Diabetes 2, Mom passed and it is my diagnosis now
A long time ago I began this particular blog. So much has happened since that post so long ago. Essentially, we have moved (a couple of times!), my mother passed in 2017, after the 2 year wait from to age 65 I signed up for Medicare, had my annual exam, and since then, have learned I live now with diabetes 2, the very thing that took my mother's life. Damn. And once the doctor diagnosed me as having diabetes 2, she promptly prescribed metformin, atorvastatin for heart, and asked me to write out my form to resuscitate or not. Geesh!! Talk about a Reality Check.
I had been going along these many years believing I was what is called pre-diabetic and therefore had not much to worry about, maybe get my cholesterol numbers down. My mother had passed, and I attributed the two years prior when I and my husband were caring for her as a stressful time, which likely put my numbers over the top, from the pre-diabetes to diabetes definitely. Being terrified of the diagnosis since my own mother had just died from years of diabetes 2, I did more research, more and more research, promptly went on keto diet to lose weight (25 lbs), and now low carb way of life, testing my blood glucose daily. Whew, hurriedly got into safe range with my weight and numbers, and more research into background of what it means to me and my genetic disposition to have the diagnosis my mother had which at the end morphed to the stage 4 liver cancer that took her life. Hey,
I am not yet that old! My mother was 82 years old, I am only 67 years. I do not want this deteriorating disease!! Yet here it is, and now I must live with it, so must my husband in supporting me. In support, he walks with me as part of our daily exercise, and sometimes we use the River Walk at the Kroc Center where we live. The waves of the water cause the movement to be more easily accomplished, while adding water weight to the movement. He reminds me when I have to 'stick myself' - what we refer to when it is time to measure blood glucose with the meter and lancets.
This is what I wrote in current research I have been doing in trying to understand and grasp what took my mother's life. Both she and I fully expected her to live well into her 90's at the time she was given her stage 4 liver cancer diagnosis. I think though in retrospect that she knew, and I did not, so I was in shock, taken completely by surprise, and how I wish she had been more vocal in her thinking, that she had done more thinking aloud. Maybe she knew, maybe she did not, yet the last years of her life lead me to believe (after the fact) that she did know and was trying to make amends to what she perceived as wrongs along the course of her lifetime.
I had been going along these many years believing I was what is called pre-diabetic and therefore had not much to worry about, maybe get my cholesterol numbers down. My mother had passed, and I attributed the two years prior when I and my husband were caring for her as a stressful time, which likely put my numbers over the top, from the pre-diabetes to diabetes definitely. Being terrified of the diagnosis since my own mother had just died from years of diabetes 2, I did more research, more and more research, promptly went on keto diet to lose weight (25 lbs), and now low carb way of life, testing my blood glucose daily. Whew, hurriedly got into safe range with my weight and numbers, and more research into background of what it means to me and my genetic disposition to have the diagnosis my mother had which at the end morphed to the stage 4 liver cancer that took her life. Hey,
I am not yet that old! My mother was 82 years old, I am only 67 years. I do not want this deteriorating disease!! Yet here it is, and now I must live with it, so must my husband in supporting me. In support, he walks with me as part of our daily exercise, and sometimes we use the River Walk at the Kroc Center where we live. The waves of the water cause the movement to be more easily accomplished, while adding water weight to the movement. He reminds me when I have to 'stick myself' - what we refer to when it is time to measure blood glucose with the meter and lancets.
This is what I wrote in current research I have been doing in trying to understand and grasp what took my mother's life. Both she and I fully expected her to live well into her 90's at the time she was given her stage 4 liver cancer diagnosis. I think though in retrospect that she knew, and I did not, so I was in shock, taken completely by surprise, and how I wish she had been more vocal in her thinking, that she had done more thinking aloud. Maybe she knew, maybe she did not, yet the last years of her life lead me to believe (after the fact) that she did know and was trying to make amends to what she perceived as wrongs along the course of her lifetime.
My mother died in August 2017 after her diabetes 2 morphed into a cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) was the last dx, a cancer which had metastasized to other organs. She had NASH or non-alcoholic fatty liver dx along with the diabetes 2 dx for which she was being treated. Within the year of her death, I was also dx with diabetes 2, however, to a degree I attribute the dx to caregiving for her these past years. I was what is called prediabetic via my blood glucose numbers, and I moved over the top to dx of diabetes. That is the background. Since my dx, I have lost weight, doing keto and low carb food intake (reluctant to call it diet, as it is a Lifestyle!), researched and learned so much more about diabetes 2 than I knew, even, having attended a 6 week session with my mother on the subject offered by a non-profit public education organization. Intended it for her, how could I know it was going to be for me as well.
Only recently have I learned about NASH, as I knew my mother had the non-alcoholic fatty liver dx, and was tormenting myself wondering if she was consuming alcohol now, even though my brain knew she was not. Still though, she kept it in her house for others in family who did consume alcohol, and I wondered if she was imbibing as the sleepiness took over her life in those last months. I accompanied her when she had the biopsy after taking her (over her objections!) to main hospital where multiple tests that determined the liver issues were given her.
Newest concern I have is that I have a nephew who has Wilson's Disease, which is copper deficiency, which is genetic from both parents. One of the parents is my sister, his mother, who I am now concerned has NASH background of which she does not know, or better said, medical does not know, therefore how can she know? Even so, she has healthy eating, plenty of exercise, yet drinks daily. Another sibling, my brother, is full blown alcoholic. Another sibling sister may have a vascular disorder, we reviewed it together at my mother's death, although now she is unlikely to acknowledge it may be in the background I am trying to explore.
Moving on though, it is my three children who I have concerns about as I was not informed to educate them during their growing up years, and their early adult years, as to what to look out for in treating the potential of diabetes 2. Fortunately one of the daughters has decided to lose a lot of weight, using Keto lifestyle. She is encouraging another daughter to do likewise. My son, concerned for his own daughters, has shown concern for his mother (which I greatly appreciate), and there is so much for me to yet teach him. He too has healthy lifestyle with foods, exercise, and even at that, there is more to be learned.
I expect I will be gone (departed from this earthly form) by the time their concerns are raised, which is the purpose of why I have decided to make this website. Thinking for a time when the groups of them, children, grandchildren, siblings, and friends will wish to look at my writings. My husband, whom I have asked to co-write with me, is the strongest and greatest support I could ask for as we pursue the years ahead living with diabetes 2 and all it's manifestations. Thank you Arthur Ruger, my heart loves you and your amazing loyalty!
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