Most chronic illnesses affect the people around the patient as well as the patient. However many diabetics fail to capture this idea nor use it in order to help improve their treatment and care.
If your diabetes is out of control, it is not just you who suffers, but those who love you as well. High blood sugar leads to complications which can mean catastrophic illness, frequent and long term hospitalization, loss of ability to earn wages and inability to contribute emotionally to the family unit. At the very least, high blood sugar can cause irritability and mood swings. This fact can cause stress for your spouse and children and other loved ones. Furthermore, it can cause fear and anger amongst these important people in your life.
As the situation worsens, so does the frustration level of the family and loved ones. This often leads to misunderstandings, emotional outbursts and the dissolution of the family unit. Many diabetics fail to understand the effect their disease can have on the stability of both their loved ones and the family unit as a whole.
On the diabetic side of this scenario, they find people trying to urge them to make changes they don’t want to make. This worsens their stress level which in turn worsens their illness.
Many diabetics also feel isolated and afraid to share their disease with family and friends for fear of abandonment and being seen as damaged goods. This cuts them off from a much needed source of support as well as needed emergency care.
Sudden diabetic lows, which can cause convulsions and comas, often require the emergency intervention of loved ones. This is because diabetics at the point where the low is dangerous are often unable to help themselves. The loved one often has to administer the glucose shot, call 911 and/or provide fast transportation to the ER.
An educated and informed family can be a lifeline in more ways than just lows. They can provide much needed support and assistance in other ways, such as reminding you of new medication schedules and dosage changes and comforting the diabetic when they are feeling the frustrations of the disease.
With all the educational resources available today, no diabetic should be seen as a pariah. Allowing the family to be united in diabetic treatment allows for the very best scenario for a healthy diabetic. It also allows the family to express and deal with their concerns and fears.
If you are the family of an out of control diabetic, there are several things to remember.
* Don’t nag. You can’t make anyone do anything they don’t choose to do. Constant nagging can just worsen the situation. It can cause defiance, anger and frustration. Instead, quietly make suggestions ONCE and then drop them. A chain of quiet long-term reminders spoken with love can gently help the diabetic turn around.
* Take care of yourself. Many loved ones work themselves into a stress filled frustration that can compromise their own health. Again, you can’t make someone change, but you can change how you react and feel about the situation. Some times counseling is a very good way to learn to be a less stressed caregiver. Also look for support groups and become as educated as you can about the disease. The time may come when the information and support will be appreciated and used by the diabetic in your life. The more you know about the disease, the better treatment you can help your loved one receive.
If you are an out of control diabetic, let your family in and allow them to help you get on track. It will improve the quality of all of your lives and all your futures.