Dr. S.M.Sadikot.
Hon. Endocrinologist,
Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre,
Mumbai 400026

Diabetes is so widespread that there would be hardly any doctor who does not treat people with diabetes.

In today's world, the big " buzz" word is that the patients must take charge of their diabetes and that we, doctors, should only be there to guide and advise.

Which is all very fine, but how do we expect someone to take charge of their diabetes, unless they understand the basics of diabetes! Unless they understand the problem, they can rarely control it, leave alone take charge of it.

Many of you may have seen the famous film, "Patton" in which there is scene where General Patton defeats Rommel in tank warfare in the Arabian deserts. When Patton has won over Rommel, long considered the ultimate master of desert warfare, so much so that he was nicknamed the "desert rat", Patton waves a book on tank warfare on the desert written by Rommel and shouts, " I mastered your own book, you…..!" Patton had defeated Rommel by having knowledge about desert tank warfare by learning from the master, and using this knowledge he was able to defeat Germans.

If your patients are to take charge of their diabetes, they also will similarly have to understand the problem before they can "take charge"!

The following article is an effort to present the problem is a simple and graphic manner so that we, doctors, can use it to make our patients understand their diabetes. It is presented in a manner as if you, the doctor, is talking to your patient.

I hope that this will be of help.