Book Review: Growing Up Again, by Mary Tyler Moore

I was at LAX this morning, and I had two hours to kill before lining up to board. I bought an interesting book and sat down to read.

The book is Growing Up Again, a new one by Mary Tyler Moore. The intriguing subtitle is: "Life, Loves, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes." I have to admit, that's what drew me in.

So I sat down in front of Gate 13, opened my bag of M&M's, and started reading. It wasn't long before the irony of that act was apparent to me. (Yes, I'm slow, and still deep in denial.)

Growing Up Again, published just recently, contains a lot about MTM's career, starting with the Dick Van Dyke show with a large dash of The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She also throws in liberal doses of problems with her marriages and her parents. But that's all background, vital background, on how she deals with her Type I diabetes, and why. The book is all about diabetes, how she got it, how she deals with it, how she adjusts.

And remember that she was diagnosed at the age of 33, over 40 years ago, when a diabetic had to run a test strip, four times a day, under a stream of urine. Things are unbelievably easier now.

It's a fascinating journey. The good thing about this book is that it's inspiring because it's about a normal person. She doesn't handle the news well. She starts off her life with diabetes by using it to think she's now special, and worthy of attention. And it's her honesty and truth in this self-discovery that allows us in to witness this very personal story.

A criticism of the book is that it meanders endlessly. If you like chronological, or linear, you might have an issue with its structure. But if you can, stick with it, especially if you're diabetic. It's a journey, a message, that will speak to you.

By the time I reached the end of the book, I realize I've been, simply, a coward in how I am facing my diabetes. My self-awareness has been slow to come. I'd like to make a move to change, and I have Mary Tyler Moore to thank.

I do recommend Growing Up Again.