If you are living with a diabetic, the role you play is a support role. Especially in a newly diagnosed case, you will need to help with the control of blood glucose levels, help manage the insulin routine, make sure they are eating and exercising properly, and probably more than anything, you may have to become a nag. Type 1 diabetics often need someone to constantly remind them of what is not good for them, making sure they do their testing, and making sure they adhere to a healthy diet.
Living with Diabetic Type 1
In type1diabetes, the pancreas cells that make insulin are damaged. It means that the pancreas is no longer producing insulin. Most people with type 1 will take an insulin shot or shots every day. Most newly diagnosed diabetics are pretty good about doing the proper testing, administering insulin at the right time, and eating the right foods at the right times.
But as the years go on, most diabetics start to take short cuts. Living with a diabetic means being there for them when they start to stray from the routine. Yes, living with a diabetic usually means turning into a nag of sorts. But it is a loving nag. You want them to be around years from now and that means doing the right things now to delay or prevent future damage to organs and the immune system. Living with a diabetic means becoming familiar with their medical team so you understand the requirements for their long-term benefit. Only if you know what they need to do can you make sure they are doing it.
Nutrition
One of the most important components of the management of diabetes is proper nutrition. Living with a diabetic means understanding how different foods affect the blood glucose levels. You’ll need to be sure you help develop meal plans that fit the needs of the diabetic you’re living with. Make sure you keep the right foods in the house, and if there is something that shouldn’t be in the diet, living with a diabetic means you’re helping by keeping these foods out of the house. Many diabetics try to “sneak” foods they know they shouldn’t be eating. It is your job to help them avoid these temptations. It may even mean “confiscating” foods you find hidden in the house. This is not an unusual practice for diabetics, especially older ones.
Living with a diabetic is a support role indeed, but it can also mean having to play a loving, “enforcement” role. Make sure they manage their lifestyle as prescribed by their healthcare team, and you’ll be helping they’ll be around to share life with for a long time to come.
