Guest post by Jassica Mendez
Dealing with a chronic illness such as diabetes can be strenuous. On top of that, significant life changes inevitably cause some degree of stress. So, without careful consideration and planning, your moving day with diabetes could cause your symptoms to flare up. Luckily, there are ways to simplify your life and the big moving day. So, if you want to ensure a smooth move, stay tuned for our tips on moving when chronically ill.
Essential tips for your moving day with diabetes
Changing houses puts a massive strain on people and can intervene with their diabetes management. This especially holds today, as many people have to move due to the pandemic and shutdowns.
Luckily, people can relocate successfully with diabetes. Above all, the change can be a pleasant surprise too. So, if you are moving to your larger dream home, there are things you’ll need to take care of to ensure a smooth moving day.
For instance, you should have an emergency medical kit by you at all times carefully plan when and what you will eat on a moving day. People who have diabetes must create a meal plan for events like this. Even though food doesn’t sound like something that should be on top of someone’s list on a moving day, some medication requires taking it before or after a meal.
Therefore, to avoid feeling unwell during a day that is bound to be tiresome, here are the tips to follow when moving with diabetes.
Make a plan ahead and stick to it
Planning is the number one piece of advice for everyone moving homes, especially those living with chronic illnesses. For example, if your diabetes makes you feel unwell after an active and tiresome day, you should ensure you have enough time for all the await tasks. With that said, you should ensure you undertake the tasks reasonably and in small chunks of time instead of cramming everything in a single weekend.
The same goes for the actual moving day: many chronic illnesses organize their lives around their medical problem. Therefore, you should listen to your body, be aware of your limits, and don’t let other people’s methods and expectations get in the way.
Make all the necessary arrangements
The physical and mental effort required to move home shouldn’t be underestimated. In terms of the physical effort, you should be aware of the heavy lifting involved. So, if you are dealing with an illness that causes discomfort, you should consider hiring a full-service moving company that can do these things instead of you.
This way, you will minimize the labor you need to do. Also, you will ensure having peace of mind and simplify your move.
Moving supplies are crucial
If you’ve been dealing with diabetes for some years now, you must have a lot of diabetes-related items accumulated. So, make sure you pack a separate box with your supplementary medicine and diabetic equipment.
Alt tag: Moving supplies (a box. duct tape, and scissors) on a wooden table.
Get organized and line up your care
The general rush of moving can easily cause you to forget to get your refills and check expiration dates. So, when the moving time comes, it’s vital to write things down to control your diabetes better. Keeping your to-do lists, schedules, and those kinds of things in a binder you always keep near will be lifesaving.
Additionally, having a relocation-related binder with all the dates, tasks, and bills will help keep up with everything.
Another thing you shouldn’t forget is to change your healthcare provider once you move. Or even make the arrangements beforehand. For example, if you are moving to another state, you might need another insurance plan, pharmacy, and support services. So make sure you include what you will need before your move to make it easier for yourself once you are there.
Don’t hesitate to ask friends and family for help
Preparing for your moving day with diabetes is the perfect time to ask your family and friends for help. They can help you clean the place, clear out your closet, or pack the boxes. In addition, you can all use this time to say your goodbyes if you are moving somewhere further away.
Unfortunately, not everyone has friends or family to turn to. So it’s good to be aware that professionals can assist you with physical tasks. Also, your local council or community may be able to provide some support.
Have an emergency kit
Doctors recommend always keeping your meds nearby, as well as some emergency kit. Even though you might not take packing and moving boxes as an exercise, it’s simply not a thing your body is used to doing. Therefore, those activities can easily lead to your blood sugar plummeting.
Simplify elsewhere to manage stress
Apart from all the logistics, the most challenging part when managing a relocation is stress. So, since you have some unavoidable projects on your plate, you can try and simplify the rest of your life. Logically, it all starts with doing things beforehand and being organized.
By staying organized and arranging everything in advance, you can pay attention to some of the following:
- pare down your social engagements;
- avoid unnecessary school involvements;
- put your finances on prepay;
- get enough sleep;
- give yourself some time to relax and say goodbye to your previous home;
- keep up with your usual routine as much as possible.
Final words
No doubt, dealing with a chronic illness can make your day-to-day tasks a bit more challenging. Hopefully, our tips for your moving day with diabetes will lead to fewer flares and help you stay on top of your health game. So, make sure you refer to our article to focus your energies in the right places.