Circles of Support
Discover the surprising perks of adding people with type 2 diabetes to your circle of friends.
Friends are essential. And for people with type 2 diabetes, the support of others with the same condition can have a particularly powerful impact on health and well-being. One study of older men with diabetes found that those who joined member-run support groups (and learned about their condition) were less depressed, less stressed, and more knowledgeable about diabetes than those who did not. In addition, they felt better about their quality of life. Researchers have also found that when women are stressed, they're biologically programmed to seek out other women to talk things through.
Here are 3 heartwarming stories of how this shared condition brought people together and changed their lives for the better.
Two Faithful Friends
A Tightly Woven Friendship
Working Together Toward Better Health
Oystrola Chapple and John R.Cunningham
Two Faithful Friends
You could say that divine intervention brought together 2 people from Newark, Delaware. Oystrola Chapple, 66, and John R. Cunningham, 71, met at the Super Sixty class held at Pilgrim Baptist Church, where they serve seniors lunch and entertain them with Bible study and games. Now they inspire each other to make smart choices to keep their blood sugar in balance.
Chapple first learned how to eat healthier from a former coworker, who is a certified diabetes educator and a supporter of an outreach group for women with diabetes. In turn, Chapple has brought home the good word about good nutrition to all of the seniors she serves.
"I don't use bacon fat in our greens—I use bouillon," she says. "And I make my spaghetti with ground turkey and ground turkey sausage—the seniors really like that." Chapple also modified her own approach to dessert. "I used to eat a whole bowl of ice cream, but now I just put 1 scoop in and eat it slowly."
Adds Cunningham, "We try to help each other when we eat together. It's always good to talk to folks who have diabetes. They can share tips and ideas you may not know."
"It's always good to talk to folks who have diabetes. They can share tips and ideas."
If Chapple is the unofficial nutritionist of the two, Cunningham is the fitness guru. His regimen of regular exercise, which includes tennis 5 times a week along with regular swims in the summertime, has helped him to get his blood sugar under control—and is a source of inspiration to Chapple. "He gets after me," she admits. "‘You have to be more active,' he says, and I'm like, ‘Okay, John.'"
And Chapple takes the message and motivation to heart, thanks to another person in her life. "I have a new great-grandbaby," she explains. "And I'd like to see her out of college."
Cindy Bauman and Linda Latchic
A Tightly Woven Friendship
It was a combined love of Longaberger baskets that first united Pennsylvania natives Cindy Bauman, 60, and Linda Latchic, 50. And their mutual battle with blood sugar control cemented that bond. When Bauman was first diagnosed, she mentioned to Latchic that her fasting sugar was a little on the high side. "I asked if her doctors did an A1C test," says Latchic, "and it just went from there."
Both friends agree that sharing the ups and downs of diabetes has brought them closer. "Just being able to talk to someone who's going through what you're going through is helpful," asserts Bauman.
Nowadays, the two join other friends once or twice a month for a basket party or dinner out, and diabetes discussion is woven into their conversations. "We don't always talk about health issues," says Latchic. "But," adds Bauman, "when a question comes into my head, we talk it out." In fact, Bauman says the whole group benefits from the discussions. "They ask questions and they track my progress," she says. "It's a very supportive group."
Bauman's other favorite support group is held monthly at the Helwig Diabetes Center at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania. "They have speakers come in, we exchange recipes, it's very interesting," she remarks. It's also where she soaked up useful information during a 5-week course in diabetes management after her diagnosis.
Latchic, who has been in the medical profession for 30 years, wishes all people were as receptive to information as Bauman is. "I think it's great that there are classes to educate people on diabetes and connect them with others who have it. I wish more people took advantage of them."
Ben Diepenbrock and Joyce Dodge
Working Together Toward Better Health
Allen County Auditor Ben Diepenbrock, 56, remembers when he learned that his blood sugar was in the mid-400s and his A1C was 13: October 11, 2006. That was also the date that he met Joyce Dodge, RN, certified pump trainer and diabetes educator at the Diabetic Center at the Medical Park, in Lima, Ohio. "With Joyce's assistance, her coaching, her good advice, I was able to bring my blood sugar under control within a couple of months."
While it's no surprise that a diabetes educator was so helpful to a newly diagnosed patient, Dodge found that she, too, had benefited from working with Diepenbrock. "I have metabolic syndrome, or insulin resistance," explains Dodge, 54. "I struggle with my own issues, just like everybody that walks in the door." Being around people with type 2 diabetes is a constant reminder to make smart choices, she says.
"Being around people with diabetes is a constant reminder to make smart choices."
And Diepenbrock has been a reminder of the rewards that people can enjoy when they do what Dodge recommends. Diepenbrock now eats a healthy diet, exercises regularly, takes 2 diabetes medications, and monitors his blood sugar. "I probably wouldn't have made these changes if I hadn't been diagnosed. I'm much healthier than I was 3 months ago."
Diepenbrock's success has inspired him to post his profile on the community area of a Web site, where he offers encouraging words for the newly diagnosed. "Ben wants to learn as much as he can. The blood sugar readings he's getting show us that what we told him to do really works. It's empowering to see."
Diepenbrock regularly phones Dodge to update her on his progress and re-evaluate his treatment. For Dodge, his check-ins also provide positive affirmation for her and her coworkers. "There's no cure for diabetes, yet it can be very manageable," says Dodge. "I think the big thing for people is fear of the unknown. When they learn more, it takes the mystery out of it."
Finding Your Own Circle
Ready to reach out and talk to someone…or maybe just sit and listen? Here are some ways you can strengthen your support.
Cast your net. The Internet can be a good starting point, and you can make connections while maintaining as much anonymity as you want. For instance, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) site (diabetes.org) offers message boards on which to share ideas and opinions on a variety of topics with people affected by diabetes. And you can do so using a made-up screen name.
Pull up a chair. Ask your doctor or local hospital to help you find a support group for people with diabetes. The ADA also can help; call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit their Web site and type in your zip code in "Local Events and Information." Even if you're not one to speak up, you can learn a lot just by listening to other members. Most groups also offer free lectures given by experts, such as endocrinologists and nutritionists.
Be well-read. Your local library or hospital can be a good source of written information, cookbooks, and other resources for people with diabetes. Take out a book or two on the subject, and flip through them at a library table or in the aisle. You may find yourself standing next to someone who's also managing diabetes and who can offer suggestions and support.
YOUR DAILY COACH
Spread the word. Talk to your friends and family about diabetes and what you're doing to manage it. That way, they'll know to allow time for you to check your blood sugar levels between dinner and a movie, for example. You may learn that some of your pals also have diabetes or know someone who does.
Patient Tools
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Daily Glucose Tracker
Use this handy grid to record glucose levels quickly and easily. -
Exercise Journal
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