One thing I've learned both living with diabetes (and hypertension and everything else) and having family members with diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and other health issues is that no matter how far away you are, and whether that be in miles or in outlooks, the chronic illness of one is shared by the entire family. Here, many hands do not make "light work" -- that right goes to the bonds of love and familial obligation. While a large support network might ease the afflicted person's ability to live a full life, it means that a much larger number of people need to consider the needs of that person, that many more perceive an increase in their own risk for developing that malady, and that many more must learn to accommodate a family member's needs within their own lives.

To start with, it's hard to address diabetes without addressing diet. After all, they both start with the diphthong // dai //

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The dLife weekly poll question this week focuses on diabetes and traveling, and asks: “Does diabetes keep you from traveling?”

My answer: “No Way! Have diabetes. Will travel!”

Type 2 diabetes does not keep me from traveling; neither does congestive heart failure. In fact, I have done more traveling in the last year and a half than I had in several years prior to my diagnosis. The only real limitation that I have is I can’t fly because of my heart. Honestly, though, that really doesn’t bother me at all, because I prefer road trips to flying. Driving may take longer, but it allows for a slower pace, and provides the opportunity to see things that might have been missed by flying.

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"So what should we take with us in the RV," I asked No. 3 as I drove her to the sitter one day last week.

"Um, cereawl and hot dogs and... um... oh! your blood sugar."

"Yes, my blood sugar supplies," I said almost as if I had forgotten.

"And skeetles and juice for you," she said.

"Yes, in case I go low. You're right." Such a good caregiver.

I forgot so many things packing for the RV trip, but insulin, pump supplies, test strips and alcohol swabs were not one of them. I was surprised, actually.

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It’s been quite an afternoon. Everything was going well and on schedule until I flew through Chicago. O’Hare never fails. Every flight I take through there seems to somehow always find a way to be delayed or cancelled.

After all the “groups” had boarded and we had pulled out onto the runway, sure enough “Captain Bad News” comes over the airplane speakers, “uhh.., hi folks, Captain Poo Poo Head here, (that’s not really what he said..) it looks as though LaGuardia is in a hold pattern until further notice”.

DARN’T! I thought to myself, I had stuff I wanted to do when I landed in the city.

Oh well. I just ended up getting some work done.

Basically, our plane ended up sitting out on the tarmac for two hours until we got the go-ahead to depart.

It’s a good thing I had my insulin and glucose and stuff with me.

Nothing bad happened. But it does kind of make you wonder.
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