Diabetes

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  Lemonade Life

• Mama Allison’s Pizzeria

  Allison Blass

  9 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

  Ever since I was a little kid, I loved pizza. I loved all kinds of pizza, from Hawaiian to Meat Lover’s to vegetarian. There really wasn’t a pizza I would turn down. My childhood friends will tell you that I had a very peculiar way of eating my pizza, however. First I would take off all the veggies and eat them, bit by bit. Then I would take off the pepperonis individually and eat them. Then I would scrape off the cheese with my teeth and eat that (yeah, I know, it sounds gross but when you’re seven-years-old, it tastes good). And THEN I would eat the crust. By itself.

• Helping Hands.

  Allison Blass

  8 Feb 2010 | 7:14 am

  On my first day of sixth grade, my entire grade had an assembly to welcome us to middle school. We had a guest speaker who came to talk to us about community, giving and helping others. One thing he recommend was to never give a homeless person money. As an 11-year-old, this surprised me. He said that you never know if that money will be used for alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes, and that the best thing to do was to give to a charity that supports homeless people or to give the homeless person something like food. This suggestion stuck with me and since then, I have never given a homeless person…

• Start Teaching.

  Allison Blass

  5 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

  For nearly five years, I have been documenting my life with diabetes. Not each entry has been directly about the illness, but this is my life and diabetes is in it and in everything I do, diabetes is there. For the past couple of months, I have become a more active member of the twentysomething blogger community, going so far as to join the administration team at the Ning network 20sb as an Events Manager. It’s exciting to meet new people and hear stories of other twentysomethings who are going through similar struggles. In the same way that reading diabetes bloggers mirrors my…

• Things That Make Me Happy: #31-33

  Allison Blass

  4 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

  I have been particularly exhausted this week  for some strange reason so I’ve decided to make this edition all about sleep! And things I love about sleep! Yay sleep! #31: A Good Bed Good mattresses are hard to come by, aren’t they? Either they’re too hard or they’re too soft or they have a lump in the middle from someone’s ass. It’s terrible. I travel a lot so I know a thing or two about good mattresses. And then there are PILLOWS. Oh lordy, I went to the Children with Diabetes conference in 2006 and the pillows were DIVINE. I seriously wanted to smuggle…

• The Lemonade Life Of: Naomi Kingery, Diabetic Diva

  Allison Blass

  3 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

  I’ve known Naomi Kingery for, well, YEARS and she is one of the few people I have yet to meet in person. Through our online relationship, however, I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Naomi’s inspiring memoir, Sugar Free Me, and thought she had a spirited and inspirational way of living with the Big D. When I wrote my blog post last December about raising a teen with diabetes, Naomi emailed me to tell me about her newest book, Sugar Free Teens, available via e-book. Not bad for a 20-year-old! Not only that, but Naomi is also a fellow Christian and it is always inspiring for me…

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  Diabetes1 Articles

• Artificial Pancreas Shows Promise for Young Diabetics

  7 Feb 2010 | 9:00 pm

  A study funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, shows the success of a closed-loop artificial pancreas system in maintaining blood glucose levels in target range in children and young adults. This is just one advance on the long road toward a cure for type I diabetes.

• Good News for Type 1 Patients: Artificial Pancreas Project Moves Forward

  13 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pm

  The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation joins forces with Animas to move ahead with automated system for diabetes management.

• Quitting Smoking Temporarily Increases Likelihood of Type 2 Diabetes

  4 Jan 2010 | 9:00 pm

  Since weight gain is often a byproduct of a new life without cigarettes, those trying to quit or those who have recently quit are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those still smoking or those who do not smoke, according to the Jan. 5 edition of Annals of Internal Medicine.

• American Diabetes Association Calls for Inclusion of A1C Test in Type 2 Diagnosis

  29 Dec 2009 | 9:00 pm

  The American Diabetes Association’s new Clinical Practice Recommendations being published as a supplement to the January issue of Diabetes Care call for the addition of the A1C test as a means of diagnosing diabetes and identifying pre-diabetes. The test has been recommended for years as a measure of how well people are doing to keep their blood glucose levels under control.

• Good News for Coffee Drinkers

  23 Dec 2009 | 9:00 pm

  The attitude toward coffee and its effects on health have been debated since its introduction into mainstream society. Recent research has shown however, that coffee may have significant health benefits.

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  Diabetes in Control – News for Clinicians

• Letter from the Editor #507

  6 Feb 2010 | 10:00 pm

  Last week there was a lot of press about the approval of Victoza (c) liraglutide, the once-a-day GLP-1 mimetic, made by Novo Nordisk. This drug, which works like exenatide, gives practitioners another choice of therapy for patients. If you read all the articles on the internet you will find a lot of different opinions and ideas on what this new therapy option means for patients. There are those who think that once a day dosing means increased compliance. Then I read about 10 articles from writers who think prescribers won’t use the medication because of the black box warning on thyroid…

• Novo reps to spotlight weight loss for Victoza launch

  5 Feb 2010 | 11:17 am

  by Ben Comer, writer, Medical Media and Marketing Sales forces for Novo Nordisk's Victoza (c) will emphasize the injectable's weight loss properties when it launches next month. Speaking between sales force training workshops, Martin Jernigan, associate VP, Victoza Launch, said the Type 2 diabetes drug is "really about getting A1C under control, so patients can also get the benefit of weight loss -- that's what is key about Victoza."

• miCoach Pacer

  5 Feb 2010 | 11:02 am

  miCoach Pacer This product, straight from the CES exhibit in Las Vegas, is the perfect companion for you or your patients' training workouts. This three part system has a Pacer that interacts with a stride sensor and heart rate monitor. Press it at any time to hear real-time information on pace, distance, time, heart-rate and calories burned. It works great by itself, or if you prefer music, it's compatible with every MP3 player, and you can sync it to miCoach.com to upload results and download workouts.  

• Quote #507

  2 Feb 2010 | 6:14 pm

    "One should ... be able to see things as hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise."                  .................F. Scott Fitzgerald

• Test Your Knowledge Answer #507

  2 Feb 2010 | 5:56 pm

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  DiabetesMine: the all things diabetes blog

• Weight, Diet and Writing Things Down: Is This What You Call Health 2.0?

  AmyT

  9 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am

  There is a VERY interesting discussion going on over at the e-Patients.net blog about what the heck “Health 2.0″ actually means, and whether it can really help people. I’ve spoken and written a lot on Health 2.0 myself, and when people ask me what the term means, I usually give them this simple two-part explanation: 1) Health [...]

• The REAL Pepsi Challenge: Diabetes

  AmyT

  8 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am

  Isn’t it ironic that the multi-million-dollar companies that are most ‘part of the problem’ like to pretend that they’re ‘part of the solution’? That’s all I could think of when learning about Pepsi’s big social-media-based “goodwill campaign” surrounding the SuperBowl this weekend. The company hopes to wow the country by relinquishing those coveted SuperBowl TV ad [...]

• Subtle Accusations

  AmyT

  5 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am

  Sometimes it’s the incessant sense of failure with diabetes that gets me down.  It’s not so much about strangers making stupid comments, or even me beating myself up for not doing a perfect job of managing my BG levels every day…  it’s more about the subtle accusations of people closer to me, those who I [...]

• Small But Mighty: Creating the iPhone ‘Glucose Buddy’

  AmyT

  4 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am

  Our new Small But Mighty series is taking a look at some of the homegrown companies from folks who know diabetes the best! This week, we’re chatting with Matt Tendler, co-founder of MYLEstone Health, the company that brings us Glucose Buddy, the leading iPhone application for blood sugar logging. Matt was diagnosed with Type 1 [...]

• Wayback Wednesday: Confounded (Diabetes) Statistics

  AmyT

  3 Feb 2010 | 5:00 am

  Today, another example of the more things change, the more they stay the same: In his new book Diabetes Rising, journalist Dan Hurley reports about skyrocketing numbers of children being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in a wealthy Boston suburb. Parents there are desperate for answers as to why this is happening, yet “the lack [...]

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  Six Until Me.

• Snapshots from a Tuesday.

  Kerri Morrone Sparling

  9 Feb 2010 | 6:42 am

  I'm catching up from taking yesterday off, so all that's left of my brain at 10 am is something resembling brie cheese.  Here's what's stewing about:Well, of course now I want brie cheese.  Just a few more weeks until I can get my brie on.And THANK YOU for the very kind birthday wishes yesterday!  You guys made my day - thank you!  :DInsulin needs between me and Ms. BSparl are up to an all-time high.  I just rejiggered my basal rates yesterday, and now I'm taking 26u of basal per day and my insulin-to-carb ratio is up to 1:6.  That's a lot of insulin.  I'm…

• Today, I Won't Puke on the Floor.

  Kerri Morrone Sparling

  8 Feb 2010 | 7:07 am

  A guest post from Ms. Siah Sausage.  Strange little critter.*   *   *  Today is Kerri's birthday, and she's taking the day off to spend the afternoon with her mom and then go out to celebrate with Chris tonight.Whatever.Birthdays.  I don't care about those sorts of things, unless they are my own, in which case I fully expect a carrot cake with cat nip frosting, and my own Snuggie and maybe something I can use to scratch the couch because sometimes it just plain makes my paws tired to spend all that time fixing the couch.  I deserve rewards for those…

• Oprah Does Diabetes.

  Kerri Morrone Sparling

  5 Feb 2010 | 9:05 am

  Dear Oprah and Dr. Oz,Diabetes is very expensive to manage and to treat the complications of, but what comes at an even higher cost is the damage of statements from a doctor, claiming that diabetes is reversible. I was diagnosed as a child, and my type 1 diabetes is not the result of any controllable factors. However, I have many friends who have type 2 diabetes who can make the same claim.I can't lie - I had a lot of hope about your episode regarding diabetes.  Even though it was billed as "the silent killer" and even though I knew you'd show the darkest side of…

• What Defines Our Community?

  Kerri Morrone Sparling

  4 Feb 2010 | 7:15 am

  What defines our diabetes community?  At the Smithsonian, there is an exhibit called "Portraiture Now: Communities."  It's described with the following (edited) language:"How do we define community today? Through new electronic networking, our connections with family, friends and acquaintances are increasingly widespread. And yet, we are still drawn to the idea of small communities and face-to-face interaction. Each of the three painters selected for “Portraiture Now: Communities” has explored this idea through a series of related portraits of friends,…

• We Can Work It Out.

  Kerri Morrone Sparling

  3 Feb 2010 | 8:21 am

  (Great song.)Now that we're back from our trip, it's time to reintroduce myself to the "swing of things."  While we were away, Chris and I were up late, eating fancy food at fancy restaurants (including desserts and carb-fantastic sweet potato french fries and gelato ... things we wouldn't normally eat but we devoured in spades - and in our mouths - all week long during the festival holy run on sentence), going to bed at 3:30 in the morning, battling the frigging hills, and waking up the next day only to do it again.  For nine days running.It was exhausting.  But now…

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  Top Headlines - Diabetes Health

• What's the Deal with Steel-Cut Oats?

  9 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

  Steel-cut oats are whole grains, made when the groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) are cut into pieces by steel. Also known as coarse-cut oats or Irish oats, they are golden and look a little like small pieces of rice. They gain part of their distinctive flavor from the roasting process after being harvested and cleaned. Although the oats are then hulled, this process does not strip away their bran and germ, allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fiber and nutrients. Read more...

• Cutting Off the Blood Supply to Fat Cells Could Become a New Obesity Therapy

  8 Feb 2010 | 12:00 pm

  White fat is the "bad" gut fat associated with obesity and enlarged abdomens. When a pound of new white fat forms in the body, it requires a full mile of new blood vessels to nourish and sustain it. That's because white fat is much like a tumor in requiring a steady blood supply. To build the new blood vessels, it depends on a process called angiogenesis. Read more...

• Press Release - Dreamfields Pasta Wants to Know: Who's Your 'DFF'?

  6 Feb 2010 | 8:00 am

  Many of us have a "BFF" (Best Friend Forever), but people with diabetes or pre-diabetes need a BFF who understands the importance of maintaining a healthy diabetic lifestyle -- a "DFF" (Diabetes Friend Forever). To honor these unsung heroes, Dreamfields Pasta is launching a first-of-its-kind contest to pay tribute to the special people who help make living with diabetes a manageable experience. Read more...

• American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Approves New Diagnosis for Diabetes

  5 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

  In addition to diagnosing type 2 diabetes based on fasting blood glucose levels or a glucose tolerance test, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) and the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) have now approved the use of A1c as an additional diagnostic criterion for type 2 diabetes. Read more...

• Press Release - "America's Silent Killer" on The Oprah Winfrey Show

  4 Feb 2010 | 2:00 pm

  CHICAGO, IL - On Thursday, February 4, Oprah, Dr. Oz, Bob Greene, Art Smith, Dr. Ian Smith and more reveal the staggering human cost of the growing diabetes and pre-diabetes epidemic on a special episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Before a studio audience comprised of all diabetics and their families, Oprah and Dr. Oz reveal the latest facts and figures, share stories of those affected, and hold a no-holds-barred, revealing conversation about risk factors, diet and lifestyle. Read more...

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  Diabetes News

• Taste-test 5 new food-focused diabetic cookbooks

  9 Feb 2010 | 12:21 am

  Almost 24 million Americans have diabetes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

• Types of Diabetes

  8 Feb 2010 | 4:11 pm

  There are three different types of diabetes which can affect individuals. Two of these are what are commonly called sugar diabetes.

• Soft drinks could boost pancreatic cancer risk

  8 Feb 2010 | 10:23 am

  People who down two or more soft drinks a week may have double the risk of developing deadly pancreatic cancer, compared to non-soda drinkers, new research suggests.

• Alarm at child diabetes admissions

  8 Feb 2010 | 5:58 am

  More than 3,300 children are admitted to A&E each year for complications caused by diabetes, figures have shown.

• Pregnancy and diabetes: Why lifestyle counts

  8 Feb 2010 | 1:27 am

  Pregnancy and diabetes: Why lifestyle counts Pregnancy and diabetes presents unique challenges.

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  ScienceDaily: Diabetes News

• 'Starving' fat suppresses appetite

  8 Feb 2010 | 2:00 pm

  Peptides that target blood vessels in fat and cause them to go into programmed cell death (termed apoptosis) could become a model for future weight-loss therapies, say researchers.

• Preventing pancreatic islet loss after transplantation

  7 Feb 2010 | 11:00 pm

  Although transplantation of pancreatic islets is an attractive way to treat type 1 diabetes, early islet loss soon after transplantation has limited its clinical use. By studying islet transplantation in a mouse model of diabetes, researchers have now identified a potential new set of targets to improve the efficiency of pancreatic islet transplantation.

• New research on Type 2 diabetes could benefit young adults with condition

  7 Feb 2010 | 8:00 am

  Researchers have demonstrated new mechanisms in muscle cells that may explain severe insulin resistance and a reduced response to aerobic exercise in young obese patients with type 2 diabetes. These findings may contribute to the development of more specific treatments for young people with type 2 diabetes.

• Scientists map out regulatory regions of genome, hot spots for diabetes genes

  5 Feb 2010 | 5:00 pm

  Researchers have generated a complete map of the areas of the genome that control which genes are "turned on" or "off." The discovery, made in pancreatic islet cells, opens new avenues for understanding the genetic basis of type 2 diabetes and other common illnesses.

• 'Artificial pancreas' a step nearer for children with type 1 diabetes

  5 Feb 2010 | 2:00 pm

  Scientists have made a significant step towards developing a so-called "artificial pancreas" system for managing type 1 diabetes in children. The team has developed and successfully tested a new algorithm, providing a stepping stone to home testing for the artificial pancreas.

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  msnbc.com: Diabetes

• Test of ‘artificial pancreas’ offers diabetes hope

  5 Feb 2010 | 6:19 am

  Scientists have used an "artificial pancreas" system of pumps and monitors to improve blood sugar control in diabetes patients in the first study to show the new device works better than conventional treatment.

• Avoid extremes in diabetes control, study warns

  27 Jan 2010 | 8:31 am

  Moderation appears to be the best approach to controlling blood sugar in a form of diabetes that affects many adults, researchers said Wednesday, since lowering it too far can be as risky as letting it stay too high.

• Quitting smoking may raise diabetes risk

  4 Jan 2010 | 5:58 pm

  Smoking is well-known as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, but scientists said on Monday that quitting the habit can raise the risk even more in the short term.

• Tailored treatment may help diabetics most

  17 Dec 2009 | 12:37 pm

  Experts have long assumed that the closer they could get a diabetic patient's blood sugar level to  normal, the better. But recent studies suggest a more tailored treatment approach may be best.

• Study: Coffee, tea may lower diabetes risk

  14 Dec 2009 | 2:30 pm

  People who drink the most coffee and tea, even decaffeinated versions, can dramatically lower their risk of diabetes, researchers reported on Monday.

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  Diabetes Daily

• Guest Blog: "Living with T-1 from a Teen's point of view"

  9 Feb 2010 | 5:36 am

  It's not a secret, I tweet a lot! I enjoy tweeting because there are a lot of PWD's who inspire me in some way, form or fashion.  I would like to introduce you to Alexia. Alexia is a awesome teenager living with Type 1 diabetes and a diabetic blogger (Diabetic & Fabulous).  When I read her tweets, she makes me laugh/smile and sometimes I want to reach through my iphone to give her a hug.  Last month, I asked her to guest blog for me and she agreed to it.  Thank you, Alexia!  …

• How Many Carbohydrates Do You Eat In A Day?

  8 Feb 2010 | 4:00 am

  We've got such a diverse group of people who read Simply Cooking and who are on Diabetes Daily.  I'm just curious to see how many carbohydrates we eat as a group.I'll be honest, right now I'm going through a bit of a transition in my diet.  I'm weaning Leah, which is difficult since she's 15 months old.  With that in mind, I can't eat the same amount of carbs that I have been and maintain my current blood sugar levels.  Not only will I certainly have some adjustments in my insulin levels at my next endocrinologist appointment, but I'm going to be eating way less carbs in…

• WE are bigger than Oprah

  8 Feb 2010 | 4:00 am

  I have to admit, I did not watch the Oprah show.  I had good intentions but I was too busy writing a blog post about the show before it aired.  I read a few post around the Diabetes Online Community and I have to be honest.  I was clapping my hands and at the same time hanging my head.  I am shocked at all the comments about Type 1 vs Type 2.  I am not sure, maybe I'm a bit slow but what happened to the DOC?  I have never been on the T-1 or T-2 bandwagon, as far as I'm concerned we all have a issue with our pancreas and would like a cure.  We let Oprah's…

• Reversible?

  6 Feb 2010 | 7:05 am

  It screams out at anyone who might encounter the medical record.  Forever labeled, regardless of results that may contradict the diagnosis.Yes, my name is Rachel and the words "type 2 diabetes" will always stay on my medical record, whether the A1C indicates I have successfully managed the condition or not.  Whether there are complications or not.  Whether there are so-called cures available from shady characters or not.  Whether Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D. tells the world that type 2 is reversible or not.If anyone understands this, it is me.  For much of 2009, I truly…

• After the Great Oz Has Spoken

  5 Feb 2010 | 1:49 pm

  You might've caught my head's up regarding Oprah's show on "The Silent Killer," which aired yesterday. I did a live-chat over at HealthCentral before, during and after the show aired, and the response was anonymous:  hype and sensationalism and scare-tactics all leading to gross misrepresentation of type 1 diabetes and the reality of many type 2's. Immediately following the show I received a heart-wrenching email from a mom of a little boy with type 1 and member of the HealthCentral community, active in the Diabetes OC. And the reality set in. Damage has been done. By Dr. Oz and…

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  The Butter Compartment

• Getting Through with You

  Lee Ann

  29 Jan 2010 | 8:42 am

  Happy Lizard for Sad IG Having gone to the post office in my hometown while in Texas to have my father’s mail forwarded to my house in New Jersey, I received the first piece of his mail on Monday, American Motorcyclist magazine. Alongside it was the change-of-address confirmation from the US Post Office that included coupons for Lowe’s, Ace Hardware and Best Buy. I’d like to suggest that the USPS needs a better procedure for helping families manage the mail of deceased loved ones. Coupons are nice and all, but they’re flimsy consolation, and frankly, totally inappropriate. I…

• Trash to Treasure

  Lee Ann

  26 Jan 2010 | 2:51 pm

  Ask and thou shall receive. I asked for people to send their diabetes trash, and the packages started to arrive, boxes wrapped with packing tape and big fat envelopes. Inside were the paper backs of all things adhesive, test strip bottles and boxes, tubing, cartridges, inserters, even several bottles of expired unused test strips, which delighted me so since I love to use my own test strips for art-making, but couldn’t offer anything that might be considered medically hazardous to others. My plan had been to sort through and get the materials organized the weekend of the 16th, but…

• Me, But Not Me

  Lee Ann

  21 Jan 2010 | 12:03 pm

  The other night, Sunday maybe, I wanted to go to bed early, and I asked Jason to come upstairs with me so I wouldn’t be alone. He asked if I was going to sleep, and I told him that was my plan because I didn’t know what to do with myself. He picked up his laptop so he could continue playing the new Star Trek video game in bed, and suggested I write. “You should start blogging again.” He wanted me to get back to my regular routine, he wanted something about our life to feel familiar. I don’t know how to do that though. Picking up where I left off doesn’t feel like an option. Before…

• I’ll Be Away

  Lee Ann

  11 Jan 2010 | 4:04 pm

  I found out my biological father took his life this morning. I’m trying to make plans to go to Texas. I don’t know how much I’ll be around.

• … and the Paperwork to Prove It

  Lee Ann

  11 Jan 2010 | 5:28 am

  I know I got lots of congratulatory comments here, on Twitter, and on Facebook when I posted that I received my board certification exam results in the mail on New year’s Eve. That’s not to mention all the hugs, and in-person congratulations and wahoos-aplenty I shared with Jason and my friends. I’ve been wearing giddiness like a fuchsia feather boa ever since – and if I had such a boa, you can bet I’d rock it something fierce. Saturday morning, after the third trip to the vet in as many weeks, Dexter and I came up the front steps, his new medicine in hand, to…

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  Diabetes News From Medical News Today

• More Than 3,000 Emergency Hospital Admissions A Year For Children With Diabetes, UK

  8 Feb 2010 | 3:00 am

  Latest figures reveal that last year there were more than 3,300 cases of children in England admitted to accident and emergency departments with DKA. Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurs when blood glucose levels are high (hyperglycaemia) and causes nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, rapid breathing and, if left untreated, may lead to coma. DKA requires urgent hospital treatment...

• Sugar Sweetened Carbonated Drinks Linked To Pancreatic Cancer

  8 Feb 2010 | 2:00 am

  A new study found that people who consumed two or more soft drinks (defined as sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages) a week, had a nearly two-fold higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer; the researchers suggested regular consumption of sweetened beverages could raise insulin levels and thereby fuel the growth of pancreatic cancer cells...

• Possible 'Artificial Pancreas' For Children With Diabetes

  7 Feb 2010 | 12:00 am

  Scientists in Cambridge have shown that an 'artificial pancreas' can be used to regulate blood glucose in children with Type 1 diabetes. A trial found that combining a real-time sensor measuring glucose levels with a pump that delivers insulin can boost overnight blood glucose control...

• Artificial Pancreas Trials Show Benefits For Kids, Teenagers With Diabetes

  6 Feb 2010 | 1:00 am

  In a landmark study in children and teenagers with type 1 diabetes, JDRF-funded researchers at the University of Cambridge showed that using a first-generation artificial pancreas system overnight can lower the risk of low blood sugar emergencies while sleeping, and at the same time improve diabetes control...

• Overeating Triggers Molecular 'Firing Squad' In Mice, Destroys Metabolism

  6 Feb 2010 | 12:00 am

  Overeating in mice triggers a molecule once considered to be only involved in detecting and fighting viruses to also destroy normal metabolism, leading to insulin resistance and setting the stage for diabetes...

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  Bitter-Sweet Diabetes Blog

• Disconnected

  1 Feb 2010 | 7:27 am

  For the past few nights, I've been having problems with lows.  Okay, not really PROBLEMS, but I have yet to get through a night of sleep without interruptions from my CGMs low alarm.  I test, down a juice-box that is waiting on my nightstand, and go back to sleep.  Sometimes I repeat this sequence several hours later. In the wee hours of Sunday morning that lovely low alarm blared.  I tested in

• Endo says too Low - with Snow . . .

  11 Jan 2010 | 8:34 am

  Goofy rhyming post title aside, there are two things I dislike.  Snow and endo appointments.  Well actually, there are a lot of things I dislike - mashed potatoes, my creepy neighbor, using public bathrooms, the Diabetes Police  . . . I could go on and on.  But for today's purposes let's just focus on the snow and the endo. I woke up Friday morning to see that vile white stuff floating down and

• Weakling??

  6 Jan 2010 | 9:11 am

  Yesterday I woke up feeling not-quite-right. I dragged myself out of bed anyway, hoping that once I was up and functioning I'd feel better.  I headed to the lab to get my blood work done before my endo appointment on Friday.  Then I came home and had a cup of coffee, hoping it would rid me of the headache that was forming.  It didn't.  I spend the rest of the day napping between bouts of nausea

• New year, fresh start . . .

  4 Jan 2010 | 2:25 pm

  The tree has been taken down, the presents are all put away, the decorations have been tucked safely away until next December and Pete's vacation has ended.  Although we are into our fourth day of the New Year, today is the first day that actually feels like the holidays are over.  Like it's time to get back to work and make a fresh start. With that in mind, I thought I'd share some of my New

• Merry Christmas!!!

  25 Dec 2009 | 9:20 am

  Our traditional Christmas breakfast of coffee and cookies has been eaten.  Complete with a second helping to combat my morning of lows!! The presents have been opened. Even K.C.'s - although she's scared of the whole Christmas experience and won't touch any of her new toys.   At least she cowered near the coffee table long enough for me to get this shot of her by the tree on Christmas

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  About.com Diabetes

• Trying to Lose Weight? Fall in Love with Vegetables

  31 Jan 2010 | 11:11 pm

  Maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of diabetes management. If you have weight to lose try this easy way to get a jump start on your diet. Vegetables are low in fat, nutritious and filling. Bump up your servings of veggies and you won't have room for unhealthy snacks or high fat foods. Vegetables don't have to be boring. Explore your produce aisle and find good buys in season. Try out some new recipes. Try sauteing some greens in a little lowfat chicken broth, or roasting some cauliflower. With a little creativity, you can increase your nutrition while decreasing your weight.

• 7 Steps to a Healthy Heart

  27 Jan 2010 | 2:35 pm

  The American Heart Association suggests taking 7 steps towards a healthier heart. When you have type 2 diabetes, your risk of heart related problems increases. Following these 7 steps can help protect your heart. Life's Simple 7 Get Active - increase your exercise Control Your Cholesterol - with diet, lifestyle changes and meds, if prescribed Eat Better - Follow a healthy diet Manage Blood Pressure - with diet, lifestyle changes and meds, if prescribed Lose Weight - with diet and exercise Reduce Blood Sugar - with diet, exercise and meds, if prescribed Quit Smoking - no explanation needed.

• Counterfeit Alli Prompts FDA Warning

  25 Jan 2010 | 2:24 pm

  The FDA has issued a warning that counterfeit bottles of Alli, the popular over-the-counter weight loss drug have been found. The counterfeit capsules contain sibutramine, a drug that is also known by the brand name, Meridia, a prescription weight loss drug that is a controlled substance. Alli contains orlistat, a medication that works by blocking the absorption of fat from food. Sibutramine works by triggering the brain to make a person feel full or satisfied while eating less. The counterfeit Alli does not contain orlistat. It contains sibutramine, which can increase blood pressure and…

• Do You Know the Symptoms of Diabetic Kidney Failure?

  20 Jan 2010 | 3:00 pm

  One of the complications that can occur with diabetes, is nephropathy or kidney damage. High blood sugar levels over the course of years, can damage delicate structures in the kidneys, causing damage and ultimately kidney failure. Good blood sugar control can help reduce the risk, but it's good to know the symptoms of kidney failure. Here's what to look for... Symptoms of Kidney Disease in Diabetes More from your diabetes guide... Kidney Disease in Diabetes Photo courtesy of Andersen Ross/Getty Images Do You Know the Symptoms of Diabetic Kidney Failure? originally appeared on About.com…

• More on Quitting Smoking, Weight Gain and Type 2 Diabetes

  19 Jan 2010 | 2:42 pm

  A recent study from John Hopkins Medicine showed that people who quit smoking are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. The weight gain that often accompanies quitting smoking is the factor that puts you at risk, not the quitting smoking. So, what to do to keep your weight in check while you quit? The January issue of Women's Health Magazine advises one simple strategy for avoiding that weight gain. Regular exercise while quitting helps keep the weight off, and it also helps manage the anxiety and craving that also go hand in hand with quitting smoking. It doesn't have to be expensive or…

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  Diabetes Journal current issue

• Human Recombinant ACE2 Reduces the Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy

  Oudit, G. Y., Liu, G. C., Zhong, J., Basu, R., Chow, F. L., Zhou, J., Loibner, H., Janzek, E., Schuster, M., Penninger, J. M., Herzenberg, A. M., Kassiri, Z., Scholey, J. W.

  26 Jan 2010 | 10:45 am

  OBJECTIVE Diabetic nephropathy is one of the most common causes of end-stage renal failure. Inhibition of ACE2 function accelerates diabetic kidney injury, whereas renal ACE2 is downregulated in diabetic nephropathy. We examined the ability of human recombinant ACE2 (hrACE2) to slow the progression of diabetic kidney injury. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Male 12-week-old diabetic Akita mice (Ins2WT/C96Y) and control C57BL/6J mice (Ins2WT/WT) were injected daily with placebo or with rhACE2 (2 mg/kg, i.p.) for 4 weeks. Albumin excretion, gene expression, histomorphometry, NADPH oxidase activity,…

• Ventromedial Hypothalamic Nitric Oxide Production Is Necessary for Hypoglycemia Detection and Counterregulation

  Fioramonti, X., Marsollier, N., Song, Z., Fakira, K. A., Patel, R. M., Brown, S., Duparc, T., Pica-Mendez, A., Sanders, N. M., Knauf, C., Valet, P., McCrimmon, R. J., Beuve, A., Magnan, C., Routh, V. H.

  26 Jan 2010 | 10:45 am

  OBJECTIVE The response of ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) glucose-inhibited neurons to decreased glucose is impaired under conditions where the counterregulatory response (CRR) to hypoglycemia is impaired (e.g., recurrent hypoglycemia). This suggests a role for glucose-inhibited neurons in the CRR. We recently showed that decreased glucose increases nitric oxide (NO) production in cultured VMH glucose-inhibited neurons. These in vitro data led us to hypothesize that NO release from VMH glucose-inhibited neurons is critical for the CRR. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The CRR was evaluated in rats…

• A Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies a Novel Major Locus for Glycemic Control in Type 1 Diabetes, as Measured by Both A1C and Glucose

  Paterson, A. D., Waggott, D., Boright, A. P., Hosseini, S. M., Shen, E., Sylvestre, M.-P., Wong, I., Bharaj, B., Cleary, P. A., Lachin, J. M., MAGIC (Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-related traits Consortium), Below, J. E., Nicolae, D., Cox, N. J., Canty, A. J., Sun, L., Bull, S. B., the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Research Group

  26 Jan 2010 | 10:45 am

  OBJECTIVE Glycemia is a major risk factor for the development of long-term complications in type 1 diabetes; however, no specific genetic loci have been identified for glycemic control in individuals with type 1 diabetes. To identify such loci in type 1 diabetes, we analyzed longitudinal repeated measures of A1C from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed a genome-wide association study using the mean of quarterly A1C values measured over 6.5 years, separately in the conventional (n = 667) and intensive (n = 637) treatment groups of the DCCT. At…

• IGF-I Bioactivity in an Elderly Population: Relation to Insulin Sensitivity, Insulin Levels, and the Metabolic Syndrome

  Brugts, M. P., van Duijn, C. M., Hofland, L. J., Witteman, J. C., Lamberts, S. W.J., Janssen, J. A.M.J.L.

  26 Jan 2010 | 10:45 am

  OBJECTIVE There is a complex relationship between IGF-I, IGF binding proteins, growth hormone, and insulin. The IGF-I kinase receptor activation assay (KIRA) is a novel method for measuring IGF-I bioactivity in human serum. We speculated that determination of IGF-I bioactivity might broaden our understanding of the IGF-I system in subjects with the metabolic syndrome. The purpose of our study was to investigate whether IGF-I bioactivity was related to insulin sensitivity and the metabolic syndrome. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study embedded in a random sample…

• Duration of Lactation and Incidence of the Metabolic Syndrome in Women of Reproductive Age According to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Status: A 20-Year Prospective Study in CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults)

  Gunderson, E. P., Jacobs, D. R., Chiang, V., Lewis, C. E., Feng, J., Quesenberry, C. P., Sidney, S.

  26 Jan 2010 | 10:45 am

  OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to prospectively assess the association between lactation duration and incidence of the metabolic syndrome among women of reproductive age. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Participants were 1,399 women (39% black, aged 18–30 years) in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study, an ongoing multicenter, population-based, prospective observational cohort study conducted in the U.S. Women were nulliparous and free of the metabolic syndrome at baseline (1985–1986) and before subsequent pregnancies, and reexamined 7, 10, 15,…

• 
  MyDiabetesCentral.com - Latest Diabetes News

• 3 Family Habits May Slash Childhood Obesity Risk

  8 Feb 2010 | 8:34 am

  Three traditional family habits may almost halve your child's risk of becoming obese, researchers say.

• Sugared Soda May Double Pancreatic Cancer Risk

  8 Feb 2010 | 7:16 am

  A new study suggests that two sugared sodas a week may almost double a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

• 'Tattletale' Pills Remind People to Take Meds

  8 Feb 2010 | 7:04 am

  A high-tech product that can tell patients if they need to take their medications--or if they've taken them already--may be on the horizon, researchers say.

• FDA May Require Logical Serving Sizes

  8 Feb 2010 | 7:01 am

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may begin requiring manufacturers to fix food serving sizes so they reflect the way people actually eat.

• Moderation in Blood Sugar Control May Aid Diabetics

  2 Feb 2010 | 9:57 am

  A new study suggests that keeping blood sugar levels too low may be as risky as keeping them too high.

• 
  diabetestalkfest.com

• CGM gushing site footage

  Gina

  23 Jan 2010 | 9:34 pm

  Tonight I had blood coming out from underneath my CGM site, and when I pulled it out it started gushing blood. I don’t have complete video footage from the beginning but here is some of what happened. CGM gushing site from Gina Capone on Vimeo.

• 40 Things MeMe

  Gina

  28 Nov 2009 | 8:06 pm

  I took this from Kerri *   *   * 40 Things *  *   * 1.  Do you like bleu cheese? Yes. 2.  Have you ever smoked? Yes. Cigarettes, and I have cleaned my lungs out for just about 8 years now. 3.  Do you own a gun? Do cyber guns count? Because of my video gaming I own a couple LOL 4.  Favorite type of food? I am into anything edible. I am italian so I really had no choice. 5. Favorite type of music? I like all kinds of music except country and hard core kind of stuff. Too heavy for me. 6. What do you think of hot dogs? I think they are a great bbq item. 7. Favorite Christmas movie?

• Girl Talk at Diabetes 2.0

  Gina

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:19 pm

  Last week I had the opportunity to be a part of the Diabetes 2.0 conference some re-caps are here. This was my first speaking engagement EVER! and when I was asked back in July, or maybe June I forget! My heart dropped a bit because I was never on a panel. They asked me to be on the Girl Talk Panel with Nicole Johnson, Miss America 1999 who is an international diabetes advocate and she travels around the world promoting awareness, prevention, and management of diabetes. Yanelis Martin, M.D who is a second year clinical fellow training in Endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the…

• 5th Annual D-blog Day 2009: Inspiration

  Gina

  9 Nov 2009 | 3:41 pm

  Happy D-blog Day everyone!! There are people that we meet in our lives that have such a great affect on   us. The people that give us drive to want to do something more everyday, to better ourselves as an individual. They are people that don’t even know that they are causing such a huge personal impact on you. People that you are glad to call your friends. Some of these people you may have met in person and some you have never met and talk to everyday. These particular people never want anything in return they just want to help. I have a couple of special people that I want to talk…

• D-blog Day November 9, 2009

  Gina

  6 Nov 2009 | 1:36 pm

  It’s November and you know what that means? The air is crisp, the leaves are yellow and orange. And, It’s diabetes awareness month! It is our chance to shine as a community and for the past 4 years we have! We dubbed November 9 as our D-bloggin’ holiday! Which is dedicated to blogging about diabetes awareness and support. What do you do on d-blog day? Well, you can write on your blog if you haven’t in a while. Or, you can make a poem, introduce yourself if you have never blogged before, tell us about a new website that you found or get out of the d-closet and start a…

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  Scott's Web Log

• Casey Johnson Died of DKA; Could Diabulemia Be To Blame?

  Scott

  4 Feb 2010 | 12:15 pm

  Today, the Los Angeles coroner's office revealed that Casey Johnson's, heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune (who died on January 4, 2010) "natural death" was a result of diabetic ketoacidosis, also known as DKA. Naturally, Hollywood gossip columnists, including TMZ, were all over the story (see here for the TMZ report) and sources with the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that they believed the cause was "medically related." The original news story on her death can be viewed here:Of course, many of these tabloid stories are misleading. For example, TMZ just couldn't resist…

• Redefining "Normal"

  Scott

  3 Feb 2010 | 9:00 am

  I have an admission to make: I really can't stand all the complete B.S. (I really wanted to use the real word bull$#!t, but I'll try to censor myself in the first sentence of today's diatribe) about PWD's living normal lives with this disease. It's not being honest, yet everyone who writes about it seems intent on perpetuating the myth that life with diabetes is somehow normal, or at least close to normal. Newsflash: It's definitely NOT normal.What got me started on all of this was a fairly recent (or at least recently published) interview with Christopher Thomas (of the Diabetic Rockstar…

• Timewarp Tuesday: Why We Need A Cardiovascular Risk Model Exclusively For Type 1 Diabetes (AGAIN!!)

  Scott

  2 Feb 2010 | 3:45 am

  As Amy Tenderich, Riva Greenberg and a few other diabetes bloggers have noted, February is American Heart Month, a time in which various organizations will call attention to cardiovascular disease (including stroke) which is our nation's No. 1 killer, and also the leading cause of death among people with diabetes (of both type 1 AND type 2).But since this is one of my Timewarp Tuesday blog postings, I would also call your attention to a blog posting I did back on October 19, 2006 in which tried (unsuccessfully, I'm afraid) to call attention to the fact that there was still not a…

• "Extraordinary Measures" Movie Tells The First Half of a Longer Story

  Scott

  29 Jan 2010 | 8:00 am

  Last weekend, (according to most reviews) a mediocre movie called "Extraordinary Measures" opened. It was the story about a motivated businessman (played by Brendan Fraser) who teamed up with a scientist (played by Harrison Ford) to, in the words of most news articles and reviews, to 'cure' a disease that fatally affects a tiny number of children, including his own children. That story was based upon the real-life story of a man named John Crowley, whose kids have a very rare condition called Pompe disease. In 2003, The Wall Street Journal featured a story on the front page about Mr. Crowley,…

• Wacky No D-Blog Days

  Scott

  28 Jan 2010 | 6:00 am

  Over the years, I have featured some postings which featured one of my favorite childhood memories: Wacky Packages. When I was a little kid in elementary school, kids plastered those stickers all over notebooks, school lockers and whatnot, much to the chagrin of adults who saw them as sewing the seeds of disrespect for authority. As it turns out, the stickers/cards had collectible value in much the same way as some of Topps other products did, such as baseball cards, with list prices for some rare stickers selling for hundreds of dollars.Wacky packages were, at their peak around 1973 or so,…

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  One Type One

• After the Great Oz Has Spoken

  Amylia Grace

  5 Feb 2010 | 1:49 pm

  You might've caught my head's up regarding Oprah's show on "The Silent Killer," which aired yesterday. I did a live-chat over at HealthCentral before, during and after the show aired, and the response was anonymous:  hype and sensationalism and scare-tactics all leading to gross misrepresentation of type 1 diabetes and the reality of many type 2's. Immediately following the show I received a heart-wrenching email from a mom of a little boy with type 1 and member of the HealthCentral community, active in the Diabetes OC. And the reality set in. Damage has been done. By Dr. Oz and…

• Diabetes: The Silent Killer

  Amylia Grace

  4 Feb 2010 | 8:40 am

  TODAY ON OPRAH: Diabetes: America's Silent KillerFinally, the queen of talk is featuring an episode on diabetes [read type 2] subtitled “America's Silent Killer” with Dr. Oz. I’ve written the show several times to ask them to feature a show on type 1 and type 2 diabetes. I'm not sure how she found the time to feature us peons after her glitter ‘n jazz shows on the oh-so important Ruby, Kids of Elizabeth Smart’s Kidnappers, “I missed 70 shows” Fantasia, “I like to eat ears” Mike Tyson, Whiney Houston (oops, typo think I’ll keep it), “I have big boobies” Mariah…

• Aid for 300,000+ Haitian Diabetics Arriving

  Amylia Grace

  17 Jan 2010 | 9:56 am

  Emergency diabetes supplies dispatched to Haiti (from press release)An estimated 300,000 Haitians with diabetes urgently need help.The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and Australia-based non-governmental organization Insulin for Life have launched a relief effort for people with diabetes in quake-stricken Haiti.A shipment of insulin, meters, test strips and other supplies has been rushed to the Haitian Foundation for Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases (Fondation Haitienne de Diabete et de Maladies Cardio-Vasculaires).The foundation houses the only dedicated diabetes clinic in Haiti,…

• Life, in Circles (bloodsugar, too)

  Amylia Grace

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:53 pm

  My bloodsugar stayed stubbornly and dangerously high for hours yesterday, fluctuating between the "low" 300's and skyrocketing to 423 mg/dl without known prompting from food or body; an allegedly old vial of insulin & an influx of hormones prior to my period are, I believe, the main culprits. It drained me entirely, but my fellow Diabetes Daily writer and long-time blogger, Scott, coached me through by responding to my sad little messages cursing my fate as a type 1 diabetic with well-timed messages filled with encouragement and empathy. You gotta hand it to him: Mr. Johnson knows how the…

• An Invitation and a Request for World Diabetes Day

  Amylia Grace

  12 Nov 2009 | 11:51 am

  An Invitation to My 2nd Annual WORLD DIABETES DAY Fundraiser, Fish Fry and ConcertAlright, I admit it:  If you're anything like me, just living day-to-day with diabetes is draining enough, say nothing about doling out extra to the cause. However, once a year I do donate all I can to fight for a cure, and have been donating my time this year for this event. I'm asking you from the deepest place within my heart and the recesses of my trying-to-be-optimistic-mind, to please donate a few bucks to this worthwhile cause that my family and I have been working on with all our hearts for some…

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  Scott's Diabetes Journal

• Where The Hell Is My Insulin?!

  Scott K. Johnson

  4 Feb 2010 | 8:39 am

  I hate when I take some insulin to bring down a high, and when I check two or three hours later I am exactly where I was when I started.  It's like "what happened to that insulin I took?"I know that I must have been rising, and the insulin curbed the rise (or I went higher and came back down again).  But at first glance it just seems like that insulin I took disappeared.  This type of thing is really scary when the amount of insulin taken is a LOT (relative to my daily dose).  Or (has this ever happened to you?) I bolus for a snack, then something happens and I don't eat,…

• Where The Hell Is My Dinner?!

  Scott K. Johnson

  27 Jan 2010 | 10:20 pm

  I played basketball tonight, and it was miserable. I was looking forward to playing basketball tonight. I had been on the road all day, and was tired of the inactivity. I was hungry, so I stopped at a Perkins for a bite to eat. It was about an hour before basketball, and I was stuck at around 200 mg/dl, but something told me to really back off on my meal insulin. It was weird. Some sort of magical diabetes intuition or something. I had a little bit of insulin on board, ate at least 60 grams of carbs, and only bolused for 25 grams. Any other time, that's a winning combo for an evening of 300…

• The Pre-Post Post

  Scott K. Johnson

  27 Jan 2010 | 9:45 pm

  I have something I want to wri.... It has been so long since... I'm not sure how I want to start thi... Ah shit. Let me just say it. I am sorry for being so absent and disconnected lately. I feel so out of touch with everybody and how they are doing. I hate that. I have been busy lately. Very busy. I am trying to make ends meet for the family, and it has been hard. I'm either working on sporadic contracting gigs that don't pay on time, or burning away the hours looking for something else. I have been doing a LOT of driving, often spending 10 hours or more on the road. That drive time let's my…

• One Great Idea, One Catchy Name

  Scott K. Johnson

  29 Dec 2009 | 5:00 am

  I got an e-mail yesterday from Monica.  Monica is 15 years old and has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was 13 months old.  Monica has a great idea, and she needs our help.  www.ZipTheCure.comWith Zip The Cure, Monica is trying to raise $100 from each zip code in the country.   With $100 from each zip code in the country she will raise $4.2 MILLION!!  All proceeds will go directly to JDRF.I just love this idea.  It makes raising a massive amount of money sound so achievable doesn't it?  Fantastic!  And to have a catchy name along with it? …

• What's That Thing on Your Arm?

  Scott K. Johnson

  15 Dec 2009 | 3:31 pm

  Yesterday I didn't get into the gym until around 8:30 PM.  I had been in the car all day.  As I was getting close to the gym I started really feeling excited about lifting weights (I know, weird, right?).  I felt strong, and I was probably just feeling pretty antsy from being cooped up in my car all day.  My blood sugar was in the low 200's, which is not where I wanted it.  I had some insulin working from a bit ago, and was a bit worried about dropping too much while exercising.  Well, sure enough, after warming up and doing about half of my workout, I was…

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  Allies Voice - Your Comments on the Diabetes News

• Welcome

  Allie B

  31 Jan 2010 | 6:53 am

  Welcome to my blog. Please check back soon for new entries.

• 
  Everyone's Blog Posts - TuDiabetes

• I need help again someone smarter then me

  Sandra

  I have been wetting my self i do not feel this, so I do not go anywhere, could this be a sign my kidneys going bad, or just a weak bladder

• am i too old? i think not

  Krystal Parker

  So I have been thinking about my future alot lately. I am so grateful for my job, I've seriously started thinking I need to start living up to my potential for the first time ever. I think it is a combination of things. Possibly getting older or being treated as if I know nothing when in reality I know tons more than I am given credit for partially because I look like a young, ditzy blond. I've dreamed of nothing since a child except being a doctor and mother. I graduted high school and entered university in a honors premed program and went to work as a CNA. I overwhelmed myself and dropped…

• Dr Bernstein and me against the medical establishment of Italy

  Uta Sievers

  Sleepless in Rome... I'm up at 1.30am with an experience that keeps rolling around in my head, so I thought I'd put it to rest (hopefully) with a probably lengthy blog entry.I started a 60g carb/133g protein/118g fat per day diet three weeks ago (now modified to 40g carb, 64g protein, 158g fat), following some of Dr Bernstein's advice and more of Jenny Ruhl's (www.bloodsugar101.com and the low carb website, especially the calculator). From the beginning, I had been afraid that my diabetologist "wouldn't let me" do this kind of diet. And indeed, when I went to my hospital checkup appointment…

• More Quickset Delays. Thanks, Medtronic!

  Jaclyn

  "Hello, this is Medtronic letting you know your pump supply order should arrive on 02/11/2010. Please be aware that due to limited inventory we are only able to send one box of your infusion sets now and each of your remaining boxes will arrive one box at a time on 03/04/2010, 03/25/2010, and 04/15/2010."Again? Really?I appreciate them letting me know, and it's truly not a big deal, but ugh, I just find this silly and annoying.Especially because it's a possibility I will be moving to a new home in the middle of this, and worrying about a box of quicksets all the time urks me.Last time this…

• Ah, the joys!

  Jennie

  I promise, it IS fun to poke yourself with a 1 inch long 23G needle LOL I've just taken my now monthly B12 shot. Only took about 1 minute or so. Doesn't hurt at all unless hitting a bad spot or injecting that 1ml of Behepan too fast :-PWent to work for a while today to hand in another document from my GP and just socialize some with my workmates who are also good friends of mine. It was so nice to just be away from home for a while and meet friends. On my way home I stopped by in a big shopping mall just to look around for a while, and to buy a wireless mouse for my laptop and the new Stuff…

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  Dorkabetic

• Endo-crimin-ology.

  Hannah

  4 Feb 2010 | 9:08 pm

  If being a slacker on diabetes management is a crime, I'm preparing to do the time. Please send your baked goods with saws and files hidden in the center, because tomorrow I'm off to the endocrinologist to get my annual big ol' lab workup results.I do not expect pretty numbers. I do not expect a nice A1c. Some moments I think I am okay with this. Some moments I wonder how it is that I've had diabetes for just about 20 years now, and I still can't figure out how to get it together or stay motivated. Had a rather impressive argument/emotional breakdown with Matt tonight that I don't care to…

• RSS, Yes, Oh Yes.

  Hannah

  1 Feb 2010 | 2:51 pm

  I need to pick an RSS reader for myself. I am thinking Google reader, since so many other things in my life are Google-related.I am losing touch with everyone's blogs because I just don't have time to hop from web address to web address anymore, at least not without getting distracted. Any recommendations? I miss you guys! And believe me, with an endocrinologist appointment coming up Friday, I'm going to need your support. Ever have to gear up for one of those appointments that you already know is going to be less-than-awesome? I am hoping for mediocre, rather than bad news.If you see the…

• The Awful Tooth

  Hannah

  12 Jan 2010 | 12:11 pm

  I woke up this morning for the second day in a row with pain in my jaw, but only on one side. My mom has a lot of problems with grinding and clenching her teeth in her sleep, so I know how to recognize the symptoms. I had to wonder if I do the same thing. I've been pretty stressed out lately, and that's one factor that causes you to grit your teeth in your dreaming hours, for sure.My teeth have always been really healthy, so pain in my mouth or jaw generally sends up a red flag to me. Now, I am not the most religious flosser. Or brusher, for that matter. I have a tendency to be a lazypants…

• When Sick Days Bite Back

  Hannah

  6 Jan 2010 | 10:40 am

  I'm sick. I've been sick since Christmas Eve with what I've deemed the Cough from Hell. It didn't seem like bronchitis. It was worse than a cold. It didn't come with any of the symptoms of a cold or even a mild pneumonia. It was just a cough. A lung-shaking, gut-quaking cough. It was hard to tell if my blood glucose levels were high due to sickness, or due to all kinds of holiday eating and drinking. Mmm, delicious holiday snacks and beverages. I do hope everyone out there had very lovely holidays. We had a huge New Years' Eve party, and I had honestly forgotten how many crazy friends I have.

• The Problem with Patch Pumps

  Hannah

  10 Nov 2009 | 8:58 am

  They're sleek, for a medical device. They're stylish, for a medical device. They bring the diabetics who take insulin freedom from injections and obtrusive pump tubing. You can check your blood glucose and wirelessly control your pump from one PDA-like doohickey. (Yes, that's a technical term there.)And they are, at this point, utterly pointless for me to consider. Patch pumps might be all the rage, thanks to famous customers like Nick Jonas, but this dorky diabetic is presently not a fan. Now, don't get me wrong. Everyone's insulin needs are different, and coming up with pumps that hold tiny…

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  Living with Diabetes and Lapband

• Maybe not THAT horrible

  KWeaver

  1 Feb 2010 | 1:05 pm

  While I've apparently left my blood sugar meter at home, I do have a spare OneTouch Mini from my doctor's office that I've been using -- I had it stashed in my emergency supplies and begged for two when I was at my doctor's office a few weeks ago.  One is downstairs in my kitchen, the other in my rolling box. I've managed to test every two hours and correct which is better than the last few days. I'm also making an effort to move my calories earlier in the day, guessing that I'm in starvation mode again.  I have a huge tax bill, insurance (both car and…

• Horrible diabetic lately

  KWeaver

  1 Feb 2010 | 4:53 am

  Yes, the last few days especially I haven't been taking care of myself as well as I should.  Haven't been testing, haven't been bolusing etc. I do fix it at the end of the day, and try to fix it in the morning, but I've missed a few mornings. However, it's the first of the month, and the first of the week, and I bet like all diabetics, I'm vowing to do better.  I've just restocked my bag, and getting ready for another week. Maybe I can do better this week. I'm also ready to lose some weight again.

• Stuck again

  KWeaver

  27 Jan 2010 | 8:28 am

  I think I'm stuck again.  Looking at my 14 day spreadsheet, I'm staying within the same two pounds, insulin TDD is about the same, etc. I'm trying to spread my calories out throughout the day better, one theory if that I put my body in starvation mode by not eating all day. So I've been doing a protein bar in the morning, lunch, something small after school, workout and eat after the workout. I've only been doing that this week.  And I'd like to switch the protein bar to something a bit more high fiber.  I am going to see about bringing in some…

• Lunch

  KWeaver

  25 Jan 2010 | 10:40 am

  I haven't had a lunch period in a while, and I finally do. In fact, right now, the door is shut and I'm doing none school stuff.  And some school stuff. Managed to eat about half of my Diet Gourmet lunch which isn't bad -- ravioli, both the lunch isn't bad and that I could only eat half isn't bad.  I'm bolusing for just under half, which makes the math easier and gives me a bit of leeway in case I guessed wrong. There are some DG lunches I can't eat, usually involving sandwiches, so I've decided to get breakfasts those days.

• Spreadsheet Update

  KWeaver

  25 Jan 2010 | 5:13 am

  I'm recovering from the weekend before last and some other mistakes I made. However, you can see that the spike in blood sugar I get from agility isn't helping much. In other words, I'm still working on the same three ro four pounds.

• 
  dLife blogs

• Is The Fight Over?

  Lindsey Guerin

  9 Feb 2010 | 1:29 am

  I'm 21 years old. As much as I like to consider myself an adult, I know I've barely lived. Yes, I've been in love, traveled to multiple countries, held a steady job, and seen the sunrise. But I haven't held my own child in my arms, said "I Do" in a white dress, walked across the university commencement stage, or owned my own home.   I have spent the last four years of my life fighting against my health though. A fight that has beaten me down, bruised and broken me both physically and emotionally. A fight that I'm ready to give up on.   read more

• The Big Pink Kit

  Lindsey Guerin

  7 Feb 2010 | 11:30 pm

  Back in 1993, diabetes was a very bulky disease. Meters were two or three times their size now. Lancet devices didn't "ping" the way they do these days; it was more of a "thwack" with no control on how far it went into tiny finger tips. Strip bottles were double their size.   Those basic necessities added up to a hefty weight alone. On top of that, we carried rolls of Lifesavers, a glucagon kit, alcohol swabs, extra syringes and lancets, logbooks, tubes of icing, and random tidbits that got added along the way. It was enough to weight a four year old to the floor.

• A Disservice to All People With Diabetes

  Michelle Kowalski

  7 Feb 2010 | 9:09 pm

  Dear Oprah,   I used to be a fan. I used to watch your show all the time. Probably every day. That was back when I was in school and was home by the time you were on.   After I got into the real world and started working, I rarely saw your show. And frankly when I did, it was pretty sensationalized. As a member of the media, I pretty much hate sensationalism. I may be in the media minority when it comes to that, but it's a direction that I simply can't stand our industry has gone in.   read more

• Go Red... and Blue... and Red...

  Brenda Bell

  7 Feb 2010 | 6:00 am

  Back in November, Christopher Thomas of Diabetic Rockstar suggested that one of the reasons diabetes doesn't get the attention it deserves is that there are so many different diabetes-related organizations which seem to be so much at odds with each other that "they can't even decide on a color". By this, he was referring to the American Diabetes Association's (ADA's) use of red as its primary color rather than World Diabetes Day Blue, which is close to the blue used by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and not too far off the blue used by dLife® on its Web site and…

• Hope for Something Serious

  Lindsey Guerin

  6 Feb 2010 | 11:07 am

  At 11pm Thursday, I took 1mg of dexamethasone. It's a synthetic steroid that acts like cortisol in the body. A normally functioning endocrine system will stop making it's own cortisol when this drug is taken. A cushingoid one will show no difference with active dexamethasone.   So I woke up at 6:30am Friday to get the dexamethasone suppression test done. My blood sugar was 318...they were not kidding about potential high blood sugars. I drove to a local lab (luckily, I could call this test in to do it here instead of driving all the way home from school for it) and they drew the blood.

• 
  aiming for grace

• hello.

  birdie loo

  13 Jan 2010 | 12:33 pm

   It's been ages I know. Frankly, I just haven't had anything much to say about diabetes these past few months. Diabetes is just the same. Tough, mundane, unrelenting, boring, challenging, in balance, out of balance, annoying, invisible, demanding, devastating, manageable, fine, ok, depressing, inspiring, a current that links every hour, meal and day together. It's the same as it ever was. I find that I just can't write about diabetes these days. I find that my personal philosophy about it is shifting to one that is more accepting while at the same time, more…

• remarkable.

  birdie loo

  5 Jun 2009 | 5:11 pm

  Maybe I'm seeing the glass as half full, but it feels like we might be in the midst of a shift in cultural narrative about diabetes. For example, did you notice the way President Obama addressed the fact that his Supreme Court nomination, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, has diabetes? Her diabetes wasn't the story anyone led with, but it also wasn't a fact that was overlooked or ignored. The story line felt pitch perfect to me, that this is a remarkable woman, who has achieved remarkable things in her life, all of which have led to this remarkable moment in history, and by the way,…

• remembering the good stuff.

  birdie loo

  26 May 2009 | 10:14 am

  I know it's been a really, really long time since I've posted. There just hasn't been anything interesting enough for me to say. Diabetes is what it is and I'm in a good place with it emotionally these days, plus nothing interesting enough to share has come to mind lately. It's funny too because at times like these I feel a little superstitious, like I don't want to call too much attention to the good feelings. It's like they might just slip away if I talk about them too much. Silly I know, but the truth nonetheless. But still there are things I come across…

• comfort first.

  birdie loo

  29 Mar 2009 | 7:13 pm

    This feels a bit like an epiphany, like something very big, perhaps even life altering. I know the roots of it have come from years of consideration and questioning, but last week it all came together in one very clear jolt. Diabetes is, simply put, uncomfortable. That's it in a nutshell. Diabetes is uncomfortable. Uncomfortable in it's treatment, the unending shots, set insertions, candulas, insulin boluses, blood tests, set removals, adhesive tapes, pumps and pump clips, glucose monitors, tired sites, sore fingers, low blood sugars, high blood sugars. The list goes on and…

• honesty.

  birdie loo

  24 Mar 2009 | 8:33 am

    I'm going in this morning to be fit for a sensor for the week. I know it's a good thing because it will yield lot's of helpful data. It's time for that given how strange my blood sugars have been the last couple of months. It's amazing we have the ability to this now. Such accurate, persistent feedback. What an helpful tool in our arsenal. So yes, from a diabetes management, medical information standpoint, it's very a good thing.But that's not how I feel this morning. I feel sad about it. I know it's not going to be anything horrible from a physical…

• 
  Annetics

• BRAVA Magazine Hosting Fundraiser for Jesse

  Anne

  6 Feb 2010 | 11:58 am

  The following was posted by BRAVA magazine, where Jesse's mom, Michelle, works.  If you are in the Madison area, please consider attending this event.  This is separate from the events on Monday at the Good Shepherd Church.Here at BRAVA, we are mourning the loss of an extended member of our company's family.On February 3rd, 2010—at age 13—Jesse Alswager was taken from his family and friends all too soon. Jesse, the son of BRAVA's Marketing and Events Director Michelle Page Alwager, lived with type 1 diabetes since age 3 and was known as "everyone's little brother." Jesse and his…

• Funeral Services for Jesse Alswager

  Anne

  5 Feb 2010 | 1:39 pm

  Funeral services for Jesse Alswager will be held at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 5701 Raymond Road, Madison, at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8, 2010, with Chaplain Linda O'Leary presiding. Visitation will be at the church from 3 p.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to U. W. Credit Union, Jesse Alswager Memorial Fund.Share your condolences here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jessealswagerMemorial tributes can be donated from the above link in the "My Story" section.

• Memorial for Jesse Alswager

  Anne

  4 Feb 2010 | 6:43 pm

  Email from Joe Brady earlier:Here's the updated information on Michelle Alswager and her son, Jesse.You can visit a memorial website at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jessealswager. There you will be able to read "Jesse's Story," leave a guestbook message for Michelle and her family, and donate to the Jesse Alswager Memorial Fund at the UW Credit Union through PayPal. You can also donate through snailmail at:Jesse Alswager Memorial Fundc/o UW Credit UnionPO Box 44963Madison, WI 53744-4963The visitation and funeral will be held Monday from 3 to 7 pm on the west side of Madison on Raymond…

• Beyond Belief

  Anne

  4 Feb 2010 | 10:45 am

  I am so incredibly saddened to share that Jesse Alswager, who inspired not only his mother Michelle, but countless others in the diabetes community, passed away last night.  Michelle was tireless in her efforts to support finding a cure for type 1 diabetes, and in showing people with diabetes that they could live full and happy lives.  Jesse was 13 years old, and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 10 years ago in March.  He was loved by all who knew him.More information will be forthcoming but I believe that in lieu of flowers, a memorial fund will be set up.  If you would…

• Early Bird Crit, Revisited

  Anne

  31 Jan 2010 | 11:10 pm

  Last year after my horrible crash, when I was still unable to get out of bed without crying tears of pain, I was faced with the decision of whether I would get a kit (jersey + bike shorts) for the bike race team I had joined.  "Why in the world would I even consider this?"  The final diagnosis had been fractures in my left clavicle, 9 posterior ribs (if I add up all the fractures reported on the Xrays) and L2 transverse process, pleural effusion, severe bruising and road rash.  I have never gone through anything else even remotely as painful, physically, as that experience.

• 
  Diabetes Technology Blog

• Kris Freeman Interview

  Bernard

  1 Feb 2010 | 5:10 pm

  Kris Freeman, is the reigning US National cross-country champion. Recently he was selected to compete as a part of the US Ski Team in the 2010 Olympic Games this February, which puts him in a very elite club. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2000, before his first Winter Olympics in 2002. He also competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics.What sets Kris apart from others with type 1 diabetes is that he competes in endurance sports: the 15 kilometer freestyle cross-country (XC) race lasts about 45 minutes. Kris will also compete in the 30k pursuit race, the 50k mass start classic, and the…

• Bayer Contour USB meter big step forward for design

  Bernard

  17 Dec 2009 | 3:39 pm

  Bayer USA sent me one of their Contour USB blood glucose meters to review some time ago. For me the summary is easy: this is a great meter with slim design that's easy to use. I like it a lot. Read on for the details and lots of pictures.LifeScan created a buzz when they released the OneTouch UltraMini a few years ago. Given their sizes, looking at the two meters together is a good way to get a quick comparison point. In the picture both meters have a strip inserted and are prompting for a blood sample. Note the Contour uses standard strips that need a 0.6 microliter drop of blood, by…

• MyGlucoHealth Blood Glucose Meter

  Bernard

  27 Nov 2009 | 4:37 pm

  Recently I was given the MyGlucoHealth blood glucose meter for review. It's made by Entra Health Systems a new entrant to this enormous market.I considered giving a summary up front, but it’s not that easy with this meter. It has some good points and ways in which it can be improved, I don’t think a summary would do justice to these. The meter arrived in an elegant white box somewhat like an Apple product. I was really pleased to see the meter picture on the front had a blood glucose reading of 157 mg/dL. Finally, a manufacturer that’s not scared to show a more realistic reading.The box…

• Happy 5th D-Blog Day

  Bernard

  9 Nov 2009 | 3:28 pm

  Gina Capone of DiabetesTalkFest started D-Blog day in November 2005 and this year, we can all celebrate the 5th anniversary.While World Diabetes Day is coming up quickly, today is a great opportunity to celebrate the richness of the online diabetes community (the DOC). When I started blogging about 3 years ago, people were blogging about diabetes and online communities did exist. Since then, the diabetes presence online has soared!Today, we're blessed by social communities like TuDiabetes, DiabetesDaily, JoyOfDiabetes, and others. According to the diabetes search engine, there are over 525…

• The Ultimate Diabetes Resource

  Bernard

  8 Nov 2009 | 4:37 pm

  Earlier in the year at the Diabetes bloggers summit, my friend Gina gave me a preview of The Diabetes Resource. Even though this was waay back in July and long before the official launch, I was impressed by the design of the site itself and the sheer amount of really useful information that's in there.Gina, is responsible for the DiabetesTalkFest site and the CGM Anti-Denial Campaign site and has been online for many years. She really understands the kinds of diabetes information that people are looking for and she and her team have done an awesome job at providing a great resource that's…

• 
  The D-Log Cabin

• The Ozprah Effect

  type1emt

  6 Feb 2010 | 12:41 pm

  I don't generally watch Oprah, unless I'm sitting in some waiting area where it's literally right in front of me, being seared into my brain. I think she's a person that, all in all, wants to do the right thing & cares about people. I respect her and the good that she's done.(and even if I did watch Oprah,it's in the same time slot as The Doctors and that talk show trumps the others) But Dr. Oz is another story.I had to watch the show, because it was about diabetes & I was curious about it. So I went to YouTube(that evening) and watched it. On the second segment, as Dr. Oz was telling all of…

• Notes from a Spinning Planet: Manual Check

  type1emt

  2 Feb 2010 | 3:06 pm

  Manual check. Oh wait, I never read manuals, preferring instead to spend 45 minutes on hold with a CSR, to find a solution to my problem. I hate trying to find something in a book. My diabetes educator called today. I guess both she and my (8 months pregnant) endo are getting tired of (un)meshing method from madness and want something easier. When I saw the DE last month, I brought I written log and we downloaded pump/cgm reports there. The problem with my pump reports is, I don't consistently input carbs, even when I do bolus for them. So later, there's a string of erratic numbers & data…

• That's Not My Name

  type1emt

  28 Jan 2010 | 12:30 pm

  (with apologies to the Ting Tings)Sittin' here, as I'm rhyming my song & it'sNot the best, but don't get me wrong cuz IStill keep thinking, it'll turn out just fineI'm still me, not just a disease.If they could just see beyond the fingersticksNot just a number,to this name But it reads high, and alas it endsas they start right in with all the blame..ame..ame..ame..They call me Su-guhThey call me Sweet StuffThey call me SplendaThey call me 'beticThat's not my nameThat's not my nameThat's not my nameThat's not my nameThey call me non-compliantBut I'm not on some dietBetty-Bop-WeirdoAlways some…

• Down the Rabbit Hole

  type1emt

  26 Jan 2010 | 8:33 am

  Last Saturday, I took the TEAS test. It's a 4-part, pre-nursing entrance exam that's required for one of the programs I'm applying to.(not every program requires it) Why on earth they require pre-nursing exams in the first place beats me,because you more then show you're qualified with the transcript,essay,letters of recommenation,etc. but whatever.I brushed up on the math part with the help of my Phd husband (who eats the stuff alive,in direct contast to me) and got to the campus about an hour early. The campus was pretty confusing, there were about 7-10 buildings & no numbers in sight.(to…

• Stick(ing) Designs

  type1emt

  20 Jan 2010 | 4:46 pm

  In the early days of diabetes,there's a sort of bliss naivite about what it truly entails.A lifetime of pricks,math,and everything else.Like everyone else,you get your fancy new meter,diet log,and commence to stabbing yourself (dramatically) with a syringe to prove to your friends that it really doesn't hurt.(the truth is,it can&will but you aren't allowed to show weakness,without being thought of as a wimp,or pitied)Time passes,the novelty wears off.Soon,you could care less what number The Great Grey/Black/Pink Meter will spit back at you.You'll be doing this again in a few hours anyway.It's…

• 
  Dam Diabetes

• Passed from my friend, Kathy. :-)

  Molly

  25 Jan 2010 | 11:25 am

  I have to admit. Life has been crazy busy lately. School is nuts. I had the second stage of a dental implant done last Thursday. (which was PAINFUL!) As much as I enjoy blogging, I have let it slip the last few months. I still read blogs daily, but just can't seem to pull it together and post.So... Dixie is still a super dog. She loves the snow and is a happy dog romping around in the yard.I saw this on Kathy's blog and thought, "better late than never."Here are my responses to the survey:1. Where is your cell phone? in my pocket.2. Your hair? in need of a cut3. Your mother? Living and…

• My 40 Meme

  Molly

  27 Nov 2009 | 1:51 pm

  ***My 40***1. Do you like bleu cheese? Yep. Not in huge amounts, but a little is tasty.2. Have you ever smoked? Yes. Don't tell my mom.3. Do you own a gun? No way.4. Favorite type of food? Deli food. Sandwiches, salads, dill pickles, etc.5. Favorite type of music? All but country and rap.6. What do you think of hot dogs? About two times a year they are the bomb. They must be eaten at a sports event.7. Favorite Christmas movie? Frosty the Snowman.8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Latte.9. Can you do push ups? Only against the wall or against a counter top.10. What’s your…

• Happy D-blog day!

  Molly

  9 Nov 2009 | 3:09 pm

  Happy D-blog day everybody!I started blogging a couple of years ago. I had been reading a number of blogs, and decided to start up my own. Mostly it was to share information about Dixie. At least, that's what I thought.I do blog about Dixie. About how she alerts me when my blood sugar is out of range. How she alerts others when they are out of range. :-) And... I post pictures of her. After all, she is a very cute, black dog. Especially when she wears her fancy hot pink bowtie.I also blog about MY diabetes. My frustrations and anxiety. My accomplishments. And I can't help but smile when…

• Happy Halloween, Dixie style

  Molly

  30 Oct 2009 | 9:24 am

  Happy Halloween everyone!

• My invisible illness

  Molly

  19 Sep 2009 | 12:09 pm

  30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know 1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 diabetes 2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1975 3. But I had symptoms since: I actually didn't have symptoms. I went in to the doctor for my first grade check up and they did a random whiz quiz. I had some sugar in my urine, so I was sent to Children's Hospital for a blood test. I didn't start taking insulin until about 2 months after my diagnosis. 4. The biggest adjustment I've had to make is: My entire life had been a series of adjustments. 5. Most people assume: that I am mostly healthy. Which…

• 
  Diabetes Self-Management

• Nonnutritive Sweeteners: Help or Hindrance? (Part 1)

  Amy Campbell

  8 Feb 2010 | 12:16 pm

  The use of nonnutritive sweeteners (also known as artificial sweeteners or sugar substitutes) among people with diabetes is pretty common. But not all that long ago, there weren't a whole lot of sweeteners to choose from...

• Syringe Recall; Depression Raises Severe Complications Risk

  Diane Fennell

  5 Feb 2010 | 12:31 pm

  Nipro Medical Corporation has voluntarily issued a nationwide recall of all GlucoPro insulin syringes due to the possibility of the needles detaching from the syringes. Were such detachment to occur while a syringe was being used, it could cause the needle to become stuck in an insulin vial, to push back into the syringe barrel, or to remain in the skin after an injection. The recall affects all product codes and lot numbers with expiration dates prior to 2011-11 (November 1, 2011)...

• Doctors, Doctors, and More Doctors

  Eric Lagergren

  4 Feb 2010 | 12:43 pm

  Let me preface this week's blog by letting you know this is another diabetes-free entry. The great thing about my Type 1 diabetes (yes, I did say that, "the great thing about my diabetes!") in all of this thyroid cancer surgery stuff that's been predominant in my life for the past few months is that in the past month, since I had my total thyroidectomy, I haven't had any instances of high blood glucose...

• Neither 1 Nor 2

  David Spero

  3 Feb 2010 | 12:37 pm

  In response to my recent blog entry asking what people wish health professionals knew about diabetes, Michael Barker commented about "ketosis-prone diabetics," of which he is one. Thank you, Michael. Ketosis-prone diabetes, or "KPD," as it's called, is an important and growing problem...

• Corporate = Conflict?

  Quinn Phillips

  3 Feb 2010 | 6:15 am

  A recent essay questions whether corporate funding corrupts scientific results.

• 
  Diabetesaliciousness™

• On Vacation I Was Reminded That Being Imperfect Is TRULY SPECTACULAR & BEAUTIFUL

  k2

  8 Feb 2010 | 9:16 am

  Individual shells- all imperfect- all gorgeous! The minute I found this shell, I screamed with joy because I couldn't believe how lucky I was to find it!It is beautifully imperfect and it has a SPECTACULARLY BEAUTIFUL HEART~NATURE'S IMPERFECTIONS ARE BEAUTIFUL.NATURES IMPERFECTIONS ARE UNIQUE AND STAND OUT IN A CROWDRemember that: Every single one of us is IMPERFECTEvery single one of us is SPECTACULARAnd EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US IS BEAUTIFUL!And being different is what makes us so~

• Dear Oprah & Dr. Oz- The Diabetes Show- Major FAIL

  k2

  5 Feb 2010 | 8:08 am

  Dear Oprah & Dr.f Oz:It's me again. I already wrote you on Monday asking (and hoping from the bottom of my imperfect pancreas) that you'd explain and represent a TRUE picture 0f diabetes. And not only my diabetes (type 1) but every branch of the diabetes family, including type 2, gestational, and type 1.5.Unfortunately, you did not.So here I sit, in the Sanibel Island public library (on my vacation) writing about a your missed opportunities (on a public computer with a 20 minute limit) and perpetuation of diabetes myths and stereotypes,instead of hiking, going to the beach, taking a bike…

• Today Oprah & Dr. Oz Discuss Diabetes-WillThey Miss The Opportunity?

  k2

  4 Feb 2010 | 7:00 am

  Today is Oprah's show on diabetes & even though I have my fingers (and toes) crossed that Oprah & Dr. Oz will "get it right," I'm not holding my breath.The info that's made it's way to my in box contains rumblings that the show will primarily focus on type2& worst case scenarios. Scare tactics regarding diabetes-HELLO-What about coping kills & positivity? On FaceBook, Dr. Oz stated: "I should clarify this is type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90% of diabetes cases. Type¹diabetes is also a huge problem, but it's rarer & not related to weight."As a member of the more…

• Testing, testing 1-2-3

  k2

  2 Feb 2010 | 6:33 pm

  So I took the plunge and purchased a blogging app for the iPhone. But does it work????

• An Open Letter To Oprah & Dr Oz - Please Get Your Show About Diabetes RIGHT

  k2

  1 Feb 2010 | 9:28 am

  Dear Oprah and Dr Oz: Rumor has it that on Thursday February 4th, you’re doing a show titled "America’s Silent Killer," and it’s completely dedicated to Diabetes. And as a person with Type 1 Diabetes for over 30 years; a diabetes blogger and Diabetes Advocate, who comes from a family with a long history of Type 1 Diabetes, I appreciate that fact. I"M REALLY HOPING YOU’LL GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT,AND YOUR SHOW WILL REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE WITH DIABETES. If you and Dr. Oz want to save lives and educate the public, differentiate between Type 1 –which is an autoimmune disease. And Type 2- a…

• 
  The Diabetic Domestic Diva

• Walking Pneumonia And Type 1 Diabetes

  Windy

  28 Jan 2010 | 6:26 pm

  Hey party people. It's been a while. Apparently we moved twice in one year and I decided blogging wasn't a priority. My amazing husband is now back in youth ministry full time and life has been so much more fun living with a man who gets to live out his passion. :) We are settling in and establishing doctors, schools, hairdressers.......... and making new roots. I'm pretty excited!!! Our new church is pretty awesome and seriously knows what it means to help the community and not just sit in a pew. Exhibit 1- we bought a homeless man who has been attending church for a while now a home. His…

• World Diabetes Day- Next Month!

  Windy

  22 Oct 2009 | 8:27 am

  November 14th is World Diabetes Day! I am going to speak to middle schoolers this year for World Diabetes Day! I'm super excited! I think that kids retain information more successfully than adults (mostly because we grown ups have too much garbage to think about! HA!) so I am super excited about this opportunity! I have some fun things in mind and will be bringing all my fun gadgets, giving myself a glucose test, and letting the students inject saline into oranges! :) And of course I plan on addressing the BIGGEST misconceptions and common questions. "Do you have the BAD diabetes?" "Are you…

• Eyes Eyes Eyes

  Windy

  29 Sep 2009 | 11:08 am

  Hey folks! I'm still here...... looks like you can expect about a monthly update from me now! Life is just so busy and it doesn't look like it will slow down anytime soon! Life is full of wonderful things however...... teaching music to children, working, playing with my own pre school aged children, tee ball games, ministering to local teenagers, softball games, worship services, BBQ's with friends, new babies (not my own!), weddings, housework, cooking, jogging, walking and shopping! Do you need a nap yet? On the diabetes front, things are going okay. A few weeks ago I was blessed with the…

• I'm Alive Folks!!!

  Windy

  21 Aug 2009 | 6:45 am

  Hey everyone! I know it's been forever! Blogging just has not been at the top of my priority list these past couple months, unfortunately! The first week of July we moved about 50 miles west of our old home! This was super stressful, but also a HUGE answer to prayer. We are now living VERY close to my side of the family and our church friends. My heart FINALLY feels settled! So I've spent the last two months doing things like securing a job (or 3... more about that later!), deciding where to send my precious kids to pre school, finding new doctors and dentists, unpacking, getting utilities…

• My iphone Can Save Me From Any Dire Situation....

  Windy

  11 Jul 2009 | 1:02 pm

  My husband jumped on the iPhone train last year when the 3G was released. I have finally joined him this year with the release of the new 3Gs. After having my iphone for about 2 weeks I am truly amazed at how often I rely on it now in so many situations. I told my husband the other day, "I am convinced that this phone can save me from just about any dire situation, honey!!" Earlier this year LifeScan announced their cool little iphone app....And while browsing through one of my favorite diabetes blogs, Diabetes Mine, I viewed this You Tube video of a design idea that I think is freakin…

• 
  diabetties.org

• No Delivery

  Marianne

  1 Feb 2010 | 7:53 pm

  I use the Medtronic Minimed Paradigm 522 insulin pump. For the most part, it’s one of my best friends. It has to be! But sometimes, it seems to enjoy pissing me off. On Saturday, for example, my husband and I had a late start to the day and were on our way to downtown Los Gatos [...]

• Brittle Diabetes

  Marianne

  26 Jan 2010 | 3:37 am

  This may be old news to all of you, but I was in the checkout line at Safeway the other night when I saw a magazine with Casey Johnson on the cover. I am pretty bad at keeping up with pop culture and while I knew that she recently died at the age of 30, [...]

• Happy Anniversary to me!

  Marianne

  24 Jan 2010 | 3:55 am

  Today is my brother’s 33rd birthday - which means that it is also the 8th anniversary of the day I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I just reread the story of my diagnosis - it’s been a while since I relived that day, and I still get chills when I read about that defining [...]

• 
  Dr Jekyll and Mrs Low

• Losing It

  Val

  4 Feb 2010 | 11:28 am

  I broke an almost-new bottle of insulin this week. It had been opened less than 48 hours, had only 150 units removed. It wasn’t an accident or a cat attack, though. The short story is it broke because I threw it at a wall. Twice. The long story starts with it being a typical day at work. Getting ready to drive home, I tested at 160. Which was kind of high for that time of day. But, I was about to get in the car so I figured I would keep an eye on it and check again after I got home. Now, at home this wasn’t a typical day. This was Number Two Son’s 13th birthday, so we were skipping most…

• The Gusher

  Val

  26 Jan 2010 | 1:59 pm

  Site change day. Given my more or less complete zombie state in the mornings, I was quite proud of myself for remembering. I shut off the alarm clock, took my synthroid, checked my BG (114) and fumbled around until I got a grip on the tape on my stomach for my infusion set and pulled it loose. I left the pump in the bed, grabbed Dex, and headed for the bathroom, my eyes barely open enough to keep me from stepping on the cats. They twined around my legs, meowing in eerie harmonies. We feed Sarah in our bathroom, and Tucker in our bedroom to keep the food away from the dog, so they associate…

• Turning D-blog day into D-log day

  Val

  9 Nov 2009 | 5:20 pm

  I did it. After several months, tonight I finally started the beta test of my logging software. This is the idea I pitched last spring for the DiabetesMine design contest, which I've been using to log my own readings since March. In June I bought a MacBook and now take that along to my endo's and look at the output together.It's been working pretty well for me, and my inherent laziness had kicked in, and I had really stalled on doing anything else with it. Until I was contacted by someone who found the ChaosTracker website, and asked if I still needed beta testers. And after weeks of email…

• Can somebody make this movie?

  Val

  10 Oct 2009 | 7:51 am

  Back in college, I had a friend who was a pretty good juggler. Sometimes, he would start off with just 2 or 3 objects, and we'd toss more and more in, until eventually he'd have maybe 7 or 8 items going, and then they'd all fall down, except for a few he'd manage to catch before they hit the floor.If anyone out there has the coordination (it sure ain't me), could you do a "life with D" juggling video? Start with a meter and pump, then add in an apple or something ("eat healthy"), then a sneaker ("exercise"), then a juice box ("you're low"), bottle of ketone strips, wallet, alarm clock, CGMS,…

• If you build it... (nothing to do with D)

  Val

  1 Oct 2009 | 4:53 am

  This is where I send myself when I'm in desperate need of a "Mommy time-out".The Castle Room, with elliptical decorated for effect:Close up of the doors to The Crawlspace of Unfinished Projects (like half-finished afghans, needlepoint, curtains, and shirts. That visible "table" leg is from my great-grandmother's 1931 electric Singer sewing machine, which I still use)... THEY WILL COME:That's Tucker (big gray one) and Sarah (little brown one), in their favorite spot in the house.

• 
  Every Day Every Hour Every Minute

• This Date In History

  Cara

  4 Feb 2010 | 8:05 pm

  February 5, 1986. I'm sure there were lots of things going on in the world. I don't know what they were. I'm sure there were treaties being signed, or rock stars dying, or someone famous that was arrested. Maybe not. Who knows. But February 5, 1986 was a day that my world, and the world of those around me, changed forever. After being very sick for a while, having nightmares, drinking water til it poured out the corner of my mouth, and wetting the bed several times a night, my mother took me to my family doctor. I'm sure there were other symptoms. I don't know what they were.That morning, in…

• TMI Post-Men, You've Been Warned

  Cara

  3 Feb 2010 | 9:12 pm

  Okay, as most of you know I'm typically not a person who writes highly emotionally charged posts like I did on Sunday night. I was just feeling very frustrated and highly annoyed. However, it now makes sense. My monthly visitor came today. And as all of us women know, PMSing is one of the most emotionally charged times of our month.Over the weekend I was fighting horrible high blood sugars. I assumed it was because I was constantly snacking and not doing alot because I was snowed in. However, hind sight's 20/20, right?Typically, for 2 to 3 days before I start my period, my blood sugar runs…

• Variety in Life

  Cara

  31 Jan 2010 | 7:29 pm

  I am a person who tends to like things to stay the same. I hate to move. I hate things to be "sprung" on me. I like plans. I tend to eat the same things every time I go out to eat (although that might have something to do with knowing what certain foods do to my blood sugars...).But, I do like all different kinds of thing. Routine is good. Pigeonhole-ing yourself is not.I like all kinds of movies. Comedy, drama, action, teen-flicks, musicals.I also like all kinds of music. I've written before about my love of music. I have very eclectic tastes.Last night the Grammy's were on TV. I usually…

• Snow

  Cara

  31 Jan 2010 | 5:31 pm

  The Tennessee version of a snow storm: Final amount: around 6"For us, that was a blizzard. :)

• Positoovity

  Cara

  25 Jan 2010 | 3:54 pm

  Today I'm gonna mix a little music and a little diabetes. :) Since it's my designated Music Monday, I figured I'd get 2 in one.Earlier today Allison blogged about the choice of words. Basically, how we see ourselves as diabetics (or people with diabetes). Her question was "Suffering from, or living with?" I whole-heartedly believe that I live with diabetes. In my comment on her blog, I compared it to a crappy roommate you can't get rid of because of the lease. Some days are easier to live with the roommate than others. She pointed out that she didn't sign a lease and that she preferred to…

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  D•blog | Welcome to the Diabetes Stories website | riva greenberg

• Oprah takes on diabetes - I still have a request. I made it on The Huffington Post

  6 Feb 2010 | 10:34 am

  At 2:33 PM yesterday I pushed the "Send" button on the backstage posting area of The Huffington Post and my first blog post was launched: A review of Oprah's show, Diabetes: America's Silent Killer, and why most patients don't manage their diabetes the way they should, and how they could.

• New approach to type 2 diabetes management

  1 Feb 2010 | 12:55 pm

  A few weeks ago I attended a seminar given by Amylin Pharmaceutical, manufacturer of Byetta and Symlin, in of all places Carnegie Hall. I have no complaints, it included lunch and a tour - and an important education.  Amylin's seminar, "New Approach to type 2 Diabetes Management" had five prestigious presenters at the helm: Dr. Louis Aronne, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College and obesity expert; Dr. Robert Chilton, Cardiovascular surgeon, University of Texas Health Science Center; Dr. Donna Ryan, Obesity expert, Pennington Biomedical Research…

• My CGM sensor report

  27 Jan 2010 | 5:01 am

  The CGM iPro sensor I wore for five days (see post below) came off Monday morning in a hurricane. Not exactly what you think, but I like the drama. My walk from the subway station to the hospital to see my CDE  was in a rainstorm at high gale winds we rarely see here in New York - umbrellas discarded on the streets, puddles knee-high. Were it not for the fact that my iPro site was itching like mad for two nights from the sticky tape over it I'm not sure I would have braved the storm at all. By the time I arrived at the hospital the entire front of my jeans was soaked so that I was wringing…

• Just a little bionic

  22 Jan 2010 | 9:48 am

  Noticing I was becoming a sugar-testing junkie recently, I opted to get hooked up to a CGM for a 5 day trial period, save some finger skin and see if I could learn something.  My recent addiction to knowing where my numbers are, beside a proclivity to perfection, is largely because my blood sugars rise sooo rapidly in the morning. Can I shut the barn door more quickly so I don't have to do two boluses before breakfast? The first to merely blunt the rise.  My new CDE put this on me in her office and what should have been a rather simple affair turned out to be quite a painful one. I wasn't…

• When I'm 64...74...84...years old

  19 Jan 2010 | 6:20 am

  Remember that popular Beatles' song, "When I'm 64?" The refrain goes, "Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm 64?" I often wonder how I’ll be able to manage my diabetes when I’m old. Granted I’m 56 and many would say I’m already old, but let's not go there. But 'tis true, my memory isn’t what it used to be. Sometimes in the morning, since I take three injections, I can lose sight of which I've taken and which I haven't. I begin with an initial unit of Apidra (rapid-acting insulin) when I first wake up to blunt my rising blood sugar (dawn…

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  Managing the Sweetness Within

• Blog Poll: Potential Author Photo

  Lyrehca

  2 Feb 2010 | 2:07 am

  I didn't keep up with writing about all my fertility stuff because work got busy, but we had the embryo retrieval and transfer last week. Now it's a waiting game, amid work deadlines, freezing cold weather, family stuff and ever-shrinking bank accounts. My latest question occupying my mind is an author photo and hair texture: curly or straight?I'm having a photo taken this week.I've never run

• Dude, Where's My Pump?

  Lyrehca

  23 Jan 2010 | 9:52 am

  This morning was my fourth blood and ultrasound visit for this IVF cycle.(For those of you not familiar with the infertility bandwagon, this was my fourth morning visit to my infertility clinic for a blood draw and a vaginal ultrasound with the ever-popular tam-cam. This giant tampon-like camera takes a photo so someone can manually measures the length of the follicles growing on my ovaries. Once

• The Fan Page Is Live/Hello, Low

  Lyrehca

  19 Jan 2010 | 9:12 pm

  Balancing Pregnancy With Pre-Existing Diabetes: Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby now has a fan page on Facebook. Become a fan, won't you?In other news, I'm on to the stim part of IVF, where I inject a drug that amps up the follicles on my ovaries to create some good eggs. I've gone for two blood and ultrasounds already, and things are progressing as they should, IVF-wise.WTF? I just tested and my blood

• At What Cost?

  Lyrehca

  10 Jan 2010 | 7:47 pm

  My period's gonna come any day now, and that's when I start taking the drug that amps up my ovaries.Until then, I almost feel like IVF hasn't really kicked off yet.Oh, but it has.I've been on the Lupron for about five nights now. As I've mentioned before, it's like injecting ten units of insulin. Been there, done that. I even need to time it to a certain hour or so each night, but other than that

• It's The Hormones, Duh

  Lyrehca

  5 Jan 2010 | 7:55 am

  Yesterday, I made the decision to try to eat more fruit to round out my diet, and was pleased by the two clementines I had for a midmorning snack. My sugars were good most of the day. I didn't think twice about what I ate.Today, I just demolished a bag of chips. After my sugars have been high all morning.What happened?I started my first Lupron shot last night.Googling "Lupron" and "food cravings"

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  Glucoholic

• Diet Cherry 7UP Antioxidant

  Glucoholic

  31 Jan 2010 | 6:48 pm

  This week we’re taste testing the new Diet Cherry 7UP Antioxidant. The antioxidant comes in the form of ten percent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin E. This is another fitness play that unfortunately falls short because Dr. Pepper/Seven Up chose to use aspartame to sweeten this drink. As the first drops hit your tongue you detect the familiar lemon and lime flavors of 7UP, and then the cherry flavor hits you and you’re sure you’re really going to like this drink. Then the aspartame rains on your parade with its favorite weapon - horrible aftertaste. This soft drink…

• Walden Farms Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup

  Glucoholic

  14 Jan 2010 | 5:46 pm

  We’re really excited to provide a ringing endorsement to Walden Farms Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup with one serious warning - go sparingly. This little chocolate syrup is a powerhouse. If you like dark chocolate then you are going to love this chocolate syrup. We like to think of it as the espresso version of chocolate syrup. The serving size is two tablespoons and that’s all you will need to flavor a bowl of low carb ice cream. Do not let yourself, or anyone you care about, dump this syrup on ice cream like you are at the local buffet’s soft serve machine. We’ve all…

• Top 5 Sugar Free and Low Carb Products of 2009

  Glucoholic

  31 Dec 2009 | 11:46 am

  This time of the year gets us really excited.  It’s fun to look back at all the tasty sugar free and low carb products we’ve tasted all year.  It’s also very uplifting to think of all the great products we’ll get to review in the coming year.  Thanks so much to all of our loyal readers.  We hope you’ve enjoyed some of 2009’s great products yourself.  Here are our Top 5 Favorites: 1. Atkins Endulge Peanut Butter Cups This awesome candy was way out front.  It even lapped some traffic.  If we had to give up all but one dessert or snack forever, this one…

• Merry Christmas!

  Glucoholic

  25 Dec 2009 | 7:11 am

  We wanted to take the time to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of our loyal readers.  We hope you’re enjoying the season and managing to stay away from the sweets!  Be sure to check back here next week for our Best Of 2009 list. Merry Christmas!

• Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

  Glucoholic

  22 Dec 2009 | 12:48 pm

  Just in time for those low carb Christmas buckeyes, we were fortunate enough to find Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter. Now don’t worry, we’re not turning this into a “natural products” review site. The truth is, if we hadn’t gotten into the habit of checking labels on all new products we see, we would have passed on this one under the assumption that this peanut butter was full of carbs. Natural or not, this peanut butter is low in carbs and is absolutely delicious. It is very creamy and sweet. Whatever magic mixture of peanuts, oils, fats, salt, and sugar was…

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  Naturally Sweet

• Dia-pressing.

  3 Feb 2010 | 12:55 pm

  I have to confess, I have always been a cynic of depression. I could never grasp the notion that making yourself happy just wasn’t a possibility. Wake up and choose to be happy. How difficult is that? I always viewed depression as dramatic way of describing sadness.'Oh, gawd. I'm so depressed because I gained 5 pounds.''I'm depressed because Jim broke up with me.''I'm depressed because things aren't going the way I want them to.'You're not depressed. You're sad, disappointed, hurt, angry. The end. I guess it's because I am typically a happy person. Even when bad things happen, I have the…

• Diabulimia

  25 Jan 2010 | 3:16 pm

  I have been a Diabetic for 25 years. 25 long ass years. 25 years of injecting biosynthetic human insulin in order to survive. Admittedly, I was not Diabetic role model material for most of those 25 years. My A1C’s would fluctuate anywhere from 7-10. My blood sugars were never steady. I have had more near death experiences than any person should ever have. But…I was thin. I was 5’8”, 130 pounds for most of my life.Until I became a pumper.I have gained 30 pounds since being a pumper. I complain to Doc B at every visit about my being a fatty and I’ve written his response several…

• Diabetes & Stress.

  20 Jan 2010 | 5:06 pm

  I stress myself out. I do. I am not a drama queen but I sometimes resemble one, especially when I’m stressed out. Stress is an interesting thing and it does interesting things to my body. Namely, screw with my Diabetes. Stress alters my blood sugar. Life in general alters my blood sugar but stress is what I’m blogging about.It’s so bizarre because sometimes stress will send my bs through the roof. Other times stress will cause me to bottom out. The sad part is…I never know which result to expect. Another sad part is that Diabetes lives in each of us differently. What may make my bs…

• Bad Luck Schleprock

  12 Jan 2010 | 4:45 pm

  I am Bad Luck Schleprock. Remember that dude from The Flintstones? He started showing up around the time The Flintstones jumped the shark. Schleprock & Gazoo. Yep. Even cartoons can jump the shark. Anywho, Schlep was plagued with bad luck. The thing with bad luck & me is that I’m pretty used to it. I must be the worst Irish woman ever in regards to luck. But, instead of getting all worked up over it, I typically seek out the humor and laugh. My life works better that way.My latest black cloud started with a cold.Everyone was walking around sick at work on New Year’s Eve. I knew…

• Diabetes 365

  5 Jan 2010 | 4:02 pm

  I rang in the New Year by being sick. Not the way I wanted to start a new decade, but life punches…and I roll with it. When I finally got the energy to log on to Twitter, I saw that most of my d-friends were talking about ‘d365’. Being the curious kitten that I am, I had to dig deeper.Cherise at Diabetes Daily clued me in on what the buzz was all about..and it was exciting!Diabetes 365 is a group on Flickr. It’s a 365 day project that gives you a glimpse into daily life with Diabetes. The basic idea is to post a Diabetes related picture each day for an entire year. Making an invisible…

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  25 Units To Go

• Frank, you forgot your birthday, didn’t you?

  Harry

  8 Feb 2010 | 7:05 pm

  I completely forgot my diabetes anniversary. January 24th. Two weeks ago. To be fair, I’ve been very busy lately with work and other things (more on that later), but it’s kind of surprising that it slipped right by. This was a big one too…18 years…my diabetes can buy cigarettes now! (Not that it should, of course.) I discovered this not by reviewing my calendar (note to self. calendar - noun: a place to record dates of important occasions that you might want to remember), but by yesterday’s occurrence of the Super Bowl. You see, it was on the weekend of the…

• Endocrine Cowboy

  Harry

  6 Jan 2010 | 11:22 am

  You know how rednecks usually have that worn spot in their jeans from where their can of Skoal sits in the same pocket every day? No? Well here is a picture for those of you city folk unfamiliar with this phenomenon: Pretty trashy, huh? Yeah, I thought so too, until I was looking through some pictures on Facebook recently and noticed that I have a similar outline in my jeans. Not from smokeless tobacco, or any other hip accessory…no, mine is from an insulin pump. Pretty sweet, huh? So yeah. The chicks at the chronic disease rodeo are totally going to dig this. P.S. Yes, I do realize the…

• Posted in “Missed Connections”

  Harry

  4 Jan 2010 | 3:58 pm

  So I did something really stupid the other day. No, not writing “2009″ instead of “2010″…that’s going to be a problem until at least March. Or that time that I responded to myself on Twitter. Granted, those were not my brightest moments, but they’re hardly worthy of a blog post. Anyway, so we decided to go to a movie on New Year’s Eve (Sherlock Holmes…I recommend it, BTW). Since it was a 7:00 movie and we hadn’t eaten dinner, we just had a snack of cheese and crackers before we left, saving room for popcorn at the movies (the latter…

• Where’s Waldo?

  Harry

  6 Dec 2009 | 6:49 pm

  Okay, not really Waldo, but my CareLink USB upload device. I swear I spend more time looking for that thing than I do actually using it. I really need to find a consistent place to keep it. The past couple of times, it has ended up under a picture frame on one of our end tables. My wife said this evening that “that’s where it stays!”. That’s not really where it stays, it just so happens that the space underneath that picture frame is just wide enough for the little fella to slide under there, yet the frame is just wide enough that I can’t see it poking out when…

• 40 questions

  Harry

  23 Nov 2009 | 6:59 pm

  This place needs a little light-heartedness, so I thought instead of complaining about injuries, we’d rock a little Meme Monday action…thanks to Hannah (and by proxy, Lee Ann) for the inspiration. If you’re in need of a blog post, feel free to snatch (tee hee) this one for your own use. 1. Do you like bleu cheese? Not particularly. If I order buffalo wings and the restaurant decides that bleu cheese dressing is a better accompaniment than ranch, I can deal with it, but I’m not going to go out of my way to get it. 2. Have you ever smoked? Like regularly, or ever? I…

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  foodfoodbodybody

• Look at the Fun We Have

  Foodie McBody

  7 Feb 2010 | 7:27 pm

  My dad used to have a favorite saying regarding his work, which was: “We don’t make any money, but look at the fun we have.” Which was not completely true (the money part). He worked really hard as a traveling salesman. But he did have fun, and he did love his work, and he worked every day until the day he died, from his hospital bed, at the age of 81. It did make me so happy that he said that though, and I knew the fun part was true. I remember being so stunned when I read “Death of a Salesman” because I couldn’t imagine a salesman that wasn’t happy.

• Ignorance is Not Necessarily Bliss

  Foodie McBody

  5 Feb 2010 | 11:43 am

  First of all, I want to thank EVERYone for the wonderful words of support in my time of distress earlier this week. I can’t tell you how supported I felt, and how very moved. Thank you. Newsflash from the offspring is that the fever has broken, and doctor has cleared her to return to classes. Which is a great relief. Yay! I went to my awesome trainer this morning and was flooded with beautiful lifesaving endorphins. It felt so so good. I’m back, people!!! I wanted to write a bit about food logs, tracking etc. I heard someone say this week that they do not keep food diaries because…

• The Land of “I Don’t Care!”

  Foodie McBody

  3 Feb 2010 | 8:04 am

  I kind of shocked myself this week. I got into a place where I haven’t been in a very, very, very long time. It was the land of “I Don’t Care!” (… “I just want to EAT!”) Why did it shock me so much? Because I feel so… equipped, you know?  Last week I caught a glimpse of a number on the scale, the likes of which I had not seen in Years. I felt so on top of things. But then, late in the week, I got a call from my Offspring-in-Distress, and it unhinged me more than I can say. I flew to her side. The plan was that I was going to hang with her,…

• Re-Adjusting Goals

  Foodie McBody

  1 Feb 2010 | 12:05 pm

  I’ve pretty much decided that in next week’s 5k/Half Marathon event, I’m going to do the 5k instead of the half-M. A few days ago I was really struggling with this decision. It felt like a downgrade, a defeat, yeah… a failure. But now I’m feeling like it is just the healthy and realistic thing to do. So what, I was able to do 9 miles last week. This week I had a real decrease in my training, due to a spontaneous visit to the Frozen Tundra to visit my girl who was in need of some mama-time. Also, I had originally signed up for the event to celebrate the birthday…

• Sneaky Eating, Foodie Style

  Foodie McBody

  25 Jan 2010 | 3:15 pm

  I’ve been dyyying to write this post ever since I read ManMeetsScale’s fantastic post on “Sneaky Eating.” Once again I was blown away by the terrific writing, absolute honesty and hilarious humor in this guy’s writing. And I had so so so so many things to say in response but kept feeling as if I’d need two free years and a 500-page blank book in order to do it. (might need that anyway) Go read that one first. Then come back here. Are you back? Wasn’t that great?? I have to say, it brought tears to my eyes. The kind of tears that come when you really…

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  A Consequence of Hypoglycemia.

• Cabin Fever

  Christopher

  9 Feb 2010 | 6:30 am

  The Snowpocalypse continues. We tested out the roads yesterday afternoon in the Explorer. I was not feeling too comfortable simply riding in a vehicle with 4 wheel drive, which means actually driving these roads in my Ford Fusion is not a wise idea. I spent part of Monday monitoring local news channels monitor how much snow has yet to be plowed from the roads. Thankfully the skies were clear and the sun give its best attempt at melting the 2+ feet of snow. Temperatures barely above freezing aren't really going to help matters, but every little bit helps.

• Quick Thoughts

  Christopher

  8 Feb 2010 | 6:30 am

  I know this post could have more to it considering I've been snowed in since Friday evening. Depending on who you listen to and where you look, close to 30 inches of snow fell in my area. Dulles Airport reported 28.5, I measured 22 and 28 at different spots around the house. And to add a little extra icing to the cupcake, early weather reports have another 5 inches coming down Tuesday night. As of this post, the Federal Government is closed today (February 8, 2010) so I am very happy I brought my work laptop home. So instead of taking the time to pretend to be intellectual about some specific…

• Gathering TWiGs – January

  Christopher

  5 Feb 2010 | 10:00 am

  Twenty-Ten. Two Thousand Ten. It doesn't matter how you say it as long as you remember it's 2010 and not 2009 on those checks you have to write up. This year the beginning of 2010 is marked by significant game releases through many of the opening weeks of the year. Fortunately for me, that also means there were plenty of topics to consider for each of my gaming posts. Let's have a look at my selection.

• On Disgrace and Dismissal

  Christopher

  5 Feb 2010 | 6:30 am

  A lot of noise gets thrown around over opinions. Whose opinion is right, whose is wrong. By definition, opinions are subjective and vary from person to person. They can however, be influenced by more prominent external factors. Gaming sites featuring preferred personalities, independent podcasters and even casual word of mouth all factor into a purchasing [...]

• Flying Blind

  Christopher

  4 Feb 2010 | 6:30 am

  There's a strange sensation that flows through my body when I realize I could be flying blind for an undetermined amount of time. Naturally the first emotion is panic. Bart Allen is a crucial part of my management. If I'm Kobe, my glucose meter is Shaq. It's the Costello to my Abbott. The ying to my yang. It's the....you get the idea. Chances are you know exactly how I feel.

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  iPhone Diabetes Technology

• Purchasing reviews in the App Store

  20 Jan 2010 | 9:20 am

  About a week ago, I received an Email from a company that claims:"We are not an advertising network. We take the guess work out from traditional CPM and CPC advertisements. We acquire users and reviews for our clients on a fixed cost per user basis in a direct accountable manner. We help our clients bootstrap and gather feedback to improve their apps."What this means is that for a rather low cost, we could become part of this network and obtain lots of reviews from their "employees". I was pretty flabbergasted by this Email. I hadn't known these sorts of networks existed. The company (whose…

• 8 simple steps to achieve 1,000 Facebook Fans

  11 Jan 2010 | 10:36 am

  Glucose Buddy has just reached 1,000 Facebook Fans. Being primarily a manual logging system for diabetics that have iPhones, we have a very niche market. We've implemented a number of techniques that worked well, and not so well, to reach our 1,000 Facebook fan milestone; and make no mistake, we consider this a milestone. Although we can't share exactly how many downloads we have received, the ratio of download to Facebook Fan membership is extremely attractive by industry standards. For example, I've identified dozens of companies who probably have 100 times more users but only 5 times more…

• My Omnipod Marriage: Will it last?

  28 Dec 2009 | 7:44 am

  1) When my doctor agreed that I could benefit from the Omnipod, I got a call everyday from Insulet employees who all left the same message: "Congratulations! We have great news for you! You have been approved for a new Omnipod!"- Positive: Quick follow-up.- Negative: Cheesy, just cheesy. It's unnecessary for lots of different employees to leave me the same 'personalized' message. It's not personal when I check my cell phone messages and listen to three different people leaving me the same congratulatory message. 2) Trainer calls me as soon as I order my pods. I'm in the middle of something…

• A Billion Little Experiments

  21 Dec 2009 | 12:29 pm

  My friend Rajiv Mehta wrote a very interesting paper, "A Billion Little Experiments". In it, Rajiv talks about his vision of making life easier on patients through the use of various mobile and web based tools. Rajiv and I have been going back and forth about a number of ideas via Email for the last week or so. I'm going to share some of our conversation:"... We, who provide the tools, should help people do what *they* want to do. Too many of today's adherence/tracking tools are designed with a narrow framework, from the perspective of someone interested in a disease or a drug, rather than on…

• Lose It! - Evolutionary or Revolutionary?

  6 Dec 2009 | 3:06 pm

  Tom and I had a long conversation about a week ago after we upgraded to Lose It! 2.0 for the iPhone. The discussion revolved around whether the changes the Lose It! team made was "evolutionary" or "revolutionary" for Mobile Healthcare. Both of us agreed that Lose It! is a stellar platform; combining weight management, social networking, and smart-phones in a way that has been exponentially more effective than any other piece of software, ever. In 2.0, Lose It followed our model of pushing all logs to a website that allows users to view their progress on their desktops. And then they took this…

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  Ziggy's Blog

• TEEN TRENDS: WHAT'S A PARENT TO DO?

  28 Jan 2010 | 6:00 am

  So, you find yourself with a troubled teen. What can you do? First, you must not feel guilty, because you are not the only influence in your teen's life. Oh, if only it were that simple. IS THIS A TROUBLED TEEN OR NORMAL ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR? SIGNS OF A TROUBLED TEEN:Your teen becomes more secretive.Your teen disregards house rules.Your teen is defiant towards you or teachers.Your teen is easily agitated and uses profanity regularly and shows disrespect.Your teen has regular, sudden outbursts of anger that seem unreasonable for the event that caused the anger.Your teen regularly misses curfew,…

• TEEN TRENDS: TEENS + DRIVING + TEXTING = DANGER

  1 Jan 2010 | 6:22 pm

  (This blog is written to inform parents & others of disturbing trends of teenagers.)Extensive research tells us that teen drivers are less likely to buckle up and more likely to speed and drive too fast in dangerous conditions. What is even more scary is that 56% of teens admit to texting while driving. This dangerous behavior has been termed Driving While Text - DWT.So you may be wondering: DUI...DWT - which is more dangerous?FACTS:Driving under the influence of alcohol is more likely to result in a serious accident, but texting while driving is done more frequent among teens making an…

• MEETING CASTING CROWNS

  6 Dec 2009 | 9:40 am

  Okay, so this post is a big change from my usual "teen trends" posts, but this was the highlight of my day...week...year!Hollie and I went to the Casting Crowns concert in Jackson, MS on Saturday, December 5, 2009. I won tickets, plus meet and greets. (Exciting!!) (Thanks Mark!)Saturday night, the members of Casting Crowns walked down the line, talking to everyone, signing autographs, plus we got our picture made with each member. They were very friendly and down-to-earth, such a thrill to meet, and I kept thinking, "Wow! They are real."First, we met Chris. Okay, I was talking when they…

• TEEN TRENDS: "HOOKING UP"

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:00 pm

  (This blog is written to inform parents and others of disturbing trends of teenagers.)WARNING: This post contains explicit language, but it's what parents need to know."Hooking up" used to mean meeting up with friends and just hanging out. Today, teens use the phrase "hooking up" to mean anything from kissing to oral sex to intercourse. But just because they're "hooking up", it doesn't mean they're dating. Teens are "hooking up" with friends and strangers, in groups and in public."HOOKING UP" CAN INCLUDE:KissingRubbing & touching, with or without clothesOral sexFingeringAt the college…

• TEEN TRENDS: 10 Signs of an Abusive Boyfriend

  2 Nov 2009 | 8:14 am

  (This blog is written to inform parents and others of disturbing trends of teenagers.)(Because of school and midterms, I am honored to have a guest writer this week that many of you probably know. Elizabeth Donovan, M. A. of ParentingPink.com is the author of this great post that all parents who have a daughter, who is of dating age, should read and make note of these warning signs. It wouldn't hurt for the parents of sons to also read this article to see if he is displaying some of these signs towards his girlfriend. Remember to leave a comment letting Elizabeth know how much you enjoyed her…

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  DIABETIVILLE

• The Toolbar...Notes From The Grass Roots Fields...Oprah The Show!

  Mark-John

  5 Feb 2010 | 6:08 pm

  Here we are at the end of the first week in February and action is all around us. Let's take on the first item on the list. The Diabetiville Toolbar Over the past year Conduit the hosting company of the toolbar has been e-mailing me information about designing a toolbar for our organization. I kept looking at it and thinking why would I want a toolbar about us? We were at the stage then of building a network and then moving on to newer and bigger things so we thought. Then the light went on in the old brain and everything fell into place before the holidays. With all of that going on this…

• A Message We Wanted To Send

  Mark-John

  1 Feb 2010 | 6:26 pm

  One of the main thoughts these past few weeks has been over our initiative Non-Diabetic New Year Test'olution. While we truly thought we had hit on something universal, it seems to maybe have been lost in translation, possibly? The original thought was what better way to raise diabetic awareness throughout the world? I mean here we would be asking diabetics to test their loved ones who are non-diabtic to see if there was any indication of diabetes within that person. At first there were concerns from some about the medical situation but we did check that out ourselves as well as received some…

• MotherApp...You Guys Rock! Thanks

  Mark-John

  1 Feb 2010 | 12:07 am

  I wanted to write this post to thank the guys who made it possible for Diabetiville, The Blog to make it to market as an app on the I Tunes platform. Thanks to Hau and the crew at MotherApp, we were up and running in a few weeks on the platform and all is running smoothly. I am so happy with their work and help in making this real. If you are considering getting an app for the I Phone and just don't have the time or the budget to build it yourself, check out MotherApp and see what they can do for you. I am sure you will be happy. Thanks again Hau and the rest of the guys at Mother App. Mark…

• Grass Roots Initiative..Diabetic Awareness and Global Diabetic Awareness Community's

  Mark-John

  23 Jan 2010 | 1:26 am

  So, here it is Saturday the 23rd of January, it's 1:08 am Pacific Time and I had this urge, actually more of a desire to write this blog entry. Months ago I talked about the OUTERNET as a vehicle to raise diabetic/diabetes awareness. Many people were not sure what the word OUTERNET meant and through many conversations over the radio and posting I had hoped I was able to get my definition across. Well it really never took off and I rack that up to me not doing my job as an organizer. So I started thinking of a way to make the OUTERNET tangible to everyone and finally after months of racking my…

• Isn't this what it's all about?

  Mark-John

  22 Jan 2010 | 10:14 am

  Posted via web from markjohn CEO