Diabetes And Tales From The Fitting Room ~

I love clothes but I hate shopping. Specifically, I hate trying things on - most of all I hate the harsh lighting in the Fitting rooms and how I swear the mirrors are from an actual FunHouses, and not in the good way.
And FTR, I don't "hide" my pump on a daily basis, who has time for that? 
I'm proud and blessed to wear an insulin pump, but every now and then I want the clean lines of my clothes and my bodacious curves to be the focus - not my lumpy, pump - know what I mean?     
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I was trying on dresses and pantsuits yesterday because nothing fit in my closet and ended up purchasing one nice pantsuit that was 50% off, plus an extra 20% off. It wasn't the pantsuit with a touch of teal pinstripe that I went bonkers over - but it was a nice suit none the less.
And with each dress/suit I tried on, I made sure that I could navigate my pump easily. 
The dresses were easy because I had the choice of clipping said pump to my trusty garter and or SPANX (and yes, I had both of them in my handbag,) and both are easy fixes.
With the pantsuits, I would clip my insulin pump to waist and give my hips a critical eye. Sometimes the jacket would cover the pump nicely and no one would be the wiser. 
Other times the jacket would cover the pump awkwardly and my hips would look freakishly uneven, no matter where I placed the pump on my waist band.

Next I’d attempt to clip the pump inside the jacket, which either: 

1. worked really well
2. made me look like I was the recipient of a really budget boob job 
3. made me look like a old time gangster packing heat. 

Next stop, I’d place the pump between the actual boobs themselves - which never works for me, EVER. OK, it’s works for me when I’m wearing a bustier, but not an option this time around. 
Still, I always give the boobs the old college try, with the hopes that this time, I won’t look like I have 3 boobs. 
And of course, I did look like I had 3 boobs.
And I was getting slightly frustrated - mostly because the suit that I really wanted and was the very last one they had in that style. The one with the jacket that looked awesome no matter where I placed my insulin pump and had that awesome touch of teal pinstripe, but came with pants that were two sizes to big thanks to someone switching the bottoms out . The one that that sold out in other locations  - but I digress. 

Back to the story. 

Keep in mind that while I changed into the suits in my own dressing room, I would check myself out/play 'hide the insulin pump' in the shared, ginormous mirror in the center of the shared Fitting room.

A woman was waiting for her daughter to try on dresses for a wedding they were attending in a few weeks and was watching me flipping and switching my insulin pump in the mirror with both amusement and curiosity.  

“Do you mind if I ask you what that is,”  said the mom of the college aged daughter, as she pointed to my pump in the mirror. 

Me: Of course not, it’s my pancreas. I have diabetes and this is my insulin pump. 
Mom of College Aged Daughter: Ohhhhh, OK. So you wear it all the time? 
Me: Yep - except when I shower or swim. 

Mom of College Aged Daughter: That’s a real commitment to technology, it must be worth it. 

Me: It is... it really is. Thanks for the realizing that... and thanks for the reminder~  

Stylish & Functional: Adorn Designs Clutch Review & Holiday Giveaway!

I love things that make my life and my life with diabetes easier. 

I also love stylish, sleek and pleasing to the eye things - And I love the opportunity to give my blog readers the opportunity to win something that's all of the above. :) 

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Adorn Designs Elite Collection Clutch In Imperial Yellow Diabetes Supply Bag, out of
the box and in its original wrapping.
Dimensions:10 inches long, 6.5 inches deep & 5.1 inches thick.
Cotton Canvas - Machine washable and super easy to spot clean. 

Just before the summer started, I was contacted by  Lee Ann from Adorn Designs, a Denver based company that manufactures “High-Style/Low-Profile” designer bags for PWDs to carry their diabetes supplies. Adorn Designs line includes; clutches, insulin/meter cases, messengers bags & handbags! 
LeeAnn wanted to know if I was interested in reviewing their product.
I was!
WHY? Because I like bags that are stylish, functional and keep me organized. 
And if that bag will do all of the above regarding my diabetes supplies, I like it even better! 
So I picked out a bag and used it daily. And by “used it daily,” I mean I traveled with it on a plane, in my car and on my person on a daily basis.

I chose a clutch from Adorn's Elite Collection in Imperial Yellow that retails  for $35.   
I LOVE the color yellow and love the idea of clutch, but I never carry a clutch because I can never find one that will fit all my D supplies!  
Adorn's Elite clutch was large and really sleek, not bulky. I could fit it in my carry-on, my computer bag or carry it alone as my clutch for the evening. 
I lOVED that the outside is water proof (and iced tea/coffee proof/ wine proof,) and that all I had to do was wipe off any spill or blood from the exterior with a damp paper towel. 
*A huge plus: I could view all my D supplies out without out actually taking them out of the bag and that feature really came in handy while sitting (and by sitting I mean CRAMMED) in my seat on flight to California this past October. 
I just reached into my bag for the clutch, put it on the tray table and opened it, grabbed what I needed and did what I had to do.  

Everything diabetes (and non D related) at a glance - And after being
spot cleaned! 

There’s lots zippered compartments for diabetes supplies in the clutch, but it also allowed me to have space non d items like my favorite lip gloss, a mirror and comb &  
a compartment where I could keep my money/receipts organized when I traveled. 

The clutch also fit easily into my beach cooler and I was able to put a frio in it, no problem! 
For weekend trips to friends in other states, the Adorns clutch was key. 
I put all my D supplies in that clutch and threw it in my black over night bag. The Imperial Yellow color made it easy to find in a black lined bag.  
Also: Regarding the interior. I did manage to have blood spatter drop pattern, that was CSI worthy while I was traveling. 
I waited a good month (I’d love to say I was SUPER BUSY, I kind of was, but I was also being really lazy,) before I put a little SHOUT on tooth brush, scrubbed and rinsed under cold water. It took all of 5 minutes to remove the spots and I wish all my laundry was that easy to clean.

Bottom line: I LOVE my Adorn Elite Clutch in Imperial Yellow - I really do! 
It’s functional and beautiful and id defies Murphy’s Law when it comes to diabetes and blood letting.
Also, I used it as actual clutch a few times (wish it had a wristlet so I could swing it around my wrist :) and non PWDs were like: I LOVE YOUR BAG and I was like: THANKS, ME TOO! 
And it was wonderful to go out with smart looking clutch sans the worry of “where will I put all my diabetes crap!” 

Now for the giveaway part of this post: You guys have a chance to win an Adorn Clutch!

Here's How: Leave comment saying why like to win one. 

If You’re A Dude: No worries, you can choose from one these fine cases!

Who Can Enter: Anyone with diabetes or who loves someone with diabetes.

RULES: The Adorn winner will be announced on Monday morning, December 22nd, which means you have until Midnight Sunday the 21st to leave a comment. 
And please, if you leave a comment under “Anonymous” or under your Google+  account, make sure you leave your email address. If you win and I can’t contact you - The Adorn bag goes to someone else. 

Bonus: Even if you don't win, you can still get 15% off your Adorn Designs purchase by entering 15off at checkout - So you everybody wins!

All comments are approved before published. 
Winner chosen by Random.org

My Carry-On Bag at a glance. 

Diabetes Vlog: Long Walks, Fitness Classes Or Yoga - My 'Old Reliable' For Workouts~

I'm still dealing with the whole foot tendinitis thing & have to keep the long walks really short. This short term low to no impact is driving me a little crazy & I all I want to do is walk for miles and miles and miles. 

Instead, I decided to vlog about my must have diabetes accessory during my long walks, (or yoga or fitness classes for that matter,) with the hopes that they will be happening again very soon.  

It's a one shot vlog so there's no editing; it's a bit goofy, slightly askew and far from perfect - But the same can be said of me! #dorkalert

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Review of LaurensHope.com Medical ID Jewelry & A Giveaway!

Today's review & diabetesalicious holiday giveaway is all about stylish and pretty medical ID Jewelry, courtesy of LaurensHope.com

Just because you have a chronic illness, or any medical condition for that matter, shouldn't mean you have to wear ugly accessories.

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I like shine and sparkle and glitter when it comes to my accessories, I am my mother's daughter after all. 

Yep. casual or dressed up, I like pretty & stylish bling - Add function to said pretty & stylish bling and I'm one happy camper!
But let's face it, the words "pretty" and "stylish" aren't what we usually think of when it comes to medical I.D. jewelry- And as far as I'm concerned, that's the primary issue people have with wearing medical ID's. 
So when Lauren's Hope asked me if I'd like to review their product, I jumped at the chance. 
Sidebar: LH has all sorts of medical Id jewelry for men and women, boys and girls and in all sorts of styles, so even if you're not in to sparkle and shine, they have you covered!
I had several events to go to in December and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to test out Lauren's Hope form, function & WOW factor during the holidays.
I chose the Ooh-La-La bracelet pictured above and I've been wearing it for the past 3 weeks - And I love it!
Here's why: 
1. I love that people literally stop me in my tracks and tell me how pretty my bracelet is, and then usually take it a step further and tell me that they need a medical ID, but haven't gotten one yet because they haven't found one that fits their style. And then ask me where I got mine because they really like it.
2. I love that the medical ID tags are interchangeable with all the Lauren's Hope bracelets, so I can switch it out with other bracelets if I want to. 
3. Speaking of the medical ID tags, I love that the lobster clasps are incredibly durable and I love that the engraving on the tag is not only easy to read, but it's actually engraved into the tag, not stamped. 
And I love that I the Gardenia medical ID tag that I chose allows up to 5 lines, with 20 characters per line.
4. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to medical ID & the info they contain about the person wearing the medical ID.
 The fact that I was able to put my name, that I had t1 diabetes, wore an insulin pump, oral med info and my doctor's name and phone number on the tag made me feel incredibly safe.
Knowing that my bracelet can convey my crucial medical info in the event that I could not, takes a HUGE burden off my mind.
5. As far as bracelet durability, I've washed dishes while wearing the bracelet and I've scrubbed the kitchen floor while wearing it - And it's help up just fine.
I've showered with the bracelet a few times without a problem. 
6. I've worn the my bracelet with jeans and sneakers and with my favorite sea green blue wrap dress and it looked phenomenal with both. 
7. I love looking down at my wrist and seeing a little piece of hope on my wrist~

8. Lastly, I love the fact that LaurensHope.com is offering the winner of today's giveaway a $50.00 gift certificate to their online store!
How to win: Leave a comment saying why you'd like to win today's giveaway & I'll announce the winner (along with the other winners from this week) on Friday~
**To enter the giveaway, you must have diabetes (doesn't matter the type,) or a caretaker/loved one of a person with diabetes.

A Surprising A1C & Really Nice Talk With My Endo

I’m not really sure how the 6.0 a1c happened, but I’m glad it did. 

There used to be a time about 6 years ago and for about 10 years before that, my a1cs were in the mid high fives to mid 6 range - and then ever so slowly they started creeping up to the 7 to 7.4 range - And the a1c after my mom died was 7.8.
And I began a long game of tug-o-war with diabetes burnout. My numbers, weren't terrible - But not where I wanted them to be. 

The past 3 months have been crazy on this end. Lots of travel, lots of busy, a possible kidney stone (more on that in another post,) and just the craziness of a summer schedule. 

As far as diabetes was concerned, I did make concentrated effort to focus on being more aware re: diabetes - I mean I'm always aware of my diabetes - Just more... well, aware of my diabetes choices.  I continued to tested my blood sugars like crazy and I really tried not to snack when I wasn’t hungry. 

I noticed that I’d lost a couple pounds and that made me smile. 

But when I received my labs yesterday at my Endo’s office, I stopped in my tracks as I read them while following the blood tech to the scale to get weighed.  My a1c said 6.0 - And I literally said “WHAAAAT,” out loud. 

I shook my head and I didn’t understand - I mean I expected a lower a1c than the 7.4  (my previous a1c) because I'd been working on it, but how the hell did it go down 1.4 .points? 

Maybe there was a screw up at the lab - Maybe all my numbers were off - Honestly, it been so long since I was in the 6s that I couldn’t wrap my head around it. 

According to the scale I’d lost 7 lbs - OK, I'll take that fact without questioning the scale. 

My blood pressure was normal and my blood sugar was 230  - Which made sense because of low at breakfast and a crazy morning. So 6,0 a1c or not, crap numbers happen - A lot.

The tech led me back to the office and wouldn’t give me back my labs - The attending and Dr. J needed to look at them. 

I sat in the office and just breathed.  Before the tech took my labs, I'd  noticed that one of my lab numbers was slightly high, but I couldn’t remember the test acronym to google it on my iPad. 

So instead I just read emails. 

The attending came in - And I gotta give credit where credit is do. Young Dr. Eric asked all the right questions, chatted and talked with me instead of at me - Yes, Dr. J was teaching him well. 

I won’t bore you with out discussion - except to say I asked all the typical questions re: my labs - Dr. Eric answered the best he could, and then went off to find the rocking Dr. J. 

I sat on the exam table,  swinging my legs back and forth against it repetitively,  like a small annoying child kicking the back of your seat on airplane - and just kept breathing. 

I heard muffled voices in the hallway and finally the door opened and in walked Dr. J

Dr. J: KELLEEEEEE!!! Sidebar: That's how Dr. J says my name!

Oh my God & way to go - I was shocked when I saw your a1c. How did you manage to get it down 1.4 points? 

Me: Yeah, me too. I don’t know. Do you think the lab screwed up? 

Dr. J: No - Not possible - The a1c is not a complicated test - and it’s been around for a long time - No, you did this. 

Me: OK, If you say so. 

Dr. J:  I do. It’s been a long time since you were in the sixes - I’m really proud of you - And I’m so happy - you made my day, Kelleee. 

And when he said that I could feel myself blush and looked down at the floor for a beat before I looked up at him and said: Yeah, mine too. 

Dr. J: What are you doing that helped you get to 6? 

Me: I don’t know, I’m just really aware of my numbers and snacking between meals. I still have a cupcake or ice cream, but I don’t know - i’m just aware. And I’ve traveled a lot this summer - so I don't know - that might have helped. 

Dr. J:  Oh yeah, where? 

Me: Conferences - Children with Diabetes in Florida - They had a session on Diabetes & Stress - that helped a lot. 

AADE in August, Chicago for ADA - Where I saw you. 

Dr. J: How funny was that! 

Me: Very. Um, I did couple patient conferences in Philly these past two weeks. 

Dr.J: Which ones? 

Me: ePatient Connections & World Congress on Patient Engagement 

Dr. J: I need to know when you’re going to do that kind stuff - email the office.

Me: Ok, I will. So yeah, I still need to exercise more - I need to do better with that.

How’s my cholesterol, heart and kidneys? 

Dr. J: Good, good, good.  Stop worrying.

Me: How’s my thyroid? 

Dr. J:  Yeah, slightly off for the first time - not by much. But we are going to keep on eye on it - Lets see how your numbers are next time, OK?  

Me: Ahhhhh, OK. 

Dr. J: Show Eric your pump, he hasn’t seen a medtronic yet. He saw a omnipod this morning and tomorrow he’ll see a patient who’s on an Animas - I want him to become familiar with all the pumps. 

So I showed Eric my loaner pump (which reminded me that I have to start figuring out a permanent solution with my insurance on that subject,) and Eric discussed insulin pump pros. 

Dr. J brought up the Minimed 530 G announcement on Friday and and we talked about the Animas Vibe getting the OK in Canada. 

Dr. J: So besides diabetes, how’s your life going? 

Me: I’m good - I’m moving in the right direction and that makes me happy.  Not quite where I want to be yet,  but I’m on the right track - And that’s good. A lot different then this time last year.

Dr. J: Yeah... losing a parent is so hard.

Me: Yep it is................ So, do you watch 'How I Met Your Mother?' 

Dr J: No... Why? 

Me: Well, you better start because my niece landed the role of the mother.

Dr. J:  OhmyGod, I’m going to start watching -  what channel is it on??? That’s so awesome!

Dr. Eric: I love that show -& I saw her! She’s the pretty brown haired girl - She’s cute - And funny! And Dr. J,  it's on CBS, channel 3.

Me:  What Dr. Eric said!  

Dr. J: So everything is looking good - I love that. Here’s your lab script - Hey, do you need insulin samples?

Me: Yep I do, thanks! 

Dr. J: Let me go get you some. 

And he did. And when he brought them back, we said our goodbyes and he told me to book my  next appointment for February or early March - And he once again told me how happy he was for me. 

After scheduling my next appointment, I took the elevator to the first floor and like Elvis, I exited the building and walked out into the Indian Summer sunshine. And I felt happy. 

And regardless of what my next A1C is, I know for a fact that little ripples make some nice size waves, both in the ocean and in life. 

And I  know that my character is not based on my a1c, my life’s value is not about a number that describes the past 3 months of my diabetes management - And I believe that. 
And I know that all sorts of external forces factor into our a1c - forces we have no control over. 
But with that being said, I’ll take a good number when I can get it - along with the challenging ones - And I will learn from all my numbers. And I will keep trying and doing and becoming, regardless. 

And on the way back to my car I considered getting a cupcake to celebrate, but decided to save my cupcake for another day & order some kicking black high heeled leather boots instead. 

 Look,  I can have a cupcake any bloody old time, and I will -  But Lord only knows how long those fabulous boots will stay in stock and on sale!

Cristin Was Magnificent & Damn The Diabetes Fashionista Torpedoes!

First: Cristin's concert Friday night was magnificent and she was AMAZING in all dimensions!
Her family and friends were and are so incredibly proud - And like the rest of the people in attendance at the sold out venue, we were blown away by her talent; grace, presence and banter!
Secondly: Re: last Thursday's post and all your great advice - The insulin pump infusion set higher up on the waist & above the "Assets" worked out fine and my blood sugar numbers were great.
I wish I could say the same for the velcro on the pump garter. Said garter velcro put permanent snag marks in the the material of my dress and literally fell down my leg twice (which rarely happens,) but was annoying - But the looks on strangers faces who saw the garter drop & slide were priceless! 
Funny/annoying, nothing was going to deter me from enjoying my niece's concert! 
Not diabetes, not an awkwardly placed infusion sit and most certainly not a wonky insulin pump garter!
 And FTR, at several points in the evening my garter twisted from hiding my insulin pump in my inner thigh to my center thigh, thus making making me look like a less fabulous and fierce contestant on Ru Paul's Drag Race,who'd had points deducted for being "untucked." 
Again, comical - But ANNOYING.  
Still, I forged ahead and did what needed to be done and then laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of my diabetes fashion issues!  DAMN THE DIABETES FASHIONISTA TORPEDOES! 

Then I went back to enjoying all the magic that was Cristin Milioti's American Songbook Series, concert debut at Lincoln Center. 

Thirdly: My gift to you from that evening is a little glimpse of the magic, courtesy of BroadwayWorld. 
ENJOY!

Insulin Pump/Infusion Site Placement, Spanx & And A Pretty Dress = All Types of interesting

Tomorrow night I get  to see my niece Cristin perform at Lincoln Center (I'm beyond proud & excited,) and I can’t wait to see her shine!

It’s somewhat dressy and I’m excited that I get to wear my pretty teal wrap dress, some sparkly jewelry and my new Corso Como pumps that are like walking on pillows made of butter and fluffy clouds!

I’ve made peace with the fact that I won’t be able to carry a sparkly little handbag because it won’t fit all my diabetes acquotramonts including; meter, test strips, glucose tabs and spare infusion sets, plus none diabetes essentials like: lipstick & makeup bag, camera, hairbrush, money, phone, etc. 

And I’m not thrilled that I have to wear Spanx (actually, they are Spanx Assets, manufactured by Spanxs and sold at Target, and they are just as good in my book,) but a lady does what she must to look all types of smooth & sheik. 

But there’s the whole 'wear do I place my insulin pump" thing. 

I have the pump garter I made and will be wearing it on my leg and I'm OK with that -  but it’s the actual infusion set placement that’s troubling me. 

I’m going to have to place the infusion set high up on my abdomen because as you can see from the Assets picture, that’s where it’s going to HAVE to go! 
The Assets are an abdomen/stocking combo and the abdomen part is high up.
The tubing will have to run down the front and over the stockings instead of under, so it can connect to the pump nestled snuggly on my upper thigh and in my pump garter. 

And I can't wear the pump tucked into my bra because honestly, it would look like I had 3 boobs. 

Infusion set up high and in the front of my belly - Will it work? 

I’ve never worn an infusion set that high up before and I’m afraid I’ll have issues. 

And that’s the last thing I want to be dealing with tomorrow night! 

So ladies of DOC, any advice about wearing infusion sets that high up? 

Have you done & was it successful? 

And if not, what was your plan B? 

Carrying A Snappy Little Handbag With Your Snappy Little Black Dress Takes Some Work. #diabetesfact

What the world sees.....

Aerial interior shot of the crammed contents

Early Saturday evening I dumped out the contents of my little pink leather Sigred Olsen handbag with with the lime green interior that I bought on sale at TJMaxx a few years back, and once again tried putting the contents back in.

I placed my camera on it's side and placed my hairbrush next to it, followed by phone, glucose meter, and test strips -which were in a small clear plastic makeup bag. 

In the first of 3 small little side pockets went a small ziplock bag containing containing 1 pump reservoir filled with about 50 units of fast acting insulin (just in case the 30 units left in my pump got skunky,) two Triple AAA batteries and a quarter in case my insulin pump's battery needed to be changed. In the next side little side pocket I placed some business cards and in the third side pocket were some glucose tabs. 

In the inner small zippered side pocket of my bag I placed my keys, cash,  license, and small 2 inch bottle of hairspray to battle frizz (I'm from Jersey after all) and zipped it up tight. 

And finally, an extra infusion set for emergencies was thrown in for good measure and my sunglasses because it was still light out. In the outer side pocket was  a granola bar, lipstick, lip gloss, compact and a 20 bucks just in case I: 

1. Needed a snack before I hit the buffet

2. Had to reapply my lipstick

3. Needed quick cash for the bar

4. I needed to do all of the above and then some. 

And when all was said and done I could barely zip up the bag. 

All I wanted to do was to carry a splash of color in the form of a hot pink compact leather handbag with my little black dress. 

I wanted to look pretty and sleek and effortless. 

But sometimes casual chic is anything but when you're forced to carry a small pharmacy on your person. 

And for a second (OK, much longer than a second,) I became incredibly frustrated and had to blink back the tears. 

And then I was like: SNAP OUT OF IT. I mean after all, it was just a handbag and in the grand scheme of things it wasn't important - And I knew that - I REALLY DID. I knew that had plenty of larger bags that would do the trick and look OK and I knew that who the hell cares - IT'S JUST A F*C&ing handbag. 

But in my heart I had a look I was going for. Sort of Audrey Hepburn meets Marjory Kunik circa 1950s/early sixties with a k2 twist all rolled into one and I wanted to make it work.
I'd clipped my insulin pump to my my garter on my leg and it was tucked out of site and wasn't the problem, but all the other diabetes crap that I had to carry was. 

And more than that - I was just sick of having to deal with diabetes when it came to something that people with perfect pancreases never had to think about. IT'S JUST A F8C&ING HANDBAG - WHY DOES DIABETES HAVE TO COME INTO PLAY!!! 

And then I made peace with it and moved on. I came to the conclusion that if I was going to open my handbag, I couldn't do it in a rush - Or I'd risk losing something important like my license or my meter. and reminded myself of that fact over and over again while I was waiting for my friends to pick me up.

And you know what? It worked. I was careful and it really wasn't the big deal I thought it would be.  But more importantly, I made it work and got over it .... And a wonderful time was had by all.

Carb Free Cupcake - FOR REALZ

I'm having layout & formatting issues with blogger so my apologies in advance if the photo below is not centered!
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HA!! Made you look!!

Not only will I be sporting a green bracelet at Children With Diabetes  - Friends For Life, but I'll also be sporting this wonderful Diabetes Awareness Carb Free Cupcake Necklace made by Cari, or for those of you on the twitter: @c_caria (for those of you on the twitter), mom of a type 1, jewelry crafter extraordinaire and all around cool chick! 

 Anyway, Cari sent me  this necklace a few months back and I can't even begin to tell you how much I just love it! I wear it A LOT  - and pretty much everyone I come in contact with, (and diabetes or not,) tells me how pretty it is. 

I also love that she donates the money she raises from her diabetes line of jewelry to JDRF! 

Check out the rest of her store over on etsy  - YOU WILL LOVE IT!

Living On The Wedge

My most recent purchase - And I got them for like 60% off, plus free shipping!
FYI: I'm seriously addicted to the Cordani brand!

I was a high heeled girl from birth. I was that rare combo of tomboy and wanna be vixen from a very early age. 

I took as much pleasure in climbing trees and jumping mini creek as I did spending endless hours playing dress-up with my mom’s clothes and high heels. 

I have a very vivid memory of me at 4 years, old lying on the floor of my parents walk-in closet and gazing at my mom’s shoe rack that housed about 20 pairs of high heels, platforms and sparkly shoes and it captivated me for hours. It was like seeing OZ & The Emerald City for the first time - As in the merry old land of OZ, not the Prison show OZ that aired on HBO from 1997 until 2003, but I digress. 

Anyway, I’d prance around in high heels and pretend I was a princess battling pirates or that I was a princess pirate for that matter. Other times I was the Queen of somewhere or another or I was accepting my Oscar or pretending to walk down the isle with Shawn Cassidy or Steve Martin. Yes, as a child I had a crush on Steve Martin - Still do for that matter. SO WHAT. 

And as I grew up, the duality of the tomboy/glam girl continued. I wore lipstick as I hiked 10 miles and I loved me the cut of a nice A-line skirt with a pair of snappy heels.  


I loved my fuchsia colored spiked four inch Calvin Kline heels just as much as I loved my black with purple striped soccer cleats that I wore every Saturday while playing touch football in the Philadelphia Sport And Social eague’s fall roster.  

Jeans made me feel just as pretty as dressing up for black-tie events & if I relished wearing pretty shoes in all thier shapes and glorious forms. And I thought my love affair with footwear was never ending.... Or so it seemed. 

Until the whole tearing of the ligament in my toe, metatarsalgia, morton’s neuroma thing and the curse of the Kunik High Arches reared their ugly heads in my right foot. 

Then high heels became a device of torture, both figuratively and literally - And for quite a while I thought it was Sneaker City for the rest of my life. 

Not that I don’t love my sneakers, because I LOVE my nimbus asics gels - they are like manna from the heavens, but they don’t really go with a cute skirt or sundress. 

Until the day I re-discovered both the beauty and the comfort of the wedge/platform heel. 

And then all was right with my world because wedges and platforms weren’t only pretty and functional - They were COMFY - At least most of them were. And I could wear pretty shoes again and A-Line skirts were no longer off limits because of ugly shoes - And the Princess Pirate in me rejoiced!!! 

Now granted, I I can’t wear the 6 inch wedges or platforms because I’m afraid I’ll break my neck. But lets face ladies, those shoes weren’t really made for outside use anyway ;) 

Why am I sharing this with you? Because diabetes are not, women need need shoes that are both pretty and comfy, so why wouldn’t I share my experiences about "living on the wedge" with my friends? 

Hell, I'd like us to live on the wedge!


Speaking of - Have you embraced living on the wedge? 

An Insulin Pump Friendly Swimsuit & Unsolicited Judgment

Shopping for swimsuits is an ordeal in itself. Dealing with harsh dressing room lights and funhouse mirrors makes  buying, let alone actually wearing a swimsuit out in public hard enough.  Factor in an insulin pump into the picture and it makes swimsuit shopping/ wearing a flattering swimsuit more challenging on every level. 

My advice: If you find a a swimsuit ( or anything else for that matter)  that works for you and your insulin pump and makes you feel great - Don't worry about what others think . 

BUY IT  - AND BUY IT IN SEVERAL COLORS. "AND WORK IT, GURL !" 

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My offensive/insulin pump friendly A.B.S.Swimsuit, except mine is black - Love the lilac, though!
Swimsuit above appears different on me. And by "different I mean I'm no size 0, nor am I twig like. I still love this suit -And so does my insulin pump!

So it was my first weekend on the beach and I was happy to be there. It was a hot and and steamy Memorial Day weekend and the beach was a welcome relief. There was a breeze by the ocean’s edge and the water was ice cold. 

I spent a lot of time talking with friends, watching their kids disregard the cold water temps and boogie board like pros! 

With my feet in the cold water and my insulin pump securely  clipped to the V part of my my one piece, (see above pic)  all was right in my world. 

As I took my turn watching my friends kids coast in the waves and being silly, a woman (who I'd never met in my life,) looked me up and down and said: So I guess you bought that swimsuit so you’d have an interesting place to put your cell phone while you hung out near the lifeguard stand.

REALLY??

Now, lets get a few things straight.

1.   Everyone one standing by the water, but not actually swimming in it, hangs out near the life guard stand , especially if their children ( or their friends children are swimming) because people can only swim in front of the actual life guard stand and even though there are life guards - You feel compelled to watch the kids - It "takes a village after all."
2. The lifegards are young enough to be my nephews - So I’m not trying to pick them up, thankyouverymuch!
3.  Re the V-neckline cut of my suit: Not that I need to explain my fashion choices to anyone, especially this bitch, but I wear one piece swimsuits with a V neck design because I can clip my pump easily and securely to the V part of the suit - and as you can see from the picture above, the suit's design was perfect for wearing an insulin pump. And if truth be told, the V-neck swimsuit look works for me. If you don’t like it, that's OK, but  I don't need your opinion - Especially If I don't know you.
4. And I didn’t know this lady from Adam and quite frankly, I didn’t like her snarky/ judgmental tone. 

And in my head I was like: LISTEN BITCH, I invented the snarky tone, lady - Don’t mess with me, my insulin pump, or swimsuit fashion choice - You won’t win!

Instead I said: Actually, it’s an insulin pump, not a phone. And I bought the suit because I look great in it - OBVIOUSLY. And the fact that I can clip my pump in the front SECURELY is an added bonus.  Thanks for noticing, though! 

Lady: Oh... I just thought that you know, it was your phone. 

(SIDEBAR: In my head I'm thinking, SO WHAT IF IT WAS a phone - why do you feel the need to judges someone for their cellphone/insulin pump placement? )

It’s so crazy to bring a phone to the beach and it seems like everyone does. I’m really sorry. WOW, Diabetes  - You look really good for having diabetes. 

Me: Actually, I look MAGNIFICENT - And this is what diabetes looks like.  

And then I turned and looked towards my friends kids who were splashing and jumping and being silly, and shouting at me to continually watch them splash, jump and be silly. I waved back, told them they were doing a great job and focused on them, essentially ending the conversation right then and there. 

Because I don't owe anyone an explanation on my insulin pump or my fashion choice and I had much better things to do. 

The Diabetes Fashion Files & Catching Up: Stick Me Designs

I’ve been playing an unending game of catch up with posts that were originally supposed to be running in the end of August through September, due to my mother’s 5 week hospital stay and death.

With that being said, I once again offer my apologies to everyone who has patiently waited for their posts to appear.

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Back at the end of May, Rickina Velte, Owner of at StickMeDesigns sent me a Diabetes Supplies Deluxe Clutch Bag for review. I told Rickina that when I review a product, I really test it out, and would post about my experiences after I actually travelled with it.

I received the bag in the mail and quickly filled all it’s compartments with both diabetes and non Diabetes supplies. I took it to the beach ( I loved that it had a spot for an icepack) which kept not only my insulin and diabetes electronics in check, but it also prevented my lipstick from melting. I soon realized that a Frio pack worked MUCH better than a normal icepack. The Frio lasted lasted days longer than an icepack and still kept everything fresh and cool. And can I just say that during Hurricane Irene, Frio kept a new unopened bottle of insulin cool even when the power went out!

I used the Deluxe Clutch when I travelled to San Diego for Roche, and I have to say that having my diabetes supplies, ID, Airline tickets and cash all in one spot was quite handy and kept me from losing all of the above to the black-hole that is my handbag.

Same goes for my trip to Canada, except add my PassPort to the above mix.

The only thing I would have changed about the clutch was it’s material, while the Deco design is very pretty, I would have preferred something that was more stain resistant. But the clutch is machine washable and cleans up nicely after a cold water wash. I’ve also noticed that other StickMe items have a more stain resistant material.

But the Deluxe Clutch really came in handy when I practically lived at the hospital Mid August through the end September, when life's shit really rocked my world. When my mom was in the hospital I spent every single day for 5 weeks, (except for two days during Hurricane Irene when visitors were not allowed at or near the hospital) for six to eight hour stretches in the Intensive care waiting room or with my mom. Every day I walked around said hospital with a small duffle bag on wheels that held my Laptop/charger, a notebook, important papers, things my mom had requested, and the StickMeDesign Clutch.

With that being said, if your still looking for holiday gift ideas.......