Notes from the Endo-Ground

Most of us with diabetes know what a harrowing experience a visit to a new doctor can be, especially when that doctor is a new endocrinologist. Your endo is, often times, the one medical professional you count on to help you manage your diabetes and everything that comes along with it. Some of us (myself included) are lucky enough to find help from other areas, such as a diabetes educator, and some of us are self-sufficient enough to fine-tune our diabetes management independently. I like to think most of us rely on some combination thereof.

My heart was pounding as I got into the car this morning. I didn't have a log of any of my numbers. I didn't have any lab work to bring with me. I didn't know what I was in store for on this bright, chilly day. I tried to hope for the best. I focused on the road, wondering what Dr. B was going to look like, what kind of personality she was going to have. She came highly recommended from both my family doctor and pretty much everyone at Integrated Diabetes Services, so I suspected, at the least, that she would be good.

Dr. B shares a practice with three or four other doctors. When I arrived to check in, there were probably six other people in the waiting room besides myself. I had already filled out most of my new patient paperwork by mail. I had to sign a privacy policy and pay my insurance co-pay. The receptionist handed back my $75.00 check which I mentioned yesterday. I wished I could cash it instead of tossing it, but hey, payday is coming soon. Scattered around the office were various pamphlets on diabetes-related products: Symlin, insulin use for type 2s, the i-Port, the Dexcom 7.

When I was weighed, I was surprised to find out I was 4 pounds lighter than the last time I was on a scale. Of course, I noted that my ankles were not yet full of fluid and I hadn't yet eaten lunch. If that's unrelated though, woo hoo! 4 pounds have disappeared! Anyway.

I was also surprised to find the exam rooms weren't packed full of diabetes-related posters and pamphlets like every other endocrinologist's exam room I've been in. I found it a bit odd, but I also thought it was kind of calming to not be surrounded by reminders that my A1C isn't the greatest, that I should be testing more frequently, that I should lose weight or that I'm a bad, bad naughty diabetic. I relax. I let my guard down, and my new endo, Dr. B, walks in.

She's shorter than I imagined she'd be, and she kind of looks like a miniature version of one of my cousins. She's cheery and smiley, calls me "hon" and "sweetie" a lot, which really works for her. Sometimes I get annoyed when people I don't know well call me cutesy names, but with her, it makes me feel less disconnected. Dr. B seems like a genuine person intent on helping me. She's thrilled to know that I've been working with Gary, and she decides we're not really going to mess with my insulin because of this fact.

She really listened to what I had to say, and she seems interested to find out why I am so insulin-resistant. I told her about my mom's recent diagnosis with Cushing's Syndrome, and we decided that maybe I should be tested, even if I don't have most of the signs, just in case. There's a lot of lab work in my future, but that's nothing new. She recommended an opthamologist and sent me home with new prescriptions, a vial of Lantus in case of a pump-failure-type emergency, and a vial of Humalog, mostly because I think she felt bad that she didn't have a Symlin pen to give me.

All in all, it was a pretty successful first visit to my new endo. I hope that things continue progressing in such a positive direction!

In the meantime, I wish I could apply some of this excess positivity to my job search. Playing the waiting game is growing old really quickly. Oh well...more on that as it happens.