You may be at risk for diabetes if...

Anyone else here bristle when you are presented with these statements?

I mean, no $4!†, Sherlock. I have diabetes. I am no longer at risk for the condition, it exists in me.

So why does my lab's A1c, if it exceeds 5.8, say "You are at risk for diabetes" rather than "You are within guidelines for someone with diabetes"? Did my diabetes suddenly go away just because I don't need to take pills or shots to control it?

Now, I know I'd be really peeved if I didn't have diabetes and a 5.8 A1c read, "You have excellent control of your diabetes" -- but come on, some contextual information, please -- or better yet, placing 5.8 in the "higher than reference normal" category and letting my doctor do the talking.

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I've said it before and I know others have too: it's awfully strange, considering my profession, that I don't read books. I've never been a book reader. Ever. I struggled through classes in high school and college that required reading novels.

I know, right? And yes I still want to write the Great American Novel. But that's different. Part of the reason I don't read more is that I'm easily distracted. I can sit down and read a chapter or two of a book, put it down and think that I'll be able to get back to it the next day. But then it's a week before I pick the book up again and I've forgotten what I've read.

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My last post about depression had me talking a lot. I mean, I cut like 200 words out of that post to get it to a readable length and here I am still having things to say about depression.

So when I left off I was an unemployed mother of two who was going through some seriously taxing financial and emotional times. On a rare day when The Mr. and I had time alone (I actually think we had gone on a date!) I admitted to him and to myself that I was depressed. I started taking Prozac and feeling better. I felt better that it was a problem that was recognized and that I was finally able to take care of it.

No. 2 was about two and a half when I finally found a job (and just five blocks from home!); I continued on the Prozac knowing that it wasn't just being unemployed that was making me feel so miserable. (READ MORE)

Angela

I spent the last two days planning the next 12 years of my life. I've decided to reconsider becoming a doctor, so I had to change every minute detail of the "map" of what I expected life to be like in the next years.

I am positive that if I do become a doctor, I'm going to become an endocrinologist specializing in diabetes management in children. This would entail finishing my current degree, going on to medical school, a residency and finally a fellowship. This means the next 6 years of my life would be strictly school work. The 6 after that would be training in my field.

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So, when I left you in my diabetes diagnosis debacle, we were all screaming at Harry and Ruth for not knowing more about diabetes (even though Harry was studying to be a diabetes educator. Yeah, seriously.). (READ MORE)

Kerri asked in my comments how my diabetes reacted post-delivery.

It was amazing. I was up to 38 units of insulin a day, as well as 2000 mg of Metformin (aka Glucophage). The morning I was scheduled for my c-section (for non-diabetes reasons) I did not take my insulin per instructions. I couldn't eat anyway because of the surgery. My diabetes team wanted me at 110-120 bgl pre-surgery, so I actually had to have a little glucose in my IV drip 2 hours before surgery because I had dropped into the 90's.

I did not need another drop of insulin while in the hospital. I haven't needed it since except for a few dietary indiscretions. (READ MORE)