When someone is diagnosed with any chronic illness or condition, everyone is affected. Let’s talk about family and Type 1 Diabetes…
That person isn’t the only one diagnosed- it is a family affair. Unfortunately, everyone shares in the burden of having diabetes. This could be felt through financial strain, pure exhaustion from being up all night caring for a T1D child or loved one, alarms for the highs and lows, coping and learning acceptance, the entire learning curve with CGMs and pumps, the mental challenges this disease brings you, and the work 24/7 work it entails. We could go on and on, am I right? Family and Type 1 Diabetes goes hand-in-hand.
Families are affected in various ways and I know that T1D affects my young children in many ways. They have seen me countless times calling insurance companies and diabetic supply companies, changing my infusion sets, giving myself injections via needles, sitting on the kitchen floor eating snacks, my post low moodiness, chugging water to bring my sugar down, and the list goes on and on. At the end of the day, I hope that I am a good example of a strong woman because this isn’t easy!
I hope they see that although I get frustrated and annoyed with diabetes and my body- I don’t give up. In fact, it makes me work that much harder. Diabetes affects my family but it also gives us a gift. It shows us how precious life is everyday. I know that I want and need to be there for my kids, so my health must be a priority everyday. Hopefully, they see it and they learn as I have from this disease.
How does diabetes affect you and your family?
Thank you for reading! If you like the blog and would like to share your story please visit this post for more information. Also, I found some resources and programs on “Beyond Type 1” about families and Type 1 Diabetes, if you need more information on this topic.
Thank you,
Stephanie
