How did I find my way?

Type 1 diabetes has been my companion since my teens—when little was known about diabetes. I sharpened my stainless steel needle on a whetstone and boiled it for 10 minutes with my glass syringe before taking one shot of NPH insulin each morning. From that beginning I danced through thick and thin into current technology. Now I wear a state-of-the-art insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor.

I stayed healthy through the pandemic and wrote a book to share with people with type 1 diabetes, their supporters and people with other demanding conditions. Whatever physical challenge you have, I invite you to consider dancing instead of fighting.

My book introduces medical recommendations for staying well with diabetes. And I immerse those facts in stories. Making diabetes my ally has enriched my life, and I hope you will make that choice too.

As a diabetes educator I have worked primarily with type 2 diabetes in the Native American Pueblos of San Felipe and Santo Domingo. And I have coached type 1 and pre-diabetic people of all cultures as a consultant. Knowing that each of us is unique, I help clients find their own ways to incorporate diabetes care.

Being a diabetes educator has shown me how valuable it is for all of us to partner with diabetes. And my work helps me stay well. I tell my clients, “I have to listen to what I’m telling you.”