Wherever you go and whomever you talk to it becomes apparent that family is probably the most important treasure in anybody’s life. Ask the college kid away from home for the first time, or the soldier stationed thousands of miles from home. Even the most glamorous or well-heeled people breathe a sigh of relief and relaxation when they can leave the world behind and return to their families. For people with diabetes, families are crucial. They provide the warmth, the loving support, and the genuine concern that only those closest to them can provide. Managing diabetes is a tough slog made much easier when loved ones are there to help.
The theme of this issue of Diabetes Health is families—and pets—with diabetes. (We include dogs and cats because so many of us genuinely regard our four-legged companions as members of the family.)
Three of our featured articles directly address the challenges and rewards of family life when a member has diabetes: “Successfully Juggling My Family and Job” on page 24; “My Diabetes Tribe” on page 26; and “A Message for Moms and Dads” on page 28. Each article has a
slightly different take on the family theme. A very important feature article is “The Genetic Component to Children with Diabetes” on page 10. Another is “Two Answers to Extremely Severe Hypoglycemia”
on page 14. Where do you turn when a hypoglycemic episode is so dire that conventional treatments may not be enough to avert a coma or a life-threatening circumstance?
And pets! “Managing Your Pet’s Diabetes” on page 16, and “Medical Devices for Dogs and Cats with Diabetes” on page 20 off er solid, insightful, and immediately useful information for addressing what can at first be a very puzzling, very challenging situation: How do you treat a family member who can’t talk and tell you his symptoms or say that something’s wrong?
If you are newly diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes, our contributing editor Patrick Totty has some useful, hard-won advice to offer in, “You’ve Just Been Diagnosed with Type 2: Five Things to Keep in Mind” on page 6. It’s reassuring to know that as you gain experience managing your diabetes your confidence in your own ability to do so increases considerably.
Don’t miss our update on “The New and Improved Insulin Pumps” on page 22, “Insulin Delivery Pens” on page 12, and “Type 2 Medications” on page 30.
Nadia Al-Samarrie, Founder, Publisher,
Editor-in-Chief
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