But take heart! You're going to be just fine. Diabetes is not a death sentence. Now is the time to keep a cool head and put together a practical program, to keep the disease in control. Here are the essential steps you must take to control your diabetes -- and get on with your life.

One: Assemble a good medical team.

Primary physician. Everyone with diabetes needs to be in the care of a capable physician. But it doesn't necessarily have to be the person who diagnosed your diabetes. You're going to be seeing your doctor at least three-to-four times a year, and you'll be relying on this physician to recommend the other members of your health care team. So find someone you like, trust, and are comfortable with. Don't settle for just anyone. Find a doctor who has experience treating patients with diabetes and is willing and able to take the time to listen to your concerns and answer your questions.

Make sure your doctor keeps up with the latest developments in diabetes treatment. Diabetes care is rapidly evolving, and unless your doctor keeps up with the latest advances, you may not get the quality of care you deserve and need. If your doctor doesn't take care of a lot of people with diabetes, you may be better off with an endocrinologist -- a doctor who has advanced training in dealing with diabetes and other hormone-related diseases -- or a diabetologist, a specialist who only takes care of people with diabetes.

It's your health that's at stake here. If your doctor doesn't help you get your blood sugars at near normal levels in short order, do not be afraid to change doctors until you find one who will!

Certified Diabetes Educator. Ideally, in addition to your physician, you'll also want to see a certified diabetes educator. A diabetes educator will teach you the practical techniques of dealing with diabetes, including how to take your insulin or other medicine, how to measure your blood glucose levels, and much more. Your doctor may recommend an educator, or you can call the American Association of Diabetes Educators at 800 832-6874.

Registered dietitian. Eating the right diet is a critical part of diabetes therapy. Your Certified Diabetes Educator can answer many of your questions about diet, but you may also want to see a registered dietitian. Again, your doctor may recommend one who works with people with diabetes. Or you can call the American Dietetic Association at 800-366-1655.

Ophthalmologist. Because diabetes can damage the eye, you will definitely want an ophthalmologist (an eye doctor) on your health care team.

Experts recommend that people with Type 1 diabetes get a dilated retinal examination once a year, starting five years after the onset of diabetes. People with Type 2 diabetes should have a yearly dilated retinal examination starting immediately after diagnosis -- because Type 2 diabetes is often not diagnosed until you have had the disease for many years. (Many people first learn they have diabetes when their ophthalmologist finds diabetes retinopathy during a routine eye exam.) Women with gestational diabetes are particularly at risk for diabetic retinopathy, and some experts recommend that they have their eyes examined every three months during their pregnancy.

Early detection is the key. Much can be done to prevent and treat diabetic eye disease. The sooner your ophthalmologist spots it, the better job he or she can do of stopping it.

Dentist. Unfortunately, one of the complications of diabetes is dental problems, including cavities and gum disease. When diabetes is poorly controlled, the levels of sugar in your saliva are just as high as in your blood, and that causes tooth decay. High blood sugar levels also damage the blood vessels in your mouth, reducing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the gum tissues and weakening their resistance to infection.

Your best defense is good diabetes control. Keep your blood sugar levels at normal levels, and you're not likely to have any more dental problems that someone who does not have diabetes.

But it doesn't hurt to practice good dental hygiene, too! Brush your teeth twice a day, and floss to get at the plague between your teeth that the brush can't reach. Replace your brush regularly. See your dentist regularly. And have your teeth professionally cleaned at least every six months.

Podiatrist. If you have circulatory problems or nerve damage in your feet, you will also want to see a podiatrist (a foot doctor).

Unfortunately, people with diabetes -- especially if it's poorly controlled -- often experience some degree of diabetic neuropathy, the impairment or damage of nerve function due to increased blood sugars. This can result in tingling, burning or numbness in the hands or -- even more frequently -- the feet. It can also result in a decreased ability to feel pain, especially in the extremities.

The way to prevent neuropathy is to carefully control your blood sugar levels. Good diabetes control has been proven to dramatically decrease your risk of neuropathy.

In any case, people with diabetes are encouraged to visually inspect their feet every day. If you do have some degree of neuropathy, you may have a cut or blister that you're not able to feel. It's important to take care of any kind of injury to the foot right away, because foot injuries in people with diabetes can be very hard to heal. It's also a good idea to see a podiatrist (foot doctor) at least once a year.

Two: Learn everything you can about diabetes.

People with diabetes manage their own health. Your doctor and the rest of your healthcare team will help, of course. But, day-to-day, you must administer your own treatment. Your medical team can help you get your diabetes under control. But only you can actually do it. It's generally accepted that 5 percent of diabetes care is up to your doctor, and 95% is up to you.

So read up! Do the research. Find out all you can about diabetes -- so you can deal with it effectively.

Diabetes care is constantly changing. Important new products that can help you control your diabetes come on the market virtually every month. You would be wise to subscribe to at least one magazine to keep up with the latest advances. In addition to "Diabetes Positive!," good choices include "Diabetes Interview," "Diabetes Self-Management" and "Diabetes Forecast."

It also helps to surf the Web. The American Diabetes Association has a Web site, as do many other organizations that can help you live well in spite of the challenge that diabetes represents. Almost all of the major manufacturers of diabetes medicines, supplies, equipment, and insulin also have their own sites, many of which are very helpful.

Three: Get organized!

Gather the supplies you need including your insulin or other drugs your physician may have prescribed, and a blood glucose meter. Decide when you're going to exercise and what you're going to eat. Make a plan.

Four: Maintain a positive attitude.

One of the major hazards of diabetes is depression. But you can't give into it! Long-term, your health depends on maintaining a positive attitude as much as anything else.

If you think you are seriously depressed, by all means tell your doctor right away. It's nothing to be ashamed of. People with diabetes suffer from depression at a rate that is two-to-four times higher than the general population. The key is to do something about it! Professional counseling, support groups and antidepressant medications can all help get you back on track. Exercise is also a highly effective antidepressant.

For fighting off everyday garden-variety blahs and generally keeping your chin up, positive thinking techniques -- visualization, positive self-talk, affirmations, relaxation, and medication -- can be tremendously helpful. Now is the time to start learning about them.

Five: Accept the changes you're going to have to make and get started.

The people who do best with diabetes are the people who, first of all, accept it. They take positive steps to deal with it. And then -- they get on with their lives. They feel they have a mission, a purpose, a reason for living. They feed their minds a steady diet of positive thoughts. They love, they work, they laugh, they play, they plan for the future and they live their lives, just like everybody else.

Your diabetes and your health are completely under your control. Take good care of yourself and you'll live a long, happy, healthy life!