By Nadia Al-Samarrie

Last week, while visiting my daughter, she introduced me to her neighbor, Juan, a man living with type 1 diabetes for five years. Our conversation quickly turned to his health.

“My blood sugars are really high,” he admitted.
“How high?” I asked.
“My doctor told me my A1C is 17.”

I was shocked. “How long has this been going on?”
“Since my mother passed away,” he explained. “I went into deep depression and stopped taking my insulin.”

“You are lucky to be alive!” I responded. “You must have a guardian angel watching over you.”

The Connection Through Angels

As we spoke, my daughter mentioned that Juan kept an altar in his home adorned with angel statues and paintings. That led to a discussion about books on angels. I shared that I was reading three books by Irish author Lorna Byrne, and Juan told me about another book that explored how angels appear across Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. We exchanged books, bonding over our mutual belief in divine guidance.

Then our conversation turned serious again. I asked Juan what his doctor advised about his critically high blood sugar.

“She told me to check into the hospital,” he said. “The problem is, my blood sugar has been high for so long that when it drops to around 250 mg/dL, I get panic attacks. I grab glucose tablets because I’m terrified of going too low.”

“When do you plan to go?” I asked.
“Tomorrow.”

Since Juan’s car wasn’t working, my daughter suggested we give him a ride to the emergency room. “Of course,” I said. “Juan, I’ll stay with you in the ER and be your advocate. Would you like that?”
“You don’t have to do that,” he replied.
“I know. But I want to.”

A Race Against Time

The next morning, my daughter called me in a panic. “Mom, Juan is having another panic attack. He’s scared he’s going to have a hypoglycemic episode. He wants to go to the ER now.”

Still in my pajamas, I immediately thought of his lack of glucose strips. I  could buy some. But the local pharmacy was closed for the July 4th holiday.

I felt the weight of the situation. Without knowing Juan’s exact blood sugar level, how could we manage his emergency? The fire department across the street had EMTs who could test him, but Juan refused, fearing a high ambulance bill.

I prayed as we drove to the hospital, worrying about every possibility—what if he had a severe drop in blood sugar on the way? What if there is a traffic jam and nowhere to pull over?

The ER Visit

When we arrived, the intake professional hesitated, saying the hospital didn’t normally admit patients for high blood sugar.

“Juan,” I said, “may I explain?” He nodded.

I turned to the staff member. “His A1C is 17, and his doctor told him to check in. He lives alone and has panic attacks when his blood sugar drops to the 200s. He needs medical supervision to lower his blood sugar safely while managing his anxiety.”

That was enough. Juan was admitted.

As we sat in the ER, a nurse came to check his vitals. After she left, Juan fought back tears.“What’s wrong?” I asked. “I just met you yesterday, and you’re here helping me.”“Your guardian angel is watching out for you,” I told him.

Moments later, the ER physician arrived. While examining him, Juan whispered, “Nadia, did you read her name tag?”

I looked down. It read: “I Am Your Guardian Angel.” We smiled at each other.

A Life-Changing Experience

Juan was admitted. Later, he called me from his hospital room that night, panicking that his blood sugar was too low. I had him put the nurse on speakerphone. “Can you check his blood sugar?” I asked. “It’s still 300,” she said.“Has he received anti-anxiety medication?” “Yes, but we’ll adjust his dosage.”

After the call, I reassured Juan. “You are in good hands. Trust the process. You are brave for checking yourself in. Listen to Lorna Byrne’s interviews on angels tonight, and call me if anything comes up.

A New Beginning

The next day, Juan walked into my daughter’s apartment looking like a different person. “My blood sugar is between 200 and 250,” he said. “I feel okay.” A friend was taking him to get his medication and supplies.

Before he left, I reminded him, “Always have an advocate and join a support group. Trust that you are taken care of. And if you ever doubt it, just remember how we met and the ER doctor’s name tag. Juan smiled. We exchanged hugs.

The last time I checked in, he was doing well.