A true friendship between two people is a treasured gift. Often, many people will admit their best friend knows them just as well or even better than their own spouse. This is because the friend is commonly used as a:
companionconfidante"wailing wall"trusted advisermotivatorand most importantly they accept you the way you are and do not spend all their time trying to change your "faults"Actually this list can become quite lengthy because whatever the situation, whether it is stressful or joyful, as it comes up in your daily life, your best friend is usually the first person which is given the news.
Being a friend to a diabetic though, when you spend a lot of time together, you will notice you seem to be an active supporter in their campaign to "defeat diabetes". A diabetic's life, especially the type 1 diabetic, is so dependent on their blood sugar testing and administering of medications over multiple times every day just so they can maintain a healthy life. Your attention and support in a time of crisis could actually save their life.
A type 1 diabetic is extremely prone to low blood sugars. Often though, until the diabetic realizes they are "having a low", it is often too late for them to initiate life-saving measures on themselves. A type 1 diabetic rapidly will become very confused, light-headed and then will pass out. An unconscious individual can not administer any life-saving techniques even though it could be something as simple as drinking a glass of juice or swallowing a tablet which will help to raise their blood sugars.
Being the friend though of a type 2 diabetic is a different story. In type 2 diabetes, the major hurdle this person must overcome is high blood sugars. Although this does not create any immediate difficulties requiring life-saving immediate attention, moral support, motivation and a friend willing to forego their immediate desires (to consume certain foods) is a life supporter for this diabetic. At so many events each day, whether it's just tonight's dinner table, at a party, work or the local street fair, many events rely on junk foods or many food selections high in carbohydrates. Often the food is one of the major attractions of the event.
A type 2 diabetic's recovery is reliant on adding what is now considered some short-comings in their current lifestyle. These include carbohydrate counting, portion control and exercise. By effectively learning and implementing each of these into their daily life, many type 2 diabetics can reduce or eliminate their symptoms entirely. This can result in a decrease in medications which are necessary to control the high blood sugars.
But although the solution is so easy to put into words, implementing these strategies into daily life will be one of the most difficult routines an individual must ever perform.
Initially, the self-sacrifice, discipline, motivation and desire to slip back into their old comfort zone from their earlier days is often as strong or stronger than the reality that future problems may accumulate if a better plan of personal care is not implemented now. So having that friend for a "crutch" to help the diabetic through the rough mental transition of accepting their new reality and that careful eating and exercise habits are now necessary for their greater good in the future years to come. Careful adherence to that new plan can prevent many common diabetic complications.
So being a true friend to a diabetic is a crucial role to play whether your friend is a type 1 or a type 2 diabetic. The "job description" for the friend may be a little different, but the importance of your support is crucial to their continuing health.
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