Thought I'd give you a short diabetes biography. I was formally diagnosed in 1993, but there were clues that it was going to happen for a year or two before that. Because I also had hypothyroidism (which turned out to be Hashimoto's) my PCP referred me to an endo. Assuming that I was Type 2, although I was not obese, he started me on Glucotrol (a sulfonylurea, all that was available at the time), which didn't do a thing for me. After enduring unacceptable BGs (180-200 fasting, over 250 PP) for 5 months, I asked for insulin, although HE didn't think I was doing badly. HE wasn't symptomatic, you know? So I endured the whole protocol of NPH at night, which fixed my fasting, but did nothing for my PP's, then 70/30, a nightmare of highs and lows, then mixing N + R, then Humalog + N, and finally, in 1999, a pump. The pump has given me the freedom that I so missed during the whole saga of shot therapy!Last year, I suffered a major depression (have had Major Depressive Disorder since I was in the 5th grade), and my diabetes control went to h*ll. I didn't stop insulin completely, but didn't take enough, so I ended up in a hyperglycemic, hyperosmolar coma, which is what happens when you DO have enough insulin in you to keep you alive, but not enough to keep your BGs down. It has a 50% mortality rate, but when I didn't show up for a picnic, my friends came looking for me, and got me to the ER, and the rest was luck. Although I have never been tested for antibodies, my CDE told me that in the hospital, I did not respond to Type 2 protocols, and that I needed to consider myself Type 1 for medical treatment reasons.After that experience, I found the resolve to get serious about diabetes control, and found TuDiabetes, which has been a godsend! (Thanks, Manny!)Since I am retired, and need to do something useful with my time, I have become interested in advocacy for ALL PWDs, all types, all ages. Being a former teacher, I am particularly interested in diabetes education and support for the newly diagnosed, and emotional and social support for the badly-discriminated-against obese diabetics (not always Type 2!). While I think the CDEs and dietitians are doing the best they know how, they don't always understand OUR point of view, unless they have diabetes themselves. It amused me that last week at AADE, when I talked to the CDE's about Type 1, they assumed I was Type 1, and when I talked to them about Type 2, they assumed I was Type 2. As if you could tell by eyeballing someone, especially us older folks! LOL!