I thought I knew a thing or two about diabetes because our cat had type 3c, which made him insulin-dependent. We'd been administering his shots for years before I got hit myself. Turns out I didn't know squat about T2, and it was a very, very steep learning curve indeed. So please, take your time, take a breath, and take it as it comes. You don't almost feel bereavement: This IS bereavement. That's perfectly normal and practically all of us went through it. That kind of comes with a literally life-changing diagnosis. It hurts, it aches, it hits us on the days we really don't want it to. (Like the holidays, which are plenty food-oriented!). Eating wasn't just a seemingly big part of your life... Think about it: Every social occasion, every celebration, every milestone, is accompanied by food. Births, birthdays, holidays, weddings, even funerals. We humans get together, and we eat. It's kind of our thing. So, yeah... Things have changed and it takes some adjustment.
That said... Yesterday, at my aunt's, we had our annual Christmas get-together of my side of the family. There were sugar free praline's for me, buckets of tea, and a cornucopia of cold cuts, smoked fish, cheeses, filled eggs and what have you.... And I ate until I practically burst. So I couldn't have the cake. *shrug* I certainly didn't miss it! And I had about, oh.... 5 or 10 grams of carbs, if that, while eating non-stop for 4 hours. After you've gotten used to this thing, and the people around you have too, they will find a way to include you. It's not all missing out and being the outsider. Again... Give it time.
Meanwhile... *hug*
