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September 17, 2007
Ishpeming man thankful for diabetes education classes
Classes also available in Ontonagon and Escanaba
When Peter Michalski’s physician told him he would need to begin insulin therapy, Peter was concerned and afraid.
“I’m very afraid of needles and it was scary at first,” said Michalski, 69, of Ishpeming, who has been living with type 2 diabetes for the past 12 years.
Peter Michalski
In type 2 diabetes, the blood sugar rises because the body is not efficiently using or producing enough insulin. Insulin is vital for delivering glucose from the bloodstream to the body’s cells. Without insulin, cells starve even while the bloodstream becomes loaded with too much glucose.
Michalski’s physician referred him to Diabetes Education at Marquette General Hospital. Certified Diabetes Educators Sarah Balko and Jody Bailey helped him work up the courage to take insulin.
“Eighty percent of those with type 2 diabetes will eventually need insulin at some point in their lives,” said Balko, who is also a registered dietitian. “By starting insulin earlier, rather than later, people can prevent a lot of the complications that may result if they put off insulin therapy longer than they should.”
“We like to individualize for each person, instead of putting them in a box,” said Bailey, who is also a registered nurse. “We offer many services and we use them as a big menu for our patients to choose from, because each person’s diabetes management is so different from the next.”
Marquette General Diabetes Education offers a variety of classes and programs for individuals with diabetes and their families. Classes cover diabetes self-management, healthy living, nutritional education and mentoring.
The Diabetes Education staff provided the tools Michalski needed to self-manage his type 2 diabetes. Bailey and Balko assessed Michalski’s current needs and goals to develop an individualized education and treatment plan that would help Michalski to succeed. They offered him a variety of learning opportunities from one-on-one education, to group classes and support groups.
“I took the three-hour self-management class and the two-hour nutrition class,” said Michalski. “I went every two weeks from October to March, and also did phone follow-ups. Since December I’ve been on insulin.”
As part of Michalski’s individual plan, he exercises four days a week at 40 minutes each time. Peter said he pokes his finger before each meal, counts the number of carbohydrates that he chooses to eat at each meal and uses a simple insulin injection pen to give himself the correct amount of insulin. At night he uses a regular needle syringe to give himself Lantus, a type of baseline insulin that lasts 24 hours.
“The pen is good to use. I really like it,” said Michalski. “You just dial the number for the amount you need to take.”
Michalski’s wife, Linda Michalski, an Assistant Nurse Manager at MGH, attended all of the classes and appointments with Peter.
“There is great difference between being a nurse giving insulin in the hospital setting versus having to live and deal with diabetes at home,” said Linda Michalski. “Peter and I learned a lot together.”
There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States who have diabetes, with the most common type being type 2, according the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes is very common in the Upper Peninsula.
To receive services at Diabetes Education, a patient can make an appointment to have an initial assessment with Balko, Bailey or JoAnn Manty, RN, CDE, which will last approximately an hour. This is an individual session and patients are welcome to bring along a support person.
During this visit, Bailey will go over the patient’s health history and answer any questions the patient has about diabetes. She will also work with the patient on setting reachable goals.
Depending on the patient’s needs, this may be the only appointment with the educators, unless the patient chooses to come back for follow-up education, or attend one of the group classes.
Once a patient has completed the initial assessment, they have the option of meeting with Balko for nutrition education. During their visit, Balko will assess the patient’s calorie needs and teach them the importance of healthy food choices and how to work in "not so healthy" choices.
“Diabetes self-management is most helpful when you have a supportive team, which can include your doctor, your diabetes educator and your family,” said Bailey. “I always like to tell people to find a pharmacist that you can add to your support system. They’re very helpful in determining your medication care.”
For more information, call Marquette General Diabetes Education at (906) 225-3473 or
1-800-562-9753, ext. 3473.
The program also offers individual education and group classes in Ontonagon at (906) 884-8131, or Escanaba at (906) 786-4628.
ADA Recognized through October 2009, the Marquette General Diabetes Education program has earned American Diabetes Association recognition since October 2003. The program is also certified by the State of Michigan.
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