So my son and I will graduate together. He will be graduating from high school and I’ll be graduating from graduate school. We stay up late doing homework together. We commiserate about teachers. We celebrate good grades together. And we console each other when a test or assignment doesn’t go so well.

But what my son doesn’t understand is how much his diabetes has to do with my schooling. It’s not like I’m in medical school or something. I’m not researching to try to find a cure for diabetes. In fact, I’m in business school. And I guess that’s appropriate because it’s the business of diabetes that drove me back to school. As the reality set in of just how much this disease costs and the length of time my son will need to be on my insurance, I realized that I must find a way to make more money.

My professors have explained that MBA students rank the highest in the “what’s in it for me” personality types. Truthfully, I don’t fit in great with that crowd. But as I sit in a classroom full of those who are openly aspiring to be CEO’s, I realize that though my motivations may be a little different, I too am driven to achieve a larger paycheck and the added responsibility that goes with it.

And I hope that along way toward my MBA, I just might build a stronger relationship with my son as we learn about life and what it will take to take care of his diabetes for a lifetime.

So my son is 15 now. He’s had diabetes for 7 years and 5 months. He is such a great kid and from the very beginning he wanted to take charge of his diabetes. For year after year, his A1C was terrific. And my wife and I knew we were doing the right thing by letting him take charge as much as he could. After all, he’s the one that’s going to live with this disease the rest of his life (or until there’s a cure).

It seemed like a perfect plan. And he did such a fine job that we settled into our supportive yet very uninvolved roles. Well, then several months ago, he had his first A1c over 8. It was shocking. I hardly knew what to say. His doctor hardly knew what to say. My son had been a star patient up to this point.

So we had a good discussion. The doctor reminded my son of some of the basics that he was letting slide. We all committed to being more conscientious. And for a few days we were. But then I sensed that I was annoying my son a little, so I backed off, reassuring myself that I knew he could do it if he wanted to.

Three months later, we went to his check up anxious to see what progress he had made. His A1c was lower—by 0.2—but was still over 8. More discussion with the doctor. More reminders. More commitment.

And now I find myself in this awkward and frightening position. I can see some of my son’s bad diabetes habits. I know that with more diligent effort he could quickly get his A1c below 7. But I can also see in his body language and hear in his tone of voice that he wants to handle this. He doesn’t want me watching over his shoulder and asking questions all the time. But at the same time, I know the tissue damage that’s happening every time he runs high. I know the risks. And I remember how invincible I felt at 15. I completely understand why he feels like it’s “not a big deal.”

So I’m afraid I’m doing the wrong thing.

I’m afraid of alienating my son.

I’m afraid of what’s happening inside his body.

I’m afraid I may look back at this time in his life and have regrets.

OK, so it’s not January 1st any more. Does that mean you should throw your hands in the air and not bother setting any goals this year? Of course not! Simply focusing yourself on one particular aspect of your diabetes can make a tremendous difference this year.

Several years ago, Bill O’hanlon wrote a book entitled Do One Thing Different: Ten Simple Ways to Change Your Life. I don’t pretend that this blog can change your life, but I like O’hanlon’s concept. The changes we need to make can easily overwhelm us if taken all at once. But when we decide to start with one thing, we all can do one thing different.

So for 2008, what will you do different? What are the simple steps (or just one step) that you can take to make a difference in the management of your diabetes?

I share some ideas here to get you thinking. I won’t try to prioritize them because each diabetic’s needs are unique. In fact, this is probably a great topic for you to discuss with your doctor at your next appointment.

Regular Doctor Visits
Speaking of your next doctor’s appointment, getting a regular check up is essential for any diabetic. Prevention is so vital for your long-term health. A doctor can watch for warning signs, can provide education, and can answer your questions. If seeing the doctor regularly is a struggle for you, this would be a great choice for the one thing you could do differently this year. If you don’t see a doctor because of financial reasons, contact your state health department and ask for information about financial assistance and insurance programs.

That One Food Weakness
For my son, it’s hot chocolate. He loves hot chocolate like no one I’ve ever seen. There are times that he’s in the mood for a good cup of regular, not-sugar-free hot chocolate. And sometimes, he decides he wants it so bad that he won’t test his blood sugar before or account for it in his meal plan. It is his weakness. Do you have a weakness? Something you’re willing to make an exception for that you know isn’t good for your health? One thing you could do differently this year is to use your food weakness only as a reward you give yourself when you’ve planned for it properly.

Regular Exercise
A few weeks ago, there was a news report about the benefits to diabetics of combining cardiovascular exercise with resistance or weight training. Perhaps, regular exercise is a challenge for you. Or perhaps your routine needs a kick-start. You could choose to do one thing different in your exercise routine. Start walking every morning. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Buy a pass to the local swimming pool and go regularly. Every bit of extra physical activity you add makes a difference.

Lose One Pound
Everyone knows how important it is to maintain a healthy weight. But if you’re caught in a cycle of weight gain, it’s easy to feel so helpless. Taking O’hanlon’s approach, don’t decide that you’re going to lose 10 pounds or 40 pounds or 60 pounds. That can be completely overwhelming. But could you lose one pound? Could you eat a little different this week? Or add an extra 15 minutes to your exercise routine? Start with one thing, one pound. Then once you have one success, try to build on it.

Know Where You Are
I’ll share with you my “one thing different.” We have this three-ring binder full of diabetes information we’ve collected over the years. It is also where we put my son’s A1C test results. But unfortunately we have developed the bad habit of just stuffing them inside the front cover. They easily get out of order and rarely have the date written on them. My goal for this year is to always write the date on the test results and place them in order behind a tab. This way, we’ll always know exactly what his last test was and we’ll know whether we need to be focused on lowering his A1C, maintaining, or avoiding too many lows. Could you be more organized with your information too? Could it help you stay focused on your care better?

I hope you take these suggestions and add to it. Perhaps even review with your doctor the one or two things you could do this year that would make the biggest difference. Let’s all have an exciting and healthy 2008. Happy New Year!

Diabetes and diet soda seem to go hand in hand. So whenever diet soda is in the news, you know every diabetic is paying attention. Here’s an excerpt and a link about a recent study that looked at links between soda drinking and weight gain.

News About Diet Soda
By John Crowley Father of a teenage diabetic

You probably saw the article from Reuters under the headline, “No Safe Haven: Diet Sodas Linked with Health Risks.” It was as if I heard a collective “Oh, great!” from the whole diabetic community. You’ve tried to be good. You’ve avoided those full-sugar sodas for years thinking that you were making the healthy choice. And now this news. What does it mean?

Click here to read the full article.