Because Of Diabetes.... I Will Never Be A Super Creepy Hand Model

Super Creepy Hand Model..... A career that alas I can never have~

Diabetes has made me notice the small things, like carb counts (which can some times be REALLY BIG,) test strips in unexpected places, and extemporaneous pump tubing on a stranger's person.

It has made me notice people's personality, including those who lack tact, and has helped me to put a bright and shining spotlight on those who possess empathy.
I can look at diabetes accoutrement's with an expert eye and give you a professional opinion as to why it's designed right, or where the flaws lie.

So in someways, diabetes has enhanced my engineering talents - And oh how my 8th Grade Mechanical Drawing teacher be proud!

Diabetes has made me have laser sharp focus what food goes into my body and when, and has made this Literature Major a Diabetes Savant when it comes to numbers, carbs, food, etc.
Diabetes has garunteed that I will NEVER have a career as a hand model - but I'm OK with that.
Especially after viewing this goofy hand model video - See Above!
Diabetes has made me think about the BIG things, like health insurance and my civil liberties regarding TSA patdowns and full body scanners. Diabetes has me always thinking about the threat of complications is always tucked away neatly in the back of my brain, but always there none the less.

Diabetes hasn't stopped me from doing ANYTHING.

Whatever barriers that I came across in my life were because I thought I couldn't do something - And not necessarily because of diabetes.

And for a long time I was guilty of believing others regarding what I could or couldn't do.

Luckily, as I grew older, I grew wiser and now I'm pretty much unstoppable

The only think I can't do because of "the diabetes" is be a super creepy hand model who produces her own insulin - And that's OK, because this >Diazon loves opening life's doors and charging through them - Faulty pancreas or not!

Don't BullSh*t Me Or My Insulin Pump, Mr. TSA Man At San Diego Airport!

Saturday morning came to soon for me as I my taxi made it’s way from The Hard Rock Hotel To San Diego’s Airport. It had been an amazing and jam packed three days at The 2011 Roche Social Media Summit and I didn’t want to leave.

Plus, I was tired, and the very thought of an almost 6 hour flight made me queasy - As did the thought of traveling with diabetes & previous TSA encounters.

I checked my bags and received my boarding pass at curbside check-in, and then I dragged my feet and carry-on over to security and mentally tried to prepare myself for the whole insulin pump TSA interrogation that would most certainly occur.

Just one day earlier on Friday, as the Roche Social Media Summit was in it’s last hour, I re-tweeted the following tweet:

@diabetesalic SHAMEFUL RT @hrana Elderly woman asked 2remove adult diaper during #TSA search bit.ly/lufLsr - Absolutely unacceptable behavior by TSA

The story of that poor woman, whose only crimes were her advanced age & declining health had me sick to my stomach. It made me think about my mother's fragile health and my own “insulin pump/TSA issues.”

And it made me angry! As I stood in line preparing myself mentally to be interrogated, it was that poor woman I was thinking of.

I was surprised how quick my turn came up and I put my shoes, laptop, carry-on, etc .in bins & then onto a conveyor belt. Then I walked through the security gate thing, and was immediately pulled over.

TSA Dude: IS that an insulin pump

Me: Yes it is.

TSA Dude: Well, you know I’m going to have to get a female security to give you a pat-down.

Me: Um, no you’re not. My pump (a 512 medtronic minimed - yes, you read right, a 512- YES, I suffer from Insulin Pump Purchase Anxiety ) has no metal parts so there’s no reason for a pat down. And even if it did have metal parts, it's still ridiculous & goes against my civil rights under the American With Disabilities Act.

Feel free to swab the pump and my hands, like they do at every other airport in the country, but you’re not patting me down.

TSA Dude then began to have a series of powwows with 3 different TSA employees regarding the best way to handle my insulin- pump contraband.

TSA Dude: Well...... You can have the female security pat you down.....or you can walk through the full body scanner.

Me: She's not patting me down and I’m not walking through the full metal body scanner.

1. If it damages my pump in anyway - I’m screwed.
2. I don’t need to give a free peep show. If you’re going to see all my lucky charms - so to speak, then you can buy me dinner first!

TSA Dude: You can’t see anything. FYI, he sounded both annoyed & hurt at that accusation.

Me: Yeah, actually you can.

God, I only wish I’d read THIS article before our exchange, because then I could have mentioned TSA Dude's co-worker’s unfortunate genitalia size and the fact that yes, you can indeed see EVERYTHING.

Then TSA Dude had me go over to the side, and then TSA Dude proceeded to swab my hands & my insulin pump, and then he told me I could retrieve my things.

Me: So, we’re done, then?

TSA Dude: Yeah, it’s just next time you should really just go through the full body scanner - It's easier for everyone.

Me: It's not easier for me!

At that point, I could either continue arguing my point & continue to prove him wrong, (but as far as I was concerned, I'd won) or I could get my things and grab a much needed cup of coffee.

I walked away and started to retrieve my things from the conveyor belt - Then, I noticed the woman who had been behind me in line had been pulled aside for her medical device. This woman, a breast cancer survivor who no longer had any lymph-nodes on her right side, was wearing a compression device so her arm wouldn’t swell up.

This was apparently the first time she’d ever experienced the TSA welcome wagon & she was scared & annoyed.

I heard her say to the TSA Chick: Look, I’m not going through the full body scanner with this and you’re not patting me down.

I’m going to assume that there was no metal parts, because TSA Chick ended up swabbing the device & the woman it was attached to.

When Survivor Woman’s ordeal was done, she and I looked at one another as we put our shoes on and said: You deal with this every time you travel?

Me: Yep, 9 times out of 10 - And it’s bullshit! My guy didn’t even know the rules and he was literally making them up as he was going along!

Survivor Woman: They have to figure this out!

Me: Agreed & no shit - This is ridiculous! I’m all for safety, but I’m also for respecting the person who medically needs assistance. Making an elderly woman remove her diaper & giving those of us with medical devices so much crap is WRONG.

Seriously TSA, if you want your jobs to be easier, respect the people who you are both protecting and interrogating - We are one in the same after all! And for god-sakes TSA, know the rules of engagement!

My Spin On The 2011 Roche Social Media Summit

2011 Roche Social Media Summit Casual Group Photo

A.k.a. "Lean On Me."

I’m back east, having returned from the left coast & the 2011 Roche Social Media Summit, but for some reason my body is still navigating through time zones - SO Right now, my energy is hovering somewhere around Kentucky.

With that being said, I have to say I was really pleased with this year’s Summit.

Here’s a brief 411 (OK, I tried to be brief, but that’s really tough) on the Summit with more posts to follow on all of the subject matter, etc.

This is my third year attending the Roche Social Media Summit, and seeing the other members of The Clan of Diabetes Bloggers is always incredibly special, but this year it felt special to see the folks from Roche too! They are “D Clan” by more than association.

They’ve taken the time to get to know us, both individually and just as importantly, collectively as a community.

Everyone (blogger or not) on Wednesday greeted one another with hugs and a familiarity and that was a wonderful thing.

Cut to the Reunion Dinner later that evening, where we all had the opportunity to catch up and participate in the live twitter #dsma chat

Thursday we got down to business (after some participated in a killer workout with Ginger & Scottie J,) of Diabetes and Social Media.

We discussed a multitude of things, including, but not limited to; costs, as in helping the patient to keep their diabetes costs down. I’ll give Accu-Chek props for doing just that and have implemented the Cash Card Program for 3rd party insurance & cash paying customers .

How does the Cash Card help?

For those with Third Party Insurance it means

 Paying no more than $15 on every test strip prescription*

 If co-pay is greater than $15: discount up to $50 for 50/51-ct purchase, 100/102-ct or greater purchase

For Cash Paying Customers

 Patient takes card to the pharmacy to be entered as primary insurance*

 Discount up to $40 for 100/102-ct or greater purchase  Discount up to $20 on 50/51-ct purchase

For more info on this program, visit www.accu-chekconnect.com

It's all about diabetes options, and this is a great option for those with test strip cover issues re: their insurance, or lack there of.

We discussed How pharma can better engage with their patients both on-line and off and Digital & Social Media Demographics such as:

 Globally, more than 76 million people with diabetes will be online by 2014, a 142 percent increase from today.

 Hundred, thousands of blogs are dedicated to living with diabetes.

 230,000 Facebook members, 18 and over, list diabetes as one of their interests.

 Diabetes is the fifth most popular search term among all health conditions.

 PwD spend over 20% of their time online and in social networks. This has grown 66% from 2009 to 2010.

We discussed PODS . What are PODS? PODS are a nationwide Signature program of monthly meet-ups for women with diabetes around the U.S. courtesy of Diabetes Sisters . org. And are the brainchild of my DiabetesSister & DiabetesSisters founder, Brandy Barns.

Before lunch we had the chance to hear the the Head of Communications for IDF (International Diabetes Federation), Isabella Platon.

I think the IDF is a really wonderful organization dedicated to making sure every child/pwd with diabetes on the planet is able to receive insulin & medical care, and according to their website: IDF’s mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide.

I'm all about and for what they do! BUT I'm going to be honest, I felt a disconnect when Isabella spoke.

Not about the subject matter, she knew her diabetes facts.

No, I felt a disconnect with our diabetes on-line community. I don’t care if you read my blog or not, that’s not what I’m talking about.

I’m talking about making a genuine effort to know what the community that your speaking to and with.

Engage with us on twitter, facebook, etc.

Be aware of what's going on in the community and the projects that our community is working on, both on-line and off.

Knowing the audience that your speaking to is a wonderful thing and will help all parties to get the word out!

FYI: We had the opportunity to hear the President of the IDF, Jean Claude Mbanya speak at dinner, and I have to say, Jean Claude is one INCREDIBLE, MESMERIZING & INSPIRING PWD. More on both IDF and Jean Claude later.

During lunch we had the opportunity to hear Jeffrey Brewer, father of a type 1 and President & CEO of JDRF. Jeff is “good people” and he sees the big diabetes picture.

Jeff discussed and fielded questions regarding The Artificial Pancreas Pancreas, research regarding the cure, embracing adults with type 1 back into The JDRF family. As a type 1 child who is now all types of grown up, I really appreciate being welcomed back.

More on Jeff’s POV in a later post.

The afternoon was filled with workshops on how to bring the DOC out into other communities, on-line and off,

Collectively as a group, the DOC (and by DOC I mean every, single, one of us in the Diabetes On-line Community, not just those who were in attendance at the conference) have the power to promote change & a better understanding of life and living with diabetes.

But what’s the best way to do this and how to bring it from concept to reality?

At dinner we heard the wonderful Jean Claude Mbanya speak and he inspired all of us in the room to be in-raged regarding those children and adults living with diabetes who don’t have access to medical treatment.

As the wonderful Jean Claude stated: Insulin has been around for 90 years, children should not be dying because they don not have access to it!

The folks from Roche spoke after Jean Claude talked about Health Care Reform, Key implementation dates and

Essential Health Benefits and Minimum Essential Coverage. What’s that?

Minimum Essential Coverage: The coverage required to avoid the mandate penalty. All employer- sponsored health coverage is minimum essential coverage, even if essential health benefits are not provided.

Essential Health Benefits: Benefits that must be covered by a plan offered through the new health insurance exchanges created by health reform. The current health reform law does not require coverage of essential health benefits by self-funded group

health plans or large group market insured health plans outside of the exchanges.

There’s a lot about Health Care Reform, and all of it’s important, but if I broke it down right now, this post would be three days long and my eyes would be crossed from writing it - not to mention the fact that your eyes would be crossed from reading it.

Again - More to follow on this subject.

Friday morning included breakfast, immediately followed by an amazing talk by Dr. Polonsky from the Diabetes Behavior Institute.

Dr. P is damn impressive in my book. He spoke of Diabetes and Depression, Diabetes Tech overload for the PWD, how we can’t do diabetes perfectly, safe glucose getaways, etc.

Again, I can’t cram Dr. P into this Summit Summary, but I will say that he is a very wise man with a wicked sense of humor and is spot on when it comes to the diabetes side of life. !

So, that’s my “short” summery - with lots more to follow on all of the above, and then some!!!

Disclosure; Roche Paid for my flight, my hotel & my expenses, but NOT my opinions.

Like it or not, those are (and always will be) my own!

*** Today, I have the pleasure of guest posting over at Candyheartsblog.com, where I write about growing up as a kid with the broken pancreas.

Please stop on over & Check it out when you get the chance!

http://www.candyheartsblog.com/2011/06/i-was-kid-with-broken-pancreas-but-i.html

So The 2011 Roche Social Media Summit Is Just About To Start.......

The 2011 Roche Social Media Summit is just about to start in 5 minutes and I can't wait!

Since I'm at the summit to represent you & your diabetes concerns, let me know what you want Roche to know and I'll pass your questions along. You can do that by leaving a comment on the blog or tweeting me at @diabetesalic.

And be sure to follow the summit on "the twitter" by following the hashtag: #dsummit.

I'm excited to be here and I promise to make the DOC proud!

Traveling With Diabetes -The Morning Of.......

Getting up at 4 a.m. for a 7:30 a.m flight means all sorts of things.

It means getting up at 4 a.m., of course - and I'm not really a fan of that.

It also means having a good night sleep before the 3:47 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. alarms go off in the morning is pretty much is none existent.

I worry so much about waking up & getting to the airport on time, that I normally sleep with one eye opened - literally.

Then there's the whole rushing to get to the car service place by the airport, before the line of grumpy travelers kick-in, and then worrying about the guy that's assigned to drive my car to and from the airport.

Normally, I'm assigned the SLOWEST DRIVER, EVER - Which always puts me on edge.

In my head I'm saying DRIVE FASTER & I'm sure my face gives it away.

Then there's the whole curbside check in, and security line rigmarole.

How much do I tip the guy at curbside check in??

And then I arrive at the security line and will most likely mumble out loud,

The line is stretching all the way to here??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Do I dare to hide my pump and try to avoid the pat down in security??

Will I run into THIS experience when the security person finds out I'm a PWD?

Or will the fates be kind to me like they were last time, when The TSA rep at Philadelphia airport was incredibly sweet & kind?

For some reason I always want to mutter:

YES, that is an insulin pump in my pocket and NO, I'm not happy to see you !

And then of course, I'm always thinking about my blood sugar, As in,

Am I running high or running low?

Then I start thinking:

I need a bottle of water, NOW.

Do I have time to grab a yogurt & coffee?

I BETTER HAVE TIME TO GRAB A YOGURT & A COFFEE.

I need to go to the bathroom before I get on the plane.

Did I pack my hand sanitizer on my person?

I better grab a sandwich and a piece of fruit, there's no way the airline will have enough cheese & fruit plates to make it to row 25.

Should I change my pump settings mid flight, or wait until I arrive in San Diego?

Where are my spare batteries, glucotabs & test strips?

What the hell am I going to do on the plane for almost 6 hours.

4$ for a bottle of water, SERIOUSLY?!

Then it's time for the boarding process, which is all types of confusing and usually ends up with someone's carry-on bag bumping me in the head after I've finally taken my seat.

Yeah, traveling with diabetes is interesting..... to say the least.

My Diabetes Travel To-Do

Pancreas courtesy of iheartguts.com

I’m going to San Diego for 3 days, but it might as well be a week, because when it comes to diabetes supplies, less is not more and there are always issues! I'm totally high maintenance - And I have no problem admitting it!

#########

The travel questions my head are diabetes related indeed,

Diabetes and traveling are a challenge, and yet I still proceed.

1 box containing 10 pump infusion sets and are 6 insulin reservoirs enough?

Should I bring 1 full bottle of insulin or two?

Same question goes for the Symlin pens,

Will this diabetes travel madness ever end?

I’ve torn my office apart, looked all over but still can’t find, my Dr’s note explaining

All my issues endocrine!

Several hypodermics because you never know when that rare time will come around, that you might need to use them again.

An extra box of test-strips in my checked suitcase,

And another extra in my hand bag, and one in my carry-on... just in case.

And yes I'll admit that it's true, I’m starting to feel like a diabetes supply hoarder hag... Aren’t you??

A 4 pack of triple AA batteries on my person, kashi bars and gluco tabs too,

Have I missed anything on my “ Diabetes Travel To-Do?”

Carrying 7 days of meds just in case,

There’s no doubt my hotel will have diabetes supplies all over the place.

Such is life for the diabetes traveller you see,

Such is the life for the likes of you and me.

Diabetes won’t stop me from crossing time zones,

Diabetes won’t stop me from leaving my home.

I’ll board the plane with my pharmacy carry -on in hand,

All thanks to my faulty pancreas & Islet of Langerhans

Dear Dad

My Dad & I, the morning of my First Holy Communion

Dear Dad -

It’s Father’s Day, and for the 11th year in a row, you’re not here to celebrate it.

There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about you and I miss you VERY MUCH.

Sometimes, I hear your voice in my own when I'm calling someone out on their bullshit, or when my temper kicks in and see red, or when I'm trying to make someone laugh instead of cry.

It's comforting, scary & strange all at the same time.

When you died, I took your bottles of Chaps & Pinaud colognes from your bathroom, because I wanted to remember how you smelled. Those bottles still sit on my bathroom shelf as a reminder of you, except it’s not exactly the same, because the essence of you isn’t there.

I know that you tried your best always and I know that you were not a perfect man.... or father.

I know that you made mistakes and had regrets, but still managed to pick yourself up everyday - no matter what.

Everyone makes mistakes and that regardless of those mistakes, the love I have for you is what remains.

I know that when you were growing up, your own strict eastern european father made mistakes that haunted you, and those mistakes infiltrated your children as well - And continue to haunt your grandchildren.

I know that there were many battles fought, lost and won on our family front -

And that's still the case today.

And I want you to know that I know,( and appreciate) that you did the best you could.

I want you to know that I never, ever blamed you for my faulty pancreas and I wanted thank you for showing me by example how to live with it.

You told me living with diabetes is what is, and is what we make of it.

And I want to thank you for that gift,

Those words helped me more than you will ever know.

Thank you for showing me the strength & power that words have....

And for showing me that they can be used BOTH as weapon for both good bad.

How I choose to use that weapon is my choice, no one elses.

Thank you for showing me that humor can be used for healing & as a way to express love.

Thank you for showing me the wonders of gray sand and huge surf, and that much like life, just because a movie is black & white, doesn't make it less important or entertaining.

Thank you for my holding my hand and making me laugh when you danced & sang to the oldies on the radio while shaving in the bathroom.

Thank you for walks on the beach and buying us 17th row Tina Turner tickets when I was 22 and you were well into your sixties!

Thank you for saying that you loved me, when I began saying it to you over the phone after Debbie died.

I know it made you uncomfortable at first, but soon you were saying “I love you” first, and often.

Those words flowed so freely from your lips and I know how important it was for both of us to hear.

And I was never left to wonder after you were gone.

Thank you for tight hugs and bicycle rides, for introducing me to My Man Godfrey and the wonders of William Powell & Carole Lombard.

Thank you for Sunday afternoons on the boardwalk that included visits to Tepee Town & Taylor’s Pork Roll.

Thank you for bringing me home hotel soaps all wrapped up neat and nice when I was a little girl. You’d come home from your business trips with a special surprise just for me in the form of hotel toiletries. The tiny little pink Camay soaps were my favorite - and you knew it!

It’s wasn’t until I was six that I realized that those soaps actually came with the room, but still - it was one of our little things and it always made us both smile & laugh!

Thank you for teaching me to always “ to consider the source,” when someone said something hurtful. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve remembered and repeated the phrase, and many others that you’ve said. including, but not limited too:

I’ve seen better heads on nickel beers.

I’m so bright my father called me sun!

If you don’t do your homework, you won’t pass the test.

As long as you can read, you’ll never be alone.

Trap it and train it.

You’re pretty.... pretty ugly.

Your legs look great in that skirt, no go put on a pair of slacks.

I used to be a boxer. I boxed apples, I boxed oranges, I boxed pears.......

There were many more sayings of course, but those are the ones that come immediately come to mind~

Thanks for referring to me As The Last of The Mohicians and your Little Margaret O'Brian - And for saying that Liz Taylor had nothing on me.

Thank you for showing me that an old dog can and must learn new tricks in order to live and survive.

Thank you for showing me the power of forgiveness.

Thank you for giving me all the best parts of yourself and for allowing me to recognize your voice in my own.

In my heart, you will always be the best looking man in Margate!

I love & miss you very much!

If I......

If I were pasta, I'd be served with diablo sauce.
If I were a cupcake, I'd be vanilla coconut.
If I were a band, I'd most likely be a "bittersweet symphony", with a rocker edge and copious sides of Mama Cass, The Beatles, Crowded House, Prince, Lincoln Park, Annie Lennox, madonna, GaGa, Nellie McKay, Mary J. Blige, Pink, Foo Fighters & The Beastie Boys thrown in for good measure.
If I had a hammer, there's a good chance I'd hit the nail on my hand instead of the nail in my hand - And you bet your sweet ass I'd curse like a sailor!
If I were a dancer, I still wouldn't be tiny and my performance would most definitely turn into a comedy of errors.
If I had a dog, I would love it very much.
If I were a movie, I'd most likely be a dramady.
And If I had wings, there's a good chance my feet would never touch the ground.

If I were to meet you on the street, there's more than a good chance that I'd give you a hug.

Except when you have the nerve to send me a blog comment that blames people for their diabetes and then you don't even have the courage (or the cojones) to sign your name.

So I mark your comment as spam and immediately write you a response & post it on my blog since your nom de'plume is Anonymous.

And it reads a little something like this.
####

Dear Anonymous -

If you're going to leave an offensive comment about my people on my blog, than have the courage to leave your name and stand behind your idiotic and offensive words.

Don't blame people for something you obviously know so little about.

Don't point fingers and say that it's "their own fault" while preaching magic elixirs and cures, stomach stapling and self esteem.

Don't try and divide my family up into types, because while we're all part of different diabetes family branches, we're still all part of the same diabetes family.

If I could meet you in person, I'd tell you all this and then some.

I'd tell you that until you walk in a person with diabetes shoes (regardless of the type,) you have no right to make character assignations or pass judgement on people living with diabetes.

You're not God, nor are you the guru of all things pancreatic and the master of metabolism & all things autoimmune related.

You're just some schmuck with an opinion.

I'm not blaming your lifestyle choices for being a complete moron, so I'd appreciate it if you'd stop trying to convince me that other peoples choices are what's causing their diabetes.

Every person with diabetes has a different story to tell.

How dare you assume to know those stories without bothering to get to know the people behind THEM.

Then I'd tell you why I chose NOT to publish your incredibly offensive comment is because the very act of putting your diabetes myths into print (for all who Google to see,) perpetuates those diabetes myths & stereotypes - And that's just not how I roll~

I'd end it by saying that DIABETES IS NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL DISEASE & that you need to stop perpetuating diabetes myths and stereotypes and take the time to learn the diabetes realities!

And then I might say something like: BITE ME.

And then I'd wash my hands of you.

Thanks To The DOC, She's In DC!

Back on May 31st, a mother of a teenager with diabetes wrote me seeking advice because her type 1 daughter had been denied the chance to go on her class trip to Washington, DC. You can read that post, HERE.

And as always, the Diabetes On-Line Community was so supportive and helpful - both on-line & off!

Many of you have asked me what the outcome was. I've decided to let the D-Momma tell you the outcome herself!! ENJOY!

WAY TO GO, DOC - YOU ROCK!!

#######

Dear DOC:

My daughter is in DC and having a blast! She's has been there since Monday and has not had one single problem with her diabetes.

This is so AWESOME because two other diabetics have signed up for the trip for next year and with my daughter's successful trip, they won't have to fight with the school just to participate!

I found out just before she left that she is the first diabetic to attend from her school.

I wonder how many others were not allowed before we came along.

I don't think I would have been was able to keep my cool and handle things so well without the support I found here. Kelly, her friend Tom the Advocate, and all of the parents in the DOC are the reasons why my daughter was able to go!

BIG THANKS to all of you who showed us support on Kelly's blog!