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My husband, Bryan, travels for work each week. Most of the time he drives, but every now and then he is going far enough that he has to fly. Last week was a flying week and it was a long one. He boarded the plane to come home today in an exhausted frame of mind and was focused on getting home. On his way down the plane’s isle he noticed a middle aged lady struggling with a blood glucose meter; she was seated in his row. He didn’t want to be rude by staring at her, but being the dad of a T1 he could tell something was ‘off’. He finally scooted over toward the lady and said “do you need help”. She was very unfocused and in an obvious “low” state; she said “I think I’m 49”. He took her meter and looked at it, it actually read “40”. He got the flight attendant’s attention and told her to bring some orange juice. The lady had a little bit of orange juice in a cup in front of her but was unfocused enough that she wasn’t remembering to drink it. Bryan coaxed her to drink the remaining juice then told her she would need long lasting carbs to go with the o.j.
Now this is where I will say my hubby is a true hero. He actually dared to go into the unknown depths of a woman’s (a stranger’s) purse – with her permission and direction – to search for peanut butter crackers; which he found. He sat with her until her blood sugar returned to normal and he was sure she was okay. After they arrived home and had departed the plane, she stopped him and told him she didn’t know what would have happened to her if he hadn’t been there. Now that is a total God moment.
As it turned out the lady was only diagnosed 2 years ago; her diagnosis came in the middle of tragedy. She was driving her car and passed out at the wheel; the result was a 5 car pileup on an interstate. Bryan didn’t feel comfortable enough to ask if anyone was seriously injured, but her story definitely highlights the dangers that T1s have to face every day – just doing the things that most people take for granted.
When I reflect on his trip home it just amazes me. Think about it, on this plane full of people there was only 1 person on it that had the ability to recognize the signs of an extreme low just by looking at the woman. Things could have turned out much differently for her; but God placed them both at the same spot, in the same pocket of time. Amazing, just amazing.
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My dad is a firefighter/paramedic and (obviously) a parent of a Type 1. When I was 12, we were going through a fast-food window late at night and my dad could tell there was some commotion in the dining area distracting the lady taking our order. A few seconds later, we were parked in the parking lot while Dad ran inside. He came back to the car where the rest of us were, grabbed me and my One Touch II meter, and flew me into the Dairy Queen. There was an older woman having a seizure. Her blood sugar according to my meter? 11. In that restaurant at her side, she happened to have my dad, me, an off-duty nurse, and an off-duty police officer. By the time the ambulance arrived, there was already a full staff on hand checking and reporting on her vitals. I don’t know what happened once she was transported to the hospital, but I am glad all those people were there that day.
And 17 years later, I don’t think I will ever forget what it felt like to see that 11 on my meter and witness the distress she was in. I was diagnosed DKA and comatose, so I knew that end of it, but that was my first real glimpse of severe hypo.
Wow. Thanks for sharing this story Sheri-- and Melissa as well! It’s amazing how much we can understand about a stranger’s situation, just by knowing this condition so well.
Glad that we are able to help each other!!!
Wow - thanks you all for sharing your stories as well - it gives us strength to know there are people all over ‘just like us’ - God is Good
Awww, great story! We are total animal lovers in the the Turner household - way to go!!
I was at Newark airport one time, alone, and I had started to feel low waiting to get through security. Wearing the CGM I could not go through the “metal detector” so I politely produced my letter from the doctor and the lady “swiped” me with the metal “wand”. She knocked my CGM transmitter and sensor out. I managed to find a chair to sit on and she asked me what was wrong? I told her I was diabetic and needed help, at which point she proceeded to “ignore” me. I had a hard time retrieving anything and found some raisins and ate them. Everyone “politely” ignored me. Fortunately, I was able to help myself - but what if I was unable to ? I am so shocked that people at a busy airport, hundreds of people, just ignored me, they were too busy taking care of themselved, even though I asked for help. I am still angry about it.
Ohhh - it makes me mad reading it - it’s a fear I have for my daughter once she is on her own - I’m glad it turned out okay in spite of all the non-help.
You should have seen the TSA agents at O’Hare last month when I was trying to go through security for my return flight to DFW. The pump they were fine with - they’d seen those before they said, but they took my Navigator (CGM) receiver and carried around in a rubber gloved hand like it was a bomb. Would not let me through with it, would not let me touch buttons on it, etc., until they had swabbed my palms and the device for bomb residue. Even with a doctor’s letter and a calm “it’s okay I am used to going through this with you people” demeanor (okay, so that’s slightly snarky), it was an additional 5-10 minutes before I could join the people with whom I was traveling.
Snarky is warranted from time to time and I think that was an appropriate time (:-D)
