Journal of the American College of Dentists

2011 ACD Annual Meeting
Optimism Is Part of the Cure
Nicole Johnson, MA, MPH
Convocation Address
October 11, 2011
Las Vegas, Nevada
Iam just about to realize my nineteenth
anniversary of living with diabetes.
Because of that, I feel compelled to
share my diabetes reality—especially
considering that I am among a group of
healthcare leaders. I want to encourage
and challenge you today regarding an
aspect of your profession that sometimes
receives small attention: the skill of
communicating optimism. There is
incredible power there. It is necessary
to build business, to put back together
lives challenged by disease, and to truly
make a difference in the world.
I hope that over the next few minutes
you will hear themes of hope and determination.
I also hope that you will hear
the message that your patients are more
than numbers and procedures; that all
patients need TLC; and that the family
and friends of those you care for are often
also dealing with the effects of disease.
To be healers, you must be aware of and
work with the body, the mind, the spirit,
and with others who are part of the
lives of your patients.
In my almost 19 years of living
with diabetes, I have had to intervene
more than 56,000 times to save my
own life. That is 45,000 finger sticks,
10,000 injections, and 1,500 insulin
pump site changes.
What it means to live with diabetes
has changed dramatically. Just 40 years
ago, glucose testing was not a reality.
Insulin pumps were not much. The
pumps that were available were the size
of a big brick. In fact, that is what they
were called—the Blue Brick!
Continuous glucose monitoring was
not even a blip on the radar. The medical
guidelines have changed to reflect better
understanding of the disease and availability
of new treatment options.
People with most chronic conditions
today face a future of hope. A recent
lecturer noted that diabetes is the number
one cause of absolutely nothing—if it is
well controlled. If it is not well controlled,
the likely consequences include blindness,
heart failure, amputation, and
shortened life.
My experience did not begin with
optimism or a positive perspective. It
began with a massive thunk. That
deadening sound was all of my dreams
crashing down. I was told in the first
days of living with diabetes that everything
I wanted out of life was impossible
because of my new condition. I was
advised by my healthcare professionals
to drop out of college, move home with
my parents, choose a predictable and
calm career, and to forgo motherhood. I
was also told that I should avoid competitive
environments because they were
not a safe place for people with diabetes.
Unfortunately, at first I believed that
advice, mainly because I did not know
any better. I was given medically appro-
Nicole Johnson, Miss
America 1999, has devoted
her professional career to
promoting diabetes awareness;
www.nicolejohnson.com.
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2011 Volume 78, Number 4