Well, Dad is off to the hospital tonight for a few days. They got the results of his bloodwork back earlier today and his blood sugar levels were really elevated. The normal range is around 5, and his level from yesterday when they did the blood work was 25. They expect that his levels would be slightly higher because of the dexamethazone that he is on, but tonight when the nurse came to double-check the level, it was so high that it wasn't registering on the monitor. They gave him some insulin and were able to get it down to around 30, but after speaking with the doctor on call, they were told that he needs to come in to the hospital for a few days so that they can flush his system and get the levels regulated. Mom mentioned that he'll need at least 10 litres of fluid to completely flush everything out.
Thankfully, he will not have to go through emergency at all. Mom got a call around 9 pm and a bed had opened up at Riverview, which is a palliative care facility, so once they got it cleaned up and ready to go, they were to call the non-emergency ambulance and they will come to the house and pick Dad up. We just spoke to Mom a few minutes ago (about 11:30 pm) and the ambulance still wasn't there yet. But, if any of you have been following the weather here in Winnipeg, you'll know that we've had snow all day here! Yup, that's right - it looks like December out there! Gotta love "Winter-peg" right?!?! Needless to say, the roads are icy and it's miserable outside, so it may be a while before the ambulance gets there. Hopefully it won't take too long, but you never know with the weather we've been having!
So the plan right now is for Dad to stay in for a few days, with the expectation that he'll be home once his blood sugar is regulated. Once his levels even out, then he should have a bit more energy again and won't be sleeping so much. He's also been really thirsty the last few days, and Mom said he was drinking about 4 litres of milk a day. He is now not allowed to have any dairy or fruit - those are the two main triggers for upping the blood sugar. Hopefully once his levels even out, he'll be able to have at least small amounts of both - I guess we'll find out in a few days!
Needless to say, Dad needs some definite prayer right now! He will be on diabetic pills and insulin the next few days, and will most likely continue to need insulin when he gets home to ensure that his blood sugar levels continue to stay at a more normal level. I'll continue to update as we get news from the doctors....
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1 comment:
Thanks for the update. I continue to pray for Gerald and the rest of the family. May God continue to give the doctors wisdom. What a blessing that he did not have to go through emergency and that a bed was available for him. May all of you continue to draw on the strength the Lord. He holds all of you in the palm of his hand. Continue to lean on the everlasting arms of our Lord and Saviour.
Diane
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