Cheating Destiny: Living with Diabetes, America's Biggest Epidemic

I LOVED this book! I have had type 1 diabetes for 24 years and I am very well managed and complication free. This book was interesting and informative in so many ways... the history of diabetes treatment; the hurdles and challenges of treatment & research given today's healthcare system, pharmaceutical industry, rewards systems and cultural landscape; and a first person perspective of a knowledgeable long time diabetic. You may not agree with everything Hirsch has to say, but this is a GREAT read nonetheless.

As a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes and family members with type 2 I found this book fasinating! It gave the history of diabetes treatment, the discovery of insulin and the future of research. As a parent, Mr. Hirsch "validated" my fears of having a child of diabetes. My friends would always tell me that I worried too much about my child. I always told my friends " You never put your child to bed and worry they will not wake up.... I do every night." Though it may seem overreaction it is a fear we parents of children with diabetes share. I could not put this book down.

This book has the passion and the feeling of how Diabetes affects every part of your life. The author is knowlegdable and has lived through what most diabetics have. The book has many facts that I did not know and the stories bring the book home to every reader. If you live with or love someone with the disease you should read this book. The author shows the struggles of everyday living with the disease and also the succeses. Great book with wonderful stories that can be felt by each reader.

My experience reading Hirsch's book was quite different. I couldn't put it down. I found his style of writing and presentation interesting, and believe he played devil's advocate with Dr. Bernstein's recommendations. A common theme throughout his book from Joslen to Bernstein to various diabetics interviewed, is that many people who manage their diabetes well eat low-carb, exercise, and maintain tight control. I found his message empowering as he encouraged diabetics to educate themselves and not rely passively on their physician's to help them. I was shocked to learn how little training physicians receive on treating diabetes (2 hours?), and how the powers that be aren't too interested in finding a cure due to vested interests. In terms of the physician who cared and couldn't make a living, that's where my profession is at in regard to insurance companies.

As a parent of a newly diagnosed diabetic, I was looking for exactly this type of book that had a comprehensive but layman's overview of the disease, info on current technologies/trends and insight into life with the "big D." The fact that this book was also tender, authentic and well written made the information very accessible. At times it was not easy to read because I resonated with the emotions described, but it was well worth reading. Highly recommended. I have already bought copies for gifts to our extended family.