Dr. Pettus leads this special edition of the Edelman Report, interviewing Dr. E on his milestone anniversary of 50 years living with type 1. He shares his diagnosis story, early treatment regimens, how he deals with complications, the birth of TCOYD, and the things that have helped him the most over the last 50 years.
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Congrats Dr E! Thank you for being such a great advocate and teacher for people with diabetes. Blessings of health for many more years to come!
Thank you very much Melissa
Wow, way to go Steve and Jeremy!
Thanks for watching!
I just watched the video with Dr. Edelman about his 50 year dia-versary. I can follow it easily because my life has been almost the same. SO many things he mentioned brought back memories of instances in my past. I was 16 years old and knew NOTHING about diabetes. After it was suggested as a reason for my excessive thirst, urination, and sleep, I looked up “diabetes” in the encyclopedia (the main knowledge access in 1961!). My aunt would mention people with sugar diabetes and those with salt diabetes, so I didn’t know which I had (now supposing those with “salt diabetes” were hypertensive). I’ve got a BIG story, just like you, but I’m so very thankful to my God for protecting me from myself. I always wanted to do the best, but oftentimes failed. However, as a female, 74 years old, married with 2 grown children, I have NO diabetes complications. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! I am a Joslin Medalist and have been to Boston 3 times to participate in their Medalist studies. Thank you, Dr. Edelman for doing your part in educating diabetics. I wish I had someone to teach me at first…. wait, they didn’t know, either! We’ve come a long way, Baby!
Sincerely, Mary Beth Gibbs, Columbia NC 27925
Mary Beth..thanks so much for your kind post and congrats on your journey as well. Some of the younger folks with T1D have no clue what it was like in the early days..and I am happy for them! Stay well
Amazing! Congratulations, Dr. E! Happy diaversary!
Thanks Scott..you are next?
Thank you for sharing your story! Congratulations on 50 years with T1D! I appreciate the myriad of ways you have helped create awareness, provide education, and improve practice through ongoing research studies over your span as a physician. The quality and variety of platforms you use to reach people with diabetes, their families, and their healthcare provider teams is infinitely appreciated. Keep up the fantastic work!
Sincerely,
Tavia Vital BSN, BA, RN, CDCES
T1DM x 39 years
12 yo son diagnosed with T1DM 5/1/2020
p.s. Thank you for sharing your WHOLE story, including the complications that you’ve experienced. I feel like these real world discussions are super important for others who are living with the challenges of dealing with any of the diabetes complications. Thank you for pointing out the perspective that having complications does not mean you are a “bad diabetic.” Living with diabetes is hard. Living with a complication or many complications is hard. Being able to discuss them openly and knowing others have experienced complications is such an important area that needs ongoing awareness efforts, education and support.
BTW, There is NOTHING as delicious as a bowl of sugary cereal when treating an overnight low (plus insulin). Why does it taste. So. GOOD????
Tania..thank you so much for your note. I appreciate your kind comments and support. It is always difficult for me to discuss my story with diabetes and especially the laundry list of complications I have had to deal with. I just do not like sympathy. Maybe I need to get on the couch! Hope you are well.
Thank you Dr. E. And Jeremy for all you do for T1D’s. I learned about TCOYD several years ago when you came to Honolulu and also attended the T1D conference in San Diego two years ago. These conferences are inspirational. Whenever I meet another T1D I turn them on to your organization. You are a blessing!
Bette
52 years with T1 and going strong!
Bette…thanks so much! Jeremy and I love them as much as anyone!
Congratulations Dr. Edelman
You are my mentor and role model. I am so glad I found TCOYD. I also have had Type 1 for 50 years this August 2020. I identify with your stories about life with Type 1. I admire you for knowing what you wanted to do (being a Diabetes Dr.) I wanted to write a computer program in the 80s that would track blood sugars and give a report, but between being a young singlemother and working full time, I put it off and then someone else did it.
Your TCOYD Type 1 retreat is the best. I have been to all of them.Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Keep on educating us and I share what I learn with other type 1s.
Patricia Patterson, T1D 50 years
Desert Diabetes Support Group Leader (Palm Springs)
Certified Health Coach for Diabetics
Patricia..what a nice note..I love being a mentor to anyone and esp. without knowing it until now! ONE will be a fun virtual event this year but live in 2021 if everything permits
Congratulations!
I don’t remember my diagnosis because I was only 1.
My 50th T1D anniversary was in 2014.
Your comments are very familiar to me.
Steven..wow only one year old..your parents deserve a metal for dealing with that situation without the tools we have today. Glad you are still with us!
I personally really enjoyed the interview, I was dx’ed in 1967 and a few years older, a month before my 18th b’day. So I remember dropping the tablet in the test tube. the newly diagnosed today has it so much easier to control, calorie count on all but fresh fruit, the meds are so much more up to date, and the machinery. At the time of my dx’es I was working at the hospital as a CNA so I knew all the RN’s and they would come in to visit and be brutally honest about my chances of survival, so I started out TERRIFIED and craving my favorite food. I was thrilled when they put on the market the Glucometer. I immediately bought one and have loved them ever since. I came to the TCOYD when you came to St Louis that was when I first heard about Dexcom and dearly LOVE IT, it really makes life so much easier along with the Pump!!
Thanks for sharin gyour story..so glad you made it to a TCOYD conf and got on CGM..amazing technology. Stay well Carmen and join our virtual tcoyd on August 1st!
THANK YOU!!! Many people don’t know what it’s like to be concerned with health 100% of the time. I think you and Jeremy are great. When my Dexcom CGM beeps, sometimes I get comments like “what is that?” I then say “It sounds like someone has high blood sugar”. That response is met with “Why don’t you control that?” I then say, “Well, because it’s a disease and sometimes I get high blood sugar”. Occasionally, I follow that with an expletive.
You have a great attitude and it keeps me motivated. If I were your patient, I would like to know that you have complications. You keep it real. Does Jeremy know you ran an Iron Man in the 1980’s?
THANK YOU, again.
Congratulations on living with and managing life with diabetes for 50 years. Thanks for your honesty. I was diagnosed in 1964 at 18 months old. I had an amazing mom to whom I credit my life today.
Just watched the video. Loved learning your inspiration and learning why you do what you do. I can relate to your story because of my similarities. I have only been to one conference and that was Columbus Oh.
I retired as an RN in 2018 due to injury of tearing hamstring off pelvis. While doing hospital nursing and ER nursing before retirement, what I saw was lack of knowledge especially from patients, nurses but also doctors. Never did I miss a shift that a nurse, doctor or patient ask or needed to ask me for help.
You have given many more people the benefit to of learning and wanting to learn more about this ever changing disease.
Hope to be able to attend another program in the future.
Most important thing I have seen is the effectiveness of fitness to improve numbers, shaping but mental status.
I go to kickboxing (broke leg,, Zumba and Pilates. The heavy weight lifting tore hamstring. So happy to be back at gym.
Thank you.
Rebekah Tannehill
rebekahrn1@gmail.com
Dr Steve –
Congratulations on 50 years living with T1D – man, YOU ROCK!!!
Your being diagnosed with T1 diabetes has been a true BLESSING for the science of diabetes care and all PWDs. Thank you for all the diabetes wisdom you have so graciously shared with the world and for all you do for all of us.
Keep on doing what you do because we are all “hungry” for the healing energy and self-care wisdom you and the TCOYD team share.
Love,
Connie Hanham-Cain RN, MSN, CDCES
T1D Baby Boomer
T1D dx 12/28/1962
Connie..thank you so much for your kind words. They meant a lot to me..seriously!!!
Congrats Steve!!
Thanks so much Lynne
Just watched the video. Loved your story and your story is inspired me . I am a retired certified diabetes care and education specialist from New York . After I retired I join a Type 1 support group from my birth place Taiwan . Name of group call SuperT1family and participants age from 2 to 20s.
I would like to share your story with our support group. I believe that they will inspire from your story as well.
Can I get your permission to use your interview video on our SuperT1family website and I will translate to Chinese ? Thank very much for your consideration.
Best regards
Tsae Su
Congratulations Dr. E! You’re awesome!!! Great interview. I met you years back when I was in a study that Jeremy was doing for Type1’s. You were very sweet and hilarious and you signed my book! Haha. Good to see you doing well. Take care. 😊
Dear Dr. Steven Edelman : Kindly please make me aware if he meeting scheduled on Saturday 6/1/2020 will take place or cancelled because of Corona virus
In case it is cancelled what the new date that I may, have been postponed
Thank you
Abraham YARHI
Hi Abraham,
If you are referring to our conference on August 1st, the in-person event has been cancelled but we are holding it virtually. You can find registration information here: https://tcoyd.org/tcoyd-omaha-2020/
Registration for healthcare providers can be found here: https://tcoyd.org/mtc-omaha-2020/
Any other questions please let us know!
I really enjoyed this conversation. I learned, I laughed, I even got a little teary-eyed. It’s clear that the love and admiration is real and well deserved. I can imagine the good work of TCOYD going on and on, continuing to educate and help others live healthy, happy and productive lives. That must be very gratifying and an accomplishment to be proud of. Thank you for sharing your story with me and with the world.
Thanks for the heartfelt note Paul. It made my day/week/month! Please stay safe and sane in this crazy world we like in now. Sincerely, Steve
Congratulations Dr. E! I remember going to one of the first conferences when you went to Nashville, TN. I live in Austin, TX. I like country music and with the TCOYD conference being there, I just came a couple of days early and played tourist. I went to the Grand Ole Opry and https://thehermitage.com/ on a tour. Oh, I also attended your TCOYD conference. I was the person that came the most miles. Keep up the awesome job and hope to see you in Austin, TX again!
Bill…thanks for the nice note…see you in person one of these days. Stay healthy!
Hello,
This was fabulous! Congratulations on 50 years. That’s wonderful.
This morning you had asked me to send an email. I said on chat that I’ve been on Contol IQ & have to leave it on exercise 24/7. Just an FYI – lots of Chronic diseases aren’t helping but I’d love to get some help. Email me whenever. Thanks so much! Denise
Denise…one way to test your basal is to take your total basal insulin daily dose and make it one rate, then have an early dinner and fast until the next morning. If you get low then your basal may be too high, and if you creep upward it may be too low. With CIQ you should not need secondary basal rates.
Congrats Dr. E and thank you for your inspiration 🙂 I’m going on 30 years living with type 1 diabetes and I try to stay on top of it with diet and daily exercise. I’m currently switching to the tandem tslim x2 pump system from the Minimed 670g, so hopefully I can tighten my blood sugar control even more. Thanks again Dr. E, Kenny
Thanks Kenny, and congrats to you for 30 years…you’re a legend too! Good luck with the t:slim. It’s a great system!
Dr E how are you handling your kidney disease?
Thanks for asking…I take Farxiga which has significantly improved my kidney function. I avoid things that could damage my kidneys like NSAIDs such as Motrin and Naproxen and any radiographic dye. Importantly, I see a kidney doctor who specializes in diabetic kidney disease. Good luck.