When I first qualified in medicine in 1976, my first job was to work on a diabetic ward. My understanding of diabetes was extremely limited at that time and large gaps in my medical knowledge soon became evident. I will be eternally grateful to the senior nurse, Frank, who guided this inexperienced and mildly dangerous doctor through the twists and turns of managing acutely ill diabetic patients. This experience, for me at least, was immensely valuable and gives me a very good basis on which to treat diabetics in my Chinese medicine clinic.