After moving to St. Louis 10 years ago, Ramona found that she, too, had developed the condition. She tried to eat well and get regular exercise, and had no complications until pregnancy caused her diabetes to go wildly out of control, pushing her blood pressure sky high.

A team of Barnes-Jewish physicians helped her through the pregnancy safely. In addition to seeing a high-risk obstetrician and a kidney specialist to make sure her high blood pressure didn''t jeopardize her kidney function, she went to ophthalmologist Dr. Sunir Garg.

Ramona had "clouds" floating before her eyes, a common complication caused by diabetic changes in the blood vessels of the eye, says Dr. Garg. He was able to treat condition and minimize any permanent damage to Ramona''s sight by quick treatment. Unfortunately, many people don''t even realize they have diabetes until the damage has progressed too far to treat - making diabetes the leading preventable cause of blindness in the U.S.

But with the birth of a healthy son, Ramona plans to keep seeing her team of physicians and staying on top of her diabetes, "so I can be here for my children, to watch them grow up," she says.