Dogs at Work

What a great article on service dogs (“Could a Dog Save Your Life?” Mar. ’08, p. 40). I once owned a Siberian husky, Bandit, a registered therapy dog, who would alert me to low blood sugars. He would start barking, running in circles, and even pawing me. After checking my blood sugar, sure enough, it would be low.

I now own two other Siberian huskies, but they do not have the ability to sense low blood sugar. It takes a really special dog to be able to do that. I miss Bandit, he was a good friend!

Joe Walawander
Via the Internet

My mom and I could not have been more excited when we received your March issue featuring Devin Grayson and her beautiful golden retriever, Cody.

Like Devin, my mom has had type 1 diabetes since she was 3 years old. She also has a golden retriever assistance dog, named Griffin. Dogs and diabetes have been a part of my mom’s life for as long as she can remember.

Griffin helps carry the laundry in his mouth, opens and shuts doors, loyally accompanies her on her walks every day through the park, and is 100 percent focused and devoted to her. Griffin even accompanied my mom and me during the ADA’s Step Up to Fight Diabetes event in Philadelphia last fall, walking 10 miles through the city.

The most important thing to know about assistance dogs is that they enable people to do the things they love to do. Griffin helps my mom carry on her with her lifestyle every day.

We just wanted to say a big “thank you” not only for publishing the “Could a Dog Save Your Life?” story, but for taking the time to shine the spotlight on these magnificent dogs and what they are capable of achieving, and to creating even more awareness around this issue. Service dogs truly are a man’s best friend.

Mary Jean Smith
Wayne, Pa.

Corey Smith Windett
Middletown, Del.

I loved your article about dogs saving lives. My 23-year-old son Max has type 1 diabetes, and he walks dogs near the woods. One time when out walking, Max passed out. A giant shepherd dog, Montana, stayed behind protecting our son while another dog, Little Bear, ran back to its owner to get help. Max was soon rushed to the hospital. I am amazed at these four-legged miracles.

Stanley Richard
Chicago, Ill.

In the two years I’ve had my chocolate lab, Charlie, he has awoken me on three separate occasions. Each time I tested, and found my blood glucose to be less than 45. I woke up one night with a 58—I often wonder, if my sugar had dropped lower, would he have picked up on it? I think so! His pillow is right next to mine at the head of the bed. Charlie is my best friend and a real blessing.

Stuart Minsky
Tampa, Fla.

Checks and Balances

In “Could a Dog Save Your Life?” Devin Grayson mentioned that she restricted her activities for fear of hypoglycemic events. The very last sentence in the article says it all: “In the past, I wouldn’t have checked for hours.”

I want to share what my family has learned: If you check, check, and check, you will catch a low before it becomes a problem.

We have a slogan in our home, “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.” You know your own body or your child’s body better than anyone. So, when trying a new activity, just check more often until you know how that activity affects your blood glucose.

With my son, who’s 12, we gauge it by how hard the activity is. If an activity has a very high intensity level, he checks his blood glucose every 30 minutes (it sounds like a pain to do, but really, something that is high intensity is usually only done for an hour or so). If an activity is medium intensity, he has to check every 45 minutes, and for lower intensity activities he checks hourly. Any time that he feels dizzy or strange in any way, he also stops to test. This routine has worked out perfectly for him so far.

Christine Kucelin
Lomita, Calif.

Camps That Change Lives

I am 17 years old and have been going to diabetes summer camps for the past 4 years. I’m too old to attend as a camper now, but when I am 18 I plan on being a counselor.

For me, camp truly was a life-changing experience. I was always surrounded by people who knew what living with diabetes was like, and how frustrating it could be sometimes. During meals at camp, you don’t feel awkward about going to the bathroom to take a shot, or trying to conceal yourself doing it, because everyone else takes a shot at the same time.

Camp has always been one of the places were I can feel normal, and over the years this made me feel better about myself. My doctors, counselors, and nurses have helped me to manage my diabetes and to grow as a person.

For any readers who have doubts about camp, just take a chance. Parents, if you see an opportunity to send your child to a camp, jump on it. Kids, take it from me, you will have more fun than you would expect.

Cole Matteson
Via the Internet

I noted with interest your roster of ADA camps for children with diabetes (Mar. ’08, p. 70). I know I am not the only one who attended Camp Joslin in Charlton, Mass. (others attended the nearby Clara Barton Camp, for girls), who is wondering why these two camps, among the oldest and best known for children with diabetes, are not on the list.

Mark Thompson
Kensington, Md.

Shana Funk, Manager, Youth Initiatives, ADA responds: Yes, Clara Barton and Joslin are terrific camp programs. In fact, ADA provides both financial and marketing support for these camps. However, the article in the March issue was meant to introduce parents to a new feature on our Web site that allows them to download brochures for ADA camps and even submit their child’s registration online. We don’t offer these tools for other organizations’ camps, like Clara Barton and Joslin.

However, if you visit diabetes.org/camp and click on the state of Massachusetts, you can access contact information for both the Joslin and Clara Barton programs. You can also find information on programs in other states where ADA does not have a camp, because in many cases we support an existing program run by another organization.

Hating Doughnuts, Too

I cried when I read the article “Doughnuts and Do-Nots” (Mar. ’08, p. 84). My 7-year-old son has type 1 diabetes, and like my other two boys, he is very active in sports. It is so hard to see your child face the junk food after almost every game. I feel overwhelmed at times with the care involved to keep my son healthy.

My son is a remarkable child who amazes me with his strength and ability to take it all head-on. He has checked his blood sugar on his own from day one. He wants to be active in helping people with diabetes and we are starting a support group in our area.

Thank you for letting me know I am not alone with the stress of snacks and everyday kid life.

Dawn Woolford
Lambertville, Mich.

Wine Article in Good Taste

Congratulations on having the sense and courage to print the medical facts on moderate wine consumption and diabetes (Guest Editorial, Apr. ’08, p. 9). As a 10-year diabetes veteran and 40-year wine drinker whose diabetes is under control with pills, I can only heartily recommend that those who wish to have an improved quality of life add a glass of wine to their meals. And why not a wine recommendation with your recipes? And why not a wine column in Diabetes Forecast?

Harvey Posert
Napa Valley, Calif.