Child - diabetes for 2 years - little training

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Permalink Reply by Leona Peterson on May 10, 2009 at 8:18am

If they read:
Download information so they can have it in hand on Levemir/Lantus, Novorapid, and/or whatever is available in the pharmacies there. Tell them to feel free to ask questions.
Meanwhile, you can ask a pharmacist what the government will supply, given a prescription, for diabetes.
Download some of Bernstein's information, or some of Diabetes 101 as starters.
Talk directly to the 12 year old so he has a measure of grown-up ownership and an in-charge feeling toward his diabetes.
Let him know this is treatable and that millions of people are going to school and living employed lives.
Let him know he can get more information and he can give information to the administrator of the school, too, so his parents are not the only ones learning about it and making decisions. Pharmacists are sources of information, too.
Some people send their children to live with relatives in large cities in order that they are seen by up-to-date physicians and deal with knowledgeable school administrators, teachers, and nurses. Start their minds thinking. And good luck with your project!

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Permalink Reply by Riette on May 10, 2009 at 8:50am

Thanks for the info. I found out the some government hospitals do give out other insulins - depending on the level of the hospital. Our hospital is a level 2 - and a pharmacist-friend here will find out what insulins they do give out. It seems that the larger hospitals give out Acrapid/Humalin R and Protophane/Humalin N . So that is what I have to work with. I think I'm going to talk to them tomorrow and if they agree go with them to the clinic and presuade the doctor to prescribe other insulin. (This government docors are way way behind on diabetes...not to mention the phamacists.)

Regarding the school-our school does not take responsibility for diabetic children. Our system is totaly different from the US. It is up to the parents to check their children.

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Permalink Reply by Marie B on May 10, 2009 at 8:26am

thank you for helping Riette. You are a gem.

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Permalink Reply by Riette on May 10, 2009 at 8:51am

Thanx I'm trying to get more involved in our town.. Started a support group a while back as well.

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Permalink Reply by rainbowgoddess on May 10, 2009 at 8:42am

Is there a JDRF in your area? I don't know if they have a branch in South Africa, but they would likely be a good source of information and support for those parents. If not, you could still get some information from their website -- jdrf.org or jdrf.ca. The Canadian site might be better just for having the same kinds of blood sugar measurements (mmol/ instead of mg./dl.)

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Permalink Reply by Riette on May 10, 2009 at 8:57am

Nope - we're in a small town 340 km (about 3,5 hours drive) from the nearest city I have a lot of info - thats not a problem - I can teach them a lot but its the thing handling the goverment patient - our government health is really not up to scratch - in that way were still in many ways the same as a third world country - especially in a rural area such as ours... If you are poor you're in bad luck....

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Permalink Reply by nel peach on May 10, 2009 at 10:57am

Would it help to contact IDF.org.( International Diabetes Federation ) , South Africa ( I googled this ) ...e-mail national@diabetes.co.za and discuss your concerns . Website www.diabetessa.co.za . When I read your request I very much realize how fortunate I am, living in Canada .And yet we complain . Another example: I have posted a request for members in my Province to contact our Candidates before the next Provincial Election, held on May 12 and share with them the Canadian Diabetes Association's ASK for better meds, devices etc. and no one has responded yet. I hope , they do contact their Candidates.
And Thank You, Riette , for advocating for this young child in your community . I pray you will be succesful

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Permalink Reply by Riette on May 10, 2009 at 11:11am

Our diabetes foundation is not as active as those in the US - there are support groups in larger cities. We have had no support where I live. Thats why I decided to start a support group and that is how I found out about this child.

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Holko on May 10, 2009 at 11:31am

Dear Nel. tell them to get with it do they want to end up with the same uncarring Govt as in alberta.

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Permalink Reply by Joe on May 10, 2009 at 9:53am

2 books. Imperative.

"Think Like a Pancreas". Gary Scheiner $11 on Amazon Click here

"Calorie King" Amazon $9 Click here

Diabetes will forever be a self-managed disease, they need to get the tools so they can manage for themselves, not depend on calling doctors for hypos and hypers and everyday management things.

I used N and R for many years and although it's not great, control can be achieved. Some manufacturers have assistance programs to help you with buying medicine. You have to learn to use what's available, I think.

Best of luck!

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Permalink Reply by Riette on May 10, 2009 at 10:42am

Thanx I do agree - people should be learned to manage it themselves. They must be empowered to handle any situation- but - I also experience that diabetes is such a difficult disease to manage that lots of people leave it to their trainer/consultant/doctor to sort out problems and it's those who normally start to develop complications first..

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Holko on May 10, 2009 at 11:00am

I am not familiar with insulin mixes they may have gone out of fashion in Canada. A few years ago I was on NPH a 4 hour insulin and I wuld inject it every 4 hours or have no control, horrid stuff. In progressive provinces in Canada ( not our right wing paradise) the Govt sponsor and encourages pumps. But a viable alternative would be the slow acting insulins like levemir and lantus combined with a fast acting insulin. I find I can manage with 2/3 of the total daily dose as slow acting split into morning and bedtime shots. Some people may go low with such a high percentage of slow acting so it might be a good idea to start at 45% of TDD and ramp it up to see what happens. TDD total daily dose is the amount of units per day that a diabetic requires to keep the BG close to normal. The rest as fast acting insulin mostly before meals and a bit for corrections.

Our Govt refuses to subsidize the lantus or levemir inspite of my Endo talking to the health minister and showing him that it would save the province money. Let us know if south africa is more progressive than canada.

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