cover image A Life of Control: Stories of Living with Diabetes

A Life of Control: Stories of Living with Diabetes

Alan L. Graber, Anne Brown, and Kathleen Wolff, Vanderbilt Univ., $19.95 (208p) ISBN 978-0-8265-1733-3

Medical practitioners and co-workers Graber, Brown, and Wolff present an inspiring compilation. Stories by and about patients meld with comments from the care team, offering specifics about diabetes and treatment; readers will learn facts about gestational diabetes, how stress impacts glucose levels, and more. From a patient's letter about wishing for a day off from diabetes, to stories about patients dealing with the possibility of diabetes-induced birth defects, or treating the condition in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the authors humanize the epidemic while also setting an example for empathy in the patient-practitioner relationship. Readers will find the many faces of diabetes, as well as the dedication required to maintain a healthy diabetic life, to be astonishing. The medical team has seen substantial improvement in diabetes treatment protocols over the years; current techniques include insulin pumps, continuous monitoring, and service dogs that can diagnose blood sugar levels by smell. The authors conclude with a summary of screening and treatment recommendations. A Life of Control will greatly interest not only those with Type I or Type II Diabetes, but their family members, physicians, and clinicians. (Nov.)