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It was Saturday, August 2, 1986, my mother woke me up – “your father is dead, your father is dead”.  He was 53 years old. He died of complications related to diabetes. He died two weeks before I was to start medical school. He was a brilliant man and extremely generous. With every major event in my life, I think of him. I miss him. That is my everyday reality.

November is American Diabetes Month and this month the focus is on Everyday Reality. One out of 10 people in the United States has diabetes and that means that all of us is touched by diabetes is some way. 84.1 million people have prediabetes.  Unfortunately, 9 out of 10 people with prediabetes do not know they have it.

If you ignore prediabetes or do not manage your diabetes, you are at risk of blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, loss of toes, feet or legs and death. This is preventable.

For those who have been diagnosed with diabetes, it is important to have close follow up with your physician. Know your numbers and what is expected. Take your medications as directed, exercise and monitor what you are eating. Make sure that youare getting your feet checked regularly. Do not be afraid to use insulin if you need it.

For those with prediabetes, take advantage of the programs that are available in your community. There is the National Diabetes Prevention Program which is a lifestyle change program that has been shown to cut the risk of developing diabetes by 50%. You can click here to learn more about the program and to find a location near you offering the program.

With 1 out of 4 people not knowing whether they have diabetes and 9 out 10 people not knowing that they have prediabetes, it is so important to know your risk. Take the American Diabetes Association Risk Test. It is also important to know your numbers especially your hemoglobinA1C.

Diabetes is very personal to me. Together we can be a source of encouragement  for those who have diabetes and we can make people aware of the importance of finding out their status. It starts with us. What is your Everyday Reality? Do not be afraid to share your story, it might make a difference to someone close to you.