Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Welcome to Diabetes Education at HDGH!

Welcome to my new blog- Diabetes Education at HDGH. My name is Kathy Dropeski; I am a Registered Nurse and a Certified Diabetes Educator, and I've been with Hills & Dales General Hospital since 2001. Our Diabetes Education Program at Hills & Dales has been here since 2005, and our program is recognized by the American Diabetes Association and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. My partner here is Koree Muska, RD; she is a Registered Dietitian and has been with Hills & Dales since 2015.

Since our beginning, I've had the pleasure to work with many people in our community who are living every day with diabetes. One thing I've learned is that each person has their own life to live, their own choices, and their own path to follow. I'm always humbled and honored when a person invites us to walk along this path with them for a spell and be a part of their story. My hope is that someone reading this blog will get to know a little bit more about our services and let us walk with them on their journey with diabetes.

So here is a question to think about- how is your journey with diabetes going for you?  Is the way clear and the path easy- like a going for a lovely drive in the summer, with clear roads and sunny weather? Or, is your path more like traveling in the winter- snow and ice sending you every which way, not being able to see where you're going, and probably a little scary? The "diabetes path" isn't always clear and easy, but it doesn't always have to be scary and difficult either. Wherever you're at on your path, there are people who can help you chart a course, find a way through the difficult times, and help you be "in the driver's seat" when it comes to managing your diabetes.

If you are looking for a diabetes education program, ask your medical provider for a referral, or give us a call at (989)912-6365. If you live outside the area and need help locating a diabetes education program, the American Association of Diabetes Educators has a map for locating programs throughout the United States, https://www.diabeteseducator.org/living-with-diabetes/find-an-education-program