How My Wife, Daughter and Grandson Saved Me From a Bad Diabetic Decision

You are an important part of my life and I like to think of us as friends. I tend to share everything with you because I trust you and I feel if I go through something, there is someone else going through the same thing and maybe what I have learned can be of some help.

It is no secret that I have my share of ailments and illness that I deal with. Being a diabetic is a daily challenge and source of frustration but if you take precautions and do as you are told, you can handle it. We all make mistakes though and unfortunately when you are a diabetic, making a mistake can be deadly. I made a mistake on Friday and am lucky my family was there to help me.

I have been trying hard to move more and get some walking in each day. It is very difficult due to knee and hip pain but I slowly keep on trucking. On Friday my wife and I decided we would take our youngest grandson Zayden and walk to the school to pick up his big brother Zander. Before we left I checked my blood sugar which was hovering at the low end of the spectrum. I planned on eating a peanut butter bar, a shot of juice and a half a sandwich so I did an decent sized insulin shot. Time got away from me and I only had the peanut butter bar and didn't have time for the rest. We left for the walk and I did not prepare as I should have. A diabetic should carry some emergency source like some hard candy or glucose tab and some water when they head out. I did none of this and it would come back to haunt me.

We were getting close to the school and I started fading. My blood sugar was crashing I could feel myself wanting to pass out. I was hoping that when we got to the school that Zander would have some of his lunch left, like he usually does, and I could steal a chip or two to get my sugars back up and clear my head. My wife informed me that he did not take a lunch that day and that there would be nothing for me to eat to snap me out of it. I did not know what I was going to do because I was fading fast and thought we might need to call for help. Zander came out of the school and I was shocked to see he was holding a tiny bag of grapes he had gotten as a snack from school. He saw I was slipping and asked if I needed some grapes. He gave me the whole pack and it helped me clear the fog for a few minutes. It was a life saver. We then started to walk home but I was still just out of it. I told my wife to leave me at the park and to get the kids home, grab the truck and come back and get me. They got me in a comfortable place in park when I could sit until they came back for me. Right then, out of nowhere, my daughter comes driving down the street we were walking on. She was buzzing home quick while she was on break and just happen to be coming down the street we were on. My wife hollered at her and she pulled over and put me in the car and hauled my diabetic butt home.

I tell you this story so that if you are a diabetic or have one in your family, that you make sure you are prepared at all times. Make sure you have your supplies with you when you leave and are prepared for any emergency that may pop up. I should have known better and feel bad that I put my family through another fun medical situation with me. I am very grateful for the little life saving angel of a grandson who rescued me with the grapes and for my daughters amazing timing of showing up when I really needed her. I was lucky. Be smart and be aware of your condition, unlike I did. A little foresight and preparation could save your life.