It’s a family thing.

I have an uncle who is Type One Diabetic. He is in his late 50’s now and I guess he is, well, somewhat eccentric.
(I mean that in a loving way) A bachelor all his life, he has created a nice little niche for himself in a small bachelor apartment.
He has a good job but suffers immensely from his illness and no doubt loneliness being away from his family. But he has set himself up to feel safe in his environment and cope with the affects that are now emerging full force by this disease.
Thirty plus years ago when he was diagnosed, there was not a lot of information or knowledge out there about the risks, symptoms and complications of what life as a diabetic was going to be like. Well maybe that’s unfair for me to judge.
Thirty years ago I Knew nothing of diabetes and I know

that we were not educated as a family and here is where we let him down. We made judgments, conclusions and neglected to see the disease that was wrecking havoc on his body, mind and soul. We did not see someone who was struggling and very ill. Don’t get me wrong, I know for sure that my family then and has now much compassion and love for him, but ignorance was certainly ours much to our dismay and regret.
Now I even wonder if he himself was educated on the highs and lows that his body would go through. The prevalence of risk factors and complications, that arises from such an invasive and destructive disease.
Am I alone in my thoughts here? If you’re a diabetic or love some one who is, and know that they have been suffering for 20 or so years, how do you feel about the effects of lack of education that was available back then? I am not blaming science or the medical field what so ever. Back then people were much simpler…old school so to speak and well, progressiveness is not always in your gene pool. Some stick to old ways of thinking and old habits and don’t venture too far into this high tech world. My dad always says that if the power went out, the new generation would be…well useless.
What hurts the most is that this man, sweet, caring and sensitive was at times judged that maybe he was drinking when more to the point he was suffering from a low blood sugar.
Maybe, he did drink as well to numb the pain he felt… (I no longer judge someone’s journey and can’t even substantiate this) but as all diabetics know, this is a common misconception and one that has lead to discrimination of diabetics by law enforcement who are not educated in diabetes, employers and even family members who don’t know what is happening.
So here is my uncle, losing his eye sight, suffering from thousands of painful laser zaps in the eyes to help him (I will look into that treatment at a later date) and starting to become legally blind if treatment does not work. And as well dealing with the other damages this has caused to his body over his lifetime.
To add insult to injury, this eccentric, sweet, recluse of a man, is now facing eviction. Ignorance and greed can go along way. He has resided comfortably for 30 plus years in his abode, but since it does not make profit for the owners as they can only increase the rent so much each year. (Apparently, they are able to evict if they wish to use it for their own use.) He is being tossed out. Note that there are other units with not such long standing tenants.
I know that we all face issues of unfairness and injustice. How can anyone, kick out a person with 30 plus years under their belt? With blindness and disability setting in, removing him from the home he needs and knows. It is more then a home, it is an environment that he has created to function to the best of his abilities, not just for now, but for the impending deterioration of his health.
I hate this; it is so deeply troubling to see someone helpless and lost. But how do you fight for human decency the disabled need?

I am looking for answers, suggestions, even insight