nurse educator visited me daily and gave me free diabetic testing supplies and equipment. She showed me how to take blood and urine samples and how to record the results in a special self-testing log. My reluctance irritated her since I cannot stand needles pricking me, let alone the sight of blood, especially my own.
According to the nurse diabetic educator, I must be keenly aware of my blood glucose level every day without fail. Here is what I learned.
| WHEN BLOOD GLUCOSE (mg/dl) is: | COMMENTS |
| Below 70 mg/dl | I must follow treatment plan for low blood sugar. |
| 70-120 mg/dl fasting blood glucose | This glucose level is ideal. No cause for alarm. |
| 70-140 mg/dl fasting blood glucose | This glucose level is acceptable. |
| 100-140 mg/dl blood glucose after meals (1 ½ to 2 hours) | This glucose level is ideal. |
| 120-180 mg/dl blood glucose after meals (1 ½ to 2 hours) | This glucose level is acceptable. |
| Above 200 mg/dl | Glucose level is not acceptable. I must call my physician and report this. |
| Above 240 mg/dl | I must test for ketones. If ketones are present, or if my blood sugar does not return to normal in 2 days, I must contact my physician. |
I learned so much from my hospital stay and from consultation with Dr. Levy-Kern, Dr. Loreno and hospital nurse-educator that I feel compelled to share my experience. The knowledge I gained about Type 2 diabetes from these skilled professionals guided me well. For instance, I was able to accept gradually that diabetes, a lifelong condition that has no known cure, is caused by increased glucose in the blood, by insufficient insulin production or by inability of the insulin to work effectively.
Controlling Fluctuations of Diabetes Blood Glucose, Healing and Preventing Nerve Damage with Baby’s Milk
In the beginning, none of this was easy to understand. When I was dangerously ill with this life-threatening condition, all I wanted to know is when I would get well and how soon.
It was mentally challenging to comprehend how food is broken down into glucose, the body’s main source of energy; that when insulin is absent, reduced or not effective, glucose cannot be transported to the cells for energy. When this happens, glucose builds up in the blood. This high blood glucose level causes diabetes.
The nurse educator and Dr. Levy-Kern both said that meal planning, physical exercise, medication, stress management and knowledge about diabetes all help blood glucose levels to return to or remain normal.
According to these professionals, diabetes is not contagious. Obesity and heredity precipitate it. Since I am never overweight, obesity did not play a role. The susceptibility to diabetes is passed from generation to generation through the genes but not in any predictable pattern. Dr. Levy-Kern said that heredity played a part in my being diabetic. I was diagnosed with Type 2 (non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) due to heredity since my father was diabetic and passed away due to its many complications.
Dr. Levy-Kern emphasized the necessity to watch for high blood sugar (HYPERGLYCEMIA) and low blood sugar (HYPOGLYCEMIC). I was given written information on what to expect and how to detect symptoms. Here’s the information:
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIGH BLOOD SUGAR AND LOW BLOOD SUGAR
| HIGH BLOOD SUGAR: (HYPERGLYCEMIA) | LOW BLOOD SUGAR (HYPOGLYCEMIA) |
| Symptoms noticed within hours to several days: | Symptoms noticed within minutes to hours: |
| - increased thirst and frequent urination | - cold sweats |
| - large amounts of blood sugar | - dizziness, headaches |
| - ketones in urine | - blurred vision |
| weakness, pains in stomach, aching all over | - inability to awaken |
| - heavy-labored breathing | - grouchiness |
| - loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting | - personality change |
| - fatigue |
Controlling Fluctuations of Diabetes Blood Glucose, Healing and Preventing Nerve Damage with Baby’s Milk
| WHAT TO DO: | WHAT TO DO: |
| - call doctor immediately | - take 2 glucose tablets or food containing sugar (orange juice, regular soda) |
| - take fluids without sugar if able to swallow | - check blood sugar level |
| - test blood sugar frequently | - do not give insulin |
| - test urine for ketones | - do not give anything by mouth if unconscious |
| - call doctor |
| CAUSES | CAUSES |
| - not enough insulin | - too much insulin |
| - too much food | - not enough food |
| - infection, fever, illness | - overly strenuous exercise |
| - emotional stress | - delayed meal |
For high blood sugar, Dr. Levy-Kern and Dr. Loreno strongly advised me to monitor the blood sugar and urine ketone levels. Urine testing for ketones can be done at home with test kits from the pharmacy. I prefer to have my ketone tests done in a laboratory to make sure there is no possible kidney problem. It is hard enough to have diabetes, and it is deadly when kidneys are affected.
Long ago my father said, “No one dies from diabetes, but diabetic complications will surely get you.” He should know. He died from diabetes complications of the kidneys, circulation problems and high blood pressure.
Prior to being released from the hospital, the nurse educator enrolled me in a month-long diabetes self-management course. Family members were encouraged to attend. The course included:
- general information supported by numerous pamphlets of information from various sources
- blood glucose monitoring
- oral hypoglycemic
- ketone testing
- hygiene, nutrition and meal planning
- stress management
- behavior medication
- group discussion
