In honor of No D-Day, thanks to our good friend Super Ninja G, I will be posting something today that is not diabetes related. 

Very often I think the trials and tribulations of every day life is very easy to get you feeling down and out.  I think it is better for the heart and soul of everyone (myself included) to reflect on those things in life that bring us joy and those we are thankful for.  And that is what I am doing today.

I work a lot of hours at my job and it gets to me sometimes.  I have little time to do much after work during the week except have dinner and unwind a little bit … this exhausts me.  However I am extremely thankful for the job I have, that it pays me very well and provides me with great benefits. 

I am no longer the size 2/4 that I once was when I was in my 20’s.  I am not very happy with my appearance these days  and this indeed gets me down at times.  But I am so thankful to have a hubby that loves me and still wants to get intimate with me no matter how I feel about the way I look.

I have an unusually close relationship with my identical twin sister.  We live about 45 minutes from each other so I see her nowhere near how much I’d like.  But I am grateful for modern technology (phone, email, text, skype, etc) that keeps me in touch with her each and every day when we’re not in each other’s company physically.

Joe and I do not have children.  As time goes by, this is looking like a more permanent situation.  Which hurts.  However I am extremely thankful to have a nephew and two nieces who bring me joy.  I am a very proud Auntie who loves those children and would do anything for them.

No one likes going to the doctor.  I have two appointments this weekend (totally un-diabetes related!) which kind of stinks.  But on the other hand, I appreciate that I have the means to see a doctor when I need to and keep on top of my health.

These are just a few of the many things I have to appreciate.  I always try to think of one of my favorite sayings when the going gets tough “when life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile”.  Life gets to the best of us sometimes but when it does, think of the good things.  I will leave off with one of my favorite photos of all time, that makes me smile every single time I look at it.  It’s from Anne Geddes, a world famous photographer.

Today is the first ever Diabetes Art Day!  I must thank my hubby for helping me with my contribution … he is much more creative and artistic than I.  (thank you so much Joe)

And I am now introducing, SpongeBob Pump Pants!!!

He is made from Mimimed pump supplies and Bayer Contour USB test strips.  His body is the packaging for the quicksets, his eyes are the new mio sets, his nose is the reservoir and his arms & legs test strips.  And he says hello to the D-OC 🙂

There is something new and fun going on this week.  Thanks to the creative, artful mind of Lee Ann over at The Butter Compartment, this Wednesday, September 1st is the deadline for the first ever Diabetes Art Day!  She is asking all the people in the diabetes community (directly or indirectly) to “break out of our linguistic comfort zones, bust out some art materials, and make a piece of artwork – painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, an installation piece, a mixed media something or other, or whatever you can imagine”. Once it’s done, share it on September 1st.  In addition to your own blog or website, there are a few other places to post your work.  You can post it at TuDiabetes, which will also give you a chance to win a copy of the No Sugar Added Poetry book, the group created over at Diabetes Daily or the group created over at dLife.

So get your art supplies and get working 🙂

I am not a stranger to a lot of you but this is my new home. This post here I wrote a while back somewhere else but thought it fitting for my “opening statement” here.

 I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 5 years old which was also many years ago.  There was no blood testing with glucose meters instead there was mainly testing blood sugar levels by using urine strips; there was no multiple daily injections (MDI’s) management instead there were 1 or 2 injections of NPH and Regular insulin; there was no “carb counting” just doctor’s instructions to stay away from foods like candy and pizza.  I cannot tell you how much I have seen diabetes management change in the past 28 years.  Not only am I now using an insulin pump after being on MDI’s for what seemed like forever, I am using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) which constantly measures glucose levels from interstitial fluid.  Wow.  But almost as important as the technology available to diabetics to manage their condition, is a network of support to help cope with the emotional challenges that come along with it.

It wasn’t until about 3 years ago that I really met other people my age with diabetes.  There was actually this diabetes community out there that I never knew about!  I thank modern technology for helping me find these people :).  Initially, the diabetes myspace group members I connected with offered me so many tips and advice about things that I really thought I should have known.  These online contacts grew into friends that I truly cared about even without ever meeting them in person.   Then I was lucky enough to meet a few who lived in my area and they are now not only my “fellow diabetes” friends but true friends of mine.  I have learned so much from them and can’t even describe the connection one feels when sharing similar experiences.  The people in the diabetes community have become a very important part of my life and knowing that I can share both my diabetes struggles and accomplishments with people who can completely relate is such a good feeling.  I can only wish that every type 1 finds support like I have.