By Charles McLaughlin
During the last episode, we began entering conditions and experiences that belong on the debit side of life’s ”ledger.” Two more entries should cover the litany of maladies this geezer is experiencing, Then we can get on with what options I have chosen and actions undertaken to maneuver through my dotage that provide relief and an acceptable quality of life.
Regarding diabetes, I chose to inject insulin via syringe as homage to my mother, who did so, and I observed as a child and young adult the affect it had on her physically and mentally and her family. I wanted to experience as close as possible what she experienced in order to better understand her oftentimes confusing interactions with her children. I know her much better now and that has allowed me to assuage long-standing anger and bitterness. Enough said.
Having diabetes can be a wild ride! It calls for strict adherence to regimen because sometimes even apparently minor deviation from proper dosage can result in dangerous situations and/or familial discord. Been there, done that. At those times it often demands the assistance of my wife, Barbara, to provide glucose quickly to stabilize my blood sugar levels and possibly subject her to my irrational hypoglycemia-induced impatience. Such events are what I describe as “falling off the table” because my mother would literally fall out of her chair onto the floor on occasion during dinner when “hypo!”
Though I haven’t fallen out of my chair to date, I have near totally lost control of my body…hardly any strength to do anything myself! To provide quick recovery, we have glucose tablets next to our kitchen table and the bed in our bedroom. Mnemonic devices have been devised to make sure which shot of the daily four I have taken and supplies of insulin and syringes are stored at hand as well. Periodic A1C tests are taken at our local Urgent Care to observe the average level of glucose in my bloodstream over a three-month period. And that’s it about insulin.
The last major “debit” to be entered is the partial loss of hearing. This strictly an age-related condition in my case and the loss is primarily among the higher levels of sound. I’ve not dealt with it well, causing frustration within the family because of the necessity of them repeating things so often. You see, I refuse to pay a couple of grand, at least, for a pair of hearing aids that may be used for a couple of years at most and at my demise be then worthless family-wise. However, I have become much more aware of how much trouble I’m causing my family in this regard and how much I am missing of family conversations, as well as those going on during social engagements. So my effort to get out of this world “on-the-cheap” may be ok if I were a recluse, but it is really not a good idea at this time. We’re in the process of finding hearing aids that will satisfy the demand of reality and restore audio harmony and clarity in the family!
Episode six will provide relief from the doom and gloom aspect of Geezerland. I promise!
