From left: Kaitlynn Reed, FNP-BC; Scott Mickel; Mercedes Payne, MD, AAFP
“Thanks to this hospital, I’m becoming the best I can be!”
–Scott Mickel
When Scott Mickel became concerned over a sudden weight loss, he turned to Rhea Medical Center for help.
Scott Mickel (center) knew something had to change. A few years ago, the full-time pastor, who is also a floor technician at Rhea Medical Center, weighed 360 pounds. “I was feeling exhausted all of the time,” Scott says. “And then I lost 20 pounds without trying. I was really concerned, so I went to see Dr. Mercedes Payne (right), my primary care physician.”
Dr. Payne ordered several tests that revealed Scott was diabetic. His A1C (a blood test that measures a person’s average blood sugar for the past two to three months) was 10.6 percent (normal is below 5.7 percent). And his fasting blood sugar count was more than 500 (normal is between 100 and 125).
“Dr. Payne has been so helpful in helping me understand my diabetes,” Scott says. “Regardless of how many questions I may have, she always takes the time to make sure all of my concerns have been answered.”
By taking a dietary class at Rhea Medical Center and exercising more, Scott has made a remarkable transformation. “I’ve lost about 75 pounds,” Scott says. “My blood sugar is now between 100 and 130. I’ve made such great progress. I’m so grateful to Rhea Medical Center and Dr. Payne. I want to be the best me I can be for my wife and two children, and this hospital is helping me achieve exactly that!”