Introduction
Often when I discuss diabetes diagnoses with my patients,
I am surprised by how calm they seem. True, my patients are adults, and
most of them have been confronted with a number of other chronic diseases,
such as high blood pressure or hypertension, asthma, or high cholesterol.
But the truth is that they are not calm. They are simply numb. These
individuals think of diabetes as just one more medical burden. Often, individuals
feel fearful and hopeless in the face of a diabetes diagnosis because they
are not educated about the disease.
Educating yourself about diabetes will not only make you
feel less fearful, it will empower you. Knowledge enables you to be an
active participant in your care.
This article explores five questions that all people with
diabetes should ask. You do not need to find the answers to all
these questions on the first visit with your healthcare provider. Ask them
gradually, as you are ready to absorb the answers. Don’t wait too long
though. Diabetes control should not be postponed.
What is Diabetes?
You may be surprised to learn that many patients who have
had diabetes for many years are unable to answer this question.
