Scary Sick Day!
Well, I had me a scary sick day today.
I woke up for work and as I started getting ready I felt a little off. It wasn't my blood sugar, because I checked that first thing after waking up.
I went and laid back down for a bit, asked my wife to drive our son to school, then called my boss to let her know I was going to be a bit late. Thinking that I would just rest for a bit, then would be back in action.
I also thought I should probably have something to eat, maybe I just needed to get something in my system. I had breakfast, bolused for it, and shortly after my wife & kids left for work it all came back up.
I proceeded to toss about every 30 minutes or so. Like clockwork. I couldn't keep anything down.
Just a little touch of the stomach flu or something like that. What made it scary was that my breakfast bolus was steadily lowering my blood sugar, and I had lost all the food I had eaten.
Ack! What to do?!
I got sincerely scared at this point. I couldn't keep anything down, but desperately needed to get some glucose in my system. And I was home alone. I tried sucking on a glucose tablet, some vague memory that glucose is able to be absorbed right through the cheek membrane. For the record, it made me want to ralph, and after about a half hour I spit the damn thing back out and don't think any of it made it's way into my system.
Do I call my wife and ask her to come home? Do I call her and have her get me to the hospital?
And through all of this I was feeling so completely miserable that the idea of a car/ambulance ride anywhere made me want to puke some more. I just wanted to sleep, more than anything in the world I just wanted to rest.
I started a temp rate for 6 hours at 0% - effectively turning the pump off. I still had 10 units on board from breakfast and my BG was at 88. I figured if I could just get ahead of the curve a bit that I would be Ok.
Well, as Ok as I could be laying around puking my guts out that is.
Figuring that within an hour or so my 0% temp rate will start raising my blood sugar, eating up some of that IOB (Insulin On Board), and if I could get some sprite in there to help be bridge the gap that I would probably be Ok.
You know how after you throw up, you actually feel better for a little bit? Well I took those opportunities to get some sugar sprite in my system. Over the next three or four hours I managed to get down about 16 ounces. Little bits of that coming back up with the next episode.
After a while I was able to sleep through the rough spots and stop vomiting, finally getting some badly needed rest. When I woke up later, I tested 165. I was actually very proud of myself for pulling through that situation and landing at 165. It was a major accomplishment.
But I must say, that it was one of the first times in a long time that I felt really and truly scared, and was afraid that I would not be able to pull through it without some help. The help being the frickin' ambulance or something like that, which we all like to avoid at nearly all costs.
I'm also a bit ashamed to admit that I did not call my wife, or anyone else. I really really should have at least let her know what was going on. She knew I was not feeling good, but did not know about the potentially disastrous low blood sugar that might have happened. And as I think about it, it was no real good reason for not calling. It was mostly just not wanting to get up to get to the phone, not wanting to scare her, and (do you believe this) not wanting to inconvenience anyone. How ridiculous of me, and very dangerous. Do NOT follow this example if the situation should ever happen to you.
I woke up for work and as I started getting ready I felt a little off. It wasn't my blood sugar, because I checked that first thing after waking up.
I went and laid back down for a bit, asked my wife to drive our son to school, then called my boss to let her know I was going to be a bit late. Thinking that I would just rest for a bit, then would be back in action.
I also thought I should probably have something to eat, maybe I just needed to get something in my system. I had breakfast, bolused for it, and shortly after my wife & kids left for work it all came back up.
I proceeded to toss about every 30 minutes or so. Like clockwork. I couldn't keep anything down.
Just a little touch of the stomach flu or something like that. What made it scary was that my breakfast bolus was steadily lowering my blood sugar, and I had lost all the food I had eaten.
Ack! What to do?!
I got sincerely scared at this point. I couldn't keep anything down, but desperately needed to get some glucose in my system. And I was home alone. I tried sucking on a glucose tablet, some vague memory that glucose is able to be absorbed right through the cheek membrane. For the record, it made me want to ralph, and after about a half hour I spit the damn thing back out and don't think any of it made it's way into my system.
Do I call my wife and ask her to come home? Do I call her and have her get me to the hospital?
And through all of this I was feeling so completely miserable that the idea of a car/ambulance ride anywhere made me want to puke some more. I just wanted to sleep, more than anything in the world I just wanted to rest.
I started a temp rate for 6 hours at 0% - effectively turning the pump off. I still had 10 units on board from breakfast and my BG was at 88. I figured if I could just get ahead of the curve a bit that I would be Ok.
Well, as Ok as I could be laying around puking my guts out that is.
Figuring that within an hour or so my 0% temp rate will start raising my blood sugar, eating up some of that IOB (Insulin On Board), and if I could get some sprite in there to help be bridge the gap that I would probably be Ok.
You know how after you throw up, you actually feel better for a little bit? Well I took those opportunities to get some sugar sprite in my system. Over the next three or four hours I managed to get down about 16 ounces. Little bits of that coming back up with the next episode.
After a while I was able to sleep through the rough spots and stop vomiting, finally getting some badly needed rest. When I woke up later, I tested 165. I was actually very proud of myself for pulling through that situation and landing at 165. It was a major accomplishment.
But I must say, that it was one of the first times in a long time that I felt really and truly scared, and was afraid that I would not be able to pull through it without some help. The help being the frickin' ambulance or something like that, which we all like to avoid at nearly all costs.
I'm also a bit ashamed to admit that I did not call my wife, or anyone else. I really really should have at least let her know what was going on. She knew I was not feeling good, but did not know about the potentially disastrous low blood sugar that might have happened. And as I think about it, it was no real good reason for not calling. It was mostly just not wanting to get up to get to the phone, not wanting to scare her, and (do you believe this) not wanting to inconvenience anyone. How ridiculous of me, and very dangerous. Do NOT follow this example if the situation should ever happen to you.
posted by Scott K. Johnson | 5:56 PM
6 Comments:
Scott,
What a horrific day!
Thank goodness you're all right.
And yes, you did a beautiful job managing a potentially dangerous situation.
A major accomplishment, indeed.
But you are also correct in that it would be a good idea to let someone know when things are looking that scary. And because you realize this fact, you have every right to feel positive about this experience (well, as positive as someone who's been vomiting all can feel :-)
Well done!
Scott,
Wow - what a scary experience! I think when I'm sick I'm more concerned about my blood sugars than I am about being sick. I guess when we're sick, even when we just want to curl up and sleep for days, our diabetes still has to come first.
You definitely had quite a day, but you really handled things very well. I, too, probably would have (stubbornly) not called anyone to give them a heads up, but I, too, realize that I should be more open about needing help.
Even though it was an awful day, I really appreciate your post. It really helps to read about how others handle their sick days.
I hope you're on the way to recovering!!! Take care!
Laura
Great job on pulling yourself out of a potential low :)
I can see how you didn't call your wife because things didn't seem to be spiraling out of control, but it's always a safe bet to give her a head's up.
I thought I heard about some form of sugar being able to be absorbed through the inside of the cheeks...perhaps cake icing or honey? I'll have to look that up.
There are also tiny pills that Brendon had gotten when he had a stomach virus that simply melt on your tongue and eases nausea. I'll find out the name and let you know. You'll need a prescription I believe.
Phenergen.
If you can stand it, holding honey or cake icing in your cheek will let some glucose absorb into your system, although the Sprite route is also good. I usually give Olivia little teaspoons full of that or ginger ale.
And get a cordless phone and keep it next to you. You should really call your wife next time (I'm in the nagging wife mode here).
Hi Scott,
I had only one day of stomach problems, so far, but didn't end up with the pukies so it was okay - but the whole day was worried about bg levels and what I was supposed to do. I know they say to have a "sick day" plan but what the heck does that mean when you can't keep anything down or even look at food. I felt a bit unprepared.
I can also relate to you not wanting to inconvenience anyone since I don't want to worry or bother anyone else...
I'm glad you're feeling better.
Some day soon I am going to post my story of a sick day a couple of years ago that landed me in the "it's a big white building with patients in it, but that't not important right now"
(Airplane humor in case you don't get it!)
I am glad you are okay man! Take care.
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