Continuing Connections

Today is the last day of #dblogweek. It's always a bittersweet time for me as I really like the challenge of blogging everyday. It forces me to sit and write and sometimes I need to that...a release from the crazy days. I am not a big blog reader...I hate to say it but I don't have time to read all the wonderful diabetes blogs out there. And I get a little superstitious about reading them too...I would hate to have a blog influence how I would answer a particular topic before I write it.

But there are a few I do read...I have always followed Meri Schuhmacher at Our Diabetic Life. You can read her amazing blogs here. She has three out of four children with T1D and she was so supportive of me when my second daughter was diagnosed. She has a positive attitude or even on the off chance she had a rough day of battling blood sugars she will say something that just makes me giggle...because I have been down that road too.

I also read Amy Ermel's blog, Mom of an extra sweet insulin challenged girl. You can read her blog here. Amy always makes me smile and is incredibly talented with a knitting needle!! Amy has a great attitude as well. I love the stories that she tells about her daughter and the pictures of her crazy cat! I swear, with some of her stories I feel we must be related!

The writing that both of these ladies so eloquently put together have been the hug that I've needed to feel or the high five I've been waiting for. They have given me hope and cheered me along the way just when I've needed it. While many of us bloggers may wonder if anyone reads our rambling...please know that this blogger reads yours and I look forward to them! Great job ladies and thank you for writing!

Giving credit where credit is due...however, I don't know who to credit for this logo but it's NOT me! 

Day 28: #HAWMC: Must Follow!!

Today I'm going to share the top 5 MUST follow facebook pages, websites and/or blogs for diabetes.

1. Of course, ALL the major diabetes organizations. JDRF, ADA, DRI...these are the go to's for anyone newly diagnosed to the veteran diabetics who maybe need a little help somewhere. Great resources to get you connected locally to your chapter, find mentors, ask questions and hear about research.

2. Diabetic Barbie/Amy Ermel...I know I've sung her praises before but she's a great lady who lives in Canada and just wants to see her daughter's dream of making a Diabetic Barbie a reality. If you haven't liked her page yet you can find it here. I'm blessed to call her my friend.

3. The TheAngryType2Diabetic is a great resource for Type 2 diabetes. I love Lizmari and have learned so much from her. She is a great advocate for Type 2 and posts some great research and findings on her page and/or blog. She is my go-to person when ever I have questions about Type 2 or when someone contacts me with a new Type 2 diagnosis.

4. My friend, Meri Schuhmacher, who blogs over at Our Diabetic Life. She is a fellow D Mom who has 3 out of 4 kids with Type 1 Diabetes. After my second daughter was diagnosed I messaged Meri and just thanked her for being such an inspiration to me. It was because of Meri that I knew our family would be okay with our second diagnosis of T1D.

5. I have saved the best for last....my dear, dear friend and co-"worker", Thomas Moore. If you aren't friends with him, seriously, go do it NOW!! Thomas is one of the greatest researchers I know. My notifications ding several times throughout the day with his status updates or links he has shared. He puts in so much effort in his quest to educate about diabetes. I learn so much and I thank him for his tireless work!

Day 15: #HAWMC Sharing

Diabetes sucks...this is nothing new...you ALL know this.

I will say, I have "met" some great people because of diabetes. Some in real life and others on-line.

I'm not even sure how I stumbled upon my friend, Amy Ermel but I found her, I liked her instantly and she's just awesome!

She has a daughter, Emma, who is a T1D and has made it her mission to create a Diabetic Barbie after hearing about a Cancer Barbie. If Barbie can have Cancer and help kids dealing with Cancer themselves why can't the same be said for Diabetes (or any other illness for that matter)?! I LOVE Barbie...she holds a special place in my heart the hours of playing and changing outfits when I was a kid are priceless. So I was in!

Amy writes a blog called Mom of an extra sweet insulin challenged girl. And today's challenge is to share one of her blog posts and write a comment to her.

Her blog post is called My Sisters. Head on over a take a quick read...I'll wait...go on :)

Dear Amy,

I completely understand this post. I agree, if you would have told me almost 8 years ago that I would be thrown into this crazy D world but find some of the BEST people I would have called you crazy!! D Moms (and D Dads) just get it. It's an unspoken language. The black circles under our eyes speak volumes. The sleepless nights are a given. Outsiders equate the sleepless nights as having a newborn...kinda...but with D your scared for your kids lives hourly, daily, monthly, yearly, until they find a cure...you know! We D Moms speak a different language. Temp basals, increase/decrease, ketones, sensitivity, carb ratios...I'm sure if a passerby was listening in they think we were from a different land. Yep, we are, D-Land.

This D group is a group that we rally, pray, send positive vibes, whatever we do, for each other,   We slap virtual high fives for celebrated  IN RANGE A1C, We pick each other up when the 3 month Endo visit doesn't go so well. We send virtual hugs for our little ones who are fighting lows in their sleep as us Moms and Dads are up force feeding them with skittles, juice, icing, etc.to keep them alive.

You are right, Amy, we ARE sisters (although at times I swear we are related!!!) with every single D Mom  (and Dad's too!!) out there. I am happy to call you my friend...I am happy to call you my family!!

Your Sister,

Jen