Should I withdraw my son from college since his second trip to the ER in less than a month?
He let his pump run dry and his sugar went to 1500. He went into DKA and was found lying in the floor of his dorm room by his friends. They saved his life. We thought this would scare him into taking care of himself but today after he missed classes all day he was found unconcious again after his sugar dropped in the middle of the night. He goes several days at a time with no meter readings. If he does check, he will eat and not take insulin. He has had type I for over six years and is very knowlegable with Diabetes in general and with his pump functions. He is simply being careless. All we can do is keep him home to keep him alive. Please advise and I will let him read your answer. Thanks.
A 1500 blood sugar is no joke. I would say Yes, withdraw him, because he is clearly SEVERELY neglecting his health in this environment. He isn't just risking death, he's making it happen on purpose. If he isn't able to handle the responsibilities of diabetes in college, then he doesn't deserve to be there for 30,000 dollars a year just to destroy his body rapidly.
I would suggest getting him out of there while he's still alive and getting him some professional help. Not just an endocrinologist, but a psychiatrist to figure out why he is purposefully hurting himself. A 1500 blood sugar does not happen by accident.
-Ginger
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Corndog
Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 01:25 AM
Ginger Vieira
Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 12:53 PM
I think you made a wise choice. While it may take quite a bit of time and be extremely challenging, demanding a lot of your patience and his, to help your him change the way he treats his body, it's worth it in the end. I know many people with diabetes who ignored it when they were younger only to experience kidney transplants and glaucoma by the age of 30. That isn't how it has to be. It's preventable. It's a disease we can live with for a long time if we try even just 70% of the time.
Please let me know if you need anything else.
Ginger
I've been living with diabetes for almost 40 years and have no complications and have lived a very full life! I'm in complete agreement with Ginger! What has happened that he is not willing to do the minimum?
When I was in college I was very lax about testing, but I never missed a shot! Letting his pump go dry means he is not willing to do the very minimum! Most people with diabetes suffer periods of burnout and we drop the ball, but this is an example of total neglect and a worry for his friends and you!
Check into some programs locally that can give him support that he needs.
Hope this works out for all of you!
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My wife is on her way back with him right now. Thanks for your quick response. Now I have more insight to discuss where we go from here. I am off Monday and the plan is to go officially withdraw him. You are right. He is letting Diabetes interfere with the things he loves to do. We thought it would be the other way around that the things he loves the most would make him want to be healthy. We have considered psychaiatric therapy but everyone was saying "he is just a teen boy and teen boys are like that". But a teen boy should want to live above all else. Especially since he has so much going for him. He is not depressed or suicidal but I do not want to be saying that after he is dead. He has trouble openning up to us so maybe an analyst can get inside his head. Thanks.