Saturday, September 20, 2008

STARBUCKS/FIRST AID STATION

My subway ride down to Farmer's Market this afternoon recorded a bs reading of 170mg/dl.
I figured that that number would provide safety while in the Market since it was also post lunch.
At the Market I began to feel those familar symptoms of just before unconsciousness begins with the 1-2 second intervals of blackout while still upright.
Immediately I rushed across the street not cognizant of green yellow or red light. My main goal was to reach the Starbucks on the near corner where I knew SUGAR would be available.
The canisters of white granulated sugar were no-where to be found. I saw an employee and told her that I have Diabetes and am on the verge of losing consciousness in their store and was unable to find any sugar to treat my Hypoglycemia. She told me that they were "out of sugar" and asked if I would like sugar syrup instead. I said yes, and the manager asked me how many pumps of the syrup would I like?
I said, "5 pumps."
He quickly brought over a container of hot water which was filled with the 5 pumps of the sweet syrup.
After I quickly drank the sweet mixture, I checked my bs and got a reading of 40mg/dl.
Waiting 20 minutes for the effects to work, I rechecked and got a 77mg/dl.
Another day in the adventures of having T1DM and being on Insulin Analogues that are missing C-peptide(found in Porcine and Bovine Derived Insulin) which always gave me much earlier warnings of impending Hypoglycemia.

9 comments:

Minnesota Nice said...

Yup, db is always chasing us around and around and around.
Glad you weren't hit by a car and that the Starbucks people were kind to you.
Last Monday I was at the grocery store on my way home from work and struck by a suprising low. I reached into the pop cooler by the checkout and took several swallows of Coke. Then I recapped the bottle and put it back in the cooler and walked away. As I was sitting on a bench, waiting for my bg to come back up, I realized that there was a hald-gone Coke in the case and ran back to retrieve it. It's a good thing I don't look like a shop-lifter.

BetterCell said...

These panic situations that Hypoglycemia create Kathy in those of us with T1DM are like being in water and not knowing how to swim.
I am glad that you were able to focus on getting the soda into you.
Survival at all cost is what matters!!

Anonymous said...

I am glad that the people at Starbucks who helped you BetterCell were able to do more for you than overcharge you for their coffee.

BetterCell said...

It all comes down to the person/people rather than the company where they are employed or the organization that they are affiliated with.
I once had a next-door neighbor who I had asked to dial 911 for me as I was losing consciousness from Hypoglycemia.
Her immediate response was to tell me that she should first "check with her friend" in the next apartment to see if she should do this.
There are not only stupid, ignorant people out there,
but strange ones as well.

Kathy said...

Hi,
I would like to respond to your post on my blog.

So far so good with the immunosuppressants. The flu season will be the true test, but at this point I have had ringworm and a sore throat.

As far as the 1-5 year survival of the cells, it would still be worth it if it was only one year. At least I would have tried something. It also appears that even after the transplant has failed, the recipient doesn't return all the way back to where they were pre-transplant. The C-peptide remains at a higher level. Also my organs will have had a break from all the abuse they were withstanding.

So all in all, I feel that it has been and will be a positive experience. I am receiving great care from the doctors and transplant staff from the U. of Minn. which is also an important part of the experience.

please feel free to ask any questions or add comments. I truly enjoy discussing this.

Kathy

BetterCell said...

Thank you for your comments Kathy. This is a topic of great interest to me in both a personal and intellectual way of inquiry.
My feelings are that the problem in T1DM has yet to be fully identified and understood.
We all now know, that there is a great deal of Inflammation that continues on which in-turn affect both the Micro and Macro Vascular Systems of the Body...........hence the 5X rate of Cardio-Vascular Disease in Diabetes as compared to the rest of the population, in addition to other Complications.
I can speculate and say that the remaining levels of Inflammation show that our Immune System is still in the process of trying to "rid" the Body of whatever entity that is and has been found to originally cause the destruction of the Insulin Producing Cells.
The other speculation is that the Immune System had gone awry and left havoc in its path......which continues with the end result which is Inflammation and eventual Tissue/Organ Destruction.
Those are my feelings after a long Hx of T1DM.
As for C-peptide Kathy..........
Even without Islet Cell Transplant, your Body could have a continual supply if Porcine/Bovine Insulin which did contain C-peptide was made available again for the Consumer with T1DM.
C-peptide has been found to offer beneficial effects to the person with Diabetes as well as Protective.
I am in NYC where many many people cough and sneeze openly on buses, subways, trains. Planes on the other hand, use re-circulated air. So if someone sneezes or/and coughs without covering nose/mouth, those microorganisms will recirculate and put the person who is on Immune-Suppression Medication further at risk for Infection.

BetterCell said...

Addendum.........
In fact Kathy, those Triggers that are responsible for the Inflammation as well as the cause to the destruction of our Insulin producing cells in T1DM are still present.
The complexity to all of this is a little like the chicken & egg debate as to which came first....The destruction or the Inflammation?

Kathy said...

I first began to have symptoms of low blood sugar after I had mono in high school. It has always been my suspicion that somehow the antibodies created by the virus are what has destroyed my beta cells. I only hope that between the immunosuppression and the fact that my new cells are not actually mine genetically, they will not be destroyed again.

BetterCell said...

Yes, I hope that for you as well.

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New York, New York, United States
I do not give up my Autonomy,especially to the Medical Profession. Passionate, Creative, Able to see Beauty within Simplicity, I Am Not A Diabetic, rather I have Diabetes (there is a big difference between the two on many levels).Type 1 Diabetes since 5 years of age. Belief in G-D