The truth about A1c's. Is this true?

[Gathoni Kamau]

So I was at an awareness and screening programme with our local diabetes institute and a few things that were said to me kinda puzzled me and I really need to know if the following statements are true..am also too lazy to google...lol

Anyway I met a fellow PWD and he is a T1 and he told me that his A1c was at 5%. I thought that he must be an amazing dude to get into that range. Then he told me that he was told by some doctor that 'normal' people (non diabetics) don't have an A1c score, i.e they score a 0% so he therefore would like to get to that 0%. I was both puzzled and scared and trully schocked. Can someone help me? Is this true? He also had like 3 low blood sugars during the whole time that I was with him (an afternoon) So is it really worth trying to get a 0% A1c if that is at all possible or is my friend just working on bad info. Can someone help me answer this question?

[Lindsey]

Definitely think about the documentary! Get your A1c back yet?

Congrats on medical school! I think if it interests you, you should do it! I thought about being an endo. and a CDE and a nurse lol...but I never wanted to spend that much time in school. I'm a little burned out on studying. There are so many ways that you can become part of the solution though, so just keep looking until you figure it out! Sometimes facing diabetes is the best thing we can do to get into control...I'm not one to hide from the disease and its reality. I may not like it, but if I push it under the rug then I won't care anymore. Sometimes keeping those fears of the end results in my mind are the only things that keep me in control.

I'm in Texas...the hot and sunny south.

[Gathoni Kamau]

Yeah I got the A1c back...it was 6.9%.....dude wasn't i happy and screaming it from the roof tops! You see I'm new to the pump and before I was on the pump it was a serious 11.9%..so like its been a few months and I hit the spot! Its been like 8 years since I had such an A1c...so there I was in my doctor's office with my best friend, nervous as hell, then when he told me the number I cried...dramatic I know....but it kinda felt good to have some good news about diabetes...it hardly ever comes and when it does am sure to be grateful....
Well my decision to do something with diabetes came because I wanted to do something practical.I only know 1 endo here and very few diabetic nurses..so I figured that I can fund raise and raise awareness but it only goes so far because people are not getting the care that they need..normally its your GP or family doctor who takes care of you and the 1 endo that I know is seriously over worked...I mean imagine EVERYONE who is diagnosed in any local hospital in the city is sent to her! She's also abit too old school for me. My doctor that I go to is a Diabetologist and he is also a type 1 since he was 6 and he is like in his mid 30's and super cool and he is the only one who is putting people on pumps here...until I met him 2 years ago I never knew of alternative treatments or met any other type 1. I was the 6th person to go on the pump in my country...so we have a long way to go and we need more professionals as well as more money, awareness etc..so that was why I thought of that route...I guess I don't mind going to school for that long..I have worked for like 5 years and I think I would take student life any day! This grown up thing of paying rent and taxes sucks major ass!

So lets celebrate my super A1c...so pick up your glass of champagne and lets toast to me! CHEERS!

[Lindsey]

Congrats, congrats, congrats!!! I'm so glad that the pump is working for you. I'm hoping next month I get some good news with this rotten disease too, I know how it is to struggle and never get that glimmer of hope. Great job!

Lol yea, student life for me isn't any easier than going into the real world except that my insurance is taken care of...which is the one issue I'm not looking forward to next year when I graduate. But otherwise, it's still money and taxes and all that lovely grown up stuff.

I can definitely see why you want to go to med school and do something practical for your country/diabetes. I say do it! You can still raise awareness and fundraise on top of that. Who knows what might come out of it?!?!

[Gathoni Kamau]

Thanks! Well good luck with the A1c...I have the champagne on ice for you.

Yeah growing up sucks and I have been fighting it for far too long..its weird that when I look in the mirror I still see a fresh faced 19 year old...well I guess it happens to everyone eventually.

So what do you guys get up to there in Texas...here in Nairobi its a really cool place to live...everyone is just easy going, the weather is great all year round except that its our winter at the moment and to us here its cold at a crazy 24 degrees...yup I shouldn't be complaining! Just come home from a nice night out dinner and cocktails with some friends and it was fun...the d.j was really weird because she was playing songs that she wanted to listen to..so I kept saying that she must think that she is sitting alone in her bedroom listening to music by herself..lol...its a nice city because there is ALWAYS something to do every night! It can get exhausting but its a city for young people so I guess thats good!

The documentary is going well...spent my whole day today talking about diabetes..dude I didn't know that I could talk so much! Hopefully after we finish editing and touch ups we will have a good enough thing to get our funding done then we can do it super well...so I hope that it all works out coz at the moment its all blood sweat and tears!