Diabetes Diary, Part 2

I periodically get newsletters from hospitals in my area. Typically, I toss them out, barely having read the cover. But recently I received one that caught my eye. I was flipping through its pages when an article jumped out at me: “Diabetes Treatment Center Makes Debut.”

The article seemed serendipitous. I’ve been without a primary care physician (PCP) for more than a year. Dr. L, my former PCP, had handled my diabetes management since 2001. But in December 2006, she announced that she was changing the nature of her practice, making it unfeasible for me to continue to see her.

Finding a replacement hasn’t been easy—and not just because I felt a bond with Dr. L. One internist I visited flunked her tryout after prescribing the wrong version of my insulin. Another highly recommended PCP informed me that she wasn’t taking new patients. And several doctors referred by friends don’t take my insurance. Meanwhile, too much time was passing since my ABCs—A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol (LDL, HDL and triglycerides)—had been checked.

Then, as if on cue, the newsletter arrives in the mail. It boasts that the new diabetes center is state-of-the-art and has a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. A one-stop shop, it offers endocrine consultation, diabetes education, nutrition counseling, podiatry, retinopathy screening and self-management training.

Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I called and made an appointment. It’s in April, and I can’t wait. I just hope that the center lives up to its hype. I’ll keep you posted.

Until next time,
Nicole Crawford-Tichawonna
Contributing Editor