DIABETES & THE PROBLEMS IT BRINGS WITH IT

I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in June of 1996....quite a surprise but didn't change my life much at the time apart from following the instructions re exercise and diet I was given. Six months later my other half was also told he had Type 2 diabetes but his was 'worse' than mine with much higher initial readings and he was immediately prescribed tablets to take and of course similar instructions to mine about diet and exercise. He is fortunate in not having arthritic problems and he can exercise quite well and still plays golf although in his 80th year now.
Unfortunately his diabetes began to get worse over time and it was decided recently that he should begin to inject insulin twice a day (before breakfast and before dinner). He had to wait about a month to see a diabetes educator to instruct him on how to inject the insulin plus other important issues. This didn't help as he was apprehensive about whether he would manage OK but eventually he had an appointment and off we went to meet Kylie who was really great and put him at his ease.
All began quite well and surprisingly he has no problem doing the actual injecting but of course now has to test his blood glucose several times a day and that is where the problem arises. He is getting some quite weird readings (some higher than expected and some much lower) at different times of the day and now we (and I say we 'cos my help and support is vital to him) have to try and determine just what he should eat and when and why does his blood glucose go up so quickly and drop so quickly at other times.
It is going to take several weeks to set a pattern for him to get in control and I know this is getting him down as I think he thought once he was on insulin most of his problems would be solved. Life, of course, is never as simple as one thinks it will be but I know we will get him there eventually and we once again will be in control. One must never let an illness take over if it is at all possible to take control of it. This is not always possible with some illneses unfortunately but I do think in this case we will get there and achieve some type of stability once again. Here's hoping so anyway as I love my 'other half' very much and hate to see him down in the dumps. He probably thinks I am being a bit 'bossy' at times but I do have to make him participate in setting himself a routine as I can't do it for him but can only watch and advise and help as much as I can. Just another little ripple in a reasonably tranquil existence.