Forty-five years ago, when my daughter Desiree’ was about to be born, I was there in the delivery room, to support Gloria, and to greet our daughter into the world. I was not entirely sure what to expect. I had seen a medical movie about the birthing process, which struck me as unnecessarily graphic. Gloria
My cousin Michael lay on his back in the hospital bed. A tube ran from the top of his right foot down to a plastic bag of dark liquid. Mike has diabetes, and the circulation in his foot had been shutting down: the skin was turning black. Two days ago, the doctor used a marker
Meet February’s Champions Award recipient, Kristin Macdonald. Kristin’s dream was to work in Hollywood as an actress and television host, but her plans were altered after she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). Consequently, she decided to work behind the scenes in entertainment. RP is a rare degenerative condition that causes blindness over time. Kristin
The blood-taker nurse wrapped a rubber band around my arm, so the vein stood out. Then she reached for the syringe . “Wait,” I said, talking fast, “I have a question for you.” The needle paused. “I was a diver for an aquarium called Marine World,” I said, “and sometimes I would help the vet take
Imagine pain, excruciating pain, like broken glass in your veins. Now imagine, on top of that, being insulted — at the hospital? Hold that thought. First, the enemy: sickle cell disease (SCD) which means a change in the shape of your blood cells. Instead of being round and soft, the cells become hard and c-shaped, like a
February is Low Vision Awareness Month. Vision loss is a growing, urgent problem in this country. According to NIH estimates, 4.2 million Americans above the age of 40 are visually impaired, and that number is on the rise, potentially reaching 7.2 million by 2030. But we are not standing idly by—we are searching for answers. Meet
“You ought to get a computer!” said my cousin Tommy Snyder, a couple of decades ago, “It would help you write your books!” “Sure,” I snapped, ”Next time I get an extra $5,000 (computers cost a lot back then) I will just dash right out and get one!” Months passed, and I forgot about the
Our Champions Award recipient for January, Adam Brown, was diagnosed with diabetes in 2001 at the age of 12. Following his diagnosis, he often got conflicting advice that did him more damage than good. Over the years, Adam has learned a lot about how to handle his condition. Now, as an editor and columnist for
Meet January’s Champion Award recipient, Adam Brown. He was diagnosed with diabetes in 2001 at the age of 12. He now writes and speaks extensively about diabetes and chronic disease, and is recognized as a leading expert in diabetes technology. Today, Adam is a Senior Editor at diaTribe—a nonprofit devoted to helping diabetes patients better
