November is American Diabetes month, a chance to highlight what diabetes is and it’s impact on people across the country.
“Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are truly two seperate entities,” Dr. Shaili Felton said. Dr. Felton is an endocrinologist at Covenant.
“Type 1 diabetes, typically, what happens is that your body starts to make anti-bodies against the beta-cells in the pancreas, and so as a result, it works to kill those beta cells off, where you lose the ability to produce as much insulin,” Dr. Felton explained.
“With Type 2, that’s more of a problem with insulin resistance. So what happens, is that for a number of reasons, the amount of insulin your body is making is not enough to sort of compensate for your blood sugar spikes,” she said.
Kelly Robinson was diagnosed with diabetes 13 years ago.
“You’re constantly checking your blood sugar, so I wake up in the morning, check it first thing in the morning, I check it periodically about six times during the day and taking insulin to adjust it,” Robinson said.
“I have to watch sugar, and carbohydrates, and I have to be careful when I exercise, and make sure I’ve got the right about of carbohydrates in my body when I exercise, so I am adjusting my diet depending on what kind of routine I’m doing,” She said.
Robinson said she does find positive ways to look at her diabetes.
“It is a devastating diagnosis, because you live with it the rest of your life and you’re never away from it, but you can take it on a real positive route, I’ve met wonderful people through the ADA, the American Diabetes Association, I’ve met wonderful physicians like Dr. Felton, there are great people out there to help, and again, it has positively affected our family, we eat better, we exercise, we’re more aware, my children are more aware of people with diabetes, so I think it can be a good thing if you just make yourself be positive,” Robinson said.
