29 August 2008
opinion
Francistown — I could not believe my ears when my fate was finally announced to me: "You are hypertensive and diabetic".
The announced results were even passed over to me to view physically.
This was announced by Dr. D.O. Mompati of the Francistown-based Riverside Hospital at her Tati River Clinic with a hand to her mouth in exclamation: "Have you been suffering from these two metabolism diseases or what?"
This is after she had sent me to the hospital's laboratory for thorough screening of my blood. I literally stared at her in disbelief as she explained what my high BP and high sugar level meant to my health.
"You are very sick and we are going to admit you and make thorough investigations as to what could be the problem," she said in a motherly tone. She promised, "We will arrest the situation."
I realised the seriousness of the diagnosis when Mompati telephoned her husband who is also a medical doctor and senior partner at the health facility and explained my condition, concluding to "admit him".
I still could not believe she was addressing me. In my small world, I have always associated hypertension and diabetes with rich people and not ordinary mortals. I wondered to myself, "So I will be associated with the UN blue circle symbol for diabetes?
Monday August 25, will therefore remain indelible in my mind, for this is the day a lot of things changed in my life including me. I literally saw a new chapter in my life unveiling.
I remember a friend telling me boldly: "You should stop jumping sky high at the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) mokhukhu. It will strain your Health". I took this as a joke because my church and I remain inseparable.
On admission at the Riverside High Care Unit or ICU, I was put on the intravenous infusion fluid or drip in the layman's language, to balance the sugar level in my blood and I could now see the reality of the problem.
For the three days I was on the drip, I whiled away time by counting the water droplets and reading newspapers and magazines. As and when time permitted, I enjoyed re-reading Cyril Ramaphosais biography by Anthony Butler.
Unfortunately, I was worried that I could not help the doctors and other health workers with the history of the diagnosed disease because I have always remained reluctant to test as I could not associate myself with the two diseases.
All the doctors, nurses and other health workers were very helpful. I was also impressed by the fact that I was attended by health workers from various nationalities: DRC, Zimbabwe, Zambia, locals and others. I would call them SADC, AU and so on.
Whilst I have a traceable history of hypertension from my days in 1999 when I used to live in Gaborone, I had reached the conclusion that the problem has healed without even seeking any medical opinion. I think I was unnecessarily foolish in thinking that because my heart had 'normalised' it meant I had healed.
On admission, I weighed about 79 kg, which showed a loss of about three kg or more. My height stands at about 1.70 metres. "You are overweight," I was advised by the doctor. She explained how cholesterol has affected me by narrowing some of the arteries and veins in the heart making the distribution of blood difficult. The fatal thing associated with closing arteries and veins is a killer stroke.
So now everything was associated with fatality and it dawned on me how vulnerable I was under the circumstances. In my mind, I just wondered how many people could be as vulnerable as myself.
Journals describe diabetes as a syndrome of disordered metabolism, usually due to a combination of hereditary and environmental causes, resulting in abnormally high blood sugar levels.
I was worried when I was informed that my sugar level on admission was about 27mmol/l, when the normal range is estimated at about 3mmol/l, moreso that my BP was very high. This is the time when one comes to realise the importance of conducting regular medical checks to ensure that one is aware of his or her condition.
A lot about the two chronic diseases that I was diagnosed with was explained to me and how I should change my lifestyle to ensure that there is control ultimately.
For the two most common forms of diabetes -type 1 and 2- are due to either diminished production of insulin or diminished response by the body to insulin.
Journals further show that all types of diabetes have been treatable since insulin became medically available in 1921, but there is no widely available cure for any form of diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes can only be treated with injected insulin, with dietary and other lifestyle adjustments commonly being part of the treatment. Type 2 is usually managed with a combination of dietary treatments, tablets and more frequently, insulin supplementation.
Insulin is used by about two-thirds of the body cells to absorb glucose from the blood for use as fuel, for conversion to other needed molecules, or for storage. Insulin is also the principal control signal for conversion of glucose to glycogen for internal storage in liver and muscle cells. Lowered glucose levels result both in the reduced release of insulin from the beta cells in the reverse conversion of glycogen to glucose when glucose levels fall.
Besides the fight to balance the blood sugar levels with insulin injections, I was introduced to the diabetic diet, which is often recommended to people who suffer from diabetes. The diet is high in dietary fibre, especially soluble fibre, but low in fat. My dietary sheet is a far cry from the junk food that I used to swallow in large quantities.
When I complained that I was going to starve since being admission I have been given small quantities of diabetic diet. I was advised that this was part of the plan to control the blood sugar levels. Perhaps, the small quantities are compensated for by the small meals that I take about six times: morning, mid morning, lunch, mid-afternoon, dinner and another late dinner.
Literally, with my condition it means bye-bye to the junk meals that I used to enjoy from the Meriting Spar, which is below my workplace. No fried chips that we often called 'ditapole' in the vernacular and the other stuff. There is no question about it. I have started complying with the dietary requirements.
But, I want to confess, a change from my older ways to the current stringent one has come with what I will call 'problems". With this sudden change, it has occasioned some apparent weight loss and total change in my lifestyle given the level of food intake.
Besides reading my normal choice of magazines, I have been compelled by circumstances to include magazines on health, diet and others.
A clear message of compliance from the doctors, nursing staff, family members and friends is loud and clear: "Comply with the treatment and the diabetic diet and live."
Although I cannot say with any certainty when diabetes started, I have always guessed something was wrong with me, especially when I realised signs and symptoms like frequent urination, increased thirst, increased fluid intake and increased appetite, which are associated with diabetes.
But, definitely when I left the office for medical attention, I never thought I would not return to the office as it happened.
Of course, I was just feeling abnormally tired with some occasional dizziness.
At the time of writing this piece, I had already accepted my fate just like many people who have gone open about their conditions.
But, for the Riverside Hospital staff, I will always miss the treatment I got from them. From the lowest staff member to the very top, I got the very best treatment out of them. Although at the time of going to press I was still in the hospital, the good news is that by the time this piece is published, I might have joined my beloved family. I will know late Thursday afternoon whether I will go home or remain admitted. Worries that hung in my mind while I was admitted are gone now and I can only encourage those who do not know their status in so far as their blood sugar levels are concerned, to go now and test before it is too late.
In fact, I have learnt the health trick from one health enthusiast who was my neighbour in the ICU ward, Johann of Yappy Entreprises that: "A general check up once a year would keep you in control of your health."
The South African man was proud about his state of the heart, which he said 'was very healthy and made him appear like a 30-year-old' although he was 55.Whatever the new chapter offers, it will be part of my life.
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