Liban
Age at interview: 73
Brief Outline: Liban has high blood pressure and diabetes. About a year ago his GP informed him that his kidney function had plummeted due to medication he had been taking for his diabetes. Liban feels angry that the health professionals involved in his care did not act more quickly as he had been having regular check-ups and thinks they should have spotted the problem earlier.
Background: Liban is a retired shipyard and factory worker. He has one adult daughter from a previous marriage in Denmark before coming to the UK in 1997. He is re-married but currently lives by himself as his wife has not been able to get a visa for the UK. Ethnic background: Somali/Black African.
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Liban has had Type 2 diabetes for over 20 years. He manages his condition with twice daily tablets, insulin injections, diet and regular exercise. Liban also takes regular medication for high blood pressure, an underactive thyroid and to lower his cholesterol.
Ever since he came to the UK fifteen years ago, Liban has been attending six-monthly check-ups with the doctor and diabetes nurse at his GP surgery. About a year ago, Liban’s GP informed him that his kidney function had plummeted, due to medication he had been taking for his diabetes. He has since changed his diabetes medication. In the past, during his visits to Somalia, Liban had consulted private doctors who had warned him that some of his medications might be causing kidney damage. However, when he queried this with his GP in the UK he was assured that there was no problem with what he was taking.
Liban thinks it’s very wrong that the health professionals involved in his care did not act more quickly as he had been having regular check-ups and thinks they should have spotted the problem earlier. He wonders why, since they could see his blood test results on the computer screen during his appointments, he was never told that his readings had declined. However, he thinks there is no point bearing grudges and it’s best to leave the past in the past. He now tries to help his kidneys and general health as much as he can by leading a healthy lifestyle: he does not smoke or drink alcohol, eats plenty of fruit and vegetables and takes regular exercise on a small exercise bike which he keeps in his living room. He also has developed a routine of drinking tea and water at set times during the day to make sure he keeps well-hydrated.
Liban picked up a most of his information about how to manage his diabetes when he was first diagnosed whilst living in Denmark. He thinks there was a lot of useful health advice on television over there. In the UK, he has found it difficult, and at times confusing, to get health advice from doctors and nurses. For example, he was told to rest and relax to bring down his blood pressure, but to take lots of exercise to manage his diabetes. He does not currently use the internet to obtain health information.
For several months after his kidney damage was diagnosed, Liban also had to attend check-ups at the renal clinic of the general hospital. Since this involved mainly blood tests, he wonders why things could not have been made more convenient for him and for blood samples to be taken at his local surgery and sent to the hospital, instead of him having to travel there. He does not feel that attending the check-ups is particularly informative, but thinks that diabetes and high blood pressure are conditions that require people to help themselves rather than rely on the support of health professionals.
Having lived with diabetes for a long time, Liban feels confident about looking after himself. He always keeps dextrose tablets in his pocket in case his sugar levels should suddenly drop.
Ever since he came to the UK fifteen years ago, Liban has been attending six-monthly check-ups with the doctor and diabetes nurse at his GP surgery. About a year ago, Liban’s GP informed him that his kidney function had plummeted, due to medication he had been taking for his diabetes. He has since changed his diabetes medication. In the past, during his visits to Somalia, Liban had consulted private doctors who had warned him that some of his medications might be causing kidney damage. However, when he queried this with his GP in the UK he was assured that there was no problem with what he was taking.
Liban thinks it’s very wrong that the health professionals involved in his care did not act more quickly as he had been having regular check-ups and thinks they should have spotted the problem earlier. He wonders why, since they could see his blood test results on the computer screen during his appointments, he was never told that his readings had declined. However, he thinks there is no point bearing grudges and it’s best to leave the past in the past. He now tries to help his kidneys and general health as much as he can by leading a healthy lifestyle: he does not smoke or drink alcohol, eats plenty of fruit and vegetables and takes regular exercise on a small exercise bike which he keeps in his living room. He also has developed a routine of drinking tea and water at set times during the day to make sure he keeps well-hydrated.
Liban picked up a most of his information about how to manage his diabetes when he was first diagnosed whilst living in Denmark. He thinks there was a lot of useful health advice on television over there. In the UK, he has found it difficult, and at times confusing, to get health advice from doctors and nurses. For example, he was told to rest and relax to bring down his blood pressure, but to take lots of exercise to manage his diabetes. He does not currently use the internet to obtain health information.
For several months after his kidney damage was diagnosed, Liban also had to attend check-ups at the renal clinic of the general hospital. Since this involved mainly blood tests, he wonders why things could not have been made more convenient for him and for blood samples to be taken at his local surgery and sent to the hospital, instead of him having to travel there. He does not feel that attending the check-ups is particularly informative, but thinks that diabetes and high blood pressure are conditions that require people to help themselves rather than rely on the support of health professionals.
Having lived with diabetes for a long time, Liban feels confident about looking after himself. He always keeps dextrose tablets in his pocket in case his sugar levels should suddenly drop.
Liban has regular blood tests and felt angry that he wasn’t told about the damaging effect of his diabetes medication on his kidneys for several months.
Liban has regular blood tests and felt angry that he wasn’t told about the damaging effect of his diabetes medication on his kidneys for several months.
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one man one woman looking after you for your diabetes?
For the diabetes checking, always. And…the diabetes checking…he know it. Because when they take the blood, every time they take the blood, they have it in the computer, every- everywhere.
Yeah
So they can see where I am. Where everything else is. You see? But they don’t tell me before… Why didn’t you do something? Yeah bla bla blab la bal.
What reasons did they give you?
Bla bla bla bla bla. There’s nothing, nothing.
No good reason?
No, just bla bla bla bla bla. Nothing. You can see, can see?
So how do you feel about that now? Has that affected your trust in these health professionals?
No, something is gone, it’s gone. You can’t - yesterday is gone. They look after yesterday - yesterday is going right?
Mm. okay so…
Yesterday is left. Can you run after yesterday and get it back? No!
But you would have liked to know earlier.
Yes, that I would, yeah that.
Liban stopped smoking about 12 years ago immediately after learning that he had diabetes.
Liban stopped smoking about 12 years ago immediately after learning that he had diabetes.
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When did you stop?
When did I stop? [looks to ceiling]…about 12 years, I think so.
Yeah. Was it hard to give up?
Just [makes hand throw over shoulder gesture] I stop.
Just one day?
Yeah when I know anyway I have diabetes.
Mm okay
It’s not so good. Diabetes and smoking is not so good together. I stop before something is happening. Otherwise, something is happening - when something is happening it’s too late.
Yeah
Because it stops all the blood, this one. [points to his fingers?] And then it was late, you see?. So I stop it.