An Eye-Opening Experience
Tom Gregor
Feb, 2018
When Tom Gregor first learned he had Type II diabetes he wasn’t aware just how much it would change his life. For more than two years he and his wife, Patty, didn’t have access to the internet and were forced to figure out the best way to manage the disease on their own.
“There was a lot of things we simply had no idea about in regards to diabetes,” said Patty. “Many times Tom couldn’t tell me what symptoms he was experiencing or how the food I was feeding him impacted his body. Even the simplest things, like the fact that diabetic test strips expire, were foreign to us.”
It was after the Gregors shared their concerns with Tom’s primary care provider that they finally got the help they needed. His provider recommended Tom see a Lakeland diabetes educator. It was a few weeks later when he met Ashleigh Karn, RN, CDE.
“She was the most intelligent, informative, and patient person with all of our questions,” said Patty. “We left feeling so much better and more informed. No one had ever come close to explaining anything to us regarding diabetes the way she had.”
During their first few meetings, Tom and Ashleigh discussed how the food he was eating was impacting his blood sugar levels. They explored how slight adjustments in his diet could have a large impact on his overall health, and the way he felt on a day-to-day basis.
“Knowledge was the most valuable tool we gained during those sessions,” said Patty. “Ashleigh was never judgmental about what Tom was eating and instead helped guide us toward better options.”
Ashleigh also discussed simple life changes Tom could make to improve his quality of life, including eating breakfast and testing his blood sugar every day.
“We weren’t aware that our insurance would cover testing once per day. We often went weeks without checking his blood sugar levels, which left us guessing most of the time,” said Patty.
The Gregors continue to meet with Ashleigh regularly and have also recommended her guidance to other people in their life facing a similar struggle with diabetes. During their most recent appointment they were pleased to learn Tom’s HA1C, or blood glucose levels, were down below seven percent for the first time in two years.
“Ashleigh was a God-send for us,” said Patty. “We’ve only met with her a couple times so far and already feel much more confident about managing Thomas’ condition. She certainly deserves praise for her work.”
Lakeland Diabetes and Nutrition offers a dedicated team of both registered dietitians (RD) and registered nurses (RN). Our certified diabetes educators (CDE) specialize in the care of patients with diabetes with locations in Niles, St. Joseph, and Watervliet. For more information, click here.