Eugenia's Story

For over 20 years, Eugenia has been living with diabetes. Now, at 64 years old, Eugenia needs more support than ever with her diabetes. When Eugenia visited the Ravenswood lab in September, her blood sugar level (A1C) measured at 11%. Her primary care provider, Adrian, NP, knew right away that Eugenia needed more support. Her provider and her care team came together to provide the care Eugenia needed, including medication and lifestyle changes.

Evelyn, her health coach, worked closely with Eugenia to develop simple, effective habits to help her manage her diabetes. Evelyn encouraged her to become more active. Although Eugenia can’t stand for long, she now does daily stretches and keeps her feet moving. Alongside building physical activity into her routine, Evelyn also supported Eugenia in improving her medication habits. Together, they agreed to place reminders next to Eugenia’s bedside table, which would help her remember to check her blood sugar and take her insulin on time.

Eugenia’s care team remained deeply involved in her journey, providing consistent, personalized support to help her manage her diabetes. She had a diabetic foot screening with her health coach, which is done annually to check for nerve or blood vessel damage and prevent diabetic neuropathy. Evelyn found no concerns, so Eugenia did not need a referral to our podiatrist. Additionally, one of Ravenswood’s pharmacist, Bernadette, checks in with Eugenia regularly via telehealth to help manage her blood pressure medications and offer dietary support.

Every three months, the Ravenswood lab also checks Eugenia’s blood sugar levels. During her visits, the lab staff take the time to explain her A1C results so she can track her progress and stay motivated. By December 2024, Eugenia had made incredible strides. Her blood sugar level dropped to 8.7%! The lab team celebrated her progress, reminding her that her commitment to improving her health was evident.

In early 2025, Eugenia continued her care with a diabetic eye exam. Her optometrist, Dr. Phan, diagnosed her with age-related cataracts and identified signs of damage in the back of her eyes caused by diabetes. Dr. Phan will continue to monitor her eye and vision health. Thanks to the consistent education and support from her optometrist and health coach, Eugenia now has a better understanding of the complications affecting her vision.

Eugenia’s journey shows the power of small steps, a supportive care team, and a deep commitment to health. At her recent lab in March 2025, she further decreased to 7.5%, getting closer to the goal of achieving a controlled A1C level. She has shown significant improvement by lowering her A1C by 3.5% in just six months. Even after 20 years of living with a chronic condition, she remains determined and continues to be a strong advocate for her own health.