Diabetes - Up Close and Personal: Dealing with Complications of Diabetes

My husband and I are now eight years into this journey. It seems that in spite of all the things we have done to maintain good health, this insidious disease is now causing complications.

Kidney Disease
Several months ago, after a routine visit to his doctor, my husband was referred to a Nephrologist due to some signs of kidney disease on his latest labs. This was new territory and we were both quite concerned. I felt at first as if I had failed in some way. It seemed that no matter what we did, this disease process would always have the upper hand. The Nephrologist was kind and reassuring. We were told that we were dealing with early stages of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) due to diabetes, and there was no need to be concerned about dialysis at this point. We learned that levels of potassium, sodium, and phosphorous must be closely monitored and depending upon those levels, dietary changes were again necessary. Because potassium levels were high, my husband has to cut back on many leafy green vegetables, salads, and fruits that he had previously been able to eat. This was quite a blow for both of us. I remember standing in the middle of my kitchen and wondering what in the world I was going to feed my husband.

Heart Disease
Not far behind the kidney problems, we were faced with some additional heart problems. My husband has always had atrial fibrillation, which, according to his doctor at that time, was not much more than a nuisance disorder. Recently, however, we learned that he needs to be on blood thinners in order to prevent blood clots which can cause a heart attack or a stroke. Anyone on blood thinners knows that, again, there are limits to the foods that contain Vitamin K. This vitamin works against the blood thinners, so we now have two reasons to cut back on leafy green vegetables and salads.

Another heart problem is early stages of heart failure. As dire as this sounds, it really does not mean that his heart has stopped beating. Heart failure means that the heart's ability to pump blood throughout the body, is somewhat diminished. Again, as in kidney disease, there are stages or levels of heart failure. We learned that he has an elevated BNP. According to information provided by the Mayo Clinic online, BNP is "a protein that your heart and blood vessels produce. BNP helps your body eliminate fluids, relaxes blood vessels and funnels sodium into your urine." If BNP is elevated, it is your bodies way of trying to help a damaged heart muscle do its job.

There are so many complications to diabetes and none of them are easy to deal with. I have a brother who is also diabetic and he suffers from neuropathy in his feet, legs and hands. He also is losing his eyesight . . . all complications of diabetes.

We deal with diabetes and its complications on a day-to-day basis. There are many days when my husband has little or no energy. He can no longer physically do many of the things he used to do. The load on my back seems to grow heavier as we go along. Whatever he cannot do, I do, and I try to do it with love and a good spirit. There are days when I get completely overwhelmed. I talk to him about it and remind him that this isn't his fault. It just is what it is. We move slower, sleep later, do whatever we can to provide joy and pleasure in each day. We try to maintain a positive attitude and a good outlook on life. There are no guarantees in life, whether you have diabetes or not. We are learning to live each day as a precious gift of God, for it truly is just that.

Taking Good Care of Myself
I have also talked to my own doctor about the stress in my life due, first of all, to childhood sexual abuse and now, the stress of dealing with a chronic disease process in my husband's life. My doctor changed one of my medications and also added another medication in order to help me deal better with my stress levels. Taking good care of myself is as important as taking good care of my husband. I also visit our neighborhood fitness center on a regular basis. This helps me to maintain good muscle strength and energy levels and the boost in endorphins does wonders for my mood.

My hope is that as I have shared our personal struggles with this dreadful disease, you will discover that you are not alone in your own battle against diabetes. We are all in this together.

Sources:
My Life
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-disease/HB00016