medicines

I think if I search this tag on my blog, the same story would come up again and again - I feel as if I've written this story too many times.  I guess I'm trying to find the best way to tell the story  while hiding my frustration enough so that the humor can come through and lighten the tragedy of the situation.

Baba is a diabetic.  When we first came here he was 120 kilos and ate whatever he wanted.  He claimed drinking more water got rid of the sugar.  Each time we came from America, we brought blood sugar testers and strips.  He tested his blood, my blood, Tolga's blood - everybody's.  It was a game.

Then two years ago after a wet spring, maybe there was a sore, maybe he didn't change his socks - he didn't notice (he's lost most feeling in his feet), Anne didn't notice - but someone finally noticed his toes had turned black.

After 30 days of taking a bus to Izmir with Gokhan for hyperbaric chamber treatments - they amputated four of his toes.  That summer everyone was more careful with his diet.  Baba was depressed.  He lost lots of weight, which he needed too, but in this manner he wasn't doing well - he had lost his appetite.

But this visit, Baba's appetite is in full force.  He is eating everything.  Anne serves him everything, because if she doesn't "he gets mad."
"How's his blood sugar?"
"It's been fine."
"What's it been?"
"The doctor said it was good."
"What was it when you checked it last?"
silence.
"When was the last time you checked it.
silence.

Apparently they stopped checking his blood sugar because he's been fine.


Anne was four days out of her heart medicine before she asked me to "pick it up".  Which means I go to the clinic.  They said she should be with me (Anne insisted I didn't need her).  They said she needed a report.   I went to the pharmacy and paid full price for her medicines.  She told me she had the report - it wasn't on the computer records - they explained to me they were doing it wrong, going to the wrong doctor ... I'm not sure.  

It's one big frustration cycle of confusion and helplessness.