Day 10: And the Winner Is... #HAWMC

And the Winner Is...US!

Today's prompt asks us to write an acceptance speech. We are on stage, holding our trophy and we need to thank whom? How did we get to where we are today. Technically, this post is supposed to be first person but I'm no more special than each of you doing what I do day in and day out. So the award goes to US!

I'd like to thank diabetes. Yes, you read that right...diabetes. Without this wretched disease I wouldn't know any of you. There would be no DOC. No Blue Heel Society. No walk teams. No ride teams. No diabetes support groups. So as much as I despise D I'd like to thank it that much more. Because of D I know you. We have the best on-line community EVER. Need supplies? Sent. Need to rant? Go. Need a hug? You'll have more virtual hugs in 1 minute than the amount of discarded test strips you'll find in your house...and that's a LOT!

We all arrived *here* the same way. While each story is unique to us it starts with the same diagnosis...diabetes. And did you notice I said "starts" NOT ends. Because it's not an end. It's a beginning. It's a journey, albeit, a roller coaster of a journey but we are all in this together. We care, support and welcome. As we have all been *there*.

So, the winner is me, its YOU, its US!! And each of us is a winner. Days may be rough, others smooth but we've got this. Count each little detail as a win. You checked blood sugars 5 times today? Win. You prebolused your dinner? Win. You started your day and remembered to restock your Diabetes bag? Win.

I, YOU, WE are winners!

Day 9 - "Wordless Wednesday" - WEGO Writer's Month long Challenge #HAWMC

Courtesy of Changing Diabetes

Day 8 - WEGO Writer's Month long Challenge #HAWMC

We are very proud to be a part of this Fun filled Blogfest sponsored by WEGO Health. This isn't our first #HAWMC, and we thank WEGO Health for giving us a perfect opportunity to share.

Today’s prompt is “ Off to work! What advice would you give to those on the job search? How do you juggle your job and a chronic illness? Any tips for the interview?”

Going to be short and sweet (and no, sugar doesn’t cause diabetes).

The biggest and most important piece of advice would be to ensure you LOVE whatever you do. That being said, that makes my ‘Job’ of trying to be another cog in the machine that tries and educate and inform those who live with diabetes, difficult because I do not like having to be the one that worries and understands this disease is a silent killer, anytime anyday.

I do not have worry about how to juggle my job and a chronic illness as it is one in the same.

The tip I have to offer is clear.  When juggling a job and a chronic illness, juggle what ails you and THEN, and only then, fit the ‘job’ into the equation.

Off to ‘work’ and I love it. And by the way my job is doing exactly what I am doing right this moment.

Stay tuned for the REAL deal from my partner in crime and Blue Heel Society Chief Content Officer Jen Loving, as she is on deck to share her magic very soon.

Enjoy...

Thomas R. Moore,

Chief Communications Officer

BlueHeelSociety.org

Type1Rider.org

Day 7 - "Why I write" WEGO Writer's Month long Challenge #HAWMC

We are very proud to be a part of this Fun filled Blogfest sponsored by WEGO Health. This isn't our first #HAWMC, and we thank WEGO Health for giving us a perfect time to dust things off a bit.

Today we are prompted to "Tell us why you write about your health. How long have you been writing? What impact has it made on your life?".

This was going to be recap of how I crossed the line (not a bad crossing), to be someone that started to look around the WWW for every piece of information I could find about diabetes to help my favorite Diabetic...my Wife, and learn anything possible to help us both.

Somewhere along that journey I felt the need to start sharing the information with others. I found there was some GREAT people out there, and not so good one’s as well. Then I discovered something called Twitter, and thought to myself what was this 140 Character thing and how stupid of a concept. Until it made [some] sense to me. About the same time I found this thing called Facebook. Then, more of the pieces came together, as did people looking for information.

What came next, was something very special. The beginnings of what is now called the Diabetes Online Community (DOC) started to really take shape, PEOPLE helping PEOPLE. I started to realize that this online presence needed PEOPLE  to spread the word, and not just online slactivism, but boots on the ground. Then it dawned to me that were was a large presence of PEOPLE that could benefit. REAL people. There was people all over talking about “diabetes” online. There weren’t enough talking about the “DIABETIC” aspect...PEOPLE.

So as I somehow took on the role as an Advocate, I made sure to never forget that and to make sure we remember the human aspect of diabetes every step of the way.

Being humbly blessed with the opportunity to help others, and remember the “Golden Rule”.

Not going to dwell, but along the path as an Advocate I too became a “Patient”, and even closer by learning I had Pre-Diabetes. Other health & family issues have taken over that had me *THAT* close to throwing in the towel as an Advocate. Just go back to where I was years ago. Upon telling my favorite Diabetec, she looked at me and said “Are you crazy...what about “your diabetic people (As she calls it) “.

That little sentence helped me to throw away that towel. UNTIL…

We found out our pregnant daughter is expecting Grandchild number six very recently. We also found out along with the baby, she has to fight Gestational Diabetes along the way.

Thankfully, she has my resolve when dealing with issues. She has the fight within her
to give diabetes a swift kick in the ass, with all of the family helping.

In closing, “Why do I Write” was going to be bland,Ya da da da about diabetes this, diabetes that. UNTIL…

This ugly disease is directly hurting someone I love. One of  my children.

Look out diabetes, this fight took on a whole new context now. Diabetes may win a battle here and there, but we WILL WIN THE WAR...

Thomas R. Moore,

Chief Communications Officer

BlueHeelSociety.org

Type1Rider.org

Bags of Hope

What a busy year it's been! I don't know about you but here in Ohio we have been plagued with White Death to the point of so many days off school my kids are doing Blizzard Bags. Which is really a punishment to me. But...anyways. Then there was the stomach virus that attacked my middle daughter. Her blood sugar runs beautifully the first couple of days when she is in full blown sickness mode. It's crazy. Then ketones show up and then it's me pushing fluids or the ole, "if you don't drink and flush these ketones out we will be going to the ER for an IV!!!" This usually does the trick but this virus was nasty. She was out of commission for 4 days and really wasn't back to her normal self until a week later. Oh, and did I mention she had try-outs for an AAU basketball team during this time? Yep. She nailed it. I have no idea how she was able to do it and score well but she did! Props to her! Thought my other two kids dodged the virus bullet but then coming home from Akron after attending a funeral it started with my eldest...in the car...fun times. Same deal with her...blood sugars running great. Darn ketones show up and hard to get rid of. Three days later she was weak but okay. Just as she was on the mend...virus shows up in my son. Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as bad, although it wiped him out for a good 3 days. But for him I didn't have to worry about ketones and blood sugars. Which was weird. But I was glad for the break.

So all the while this fun is occurring I'm trying to get some hours in at our local JDRF office in. We have a huge T1D Expo to plan and secure vendors and speakers for break-out sessions and Bags of Hope to log and send out. The weekend our Expo was scheduled we had to reschedule due to the blasted White Death. But this gave me time to catch up on the ever growing pile of Bags of Hope. If you're not familiar with these bags they are book bags filled with diabetes books for kids, a Calorie King, glucose meter, log books, and Rufus the diabetes bear. We mail these bags to all newly diagnosed kids in the Cincy/TriState area. Along in doing this I also record the names and info from the family. It breaks my heart. As I'm recording their age my heart sinks and I feel like I've been punched in the gut. Nora was 4 when she was diagnosed so any 4 year old I record I just stop and pause. Any age below that I just shake my head...they are just babies!! Any age above that I think of all the ages Nora was and what she was involved with in school and sports. The teenagers really get to me as Nora is now 13 and it's such a sucky age anyway. Wanting to be "normal"...trying to fit in. And then a kids been diagnosed with diabetes and it just sucks.

I've been there. Through most of those ages. You've been there. And it hurts.

It's not a fun job in recording the newly diagnosed. I want to wrap my arms around these families and give them a big hug and let them know that they aren't alone. It gets...not better, but normal. It will be okay. In sending those Bags of Hope out I do feel like I'm sending them Hope. It may be just a box full of stuff but it's what they do with the information in that box that gives them Hope. If it's asking for a Mentor or calling the office to sign up to volunteer...that's hope.

It gave me hope. It's almost been 9 years since I called JDRF while Nora was in her second day at the hospital with this new diagnosis. I called and requested this Bag of Hope. And we've never looked back. We've pushed forward to help others. To offer them hope. So while it's a job that needs to be done and something I dread doing because it means D got another one of our loved ones; I do the job happily to send them a Bag of Hope.