Best of the ‘Betes Blogs

I’m very excited to host this month’s Best of the Betes Blogs, which helps to highlight awesome posts in the DOC.  So settle in with your favorite beverage and take some time to check out a few January posts you shouldn’t miss!

Best Use of Humor: Diabetes often influences much of our day.  But in Stephen’s case, diabetes can sometimes influence dreams too.

Best Recipe: These peanut butter cookies with a surprise chocolate center from A Sweet Life look very hard to resist!

Best Use of Photography: Sarah’s powerful picture perfectly compliments her powerful words about “the things we least want to do”.

Best Advocacy: Seeing important advances in diabetes technology highlighted in mainstream media is a wonderful thing.  But Renza highlights how important it is for media to report responsibly in these situations.

Best Story of a D Meet-up: Diabetes may be the common thread that begins friendships, but Sara reflects on how friendships become so much  more.

Best non-D Related Post: April shared a fascinating first hand account of NASA simulations.

Best Post by a Type 1: Complications can be difficult to talk about and can carry stigmas and emotional baggage.  Tarra shared her thoughts and experiences in a brave post to help reassure and educate others.

Best Post by a Type 2: “ . . . this winter is kicking my ass”.  I definitely identified with Rachel's struggles with depression.

Best Post by a Type Awesome: Lorraine had a couple of reservations about using CGM in the Cloud but found the outcome to be the opposite of what she expected.

Best Post by a LADA/ Type 1.5/ Not otherwise specified: On her five year diaversary, Katie reflects on why it's worth celebrating.

Best Story of a D-mistake:  Ever go through your checklist before leaving home, only to discover later you forgot something very important?  I have, and so has Reva!

Best Motivational Post: This month Victoria also celebrated a diaversary, and shares her impressive accomplishments and what motivates her to Ride to Cure Diabetes.

If your post was included in this month’s list, feel free to grab the Best of the 'Betes Blogs button below and display it on your blog.  (Say that five times fast!)

A big thank you to all who submitted nominations and congratulations to all who were nominated!
Ally at Very Light, No Sugar
Kerri at Six Until Me
Laddie at Test Guess and Go
Mike at The Diabetic's Corner Booth

Hosting Best of the 'Betes Blogs was a lot of fun and if you’ve ever thought about signing up to host a month DO IT!!!  Just email Best 'Betes Blogs to say that you're interested.  And any time you see a great blog post you’d like to nominate, just fill out this simple form.

Harder for Others . . .

I believe diabetes is hard for everyone, regardless of type.  However, I also believe there are some things that are harder for other types than for me, as a Type 1.  And that is the focus of the #dsma blog carnival this month.  The question is from a September chat that asked “anything easy about living with your type of diabetes that isn’t easy for another type?".

Yes, yes, oh yes!!  I believe there are plenty of things that are harder for Type 2s and people with gestational diabetes and LADAs and every other kind of diabetes.  Don’t get me wrong, Type 1 is hard too.  And some things are equally hard for all types.  But some things are harder for one type or another.

Today I’m thinking of my Type 2 friends and the thing that I believe is tougher for them is STIGMA.  Yes, I’m yelling it.  STIGMA.  I hate the stigma that comes with diabetes.  Diabetes is not anyone’s fault, no matter what type a person has.  And I think sometimes T2s get stigma not only from the general public, but also from people who have other types of diabetes.  It’s wrong and it isn’t fair.  And I wish I could take the stigma away.

This post is my October entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetescaf.org/2014/10/october-dsma-blog-carnival-4.

Talk to Each Other . . . .

I like when my “toys” talk to each other.  (And now my head is filled with images from Toy Story.)  My new Fitbit wirelessly syncs to both my iPhone and my laptop.  When I log food into LoseIt, I can see it on the LoseIt site or the LoseIt app, and it’s magically reflected in Fitbit too.  When exercise has earned me a few more calories worth of snacks, Fitbit tells LoseIt that I can eat some more.  Life is easier when everything communicates seamlessly.

Now imagine a world where diabetes devices had the same seamless communication.  My stuff probably communicates better than most because the devices I use are designed to work with each other.  My Bayer Contour Next Link sends my blood glucose numbers directly to my 530G insulin pump.  My 530G works hand in hand with my Enlite CGM, showing all of that data too.  Good, yes?  Yes.  But it could be better.  What if, like Fitbit, my meter and CGM could also sync up to an app on my iPhone?  What if I could use that app to send a bolus to my 530G?  Oh my goodness, that would be awesome.  It would mean I could wear a dress without worrying about flashing too much leg or some boob every time I need to access a pump that is tucked into some unmentionables when I have no pockets.  In the winter, when my pump is buried under layer upon layer of wool, I could still see my CGM graph.  And it would mean I could put an app on Pete’s phone so that when I’m travelling and sleeping alone in a hotel room, he can take a peek from home and know I’m okay.

My world would work so much better if all of my diabetes stuff would not only talk to each other, but to the other electronic devices which have become a staple in my life.

******************************************************************************
More about the #WeAreNotWaiting campaign.

This post is my May entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetescaf.org/2014/05/may-dsma-blog-carnival-4/

Thankful but still Needing Better . . . .

This month the DCAF blog carnival revisits a very important subject - the accuracy of our test strips.  We imagine we are speaking at a Diabetes Technology Society meeting and are asked what our comment would be on meter accuracy at the Diabetes Technology Society meeting?

This isn’t a question I take lightly and I’ve put a lot of thought into my answer.  I think it would be important to start by expressing my thankfulness that diabetes technology has progressed greatly since I was diagnosed.  I remember well the days of urine testing instead of blood sugar testing, and of one insulin injection per day followed by a strict exchange diet.  It was tough, and things today are better than they were in 1979.

That said, better than 34 years ago is not always good enough.  Insulin today has improved and is more powerful, but that also makes it more dangerous.  I need to know exactly what my blood sugar is because proper dosing of my insulin depends on it. And improper dosing means hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia - both of which are dangerous and can bring deadly consequences.  Today's test strips often give errors, sometimes more than the 20% accuracy standard allowed.  Even an incorrect result within 20% can screw up my dosing, and over 20% can really muck things up.

I'm glad our technologies are better than they were more than 3 decades ago.  However, diabetes is still really hard.  Yes, it’s hard in different ways than it was in the late ‘70s but it is still really hard.  We still need better.  Our lives depend on it.

This post is my October entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetescaf.org/2013/09/october-dsma-blog-carnival-3/

Strengths and Weaknesses . . . .

This month the DSMA blog carnival wants us to share “What do you consider to be your Diabetes Strengths? What do you think are your Diabetes Weaknesses?".



What am I weak at?  Oh I can come up with a huge list of things!!  What am I good at?  Well, that’s a tough one.  It’s so easy for me to see my flaws and so hard to give myself credit.  Is that human nature, or is it just me?  Anyway, mini-therapy session aside, I've narrowed my list down to one strength and one weakness. 

I guess my Diabetes Strength is that I’m really good at pre-bolusing before eating.  It helps me fend off those pesky post-meal spikes that fall right back into range after an hour or so. But it isn’t always easy.  When I’m cooking my focus is on the timing of the food and it’s so easy to forget about that pre-bolus.  When I’m starving it’s pretty hard to wait before I have a snack.  At a restaurant it’s extra tricky to time insulin to when the waiter will serve my meal.  But I really try and usually I do pretty well.  My CGM high alarm is set at 170, and if I carefully pre-bolus I can often get through all my meals and snacks without it blaring that I’m high.

I narrowed down my long list of diabetes weaknesses to the one that I want to conquer the most.  It’s the fact that I’m terrible at taking the emotion out of the blood glucose numbers.  When that CGM does blare I curse myself for screwing up.  A sticky high or low makes me feel like I’m being punished for doing something wrong.  I would tell anyone with diabetes to look at out of range numbers as information they can act on, not as personal failures.  But when those undesirable numbers flash on my own meter I forget my own advice.  I’m weakest at blaming diabetes instead of blaming myself.

This post is my May entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2013/may-dsma-blog-carnival-3/.

Advocacy . . . . learning as I go

As is fitting for Diabetes Awareness Month, the DSMA blog carnival has us talking about advocacy.  What one thing will I do differently and how will I accomplish it?

I think the one thing I need to do when it comes to advocating is to be more . . . . . aggressive . . . . bold . . . . I’m not quite sure exactly how to put it into words.  But here is the thing . . . . I always feel like I should be doing more, and like I want to do more.  So I guess I need to be more proactive in finding ways to advocate.  I need to just go for it!

My advocacy table at our JDRF walk

When I signed on as the Advocacy Team Chair for my JDRF chapter, I was scared out of my mind.  I’d never done any government advocacy before and I wasn’t sure I’d be up for the challenge.  But I knew I wanted to try and I knew I would give it  my all!  And I have loved every minute.  I’ve pushed outside of my comfort zone to meet with government reps numerous times.  And to make calls to their offices about diabetes issues (I am so not a phone person).  And I’ve spoken about advocacy, on stage with a microphone, at our two JDRF walks.  I was a bundle of nerves for each of these tasks, but the rewards have been so great.  I think it’s important, and very good, to push ourselves to do more than we think we can.  (Hmmm, I sound so preachy, don’t I?  Yuck!)

Wow, tangent much?  But to sum it up, one thing I will do differently is to do more, even if some advocacy tasks are outside my comfort zone.  The way I will accomplish it is by being bolder and not listening to those scared voices that try to hold me back and by being more proactive in finding ways and opportunities to advocate.

What are your favorite advocacy opportunities?  Do you have any new advocacy goals for 2013?

This post is my November entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2012/november-dsma-blog-carnival-2/.

Get a Job!!

Your pancreas is in a job interview and totally bombed the question about ______.


Interviewer:  Good morning, thanks for coming in.
My Pancreas: Hey, thanks for seeing me.
Interviewer: So, let’s get started.  First why don’t you tell me a little bit about your employment history.
My Pancreas:  Yeah, well, for a little over 11 years I worked with  my beta cells . . . . or was it my islets . . . . are they the same thing?  Yeah, whatever, I don’t know, but I made insulin.  Then I decided I was so done with that, so I stopped.
Interviewer:  You stopped? 
My Pancreas:  Yup, just quit.
Interviewer:  Okaaay, and what have you been doing since then.
My Pancreas:  Umm, yeah, I guess nothing.  Well, maybe I’m like a placeholder so the other internal organs don’t shift around and stuff.  Ya know, they might do that if I just wasn’t there, right?
Interviewer:  Ahem, well, why don’t you tell me what you see as your greatest strength?
My Pancreas:  Pfft, I don’t know.  Strength?  I kinda don’t really have one.
Interviewer:  Well, what would you say your greatest weakness is?
My Pancreas:  You know, I just really don’t do anything.  So I don’t have any weaknesses or strengths.  I just kinda hang around.
Interviewer:  (sighing loudly)  Can you tell me why you are interested in this job?
My Pancreas:  (laughing)  Lady, I don’t WANT a job!  I don’t even know how I ended up on this stupid interview.  I’ve been a slacker for almost 33 years, and I don’t see any reason to change things!
Interviewer:  Okay, I think I’ve gotten all of the information I need.  Thanks for your time.  We’ll let you know when we’ve made a decision.




This post is my August entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2012/august-dsma-blog-carnival-2/

Endo Stress . . . .

I love my endo.  Last year I was so upset when he moved his practice 45 minutes away but I decided it was worth the drive to keep seeing him.  (I know in many areas 45 minutes is nothing, but in a small state like Connecticut we think it is a big deal.)  Sticking with him was absolutely the right decision and I’ve never once regretted it.  So my answer to this month’s DSMA Blog Carnival is probably going to surprise you.  The question of the month is . . . . .

Do you get nervous or stressed when you have to go to your endo/doc appointment? Why or why not? Be honest.

I'll say it again, I love my endo.  He’s supportive.  He treats me with respect and listens to what I have to say.  He never makes me feel rushed and always takes the time to answer each and every question I have.  He gives me recommendations but allows me final say in my health decisions.

So endo appointments should be a snap for me, right?  OH MY GOSH, WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!  I get COMPLETELY stressed out.  Seriously, I am a nervous wreck for at least a week before.  I am a complete and utter crab (which is the G-rated version of what I’d really like to say I am) and I’m very lucky I have such a patient husband because I don’t know how he puts up with me.

Most of my stress comes from those stupid numbers on the paper . . . . my A1C and my meter reading.  I feel like they need to be perfect.  When I told my endo this, he said “Well, you do know that’s impossible, right.”  Which is true . . . . diabetes makes it impossible for our numbers to be perfect all the time.  Also, I think back to all those years when I couldn’t get my A1C down - I’d be so stressed before my appointments and I was sure if I could just get the number where it needs to be the stress would disappear.  I was wrong.  My A1C has been on goal for quite a while, but now before each appointment I stress that it has jumped back up.  I also stress over the results of my other labs and over getting the news that complications have set it.

Honestly, I know it’s just in my personality to stress.  In general, I stress the big things and the little things and everything in between.  So I guess it makes sense that endo appointments are no different.

This post is my June entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2012/june-dsma-blog-carnival-2/

Cover Me . . .

(Are you singing 80’s Springsteen with me??)

This month the DSMA Blog Carnival wants us to complete a sentence.  “I wish my insurance company paid for _________because ______________.”  Can I just say EVERYTHING???

But seriously, “everything” is my answer.  I’ve been pretty lucky as health insurance goes.  I have my insulin pump.  My CGM got approved without much hassle.  My first test strip order with my new insurance was denied because I test 8 - 10 times a day and they said that was more than they would cover, but I asked my endo's office to appeal it and within a week all of the test strips I need were delivered to my door.  So yes, it could be worse . . . . but it could also be better.

I wish my insurance company would cover strips for which ever brand meter I’d like to use - instead of just the two brands they’ve decided I can choose from.  While we are at it, I wish they'd also pay for the actual meter because I'm majorly pining for the iBGStar but don't have an extra $80 to shell  out for it.  I wish my insurance company covered all brands of insulin equally - instead of having “preferred” brands with lower copays.  Unfortunately, my body does not “prefer” the brands on the lower copay tier.  Even with coverage, the copays on the stuff I need is ridiculously expensive!

But still, I’m pretty lucky with insurance.  I think of people who can’t get coverage for insulin pumps.  I think of friends who are allowed only one or two test strips a day.  I think of those who go to sleep every night scared stiff of lows, but can’t get coverage for a CGM to keep them safe.  And I think of the struggles people with other illnesses and conditions go through over insurance.

So instead I wish ALL insurance companies paid for EVERYTHING PEOPLE WITH DIABETES (or any health condition) NEED TO LIVE LONG HEALTHY LIVES because WE DESERVE IT.

This post is my May entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2012/may-dsma-blog-carnival-2/ .

To Tell or Not To Tell . . . .

For the most part, diabetes is an invisible disease.  Pumps are not always easy to spot, calloused and freckled fingers can easily go unnoticed, and unless you whip out your syringe or pen for a public MDI those around you usually don’t know you have diabetes unless you share that information with them.  With this in mind, the DSMA Blog Carnival posed the question:

Does your employer/school/friends know you have diabetes?  Why or why not?

These days I certainly fall on the side of diabetes-oversharing, if there is such a thing (I kind of pretend there isn’t).  It not unusual for me to discuss diabetes with complete strangers.  But this wasn’t always the case.  I was diagnosed when I was 11 years old and, like most teenage girls, I desperately wanted to be just like everyone else.  And so, I did all I could to hide the fact that I am diabetic.  I ate what everyone else ate - even though back then I was supposed to be on a strict eating plan.  I hid in the bathroom to test my blood and take my injections, or I just waited until I was back home in the seclusion of my bedroom to do them.

When I left for college, I decided I’d turn over a new leaf and I’d tell everyone that I had diabetes.  That went well for about the first few months or so.  But then, I once again wanted to be a “normal” college kid.  I wanted to drink beer at a party (even though I hate beer) - and at that time I believed people with diabetes couldn’t drink.  So while I didn’t exactly hide my diabetes, I also didn’t talk about it  much because I felt I was doing a lot of things I wasn’t supposed to be doing and I hated when people asked me about it.

Graduating college and going out into the adult world didn’t mean I became adult about having diabetes.  Nobody at work knew, and I went back to testing and injecting in the bathroom.  Until one day, when I got really sick and ended up in the hospital.  I decided it was time to start getting serous about taking care of myself, and that it was time to stop hiding diabetes.  I told my closest friends, who were supportive and understanding (and also pretty shocked to find out I had hidden it from them for years).  As for my co-workers, I told a diabetes half-truth.  I let them believe that I was newly diagnosed during my hospital stay.  I know it sounds crazy to replace one lie with another, but in my mind it was a good way to be open about diabetes without the shame of admitting I had hidden it for years.

I didn’t truly feel comfortable letting people know about diabetes until I found the DOC and became friends with other diabetics.  Finally I understood that having diabetes didn’t make me broken or less of a person.  I learned how to take care of myself and still enjoy things like pizza and chocolate and martinis.  I felt empowered as a patient and I felt the need to blog and share and advocate for all people with diabetes.  And now, I just dare anyone to try to get me to shut up about having diabetes!!

This post is my March entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2012/march-dsma-blog-carnival-2.

Depression Sucks

This month the #dsma blog carnival tackles a pretty heavy subject but one that I believe really needs to be discussed more by our community  - DEPRESSION and how we can keep it from hitting our community in the winter.

I've wracked my brain all month and honestly, I don’t have an answer.  I struggle with feelings of depression quite often myself.  I’ve written about my own bouts of depression a few times before, but certainly  not as often as I could have or as often as I’ve felt them.  When I’m depressed I try my hardest of hide it from the world.  Even right now, I find myself struggling against letting depression set in as I go through a tough time of uncertainty.  And still, when people ask me how I’m doing I say I’m fine.  Pete and I hanging in, we’re excited for new opportunities in our lives, yada yada yada.  That’s all true to an extent, except for the part where I’m doing fine . . . . because I’m kind of not.  But at least, for now, I’m trying to fight the depression off instead of surrendering to it completely.

The thing about depression is that before anyone can help me, I know I first have to help myself.  I don’t have a magic formula for pulling myself out of depression, but here are a few things that seem to help me turn the tide:

• Have a Big Fat Wallow Day!!  Many of us often feel we shouldn’t be depressed, we have good lives and we know others walk a harder road than we do.  I tend to beat myself up for feeling depressed, which only makes me more depressed.  So I thought about Diabetes Wallow Days and how much they help when Diabetes Burnout hits.  Recently I decided to do the same thing with depression.  I allowed one day to mope, cry, eat junk, feel terrible, do absolutely nothing, and just wallow in the suckiness of my mood.  And the next day, I was ready to start fighting my way back again.
• Succeed.  It’s hard to be depressed when you are doing really well at something, so I try to find just one small thing to succeed at.  For me, it’s been tracking my calories and keeping up with my weigh loss goals.  My  first goal in the journey is to lose 10 pounds by March 12th, and as of last Monday I only have about half a pound left to go.
• Do stuff.  When I’m blue I let the house get messy, the laundry pile up and the cupboards go bare.  And it makes me feel worse.  So it’s important to push yourself to do stuff, even small stuff.  Straighten up one room.  Vacuum the floors.  Do just one load of laundry.  Take a quick trip to the store to get something healthy but tasty for the fridge.  One small step at a time can actually be huge.

Okay, now that we’ve helped ourselves, how about helping others?  In fact, I’m willing to bet that helping others will help ourselves too.  It’s hard to be depressed when you know you are helping someone who needs you.  How can we help the DOC?

• Check on quiet friends.  Others have mentioned the same thing I’ve been thinking in their Blog Carnival posts - silence on-line is often a red flag for depression.  (I know I’m a lot more absent when I’m depressed.)  Make a mental note (or actual list) of who might be feeling down and check in on them.  Email. tweet, drop by their blog - just let them know you care!
• Keep the discussion going!  As I’ve admitted already, I tend to pretend things are okay even when they aren’t.  I think we should discuss depression more as a community and continue to brainstorm ways to help ourselves - even after the February blog carnival is over.  Are you with me?

This post is my February entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2012/february-dsma-blog-carnival/.

Just One Thing for 2012 . . . .

This month the DSMA Blog Carnival asks what one diabetes related thing we are most looking forward to in 2012.  Just one thing?  That’s a tough one for me because I’m looking forward to, and hoping for, quite a lot from the New Year.  Advances in technology and new products on the U.S. market would be wonderful (like the Enlite sensors and the iBGStar meter, which I’d love to see this year).  Doing more advocacy work will be awesome (like heading to DC in March for JDRF Government Day and hopefully presenting at TCOYD next month).  Finding a  way to turn my diabetes passion into a part-time source of income would be amazing (although I’m not sure it’s a very realistic dream).  Brushing up on my personal diabetes care is important (breaking the “ignore my CGM alarms” habit and finally getting fit and losing weight is something I’m already working on - and I’m proud to say I have shed 5.6 pounds so far this year).

However, I’m only supposed to write about ONE thing.  So I stopped to think about what one thing I’d chose if I had to give up the others.  I’d love fancy new d-gadgets, but I could continue just fine with the ones I’m using now.  Advocacy is very important to me and I’d be disappointed to miss out on new advocacy opportunities, but I could still continue with my local adult support group and the JDRF stuff I’m already involved in.  Finding my dream job is what everyone hopes for, but in reality paying the bills must come first.  And if I didn’t exercise or lose any weight this year?  Well, I’d just keep working on it.

When it comes down to the one thing I’m most looking forward to - the one diabetes thing I absolutely don’t want to miss out on this year - it’s pretty simple.  It’s the connections and the support.  I value my local diabetes groups and am looking forward to more dinners and discussions and sometimes, diabetes rants.  And  I can’t wait to attend more meet-ups and conferences and spend time with my DOC family.  I’m unsure if I’ll be able to attend Friends for Life this year but I’m going to try my hardest to make it happen.  And even if travel and in-person DOC meet-ups aren’t an option, I’m really looking forward to continuing to connect on-line - through blogs, Twitter, Facebook, #dsma, emails, and any other ways I can find.  The DOC has changed me from a person who hid the fact that she was diabetic and never wanted to discuss it, to a person who talks about it every opportunity she gets.  The DOC has taught me that I’m not broken and helpless, and that I can be strong. 

Giving up the connections and support I’ve found is unthinkable - and continuing and growing the relationships I’ve made is the one thing I’m most looking forward to in 2012.

This post is my January entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival. If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2012/january-dsma-blog-carnival/.

Figuring out Social Media

This month the DSMA blog carnival is all about Social Media.  We are asked “What advice would you give someone who was trying to figure out how to use social media?”.  The first thing that pops into my head is JUST DIVE RIGHT IN . . . .  but I suppose that’s not really much of an answer.

Instead, here are a few things I wish I had realized when I was just starting out.

• Don’t be so shy!!  When I first started out, I often held off on leaving comments on blogs because I figured “these people don’t know who I am, they won’t want to hear what I have to say”.  I could not have been more wrong!!  The great thing about the Diabetes On-line Community (or DOC) is that we can (respectfully) share our thoughts and opinions.  You never know when something you say will really help someone else.
• Don’t get overwhelmed!!  There is a lot of social media out there.  Blogs, twitter, Facebook, message boards, etc. etc.  This is a good thing . . . . until you tell yourself that you must read each and every post and tweet out there and immediately get completely overwhelmed.  (Actually, I still get overwhelmed often!)  Remember that it’s completely fine to participate as little (or as much) as you have time for.
• Do be sincere and friendly!!  Nobody is the perfect diabetic, so don’t worry that you need to be.  If you feel like sharing mistakes, do it!  If you want to share triumphs, do that too.  Commiserate and celebrate with the DOC - that’s what we are here for.
• Find the SM tools that work best for you!!  You might be a blogger.  You might not want to write a blog of your own, but you love to read other’s blogs.  You might be super at leaving blog comments.  You might find the 140 character updates of Twitter are more your speed.  Maybe you’ll love message boards.  The great thing is that you are free to choose as many or as few social media tools as you see fit!
• Have fun!!  Okay, that one goes without saying.  And also, once you get started, I bet you will automatically have more fun that you can imagine! 

To those of you starting out, do you have any questions I haven’t covered?  And to you social media “pros”, what advice would you give??

This post is my November entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/november-dsma-blog-carnival/.

Just a game of chance . . . .

I’ll admit it, I’m kind of a casino nut.  I have a lot of fun playing slot machines.  Yes, I know, slots are mostly games of luck.  But I like to think there is a little more to it.  Like when you are on a winning streak, you have to decide when to keep playing and when to take your winnings and walk away.  When you aren’t hitting, you have to decide if you should give the machine a chance to turn it around or if you should cash out and move on.  You follow your instincts . . . and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

This is what came to mind when I thought about the DSMA Blog Carnival topic for this month.  We’re writing about the types and frequency of diabetes related decisions we make in any given day.  Do you sometimes feel like all you do is make diabetes related decisions during every waking moment?  Because I sure do.  And it often feels like those decisions are just like playing the slot machines . . . . I can follow my instincts, but it won’t always work.

First thing in the morning, I take my fasting blood sugar.  And if I’m a little bit low, I have to decide if I should eat something right away.  Or if I should skip my 1 unit coffee bolus and just wait for my hot mug of love the caffeine to bring my blood sugar up.

Now it’s time for breakfast.  Maybe I’ll have a healthy bowl of oatmeal.  But oatmeal always spikes me, do I really want to deal with that today?  I could have a Greek yogurt.  That spiked me last week but yesterday I ate one and my blood sugar was fine.  Should I push my luck and go for it a second time?  Maybe I’ll just have some toast.  Should I put some peanut butter on it for protein, or should skip the peanut butter in favor of keeping the carbs down?

Am I going to exercise today?  Because if I am, I need to start making some decisions about that.  Do I feel like going out for a run or walking on the treadmill?  Both of those will make my blood sugar drop.  Or do I feel like weight training?  That might raise my blood sugar.  Should I decrease my basal a bit before I workout?  Or should I eat a snack instead?  Maybe I should work out right after breakfast, and just under bolus for that toast.  But then I might end up going too high.

And on and on it goes.  Which finger should I test my blood sugar on?  If I’m planning to knit today testing on my pointer fingers sometimes makes them sore when I hold the needles.  Should I change out my pump site right now?  I’ve still got quite a bit of insulin in my reservoir, so maybe I’ll wait until later in the day so it’s not so wasteful.  But then there is a chance that my site will crap out and my sugar will spike.  Oh, and my CGM sensor!!  Do I change it out today, like the FDA recommends, or do I leave it in for another three days since it’s working well (and is damn expensive)?  Do I cave in to my craving for a bowl of ice cream and possibly suffer the blood sugar consequences?

Life with diabetes is full of decisions.  And they aren’t always black and white.  Sometime the right decision turns out all wrong.  Sometimes it’s all a gamble.  You just use your best judgment, spin the wheels, and hope Lady Luck is on your side today.

This post is my October entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/october-dsma-blog-carnival.

I Want It All!!

This month, the DSMA blog carnival  is all about diabetes technology.  Since my diagnosis over 31 years ago, I’ve seen a ton of advancement in technology and treatments for diabetes.  But there is still a lot on my wish list, so it’s pretty easy for me to answer the carnival question:

What improvements or adjustments would you make to current [diabetes] technology?

During Diabetes Blog Week I wrote a tongue-in-cheek post that touched on meter accuracy and the high cost of d-supplies.  So today I’ll go in a different direction and talk about making our d-technology more convenient.  Because basically, I WANT IT ALL!!!

One of the things I love about my Minimed CGM is that it sends the data right to my pump.  I just push a button on my pump screen to view the CGM graph.  I love that I don’t need to carry around a separate receiver.  So I wouldn’t change this at all.

But what about the times when my pump is inaccessible?  What if it is buried under winter clothes or tucked into my bra or in a pocket that is hard to reach with my seatbelt on?  In that case, I want to be able to view my CGM data on a separate device as well.  And my device of choice would be my iPhone.  I’m going to be carrying around my iPhone anyway, so I’d love to be able to tap the screen and see the same CGM graph that I see on my pump.

Once I see the data my CGM is telling me, I’ll need to do a finger-stick to verify the number before taking action.  I mean, pretend I see the 239 in the picture above.  There is no way I’m going to bolus without confirming that reading, no matter how accurate my CGM has been reading.  So I also want a meter attached right to my iPhone, like this one.  And now that I’m ready to act on the information, I want to be able to do that right from my iPhone too.  Yup, I want to be able to do everything the bolus wizard on my pump does, right from my phone.

Does this seem like a tall order?  Do I sound greedy or spoiled?  Maybe I do.  But I don’t really think so.  After all, at FFL I programmed the DVR back home in my living room using my iPhone.  I can stream movies, workout videos and television shows on my Wii.  I can video chat with my friends over my laptop.  (Okay, I haven’t actually done that yet, but I hear I can . . . )  So it doesn’t seem at all unreasonable to want to test, bolus and view my CGM data from my smart phone.

That’s right.  I want it all!!

This post is my July entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival. If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/july-dsma-blog-carnival/.

My (Type) Awesome Husband . . .

This month, the #dsma blog carnival is all about those non-diabetic people in our lives who make up our support system.  We were asked “What is a funny diabetes experience you had with a Person Without Diabetes / supporter / T-3?  Parents of CWd’s, please share your experience."

A couple of years ago posted my favorite funny diabetes experience with Pete, but I’m going to re-post it for the blog carnival since I’m sure the post is new to most of you.

Good help is hard to find . . .

Lately I've been having some issues with my CGM.  The sensors aren't working right and I'm getting tons of Bad Senor Errors.  (Yes, I am going to call Minimed about it - I just am lazy haven't gotten to it yet.)  However, the one I wore last week worked fine, so I'm wondering if it is a bit of user-error.  Maybe I need to plan my placement a little better instead of just slapping it on the same place over and over.

Sunday I decided to move farther around my lower back.  I knew it would probably be out of my reach, so I asked Pea if he felt up to inserting the sensor for me.  He's a pro at helping me attach the transmitter and apply the tape, but inserting the sensor would be new ground.

To start, I told him that it would hurt.  It always hurts, even when I do it.  I told him not to spend a lot of time worrying about if it will hurt me.  It will, but it's worth it and I'll get over it.  Then I had him do a trial run with an empty inserter.  This way, he could get an idea of how hard to press the button and what it would feel like.

Once that was done, I loaded the sensor and took off the needle guard.  One . . . two . . . three . . . shunk.  A small pinch, but not as bad as when I insert them.  One second later . . . OUCH!!!!  What was THAT?

As soon as the sensor was inserted, Pea was hit with a rush of excited pride and nervous panic.  The adrenalin caused him to yank the inserter away as quickly as possible - without holding the sensor down.  I turned to see the inserter in his hand with the sensor still in it.  A glance in the mirror showed nothing on my lower back except a small drop of blood.

Attempt #1 at the CGM?  Fail!

“This post is my May entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/may-dsma-blog-carnival/“

Is Exercise a Four-Letter Word??

So yeah, I guess you can tell by the title of this post, I really struggle with exercise.  Or, more specifically, I struggle with the motivation to exercise.  Sticking with it for the long haul is my main problem.  Sure, my husband and I get a good workout at our weekly ballroom dance lesson, but that’s only forty-five minutes a week.  Last summer I stuck with the Couch to 5K program and completed three 5K races, but as soon as winter hit the running was over.  So my main problem with exercise is finding something I like and will stick to - even on days when I just feel like being lazy.

For me, the hardest thing about managing diabetes and exercise is figuring out the magic combination of pre-exercise snack, lower basal rate and physical activity to keep my blood sugar from getting too low or too high while working out.  And this is where my exercise inconsistency really makes things even harder than they have to be.  Because every time I slack on exercise and have to start my workout routine all over again, I also have to start my “workout blood sugar plan” all over again.  *sigh*

“This post is my March entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/march-dsma-blog-carnival“

My (late) Most Awesome Thing

Oh my, where did February go?  I’ve been so busy reading and commenting on the DSMA February Blog Carnival posts that I never got around to writing my own.  In the spirit of “better late than never”, I thought I would share “the  most awesome thing I have done in spite of diabetes”.

There is a lot I have done in 31 years living with this disease.  Some may be awesome, most is pretty ordinary, but when I think about what I am most proud of 2010 comes to mind.


Last year, I began to see posts from many of my friends who were doing the Couch to 5K program.  I’ve never been an athlete, but I am a follower because the more posts I saw the more convinced I became that I wanted to try it too.  I never seriously thought I could stick with it.  I ran track in high school . . . . for two days before deciding it totally was not for me.

But, in August of 2010, at the age of 42 (and with almost 31 of those years with diabetes), I ran my first 5K race.  I ran a second 5K in September and shaved 15 seconds off my time.  I ran my last 5K of the season on Thanksgiving.  Sure, my time in all three was downright terrible.  But I did them.  I still can’t believe I did three 5Ks!!

Even more shocking is the fact that this past weekend, I was out running once again.  It’s tough after the winter break, but I find I’m excited to train for some more 5Ks in 2011.  I never would have guessed I had it in me!!

“This post is my (late) February entry in the DSMA Blog Carnival.  If you’d like to participate too, you can get all of the information at http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/introducing-the-dsma-blog-carnival/“  You can read the February carnival round-up here http://diabetessocmed.com/2011/dsma-blog-carnival-february-round-up/.  And keep an eye on the DSMA blog on Thursday for the March Blog Carnival announcement!!

A Valentine to Diabetes . . . . .

Dear Diabetes,

Today is Valentine's Day and I have to tell you - as a life companion, quite frankly, you suck!!  You are selfish and demanding.  You require almost constant attention and never give me even one day to myself.  You’ve been known to infringe on intimate moments with my husband.  You tag along when I’m out on the town with my friends.  You require me to cart around a ton of extra supplies so I can cater to your every whim.  You make me high, you make me low, you make me high, you make me low . . . . and in case you haven’t noticed?  I’m not a fan of roller-coasters of ANY kind (much less your blood glucose variety).  You make me feel like I have to work twice as hard to just have an average day.  You make me sweat, you make me bleed, and sometimes you even make me cry.  Honestly, if I could, I would break up with you and kick you to the curb in a heartbeat!

While it would be nice to dump you, we both know that isn’t about to happen any time soon.  So Diabetes, I guess it’s time to admit that you have brought some good things along with you too.  You have showed me that I can be strong.  You’ve taught me about staying in it for the long haul - planning and working not just for today but for a healthy future years and years down the road.  I think you have helped me to be a more compassionate person - and to understand that others may hide or joke away their struggles and fears too.

And, Diabetes, in the past few years you have opened up a whole new world to me.  Since engaging in the On-line Health Community, I have found support and friendship and a world I am truly passionate about.  I’ve made “virtual” friends all over the world - who are close to my heart even though we’ve never met face to face.  And beyond that, I’ve made many “real-life” friends, who I’ve been fortunate enough to share a day, a meal or a cupcake with.  You’ve given us a bond that others will never quite understand.

So Happy Valentine’s Day to you, Diabetes.  Sure, you bring challenges every day.  But in the long run, life with diabetes isn’t all bad . . . .

This post is my February entry in the WEGO Health Activist Blog Carnival.  If you’re interested in participating too, you can read all about here http://community.wegohealth.com/group/healthbloggers/forum/topics/february-habc-a-letter-to-your

DSMA Blog Carnival? Yay!!

A carnival is defined as a traveling amusement show.  And no one knows how to be more amusing than we d-bloggers, right?  If you doubt me, just check out #dprom and Blünt Lancet, or ask about unicorns and glitter.  We are an odd a fun bunch!  That’s why when our DSMA Queen, Cherise, asked my thoughts on adding a blog carnival to #dsma I jumped on board fast!

With the DSMA Blog Carnival, you can travel around the D-OC and be amused by posts on a particular topic.  Each month, one of the questions from a recent #dsma chat will be presented on the DSMA blog  as that month’s blog carnival topic.  Your mission is to share your thoughts on your d-blog, without the 140 character limit of Twitter.  Once the month is over, we’ll have a little blog carnival round-up and highlight some posts that aren’t to be missed.  And then, the new month’s topic will be announced!

Sounds like fun, right?  So what are you waiting for?  Get on over to  the DSMA blog carnival post for all the details and join us!