This is a continuation of some of the
recent discussions within our group with members from the second
group present. We have been discussing testing rather intensely and
getting mixed signals from those on oral medications. Finally, we
started asking questions of them, when they were testing, and why.
It seemed like we were talking to ourselves.
Allen did realize what was happening
and started asking questions without saying it was for them. They
politely listened and excused themselves early. Sue then asked to
talk about testing for her brothers Ben and Barry who are both on
insulin. Before we started, Ben said thank you to Tim. He stated
that the day we had met was a very low period for him and now that he
was getting his diabetes under better management, he was feeling
better, more positive, and with Barry now living with him we could
stop worrying about him.
We did discuss the level of his vision
and he said it was not as bad as first thought, but he was going to
have to get and keep his A1c much lower to save it. All of us
present expressed our concern saying that we have been researching
and talking about depression since Tim was the only one that really
knew what to do. Ben stated that was one reason he was listening to
his sister about how much we cared and that she had given us every
reason to make life miserable for her, but we had not retaliated.
Instead, we had done everything to make sure she got the knowledge
she needed.
Even Allen expressed his thanks for our
support and for trying to talk to the others, but he felt that they
may still be in denial and for the present, we were not going to
change their minds. Ben agreed and started asking questions about
the insulin. Since I am on the same insulins and obtain mine through
the VA, I told him that as soon as he got an appointment to let me
know so that I could talk to him before the appointment.
We covered a lot about testing and the
importance of keeping blood glucose levels down. We also talked
about reducing his carbohydrates even though he was not overweight,
insulin would make food more available to the cells and he could gain
weight. He said that he and his brother were starting an exercise
regimen and trying to walk several miles each day, weather
permitting. Barry had a treadmill that they would be using
especially during bad weather and would be looking for another piece
of equipment over the summer.
Then we got into this blog by David
Spero. Since Tim had a laptop, we pulled it up and covered it very
carefully. Ben and Barry were both surprised when we pulled up the site for the calculator for converting A1c to average blood glucose.
They both wanted to see their most recent A1c converted average blood
glucose levels. Surprises all around and Ben said it was no surprise
now why his doctor converted him to insulin. Barry said this even
made his A1c more meaningful.
Ben asked if it might be possible once
he learned what his food was actually doing to his blood glucose
levels and he was managing his levels better if it would be possible
to get off insulin. All of us agreed that it could be a goal, but
with his sight problem, he may want to consider remaining on insulin.
We all explained why we would stay on insulin and he said we have
given him a lot to think about and he was glad that his brother and
sister were with him. We kidded him about some of the insulin myths
and he agreed that was what drove his question.
I asked him if he had a computer and
Barry spoke up and said he did. He gave us his email address and
asked that we include him in our lists. Tim said he would send him
one that evening and include the rest of our emails, my blog site,
our telephone numbers, and several other sites we used to get him
started. Even Ben was now more interested and asked how long it
would take him to become computer literate. We asked if he could
obtain a computer and he said that should not be a problem and asked
several questions about what he should consider. After some more
conversation, Sue said she needed to get home and we broke up for the
evening and I promised to talk more with Ben and Barry.
In a few days, Ben has seen what he
wants and knew of the business I took him to and the owner and his
family. After seeing one set up with a monitor that would greatly
assist him, he ordered a computer and would purchased the monitor of
his choice. Barry said he has been surprised about the sites
provided him and did not realize all the information existed about
diabetes. Ben says he now understands why Allen wanted to be a
member of our group and expressed his desire to belong as well. I
told him that it should not be a problem, but that they should ask at
our next get-together.
Barry commented that in the few days
since our meeting he has learned more than he had learned the five
years since diagnosis. He said he thought he was doing well to have
the A1c's he was obtaining, but he now understood why and how lucky
he was on his own. He even commented about how lucky it was to have
a family that now understood about diabetes even if they did not want
to have diabetes. He explained that his doctor had started him on
insulin and that he felt lucky that even happened.
Then he surprised me when he asked why
we were so open about our diabetes. He said where he lived before,
he only knew one other person with diabetes and he was a type 1 and
seldom talked about diabetes. He then stated that in the week of
being here he has met two others from the group that Ben had been in
and seven of our group. I said there were eight of us, but that
Brenda had not been at the last few meetings. She is the sixth of
our group to be on insulin and only Allen and Sue were not.
Tim stated that one of the reasons we
were open to discussion was because we had found each other quite by
accident and in the process decided to meet somewhat informally. We
did not want the formality of a support group and liked the idea of
not needing to attend if we had other obligations. We all had
computers and enjoyed reading and researching and discussing what we
found either via email or telephone. We all felt the format of our
friendship was getting together and clarifying something we may have
misinterpreted or misunderstood.
Ben then stated that only Allen had
held the group together and that the rest, including himself, had not
been all that interested. They were just good friends that had
diabetes. I said that could have been the reason Allen wanted to be
part of our group since he wanted to learn more. Ben agreed and said
he now needed to learn more and was looking forward to learning about
the computer and being able to do some reading. He admitted he would
not being doing the level of research that several of our group was
into, but he said that reading over his brother's shoulder was
interesting and he was learning.
I commented that it was good to have
new people asking questions because this helped us review old topics
for us and incorporate new material. Plus with others asking
questions, this would keep us on our toes and remembering to not let
new articles and blogs get by-passed because we thought we knew it.
This was why we had used the recent blog by David Spero as it had
some points that were good review for us as well.
