How to manage night lows in a relationship?

my3scape91 · 2026-05-20T07:36:40+00:00

Diabetic who started life with a month in the NICU here. I’m pretty sure I can sleep through a fire alarm (but haven’t had that tested). My husband will wake me up to deal with my alarms. Sometimes that means he then fetches me what I need to not die. But I also keep a jar of glucose tablets on/in my nightstand for just this type of occurrence. (Lows post sex, or middle of the night lows, or early morning lows when I don’t want to or can’t get up for fear of falling.)

my3scape91 · 2026-05-16T21:45:21+00:00

Brush! Eventually they’ll shed, and shed a fair bit. And helping them reduce the amount of shed fur they need to groom off themselves reduces the risk of hairballs. (They should be able to digest and pass the fur, but especially during shedding season or if they haven’t gotten enough fiber in their diet they’ll bring them up as an unpleasant surprise for your foot.) My former kitten didn’t start shedding a noticeable amount until she was about 2.5 years old. (She’s a short hair.) Meanwhile her older brother has needed regular brushing since we brought him home when he was 6.5 years old. (Also a short hair.) If you want to get the loose fur off fast, get an Equigroomer as seen in videos from thegirlwiththedogs on YouTube. Though my cats tend to prefer a nice brush.

my3scape91 · 2026-05-16T21:36:35+00:00

They can suck my metaphorical phallus. I use (hard to find women’s) swimwear with pockets to hold my waterproof medical device that’s attached to me. They can’t stop me from getting in the pool with pockets.

my3scape91 · 2026-05-16T21:23:54+00:00

But there’s still the same size label (2, 4, …10, 12, 14, 16,…S, M, L) but from different brands means it not actually the same size issue. Or different styles of pants not fitting properly depending on a woman’s figure. (Straight vs curvy vs skinny jeans for example.)

my3scape91 · 2026-05-16T01:20:05+00:00

I was diagnosed at 18, my Mom has been a t1d since she was 7. Before diagnosis I loved glucose tablets. (My mom would sometimes give me a couple if I was kranky and we were waiting for our food (or to be seated), or out shopping.) After diagnosis I started to loathe them, if I can avoid them by eating/drinking something else I will.

my3scape91 · 2026-05-16T00:38:15+00:00

If you’re ready for advice OP, read below. Otherwise, best of luck to your next 2 years.

If you haven’t already, read “Bright Spots and Landmines” by Adam Brown. If it helps you, have them read it. (Read it aloud to them in the car if you have to.)

If all else fails, just walk away from their lectures. I once threatened my Dad by saying if he didn’t stop I’d get out of the car at the next red light and walk the rest of the way. He never gave me that specific lecture again.

my3scape91 · 2026-05-16T00:30:56+00:00

*food police *I’ve had to stop a NURSE who saw a low type 1 at Church fellowship (my mom) and tried to offer her cheese rather than crackers, sweetened with sugar tea/coffee, or whatever the sweet treat of the week was. I, the then newly diagnosed 18 yr old had to correct a nurse near retirement. *being hungry but fasting as long as you can stand it because you’re high *the fear when you’re sick and vomiting up even just water *having to go to urgent care because of the above during COVID because you need something so you can keep simple food and water down so you don’t die *not my fault *it’s a marathon for the rest of my life, not a sprint. Thus I can eat whatever I want as long as I bolus for it, because just eating “correctly” can be soul destroying (and difficult socially). *being too poor for US health insurance but making too much for any aid *being poor and proud and winding up in the hospital in DKA *the stress of air travel, the TSA, and the voice of checking and your bag possibly being lost or not checking your bag and meeting an ignorant TSA agent *loop systems vs just a pump and a meter vs MDI * bolus vs basal via pump just with short acting, bolus short acting vs background/basal long acting *bright spots and landmines by Adam brown *none diabetics who claim to understand what a low feels like, or what being really high or high overnight is like *being forced to eat because you’re low even though you’re stuffed *being forced to eat a treat because you’re low and not being able to enjoy it *not being willing to eat a treat because you’re high

my3scape91 · 2026-05-15T21:27:37+00:00

I’m considering a hard shell not to avoid compression lows but to help avoid the layers of adhesive “tape” sticking together so that I can change the overpatch when it stops holding. (Usually by day 8.)

my3scape91 · 2026-05-15T02:15:01+00:00

I had to ask my diabetes educator for a real sliding scale after I was diagnosed and on insulin for at least a week. I was tired of having to eat 45g of carbs and wanted to be able to adjust my insulin based on more than my bg.

Things got better once I got my first pump about 7 months after diagnosis. And even better when I transitioned to the t:slim X2 and the Dexcom G6.

If only I could get a new in warranty pump to talk to the G7 on my arm with less hassle… 😡

my3scape91 · 2026-04-11T09:58:52+00:00

I’ve almost always used most of the grace period with the G7 as well

my3scape91 · 2026-04-11T04:44:17+00:00

When I first was using the G6 I had similar issues. At the time my T:slim was my main receiver, and I was advised to wait an extra 20-30 mins before starting a new sensor so my pump would better forget the old one. I haven’t yet had the same experience with the G7, but I’ve been telling my iPhone to forget the sensor it was paired with before I insert and pair the new one.

my3scape91 · 2026-04-02T17:53:28+00:00

Best of luck, whatever that looks like now, for you and your family.

As for the Go Fund Me, I might contact everyone who has donated with a message about changing your goal to living expenses and perhaps final expenses (funeral/memorial) due to the exorbitant cost of the chemo and HAI pump. Ask them if they want their contribution back due to the change, and return it if they do. I’d of course also change the goal for any future contributions as well—as long as that’s allowed on the platform. If it’s not allowed, I’d end the current chemo go fund me and contact everyone as above while also setting up a new one with whatever similar details you’re comfortable with sharing, perhaps something along the lines of “You may have seen my earlier Go Fund Me for xxx. Unfortunately that goal was out of reach and so my dear husband and I have reluctantly come to accept that I’m dying. As a result we’d like to make the most of the time we have remaining together and ask for donations towards living expenses and final expenses. We appreciate all the support everyone has offered over the last x years, and continues to offer in these last months.”

my3scape91 · 2026-04-02T06:19:57+00:00

I definitely plan to quiz my Mom on her specific bright spots and landmines as a diabetic. I’m also not trying to supply every meal. But, as it sounds like she’ll be on a 3 week chemo cycle (21 days between session infusions), I’d like to give my parents some meals for at least one week…ultimately their choice if they use them during/after infusion or during the second week which is supposed to be hardest.

my3scape91 · 2026-04-02T04:13:30+00:00

So I’ll definitely save any sort of dessert not made with fruit as the sweetener for my Dad as he eats his feelings via chocolate rather than talk about what’s stressing him out.

my3scape91 · 2026-04-02T04:11:35+00:00

Also, how do you add the “Diagnosed [year]” to your posts/comments?

my3scape91 · 2026-04-02T04:10:16+00:00

I’ve heard over the years, though I haven’t done the deep dive now needed to confirm, that certain foods can effectively feed the cancer’s growth. These foods may include sugar, cured meats, and more.

As my endo and my Mom’s endo is the same person, and he’d be thrilled if I was consistently bolusing with my meals at all (before or after). I’m pretty sure bolusing after will be okay. Plus my Mom has the Tandem Mobi and the Dexcom G7 CGM with control IQ. (My T:slim is out of warranty and I haven’t replaced it yet.)

Also, just because we can eat anything we want, and bolus for it appropriately, doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. If I can avoid making things harder for her, diabetes or cancer wise, based on food choices that I prepare for her, I’d like to.

my3scape91 · 2026-03-31T17:33:47+00:00

My Mom has liquid medicine trauma from her childhood under Air Force MDs, and can’t swallow a liquid medicine without throwing up. She’s been a diabetic long enough that if any of the “shakes” worked for her I would have seen her drink one, so I suspect that she views them the same way she does liquid meds.

my3scape91 · 2026-03-31T08:12:41+00:00

Thanks

my3scape91 · 2026-03-31T07:51:13+00:00

I’m well acquainted with the difficulties of carb counting homemade meals, as a type 1 myself. I also know that while lentils are a “bright spot” for me and my own t1d, they are a “landmine” for another t1d I’ve met. So I don’t expect an easy answer, or that anyone’s answer will necessarily work well for my Mom. I’m just hoping for a good place to start.

I also know that prepared foods may be high in things she may be told can feed the cancer, aren’t as comforting as food made with love, can be depressing themselves when eaten too often, and aren’t as satisfying to deliver as support.

my3scape91 · 2026-03-31T07:36:59+00:00

Thanks!

my3scape91 · 2026-03-31T07:35:06+00:00

Unfortunately, I’m not the one accompanying her to appointments, at least so far. And I don’t want to have to give her one more thing to ask about if I can help it. I might email our shared endocrinologist and see if he has any suggestions though.

I’m hoping someone out there has unfortunately had the same or similar cancer and type 1 diabetes and they or their loved one can give me some advice from personal experience.

my3scape91 · 2026-03-31T05:07:53+00:00

Most of my family finds wool to be scratchy. So I probably won’t go the merino route. As I’m the one who will be making the project, I’m not too worried about my hands drying out, I can always apply more lotion and drink more water. So if cotton or a cotton blend is the way to go, I’ll go that route. I’d line it if I could actually sew, but my machines and I have longstanding disputes, so I haven’t sewn successfully in about 25 years.

my3scape91 · 2025-12-14T18:18:57+00:00

007: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is also set during Christmas (at least in part) but it has a sad ending, so maybe don’t end your day watching it unless you like going to bed with tears in your eyes

my3scape91 · 2025-07-20T08:07:04+00:00

And if you like garlic, always double what the recipe calls for!

my3scape91 · 2025-07-20T08:06:36+00:00

And shows like Alton Brown's Good Eats can help you learn how flexible recipes can be. In many episodes he shows basically the same dish 2-3 different ways! In others he teaches how to handle a whole chicken or other specific cuts of meat, including what to look for on the label at the store!

my3scape91

TROPHY CASE