What I Want You To Know

Hi,

You are reading this because you are or have a love one who has diabetes. You may be reading this because a friend or family member sent this to you. You may be reading this because you are bored. Whatever the reason...I have your attention. November is Diabetes Awareness Month. If you fall into the category of not knowing about this disease; count yourself lucky. Please indulge the diabetes community this one month to post facts, dispel myths and give you a glimpse of what it's like to fight diabetes 365/24/7. My hope is that we are able to educate at least one person who can be a champion in diabetes awareness.

These are some things I would like you to know:

1. NO ONE causes themselves to get diabetes. I don't care what Type.

2. Eating sugar does not cause diabetes.

3. Diabetes canNOT be reversed or outgrown.

4. Diet DOES help all types of diabetes...but doesn't diet help us all? Diabetes or not?

5. Diabetes is not "One Size Fits All". Every diabetic is different. Believe me, I know. Having two Type 1 daughters who eat the same thing and blood sugars do two different things.

6. Diabetics can eat anything they want in moderation and you can too! They just need some insulin or a pill to help cover the food they eat.

7. Diabetes has a mind of its own. Seriously.

8. Diabetes is a chronic illness and can be life threatening at any given time.

9.People with diabetes and caregivers welcome questions not judgement.

10. Diabetes can strike anyone, of any age, of any race, at any time.

I could go on but I want you to let these settle in. The next time you hear "oh, I have diabetes" or "oh, Little Suzy was just diagnosed" stop and think about some of these facts and know that it wasn't their fault.

Thank you.

Day 17: #HAWMC: Wordless Wednesday: Diabetes Wordle

DIABETES

I like the way this looks...like used test strips all over the floor! 

30 days in a whirlwind!! #NHBPM

Today is THE day...THE last day of National Diabetes Awareness Month and the last day of our 30 day blog challenge. Phew...I so love doing these challenges.

 For one, it forces me to sit down and write. It makes  me take the time to do it because it's so easy to just do it another day. But I didn't do it all. I had help this month with contributions from Thomas Moore. I love his take on things. It's nice to know that maybe, as caregivers, we are going through the same things OR going through different things and yet are there for each other and can learn from one another. And isn't that what we do in the DOC?

The second reason...topic ideas. Some days I struggle with how I want to approach the given topic, other days, I can't stop writing.

The third reason...I'm competitive...I HAVE to have all 30 days posted...no get outta jail (er, blog) free cards here. MUST POST!!

So this month has flown by. Between all the diabetes events, blogging, caring for diabetic kids, working, taking care of everything...it's just been crazy!! So the topic today is to recap the month and I will recap with a single word...WHIRLWIND!!!

I hope you have enjoyed reading our posts as much as I (and Thomas) have in writing our posts for you. And YOU are why we do what we do at Blue Heel Society. So thank you for reading, interacting, and joining our efforts to educate and advocate for ALL types of diabetes with one Blue Heel (or shoe) at a time.

To Post or Not To Post...that is the question...

Today's WEGO blog challenge is:

"Should people post about their (or loved ones) health on facebook? Why or why not?"

Pfft...uh, duh! Yea!

Well, I should say, if you feel comfortable with it or if you are posting about your loved ones health; that they are okay with it first.

If I'm posting about my girl's diabetes or my son's hemophilia on my personal facebook page I am NOT looking for sympathy. I'm looking to educate and raise awareness of said disease. This month has been a perfect example. Many of us in the Diabetes Online Community have been posting on our facebook pages: facts, a day in the life and challenges with diabetes. And in doing this, I've had friends and family reach out and ask questions.

It gets the conversation rolling.

It gets the awareness raised.

It's educating people.

If my posts help open the eyes to others to see the seriousness of diabetes,

the signs of diabetes,

the reality of an invisible disease

then...

 I've done my job.

Nora's post #3...Children's Congress Application

Nora has finally finished writing all her answers for the Children's Congress application. Geez!! That was a crazy, long application process. Now it will be my turn to condense her paragraphs into no more than three pages or 1200 words. UGH!! But, I'm glad she has gone through this process...she's learned a lot, as have I. about the Special Diabetes Act and diabetes and my daughter. If you've missed the previous two posts you can find them here and here.

I'm going to combine this post with questions 3-5.

Question 3: What does the Special Diabetes Program mean to you?

The Special Diabetes Program is important to me because a cure could take longer to find. If there was no SDP then a lot of the technology wouldn't advance and help us diabetes live a better life. Without the SDP there would be no TrialNet. TrialNet is VERY important because it helped my sister get diagnosed earlier. If she hadn't been diagnosed earlier then she would've been really sick. The SDP is hope for a better future, earlier diagnosis, understanding complications, help, hope and a cure. This is what the Special Diabetes Program means to me.

Question 4: Why should the US Congress support diabetes research to help find a cure for T1D?

The US Congress should help support diabetes research because it would help diabetics have a normal life. Without the government help, these programs would not exist or they would have to spend more time fundraising instead of researching, preventing, advancing technology and finding a cure. The US Congress needs to help my sister, myself and the other 26 million diabetics have a better life!

Question 5: What have you done to promote awareness of T1D in your community?

 I have raised awareness for T1D in my community being featured as 1 of 3 diabetics in a JDRF video, Why We Joined the JDRF Advocacy Family. I have attended Promise to Remember Me Campaigns for JDRF with my local Congressmen. I celebrate, with my family, community and other T1D's, World Diabetes Day events in Downtown Cincinnati, that our local JDRF chapter hosts. I have been interviewed by local newspapers and morning news shows about T1D. I also blog about my life with diabetes at http://lovingnora.blogspot.com/. I love doing all these things because I get to meet other people just like me! I also like to mentor newly diagnosed kids. I have met a lot of new friends by spreading T1D awareness. I'm happy I know I'm not alone!