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How did the diabetic chilean miner survive?

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benedict

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http://www.diabetes.co.uk/news/2010...lean-miners-trapped-underground-92432071.html

Jose Ojeda Vidal, the diabetic chilean miner must have type 2 diabetes presumably.

Let's suppose he actually had type 1 diabetes, would he have been able to survive for over 2 weeks? I know newly diagnosed type 1s can survive for up to months, but that must be partly because they're still producing some insulin.

Jose must have been type 2 otherwise he would've been in serious trouble down there -not to say that be down there with type 2 diabetes would be a walk in the park(!)

I gather that Jose was on his medication through the ordeal. I wonder which medication he was on? And I wonder whether there were any days in which he had no medication?
 
I think I read that they didnt have food for the first 7 days, so I'm guessing nothing else got down there, he wasnt the only one with health problems was he? some had heart problems, and one had silicosis. all needing meds I would have thought.
The rations were "starvation rations" during this time - I'm not type 1 so - would that have helped?
 
As far as I am aware from what I have read in the papers and on the Net, the Miner's were sent supplies of essential food/water/special pills and glucose gel along with any medications they required down a small bore hole that was drilled in the first few days of the rescue effort.
Mind you its difficult to know who and what to believe as there are many conflicting accounts as to what actually happened after they were trapped. The Telegraph puts it that they got supplies on the 23/08/2010.

So, even if he was a Type 1 I doubt he would have had much difficulty once things started to move apace other than maybe diet requirements and coping with the psychological trauma. Possibly he had some medication with him ? They all seem to have done remarkably well all things considered.
 
Even under the lax laws that allowed the mine disaster in the first place, would an insulin dependent T1 have been down a mine?
Hana
 
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