Ok that is not easy to read. So here is the article
My husband, Eric, has lived
with type 1 diabetes for
18 years—since he was
8 years old. I have sympathized with
him, helped him count carbs, and
shared his frustration when his
meter readings were less than
perfect. But I never really knew what
living with diabetes was like. That is
until last year, when I was diagnosed
with gestational diabetes.
A lot to learn
Eric is the first person I ever met with
diabetes. In college he was very
reserved about his diabetes, and, like
many people, I was clueless about
the disease. I thought it meant he
just couldn’t eat sugar. As years went
by and I learned more about
diabetes, we would have occasional
arguments about how he managed
his diabetes.
I’d sometimes grab his meter off
the kitchen counter to look at his
numbers. If I saw that they were high
or that he only tested twice, I’d
accuse him of not taking care of
himself. He would respond with a
blank stare, and I could see the
anger rising in his eyes. I didn’t care
what his excuse was because,
according to all the books, it was
bad to have a blood glucose above
150. He didn’t care what books said,
because he knew there were some
days that his numbers were off no
matter what he did.
Boy, did I learn that lesson.
A dietitian taught it to me when I
was six months pregnant. I recall
simmering with anger as she told
me I was not supposed to eat more
than three servings of carb for my
meals and snacks. I was 27, wasn’t
overweight, and well within my
target pregnancy weight. I ate a
healthful diet, yet my blood sugar
Gestational diabetes gives one woman a new understanding
of what her husband lives with every day.
photos by Alexandra Grabrewski
numbers were still too high. An
endocrinologist told me that I
needed to take insulin before every
meal and before bed. It took all I had
to stop the tears from streaming
down my face. Eric was right there
next to me, and suddenly I didn’t feel
as scared. He knew exactly what I
was feeling.
I cried the first time I gave myself
an insulin shot. I remember asking
Eric, “How can I possibly go through
Thanksgiving only eating four
servings of carbs?” He grabbed my
hand and said, “It’s only for a few
months; this is how I have to
live forever.”
I quickly learned how important
carb counting is and that the type of
carb matters, too. I understood why
my husband would have a short
temper or just want to sleep
because his blood sugar went too
high or it came down way too fast.
A brighter future
My three-month experience even
helped Eric make some needed
changes. Even though he wears an
insulin pump, he finally realized he
really shouldn’t go back for more
Tasia Boland blogs at
tasiasideasandthoughts
.blogspot.com.
If you had gestational diabetes, you have a
35–60 percent chance of developing diabetes
in the next 10–20 years. Doctors recommend
scheduling regular checkups to guard against
diabetes’ return. Tasia Boland knows she is at
risk with future pregnancies and later in life.
“If it happens, it will be OK, because today I
have control of this disease,” she says. “The
healthy choices I make every day let diabetes
know who’s really in charge.”
once he’s had four carb servings.
He would see me testing my blood
glucose all the time for fear of
having a large baby, and he, too,
began testing more.
Our daughter, Riley, was born
February 8, 2011, weighing a healthy
7 pounds 8 ounces. Her blood sugar
was 115, and the nurses tested her
every hour until it returned to normal
range. Today she’s doing great.
Eric and I are eating healthier
now. We’ve eliminated processed
foods and include more fruits,
veggies, and whole grains. We even
take walks. For my family, gestational
diabetes was a blessing in disguise
