Diabetesalicious Wolverina - Courtesy of Type1Tidbits

When I was little, I used to make pretend I was Wonder Woman. It's true - I kid you not.

Like many a little girl, I begged my mother to buy me a terrible gold plastic headband so I could pull it down it in front of my forehead and wear it like a crown. I'd don my Navy bathing bathing suit with the white USA lettering & shield and red Olympic rings on the front, and I'd wear my moms chunky 1970's silver bracelets on each wrist so I could deflect imaginary bullets from all directions. My sister had a macrame belt that I wore around my waist as my "Lasso of Truth."The only thing missing was some red patent leather boots, which my parents refused to buy me, no matter how much I told them that those very boots were imperative for my crime fighting skills.

I'd spin around, deflecting make pretend bullets with my mothers bracelets while singing "WONDER WOMAN."

I was also a fan of Cat Woman (both of them) on the Batman reruns. I'd wear my black leotards,black tights, & black tap shoes, and donned a black mask I bought at the Margate 5 & 10 with my allowance. I'd wrap my nails in masking tape so I'd have some "claws" and would spend hours with my friends prancing around, fighting crime, and trying to purr & meow a'la Ertha Kitt & Julie Newmar combined.

Some would have called me a strange kid, others would say I had an active imagination and a flare for the dramatic & theatrical.

But, we all grow up, and we begin fighting very real battles that life throws our way. The constant and shared battle/challenge in all of our lives is living with diabetes, which is why we write our blogs.

So imagine how thrilled I was when I saw our blogging buddy Chris Bishop's Blog Roll

and the image that was attached to Diabetesaliciousness.

Image courtesy at Type1tidbits & DeviantArt

Diabetesalicious Super Shero Kelly/k2

Alias: Pascale

I added the following:

Nick Name: Diabetesalicious Wolverina

Weapons/Accessories of choice: Insulin Pump, glocometer, Lancome Prune Drama Girl lipstick, 50 sunscreen, Sweetarts, a sardonic wit, & a booming Diabetes Voice.

Fights the good fight, busting diabetes myths while battling the Diabetes Police @ every turn. All while trying to maintain Blood Sugar Nirvana and a sassy attitude~

I asked Chris to tell me a bit about the comic book art & aesthetics inspiration for his blog, Type1tidbits :

Chris Bishop: Its a labor of love. I've always been a big comic book fan especially when I was younger and also have been an artist / designer. I came up with the entire comic book style blog because I wanted something a little different but also wanted to incorporate my artistic side to my Diabetes blog. So like I do when I am brainstorming for a design I'm working on. I went to deviantart.com and google images to get inspiration. That is when I started stumbling on comic artists and their work. I thought it was the perfect idea for my blog. I wish I could say that the art was mine but its not. I can draw and am decent, but these artists are on another level.

I use my design eye to incorporate it into my blog. For my posts, I get a topic, then think of a catchy title for it. Then the work begins. Then I go through my large collection of comic images to find one that represents the title. If I can't find anything I like, then I go to sites like deviantart.com or google images and doing keyword searches until I find something that fits. Once I find one that fits. I use the comic book character that's in that image and take other images of that character and create a custom header for my blog based on the character. It keep the blog interesting and hopefully make people want to come back to see more.

As far as the blogroll is concerned. I just decided I wanted to create a blogroll and keep with the theme. So I started with the blogs and the individuals who write them. I find a picture of them and then use my knowledge (plus some help from deviantart.com and google images) of comics to find a character that looks visually similar and use it for their image.

I'm honored to join a long list of Other Diabetes Super Sheroes & Heroes on Chris's blogroll. All of us fighting for Diabetes Truths, busting diabetes myths, perpetuating diabetes justices, and yes, looking smokin hot in the process!

You need to stop by type1tidbits if you haven't already, IT'S GREAT!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to do about 7000 crunches, cause girlfriend needs to be donning her Diabetes Super Shero fighting leathers very soon ~

And Girlfriend definitely needs to stop using the words "don, donned, or donning~"

Diabetesalicious Lite 5/7/10: Brought To You By....

Happy Friday, May 7, 2010 !

This week's “Diabetesalicious Lite” edition is brought to you by the Letter K, as in Karen over at Bitters-Sweet Diabetes who’s come up with a fantastical idea for the DOC called Diabetes Blog Week,

And the Letter D, as in, you guessed it,Diabetes Blog Week. Starting on May 10^th and running through May 16^th, participating Diabetes Bloggers will write on assigned diabetes topic each day.

Topics and assigned dates include:

Monday 5/10 - A day in the life . . . Take us through a quick rundown of an average day and all the ways in which diabetes touches it. Blood tests, site changes, high and low blood sugars, meal planning, anything that comes along. This can be a log of an actual day, or a fictional compilation of pieces from many days.

Tuesday 5/11 – Making the Low Go Away. Tell us about your favorite way to treat a low. Juice? Glucose tabs? Secret candy stash? What’s your favorite thing to indulge in when you are low? What do you find brings your blood sugar up fast without spiking it too high?

Wednesday 5/12 – Your Biggest Supporter. Sure, our diabetes care is ultimately up to us and us alone. But it’s important to have someone around to encourage you, cheer you, and even help you when you need it. Today it’s time to gush and brag about your biggest supporter. Is it your spouse or significant other? Your best friend, sibling, parent or child? Maybe it’s your endo or a great CDE? Or perhaps it’s another member of the D-O-C who is always there for you? Go ahead, tell them just how much they mean to you!

Thursday 5/13 - To carb or not to carb? Today let’s blog about what we eat. And perhaps what we don’t eat. Some believe a low carb diet is important in diabetes management, while others believe carbs are fine as long as they are counted and bolused for. Which side of the fence do you fall on? What kind of things do you eat for meals and snacks? What foods do you deem bolus-worthy? What other foodie wisdom would you like to share?

Friday 5/14 - Exercise... love it or hate it? Do you have a regular exercise routine? Or do you have trouble finding your exercise motivation? How do you manage your insulin and food to avoid bottoming out during your workout? Today is the day to tell us all about your exercise habits, or lack thereof.

Saturday 5/15 - Diabetes Snapshots. Inspired by the Diabetes 365 project, let’s snap a few d-related pictures to share today. Post as many or as few as you’d like. Be creative! Feel free to blog your thoughts on or explanations of your pictures. Or leave out the written words and let the pictures speak for themselves. This one's particularly good for me, as I'd started with the D-365 Project but put it away after hitting the Flickr Free Account Limit of 200 photos and not wanting to pay anything for a Pro Account Unlimited Status.

Sunday 5/16 - Dream a little dream about Life After A Cure. To wrap up Diabetes Blog Week, let’s pretend a cure has been found. We are all given a tiny little pill to swallow and *poof* our pancreases are back in working order. No side effects. No more insulin resistance. No more diabetes. Tell us what your life is now like. Or take us through your first day celebrating life without the Big D. Blog about how you imagine you would feel if you no longer were a Person With Diabetes.

Wild card - Blood Sugar Nirvana or Moronic Moment. (inspired by Kelly Kunik at Diabetesaliciousness) Blog about the time you ate a meal that tends to spike you to the moon, but your perfectly calculated and timed bolus kept your blood sugar happy. Or tell us about that time your brain had a little diabetes-blip and you did something you think is “stupid”. (Because chances are, we’ve done it too!!) Go ahead, brag about your triumph or commiserate about your d-blooper.

I’m participating and I hope you will to! Read and find out how you can be part of Diabetes Blog Week HERE.

Diabetesalicious Lite is also brought to you by the letter M, as in Mommy, like the busy mommies over at Busy Mommy Media, who have decided that Diabetes is quite an interesting and timely topic and that their readers need to learn more about our disease, so they decided to devote 6 weeks of articles on the subject, and several Dbloggers , including Brandy Barnes, Gina Capone, and myself have written guest posts.

Click HERE to read about the details and click HERE to read the inaugural D article Diabetes Sisters founder Brandy Barnes.

Speaking of Mommies, Sunday is Mother’s Day. Enjoy the day with your mom and tell her how wonderful you think she is. Take her out for brunch, mow the lawn, or make her a macaroni necklace – WHATEVER. But most importantly, give her the most the gifts of love, appreciation, and time!

VOGUE + GLEE - With A Twist of D

So I'm a GLEEK- a total a GLEEK, from the very first episode. I couldn't wait for last nights episode and wasn't disappointed- IT WAS GREAT!

I did a lot of theater in H.S and after college and sang in the chorus all through grade and middle school. I was (and still am) considered a geek so I relate completely to the whole outsider aspect.

Believe it or not, yours truly encountered many a mean girl in high school - not so much because of my diabetes, but because of my theatrical talent and the fact that I wasn't very comfortable in my own skin. I was intimidated and shy (yes, I really was,) and I kept a lot in. My sister was sick, my home life was crazy, and theater was my outlet. I wanted to be anyone else but me and being on stage allowed that to happen.

I had some good friends, but it wasn't till my senior year when the Kelly you know now, the one who sticks up for herself and anyone else that needs sticking up for, came to be. I told those mean girls exactly what I thought of them, and where they could stick their attitude.

I'm also a COLOSSAL MADONNA fan - like HUGE. I've seen her in concert twice and she was amazing both times. Madonna's music and attitude gave, (and still gives) me confidence whenever I started to feel self doubt.

With all her many incarnations and changes, still remains who she is and I like and respect that about her.

The Above brilliant video was a preview for next weeks TOTAL MADONNA episode on GLEE.

Jane Lynch's Sue Slyvester doing Madonna's VOGUE video = FANTASTICAL BRILLIANCE and I can't wait for next weeks show!

What's this have to do with diabetes? Not much - I'm just incredibly excited.

But if I was to give it a Diabetes twist, the following questions come to mind.

1. When you go Vogue-ing (dancing) and "Let your body move too the music," do you take less insulin before your go out?

2. For those of you who wear a pump, what's the best way to keep your pump from flying out in the opposite direction while you "Strike a pose?"

3. And finally "Diazons with an attitude and Dia-fellows that are in the mood," how did you give "Good Face" when it comes to Diabetes ?

April 2nd Is - PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME

PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME

In honor of April 2^nd being National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day, (and a few other reasons like keeping my sanity and the fact that I’m having some “gremlin” inspired issues with my borrowed CGM. Not to mention that this is the weekend I indulge in carrot cake,) I’ve decided to postpone my basal testing and start again next week.

No one’s really certain who the mastermind behind PB & J is but food Historians know that the dynamic duo was part of the United States military’s food rations for the troops in WWII.

Today my fellow Diabetesaliciousness readers, I encourage you to take a moment and revel in the epicurean spectacular known as peanut butter and jelly. Make a sandwich or spread the dynamic duo on a ½ a bagel. Have the combo on a banana, or simply combine the two on spoon and make a bolus worthy meal/snack of it!

Charlotte JDRF's Walk To Cure Diabetes Last Minute $$ Request

Hey folks, HAPPY FRIDAY!

My cousin Ginny Kunik and her awesome daughter Margaret (and my little cuz) are "walking the walk" tomorrow in Charlotte, NC by participating in the Charlotte JDRF's Walk to Cure Diabetes.

They have a goal of raising $200 and are currently at $135 (they lost their Mother-in-law/Grandmother-my Aunt last week, so all fundraising had to be put on hold until after the funeral,) which is totally understandable.

Yesterday they drove from Philadelphia to Charlotte and arrived home late last night - the quest for last minute donations has begun!

If you can to donate a few bucks (because no amount is too small) that would be great !

It's the 3rd year they've participated and are walking for Margaret's good friend Caroline, who is a T1, & for me - which is REALLY COOL! I'm SO proud of them!

If you'd like to donate, click HERE!

If not, please pass the info to someone who might!

Team Type 1's Joe Eldridge - Quite Diabetesalicious if I do Say so Myself!

Top Photo: Joe speaks - I know it's dark, but some parts turned OK~
2nd Photo: Me and Joe, just hanging out - What I won't do for my readers!

Wednesday night was quite Diabetesalicious in “The Big Book of Kelly”. I (and about 40 others) had the pleasure of attending a Thomas Jefferson University’s division of Endocrinology Department Seminar/ Q & A with Joe Eldridge, C0-Founder and Professional Cyclist for Team Type 1. Joe’s story was both inspiring and interesting. Diagnosed with Type 1 at the age of 10, Joe never let it stop him from doing the things he loved.
He competed as a Striker on Jr. Soccer teams that traveled across the U.S and was the Place Kicker for his High School Football team and also competed in Triathlons.

Joe went of to College and attended Auburn University. Like most of us who attended college, Joe struggled with maintaining a good A1c his first year on his own.
But Joe fell in love his sophomore year…. with a light blue Trek Bike and became hooked on the sport.

One day he met fellow student and Cyclist Phil Southerland - that meeting and a bet invloving a Burrito, changed both his life and the way he managed his diabetes forever. In a nut shell, Joe realized that not only was Phil a great cyclist, but he was T1 diabetic who controlled his diabetes and won his races because of his tight control.

They began practicing together and started placing bets (this is where the burrito comes in) on who would have the best Blood Sugar after practice. The loser had to buy lunch. Joe bought a lot of lunches at first, but finally, Joe became a micro-manger of his glucose, and Phil was forced to pay up.

After college, and against a wall of skepticism larger than the famed Manayunk Wall
(which the team would also conquer) Joe co-founded Team Type 1 with Phil Southerland and they entered their first race, “ The Race Across America.”

Because they were a team of diabetics, no one thought they could win, let alone place. But Team t1 proved them all wrong, with a team that consisted of 8 racers and a 30 person crew, TT1 cycled over 3,053 miles and placed 2nd overall...only 5 minutes behind first place. They’d come pretty damn close to overtaking a team that had never been beaten.

What I really liked about Joe’s talk was that wasn’t preachy at all, he understood diabetes burnout, and the frustration of having a high blood sugar for no apparent reason.

Joe stressed that having D- buddies helped to elevate both issues (this statement in particular made me think of dblogville, and how we all support one another daily.) Instead of reacting to the high blood glucose, Joe acted by taking the steps to both acknowledge the BS high and then correct it. So many of us have stressed out about the unexplained highs and have let it ruin or day.

Joe’s attitude was “ A high blood sugar is just a number, so let’s fix it and make it right.” I think every diabetic out there needs to remember that fact, myself included.

Joe also talked about maintaining a BS of around 160 for workouts and race days. How many of us have had to defend our workout numbers to John Q. Public? It was wonderful to hear a professional athlete say what all of us in dBlogville have written about in the past.
Knowing what glucose numbers work for us during a workout, without having to defend it to the t3’s in our life.

Joe answered questions and was quite approachable to any all who attended the event afterwards. A down to earth man with an extraordinary athletic ability and a positive attitude towards the Big D as well!

If Joe (or any member of Team Type 1) makes an appearance in your area, do yourself a favor and go listen to what he has to say. His outlook on life and diabetes is inspiring and positive. So much so in fact , that yours truly has signed up for a spin class that starts next week! More on that to follow! ;)

The evening was sponsored by The Kostic Foundation, Omnipod, and Sanofi Aventis and all 3 sponsors provided those who attended with an evening filled with an awesome speaker, great info on their company, and a fabulous dinner spread!

Because lets face it people, if your going to have a group of diabetics at your event, the food better be fantastic! ;)

DRI Diabetes 2.0 Videos Up & Running On The Web

All the videos from Diabetes Research Institute Foundation’s Diabetes 2.0 New York Conference are now up and running on their website.

Take the time to see and hear what went down!


The 411 on the 2008 DRI New York Research Update

FYI - "Tips & Treats For Halloween" Diabetes Self-Management Article is on the web

The Halloween article "Tips & Treats For Halloween", written by Diane Fennell and in the current issue of Diabetes Self Management is now up & running on the web. Several Bloggers & others associated with the Big D were interviewed. I've listed & linked to them in the order they've been quoted.

Kerri
Allison
Penny
Kevin
Gary
Stephen
Amy
Kelly - Your already found me

The article helps parents of diabetic children approach the holiday with a little less fear. The piece also contains both a list of gluten free treats for Halloween and games that run the gambit for Halloween parties. It's a great read with some wonderful tips, so take a moment to check it out!

Charming Charms That Sound The WELLalarm

Actual footage of my WELLcharm™

As a rule, I've been known to hate medical I.D. jewelry because, lets face it...they are usually beyond ugly to look at, let alone wear. Ok, "maybe hate is to strong a term…. how about "dislike intensely." Yes, they absolutely do the job they are intended for, but most are less than pleasing to the eye. I've said it before and Ill say it again, "Just because you have a chronic disease or condition, does not mean you suddenly lack all sense of taste & style in the accessories department." HELL NO! I want accessories that are functional; sexy, stylish and show off who I am, while allowing emergency medical professionals to become aware of my "pancreatical issues".
Cathy V, one of my oldest and best friends, always gives me crap about wearing a medical I.D. We've known one another since college and I know her concerns are real. She even bought me a medical I.D. bracelet when I backpacked through Europe…but as soon as I arrived back in the states, off it went. I couldn't stand the looks of it! Sorry Cath!
A few weeks ago, when I was smack dab in the middle of the maelstrom known as my life, I received an email from Stephanie Cion. She told me that she'd been reading Diabetesaliciousness for a while and liked it very much- which I was of course, very happy to hear. Then, (and this is where it get REALLY interesting) she started telling me about her life.
Stephanie was a "mover and shaker" at Aetna, when she was diagnosed with a rare nerve disease called Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. After developing a septic reaction to her treatment (while on the phone w/ her Oncologist) she realized that had she passed out (she came pretty damn close), she most likely would have died because EMT's would not have been aware of her condition and would have given her the wrong treatment.Much like me, Steph hated medical I.D jewelry of any kind, but after her close call, she decided to bite the bullet & wear one – against her better fashion Judgment. Actually, her exact statement was "the thought of wearing a medical I.D. made me almost as nauseous as my chemo treatments." Hmmm, I COULD SO RELATE TO THAT…not the chemo treatment part, but the medical I.D. jewelry making her nauseous part.
Anyway, after two years of chemo treatments, Steph decided to put her money where her mouth was, and created WELLalarm™and WELLcharms™. What's that all about you ask? Well, after clicking on the link to the website, I learned that WELLalarm™ is a cutting edge web-based service that offers secure, 24/7 access to your medical information from anywhere in the world.

In an emergency, bystanders or first responders can access vital health information (including allergies, medications, doctors and emergency contacts) in seconds via phone, text, Internet or by entering your WELL-ID found on the WELLCharms™ – jewelry that is both pleasing to the eye, and function as a medical I.D. Wellcharms™ also come in the form of key chains, labels, and stickers for those of you who prefer to be sans the bling.

All the tech stuff was great, but the WELLcharms™ are what lit my fire. WELLcharms™ are not just wearable; they're down right SASSY, and come in variety of shapes and metals. Including, silver, brushed silver, vermeil and gold.
As I clicked through the jewelry, I decided to email her back. We set up a time to talk via the phone, and when that time came, talk we did, for a good hour – at least & I liked what I heard. Stephanie asked me if I was interested in reviewing WELLalarm, and I asked Stephanie if she was ready to hear all my thoughts about the product - including any constructive criticism.
Diabetesaliciousness is a huge part of who I am, and part of who I am, is telling it like it is - like it or not. Be it good, bad, or ugly, I’m nothing if not honest - faulty pancreas and all. Stephanie was more than fine with that and welcomed my thoughts on her products and services.
She told me to pick the charm of my choice. In return, I was going to write an honest User review. If I liked it, I’d write all about it…. and if I didn't, I'd write about the reasons why. Please note, I received no payment for this user review.

I picked out a brushed silver circle Sand Dollar looking charm necklace because honestly, it was very ocean inspired and pretty – I felt like a piece of the ocean was with me, and I liked that feeling. I could live with wearing that,...or at least I thought I could.
6 days later, on a very hectic Monday afternoon, I met the Post Woman at the door and signed for my WELLcharm™. The anticipation heightened as soon as I opened the envelope and found a satiny blue bag. I gingerly pulled the string & gently poured its contents on the table. There was my WELLcharm™& chain, along with an info card on how to sign up for the WELLalarm™ service.
Honestly folks, my necklace was gorgeous. A smooth brushed silver sand dollar with the medical symbol known as "The Rod of Asclepius" imprinted on the front. On the back was a WELLalarm™ I.D number, a toll free phone number, and a URL. I put it on, and it looked & felt great. It passed my first test, known as the "This looks AWESOME Test" with flying colors.

I didn't have time to sign up as a "WELLalarmer," at that very moment. I had to finish up work, and then I was meeting 8 women to go see the 7pm showing of "Burn After Reading" - which by the way was a good movie that had the potential to be great, by the Brothers Coen, but,...I digress.

So back to my review. There I stood, standing at the sink in the Ladies room with 3 of the 8 ladies, chatting away, when one in particular named Kim said, " I love your sand dollar necklace, where'd you get it?" Then the others started to comment and said pretty much the same thing. How cute it was, etc. I explained all about WELLCHARM & the WA services, they were impressed and asked for the website info. It had passed my second test, Known as the "I can live with wearing this because it looks pretty, not all medically and others really like it Test." WELLcharm™ had impressed a group of fashion conscientious women, who aren't always easily impressed.

That whole week, I slept and showered in my WELLcharm™, and never took it off – I wore it round the clock. No real problems there, except for the fact that personally, I wasn’t used to wearing a piece of jewelry 24X7 – but after a few days I actually forgot I had the necklace on & it ceased to be an issue. I wore my WELLcharm™ with a variety of different ensembles, including professional and casual, and the jewelry adapted seamlessly.
I swam laps in the pool and the chlorine didn't affect the color. The clasp never came undone and the charm loop fit a variety of different chains, not just the one it came with. IT passed the "Durability & takes a licking & keeps on ticking Test" with flying colors.

That Saturday, I went to my friend Lori's house. Lori's dad is Doctor and her husband is a Dentist, and is actually my Dentist. I explained WELLalarm™ specifics to the both of them and showed of my necklace. Both recognized The Rod of Ascleplius right of the bat & referred to it by name, and Lori's dad had recently read about WELLalarm™, but couldn’t remember where. Both thought that the info available to them during an emergency was critical. Both Doc’s felt that having the info accessible via texting and the Internet was a valuable service, especially in an emergency situation. While my Dentist "didn't normally have to worry about that sort of thing," he felt it was good to know that the info was there and could be computed ASAP if someone had a medical emergency while in his chair.

The next day was Sunday, normally a day of rest, but not for me. I decided to stop by my local Fire House and talk to the EMT's. I wanted to know what they thought of the WELLalarm system & WELLcharms. Oh, what I won't do to inform my Diabetesaliciousness readers!

On a side note, is it a national requirement that all Firefighters/EMT's be visually appealing to the eyes and funny to boot??? Not that complaining, I'm not...I'm just making an observation.

Anyway, I explained to them about WA. The EMT’s thought having that info on the ambulance or in the ER was a great thing. They also loved the fact that WA calls the emergency contacts for the patient. "
SO, would you recognize that this was medical jewelry in an emergency situation?" I asked in a serious tone. I asked this particular question because it's an incredibly important one. Let's face it, if people don't know that it's a medical accessory – how can it save your life in an emergency? "Absolutely, we're trained to check all jewelry and tattoos on the body for medical info. If people don't wear them, we can't help them. The Rod of Ascleplius (Seriously - Ascleplius's rod is getting some serious play - I'm sure he'd be pleased) is clearly visible up-close on your necklace. It's really nice...do they have stuff for guys?"

I told him that they did indeed have styles for men, and thanked him and his partners for their time & honesty. My WELLcharm™ and WELLalarm™ had passed "The various reviews by medical professionals on several different levels test” with flying colors.

I'd worn my WELLcharm™ for over a week, but I still hadn't signed up on line yet - I was nervous. I thought it would take to much time and I was worried about the systems evasiveness factor,
I wanted to make sure that my info was protected. But, in order to review the necklace and service properly, I had to sign up and create an account, so I did.

First off, creating an account was incredibly easy and painless. There are three different services to choose from. Basic, Emergency, and Platinum Wellness-and range in price from Free to $6.50 a month. Then I registered my WELL I.D. Code number – again, very simple.

Next, I input my "Basic Medical Info", which included Gender, DOB, Height, Weight (I thought about lying about my lbs, but decided to be honest), and Blood Type. Not really rocket science folks..

Next I input my Medications, Dr.'s and Insurance info, and then listed my Emergency Contacts.
The final and most critical step in creating my account was setting my "Emergency Settings" feature, which allows YOU, the WELLalarm™ user to specify & authorize which information will be available through the WELLalarm™ emergency system in an actual emergency.

Simply put, if you only want WA to give the EMT's or other medical personnel the most minimum and basic info, like you're a Diabetic, Dr. X is your Endo, and who your emergency contacts are – that's all the info they give, PERIOD.

WELLalarm™ also has a Privacy Policy page that explains to you in detail all precautions that WA takes in order to protect your privacy As for me, I want them to know it all – we're talking about my life after all...But, that's just how I roll.

The “On-line can I actually do this and is it safe? test” of my User-Review was extremely user friendly and I felt that my info was very secure on line. WA passed with flying colors and total on-line time spent was less then 10 minutes.

Final thoughts: WELLcharms™ are smart bracelets or necklaces on every level, and are both good-looking & practical, a rare combo to say the least.
Stylistically, I have no problem wearing mine – and I wear it daily, which is really saying something, given my personal history with Medical I.D.'s.

WELLalarm's™ web services are clearly thought out and protect both the users health and privacy. I love the fact that through the "Emergency Settings," I control what info can be given out – allowing me to have power in a situation where I normally would have none. That’s HUGE.
WELLcharms™ and the WELLalarm™ system are "Diabetesalciousness" on every level and I give them 5 Islets of Langerhans out of 5 - If I actually had any that worked to give ;)

From now until November 30th, WELLalarm™ is offering a one-time $15 dollar discount off your purchase. All you need to do is type the word DIABETES in the promo code section of your order. Checkout all of WELLalarm's styles and services at: http://wellalarm.com/

#############
Penny pointed out a very good point, that being that yours truly didn't list the price. I didn't list the price because depending on what WELLalarm service and jewelry you pick, the price varies greatly.
But regardless of what you choose there is a big savings to be had, because depending on your your choice, you get up to one year free of WELLalarm service.

Here's the Diabetesalaliciousness math of it all, using my necklace as a sample.

The necklace I wear cost $170 for the brushed silver and comes with a free year of the Platinum Wellness Service, which normally costs $6.50 per month for a total of $78, that I don't have to pay, because as listed on the website, it's included. If I did, The total cost would be $248. Still it's included, so I'm only paying $170. Subtract $15 from that price if you place your order before November 30th, and the total is $155.

For a Medic Alert Sterling Teardrop pendent, (which is similar in style and shape) costs $109.95, plus the cost of Medic Alert Gold Membership, which cost of $9.95 per month totalling $119.40 a year for the MedicAlert service, for the combined grand total of $229.35.

Are you following?

WELLalarm total cost is either $170 or $155 verses Medic Alert's total price of $229.95.

So, WELLalarm is more economical and saves you $59.95 or $74.95 if ordered before 11/30/08.
My brain hurts, but it was worth it!

"HEY, YOU GUYS!!!" And By "GUYS," I Mean All Of You in dBlogville Who Are Walking To Cure Diabetes

Checkout this totally groovy 70's flashback and see if you can spot Rita Moreno & Morgan Freeman - Both Academy Award Winners and Members of The Electric Company

Hey, send me a reply to this post with your teams name; your team blog (if you have one), a fundraising link,amount raised, and all the other WHERE, WHEN, and WHAT stuff associated with your Walk.

I thought it be cool to write a post with ALL the links to ALL the teams in dBlogville.
I have a feeling this community is raising some serious coin - be it for JDRF, ADA, CWD, Dr. Faustman.

Should make for some very interesting reading...THANKS for your help in advance - God knows I need it! Now..., if I only had 17 personal assistants to help me get all my none diabetes related crap done - I'd be totally caught up in my life! I wander what that'd be like???

Alltop, As In All The Top Stories

In mid July Guy Kawasaki contacted to let me know that he had added Diabetesaliciousness to his one website: http://diabetes.alltop.com/
"Sweet! this is cool site," I thought! I’ll write about tomorrow after work.

Then life got in the way, via the cortisone shot from hell and the crazy roller coaster of blood sugars that followed. Days turned into weeks, others wrote about Diabetes Alltop, and I hadn’t.

Many a dblogger, (and Guy K himself) have described Diabetes Alltop as a virtual magazine rack, which is truly what it is.

My fellow dblogger’s had already explained all about Diabetes’s Alltop, you know, how it take feeds from 50 or so dblogs, highlight the 5 most recent posts from said blogs, thus allowing you to scan the subjects with your eyes over the various subject lines. If you see a subject line that tickles your fancy, slide the curser over the subject line for more on the story, and if that really does it for you, click and read all about it.

I decided to explore the rest of Alltop.com – as in “all the top stories,” (which is where the name comes form and is pretty nifty) and was transported to a sh*tload of popular subjects on the web. from ADHD to Yoga, and everything in between, listed in alphabetical order.

Surfing Alltop.com is interesting, informative, and dare I say,"It Rocks!" I’ve become quite partial to Alltop Speaking; Blogging, Health, Humor, Alltop Oddities, and Utterati Alltop.....So far.

Definitely add Diabetes Alltop to your list of favorites, and while you’re at it, take the time to peruse all of Alltop, you just might learn a thing or two about ahhhh…, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.

And you'll definitely be a hit at dinner parties!

SHOUT OUT to Diabetes1

Here's the deal: A few months ago I received an email from Tatsiana Kulesh, a Sales and Marketing Associate with Diabetes1.org. Tatsiana was interested in linking Diabetesalciousness to Diabetes1.org.

As for me, I was interested in learning just what Diabetes1.org was all about.

In a nutshell, Diabetes1 is a community based website that features information on the Big D, both t1 and t2, and other related conditions that we all know about. D1 also has forums; blogs, tips on the everyday stuff, a clinic locator, etc. All, very cool. The more sites devoted to the Big D, the better!

Anyway, Tatsiana and I continued to speak via email and the celly for a few months. She asked me questions and I told her my thoughts on what might interest the folks of dBlogville, etc.

To make a long story longer, A few weeks ago, Tatsiana asked if she could interview me. Apparently, she liked my attitude. Hearing that always surprises me, regardless of the subject matter. Why? Because when I was younger, I got in trouble for my "Attitude." Actually, I still get into trouble for my attitude, but that's another post.

I was nervous, but took a deep breath and said "Yes." Here's the link to the site and the article.

Living With Type 1 Be In Charge and Own It.

Take some time to checkout Diabetes1 and learn something new. Also, feel free to crack a few jokes at my expense. Hey, as long as you learn some new info and laugh at least once, I'M ALL FOR IT.

I've Been Tagged - And A Few Diabetesalicious Shout Outs To Boot!!

I've been tagged by two different bloggers ( Colleen & Naomi) regarding the 6 word memoir.
You know the one, where you
1) Write your own six word memoir
2) Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want
3) Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere
4) Tag at least five more blogs with links; and
5) Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

I'll agree to tag 8 since I was contacted twice.
HERE IT GOES.
Kelly K
Funny, loyal, surprising, sensitive, strong, & "ironical"
who I tagged.
Hannah
Windy
Diane
Penny
Ninja George
Kerri
Marcus
Justine
Young Crazy Diabetic Kids Hanging Out & Causing Mayhem - I love it!!
I was contacted last Wednesday (I'm a little late, I know) by Danial Opalacz, a student at Colby College in Maine.
Danial and his friends have started on On-line community called Young Diabetics
For, you guessed it, Type 1 teen and college age diabetics. The idea came aboutafter a good was diagnosed with Type 1.
When I diagnosed, I remember my father telling me not to tell any potential employers about my diabetes or the DMV. My father kept it a secret for most of his life. I haven't.
Today, it's all about communicating, sharing, and owning our diabetes. I'm always happy to give a shout-out to an organization that will allow for that. Check Young Diabetics out and see for yourself.
MY very own Diabetesaliciousness Diabetic Supporter!
On April 19th, my wonderful young cousin Margaret and her wonderful young mother Ginny are participating in JDRF's South Carolina Walk to Cure Diabetes.
This is their second year walking and I'm so proud of them! These Chiclets are committed to finding a cure for their friend who was diagnosed at the age of 4, and a boat load of cousins who are all Type 1's. If you 'd like to donate to their team, here's the link. http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmID=86987972
Give them a big " THANKS" and tell them that you think that they're Diabetesalicious!!!

My Worlds Are Colliding...And I like It!!!!

So I went to an Insulin Pump Meeting last night over at Integrated Diabetes
in lovely Wynnewood, PA.

Gary Schiener runs the meeting and owns Integrated Diabetes, he's a great guy and we've worked together in the past. Gary knows everything about D and he makes me laugh. Since my sense of humor is somewhat developed - dare I say sophomoric, bordering on the absurd and teetering on what others would describe as toilet humor, but....I digress. He's funny in a ha-ha sort of way and he knows his diabetes S&*^

The room was humming with various types of insulin pump beeps and everybody was talking with one another, and checking our collective pumps without missing a beat in our various conversations. There was no Diabetes Food Police lurking about and we noshed on light snacks that included; fruit, cheese, and cookies that weren't dietetic -A very important fact to a group of people with the big D. It's all about the food in our diabetes world, and we like the real thing as far as cookies are concerned.

The topic for the evening was CGM's. Who makes them, what pumps they're compatible with, and what we can expect from them now and in the future. It was incredibly interesting and we all learned a thing or two.

Now, here's the part where my worlds collided. And by worlds I mean my on-line d-blogger world and my real life world.

I ACTUALLY GOT THE CHANCE TO MEET HANNAH FROM DORKABETIC

She rocks! It was SO surreal to meet another D-blogger face to face.
We all read each others blogs and are inspired by each others words, experiences, and lessons - but when u actually get to meet, it's awesome. Hannah and I were down right giddy, "like little girls!"

Hannah brought along her Type 3 Matt, &' he's pretty cool as well. He knows his " Simpson's" and 'Family Guy" trivia. He's also interested in the latest and greatest diabetes findings and accoutrement and how it would benefit his lady. He's a keeper Hannah!

A diabetesalicious time was had by all!

last nights meeting got me thinking. I say lets coordinate and pick a date, time, and place where we d-bloggers can meet - A D Bogger Convention. It could be billed as both a meeting of the minds and faulty pancreases. Imagine the possibilities, imagine the food!

STOP THE PRESSES - A REAL BONA FIDE EXUSE TO SHOP

Normally I only post once a day, if that....BUT

FYI Blogaroonies -

For two weeks, January 6-19, 2008, T.J. Maxx stores throughout the United States will hold an in-store promotion to raise money for Joslin Diabetes Center's High Hopes Fund to help advance the fight against diabetes. This is the second year in a row that T.J. Maxx has hosted the promotion.
There are 850 T.J. Maxx stores nationwide. Last year's promotion raised more than $290,000 for the High Hopes Fund.

So now not only do you get the "Maxx for the minimum," but you get to raise some "dead presidents' for Diabetes. Could this mean that shopping for shoes could actually be considered a tax deduction?
Oh sweet mystery of life!