As a person with diabetes, I find myself constantly informing others.

As a person with diabetes, who also has a 90-year-old grandmother with type 2 diabetes, I find that I am a springboard for "real world" information for my mom and aunts who have to sift through what Bami's doctors tell them, what they hear on the news and what they read. It wasn't long after the oral diabetes drug Avandia made headlines in regard to worsening heart conditions that I got calls and emails from Mom and my two aunts. Bami has a history of heart trouble (runs in the family) and had a severe heart attack roughly 20 years ago. They wanted to know if she should stay on the drug.

I told them she should absolutely stop the drug and that they should insist to Bami's doctors that she be put on another oral medication. Every time a news story hit the wires or my inbox, I forwarded it to all of Bami's caretakers. Her endocrinologist, cardiologist and primary care physician all think she'll be OK if she stays on Avandia. While I disagree, I feel so fortunate that Mom can call me (often as a first resort) and say, "Here's what's happening. What do we do?"

In fact, that happened over the weekend. Mom and Aunt G. conference called me (we were so thrilled to have mastered modern telephoning!) to discuss Bami's upcoming oral surgery. She's terrified of going low during the surgery, Aunt G. said.

I could certain understand that having gone through my own outpatient surgery not long ago. We chatted at length about what the doctors told Aunt G. to do, when Bami can eat, what meds to skip, etc. I reminded Aunt G. that while doctors and nurses often have a general idea about diabetes, they don't have that expert knowledge that will really help a patient have the best experience in a case like this.

The best thing, I suggested, since the surgery is first thing in the morning, is for Bami to go into it high. If she has complex carbs--versus trying to elevate her blood sugar with simple sugars, which would make her crash--for dinner the night before she'll increase her chances of being higher longer.

"You're going to have to consciously give up a day of decent blood sugars," I said, "to help give her piece of mind that she won't go low during the surgery."

"But won't they check her sugar during surgery?" Aunt G. wanted to know.

"I don't know," I said. "But let's not count on it."

What I'm getting at is being your own advocate--or talking to someone who can help you be your own advocate--is quite often the best medicine.