When Alma was only seven years old, she began to have an annoying itching between her legs, then after scratching vigorously she noticed that she was bleeding quite a lot. A family doctor diagnosed Alma's diabetes at age 7. He had been aware of Alma's family history of diabetes (her mother and brother both died at 42 of diabetes, and a sister, age 40 lost her eyesight to the illness as well as 3 fingers in her early forties). The doctor told the family that the itching had been caused by excess sugar being discharged in the girl's urine. Shortly thereafter Alma's eyesight began dimming - - later she was diagnosed as having neuropathy (nerve damage). Even later she developed cataracts and glaucoma.
Alma has two sons age 4 and 11, and had been employed as an inspector in an electronics company, a job requiring that she be standing for the whole eight-hour shift. Since she can no longer stand for that length of time, she has of course, been put on disability.
Last year Alma had the big toe on the right foot amputated because of gangrene; however the big toe on the other foot was saved by the use of skin grafts.
Alma finds joy in her children and in going to the park with them. She even provides ways for them to go to Catalina and to amusement parks, although she finds it tedious to go along with them.
This very gentle mother is on a waiting list for a double transplant of both a kidney and a pancreas. Once done, this might help her to be placed on the short list for a double transplant; although because she is Hispanic, it might still be a very long wait.
As of 1996 there were over 8,500,000 people diagnosed as having some form of diabetes - - that's 2.2% of the population in the U.S.A. We're going to follow-up 2 phenomenal people we highlighted some 4 years ago.
Laura Berghoff is a young lady with Diabetes, and she is nearly 16 years old. We highlighted her when she was a high school soccer player. She's about to get her driver's license, and is ready to take on the world. GOOD LUCK, Laura. She's still a Soccer star for her high school, but has found a new venue to keep from being bored. She now also plays softball on the varsity team. Of course, besides doing her own daily injections and keeping up to snuff with her periodontal needs, she's an all-around kid. She avoids diabetic problems with good control.
Jerry Buckeye (59) is an executive with Primerica Financial, a former retired military pilot, and an insulin-dependent diabetic. One morning in February he had a double stroke and a heart attack with his wife Marlys at his side. Marlys, a nurse, immediately recognized the symptoms, and drove Jerry to the E.R.
After a two-month stay at Long Beach Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Department, (2801 Atlantic Avenue), Jerry, being a retired military person, next went on to the V.A. Hospital in Long Beach (5901 East 7th ST)
Jerry's home now, under the personal love and care of his wife Marlys