Monthly Archives: November 2010

Meme Monday!

Uncategorized

I have a few topics in mind to share on my blog but was more in the mood for something fun and not exactly thought provoking.  So I stole this from Allison.  Enjoy 🙂

-1- What kind of camera do you have?  a Sony Cybershot point + shoot and a Nikon digital SLR

-2- You just won $1,000 and you have to spend it on yourself on one item. What do you buy? Hmm that’s a tough one.  I love to shop!  I could probably go for either some electronic or a really expensive handbag!

-3-  If you had to choose would you rather live with your parents in the same house forever or 5,000 miles away? Although my mother can get to me at times, she is the only living parent that Joe and I have so I’d rather have her close to us and live in the same house.

-4- Is your Christmas tree up yet?  Nope.  Hopefully in the next week or so we’ll put it up.

-5- Do you bring reusable bags to the grocery store? I should but I don’t.

-6- Which would be worse: listening to the same song on replay for the rest of your life or having to eat the same meal every day for the rest of your life?  I’d have to say eating the same meal every day for the rest of my life.  I don’t even like eating the same thing 2 days in a row, never mind forever!

-7- Name three things you are thankful for this season. Our new home, my family + friends and my “health”.

-8- Do you dye/highlight your hair? If so, do you do it yourself or have it done at a salon?  Contrary to what some people think, I have never gone near my hair with any kind of dye or highlights.

-9- Would you rather watch a movie at home or at the theater?  I like the theater scene with the giant screen, loud sound effects and of course all the movie goodies but I do like being in the comfort of my own couch too.  I’d say at home.

-10- Would you rather win $1,000 a week for life or $5 million at once?  Give me a $1,000 a week for life please 😉

Blessings

Community, Emotions

It is Diabetes Blessings Week in the diabetes community thanks to Mike declaring it so!  Many other bloggers have accepted his invitation to write a post each day of this week about these blessings.  Although I have fallen short of writing yet, being that it’s the day before Thanksgiving, I thought I’d reflect on some of the blessings for which I am eternally grateful.

Diabetes Blessings

Blessing No. 1 – the many friends across the country that I have made over the past few years.  Living with diabetes is not easy.  But somehow knowing and interacting with people who are dealing with the same or similar things as me made all the difference in the world in the outlook of my own diabetes management.

Blessing No. 2 – the condition of my eyes after having diabetes for almost 29 years.  The report I got yesterday from my long time opthamologist that there is still only minimal signs of diabetes and that whatever signs that are present are not progressing, was music to my ears!

Blessing No. 3 – the means to have an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to help in my diabetes treatment.  I am extremely blessed to have insurance coverage that includes things like these.  They have made a tremendous difference in my glucose readings over the past few years.

Blessing No. 4 – that I am physically capable of getting the exercise that is so beneficial to my diabetes health.  I currently have no physical limitations to keep me from getting the oh so important activity that my body needs.  Now if only I can seriously get over my laziness!!

Non Diabetes Blessings

Blessing No. 1 – our new home.  We just bought our first place a couple of weeks ago.  As stressful and tumultuous as the buying and moving process was, we now have a beautiful place that is ours 🙂

Blessing No. 2 – my husband.  The 12 years that we have been together (7 and a half of them married) have been wonderful.  We’ve been through some rough times together but in the end I think our love is stronger because of it.

Blessing No. 3 – my family.  I am thankful for the extended family I have but especially my mother, sister, niece and nephew.  I honestly don’t know what I would do without them.

Blessing No. 4 – my job.  Although it keeps me at the office late a lot and brings me stress at times, I am blessed to have a job that provides so well for me. 

I am wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!  May you have much to be thankful for today and always.  And for those of us who will be counting carbs for the holiday, may your blood sugars be good to you!!! 

Diabetes and Fashion

Events

You may wonder based on the title of this post how the two relate.  You are probably thinking, diabetes and fashion? Well I am about to tell you how there can be a very special relationship between the two.

I was very fortunate to be able to attend a great event early last week.  It was hosted by the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI) and took place in Soho in Manhattan.  It has been quite a while since I have been to that part of the city and it took me a little while to find the right place I was supposed to be at!  But once there, it was a very enjoyable evening.

The purpose of the event was to introduce a special top designed by Tibi owner, Amy Smilovic, for the benefit of the DRI.  Attendees enjoyed some champagne, light snacks and discounted shopping for some beautiful clothing.  The highlight of the evening was when Lindsey Inserra of the DRI presented Amy with flowers in honor of her commitment to contributing to the research of type 1 diabetes.  $100 of the purchase of each top will be donated to the DRI.  You can see for yourself just how lovely they are.

Not only did I get to meet some of the important people who work for DRI, I also had the honor of hanging out with Lindsey, Allison and Kelly.  And that made the evening even better 🙂

And thank you Amy and Tibi for what you’re doing!!

Tibi owner/designer Amy Smilovic and Lindsey Inserra

Fellow diabetes bloggers, advocates and friends Kelly, myself and Allison

(Photos courtesy of Natasha over at the DRI, who also was a great part of the evening by the way)

Six Things About Diabetes

Community

Today is the sixth annual D Blog Day.  (thank you Gina!) Everyone in the diabetes community is blogging about the six things they want people to know about diabetes.  I am going to try my hardest to read them all!  And here is my contribution about my life with the big D.

1.  As much as living with diabetes can suck at times, there are some pretty freaking cool people who have it.  Since becoming active in the diabetes community, I have met and become friends with some awesome people.  And although I’m not the least bit thankful for having diabetes, I am grateful for having met these other PWD!

2. Diabetes is a full time job.  Having to know my blood glucose level never goes away.  It’s every minute of every day of every week of every month of every year.  So yeah, sometimes it gets to me and I get tired and it would more than nice to have a cure.

3. I may look like any normal person on the outside.  People who don’t know me would probably never even guess that I live with a chronic condition.  It doesn’t stop me from doing things like normal people most of the time.  But diabetes is very serious and there are life threatening situations that can arise.  It can take loved ones away from us.  Don’t forget that just because I look just like anyone else.

4. Having the support of other PWD in your life is priceless.  I went the first 20+ years of my diabetic life with support from family and friends.  And although they are great and I would be lost without them, it’s not the same as having encouragement from others who are going through similar experiences.

5. If my blood sugar is high or low, it doesn’t necessarily have something to do with anything I did “wrong”.  There are so very many variables that impact glucose readings that sometimes it can’t be attributed to anything specific.  The human body is complicated and can seem to have a mind of its own at times.

6.  Most importantly, not only are there different types of diabetes (type 1, type 2, LADA and gestational) every case of type 1 is different.  Everyone’s type 1 diabetes varies.  This means that what may work for me, may not work for someone else and vice versa.  There is no “uniform” way to care for diabetes.

November = Busy Diabetics

Community

I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering how on earth it is November already?!?!!?  It feels like just yesterday that we were getting used to the year 2010 and shoveling lots and lots of snow in NYC.  Now there’s only 2 more months left of the year and I’m hoping this winter’s snowfalls are not a repeat of last year!

All that being said, November is a busy month for those of us who advocate for diabetes awareness.  I will admit, I’ll mostly be taking a back seat to a lot of the events this year since I am literally up to my nose in boxes from our move.  But I wanted to still do my part in getting the word out of all that is going on.  So here are some of the things to look forward to!

  • The month of November is Diabetes Awareness Month.  There are so many ways you can educate and raise awareness about living with diabetes.  Below are some of the ways.
  • Today marks SAE It Loud Day, started by our friend Sarah over at Sugabetic.  Join the crowd and let everyone know you have something to SAE!
  • Check out this video.  Each time the video is viewed, a donation will made to provide a child with diabetes in one the poorest countries a week’s worth of insulin.   
  • November 9th is D-Blog Day.  D-bloggers all around the country (and beyond) will be posting about six things they want people to know about diabetes.  I know I can’t wait to read all the blogs.
  • November 14th is World Diabetes Day.  There are lots of events being planned for this big day in the diabetes community so look around for one near you!
  • The Big Blue Test will also take place on World Diabetes Day.  Make sure you participate!
  • There will be type 1 talks being held for World Diabetes Day.  If you can, join the conversation!
  • The month of November is also National Blog Posting Month.  A lot of d-bloggers will be taking advantage of this opportunity to blog about diabetes and raise awareness every day of the month.   Kudos to each of you who will be doing this!
  • Blue is the “official” World Diabetes Day color.  Take Mike’s idea and make your blog blue for diabetes.  Or you can wear blue every Friday like Cherise will be.
  • Diabetes Social Media Advocacy will be hosting guest blogs from a different person with diabetes each day of the month.  (look out, I may just be one of them!) 

Phew!  That’s a lot to take in.  But it’s all good.  And we are all going to show the world just what having diabetes means and why finding a cure is so important.