Book Review: Diabetes Is Not A Piece Of Cake, By Janet Meirelles, Rn, Cde, Ches

At last! Someone who not only listens, but actually responds in the best possible way! Janet Meirelles, RN, is a Certified Diabetes Educator, a support group facilitator, as well as a gifted listener and author. Her book Diabetes is Not a Piece of Cake should be in every home and library.

Meirelles was aware of the problems due to the lack of understanding not only of diabetes, but of the diabetic individual and how he or she is perceived by family, friends, and the public in general. She decided to do something about this need after formulating and sending out questionnaires asking diabetics for their input as to what they’d like to be made known, their frustrations, and what issues they felt needed to be addressed once and for all.

From the sea of responses that deluged her office and from her practical knowledge and years of experience, Ms. Meirelles was able to make clear broth out of pea soup.

Diabetes is Not a Piece of Cake may have been directed toward the non-diabetic to promote better understanding, but the book is jam-packed with so much useful information, it’s a veritable gold mine for the diabetic as well. Meirelles deals with subjects ranging from the fear of needles, denial, impotency, costs of supplies, anger and frustration, to those well-intentioned souls who would save us from ourselves while killing us with kindness! She discusses real life situations in and away from the home and provides solutions with good sense and wry humor.

While Meirelles does not minimize the severity of diabetes, she does sweep away the cobwebs from many dark corners and manages to reduce mountains into much more navigable molehills. She also provides an array of mouth-watering recipes such as Tom’s kung pao chicken, spicy chili, individual fat-free cheesecakes, and even chocolate treats, which are delicious, satisfying, and nutritious. In addition, there is a resource list complete with addresses and phone numbers that many will find to be very useful and informative.

Diabetes is Not a Piece of Cake is no preachy techno-babble book that will anesthetize its readers. Instead, it’s a warm, personable, fun read that’s even more appealing because we find ourselves depicted in it. Everyone affected by diabetes personally or by association will be touched by this excellent book and highly rewarded from experiencing it. On behalf of us all, thank you, Meirelles, for listening.

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