How to Help a Diabetic Balance T1D and Life:
To share how you can help a diabetic balance T1D and life, I need to explain what we deal with first. Having to balance everything that life throws at you plus managing Type 1 Diabetes can be a lot. I would know, I have been a diabetic since 2016, middle school. Very formative years of your life. Now, with me being a senior in college, things look very different, plus I have more responsibilities, but obviously, my pancreas does not work. Still, what can I do about it?
Some of my responsibilities include:
- Daily assignments (3-5 hours of my day)
- 5 classes (2 each day, 1 online)
- Applying for jobs
- Taking care of my dog (long walks, potty breaks, food, water, vet)
- Apartment cleanliness
Notice how these have nothing to do with T1D? Keep in mind a diabetic has to make on average about 180 more decisions per day than someone without. Doesn’t that seem draining?
Here are my responsibilities as a type 1 diabetic:
- Keeping sugars in target range
- Responding to low and high blood sugars
- Taking 4-8 shots of insulin per day depending on doses, foods, weather…
- Counting carbs
- Balance between food/exercise for a steadier day
- Having low snacks on me
- Having enough insulin and pen needles on me
- Calling in medicines early enough
- Picking up medicine
- Having EXTRA water, so my kidneys do not have to overcompensate for my high blood sugar
- Planning/scheduling Endo appointments and bloodwork
Understanding goes Far:
I probably missed a few responsibilities, but when it comes to understanding a diabetic, it is impossible to fully understand what goes on in our brains and our bodies. I mean, I still feel like I get it wrong all the time. Just yesterday, my blood sugar went down to 34, which I was not able to catch earlier since my sensor expired. I thought, what if this is the end? Cause death is something that can easily happen if we do not take care of ourselves when and how we need to.
Let me explain: If we go too low, we could die. If we go too high, we could die. We avoid going too low by not doing too much insulin, but we avoid going too high by doing insulin. So, any mistake or change in schedule, weather, stress, could mean it is over for us.
It is truly hard to live each day knowing there will always be the concern of how I can stay alive today. Without insulin or with too much insulin creates those lows and highs. We often downplay the impact it has in our lives and so does society. But having some sort of understanding goes a long way.
How can You Help?
These burdens are heavy to carry. So how can you help ease the burden of your friend or family member who has unfortunately been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes? You learn how they must treat those highs and lows. When my blood sugar is high and my sensor goes off, my friends will ask “have you done insulin? Or do you need water?” Simple things like this show that you care.
Things not to Say or Do:
As a diabetic of 10 years, I have heard some CRAZY things after people find out I am a diabetic. A few examples include:
- “My grandpa had that I think, he went blind because of it.”
- “Oh, it would be cheaper to just die, literally.”
- “I could NEVER do that”
Giving us the idea that we could very well go blind because of this, is not helpful. Telling us it would be cheaper to die because of insulin prices is just insane. It would be cheaper for anyone to die, and insulin IS expensive. People have DIED because they have needed to ration their insulin. Lastly, the “I could never do that”, we do not have a choice. It is either making an extra 180 decisions and poking ourselves a everyday forever (or until there is an actual cure available for all diabetics) or death.
My final advice in providing support to a diabetic, is to help in any way you can, ask those questions of do they need any water or juice. Be a friend, but do not say, I wish it was me instead of you. Because collectively, we would never want someone to have to go through what we do every day.
Thanks!
If you liked this blog, I am sure you would enjoy checking out any of my social media platforms! You can find them at the top of my page! Thank you guys!
Peace
Gracie
