It started when my 39 year old son was diagnosed with diabetes. He has been eating like a horse, drinking a lot of liquids and losing weight. My wife ( his mother) told him to get to a doctor, because she suspected he might be diabetic ( she is really good on medical stuff). Blood sugars were above 400 with "normal" being under 100. Doctor gave him 2 shots of insulin, and sent him home with a glucose meter, and a bunch of needles. Good thing he finally got the diagnosis; now he just has to learn to live with it and control his sugar. His mother told him to teach his 5 year old son how to dial 911, and tell the operator, " My Daddy has diabetes and is not moving"---just in case its needed.

Then we got word that my 6 year older than me brother had a stroke as he was going to the local hospital because of some vision issues. The stabilized him and flew him to Shock Trauma in Baltimore. I was the first family to arrive, and had to sign off on a bunch of permission forms. His wife got there an hour later, and agreed with what I had done. His daughters, and grand daughters all arrived over the nest hour. He was somewhat responsive when he arrived, but they sedated him, and he was unresponsive for the rest of the day. They thickened his blood ( cumodin (Spelling)) is thought to be the reason for the stroke. He needed that because of an afib condition. Sometimes the cure is worse than the original problem.
Anyway, after Cat scans and MRIs they asked permission to do a craniotomy--removing a piece of his skull to relieve the pressure. The swelling has not reached the brain stem, so they are hopeful that he might regain some function, although they warned that he will probably lose sight in one eye, and have some right side loss of function.
I was asked to pray for the doctors and the family which I was happy to do. It is all in God's hands.
All in all, its not been a great day.
I do take comfort that God is in control even if we can't see it.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Oh, that's no good. I'm really sorry to hear that... you're never ready for news like that. Which type of diabetes is it that your son has? Was he eating his head off because his body was making way too much glucose?

It's Coumadin, BTW. My mom was on it a lot last year. We've had a lot of family/health trauma in the last 6-7 years, so I do understand to a degree what this feels like.
Amen. I will keep your family in my prayers.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Sorry to hear that. There have been some recent remarkable results in curing diabetes with gastric bypass. A friend had it done and her diabetes was cured in a couple of days. I think coumadin thins the blood and causes strokes. It's the same thing as rat poison I think. The same friend who had her diabetes cured was in a coma for 13 days as a result of contaminated steroids from the compounding pharmacy in MA. They thought she was a goner. Woke up suddenly completely normal. Your brother has hope.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Actually, Coumadin doesn't thin your blood -- it extends the amount of time your blood takes to clot and is known as an anticoagulant. This is why it's used in people who have had trouble with blood clots in unwanted places, like the brain.

Did you mean to say something other than that Coumadin causes strokes?

It is used as a rat poison -- it basically causes insane internal bleeding in the rat. Probably one of the most inhumane poisons. Its actual name is Warfarin -- Coumadin is just a brand. That is a reason that you need to be careful with it, though. I remember that it took my mother a few months to get stabilized to the point where she wasn't too high or too low, but I think that's an unusually long time.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Don't discount the former -- some people develop it later in life, and if it's misdiagnosed as the later, it's quite difficult to manage. Type 2 is the one that's treatable with diet or gastric bypass.

Coumadin can cause hemorrhage related strokes: Byron J. Richards -- Coumadin Is Poisoning the Elderly

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Thanks for the responses.
Coumadin is a two-edged sword. It helps in the case of afib conditions---you don't want a clot to develop and travel to the brain--, but it can lead to strokes because clotting is more difficult.

Overnight surgery was a successful as hoped for. Now its just a waiting game to see how much damage remains.
Thanks especially for the prayers.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Sorry for your day. I know two people who died from massive strokes (bleed into brain) while on Cumaden. One was a favorite uncle. The other a treasured local sheet metal shop owner. Both were not overweight and exercised regularly.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Sorry for the problems. My family has been through this and more… I’ll spare the details but will suggest that you do what you can to keep yourself and your loved ones in good health. I do nearly daily exercise and changed my diet completely in a large part due to my elder family member’s propensities.

I hope that things go the best for your loved ones.

Hope all goes well.

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Sent from an agnostic abacus

2014 C250 21,XXX my new DD ** 2013 GLK 350 18,000 Wife's new DD**

- With out god, life is everything.
- God is an ever receding pocket of scientific ignorance that's getting smaller and smaller as time moves on..." Neil DeGrasse Tyson
- You can pray for me, I'll think for you.
- When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.

If you want I'll PM you my phone number. I'll just sit here and listen if you need to just talk.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

I really appreciate that, but I'll pass. I already have a great support group.

Like someone posted on facebook--My cell phone dies today so I had to spend time with the family.....they seem like pretty good folk.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

My MD told me yesterday that diabetes won't kill me - but the complications that may arise from it, could, and the trick is to try and successfully manage diabetes.

That said, (which you probably already know), I offer you my sincere sympathy and good wishes your boy's - and your family's health and happiness.

And I know that your strongly held and rock solid faith in God will sustain you as well.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I am not diabetic but had consistently high Hb-A1C blood sugar tests. Nearly borderline. I 86'd ALL bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and any form of starch. I still drink beer and eat the occasional sweet. My tests have dropped dramatically and even though I wasn't fat, so has my weight.
Meat and plenty of it, good fats and fresh green leafy vegetables and fruit. EZ PZ. Good luck!!

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting

Levels of deja vu extremely high..... we got all the way to the "very little chance he's going to survive the night" speech with my FIL. Two years ago.

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1961 220b: first project car - sold.
2000 CLK 430: first modern Benz - sold.
2001 CLK 55: OMG the torque!!! - sold
1972 280SE 4.5: Baby Gustav
1991 300TE 4Matic: Gretel the Snow Bunny - sold
1978 300SD: Katz the Free Man - given away
1980 Redhead: Darling Wife