The Reality of Diabetes!

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How many of us have lost loved ones to this devastating disease? Diabetes is a silent killer because it creeps up to whoever suffers from it for years until they get a diagnosis when it is already in the advanced state. My family genetically suffers from this disease through my mother who was diabetic. Last month my sister who was a year shy from being a 70 years old passed away after going through a triple heart by-pass, a stent being put in one of her main artery, she was also on dialysis since the beginning of this year, and finally a stroke that caused her to go into a coma, and brain dead at age 69. It was devastating for her four children at the time she was hospitalized because they could not go in the room where she was due to the pandemic. When all the doctors have done their best to treat my sister but her condition went worse, and then brain dead, her children, her husband, and all of her siblings had to make the decision that no one would like to make - to pull the plug and let her go peacefully. What is worse is that my brother-in-law was not present by her side in person because he lives in American Samoa, and there are no flights out of the island due to the pandemic. The whole island of American Samoa is on the lock-down because of the Covid 19, so we (her siblings, her four adult children who luckily are all living in the US mainland, and her husband) had to make arrangements through facebook messenger. Luckily all of us who are residing in the US mainland were able to travel back and forth to her final services. Sadly, my other siblings are living in New Zealand, Australia, and Samoa could not attend because of travel restrictions. The blessing that we got out of this experience was that we who are residing in the US were able to attend her funeral service, and others were able to watch through the webcast. This experience has taught each of us the importance of family and taking care of each other. Life is too short to be taken for granted. Much blessings to you all. Take care and be happy!