I Forgot the Paper Towels

I forgot the paper towels.  And the pink pearl eraser.

You know - some of the school supplies on Sweetpea's school supply list. 

(You know - the list I helped CREATE?!? DUH...)

It just totally slipped my mind when I was at the grocery. 

And then I just forgot.

And when I remembered it was always when I was NOT able to get these things...

And I STILL haven't sent them in...

And I feel....  Well, I feel disappointed in myself.  Disappointed that something fell through the cracks.

I like having it all together.  I try so hard....

But sometimes....  

Diabetes is teaching me a lesson here.  I'm sure of it.

And as I sat there feeling bad that I had sucked it up in the school supply department, I thought to myself, "Ok, so maybe I forgot a couple of things... but here's what I DID remember..."

And I thought of what MY (YOUR) school supply list is like...

Sure, there are crayons, glue, pencils, markers, glue sticks, tissues, and stuff like that.

But there is also:

- insulin
- extra pods
- teagaderm
- EMLA cream
- an extra meter
- extra batteries
- STRIPS
- syringes
- alcohol wipes
- Calorie King book for carb counting
- extra lancing devices
- lancets
- DOUBLES of the meter, strips, and lancing devices to have other places
- a classroom emergency kit full of supplies
- Smarties
- Juice Boxes
- Glucose Gel
- Glucagon
- other snacks
- ketone strips
- a copy of our information sheet for every teacher who will work with Sweets (when you count special area classes - it's A LOT)
- a copy of the cgm directions for every teacher
- copies of her 504 plan
- orders from the endocrinologist
- bg flow charts showing what to do when

And I KNOW this list is leaving out some things...

Here's what that looks like...

So, you know what?!?

Who cares if I left out the paper towels and the eraser?

It will get there.  I promise.

Sometimes life with type 1 in the mix makes you really look at what is truly important... what is truly essential...

It makes you humble as you are faced every day with the fact that you are not perfect.  And you are not in control.

And just maybe... it helps you give yourself a break from time to time.

So the next time you forget to bolus for something, or mess up a SWAG, or get a "look" from someone who is judging you and your pancreating, or you overtreat a low or WHATEVER...

Tell yourself that you are human.  You are allowed to make some mistakes. 

And you are STILL AWESOME - even if you do forget the paper towels!

Kindergarten is Rough!

So, you are probably wondering how kindergarten is going...

Do you see that nice, pretty bruise on her nose and under her eye?

Well, it had nothing to do with kindergarten!  She ran into a table at Gaga and Mimi's house.  But it hasn't slowed her down any!  She's posing with tomatoes from our garden.

As you may know, Sweetpea started Kindergarten last week!  (And so did I - which is why I haven't had the time to blog in a week!).  And she LOVES IT!

She is sooooooo excited to be there and soooooooo happy!  Her first morning she said to the cat, "Spooky, I may look a little different to you this morning.  If so, it's because I'm a kindergartener now."  So sweet!

Things have gone pretty well - all things considered.  The first day was a little bit rough.  She beeped low/double arrows down about 7 times.  I expected her to be on the high side due to the excitement - because that is what excitement USUALLY does to her bg.  But - of course - when does diabetes ever do the same thing twice?!?  This did not upset her in the least.  She loves the wonderful CCA in the clinic and LOVED getting to eat some Starbursts!  She thought it was a win-win!

The second day she only beeped low/double arrows down about 4 times.  And then on Friday, she was down to twice!  I pulled back all of her basal rates.  I'm hoping it doesn't end up biting me in the a$$ but so far so good!

She is having a blast eating at school!  She packed her lunch two days and got pizza on Friday.  Luckily my lunch time and her lunch time are the same - so I'm there to count carbs and all.  Otherwise, I am not sure I would have been comfortable letting her get the pizza.  If I can't see it, I can't SWAG it!  But - she only ate a few bites anyway.  What she REALLY wanted were the peas.  :)  And the tray, of course!

All in all, it was a very successful week!

You really can't ask for more than that!

Basking in Your Awesomeness

I am so incredibly lucky to be at school with Sweets.

I'm trying to hand over some of the carb counting/insulin giving control.  But because I'm there it's able to be slow process.  Which makes everyone involved feel more comfortable.  I'm able to be there to SWAG, bolus, treat a low, decide HOW to treat a low (or a high)... 

So... I give MAD PROPS to those of you who are doing this blind.
For those of you who send your kiddo off to school and have no idea what is going on...  no idea what they eat or if they are bolused correctly... no idea if your care plan is working the way you intended...  I bow down to you.

Seriously.

You are incredible!  And I bask in your awesomeness.

No one else really gets it.

Other people put some crayons and glue and lunch money in their child's back pack and they are good to go.  Sure, other parents worry that they might get lost or not be able to find the right bus, or they might not have a friend in their class...  They DO worry.

But it's not the same.

And even though I get to be there at school with my CWD...  I know how hard it is for those of you who can't.

I get it.

 So...

To those of you who send your child off to school with all the regular school supplies AND a crate of medical equipment...

To those of you who meticulously count our your child's lunch and/or snack to count the carbs...

To those of you who carry your phone with you every second of the time your child is at school...

To those of you are always on call...

To those of you who bolus over the phone...

To those of you who SWAG over the phone...

To those of you who go to school to handle party treats...

To those of you who are on a first name basis with your school nurse...

To those of you who WISH you had a school nurse to be able to be on a first name basis with...

To those of you who think Smarties or Glucose tabs are more important than crayons and folders...

To those of you who met with school staff way before the start of the school year...

To those of you who have to FIGHT just so your child can be at school and safe...

To those of you who feel sick to your stomach when your child leaves on the bus...

To those of you who exhale when you see their smiling faces at the end of the day...

To those of you who include a little love note in your child's lunch box AND a list of carb counts...

To those of you who have tried to think through every possible scenario your child might encounter and plan for it...

To those of you who send your child off to school with information sheets saying "how to take care of me"...

To those of you who make emergency kits for the entire school - or even just one classroom...

To those of you who dread birthday treats...

To those of you who have no idea if the plan you created is being executed the way you hoped...

To those of you who find a new gray hair in the mirror every morning and are CERTAIN to the reason it's there...

To those of you who stay up late or get up in the middle of the night to check a bg or treat a low or a high...

To those of you who are entrusting your child's life to others so that they can learn and be like everyone else...

You.  are.  amazing.

You are.

No one tells you this.  At least not enough.

(I love Barney!  And this should so totally be you - especially when someone makes some stupid comment about control or something...)

So let me have the honor....

You are awesome.

This job that we have - not just as "parents" but as "parents of children living with diabetes" is TOUGH.  It's HARD.  It's SCARY.

It takes FAITH.  And COURAGE.  And DETERMINATION in order to succeed.  And a million other things...

And I see all of you out there.  I see you all handling it with LOVE and STRENGTH and AWESOMENESS.

Maybe no one else tells you how awesome you are.  Or what a good job you are doing for your child/children.

It's not really their fault.  They can't help it.  They just don't get it enough to see it clearly.

But I do.  And you are.  Always... but ESPECIALLY at the start of a new school year.

So, please give yourself a big pat on the back!  Give yourself a BIG HUG!

And know that I SEE YOU!  And I know how incredibly awesomely amazing you are!

And I feel incredibly lucky to be walking this road along side all of you!

I Smell a Skunk

The other day, I smelled a skunk.

Not this kind of skunk.

And I didn't SMELL it as much as I noticed it was there.

In fact, it wasn't even me that figured it out.  It was J.

I'm talking about skunky insulin.

Not just one bottle.  Not two.  Our ENTIRE SUPPLY.

Are you wondering how this happened?

This is how....

An open fridge door.

Not open like this.  Just open a little crack.

I had noticed it earlier and didn't think much about it.  J is the one who put the pieces together.

Sweets had been having weird high numbers.  No matter what we did....  It made no sense.  She wasn't getting sick.  The pods were fine.  We were rotating sites.  And it's not that the numbers were all horrible like she was not getting insulin at all.  Sometimes the numbers were good.  But more often that not... they were off.

J noticed the fridge open just a crack.  And he checked the insulin.

In the butter compartment - on the door - where we keep it.

It was all warm.

EVERY. SINGLE. BOTTLE.

*sigh*

Stupid fridge.  It came with the house and I am positive it was the one that the builder put it - the absolute cheapest model available.  I've been joking for months that one of these days when I open the door, it's just going to come off in my hands.  It's probably about 12 years old.  It's time for a new one!

Unfortunately, refrigerators are more expensive than insulin!  We're waiting for a sale!

Anyway - just a friendly reminder to make sure your fridge door is always shut tight.

I don't want any skunks to visit you!

Thoughts at the Bottom of a Beanstalk

This was originally posted a year ago... but it still rings so very true today!  Enjoy!

Thoughts at the Bottom of a Beanstalk

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Jack who was about to climb his very first beanstalk. He had a fresh haircut and a brand-new book bag. Even though his friends in the neighborhood had climbed this same beanstalk almost every day last year, this was Jack's first day and he was a little nervous. So was his mother.

Early in the morning she brought him to the foot of the beanstalk. She talked encouragingly to Jack about all the fun he would have that day and how nice his giant would be. She reassured him that she would be back to pick him up at the end of day. For a moment they stood together, silently holding hands, gazing up at the beanstalk. To Jack it seemed much bigger than it had when his mother had pointed it out on the way to the store last week. His mother thought it looked big, too. She swallowed. Maybe she should have held Jack out a year...

Jack's mother straightened his shirt one last time, patted his shoulder and smiled down at him. She promised to stay and wave while he started climbing. Jack didn't say a word. He walked forward, grabbed a low-growing stem, and slowly pulled himself up to the first leaf. He balanced there for a moment and then climbed more eagerly to the second leaf, then to the third and soon he had vanished into a high tangle of leaves and stems with never a backward glance at his mother. She stood alone at the bottom of the beanstalk, gazing up at the spot where Jack had disappeared. There was no rustle, no movement, no sound to indicate that he was anywhere inside. "Sometimes," she thought, "it's harder to be the one who waves good-bye than it is to be the one who climbs the beanstalk."

She wondered how Jack would do. Would he miss her? How would he behave? Did his giant understand that little boys sometimes acted silly when they felt unsure? She fought down an urge to spring up the stalk after Jack and maybe duck behind a bean to take a peek at how he was doing. "I'd better not. What if he saw me?" She knew that Jack was really old enough to handle this on his own. She reminded herself that after all, this was thought to be an excellent beanstalk and that everyone said his giant was not only kind but had outstanding qualifications. "It's not so much that I'm worried about him," she thought, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's just that he's growing up and I'm going to miss him." Jack's mother turned to leave. "Jack's going to have lots of bigger beanstalks to climb in his life" she told herself. "Today's the day he starts practicing for them... And today's the day I start practicing something too: Cheering him on and waving good-bye."

--Author Unknown

This is a little story that I send home with my students the first day of school. I think that it's so true and so appropriate. And as I read it this year, I realized how true it is on an entirely different level.

As parents of children with diabetes, we feel the same worries as other parents. We worry about our children's safety and how they will acclimate to school. We wonder if they will behave and if they will miss us.

But we have other things to worry about, too.

Scarier things.

We worry about mealtimes, insulin doses, if anyone knows how to treat diabetes, if our children will alert when they feel low... or high... and if anyone will listen. We worry about hypoglycemic reactions. We worry that the pump will quit working. We worry that the finger stick was not accurate due to dirty fingers. We worry about birthday treats and other times. We wonder if our children will be left out. We wonder if they feel different. We worry that they will be sent to the nurse on their own. We worry that they will start to crash and no one will recognize the symptoms. We worry that they will go low on the bus. We worry that no one really knows how to use glucagon.

We worry that no one but us takes diabetes seriously.

Yes, our worries are different.

But there still comes a time, whether it's school or diabetes management, where we will have to step back and watch as they climb the beanstalk on their own.

I often think that, at least now, it IS harder to be the one who waves goodbye than the one who climbs.

Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm glad that while Sweetpea happily skips and sings through life, I'm the one that's up at night. I'm the one worrying about diabetes and carbs and numbers. I'm the one hurting. And I wish I could take on that burden forever. Because I know that someday, she will take over.

I'm glad, that at least for now, my Sweetpea is not climbing a very tall beanstalk. I'm glad that I have a little more time....

But even now, I know, my job is to begin practicing the cheering her on and the waving goodbye.

Because no matter how hard it is for us to do it (at the least the waving part), that's our goal. To get our children to the place where they are confident and capable. Whether it's going to school, taking care of diabetes, or handling anything else life throws their way.

And knowing the toughness and tenacity of our kids, I know they are going to be just fine.

Need A Laugh?

My posts this week have been a little... heavy.  So today I thought we could all use a laugh!

First, however, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone for all the prayers and well wishes for my Dad and all the support for my blog at Parent's Magazine Best Blog Awards!  Dad came through the surgery well.  His doctor said everything had gone "perfectly".  He's now recovering and I am astonished at the progress he's made.  Just a few hours after surgery he was communicating with us and then talking with us very lucidly!  We are relieved and so pleased with his progress.  We continue to pray for a speedy and full recovery!

On to my story...

The other evening we were out for some fine dining.  Our restaurant of choice?  McDonalds.

Sweetpea is trying desperately to get Smurfette in her Happy Meal.  She LOVES the Smurfs.  Has for years... I remember her watching videos shortly after diagnosis.  (Gnap!  Anyone else remember that one with the purple smurfs?!?)

So there we were.  Munching on our apples and hamburgers.  Sweets stealing all the grapes out of the fruit and walnut salad.  And she had to go to the bathroom.

We prebolus and then if she eats more than expected, I bolus again.  She needed more insulin.  So I was putting it all in the PDM on our way to the restroom.

She got in the stall and locked the door before I was able to hit "confirm" to give her the bolus.

Crap.

What's a mom to do?

I stuck the PDM under the stall door as far as I could without having to get on the gross floor.

Sweets, seeing what I was doing and without saying a word, started waddling her way closer to me.  I say waddle because she'd already pulled down her shorts.

I'm thinking, "Oh man - hurry up!  I hope she doesn't pee on me!"

And then the absurdity of that moment hit me.

What if someone walked in the door at that moment?  Here I am sticking this cell phone looking thing under the stall door - practically on the bathroom floor.  Let's just say that it's not something that would have been easily overlooked!

As Reyna would say, Just another day in the life!

It made me laugh!

I hope it made you smile, too!  I think we all need to laugh at those crazy, insane, what on earth am I doing, has it really come to this moments.  It's good for our mental health!

Because if weren't all crazy, we might go insane!

Why We Cry

All it takes is this.

Seeing those blue candles.

Or hearing about a new diagnosis.

Or learning that someone is in DKA- fighting for their life.

The tears come. Unbidden. Almost immediately.

Because we know. We know too much.

I remember the first time I heard that you could actually die from a low blood sugar. It was just a few weeks after coming home from the hospital after diagnosis. We were watching D Life. And there was a story about a boy in college who had died in his sleep.

I still remember the cold feeling of panic that spread through my body.

I feel it every time I see a candle.

The thought that this disease that we live with every day can take a life. Snuff it out in heartbeat. It's frightening.

And hearing of a new diagnosis isn't much different.

The tears still come. But it's because we know what this life demands of us and those we love. We know what is in store those first few days, weeks, months...

Diabetes does not discriminate. It does not care how old you are. Or what you look like. Or how much money you have. It doesn't care what you do for a living. Or how healthy your lifestyle is. Or what color your eyes might be.

And that is part if what unites us. It happened to us. It can happen to anyone.

And it doesn't matter who you are- we all experience similar things.

Each person's story is unique. No one's diabetes is the same. And yet- it is.

I think we all fear what this disease is capable of.

And I think we all hurt for those new members of the "club".

Living with D, raising a child with D... For over 2 years. It's not that long, really. Not compared to others. And yet it can feel like a lifetime because life before is only a hazy memory.

It's long enough to know that we, in this diabetes community, have a bond that unites us.

And we know that even though it's really hard (understatement??) at the beginning, it DOES get better. In a way that is hard to explain.

We know that we can't let fear win. We can't let it paralyze us or keep us or our children from living.

We cry together.

Because we are a family. Because we care for one another.

Even though most of us have never met. Even though we live in different states, countries, continents. Even though we are different ages, races, genders. Diabetes does not discriminate.

And neither do we.

The bond, the support I have found in this community is truly amazing. It's something special.

We cry together. We stand together.

United in this fight. United in our love.  United for a CURE.

I Heart My Family

Over the weekend, I got an email from Parent's Magazine saying that I had been nominated for a Best Mom Blog Award in the category of Kids Health!

By Best Kids Health Blog

WOW!  I was speechless!

There are lots of wonderful blogs nominated.  I am definitely in good company!  And I found some really cool blogs in the different categories.  One made me almost spit coke out my nose!

I would be totally honored if you went on over and voted for me!  All you have to do is click HERE.  If you don't already have an account, you'll be asked to create one.  I know that can be a pain so THANKS for doing it for me!

But it's not just for ME.  It's really for all of us.  We stand united in this community.  We work together to raise awareness.  To educate.  To advocate.  This is a wonderful way to get the word out about what it's like to live with type 1 diabetes.  It is a fantastic opportunity.  And I am so completely honored to be representing "us"!

We are a family here in the DOC.  We stand by each other.  We work together.  We care.  We encourage.  We support.  With every post.  With every email.  With every comment.  And I am so thankful to be a part of this community!

I really do consider you all to be family!  And I (heart) my family!

To the person who nominated me - whoever you may be...

THANK YOU.  Your love and support for me and my blog is amazing.  It truly means the world to me.

Especially today.

Because, you see, this is not the post I had planned for today.

Because as you are reading this, I will be sitting in a hospital waiting room while my Dad has open heart surgery.

If you are the praying type of person - prayers are much appreciated!!

I normally don't write about things that are not - in some way - related to diabetes.  This IS a diabetes blog, after all.  However, diabetes does seem to soak itself into many aspects of our lives.  And this is no exception.

As you may know, Sweetpea LOVES her Mimi and Gaga.

They have taken care of her every day after school for the past two years.  She rarely goes more than a day without seeing them or talking to them on the phone.  They, of course, think the sun rises and sets in her.  And the feeling is mutual.

Sweets and Gaga are a pair.  They are always together.  Great buddies.  He can get her to do things that no one else can.  He can calm her down when she gets into a mood.  She even lets HIM brush her hair!!  (That's HUGE!)

We love him very much!  He's not only a wonderful Gaga, but he's also a wonderful father.  And I do (heart) my Dad!  He was at the hospital every day when she diagnosed.  He learned how to count carbs and test blood sugar and give shots.  He comforted Sweets AND me.  He will drop everything to bring her blankie over when she's left it at their house.  He will play cars for hours.  He drove J to the hospital not long ago when Sweets had the seizures and she and I were taken by ambulance.  He scratches her back.  And reads her stories.  And he always gets more kisses than Mimi!

So, naturally, she would be worried about him being in the hospital.  Any child would.  But most 5 year old just don't quite "get" what goes on there.

Unless the 5 year old has type 1 diabetes and has spent quite a bit of time in hospitals herself.  More than your average bear, anyway.

She's worried.  She asks questions.

"When is the ambulance coming for him?"  (SHE went to the hospital in an ambulance.  So she thinks he will, too.)
"Will he be in a wheelchair?"
"Will he have tubes hooked up to him?"
"Will he have to get shots?"
"Will they take his blood?"
"Is there a playroom?"

"WHY does he need a new heart?"

She thinks about it.  And has been asking questions for a few weeks. She's even started to cry a few times.

Which is not good.  That makes ME start to cry.  But if I cry, SHE will totally lose it.  So I have to keep it in check.

It's just another example of how diabetes affects all aspects of life.

Not necessarily in a bad way - because I think it has definitely made her more empathetic to other people. 

It just makes our lives... different.

So... THANK YOU!

Thank you for the love.
Thank you for the support.
Thank you for VOTING for me!!!
And thank you for the prayers!

D Meet Ups - Princess Style

One of my most favorite things EVER is the Diabetes Meet Up!

I love meeting my D friends - who I only have known online - IN PERSON!

There is something so special about meeting someone for the first time and feeling like you've known each other forever.  Knowing about the person's family and hobbies.  Knowing that they live this same, crazy life.  Knowing that they totally get the testing and bolusing and carb counting and everything else.

In the past few weeks, we have the PLEASURE of meeting up with TWO D friends and their families!

First, we got to meet Holly from Keepin' Up With The Jones Family!  They were traveling through our area on their amazing summer vacation trip.  They were soooo close - we just HAD to meet up!

We decided to meet at this Dairy Farm that is not too terribly far from our house.  We like to go up there a lot and eat their homemade ice cream, visit with the goats and cows, play a little mini golf and - in the fall - go thru the corn maze, pick a pumpkin from their pumpkin patch, take a hayride and do all kinds of other fun stuff!

Sweets and MC sitting on the cows inside!  LOVED their cool shoes!

Sweets is feeding the goad some hay. She would not feed them the other kind of food because they had to eat it out of your hand and she thought it was gross.

Can you tell it was 110 degrees?  Seriously, I'm not lying.  It was HOT!!!  The kids had fun playing in some of the areas and riding the little train!

The boys were locked in the barn.  For reals.  But we only kept them in there a minute....!

Holly was just as awesome in person as she seems on her blog!  And so was her family!  They are just too cute!  I only wish that we had had more time to hang out!

Then, the next weekend, we drove to Indianapolis to visit the Children's Museum and see Taylor Swift in concert!

But we also we also were able to meet  up with Mike from The Diabetics Corner Booth!  We had met Mike before but this time we had the pleasure of meeting his lovely wife!  They are just as sweet as can be! We met for dinner and Sweets immediately warmed up and started chatting!  It was fun for her to see an adult testing and wearing a pump like she does!  I forgot my camera so I didn't get any pics of that meet up - but it was still fun!  We were sad that Cherise was unable to meet up with us that night! We'll just have to go back again soon!

D Meetups are so much fun!  Go find someone close you and hang out!

Promise Me

Have you signed up to attend a Promise meeting yet?

JDRF's Promise to Remember Me campaign officially kicked off on August 1st. 

Promise to Remember Me is based on the relationships we create with our Members of Congress.  By creating relationships and participating in meetings, we are able to make our voices heard.  Our goal is to make an impression so that our Members of Congress will REMEMBER us when they are back in Washington making decisions that will affect diabetes research and funding.

Don't be nervous about meeting with your Congressmen (or women)!  They are just normal people like you and me!  And there is nothing fancy that you have to say. Our stories are what makes an impact.  Our stories, our lives, the truth about living with type 1 diabetes. 

It's as easy as telling as your story.  I promise!

Meetings usually last only a few minutes.  Children are welcome. 

It's a wonderful experience!

So what are you waiting for?

Click HERE to register to attend your local Promise meeting today! 

Just a few minutes of your time can make a HUGE impact.

It is a wonderful experience that I know you won't regret!

I PROMISE!

Taking Diabetes to School

It's that time of year again.

Time to send the kiddos back to school.

And we all know that when you're also sending DIABETES back to school, it's not as easy as a new bookbag and some pencils!

I wanted to point you in the direction of resources that I use to get Sweets ready to school.  Take a look at my School and Other Caregivers Tab above.  You will find links to our 504 plan, other 504 plans that might fit your situation better, pump directions, glucagon directions, items to put into a diabetes supply kit, lanyard tags (courtesy of Heidi at D-Tales), a bg flow chart, and an information sheet to give out to... well, anyone and everyone!

I was doing a little web surfing last night when I got another idea!

(I can see my husband rolling his eyes now and shaking his head because my ideas usually involve a lot of work...!)

I was looking at Lauren's Hope when I landed on their tab for Backpack Tags.  They were super cute!

But, because I like to do a little crafting, I thought to myself.  "HEY!  I can do THAT!"  My concern was - could I do it cheaper.  Because if I can't, then I'd rather just buy one.  I'm all about doing what makes the most sense.

This led to me to do a little research and I found these...

You can find these at Staples.  They are $5.99 for a 5 pack.  Here's the link in case you want to order online.


http://www.staples.com/Scotch-Self-Laminating-Pouches-Luggage-Tag-Protectors-5-Pack/product_372955

So, all you would have to do to make some of your own would be to buy the Bag Tags and get to work!  The decorating would be the funnest (is that a word?) part!  You could use stickers!  Markers!  GLITTER!!!!  You could fire up the computer and make a design.  If you use the business card template, I'm thinking that would be the perfect size!

What you put on the tag itself is up to you!  You could put your cell number.  You could put "If lost, please return to..."  You could put your child's name and teacher/school.  You could put things like "type 1 diabetes", "wears an insulin pump", "peanut allergy", "gluten free diet".  Whatever is important to you!

Of course, if crafting is not your thing -- You can find some super cute tags at Lauren's Hope!

I have yet to make these...  but I will be working on them soon!  I would like to attach one to Sweetpea's Diabetes bag.  And her bookbag.  And her lunch box.  And probably other things that I just can't think of right now!!  The possibilities are really endless!

I hope you find some useful information to help you with the transition back to school (or to school for the first time!).  I am by no means an expert - just someone with a little experience on both sides!  

Now... get your craft on and have some fun!

I Scream, You Scream

We all SCREAM for ICE CREAM!

Friday was A Diabetic Ice Cream Social.

What's that, you ask?

It was an even posted on Facebook.  Here is the description:

Yes, we CAN have ice cream! In protest to Wendell Fowler's disgusting article demoralizing, and putting down diabetics of all types, wrongly spreading misinformation about what we can, and cannot eat... And telling us that we are like alcoholics, who should not be offered ice cream.

(Click on "See More" to see links to the original articles.)

This event is meant to showcase that we can LIVE, as Diabetics, and enjoy ourselves... That we do not have limits on life, and that we can live within our boundaries of moderation, education, and common sense. CELEBRATE your life every day... And laugh in the face of ignorance.

It doesn't matter how you eat your ice cream... Have one scoop or two, if you please, have it sugar free if you must, you can certainly have it lactose free, or made with almond milk, you can have it be made of fruit, or a sorbet... Heck, you can even have a different treat, altogether, if you don't even like ice cream! :) The point is... WE DIABETICS ARE CREATIVE, SAVVY, AND WE HAVE OPTIONS.

I want to cast the net for this event, as far and wide, as possible... If those people can have their 15 minutes of fame, so can we. So if you folks have people you want to invite, please do. We have two weeks to recruit and spread the word, spread awareness, and get attention for our cause, with a passion. I am excited and proud of all of you who have already decided to participate. :)

Here's Mr. Fowler's original article: http://www.ss-times.com/20​11/07/15/pandering-to-diab​etics-you-bet/ (Mr. Fowler has deleted his original article, as if it would ever leave our minds and memories... But here's a copy of it I found on the internet... :) You can run, Mr. Fowler, but you can't hide! http://helppreventdiabetes​.com/pandering-to-diabetic​s-you-bet-southside-times/)

Here's his flawed, copped out apology, at the same time as telling us that sugar is poison: http://www.ss-times.com/20​11/07/22/trying-to-find-co​mmon-ground/

And here's his editor's even crappier apology:
http://www.ss-times.com/20​11/07/22/opening-the-diabe​tes-discussion/

Have low carb ice cream, if you want... But please, share with EVERYONE! Invite all. :)

Feel free to add any pictures or video, or links, which are related to this event.

(Just to clarify... With this event, I am not advocating that you go eat more ice cream than you can handle, or than can fit with your dietary standards. Any person is welcome to eat a sensible portion, and if needed, bolus accordingly. :) )

Feel free to join our group, and share with friends. We're a relaxed group, we don't tolerate spamming or advertising sales for miracle crap products, or abuse of any kind. Just a place to have a conversation. :)

http://www.facebook.com/gr​oups/livingwithdiabetes

WARNING: Polite debate, or discussion, is welcome... Our event is to create awareness, after all. But abusive arguing, targeting others, name calling, or spam of any kind, or even the mere suggestion of "contact me for blah blah," or whatever miracle product you might want to sell us will get you banned IMMEDIATELY. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Well.... Sweets definitely LOVES her ice cream.  So we were sooooo in!

Here's the proof!

So, take that Wendell!  With sprinkles on top!

Thirty One

I love bags.

J says that I couldn't possibly need one more bag - for anything!  But I can ALWAYS find something to do with a new bag.  Whether it's for storage or I use it as a purse or a school bag or a diabetes bag or something totally different....  I just LOVE bags!

So, I decided to take my love for bags and make a little money!

I signed up to be a Thirty One Consultant!

It's a perfect match!  And my super sweet friend, Heather, from Sweet to the Soul is also a consultant and she has been answering all my questions and inspiring to me to get started!

Here's the thing.  I'm not making money for ME.

Nope.

I am going to donate ALL of my profits to JDRF.

It's a win-win.  I get to sell awesome bags.  AND I get to raise money for diabetes research.

Let me tell you a little bit about Thirty One and how I use their products for our diabetes supplies.

I am a BIG FAN of the thermal tote.  I have a ton of them and use them ALL THE TIME.  I like that they are thermal so I can throw in an ice pack and keep my supplies cool if I need to.

I also use this bag as our traveling D bag.  I put the supplies that we carry around with us in here.  Then I know that I always have something thermal with me.  And it fits ALL our stuff.  I can even throw my wallet inside, too.

Now, thee are no pockets in this bag.  And I hate having all of my stuff laying all around on the bottom.  SO....  I use zipper pouches to keep it all organized!

I have one zipper pouch for everything I need to do a site change.  I have another one with extras - extra lancets, extra strips... things like that.  I like the zip up pencil pouch because it's the perfect size for glucagon!

That way, all of my supplies are organized nicely and if I only want to grab part of my supplies, it's easy to do that.

The other bag that I could not live without - especially when traveling - is the picnic thermal!

We put all of our supplies in here when traveling.  It's perfect for the boxes of strips, boxes of lancets.... things like that.  It's also thermal so it's easy to keep things cool!  AND - there is always space for the regular thermal tote to fit inside.

There is something new in the catalog this fall that I also think is pretty sweet.  There is a new backpack with a thermal pocket!

I love to personalize all my bags with monograms, sayings, our names....  It adds a cute little touch!

Of course, Thirty One has lots of wonderful products that you can use for life SEPARATE from diabetes!  There are cute purses and bags galore!  There even new fabrics especially for boys!  So there is truly something for everyone!

You can check out the catalog online and visit my website by clicking HERE.

You can even take advantage of  the current special!

You can order online and know that my profit will go directly to JDRF.  So not only will you be getting some fantastic Thirty One products, you will also be donating and helping diabetes research!

I'm also willing to do online parties!  So YOU can get all the awesome hostess benefits and STILL raise some bucks for a good cause!  Visit my Thirty One website for more information!

Happy Shopping!

Back to School - A Guest Post

Today you won't find me blogging HERE.

Nope.

If you want to read a little post I wrote about taking diabetes to school, you will have to head on over to Diabetes Mine and check it out!

A BIG THANKS to Amy and Allison for asking to me guest post and allowing me a visit on their wonderful site!

See you tomorrow!