How many ways are there to handle your spouse's diabetes?

My dad's brother is married to a wonderful woman. They are in their 70s.  She has had diabetes all her life and recently had her leg amputated.  Prior to that, she had multiple surgeries trying to save her foot....cutting bits and pieces out at a time.

My uncle has always had a funny sense of humor - he simply can make any situation funny. He laughs a lot.  He never gets upset.  He has been that way my entire life.  And that is how he handles her diabetes.  Everything is a joke.  Everything.

And while that is how they get through every day or their life....that does not work for me.  My aunt has pretty much always ignored her diabetes.  Overweight.  Eats anything she wants.  Does not exercise.

I've been off for a visit with my mom and she made a comment that I found quite interesting.  She said that my aunt's daughter should go move her computer from the back bedroom to the living room so my aunt and my mom could email each other.  Apparently my aunt can no longer physically get to where the computer is.  They live about 1000 miles away from my mom.  And that gave me even a different perspective on different lifestyles.  My mom has her computer in her living room.  Skype is always on.  You just ring her up and she's there.  My aunt, has her computer in the back of her house, via a maze that she can no longer get through.

So is the way each family handles diabetes the way you handle your life as a whole?  To some is it a joke - to be written off completely?  To some, you hide it in the back corner of a room somewhere - out of sight, out of mind?  To others it's in the center of the living room - in the middle of your life and something you deal with every single day?

Oe does it move around?  Some days it's right there in front of you and you deal with it - other days it's hidden away and you don't even think about it.

Interesting thoughts.

Having been off on a visit to my mom and then my brother - I've escaped the whole diabetes thing for a few days.  Life is pretty good on the road!  LOL!  Back at home, I'm again painting walls and ceilings, moving entire rooms inside the house.  Exercise equipment is going to the basement and the front bedroom will be a studio/bedroom.  The current studio is getting turned into a library where I'm hopeful I can easily access cookbooks and medical reference books.  So loads of painting to keep my days occupied.  When done, I should have my own bedroom I can sleep in and we wills till have a guest room for when my sisters come to stay.

Hubby is still having horrible flatulence.  Doctor's visit is next Tuesday.  He still hasn't done labs that neuropathy requested he do a month ago.  We both got off track on the heathy eating while I was gone, but will start back on again today.  It's good to have goals!

DW