Caregiver Check-In
Well, 2021 is almost over. It certainly has been another crazy year with ongoing Covid-19 protocol, but the good news is that our kids are back in school, businesses are opened and we have gained a bit of normalcy again. We just need to get through this month and then we can welcome in the new year, and hopefully 2022 will be much better.
December is a busy month for many of us, whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day or any other holiday they entail family, friends, a lot of cooking, wrapping gifts and celebration. All of this on top of our regular schedule which includes taking care of our diabetic dog. Whether you are new to canine diabetes management or a veteran, the holiday season can cause excess stress. Today I want to go over some tips that may help you navigate through December 2021, so grab a cup of your favorite caffeinated beverage and let’s get to it!
Make sure that you have plenty of diabetic supplies. With all the online ordering shipping may slow down a bit, so if you buy your supplies online, order them two to three weeks before you are going to run out. If you purchase your insulin at a pharmacy, get it now ahead of the holiday traffic. If you purchase insulin from your vet call ahead of time to make sure they have insulin in stock and that they are opened. Remember that insulin is good until the expiry date printed so you can safely keep it in your refrigerator.
Get your holiday schedule in order now. If you are going to Grandma’s house to celebrate Christmas, find out what time you must be there now so that you know if you need to adjust Fido’s food and insulin schedule.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. A lot of times caregivers take on too much and don’t ask for help because it’s just easier to do it ourselves. Let go a little bit…if you have somebody that can test blood glucose levels and/or give insulin EMPLOY THEM TO HELP.
Add the word “no” to your vocabulary and use it. You don’t have to use it in a rude way, you can kindly decline a function if you aren’t up to it or baking all those pies may be too much work. It is okay to say no so that you don’t overextend yourself!
Take time out for yourself. It is okay to take a long bath, get a manicure or pedicure, take yourself to lunch, buy a favorite treat, read a good book, binge a TV series or put headphones on and listen to your favorite band LOUD. We give all this time to our family, friends, job, house, pets and it is OKAY for you to carve out some time to take care of you!
Until next week stay comfy and caffeinated!
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please start a conversation below.
If you are looking for a Facebook community to join for support, I have proudly been an admin in Diabetic Dog Owners for almost five years. You can also join Canine Diabetes Support and Information on Facebook as well.
Be sure to join the PetTest family on Facebook and Instagram. PetTest has fun, interactive posts AND they have fabulous giveaways every week!
Do you need a blood glucose meter kit for your diabetes arsenal? Click here to purchase one today!
For a printable version of this blog click here.