When Gail R. from Thaxton, Virginia, purchased a Home Guardian system from Medical Guardian in March 2014, she did so to help ease her anxiety about living alone. While her daughter lived only about 10 minutes away, Gail was diabetic and knew that if she had blood sugar disruptions, it could lead to accidents that prevented her from calling for help herself.
On July 2nd, 2014, Gail used her medical alert device to contact Derek at Medical Guardian’s Monitoring Center. She was worried that she might have a spinal problem because she had lost movement in one leg, from her hip down to her knee. The problem was reoccurring for almost a week; Gail reported to Derek that she had fallen several times in the past 6 days.
Derek sprang into action, calling Gail’s local emergency services and arranging for an ambulance to be sent to Gail’s house. He was also able to let them know that they could find additional medical information for Gail on her refrigerator. After hanging up with emergency services, Derek placed a call to Gail’s daughter, her first emergency contact. She was already at the house with her mother and was happy to know that the ambulance was on its way.
Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic neuropathy is a common condition that occurs in diabetics. It is a type of nerve damage that can occur when high blood sugar injures nerve fibers throughout your body, most often in the legs and feet. Symptoms can range from pain and numbness in your extremities to problems with your digestive system and organs.
According to the Mayo Clinic website, signs of neuropathy can include:
- Numbness or reduced ability to feel pain or changes in temperature, especially in your feet and toes
- A tingling or burning feeling
- Sharp, jabbing pain that may be worse at night
- Pain when walking
- Extreme sensitivity to the lightest touch — for some people, even the weight of a sheet can be agonizing
- Muscle weakness and difficulty walking
- Serious foot problems, such as ulcers, infections, deformities, and bone and joint pain
The best way to keep diabetic neuropathy under control is to take control of your blood sugar levels if you are a diabetic. It is a big commitment that requires constant monitoring and making sure to regularly take your insulin if it is prescribed to you. Making some small changes to your diet and lifestyle could greatly help to keep diabetic neuropathy at bay.
