Since I had a post about famous people with diabetes, I was wondering if you know someone personally who has diabetes and you admire them because of how they are accepting the illness. Tell us a nice story about them.

I have an older friend, Anne, who has had diabetes for as long as I have known her. She was a friend of my mom's and when my mother was diagnosed with diabetes, that's when I first found out that Ann had it too.

I remember my Mom was so upset when she was diagnosed because no one else in her whole family had diabetes. Every one of her generation called it "the sugar sickness" and they all thought it was from eating to much sugar. My Mom had never had a sweet tooth and never had sweets and I remember that Ann took her and sat her down and they had a long conversation about diabetes, where it came from and what my Mom had to do to try and keep well.

Ann was the one who walked my Mom through her first home test to see what her blood sugars were. It was a urine test and, since my dad worked at a Medical center he had brought home real test tubes and beakers for my Mom to use. I remember that Ann calmed my Mom down after the test was bad and she then helped her plan her meals for the week. She also tended to make special "diabetic" meals that she would bring over in a casserole dish that she and my Mom shared as they talked through the afternoons.

Years later, when I was diagnosed with diabetes, Ann came in to my home after I was released from the hospital and just gave me a hug, looked at me and said that if I ever needed help she'd be there.

At the time I was diagnosed I had been taking care of both my parents. My father was in a wheelchair from secondary polio from his childhood and my Mom was in a wheelchair from an amputated foot from diabetes.

Ann always took my Mom out to see other friends in her car while I had a slight reprieve and took my dad for a walk and to get some sun. Ann also came over and included me in her special meals and so I was able to not do big cooking for at least one night a week.

As a friend Ann was to be admired and as a teacher to others with diabetes, she was loved a lot.

My father, grandparents.. too cheesy huh.....
I have no celebritie or anyone that I know........
Mostr of t eh diabetics I know around here pretty much would rather not take meds and drink coke and have their feet amputated to get disability than be proactive................
Maybe my hubby should answer that question........