Say hello to the worlds newest diabetic.

[Reeder]

I just spent six hours in an emergency room. Being rehydrated and dosed with insulin.

Talk about a life changing incident.

Normal blood suger readings run from 70 mg/dL to about 120 mg/dL.

Mine was 570 mg/dl. They got it down to 370 before I left.

Now if only I had insurance.

Life goes on.

[Venoma]

I'm so sorry - good luck with your life change, things are going to be so different for you now.

[Oregon sunshine]

Reeder, sorry to hear about that! But glad you're stable and home.

This is the American DIabetes Association site's leads towards possible health insurance options for low-income folks. If that's not the issue in your case, they also have help for people (in 30 states at least) who can't get insurance due to their existing health problems.

[Khadaji]

Reeder, sorry to hear your news! Sending warm thoughts your way.

[TroubleAgain]

Sorry, Reeder. Any chance your diabetes can be controlled with diet and exercise? My brother is an insulin dependent diabetic, and that really, really sux.

[Smeghead]

I'm sorry to hear that, Reeder. I recently went though a diabetes scare of my own, where the doctor thought I might have it for a while. Not fun.

[Revtim]

Sorry man. Will it help to realize that you are lucky to be living in an era where you can survive with the disease? Probably not yet, I bet.

My best wishes man.

[John Carter of Mars]

I'm genuinely sorry to hear that, Reeder. I hope it works out to be manageable. I have a friend who has been giving himself periodic injections for several years now. He still functions normally, so maybe your case won't be too bad.

Good luck with it!

[Miss Purl McKnittington]

Ah, Reeder, I'm so sorry to hear that. But you have to feel better after getting your blood sugar down from 570, right? I'm a diabetic and that's vomiting territory for me. (So much to look forward to, right? )

From one diabetic to another, the beginning is hard, but it gets better. You might think that that's the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard at this point, but it gets better. Whenever you get discouraged or start to miss the chocolate or fruit juice or whatever, think of how fantastic you feel when your blood sugar is under control and your urine doesn't smell like cheap wine.

Diabetes might make your path in life a little bit steeper, but it isn't a brick wall.

Good luck. Don't forget to breathe.

[Ethilrist]

Lots of us diabetics here at the SDMB, both Type I and II. Don't hesitate to ask any question (god knows, people don't hesitate to ask any other dang question that drifts through their mind here...).

[Gravity]

Just don't get overwhelmed. Take as long as you need to process the information that you need. Don't get discouraged because you're not alone on this road.

And you will feel a lot better when you're more under control. I didn't realize how bad I had felt for how long (it was years) when I was diagnosed with type II at the ripe old age of 27.
The counting and everything will become automatic, and things will get much better. Just don't give up.

E-mail me if you want to talk about the nasty dietician that told me all kinds of bunk when I went to see her. It didn't help.

[tisiphone]

And I know where to find good chocolate made for diabetics and those with other sugar-related issues.