Woody’s New Game Plan
Woody Leach is no stranger to serious health issues, but a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes pushed him to the edge.
“I freaked out,” Woody said. “I just totally freaked out.”
He had seen his sister-in-law battle the more serious Type 1 diabetes and feared a similar fate to stay healthy. Uncertain about the road ahead, Woody and his wife Kathy turned to the Diabetes Self-Management Education training offered through Sun Health Center for Health & Wellbeing (CHW).
It wasn’t long before Woody’s fears began to fade away.
He credits instructor Tracy Garrett, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at CHW, who offered the perfect mix of education, patience and understanding.
“I cannot stress enough how good she was,” Woody said. “The program taught me so much, it alleviated so much of my fear and anxiety.”
In addition to diabetes, Woody has battled heart and kidney issues so reducing his anxiety is vital to his overall health. The DSME training was so beneficial that, with guidance from his physician, Woody was able to go off one of his blood pressure medications.
“That was the main thing, learning that this is totally manageable,” he said. “It will have a less than critical effect on my lifestyle and things I like to do.”
The five-week DSME training focuses on diet, nutrition and other lifestyle changes. A benefit under Medicare and most insurance companies, the program is designed to help participants better manage the disease and improve their quality of life.
A physician recommended the training, and Woody reluctantly agreed to go with his wife. He also became a Medical Nutrition Therapy client at CHW. In short order, Woody could see the benefits of the training.
The self-avowed “meat and potatoes guy” learned about the importance of changing his diet, and cut back on carbs and soda. He began reading food labels, tested some healthy recipes, and tried out new-to-him veggies like zucchini.
A regular golfer, Woody also bumped up his exercise at his recreation center. With tweaks to his diet and more exercise, Woody has seen his A1C level fall from 8.2 to 6.8.
“As nice as my doctor is, he doesn’t have time to do all the things this program did for me,” Woody said.
“A program like this teaches you what you can and cannot do,” he said. “And gives you a game plan.”
“I’m very confident in what I’m doing now.”
