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February 2006
“I’ve Learned to Control My Diabetes.”His blood sugar was always high, until his diabetes educator taught him to care for himself
Diabetes educator Mary Cipolle teaches George Bucci how to properly inject insulin.
An Ode to Helwig So, Bucci continued eating fish, turkey, wheat bread, fruit and skim milk, and stayed away from desserts, eggs, beef and fried foods. “It was a healthy diet,” Bucci says. “It just didn’t emphasize carbohydrate counting.” Instead of counting carbohydrates, Bucci took glyburide, a drug that stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin and help his body use it more effectively. His doctor’s instructions: check your blood sugar just once a day, first thing in the morning. “My sugar was almost always too high,” Bucci says. “I was never told that high levels could lead to complications, so I wasn’t overly concerned.” All that changed when Bucci moved to the Lehigh Valley. Last year, at age 83, Bucci learned how to take better care of himself. His doctor suggested he meet with diabetes educator Mary Cipolle, R.N., and enroll in a five-week course for people with type 2 diabetes taught by her and dietitians at Helwig Health and Diabetes Center. “My doctor put me on insulin, which Mary taught me to inject properly,” he says. “She taught me why it’s important to test my blood sugar two or three times a day, showed me how to count carbohydrates and gave me a ‘carb budget.’ ” Bucci can now enjoy more foods in his diet, as long as he keeps track of his carbs. The payoff: At a recent appointment, Bucci’s doctor declared his cholesterol levels “excellent.” Since he started injecting insulin, his morning blood-sugar levels have plummeted from 160 to 190 to between 70 and 143. And although his afternoon numbers are still a bit high, Bucci and his care team are working on bringing those down, too. Whenever he needs advice, Bucci still turns to his teacher. “Mary would take my hand as she was teaching me, and even now, when I have a question, she returns my phone calls right away,” he says. Bucci knows first-hand the damage diabetes can cause if you don’t take good care of yourself. “My 65-year-old nephew lost his toe and went blind as a result of diabetes,” he says. “Now, I know what to do to stay healthy.” This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
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