"It's All About Your Attitude"

Our friends over at TuDiabetes have put together an event for all of us for World Diabetes Day this Saturday, November 14, 2009.  Check it out and participate if you can.  It's all about raising awareness about diabetes!  Here is the info about the event:

November 14 is World Diabetes Day. On that day, at 14:00 hours (localtime), thousands of people with diabetes will test their blood sugar,do 14 minutes of exercise, test again and share their results onTuDiabetes or on Twitter.

The event is called The Big Blue Test because blue is the color associated with World Diabetes Day. It is based on a test-in activity that took place July 14, where more than a thousand people with diabetes tested their blood sugar at the same time and shared their results online. This time, the activity incorporates 14 minutes of physical activity to reinforce the importance of exercise.

Participating in this event to raise diabetes awareness on November 14 is easy...

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE...

You too can be 1happydiabetic, it's all about your attitude!

Suzanne

Today is officially diabetes blog day, in honor of Diabetes Awareness month.  A big thanks to Chris, over at The Big D blog for designing the awesome logo below.

I usually take forever to put together a blog.  I research, I write and then re-write, and spend a lot of time trying to put together a whole feeling or message.  This time I am going to go a little stream of consciousness, just for fun!  Here aresome of the thoughts that go through my head in any given week that involve diabetes:

1. Wow, look at all the black dots on my fingertips!
2. I wonder if my endo will get on my case for not testing 2 hours after meals like I use to do religiously?  With my new job it has been hard to do this….
3. How did I ever survive without a CGMS?
4. In an average year I use approximately 4500 test strips.  At about a buck a piece, I sure could go on a killer vacation each year with all that money!
5. Oooohhh, look! They have a low carb version of pita bread!
6. If there was a cure today, would I still think of myself as a diabetic?
7. Diabetes sure does make me a strong person.
8. Diabetes makes me feel weak sometimes.
9. I hate asking for help with inserting a DexCom sensor in my arm, but I love that my husband is willing to do it for me.
10. I wonder if I my dog can tell when I am low or high?
11. I sure carry around a lot of food with me….My purse is sooooo heavy!
12. Fruit juice, glucose tabs, or left over candy? Which should I have to treat this low?
13. It isn’t fair I have to deal with diabetes.I wonder if there will ever be a cure… 

You can be 1happydiabetic, it’s all about your attitude!

Suzanne

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and on the 14th of this month, we have World Diabetes Day to look forward to.  There are over 250 million people who are affected by diabetes worldwide.  Yet little is mentioned in the American media about this epidemic affecting so many of us.  As you know, diabetes is a 24/7, never ending challenge we deal with.  Let's all take a personal pledge to educate others this month about diabetes and dispel the many myths that surround this disease!  Raising awarenes can bring us closer to a cure!

According to WorldDiabetesDay.org,  "the World Diabetes Day logo is the blue circle - the global symbol for diabetes which was developed as part of the Unite for Diabetes awareness campaign. The logo was adopted in 2007 to mark the passage ofthe United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution. The significance ofthe blue circle symbol is overwhelmingly positive. Across cultures, the circle symbolizes life and health. The colour blue reflects the sky that unites all nations and is the colour of the United Nations flag.The blue circle signifies the unity of the global diabetes community inresponse to the diabetes pandemic."

You can be 1happydiabetic, it's all about your attitude!

Suzanne

National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week

September 14-20, 2009

My pal Crystal, over at PUMPedUP, did a post yesterday about National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. She was inspired to do this list from another blogger, Rachel, so I am going to follow their lead!

30 Things About My Invisible IllnessYou May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 Diabetes

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1986

3. But I had symptoms since: October 1986

4. The biggest adjustment I've had to make is: being and adult and really taking care of myself, not living in denial.

5. Most people assume: I did or ate something wrong to get diabetes. That and I must have been a "fat kid" so that is why I ended up with diabetes.

6. The hardest part about mornings are: Waking up!

7. My favorite medical TV show is: Dr. G, it's morbid but I can't help it,LOL

8. A gadget I couldn't live without is: Blood glucose meter.

9. The hardest part about nights are: making it through the night without having a low blood sugar.

10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins: 8 pills but no vitamins. Gotta love getting additional autoimmune disorders because of diabetes

11. Regarding alternative treatments: I have not tried anything.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: That's not really a choice, no one should have an illness. But since Ineed to put an answer here, I would choose an invisible illness.

13. Regarding working and career: diabetes adds a layer of complexity just because you never get a break from it. So whether things are going smooth or stressful at work, your diabetes is there and being affected.

14. People would be surprised to know: I'm not as put together as I seem!

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: many years of denial and poor self care preceded my born again status of being a "compliant" diabetic. Letting go of the anger I felt all the time about how unfair having diabetes is was the hardest thing. Not to say that the anger doesn?t sometimes show its ugly face every now and then.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: complete my education.

17. The commercials about my illness: are so off the mark, no wonder most people don't understand diabetes! By the way, can we have a real blood sugar number on that meter please? Not the diabetes nirvana number of 103?

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: eating without thinking about what the carb count is of the food I am about to eat.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: when I was diagnosed way back in the day I was told I could not eat anything with sugar in it. There were few sugar free choices and no one carb counted back then. Needless to say I didn't really give up the candy, cakes, & cookies, I just got good at sneaking them.

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: I have had lots of hobbies since age 13 so I don't have a witty comment for this one 

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: go to Orlando and go to all the theme parks, ride all the rides, eat all the junk food, and finish off the day with a fancy meal and cocktails!

22. My illness has taught me: I can do anything I put my mind to, anything!

23. One thing people say that gets under my skin is: You know, if you just stopped eating carbs and took this herbal treatment you wouldn't have to take insulin anymore.

24. But I love it when people: let me get my plate first at get togethers! I use to hate this because it made me feel like I was different or defective but now I realize I am special and I get first pick of all the goodies on the table, LOL

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is:  There are three musts that hold us back: I must do well. You must treat me well. And the world must be easy. - Albert Ellis

26. When someone is diagnosed I'd like to tell them: You are not alone, connect with others online or in your town through the ADA or JDRF. Isolating yourself makes it harder to deal with diabetes.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: How capable I am of truly managing this illness. I was also surprised how much easier it got to manage when I connected with other diabetics online and in person.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn't feeling well was: Gaveme a long, awesome hug.

29. I'm involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I am not embarrassed by diabetes anymore and I realize that isolating ones self, does not work.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Honored, truly honored.

Be Happy,

Suzanne