The Clock Strikes Midnightand Death is Cheated Again

The morning started the same as it has for the past year or so. It's 5:30 and Sue is up and in the shower getting ready for another commute into work. I'm awake and getting ready for another day at the dialysis clinic. I test my blood sugar and find a little high at 203 so I take 3 units of novolog insulin. I've done the same thing many times before in the 36 years of having diabetes.

This morning something was not the same, what we're still not sure. I felt like my blood pressure might be low. Sue helped me check it and it was normal but I still had an uneasy, light-headed feeling. That's the last thing I remember before "my dream"

I thought I was dreaming and it wasn't a pleasant one. I said Oh Damn, I'm in the hospital again! It was the sounds and smells that flooded my head. I could feel people lifting my arms and yelling my name. I couldn't move, open my eyes or speak no matter how hard I tried.

The sounds were those of Sue and the first responder firemen that arrived a minute before the paramedics. For some reason my blood sugar had dropped to 20 in a little over 15 minutes and I had gone from having seizures to slipping into a coma-like state.

I remember my tongue and lips feeling thick and heavy. It was the " instant glucose" the firemen had put in my mouth and all over my lips. It's a jelly-like substance used to combat low blood sugar in a unconscious person. It wasn't having much of an effect in this case. When the EMT's arrived they started an IV and started giving me D-50 (intravenous glucose). I felt myself put into a wheelchair and moved to the door. I still couldn't move, speak or open my eyes at this time. I felt myself being loaded into the ambulance and starting the ride to the hospital.

While on the way to the hospital I began to come to. I could open my eyes only to have them slam shut again. As the minutes passed I was able to hold them open longer and speak a little. I was now fully aware of what had happened and what was going on around me.

Over the next few hours in the hospital my blood sugar would continue to drop and I would get more D-50. This went on for what seemed like forever. Finally my sugar stabilized and I was released to go to dialysis.

Since then all I've wanted to do is sleep. I've been exhausted from the seizures and lack of eating anything for a day and a half. Lunch today was my first real meal but I still feel tired and weak.

Of course Sue was with me throughout all this. The EMT's said her calling so quickly had saved my life. She had to go to MN today for work and my parents are here until she gets back on Friday. I miss her so much. She has to leave again on Monday for the entire week she'll be in Belgium and return on Saturday. After that she's taking a week off to be with me and we'll be together.

Thanks for reading -Mark

Photo - An Old Homestead ( and how I feel)

The Clock is Ticking

PHOTOGRAPHED 6/07

It seems like it is always about time. It's not the right time or we don't have enough time. The doctors have given me a 50% chance of two more years. More than two years will be bonus time. I look forward to beating those odds and making it to at least 55 and taht's SEVEN more years.

My eyes are still giving me fits. Some day are OK, others are abysmal and now come with migraine-like headaches the likes I've never experienced before. Miss Kitty and I are much alike. We are both holding our own having both some good days and more often so-so days with occasional BAD days.

My dialysis time has changed again so they can accommodate new people. It's a little later, from 7 to 11 am on Tue, Thur & Sat. I have finally graduated to their largest needles which means more blood can be cleaned during my four hours. During my last treatment they cleaned 107 liters of my blood. This will hopefully lead to better numbers and eventually shorter times.

I got two photos into a jurried show at a small local art gallery last week - nothing big but at least it's some exposure. I've been working on getting things ready for the upcoming sale at the antique market this weekend ( Fri, Sat & Sun) but still have a way to go. I have some new images and replaced the few that sold last time. I'm hoping this time we'll do better.

It's been great! Sue has been home for two weeks straight. It's so good to be with her. Next week she's on the go again but she (as of now) has no out of town plans in August. I think we'll try to take a couple of 2 to 3 day outings to places we've been wanting to see. ( Mainly the Blue Ridge Parkway and Galloway Gardens).

Thanks for reading,

-Mark

Photo - Just something I saw.