I was very pleasantly surprised by what I found in my inbox this morning. I had come across a tudiabetes posting on YouTube the other day, and decided to sign up once I had looked over the web site. My application was accepted over night and I found half dozen welcome messages when I logged on this morning. I thought I would take the opportunity first off to thank everybody for their warm welcome, and secondly to tell you a little bit about myself.
I was diagnosed with diabetes 24 years ago, just as I was leaving to do a fellowship at the University of Florida. I am an endocrinologist by training, but it certainly puts a different twist on things when you become the patient. Like many of you, I transitioned through a series of lifestyle changes and accommodations. What made a bit of difference is that for the past twenty years or so, I have worked in the pharmaceutical industry developing new drugs. While I have worked in many different areas, much of my focus has been on the development of new therapies for the management of diabetes and diabetic complications. I continue to work in that area, and as a result, I stay very current on new developments in diabetes management, including new drugs, devices, and lifestyle interventions. I do have the opportunity to interact directly with many key opinion leaders in the area of diabetes, and attend, on a regular basis, international scientific meetings. I recently attended the annual scientific meeting of the American Diabetes Association in Orlando, and will be going to Stockholm in a few weeks for the European Association for
the Study of Diabetes Annual meeting.
Nonetheless, I still face the same issues, challenges and choices that you all do. I am a pumper (Animas Ping) and a CGM user (Dexcom 7), and my personal experience with both of these really does help me understand the issues faced by so many people that I interact with in my day to day job. I am really looking forward to interacting with the tudiabetes community, and to learning from all of you.
Welcome aboard. This site has a nice cross section of diabetics who are also intrested (and intresting)… Techniques for coping with life, complicated by diabetes are exchanged. The interactive support is a boost, especially in moments of discouragement. With your background, the patients eye view should be illuminating.
Glad to see you here at TuDiabetes. I too am a T1 insulin pumper. I was diagnosed at 28 (almost 8 years ago). I am very interested and am looking forward to reading future posts from you. I have often wondered what changes/struggles would a person with your profession goes through in going from doctor to patient. Welcome.
two biggest question i see around on this website are:
What is best range of A1c?
After while we understand how A1c works…its just an average…So what is the optimum range for the deviation of BS and how badly does this deviation determine the long term affects?
what is the relationship between Hypo and long term physiological affects on the pateint?
Thanks a lot,
Raghu
Well , this is great for all of us here …Welcome !
Are you planning to come to Edmonton , Canada for the Professional Conference and AGM’s of the CDA , October 20-23 , 2010 ?
Welcome, Bill! I agree, may we learn from you as much as you learn/connect from us… I’ve been T1 for 40 years, shots mostly, pump for about 5 years. Had to go off the pump last December because I don’t have a full time job with benefits… ie: health insurance… It’s been a change for me as I lose one of the best aspects of the pump–freedom!!! Glad to have an endo. here, as I know you will truly understand us. I appreciate doctors and all that they know, especially really good ones who work hard to help us, but some doctors don’t really understand the complexities and challenges we face, much less a lay person… Regardless, I try to be patient and help them to understand as I know it helps all of us in the long run… Welcome, again! Rebecca {;D
