My Friend, Fern’s Diabetes Fern hasnt been at all good... In 1985, or so Fern became Diabetic.... Neuropathy Came around around 10 years later... He first noticed it when his feet begn to flop making him unable to run. Walking downstairs, he also noticed it. Then Pneumonia sent him to the hospital. thats when it really began to bad... Neuropathy started (numbness in the left foot, which hadnt yet affected the right foot.) In late 2004, he [unknowingly] stepped on a nail, and didnt even feel it (when it came up through his sandal, and into his foot)...When His Left Arm And Right Foot Began to Feel Hot, And Tingly, he assumed that the neuropathy was spreading, never suspecting it was POISONING From The NAIL...He didnt even suspect anything til his left hand could not anything, and his chest began to heat up!!! Then he went to the ER, and The E.R. Dr. gave him a quick exam MINUS CHECKING HIS FEET??? and gave him medication for blood pressure!!! And fern didnt even know at this point about the nail!!! The following morning, when he went to put his sandal on, he noticed blood, and a hole in the sandal, and began to make the deduction, and examined his foot.... LOTS of Blood..............he had to go to the Doctor, and he got antibiotics. Then came Ferns Eye Problems, which just happened in 2007. The Cause ~ It started with Macular Edema... all from diabetic retinopathy... he had taken me to San Diego Natural Museum to see the Dead sea Scrolls Exhibit...And he had to pull over... asked me to drive... From that day, he has gotten progressively worse and worse... In 2008, Fern memorized ALL three D.M.V. Eye Charts, in order to pass his drivers license exam... i kidded him about it, calling him Mr. PETFLP, and pleading with him not to drive... for the sake of the rest of us... but he is a very independent guy, and drove until he could no longer (in June, 2012.) When he is not driving he is a horrible back seat driver who insists on driving vicariously through me, telling me when to change lanes, where to park, etc. almost immediately we began Opthamological treatments...(injections, laser treatments, etc.)... He was told he would lose his central vision in his right eye...and attended classes to help him adjust... His vision wanes... it comes and it goes... in varying degrees... on a good day, he can see more than a quarter of a mile ahead, although very filmy. On a bad day, it is what they refer to as hand (ie. the distance one is able to see is just in front of ones face.) In 2010, he got into a study for vitreous hemorrhaging. Then, to The BRAILLE Institute who gave him classes and two magnifiers. And we Arranged With Dayle MacIntosh Center for The Disabled... where they outfitted him with his cane(s), a CCT Magnifying screen. We also met with The Dept. Of Rehabilitation Who Offered to Retrain Him for Work, and Gave him lots of helpful gadgets In 2011, The bloodwork at the medical clinic showed high levels of creatinine, but the significance of that was never explained to him. Some Six Months Later, his Nutritionist informed him that his kidneys were damaged... a number of 300-something was considered normal and his own level was 6000-something!!! Within Six Months More Time (December, 2011,) he ended up at the ER Again, this time with and eschemia (a mini stroke...) and he was told he would now require dialysis... he still tried to stave it off with diet and medication... but his health had already past the point of no return... He would end up back at the E.R. again, (In February) due to fluid in the lungs, and around the heart, which caused great difficulty breathing... He Could Not Sleep Without Great Difficulty. He felt as if he were drowning. (which quite literally, he, in fact, WAS!) He Would Try To Sleep Standing Up. He would (invariably) hit his head on the doorjambs, and on his nightstand, and knock over his bedroom television... We actually purchased a new recliner/sofa, and relining rocker to help him sleep, (and they didnt ) We later learned what was ailing him was termed Congestive Heart Failure... We Began Our hunt for a Nephrologist, and found he had a 95% loss of kidney function... I wanted to donate one of my kidneys,, and we were happy to learn we had matching blood types~ both Type O Positive, but he declined, stating that he wanted me to remain whole. (We would later, learn that even undergoing this type of procedure would be far too risky for fern with his heart condition...) Eventually, he succumbed to the dialysis treatments, which began March 6, 2012, when he got his catheter in his chest and learned about what a pain in the neck literally this was to be, to keep sterile, (and dry while showering,) On March 7th he began his (three times per week,) three and a half-hour treatments. His new diet was to consist of much lesser quantities and only very limited types of foods... His liquid intake was to be limited to a mere one litre per day, in very tiny increments, which also must necessarily include the liquid which is naturally in all foods. Three months later, (May, 2012) he was hospitalized to get the Access In his Arm. In June, 2012, he was back in the ER...Too much fluid in the Lungs... he was transferred From Whittier Hospital to U.S.C, where they performed an angiogram... they found that Three of his main arteries to the heart are clogged~ two at 40% and one at 50% … he also has a leak in his heart... the doctors are actually amazed that he can still walk... After Reviewing the Echocardiogram, he was told arithmia was a distinct possibility, and that he should have a defibrillator implanted...meaning his heart could stop at anytime, (because it is ONLY functioning at 20%!!!) ...could be while he is walking... (which just recently happened to a friend of his just a couple of months ago ... and he died!!!)... and I recently saw this on a movie, (Seven Pounds.) ... same thing happened to a girl... just walking... and fell down ... and she lived just a short time longer... With all of these ailments... One Spanish speaking Doctor, actually said Que Curioso!!! (“How Curious”! / ”Unusual!”) Another Cardiologist, (the head honcho at U.S.C.,) when instructing his students, on their daily rounds, told them We have a Most Peculiar Case Here... We have a patient, here, who has ALL the symptoms of HEART FAILURE, here, but WALKS...And is functioning normally... because by all accounts, he should be having a heart attack (dead)…. Recently, The Dr’s. have Made Their Prognosis, that [In Their Opinion,] Fern will Only Be Alive About FIVE YEARS… Dealing With This has Been A Very SAD And SOMBER Realization… THIS ALONE Is Very Difficult, and Is Happening in Stages… There have been plenty of medication problems, (Metropolol, Atenalol, Lisinopril, Veraxamil???, etc.) and a lot of trial and error involved in finding ANY that he is not super-sensitive to... he has suffered with pimples on his scalp, rash over entire body, causing him to itch like a dog~ scratching til he bled... Hes had Severe, Violent, Heaving, Wretching, Coughing, which Sounds Like One Who Is Vomitting Uncontrollably... and cannot be quieted... Hes had Whole Body Spasms... While we were at the Pomona County Fair, just walking One of these fits came on, and his whole body cramped like one giant muscle, and twisted, and the guy behind fern had to grab him as he was clearly going down... Within an hour of taking one of his medications, his whole central nervous system was affected, and his speech was impaired... he could think, but there was a noticeable delay for his words to come! Monday, after his dialysis treatment, i took him to U.C.I. Irvine Medical Centers Gavin Herbert Eye Institute where he gets injections in his eye, more testing. He got his injection, but he wasnt able to get his scheduled laser treatment , due to more bleeding, in the eye... scheduled his May 8th, (tentatively) vitrectomy [surgery,] and arranged for a second opinion from another heart specialist, since its such a risky thing for him to go under anaesthesia, with his heart only pumping at 20%... his body is slowly shutting down due to decreased oxygen being pumped to all his organs... so sad... Diabetes Sucks! Thank You, Brother James E Griffis, For Sharing.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 18:33:24 +0000
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