Diabetes Daily

Will the Averages Lie? (Part #5)

Rachel Baumgartel — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:11:40 -0700

So, here we go. This coming Monday morning, I shall have my blood drawn for all sorts of diabetes, thyroid, and lipid panel goodness. And the following Monday morning, I shall have the verdict as to whether the meter averages have lied to me.

But unlike March, May, July, and September, the latest meter averages are disappointing. 111 before meals, 135 after meals, 123 overall. At best, I could expect the same A1C result I received back in April when the streak of awesome averages was just beginning - 5.8%. Still, it could be that the low battery signal I received this morning means that my meter has been off.

I know better, though, because I don't feel my best. I struggle to exercise enough each week. Not only did I ignore my vow to keep carbohydrate intake in check, but in late October, I was fighting off sinus yuck, leading to higher numbers after meals for two full weeks. Then I dealt with some stomach issues that led me over to the BRAT (banana, rice, applesauce, and toast) diet, which mean more fun with high numbers. And most of all, work stress is eating away at me - I can't discount the effect stress has on my blood sugar numbers. It all adds up to burnout. On life, with diabetes.

Regardless of what A1C result I receive on November 30, some changes need to be made with regards to my three biggest weaknesses:

Exercise patterns. Setting up Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday as exercise days, for now. No big goals as far as time or increased frequency, just getting things done those four days a week. I know that exercise plays a greater role than diet in my control, I need to use that tool now more than ever.
Mindful eating. Not rushing through eating meals, returning to the idea of the balanced diet, not seeking comfort in food.
Stress reduction. Some of this will come with regular exercise, some will come through meditation. I'm currently reading Comfortable with Uncertainty to help guide me to fulfilling meditative practices. (And a little will come with regular blogging about diabetes - the triumphs and the frustrations I face. I have to admit that it's hard to stay focused when I'm not writing often enough about diabetes.)

For many of us on path of living with diabetes, we end up running into a little burnout along the way. And that's completely okay, as long as we pick ourselves up in a reasonable amount of time. For me, it won't happen in time for this round of blood tests, and that's completely okay. I know that in the long run, I remain committed to my health.

Newly Diagnosed Diabetes Grocery Shopping List

Elizabeth Edelman — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

The day after I got sent home from the ER after my diagnosis, I called my aunt Kerry who is a nurse and asked her what I could eat for breakfast. All I had at my college apartment was a box of Lucky Charms, whole grain bread, some fruit, peanut butter, and a bunch of other carb heavy foods.

Nobody told me "no carbs", the doctor at the ER said to avoid sugar. So what did I eat? I ate a piece of dry toast. I was too scared to eat anything else, even though my aunt told me to eat a normal breakfast.

It wasn't until I met with the nurse at the Barbara Davis Center that I got a better idea of what to eat with diabetes. Truthfully, I learn every day about what my body can handle and what I should avoid. The foundations are the same, though, and I hope that this list will help you whether you're newly diagnosed or have been living with diabetes for years. If you think I'm missing something, please feel free to add it in the comments.

Fresh, leafy greens. Perfect for making salads with or lettuce wrapped sandwiches. Buy darker greens, like Romaine or spinach for optimal nutrients.
Eggs. No carbs, and a great way to get your protein in for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Whole grain bread. If you keep away from carbs, then this probably isn't the right item on your grocery list. But if you're taking insulin, whole grains are an excellent part of your diet.
Peanut butter. I haven't met a person with diabetes who doesn't like peanut butter. I put it on everything from bread to celery to apples to straight out of the jar. Just make sure that you buy a high quality kind that isn't packed full of sugar.
Lean meats. Turkey is my go to deli meat. It's low in fat and is just plain tasty. I don't buy the typical lunch meat, I prefer the grilled turkey breast that my deli slices up nice and thin.
Fresh fruit. Yes, it has carbs in it. But it's packed with fiber and is really good for you. I love berries which are easier to eat if you have diabetes.
Cottage cheese. I love cottage cheese. It's delicious on pasta, with fresh fruit, on a baked potato, or with a dash of freshly ground black pepper on it's own. It's also a fantastic source of protein and is low in fat and carbs.
Nuts. You'll find yourself snacking on these a lot when you have diabetes. They're low carb and satisfyingly filling. Almonds are my favorite.
Dreamfield's Pasta. Pasta for people with diabetes! It doesn't spike my blood sugar like normal pasta does. Some have problems eating it, but it has always done well with me.
String cheese. Again, a great snack food if you have diabetes. No carbs and fun to eat!
Fresh vegetables. These are some of the most important items in your grocery cart. Buy organic, when possible, and never skimp on freshness. You want to be careful with some of the starchier ones like corn, carrots and peas.
Dark chocolate. You need some room for dessert, right? For more low carb dessert ideas, check out my post on my favorite low carb desserts.

Lazy Day Friday: Just Because

Cherise Nicole — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0600

Today is Friday! I am dubbing today Lazy Day Post Day. I wrote a post back in March titled "Just Because" I decided to bring it back because I'm being lazy...

Just Because

I'm writing this blog post "Just Because", simply because I can.

So, I am going to start the sentence and you finish it...

You can say whatever you want ( within reason). Just because you can:). You can be silly, serious or whatever.

Just because _______________.

I'm going to go first.

Just because I'm a diabetic doesn't mean I can't eat sugar!

I know the grammar isn't right but who cares?

Your turn....

Be Blessed

Cherise

The Tallest Hurdle (At the Moment)

Rachel Baumgartel — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:43:04 -0700

I start the week strong and end it weak.

All weekend long and for Monday (and sometimes Tuesday), I'm raring to go. Walking, elliptical, balance ball, yoga - I'm all for it. Motivation is high to get my butt in gear and burn off calories.

By Wednesday, I start making excuses, which is easy with a full-time job and being a part-time writer. "It's been a long week", or "I'm too tired", or "I have to stay late at work". Even with #sweatbetes making its presence on Twitter, I just can't keep the streak going deep into the week.

Has anyone else faced this hurdle, the tallest one I'm facing at the moment? How did you get past all the excuses? Should I just make my "exercise week" Saturday - Wednesday, as opposed to Monday-Friday or every other day? Thanks in advance.

Back to School?

Elizabeth Edelman — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Cooking is one of my favorite passions. I really enjoy putting ingredients together to get something wonderful. Well, wonderful most of the time. I'm still learning a lot!

Lately I've been thinking a lot about taking a cooking class or two. Not culinary school. I don't have the time or energy to put into something like that. I'd love to, but not at this point in my life. What I'm looking at is something very casual. I would love so much to go to Italy or France and take a week long class. Stay in a villa, drink wine and cook- what better way to live life?

For the time being, I'm on the lookout for somewhere local. Unfortunately, I'm not finding too much. All of the classes are offered through Sur la Table, Viking, and the cake shop where I ordered Leah's birthday cake. I'll be taking the cake shop class for sure; cake design is something I've always been interested in. I'm not too sure where I should take my other class, though.

Have any of you taken a cooking class? Any suggestions to where to start?

We exist too!

Cherise Nicole — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0600

I read a post written by Kelly titled "Dear Diabetes Orgs & Society as a Whole", I decided to blog about what it feels like being diagnosed with T-1/1.5 diabetes and not having a (offline) support system like the JDRF or ADA.

True Story

When I was diagnosed with Type 1.5 diabetes I was 23 years old. I wasn't a child, teenager or T-2. I was a healthy 23 year old newlywed. I was a homeowner. I enjoyed waffles for breakfast and going to Sonic's to grab a Route 44 Cherry Slush. I was focused on work, married life, being an armywife and going back to college. Some how, Some way...Diabetes entered my life. Why? I don't know. I wasn't upset when I found out. I cried but I wasn't angry. I was curious to know if there were more people out there like me. I thought an adult onset T-1/1.5 was rare. In my mind I was one of a kind; I was wrong. Thank you, Diabetes Online Community. I found plenty of adults like me. I was finally at home. I only had one

Complaint

There aren't enough resources for adults who are newly diagnosed Type 1/1.5 diabetes! Honestly, that bugs the hell out of me. Adults being diagnosed with Type 1/1.5 diabetes can benefit from education and a support system. What about offline support? I tried calling my local JDRF chapter a number of times and I haven't heard anything from them. I was under the assumption that the JDRF was suppose to be reaching out to the adult T-1 population but when I went knocking I didn't get a response. Disappointed? Yes. Angry? Yes. Do I want to keep knocking at a door that slams in my face each time? Yes, because

WE EXIST TOO!

Be Blessed

Cherise

Life, in Circles (bloodsugar, too)

amyliagrace — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:53:02 -0600

My bloodsugar stayed stubbornly and dangerously high for hours yesterday, fluctuating between the "low" 300's and skyrocketing to 423 mg/dl without known prompting from food or body; an allegedly old vial of insulin & an influx of hormones prior to my period are, I believe, the main culprits. It drained me entirely, but my fellow Diabetes Daily writer and long-time blogger, Scott, coached me through by responding to my sad little messages cursing my fate as a type 1 diabetic with well-timed messages filled with encouragement and empathy. You gotta hand it to him: Mr. Johnson knows how the say the right things to help us feel understood and less alone. What a gift. I need my ladies now, though. [Men, skip to poem below. Over & Out]

Ladies, help me out here: each day for the last five days or so it's been like this and there seems to be a correlation between P.M.S. and insulin resistance/hyperglycemia that I tend to figure out mostly in retrospect. My body requires mad amounts of insulin and my stomach becomes highly sensitive the week prior to my period. And yeah, don't get me started on the emotions. This is a newer development for me that I've noticed since turning thirty (I'm 32). Am I alone here? Is there documented proof of this wonky phenomenon? Does anyone else notice a similar pattern?

It wipes me out emotionally and physically. I've never been more ready for my period to arrive (well, maybe that one time...)! I have a lot of blog posts in the works but for now let me share a poem which relays how I'm feeling in ways only that elusive and rare good poem can; hope resonates with you as it did with me. I got a little thrill when I saw insulin and bloodsugar mentioned in so lovely a poem. The poem's author, Rebecca Lindenberg (type 1?), herself an accomplished, prizewinning poet, is the partner of the inspiring and award-winning poet, Craig Arnold, now missing since April.

As an aside, I just completed a chapbook of my own poems entitled "Fieldwork," which I hope to make available as a free downloadable e-book soon (if anyone can suggest the best way to do that, please contact me). For now, you'll find many of them on my other website. In the meantime, please enjoy so poignant a poem I wish I had written in myself (yeah, I'm jealous!). Oh, and as much as we'd like to claim it, the title is more a nod to Dante than WDD: In Circles

In Circles

"la diritta via era smarrita"

Days, these days, are just

coffee breaks between

sleep and sleep -

daylight anemic compared

with the vivid wholeness

of dreams. I have been sorry

to open my eyes, to open

my windows and let in

the smell of wet leaves,

of another

world misting away,

and of forgetting.

I don't want to forget

a long bridge,

a wide churning river,

faces rising up into its surface,

what we feel in dreams

that life gives no occasion for.

In my dreams, I am guilty

of a thousand crimes. For lying,

I am sentenced to walk

in a circle until I die. I plead

with my sister to buy back my body,

not to let them throw me away.

An adulterous thought made

flesh bends over me, a seduction

amid curtains, curtains blown

open and only then do I recall

that I am married. Only then

do I wake with the smell of hyacinth

still burning in my nose.

I wish I had a voice

big enough for this much feeling -

panic let down like a veil

over the reasoning mind,

and suddenly I am floating in space

where is my insulin?

what is my blood sugar?

why is the moon so close?

Falling, falling

through a river full of monsters,

through exacted penance,

through a would-be lover's

protective embrace and back

into this world, shivering,

covers thrown off, aware

of skin laid bare, so much

I would never now unknow.

Sauteed Collard Greens

Elizabeth Edelman — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Have you ever tried collard greens before? I hadn't until recently. They have a bad rap and are usually cooked in an unhealthy way, canceling out all of their nutritious value. If cooked properly, collard greens retain all of their vitamins, and all that good for you fiber. I cooked them like Brussels sprouts, boiling them first to soften their toughness.

2 1/2 lbs. collard greens, preferably organic
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut out the center ribs and stems from the collard greens. Cut the leaves into 1" strips and place in a pot filled with boiling water. Cook for 15 minutes, until tender, and drain in a colander. Press out the liquid and set aside.

In a large, heavy skillet heat the butter and oil over medium high heat. Stir in garlic, the collards, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute the greens with the garlic, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice and toss well.

Servings: 4

Carbohydrates per serving: 2g

A Song for All Diabetics

Cherise Nicole — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0600

Have you heard of the hot new Diabetes group SugaSheen ? If not, you do not know what your missing! SugaSheen will have you laughing, singing and dancing along. If you are a Diabetic or know someone who is; you'll love this song....I guarantee it!

So friends (if you haven't already) please check out "All the Diabetics" by SugaSheen

Be Blessed

Cherise

Four Years.

Elizabeth Edelman — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

When David told me that yesterday was Diabetes Daily's four year birthday, I almost cried. Four years?! Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday when David and I were sitting at a small table at Starbucks, outlining goals for our diabetes website.

I had only had diabetes for a couple of months and was no expert. So how could I help others like me who were struggling to get an grasp on this disease that was slowly taking over my life? The more we brainstormed, the more clear it became that we didn't want this website to be about us and our knowledge. We wanted it to be a community.

When we took the plunge from a diabetes blog to a diabetes forum, we had no clue what we were doing. To be honest, it was mostly David and I going back and forth posting questions for each other. Slowly but surely, there were other voices responding - and not just the ones in our heads! I remember checking our stats one day and being so excited that somebody besides our Moms were reading.

To be here, four years later, is like being in a whole new world. With 2.5 million visitors a year and nearly 18,000 members, it's obvious that it's not just the two of us anymore. We've become the community that we dreamed of creating.

Having Diabetes Daily has helped me in so many ways, I cannot even count. I've learned more about myself than I thought possible. And I sincerely hope that Diabetes Daily is to you what it is to me. More than a website, more than a forum- more like a family.

Thank you everyone for making Diabetes Daily more than I ever imagined. I can't wait for the next four years!

Next: Read why and how Diabetes Daily got started

World Diabetes Day

Cherise Nicole — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:17:39 -0600

I went back home to celebrate World Diabetes Day at Samuel U. Rodgers Healthcenter. I enjoyed myself. I was on a cloud nine when I walked in the room. The place was beautiful. White draped the walls, blue table clothes were on the table along with the collage and the staff was dressed in blue and black. I was speechless.

The luncheon was amazing! I can honestly say it was a "Lunch and Learn". There was a lot of powerful words spoken words of Empowerment, Courage, Strength and Hope. There were a lot of people who didn't know a lot about Diabetes and there were a few who knew a lot. The guest speakers were amazing. There was this guy, Mr. Milton. He told his story of how he was diagnosed with T-2 diabetes. He talked about his eating disorder, he saw food he would wanted it. He said something clicked after his Dx. He took control, started exercising and is currently off of his diabetes medication.

I spoke about Type 1.5/LADA, when I was diagnosed, the DOC and more. Andrea spoke about her diagnoses and how she refused to let diabetes get the best of her. She also spoke about her ribbon campaign. Sharon (nurse) at the Harmon Diabetes Center spoke about getting proper care and seeking out the help you need to manage diabetes. Dr. Smith (podiatrist) spoke about taking care of your feet...his motto is: Treat your feet like you treat your face. If you wouldn't do it to your face, don't do it to your feet
.

After everyone spoke, there was a question and answer session. One of the questions that was asked was to me was "You said you had an insulin pump. What do you have to do to get one? can I see it?" I am glad I wore my Pod on my arm. I pulled up my shirt and explained what the Omnipod was. I knew I needed assistance because if someone hasn't seen a pump they wouldn't know what an Omnipod was. I asked Sarah to help me. She showed the lady the Ping. (thank you Sarah). We both explained how both functioned. I LOVE TEAM WORK!

Listening to people talk about Diabetes was amazing. Talking and seeing people I tweet with every single day was amazing. World Diabetes Day rocked! it not only brought the diabetes community together online it brought it together offline. It also made me realize it's time to figure out what my next step is. I enjoyed talking to people, answering questions and socializing. I loved meeting Sarah, Babs, Andrea, Scott and Mr. Bob. Thank you all for coming to the luncheon. The 5 of you amazed me. You all are awesome people online and off.

I am not sure what my future holds but I know one thing I am going to talk about diabetes until the day I die.

Click here, to read Bab's take about the luncheon.

Be Blessed

Cherise

Friends in the pictures:

1. Scott Strange (TuDiabetes Admin)
2. Andrea Bradley (Sticky Sweet Diabetics)
3. Barbara Campbell ( My Whimsey)
4. Scott, Andrea, Sarah Jane ( Adventures of Diabolical Diabetty), Me and Babs

DiabetesMine Launches Diabetes Health Plan

David Edelman — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:34:51 -0500

Last week, Amy Tenderich launched the DiabetesMine Health Account Plan on Keas.com. Amy has created this plan in partnership with her co-author on Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes, Dr. Richard Jackson of Joslin Diabetes Center.

Based on the book, this "interactive health plan" has the following goals:

Learn more about their �numbers� and why they matter
Discover what each individual personally needs to focus on now (i.e. lowering A1C or blood pressure, making food changes, etc.)
Choose their own tactics and get help improving their key test results � and their overall health

Amy goes on to say that "[t]his is not just another web site for logging BG data; rather, Keas has created a way for us to share some of our best advice about managing diabetes with people in a smart and engaging way."

The plan is free for now but will eventually be a paid support program.

Press Release Detailing the Plan:

San Francisco, Calif., Nov 10, 2009 -- DiabetesMine�, a leading informational and community web site for people with diabetes, today launched the DiabetesMine Health Account Plan at Keas.com, first in a series of online �Care Plans� that offer specific, personalized guidance to improve the current and long-term health of people with diabetes.

Keas.com, launched last month, is an interactive service that provides individuals with ongoing advice and interpretation about their unique health data, via customized care plans. The system recognizes each individual�s lab results and current conditions to help them take appropriate action to achieve their health goals.

The DiabetesMine care plan for Keas guides people with diabetes to understand health indicators and take practical action. For example, if a patient�s A1C is mildly or dangerously high, the care plan suggests and explains a recommended course of action. If a person is unfamiliar with an important indicator such as the microalbumin test, the plan explains its significance and guides the user through proactive strategies for improving their kidney health. The DiabetesMine care plan recommendations are based on health data that was either manually entered by the patient, or uploaded from external sources such as Quest Diagnostics, Google Health, Microsoft Health Vault, or other online Health 2.0 tools.

The DiabetesMine plans are co-authored by journalist, patient blogger and advocate Amy Tenderich, who created the popular site DiabetesMine.com after her diagnosis with type 1 diabetes in 2003, and by Richard Jackson, MD, Director of Medical Affairs, Healthcare Services, and Strategic Initiatives at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, Senior Investigator in the Research Division at the Center, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

"Only with personalization will people be empowered online to take control of their own health care," says Adam Bosworth, founder of Keas.com and former head of Google Health. �People with diabetes in particular need tools for self-care that go beyond just online record-keeping. They need the right information relevant to their personal situation at the right time, and feedback that is fun and engaging. We�re pleased to be working with DiabetesMine to craft this new kind of tool.�

The initial DiabetesMine Health Account Plan builds on the book �Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes,� co-authored by Tenderich and Jackson in 2007. It walks patients through the five key medical tests that everyone with diabetes should have and monitor on a daily basis: A1C, Blood Pressure, Lipid Panel (cholesterol), Microalbumin, and Annual Eye Exam. Users are prompted to choose various plans of action to bring their test results into range. The system checks back with them and prompts them to continue their efforts.

The DiabetesMine Health Account Plan is currently available at no charge, but will soon roll-out an annual subscription fee of $9, in addition to membership fees charged by Keas. It is the first of an entire family of DiabetesMine care plans for Keas. A Newly Diagnosed care plan is due out later this month, eventually followed by plans addressing an array of diabetes topics: Glucose Monitoring, Insulin Pumping, Carbohydrate Counting, Gestational Diabetes, Diabetes and Depression, and more.

"We look forward to input from the diabetes patient community. These plans are tools that can grow and evolve based on user feedback. We hope the Keas platform will allow us to take online tools for diabetes to the next level � beyond just tracking glucose data � by helping people actually take action to improve their health," Amy Tenderich said.

The Keas DiabetesMine Plan can be found at http://www.keas.com/diabetesmine

More about DiabetesMine.com and Amy Tenderich

DiabetesMine.com has become a leading online destination for people with diabetes and one of the top health blogs around the country and the world. Its creator, Amy Tenderich and shares an unusual �cynically optimistic� view of the trials of living with this condition. She speaks creatively and from the heart � to people with diabetes and their family, friends, and community � on topics ranging from inside looks at diabetes research and breaking news to daily life with diabetes to uncovering the diabetics� deepest hopes and fears. Amy is also the community manager of DiabeticConnect, a social media network for people affected by diabetes.

For more information, please contact info@diabetesmine.com.

Blintzes for Brunch

Elizabeth Edelman — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:00:00 -0500

Brunch is my favorite meal of the day. When I was younger, I would love to go out and have an omelette or French toast and a bellini or bloody Mary to go with it. These days, with a baby in tow it's not realistic to have a drink with brunch. The food is the same, and there's nothing better than the traditional favorites.

We had David's grandparent's and my brother over for brunch yesterday. I was very excited to prepare the meal, as I've never really had brunch at my house before. Usually we go out or to somebody else's home. I wanted to do bagels, lox, blintzes, and fruit salad. Very carb heavy, to be sure, but tasty none the less. Well, maybe not the lox, but everyone else ate it!

I had decided to make the blintzes from scratch. I had never made them before but thought I could give it a shot. I made cheese blintzes from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics with blueberry sauce. The recipe was very easy to follow. Instead of making crepes and filling them and baking again, this recipe had you pour batter on the bottom of the pan, bake, and then pour the filling and top with more batter. Easy and delicious.

Her recipe turned out really well. The only problem that I encountered was that they needed about 10 additional minutes of baking. After the suggested 40 minutes and 15 minute waiting period, the blintzes were still undercooked. I popped them in the oven again for 10 minutes and they turned out perfectly.

I served them with her fresh blueberry sauce. I made a change to her recipe and used half raspberries which turned out really tasty.

This meal is usually one that I would be terrified to eat. And rightfully so! Bagels are notoriously difficult to eat with diabetes. How was I able to manage all of these carbs and still am here to talk about it? Well, I took enough insulin for the carbs I was about to eat. And then I took some more. A lot more. I took an additional two units over what I thought I should have. Two hours after our meal I was at 83 and according to my meter, I haven't been over 130 all day.

Now, this certainly doesn't mean that I'm going to eat like this all the time. But it's nice to know that if I did want to have a meal like this that I can manage. I only ate half of a bagel because I think that a whole one is just too much food- and carbs. Even without diabetes they're a lot of food. Are you able to eat bagels at all? If so, how do you manage?

"Heart of Diabetes" Vlog #2

Rachel Baumgartel — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0700

As a follow-up to this video, I recognize that some in the type 2 diabetes community do not believe that lipid panel results are that important; instead being in favor of glucose control, c-reactive protein, and expensive heart scans. Nothing is certain to determine heart disease risk, so I'm not willing to leave out any possible tool, including lipid panel results.

***In the interest of disclosure, I did receive compensation for travel, meals, and lodging. I will also be receiving an honorarium along with a Flip video camera (to record that Real Story) from the American Heart Association for my part in this project. That being said, all content in posts referring to the "Heart of Diabetes" Connected Council will be my own, with no expectations from the AHA, their PR firm, or Takeda.***

Refocusing

saraknic — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:30:40 -0500

Warning: This isn't going to be your typical World Diabetes Day post.

As I slowly make my way back, I wanted to share a little bit more about my recent blogging break.

For as long as I remember I have been an overachiever. If I am going to do something I am going to do it all the way. When I found the diabetes blogging world, the blog I began about all parts of my life turned into a diabetes (with a capital D) blog. I found a diabetes message board and I started posting, and hanging out in the chat room, and writing more often on my blog, and reading all the diabetes blogs, and twittering about diabetes, and taking pictures of every day for a year about living with diabetes. Suddenly I was eating, sleeping, and breathing diabetes.

In some ways it was good for me. That much attention and pressure (that I put on myself) meant that I was in excellent control of my diabetes. I was testing upwards of eight times a day. My A1cs were enviable. My doctor�s appointments were always on schedule. I always knew about the latest controversy, advocacy, and research.

The only problem was that I was missing life. In order to protect the privacy of my friends and the people I work with, I can�t really share details. What I can say is that I didn�t see some really big things that were going on around me and I was not there for some people like I should have been. I can�t change what happened in the past, but I am doing my best to fix it now.

No matter how difficult life seems, I also realized that am incredibly blessed and I need to take time to get outside of myself and appreciate those blessings.

I have been given the opportunity to travel to Haiti in March. I don�t know exactly what I will be doing there yet, but there is no shortage of need. According to the United Nations, Haiti is one of the least developed countries in the world, ranking 146 out of the 177 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index (2006) and about 80% of the population were estimated to be living in poverty in 2003 (source).

Yes I am worried about traveling with diabetes to such an impoverished area, but honestly ten days of work will be nothing compared to the struggle of living there day to day. And I cannot even imagine how someone would find sufficient medical treatment in Haiti to ~~thrive~~ survive with diabetes.

While they are not currently in Haiti, Life for a Child (part of the International Diabetes Federation) is an amazing organization that is saving the lives of children in 19 countries around the world and is one of the organizations that is supported by the World Diabetes Day campaign. Please consider providing them with whatever support you can.

If you would like to know more about my trip and the ways in which you can support my team and myself, please e-mail me your mailing address so that I can send you more information.

Here's to not having a reason to celebrate World Diabetes Day next year!