My Father-In-Law Has Uncontrolled Diabetes

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abetes.">go above 140 mg/dl</a>.My mother-in-law was rattling on about how her blood sugar has spiked to 800 before, and saying that 290 was nothing. I could go on about my mother-in-law’s other dubious health claims, like how she caught COVID-19 back in the 70’s, but I’ll refrain. Needless to say, she wasn’t helping the situation.Even my brother-in-law, who is diabetic, passed a comment about how terrible he’d be feeling if his blood sugar was that high.This wasn’t the first time my father-in-law had high blood sugar either, so it’s very likely that this has been a persistent problem for quite some time.But like many people in the United States, healthcare is too expensive. At 69 years old, he collects a small social security check every month. If he wanted to get medical coverage, he would have to deduct $100 out of that check, so he naturally decided to skip the coverage and avoid going to the doctor altogether.Going back to a few months ago, my father-in-law needed to borrow a few hundred dollars from me. He finally managed to scrape together enough money to pay me back.During the party, after all of the fun with the glucose monitor, he was explaining to me how he was going to get the money to me.I looked him str

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aight in the eye and told him that he should use that money to go to the doctor to get his diabetes under control instead.“Two hundred and ninety isn’t that bad though, right?” he asked. After telling him that it is, I think he’s finally starting to understand how dangerous this disease is.Yesterday, my wife told me that he made an appointment to see an eye doctor about his vision, and that he’s working on getting a PCP.I suspect the eye doctor will tell him he has <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-retinopathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20371611">Diabetic Retinopathy</a>, and I hope that he can get a referral to see an endocrinologist as soon as possible.I’m hopeful that he doesn’t lose more of his vision in the coming months and years, and that he can continue to see his beautiful grandchildren grow up.To end on a positive note, the one word that comes to my mind is serendipity. <a href="undefined">Dr Mehmet Yildiz</a> frequently writes about serendipitous events in his life, and I like to think maybe my father-in-law needing to borrow money months ago, and my refusal to accept it in favor of him seeing a doctor, was the catalyst he needed to correct the course of this disease. Only time will tell.</article></body>

I hope he doesn’t go blind

As the leaves began to fall and the Halloween decorations started to go up, that only meant one thing — all three of my kids were ready to celebrate their birthdays! We had a big party at the end of October, with my twin daughters celebrating their first birthday, and my son celebrating his third.

During the birthday party, after tacos and copious amounts of birthday cake, my father-in-law was complaining about the ongoing vision problems he’s been having in one of his eyes. Out of curiosity, my wife pulled out her glucose monitor (from when she had gestational diabetes) and had my father-in-law test his blood sugar.

290 mg/dl. For reference, blood glucose shouldn’t go above 140 mg/dl.

My mother-in-law was rattling on about how her blood sugar has spiked to 800 before, and saying that 290 was nothing. I could go on about my mother-in-law’s other dubious health claims, like how she caught COVID-19 back in the 70’s, but I’ll refrain. Needless to say, she wasn’t helping the situation.

Even my brother-in-law, who is diabetic, passed a comment about how terrible he’d be feeling if his blood sugar was that high.

This wasn’t the first time my father-in-law had high blood sugar either, so it’s very likely that this has been a persistent problem for quite some time.

But like many people in the United States, healthcare is too expensive. At 69 years old, he collects a small social security check every month. If he wanted to get medical coverage, he would have to deduct $100 out of that check, so he naturally decided to skip the coverage and avoid going to the doctor altogether.

Going back to a few months ago, my father-in-law needed to borrow a few hundred dollars from me. He finally managed to scrape together enough money to pay me back.

During the party, after all of the fun with the glucose monitor, he was explaining to me how he was going to get the money to me.

I looked him straight in the eye and told him that he should use that money to go to the doctor to get his diabetes under control instead.

“Two hundred and ninety isn’t that bad though, right?” he asked. After telling him that it is, I think he’s finally starting to understand how dangerous this disease is.

Yesterday, my wife told me that he made an appointment to see an eye doctor about his vision, and that he’s working on getting a PCP.

I suspect the eye doctor will tell him he has Diabetic Retinopathy, and I hope that he can get a referral to see an endocrinologist as soon as possible.

I’m hopeful that he doesn’t lose more of his vision in the coming months and years, and that he can continue to see his beautiful grandchildren grow up.

To end on a positive note, the one word that comes to my mind is serendipity. Dr Mehmet Yildiz frequently writes about serendipitous events in his life, and I like to think maybe my father-in-law needing to borrow money months ago, and my refusal to accept it in favor of him seeing a doctor, was the catalyst he needed to correct the course of this disease. Only time will tell.