My best "over the shoulder boulder holder" (Supporter)

Okay...the title comes from GLEE if you don't watch the show...one of my favorite lines...but ultimately is very accurate in meaning "support!"

My biggest supporter of my pancreas failure is of course my Hubby! He has been through it all and has experienced the same emotional triumphs that I have, but on the opposite end of course.

My husband (then boyfriend) was with me from day 1 of diagnoses. He actually drove me to the hospital at 11pm after an indulgence in M*CH*G*N after Ohio State kicked their butt in 2005! I was sick the entire weekend of the football festivities, throwing up, but didn't want to ruin his fun. Once we were in the car for hours driving back and I continued vomiting and most likely going in and out of consciousness (I was in DKA), he drove me very swiftly to the ER where hours later I was diagnosed with (GASP) Diabetes with an A1c of 14.5. I tore my esophagus in the process of vomiting, so I had other complications with air around my heart, but at any rate, he stood by my side holding my hand the entire time. It is an image I WILL NEVER FORGET. I can remember laying in the ER and him helping me undress and get into a hospital gown. He neatly folded my clothes and placed them on chair where he undoubtedly worried as tears streamed down his face. He politely told the ER doctor that "she was definitely NOT smoking weed" as he thought I had been. He gave my parents the horrifying wake up phone call at midnight and they quickly drove the 2 hours to see me, arriving shortly after 3 am. I very vividly remember my mom waking me up and seeing my Hubby break down in her arms and cry.

He stayed with me as I lay in intensive care for 2 nights, and brought me movies to watch on my last two night in the hospital. He brought me magazines and talked me through my first manual shot of insulin.

He helped me through the pain of Thanksgiving the day after I was released and realized I couldn't eat whatever I wanted. He limited his portions and only indulged in a small piece of sugar free pumpkin pie just the same as me.

These devastating moments are now the images I hold on to when things get tough. If we can make it through Diabetes, we can make it through anything. Those horrifying few weeks in which I was diagnosed was also the moment that I realized I would be with him forever as he reassured me that he would be with me forever.

Almost 5 years later, and happily married for almost 2, he continues to support me through encouragement to take care of myself. He lets me cry when sometimes the pain of inserting another infusion set brings me to tears. He reads and follows up with my numbers. He asks me questions, brings me milk when I'm low, reads books with me when we discuss trying to start a family. He will attend in a few weeks a class with me on starting a CGM.

My Hubby is my biggest supporter and I'm very fortunate and proud to walk through this journey with him!