#NDAM: Thank you for coming to My Diabetes Ted Talk, Day 1

My diabetes footprint.
Make your own @
JDRF.org/NDAM 

November 1, the first day of Diabetes Awareness Month. 

Somethings you need to know about diabetes - no matter the type. 

I've had t1 diabetes almost as long as I've been on the planet. 

Living with and managing diabetes is fucking hard work and all encompassing - and no matter what type of diabetes you have - so let's not fight about what type is worse. 

Some days diabetes rocks me to the core, other days diabetes plays nicely in the corner.

Every day is a day a "Diabetes Day," no matter the month - it's always by my side. 

If I hated diabetes, I'd be hating myself - and I'm done hating. 

I already have enough self esteem issues. 

Magazines and websites constantly tell us that we are not tall enough, short enough, skinny and or curvy enough. 

I don't need another reason to tear myself apart. - I already do that without blaming diabetes. 

Do I get mad at my diabetes? YES. 

Does diabetes cause me to feel tremendous guilt? 

Is the Pope Catholic? 

Do I work hard to have my diabetes be drama free YES. 

DO I flip my diabetes bitchswitch?

You bet your sweet ass! 

If you have diabetes - keep up the good work, get back up when you stumble and please know that you are not alone. 

If you love someone with diabetes - thanks for your support. We need and appreciate it so much. 
And we need and love you and all you do for us.

If you want to learn about diabetes - this month is a great time to learn and ask questions. 

Thank you for coming to #MyDiabetesTedTalk, Day 1

Diabetes & Self Care

Little things that help us to practice self care mean a lot - diabetes or not~ 
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Living with diabetes means practicing self care - and not just when it comes to blood sugars, doctors appointments,labs, carb counting, and the likes there of. 

Self care means logging off and reading a good book or watching a movie. 
Self care is taking a walk or making time for the gym- not only for friendly blood sugars, but to clear your mind and help maintain the temple that is your body. 
Self care is carving out time with friends because these days everyone is busy with being busy - Life is short and we need our friends and family to survive. 
On the flip-side, self care also means choosing to going to bed early and not feel like you're missing out or disappointing your friends and family. 
Self care means coming home from a work trip after 4 accelerated days, and taking a beat on Sunday to do things that will keep you both sane and healthy for the work week ahead. 
Things like sleeping late; unpacking, catching up on laundry, and making a Moroccan red lentil, ginger, sweet potato, curry & lemon soup from scratch so I can work like a boss and still eat healthy throughout the week.
For me, making soup from scratch once a week is one of the ways I practice self care. 
I find creating amazing soups relaxing - not to mention delicious -  it helps me to decompress and gives me comfort. 
The act of making soup from scratch opens up my mind - especially when it feels cluttered. 
Also: It also helps clean out my fridge :) 

And my Moroccan red lentil soup is deceptively simple; easy on my blood sugars and fantastically delicious!

It's December 1st, We Still Have Diabetes - And We Are Stunning!

Diabetes Awareness Month has come to an end, 

it's December 1st, I still have diabetes and I bet you do, too!

Lin- Manuel Miranda said it best.

"You're stunning and the world is lucky to have you.

We are lucky to have you.

Get some rest." 

Also: Keep on keeping on - in life and in life with diabetes! 

My #Dsma closing thoughts re: (National) Diabetes Awareness Month - courtesy of Lin-Manuel Miranda~ 

#DSMA (Diabetes Social Media Advocacy) twitter chat is a twitter chat for people with diabetes, by people with diabetes. 

Follow @DiabetesSocMed and the #DSMA hashtag on the twitter and join the conversation Wednesday Nights at 9PM, EST. 

Don't Forget To Take Care Of Yourself During National Diabetes Awareness Month

I took a few days off before jumping into Diabetes Awareness Month on the blog. 

I celebrated my 40th Diaversary on Halloween (CRAZY,) had a celebratory dinner and drinks with friends on November 1, which was a fantastic way to kick of National Diabetes Awareness Month. 

Cut to Thursday me, the opposite of "chilled," and with the chills, the beginnings of a sore throat, and a low grade fever. Whatever crud I'd been running from (IGNORING,) had almost caught up with me. Almost because I was going to nip whatever in the bud before it had me down for the count! 

I went to my Nurse Practitioner, she prescribed an RX, and I spent the next few days chilling, but thankfully, leaving the chills behind.  
Woke up with a normal temp on Saturday, on Sunday I was feeling more groovy than not.

I’m still running an increased temp basal rate, (but it’s lower than it was over the weekend,) I'm starving, and I’m plowing through. 

National Diabetes Awareness Month is now officially in full swing and all of us are working hard advocating wherever and whenever we can. 

This post is your official reminder (and mine,) that we have to take care of ourselves - and not just the diabetes part, in order to advocate and take care of others this November - AND the other 11 months of the year.   
Keep advocating , listen to what your body is saying, be kind to yourself, and continue with the kicking ass. 

November Is National Diabetes Awareness Month - Here's My T1D Footprint - What's Yours?

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, (#NDAM, for those who only speak in hashtags) - a month where where we "bust diabetes myths and perpetuate diabetes realities," to those sans diabetes. 

And JDRF has created a very cool tool that calculates your t1D footprint. http://www.jdrf.org/t1dlookslikeme/

We spend so much time dealing with our diabetes - now we have an easy way to get our own personal breakdown of our D numbers to help us educate others - and to remind us of how hard we work!

What's your T1D diabetes footprint look like? 

Also, if you live with LADA1.5 or t2, you work damn hard, get your D stats, too! 

I haven't had a day off from my #T1D ind 14,246 days!