A diabetic man collapsed at an outdoor event last Tuesday evening. The man's friend refused to allow the rest of us helping to give him any of the fruit products being passed around the event. The friend's argument was that the diabetic needed glucose, from crackers or something, instead of the fructose in fruit. The friend wouldn't listen to my explanation that fruit juice is often used to treat insulin shock (hypoglycemia).

Five of us spent about an hour in increasing darkness trying to (1) keep the diabetic conscious and (2) bring his sugar level to a healthy number. The diabetic didn't want us to take him to a hospital, but as he wasn't lucid, we deferred to the friend. The friend also insisted that we not take the diabetic to the hospital.

The whole incident was a mess. The friend missed the bottle of glucose pills and the car keys in the diabetic's gear bag. Fortunately, I found those when the friend ran off to break into the diabetic's truck. (At least he knew which truck to break into; none of the rest of us did.) Still, it wasted time.

The odd person would stick his head into the action to ask what we were doing and then walk away when he realized it wasn't anything fun.

None of us had a flashlight. We used the intermittent glow of cellphones and, eventually, a dim streetlight to see the sugar meter, which no one knew how to use. The diabetic was dehydrated--so his blood didn't want to leave the body--and after I managed to locate a container of water, the others gave the diabetic only a sip before setting the water aside.

When the diabetic was better, the friend promised that he would learn how to use every one of the diabetic's sugar meters before retiring for the night. He then drove the diabetic home.

I get sick when my blood sugar level is low. I've also seen a diabetic suffer from hypoglycemia before. I can't begin to explain how annoyed I am that the first thing we did wasn't give the fighter some sugar. Sugar. Not crackers, which took several minutes to find, anyway.

If we hadn't taken care of him, the diabetic could have suffered permanent damage... I'm assuming he's fine, though I haven't seen him since he rode away. His condition would never have reached death, because if he'd passed out, his friend would have lost the right to make decisions, in my mind. I would have shoved peach preserves in the diabetic's mouth while calling 911.
 

When someone's blood sugar goes low they often get disagreeable and belligerent about accepting food. Make them eat anyway. Almost any starchy or sugary food will do. Soda, milk and fruit juice all work very quickly to raise blood sugar.

If you are a good friend of a diabetic you should learn how to use their equipment and know what the numbers mean. Normal is in the 80-150 range. Anything below 60 is 'get food/fuel asap'. If you're having trouble getting blood from their fingers try squeezing, or 'pumping', them.

Also, if it's a close friend ask them if there's something they feel or that they tend to do when they get low. If they're not sure, start paying attention. I discovered that when my boyfriend starts super analyzing things that are truly unimportant it is time to have him check his sugar. And when diabetics are low they aren't good at making decisions. If you ask what kind of soda they want and they can't decide just choose something you know they won't hate and hand it to them.

After a diabetic 'recovers' from low blood sugar they may get very tired. The hunt is over and now the body, which has been expending a great deal of energy to keep functioning, wants to rest. Once their sugar level is handled they are fine. If they want to rest or sleep and the situation allows it, let them.

All of this information comes from my boyfriend who has been diabetic since he was eighteen months old and from experience in helping him when things go wonky. Of course, different people have different reactions but most of the things I've mentioned are fairly common.

aspirit it is really good that you were there. It's hard to believe that the guy's friend wouldn't listen to you with your experience. This is a good thing to bring attention to. Thank you.
 

Kitti, I'm not diabetic, nor do I test positive as a pre-diabetic. Either my healthy blood sugar range is different than a normal person's or... I don't an alternative answer. The point is that I don't use the term "diabetic" for myself, and the man's friend didn't give me an opportunity to explain. He ignored my quick attempts of "My diabetic cousin keeps..." and "I've seen..."

All of us helping learned a lesson that night. I'm sure the friend is better prepared for the next time.
 

You should use this kind of candid narrator for a first person piece and I think it would do well.
 

i think that my mind over thinks mixing water and suger.

RFW2nd