HOLD MY CARROTS

Taste the rainbow and diabetes bitchswitch, flipped.

I don’t know why some people are obsessed with carrots and diabetes - but get a fucking clue, learn the facts about diabetes, and leave carrots alone - and leave me alone when I eat or buy them - because I LOVE CARROTS. 
This happened right before Christmas.

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I stood there in the veggie aisle, enthralled by the display of 2 lb bags of large and organic rainbow carrots - guys, they were seriously gorgeous, dare I say stunning?  
A literal rainbow of colors - purple, orange, beige - and I couldn’t wait to embrace the rainbow of carrots, chop them up and get them in my belly!

Bonus, they were only 50 cents more than the freakish large and weirdly uniform looking Frankenstein carrots  - and I knew they were tastier, because no chemicals. 

I’d planned on making an amazing carrot ginger soup I’d recently perfected when I got home, these carrots would be perfect. I grabbed two, 2 lb bags and walked towards the produce scale a few feet away. 

 Side bar: Bagged produce doesn’t always weigh the same, so take a beat and weigh them. 

In this case, one bag weighed a 1/2 a pound more than the other - and that would be the one I placed in my cart with the other ingredients. 

As I turned to put the other bag of carrots back, I heard someone say, “You’ll get diabetes if you eat all those carrots.” 

I looked over towards the apple bins and saw a woman standing in that aisle and with what seemed to be an inordinate amount of kale in her basket, but that's besides the point. 
She stood catty-corner to the isle, looking at me and shaking her head. 

I silently uttered ”fuck,” looked at her and said, “I don’t know anyone who eats two pounds of carrots at once and that’s not how diabetes works." 

Then I did my best to extricate myself from the lecture I knew was headed my way.

It was like the baby carrot bbq incident of 2011 all over again - but different. 

Nine times out of ten, I try and educate about diabetes every chance I get - that's what most of us do. But not this time.

This time - on a rainy and damn near freezing night, all I wanted to do was get home, put on my PJs and create the fabulous carrot ginger soup I’d been craving and which ironically, always seemed to be followed by post meal unicorn blood sugars, every time I made it. 

Which when you think about it makes perfect sense because It’s all veggies - it’s like drinking a liquid warm salad, except that sounds gross and this soup is anything but!

I started wheeling my cart back towards the carrot wall, but Apple Annie followed my over. 

Apple Annie: Carrots are loaded with sugar - they're like donuts. 

Me: Ginger Donut soup doesn’t sound like it would be appetizing. 

Apple Annie: Carrots are loaded with sugar - they do more harm than good and mess with your insulin levels. 

And in my head, I panned left to the imaginary camera and said: HOLD MY CARROTS.

In real time and standing in front of the rainbow of veggies, I stepped on my diabetes soapbox and stated: I already have diabetes - I’ve had diabetes since I was a little girl - and not because my mom fed me carrots... or donuts... or donuts laced with carrots. 

I have diabetes because my pancreas crapped out and destroyed the part of my pancreas that makes insulin - STOP BLAMING PEOPLE WITH DIABETES AND STOP BLAMING CARROTS.

And instead of putting the second bag of rainbow carrots back, I tossed them in my cart in defiance and walked past her.

And Apple Annie just stared at me like I had three-heads, all of which were happily munching away on rainbow carrots. 

Taste the rainbow, and diabetes bitch-switch, flipped and dialed up to 11. 

Diabetes And The Little Things That Can Mess With Our Heads

It’s the little unexpected diabetes things that catch us off-guard...and can cause us to second guess ourselves in other ways and areas.

And we have to deal, acknowledge, shake it off and get on with the business of living. 

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Sunday night with spoon in hand, I headed for the fridge, grabbed a yogurt and some clean red grapes from a chilled glass bowl, closed the door and headed towards the TV room  to watch one of my favorite shows, OUTLANDER. 

Claire and Jaimie were about to get together for the first time in 20 years (and through the time and space continuum, which made it more like 200 years,) and I didn’t want to miss a thing. 

SIdebar: If you’re not watching OUTLANDER on Starz, rectify that situation, IMMEDIATELY.

Fresh out of the shower after a day out in the sun -vanilla yogurt and red grapes in front of the TV were the perfect light and easy dinner.

15 minutes to Claire and Jamie “officially reuniting,” I’d bolused accordingly, I was giggling like a school girl, and my yogurt and red grapes were hitting the spot. 

10 minutes to Outlander, spoon in midair, half way through my yogurt and out of the blue, I realized that I hadn’t actually heard the fridge door close behind me. 

I put down my spoon, got up, went to the kitchen and saw that the refrigerator door was more than slightly ajar - the damn door was wide open! 

I went over and went in, checked in the produce drawer to make sure my insulin supply was still cold. And of course it was - it had only been like 5 minutes. 

But for my peace of mind I had to double check - insulin was too damn expensive to leave it chance. 

I closed the drawer, shut the door, and watched it close shut. 

And then I brushed my hand over the door handle and gave it a little pat.

CRISIS AVERTED. 5 minutes to OUTLANDER and all I could think was what if I hadn’t realized or wasn’t home to realize that I’d left the fridge door open. 

I didn’t care about the food - there wasn't much in there anyway. 

But the “what ifs” re: 4 bottles of insulin going bad had me hyper focusing on diabetes.

And diabetes was the last fucking thing I wanted to focus on. 

I took some deep breaths and did my best to shake it off. 

And I did. 

By the time the OUTLANDER theme music started, I was focused on a print shop in Edinburgh, Scotland, circa 1768 and on a reunion  20/200 years in the making. 

Also: SUCH A GOOD EPISODE.

Claire & Jamie back together!
Photo Credit: Aimee Spinks/Starz Entertainment, LLC

Cut to yesterday morning, after locking my front door and just as I was about to walk to my car, my thoughts went back to the opened fridge door from the night before.

I took a deep breath, unlocked the door, went to the kitchen and did a quick double check that my fridge door was right and tight like a drum. 

It was. 

I ran back outside, shut the front door without a second thought..... until I was about to put the car key in the ignition and drive away - and then I wondered out-loud if I had locked the front door.

I let out a string of F-bombs, removed my seat-belt, and opened my car door. 

For the record, I had locked the front door.

But after the Sunday night insulin “could have beens and thank God it wasn't,” I found my second guessing and checking, again - because diabetes had messed with my head and my confidence - and for the third time in 24 hours. 

Yep - it was a Monday vibe for sure. Monday vibes and diabetes be damned, I put the key in the ignition and like Claire and Jamie, I forged ahead~ 

Batteries Need Charging - Headed out to #CWDFFL2017

So it's been a while since I've posted and I apologize. 
It's been a little crazy on this end and honestly, I've been burned out as of late - like crazy burned out - my preverbal well is dry and my batteries need recharging - and I can cop to it. 
Which is why I'm incredibly grateful to be flying out this morning to attend The 2017 Children With Diabetes, Friends for Life Conference in Orlando, Florida. 
I can't wait to get my green bracelet on, (literally and figuratively,) and spend 5 days with friends who are indeed family. 
Working and attending amazing sessions, running the #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes booth, and spending time with people who "get it!"
Also, did I mention that all the cwdffl meals have carb counts listed?

follow the #cwdffl2017 hashtag and I promise to post from the Orlando! 
If you're attending - I can't wait to give you a hug! 

A Crazy April & Playing Catch-Up

Sorry for being MIA as of late guys, but April was a whirlwind for me and playing catch-up with life is taking longer than I thought. 
I travelled to and attended 3 inspiring conferences in April - and whose posts are finally being written now.  

FTR: I tried following American Airlines advice re: seat exercises during my April flights,
but the exercises above actually required leg room, and there was none.
Things got awkward quick. 

#IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes Day occurred two days after I returned from my last conference and it was AMAZING.
I've had slew of writing assignments and you bet your funky pancreas I’m grateful for the work and the deadlines! 

Speaking of writing assignments and traveling, I wrote this piece about diabetes and traveling for MangoHealth.com, and I’d be ever so grateful if you’d click HERE and give it a read! 

I’ve also been trying to prepare myself for wrist and hand surgery that’s scheduled for May 17th. 
Getting pre-surgery clearance from my Doctors, trying to organize and clean my house so 
I don’t have to worry about that kind of stuff when my flipper’s stitched and bandaged. Completing deadlines so they won’t be hanging over my head while I’m recovering, practicing making and eating dinner with on one hand - that kind of stuff. 

Then there’s the whole “I’ve never had surgery,” thing. 
Yep, I’m slightly freaked and for several reasons.

1. Did I mention that I’ve never had surgery before? 
2. It’s my dominant hand
3. I have some concerns re: with infusion site changes. 

But I’ve put the surgery off long enough and I can’t wait to be done with it. 

And even though I'm scared - BRING. IT. ON.

A short update for sure, but more meaty blog posts to follow in the next few days~ 

#IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes Means That Every Day With Diabetes Is Different

Today is World Health Day -and the 2016 focus is all about diabetes and "beating diabetes,"  and I'm glad that the focus of the world is focused on diabetes. 
I’m seeing lots of tweets/articles/posts about diet and exercise and beating up diabetes- and that’s great - but there are other things that come to mind, (at least for me,) re: living with diabetes on a daily basis for 38.6 years and counting - and no matter the D type. 
Sidebar: This year's #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes Day is on Wednesday April 20th and it's been on my mind a lot. 
I feel a little funning writing about it today, but I am, because the hashtag is in my head and stuck on repeat.
Lastly, Today's post was also inspired by last night's #DSMA chat, which was awesome, every single person living with diabetes, as well as the #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes hashtag and Day and World Health Day, #who. 
I hope you can relate~ 
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#IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes means that every day of living with diabetes is different . 
Some days are brutal no matter what I do - or don’t do -and those are the days when I have to plow through the muck because I must. 
Some days are surprisingly easy and diabetes is playing so nice that I wonder if somehow my pancreas secretly started secreting insulin and didn’t bother to let me in on the joke - until I realize that the joke’s on me and my blood sugar numbers/body is suddenly in desperate need of insulin. 
Insulin that is the elixir of my life and yours, and the price of which - along with my diabetes supplies keeps me up at night. #insulin4life

Most days I’m the one who’s in charge of diabetes - but on the days when diabetes takes the lead and throws a bitchfit, D becomes even more difficult, frustrating, maddening than normal D bitch mode. 
Those are the days when I drink copious amounts of water and coffee throughout the day because of a low hi/gh blood sugar hangover because I have work to do if I want to get paid. 
And it’s on those days that I end up crying the ugly cry and I’m glad I’m not famous because nobody needs to see that shit in high def. 

Other days diabetes makes me laugh because sometimes diabetes is funny and if I didn’t laugh I would go apeshit crazy. 
Plus, laughing is good for the soul and the blood sugar and saying “I’m high,” in public never gets old. 
There are moments (OK, days, weeks, etc.,) when I wish I could take a vacation from diabetes - but I know I can’t. So I bring diabetes with me on my vacation - along with copious amounts of diabetes supplies, sunscreen, comfy shoes and shoes that are anything but comfortable, but make my legs look amazing.
There are days when diabetes becomes a teaching moment - even when I don’t necessarily feel like teaching. But when all is said and done, I’m glad that another person learns a diabetes fact/reality - and that makes me feel really good. 

Some days it's not my diabetes that worries me - it's other peoples. 
I worry for my friends health and I worry about people around the globe living with diabetes without access to insulin, test strips, and the likes there of - and I'm angry and sad all rolled into one.

And on all of the above days and every day in-between, I know that I have my D tribe both online and off and I want every single person in the world to find the DOC Tribe - because it makes life... and life with diabetes so much easier. 

So If I haven’t said it lately, thank-you D tribal members, thanks for always “getting it,” getting me and putting up with me. 

Finally, #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes means that we are in this together - and that my friends is a wonderful thing~ 

#IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes (dot) Org Is Up & Running!

"You have to lift your head out of the mud and just do it." Terri Garr~

"Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to the other: What! You too? 
I thought I was the only one." C.S. Lewis~
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For those of you who have been asking me and waiting , the  #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes website is now up and running!

And with your help, the site can continually grow into a mixed media gallery/teaching tool, and be a place where people living with diabetes can share their thoughts and feelings through mixed media formats that will inspire and educate others in the process.

And a place where people sans diabetes can come away with a better understanding of what it’s like to live with diabetes and become both educated and inspired in the process. 

The past few months I’ve reached out to a few Diabetes Online Community friends to submit blog posts, artwork, and videos and what they've submitted is pretty damn special. 

Please click on the link below and and give a look.

http://iwishpeopleknewthatdiabetes.org

The site is still a work in progress re: the layout and video plugins - but it's up and running and  your submissions, thoughts, and comments are needed to make it complete! 

Check it out and thanks in advance! 

#IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes Survey & Facebook Page

For all those who participated in 

#IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes Day & continue to use the hashtag - THANK YOU!

Now I need your help. 

 Please take 5 minutes to fill out the #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes Survey by clicking on the link below.  

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SBDRTB8
The survey contains 10 questions (the majority are multiple choice,) and should only take 5 minutes to fill out.
I need your thoughts on the IWPKTD movement and initiative so we can move forward collectively. 
There's also an "official" #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes Facebook page and I encourage you to leave your thoughts on your experiences with IWPKTD and give it a "like"!

Stay tuned for #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes website info and announcements!! 

#IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes Day Is Here!

Shoutout to Mr. Mike Lawson for the nifty logo!

While the global power of the Diabetes Online Community NEVER surprises me, it does continually amaze & inspire me. 
When I published Friday's #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes post, 
(Once again, BIG Shoutout to Kyle Schwartz, a third grade teacher in Denver Colorado who created a trust building lesson plan for her third grade class called. “I wish my teacher knew.” She started tweeting her students thoughts under the hashtag, #Iwishmyteacherknew & the rest is history!)
I was thrilled to see that between Friday afternoon and Sunday evening, the #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes hashtag had been shared over 400 times on twitter.

On Monday's post I proposed we use the the #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes hashtag collectively today and whatever happened would happen. 

A lot is happening! 

But don't take my word for it -Checkout the #IwishPeopleKnewThatDiabetes hashtag on twitter, Facebook, Instagram, blog posts, etc - And join in NOW!!
I'll write more on subject after gather the info & my heads stops spinning :)