Check-ups are key to keep silent killer at bay

Dubai: Mona Shaikh Hassan had a family history of diabetes. Her father died of the disease. One day he came back from the market saying he was very tired, he took a nap and never woke up.

But the teacher ignored that and despite a significant loss in weight and being tired most of the time, she did not go to a doctor for a regular check-up.

"She worked very hard and never missed a day at school, even when she was sick," says her daughter.

One day when she was pottering about the house and moving a sofa, a weakened spinal cord bone shifted and she started screaming in pain. When she was rushed to hospital, it was discovered that her blood sugar level was very high and she was near death.

"Diabetes is a silent killer and affects the whole body," says her daughter Siham, a Gulf News staffer.

"Two of her arteries were blocked, her heart was very weak and her veins would pop when she was given an injection."

Her condition was so bad that the doctors had to put her in a medical induced coma for three weeks to handle the various problems. Her kidneys gave way and she had to be put on dialysis.

Fearing diagnosis

In hindsight, Siham feels her mother neglected going for a check-up because she feared she would be dependant on insulin. She also lulled her family into believing her that her weight loss and fatigue was because of her hard work.

"In this disease you suffer a lot," says her daughter. One day while she was in the hospital bed, Mona's right leg felt cold.

"The feet were getting blue and I screamed for the nurses," says Siham. "It was a horrible scene."

"I kept massaging the feet to get the blood flowing, which was a mistake," she said. Doctors later told her the blood clots could have moved to other spots in the body, causing more harm.

When she woke up from her coma, she wanted to know why her toe was blue. Mona's cousin, who is also diabetic, had earlier lost both his legs as gangrene set in.

When Mona was brought back home, the trauma of the treatment began.

"We took turns staying by her side throughout the night. We also had to make a chart for the right dosage of the various drugs at various times to balance the medication," says Siham.

The water build-up in the body made Mona's legs swell. She would scratch herself all the time as the skin turned dry and flaky.

The doctors had told Siham not to let her suffer through any more operations. "Focus on giving her some quality of life," she was told. Mona died two years ago leaving a void in the family.

"I am now scared to give myself blood tests, but I regularly check," says Siham. Her father too is diabetic.