My Dad's Diabetes

We had the scare of our lives Friday night with Dad's Type 1 Diabetes.  I started to post a few times, but the scare of the situation made my hands shake and I would walk away.  However, my Sis came through and posted on her blog!  So, in a true sisterly fashion, I am copying her blog to post here.  My Sis lives in Pflugerville about 15 minutes from my parents, so she was there for it all.  Today is also Cade's 4th CD and party (posting on that coming!), so I stayed home to be with Cade while my Sis did everything.  It is hard to live far away from your parents.  At times, you may think it gives you your freedom, but then other times, you ask yourself if that was ever really the best decision to move away.  A tough call, and down right painful at times.  I must pause here to say I am grateful for my Sis who lives close and takes on the tasks of helping Mom/Dad whenever they need it.  No matter what, everything gets dropped and she is there.  Those of you who live close to parents know this aspect of the caregiver cycle.  It can sometimes be difficult and feel lonely I am sure.  So, thank you Sis for all you do, I love and appreciate you!  Below is the excerpt from my Sis' blog that explains everything.

Diabetes SUCKS
"Sorry kids for the rotten title of this post, but this is how I feel. Quite simple. Just like I hate cancer, I hate diabetes. This is one of the very few times I can say "hate" and I mean it with every fiber of my being. Last night, I went over to my parents house for dinner at 6:00 p.m. Dad had left at 5:30 to go get the pizzas so that he was home by the time we got there. We sat at the table waiting for him and finally at 6:30, I went looking for him. I found out that he had picked the pizzas up a little before 6:00. I was just about home and still no sign of him (he had left the cell phone at home), when he called home. It had taken him 45 minutes to remember who to call and what his home phone number was. He has had the same phone number since 1991.

Dad had been involved in a terrible 4 car accident on the highway near our house. Apparently, he had remembered getting disoriented and while his blood meter (a permanent device in his stomach), did not go off (it is supposed to sound a loud beeping alarm when Dad's blood sugar gets too high or too low), he knew something was wrong. He said he remembered getting the pizzas, and remembered missing the turn for our house. He even remembered taking 3 glucose tablets. He went on up to the highway and got on it, completely disoriented. Then he realized he was going the wrong direction and turned around. There were no "witnesses" to the accident, but the very first guy hit said when he glanced in his rearview mirror, he saw my Dad swerve off the road and then over correct and come back on. When he did, he clipped another vehicle and somehow went airborn over the top of a full size pick up truck, he may or may not have flipped, and Dad's Yukon landed on its side and skidded about 100 feet. Dad remembers nothing about the accident. One of the many things I am so very thankful for.

Several people climbed on the top of the vehicle yelling at my Dad through his window. Since the car was laying on the passenger side, he has actually suspended in the air, his seatbelt keeping him in the seat. He remembers coming to and trying to get his seatbelt off, but he couldn't. A bystander broke the back window out and about that time, my Dad got himself unbuckled and crawled out. He immediately stated he had blacked out and was diabetic and 2 people went to their cars to get him candy. Someone even jogged to Whataburger and got him a coke. He doesn't remember refusing ambulance transport. 3 of the 4 people involved (my Dad one of them), went to the hospital last night but were released. 2 of the 4 vehicles are likely a total loss. Like I told my Dad, THIS is why you have insurance. ALL we care about is loss of life, and everyone is miraculously just fine. I don't know about you, but I could care less about a half ton piece of metal. That is all his Yukon is/was. Stupid metal. It is a miracle that my Dad survived and that it wasn't any worse.

Dad's CT scan of his head came back normal. His vitals were fine in the ER and x-rays of his shoulder and back showed some compression injuries. The Dr. recommended Dad see his orthopedic surgeon next week. Emotionally, he is terrible. He is carrying so much guilt for hurting others and Mom said he talked all night in his sleep last night asking, "Did I kill them? Did I kill them?" I am not sure what I would have done without my Mother-in-law. Chris is fishing this weekend, so I have the kids by myself. When this all happened, I called her and literally WITHIN THE HOUR (she lives an hour away and also fought rush hour traffic), she and Papa were on the scene to get Mackenzie and Jaxson. This freed me up to take care of Mom and Dad. Dad would not leave the scene until he knew everyone was ok and had left, and until they were able to get his Yukon righted so that we could get all of his personal stuff (including his insulin and medication) out of the truck. I spent the night with my parents last night and helped Dad get his rental car this morning, go by the wrecking yard, well, I was more moral support than anything. I picked up the kids and by the time we left, Mom and Dad were going to bed around 4:00 this afternoon. Bless their hearts.

There's little to NO hope for the Yukon. It appears to be a total loss. I am quite positive it will be. For what that truck did, it looks pretty amazing. I can't say enough about these big SUV's we have. Yeah, they might cost more in gas, but Dad's 2007 Yukon and my 2005 Tahoe (my October accident) saved both of our lives in horrific accidents. Mine even survived. My gut just wrenches when I think what if Dad would have been in a car. I don't think he would have crawled out for sure. Dad's accident will be turned into the state Medical Advisory Board for review, and we are praying they don't temporarily suspend his license. He is Mom's primary caregiver, and I talked with his endocrinologist personally last night. Dad is finally getting an insulin pump. He has bucked that idea and dug his heels in for years, but after collapsing last October and nearly dying (remember my Mom resuscitated him), and now this, there is NO CHOICE. My prayer is that this keeps his high/low swings under control, and is better able to regulate his insulin levels. We can only hope and pray. For now, my prayer is one of thankfulness. The Lord is trying to tell my Dad something. I heard it, and I think Dad did too. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. Please keep them coming for my family!"