Living with Diabetes, a Family Affair: Practical and Emotional Support Strategies

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Watson offers a support group in a book. By sharing her experiences
caring for a diabetic spouse, and by relaying the stories of problems
encountered and obstacles overcome by other diabetics, she advocates for
a better understanding of the disease by diabetics, their families, and
the general public.

She presents diabetes as “a family disease,” making clear that in
order for the diabetic to follow a management plan the whole family must
understand the diabetic’s needs and provide support on a practical,
everyday level.

The book includes accounts of experiences in managing both type 1 and
type 2 diabetes, and the experiences of children, teens, and adults
dealing with the disease. The emphasis is on the ”real issues of
day-to-day living,” not on medical information. She touches on the
challenges of restaurant meals, social events when meals are not served
on time, travel, employment considerations, driving licence issues, and
the financial costs of proper disease management. Much attention is
given to the specifics of insulin pumps and the lifestyle freedom that
is one of the benefits of this tool. Recognition of inequalities in
health care across Canada is an ongoing theme throughout the book.

Unfortunately a too-dark screen was printed over much of the type,
destroying legibility and giving the book an amateurish appearance. The
writing style is informal and the tone positive, making it a useful read
for anyone with a diabetic family member.