33 Reasons To Celebrate My Diaversary

33 reasons to celebrate My Diaversary

1. I'm alive
2. I'm living
3. I'm learning
4. My family
5. My friends
6. Finding the Diabetes On-line Community
7. Becaming part of the Diabetes On-Line Community
8. I look great in red
9. I look fabulous in green
10. My nieces & nephews ROCK
11. Halloween & all that goes with it
12. Discovering new things that make me happy
13. Doing better than I did before
14. Learning from my mistakes
15. The Ocean
16. Diabetes meet-ups
17. GLEE
18. Writing posts that make me proud
19. Reading posts that me think, feel, learn & relate
20. Having just enough Half & Half in the carton for my second cup of coffee
21. Belly laughs
22. Achieving Blood Sugar Nirvana after bolus worthy foods/treats like cupcakes,tastykakes, nutella, and dark chocolate covered strawberries!
23. Dressing up in costumes
24. That amazing feeling when a child tells you that they love you
25. Doing what I fear first and realizing that I can indeed do it
26. First kisses
27. New places
28. Old haunts
29. Little blessings
30. Loving
31. Being loved
32. Discovering that my greatest weakness (my broken pancreas) has become my greatest strength & passion
33. Hope

33 years of living with Diabetes - And the beat goes on~

Diabetesalicious - Lite Edition: Featuring SAE, My Diaversary

Happy Friday and welcome to this weeks edition of Diabetesalicious- Lite, brought to you by 2 things that are worth celebrating:

SAE Day - happening on November 1st and my 33rd Diaversary, occurring this Halloween weekend.

SAE DAY

What is SAE Day? I'm glad you asked! SAE stands for Support, Advocate, & Educate and is the brain child of Sarah over at Sugabetic.
According to Sarah, the ideal behind SAE Day is to do something in relation to each letter on November 1st to “SAE” and raise awareness about diabetes (and living with diabetes) in a fantastical way.

Support: As in support events, campaigns, and fellow DOC members in their campaigns about diabetes.

Advocate: As in using your voice, writing abilities and tenacity to write letters to your elected officials about diabetes awareness and research, healthy food campaigns for your local schools, and calling up makers of your favorite foods and tell them that High Fructose Corn Syrup has got to go, or you'll stop buying their products!

Educate: As in educating others about living with diabetes. Defuse those pesky diabetes myths that haunt us all and teach others about diabetes realities.

To learn more details about SAE DAY, click HERE and read what Sarah over at Sugabetic has to say about it!

My Diversary

This weekend I will not only be celebrating Halloween, but my 33rd Diaversary of living my life with diabetes.

I will celebrate the good, the bad, and the Diabetesaliciousness of it all.

And I will celebrate my survival, the fabulous Dr's Bantings and Best, my wonderful diabetes family, and I will celebrate the little girl who has now become a woman who is grabbing life by the balls every chance she gets!

I will wear my Halloween costume (which has the potential to be fabulous) and waive my diabetes freak flag proud!

And when your Diaversary rolls around, I highly suggest you do the same!!

And YES, there wil be a more detailed Diaversary Post with pictures to follow this weekend!!

There, But For The Grace Of Diabetes, Go I

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them." Galileo

"Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding is the third." Marge Piercy

"Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand." Chinese Proverb

##############

There are lots of things I’m not.

I am not statuesque.

Nor am I one of those “good things come in a small package” type of chicks.

I’m not neat as pin, but I wouldn’t be considered a hoarder either – unless you consider 21 unopened boxes of lancets (containing 100 lancets each) and various unused pump tubing sans their infusion sets hoarding – then YEAH, I totally am.

I’m not a bully, but I will call you to the curb when I think your pitching diabetes snake oil- so don’t come to the diabetes ballpark if you're not ready get some serious D Game on.

I’m shyer than you realize and for someone who’s considered a social gadfly in the DOC- 
I didn’t talk much my first two years of high school out of sheer fear and lack of confidence.

What I am is a person with diabetes.

And last night’s #DSMA discussion on twitter made me realize somethings.

Regardless of what type of diabetes you live with, all of us are people living with diabetes.

There is no magic bullet for diabetes management. Diabetes is a different beast every day and you can do everything right, and still have crazy ass numbers just because it’s Wednesday and diabetes wants to mess with you.

And lastly, I was reminded by a blog reader and #DSMA lurker who happened to read my tweets last night and contacted me afterward, that many people who are new to the diabetes party are angry, scared, feel isolated and alone. They have no one to talk too or with, and no one who understands them.

They haven’t developed their diabetes thick skins and they need our need help.

Sometimes they don’t live near a place that has diabetes support groups and they don’t know where to go or what to do.

Their funds are limited due to lack of insurance and they feel pressed up tight between a rock and diabetes hard place.

Some family members dismiss their illness - not to mention their feelings - and that's wrong!

These diabetes newbies have yet to develop and fine-tune their diabetes bullshit filter and ignore those who aren't supportive.

They haven't discovered the diabetes on-line communities that we all know, love and rely on to get us through all our tough times - diabetes and otherwise.

So that anger, frustration, and isolation of dealing with diabetes gets displaced and manifests itself on people with other types of diabetes.

And that doesn’t make them bad people- it makes them humans in need of our love, support, and understanding.

And it’s our job to give them that love, support, & understanding and to teach them how to live with diabetes and all that comes with it, regardless of what type of diabetes they have.

Bottom line – Nobody understands what people with diabetes go through unless they live with it.

So we will teach them, and in turn, they will teach us.

And together, WE WILL KICK ASS.

If your interested in learning more about Diabetes Social Media Advocacy (#DSMA), click HERE.

Do You Plan On Attending Breakthrough: The Dramatic Story Of The Discovery of Insulin?

Insulin - circa 1923

As many of you are aware, the New York Historical Society is currently housing an exhibit called: Breakthrough: The Dramatic Story of The Discovery of Insulin.

The exhibition opened on October 7^th and runs through January 31, 2011.

It's divided into chapters showing the public how history, science, leaders in government, industry, & higher education combined roles & resources in the in the discovery of insulin.

And according to what I’ve read, the people who played a major part in the discovery are personified, as are patients whose lives were saved by the discovery.

I think the personification will really allow those in attendance to not only make a historical connection, but a personal one as well.

Diabetes is a personal disease because it touches so many people - and I believe that the exhibit will bring home the fact that without insulin - many family members of those viewing the exhibit would not be here had insulin not been discovered.

As all of us know that without insulin, many of you wouldn’t be reading this post, and I certainly wouldn’t be here to write it - we'd be dead.

Since my 33^rd Diaversary is just a few days away, this fact hits home now more than ever.

Before Doctors Banting & Best discovered insulin, diabetes was indeed a death sentence. And while insulin is not a cure, insulin allows all of us to live.

And YES, a diabetes life certainly has its challenges - but a life without insulin wouldn’t equal a life at all.

Each of us would be only a memory to those that loved us.

Another great thing about the exhibit is that The Diabetes Research Institute has provided the exhibit with all the diabetes informational handouts – which tells me that the public will be getting the right information regarding our disease.

Every single person with diabetes can tell you that thanks to the press, most of the time the public gets diabetes ALL wrong.

In this case – the public will be getting all the correct facts on diabetes – THAT’S HUGE in my book!

Do I plan on attending?? Well, as I've stated in my previous Thank You to Dr's Banting's & Best,

If it hadn't been for them I never would have been:

"The girl who lived and is now a woman who IS.... and is BECOMING.

And I owe the fact that I am living to you both!

THANK YOU."

So YES, YOU BET I'm attending.

This is my chance to pay homage to them - and I wouldn't miss it for the world!

Are you going?

Museum & exhibition Ticket information can be found HERE.

The Philadelphia JDRF Walk To Cure Diabetes Was Awesome!!

Yesterday was the JDRF's Eastern Pa. Chapter's Walk to Cure Diabetes and it was fantastic!

According to reports, 8,000 walkers "walked the walk, and talked the talk" to help find a cure for diabetes.

It was a glorious day for the walk - The front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art & Eakins Oval was filled with a sea of walkers, loud music, sponsors, teams in colorful team shirts and kids in Halloween costumes.

There was strong feelings of energy, hope, and togetherness in the air and "The City of Brotherly Love" lived up to it's name yesterday - BIG TIME.

As I stood there on the steps of The Art Museum looking for Bennet, Penny, Gary and my friend's daughter Isabella, I thought about those I was walking for and felt a little overwhelmed. AND I was so glad that I had made the last minute decision to walk.

While I looked out into the crowd and scanned it for familiar face, Bennet ca

me up behind me and gave me a hug. Then I called Penny who was already literally walking right towards me with "Grace - Byrd is The Word," and Grace's lovely (and funny) big sister Lucy and everyone started hugging.

Together, we found Gary at the Omnipod tent and right then the walk started.

The girls and I separated from Bennet and Gary because Grace wanted to start walking ASAP!

Walking with those Diazonista's (both official and honorary) not only provided much needed company, conversation and laughs, but they ladies also deserve BIG KUDOS for putting up with me and my Psycho moments of almost losing my keys AND wearing to many la

yers of clothes - THANKS GUYS.

As of today, I've raised $361.00 in donation - which makes me happy.

If you'd still like to donate, click HERE.

And now for the photo montage!

Yours truly & Grace "Byrd is the word and of my heart" and the Philadelphia Art Museum Steps before the walk star

ted!

Photo Courtesy of Penny

Grace "Byrd is the word," Phantastical Penny, & The lovely Lucy under the Arch to enter West River Drive

Grace "Byrd is the word," Phantastical Penny, & The lovely Lucy under the arch way on West River Drive - and my baseball cap partially obstructing their view!

Sea of walkers and being stalked by the Paparazzi~

Gracie & I after the race - Turkey Hill provided the walkers individual cups of frozen yogurt - the best 19 grams of carbohydrates EVER!!

Photo Courtesy of Penny~

"And the cow jumped over the.....giant tub of ice cream??"

The elusive Turkey Hill giant tub of ice cream & Ginormous cow are neither myths or urban legends! Photo courtesy of my iPhone~
We caught up with Gary after the walk, but Bennet (super dad extraordinaire) was already on the road again because he had to take his daughter to a singing lesson!
However, I am hoping that Bennet will put up some funny footage of a guy in a monkey suit on his blog - But that's all I'm saying for now!
All in all, it was a great day and I can't wait to do it again next year!

Diabetesalicious Lite 10/22 Edition Is Brought To You By: Walking For Others Who Can't, A Singing Ninja, & Some New D Blogs With Familiar Names~

Happy Friday folks! This weeks Diabetesalicious-Lite 10/22/10 Edition is brought to you by walking for s diabetes cure for those who can't; a singing Ninjabetic, and two new blogs brought to you by some VERY familiar names!!

After writing yesterday's post about Eilish, I decided that I needed to do something - anything to feel like I was helping. So I decided to walk in The JDRF's Walk to Cure Diabetes in Philadelphia this Sunday for those who can't. I will be walking for Eilsh, my sister Debbie, and three others who have died from Dead-In-Bed Syndrome since February 2010: Jessie Alswager , Trent Nicholson , and Cynthia Kahn. My goal is to raise at least $400 and if you'd like to make a donation you do so by clicking HERE. No amount is to small - I'll take $1 or whatever you have to spare!

Ninjabetic (a.k.a George Simmons) has decided to put his vocal talents and phenomenal song writing skills to support diabetes. Two years ago, Ninjabetic wrote and recorded a beautiful song about life with diabetes called "Not By Choice" in honor of World Diabetes Day.
George has decided to take it to the next level. HOW? Well, Ninjabetic is donating all proceeds from itunes sales of his song from November 14, 2010 - World Diabetes Day, until years end to The International Diabetes Foundation - WAY TO GO GEORGE!! You can read all about his decision, HERE. I'll be downloading my copy of "Not By Choice" on November 14th, WILL YOU?

There are two new Diabetes Blogs on the Islet of Langerhans horizon - and they are brought to you by some VERY familiar names in the Diabetes Land. I found both blogs to be incredibly informative, easy to read, and each have brought their own unique gifts to the diabetes table.

The American Diabetes Association launched their new blog: Diabetes Stops Here on October 11th. This blog is filled with all sorts of interesting goodies for all people with diabetes regardless of what type you have! FYI: As a type 1 I was very happy to read about issues relating to type 1 as well as type 1.5 & type 2 and I highly suggest you GIVE IT A READ - ASAP!!

Another wonderful name and organization in the world of diabetes, The Joslin Diabetes Center (which is also part of the Harvard School of Medicine - so you know these folks are all types of SMART,) took the plunge into the diabetes blogosphere in Septmember and launched: The Joslin Diabetes Blog. This blog is all about diabetes and not only includes medical posts and topics about diabetes, but also offers patients stories and perspectives. YOU NEED TO READ IT!

On the weird and wacky Holiday front, tommorrow, October 23rd is Ipod Day (for real,) Make A Difference Day (so do something) and National Mole Day which ironically, has NOTHING to do with the animal or the Mexican chocolate sauce. To quote Semisonic, "it's all about chemistry." One mole refers to a mass (in grams) whose number is equal to the atomic mass of the molecule.

And now you know!

Crying for Them

Yesterday morning I logged on to my computer late, and was met with the news that a 13-year-old girl with diabetes named Eilish lost her life because of diabetes and Dead In Bed Syndrome.

She left behind her parents and her sister and I my heart ached for them.

Another person lost to diabetes, another set of parents who will live with their grief daily, and another child who lost her sibling and part of childhood because of diabetes related death.

I spent a lot time crying yesterday for a girl and her family I’d never met.

I cried for the 13-year-old girl who never woke from her low and like you, I'm so angry at diabetes that I can't even begin to put it into words right now.

I cried for her parents who are going through something that no parent should ever have to go through and I cried for my parents who experienced that same pain.

I cried for her sister Ella who is now an only child – and I wanted to reach out through the internet and over the thousands of miles that separate us and hold her tight and protect her from what’s happening and turn back the clock and make this nightmare that they’re all trapped in go away.

I don’t want her to be alone, I don’t want her to be scared or feel guilty, or worry, and walk on eggshells because she’s afraid of making her parents even more sad because I know that’s how she’s feeling.

I want to tell her there will be days that will be unbearable and moments that just one happy memory of her sister will literally get her through the day.

I want a cure because I never want another child or adult to die from diabetes - and I never want another child to be left behind because someone she loved died from diabetes.

Since posting the above this morning, I have decided to participate this Sunday in the JDRF's Walk To Cure Diabetes at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I will be walking in memory of those who can't. Including: Eilish, Debbie, Cynthia, Jessie, & Trent. If you'd liked to donate towards my fundraising goal, CLICK HERE.

Dear Grace - Your Not Alone - And Did You Know, That The Bird Is The Word?

Yesterday I read a post about my girly Grace (of my heart) over at " A Sweet Grace" and how, like all of us, Grace had a good cry over her diabetes. Her mother Penny handled it just beautifully - with love, compassion,acceptance, and hope. Her post on the subject is an excellent road map for all of us to follow. Way to go Penny!

I feel for them both. I feel Grace, because I know exactly how she feels.

And I feel for Penny, because as mother/auntie in my case, it breaks your heart to see your child sad.

The following letter is for Grace, and all of us who have ever had a good cry when ever the mood strikes, and continue to do so about our diabetes.

Dear Grace –

How goes things girl? I miss you very much and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of your sparkling blue eyes.

I know that you already know this because I’ve emailed you about it- but I’m so proud of you – your doing some pretty awesome things for a girl who is still in single digit numbers!

Your September’s A1c was AWESOME – and much better than mine!

And when you emailed me about finally putting your pod on your belly – I was so proud and happy that I started jumping for joy!

I really think my neighbors thought I was going crazy! But I didn’t care because Grace of My Heart had just faced one of her biggest fears and WON 20 bucks in the process!

And then when you sent me that video of you singing the song you made up about me,

I started to cry because I loved it and you so much!!

Do you know that every time I get down or frustrated with my diabetes or work, I look at the card you & your mommy sent me – you know the one you guys sent out celebrating your first year diaversary, the one with the different pics of you on it??

I look at your card, and I know that things will get better.

Still Gracie B, I know that it doesn't matter if your a grown up or a kid, sometimes having diabetes can make you feel down.

Every person with diabetes I know has moments that diabetes makes them cry - because they are just plain sick and tired of dealing with diabetes.

It’s not easy having to test your blood sugar in the middle of class, or watch everything that goes in your mouth, or say no to candy when you really say yes, but your blood sugar number screams NO in ALL CAPS.

Being different isn’t easy – and sometimes being different feels like the worst thing in the world.

But you know what Gracie Girl? You’re not alone – even though it might feel that way sometimes.

You have parents and your sisters, who, while not having diabetes, have your back and love you SO MUCH.

They understand what living with diabetes is all about, even though they don’t have diabetes.

They love every part of you, including your diabetes – and they will always be there for you.

You have your friends at school, and even though they might stare when you test your blood sugar, they are still your friends. I

Seriously Gracie, I think the reason they stare is that they might not just because their curious about diabetes - which they totally are.

BUT I think they might actually worry about you and want make sure your OK.

They don’t understand diabetes the way we do Grace – maybe one day when you feel comfortable, you could talk about what having diabetes is like at show and tell.

Want to hear something? I was diagnosed with diabetes when I was 8, and I used to worry about eating in class.

But, I still ate my snacks in the middle Social Studies every morning (and sometimes during gym class) because I knew I had to.

Years and years and years later, a girl who I'd gone to grade school school with emailed me out of the blue.

We began emailing one another and we talked about where our lives had taken us, I asked her if she remembered my diabetes diagnoses and I asked her if I was different little girl when I came back from the hospital.

Do you know what she said???

She told me that what really stuck in her mind and what she remembered most about my diagnoses, was worrying about me, and asking her mom if I was I’d be OK.

All these years later, I had no idea that my classmates actually worried about me – and I wish I’d known that when I was 8. I had worried so much about being different, that I never thought about what was going through my friends 8 year old brains.

And you have your friends from diabetes camp and from the diabetes on-line community – who are just like you and live with diabetes every day. We understand what your going through and we love you.

And like you, our bravery is AWESOME.

We all get frustrated and sad sometimes when it comes to diabetes, we cry.

But our diabetes is a part of who we are – like your blue eyes and my loud laugh.

We can have our moments of sadness about living with our diabetes – and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as we find our way back to our moments of gladness.

Want to know one of my favorite moments of gladness is about diabetes???

That’s easy; it’s meeting you and becoming friends.

If wasn’t for our diabetes – we never would have met - and I can't imagine not having you as my friend!

And if I we never met, then who would call “Kelly Belly?”

I love ya Gracie and I can't wait to see you !

LOVE,

Kelly Belly

PS: Because I know that you know "that the Bird is the word," but others in the DOC may not - I've posted one of your favorite clips - even though it means I'll be singing this annoying song for the rest of the day!

Article On Living Well With A Chronic Illness Doesn't Give All The Options To Make That Happen

Today's post is not the one I had scheduled, but thanks to an article in my GOOGLE ALERTS, originally published in the Montery County Herold and reprinted across the wire and titled: "Living Well With A Chronic Illness Takes A Bit of Time." changed that.

The article starts by giving the reader the thesaurus definition of a Chronic Disease.
Chronic Disease : illness, sickness, ailment, syndrome, malady, disorder or complaint" that is "constant, unceasing, unending, continual, persistent, unrelieved, never-ending, ever-present or lasting." WELCOME TO MY WORLD.

The article goes onto say that says that 1 in 2 adults live with a chronic illness and refers to a Stanford University finding that " people with chronic illness get tired. They hurt. And they sometimes want to give up." Again I not only agree, but have experienced these feelings.

I was happy to see that statement in black in white, for all to see while drinking their morning cup of joe.

But honestly, you don't have to participate in a Stanford University Study to know that. Had the folks at Stanford talked to members of the Diabetes On-line community, they might have come to that conclusion sooner. Every day, pwds write about Diabetes guilt, diapresson, and the fact that we never get a vacation from living with our illness.

The same Stanford researchers found (and I'm paraphrasing here) that those patients who learned how to problem solve, (it's not clear what problems they were actually solving) communicate with doctors, relax, manage their emotions, and eat well improved their health and spent less time in the hospital than those patient counterparts who did not.

Not once did this article mention patients learning from other patients on how to deal with living with their disease, nor were patient on-line communities and learning tools such as blogs, twitter, webinars and other forms of Social Media and #hcsm ever mentioned. The same goes for the terms terms "empowered" or "ePatient" and that's a HUGE disservice to every single patient and or family member of a patient living with a chronic illness.

The article mentioned tips for living well with a chronic illness that include taking classes/workshops taught by health experts, re nutrition & their disease. Then the article makes a statement regarding diabetes that is true, but again, far from complete. " For example, a person with diabetes who learns how to control his blood sugar and blood pressure can often avoid other complications such as kidney disease."

Yes, the above is true -but as you and I very well know, controlling one's blood sugar isn't that simple. People with diabetes can do everything right regarding their diabetes, including counting carbs and becoming a human pincushion and their blood sugars can still decide to go all "Sybil" on them.

People with diabetes can be given all the tools to manage their disease (insulin, pills, SYMLIN, meters, test strips, etc) but if your not taught how to handle the emotions that accompany diabetes, all the fancy bells and whistles don't matter. People with diabetes will continue to get frustrated, tired, and depressed - And many will give up.

PWDs learn and find strength and become empowered from our patient peers -the same can be said for any patient living with a chronic illness.

While the media is starting to realize (and educate the public) that Chronic Illness patients daily struggles can take both an emotional and physical toll, they have yet to embrace and or spread the world about how new forms of #HCSM ( health care and social media) help all patients, chronic or otherwise.

Not only is this disappointing, it's downright unhealthy.

If your a person with diabetes new to the diabetes on-line community, be sure and checkout twitter #DSMA on Wednesday nights at 9pm eastern time and meet others living with diabetes - you'll be glad you did!

Why Don't More National/International Companies Embrace November As Diabetes Blue?

We are not our diabetes. We are individuals living with a disease called diabetes.

But our diabetes is a part of who we are and what we are – and for many of us, it’s the longest relationship we’ve ever had.

Diabetes never takes vacation and we are never allowed time off for good behavior.

Diabetes is our constant companion – it is our shadow, except when it’s stepping into our light.

Diabetes costs those who live with it, money, our health, and in many cases - our respect.

Diabetes has a stigma attached to it - and many diabetes myths have done real damage to not only our morale, but the way the public perceives people with diabetes.

Diabetes doesn’t get the respect it should in the media. They never get the diabetes facts straight when reporting about it in the news. When Mario Lopez did an EXTRA story on the first Latina/type 1 PWD Supreme Justice Sonia Maria Sotomayor, he closed the piece by saying: You’ll never see sugar on her plate!” YES, REALLY. And millions heard him - once again, diabetes was associated with sugar overload.

While October is a month filled with pink everything, November is already decked out in green and red, and almost completely devoted to the Christmas marketing blitz and shopping frenzy.

Most corporations don’t bring out their blue and raise their diabetes freak flag high in November, let alone NOvember 14th, which is World Diabetes Day - and I’m not really sure why.

Is it because people in high positions in marketing & PR at major corporations blame the people with diabetes for their diagnoses?

Is diabetes not sexy because marketing execs feel that if people with diabetes just work harder, much like the miraculous Halle Berry – we would be able to wean ourselves off the insulin & “the betes?”

Do corporate heads think that if we all took Drew Cary’s lead, we could exercise our type 1 and type 2 diabetes away?

As we know, Halle was misdiagnosed, and Drew needs to get a clue. Because not matter how much weight he lost, he is still a person with type 2 diabetes.

Type 1, Type 1.5, and type 2 diabetes numbers are growing and unfortunately diabetes isn’t going away anytime soon. Is too much ask that companies besides mostly Pharma (and I'm really glad their behind it, because they absolutely should be) support World Diabetes Day on November 14^th and November as National Diabetes month?

If Kentucky Fried Chicken can offer Pink Buckets in support Breast Cancer awareness, why can’t they offer blue buckets in November to support funding for a diabetes cure?

Why can't Crumbs Cupcakes create a blue circle cupcake to raise money for research for a diabetes cure like they have with their Pink Ribbon cupcakes? When I asked them if they'd consider such a cupcake, I was told via email: "That we receive so many requests, and can't fulfill them all due to limited resources." OK, I know I asked last minute, my bad. It's just that Tony Hawk and The View have their own CRUMBS cupcake. Come January, I'm putting the 2011 World Diabetes Day back on the CRUMBS table - BIG TIME.

How come Comcast can’t devote programming to diabetes in the month of November?

I’d like schools to devote a week in November to educate their students about all types of diabetes in their health classes

If Hamilton Beach Sold a blue mixer and donated portions of said mixer to research for the diabetes cure, damn straight I’d by me that blue mixer – and I might buy one for my sister too!

I’d don’t want to make this US against THEM - because I'm not against people with other diseases. I feel for them, I donate to their fundraisers when asked, and I support them as a fellow patient warriors.

Cancer kills, so does diabetes.
And cancer affects millions of people, so does diabetes.

BOTH diseases need to be cured.

I’m not against the Pink Ribbon or raising money for breast cancer. On the contrary, family members have had cancer, three of my friends have had and survived thyroid cancer, Mark's mother died of breast cancer and I’ve walked, and made donations to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in her name– and will continue to do so.

And I will wear my Red Dress in February and l will support the American Heart Foundation's Red Dress Campaign! And by doing that, I will be honoring my mother and hers, and my two sisters who all have heart disease.

But I’d really like people to start associating diabetes with something other “Steel Magnolias,” celebrity weight loss stories, that OZ/Oprah show, and I’d like them to stop blaming the person with diabetes.

A great start would be if millions of people started associating November with diabetes blue.

It would outstanding if, while shopping for the holidays, mothers could purchase their sons favorite baseball team caps with a blue circle logo supporting World Diabetes Day and research for the cure.

I'd love if every team in the NFL would donate 1 game days ticket sales to the Diabetes Research Institute. Hell, I might go to that game - AND PAY ATTENTION!!

Yeah, all of the above would be great, but will ever happen?

Kelly & The Fanatastical Bike Ride~

Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I have hope for the human race. ~ H.G. Wells

I thought of that while riding my bicycle. ~ Albert Einstein on the theory of relativity

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike. ~ John F. Kennedy

I’ll admit it had been a while since I’d embraced my athletic side. As you all know, I’ve had my problems with metatersalgia , thanks to what my family calls, "The Kunik Curse of The High Arches" and was stubborn about embracing new forms of cardio. As of late, I’ve been more of an "athletic supporter,” (and YES, I know exactly what I just typed and how it sounds and I don't care) instead of an athlete.

But this past Saturday was one FANTASTICAL Indian summer day here on the east coast, and that's where our story begins.

Instead of enjoying the great out doors, I was trying (and I say that because I did make the effort, even though not much got accomplished,) to catch up on blog and diabetes related work. I was burned out from being “plugged in” to my laptop and I needed a break. I'd been feeling burned out on all types of levels, some diabetes related, and some not.

I was sitting inside stewing and trying to staying focused, and that just wasn't happening.

This chicklet needed some wind in her sails that didn’t contain caffeine or a charger for her laptop. No, it was my internal batteries and spirits that needed recharging.

It was sunny and 78 degrees, and there was a slight crispy breeze in the air. My thoughts turned to my bike, and the fact that I’d recently (OK, my friend Emily) had recently filled my tires with air. I’d just had my lunch and my blood sugar pre meal was 120.

I quickly ate a Lara bar and turned on my temporary bolus. I cut back my basal rate by almost ¾’s and I was good to go. I grabbed another Larabar “just in case”, my cell phone, my emergency $5, and my house key. I put afore mention objects in my teeny, tiny, bag reserved just for long walks. Then I put on sunglasses and hopped on my bike, a 3-speed beach cruiser, purple in color, but not what one would call fancy.

I started pedaling and all of a sudden I was 13 again. I wasn’t worried about schedules, where I had to be, or what I had to complete. There were no ticking clocks or time constraints, no sense of urgency to complete my ride. I could just "be” and enjoy all this moment had to offer.

I rode for over and hour and probably logged about 3.5 miles. It was glorious and I felt great! As I pedaled, I laughed out loud and kicked my feet in the air - felt free and alive! And yes, I’ve been known to be a bit “dramatical,” but I’m telling you, it was awesome!

And for the next 24 hours, I was once again reminded of how approximately 60 minutes of exercise out of the 1,440 minutes that make up a 24 hour day, affect our blood sugar and our minds in the most positive of ways. My blood sugars and my spirits were textbook perfect. And you can bet your sweet and finely toned gluteus maximus that I plan to make this habit!

If you don’t believe me, try it yourself and let me know how it all works out~