What's for me might not be for you!

Many of you, I'm sure, have been invited to participate in the Second Annual Diabetic Ice Cream Social. This event was created, by our lovely BHS friend, Lizmari Collazo, last year due to some MISeducated idiot who compared giving ice cream to a diabetic the same as giving booze to an alcoholic. Many of us fought back, in fact, nearly 2,500 people with ALL types of diabetes and their friends and family, with a big ole FU and an ice cream lick. So it's that time of year again. And it seems to be creating quite the controversy. And that tells me this event IS something good if it creates some scandal!

"We diabetics love life, and can enjoy ANYTHING anyone else does, so long as we account and manage our carbohydrates properly." 

"This event is meant to showcase that we can LIVE, and THRIVE as Diabetics, and enjoy ourselves...That we do not have limits on life, and that we can live within our boundaries of MODERATION, education, and COMMON SENSE...."

"It doesn't matter how you eat your ice cream...have one scoop or two...Heck, you can even have a DIFFERENT TREAT...the point is...WE DIABETICS ARE CREATIVE, SAVVY AND WE HAVE OPTIONS...AND WE KNOW OUR BODIES."

These quotes are taken directly from the event page, you can find it here.

Again, people are misunderstanding this event. Some are calling this event childish, some are saying hurtful unnecessary things. Bottom line: if you don't agree with it DON"T do it!! Our family celebrates ice cream EVERYDAY!! Gasp!! Scandalous...isn't it?! There is no more than 1 cup scooped out per day, per kid. And yes, it's a measured 1 cup. I don't limit what my kids can and can't eat. We deal with it, carb counts, highs/lows, all of it. The minute I start putting limitations on what they eat is the minute they will find it at someone else's house and eat it OR start sneaking it...NOT an option. All of my kids are lean and HEALTHY! And guess what? If I stop letting my kids eat ice cream or any food for that matter...THEY WILL STILL HAVE DIABETES!! Taking food away from them doesn't get rid of their diabetes!!

I invite you to participate in the Diabetic Ice Cream Social and if you don't want to, I respect your right not to but I caution you to not be our food police; we can manage just fine. Politely decline and let us have our ice cream!

When D-Mommas meet up!

The other day I had a chance to meet up with a fellow D-Momma! We were already facebook friends and she was moving into my area and was able to make a handful of Ohio D-Mommas before she even moved to the state. I tried to think of a place to meet...kept going between a bar (because, truly, I need a stiff drink with this summer I am having) or a restaurant that has killer dessert. Dessert won because I had to drive home and of course I'm always leering of drinking just one too many in case of low blood sugar checks through the night and yada, yada, you all know!! We met at Cheesecake Factory (how could you go wrong there?!?) and you would've thought we've known each other forever!! But meeting other D-Mommas are kinda like that. We had a 50 minute wait...I know, long wait but we talked the entire time and it didn't even seem like 50 minutes. We ordered our meals, desserts and CLOSED the place down. I kid you not! I had my phone out because Nora was at a sleepover and wanted to make sure I was available if she needed me. I happened to look at the clock and couldn't believe it!! What fun!! The nice thing, well, there are several nice things:

1. I got out of the house!!! 

2. We talked about our kids and their diabetes (but only a little bit) 

3. We had a NORMAL conversation!!! 

4. I felt like Jen, the Jen before diabetes took over our life.

For as much as I love to talk about Diabetes, it's nice to just BE. D will ALWAYS be there. But to share a night out with a fellow D-Momma who just gets all of it is truly priceless! So welcome to Ohio, Kristen, I'm so glad we met up and I'm glad to call you my friend! (Next time I may need a DD-designated driver! Funny how DD had different meanings for us in the DOC!!)

Cannot see it?

Thank you to everyone for reminding me every day, that diabetes is real, with us daily, and one of those things that I refuse to get me down. I am so truly fortunate to be surrounded by so many GREAT peeps.

How does any one of us explain something new in diabetes care, at the personal level, that changed our life today?

How do we try and explain how the words "It is not a tumor, so let's follow up with an Optometrist" are comforting? Why do we keep on keeping on?

We just do it, and repeating as needed, like shampoo. Sometimes it gets in your eyes, and cannot always be washed away before it just hurts.

Just cannot see the "E", and it is not a vision, this is real life...

A1C's...

On Friday we had Nora's three month Endo check-up. I actually enjoy going to these appointments because I love her Endo and making changes and just following up. I am also curious to see how her A1C is going to be. Talk to any caregiver of a diabetic and you find various feelings on A1C's or the dreaded "report card".

Dum..dum..dum...

I KNEW hers was going to be higher than what it was three months ago. First of all it's summer, our schedule; what schedule?!?! We have none!! She's having a growth spurt, eating like crazy and her numbers have been wonky to say the least. I don't normally call her numbers in to the Diabetes Center. I feel comfortable enough in reading her graphs, that I download, to make changes to her bolus rates. I WILL call if she is having serious issues. But I know my daughter better than the on-call nurse and can make her changes.

I also need to give some credit, for my non-freakish reactions to the said A1C results to my mentor. Now, when you first receive your initial diagnosis there are so many things swimming in your head that I don't think I truly realized what an A1C was; let alone what to do about it. So we've had some months under our belt and I'm somewhat understanding things. So I'm talking with my mentor and she starts talking about A1C's. She said she didn't get all upset about the number because you can have a great number because you really have great numbers OR you can have lots of highs and lots of lows which even things out and viola...you have a great number. So I've always kept this in the back of my mind and then I realized it's true.

I remember "fighting" with a NP because she was happy with Nora's A1C but  I knew for those three months she had been running both high and low, so it wan't a good indicator. On the other hand, when we religiously use her CGM and I SEE her numbers and graphs and that we are "controlling" her diabetes I get excited to see what her A1C results are. She went down a WHOLE point about a year ago!! And yes, I was excited because I KNEW it was a true reflection of her blood sugar numbers.

But Friday was a different story. She had gone up a few tenths of a point. And I'm okay with that. I really thought it was going to be more. And I'm NOT going to beat myself up because I do the best I can do to be her stand in pancreas. I'm not perfect...I'm a Mom NOT a real pancreas. So we've made changes and we will keep doing what we do. Will it lower her A1C...maybe. If you take anything from this story please know that you if you/your loved one/spouse has a higher A1C it's NOT a reflection of you. You are NOT a failure!! We, as caregivers, do the best we can and that is enough for me.
(and for those of you who are wondering...her A1C was 7.8 which means she runs around 170ish and THAT is good for HER!!)

Special treat for our BHS fans!

We have a special guest blogger today! Her name is Mollie Busby. You may know her from the Mollie Shambeau Show.You can read all about her here. The reason I found her so intriguing was her journey from fashion writer to being thrust into the world of Type 1 when she met professional snowboarder, Sean Busby, who is also the founder of Riding on Insulin, and her husband! I know how it is to be a caregiver to a Type 1 diabetic from a Mother's point of view but was interested in how it is to be a spouse of a T1D.  So thank you Mollie for sharing your story with us!!

 BHS Fans; here is Mollie's story...enjoy!! 

Marrying into diabetes
Greetings to friends and fans of the Blue Heel Society. I am so please to be guest blogging for this fabulous cause. As you may know, I’m Mollie Busby and I am married to Sean Busby, a professional backcountry snowboarder living with type 1 diabetes.

Today I want to write about what it’s like to “marry into diabetes.” It sounds funny to say, but that’s how we, the diabetes spouses, refer to it. I remember meeting the wife of one of our Riding On Insulin board members last December, and it was completely normal for me to ask, “Did you marry into diabetes like I did?” (Her answer was yes—needless to say we had a lot to talk about!)

When I met Sean, I knew next to nothing about type 1 diabetes. I was just a style editor who—as I used to say—“shopped” for a living. I thought diabetes happened to kids, and I knew there were people riding bikes to raise money for the cause, but that’s about it. After I met Sean, I remember asking him to go over the deal with sugar and insulin—what raises your blood sugar, and what lowers it. Seems pretty obvious, right? But I have to remember that back then, it wasn’t obvious because diabetes wasn’t my reality. Now it is.

My first real encounter with diabetes happened with Sean in the Cook Islands. During summer of 2010, Sean and I took our first trip together. Day one was amazing… we watched the sun rise, snorkeled, explored the island and drank margaritas. Sounds like vacation, right? Day 2—not so much. I got food poisoning from what we thought was a latte (we figured it was the water because we’d eaten all the same things that day). My bout got so bad that I had to go to the hospital to get an IV of fluids to rehydrate my body. I remember we discussed that if anything happened to Sean, I would get him to the hospital right away. Needless to say, it didn’t take long before we could put that vow into practice. We figured out the real cause of the food poisoning after Sean ate the leftovers from our spaghetti and meat sauce the night before… sure enough, a few hours after dinner, he was throwing up and I was fumbling with the testing supplies to see if his diabetes was the cause, or if it was food related. I’d never actually tested his or my sugar before so I remember being extremely nervous. Soon thereafter, we were off to the hospital once again—this time for an overnight stay. You can imagine my delight when I heard that! I spent the night on a mattress (on the floor) next to Sean’s hospital bed in a non-air-conditioned room while lizards darted across the walls… and I will never, ever forget that night!

From that day on, I resolved to learn all I could about T1D, and today I’m proud to say I’m currently enrolled in the prerequisite courses needed to obtain my masters in dietetics, which I plan to use to become a certified diabetes educator. Plus, running Riding On Insulin—our nonprofit organization, keeps me up-to-date with the diabetes community on a daily basis.

It’s funny how my life has come full circle… from fashion writer to finger-pricker. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for anything... even an all-expense paid vacation to the Cook Islands. ☺

Mollie Busby writes a lifestyle/adventure blog called The Mollie Shambeau Show. Find her online at http://themollieshambeaushow.com.

Diabetes...funny or offensive?

I would like to state I don't get offended easily. I just don't.

However...

There is a video circulating on facebook that came from the Conan O'Brien show. It's a skit that are spoofs off video games. The first one they lead off with is Super Diabetic Mario Bros.

I find this HIGHLY offensive. To make fun of ANY type of diabetic is NOT okay.

Diabetes is a disease. NO ONE asked to get diabetes. Just like no one asks to get Cancer or Autism or MS or ANY disease!!

I've decided NOT to share the link with you for the video. I don't want to advertise it because then it will create publicity and that's what it was intended to do. The writers knew what they were doing. They knew it would spark controversy. And I'm NOT going to help promote their stupid agenda. But feel free to look it up if you need to. I'll wait...

Offended?

Okay, so whether you checked it out or not, there is always an option to send a little rant on their fb page. I went to the page and looked at what others were posting. Some showed pics of their diabetic kids. Some just posted their disappointment in the shows lack of taste. I was scrolling down and liking all the diabetic support posts and pics. I was getting ready to send my little rant to their page.

But I stopped.

Again, that's what the writers want us to do. Instead I posted something similar to this blog on my fb status and I'm pissed off, so I immediately signed on to blogger to blog my rant!! So I'm thinking what better way to get back at them (short of purchasing a diabetic vodoo doll akin to Conan O'Brien...ooh...not nice Jen...sorry, getting fired up) breathe...okay. So our best defense is to put on our BLUE SHOES and go do some DIABETES educating!! Won't you join me? Let's educate the masses!! The ignorant Conan O'Brien's of the world!!

Let's get back to posting our pics of us in our Blue Shoes or blue diabetes ware. What better day to kick this off again than on BLUE FRIDAY!!  Diabetes is EVERYDAY...not just one day in November!! We deal with it everyday but do we talk about it? Do we use an opportunity to educate about it or just let it pass? Show us your pics! Start talking about diabetes! 

Oh, Mr. O'Brien you just opened up a big ole can of Blue Shoe whoop ass!! 

You don't mess with the DOC!!

Oh...and your on TBS...who watches that channel anyway?!?

Sleepovers

Sleepovers are a great thing. Especially if your kid gets to go to someone else's house!!

But you throw in a kid with T1D and sleepovers can be a nightmare.

As a Mom or Dad you want to let the family your T1D child is sleeping over at how serious diabetes is without freaking them out too much OR being too lax. HOWEVER, if your T1D has a friend who just happens to  have T1D too...well, that's just frickin' AWESOME!! Nora had a sleepover with one of her T1D besties and I felt... relieved.

I could breathe a little easier. I knew they "got" it. They would make sure she was okay, checking her blood sugars, treating her highs/lows, knowing the signs!! ahh...sigh... :)

This family gave me a night off!! (Well, I still had to get up and check Evelyn but still!!) Nora called at midnight to check in and then text me first thing in the morning before breakfast.

It was wonderful!! They went to a local lake and went tubing. They had a blast and I didn't have to worry! I seriously hope that your T1D's are blessed to find a special diabetes friend that they can bond with and then you can swap kids with to give the parents a break. This is so important. Not only for the kids but for the parents too. So thank you Rieder family for giving me a break and letting Nora spend the night/day with you!! We treasure your friendship...truly!!  Oh, and it's our turn to give you a break!! :)

Tubing T1D's!! 

BHS Co-Founder Diane Pridmore recognized as a WDD Hero

BHS Co-Founder Diane Pridmore recognized as a WDD Hero

Diane Pridmore deserves to be recognized as a WDD Hero. Her battle began when her son was diagnosed with T1 at the age of 3, over 3 years ago.  Today Diane continually works to tell, as open and unveiled as imaginable, the story of keeping a young child with diabetes alive and the toll it takes on herself, her son, and her family.  Her openness, sense of truth, care for all people affected by diabetes, and her passion to find a cure for this serious disease is inspirational to others. Read entire story here: http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday/hero-of-the-week

Happy 4th of July?!?

uh, yea, NOT!!

So I have to start off with an apology. I've not blogged in a while...life has gotten the best of me. Hubby went out of town for a week (the first time ever he has traveled for work and the first time we've been apart that long in 18 years!!), take kids here, there and everywhere, hubby comes home, a 100+ year old tree falls on our house, blood sugars soar...ya know, just regular life in the Loving family!!

Tree on our house!

Which brings me to July 4th...everyone is off work and home. We had planned on meeting up with some friends at the local parade. Nora had been running high most of the night. She had just done her pump site change early that day so just kept correcting and running temp basals throughout the night thinking she would come down.

Her pump alarms high around 4:30am-ish I do the correction set temp basal and go back to bed. Around 8am she wakes me up crying, says she's been up since 5:30am (little booger suffered for 2+ hours because she didn't want to bother me!!)  that she feels awful and she is running high. So we check blood sugar, she's around 500!! and she tells me she might throw up. We do an immediate pump site change again and no sooner did I get that sucker primed and she's running to the toilet throwing up. Grrr!! I immediately think $#@% ketones!! And, yep, she had 'em...LARGE!! I pull out my "SOKS" flow chart and figure out her syringe dose to administer and give her the "start downing water" speech I give every time she has ketones so she can flush those babies out and we can avoid a trip to the ER, on 4th of July.

Once she settles down she takes out her pump site that she has had on maybe 24 hours, if that, and lets me know there was a bent cannula. Poor thing wasn't getting all her insulin! Oh technology, how I love and loathe thee!! She eventually flushed the ketones down the drain but we never did get her below 200 UNTIL the very next morning. Despite her new site change and syringe injections, D was not playing nice.

It kicked her ass that day.

It wiped her out.

It took my happy go lucky, more energy than the Energizer Bunny, baby girl and zapped her.

No parade.

No fun.

Just chillin' on the couch watching Spiderman 3.

Making some yummy fruit kabobs and helping me make a batch of mini pineapple upside down cakes.

                                                 











It's one thing to choose to have a "Do Nothing" day and quite another to have D sideline you just to rain on your parade...literally! I usually like to end my D rants with an upside but I got nuttin'! Six days later and I'm still mad at D!!

No breaks.

No vacations.

No holidays.

F U D!!

Type 1 Diabetes meets it match on Tour Divide

Tony Cervati takes another year of preparation and leaves Banff, AB CA on July 8th for his second attempt at finishing the 2750 mile event.

Tony Cervati a.k.a. Type1Rider, is a man with Type 1 diabetes and will be leaving everything behind again to bike the longest, most dangerous, unsanctioned mountain bike trail on the planet, the Tour Divide. This year, he will be also be making stops along the route, to visit with various Hospitals and Diabetes Care Centers.

During the past two years we've seen two different people with diabetes share a dream and a goal, and smash the misconception of barriers erected by Type 1 Diabetes. 

In 2011 Tony Cervati became the first person with Type 1 diabetes to attempt the Tour Divide, the longest mountain bike race in the world. Although he didn't reach the finish, Tony's efforts and preparation paved the way for Athletes with diabetes to re-examine what type of endurance events are indeed possible.

This year Jarral Ryder, another individual faced with Type 1 diabetes, followed that lead and became the first person with the condition to complete the Tour Divide race. Congratulations to Jarral for an outstanding race, and an amazing effort, your accomplishment will forever change the scope of diabetes related athletics!

Tour Divide is a 2,745-mile bicycle race down the spine of the Continental Divide, full of peril, ups and downs, and calm flat and smooth patches all mixed together. A large percentage of riders who start the race each year never complete it, due to injury, bike damage, or simple exhaustion.

About Type1Rider:
Tony Cervati is Type1Rider and the father of two boys, and has battled type 1 diabetes for more than 35 years. He is an active member of the Diabetes Online Community (DOC), and is known for his blogs about being an endurance mountain bike racer. Tony uses social media and Twitter to post his blood glucose readings, and lives openly about his day to day management with type 1 diabetes. You can follow Tony on Twitter @type1rider or read his blogs at www.type1rider.org.

About Tour Divide:
The Tour Divide challenge is simple: Race the rooftop of North America by mountain bike; travel self-supported along all 2,745 miles of Adventure Cycling Association's Great Divide Mountain Bike Route; keep moving and be moved; exist well outside one's comfort zone in tackling a cross-continent bikepacking odyssey; finish as fast as possible without cracking.

For more information:
Type1Rider.org Blogsite:
http://www.type1rider.org

Type1Rider on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TonyCervatiIsType1Rider
https://www.facebook.com/TheType1RiderOrganization

Type1Rider on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/type1rider

Email: Tony@Type1Rider.org
Phone: (323)743-3781