The Importance of Support

I often think about how important it is to Vince and I to have others support in our daily lives. Is his medical issues the responsibility of others? No, of course not. Let me explain. Envision a box and imagine Vince in the middle. How would his life have been different if he didn't have a stable family and his mother and older brothers to look out for him. How many weak reactions could have been the last if he didn't have someone at home to be alert to his disease. Take a step toward the outside of the box. How would Vince's daily health be if he didn't have a wife as alert as me, to call him throughout the day and make it a point to learn how to be a caregiver to a diabetic. Again, how many weak reactions could have been the last if I were not there to take charge and provide or get help. Now take a step just outside of the box. Vince and I often think how lucky we are to have family, such as his brother's, to be able to call in an emergency situation to run over to our house, when I sense something is wrong, and I am not able to be by his side. Now step far away from the box. Imagine being a diabetic, living in a world filled with people who don't know a lot about the disease unless it personally affects them. How scary it is to us to know that if Vince were to have an episode in the mall for example, that the everyday person wouldn't know what to do. It is scary to think if something were to happen, we HOPE that people would know enough to look for his medical necklace. Diabetes is such a complex and serious disease, and I feel it is so important to educate people around us in our everyday lives, and to know that family is there at the drop of a hat if need be.