My first experience with the disease was my next door neighbor growing up. Doña Julia lived to be almost a hundred and she only started having problems with her vision around 80. I do not even know for sure what type she had but I am almost certain it was II because I do not remember any needles.
My second experience with the disease was during college. One of my closes friends was type I, and besides the obvious shots he took he lived a pretty normal life. I do not remember him watching his diet all that much and the most obvious thing was a bruise on his leg that would just refuse to go away. I know that later on when he dropped out of college and was living with some new people he really let go of his treatment and had a couple of bad scary episodes. However I was not there to either help or know what really happened behind their severity, he was hospitalized at least once.
Now diabetes is part of my every day life. My wife is type II and I am literally terrified for her. I don’t want her to be sick, I don’t want her to feel pain, I feel like I am not really as supportive as I should be. Reading an article in a sports magazine I became really concerned. The reporter stated facts about diabetes with a candidness that had never touched me this way. Discussion how someone lost an eye and both of their legs in a matter of fact way on a what seemed a very personal piece made me cringe. My wife explained that it is possible that the person was just not careful, none the less it made me very concerned. I guess they are just facts of the disease.
John,
If you want your wife to live many long, healthy years, help her learn how to keep her blood sugar normal. Normal sugars = normal health.
Doctors for too long have told people with Type 2 diabetes that they are fine with blood sugars that are so high they are guaranteed to cause blindness, amputation, etc.
But there are hundreds if not thousands of people with Type 2 who have A1cs in the 5% range, not the 8% range, and who do it mostly by cutting back on carbohydrates.
Please read this page and pass it on to your wife. It has helped literally thousands of people with Type 2 avoid complications.
http://alt-support-diabetes.org/newlydiagnosed.htm
I have a page full of testimonials from people who did this and brought their blood sugars from dangerously high to completely normal on my own site at http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes
NORMAL sugars are possible, and they prevent ALL diabetic complications. Carbs are the key!
John,
I took Jenny’s advice on lowering my carbs ( and need for extra insulin ) and lowered my A1C from 7.2 to 6.5. I am looking forward to sub 6.0 numbers at my next endo visit.
Thanks everyone for your comments. I’m John’s wife. 
I know it is scary. I could curse my destiny and get depressed but I won’t. And fear… Well, I learnt that sometimes you get something from it; you become proactive, you start fighting back, and you succeed.
Controlling diabetes seems like a humongous task at times. I even asked my diabetes educator about psychological support, but she took it rather lightly. I find it stupid, that they don’t do anything about this, especially for people like you who have so many questions.
I know you want me to get better, I know you don’t want me to get sick. I do feel guilty for the extra pressure on your life due to my diabetes, but I also know you will walk the path with me and encourage me to make the right decisions. For that, I thank you and I love you.
Beatriz,
Unless your Diabetes Educator is a person with diabetes who is in great control (A1c under 6%) they may not have a clue.
Fortunately, there is a huge very active diabetes community and you’ve discovered it here. We have been trading tips and techniques since I first joined a diabetes newsgroup in 1998. I learned stuff then online that my doctors are just now starting to read about, and stuff they still don’t know.
You are really lucky your husband is supportive. But please, BANISH THE FEAR. Your relatives who suffered from diabetes decades ago got horrendously poor treatment. Heck even 10 years ago I got horrendously poor treatment.
But things are looking up.
You might have a look at Gretchen Becker’s book THE FIRST YEAR: TYPE 2 DIABETES 2nd Edition. She discusses exactly the emotional issues you are describing and since she’s been through it herself, she really helps you through it.