True or false - many people with diabetes are too lazy to manage it properly.
False. According to Dr. Paul Rosman, endocrinologist and past president of the American Diabetes Association’s Ohio Chapter, this is not true.
“The most common approach is for people to work very hard at managing their diabetes,” says Dr. Rosman. “But people don’t understand how to categorize diabetes data into manageable pieces in order to sustain a happy life with diabetes.
Dr. Rosman recently worked with DiabetesDaily.com, a leading online resource for people with diabetes, to launch “Workshop for Better Blood Sugars” through Diabetes Daily University. This new online diabetes education course provides patients with the fundamental knowledge and know-how to use information about their diabetes in the most effective way. The course demonstrates how to make active behavior changes based on data and arms course participants with the tools to achieve sustainable success.
Dr. Rosman has identified five critical components of successful blood glucose management to help people with diabetes navigate all measurements and data they obtain - and avoid diabetes information overload.
1. Know where to start. It’s overwhelming to see a sheet of paper filled with blood sugar readings. Keep things small and manageable to stay focused. Start by recognizing when you have good numbers.
2. Use your best to fix the rest. It’s easier to extend the good parts of the day than it is to fix high and low blood sugars after they happen. When numbers go from good to bad, figure out what happened. Was it exercise? Eating more carbohydrates than expected? A stressful conversation with family (which can raise blood sugars quickly)?
3. Identify roller coaster blood sugars. Look for periods when your blood sugars go up and down like a rollercoaster. What events happened to trigger the pattern? If you have a low blood sugar followed by a high blood sugar, be careful of taking too much medicine to treat it. Once you have had one low blood sugar, you are very susceptible to another later in the day.
4. Recognize the warning signs of burnout. Excellent blood glucose management routines can be sidetracked by seemingly small incidents. Watch out for scheduled changes in life events, like adjusting work and sleep schedules, the transition between seasons or major life events-like holidays, weddings, birthdays, etc. These things can all derail good management and lead to burnout if you are not prepared.
5. Understand your doctor’s checklist and articulate your problem/concern in his terms. Expectations for the outcome of a doctor’s appointment are glaringly different for a doctor versus a patient. Legally, doctors need to meet certain standards and even have a checklist of things they need to accomplish, while the patient is often looking for answers or worried about disapproval. Tell your doctor you know they have a list of things to accomplish during your visit, but that you also need their help with a specific problem. This sets the agenda in advance and ensures that your needs are also met.
Patients can access in depth course content and take advantage of group and one-on-one support by registering for “Workshop for Better Blood Sugars” at http://university.diabetesdaily.com/.
Montrose, PA - The Board of Directors and hospital leaders from Endless Mountains Health Systems [EMHS] were joined by members of the community in a ceremonial groundbreaking on a massive construction project to build a new 25-bed state-of-the-art medical facility in Montrose. The new, three-phased hospital project represents the largest and most expensive expansion in health care services in the Northern Tier.
Hospital and community leaders break ground on the construction of a new $45 million health care facility. Program participants from left to right: Chris Caterson, EMHS Secretary/Treasurer; Dr. Joseph Speicher, EMHS Medical Staff President; Rex Catlin, EMHS CEO; Rep. Sandra Major; Ray Wilmarth, EMHS Board Chairman; Senator Lisa Baker; Rep. Tina Pickett; Michael Angerson, USDA; George Stark, Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation; Loren Stone, EMHS Executive Vice President.
“A project of this magnitude requires a strong public-private partnership to garner the necessary resources to make it all possible,” according to Rex Catlin, EMHS Chief Executive Officer. "It is just such a partnership that brings us to this groundbreaking ceremony today. This is a great day for the betterment of health care in Susquehanna County and the entire region.”
Architectural rendering of new Endless Mountains Health Systems facility.
The new hospital will have access to a multi-specialty physician suite, a six-bay emergency department with an airborne infection isolation room, cardiac/trauma room and a helipad. There will be an expanded operating room, additional exam rooms and increased number of beds. The new hospital will be located on land owned by EMHS in Bridgewater Township and will provide top of the line health care while creating jobs for the residents of Susquehanna County. The total estimated project cost is $45 million.
A major portion of the funding for this project is being provided through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development's Community Facilities programs, which helps finance and develop essential community facilities for public use in rural areas. EMHS leadership stated that additional funding will come from other public sources, corporate, community and private foundations as well as donations from the citizens of the greater Susquehanna County region.
Several of the committee chairs met in Scranton with Jane Helman, conference chair, to work on plans for the October, 2012 Keystone State Reading Association (KSRA) conference, “Read and Shine.” Because the committee is composed of members from across the state and to save on travel and expense, several were Skyped from Elizabethtown in order to participate.
Members of the Northeastern PA Reading Association (NPRA) met in Scranton to work on plans for the October conference which will be held in Seven Springs, PA. “Read and Shine” is the title of the conference which will have authors, featured speakers, and workshops for reading teachers all over Pennsylvania and nearby states. Standing are Angee Cobb, Jeanie Prall, Jane Helman, Sharon Kinney, Donna Salva; seated are Cindy Reynolds, Hollie D’Agata and Tammy Brown. Absent from the photo was Elizabeth Dessoye who was at the meeting.
Jane Helman has been a long-time active member of both the local NPRA and the state KSRA. She is the Keystone State Reading Association Vice-President and the 2012 Conference Chair. She is a retired teacher from the Tunkhannock School District and presently is an instructor at Marywood University. Committee chairmen present reported on their progress in planning for programs, publicity, decorations, evaluations, books and authors, and conference speakers.
NPRA is the local reading professional organization for individuals who are devoted to the improvement of all aspects of reading. They provide guidance in areas in which reading is vital to educators, students, and parents in Lackawanna, Pike, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. Upcoming professional development sessions they are sponsoring include “Making Book Characters Come Alive”for families and teachers by Cindy G. Reynolds at the Scranton Public Library on March 8 and the Wayne County Library on April 12. “Supporting the Development of Social Skills in Students with Autism”will be presented at the NEIU on March 21 by Elaine Geroulo.
The group also sponsors Reading Time at the mall where local celebrities and readers read books and offer a variety of hands-on activities. All children who participate receive a free book. This year the event is on Saturday, February 25, from 10:15-2:15 at the Steamtown Mall.
In its quest to support excellence in education of future teachers, NPRA will award a $500.00 scholarship to a qualified student member of the association. The student must be enrolled as a third year education major in a four year program at a local college or university. Applications can be secured from the education department of the colleges.
In addition to offering events locally, the association is supporting an international project as well. The members donated money for the shipping of the Little Dresses for Africa Project. The dresses were made out of pillowcases by 4-H groups in Susquehanna County for children of Africa so they can attend school.
The final event of the year will be a Spring Brunch at the Ramada in Clarks Summit on April 14 and will feature a local author or illustrator.
