Sagepaper

Mom was diagnosed a few years ago with diabetes. Fortunately, she already knew from my husband and father about an unfortunately typical learning curve. Most adolescents have to go through three rounds of diabetic coma or ketoacidosis before learning to take their diabetes management seriously. Aside from being awfully sick, the teens learn that the chance of peers "catching them" monitoring and treating their condition is far less embarrassing than passing out cold in front of everyone and being whooshed-off to the E.R. under the lights and sirens of an ambulance.

Many adults don't need to err that spectacularly that many times before they get the idea. Mom is fortunate in having had a "pair-a-docs" in the family at the time of her diagnosis; she already knew to skip the trips to the E.R. and take her diabetes seriously. It was hard for her to learn all the food exchanges and such, and then to learn her own body's responses. She kept the trial and error well "within bounds," however.

Parents and family members can get understandably worried and protective of the newly diagnosed who are going through their initial learning curve. It must be terrifying to get your teenager through the expected THREE rounds of diabetic coma or ketoacidosis. Once the learning curve has been survived, however, the patient can then go on to enjoy a full, active life. Mom does all the things she has always enjoyed -- she passed her learning curve through tutorials about it, rather than by going the hard way.

Diabetes is an epidemic in America. If you or someone you know of has or gets diabetes, please remember to skip all, or at least part, of the dangerous learning curve. The doctors and nurses are not making-up scare stories for you in your education. They are dead serious. Pass the E.R. and proceed directly to "GO." I don't know as you get $200.00, but you do pretty much get to live the life you could without your diabetes.