Why Your Support System is SO Important
A support system is ideal in any situation because this life is way too tough to go through solo. I understand that some support systems are bigger than others, but the important thing here is to have one, yes just one person, who will hold you accountable but also pick you up when you fall.
In diabetes management, diabetes educators go on and on about the purpose of caregivers, friends, and medical specialists in your life and if you were like me, you probably zoned out during this speech and thought “when can I leave and do something productive?”. Let me tell you, it is so productive to think about those around you that love and support you.
Why?
Because diabetes is a medical condition that can feel so isolating and lonely. You may have people that try their best to take care of you and love you, but at the same time, it can get frustrating when they have never been through it. They don’t truly get it, do they? No, of course, they don’t! But at the same time, you have to remember that just as you are going through this battle, so are they. Just in a very different way. We think of ourselves and how hard it is to deal with the highs, lows, needles, doctor appointments, bills, etc. Our support system worries constantly about if our next low will put us in the hospital. They remember what it is like to see you in a hospital bed, semi-unconscious. They wonder if a cure is coming to put us out of our misery. They worry if our next visit with them will be the last. We are all dealing with our own individual hardships and we have to be aware that they are going through this just as we are.
I often find myself asking my boyfriend to do my injections or to go grab a juice for me when I feel low. Sometimes, in these moments I think of myself too much. My first thought is, “Why doesn’t he want to give me a shot? I do them 4 or more times a day, what’s the big deal?”. I forget that injections aren’t the “norm” for everyone else. I forget that it gets tiring seeing your loved one in pain and possibly being the one causing the pain if you’re the one holding the injection. Think about it, do you want to get up out of bed at 3 in the morning and go grab yourself a juice? If the answer is no, then do you think your significant other wants to do it either? Probably not. But they do it out of the kindness of their hearts and their love for you. Their support and constant worry is something that we should not take advantage of. Love is something that we should never take advantage of. Diabetes isn’t just a fight for diabetics, it is a fight for their loved ones as well.
Remember to be open, grateful, and appreciative of those helping you in this journey. Whether it is a friend, family member, or significant other. It is easy, and sometimes even justified, to be selfish when you have a chronic illness. Just remember to think of your support system and what they are going through. Be thankful. Please after reading this go thank your loved ones. That’s exactly what I am going to do.
