NO!!! HE IS NOT DRUNK!
This was the scene of our lives for eight long years; even our daughter who was 13 years old when this all started had to learn how to keep him safe and contend with the unknown, if dad was dying, if dad had gotten himself lost. If the phone rang she would cringe with the possibility of the story at the end of the line.
It’s been eight years since the onset of dizziness, slurred speech, what appeared as drunken behaviors (not good since he hadn’t had any alcohol in over 23 years), short term memory loss and loss of body control (arms, feet, legs, etc).
Going back, my husband, Fred, could only describe what he was feeling as:
· Sitting still with the world was moving past him;
· A 6 pack or a 12 of beer was in his system;
· Unable to come up with simple words;
· Forgetting why he was somewhere;
· Forgetting how he got there;
· Forgetting who he was with;
· Me having to hold onto his arm to ensure his safety and guiding him while he walked;
These are just some of the symptoms (we called them “episodes”) he experienced for over eight years, while specialists after specialists ($ after $) could not determine what was wrong.
Fred was hospitalized with what they thought was a stroke. While in his hospital bed, in front of a nurse or a doctor, he would go from a “normal conversation as an intelligent man” to “a man who looked completely drunk, unable to form a complete sentence.” The nurses could not believe what was transforming right before their very eyes.
The night nurse, Jonathan (who was not there when he was admitted) could not understand why Fred was even there. Fred looked and acted normal to him. But right before Jonathan’s shift was over, Fred went into an “episode”.” Jonathan called for back-up, as he wanted the “episode” documented. Jonathan watched Fred go from a normal conversation into an “episode” with slurred speech, loss of control of his hands and feet, was dizzy and Fred appeared drunk. Then a bit later, Fred was normal again. Everyone was dumbfounded. Several specialists came to see Fred over his three day stay, but no one could determine what was wrong and they discharged him.
We left the next day to travel to Arizona as our daughter was scheduled to visit the University of Arizona. Fred was in a constant “episode” state the entire week. We watched Fred get lost on a hotel elevator because he could not make a decision to get off the elevator. We found him 10 minutes later on another elevator. Although he can recall some of the events of the trip; he still, to this day cannot not put all thoughts together. He knows he was in Arizona and why and he remembers seeing certain Arizona wildlife and other parts of the trip, but not the whole picture.
Fast forward to 2012, Fred was seeing a psychologist who prescribed some meds to help with depression and insomnia. At the same time he decided to try college. He began attending Pima Community College and was in a biology class (of all thing…lol). His teacher was going over diabetes and after class Fred went to his instructor and discussed his symptoms. The doctor and the teacher both told him to see his family physician once again and ask for a HBA1C – dermo granuloma anularrum test.
Bam – guess what…he was a diabetic for the past eight years, going in and out of diabetic episodes, but no one could diagnosed him; he could have died. We’ve been able to test his numbers since, and they have been in the single digit numbers and over 300; at the doctor’s office, they found him roaming the waiting room “drunk” during the test.
The symptoms I have seen listed for diabetes are listed; however, Fred had not experienced any of them:
· Blurry vision (he had none)
· Excess thirst (he had none)
· Fatigue (he had none)
· Frequent urination (he had none)
· Hunger (he had none)
· Weight loss (he had none)
Today, Fred is in the Honor’s Program at the University of Arizona, he is driving himself to places and remembers the why and where’s, he has thrown away the “If I am found” paper I made him carry in his wallet and is thriving on a good diet and monitoring of his diabetes. He knows the warning signs and quickly makes any corrections needed to keep it in check.
If it had not been for his teacher at Pima East (thank you James) and his doctor, we would still be roaming Arizona trying to find out why a young man in his 40’s was so ill, but every doctor said nothing was wrong was wrong; he is an extremely healthy young man.
Never give up on searching for answers, you might find them in a very unlikely place. Always be the best advocate you can for you (or your loved one); no one will fight harder for you then you. Be a pest if you have to; remember you are paying them for a service, they are not paying you.
One tip!!! Since I was tired of paying doctors to tell me nothing was wrong with Fred, I started sending out his medical packet to them to review and they would typically send it back saying “nothing they can think of.” It saved me hundreds of dollars by mailing and e-mailing before actually seeing another doctor.
Going back, my husband, Fred, could only describe what he was feeling as:
· Sitting still with the world was moving past him;
· A 6 pack or a 12 of beer was in his system;
· Unable to come up with simple words;
· Forgetting why he was somewhere;
· Forgetting how he got there;
· Forgetting who he was with;
· Me having to hold onto his arm to ensure his safety and guiding him while he walked;
These are just some of the symptoms (we called them “episodes”) he experienced for over eight years, while specialists after specialists ($ after $) could not determine what was wrong.
Fred was hospitalized with what they thought was a stroke. While in his hospital bed, in front of a nurse or a doctor, he would go from a “normal conversation as an intelligent man” to “a man who looked completely drunk, unable to form a complete sentence.” The nurses could not believe what was transforming right before their very eyes.
The night nurse, Jonathan (who was not there when he was admitted) could not understand why Fred was even there. Fred looked and acted normal to him. But right before Jonathan’s shift was over, Fred went into an “episode”.” Jonathan called for back-up, as he wanted the “episode” documented. Jonathan watched Fred go from a normal conversation into an “episode” with slurred speech, loss of control of his hands and feet, was dizzy and Fred appeared drunk. Then a bit later, Fred was normal again. Everyone was dumbfounded. Several specialists came to see Fred over his three day stay, but no one could determine what was wrong and they discharged him.
We left the next day to travel to Arizona as our daughter was scheduled to visit the University of Arizona. Fred was in a constant “episode” state the entire week. We watched Fred get lost on a hotel elevator because he could not make a decision to get off the elevator. We found him 10 minutes later on another elevator. Although he can recall some of the events of the trip; he still, to this day cannot not put all thoughts together. He knows he was in Arizona and why and he remembers seeing certain Arizona wildlife and other parts of the trip, but not the whole picture.
Fast forward to 2012, Fred was seeing a psychologist who prescribed some meds to help with depression and insomnia. At the same time he decided to try college. He began attending Pima Community College and was in a biology class (of all thing…lol). His teacher was going over diabetes and after class Fred went to his instructor and discussed his symptoms. The doctor and the teacher both told him to see his family physician once again and ask for a HBA1C – dermo granuloma anularrum test.
Bam – guess what…he was a diabetic for the past eight years, going in and out of diabetic episodes, but no one could diagnosed him; he could have died. We’ve been able to test his numbers since, and they have been in the single digit numbers and over 300; at the doctor’s office, they found him roaming the waiting room “drunk” during the test.
The symptoms I have seen listed for diabetes are listed; however, Fred had not experienced any of them:
· Blurry vision (he had none)
· Excess thirst (he had none)
· Fatigue (he had none)
· Frequent urination (he had none)
· Hunger (he had none)
· Weight loss (he had none)
Today, Fred is in the Honor’s Program at the University of Arizona, he is driving himself to places and remembers the why and where’s, he has thrown away the “If I am found” paper I made him carry in his wallet and is thriving on a good diet and monitoring of his diabetes. He knows the warning signs and quickly makes any corrections needed to keep it in check.
If it had not been for his teacher at Pima East (thank you James) and his doctor, we would still be roaming Arizona trying to find out why a young man in his 40’s was so ill, but every doctor said nothing was wrong was wrong; he is an extremely healthy young man.
Never give up on searching for answers, you might find them in a very unlikely place. Always be the best advocate you can for you (or your loved one); no one will fight harder for you then you. Be a pest if you have to; remember you are paying them for a service, they are not paying you.
One tip!!! Since I was tired of paying doctors to tell me nothing was wrong with Fred, I started sending out his medical packet to them to review and they would typically send it back saying “nothing they can think of.” It saved me hundreds of dollars by mailing and e-mailing before actually seeing another doctor.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/22622-diabetic-seizure-look-like/