I’ve lived alone for 28 years of my 33-year duration of diabetes. For the last two weeks I’ve been part of an extended family vacation with 10 other people. This trip makes me realize the large impact that social distraction plays with me managing my diabetes.
While at home alone, I rarely miss my intended pre-bolus time. As hard as a tried to keep to my pre-bolus habit while on vacation, it seems that some conversation would inevitably interrupt my mindset and I often ended up eating before I preferred or delaying my food until after everyone else has eaten. This has frustrated me as I enjoy extraordinarily good glucose levels while at home alone. I’m used to executing my diabetes plans well and it frustrates me to constantly miss delivering on my intentions.
Social distraction has also contributed to me missing my infusion site and continuous glucose monitor sensor changes. I’m not blaming my temporarily enriched social life but it’s given me an insight into what others here who live as part of a family must live with every day!
My question to people who live with family is this. How do you cope with the competing diabetes and family demands? I realize that my long years of living alone has embedded in me a “living alone” skill set. I have not been able to develop tactics and habits that permit successful diabetes living as part of a family unit.
One thought I’ve had about coping with social distractions is to use my phone alarm strategically to remind me of my bolus schedule. Working against that tactic is the ever changing mealtimes of a group on vacation.
I’d be interested in reading what others do to enlist the help of the family to enable meeting diabetes goals. Do you have any other ideas to help?