The current national geographic contains an article which mentions
with great sense of tragedy a spelunker who died of "insulin shock"
This guy was an experienced caver who was determined not to let
his diabetes interfere with his avocation.
I found the way NG presented these facts upsetting. It was as
if insulin shock was some sort of a mystery.The fact is that
this guy would be alive to day if
He had made a better calculation for the effect of the extreme
exertion he was undergoing on his insulin potentcy and/or
If he had carried a meter with him and checked blood sugars
and/or if somebody else had been there to monitor his
condition closely.
I would love for others to read this article and see if you had
the same uneasy feeling that the nature of diabetes and the
safe management of diabetes was being misrepresented in a
subtle but important way.
I thought I might write a letter to the editor or encourage
someone more articulate and well informed than I to do so.
Best,
Nick thompson
In article <17AUG95.01433…@jack.clarku.edu>,
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
<nthomp…@jack.clarku.edu> wrote:
>The current national geographic contains an article which mentions
>with great sense of tragedy a spelunker who died of "insulin shock"
>This guy was an experienced caver who was determined not to let
>his diabetes interfere with his avocation.
>I found the way NG presented these facts upsetting. It was as
>if insulin shock was some sort of a mystery.The fact is that
>this guy would be alive to day if
>He had made a better calculation for the effect of the extreme
>exertion he was undergoing on his insulin potentcy and/or
>If he had carried a meter with him and checked blood sugars
>and/or if somebody else had been there to monitor his
>condition closely.
>I would love for others to read this article and see if you had
>the same uneasy feeling that the nature of diabetes and the
>safe management of diabetes was being misrepresented in a
>subtle but important way.
>I thought I might write a letter to the editor or encourage
>someone more articulate and well informed than I to do so.
>Best,
>Nick thompson
It is important to realize that this person was not just spelunking, but
was cave diving. Cave diving is an exceedingly risky activity. Many
experienced cave divers have died participating in their hobby. Diabetes
is just one more risk factor added on to an extremely risky activity. It
is the nature of random chance taking such risks will eventually catch up
with you.
The National Geographic article treated the incident in a fairly factual
way. I don’t think that this is a very good example of a limitation that
diabetes imposes. Most people who think that it is too risky to go cave
diving with diabetes will also think that it is too risky to go cave diving
without diabetes, as well. Those who think that the risks of cave diving
are worth taking are not likely to be influenced by the relative additional
risk diabetes adds. While it is a fact that hypoglycemia contributed to
this death, it is also a fact that a number of other factors contributed as
well. Not the least of these was the fact that this person decided to head
out alone to explore this region of the cave. That was a risky thing to do
even without diabetes.
It is unfortunate that the story as presented makes it sound like the man
was crazy to be cave diving with diabetes, without clearly emphasizing that
cave diving is inherently risky, anyway.
–
Steve Kirchoefer
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington, DC 20375-5347
Steve Kirchoefer pointed out that the diabetic who died cave diving had
been out alone, and that this was risky.
Firstly, I should point out that my knowlege of cave diving
comes from one tv programme last week. I was struck that, unlike similar
activities (caving, diving, rock climbing), it is considered _safer_
to go _alone_ than with a partner. The reasoning is this: if you get into
trouble, you’re dead. If someone else is there, they can’t get back
in time to get help, it is unlikely that they can do anything to
help you themselves. In helping you, or rushing back to get help,
they put themselves at risk. So the really dangerous stuff (like long
dives, new routes) is done alone.
–
Patricia Reynolds
p…@caerlas.demon.co.uk