"The
Human Side of Diabetes"
The
Year’s Review of Diabetes
Ginger
Kanzer-Lewis, RNC, EdM, CDE
As the end of the
year approached each Network News Channel conducted their own review
of 2001. Many started with the confusion of the election but all of
them spent a great deal of time of the changes in our country since
the attack of September 11th. I just heard a list of all
the famous people who died this year. The world has really changed and
I did not hear a lot of great things that happened this year. I should
be sitting here very depressed and miserable but I refuse to end the
year this way or begin the next year without hope.
I started to think
of the changes in diabetes in the past year and how people are affected
each day of their lives. This year started off fairly optimistic. I
had heard the report of the Edmonton Protocol at the Canadian Diabetes
Conference and was so impressed and excited about the potential for
great change. I kept thinking this really might be "the" end
of type 1 for so many people. Things like Nobel Prize and miracle flashed
through my head. As the year went on I heard about new drugs and durable
medical equipment that would offer new alternatives. Each new treatment
is the encouragement, every person with diabetes needs to keep them
moving forward.
Just last week I
heard in a news flash that there was a new cure for diabetes. My husband
often calls these to my attention and I am amazed that the diabetes
community missed knowing about this before the local news channel.
I remember when
we had three oral medications and Insulin to treat diabetes and young
women with diabetes were encouraged not to plan on having children.
I remember when young parents were told their kids would probably not
get through their teens. I remember urine testing and the world of can’ts.
You can’t do this, you can’t eat this, you can’t drink that and don’t
even think of working there or trying for that occupation.
We have scores of
meds now and what seems like a hundred alternative mixes or choices
in treatment combinations. I read every new achievement or legitimate
research study with the belief that we really have come a long way.
I having been telling patients for a long time that things are much
better and getting better every day. We have sharper, shorter needles
and lancets, we have automatic pens and pumps and watches and tiny meters
and smaller, better more accurate almost everything.
This is wonderful
and very helpful but it cannot replace the most important things. There
are really good people, health care people out there who are building,
or have built the support that people with diabetes need. There are
excellent clinicians, educators, technicians, scientists, and caregivers
who are available for people with diabetes. It is these people who really
offer the encouragement and hope for diabetes change.
We now have the
tools, the skills and the knowledge to bring information, education
and hope to the human beings who live every day of their lives with
the disease process that is diabetes. It is such a complex problem but
there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. So many of us
are working on this that it really has to happen.
I cannot believe
that this year will not bring more treatments, answers and hope for
those of us who think about this every single day of our lives.
Keep the faith.
Happy New Year and
best wishes for you and your family from me and my family.
Ginger
PS. In my last article
Betty Brackenridge’s name was spelled incorrectly. I apologize to my
dear friend. The world knows who you are and we are lucky to have you.
Ginger Kanzer
Lewis has been teaching people with Diabetes for almost thirty years.
She is a Registered Nurse with a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard
University and Certification in both Diabetes and Continuing Education
and Staff Development. Ginger has spent over twenty years teaching educational
methodology to health care professionals while working as Director of
Staff Development or Education in Hospitals through out the North East.
Ginger is the immediate Past President of AADE and is a well known national
and international speaker.
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