Dinner And A Diabetes Hypothetical ~

One of my closest friends in the world and I had dinner the other night. 

We talked about all sorts of things - Our lives; the shit show that is American politics, stupid people, and the complexities of the the endocrine system — including my diabetes.

My Friend: So hypothetically speaking and in an alternative universe/perfect world, if you were to eat the exact same food, the exact same amount of food, at the same time each day and do the same activity two days in a row, and not factoring in hormones, stress, etc.,  because alternative/perfect universe, your blood sugars should be the same two days in a row… right? 

Me: Hypothetically speaking, if the queen had balls she’d be king. 

And yes, “hypotherically speaking and in an alternative universe/perfect world," if I were to eat the same food, and the exact amount of said food, at the same time of day, and did the same amount of activity two day in a row. And not factoring in hormones; stress, hydration, heat, cold, the common cold, the alignment of the planets, which way the wind is blowing, tide charts and a boatload of other variables, because alternative universe/perfect world - my blood sugars should be the same - or at least in the same ballpark as they were the day before. 

But that’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this (and by THIS, of course I mean diabetes), works. Because diabetes is never the same disease two days in a row and as we know, diabetes is a fickle bitch. 

My Friend: And because that would be too fucking easy. 

Me: EXACTLY. Also, in an alternative universe/perfect world - I would have a perfectly functioning pancreas and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

My Friend: True. But we'd still be drinking Prosecco.

Me: YOU KNOW IT. 

ALSO: Is it any wonder that we’re friends? 

Little Diabetes Victories Mean A Lot.

Much like little ripples making big waves, little diabetes victories strung together can turn the diabetes tides to a wave of awesome - celebrate the ride, no matter how long or short. 

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Two weeks ago, I decided to check my bg stats for the day on my Omnipod's PDM and before I went to bed. 

And you could have knocked me over with a g*ddamn feather when I learned that I'd been in range for 91% of the day and wondered if my long since dead pancreas was somehow revived and producing insulin again. 
FTR: It was not - and my daily stat 3 days later - where I was in range for 13% of the day clearly proved that... but I digress~

Sidebar: My CDE and I have been tweaking my basal and carb ratios since the Friday before Christmas via Glooko, and I'm happy with the changes - so is she! 

But back to the story, I celebrated by posting a pic of my stats on the Instagram. 

Not because I wanted to brag and not because I wanted to compare myself to others. 

I posted because I wanted to celebrate having a damn good diabetes day and share with others who understood why I was celebrating. 
And obvi, I post about my diabetes struggles on the Social Media, too. 

Diabetes is fucking hard; it's all encompassing, there's no such thing as "time off for good behavior," and diabetes burnout is VERY REAL and incredibly debilitating. 

So when something good happens D wise and a little diabetes victory occurs, 
I do my Diabetes Victory Dance (which some have described as being similar to the Elaine Dance,) and hope others join in. 

And you know I bust out my Diabetes Victory Dance moves, when others celebrate their own D victories - and I'm looking forward to celebrating yours! 

I celebrated being in range 91% of the time and posted on my instagram.
I posted to help others and to help myself.And to remind myself: 
1. it not only happened,
but that I was the one who made it happen
2. When I have diabetes day that kicks the shit out of me, I have photographic evidence that I can do it!
#littlediabetesvictoriesmeanalot

Diabetes Emoji

Do you think that diabetes is trying to tell me 

that it wants its own official Diabetes emoji/emojis?  

No joke and this is NOT photoshop guys. 

THIS is what I saw when I looked down at my fingers 

after I checking my blood sugar this morning (it was 111😁.) 

FTR, that's my blood, not a Sharpie drawn smiley face~

Pretty damn trippy! 

Free Write: Diabetes In The Storm

I took a break from the work I was doing because of all the thoughts swirling in my head. So I set the timer on my phone for 8 minutes and did a free write. 

Here's what I came up with. 

#####

Four days of great blood sugars and lower insulin totals, immediately followed by a few days of higher numbers in both categories.

Four days where my blood sugars behaved, followed by waiting out a 328 and changing out a newish infusion site before bed last night.  

Drinking 16 ounces of water, peeing like Secretariat, and waiting until my blood sugar started going before I could shut my eyes and fall asleep.  

The alarm went off this morning and like the mythical Phoenix, I rose from the ashes, aka,  the warmth of my bed, downed the first of 2 cups of coffee (instead of my usual 1.5,) and went on with the business of living,working, and doing.  

Here, in the middle of a Nor’easter, I sit in my office and at my computer, rain boots by the door and lights flickering on and off - like a movie. 

The wind howls, windows shaking, and I'm doing my best to to get through my list of work  that needs to be done - and thankful that I forced myself to go to the store before dinner last night, when I realized I was precariously close to running out of juice. 

Diabetes means never running of  juice... or insulin.... or meds; pump supplies, test strips and the likes there off -but always worrying about all of the above. 

Diabetes In storm or clear skies, means thinking ahead, as well as in the moment. 

Diabetes forces us to bring backup with us, no matter where we go... or how far we have to march.

Diabetes means doing; fighting, and moving forward while simultaneously having moments were we are forced to sit and wait for diabetes to catch up. 

Diabetes means battles within and fighting exterior forces at every turn. 

Diabetes is close to the cuff and our hearts, even when we aren’t thinking about it. 

Diabetes is me, you, and everyone who we love - living with diabetes means fighting for our rights, our physical and mental health - our lives. 

Diabetes makes us fight not to be labeled by a disease we didn't choose. 

Diabetes makes us fight for ourselves and others - a silver lining of strength and solidarity in the storm, a silver lining that makes people with diabetes forces to be reckoned with, and no matter the sky.  

Diabetes And Not Being Forced To Wait "It" Out.

Sometimes diabetes forces us to wait, sometimes it doesn't.

Yesterday the only thing I had to wait for was my car's oil to get changed. 

Diabetes wasn't exactly on it's best behavior, but it didn't force me to wait "it" out, either. 

YAY. 

#####

After 3 days of stellar blood sugars, I was greeted with an out of the blue 300 bg yesterday and in of all places, a Honda dealership parking lot and after a lunchtime oil change. 

The reason? Honestly, who the hell knows. 

It might have been because it was a Muesday; I might have miscalculated my breakfast carbs, maybe 35 hour old infusion site was circling towards craptacular, my seatbelt might have inadvertently rub against my wool coat and the infusion site the wrong way, or the the diabetes gods felt like effing me just because they could. 

Whatever the reason, it made me cranky, thirsty, and frustrated.  

I changed out my site exactly where I was, in the drivers seat of my parked car, in the of dealership’s parking lot. Then I did a correction bolus, gulped down 10 ounces of the 30 ounces of water in my recyclable water bottle and hoped for the best. 

And thankfully the best outcome happened. My numbers started coming down and I went about my day.

As much as I hate to cop to it, the glucoaster ride made me tired, and visions of a ginormous iced green tea flashed through my head. 

Did I mention I’ve been cutting back on my afternoon caffeine - as in I'm trying not to have any? 

Well I am and it’s annoying. 

My numbers were normal and stayed that way, I kept drinking water, ate my lunch, and continued forging ahead - and nobody was the wiser. 

I had a list on my desk that didn’t involve diabetes in anyway, shape, or form. 

Shit got done and I wasn't forced to wait "it" out.  
And after a month of "waiting it out," re: wrist and hand surgery - not having to wait was indeed a beautiful thing.

And I'm sharing because I know you guys"get it."   

Diabetes Days: Some Roar A'la Katy Perry; Some Resemble Rides, Masks & A Long Ago Friend - Some Resemble The Ghost Of My Pancreas Past.

Some days my diabetes gets all Katy Perry and roars continually with a loud, annoying, ear worm of a chorus that seems stuck on a never ending loop of WTF, complete with a glucoaster ride of blood that shows up out of nowhere and stays until it decides to depart.  
The glucoaster ascends to the highest of highs, teetering precariously atop the highest loop for what seems like forever, then quickly descends to the lowest of lows, causing my stomach to drop even faster. 
And lets not forget the equal parts of sideways; upside down, and backwards that D has thrown into the glucoaster mix, just because it can. 
In those units of time, diabetes not only throws me for a loop, it leaves me shaking, tired, and worn out from the ride - and not in the good way.

And on those days that I wear my “I’m Fine,” mask like a champ and few people outside the world of D know how I’m really feeling. 

Other days, my diabetes whispers quietly and plays all nice in the corner and barely making a peep - except for alerting me to a low or high - mimicking my much loved childhood friend G, who rarely talked unless she had something important to say. 

Then there are the strange, eerie -but in a good way, few and out of the blue days, when it seems like the Ghost of my Pancreas Past has shown up from who the hell knows where, accompanied by the poltergeist of my long dead and gone Islet of Langerhans. 
And for those few days it's as if my glucose numbers freakishly resembles someone with a fully functioning pancreas. 
My temp basal rates run 1/2 their normal rates and bolusing for bread becomes a breeze. 

But just as quickly as it appeared, my ghost pancreas fades to black and leaves without saying goodbye. 
And on those oh so rare, Ghost of my Pancreas Past days, become part myth; legend, and mystery of my life - and my life with diabetes. 

Also, I'm weird, or maybe I'm just crazy, but whatever. 

Cold Spring, Spicy Salad ~

Spring is here, at least in theory and I'm just back from 4 days in Florida (more on that in another post,) where it was sunny and warm and it felt more like summer. 

I returned home to temps in the high forties, north easterly whipping winds and lots of rain. 

I miss my family and I miss the warm weather, fresh fish, fruits and veggies. 

So last night I made one of my favorite summer time snacks, a spicy cucumber salad to keep me in the warm weather mindset. 

This salad is INCREDIBLY EASY, DELICIOUS & ADDICTING. 

At least for me - and much like the beloved pickles (a.k.a., free food) of my youth, this salad requires no bolus and allows me to achieve/maintain blood sugar nirvana sans the bolus - but of course, your diabetes may vary~

 Here's the recipe! 

Spicy Cucumber Salad~ 

Slice a cucumber in half and scoop out the seeds in each half with teaspoon

Slice the scooped cucumber halves and place in salad bowl. 

In a mixing bowl, mix Sriracha Rooster Sauce ( LOVE IT) with sesame oil & mirin - other wise known as rice wine vinegar. 
Add fresh squeezed lime juice (a wedge or two will do, depending on the size of the salad,); sea salt, cracked pepper and ginger powder to taste. 

Whisk all the ingredients together and pour over cucumbers. 
Sometimes I sprinkle sesame seeds on top, but most times I don't. 

Eat & enjoy! 

**As far as measurements - that's up to you and your taste buds - there's no right or wrong amount of spicy deliciousness in this recipe.

*** This salad will be addicting - YOU"VE BEEN WARNED. 

Diabetes Forces Us To Try New Things When It Comes To Managing Our Diabetes - And That's A Good Thing~

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

Walt Disney

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Here’s the thing about living with diabetes. You're always learning new things about yourself and your diabetes - That never stops, whether you’ve lived with diabetes for 37 years or 37 months - And that’s actually a very good thing. 
I'm so grateful for the changes in diabetes medicine, technology and attitudes these past 37 years  - And I will fight tooth and nail to never go back to the Diabetes Dark Ages.
I can't even imagine managing my diabetes the same I did when I was first diagnosed 37 years ago - And I probably wouldn't be here if things had never changed - Or if my parents and I hadn't been open and receptive to those diabetes changes.

Now yes, sometimes exploring and trying new D management changes can be incredibly annoying and frustrating, for sure - because we all have our comfort zones - And our diabetes comfort zones & changing things up can sometimes make you want to throw your diabetes crap out the window and scream bloody murder.... or so I've heard. (COUGH, COUGH.)

But the fact that diabetes sometimes forces me/us out of our comfort zones (Yep, I had a slight freakout before I started the insulin pump,) and forces us to try, learn and adapt to new ways in our dealing with diabetes makes it easier for me/us to learn, adapt and try new things in other areas of our life. 

Look, I still have issues with change - especially big changes, like figuring out where I want to move and "going for it." But I'm really working on making those become a reality instead of just talking about it.

 I LOVE to try new things, except for foods made with liver and skydiving because the thought of jumping out of a plane FREAKS ME OUT. 

But HUGE kudos to our amazing Aussie DOC friend, Renza over at Diabetogenic for jumping out of a plane last weekend! 

I’m also open to and need change in my life, especially when it's positive. I love to travel and meet new people and try new experiences - even when the results aren't always fantastical. 
Because knowing what doesn't work in our lives and our lives with diabetes is just as important as figuring out what does.

Sidebar: I still haven’t attempted the boob infusion site and I’m not sure if I ever will, but I haven’t completely ruled it out either. So there's that~

So why what’s the purpose of this post: There are several. 

First: I recently tried something completely different re: bolusing for breakfast and it’s working for me! 

So much so that I’m blogging about it. 

Now, everybody is different  (your diabetes may vary, ;) but my new breakfast bolus regiment is working for me. The past couple weeks I've started blousing for my coffee first and bolusing for the carbs in my breakfast smoothie 30 minutes later. 

I get up, check my blood sugar, bolus for (18 carbs - I like my coffee with cream and sugar) and make my coffee. I gulp down the first mug in 4 minutes flat, prepare the second, hit in the shower and get dressed. 

This all takes about 30 minutes.

Then I bolus for my breakfast smoothie (anywhere between 18 & 22 carbs, depending on the ingredients) and make/drink it. I’ve found that by bolusing separately for each, my post breakfast/mid morning blood sugars are much better. 

They’re not always perfect, but for the most part, my mid morning blood sugars stay well within range and that really makes me happy because for the longest time, my midmorning blood sugars have flipped their bitchwitch in both directions.  

Of course now that I’ve shared, Murphy's Law, D style might indeed decide to throw a wrench in my new breakfast bolus routine, but I can handle it and I will figure it out. Because life with D MAKES us figure “it” out.  

Secondly, but no less important: I want to learn and become inspired by other peoples experiences about trying new things when it comes to their (YOUR) diabetes management. 

So if you’ve tried anything new when it comes to dealing with your diabetes, feel free to share and regardless of the results - because either way, we'll all learn from what you have to say  be inspired by your brave attempt~

Diaversary: THIRTY-SEVEN Years Of Living With Diabetes ~

37 years ago, today I was diagnosed with t1 diabetes and it blows my mind when I stop and think about it. There are days when I'm driven to tears because of diabetes and there are days when diabetes pisses me off. And there are days when it doesn't.
Diabetes has been consent companion and my biggest nemesis all rolled into one. 
Every October 31st, I try and the focus on the positives in my life and my life with diabetes, by creating a list of positives, because that's what helps me get through the day. 
Remembering that I am incredibly blessed to be the little girl who not only lived, but grew up to be the woman who continues to be become, is what works for me.  
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THIRTY-SEVEN Positives, in no particular order~

1. After 37 years with diabetes, I’m still here & I didn’t always think that would be the case.
2. I’ve learned a lot .
3. I'm still learning.
4. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups - I LOVE THEM.
5. My nieces and nephews - I love those 12 individual works of art more than I can articulate.
6. Speaking of nieces and nephews: A to Z.
7. Lipstick - It’s my little pick me up.
8. Lipschtick - Because laughing keeps me sane.
9. Short acting insulin. 
10. Insulin Pumps.
11. Spicy food.
12. The fact that I can eat spicy food.
13. The ocean - Every single time I need to re-group, the ocean helps me to do that. 
14. My friends kids: They make me smile and laugh and keep young. 
15. The Diabetes Online Community - Without you, I don’t know what I’d do - And I LOVE & APPRECIATE you all so much. 
16. Having enough cream for my second cup of coffee this morning - Seriously, little things mean a lot.
17. Music in all dimensions.
18. Learning and attempting new things.
19. Colors: Blues, purples, greens, yellows, oranges and reds. 
20. Hot showers on cold mornings.
21. Blue Fridays.
22. Cupcakes and the fact that I can bolus correctly for them 9 times out of 10.
23. Gardening - I love to garden - I love to tend/take care of things and help them grow - Same goes for people.
24. Black leather boots with an interesting heel. 
Seriously, who doesn’t LOVE black leather boots with an interesting heel?!
25. Sparkly things~
26. Achieving Blood Sugar Nirvana after eating a shitload of carbs.
27. My CWD crew.
28. Looking so good in the color red that I actually have to be careful when I wear it - it’s not fair to everyone else. ;)
29. Books. I LOVE BOOKS. 
30. Parallel parking is one of my magic powers - How many people can say that? 
31. A proper cup of tea.
32. A really nice glass of red wine every now and then.
33. Puppies. 
34. Dogs.
35. My friends - I’d be so lonely without them and I'm incredibly blessed to have them.
36. My parents - I miss them but I was REALLY lucky to have them.
37. Being my mother’s daughter - My mom was the strongest & most beautiful woman I've even known and I was so incredibly blessed to have had her as my mom and friend~

37 years of living with type 1 diabetes 

Diabetes Weirdness: The Sinus Infection Edition

Ok, here’s something weird. I have a big old sinus infection. 

But that’s not the weird part, that’s the annoying part - especially since I’ll be sitting on a plane tomorrow for 6 hours tomorrow. But.... I digress. 
No, the weird part is that my blood sugars have been great this week. 
Not perfect, because my pancreas is of course still broken. But my numbers have been pretty damn good none the less.
And I’ll take those numbers and I’m grateful for them, but it’s strange because Thursday night through Sunday I felt crappy and more than slightly whiney,  but my numbers were not. 
Were the “blood sugars behaving nicely” a result of me being less hungry because I was coming down with something? 
Were my #bgnows influenced by the fact that for the last 3 weeks (and sans the past couple days) I’ve been diligently walking or riding my bike at least 5 times a day? 
Sidebar: Thank you #bigbluetest!
Are the behaving blood sugars hormonal? 
Ladies, I know you catch my drift re: how friendly our blood sugars can be just before we get our periods, 
Gentlemen: Deal with it. Periods, period and PMS talk happen. Learn from the conversation - And bring me some chocolate.   

So yeah, I was a bit thrown off by the sinus infection  at 1 a.m. Sunday morning, when it announced it’s presence with a raging earache and a ridiculous amount of post nasal dripage, because while I had a scratchy throat and felt really tired, my blood sugar numbers didn’t clue me into the fact that an infection was brewing in my sinus cavities.
I actually woke up low on Sunday morning - and that was with me dialing back a temporary basal rate of 50% for four hours, just before I hit the hay.  

Since I’ve committed my thoughts to the blog and made them public, there’s a big fat chance my numbers might decide to eff with me just because they can. 
As we know, Murphy's Law gets all tricked out, diabetes style and happens.
But for now I’m grateful for the good numbers, the antibiotics and the fact that I’m feeling better and have packed 1/2 my suitcase as of last night. 

I'm a little weird and I'm OK with that. And so apparently so is diabetes~

Lunchy, Lunch & The Funky Bunch! Sorry, Couldn't Resist That Last Part!

Lunch - A lot of times I'm not hungry at lunchtime - It's just the way I am.  Plus, I drink a lot of coffee in the morning (and I bolus for it) and water (I NEVER bolus for water) and both keep me feeling full - And running to pee!   
Being on the insulin pump means I can skip lunch every now thanks to adjusting my basal rates. 
Still, I know it's not good to skip lunch, diabetes or not.  Skipping meals is terrible for your metabolism. No to mention the fact that if I skip lunch, I end up eating a yogurt or a Kind bar in the afternoon - usually both. 
And by dinner time I 'M STARVING.  
I'm working to get my A1C lower and I'm really trying to stay on track when it comes to lunch and actually eat lunch every day. 
#####
For me personally, I always try to my keep lunch on the low carb side, unless I have a crazy schedule that day. If my schedule is crazy, damn right I need a powerful protein carb combo!  

But for the purposes of this blog post - Lets keep it to a low carb lunch theme - Same goes for trying to keep my lunch prep time to a minimum.  

Also, my lunch needs to travel well. Like I love bananas and pears - but they don’t travel well, they smush and bruise and get mushy and gross - So they’re out - Unless I'm working from home. 

So I’m thinking salads, because salads are great -  I LOVE salads!

But sometimes, salads can make a mess - At least they tend to be messy if I’m eating them. Still, a rainbow of veggies + protein = awesome deliciousness so bring on the salads! 
And extra points for creative containering of said salads! 

Yogurt, as in Greek yogurt with nuts and fruit - I LOVE GREEK YOGURT - That is until I hit  “The Greek Yogurt Wall,” and then I can’t look at the stuff for a week or two. 

Soup. Now, I love soup - Soup is good and I make the most amazing soups and 3 different types of chili,  But sometimes I hit the Soup Wall - Think Greek Yogurt Wall, but with soup instead of yogurt. 

So I'm wondering what do you do for lunch? What lunches do you find keep your blood sugar in check, travel well, are easy to make/take to work and taste good? 

Do you have any and all advice on how to keep my/our lunchtime routine within Blood Sugar Nirvana range while keeping it all types of tasty and funkadelic ? 
If so, BRING IT ON & THANKS for the deliciousness in advance! 

Dearest Miss Manners: Me Thinks You Know "Jack" About Living With Diabetes

Update2/27/14 : I was wrong re: Miss Manners not checking with someone with diabetes. Miss Manners has a son with t1 diabetes(he was diagnosed at the age of twenty,)  who helped pen the post in question. And according to their interview over at DiabetesMine re: the post in question. Mr. Manners does test on a plane from time time- which is interesting because that's not what was written in the post on diabetes etiquette that caused such a rumble in the diabetes jungle.  
So yes, the do know "jack shit" about diabetes - Even if that didn't come across in their post.
Here's the thing: I believe if Miss Manners & company had chosen their words more wisely we wouldn’t be having this discussion because there wouldn’t have been such a blow up.
It would have saved a lot of heartache and hurt feelings and it would have helped everyone reading their post had they shared their connection to diabetes. 
And lets say Mr. Manners didn’t want to disclose his diabetes, (he never stated that, but I totally get that if it was the case, it’s his right and his diabetes) they, and I say THEY because I’m still not entirely sure who wrote the piece after reading the interview over at "The Mine"  could have phrased the post in question somewhere along the lines of:  
After consulting with a member of my family who lives with t1 diabetes, I’ve come to the conclusion Gentle Reader that testing in public can make others uncomfortable, but do what you must, just consider others around you -yada, yada, yada.
Personally, I’m very glad he tests on a plane without always running to the bathroom, but it would have been incredibly helpful, educational & honest had he actually shared that information on the post in the first place. 
XXXXXX

Late yesterday afternoon I read a tweet from Diabetes Blogger, Dan Fleshler  
( @Fleshlerd  The Insulin Chronicles) about a recent Miss Manners post and her  response  to a Washington Post reader 

The question posed by the PWD: 
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a businessman who frequently flies both domestically and internationally. I also happen to be an insulin-dependent diabetic.  I currently do my glucose testing in my seat. It does involve using a lancet device to get a drop of blood to test, but is fairly unobtrusive. Of course, all lancets, alcohol preps and test strips are stored in my test kit for proper disposal later.
Am I being rude to perform this test next to a stranger? Injections I perform privately in the plane’s lavatory. In the airport, I use the counter by the wash basin, since most water closets have no room for insulin vials and other supplies.
Many people seem to stare and resent the fact of performing such a function in this space. I have also had children ask, “What is that man doing? Isn’t that a bad thing?” (They’re obviously thinking of their drug education classes.) Am I too self-conscious?Her response:
GENTLE READER: Absent an emergency, medical applications (like bodily functions and grooming) are properly done out of sight — meaning in private or in a restroom — unless they can be done so surreptitiously as to be unrecognizable as such. 
Miss Manners does not object to a pill taken at dinner, so long as it is not accompanied by a dissertation on your cholesterol.The technology associated with diabetes is fast approaching this standard, although Miss Manners draws the line at drawing blood. Restrooms exist to provide a proper location for such necessary activities when away from home, and those who use them have no business monitoring the respectable, if sometimes unaesthetic, activities of others.You may chose to tell children that it is a medical procedure, or ignore them and let their parents do that. Miss Manners would hope that any parents present would also resolve to teach their children to be more discreet with their curiosity.

You can read the whole thing HERE , be sure to scroll 3/4's of the way down in her column,Miss Manners relegated blood sugar testing to the restroom when not at home. She made diabetes care sound as if it was something to be hidden and ashamed of. Miss Manners is WRONG. Here's my letter to her - And I hope you write your own and post it on the website~
Sixuntilme, @SaucyGirl/ Nacho Blog, Diaturgy , StrangelyDiabetic, The D-Log Cabin, TextingMyPancreas have written excellent responses - check them out! And when you write a post/ response, please leave a comment with the link and I'll be sure to post it! 

Dearest Miss Manners: 

Me thinks before you comment on diabetes etiquette to a reader with diabetes,  you should walk a mile or ten in people living with diabetes shoes. 

Testing ones blood sugar is a necessity, not a luxury and should not be relegated to the shadows of dirty restrooms . 
When one needs to test ones blood sugar, it doesn’t matter where or when. 
Diabetes doesn’t care where you happen to be when you’re blood sugars are starting to head south or north. 
MM, Why should those of us living with diabetes get up and test our bloodsugars in a dirty, stinky, tiny plane restroom that may may or may not be spewing with bodily fluids, not to mention a shitload of germs - both literally and figuratively.
Miss Manners, are you aware that the amount of blood needed for to test is less than the amount of blood generated from hang nail? 
Are you also aware that you are the one with the issue - Not the person testing their blood sugar? 
There’s already shame associated with having diabetes and the fact that you are telling this PWD (person with diabetes) to hide in a public restroom is not only ludicrous, but it’s damaging to that person’s self confidence and owning and  controlling his own diabetes. It's unsanitary and it’s dangerous.
Would you suggest that a mother breastfeed her child in said dirty, small and  cramped restroom? 
No, me thinks you would tell her to discreetly breastfeed her child from her seat and to do it in the most unobtrusive of ways. 

I believe your exact words on the subject were: 

“There are discrete ways to breastfeed. You don’t want a woman to occupy a bathroom for a long time because other people have to use it. I think it’s extreme to make women use the bathroom.  And it’s a rather unpleasant venue anyway. If the baby has to eat, the baby has to eat. But there are discrete ways to do it and there is certainly no excuse for flaunting it.”

So different than this part of your response to the person with diabetes: 

"Restrooms exist to provide a proper location for such necessary activities when away from home, and those who use them have no business monitoring the respectable, if sometimes unaesthetic, activities of others."

NEWS FLASH: Miss Manners - While You tout yourself as an authority on manners, you are clearly and most certainly not an authority on living with diabetes.

IF you were an authority on living with diabetes, you'd most certainly realize that when you live with diabetes you do what you have to in order to live your best life possible. 

And in order to live your best life with diabetes one must test one'sblood sugars over and over again - Regardless of the where or the when and who pray tell is around. 
Same goes for administering insulin. 
Again darling, if you knew anything about diabetes, you'd realize that flying causes stress and anxiety and both wreak havoc with blood sugars and that airplane bathrooms are less than sanitary, not to mention really cramped. 

It's quite obvious that you know jack about living the diabetes life and yet you give advice on diabetes do's and don'ts.
The fact that the person who wrote to was testing at all should have been applauded instead of condemned, discouraged and shamed, which is what you were doing. 

Every person I’ve ever encountered who lives with diabetes (and trust me, as a Diabetes Blogger, I’ve encountered thousands) has always done there best to test and take their insulin for that matter in the most non obtrusive and sanitary of ways whilst in public. 

Miss Manners, did you actually talk to people living with diabetes before you published your answer, and if so, how many? 
Have ever attended nursing or medical school? Have you taken a class at The Learning Annex about living the diabetes life. 
What books have you read diabetes? I can recommend several- Ping me.

And while I agree that the evolution of diabetes technology has certainly evolved, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that said evolution allows people living with diabetes to test wherever and whenever they want or need to, be it on a plane, train and or automobile. 
People can test their blood sugars while sitting in Starbucks or on the beach or movie theater. 
Miss Manners - I know that you’ve written many an article on the art of apologizing.  

Me thinks (actually, me KNOWS) that the polite thing for you to do would be to put your money where your mouth is and offer a sincere and heartfelt apology to all of the people living with diabetes that you’ve clearly offended. 
Sincerely, 
Kelly Kunik
Living with Type ! Diabetes for 36 years & testing her blood sugars wherever and whenever needed. Including  but not limited to: On a plane, train, car, wave runner, theater, church, synagogue, Starbucks & at my mother's funeral - Because I had no choice but to. 

Tonight @ 8pm, EST - The DOC Will Mass Tweet Their Reps In DC To #StripSafely!!

I know I've been obsessed with stripping safely as of late - But I vividly remember the days of urine testing and fuzzy blue pills. I remember meters taking 3 minutes to test and lancing devices that hurt like hell. And lastly I remember the damage that was done to people I knew and loved & who are not longer here, because we didn't have diabetes technology not so very long ago.

Tonight, at 8pm (directly after the Diabetes Hands Foundation webinar with Act-Up's Peter Staley, register HERE and directly before tonight's #dsma chat) the twitterverse is going to go more than a little nuts as #StripSafely kicks off their twitter campaign en mass & the DOC tweets their reps in Washington to #StripSafely!!!
And you can be a part of it - All you to need to do is go HERE, find your State Reps, click after there name where it says :"Tweet about meeting", then work your #stripsafely tweet magic!

Here's my tweet: 

.@RepLoBiondo Pls send staff to Diabetes Tech Society Meeting on 9.9.13 w/ @US_FDA & Help diabetics #StripSafely http://is.gd/wya8oi http://is.gd/wya8oi

And you can also tweet your reps a link to the this StripSafely letter: http://www.stripsafely.com/?page_id=618

 Also,please, please, please RT other #StripSafley tweets so #stripsafely can be trending on the twitter. 

Diabetes doesn't care how you vote or what political party you're affiliated with. Diabetes doesn't exclude you if you're a Republican, a Democrat, Independent, or a member of any other political party. 
And people with diabetes need friends in Congress & we need them to help us convince the #FDA that test strip/meter accuracy is crucial for people with diabetes to maintain our good health & our safety! 

Join the #stripsafely twitterlution & lets all get our tweets on tonight! 

To learn more about StripSafely tweet campaign, click HERE & to read their blog post re: the #stripsafely tweet campaign, click HERE. 

A Smooth Like Butter Dead Spot~

Yeah,... It was one of THOSE days - Know what I'm saying? 

#####

Last night I had a high blood sugar after a dinner (thank you leftovers that followed an amazing brunch) and I knew it was time to change my infusion site. 

My current site was almost 48 hours old and it was time to say goodbye. 

I found a rarely used spot on my lower right abdomen, about an inch and a half below both the waistline of my yoga pants and below the my previous site & went in for the jab - And I barely (as in didn't even feel it - like not at all,) felt the insertion needle go in. It was a smooth like buttah, transition and that made me happy. 

Sometimes infusion site changes hurt, and sometimes you get a spidey sense that the site may or may not work due to the amount of pain and or stinging involved - At least I do.  

And sometimes my spidey senses are wrong and the achy infusion site sucks down insulin like a rockstar groupie... And sometimes not.  

Like I said, this infusion site insertion was smooth like buttah (and now I can't stop saying that phrase) and I thought all would be right with my world. And at first, it was. 

My blood sugar went from 256 to 218 in record time and I felt safe in going to bed.

Cut to this morning and waking up with a 271 breakfast blood sugar and me making the executive decision midmorning, and when I was still hovering in the 220s to switch out this site for yet another new infusion site.  

I wasn't a happy camper for several reasons. 

First:  I hate having to change an infusion site after putting a fresh one it - it makes me worry about abdomen real estate and quite frankly, it just annoys the hell out of me. 

Second: The fact that the infusion site didn't hurt... or work,  made me realize that spidey sense or not - deadspots happen - even in the spots that feel all types of hunkey dory.

Third: I just didn't feel like doing another site change - my second in less than 11 hours - See First reason. 

Fourth: Normally, I'm pretty positive when it comes to my diabetes, but honestly, it really depressed me to find another dead spot on the precious real estate that makes up my belly. And in that moment I felt like diabetes was winning when it came to my body. And I mourned the fact that this little used infusion site would most likely not be used again because it just didn’t absorb insulin. 

If I’d have had a black sharpie near by I would X marked the spot on my belly in SCREAMING CAPS - And then I would have thrown said sharpie out the window! 

We all have those F-You diabetes moments - And this was one of mine. 

Also: The irony regarding an infusion site that was so incredibly painless but so incredibly useless when it came to absorbing insulin was not lost on me. 

With the new site I went from 271, to 220. to 156 to 96 and finally landing at 90 just before lunch and all in the course of an hour and 25 minutes. 

And while I’m happy to be absorbing pancreas juice like... well, like a pancreas. This roller-coaster A La Dead Spot has left me feeling like someone pissed in my Cheerios - And it’s made me tired and cranky and pissed off at my diabetes. 

But I’m not alone ( shout out to my twitter bad infusion site/ roller coaster of blood sistas and bros, @asweetgrace, @lifeont1, @dorkabetic, @cerichards21, @krisguy) and I've decided to let my issue of the deadspot that didn’t hurt or feel like a dead spot, go. 

And now that dead spot and diabetes no longer has the upper hand

My new site is absorbing like gangbusters and I’ve got things to do. 

Diabetes, you didn’t win this round - You were sneaky and put up a good fight - But you didn’t win, I did. 

So you can just SUCK IT.