I had wondered when I would receive the
next email from someone dealing with depression and being ignored by
a CDE. This time it was two emails about four hours apart. Both had
been referred to a CDE and did need assistance for diabetes. One is
a type 1 and the other a type 2. Both had been diagnosed since the
beginning of the new year and both were not receiving family or for
one even spousal support.
The person with type 1 (19 years of
age) was rejected by his family and they did not want him around
because there was no history of diabetes and therefore he could not
have diabetes. In essence, his family had turned their back on him.
He was not welcome in their home and they did not want contact from
him until he grew up and admitted he did not have diabetes. Is it
any wonder he had depression?
He said in his email that they were
almost done with his CDE appointment, but he wanted some information
and help with his depression. He stated next that it seemed to him
that the CDE could not gather up her materials fast enough and say on
her way out the door, that she was late for another appointment. He
wanted to know what it was about diabetes that drove people away from
him. He knew he had depression because of the parent's rejection and
how he was feeling around people. I was fortunate this time as one
phone call was necessary and he had an appointment with someone that
knew what to do for him. Three weeks later, he sent another email
saying that he was happy with the appointment and felt that I had
found him the right person. He said he would have several more
appointments, but wanted to thank me.
The second person is in his late 40's
and is wondering what to do. He had an appointment with a CDE and
when she walked in, she asked how he was. He said he answered, depressed, and he said she turned around and left the room. He said
he waited for 10 minutes and then walked to the reception area. He
was told that this CDE would not see patients with depression. Now
he has lost his family and has not been able to find help.
I asked him in a return email what had
happened. He said that his wife had been present when he received
the diagnosis and over the next month, the situation went from bad to
worse. His teenagers rejected him and were asking him when he would
have his legs cut off and they refused to change their eating habits.
His wife would not change her cooking habits and the highly
processed foods and would not prepare separate meals. He said he
started cooking again and this helped for a while until the teenagers
kept bringing home more horror stories about what happened to people
with diabetes. Then his wife said she would not take care of him
when things like this happened. He said he came home from work in
March and they had moved out and two weeks later, he received divorce
papers at work.
He stated that he had tried three
different places to get counseling, but could not get an appointment
at any of them. I asked if he had talked to his doctor or even to
anyone in his church. He admitted that he had not and would talk to
his doctor the next day. The next day I received an email saying his
doctor had gotten him an appointment with someone and he would let me
know if he was being helped. I am still waiting, but the appointment
won't happen until near the end of April.
What surprises me is the lack of
support the two received and the total rejection by both families.
There may have been unknown facts with the second individual, but I have known
other divorces where diabetes was the cause and one or the other
spouse was not going to help with future health issues.
Sad things can happen.
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