Angela(NZ) said:
My 68 yr old dad has just be diagnosed with Pre-diabetes, and high blood pressure, My dad has been given pills and advice re his high blood pressure but nothing mentioned about the diabetes part! have tried to explain to him about his diet needing to change, he drinks beer and smokes (he plays golf so excercise is sorted), but he wont hear of it! have just had to let him go and do his own thing, its hard because i want him to be healthy, but its his body.
Feeling really frustrated!
just wanted to vent.
My dad at around the same age wouldn't listen either. On he other hand he received almos no advice and'or help from his GP. who jus old him i was an inevitable sign of aging.
The inevitable and ignored sign of aging evenually led to trans-ischaemic episodes and dementia. It was almost impossible to have this diagnosed as he knew something was wrong and kept moving around {my mother was dead by his time} to each of the family in turn . Eventually he was misdiagnosed as having Alzheimers and STI:LL no treatment for the diabetes.
His behaviour was so dangerous for himself , mostly due to acute short term memory loss that he went into a residential Home. He led them a merry dance there too. Constantly setting off for walks and forgetting where he was or supposed to be.
On hese outings he would but Mars bars as he was always hungry and go in the pub for a few pints .
He also had quite a weak chest. One day a cold went o his chest . He didn' ge immediate medical atention and had a MASSIVE stroke.Iit didnt kill him but he was immediaely put on insulin.
he had to move to a diffferent sort of home but lived for another 12 years. he continued to have "mini-strokes" but his menal condition did not deteriorate further. he always knew he family and as a witty and sociable ex=publican still manged to enrich the lives of those around him BUT it was absolute hell for the family. he was happy enough most of the ime bu it was necessary to
keep a consant eye on what was happening a the Home as he couldn't ell us and there were disagreemens over his reatment thefs , even some neglect.
You should tell your dad that if he won't think of himself - and if he has been healthy unil now he probably thinks it is nothing imoportant= he should think of you. If he doesn't look after himself he oo could be hit by a bolt from the blue.
My father was not overweight , eat healhily {until things sarted to deteriorae] and walked miles every day. vascular problems don' show . so easily.
At least Drs do a little more these days. I was shocked to hear from a friend in his seventies that he nurse was sill peddling this inevitability suff . Whether true or not it won' help anyone to avoid an old age in a wheelchair.
Maybe you could go wih him a his net check up and make sure the possible side effects are made clear to him.
