The Pasadena Story: Near-Death Experience with Diabetic Ketoacidosis #28

Deborah 00:01:57

I promised that I would tell you the Pasadena story, and that is the story of when I almost died from diabetic ketoacidosis. And since we have specifically been talking about diabetic ketoacidosis over the past few.Weeks, it seems like it's time to cover that one. And I've been telling you I would get you that. So, yes, this is Deborah of Diabetic. Real, and welcome to the podcast. Many of these episodes are stories in.My own life and covering these stories, hopefully to help you, my listeners and. Also those who love diabetics and those of you who are struggling with other. Issues so that you have some tips. And feedback to help you in life.So that you can work through the challenges in life and not get tripped up by any of those things. So anyway, happy to be past the tax season. Had to get those taxes out of. The way and filed on time. Really glad to be able to do. That and be able to say that, yes, I filed on time on tax day.So anyway, glad to be back in.The swing of things and doing the podcast. So with that, let's get back to that story. As I said, I call it the Pasadena story because I was living in Pasadena at the time. You know, thinking about this story. I think, wow, this is a quick one. 30 seconds.I went into diabetic ketoacidosis, almost died, didn't die, all done. But there are many factors to the story and telling it. I can get kind of emotional. So sometimes it's easier to laugh about.It and tell it quickly and go on with life than it is to really focus on the details. But I will admit I was young and in a silly state. I believed a minister that said, I. Have prayed over you and you are. Healed and you no longer have diabetes.I know it's really easy now later in life to say, what were you thinking? I'm not going to make a comment. On believing in healing or any other. You know, hey, not going to judge. If you are listening to this and. You believe in healing, more power to you.I think that's great. Personally, I believe in healing in the. Sense that I believe that God has given me the tools to be live. So and I am still alive and.I should not have lived through this particular scenario that I'm telling you about. So I'm looking at it that way. However you look at it, that is.Your life and your belief system. I'm not going to judge. And that's not what we're talking about here. But in my particular situation, I believed that I was healed and I stopped.Taking insulin because the minister told me to stop taking insulin, was I a fool to listen? Yeah, probably because I should have been.More responsible about my disease and actually still taking insulin. I actually had that happen another time. Oh, I don't know, like, five years later, another minister said that he believed. That I had been healed.But that minister responsibly said, hey, it is between you and God whether you stop taking insulin. I am not going to direct you. To stop taking insulin. That also has a little bit more wisdom in the legal department, too, as far as liability.But the first minister was like, hey. Deb, you can stop taking insulin. You're healed. So I did anyway. I thought again, not thinking maybe or. Too young to be thinking, I don't.Know what, that I would try it. And if I felt sick and I. Was checking blood sugars, and actually my blood sugars were fine. And this is sometimes the mystery of diabetic ketoacidosis, especially for those who do not understand it. After this experience, I'll tell you, I definitely started understanding diabetic ketoacidosis intimately. Anyway, my blood sugars were fine.At first, I thought that I was okay. And that is an illusion. It's kind of like when people die of hypothermia, where they get really warm. Really hot first, and they start taking.Clothes off because they're like, oh, I'm not cold. I'm not cold. I'm not cold. And that's actually a sign that before. They die from hypothermia, well, in this. Situation, my blood sugar was not going too high.I thought I was okay, and I. Kept checking my blood sugar. I was doing okay. I thought, well, if my blood sugar goes too high, then I'll take insulin.But what I didn't realize is you. Get to a certain point of no. Return and you hit diabetic ketoacidosis and. You can't help yourself. So I got to that point and.I was staying with someone. We'll just say I was staying with a friend. It's easier. I'm not going to name names. So I was staying with a friend. Now, again, not going to lay blame. As my husband taught me on our.First date, in any situation, even with a person being present, there's always an. Ability to lay a certain percentage of. Blame with everybody in the room just for being there. So I had blame.Obviously, I'm the one that stopped taking. The insulin, but also the friend that was there should have. And Actually, the police department and the Los Angeles attorney wanted to actually put.This person in jail.But this friend should have taken me to the hospital. But I'll continue with the story. So I became sicker and sicker with the diabetic ketoacidosis. I started vomiting.I'd never been that sick, so I didn't understand that this was the sign of diabetic ketoacidosis. I was obviously so thirsty that I kept drinking water. This friend refused to let me have water because this friend did not. I was at the friend's house because. I was scared that I was so sick.I thought, well, I should have somebody watching over me. The friend wasn't really watching over me. But anyway, I got to a point. Where I was blind. So I had to feel my way. To the bathroom to go to the bathroom. I wasn't really going because I was so dehydrated.There was no liquid in me. I would be so thirsty that I would be taking. I had a. That's a bowl made by Tupperware. A huge bowl. Like what you would make, you know.Huge amounts of dough if you're going. To make buns or something. I mean, it's a huge bowl, right? I would fill that with water because. She wouldn't let me have water because.She didn't want me to vomit in her house. Even though I didn't vomit, like, on. Her furniture floor or anything. I was being very careful, but she didn't like the idea that I was.Vomiting in the presence of her home. So I would wait till she wasn't looking because I was so thirsty. And I would fill that. That's a bowl. And then I would just drink it. All because I was so thirsty. And then, of course, within minutes, I. Was vomiting it back up.I mean, it was just basically coming back out as water because I wasn't digesting it at all. And this went on all night. I mean, it was just in, then out and in because I could not take in water. My electrolytes were out of whack.I was blind by that point. So as I said, I was feeling my way around the house because I couldn't see. And kind of in and out of semiconsciousness.Anyway, by morning, this went on all weekend. By morning, it was Monday morning and I was unconscious. She left me unconscious and went to work. And I somehow. I don't know.I think it's an act of God, something. That's the miracle. I somehow came out of this unconsciousness enough to think, oh, No, I have. To call into work. You know, I have to call in sick. I mean, I can't just. No show for work.But I was so groggy that I could barely talk. So I called into work.I wasn't making any sense. I wasn't one to drink. Everyone I worked with knew that I didn't drink.So the person, the secretary that answered the phone was like, deb doesn't make any sense. She sounds drunk. Of course, that's because I'm so sick. So she handed the phone, she transferred me to another gal, another secretary in.Another department who happened to be married to a diabetic. Now, this story is actually. All this is. I was working at Countrywide. This whole story is actually written up. In the annals of Countrywide. He was bought out by bank of.America, and I think 2008. But somewhere, this whole story that I'm telling you is written there because it's written about the other secretary.Her name is Karen, who ended up rescuing me. So Karen comes on the phone and she hears me, and she's like, oh, no. Deb is not only in diabetic ketoacidosis, she is dying.She's like, we have to find her. And I passed out and went unconscious. Again while I was on the phone with her. And at that point, I didn't come to again. And she called and left a message.With this friend while this friend was. At work and thought, well, I'm just going to check messages. She checked the messages, and she heard.The message of Karen saying, hey, Deb is dying somewhere. Well, this friend is like, oh, no. Oh, no. Deb is dying at my home. I got to go do something. So she went home. And what the police reports say this.Friend went home and asked the neighbor. To try to help remove my lifeless body from her house. The neighbor was like, no.The neighbor called 911. This was a small street fire truck, couple of fire trucks, a couple. I was not conscious, but a couple police cars, an ambulance, they got me. I actually died twice.It was a short drive from that house to the hospital, but I died. In the ambulance twice. My body temperature was down to 93 or 94. They had to resuscitate me, the whole thing. They helicoptered a diabeteologist.So not just an endocrinologist, but someone who. I mean, serious expert in Los Angeles. She had to shut down her practice. She was on the other side.She was in Santa Monica. I was in Pasadena. They helicopter helicoptered her across Los Angeles. To come try to save me. Of course, I was in ICU unconscious. They worked on me. They brought me back, you know, at. The end of all this.A couple days later, I was. After I got out of icu, I was in the medical department because, of course, you don't go from ICU just to being let out of the hospital.The first responders came to see me, and they're like, we heard down in ER that you had lived, and we didn't believe that. We were sure that you died. There's no way that you lived through that. We just had to see for ourselves. And they came up to visit me.And I said, nope, I'm alive. I guess it just wasn't my time. No, I mean, you know, I'm bouncing. Around saying, hey, I'm sitting.No, I didn't. You know, I thank them profusely. But that really hit me. I was. Let's see, I was about 23, 24, but it really stuck with me just.How precious life is, how, you know, thin veil that is. And I knew that if that happened, you know, 30 years later, the body just can't take that harsh of a. Beating and keep going. And I do think that was a miracle that I lived through that. I also think that there were a.Lot of people rooting for me and really working hard to keep me alive. And I am so thankful because I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for them. Now, there is a particular person that.I referenced as a friend that was not particularly helpful, and I would not. Recommend anyone listening to this podcast to do what she did, as in leave. Somebody unconscious and go to work. I was asked to report her and.Testify against her, and I was being friendly. I thought the nice thing to do.Was to not put her in jail, and so I didn't. Now I'm wondering if, in hindsight, I should have. But, hey, time passes and you make your choices.But she did not do the right thing by trying to remove my quote, unquote lifeless body. But, hey, she can answer to God someday.I'm happy to be here and to be able to warn other diabetics to take diabetic ketoacidosis seriously and to also. Warn those who love diabetics and those. Who even care about other people to please take diabetic ketoacidosis seriously. And by the way, don't.Please don't stop taking insulin just because. Someone tells you to. All right, guys. Love you all. Take care. And this is Debra signing off on Diabetic Reality.