Tips & Tricks - A Guest Post

*** During Diabetes Blog Week I received an email from my friend, Dan Patrick, sharing a tip / trick he finds helpful.  Dan doesn’t have a blog of his own so I asked if I could share his tip here and he agreed.  But first, some background.  I originally met Dan in Vegas at the 2015 Diabetes Unconference.  He is friendly, he is smart, he always presents a positive attitude and he quickly has become a favorite person of mine.  (He is also very tall.  Which is neither here nor there but for some reason I feel compelled to mention it.)  Dan is a hero of mine because he doesn’t back down from a fight and he is always willing to share his experience in order to help others.  You guys, he fought Medicare for CGM coverage and WON!!  So I am truly honored to share the following tip from Dan.

“I buy glucose tablets in bulk to save money, and re-use old pill containers to carry just the right amount when traveling.”


It is the beginning of my day.  Before I leave the house to begin my travels, I check my backup system of glucose tablets.  Carrying glucose tabs gives me the opportunity to quickly respond to the onset of falling blood glucose levels and raise my low blood sugar quickly.  The local grocery store sells glucose tablets in a tube container of 10 tablets or a container of 50 tablets. I usually purchase two 50 tablet containers of different flavors so that I can mix up the taste.

I have found the best storage for glucose tablets is to select various used pill containers and fill them with different quantities of glucose tablets, and I have some with me most of the time.  Whether traveling during the day or night, glucose tablets are close at hand.  The used pill containers protect the tablets and I have a visual check on the number of tablets with precise carb amounts.

In conclusion, I now have old pill containers in many locations.  No one consumes my glucose tablets, like they raided my emergency candies.  When I take a tablet, I know precisely how many carbs I have consumed in order to avoid or turn around a possible hypoglycemic event.  This micro control has allowed me to minimize roller coaster rides from a low to a high blood sugar range.  This hack results in a lower purchase cost for glucose tablets, protects the tablets based upon the safety of the used-pill containers, and assists me with better control to minimize hypoglycemic events.



Oh, btw the pill containers are very hard and with child-proof lids will stay dry when dropped in water.

*** Thank you Dan!  What a great idea.  I appreciate you letting me share your tip!!

New Blogging Venture . . . .

I’m excited to share that I’ve recently contracted with ReliOn to contribute some posts to their new blog.  The posts are meant to be short and easy to read, with basic information and actionable tips.  As someone who tends to be very long-winded, this has been a fun writing challenge for me. 

The first three posts I’ve contributed are up, if you’d like to take a look.  I tackled the topics of involving family in diabetes management, ways to stay positive with diabetes, and tips for traveling.  Feel free to let me know what you think!

** My disclosures can be found here. **

Awkward Moments . . . .

In my opinion, I’m one of the most awkward people around.  And I have diabetes, which is awkward in its own ways.  Misconceptions, being tethered to a medical device, lows and highs that mess with my head . . . .  diabetes is rife with awkward landmines.  And that’s the topic of my latest post over at The Loop.  Feel free to check out my most memorable awkward diabetes moments.

How about you?  Do you have any awkward diabetes moments you’d care to share?

** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

Guest Post: Denouncing the Charlatans . . .

Today I'm delighted to share another guest post from Rick Phillips, who was kind enough to write about Spring Rains here last month.  Take it away, Rick!

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First, thank you to Karen for giving me another chance to do a guest blog. I was once told any time a lady says you can come visit again you have done alright. As a matter of fact thinking back on my 57 years that only happened once and I married her (though she did turn me down for a first date 3 times before she called and asked me). Ha go figure.

Today I stumbled on another supposed ‘cure’ for diabetes. This one a 28 day cure. These things always make me think of the awful situation my mother faced years ago right after her diagnosis with type 1 diabetes in 1962. In those days mom and dad were alone and struggling with how to go forward. Now mom knew about diabetes, her sister (my aunt) was diagnosed at age 7 and she lived 3 years (she did not die of diabetic complications), but still as a thoughtful person mom felt alone with big decisions to make.

My mother’s (Marjorie Hale Phillips) senior picture before her 1954 HS graduation, she was 17 and Valedictorian of her class when this picture was taken. (Mom skipped 3rd grade)

Of course we now live in a world of social media, something my mom never had, but she would have used if it were available. I think mom would have found virtual supporters and helpers, just as easily as she found supporters in her in regular day to day activities (there were many). The difference being that today, mom would have found both more knowledge and well to be generous more stupidity about diabetes.

Some folks think these miracle diabetic cures are the invention of the internet age. I know better. When my mother was first diagnosed in 1962 she was confronted with a choice. When diagnosed she saw a doctor who gave her a very precise diet, including a multitude of herbs and vitamins. She was told to stop insulin immediately and pick up this diet and in time (perhaps 6 months) her Type 1 diabetes would be ‘cured’. She rejected that idea in favor of insulin.

What I admire so much about my mom was that she always looked forward, never back. Once (15 years later) I asked mom about that diet. She said it was so tempting to stop insulin and do that rigid, unattainable diet. I asked her why she didn’t stop insulin. She said it didn’t make sense; the science just did not support it. Today of course mom would search the internet for this crazy diet, she would find supporters and detractors of that approach and a dozen more. I think she would come to the same conclusion however. I think she would still choose insulin over lunacy.

A site like Karen’s is a beacon for giving good information and we need to celebrate that. But we also need to be just as loud in denouncing the charlatans. Yes I want a special diet to cure my diabetes. I want Okra water to cure it; I want cinnamon to cure it. But the science just does not support it. As for me I will choose insulin and that is the best advice I can give a type 1 diabetic today. Well that is until we get a Cinnabon (eat 2 Cinnabons with extra icing a day) cure. When I get that specific diet cure I may follow along. (no don’t worry, not really)

*** Lawrence ‘rick’ Phillips Ed.D.  is a 40 year type 1 diabetic who blogs about diabetes, life and films at TUDiabetes.org.  You can also find him on twitter @LawrPhil.  He is a notorious misspeller of words, and sometimes he tells humorous stories.  He has been married for 37 years Sheryl and has two sons and three grandchildren which he will tell you about ad nauseam if you let him.  You can contact him at rphil2@yahoo.com. ***

Guest Post: Spring Rains . . . .

Every year during Diabetes Blog Week I get to meet a few members of the DOC I hadn’t had an opportunity to interact with - and I love it!!  This year one of the people I got to meet was Rick Phillips and I’m so glad to have made his acquaintance.  When he offered to write a guest post for me I jumped at the chance!  I think you’ll enjoy getting to know Rick just as much as I have.

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*** First let me say what a joy it is to be a guest blogger for Karen.  I caution I am not up to her high standards but it is nice to swing the bat in the big leagues of blogging every once in a while.  (No worries, Rick, my blog has low standards and isn’t big league, but if it was you’d be up to the task!!  -- K.G.)   I hope you will indulge my ramblings this one time, even though I know nothing about knitting. ***

I used to love spring rains.

I especially loved the gentle water falling that would soak my yard and that sound so pleasant on the roof.  This was especially true as a boy when I would camp out.   There is something dangerous yet tamed about being inside a canvass tent with the gentle rain falling on the fabric.  It was soothing for my spirit to hear those rain drops.

In 1973 and 1974 I had the privilege of backpacking in New Mexico the first year for 12 days and the second for a full month.  (People who know my history probably find that interesting since I was diagnosed with diabetes about 1 month before I left for a 30 day high adventure in New Mexico)  Today we would never allow a kid to do that but my mom and dad sort of had an evolutionary approach to child rearing.  I know what they were thinking, if he dies we have insurance so it’s ok.  LOL  In the mountains in New Mexico it rained every day and that was a special time for me. 

Yes I loved spring rains until I was placed in charge of a city sewer system.   After that every spring rain brought on a slew of hateful calls. As sewers would flood basements I would receive more and more angry calls. My mother (a wonderful person) could never have done all those things she was being accused of by the callers.  Likewise my father and his mother (my beloved grandmother) could not have done those things he was being accused of.  Certainly I was not guilty of the offenses I was being accused of.  Those offenses ranged from causing rain to making people want to move oh if I had that power just once I knew I could use it to good advantage.

The thing is it took less than about 3 months to cure me of loving spring rains.  By the time I was 29 I had come to dislike spring rains which was different than a poem I had written in in high school celebrating the romance of the soft noise of rain beat on the roof.  Instead around age 29 my love affair with spring rains was over.  One might say I had grown up and put a childish indulgence behind me.

The same in a way happened with my diabetes.  Some 40 years ago I was wide eyed and wanted to learn all I could about diabetes.  I really drank it in after I was diagnosed.  Even with my mom being a type 1 diabetic I still had lots to learn.  I practiced the exchange system learned about the wonders of the clinitest and the fabulous promise of the fasting blood sugar.  I learned it even though I had lived it because it was new.  In a way it was a romance of youth, I wanted to beat this disease and besides I only have five years to hold out.

I suppose that was sort of the problem.  I realized soon after release from my week in the hospital that I could not successfully live the way I was instructed.  I am certain the educators meant for me to pick and choose what I could live with, adapt what I could not live with and over time became a ‘better’ diabetic.  Trouble is I threw all that knowledge away.  I decided if I cannot do it all, I am not going to do any of it.  It was obvious to me almost immediately the clinitest was not a good measure of anything except failure.  The fasting blood sugar was a ridiculous test.  Let’s face it one could easily manipulate the fasting blood sugar.  Finally I decided to bank on the 5 year cure.

Therein I think lays the issue with diabetic education.  We tell new diabetics to change their life immediately.  Certainly change is for the better, we can feel better, live longer, and still be productive if we follow the path of total compliance with this new set of rules.  But following those rules is an onerous burden if one has to follow them all at once.  For that reason I believe a different form of diabetic education needs to be practiced for new diabetics.  One that accounts for behavior as well as the practical changes that are required when we are told we have this disease.  In particular this is true for children and parents of children with diabetes. I see way too many fail not because they do not have the tools to do it, rather because it is next to impossible to make a sudden 180 degree shift in lifestyle.

Dieticians, doctors and CDE’s never seem to give practical advice, like how do you explain to a date you need to test your blood sugar?  Or what is that thing with a tube coming out of you.  Or my favorite question, (probably because it was mine), what should I do when everyone goes for pizza at 10 PM after the football game?  I know we can preach the science but we also have to give strength for the practical and accept the failures as part of growth

When the practical is not addressed, more often than not people (kids are my main concern) throw the baby out with the bath water.  They simply reject the concept of meaningful change and put it off until bad things start to happen.  So I ask how do we allow people to enjoy the spring rain, and be as healthy as they can be at that moment?  There has to be better ways than our current take it or leave it diabetic education system.

*** Lawrence ‘rick’ Phillips Ed.D.  is a 40 year type 1 diabetic who blogs about diabetes, life and films at TUDiabetes.org.  You can also find him on twitter @LawrPhil.  He is a notorious misspeller of words, and sometimes he tells humorous stories.  He has been married for 37 years Sheryl and has two sons and three grandchildren which he will tell you about ad nauseam if you let him.  You can contact him at rphil2@yahoo.com. ***

A Little Encouragement . . . .

As much as I try to focus on the bright side of living with diabetes, the truth is that it’s tough.  Day in, day out, relentless and often unreflective of the work we put in.  So when I received an email from Betsy Bush about her involvement in creating a line diabetes greeting cards for kids I immediately loved the idea.  Betsy, along with fellow artists Corrie Kuipers, Doreen Erhardt, and Sharon Fernleaf, and writer Nene Adams, are currently selling the cards online at Greeting Card Universe.  Nene Adams was kind enough to provide a little more information on the creation of their diabetes greeting card line . . .

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“My partner, Corrie Kuipers, and I have been designing and selling specialty greeting cards since 2007. In 2011, I was diagnosed with diabetes. Of course, I wanted to read everything I could about the disease. During my research, I was surprised to find very few greeting cards for diabetics, especially children and teenagers.

According to the American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/), 25.8 million adults and children in the U.S. have diabetes. We feel the need exists for special greeting cards to serve the diabetic community. Creating positive greeting cards addressing issues like insulin pumps, body image, lifestyle changes, emotional reactions, feelings of isolation and other concerns seemed like an obvious choice, especially paired with Corrie’s whimsical and often humorous art.”


“We invited other uniquely talented artists - Doreen Erhardt, Sharon Fernleaf and Betsy Bush - to join us and make one of a kind greeting cards for diabetics.”


“If there’s a child or teenager (or adult) who’s been recently diagnosed with Type I or Type II diabetes in your life, send them a “hug in the mail.” A little encouragement accompanied by a colorful greeting card will go a long way toward making a diabetic feel like they’re not alone.

http://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/get-well-feel-better-cards/diabetes”

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Thank you, Nene!!  Want to hear a little secret?  I may supposedly be an adult, but I’d love to find one of these in my mailbox.  After all, we could all use a little encouragement now and then, couldn’t we?

Move Along . . . .

Memorial Day Weekend has always been one of my favorite long weekends of the year.  The weather is turning nicer and summer is kicking off - Pete and I usually attend our first cook-out of the year.  Honestly, I’m already in holiday mode over here, so I’m going to move you along to some other places worth a visit today.

First, check out Diabetes Mine’s announcement earlier this week about the 2014 Patient Voices scholarship contest, in which you can win a full scholarship to this year’s DiabetesMine Innovation Summit.  The application process has changed this year, so be sure to check out all the details.  And I’m delighted to have been asked to be part of the selection committee this year, so you’ll definitely be hearing more from me soon about the event.  And I’ll also be reminding you to get your application in before the June 20th deadline.

Also, my latest post is up at The Loop.  I’m talking about different kinds of stress and some ways I try to deal with them.  Of course, I’m hoping your weekend will be completely stress free but unfortunately Tuesday will be here before we know it and we’ll be back to the old weekday routine.

** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

Free Stuff Friday at Lauren’s Hope

Things have been a little quiet over here on the blog while the big kitchen renovation has pretty much taken over my life.  Noise, dust, workmen and lots and lots of mess is the story of my life these days - but I do know it will be so worth it once it’s all finished.


However, you can find me today over at the Lauren’s Hope blog, kicking off Diabetes Awareness Month by explaining how the different seasons can turn diabetes management upside down.  Even better, if you leave a comment over there you can win a $50 gift certificate toward your purchase of an awesome Lauren’s Hope medical I.D.  Check it out!!

Confessions of a Data Nerd . . . .

My latest Loop post is up, and this time I’m talking about my nerdiness.  I wish I was an adorable, cool nerd like Sheldon or Leonard or even Amy Farrah Fowler.  Instead I’m just the kind of dork that loves to pour over my CareLink graphs and charts on a weekly basis.  I sometimes plug the data into formulas to try to predict my A1C or to decided just how well (or not) I’m doing.  Crazy, huh?

If my  nerdy confessions haven’t scared you off, click on over to read all about my data addiction on the Medtronic blog.  And please, if I’m not the only one with nerdy diabetes tendencies, I’d love to know!!

** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

An Easy Decision . . . .

My latest post is up over at Medtronic’s blog The Loop.  This time I’m talking about why I decided to add a Continuous Glucose Monitor to my diabetes routine.  It’s funny, because my decision to start pumping was a very slow and gradual one.  But my decision to use a CGM hinged on one moment I always remember, which I’ve shared in my post.

Were your d-tech decisions gradual, like my pump experience?  Or did you make up your mind in an instant, like my CGM decision?  Or like me, have you had a mix of both?

** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

Free Stuff Friday . . .

Today I’m so thrilled to be posting over at Lauren’s Hope as part of their Free Stuff Friday series.  I’m talking about summer, and the challenges it can bring to dealing with diabetes.

“High temperatures can make my insulin spoil. Summer barbeques and cocktails are a challenge to my blood sugar management. Water from the pool or the ocean (or even my own sweat, eeewww) can be dangerous to my insulin pump. And vacation travel can really throw me off.”

To read the rest of what I had to say, head on over to the Lauren’s Hope blog.  Actually, you should head over there even if you couldn’t care less about what I had to say.  Because as I said, today is Free Stuff Friday and Lauren’s Hope is giving away THREE medical i.d.’s - one cuff, one stainless steel bracelet, and one necklace.  That’s three chances to win, but you need to leave a comment on my guest post over at Lauren’s Hope blog to enter!

Thank you, Lauren’s Hope, for inviting me to guest post and for involving me in Free Stuff Fridays!

30 Years of Meters . . . .

Today I’m over at The Loop blog talking about the latest blood glucose meter I've been using.  It was fun to think back to my very first meter in the early ‘80s.  I think it looked similar to the meter in the upper left corner of this picture.

Picture courtesy of Christopher Tidy via Wikipedia.org

Every so often I get frustrated because I feel like diabetes technology is crawling at a snails pace compared to entertainment technology (like cell phones, e-readers, etc.) .  But when I think back to the tools I used 30 years ago, I start to appreciate how far my diabetes devices have come.

Do you remember the first meter you used?  Was is very different from today’s meters?

** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

New Years “Goals” . . . .

Every year I feel compelled to follow convention and make New Year’s Resolutions.  Every year, they don’t go so well.  So two years ago I decided to set goals instead.  I figure with goals, even if I fall off track, I can always continue working toward them.

Today I’m over at The Loop blog explaining more about why I think goals work better than resolutions for me, and sharing my first goals for 2013.  I hope you’ll click over and check it out!  This month’s DSMA Blog Carnival also involves a similar topic, asking about what you are striving for in 2013.  Care to share your thoughts?

** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

Way Too Organized . . . . .

Being organized is a great thing, but I often think there can be such a thing as being too organized - and I’m pretty sure that describes me.  I tend to drive myself (AND OTHERS) crazy by being so regimented and needing things to be “just so”.  At a Halloween dinner we hosted this year my friends teased me to no end when I got up in the middle of dinner because I needed to adjust a knick-knack in my bookcase  by 1/2 an inch.  I’ve often been compared to both Monica on Friends and Monk.  (I could totally see me neatening up the doctor's office!!)  And maybe I scrub my soap dish on a regular basis.  Yeah, well, whatever . . .

Being organized within an inch of my life helps a lot when it comes to diabetes though.  And that’s the topic of my latest post over at The Loop, Diabetes Organization for the Organized.

Do you tend to be organized, or do you just wing it?  Any tips to share?

** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

Guest Post: Our surprise diabetes meet-up

During Diabetes Blog Week this year I had the pleasure of getting to know Michael, a producer at DiabetesMonitor.com.  He emailed to check I’d be okay with him signing up the bloggers at The Diabetes Collective to participate in DBlog Week.  Of course, I was glad to have them joining in!  And today I’m thrilled to host a guest post from one of the bloggers at The Diabetes Collective, my good friend Scott K. Johnson.  He tells about the first time he and I met!!

Our surprise diabetes meet-up

It was only a few short years ago, but it feels like a lifetime. In February of 2009, I was able to extend a business trip in the Los Angeles area to visit George Simmons and his family. That trip was fantastic in so many ways.

I didn't know it at the time, but George is the master of making sure his guests have a great visit. We only had a few short days together, but there was a lot of action packed into them. We spent time at his house near Los Angeles, and then drove for a few hours into Las Vegas to meet Christel. Both George and I will go through a lot for a quality diabetes meet-up, and meeting Christel ranks way up there. In fact, it ranks right up there with our next diabetes meet-up.

Meeting Karen face-to-face
It may sound crazy, but after Las Vegas, George and I spent another five-plus hours in the car bound for San Diego to meet with Karen and Pete for dinner! The fun part about all of this was that George didn't tell anyone that I was coming along.

It was all a surprise!

We met Karen and her husband, Pete, at a Denny's if I remember correctly, and it was such a blast watching Karen's reaction. George didn't tell her anyone was coming with him. As we were walking up to them he casually mentions "Hey, I brought a friend with me."

Her face went from being ready for the required polite social pleasantries, to recognition, then surprise, then confusion (because I was so out of place there), and finally excitement! It was something I'll never forget.

We held court in that Denny's for what seemed forever. Luckily, we had the sweetest waitress who took such good care of us. She even tolerated my poking fun at her by saying that the four of us travel around the country eating at as many Denny's as we can find. She even brought out an entire carafe filled with Diet Coke.

You should take another look at Karen's post about all of this from back then--there are some great pictures. It was, by far, one of the best diabetes meet-ups of all time.


Why diabetes meet-ups are special
A diabetes meet-up with someone you know from the diabetes online community is really a special thing. It is a testament to how they share of themselves so openly when you can meet them in real life and are already good friends. That even extended to Karen's husband, Pete. It didn't take any longer than a few minutes before both George and I felt like we had known both of them forever.

Since then, I've had the pleasure of seeing and visiting both Karen and Pete several times.

I'm so thankful to have them in my circle of friends. They are worth their weight in gold. And insulin.

Thank you so much for the great post, Scott!!  It was a lot of fun to revisit my memories of that meet-up, which was among my first few and forever holds a very special place in my heart!  And any time you and George are ready for that cross-country Denny’s tour, just let me and Pete know!!  We are so in!

Please be sure to stop by The Diabetes Collective for some more great posts by some very talented bloggers!  And be sure to visit DiabetesMonitor.com as well!

Life with a Diabetic Alert Dog - Part 2

Today I’m happy to share the second guest post from my friend Hilary, who blogs at Rainie and Me.  Yesterday she gave us some insights on how Rainie helps alert her to lows - sometimes well before her meter can even pick it up!  Today she shares more about her work with Early Alert Canines and how DADs can  help keep children with diabetes safe.


One of the reasons I’m excited about working with Early Alert Canines (EAC) is we train and place DADs with families with young diabetic children. We call those dogs “Skilled Companions”. I wish every family with a diabetic child could have a DAD. Looking back on my own childhood, I wish I had had a blood sugar alert dog. The dog would have been able to express what I, as an infant and child, could not. The dog could have affirmed to my parents that my blood sugar was dropping, and that I was not cranky from teething pains, growth spurts, adolescence, etc. And even though kids might get angry with their parents, a gentle nuzzle from a dog is usually returned in kind.

As a nurse, and a person born with diabetes, I can only imagine what a dog could do for a parent’s peace of mind. The dog would be another set of eyes and ears (and nose) to monitor the young child’s (or children’s) BS levels and alert the child’s parent when appropriate. The DAD can help shoulder some of the parent’s responsibilities, while, hopefully, allying some of their fears. One mother who just graduated from EAC with her son and their dog tearfully exclaimed, “Thank you! I don’t feel so alone!” Here is another story that shows why I’m passionate about DADs being placed in families with diabetic children: I know of a dog that has been placed in a home with three diabetic children under age 6. The dog sleeps in the hallway between the children’s bedrooms, and alerts the mom when one of the kid’s blood sugar begins dropping rapidly, bringing her to the appropriate child.



I apologize for getting on my soapbox! I wish I could tell you all the ways Rainie has changed my life and my relationship to my own diabetes. She is my friend and constant companion, as well as being my perpetual blood sugar alert system. She has truly saved my life at night and during one particular walk on the beach. There are so many stories to tell – and Rainie and I have only been together for a little over two years.

I’d like to make myself available to anyone who has questions about life with a diabetic alert dog! Please feel free to read my blog or contact me at RainieAndMe.wordpress.com or email me at: HilarythePotter@gmail.com.

And, for those individuals interested in reading a blog about having a diabetic alert dog while in college, please read my friend Amelia’s blog http://www.doggoestocollege.com.

And one last story: Not long after Halloween, I was walking my dog when a little boy named Jason came running with his cape flying behind him as he swung his light-saber from side to side. He was yelling, “Hey! Is that a Ewok?” I laughed and introduced him to my golden retriever named Rainie. He wanted to know why she had a red jacket on. As I explained to Jason and his mom that Rainie is a diabetic alert dog and that she notifies me when my blood sugar is dropping rapidly, his mom began to cry — Jason had just been released from the hospital after being found unconscious due to low blood sugar. As we were talking, Jason looked up at me, with his arms around Rainie’s neck, and said, “If I had a dog like Rainie, she would keep me safe – just like my light-saber.”

Thank you so much, Hilary, for giving us your insights on life with a DAD!  Please be sure to visit Hilary at Rainie And Me to hear more about life with Rainie and to see the beautiful pottery Hilary created for a recent Early Alert Canines fundraiser.  You can also check out more about EAC on their Facebook page.

Life with a Diabetic Alert Dog - Part 1

Each year during Diabetes Blog Week, I have the pleasure of “meeting” and getting to know diabetes bloggers who I hadn’t connected with yet.  This year, one of the new friends I made was Hilary of Rainie and Me.  We’ve conversed by email and over the phone, and I am fascinated by her stories of life with a Diabetes Alert Dog and her work with Early Alert Canines.  When I asked if she’d like to write a guest post, she graciously agreed!

Rainie is my diabetic alert dog, and even though I’ve experienced lots of changes and advancements in diabetic technology since I was diagnosed 55 years ago, nothing has changed my life as much as Rainie has. I hope to explain about diabetic alert dogs (DADs), and tell you some stories about how she has impacted my life. Please note: when I refer to Rainie’s training, or the training of a DAD, I am talking only about the training Rainie has received. I help to train the dogs at Early Alert Canines (EAC), and am supported by EAC’s head trainer, Carol Edwards, in order to keep Rainie certified with ADI (Assistance Dogs International).

First, let me answer this question: What is a Diabetic Alert Dog (also known as a Hypoglycemic Alert Dog)?

A diabetic alert dog (DAD) has been trained to recognize the biochemical scent that a diabetic's body produces as the blood glucose begins to drop. Upon smelling the scent, the dog will then alert its partner, thus avoiding acutely dangerous hypoglycemia and long-term diabetes complications. Some DADs are trained to smell and alert on the scent of rapidly rising blood sugar also.



Rainie and I have been a team for over two years now. When we were placed together, she was a semi-rowdy, 20 month-old, golden retriever/yellow Lab puppy. She was raised as a seeing-eye puppy, but was ‘career-changed’ and trained as a DAD because she is very afraid of motorcycles. Now, she is my best friend, non-judgmental companion and perpetual blood sugar alert system. Because she is a service dog, she can come with me anyplace the general public is allowed. And her presence and constant monitoring allows me to experience a greater peace of mind. I’m more confident because she will alert me before I get into trouble.

I like to consider her alerts a warning, as if she’s telling me, “Pay attention to your blood sugar NOW! You’re changing fast.” Her alerts begin as gentle nudges that will get stronger if I ignore her – even to the point of getting my husband, daughter, or a friend if I’m not paying attention. Rainie has been trained to be ‘on duty’ no matter where we are or what we’re dong. She has alerted me in places like the movies, on hikes, while I’m in the shower, in restaurants, at the farmers’ market, on airplanes, working in the garden, at the doctor’s office, while I’m swimming at the gym, etc. She will wake me up at night (which is important), and once got my husband from another room when I was sick with a high fever, and was too asleep to notice her nudges, which proceeded to her lying on top of me. She alerts me when I’m driving, and has blocked me from getting into the driver’s seat when she’s felt my blood sugar is too low – and she was right each time!

There are many wonderful things about having a DAD. First of all, her alerting indicates my BS is dropping at this instance. In fact sometimes the dogs alert before the meters can measure a change. They can even smell that your blood sugar is going to drop soon! (And this is much more accurate that the 20 minute delay of a continuous glucose monitor.) The first time Rainie alerted me early, I was at work. I did my BS and it was 180 after breakfast – that number was expected, so I did my BS again 10 minutes later (as I’m supposed to do), and it was about 182. But she kept alerting me! I repeated a test again 10 minutes later, and the reading was 179. Yet Rainie kept alerting. Finally, I tested myself a fourth time, and my BS had dropped 100 points! I was amazed, and ate some glucose. Another pleasure about DADs is that their alerting is consistent and non-judgmental. I don’t tend to get annoyed at Rainie like I would if my husband told me, “Hilary, don’t you think you should check your blood sugar?” I know she’s alerting out of duty and love. And by alerting when my BS (blood sugar) begins to drop quickly, I can often avoid going too high afterword (often called ‘re-bounding). My liver no longer has the need to push glucose out into my blood stream because my blood sugar levels haven’t gone so low that the liver is signaled to correct the hypoglycemia. Having a dog is also a wonderful way to meet people, get exercise, and I find I’m not so self-conscious about having diabetes. People will ask me, “What does she do?” or “What does she ‘early alert on?” and I’ll tell them that she is a diabetic alert dog and smells my low blood sugar. I can then talk about diabetes and DADs without having the focus on me. But I think the best ‘gift’ I get from having Rainie, my diabetic alert dog, is a fuller sense of peace-of-mind. I no longer have to fear that my blood sugar will drop and that I’ll be unaware of it. I can exercise, drive, and do almost anything while not worrying that I’m falling into danger. Because of having diabetes so long, I can no longer feel when I’m going low, and having Rainie’s attention and monitoring makes me feel safer in the world, and during sleep. My family doesn’t worry as much about me either. My husband isn’t afraid to go on long trips because he knows that Rainie will help to keep me aware and safe. And, even with all her life-saving responsibilities, Rainie knows just when to put her head in my lap when life with diabetes has gotten me down.

Thank you, Hilary, for giving us some first hand insights on Diabetes Alert Dogs, and more specifically, wonderful Rainie.  Come back tomorrow for more about Hilary’s work with Early Alert Canines and how DAD’s are so helpful to people with diabetes.

Unlikely Advocate . . .

So . . . . a bout of writers block and my recent trip to Indy for the Roche Social Media Summit have caused a bit of an unintended blog hiatus.  When you add in the fact that I had another bad low last night it may not be surprising that I’m feeling fairly scattered today.  (Luckily Pete was with me last night so it wasn’t quite as scary as last time, but I need to figure out what is going on with these nasty lows.)

In any case, while I attempt to get my act together over here, my latest post is up on the Medtronic Loop blog.  This month I’m talking about advocacy, and how starting my blog led me down an unexpected path in which I’ve found my voice and learned to use it to try to make a difference.  I’ve been extremely nervous at times because I’ve always been pretty shy, but I’ve found that ignoring the fears and doubts and pushing myself to do things outside of my comfort zone has been unbelievably rewarding!  You can check it out here:

The Loop: From a Person with Diabetes to a Diabetes Advocate

Has your involvement in the DOC lead you down an unexpected path that you are happy to have explored?

** My Medtronic disclosure can be found here. **

Guest Posting . . .

Today I have the honor of guest posting over at Medtronic's blog The Loop.  Because I feel it's important to be able to laugh at the more stupid things we may do in moments of diabetes panic, I'm sharing my story of a rather embarrassing call I made to Medtronic Customer Service.  Hope it gives you a giggle!

Revisiting Diabetes Blog Week!!

I can't believe it’s already been a month since the second annual Diabetes Blog Week.  I’m still on a bit of a DBlog Week High.  (Luckily, that high affects only my mood and not my blood sugars!)  Seriously, DBlog Week is definitely one of the highlights of my year.  It’s like my birthday, Christmas and a trip to Disney World all rolled into one.

So, when Laura of the Discuss Diabetes blog from Sanofi-Aventis asked if I’d be interested in doing an interview, I was more than happy to oblige.  The interview is up today - "In Her Own Words: D Blog Week with Karen Graffeo".

I’d like to thank Laura for the wonderful interview opportunity and for helping to shine a light on the D-OC and what we do!