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Monday, May 13, 2013

Share and Don't Share - DBlog Week

Hurray for DBlog Week! Here's today's prompt:
Often our health care team only sees us for about 15 minutes several times a year, and they might not have a sense of what our lives are really like. Today, let’s pretend our medical team is reading our blogs. What do you wish they could see about your and/or your loved one's daily life with diabetes? On the other hand, what do you hope they don't see?

This topic is especially interesting to me, considering that I am a Pediatric Endocrinologist in training and that my Endocrinologist also happens to have Type 1. What are the odds?
That fact that we are both in medicine and both have the disease we treat makes for a peculiar clinic visit. On one hand, it's great because he completely understands the struggle. Not just what it is like to live with Type 1, but what it is like to live with the disease while juggling an insane medical training schedule. I enjoy discussing the differences between how my office runs compared to his, and the colleagues we have in common. When it comes to my diabetes, he talks to me professionally in terminology that is not watered down. I appreciate that.
With other providers, I worried deeply that I would be judged for numbers and A1C's that would not meet the expectation one would have for a physician with diabetes. With him, I can be completely honest about how I know that carb-heavy meals screw up by numbers but that I choose to eat them anyway, and that I still really, really suck at guesstimating the carb count in restaurant food. There really isn't anything I feel I cannot share. I feel much more at ease with this doctor, and although I still get the traditional pre-checkup palpitations, I find that I am harder on myself than he is on me. That wasn't always the case with previous Endos.
On the other hand, I wonder if this unique situation makes things too lax. He is definitely available if I were to need him, but he has verbalized that he trusts I can manage changes on my own. I worry that he puts too much trust in my judgement and my decisions because I am an Endocrinologist as well. The freedom is flattering and quite nice, but I wonder if I'd be better off if he insisted on keeping a closer eye on things himself.
If he was reading this, I'd want him to know that I love the candor and professional courtesy, but to not forget that I am in the patient role during my appointment, not the doctor role. But all things told, I feel incredibly lucky to have such an amazing Endo on my side :)

Click for the Share and Don’t Share - Monday 5/13 Link List.

10 comments:

  1. Me, too!
    I still really, really suck at guesstimating the carb count in restaurant food

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  2. I think it's interesting that even as an Endo, you see an Endo too! Do you think having that second opinion is why you see him? Obviously you have just as much knowledge and training as he does!

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  3. Allison -- I actually never thought about NOT seeing an Endo. Aside from the whole issue of self-prescribing being illegal in most places, I think a view from the outside in is so important. I don't think people should (solely) treat themselves. Even though I'm trained in Pediatrics, I would never independently check-up and treat my own (future) kids. In a way, seeing an Endo IS a second opinion, haha. But isn't that what it is for all of us attentive PWDs? :)

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  4. What an interesting viewpoint you must have... do you ever read the blogs of D-moms or D-dads?

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    1. I definitely do! But honestly, I get the D-parent perspective every day at work. Many parents are VERY honest about so many aspects of diabetes care.

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  5. Hi Shara! I'm glad I found your blog through Blog Week. I was wondering if there were any endocrinologists with T1D that were blogging and yours is the first one I have found. I look forward to reading your posts :)

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    1. Thanks, Kelley! Let me know if you find any others!

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  6. Kelley, Shara:
    Re the question about "any endocrinologists with T1D that were blogging" -- If you'll take a LADA on a pump+CGM instead of T1D, I've been blogging since 2006 -- see
    http://www.d-is-for-diabetes.com/shareposts.htm
    Bill
    William W. Quick, MD, FACP, FACE

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    1. Thanks for sharing your site, Dr. Quick! Great resource!

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  7. I bet it's an interesting dynamic - and I'm sure he enjoys having you as his patient. Do you think he would tighten down the reigns if you suggested it might help you? I bet he'd be willing to do just about anything.

    And I'll vouch for Dr. Quick above - he's a great resource, indeed!

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