I am amazed at how Sonia Sotomayor's diabetes has been just a footnote to the story of her success. The story should be titled "Against all odds." You see, juvenile onset diabetes is always Type 1. That means it is always insulin-dependent. I know. I am the parent of a child who became diabetic at a very early age. When Sotomayor became diabetic at age 8, the testing and treatment was nowhere as advanced as it is today. Even today, with advances in testing and care, it means testing (drawing blood with a finger poke) and, at a minimum, injections prior to every meal, knowing carbohydrate quantities, dealing with blood-sugar fluctuations due to sick days and exercise, and even variations caused by emotions and stress. Diabetes is the largest cause of kidney failure and blindness in the world. It has been said that diabetics are buried a piece at a time. Why? Because fingers and toes are amputated as circulation decreases. Then it's feet and so on. I don't know about Sotomayor's qualifications for the Supreme Court, but I sure do admire what she has accomplished with her life. As one final thought, I am reminded of the day that my son left for college. I felt relief because I didn't have to worry about his blood sugar level. Then came the realization that it never leaves him. He lives with it 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. And so does Sonia Sotomayor.

BILL HANSEN, MINNEAPOLIS