Craig Roberts
D.A.W.G.S. leader
While I am not a health care professional myself, I am an interested, knowledgeable individual with diabetes who thinks that a self-help group could benefit many of the diabetic individuals in our community. I know of nine such groups within an approximate hundred-mile distance, but I am not currently aware of any other such group within fifty miles. I am employed as a Computer Support Specialist at Waycross College (PLEASE DO NOT CALL ME THERE!), but enjoy helping people and am just trying to do what I can to help other people with diabetes to manage their condition.
I used to struggle to maintain control over my blood sugar, but between educating myself through research (mostly on the Internet and by reading diabetes-specific magazines, such as Diabetes Forecast, Diabetes Health, and Diabetes Self-Management) and starting insulin-pump therapy, I have gained control over my condition. For those familiar with the A1C test and its results, ten of my last eleven have been below 6.0%, with two consecutive tests each being 5.1%. That puts my average blood sugar in the same range as a normal, non-diabetic person. I would like to help others gain the same control over their disease.
I invite anyone who has diabetes, or wants to help someone they know or love that has diabetes, to attend the meetings, join the mailing list, participate in discussions, or communicate with me (via e-mail, phone, or in person) to discuss diabetes-related issues. I also encourage anyone to offer their assistance, suggestions, ideas, observations, or comments for improvement of the group or any individual member.
January 10, 2006 - I had blood drawn for labwork again on Tuesday, January 10, 2006. My A1C at that time was worse than previous results, but still very acceptable. There are reasons for this (NOT EXCUSES!). In November, my mother-in-law was ill for a while and then passed away. There was a lot of stress during this period, and it messed with my blood sugar. Then, there were the holidays... Need I say more? :) And, late last year, I got sick with bronchitis and a sinus infection. It took a couple of weeks to get over it, and, as most of you know, illness can wreak havoc on your blood sugars. So... my A1C was 5.9. Still under 6.0. 
April 27, 2006 - I had blood drawn for an A1C, and other blood work, on Thursday, April 27, 2006. The result? It was 5.7 this time. So, that makes over two years with an A1C under 6.0...
August 22, 2006 - Okay, I blew it. I admit it. Nobody's perfect, right? Seriously, as a lot of you know, my dad had been seriously ill for several months during and after the summer of 2006, and between a lot of travel to visit and check on my parents, and a lot of stress, I'm sure my blood sugar was affected adversely. Anyway, from blood drawn on Tuesday, August 22, my A1C was up to 6.2. Still well under the ADA's recommendation* and under the AACE's recommendation**. So, it could be worse.
December 14, 2006 - As if I haven't had enough on my plate, so to speak... my brother was in the hospital for several weeks in November. Many of you, including those who attended the organizational meeting in October 2005, have heard me talk about my brother. He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1986 at the age of 29. Admittedly, he did not take the best care of himself, and his ailments showed that. In 2003, he had to have heart bypass surgery; late in 2004, his kidneys failed, forcing him to go on dialysis. Well, after several weeks in the hospital with a staph infection (contracted through dialysis...?), he passed away late in the afternoon on Saturday, December 2, 2006 His passing just gives me more encouragement to continue the support group to help others, as he was proud of me forming and leading this support group. Despite an average blood glucose of around 300 for about a day after Brian's passing, my A1C result including that time was pretty good...
April 3, 2007 - I had blood drawn for an A1C, and other blood work, on Tuesday, April 3, 2007. The result? It was 5.8 this time. So, that means that my A1C has been over 5.9 only one time in the last 11 results, covering a span of almost three years.
July 30, 2007 - Since the AACE and other world organizations recommend an A1C of under 6.5, I guess I should be satisfied with my results being in the upper 5's... I keep striving for the low 5's, like I had a couple of summers ago. But, I just can't get it that low again... But, then, I guess if I raised my goal, my A1C would go up, too. So, I'm happy with another 5.7.
November 27, 2007 - Well, everything's just been going crazy lately, so my A1C is up, to 6.3, again... I know that sounds like an excuse, and it may be an excuse, or perhaps rationalization (sounds better, doesn't it?). Regardless, I vow that I am going to buckle down and get my next A1C down!
March 27, 2008 - Well, I vowed to get my A1C down, and I did it! If you have diabetes, I know that you can do it, too! Now, if I can just keep it down...
August 4, 2008 - Well, it's back up again... Darn it! But, honestly, over the past few months, I have had medical confirmation that my gastroparesis has worsened, and I know that has definitely contributed to a higher A1C. But, I think that if I can just figure out how to deliver insulin to match the emptying of my stomach, I can use it to my advantage to get my A1C lower... possibly lower than ever!
For the record my A1C results starting from when I started using my insuling pump (January 11, 2003) are as follows:
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