We all feel that little bit more mortal when one of our own, so to speak, develops a medical condition and the words 'there but for the Grace of G-d' spring to the lips.
Diabetes is, to me, worse than cancer because cancer is a release sooner or later. I wouldn't wish either onto my worst enemy. The worst I'd wish onto an enemy is want of friends. There is most certainly hope, for example with statin drugs, tweaking of ordinary adult cells in the pancreas so they become insulin-producing beta cells, iron-based 'magnetocapsules' of insulin-producing cells and so on and so on.
There is hope.
I don't know why I fear diabetes so, having seen my father succumb to emphazema and hepatitis and my mother to chronic bronchitis and asthma and yet I do fear it. Medical opinion on me is currently that I should fear more for the heart, in more ways than one.
I have no doubt that Iain will face this thing stoically and that all that can be done will be done. Crazy thing to say but better now than fifteen years earlier - there's a better chance now of getting back to that normal life.
Diabetes is, to me, worse than cancer because cancer is a release sooner or later. I wouldn't wish either onto my worst enemy. The worst I'd wish onto an enemy is want of friends. There is most certainly hope, for example with statin drugs, tweaking of ordinary adult cells in the pancreas so they become insulin-producing beta cells, iron-based 'magnetocapsules' of insulin-producing cells and so on and so on.
There is hope.
I don't know why I fear diabetes so, having seen my father succumb to emphazema and hepatitis and my mother to chronic bronchitis and asthma and yet I do fear it. Medical opinion on me is currently that I should fear more for the heart, in more ways than one.
I have no doubt that Iain will face this thing stoically and that all that can be done will be done. Crazy thing to say but better now than fifteen years earlier - there's a better chance now of getting back to that normal life.
My dad is diabetic, but his is not so advanced or severe that it cannot be controlled through his diet. It is, however, a bit of a worry to myself. He's not getting any younger and what if the diabetes decides it's gonna be a wee bit more aggressive? He could lose his sight...limbs even. Although it is beginning to be a lot better publiscised, I don't think a lot of people realise how big a health risk diabetes is.
ReplyDeleteMy dog was also diabetic, she died.
My Dad had it too, but as I was adopted I have no idea if I am at risk. But it can be controlled much better these days. I fear a dimentia-related illness more than anything and I think most people do. You take care.
ReplyDeleteI have worked with diabetics and it IS a terrible illness.
ReplyDeleteI suffer from the opposite- hypOglycemia as opposed to hyperglycemia( diabetes) and it has had an impact on my life.
I can still get it up though- Thank God.
While the management of diabetes has improved enormously, the incidence, of type II, has increased mostly due to the increase in the numbers of overweight people.
ReplyDeleteEducation is very important here so everyone knows the lifestyle changes they should make to cut down the risks of adult onset diabetes. This means you, if you worry about it.
Funnily enough, this past 24 hours I had a email exchange with a diabetic acquaintance and found out about the use of statins in this disease, which is relatively recent. Well three or four years is recent to me, especially since I retired from the field 9 years ago.
I swear that everyone will be on statins soon, already the most prescribed drug both dollarwise and prescription numberwise in some countries. I should buy shares in the drug companies.
You're awfully quiet here. The book(s) keeping you busy?
All four - thanks for that and each comment throws light on the problem. As it's something I fear, you can be sure i read these carefully.
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