A quick note from Gary…Time for a History Lesson

When I was in school, history was my least favorite subject.  It seemed like nothing more than a lot of useless memorization of names, dates and events.  Maybe that’s because of the way it was taught.  History never really “came to life” for me.

My, how things have changed.  As we enter a new decade, I’m proud to announce the grand unveiling of Diabetes Through the Decades – a museum of diabetes paraphernalia from the past 80 years.  It’s basically a stroll through the history of diabetes treatment – from the early syringes that required sharpening and sterilizing to the first home blood glucose meter (sporting a power cord similar to those used with modern electric lawn mowers) to the first models of insulin pumps from all the different pump manufacturers.

Looking over all this junk reminds me that history is not static.  It serves as the foundation for the next best thing.  Without U40 beef/pork insulin we would never have had human insulin.  Without human insulin, we would never have had analog insulin.  Without analog insulin, we would not have a chance at the next generation of “smart” insulin products.

Please feel free to stop by the office to check out the museum.  Nothing is behind glass – it’s all out in the open for you to pick up and examine.  We even have a chart with descriptions of each product in chronological order.  Special thanks to our intern/curator Kathryn Gentile for helping with all the details.

Besides setting the stage for fulfilling today’s dreams, I believe we can learn a great deal from history.  It’s amazing how much we can pick up from reviewing a simple blood glucose logbook (now THERE’S something we should put in the museum!).  Or more appropriately, analyzing downloaded data.  If it’s been a while since you’ve had a second set of eyes check out your diabetes data, let us have a look.  With a little bit of expertise and a few intelligent adjustments, your blood sugar control problems might just become history.

Seriously, please contact our office if there is anything we can do to assist with your diabetes management.  Together, we can make the 2020s your best decade ever!

– Gary

Gary Scheiner MS, CDE
Owner & Clinical Director