To love me means you accept all the messy bits as well as the fun-loving “normal” bits. My spouse and I are approaching 24 years of marriage. Fourteen of those were filled with the everyday things…careers, raising children, helping with the kids’ activities. Fourteen years of “normal,” although you must remember that normal is a dryer setting.

Now my spouse has learned to wake me when my service dog whines in the middle of the night. To tell me when he smells insulin. To not freak out when he has to do an injection or help me change a pump site. To know where I keep the stash of carbs for emergencies. To accept that I don’t eat what he eats anymore. When to rush me to the emergency room and when to keep me home. I’m sure it’s exhausting for him.

Most of my friends understand diabetes to some degree. They know what Blizzard’s alerts look like. They know she carries meds and carbs. They know which restaurants I like. I don’t think they live in a constant state of awareness about diabetes, but they know I am a diabetic.

November is diabetes awareness month. My message here is to be aware. Be aware of your own health. Know the signs of diabetes and don’t be afraid to ask. Most of all, don’t be afraid of people with diabetes. It’s manageable.

http://www.diabetes.org/