45

Hey, it’s been a while and I'm sorry about that. Between trying to navigate a Covid world; a move that was anything but easy, and some other stuff I’m still trying to process, blog post reserve has been drained. Burnout was and is is real. The good news: 

A. I’m working onseveral new posts, including one on my thoughts on the Omnipod 5, one on local D buddies. Happy to say that blog posts in process are very real and will be posted soon and I am so very glad and thankful! 

B. Today is my 45th Diaversary! Yep, today marks 45 years of living with diabetes. 45 years ago a little girl with a big imagination and extensive vocabulary entered the hospital on Halloween morning with a busted pancreas and was diagnosed with T1. 

This year’s celebration is quiet, mostly because it’s Monday during a week that requires a lot of juggling on my end.

 Every year on October 31st I write a list of things I’m grateful for and in no particular order. Here’s this year’s list. 

1. Cheese - in all shapes and forms
2.  My nieces and nephews 
3. Good books 
4. Tasty tea - super addicted to Rooibos
5.  Salt air 
6. Dark chocolate topped with sea-salt
7.  The color green 
8. Cheeseburger, medium rare, topped with the works - bonus points for jalapeños 
9. Vintage Costume Jewelry - I collect it 
10. “Real Jewelry.” I collect that too :) 
11. Dogs. Dogs are awesome and I’ll fight you on that 
12. Cooking for the people I love 
13. Making a tasty meal from scratch for myself. Cleaning up after? Not so much 
14. Traveling - I miss traveling. I need to travel. I have over 55,000 air miles - time to cash them in 
15.  The color yellow. I love yellow - it reminds me of my mom and daffodils and the sun. Truth be told I had a thing for yellow and purple as a little girl. Still do 
16. Really good extra virgin olive oil 
17. Exploring - going to a new place and discovering its nooks and crannies; locals and spots that make said place magic
18. Clouds 
19. Photography - I love taking pictures 
20. Spicy sushi 
21. A meal out with friends 
22. Atlantic City Italian bread. GOOGLE IT 
23. My DOC family and friends - you are my Friends For Life 
24. Swimming in the ocean 
25. PBS 
26. Peanut Butter 
27.  Manatees 
28. My friends kids 
29. Hanging out with my nieces and nephews as friends
30. The smell of honeysuckle bushes 
31. Sriracha 
32. Live theater 
33. Going to the movies
34. A horse named Stormy 
35. A dog named Misty 
36. A cat named kidden 
37. Serving my tea from a yellow porcelain teapot I bought for 10 bucks at an estate sale years ago 
38. Presecco and wine 
39. Tito’s Vodka 
40. golden hour 
41. The beach 
42. My parents 
43.   My sister 
44.   My busted pancreas, aka my diabetes dragon. FTR, I've made friends with my diabetes dragon - her name is Mabel 
45.  Me 
46.  YOU.

44

 

I'm still here :) 

44 years ago today I was diagnosed with diabetes. 

44 years of living with a busted pancreas. 

44 years that I've been here, that I wouldn't have been if insulin had never been discovered. 

As Diaversary tradition and in no particular order - my diabetes life gratitude list.

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1. I’m still here
2. Rooibos tea - my latest obsession. Actually, I’ve been drinking it since maybe 2005, but the last few years I’ve become OBSESSED with it
3. Being an auntie to my nieces and nephews - I love them more than words can express
4. My sister Cathy
5. My family
6. The Diabetes Online Community - Finding my tribe ROCKED MY WORLD & continues to do so, each and every day
7. Sex
8. The beach
9. The ocean - there’s a reason we are three-quarters saltwater
10. I’m a kickass soup-maker with an impressive soup repertoire
11. Trump no longer presides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
12. Wide shoes that aren’t ugly
13. Theater - I can’t wait to go back!
14. Books
15. Beuno Bars - Seriously, GIVE THEM A TRY
16. Teal Green and Chartreuse 
17. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
18. Friends who are family. You know who you are and I love you
19. Dogs
20. Photography. I love taking pictures and people em to like my images. Also love learning about the history of photography and photographers
21. Peanut Butter. I LOVE IT
22. Kismet. When it happens it’s magic in action 
23. Being my mother’s daughter. Marjory was the strongest, kindest woman I ever met. Being her daughter is an honor
24. I found a hidden twenty in my wallet last week - AWESOME
25. Insulin. It keeps me alive. Unfortunately, it’s fucking expensive and people are dying because they can’t fucking afford it and that’s gotta change!
26. A bold Lipstick - it’s seriously life-changing, empowering, and energizing
27. A really gorgeous and well-made coat. Instagram #coatporn, you’ll see what I’m talking about 
28. Having a roof over my head
29. Diabetes Advocacy 
30. Purple
31. Indie coffee and tea shops
32. Diabetes technology
33. Movies
34. Pete Souza 
35. Dorothea Lange - If you don’t know about her - watch Grab A hunk Of Lightning and prepare to be inspired
36. Traveling. I miss it-can't wait to get back to it!
37. Manatees
38. Gardening
39. Having enough oat milk for my morning coffee
40. Perfectly seasoned, well-done home-fries 
41. Music
42. Reconnecting with old friends
43. Making new friends
44. Getting lost in nature - on purpose. 

Diaversary

Me embracing my inner Moira Rose on my Diaversary. Video to follow.

 It’s been quite a while since I’ve written on my blog - between COVID; lockdown, work, delaying my big COVID meltdown until end of June/beginning of July and followed two weeks late by a Lis Franc sprain at the end of July, working, and hustling for work, pen to paper and writing about myself for my own blog was damn impossible. 

 I kept promising myself I was going to write a blog post tomorrow - but then when tomorrow arrived I’d push it off again. 

But I’m writing one today!

43 years ago today I was diagnosed with diabetes and spent my Halloween in the hospital instead of trick or treating and have spent the past 43 years living and sharing good, the bad, and the diabetesalicious of it all. 

Every year I write a Diaversersary post listing things I love/ I’m thankful for and in no particular order. - with the total corresponding to the number of years I've had diabetes. 

2020, I won’t let you take that away. 

So here’s my 2020 list of 43 things that I'm grateful for and hope you can relate!

1. My people. My friends, family,including YOU. You all make my world a better place!
2. Speaking of friends - Lucy the Elephant.
3. Smart Insulin - you’ve made my life easier and my body healthier. With that being said, let's get your prices lower - people are dying because they can't afford it!
4. My garden. It made my summer, which was spent social distancing and nursing a bum ankle much easier to bear. It also made my salads much tastier. 
5. Dove Ice Cream Mini Bars, variety pack. Seriously life-changing.
6. Sex
7. Speaking of life-changing, I’m thankful for Time in Range - it’s a diabetes game changer!
8. My honest and caring mechanic  - Thanks for being honest and giving me a great price when my car was having issues  - Very much appreciated!
9. The beach. Even though I didn’t spend a lot of time on this year (because people were being idiots re: social distancing,) I’m so grateful to have grown up at the beach and to have access to it as an adult.
10. The Ocean. See number 8.
11. Being able to attend MOMA’s Dorothea Lange' Words & Pictures Exhibit this past September.
12. Dorothea Lange’s photography
13. Being an Aunt because it's a fucking gift from the heavens. I love my nieces and nephew so much! 12 unique and individual works of art.
14. Democracy. 
15. Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg - May her memory be a revolution.
16. Music. Silly to say, but music makes my heart sing.
17. Waking up and realizing that I have an hour before my alarm goes off.
18. Becoming a better baker. Thanks to my friend Pam (who bought me a beautiful and solid bundt pan last Christmas because she thought it would help me chill I made my first bundt cake from scratch a few months later. During lockdown I perfect banana and banana blueberry muffins, this week I’m attempting pumpkin :) 
19. NetFlix  - you know why.
20. Hoka ONES. Seriously comfy sneakers.
21. Schitt’s Creek: Best. Show. Ever. 
22. Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life From Dear Sugar - book by Cheryl Strayed . READ IT.
23. My camera. I bought a Canon 35 mm camera a few years ago with 300 and 80 degree lenses. LOVE IT.
24. Insulin pumps - making my life easier since 2002.
25. Dark chocolate caramels with sea salt. AMAZING.
26. My Mac laptop I bought 16 months ago.
27. CGM. It makes life easier - except when it doesn’t. 
28. Dogs. DOGS RULE
29. Homemade Soup. I have mad soup skillz.
30. The color green. It makes me feel healthy, beautiful, balanced  - and it makes my eyes pop!
31. Paper plates - Lockdown means dishes are never done. Paper plates make my life easier. The environmentalist in me struggles with this, the chief dishwasher (ME,) is thankful and works especially hard to be environmentally conscious in other areas of my life.
32. Both Sweetzels and Ivins Spiced Wafers
33. Cheese. I’m a cheese lover and self-proclaimed cheese slut. 
34. PBS 
35. Lipstick. I wear it every day and under my mask!
36. Ray Collins Photography 
37. Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
38. Goldenberg Peanut Chews - Original Dark Chocolate
39. Prosecco 
40. Nature
41. Jewel color tones. I’m just not into tan -with that being said, I appreciate a warm and smartly tailored camel hair coat.
42. Jewelry. I love jewelry - whether it’s a macaroni necklace a little made me, costume, or the “real stuff - I LOVE SPARKLE.
43. The Diabetes Online Community. You’ve changed my life and life with diabetes for the better and I love you all so much!

T2D Healthline App - Another Option of People With T2 Diabetes

Three things about me and which I think you already know… but just in case you don’t: 

1. I’m all about us (every single person living with diabetes and no matter the type,) working together as a diabetes team! I live with t1 diabetes - I always support, continually learn from, and actively fight for my LADA Diabetes and T2 diabetes brothers and sisters - ALWAYS. 
2. I’m all about people with diabetes having as many options and choices as possible when it comes to living with diabetes - in the form of treatment plans (medications, meal plans, diabetes robot parts,) being an active participant in your diabetes - using your diabetes voice and partnering with your Doctor re your diabetes treatment, and participating in the DOC (diabetes online community,) including digital diabetes spaces that fit the individual PWD (person with diabetes,) needs. 
3. Diabetes isn’t one size fits all, what works for one person, may not work for another. Diabetes choices and options are key components that make living our diabetes lives easier! 

Which is why when Healthline reached out to me and wanted to share their new app - appropriately named, T2D Healthline - I agreed to listen to what they had to say. 

And you know what? I liked what I heard. It’s good stuff. 

So I agreed to partner with T2D Healthline to help spread the word (and host some app chats,) about their new free app, which is why I’m sharing this information with you. 

What you do with the info is up to you! 

In a nutshell, the T2D Healthline app provides people living with type 2 diabetes another alternative in the form of community, a place to connect and share with others who “get it.” 

The free app allows you to engage in realtime chats, have access to a virtual library of Healthline articles, icebreaker questions to help you… well, break the ice with other community members. 

The app also provides you with a daily “match” option.  

As in being matched up with a new t2 buddy, daily (and only if you want, the choice is up to you - no pressure,) while providing a private/safe space to connect with others looking to receive (and provide,) support re: living with type 2 diabetes.

And some other cool stuff~ 

Bottom line: We need to keep and stay connected - especially right now - to say it’s been a strange spring is an understatement! 

Keeping connected with others helps us to feel less isolated, more empowered, and better equipped to handle our lives… and our lives with diabetes. 

Download Healthline’s free T2D Healthline App, HERE. 

Check it out, explore, connect, let me know what you think! 

Coronavirus: Hey DOC - How You Doing?

Hey DOC  - 

Sorry for the radio silence on the bloggo. 
Like all of you,  I’ve had a lot on my plate and much to take in with what’s going on re: the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Prepping re: supplies - as in food and filling RXs, trying to rearrange work gigs, working from home is not business as usual because life isn't business as usual.  
Focus is hard to come by as of late - FOR EVERYONE.  

I live by myself - it's been hard dealing with what's been going on alone.  
I know I’m not the only one who is struggling with feelings of isolation and loneliness.

I’m worrying. A lot. 

I worry about me, my family, my friends who are family - including my you dearest DOC. 

Worries galore and in all dimensions: Work, income, diabetes, my country-everyone else around the globe dealing with this pandemic. 

Sleep has been crappy, lack of human interactions from less than 6 to 10 feet a part has been rough - but I’m doing it - And I’m staying home as much as I can! 

Every day the news overwhelms us all more than the previous day. 

Seriously guys, this episode of Black Mirror sucks!

And yes, I’m angry and grieving because it didn't have to get to this point.

But it did. We are here.

Not that I've stated all of the above to you  - I feel better!
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE. 

Now we need to fight - some of us from our homes/home offices, others from the front lines. 

And every single one of us needs to vote in November - make sure you are registered and continue to triple check your status. 

And WE MUST stay connected and practice self-care. 

Our diabetes online community has always been leading the pack when it comes to connecting in the digital world! It’s almost like we invented it - we didn’t, but you know what I mean! 

Keep connecting! 

Tweet, write, Skype, Zoom, text, phone a friend and use all your digital lifelines on a daily basis. Pick up the phone when a loved one rings - you both will feel better!

Connecting allows us to… well, CONNECT. 
Sharing prevents us from holding it all inside. 
Being able to say things out loud to our selves and others lets us know we are being heard and that makes it easier to focus, feel much-needed normalcy 

I’ve started dividing tasks into increments of time (THANKS Team egg timer and iPhone timer,) and rewarding myself when tasks get moved to the “Completed,” pile.

I'm willing to hunker down for as long as possible and as long as I am able to work from home to stop the spread 

And I am so incredibly grateful to the healthcare workers, cashiers, restaurant workers providing takeout for the masses, grocery store and pharmacy workers, cashiers, postal employees, police, fire, and EMTs - every single person running towards the flames because it's their job. I pray for their safety every night. 

I pray for all of us to stay safe. 

When this all over, I'm hugging every single loved one, friend, and coworker tightly - I’m going to drag my friends out in the sun for drinks and good food. 

And I can't wait. 

Until then, stay safe, stay in touch and let’s stay connected! 
#WeAreInThisTogether

Xo, Kelly

This Is My Brain: This Is My Brain On Diabetes - And Sometimes It's Exhausting

Diabetes is so damn different every day and at every turn - it's a goddamn crapshoot!

For example, 3 days ago I filled up a new omnipod with 150 units of insulin (180 unit is normally too much,/as in too wasteful for me,) and placed it on my side boob.

95% of the time, boob sites work really well for me. 

This boob site is working exceptionally well. 

We’re talking almost a solid flatline on my Dexcom for the past 72 hours, except for normal post-meal spikes and 3 actual low blood sugars. 

All of the above had me seriously thinking: Oh my God, did somebody kickstart my pancreas and neglect to tell me?

Anyway, pod expires in two hours, at 6:11 pm tonight. 

I currently have 36 units in my pod. Even if I keep it in for an additional 3 hours (half the 6 hour grace period after the time on your pod officially runs out,) and bolus for my dinner, I’ll still have more than 31 units left. 

Do I really want to start a new pod at almost 10 pm at night and post-meal? 

I DO NOT. 

WHY? Because then I’ll have to stay up and make sure everything is copasetic with my new site/pod. If it isn’t  - I have to start the process all over again. I have to work tomorrow - I don't want to be up super late!

Not to mention the fact that if I change out this pod late night tonight, that means in all probability, I'll have to change out the next pod late at night- unless I can sync my morning alarm with the 6 hour grace period and make sure I have enough insulin in said pod during that grace period. Or I run out of insulin before the pod times out. Or an occlusion alarm goes off. 
Or 390 other different diabetes wrenches getting thrown into the equation.
This isn't projecting, this is what is required for those of us wearing diabetes robotical parts. 
SIGH. 

If I put less insulin in my new pod, there’s a 50% chance that diabetes will switch it’s bitch-switch and I’ll go through my normal 150 units in less than 72 hours and will have to change out my site early - unless of course, that doesn’t happen. 

Again - who the hell knows what will be required from a new infusion site and no matter what brand of robot pancreas you’re using. YES, the same happens with tubed pumps.

Or like... do I put less insulin in the new pod and do correction injections from the remaining insulin in my previous pod? 

For fuck sake, insulin is the 5th most expensive insulin on the planet and I don’t want to waste it!

Yeah, this is only a small portion of the mostly necessary and seriously annoying diabetes minutia that runs through people living with diabetes minds and on a daily basis. 

This is also why when a healthcare professional asks me how much insulin I take a day I look at them with daggers in my eyes. OK, maybe not daggers - especially if they're nice. But I definitely channel my inner 13-year-old self and roll my eyes at them and I'm all like, WHATEVER.

Every day with diabetes is different - and requires a different amount of insulin - and for dozens of different reasons. And there are dozens if not hundreds, maybe thousands, (but for real it feels like MILLIONS,) of different diabetes scenarios having nothing to do with site changes or insulin or carbs.  

AND SOMETIMES IT'S GODDAMN EXHAUSTING. 

This my brain. This is my brain on diabetes.  

This spot-on cartoon was created by the amazing Haidee Merritt.
To see more of her work, laugh your butt off and maybe buy her books,  click HERE. 

#SpareARose 2020 & A DOC Valentine

https://lfacinternational.org/sparearose/

The following #SpareARose Valentine's Day poem was originally published here on the blog in 2013 (I've updated & republished the poem because it makes me smile,) the first year of #SpareARose. 

Seven years later - I'm proud that our amazing DOC continues to help spare roses and save thousands of children living with diabetes - providing them with our life-saving elixir of life, insulin. 

Insulin they wouldn't have access to otherwise. 

Follow the steps and click on the link above, and learn how for the cost of one rose this Valentine's Day, you can #SpareARose and can provide one month's worth of life-saving insulin to a child who desperately needs it!! 
######

Dear DOC - I LOVE YOU!

fyi: The cute little redhead in the pic is my niece Tess, circa the mid-1990s!

Dearest DOC- 

You make me smile, you make laugh - you understand my occasional need for time-In-Range charts and graphs. 

You tell me "I will" and "I can," whenever I have doubts - 

You answer my diabetes questions - even the ones about Brussels sprouts.

You see the best in me - even when I can't.

 You listen with understanding whenever I go off on one of my "G*ddamn Diabetes Police/diabetes and the media's stupidity, rants.

You have been there for me on my darkest of days.

You've waited patiently on the twitter with me during a high/low blood sugar haze. 

And hopefully - I've been there for you in some small way - 

Even if it's just making you smile on a particularly craptastical day. 

Together we move mountains - Alone we trudge up hills. 

Together we help others living with diabetes, both online and off...

And unfortunately, the only thing I can think of that rhymes with "off" in terms of the next line...is Hasselhoff. 

NOPE.
And now you can never, ever unsee this.  

So I'm done with prose - I've mostly run out of rhyme. 

I love you all so very much and thanks for your time. 

One last thing before I go - please darling DOC don't forget to #sparearose - As in Spare a rose, save a child living with diabetes in a faraway place, 

where insulin isn't readily available and many hearts break. 

Damn straight 5 bucks goes a hell of a long way, to save a child with diabetes this Saint Valentine's Day~ 
Xoxoxoxo k2~