News That Changed Her Life
After reviewing blood work, Stacy Dolph’s primary care physician told her news she wasn’t prepared for: Stacy was diabetic. The shocking news in March 2014 came with a barrage of questions and concerns from the Elkhart woman who knew very little about the disease that affects 29 million Americans.
“I thought it was a sentence to be on insulin for the rest of your life,” Stacy recalls thinking.
Stacy Dolph
She would soon discover that wasn’t the case at all. Her doctor immediately referred her to Elkhart General’s Outpatient Diabetes Class. Certified since 2007, the program is the only one of its kind in the region. The five-week program offered 10 times a year teaches people newly diagnosed with diabetes about how to manage their illness: nutrition, exercise, medication management, complications, stress management and blood glucose monitoring.
Those five weeks changed Stacy’s life.
“They did an amazing job explaining diabetes, how your body works and how your body processes what you eat,” she says.
A lot has changed for Stacy in six months. She has reduced her portion sizes; she is eating more fruits and vegetables; she has limited her carbohydrate intake, including snacks; and she’s walking two to three times a week.
After three months, her A1C (way to gauge how well someone is managing their diabetes) had dropped from 11.6 to 8.5; after six months, it dropped even further, to 7.7. She’s also lost 20 pounds. More importantly, she has reduced her risk of a heart attack, stroke, renal disease or other complications. A diabetic medication has also helped her condition.
Stacy credits the Outpatient Diabetes program for transforming her life.
“Everything feels better. It has been a life-changing experience,” she declares. “The program will change your perspective on life and health.”
The classes combine a teaching component and an open discussion that builds trust and understanding.
“We establish a relationship with the participants and then are able to ask the tougher questions and prod them to make positive changes for a healthy life,” says Diabetes Educator Tena Sheets, R.N.
The program is open to anyone. It’s available for those who speak Spanish, those with learning difficulties and the hearing impaired.
The Elkhart General Hospital Foundation provides scholarships for the program, helping to defray the total or partial cost for participants, including Stacy.
“Without the Foundation’s support, I think a lot of our patients wouldn’t be able to afford our class and they would otherwise wind up in our ER,” says Renee’ Pugh, R.N., MSN, MHA, CMSRN, Nursing Education Manager.
Interested in the Outpatient Diabetes Class? Call 574.296.6555.
