Endo Follow Up

This morning I had my first "true" follow up with my Endo. I've read other blogers accounts of their 3 month visit but I had yet to feel the anticipation of a new A1c. I entered the office, sat down in the testing room and anxiously waited until Dr. Goland called me into her office. Upon meeting me in the waiting room she had a huge smile on her face and pointed at a number in my chart.... 5.6!!!!!!!!!! Back on April 2nd my A1c was above 16 and during one of my early visits about the pump (mid May) my A1c was 7.8 - having a "normal" A1c let me know that all the hard work and sacrifices that I've been making since my diagnosis are paying off and that I am handing diabetes a "defeat" each day. The challenge to maintain this healthy level will continue to motivate me to run, lift, bike, swim and challenge myself athletically in whatever way possible. I may eventually have to find something besides chicken sausage and artichokes to eat but for now that's working too!

What made the office visit even better was getting to meet about 25 kids who go to the Naomi Berrie Center's summer camp. Each one of the campers is a patient at the center and about 2/3 wear pumps. I had no idea that the center ran such a program and was thrilled to meet all of them. Kerri who is working with me on the "Friends of the Berrie Center" fund raising effort saw me sign in and said I have something to show you... she took me to one of the back offices where I saw 25 of the happiest kids I've ever seen with bright yellow t-shirts on. Today they were all going to play tennis and earlier in the week they went to the zoo. The Berrie Center takes a family oriented holistic approach to diabetic care and seeing the smile on those kids faces really drove that point home. The office is more than a medical center it is a place of support, hope and confidence for all of us who struggle with the disease.