From A Family’s Diagnosis to Diabetes Educator

How our diabetes educator, Susan Sloane, became an expert in her field.

By Susan B. Sloane, BS, RPh, CDE

My world with diabetes started 30 years ago when my oldest son Jason was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He was the tender age of 17 months. I was six months pregnant and armed with only my Dr. Spock “baby bible”. I was rather unprepared for what was ahead.

I am a pharmacist and subsequently went on to become a certified diabetes educator (CDE). I needed to learn. Diabetes was not just a word in my textbook; it was out of the book. It was real. I read, took classes, and developed a new awareness and respect for my upcoming challenge. Learning changes everything. It took away much of my fear and self-doubt.

Whether you have diabetes or have a close friend or family member with diabetes, you may be at the scary beginning of your journey. My story continued with the diagnosis of diabetes for my second son Marc. He was nine years old. This time things went much more smoothly. I was prepared. I knew how to proceed and knew that diabetes would be a part of my life—not the main character in my life.

The treatments we currently have allowed people with diabetes the chance to live a long and yes, healthy life. Is diabetes challenging? Of course—life challenges me every day. But, knowledge is power my friends. Here you will get answers to questions and hopefully share ideas with each other.

Elliott Joslin, MD, a famous pioneer in diabetes treatment, wrote: “The diabetic that knows the most lives the longest”. I would like to take that a step further and declare—“Education is always the best prescription.”

Part of that education is learning the importance of preparation. Having two boys with diabetes, I am well aware living with diabetes means being prepared. This means always having snacks available, keeping glucose on hand in case of low blood sugar, and trying not to be alone when possible. Telling friends and family about diabetes is very important in staying safe. Knowing when to test blood sugars and more importantly how to interpret these numbers is of paramount importance!

As a Certified Diabetes Educator, I will continue my efforts to help patients with diabetes live a full and healthy life. My goal as an educator is to show patients that diabetes is a manageable disease, once you have the proper tools and knowledge. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you who visit this site and sharing our stories, our fears, and our successes – knowing that we are in this together and this makes us strong.