Diabetic Recipes
I was so shocked when I read a comment on my post about finding the right doctor for me that all I could think about was the first line to the response I would write. I just couldn't get past the shock.
The commenter suggested that, in short, I should consider therapy to address my anger issues regarding diabetes. You know what, that person is right. I am angry that I have diabetes. Damn angry. And I should be angry. This disease has the potential to consume my life, affects my family and invades nearly every activity I do. I have a right to be angry.
But this is not the kind of anger that requires therapy. This is the kind of anger that requires action. Finding the right doctor for me – especially in a new city – takes time and knowledge. Knowledge of my body, my condition, my desire for quality healthcare.
So to approach a new doctor with a set of simple expectations that include treating me as if I know what I’m talking about shouldn’t be out of the question. I mean, to ask someone nearly four years into their diagnosis to speak to a CDE about carb counting is, in my opinion, like asking a high schooler to go back to elementary school for no other reason than because they recently switched schools.
Being accostomed to a certain level of care and respect is not indicative of anger. It’s simply being proactive. Dr. C communicated with me several times per month via CareLink so we could tweak my basal and bolus rates and address any questions or problems I was having. I could e-mail him any time about any issue and he would respond by the end of the day. In fact, he once called me based on an e-mail I sent about how terrible my post-breakfast numbers were shortly after going on the pump. HE called me. And it was not long after I had sent the e-mail. He didn’t pawn this duty off to his nurse nor did he wait three days to do it. He did it himself and advised me over the phone on how to adjust my carb ratios.
That is the sign of a doctor who wants to be as proactive as I am. The fact that Dr. C trusted me and knew that I was educated about diabetes gave me the power over diabetes and put me in control of my treatment.
So to walk into a doctor’s office and know that this relationship is doomed from the start is not anger. It’s knowing what I want and need in my healthcare team and going after it full force.
Good for you. If the service you are buying is not the service expected, then fire the provider. Respect is as important as anything else when it comes to personal and professional relationships. You have my support. Usually I only read the blogs, but yours has prompted me to respond.
I am angry too. When the doctor says welcome to diabetics world I feel like I fall in an ice tank. It is very difficult for me to accept it. I'm only 34 recenlty married with no kids. Don't feel bad or mad with the suggestions of therapy. I went to a professional to talk about how I feel with the diagnosis. I'm working on it. Do not stay with the first medical opinion, take the second with another doctor, then you can decide with whom you will stay.
I'm the kind of angry that takes therapy because of my D. I was dx in June of 07 and was told by my dr that I was diabetic but if I lose about 80-100 lbs that it'd all go away. I got this evil thing because of other meds I'm on because I'm also schizoaffective/bipolar. I got a whole gammit of drugs I take now and new regimens for eating, sleeping, even pissing. If this doesn't make a person angry, I don't know what will. I figured, when I was a kid, that I'd be dead before I turned 40. My dr told me it's a possibillity now because I'm diabetic. I'm 38 and looking forward to living as well as I can before I die from whatever gets me in the end.
I'm glad to see some of us do admit we're just flat-out mad about this disease, this diagnosis, and this diabetes. Statistics show that most diabetics are more prone towards depression and therefore therapy is well-indicated. If your insurance covers it, and even if it doesn't, you sound like a good candidate for therapy. Like I said, there's a better way to feel and live. Good luck to you.
You know what Michelle I am mad to.Diabetes controls your whole life.But thats life. Iam having alot of problems with meds and food. But you act like you are the only one on this blog that's hurting!!!! And you act like you run this blog . Be glad you weren't told something worse! And believe me there is. It's a fact of life most Drs. dont care if it is that big of a problem for you then you should go out of town, for a new Dr. like someone told me,even though my city I live in only has two endos, most are not taking new patients. Maybe you need therapy along with your diabetes. Karen Wilson
Hey Karen,
I respect Michelle for knowing what she needs from her medical team and seeking out a doctor who provides her with the support she needs and wants to live a healthier life. Kudos to Michelle for that.
If you, Karen, are having trouble managing your diabetes with meds and food, you should speak with your medical team and ask them to help. Take your own advice - if your team doesn't listen, find a doctor who will.
Oh, and one last thing - Michelle is a talented and honest writer, and when it comes to her posts on Blogabetes, she does, in fact, "run" them. She doesn't speak for dLife or for you, Karen, but she does speak very well on her own behalf. And I applaud her for that.
- Kerri.