Paul Johnson III was born in New York and spent time in Cleveland before moving to Licking County.  His family has a long history in the area going back to the 1800s.  When Paul was 25 years old, he decided to move to Licking County to discover his roots.  During his initial visit, Paul discovered more than family history.  He enjoyed the quiet and charm of the community, and met someone special.  He married Pam and the couple raised their three children in Licking County.  They have been together for 45 years and now have five grandchildren.  

The family has often relied on Licking Memorial Health Systems for their care, and Paul is a patient of Suba Pathmanathan, M.D., of Licking Memorial Internal Medicine.  Not long ago, Dr. Pathmanathan informed Paul that his A1C level, or average amount of sugar in the blood, was rising, and that she would like for him to have a blood test every 90 days to monitor his A1C.  He was soon diagnosed with prediabetes, meaning his blood sugar level was higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes.  

After another A1C test, Paul’s blood sugar level reached 6.6, in the range for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.  Dr. Pathmanathan spoke to Paul about changing a number of lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise to lower his A1C.  She then referred Paul to the Diabetes Self-management Education and Support (DSMES) program offered by Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH).

“I enjoyed the classes.  The educators were very instructive, thorough, patient, and to the point,” Paul shared.  “They explained things well so that it was easy to understand and never boring.  I think it is amazing that LMH cares enough about patients that they offer this education.”

DSMES is a program that helps people gain the knowledge and skills they need to manage diabetes and related conditions.  Individuals who participate in DSMES classes experience positive impacts in their lifestyle, such as changes in eating patterns and activity levels, improved A1C levels, the prevention or delay of diabetes complications, and improved quality of life.  Studies also confirm that there are reduced hospital admissions and readmissions due to participation in DSMES classes, making the program a cost-effective tool for patients and healthcare facilities.

Over a six month period, adhering to the information provided by the instructors, Paul modified his diet and exercise regimen.  He now takes time to consider whether he can walk instead of drive to accomplish an errand.  If the trip is one mile or less, Paul opts to walk.  Since making the lifestyle changes, he lost weight and lowered his A1C to the prediabetes level.  He continues looking for ways to become more active.

“I thought the classes contained a lot of good information.  It would be great if everyone could participate because changing certain habits would benefit the health and well-being of anyone with health issues,” Paul said.  “The classes assist in taking stock of how you eat and your activities, but more importantly, they encourage people to care about themselves.  It has been a long time since I felt proud and loved myself.  The entire experience has been so positive.  The one piece of advice I offer my children and grandchildren is that if you spend more time taking care and thinking about yourself, you will be truly well-off.”

LMH offers DSMES classes through a physician referral for patients with diabetes.  The classes are a series of two, 3-hour sessions. Participants may choose to attend classes on the first and second Wednesday of each month, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon, at the Gerald K. McClain Building, located at 20 West Locust Street in Downtown Newark, or on the third and fourth Wednesday of each month at the Licking Memorial Diabetes Learning Center, located at 1865 Tamarack Road in Newark, from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.  Information on programming and course fees can be found by calling (220) 564-4915.