Thomas Moore, whose wife has Type 1 diabetes, writes periodic columns about being a diabetes caregiver. You can check out Thomas’ full bio here.
Unlike many of the Expert columnists on Diabetes News Hound, I do not have diabetes myself. However, I live with it every day. My wife of 30 years, Julie, has Type 1 diabetes.
Fifteen years ago Julie became ill and went to the doctor, who mistakenly told her she has Type 2 diabetes. She later ‘graduated’ to Type 1.5, which, over a very short period of time, became Type 1.
In my situation, I am first and foremost a husband. And I almost scoff at the word ‘caregiver’ in my situation, because my wife gives more care to me, than I could ever give back. However, I do refer to myself as a diabetes caregiver, or a D’aregiver, because I do not want to see Julie endure the pain of the pricks, the pokes of the shots, or the emotional roller coaster caused by diabetes alone. I DARE to be the one who reminds her to test, medicate, bolus…the list never ends. And it goes way beyond physical pain.
Julie can no longer do many of the things as she could before she was diagnosed. Diabetes is a major part of her life now that requires daily calculations, monitoring, and injections to make sure her body is operating as it should. Diabetes is an hourly job with no rest. I call the ‘typical’ daily tasks of a diabetic lifestyle, ‘Type D.’
As any person close to a diabetic can tell you, the D’ay actually starts the night before. First there are the nighttime medications and various types of insulin. You have to make sure to have a snack handy in case of an overnight low, but you also need to manage how your body processes any snacks you may have had before bed. You have to check your BG (Blood Glucose) test results. Oh, and by the way, “who’s on first?”
As much as the non ‘D’ might think it is such a repetitive series of events and that no ‘D’ would ever need reminding, assistance, or just plain emotional support, they are sadly mistaken. It is much easier tackling this disease when you have the support of your loved ones. Just ask Julie!
In the next Article about living daily life as the D’aregiver, we will struggle through the A.M. wakeup, the first hour of the day, and how this can sometimes start in the middle of the night.
(Each of the Expert columns are based on the experiences and knowledge of the individual columnists. The columns are meant to provide you with helpful information, but are not meant to be considered direct advice. Before making any decisions that could affect your health, make sure to contact a physician or the appropriate medical professional.)
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