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Nancy Klobassa, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
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Nancy Klobassa, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
Nancy Klobassa and Peggy Moreland
Nancy Klobassa, R.N., B.S.N, C.D.E
Nancy Klobassa is a registered nurse who has worked in diabetes education for 14 years. She is a certified diabetes educator (C.D.E.) and is currently in graduate school working on a Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) and Health Care Education.Nancy works with adults who have type 1, type 2 and other forms of diabetes. Nancy is coordinator of the Diabetes Unit's intensive insulin therapy program within the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Metabolism at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Nancy has worked extensively with insulin pump therapy and continuous interstitial glucose sensing.
Peggy Moreland, R.N., M.S.N.
Peggy Moreland is a diabetes educator in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Nutrition & Metabolism at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.Peggy graduated with a Master of Science in Nursing and Health Care Education from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the American Diabetes Association. Peggy enjoys working with patients to set and achieve diabetes self-management goals.
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Living with diabetes blog
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June 6, 2009
Blog: Shocking diabetes diagnosis hits family
By Nancy Klobassa, R.N., and Peggy Moreland, R.N.
"Matthew is type 1 diabetic — day 1 of the rest of my life." This is my son's Facebook new profile status. He's 23 and was just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. He's a civil engineer major at a military academy and realizes he may need to make a career change soon.
The diagnosis is a shock and we definitely weren't prepared for it. I wasn't, just as I wasn't when his older brother, Michael, was diagnosed with diabetes several years ago at the age of 20. Today, I ran the gamut of emotions. I was angry and sad. Why did this have to happen to two of my children? Michael was also in the military when diagnosed. What if they weren't in the military? What could we have done differently as parents? Did we expose them to too many chemicals as young children?
Family members as well as the person diagnosed with diabetes feel grief and worry about how diabetes will affect their lifestyle and future. My son is facing the probability of a medical discharge from military service, as did his older brother. These feelings are common with any chronic disease. Families may also experience:
- Confusion and shock — Although as a diabetes educator I knew in my head that the symptoms my son had were classic symptoms of diabetes, I had the sense that this can't be real. I couldn't sleep. I worried about his future.
- Denial — When I suspected that my son had diabetes, I had him check his blood sugar at home. My first reaction was that it must be a mistake. I double-checked the expiration date on the strips and checked his blood sugar again. Again, it was high. I used another meter. Even though in my head I knew that this must be diabetes, I tried to rationalize that this must be temporary, that he was still recovering from the surgery he had four weeks ago. My son also verbalized several possibilities as to why his blood sugar was so high.
- Anger — Why now? My son has only one year left of college. We wondered if he will need to leave the military and find a non-military college to finish his degree.
- Anxiety — I worry about what will happen with my son when his leave is over in a couple weeks. Will there be a physician experienced with diabetes when he gets back to base? Will he be able to manage his diabetes in the military environment until he is discharged? Will he be allowed to finish his schooling? Will he be able to continue in sports? Will he have a diabetes educator to go to for assistance? My son is wondering if he will be able to manage his diabetes away from the security of home and his diabetes team. Right now we have more questions than answers.
- Sadness/Grief — Today, I tried to be strong for my son, but privately I cried. His Facebook status expresses his feelings. Today truly is the first day of the rest of his life because his life will never be the same. He told me this evening that it was a great relief to tell his friends that he has diabetes, because he realized that not only has diabetes affected him it will also affect his friends in some way. My co-worker gave me a hug; his friends sent text messages of support and encouragement.
- Guilt — A parent may feel to blame if diabetes runs in their side of the family. We do not understand what causes diabetes to develop, and often wonder if there was something that we could have done differently to prevent it.
The first weeks after diagnosis are overwhelming and the emotional and physical energy needed to manage the many changes resulting from a diabetes diagnosis can be exhausting. I know that things will get better. My older son with diabetes is doing well and is such an encouragement. The person recently diagnosed with diabetes will need love, support and involvement from people important to them. We cry together, but we also laugh together. I know we will make it.
Please share your experiences.
Peggy
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