17, she still refused to go to the hospital thinking of the bills. But at past 3 p.m., she couldn’t make sense anymore of holding up her undies after peeing. She also wanted to gulp down glasses after glasses of processed juice to taste something sweet, as she was beginning to lose sense of taste.

Later on, she couldn’t stand for a long time. Her knees began to wobble. I think many of you were in the situation that I was in that time, but knew too little about what’s going on. Could it be symptoms of flu or dengue hemorrhagic fever?

Not any closer, but definitely very serious! My mom has diabetes.

At past 6 p.m. that night, I found out from the attending physician at the emergency room of the Sacred Heart Hospital that bacteria in my mother’s kidney had caused the fever. In fact, the glucometer first read “530.”

“It’s a good thing your mama has a strong heart or she could have suffered from a heart attack,” the doctor said.

My mom could have further fallen ill because of the complications. At the hospital, she nearly developed pneumonia but thanks to the antibiotics and the nebulizer, she was released after six days. Now, she is insulin-dependent and is observing the “diabetic diet.”

When you’re already 35 years old and above, learn from this experience. Slow down with rice intake, fatty foods, and observe the proper servings of white meat (no red meat please), of vegetables, of coffee, and of eggs in your diet.

Diabetes is an expensive illness, mind you. A vial of antibiotic costs P1,600 and the doctor prescribes at least two and at most three vials within a 24-hour cycle. Also, the insulin (Humulin 70/30) costs P1,300 per vial good for three weeks on a twice-a-day injection. However, the label guarantees 28 days of insulin supply depending on shot adjustments. Syringes cost from P8.35 to P10 each and it’s for single use only. These do not include yet the hospital bills, the doctor’s professional fees (some add up P2,000 for insurance claims while some really demand cash); and the maintenance in medicines (of up to four generic names) and around P700 for a small can of Glucerna. As for developing complications with your other vital organs – the lungs, the heart and the kidney – that would certainly be “treated dearly” (pun intended!).

Why does diabetes happen?

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland that lies near the stomach. This hormone is necessary for the body’s correct use of food, especially sugar. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin to meet your body’s needs. If your body cannot properly store sugar anymore, you have the tendency to suffer from body malaise and lose energy – which will keep you from accomplishing anything.

To control diabetes, doctors prescribe injections of insulin products to keep the blood glucose at a near-normal level. In fact, we were instructed to test blood and/or urine regularly for glucose. Too much sugar in the urine could also cause an overgrowth of bacteria that may lead to urinary tract infections.

As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The key to eating healthy would be to start treating your diet as a “diabetic diet” - eating in moderation, sticking to regular mealtimes, and eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Actually, it was learned that you do not need to eat special foods. “Instead, simply emphasize a healthy eating plan that is high in nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories.”