[Cagdu] I'm almost back

[Ken Volonte]

Hi everybody.  I'm back and glad to be alive.  To start at the beginning,
early in December, I set off for breakfast at my favorite restaurant, having
stayed in bed against the cold weather for far too long.  I slipped on some
black ice, fell and bruzed my hip.  They couldn't see anything on the x-ray.
I contracted an infection and couldn't eat.  When I eventually went into the
hospital, my blood sugar was over 700.  I understand that all this time, I
wasn't taking sufficient insulin for what my body needed.  

 

One thing that I believe we need to address over and over again has to do
with the question I received from every nurse  who cared for me during those
five days: "Who is going to take care of you when you get home", a voice
would ask.  "You need to be in an assistive living place".  

 

I would explain that I could look after myself now that I knew more about
the needs of my endocrine system.  "You can't do that"!  You need somebody
to take care of you.  You need eyes to check your blood sugar",  she would
insist.  I would explain as patiently as I could that I had a talking blood
sugar meter all to no avail.  I came to understand that I was not talking
just about myself.  I was trying to get across that not all blind people
would have a family member to help in all circumstances.  There might be a
blind person who has to take care of themselves; a blind person who lives
alone in some residence hotel, or in a little apartment down town; in any
case, they live alone.  

 

The day I was to be discharged, I had to use the bathroom.  One of my IV
lines had got itself caught on one of the many pumps that hissed and groaned
to keep me well hydrated and monitored.  One of the nurses said, "Well, if
you can't even go to the bathroom here, how are you going to do this at
home"?  

 

Of course, I wouldn't be connected to all these tubes at home.  Nobody would
know I used the bathroom and it wouldn't be their concern.  

 

Were these people trying to be cruel?  No I don't think so.  They had a
genuine concern about me.  They didn't want me to end up in the hospital
again.  In fact, by the time I was ready to be discharged, there were seven
beds waiting to take me.  Many of these homes knew me because I had visited
them with my guide dog and they were eager to help me on my road to
recovery.  I believe that anyone will help if they see something that they
can do; but honestly, I needed to be home with family and where friends
could come and visit.  

 

I'm still trying to build up my stamina.  I've walked with Edison from the
house next door to our house just to see if I could keep up with his pace
safely.  I could, but by the time we reached our house, my hip ached  like
hell and I had to be still.  So that's how I am now.  I still have a little
home care with the PT and the OT and the nurse who comes in two or three
times a week to take my vital signs and talk to me about my diet.  I'm
considering an insulin pump, so if anybody has experience with one, I'd sure
like to hear from them.  Take care and know that I love you all more than I
can say. My phone is: 209-464-6766 and my email you already have. Ken

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