Things I’ve learned from having and losing an uncle to the same disease I have...
Even without diabetes, you might be interested
Type 1 diabetes doesn’t age-discriminate. Neither does death. (He was only 66.)
I lived in fear that his story would be mine. It’s proven not to be the same. I guess no two stories are.
Uncle Ivan knew how to rock a fake leg. I’m already planning my outfits to show one off, just in case. Turns out you can be cool even after amputation.
Being at someone’s side as they die is both brutal and beautiful. I’m so honoured he waited for me to fly across an ocean to say goodbye. (He died 20 minutes after I arrived.) As hard as it was, I’d do it all over again.
It’s not over till it’s over. Uncle Ivan kept harvesting his fields in his combine until his very last days. He never gave up, and I don’t plan to, either.
Supportive spouses who give endless nights of foot rubs and keep a house running and never give up on you keep the sun shining in your world. This is a good reminder for me to not take Don for granted. And auntie Judy deserves a medal, too. (Although she might prefer a winter home in Barbados. I think she deserves them both.)
Diabetes is a beast. All we can do is our best.