3||0|685|0|yes
0|0|0|||1||Home Health Hassles de Luxe|Redneck||20:12:52|12/03/2003|%0D%0A%0D%0A... so%2C the past few months I%27ve been called upon more than usual to help care for my grandparents %28both 87 or nearly so%29.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe day after Thanksgiving%2C we had to put Vernon %28step-grandfather%29 into the hospital due to severe breathing difficulties%3B this after he was in the hospital for four days last month for pneumonia.%0D%0A%0D%0AHe was released yesterday%2C and among the prescriptions was a steroid that inflates blood sugar to astronomical levels.  Instead of finding something less likely to result in permanent diabetes%2C the doctor prescribed a home testing kit%2C insulin%2C etc.  Total at pharmacy%2C %24280.  Christmas is going to be TIGHT...%0D%0A%0D%0A... and%2C after TODAY%2C it may be IMPOSSIBLE.%0D%0A%0D%0ATried to use the testing kit for the first time today.  Out of six attempted tests%2C the testing machine produced a reading on only -one%2C- and that reading was 443.  %28200 is the danger line for high blood sugar%2C 100-120 the normal range%2C or so I was told%29.%0D%0A%0D%0AWe called the doctor%2C as per the instructions%2C and then went to administer the insulin...%0D%0A%0D%0A... only to find out that nobody had bothered to prescribe Vernon -NEEDLES- to administer the insulin WITH.%0D%0A%0D%0AHurried rush to drive 30 miles to Livingston to get needles before pharmacy closed%2C rush 30 miles back%2C failed attempts to double-check the reading before administering ten units of insulin%2C insulin administered%2C fingers crossed that we have not screwed the pooch.%0D%0A%0D%0AWe see the doctor tomorrow.  At the moment I%27m inclined to use the steroids and the diabetic testing materials to administer a colonoscopy to the doctor%2C but we%27ll see.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28Oh%2C and by the way%2C Medicare is paying precisely -zip- for that testing equipment.  It%27s all out of our pockets.  We%27re looking into filing a claim%2C but since Vernon was not actually diagnosed with diabetes%2C it doesn%27t look good...%29%0D%0A%0D%0ARedneck%0D%0A%0D%0AKris Overstreet%2C aka Redneck Gaijin%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.wlpcomics.com%2Fredneck%2F%0D%0AWhite Lightning Productions - huge tracts of land for sale%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.wlpcomics.com%0D%0A%0D%0A
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A Home Health Hassles de Luxe|KoryImran||21:36:38|12/03/2003|Ouch. I feel for you. After being Diabetic for 15 years now I know how much that stuff costs. The gloucose ranges that the doctor told you are right. Also it doesn%27t seem like the doc gave you anything dealing with diet. You might want to see what he%27s eating and try to cut out sweets and some of the carbs to also help control the blood reading. From personal experience some doctors are not as knowledgable about diabetes complications as others. Maybe another doctor might be better at dealing with the situation and with the steroids and the effects they cause. Anyway that%27s my two cents worth. If you have anymore questions you want to ask about diabetes just send me an email and I%27ll be glad to help out.%0D%0A%0D%0AShawn Earl%0D%0A%0D%0AWho isn%27t looking forward to getting off his parents insurance in 17 days.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhen the going gets tough%2C the tough get going to where it%27s easier. 
2|2|1|||1||RE%3A Home Health Hassles de Luxe|Redneck||22:38:23|12/03/2003|%3EAlso it doesn%27t seem like the doc gave you anything dealing %0D%0A%3Ewith diet. %0D%0A%0D%0AUnfortunately%2C I wasn%27t present when the dietician spoke to Vernon and my grandmother- I was dropping off the prescriptions at the pharmacy%2C about two miles away from the hospital.  Insofar as I can tell%2C though%2C said dietician said%2C %22Oh%2C you%27re on a low sodium diet for your kidney%3F  OK%2C then just have this stuff about a normally balanced diet.  No questions%3F  Good%21  Then I won%27t ask if you%27re so foolish as to give him dinner rolls and baked potato with his boiled cabbage for dinner.%22%0D%0A%0D%0ACan you tell I%27m -really- wishing I%27d been there%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EYou might want to see what he%27s eating and try to cut out %0D%0A%3Esweets and some of the carbs to also help control the blood reading. %0D%0A%0D%0AShortly after I got that 443 reading and discovered we couldn%27t give him the insulin%2C I caught him and my grandmother loading him up a plate of dinner.  My knee-jerk reaction was%2C %22His blood sugar%27s through the ROOF and he%27s eating MORE%3F Hell NO%21%21%22  Not until after we finally got the insulin into him did he get that plate.%0D%0A%0D%0ARedneck%0D%0A%0D%0AKris Overstreet%2C aka Redneck Gaijin%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.wlpcomics.com%2Fredneck%2F%0D%0AWhite Lightning Productions - huge tracts of land for sale%0D%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.wlpcomics.com%0D%0A
3|3|2|||1||RE%3A Home Health Hassles de Luxe|KoryImran||00:31:20|12/04/2003|%0D%0A%3ECan you tell I%27m -really- wishing I%27d been there%3F %0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0ANods. That%27s understandable. But then again I%27ve never been too impressed with the dieticians I%27ve dealt with. Normally every time I%27ve been to one they hand me a phamplet %3Csp%3F%3E for a certain calorie count. You might want to check into what%27s a proper diet plan is for someone who will be dealing with newly found diabetes. I%27ll see if I can dig up some helpful websites and pass them along. As an added difficulty an adult onset of diabetes or something like it most people have set patterns that are harder to break. %0D%0A%0D%0A%3EShortly after I got that 443 reading and discovered we couldn%27t give %0D%0A%3Ehim the insulin%2C I caught him and my grandmother loading him up a %0D%0A%3Eplate of dinner.  My knee-jerk reaction was%2C %22His blood sugar%27s %0D%0A%3Ethrough the ROOF and he%27s eating MORE%3F Hell NO%21%21%22  Not until after we %0D%0A%3Efinally got the insulin into him did he get that plate. %0D%0A%0D%0AKnee-jerk or not it was the right call. Doing another reading after eating an hour or two after eating might be a good idea for a bit so that you can more aptly figure out the right amount of insulin to give before meals and such. But then again it depends on the type of insulin that is being given and the amount of food being eaten.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0AShawn Earl%0D%0A