Tonight I came into the living room and found Mom sitting with her Levemir (insulin) pen in hand. She said she had not taken her shot at Noon, so had to take it. The trouble is that I gave her the shot at Noon, so now she has a double-dose of the long-acting insulin in her. I took the pen from her and grabbed the others that were in the refrigerator and took them to the refrigerator in my rabbits' room. I am afraid to go to sleep, because she may go into hypoglycemia.
We have had two hypoglycemic episodes recently. One was very scary. Now I wonder if she may have been adding a shot when I wasn't looking. I am going to have to keep the insulin out of her reach.
I hope the night goes smoothly. What a happy mother's day surprise. All these things are adding up. Yesterday she thought my garden was weeds, so chopped 3/4 of it down before I found her. (That broke my heart.) This evening it is the insulin. Dementia is brutal when a person is so willful.
I take that night shot in my bedroom. I think I'll keep a weekly med box in there, with one needle in each slot. Then I'll know if I used it or not. Sigh. It is tough to see your memory weaken with age. I have to start using reminder devices!
She woke up grouchy this morning. I am researching a good CDE that may make her life more enjoyable. Eating is the main pleasure she has left, so it would be nice to find some way to manage the glucose without having such strict restrictions without fear of late-night hypoglycemia. I won't mention the CDE to her until she is in a better mood. Sometimes she will poo-poo a good idea when she is in a bad mood and it can be hard to resurrect the idea later.
I am glad your Mom was OK. Your post --when your Mom doubled up on insulin-reminded me of the time my Mom was here and wanted to take an extra does of her Requip. She threw a temper tantrum when I would not let her sleep with her prescription bottle. I was upset. Jeannegibbs -I think you helped me that night. Thank-you! I did call the pharmacist and then gave her another pill after the pharmacist said it wouldn't kill her(I was worried she would OD) but I still would not let her sleep with the bottle and she was sooo mad.it is hard to deal with that kind of anger. I feel for you, JessieBelle, having to deal with your Mom's anger.
I hope your Mo comes around! ((((hugs))))
Mother hasn't gotten out of bed yet this morning. I do hope her mood is better than it was yesterday. I couldn't handle too many yesterdays.
I take short-acting insulin before each meal, on a scale depending on my blood sugar reading. I take long-acting before going to bed -- the same amount each night. I think there are many approaches to treating diabetes.
Have you ever consulted with a certified diabetes educator? Your mother is entitled to this service (I think once a year) and if you went together that might give you a better basis for discussing her diabetes care with her. (I mean it might give you more credibility in her eyes.) In my experience the CDE knows a lot more about the specific day-to-day issues of managing diabetes than most doctors do.
Good luck!
Sorry about the garden. I love my flowers. :( I feel your pain.
Well, she just took her sugar and it was too low for this time of the night (124). She drink a bit of OJ, but fought with me about the crackers that would be longer lasting. She took short-acting insulin at first, so has never really grasped the difference between short and long-acting insulin.
I'll feel easier in a couple of hours.
Jessie, most insurance companies and many clinics have nurse help lines available 24/7. And here a local Walgreens is open 24 hours. What I would do is call the pharmacist or the nurse line, explain the situation, and ask for advice.
What is her blood sugar level now? Check again in a half an hour and see if it is going down rapidly.
You need the reassurance of talking to a professional. I hope you have have a helpline or a pharmacist available. Another source I have used for quick information is the emergency room. Obviously you may have to wait a while for a call back, but I've always gotten one eventually.
I hope your night goes smoothly, too! Call a professional for your own peace of mind.