Thought I would share Stan's visit today....but first let me back up and tell you that in Aug the doctor sent my husband to a specialist for his blood sugar since he became diabetic while having cancer. Well....for some unknown reason my husband could NEVER bring himself to poke his finger so he has let his blood sugar get out of control. It got really scary when the blood sugar was 478 today. We will see the specialist this week, but the problem is he still won't poke his finger.(I just sat with him for the last 2 hours and he could not do it or let me either!!!) He will have to give the shot in his stomach which I cannot see happening if he cannot poke his finger! Then the specialist just called me and told me he could go into diabetic coma. Stan feels like crap and now we know why. He is such a stubborn man! I am so worried and hopefully we can figure out a way for this to all work. He was so upset that he cannot poke himself he said he just wants to give up on everything. His coumadin level is also messed up and so we are adjusting his medicine and they also think he is dehydrated because of the diabetes. I told him he does not want to go to the hospital, but if this is not under control in the next couple of days I see problems. Sorry to go on but needed to give the full history...any suggestions or does anyone else have this problem???
I do hope everyone had a nice Easter...as you can guess Stan was miserable.
Take care God Bless,
Kim

Kim, it was difficult for my Mom to start poking her finger but once she got started she could do it. I cringe every time I have been poked in the hospital so it is a common thing. Can you ask the doctor for a numbing agent to rub on his finger? There may be over the counter products also but you would need to use something that won't interfere with the results. If that isn't possible then try holding an ice cube on his finger for a few seconds. That is how we all pieced each others' ears when we were young. It works. I think once he can get started it will be easier. I know how vital it is to get his blood sugar under control. My prayers will be with you two all day. Please let us know how it is going. Love from Ky., Pat

Thanks Tuckygal...
We went to the doctor and he is meeting Stan 1/2 way...he will only have to poke himself twice a day to check his sugar level and only give himself one injection instead of 3 and will take 3 pills a day along with the one injection. The doctor also gave him other options where he can poke himself since I guess we have the blood machine that can take it from almost anywhere...whew! The numbing thing sounds like a good idea too! Thanks for the suggestions and will look into that one and of course the ice cube...how could I forget! Thanks for your help...appreciate so much. He feels so sick between the chemo he just finished and his blood sugar. He claims he is not spacey but I don't push it with him...he is so out in left field...poor guy. I am just keeping a close eye at a distance so as not to smother him to make sure he is okay and not go into coma. He won't do the injection until this evening or 1st thing in the am since it is every 24 hours and he wants it to be at an easy time which makes complete sense! You are a very special gal Pat and many hugs being sent your way. Oh no, I hear the boys yelling...uh oh...they are home on spring break! Gotta run and thanks for the prayers too! I wish you a beautiful day and lots of health and happiness my friend,
Kim

Kim.

I hope that Stan was able to poke himself. It is not easy as I remember back in college in a biology class I took we were learning to do blood typeing and were suppose to poke our lab partners fingers well after about an hour with no one poking any one it was decided everyone would poke themselves and that took along time for some people to do too!

One of my best friends developed diabetes at about age 40 and at first she too had a hard time poking herself but watch out she was soon poking anyone that came to the house "let me check your blood sugar" thank god she out grew that phase!

I have to draw arterial blood as part of my job and being that an artery is deeper then a vein it can hurt alot . Doing those first few pokes over 24 yrs ago was difficult then you just get use to it and it is no big deal and I am sure Stan will find his pokes that way too. My mom has had to check her blood sugars before and had to do her own neupogen shots but she had no problem with either but she is a tough old girl!

Anyway I am pulling for Stan and I am sure once his blood sugars come down and are under control he will start feeling better too. My prayers are with him as always. Hope you both are enjoying our beautiful weather this week. JanMarie :cool: