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Husband’s death

M

mitch41

Member
Husband was very ill after a stroke. He was at home unable to walk,dementia and TYpe 1 diabetes. Blood sugar low before evening meal so gave him no insulin.Still low at 11 pm so gave him snack. Next morning he was still low gave him breakfast Carers got him dressed and back to bed. He became unconscious and died peacefully two days later.GP said another stroke but was it? Was he in a diabetic coma?
 
mitch41 said:
Husband was very ill after a stroke. He was at home unable to walk,dementia and TYpe 1 diabetes. Blood sugar low before evening meal so gave him no insulin.Still low at 11 pm so gave him snack. Next morning he was still low gave him breakfast Carers got him dressed and back to bed. He became unconscious and died peacefully two days later.GP said another stroke but was it? Was he in a diabetic coma?
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I'm so sorry, but I am also glad it was a peaceful end.
 
Hi @mitch41 , and welcome.
I'm so sorry to hear about your husband.
mitch41 said:
GP said another stroke but was it? Was he in a diabetic coma?
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I think there is no way to tell for sure what the exact cause of death was with this information.
It does sound like you did all the right things though, and to me this does not sound like what I would expect from going unconscious because of low blood sugar, so my first thought is the GP's explanation making more sense than diabetes as a cause.

I wish you a lot of strength and good memories.
 
Antje77 said:
Hi @mitch41 , and welcome.
I'm so sorry to hear about your husband.

I think there is no way to tell for sure what the exact cause of death was with this information.
It does sound like you did all the right things though, and to me this does not sound like what I would expect from going unconscious because of low blood sugar, so my first thought is the GP's explanation making more sense than diabetes as a cause.

I wish you a lot of strength and good memories.
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Thank you.
 
mitch41 said:
Husband was very ill after a stroke. He was at home unable to walk,dementia and TYpe 1 diabetes. Blood sugar low before evening meal so gave him no insulin.Still low at 11 pm so gave him snack. Next morning he was still low gave him breakfast Carers got him dressed and back to bed. He became unconscious and died peacefully two days later.GP said another stroke but was it? Was he in a diabetic coma?
Click to expand...

Hi @mitch41 ,

I'm sorry for your loss.
My Type 2 father had vascular dementia through a possible series on "mini strokes." I know he had at least one.
He was non medded, however prior to his demise he was testig low too. There was also very little of my father's consciousness left.
The brain is a little like the "ECU" on a car (engine management system?) this subcontiously manages the body in various ways.?

I appreciate your husband was insulin dependant. & your GP has given you a reason.
During our grief we also search for our own answers?

It may help you to find breavment counselling. Greif can understandably cloud how we somtimes reason.

Best wishes.
 
mitch41 said:
Husband was very ill after a stroke. He was at home unable to walk,dementia and TYpe 1 diabetes. Blood sugar low before evening meal so gave him no insulin.Still low at 11 pm so gave him snack. Next morning he was still low gave him breakfast Carers got him dressed and back to bed. He became unconscious and died peacefully two days later.GP said another stroke but was it? Was he in a diabetic coma?
Click to expand...


Hi Mitch, I do hope you have support from others as this is very sad. My Mum (who was 82) had dementia and was also type 1 for around 40 years. When she was at the end, she too was bed bound. We were able to be with her and observe what was going on for a few months so we were very lucky although we did know she was dying. In our case in the last few days her glucose suddenly went low for no apparent reason, she hadn't been eating much but that had been the case for at least a month. We were told that in her case her body was getting ready to 'pass' and so internally all her systems were shutting down including those mechanisms pertinent to type 1. In other words, her low glucose readings were nothing to do with a diabetic coma in the traditional sense but more a symptom of her overall deteriorating health contributing to the lower levels. She had had a couple of mini strokes in the weeks before too and this was put down as a contributing factor to her death, if not the cause of death BUT she was 82. I know I haven't answered your question but my guess is that it was NOT a diabetic coma but the stroke LEADING to the lower levels, there is NOTHING you could have done that you didn't do, your husband is LUCKY to have had you there caring for him. x
 
KK123 said:
Hi Mitch, I do hope you have support from others as this is very sad. My Mum (who was 82) had dementia and was also type 1 for around 40 years. When she was at the end, she too was bed bound. We were able to be with her and observe what was going on for a few months so we were very lucky although we did know she was dying. In our case in the last few days her glucose suddenly went low for no apparent reason, she hadn't been eating much but that had been the case for at least a month. We were told that in her case her body was getting ready to 'pass' and so internally all her systems were shutting down including those mechanisms pertinent to type 1. In other words, her low glucose readings were nothing to do with a diabetic coma in the traditional sense but more a symptom of her overall deteriorating health contributing to the lower levels. She had had a couple of mini strokes in the weeks before too and this was put down as a contributing factor to her death, if not the cause of death BUT she was 82. I know I haven't answered your question but my guess is that it was NOT a diabetic coma but the stroke LEADING to the lower levels, there is NOTHING you could have done that you didn't do, your husband is LUCKY to have had you there caring for him. x
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Thank you
 
KK123 said:
Hi Mitch, I do hope you have support from others as this is very sad. My Mum (who was 82) had dementia and was also type 1 for around 40 years. When she was at the end, she too was bed bound. We were able to be with her and observe what was going on for a few months so we were very lucky although we did know she was dying. In our case in the last few days her glucose suddenly went low for no apparent reason, she hadn't been eating much but that had been the case for at least a month. We were told that in her case her body was getting ready to 'pass' and so internally all her systems were shutting down including those mechanisms pertinent to type 1. In other words, her low glucose readings were nothing to do with a diabetic coma in the traditional sense but more a symptom of her overall deteriorating health contributing to the lower levels. She had had a couple of mini strokes in the weeks before too and this was put down as a contributing factor to her death, if not the cause of death BUT she was 82. I know I haven't answered your question but my guess is that it was NOT a diabetic coma but the stroke LEADING to the lower levels, there is NOTHING you could have done that you didn't do, your husband is LUCKY to have had you there caring for him. x
Click to expand...
 
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