Stumble It!
Mary Tyler Moore on Larry King Live
Caught the show last night, which I’m assuming was a rerun. As usual, Mary was a spokeswoman extraordinaire for diabetes and the work of the JDRF. But one thing floored me: when Larry asked her if diabetes had ever interfered with her work, she said, “Not really. Once I felt a little shaky in front of the camera, so I had to excuse myself to drink a glass of orange juice. Then in about 5 minutes, I was OK again.” ONCE? ONCE!!
This America’s Sweetheart has had diabetes for over 30 years, much of that time before fast-acting and Lantus insulins came on the scene to revolutionize BG control. Can it really be that she’s avoided the violent lows we are all so familiar with? Or was she just trying to downplay the effects of diabetes on our ability to perform in the workplace? I’m just not sure what to think here…
Anyway, Mary, thanks for your excellent advocacy work!
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She had diabetes many years before the Diabetes Care and Complications Trial was completed. So she never had incentive for tightly controlling her blood sugar. I’m guessing that’s why she only suffered hypoglycemia once. Either that or she’s a liar. Could that be it? Well, your guess is as good as mine.
Posted by: Nick | July 2nd, 2005 at 4:07 pmDid you also notice that on the Larry King show, Mary Tyler Moore never once mentioned the word “carbohydrate?”
All this talk of taking care of yourself and living with diabetes, and not one word about the most important thing relating to the disease — keeping blood glucose numbers in line by counting carbs.
What do you make of that, Amy?
Posted by: George | July 4th, 2005 at 11:52 pmI tip my hat to Mary Tyler Moore even though some of you take exception to her views. She has survived healthy for over 30 years with diabetes. Believe me that is an accomplishment. How do you know what her treatment priorities were? In 1958 I was on a high carb diet, 47 years later I am healthy with no complications.
Posted by: Kirk | July 5th, 2005 at 10:39 amI am glad she is talking out and getting air time it will benefit all of us!!
Oooh, the carb thing is a good catch, George. I’m assuming the “key messages” she’s trying to communicate are about basic awareness of diabetes, i.e. her staff was worried that mentioning carbs would only muddle the issue and make some people think she’s talking Atkins.
And right, Kirk: her visibility does help us all!
Posted by: AmyT | July 7th, 2005 at 5:08 pmI’ve been a big Mary Tyler Moore fan since the MTM how way back when (remember the MTM kitty with the “meow” at the end of the show?). I missed the interview with Larry King, so I’m glad you mentioned it in your blog. I keep forgetting that she’s diabetic. It *is* hard to believe that she had only one problem with work in all that time.
Posted by: R.J. | July 13th, 2005 at 11:12 amThat’s great - what a good role model for us all.
u need some info on herhaving diabetes cuz i am oing a report and i need info
Posted by: nicole | January 11th, 2007 at 3:46 pmI was quite disappointed a while back when I saw MTM on the Larry King show. I thought she gave some mis-information to diabetics. She said alchohol was verboten, which is not the case. She also winced when asked whether she could use a pump that would be inserted in the stomach, which did not help diabetics who might be interested. I have used a pump for years with no problems.
Posted by: helen kalish | August 7th, 2007 at 3:22 pmI just met Mary at a conference I was working for JDRF. She’s in REALLY bad shape now. She looks horrible, she’s almost completely blind, and she can’t feel the ground when she walks so her husband holds on to her wherever she goes. It was such a shock to me. She always looked great in the pictures I saw of her. It literally brought tears to my eyes to see her in the condition she’s in
Posted by: kristin | October 18th, 2007 at 5:58 pm