Your Check Calendar

The A1C blood test is like a report card for your blood sugar. It may be every 3 months if your treatment changed or goals are not met. If you meet your goals, it may be every 6 months.

Doctor visits often follow the same 3 or 6 month pattern. Your feet are checked at every visit. Your doctor sets your own schedule, so ask how often to come in.

A 12 month calendar has a row for each check: A1C every 3 or 6 months, eye exam, foot exam, kidney check, cholesterol, dentist and vaccines. The A1C row fills every 6 months with lighter squares for the 3 month option, and each other check gets a marker that reads when your team says. Bindu ticks each check as you tap it.

Plan four checks each year. One is a dilated eye exam, which looks at the back of your eye. The others are a full foot check, kidney tests and a cholesterol test.

Kidney tests are like a filter check. They show how well your kidneys clean your blood. A cholesterol test is like a fat count for your blood.

Also check your own feet every day.

A year wheel with twelve months and a calendar in the middle, with an arrow going all the way round. Four boxes beside the wheel fill with the yearly checks: eyes, feet, kidneys and cholesterol. Then each box gets a green tick.

Dental visits belong on your calendar too. Add each one as soon as you book it.

Vaccines are shots that help protect you from some illnesses. Write each vaccine date on your calendar as soon as you have it.

Steps that add dentist visits and vaccines to a calendar, one date at a time.

Key takeaways

• The A1C test is due every 3 or 6 months, depending on your goals.
• Plan a yearly eye exam, foot check, kidney tests and cholesterol test.
• Dental visits and vaccines go on your calendar too.

Try it

Today, write your next doctor visit in your calendar. Then add a yearly reminder for your eye exam, foot check, kidney tests and cholesterol test.