Marrying A Type 1 Diabetic Man

Marriage And Type 1 Diabetes | Diabetic Connect

Howdy channji! WELCOME to DiabeticConnect! I see no reason a T1, or any other type of Person With Diabetes (PWD) should not marry. Do you have a choice of a PWD and a nonPWD as a marriage partner? That's great for you, you smoothie! This is just MY preference for ME . . . . I have many "medical challenges" and I have found that people who have other medical challenges are generally more accepting of my medical challenges in return. In 2009 I married my bride "Jem" who had many many serious medical challenges. Sharing some of the same challenges, I believe strengthened our relationship greatly. Unfortunately she had so many potentially deadly challenges, that in July 2010 one or more of them "took" her from me. She went to sleep one night and I couldn't wake her in the morning. She had already become cold overnight. that was hard to discover her like that, but I am glad she went peacefully in her own bed with all her things around her, not in some noisy hospital! She was a special lady and my life was enriched by knowing her and being with her. (her friends and family said she said the same of me.) Now I am talking with a lady who has cerebal palsy, thinking of getting together with her, eventually. Right now she is 1800+ mi away from me here in Las Vegas. She is talking about coming to LV this coming April. But back to your question: ")What is good * to marry a type 1 diabetic person or * to marry a non- diabetic person."[?] If you have maintained your health, and have no major complications, there are no reasons I see to avoid either type of person (or even a t2 either). I'm a type 1 diabeteic and have been for 34 years (I'm 49). I was married, divorced and now married again. I don't see any problem with getting married simply because you're a diabetic. I will say I t Continue reading >>

Type 1 And Married Life

Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community I am Type 1 for a very very long time and married too. Has anybody in this group been a Type 1 diabetic for more than 30 years and married. How do you handle hypos when your married and your husband sees his wife having hypos in sleep and day time. I need a Councillor who can advise how I can cope up with the life. Will be happy if any one can give me a supportive hand. Hi @SHmano - sadly hypos go hand in hand with married life, obviously having a sympathetic partner who understands that this is part of the condition and knows how to respond is important. What aspect is your husband or yourself struggling with ? Am not a counsellor but we have married type 1s who can respond and support from experience. Im married with Type 1. Im with @Juicyj ... what type of advice are you looking for and Ill do my best to help? Hi @SHmano - sadly hypos go hand in hand with married life, obviously having a sympathetic partner who understands that this is part of the condition and knows how to respond is important. What aspect is your husband or yourself struggling with ? Am not a counsellor but we have married type 1s who can respond and support from experience. Thanks, My husband never understands what happens when there is hypo. He is not supportive of it though I earn my living for myself and not dependent on my husband monetarily. When I get hypos in the sleep at 2 a.m in the morning i act weirdly, a times I shout, have convulsions. This has affected me mentally. I do not know how to balance my husbands reactions and my mental state after I get a hypo. 1. How to avoid a misunderstanding that I do not have anything other than diabetic hypos Hi @SHmano It sounds li Continue reading >>

When You Love A Woman With Type 1 Diabetes

I know a lot of women with Type 1 diabetes. Some are friends, colleagues, peers and some are women, young and old, whose paths have crossed with mine at different times for different reasons. And even though each and every one of us are different in the way we view, experience and react to our Type 1 diabetes, I typically find that, when we first discover we are both meandering the snaking female Type 1 diabetes footpath, there is a collective knowing, a camaraderie that instantly bonds our lives in an inquisitive way. Often, we will immediately begin to chat like old friends and many times, we will openly begin to share intimate details with each other. We talk about the effect of our diabetes on our careers, our health, our loved ones, spouses, families and friends. For me, it’s emotionally comforting to connect with someone who really and truly gets what I’m going through. Trust me when I say that the emotional side of diabetes is a huge piece of the puzzle and if it is not taken into consideration, it can unravel all well laid diabetes plans. So if you love a woman with Type 1diabetes, maybe this blog will give you a little something to consider. Or maybe you already know everything. That being said…. Women With Type 1 Diabetes and Sexual Intimacy Ever try to enjoy sex with Type 1 diabetes while worrying about your blood sugar dropping or soaring? How about having your medical devices front and center on your body? And because of the cost, and inconvenience I might add, of a device being knocked off, I always have to consider where my devices are on my body to help avoid that scenario. And even after marriage to a man who says he doesn’t care about my devices, the thought that I will look “medicinal” to him creates vulnerability in me that I don’t like Continue reading >>

My Journey With A Type 1 Diabetic

My Journey With a Type 1 Diabetic Written by: Mitchell Jacobs I remember the first time I met Brittany, it was like yesterday. She was this cute, bubbly, giggly girl. But mostly what I remember is how beautiful I thought she was. We began dating when I was only 19, I was fresh out of high school without a clue of what the world was or even what diabetes was. All I knew was my pickup truck, my dog Petey and this girl I couldn’t stop thinking about. Then one day I was with her and she introduced me to this disease I had never been familiar with. Known as Type 1 Diabetes. We were out to lunch like any couple would be and Brittany began to explain to me the details of her disease. I didn’t know anything, and at the time it didn’t really phase me much either. As months passed we moved in together. This is when I really started to see how ugly of a disease Type 1 Diabetes really is. Her family had recently dropped her from the insurance and Brittany and I began to feel the repercussions of it, barely being able to afford food, let alone insulin. I began to see Brittany’s blood sugars crashing to lows so severe that she would become unconscious. I was having to wrestle with my girlfriend going from normal to extremely combative to unconscious, and having to call 911, all within an hour. I was flabbergasted by this disease. “What in the HELL was going on!” Why is her blood sugar so wacky and why can’t we figure this out?” I remember becoming so involved in trying to figure this disease out and be as supportive as I possibly could. One day she had an appointment at the endocrinologist’s office, and I stayed up the whole night thinking about questions to ask this Doctor, so I could write them down in a notebook. I needed to know how to fix this disease. “it’ Continue reading >>

Should I Marry With A Girl Having Diabetes Type 1 ?

Should I marry with a girl having diabetes type 1 ? Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please,join our community todayto contribute and support the site. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Should I marry with a girl having diabetes type 1 ? I am new to this forum. I am living with diabetes type 1 and my age is 24 years. My parents are worrying about my marriage. I know a girl having similar kind of problem (having type 1 diabetes). So my question is whether i should marry with her or not ? Is there any future complications ? If we marry now and in future we have a baby, will it be with diabetes type 1 ? What is the possibilities of it ? What kind of other problems may arise in our marriage life because of diabetes type 1? It will be very much beneficial for both of us if we marry with each other. But this is only problem we are facing. If it is not a proper forum for this question, please tell me which forum is suitable for this question. Well this is a very intimate and personal question you are asking on an anonymous online support forum. No one can possibly tell you what to do with your life. It's up to you. The only thing I'd say is this. If I had a fiance who was asking the question of whether he should marry me on the net, I'd have to seriously ponder whether I'd still want to go ahead with it. Have you ever considered how hurt your fiance would be if she discovered your post? Every culture, every tribe, every community, every religion...has its idea of what marriage should be about. What works best from what I've seen is being married to your best friend and being in love. That takes time to build and seems to conquer just about anything that's thrown at the marriage. Once that base is there...doesn't really matter who Continue reading >>

What Being Married To A Diabetic Really Looks Like

You are here: Home / Faith / What Being Married to a Diabetic Really Looks Like What Being Married to a Diabetic Really Looks Like Whenever Brian took me out on a date for the very first time he excused himself from the table just as the waitress brought our food. At first this surprised me but I decided to let it go. A few days later, Brian told me the truth-that he has type 1 diabetes. At the time I was so ignorant about the disease that would become such a huge part of my life. And so today I want to tell you what living with diabetes is really like.I know that I am not the only one whose family deals with this and I want to comfort you and remind you that you are not alone. If it doesnt affect you then I want to help you understand this disease. I want you to know that my husband is an amazingly strong man that fights for his health every single day. First of all, I want you to know that there is nothing that Brian could have done to prevent this. Type 1 diabetes just happens. Its not because he ate too much sugar or drank too much soda. It just happened. Diabetes has to be monitored all the time. For us, this means checking Brians blood sugar 4 times a day and giving insulin shots with each meal and once before bed. It is the first thing that we think of in the morning. Diabetes means eating our meals on time and carefully preparing food that wont make his blood sugar go to high or low. For me this means counting the carbs in everything single thing that I cook. It means throwing out my Grannys biscuit recipe in exchange for a low carb cloud bread recipe. It means that we never overeat. If we go out to eat at a restaurant we go at lunchtime because too much food at night means that his blood sugar will be high in the morning. And thats another thing that I want yo Continue reading >>

5 Tips For A Happier Marriage With Diabetes

5 Tips for a Happier Marriage With Diabetes After you bolus for your wedding cake, heres what you need to know It has been said that the first year of marriage is often the hardest. Learning to live as a pair and work as a team when diabetes is in the picture often requires some adjustments, even for the longest-term couples. Here are some expert tips: After planning a wedding and celebrating the big day, then coming back down to Earth, you may find that you have neglected parts of your relationship. Starting off as a married couple means investing in togethernesseven when it comes to tackling diabetes. We know from research looking at mismatched couples, where one has a disease and one doesnt, if both have a mind frame that were in it together, they have better outcomes [and] marriage satisfaction, says Tai Mendenhall, PhD, LMFT, who specializes in medical family therapy at the University of Minnesota. When one partner is removed from the others disease management, it can get in the way of a team approach and healthy relationship. Your partner should not be left in the dark about your diabetes management. Anne Safran Dalin, 63, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, has been married to her husband, Jim, for 41 years. She was diagnosed with prediabetes in 2005 and now manages her type2 diabetes by following a healthy diet. Its up to the [person with diabetes] to educate their partner in the care of their health, Dalin says, noting that Jim commits to eating healthy meals with her. If a partner is willing to attend an educational program or [a] session with a diabetes counselor, that would be a huge step forward for the couple. Sarah Mart, 45, of Fort Collins, Colorado, has been living with type1 diabetes since she was 7 years old. Her wife, Anne Kirven, doesnt have diabetes, so Continue reading >>

The Effects Of Diabetes On Relationships

Will you leave your SO (significant other) because of diabetes? Committed relationships are hard enough. When you add a chronic illness into the mix of everyday problems, it can place undue stress on a relationship. Do you leave your spouse or partner with diabetes when the going gets tough, or do you stick it out and work together to solve problems that come up, “in sickness and in health?” These are questions you may be asking yourself if you have been going through a tough time in your relationship or marriage due to diabetes. If your partner is in a state of denial and they are refusing to participate in self-care activities or listen to their doctor, this can be quite frustrating. You may be getting burnt out from always trying to fix the right amount of carbohydrates, only to catch your other half in the back room hiding with a box of candy. Feeling like you are the “diabetes police” and always nagging drains the joy out of your relationship. The spouse of a diabetic can feel a loss of control over the future, and be afraid that they will lose their life partner. Conversely, if you are the diabetic in the match, you tend to get quite aggravated with all of the nagging and “sugar-shaming” that can be going on. Maybe your partner didn’t support you by attending diabetes education classes, and now she doesn’t seem to know that it’s ok for you to have an occasional treat. Maybe she doesn’t realize that you are having the extra carbohydrates, but you have a walk planned for after the meal. Sometimes you feel misunderstood. It’s true that diabetes can take a physical, mental and financial toll on a relationship. Remember that your overbearing and controlling partner is acting from a place of genuine caring and concern for you. Now let’s look at t Continue reading >>

It Happened To Me: I Married A Guy With The Same Chronic Illness As My Dad

It Happened to Me: I Married a Guy with the Same Chronic Illness as My Dad My dad's illness was a dull hum in the background of my childhood and I promised myself I'd never marry a man who had it, too. I promised myself I wouldn't get involved with a sick man. My mother promised herself the same thing -- she wouldn't marry a sick man. Her father was bipolar. And then she married my father, a Type 1 diabetic who was diagnosed the day before his 17h birthday. Happy birthday. My brother got his diagnosis a week before his 16th birthday. My husband, Bear, was 23, when he found out. So he was luckier that way. His mother, the luckiest, developed the disease in her 30s. "You should know," Bear wrote to me when we first met, "I have diabetes. It's not that big of a deal." He linked to the Wikipedia page about Type 1. My brain stopped. It started up again almost immediately, but it was very unhappy. "This can't work," I told him, in person, standing in front of my building on the Upper West Side. He had walked me home after a dinner date. "I can't be with a diabetic," I said. "I swore." "Can't you break your oath?" he whispered before he kissed me. These Orthodox guys smoking cigars walked by and gave us disapproving looks and I didn't care. "Just this once?" Thing is I had good reasons for my oath. Once, before I was born, my dad drove the wrong way on the highway when his blood sugar plummeted and he couldn't think straight. Another time he started convulsing in the park, and the woman my mom ran to for help wouldn't share her kid's juice box even though my dad desperately needed sugar. He was always researching, always trying to figure out ways to be healthier. He exercised for two hours every day. He hadn't eaten carbs in over a decade. My grandmother called his diabetes " Continue reading >>

Making Peace With It All: A Love Letter To My T1d Husband

I didn’t sleep well the night before I was supposed to join my husband at a gathering for Type 1 Diabetic athletes — the first of its kind. A plan had been made weeks before, but here it was the morning of the event, and I started the usual debate that goes on when my insomnia shows up the night before — whether or not to participate in things, in life. I could have very easily declared I needed to stay home because I’d only slept a couple of hours. He would have agreed to it. I would have told him I was sorry, he would have soothed me, and he would have gone solo. But instead, I played an internal game of ping-pong up for a while. I didn’t directly say anything to him — just quietly debated whether or not to go. Something about him was different on this morning, though. His usual middle of the road, relaxed demeanor was absent. He was clearly looking forward to the event, even seemed a little nervous. Almost like the anticipation one feels before a first date. Seeing that resolved the debate for me. I decided to put on my big girl pants, have a second cup of coffee, and get ready to join him as I’d said I would. I thought too much about what to wear — wondered how I could fit in with a group whose interests vastly differ from my own. I have little personal interest in Crossfit or Olympic weightlifting — my interest only extends so far as that they are what the man I love, loves. I’m present and show genuine interest when he shares his personal bests with me or the next personal best he’s working towards, etc. But my interest is always in him, not the activity itself. Should I wear my hair up or down? Make-up or no make-up? Work out clothes or regular clothes? I was planning to leave after the speakers, so what I wore really had no practical implic Continue reading >>

When You Love A Woman With Type 1 Diabetes

I know a lot of women with Type 1 diabetes. Some are friends, colleagues, peers and some are women, young and old, whose paths have crossed with mine at different times for different reasons. And even though each and every one of us are different in the way we view, experience and react to our Type 1 diabetes, I typically find that, when we first discover we are both meandering the snaking female Type 1 diabetes footpath, there is a collective knowing, a camaraderie that instantly bonds our lives in an inquisitive way. Often, we will immediately begin to chat like old friends and many times, we will openly begin to share intimate details with each other. We talk about the effect of our diabetes on our careers, our health, our loved ones, spouses, families and friends. For me, it’s emotionally comforting to connect with someone who really and truly gets what I’m going through. Trust me when I say that the emotional side of diabetes is a huge piece of the puzzle and if it is not taken into consideration, it can unravel all well laid diabetes plans. So if you love a woman with Type 1, maybe this blog will give you a little something to consider. Or maybe you already know everything. That being said.... Women With Type 1 Diabetes and Sexual Intimacy Ever try to enjoy sex while worried about your blood sugar dropping or soaring? How about having your medical devices front and center on your body? And because of the cost, and inconvenience I might add, of a device being knocked off, I always have to consider where my devices are on my body to help avoid that scenario. And even after marriage to a man who says he doesn’t care about my devices, the thought that I will look “medicinal” to him creates vulnerability in me that I don’t like. And heaven forbid that he ac Continue reading >>

Diabetes From A Spouse Perspective: Married To A Type 1

We're sorry, an error occurred. We are unable to collect your feedback at this time. However, your feedback is important to us. Please try again later. It's been a while, but we're back with our ongoing series by andfor loved ones of people with diabetes (PWDs), the so-called Diabetic Partner Follies . Today we'reproud to share a post written by Sandy Floyd, who lives with her type 1 husbandVince in the Philadelphia area and blogs over at A Diabetic Spouse . Vince was diagnosed at the tender young ageof six months (!) and the complications he lives with bring a unique perspective. We know it isn't easy being the loved one of a PWD, but Sandy saysthe challenges they've faced have made them stronger. Read on... When it comes to sharingmy story as the wife of diabetic husband, this story may be a little differentthan many of the others out there in the community. Sure, I'm like other type 1 spouses in many ways. But my worldis much different than that of my fellow D-Wives: See, I'm also a caregiver. My husband, Vince, was diagnosed 32 years ago with type 1diabetes, and we've been together for 10 years and married for four years. His complications set in by his mid-20s, long before we weremarried. Vince developed retinopathy, neuropathy, and hypoglycemia unawareness quite the trifecta for any person with diabetes! He relies on the Medtronic Revel insulin pump with theContinuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) to deliver insulin and alert him of potentiallife threatening high and low blood sugars. But the complications have madethings more difficult. The retinopathy has caused significant vision loss in one eye,and Vince has had many laser treatments done on both eyes along with vitrectomy surgery onone of them. Although his vision is extremely limited in one eye, the lasersurgeries Continue reading >>

7 Stories On Love, Sex, And Type 1 Diabetes

We’ve assembled our favorite romance-themed stories over the years. People with Type 1 diabetes can have unique love lives. Blood sugar management provides an early opportunity to test how supportive potential partners can be. And if a relationship survives that stress test, it’s up to the person with diabetes and his/her partner to learn how to communicate through all the daily highs and lows. For everyone affected by Type 1 diabetes who has a romantic streak, we’ve assembled our favorite stories on love, sex, dating, and blood sugar management: A Love Letter During a Blood Sugar Swing A man describes the difficulties of communicating with his love during highs and lows. 7 Tips to a Better Type 1 Sex Life Ideas for how to keep your blood sugar numbers level when horizontal. 3 Diabetes Dating Sites – A Review We’ve braved these sites so you don’t necessarily have to. Let’s Talk About Sexual Dysfunction and Type 1 Sexual dysfunction from diabetes often can be reversed if caught in time. 3 Tips for Navigating T1D in Marriage A diabetes psychologist shares his secrets. What it’s Like to Date Someone Else with Type 1 Weighing the pros and cons of having a partner who also lacks a working pancreas. Discovering Love and T1D at a Ballgame When the first bloom of love and the first bloom of diabetes coincide. Thanks for reading this Insulin Nation article. Want more Type 1 news? Subscribe here. Have Type 2 diabetes or know someone who does? Try Type2Nation. Continue reading >>

Diabetes And Your Marriage

Making Things Work It’s hard to have a chronic illness like diabetes. You have to watch your weight, make healthy food choices, exercise, take insulin or oral medicines in many cases, and see several health-care providers on a regular basis. But there’s more to it than that: You must carry out these tasks while also being worried that you may develop complications such as eye or kidney problems or while feeling depressed or overwhelmed. Having the support of others can help ease the feelings of fear or frustration that often go along with having diabetes. Research has clearly shown that people who have social support tend to do better managing their diabetes. Social support can mean different things to different people. You may feel supported when a family member offers to take you to a doctor visit. You may feel supported when a friend listens and lets you cry about how frustrated you feel. Or you may feel supported when your sister walks with you each morning so that you can stick with your exercise program. When people with diabetes feel they have people who care about them, people they can talk to about their deepest feelings, they are more likely to stick to their self-care regimen, to have better blood glucose control, and to feel positive about their ability to cope with diabetes. When you are married or in a committed relationship, the most important source of support is usually your spouse or partner. However, the marital relationship can also be the greatest source of conflict and stress. This article explores how a couple’s relationship may affect diabetes, how diabetes may affect the relationship, and how couples can work together to have both a healthy relationship and good diabetes control. One affects the other The quality of your relationship with Continue reading >>

Marrying Into Diabetes: A Husband’s Perspective

I am married to a beautiful woman with type 1 diabetes. On many days, diabetes has churned the waters in our relationship. I’ve argued with low blood sugars and lost. What woman can be responsible for being snippy when her blood sugar’s at 35 mg/dl (2 mmol/L)? I’ve watched date night get canceled by an all day high. My empathy for Elizabeth is spiked with a little anger. But how can I talk about my frustration at diabetes when it’s a trifle next to the boulder that Elizabeth carries? These feelings sit inside me. They fester. I try to be strong. On difficult days, frustration boils over. Other times I don’t know what to say. I lie there in bed while she has low blood sugar and struggles. I see how much it’s hurting her, how hard it is for her, how bad she feels. I want her to know that I see it, and it tears me up, and I wish there was a way I could share that burden. But instead I say I’m sorry. The last thing she wants is pity. I’ve learned a lot about diabetes helping develop Diabetes Daily over the last six years. Yet when it comes to my own relationship with the most important person in my life, I still get it wrong too often. The challenges faced by those who care about someone with diabetes are rarely discussed. It ends up hurting both the person with diabetes and the person without it. So this year, let’s start a dialogue about ways that people with diabetes and their loved ones can support each other better. I invite any loved ones who would like to talk about their experiences to get in touch or to write about it on your own site and share a link. I also encourage couples to attend the 2012 National DiabetesSisters Conference in Raleigh, NC this May. There will be a session specifically for those without diabetes to talk about issues like thi Continue reading >>