Reflect for a few moments on what gained your interest in diabetes education. I suspect that we, like our patients, each have our own story, our own gifts and talents we bring to the table. It’s more than likely that it wasn’t one event, one lecture, one article or one particularly rewarding patient experience that led you to diabetes education. I would suspect it wasn’t the mission statement, albeit important, that drove you to dedicate time, energy and resources for certification but something personal. Likely it wasn’t a thing, but a relationship. John Townsend in Beyond Boundaries shares that we commit to causes and organizations because of how they intersect with our own life experience. Let me share mine.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts, General Arts and Sciences. My desire was to either be a physical therapist or an art major and I started as the latter. As I matured I took my interests and turned them outwards desiring to help and serve others. After marriage I pursued an AD degree in nursing followed by my BSN. This added up to numerous courses in science, math, psychology, philosophy, religion, physical education and nutrition. The perfect storm! Our inpatient diabetes unit had an MSN, CDE that took an interest in my interest…and the story began.
The story doesn’t end there. Nine years into my passion for diabetes our then nine-year-old, Emily, developed DKA on a memorable Superbowl weekend. No one forgets that emergent trip to the ED, emergency transfer to the children’s hospital ICU and hourly neuro checks. Emily survived those precarious 24 hours, regained her strength and retained her empathetic nature. When asked to leave her room to get food downstairs she asked hesitantly, “Will I give diabetes to anyone else?” Little did I realize her interpretation of my profession. She also asked if she would one day lose her foot- like the people in my education videos she once overheard.
Eleven months later I diagnosed her sister Kate, age 12, with diabetes. Thankfully, she was thirsty and tired with a small weight loss – nothing like the dramatic experience of her sister. I filled her with 75grams of carbohydrate loaded with potassium on a 276 FBS and she shot to over 500 one hour later! She was admitted to the children’s hospital, read the six modules of education for parents, took the test and only missed two questions! She had read everything we brought into the house for her sister and was evidently well prepared. We were discharged at 8:30 pm the same day as admission, Christmas Eve, 2001.
My work has given me numerous opportunities to affect lives. The lives most affected may be the ones I share in my very own home.
Please share with us your story. Craft for us your own narrative. By connecting again to your own story and to one another’s, may we deepen our connection and dedication to our high calling, our profession, and deepen our commonalities.