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/“

In need of a reboot . . . .

I seem to be in a bit of a funk.  I’m not Depressed.  (At least, I don’t think I am.)  I’m just kind of indifferent.  Everything seems like it will take more energy than it’s worth giving.  Even my usual OCD-SparklyClean house is looking a bit dusty.  It just doesn’t seem worth the effort to bother though.

This little funk has also seeped into my diabetes life.  Again, I wouldn’t say I’m dealing with Diabetes Burnout.  It’s more like Diabetes Indifference.  Basically, I’m getting sloppy.  I’m not testing nearly as often as I usually do.  Instead of planning out a meal, I find myself SWAGing a bolus and then grazing until I think I’ve eaten enough carbs.  If my CGM beeps, sometimes I’m treating without first confirming the reading with a finger stick.  The batteries in my poor food scale are dead.

I guess what I really need is a Diabetes Reboot.  I need to reload everything and start fresh.  I need to get back to those good habits.  I have started exercising (yet again) so that is at least one small step in the right direction.  (Although the result has been lows in epic proportions that I can’t quite get a handle on - even when I measure precisely instead of SWAGing - but that is a topic for another post.)  But the rest?  Well, I wish it was as easy as rebooting my computer.  I wish I had that magic button to power my D-Routine down and boot it back up, all zippy and ready to go.

Do you ever go through bouts of indifference?  Ever feel like you need to reboot and start fresh?  How do you find your motivation when you just don’t feel like investing the energy?

Share Your Experiences . . .

It's been a little quite here at my blog as I continue reading all of the wonderful Diabetes Blog Week posts.  My efforts have been hindered by some epic lows I’ve been battling as I return (once again) to getting regular exercise.

So, while I’m reading and treating, I thought I’d take a minute to share a great new opportunity that WEGO Health has launched.  As people who live with a chronic illness day in and day out, we have a lot of experiences that we can share - and here is a great way to do just that!



Here is some more information, straight from WEGO:

"Here at WEGO Health HQ, we often work with reporters, magazine writers, authors, conference planners and event organizers who want to feature Health Activists as examples of empowered health leaders taking the online health world by storm.  In the past, we’ve connected dozens of Health Activists to national news stories, international conferences, and prestigious online events.

Members of the WEGO Health Activist Speakers Bureau receive exclusive invitations to present at conferences, speak to members of the media, and be featured on WEGO Health.

Interested in joining the WEGO Health Activist Speakers Bureau? Apply today! It only takes a few minutes and they’ll email you as soon as they have opportunities relevant to you and your interests."

I filled out my application yesterday and it really did take just a couple of minutes.  If you are looking for a way to spread more information about diabetes and to do more with your health activism, why not apply too?

Where did the week go??

The second annual Diabetes Blog Week is over already?  Is it just me, or did last week fly by??  Once again, I am so thrilled with how many bloggers got behind DBlog Week and agreed to participate.  I am proud of each and every post you guys have put up (even though I haven’t read all of them . . . yet!!)  I’ve been crying (in a good way) since I first opened up sign ups - the D-OC is amazing!!

And now . . . . what’s next?  For me, I’ll be making my way around the D-OC to read each and every post, and I’ll try my best to leave at least one comment on each participating blog.  In the mean time, there are a couple of videos you should go check out.  Mike put together an amazing thank you video for Diabetes Blog Week.  (I would like to thank Mike and everyone in the video for taking the time to put it together.  And, of course, the thanks go out to everyone who was a part of DBlog Week - the week would be nothing without all of you!)  Next, hop over and see Hallie’s amazing compilation of blogs participating in DBlog Week and her powerful statement reminding us that we are not alone.  (Hallie, what a great job you did gathering up all of the blog names / banners for an amazing video!)

Now, some housekeeping and clean up.  If you’ll take a look at my sidebar, you’ll see I’ve moved a link to the DBlog Week Participant List over there.  I think I added everyone I heard from, but if you should be on the list please check and make sure you are there.  Blogger can eat comments . . .  emails get lost in the interwebs . . .  and while adding 182 blogs there is a good chance I messed something up!!  Or maybe you just forgot to let me know you were in for Diabetes Blog Week.  Whatever the reason, if you should be there but aren’t, just email your name and blog URL to DBlogWeek@bittersweetdiabetes.com and I’ll get you on the list.

You’ll also see the Linky Lists are now in the side-bar.  I’ll be keeping them up there so people can refer to them in the future.  There have been more than a few instances of spam, which I’ve been trying to keep an eye out for and clean up.  In about a week, I’ll be closing the lists to new entries - so if you’ve forgotten to add your links you might want to pop them on the lists this week.

If you didn’t get your posts written during DBlog Week, but still want to do them, please do!!!  And don’t forget to add them to the link lists!  If you need a post added once the link lists are closed, simply email DBlogWeek@bittersweetdiabetes.com and I can add it for you.  Also, if you are going through the lists and find a link that seems to misdirect or has some kind of error, please let me know and I will fix it.

Several people have asked if I could post one blog prompt each month to keep the momentum going.  I like the idea, but I’m quite sure I’d never be able to come up with a great post prompt each month!!  However, I do help out with the Diabetes Social Media Advocacy - or #dsma - Blog Carnival each month.  For those of you not familiar with it, #dsma is a weekly twitter chat  held on Wednesday evenings to discuss various diabetes-related topics.  Once a month, we select a topic from one of the past month’s chats and use it to create a prompt for a blog carnival.  Whether or not you are able to participate in the Wednesday #dsma chats, you can (and should) participate in the blog carnival and share your thoughts on the topic of the month.  Bang - there you go - monthly blog prompts!!  (Check out the May topic here!!)

Looking ahead to next year, if you have suggestions for post topics or for ways to do things better, please shoot me an email.  I’ll be collecting notes throughout the year so we’ll be ready to do it all again next May!

And I guess, **sob**, that’s it.  Another DBlog Week is over.  Thanks to everyone from the bottom of my bloggy little heart!!

What I’ve learned . . .

What we’ve learned - Sunday 5/15: Last year, Wendy of Candy Hearts made a suggestion for this year.  She commented “I think Day 7 should be a post about stuff we've learned from other blogs or the experience of coming together online...”  Today, let’s do just that!!  What have you learned from other blogs - either this week or since finding the D-OC?  What has your experience of blogging the DBlog Week topics with other participants been like?  What has finding the D-OC done for you?  If you'd like, you can even look ahead and tell us what you think the future holds!

First, I want to send a huge thank you to everyone who participated in Diabetes Blog Week - the 182 bloggers who signed up, the Twitter users who tweeted about #DBlogWeek, the commenters who left such wonderful feedback on everyone’s posts, the lurkers who took the time to read what we had to say.  Without all of you, Diabetes Blog Week wouldn’t exist.

I’m not really sure how to sum up what I’ve learned this week.  I’ve gotten so much out of the past seven days that it seems impossible to put it all into words.  But here goes:

• Secretly worrying that the participant list will be much much smaller than last year is just silly.  (Last year we had 142 participants, this year we topped that by 40!!)
• Knowing the D-OC is enthusiastic, supportive and extremely creative is one thing.  But actually seeing it in action is quite another!
• Bloggers can Step Outside the Box and be braver than anyone could imagine.  And for better or worse, they will inspire me to step outside the box too.
• Things can go more wrong than I ever could imagine and I will have no control over them.  (Hello, Blogger shutting down and eating posts and comments right in the middle of DBlog Week.)  This is a great lesson in not being so OCD and not stressing about things I can not fix.
• The D-OC is always ready to jump in and help when ever they can.
• There are a lot more diabetes bloggers out there than I ever could’ve imagined.  We are SO not alone!
• Sometimes, I need to learn not to be so sensitive about things.  But on the other hand, being sensitive enough to cry over post after post after post is not a bad thing.
• Reading all of the new posts each day is impossible.  I will get to them all - but it’s going to take me quite a while.  I’m absolutely fine with that!
• It is possible that some people might be interested in doing this all again next year, for a 3rd Annual Diabetes Blog Week.  (Crazy thought, huh?) 

And last, but certainly not least . . .

• SUPPORT IS PRICELESS, THE D-OC ROCKS, AND I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  (But, of course, I knew that long before Diabetes Blog Week!!)

Don’t forget to add your post to the What we’ve learned-Sunday 5/15 Link List.  Please enter YOUR BLOG’S NAME in the field marked Your Name and the link to YOUR SPECIFIC POST in the field marked Your URL.

Outside The Box . . .

Step outside the box: Take your diabetes thoughts and instead of blogging about them as usual, push yourself to express them in a different way today. Make a vlog. Create a piece of D-Art. Write a poem. Draw a cartoon. Post a collage. Anything goes - as long as it is outside of your usual bloggy comfort zone!

Yesterday I said I wouldn't sing.  I’m not brave like Reyna, who rocked out.  When Meri showed she’s just as brave and sang a lovely ballad for us, I did wonder if I should be more brave - but quickly decided NO!!  But then, last night, I saw Kathy’s post.  Kathy (or Minnesota Nice)  has long been a hero of mine.  When I watched her video, I cried.  I was impress by her courage, I was touched and I was inspired.  She stepped WAY outside of her comfort zone - not just by getting in front of the camera, but also by talking about diabetes and sharing.  And I thought “Look how freaking brave my friend is.  If she can do this, can’t I put myself out there and sing?”.

So this video is for all of you.  But first and foremost, it’s for my wonderful friend and fellow knitter, Minnesota Nice.  I love you, Kathy!!

Don’t forget to add your post to the Saturday snapshots-Saturday 5/14 Link List.  Please enter YOUR BLOG’S NAME in the field marked Your Name and the link to YOUR SPECIFIC POST in the field marked Your URL.

Awesome Things & Blünt Lancet

Today's post topic is the most awesome thing you’ve done because of diabetes.  Obviously that’s a no-brainer for me. (Which is good, considering my brain is feeling pretty fried right about now.)  I mean really . . . . what awesome thing have I done because of diabetes . . . .gee, I don’t know . . . .  .maybe . . . .

DIABETES BLOG WEEK!!!!

I’ve had so much fun organizing DBlog Week for the past two years.  I’m excited to read all of the posts and get to know my fellow bloggers better.  I hope it not only bonds our community but also teaches a thing or two to those OUTSIDE the D-OC.  Yup, Diabetes Blog Week is by far the most awesome thing I’ve done because of diabetes!

Since today’s post was so easy , I thought I’d tackle one of the Wild Card topics - particularly D-Myths:

 * D-Myths: I’m not talking about D-Myths like “people with diabetes can’t eat sugar” or “you get diabetes from being lazy” - we work to disprove those every day.  Today lets PROVE some fun d-myths like #dprom (the prom for diabetics around the world), Sprinkles (the glittery unicorn of advocacy), or Blünt Lancet (the diabetic heroes of rock)!  Choose one of these “d-myths” (or create one yourself) and take it someplace creative!  You might write about the time Sprinkles visited you to spread the advocacy love - hopefully he / she/ IT?? brought you a cupcake too!!  You could compose a new song for Blünt Lancet’s next album.  Or you might give us every details of the night you went to #dprom.  Write about any "myth" or story-line you can dream up!  Let’s bring those “myths” to life!

So there’s been a rumor going around that Blünt Lancet is getting ready to go out on tour.  And that they’ll be covering the popular Police song “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”.

Mmmm, Sting. *ahem*  Anyway, I hear that although the lyrics to this song are quite fabulous, they’ve been updated for the upcoming tour.  My sources even slid me a sneak preview!!  (I thought about Stepping Outside The Box and singing this song on a vlog - but I love you all too much to subject you to that.  And apparently just THINKING about singing on my blog was enough to crash Blogger for more than a day!)

"Don't Judge My A1C”

Lab-work time, the subject
Of of lots of stress for me,
What I want so badly
Is one great A1C
Inside me there's longing
I’m just an open page
Appointment - it’s so close now
My nerves begin to rage

Don't judge, don't judge my
Don't judge my A1C

I have tried so hard now
You know how tough things get
Sometimes it's not so easy
And there ‘aint no cure yet
Temptation, frustration
So bad it makes me cry
Huge cupcake, will’s fading
Can’t eat just one french fry

Don't judge, don't judge my
Don't judge my A1C

I wish you understood
You know I try and try
Strong words are just no good
The accusations fly
It's no use, please listen
Or else you’ll piss me off
Just like my last endo
Who got a quick sendoff

Don't judge, don't judge my
Don't judge my A1C
Don't judge, don't judge my
Don't judge my A1C

Please don't judge my A1C

Don’t forget to add your post to the Awesome things-Friday 5/13 Link List.  Please enter YOUR BLOG’S NAME in the field marked Your Name and the link to YOUR SPECIFIC POST in the field marked Your URL.

Ten things I hate about you, Diabetes . . . .

Ten things I hate about you, Diabetes - Thursday 5/12: Having a positive attitude is important . . . but let’s face it, diabetes isn’t all sunshine and roses (or glitter and unicorns, for that matter). So today let’s vent by listing ten things about diabetes that we hate. Make them funny, make them sarcastic, make them serious, make them anything you want them to be!!

I'm doing my list in reverse order, like David Letterman does.  Although really, diabetes is so darn cruddy, it’s hard to prioritize what I hate most and what I hate least.  The priorities can change on any given day - as can the things I hate!!  But hey, you have to start somewhere, right?

Top 10 Things I Hate About You, Diabetes

10 - I’m low when I need to drive and high when I want to eat
9 - all of the stuff I need to carry around in case of any d-emergency
8 - the stupid Diabetes Guilt
7 - the “my grandmother had diabetes and this terrible thing happened to her” stories
6 - what works wonderfully one day doesn’t even remotely work the next day
5 - exercise helps blood sugars, but knitting is not considered exercise
4 - did I mention the Diabetes Guilt??
3 - the D-Police
2 - I never get time off for good behavior

and the number one thing I hate about you, Diabetes . . .

1 - vegetables are easy on the blood sugar but ice cream is not

There is plenty to hate about diabetes . . . . .what makes it onto your list?


Don’t forget to add your post to the Ten things I hate about you, Diabetes-Thursday 5/12 Link List.  Please enter YOUR BLOG’S NAME in the field marked Your Name and the link to YOUR SPECIFIC POST in the field marked Your URL.