"Shot: Staying Alive with Diabetes" by Amy Ryan is about the author's experiences as a Type 1 diabetic. This is an easy to read book that is written in a clear and straight-forward manner. She defines and gives explanations of different terms as she tells her story, never getting too technical, but explaining in a way that any person with no background knowledge about diabetes can understand. It is an honest look at the feelings, emotions and thoughts that someone goes through when faced with suddenly finding out they have a chronic illness with no cure as of yet. As a diabetic myself, I don't know that this would necessarily an easy read for me as it basically reminded me a lot of my own experiences with diabetes. It was also somewhat difficult to read at times because I could also understand her thoughts and reactions and feelings about the differences ways your life changes with diabetes and having to come to terms with what is happening and what could be down the road. I do think that this is a great read for anyone who knows someone who is diabetic as I do feel like it helps to maybe understand some of the thoughts and fears and worries that may be running through their heads that may or may not be expressed. Overall, this was a well-written book about a difficult topic for anyone to have to deal with. I thought it was honestly written and showed how overwhelming it can be but how she manages to continue to live her life and deal with the changes and challenges that come her way. ( )

"Shot: Staying Alive with Diabetes" by Amy Ryan is both a biography and a medical information guide to diabetes. Ryan tells the story of her life after she discovers that she is a Type I diabetic. She walks through learning to give herself insulting injections, experiencing her first hypoglycemic episode (low blood sugar), living with diabetes while pregnant and more. "Shots" is a great book for people newly diagnosed with diabetes, people living other chronic illnesses, and people in the medical professions. ( )

Amy Ryan recounts her early trials and dealings with being diagnosed as a Type One Diabetes patient. She shares the highs and lows and exposes her inner dialogue for the reader. The book would be very reassuring both in its positives and negatives to anyone going through a similar process as Mrs. Ryan effectively shares and takes away the feeling of being alone against the world. Her honesty and openness cut through misconceptions, myths, and medical terminology.

Her writing is frank and the style straight-forward and relate-able. One can't help but admire her in dealing with Diabetes before the myriad of treatments were expanded and made easier in the last decade. The book doesn't always come off as positive but it shouldn't do so as Mrs. Ryan understands there are days where a person dealing with this disease first-hand or with a family member won't feel anything but the weight of the world.

That being said, Ryan can come across as slightly hypocritical in her expectations of those around her. While she herself undergoes a constant learning process about her disease and her new lifestyle, any one that can't match her knowledge or needs get brushed off as incompetent, uncaring, or not worth the time. Her frustrations and the magnitude of the lifestyle shift as well as the mixed chronology of the memoirs could account for some of this tone but Ryan's own intolerance for those not on the same page for whatever reason can strain sympathy for her at some points. She is, however, not looking for sympathy but rather looking to share and help educate so the tone can be overlooked.

Strong and definitely a helpful read for those encountering diabetes. ( )

This is not a book of how, why, or what to do. It is simply one woman's experience of adjusting to a chronic disease: Type 1 Diabetes. Newly diagnosed, she is not given much information before leaving the doctor's office (typical treatment), and therefore, became full of anxiety. Her intense worrying and calling the doctors day and night did annoy me. The author's writing did not reveal that she was asking enough specific questions to help her to learn.

Amy Ryan does tell us of the highs and lows of emotional stress with diabetes, how your life is changed, and less carefree from others: (1) The number of times a day you need to prick your finger for glucose testing; (2) The calculations of how much insulin to inject in relation to how much food you consume, how much exercise, etc; (3) There are no freebies, no free pass to get out of jail. You can't say once that you are too tired to test, etc.; (4) The horror stories and insensitivity of nondiabetics to contend with.

And then she gets pregnant. Oh my gosh! A whole new ball game; all of the extra testing, injections, and watchfullness. Whew! Later she goes on the pump and the process begins again of learning the basic principles of the insulin pump, the risks, and the benefits of pump therapy. Watching out for infections and dealing with them when they do occur.

This is a book sharing many of the struggles of a Type 1 diabetic.

A fast-paced, attention-holding read pulls back the curtains on the private life of Type 1 diabetics. Amy Ryan was diagnosed in her late 20's with insulin-dependant diabetes and was forced to learn quickly the intricacies of living with the disease. I have a colleage with Type 1, and never had any idea that her life was so complicated. Am so glad I read this book. Very highly recommended for health-interested readers.