Stories from Caregivers: Micki from CALIFORNIA
CA
Micki
FROM CALIFORNIA
I was the caregiver for my husband, Dick for 15 years but the last 3 were almost 24/7. He was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes 2 years after we got married...his Blood sugar was over 2000. The doctor said that he's never seen a new diabetic with a BS that high...and Dick was walking and talking. As time went on (1984) he started all the major problems that diabetics have. He started to lose his eyesight. I took him to a fantastic Retinal specialist at Stanford. He saved some of his vision for several years and we were so blessed to have found this doctor. Dick started to have kidney problems and eventually went on dialysis. I was still working as a Trauma Nurse so I started checking around for a better dialysis for him instead of Hemodialysis. I decided that Peritoneal dialysis was going to give him a better life then being on hemodialysis which causes a lot of ups and downs with many dietary and fluid restrictions. I told his doctor what type of dialysis I wanted for him. I was told by many doctors that Dick should be on Hemo and that way I would take him to the clinic for about 6 hours 3x a week so that way I would have some time for myself. I told them that I wan't going to allow Dick to be on Hemo and that I would take full responsibility.and I would be the one doing the Peritoneal dialysis for Dick. To make a very long story short.....Dick did well on this form of dialysis. We had our first grandchild, Kyle, and I was able to take Dick and Kyle to Disneyland almost once a week. Dick would be in the wheelchair and Kyle would sit on his lap and he would hold "the dialysis box"�. After Kyle would ride the Dumbo ride he would tell his Papa that after the Dumbo ride we would go to First Aid and "Ma"� will do your dialysis and if you're tired " I will hold you tube for you"�. ( To do Peritoneal dialysis there is a tube surgically inserted in the abdomen to do the dialysis) so that was the "tube"� that Kyle would hold for him. Dick eventually became comatose and wasn't able to do anything with Kyle. At the end of Dick's life I didn't want Kyle in the room when "his Papa"� died. We didn't know how that would affect Kyle. After Papa passed away I told Kyle that Papa went to heaven but he will watch you grow up and see what a great kid you will become from heaven. Kyle is now 21 years old. I am starting to write a book about Dick and Kyle's relationship and how Papa talked to Kyle for 2 years after Dick died.
