The World Health Organization (WHO) predicted a couple of years ago that by year 2025 more than 300 million people around the world will be afflicted with diabetes. According to the Diabetes Atlas of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), "there are 246 million people worldwide who are currently suffering from diabetes, and a person dies from diabetes-related causes every 10 seconds." These statistics are alarming and we should not take them for granted, especially if this disease runs in your family just like mine.

My father, two brothers, and a sister, are all diabetics, so is my 30-year-old nephew. In the mid-80s, my cousin who was only 40 years old, died from it. Diabetes awareness was not yet a primary program of our government, hence, except for those in the medical profession, only a few knew what a glucometer was. I believe this medical instrument could have saved the life of my cousin.

My late cousin suddenly felt so weak at that time and on the verge of passing out. His wife got nervous, took a tablespoon of table sugar and put it inside his mouth. Seconds later, my cousin quivered. He was already dead when they reached the hospital.

Now that we constantly use a glucometer, I am still mulling over the circumstances surrounding his death. Was he suffering from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) at that time? What if it was hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and still he was given a tablespoon of table sugar?

Well, nobody knows, and I don't want to blame anybody for his death. All I can say now is that, every household should have a glucometer especially if a member of the family is diabetic. For us who are not afflicted with the disease, it pays to measure our glucose level once in a while. Fasting blood sugar should not reach 100 mg/dL but should not be less than 70 mg/dL. Post-meal blood sugar should not be more than 140 mg/dL. Of course, don't forget diet and exercise.