Diabetes (2)
Diabetes (2)
"Well... most other guardians have similar reactions."
"...That must be true."
Diabetes was a dangerous illness, enough to be called a silent assassin.
It was the kind of illness people worried about unless they were sworn enemies.
"So what happens now?"
"Type 1 diabetes simply means the pancreas doesn't secrete insulin. If it can't be made internally, the only way is to supply it externally."
"So does that mean he'll need insulin shots?"
"That's one option, but these days many people use insulin pumps."
After that, I listened to the doctor's detailed explanation.
These days, instead of giving themselves shots, patients with type 1 diabetes attach a device to their body that injects insulin at regular intervals, or they wear a pump that automatically injects insulin when blood sugar rises.
With those, it was so comfortable that there was no problem with daily life.
Of course, they'd still have to manage their diet for life, it seemed.
"First, you'll need to be hospitalized for about a week so we can check the appropriate insulin dosage."
"Do I need to be hospitalized?"
"Yes, you need to be admitted now to bring down the high blood sugar."
Hojun let out a sigh upon hearing he had to be hospitalized.
It seemed he sighed because he'd just started his business barely five days ago and already had to rest.
Well, still, the store had employees and advertising models, so it would probably be okay.
I patted Hojun's shoulder to encourage him.
"It's okay. Let's worry about your health first rather than that."
"Hyung...."
"For the week, Hyung and Minji will be out there taking care of things. Got it?"
"Yeah... thanks."
Okay.
A person's health came first.
And a company wouldn't collapse just because the boss didn't show up for a week.
Investors might express dissatisfaction, but I was the only investor in Hojun's company.
"Still, you brought him in before it got worse, guardian. You also brought your younger sister before, right?"
"You remember."
"You're a big star on Qtube; it'd be harder not to remember."
"Ahaha..."
When the doctor, who was famous in many circles, praised me like that, I didn't know what to do with myself.
"Then you'll need to start the admission process. But I hear that the 6-person rooms have a waiting list right now..."
"I'll check with the admissions office about that."
"Then I'll see you later after outpatient care."
Since they were very busy right now, we stepped out.
Somehow, it ended up being a hospitalization.
"Hmm..."
When I was hospitalized, A-ra had brought me a bunch of things...
A toothbrush, shampoo... what else...
"Hyung, I didn't bring anything..."
Hojun, also feeling a sense of emptiness, was patting his pants pockets.
It seemed he'd only brought his phone because I told him to hurry when I brought him out.
"I'll bring your clothes and stuff later."
"And grab my notebook too."
"Got it."
Still, it was a relief that systems are so well-organized these days that you can work on a computer.
In Hojun's case, he sold products online.
"I'll have to hire a few daily part-timers too...."
"Daily part-timers?"
"If I'm not at the store, we'll need more people to do the work. I'll probably need to hire someone for packaging and shipping."
As expected, Hojun had been working hard behind the scenes.
He must have thought about which areas would fall apart if he were gone.
"Then wait here while I go to the general affairs office to get the paperwork done."
"No, let's go together."
He must still have been very confused...
I smiled bitterly as I watched Hojun walk ahead.
***
"Hojun~"
Minji came humming and burst through the door.
Since it was a single room anyway, it was fine, but she really should have been quiet in a hospital.
"Noona came? Hyung came together too."
After putting Hojun in the single room, I went home and brought a bunch of things.
Somehow, the luggage ended up the size of a large carrier, and I was a bit embarrassed bringing it in.
"Why did you bring so much stuff?"
"I put in his laptop, clothes, toothbrush, shampoo, and it filled up."
"Hmm... still, the bag looks way too big."
Hojun sighed, saying he seemed to have bought the wrong bag from the start.
Indeed, that carrier looked thick but didn't have much space inside.
A company that made stuff like that should have disappeared from this world.
"Hyung, but a 6-person room would've been fine..."
"The price difference isn't much anyway. Just stay here."
"Okay..."
Still, I was glad I had a well-behaved younger sibling like Hojun.
He was so quiet and well-mannered.
"Oppa, was that meant for me to hear?"
"No? Did it prick you?"
"Hmph..."
Pouting, she puffed out her cheeks and started unpacking Hojun's luggage.
Cute kid.
"So? Did anything happen while I was gone?"
"A nurse checked my blood pressure, blood sugar, and gave me an insulin shot in my belly."
"In the belly?"
"Yeah. But it didn't hurt as much as I thought."
Since it was an injection into subcutaneous fat, the pain wasn't that bad, it seemed.
Meanwhile, Minji, who was listening, broke out in a cold sweat.
That damned trypanophobia was the problem.
"Oppa, isn't it time for us to go soon?"
"Oh right... *sigh*... I'll take off then."
"Yeah, you don't have to come if you're busy."
"What are you talking about? I'm bringing Mom tomorrow, so just know that."
"Ugh...."
Hojun, who'd been scolded harshly by Mom before.
At the memory, he momentarily curled up.
So who told you to run away from home?
No matter what anyone said, it was Hojun's fault, so I didn't defend him.
"Right. Minji, take this card just in case."
"Card? Can I buy a Melona for myself?"
"Buy whatever you want, and what's it called... Zero Cola, right? Buy that for Hojun."
"Okay."
Zero Cola used sugar substitutes instead of sugar, so it didn't raise blood sugar.
It was no wonder diabetics treated it like a god.
*
"I'm home."
"Meow."
"Aww, is our Tiny hungry?"
Tiny had been waiting at the door until I came back.
Seeing the food bowl placed right in front, she seemed hungry.
But I thought I'd filled it before leaving...
Had she eaten it all?
"A growth spurt...?"
"Meow."
"Okay, okay, our little girl must be very hungry, huh? Where are your unnie and oppa?"
Then I suddenly turned and started looking toward where Lil' One and Pipsqueak were.
The two were sitting on the sofa, staring at the TV screen.
Had I turned on the TV in my rush and left it on?
"Yaaawn... there's still 2 hours until A-ra Noona gets here, so maybe I'll sleep a bit..."
"Meow..."
"Okay, okay. I'll give Tiny her snack first, then sleep."
She was even insisting I not forget.
Indeed, was I nothing but a butler?!
***
"So is it very painful...?"
"No, no. I mean, he has to live wearing an insulin pump, but it's not that painful."
"Still, that's just the best option, not a solution, right?"
"Yes... he said he'd have to wear it for life."
Unless pancreas transplants or artificial organs came about in the future.
For now, there was no way to resolve it.
"Still, it's a relief we found out early thanks to you, Seong-hwan."
"I know... I guess I have some kind of foresight."
I cracked a joke to lighten the slightly darkened mood.
A-ra, seeming to understand, chuckled and stroked my head.
"You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who looks after their sibling as well as Seong-hwan, you know?"
"Really...?"
"So don't blame yourself too much. That would hurt me more."
"I won't."
Hojun's sickness was neither my fault nor Hojun's.
All illnesses were just a matter of bad luck.
I had no regrets or pain.
Only sadness.
"Noona, be careful when you eat carbs too."
"Yeah, I don't want to get something like diabetes."
The misconception that diabetes was caused by eating too many sweets was widespread.
In fact, the major causes of diabetes were carbohydrates and obesity.
Carbs that weren't used by the body were converted to glucose, accumulated, and raised blood sugar.
You could say they were more dangerous than types of sugar like fructose, lactose, and refined sugar.
And obesity increased insulin resistance.
So in the case of diabetes caused by obesity, it was said the chance of being cured just by losing weight was very high.
"Well, I'm not going to let Noona get fat anyway."
"Yeah... but I'm a little worried that my chest seems to have gotten bigger lately..."
"Your chest? I don't think that's bad."
"Haaah... you startled me."
A-ra said her chest had gotten bigger, so I touched it.
The soft, squishy feel of her breast was no different than before under my hand.
"But Seong-hwan, you really seem to like breasts?"
"Do other men not like them?"
"Yeah. They just think they're lumps of fat and don't really like them."
Well...
From what I saw with the fan club, I didn't think that was the case.
It did seem like no men openly said they liked women's breasts.
Probably, they just didn't say it out loud and secretly liked them.
"On the contrary, women like men's toned chests, don't they?"
"Noona, do you too?"
"Hehe."
A-ra sensuously stroked my pathetic chest.
A jolt shot up from deep in my bones, but I held it in.
I wanted to pounce on her.
But before that, it was obvious I'd be the one getting pounced on, so I didn't dare.
When would I ever manage to properly overpower A-ra Noona?
If I just fixed my past mistakes, it might be possible someday.