National Diabetes American Awareness November (Turkey) Month

Last November I was pretty fresh to the DOC and I was just starting to dive into blogging.  I was just discovering how many awesome things there are going on in November among the D-crowd.  And I wanted to do them all.  I jumped on the photo a day express, plastered Facebook with diabetes facts, and pushed some major advocacy.  It was a great experience and it really helped to get me involved in advocacy and some of the online diabetes stuff.  But this year feels different.  As the end of October drew closer I geared up to participate in some of the usual stuff.  I was looking for a photo challenge I wanted to take part in and trying to think of some common thread to carry through the blog for the month.  And then I realized how forced it was feeling.  I couldn't really get into it.  There are some things coming up in November that I'm excited about.  I'm going to take part in the postcard exchange.  I'm taking part in not one, but two, WDD photo scavenger hunts.  One that I am helping to organize and another that is part of the local diabetes camp program.  I am also gearing up to help coordinate the DTreat in my area and the Treasure Valley JDRF Walk for 2015.  I plan on making the most of my National Diabetes American Awareness Month.  I just don't get the urge to do by shouting from the mountain tops how badly we need a cure.  The last few months have been rough for me from an emotional standpoint.  And the one thing that I keep coming back to is that I really wish I had some sort of established system in my area for T1D adults to connect with one another.  I've tossed around the idea of starting up some sort of local monthly meet up and I certainly think that's a start, but I am looking for more.  Kids with Type 1 are cute.  It's sad to see them suffer through high and low blood sugar, countless pokes and pricks, and dietary restrictions.  But those cute kids grow up and guess what...they still have diabetes.  It seems like they disappear as they get older.  But they still need support.  I know when I was diagnosed at the ripe old age of 26 I could have used someone my age to help me navigate what was happening.  And to clue me in on what lay ahead.  And most of all let me know that, although it feels isolating, I'm not alone.  It took me a while to find the DOC and discover all that for myself.  And even with the DOC it still feels that way sometimes because it just can't always stand in for a face to face conversation with someone who gets it.  So my mission for November is to focus on finding out what I can do to move this goal forward.  As well as probably trying to draw some attention to the importance of the emotional side of diabetes, because it matters, and it's a big deal for me.  So you won't see a new picture of my diabetes life on Instagram this year and you won't see a daily fact on my Facebook wall.  Because I think everyone who cares about what is going on in my life sees those things enough and those who don't will continue to scroll past them regardless of what month it is.  You will probably still see a picture of a beautiful 100 on my meter shall I catch one or mention of some new research that has come along, and definitely some angry tweets about how much diabetes sucks.  I'm not being negative or saying that there is anything wrong with doing those things.  Advocacy is important and being passionate and comfortable with the way you advocate is just as important.  I think it's great to see all these things.  I enjoy to see others interpretations of their life with diabetes and it's very important to spread knowledge and correct information about what diabetes really is.  But this year, it just isn't for me.  Whatever way you phrase it or choose to celebrate it, Happy Diabetes Month my fellow pincushions.

Pic-a-day 13- Awareness

My Dexcom CGM keeps me constantly aware of where my blood sugar is, when I am going low, and how the food I eat effects it.  I feel a certain amount of guilt when I have eaten something I know I shouldn't have and hear that familiar tone.

Pic-a-day 7: Blue

Earlier this year a co-worker and I volunteered to work an entire night in drag to raise money for the American Diabetes Association.  This is the result.  The scary, scary result.

Pic-a-day 6: Relationship

Diabetes touches every facet of my life, including my relationships with others, and therefore bleeds over into the lives of those I love as well.  Thinking of diabetes and relationships makes me think of one of my first posts from this blog so I'll be reposting it for today.

This is not just my diabetes- 5/23/2013

You are an amazing wife, mother, and friend.  You hold this family together.  You clean, fix, schedule, reschedule, wipe tears and noses, chauffeur, listen, and worry.  You have to experience every high, low, good day, bad day, bad mood, anti-social moment, short tempered outburst, and burn out I have in your own way.  You do your best to understand what I am going through even if you can't be in my shoes.  On the day I was diagnosed, your life changed as well.  When I become depressed, you have to deal with it too.  When I have a good day, I hope it helps you have a better day, but unfortunately when I have a bad day, I know it makes yours worse as well.  When I was re diagnosed, your life changed again right along with me.  You listened to my fears and had your own.  You were there to listen even if I didn't want to talk.  Every step of the way when this disease effects me it effects you too, so in a way this is your diabetes too.

    You are an amazing young boy.  You are growing up so fast, right before my eyes.  When you learned that I shouldn't have sugar you helped remind me.  You are interested in my medicine and every step I take to manage things.  When I am grumpy, down, irritable, or tired it effects you.  You feel for me on my rough days and help bring me out of the funk.  Sometimes you drive me crazy but I know you don't do it on purpose.  You have an incredible sense of who you are and I am so proud of you.  Even though you don't understand how all of this effects you, this is your diabetes too.

    You are my pretty little angel.  My booger, my stink pot, my cuddle-bug.  You are too little to understand how this effects you but it does.  On the days when I don't have a lot of patience, it effects you.  On the days when I am burned out, tired, and can't motivate myself off the couch, it effects you.  But you effect me as well.  When you poke your head around and the corner and smile, the clouds part a little.  When climb into my lap and cuddle up, the day brightens.  Someday you will see all of this for yourself, this is your diabetes too.

  We are all in this together.  Everything that happens to me, effects all four of us.  This is not MY diabetes, this is OUR diabetes.  Having the three of you to experience this with means more than any of you know.

Pic-a-day 5: Advocate

I have been lucky enough the last two years to be a part of the American Diabetes Association Community Walks program, including the inaugural year in 2012.  After being diagnosed I was trying to find programs in my area to meet other people with diabetes but there was nothing in the area.  As I was searching I found the Community Walks program and because of it I have been fortunate enough to meet other people passionate about diabetes, spread awareness, and raise funds for the American Diabetes Association.