Q: My husband and I are taking a trip to France this year. I’ve been there once before, when I was younger. I’m excited to revisit special places and discover new ones. My husband, on the other hand, is reluctant and apprehensive about the trip. He’s not big on traveling. Also, he has diabetes, and he’s anxious about managing that while we travel. We haven’t worked out our itinerary, and I feel it’s all up to me to make arrangements. What can I do to make this trip happen and make it work for both of us?

A: Congratulations! You’ve won your dream trip to Europe! It comes with everything, including a reluctant, anxious husband with medical concerns and an extra suitcase full of anxiety!

A medical condition like diabetes is a challenge under any circumstances. So it’s understandable that your husband has some concerns about being in a foreign country. I would start this project by doing some research on traveling with diabetes. If you can reassure your husband, maybe you can get him more excited about the trip.

Here are a few tips for traveling with a medical condition like diabetes:

• Visit your husband’s doctor for advice ahead of time, and get a letter for airport security for carrying needles and supplies. Pack any medications in their original, pharmacy-labeled bottles for easy identification at the security checkpoint.

• Split his medical supplies between your suitcases, and carry-on a spare blood glucose monitor, test strips, syringes, medication and insulin, enough for a few days. Then if there’s any issue with lost luggage, you’ll have at least a few days before you run out of supplies. You might consider an FDA-approved cooling wallet for the insulin, available from friouk.com.

• Call your insurance company and let them know you’ll be traveling, and be sure you know how to access the care you might need while overseas.

• While traveling, carry appropriate snack foods and help him remember to eat through the day. Staying hydrated is also important, especially when flying.

Reassure your husband that food will be similar enough in France that he’ll be able to eat a typical balance of carbs, proteins and fats, although you’ll need to account for additional wine he might consume. Plan downtime after arrival and in between locations to be sure your husband gets adequate rest. Perhaps schedule fewer activities per day than you might otherwise. Most importantly, be compassionate about your husband’s concerns and reassure him that you are there for him and will help in any way to make the trip a good one for him.

Rest assured that people in France have diabetes too, so the medical community there is well equipped to handle any problems. Be sure you can communicate his condition in the local language (diabétique = diabetic person), but don’t be afraid to ask for English-speaking help. You’ll often find it gladly offered if you make an attempt to speak in French first.

Once your hubby feels more confident, hopefully he’ll join you in choosing places to visit and things to do. It’s OK to remind him that you need support too, and this is a way he can show it. If you still can’t get his involvement — then lucky you, you get to call the shots! Revisit favorite memories and make new ones. If you are having trouble sorting out where to stay, surf the Internet, get a guidebook, ask friends for advice, or contact a travel agent — they still exist and can be very helpful. Even if you can’t get your husband involved, you don’t have to plan the whole thing alone. Don’t give up the dream. Travel, live and enjoy!