Playing Favorites

Favorites,

as a mother we learn it is not right to have favorites.  We believe that everyone is special in their own little way.

But I must confess after watching this adorable post of Tink from Candy Hearts it confirmed it...

I DO HAVE FAVORITES

When it comes time for a blood sugar check The Pinkies and the Index Fingers are my favorites!!

I love the pinkies because no matter what they bleed.  They are the most reliable of the fingers and always give a perfect amount of blood.

As for the index fingers they are my "go to" fingers, I don't know what it is about those tips but they have my heart :)

and I hate the thumbs,
I don't know why? but I have to force myself to use them every once and a while just to give my favorites a little break.

Do you have a favorite?? 

Jay Cutler & John Madden On Team Type 1

I have been wanting to write a post for a while about the Bears,
no not the bears in the woods

BUT DA BEARS, like The Chicago bears...

I'm not a sports fan, I will watch a game here and there, baseball, soccer, hockey and football (will not watch basketball) but I really never had "A TEAM" that I cheered for, especially in football.  I would usually just cheer for the team who's jerseys were a nice colour or the opposite team that my husband was going for just to piss him off.

That is until Jay Cutler,
once I found out that he had type 1 diabetes I was all for The Chicago Bears.  Jay as I like to call him :) is the quarter back (QB) of the Chicago Bears, who until recently were in the running for the Super Bowl.  In their last game against Green Bay, Jay got hurt and was side lined for half of the game...and that's when all the haters started talking smack about our T1 homie, questioning his toughness and his attitude.

I listened to an interview that my friend Diane Ranaghan, a very busy type 1 diabetes advocate posted on fb were John Madden shares his opinion about the Jay Cutler controversy CLICK HERE TO LISTEN  and all I have to say is John Madden YOU ROCK, not only did you stick up for Cutler, whom because of type 1 diabetes I love, but you also just educated thousands of people about the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes while talking sports...HELLO, that is huge.

Sport talkers and listeners (hard core sport fans) are not usually the ones watching GMA, or the Joy Behar show and I'm sure they don't have any interest in Ricki Lake.  You have just educated a whole demographic of people that for this T1 mama may been a little hard to reach...to say the least!

So THANK YOU John Madden for your efforts in T1 advocacy and getting the facts out there in the sports world.

and a great big hug and THANK YOU to Jay Cutler for proving that even though you have type 1 diabetes you can do anything your heart desires.           

Blogger Basal For A New Year

Once a year all eyes are fixated on the clock as the countdown begins. 5...4...3...2...1

HAPPY NEW YEARS

Every new year comes with new promises, wishes and hope.  Hope that all the promises that we have made to ourselves will be followed through, making this new year better then the last. Resolutions & Hope goes hand in hand  for The Sugar Kids Blog.  

With one year at a close and another just beginning we can not help but think about the past. The places we have been, the people we have met and the people that we wish were still here with us.  If only we could  Make A Wish and have those people back with us. But every D-Mom Blog knows even if your most precious wishes don`t come true hold on to what is most important and frame it. 

We all have hopes and dreams for different things in the coming new year but I'm sure that the hope for a magic potion that could cure diabetes would be on many peoples 2011 wish lists.  I know that their is one special little guy who wishes will all of his might that a magic potion will be found to change Our Diabetic Life.  Finding My Way As The Unicorns Flee may be hard, but if we take it one step at a time we all will find our way in 2011.

With the many wishes and dreams that the new year provides there is one universal dream that we all hope 2011 with bring and that is The Good Life.  For many people the path to get you there is different.  Some people seek fame and fortunes but if your Sweet To The Soul a positive attitude and a smile on your face will ensure your on the right path to the Good Life in 2011.

And of course we all know, Life is Like a Box of Chocolate and you really never know what we are going to get... especially with T1.  Some days will not go our way and during these times if we take a step off our new positive path for 2011, For This, I`ll Make An Exception because we all need days when we can say Diabetes Sucks!

But with all the hard work and the countless hardships what makes it worth every second are the good days.  While I Am You Pancreas there will be days filled with golden magical moments, days like this 365:176 7.4. 

...Picture perfect.

and just like Justice's Misbehaving Pancreas, This Is Type 1 it is totally and completely unpredictable, exhausting and frustrating.  The good and the bad, the lows and the highs, the misconceptions and dealing with this disease  24 7 365.

The Super Hero and The Princess that live with type 1 diabetes 24 7,  are learning each and everyday.  They soon have a lot more knowledge about this disease then we or anyone else could ever believe possible.  Each day is a day to learn.  Sometimes Doctors or other professionals over look the knowledge of parents and T1 children but The Problem Is ``They`` Don`t Know What They Know and What They Don`t Know.

One of the ways we gain so much information is through trial and error, most times this can be very scary when dealing with a disease like type 1 diabetes.  Through sharing our experiences and knowledge with each other we become stronger.  So when you read about The Super Bolus to solve the post breakfast spike from Candy Hearts or Mrs Harer`s Hollow asking questions like What Immunity while sharing her experiences with frequent infections our understanding of this disease grows.

Knowledge is power for The Princess and The Pump so Dear GMA: I Want You To Know our lives with T1 so you can try to understand and help spread type 1 diabetes awareness.  

Help us end the misconceptions,  because Houston...We Have A PROBLEM    Help ME change the face of type 1 diabetes.

AND there you have it,  your Blogger Basal for the new year if you would like to get involved for February you can send a link of your February post to  Our Diabetic Life

2.1mmols Is A Very Big Deal

"It's just Diabetes, no big deal!"

 This is something that people have said to me and other parents of children with type 1 diabetes. 
Here is what I have to say to these people..

Type 1 diabetes is a VERY BIG deal

High and low blood sugars are a big deal.  

Seizures, loss of consciences, death is a big deal.  

Heart attacks, blindness, stokes, amputations, never damage, kidney damage is a big deal.

"normal" blood sugar is 4-6 mmols, below is a graph showing Cara's blood sugar numbers for yesterday. 

THIS IS A VERY BIG DEAL

Last night was a very big deal, it was one of the scariest nights of my life.  We are in a very intensive process of making some major changes in Cara's type 1 diabetes care.  Times of insulin as well as amounts of insulin are being changed and this is a very dangerous time for Cara.  Unsure of what all these changes are going to do within her body our diabetic clinic generously gave us the use of a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) for 6 days.  This monitor constantly records Cara's blood sugar numbers (to see and read more about our CGM click HERE and HERE or HERE) We are able to view blood sugar graphs on it's screen as well as downloaded on the computer.  

Last night we saw something that stopped my husband and myself dead in our tracks.  At 9:00pm we check Cara's blood sugar and it was 18 mmols, we gave her a smaller snack then normal, 10 grams of carbs because her BG was high and we did not want to skyrocket her through out the night (this is one of the problems that we are trying to avoid with all the changes).  We proceeded to head downstairs and watch a few of our DVRed shows.  By 12:00am it was bedtime for us and another blood sugar check for Cara, she was 12 mmols...which is not too bad.  However with a quick peak at the CGM we noticed something had gone very wrong with Cara's blood sugar around  10:30-11:00pm.  Alarms were going off and we were watching t.v., alarms were going off and she was passed out sleeping, alarms were going off because Cara's blood sugar was very quickly crashing from about 10:30 until it bottomed out at 2.1 mmols, the lowest she has every been.  With no help in sight and Cara possibly very close to losing consciousness, having a seizure or worse yet death...her wonderful liver seemed to have stepped in and released a life saving dose of sugar.  By 12:00am, blood sugar check time Cara's blood sugar was back up to 12 mmols.  

It was a very scary experience, we could not believe our eyes and even more worrisome we would have had NO IDEA that it even happened if we did not have that CGM. All that went through my head last night was Dead in Bed Syndrome         

...and for all those whom have lost their love ones to dead in bed syndrome my heart and deepest sympathies goes out to you.

Attached To A Machine

If you have been reading about our new journey these last few days with the amazing Medtronic Paradigm Veo you will know that we are using the CGM sensor for 6 days to try and get a better understanding of what exactly is happening between blood sugar checks.  We are not pumping yet, but this experience has definitely pushed us in that direction.  We hope to be pumping soon!      

The graphs that we see from the CGM are amazing and very informative...quite mind blowing actually.

right after dinner and insulin was given

I could sit and watch it for hours, sooooo cool!!

The sense of security that I feel knowing that if Cara's blood sugar goes too low or too high an alarm will sound...WONDERFUL!

The fact that at any moment I can take a peak and see what direction Cara's blood sugar is heading is just amazing.

I'm so thankful that we have this amazing tool to better Cara's care and help us in her fight to live with type 1 diabetes.

However something is bothering me, something keeps haunting me when seeing this great technology hooked up to my Cara.  I don't think that it is a negative thing, it's just something that we have not dealt with yet on our T1 journey.

Cara is and will be attached to a little machine, called a pump for life. 

This machine is amazing, doing something that her body can no longer do.  Maybe that is were the problem lies.  Every time I look at my daughter now, the first thing I see is this little machine.  This machine that is working because something in her is not.  I love everything this machine does, don't get me wrong.  I just don't like the reason why Cara needs to wear this device, and every time I look at her now I feel like it is being thrown in my face.  We are still on injections, we have been for almost 2 years now.  We take her blood sugar, we eat, we give her insulin and tuck everything away nicely until we need all the "T1" TOOLS again ( I know it really is not that simple but you get what I'm saying).  The pump, it is ALWAYS THERE, it is ALWAYS CONNECTED, It is ALWAYS NEEDED and I will have to deal with that...in time!  

Understand I'm in NO way saying that we are not going to be pumping as soon as we can.  This is in no way saying that I'm not grateful that there is something that can closely do the job of a pancreas that is not doing it's job.  It is just something that I have to get use to, something that I have to work through.  Soon I know I will look at Cara and see her for the wonderful, brave, adorably funny little girl that she is but right now all I see is that machine. 

(I hope I did not offend anyone using the term machine, my husband thought it was a little strong)

Day 1 With The CGM

Well it has almost been 2 years since Cara's T1 diagnoses and only day 1 of our 6 day trial with the CGM.

This whole experience has taken me right back to the first weeks of diagnoses.  I'm stressed out and confused with information overload and to top it all off I have a massive headache and an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion since we got home from the endo appointment yesterday.

However the one HUGE difference with this experience that is getting us over this bump along our T1 road is the amazing road side assistance that I have now.  The support of the DOC is just amazing, from comments on my last post to comments people are sending me on facebook.  The love and the acceptance and encouragement is overwhelming and amazing.  THANK YOU!! 


OK,  lets get down to the CGM, so far (day1) I LOVE THIS AMAZING LITTLE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY...LOVE IT.   
It is like having a "third" eye, you can see things that you were never able to before. Unfortunately we saw a lot of HIGHS all through out the night.  The plan was no changes last night or today during school, just to get an idea of what was causing the HIGHS and LOWS.  But of course, there was a wrench in the plan. Cara woke up feeling sick with an upset stomach and a sore throat.  She did not want to eat all her breakfast so we needed to pull back on her morning insulin and she did not go to school.  By lunch she was feeling much better and was able to eat her food.  I decided since she was not at school I would start the changes we planed on a day earlier. 


AND So far so good, much better then last night...that is for sure.  Our graph is starting to look closer to a curvy line that a 2 year old drew rather then the scariest roller coaster ride of your life.  Cara is even getting use to the sensor, she has not once worried about it when going to the bathroom or playing.  She is still in LOVE with the pump and she feels pretty darn special...as she should!  We are now on the hunt for a cute case to put the pump into.  I know that there are adorable ones on the internet but with shipping, who knows how long it would be to get here?  So we are going to look around locally.  I did make sure to enter a wonderful giveaway at Autoimmune Island  for a chance to win some really cute stuff including a pump case that we will be needing really soon.



The only thing so far that I'm not to fawned of  is knowing that my every decision and action will be put under a microscope in the next 6 days.  Of course this is all for a great cause of lowering this kids A1C, but I really think that the need (want) to do everything perfectly when there is NO perfect way of doing this is causing all the darn headaches and stress.  

MAN, I JUST NEED TO RELAX...

anyone up for a drink or a few? 

More Then What We Bargained For

Today was our test day, the dreaded A1C...and this T1 mom has not been on top of her pancrotic duties. 

A1C 10.8...YUCK!

We have always had trouble getting Cara's blood sugar to where it was "suppose" to be.  We are always to high, we make changes and then we are always to low, we make changes then we are always to high.  We are never anywhere in between.  It's just a vicious cycle of disappointments and frustrations. 

I knew going into this A1C endo appointment I was not going to like the numbers, so I did what any chicken shit, frustrated, at the end of my rope T1 mom would do... I sent my husband with Cara to take the disappointment and judgment from our clinic (they really are wonderful and would NEVER say anything bad EVER but I can just feel it...self inflicted).  

For all those who are reading and wondering what the hell an A1C is, basically it is a 3 month average of a persons blood sugar.  It is often referred to as the parents report card, this time my mark is NOT GOOD!

So after the first part of the appointment my husband and the nurse begin to question some of the night time numbers with some concerns that Cara may be going low during the night. As well she believes that Cara maybe sensitive to insulin and a little too much will send her crashing and a tad to little may cause her to have a lot of highs.  I have always felt like there is just NO middle ground for Cara. 

We also may be changing the time and type of long acting insulin Cara receives.  Right now Cara gets 5 units of Lantus during the night, we may be changing to 5 units of Levemir in the morning. 

So with the suggestion of our nurse, Cara received some numbing cream on her bum, My husband came and picked me up to join in on the second part of our endo appointment, the crash course to Continuous Glucose Monitoring 101.  For 6 days Cara will be connected to a CGM so we can get a better understanding of what exactly is going on with Cara's body. This will also get us set up for pumping which we all feel will help stop the yo-yo effect that Cara is going threw.

Cara was terrified and as much as we told her it will not hurt because of the cream she was not falling for it.  We had to hold her down once again until...all done, we are hooked up and the tears stopped with a smile on her face.  She is very excited and is enjoying showing everyone her little bum with the sensor and the pump.  She is very nervous about moving or touching the sensor.  When we got home she did not even want to sit on the couch because she thought it would hurt.  She wants help pulling down or pulling up her pants to go to the bathroom and I'm kinda not looking forward to bedtime,I'm sure she will have trouble falling asleep with the sensor on. 

I really enjoy watching the numbers and the graphs which right now are spikes and drops but we will get there.      

Today was a lot more then what I was prepared for, but it was a great day in our T1 journey and I'm very excited to see what these next 6 days have in store for us.

Now all we need is a really sweet pump pouch, if I'm lucky maybe we could win the adorable one that The Princess and The Pump is giving away, check it out HERE

A Birthday Wish And The Winner IS....

Once a year we get to make a wish..... a special wish,  

Today is that day, today when everyone is gathered around the table singing a wonderfully out of tuned Happy Birthday song, 

I will be waiting for my one special moment, my one special wish.  

I will take a deep breath

I will close my eyes tight 

I will make my very special wish with all of my might

I will blow out all the candles on my birthday cake in hopes that someday very soon my wish will come true.  

Although I can not tell you what I'm wishing for I'm sure you know the one thing I need and nothing more.

Just think of all those special wishes that get made on every T1 mom's birthday!! I know that one day our wishes will came true.

NOW what you all have been waiting for THE WINNER of my Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus....

IS #23

and before I let you know WHO is lucky duck #23 here is what they will be winning:

1.  First we all know that the winner of this Sugar Bolus will win a free pre-recorded course from Type-1 University 
A big thank you to T1U for this amazing gift, I know that the DOC has been all a buzz about this great new resource.  Even if you did not win make sure to check it out!!

2.  Next the winner will be receiving a wonderfully homemade bag, specially made by my cousin Karen.  Karen is a wonderful supporter of Cara's and The We CARA Lot team and we thank her for everything that she does for us and type 1 diabetes.  It really means a lot to us to have such amazing support!!

front

back

and amazingly lined with pockets to keep things organized!

 

3.  and last but not least the winner will also be receiving a specially make glass necklace from my another cousin Sandra.  She has made me a few type 1 diabetes inspired glass jewelery and I love each and every piece she comes up with.  Thank you so much Sandra!! 

OK now #23 was

Ronda said...

I love surprises...count us in!! Happy Birthday!! Ronda get in touch with me via email or facebook so I can get your info please :) and Congratulations!! Now go check out the next Sugar Bolus for your chance to win something sweet at  The Princess and The Pump

Last Day To Enter and A Reminder About Blogger Basal

Today until midnight is your last chance to enter my

Super Birthday Secret Sugar Bolus

I have spilled SOME beans along the way:

One lucky winner of my Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus will be getting free access to 1 pre-recorded course at the  type1 university  (T1U). Click HERE for some more information about T1U on The We CARA Lot Blog

2.I have two very creative and very talented cousins who have made 2 amazing pieces specially for The We CARA Lot  Blog winner.  I will be posting pictures when I announce the winner, for now it remains a secret but I do want to share their talents with you.

It's something very special

Click HERE and enter now before your time runs out! ***DO NOT ENTER THE SUGAR BOLUS ON THIS POST*** 

BUT WAIT!!  before you leave, if you would like your blog to be part of the very first Blogger Basal of the new year.  All you need to do is send me a link of your very best or your very favorite post that your wrote in the month of January to wecaralot@gmail.com and I will do all the dirty work. So go ahead and get involved, sent me your link by Friday January 21st 2011 to wecaralot@gmail.com subject Blogger Basal and I will make sure to add you. 

Rules for URL submissions:
1)  Must be (mostly) family friendly.  Rants are welcome.  Porn is not.  Get it?

2)  URLs are due on the 3rd Friday of the month.  PERIOD.
Please submit your URL on time for inclusion in the current month's edition.

3)  Only one URL per author per month please..

If you would like to host one of these very fun and creative Blogger Basal all you need to do is follow this link HERE and enter your blog to host a month...that simple.

You Learn Something New Every Day...Lows and Nightmares

Someone once said you learn something new everyday.

I don't know about EVER DAY but Monday night I defiantly learned something new about type 1 diabetes that shocked me.

Every second Monday of each month I have an Outreach JDRF support group meeting.  It is a core group of people right now (we are trying to reach out and gain more people) however it is still fun and on many occasions very educational.  This Monday was one of those nights, a mother was talking about her newly diagnosed teenage daughter (lets call her Sarah) having horrible, frightening very disturbing NIGHTMARES.  Her daughter was waking up in the middle of the night screaming and shaking...these were some horrifying dreams.  

Sarah started to think that something was wrong within herself because of the images that she was dreaming of.  Her parents had her seeing a therapist, they took her from doctor to doctor and NO one was able to come up with the REASON this poor young lady was not able to make it through the night without having these images haunting her sleep.    

That is, until they met with a nurse from our diabetic clinic.  They gave Sarah a CGM to wear for one week and the results shocked everyone...except the nurse I guess.  Sarah was having sever lows that was causing the night mares.   

LOWS CAN CAUSE NIGHTMARES...who knew...not me!

Her parents had no idea.  She was going to bed with wonderful numbers and she was waking up with great numbers but in the middle of that she was crashing dangerously low.

I have NEVER heard of this...like many things type 1 it seems to be kept a secret until it happens to you.

It's Time To Go Back To School...T1U for free??

Did you HEAR...Type-1 University is Now Open for Enrollment...and this just may be a clue to a Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus.



For anyone who ever sat through a class and thought “I’m never going to use this in the real world,” here’s something a little bit different.

Introducing “Type-1 University” (T1U) – the online school for people with diabetes who use insulin, including parents and caregivers. The school can be found only in cyberspace – at www.type1university.com

T1U features a series of "higher education" courses for an often overlooked segment of the diabetes market: those utilizing intensive insulin therapy (pumps or multiple daily injections). Each 40-60 minute course is available live (via webex) or in pre-recorded format, accessible on any computer system or mobile device with internet access. The courses include a dynamic powerpoint-style presentation with accompanying audio and video of the presenter, along with an opportunity to post questions directly.

The T1U “faculty” is composed of Certified Diabetes Educators with extensive personal and professional experience with all aspects of intensive diabetes management. All presenters use an approach that is entertaining, informative and practical.

According to Gary Scheiner MS, CDE, founder and self-proclaimed “Dean” of T1U, “This is nothing like a basic diabetes education class. These courses are for insulin users who want focused, expert information on specific topics that are relevant to their daily lives.”

The ever-expanding T1U “syllabus” currently includes the following courses:
• Mastering Pump Therapy
• Advanced Carb Counting
• Blood Glucose Control During Sports & Exercise
• Weight Loss for Insulin Users
• Getting the Most from Your Continous Glucose Monitor
• Strike The Spike: After-Meal Glucose Control
• Hypoglycemia Prevention and Management
• Fine-Tuning Basal Insulin

The benefits of diabetes self-management training and education are well-documented. However, one of the major reasons people with diabetes don’t take more advantage of it is access. Busy schedules, travel, parking, and out-of-pocket costs keep many people “in the dark” when it comes to the latest techniques in self-management. T1U addresses the issue of access by making interactive education available from the comfort of one’s home or office. Courses are offered at a variety of different times and posted online for review in a pre-recorded format at any time.

“Tuition” is on a per-course basis, and similar price-wise to most medical office visit co-pays: $29.95 for live courses, and $19.95 for each pre-recorded course. Participants may invite others to watch and listen with them; the fee is the same no matter how many partake. In other words, a couple or entire family can enroll and participate for the same single-participant price.

For information regarding course schedules/descriptions, or to enroll for an upcoming class, please visit www.type1university.com.

T1U is produced by Integrated Diabetes Services LLC, a Wynnewood, PA-based practice providing diabetes education, management and consulting services worldwide via phone and the internet. 



 What a wonderful service and a great idea. 

Oh, and did I mention that one lucky winner of my Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus will be getting free access to 1 pre-recorded course.  That's right the very generous people at T1U is allowing The We CARA Lot Blog to giveaway 1 pre-recorded course of your choice.How cool is that!! MAKE SURE TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON THE SUPER BIRTHDAY SURPRISE SUGAR BOLUS PAGE ****NOT THIS ONE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY***

Thank you so much T1U...now what are you waiting for  it's time for school, to enter the sugar bolus click HERE 



A Sweet Grace  also has a giveaway to the T1U and a few more goodies that The We CARA Lot Blog like...check it out HERE

My Scary Little Monsters

Remember This,

baby powder EVERYWHERE

 and THIS

Kirstin's head completely covered with baby powder

It took me weeks to get every last ounce of baby powder out of my house, Well miss Kirstin is at it again!!

This video was taken just after Halloween.  I was lazy and hadn't put away the face paint yet!  My little Kirstin found it and this is what happened :) ENJOY!!

Kirstin, the purple faced monster

Cody the red faced monster

HAVE A GREAT SUNDAY, and don't forget to enter my secret Sugar Bolus a sneak peak is soon to come! Anyone can enter :)

Cara And The Diabetes Dude

Cara along with my help has became one of the Canadian Ambassadors for the Diabetes Dude.  Check out her page HERE .We are very excited to join such a wondderful group of people all trying to make a difference in type 1 diabetes awareness and education.  

What's that you ask?

Noah, The Diabetes Dude, has been helping to raise awareness and show support all over the country in the past year, but he's also realized he can't be everywhere at once, so, he's currently accepting applications until Jan 15th 2011 for his new Ambassador Program. He's looking for kids to represent their state by helping him in 2011 to spread even more awareness in their own area.  They will be listed as an Ambassador under the "friends of DD" page and will have their own email address through www.thediabetesdude.com.  You must be willing to fulfill an entire year of service as an Ambassador, which will include answering emails promptly from people in your area, keeping The Diabetes Dude up to date on things going on in your area regarding diabetes, coming up with new ideas to spread awareness in your area, and spreading awareness of diabetes by representing The Diabetes Dude's mission of "I may have diabetes, but diabetes does not have me".  Other fulfillments MAY include meeting with kids with diabetes in your area, hosting get togethers, and possibly answering media inquiries from your local area.

Cara is not the only ambassador trying to lend a hand.  Here is the list of amazing kids who have vowed to help the Diabetes Dude in 2011.

• AR-Brian and Meg
• AZ-Adalyne
• IL-Nicolenne
• KY-Hanna
• MA-Morgan
• MA-Allie-Jr. Ambassador
• MA-Andrew-Jr. Ambassador
• MO-Kenny
• NJ-Avery G.
• NJ-Naomi
• NV-Justice
• NY-Tayler
• OH-Avery
• PA-Clifford
• TX-Rachel
• TX-Nate-Jr. Ambassador
• UT-Kenden
• VA-Kacey
• Australia-Abbey
• Canada-Cara
• Canada-Madison

Also if your a fan of the Diabetes Dude make sure you take a few minutes and VOTE FOR HIM HERE  at  The dlife Annual Top 10 Award.

What is that you ask?
The dlife has featured "10 brave, innovative, gutsy individuals who have worked hard to improve the lives of people with diabetes" and the Diabetes Dude is one of them.  So take a few minutes out of your day and vote vote vote.  The person with the most votes will be featured on dlifeTV.

 GOOD LUCK DIABETES DUDE, YOU HAVE OUR VOTE!

And Last But Not Least Thank You GMA And A Question To Ponder About The Term Juvenile.

Of course in the Canadian polite and fair way I just wanted to take a few seconds and also thank GMA for this mornings on air reading of Ricki Lake's apology to the type 1 community.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH GMA 

I have not seen it yet BUT I hope to link it up as soon as I find it.

THIS was truly an amazing thing to experience and to be a part of.  Also being plugged into T1 families in Canada and the U.S. it is very interesting to see the dynamics, the differences, the similarity and connections that we ALL share within our community.

Together I truly believe that we can make a huge difference bringing awareness and educating the general public about type 1 diabetes. 

First order of business, lets start communicating clearly and effectively and use the correct and full term of this  disease... type 1 diabetes.  Lets drop the root of the cause of both misspeaks...." Juvenile" Diabetes.



*** After I posted this I pondered over my comment.  Since Cara's diagnoses I have NEVER even used the term Juvenile Diabetes but I know of a lot of people who have, is dropping the "Juvenile" even possible?   With the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) one of the leading supporters of trying to find a cure for type 1 diabetes still using an out dated term that is absolutely causing a bit of confusion in the general public is this change even possible.  Definitely something to think about!! 

Now go and enter my  Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus  

A Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus

OK, So what is a Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus?

Well, let me tell you,

It's Super: because every single one of you are super duper people and deserve super duper things.

It's my Birthday:  That's right I will be announcing the winner of my Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus on my birthday, the 14th of January :)

It's a Surprise:  Oh ya, that's right!! you will have NO IDEA what you are getting... it is a SURPRISE :)  Just like me, I have no idea what you have gotten me for my birthday :) You don't get to open your gift before me...however I may give you some sneak peaks along the way...maybe!!

It's a Sugar Bolus: just a fancy type 1 way of saying it's a giveaway.

Here are the rules:
1. Leave me a comment before midnight Thursday, January 13th 2011.  Include your first name, a comment left with out a name will be eliminated.

2. To earn extra entries for the giveaway post a separate comment for each:

• Tweet about this giveaway, then leave a comment with a link

• Facebook about this giveaway, then leave a comment with a link

• Blog about this giveaway, then leave a comment with a link

No duplicate comments are allowed and will be eliminated.

Winners will be selected via random draw at http://www.random.org/.  

Winners' names will be posted here on The We CARA Lot Blog on Friday January 14th 2011

After a winner is named and posted, the winner will have 48 hours to send a message to me at wecaralot@gmail.com subject Sugar Bolus Winner.  If I do not hear from the winner within 48 hours, I will select a new winner.  



Oh and don't forget about Blogger Bolus, I'm hosting it this month show CLICK HERE TO READ WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

OK now go enter!!

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Ya I'm just so excited about my giveaway here is your first sneak peak:

#1.  There are a few wonderfully handmade (not by me) type 1 diabetes items specifically made for you :)

Hand Crafted By Karen Wheeler

and Art Glass by Sandra,

#2 One lucky winner of my Super Birthday Surprise Sugar Bolus will be getting free access to 1 pre-recorded course at the  type1 university  (T1U). Click HERE for some more information about T1U on The We CARA Lot Blog

Revamp, Rename or Remain The Same...What To Do About Type1 Diabetes?

Revamp, Rename or just Remain the same, that is the question?

What is the best and logical next step in getting the word out about type 1 diabetes and STOPPING all the misconceptions.

After all the media blunders surrounding type 1 diabetes these last few days I have been noticing the whispers of change turning into a loud roar across the DOC. But what to do?  We need the TRUTH and REALITY about this very serious, very complicated and very under respected disease to take center stage to ensure the education and understanding type 1 diabetes deserves.


As I see it our first issue is that type 1 diabetes is an insanely complicated disease. It is almost impossible to explain the in's and out's in one conversation. With all the Highs, Lows, count this and measure that, then ketones and sick days, Carbohydrates, insulin, good, bad and the down right ugly, numbers, food, sugar...well you get my point. This is one hard disease to understand even for the people that live with it every day of their lives. People are lost, confused and honestly bored by the time it is all said and done. 


BUT, that is the reality of Type 1. There is nothing that we can do about it's complexity except continue to educate ourselves, educate our children and educate the masses. The complexity will always be there, it will remain the same but little by little we can begin to unravel it's layers and people will begin to understand it.

The second issue is confusion about Diabetes, oh wait, I mean Juvenile Diabetes, no...no, silly me it's called Type 1 Diabetes...Right? Ya I know, it's type 1 diabetes but you get this point too.  What other disease uses 3 completely different names?  Did we think the more the merry, not true in this case.  The more the more confusing is more like it.  It's like a criminal with multiple identities.

We have an identity crisis on our hands people.  So what to do about this? Remain the same and hope the general public can figure it out or is it time to Rename? Is this even possible?

Last week THIS ARTICLE, WANTED: A NEW NAME FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES by The Globe and Mail was brought to my attention.  It states  "As rates of Type 2 diabetes surge, a small but vocal group of people with Type 1 are protesting online about being lumped in with Type 2. Leading the charge is diabetes educator Riva Greenberg of Brooklyn, N.Y., who argues that Type 1 is being eclipsed by Type 2 – and should be renamed." While others such as Dr. Blumber say "Since outdated terms – “juvenile” and “adult-onset” – are still being used inappropriately, Dr. Blumer says, renaming Type 1 would only add to the confusion. “I just think it would be chaos.” Click the link to read the whole article.

So what is it, would a new name help or only add to the already confusing identity crisis that type 1 diabetes is suffering from?

Well, if not a rename what about a revamp.  This is something that Houston We Have a Problem is suggesting.  Revamp the whole image of type 1 diabetes, one colour, one symbol, one group working together to achieve the same goals.  Blue? Grey? ribbon? circle? Check out her post HELP ME!  and see what you think.

I understand why the media is misspeaking about type 1diabetes, it does not make it right but I see why it is happening.  It is one complex disease, with a few very confusing names and quiet a mix and match of identities.  Like I said before "we" GET IT but we need the masses to GET IT because as of right now it is flying right over their heads as high as a T1 with no insulin on board.

SO WHAT WILL IT BE A REVAMP, A RENAME OR REMAIN THE SAME? 

Thank You Ricki Lake

The We CARA Lot Blog would like to say thank you  Ricki Lake for your heartfelt, sincere apology to the type 1 community and clearing up your last comment on GMA.

If you are wondering what that comment was HERE is a link to get you up to speed.
 
You did a great job, you segued your way into the apology like a pro, and even though Joy Behar cut you off you talked over her and made sure to get your point across.

TYPE 1 DIABETES IS NOT PREVENTABLE

 

Uneducated Deja Vu On GMA

When will it stop?

On Monday night Village on a Diet aired one of the most frustrating misconceptions about type 1 diabetes when a teacher was concerned her class was going to develop "Juvenile diabetes" because of their bad eating habits and lack of exercise.
Read my blog post HERE   

Then on Tuesday night Village on a Diet and CBC stepped up after receiving emails, phone calls and live chat comments from concerned T1's and family members about the teachers comments.
Read my blog post HER

and now Wednesday morning and facebook is all a buzz with more uneducated, misleading comments made by Ricki Lake stating "Juvenile diabetes" is preventable on Good Morning America.

Here is the link to view GMA and Ricki Lakes comment

My letter which unfortunately I only had to change a few lines from the letter that I sent Village on a Diet and CBC has been sent to GMA and I started a discussion page on Ricki Lakes new books facebook page HERE

When will it end? but a even better question is...

what's up with everyone that is misspeaking about type 1 diabetes using the term Juvenile diabetes?   maybe that's why it is an "old and out dated term"




and an update on this topic **  I just thought it was far to post a LINK HERE to Ricki Lakes correction on diabetes** and maybe a little later I will have a blog about my thoughts on her "correction".

Thank You Village on a Diet and CBC

Earlier today I blogged about a new T.V. series called Village on a Diet on CBC television.
There was a comment that was made on the 1st episode suggesting that type 1 diabetes was caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, which we all know is untrue.

A fellow Canadian T1 mama posted a comment on her facebook page and that was it, I entered letter writing mode.  After one live chat comment, one discussion board comment (a long letter) on Village on a Diet facebook page, a blog post and one letter written to CBC plus the countless other letters, phone calls and comments from fellow T1's and families, CBC has stepped up!

with this: The Facts on Diabetes

(please read)

HERE is a link to my earlier "bitching blog post" about the show and my concerns.   

and THIS is my THANK YOU BLOG POST

Thank you Village on a Diet CBC for reading all of our comments and concerns

Thank you Village on a Diet CBC for understanding all of our comments and concerns

Thank you Village on a Diet CBC for doing something positive about all of our comments and concerns

and THANK YOU Village on a Diet CBC for giving this one T1 mama belief that people who do not live this  type 1 life WILL understand and WILL help educate. You have given me a renewed sense of energy and hope to keep on advocating for my daughter and for all type 1's.

 

Village On A Diet on CBC Television

Monday night was the season premier of a new Canadian show called Village On A Diet. The show is based in Taylor B.C." where the residents are taking on the biggest challenge of their lives, to lose 1 ton in 10 weeks."

GOOD FOR THEM

AND GOOD LUCK TO THEM...TRULY!

BUT 

When someone, like a teacher, who is an educated individual is misinformed about a disease that she obviously has no knowledge of like type 1 diabetes and makes a statement that is so untrue and just out right wrong such as the comment that was made on your show last night about children being over weight and developing Juvenile diabetes (meaning type 1 diabetes) that is the time to use the EDIT button CBC Television.

I understand that you are doing a show about obesity which is caused by poor eating habits and lack of exercise.  I understand that some of those people will be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (may or may not be because of poor diet and lack of exercise).  I understand that the word "diabetes" will be used incorrectly and will be generalized without distinction between the "TYPES"  and therefore people in the general population will be making assumptions, developing misconceptions about type 1 diabetes.  But when you allow your show to blatantly state that type 1 is caused by poor diet and lack of exercise you have pissed this mom of a T1 off BIG TIME.    
You have no idea how many hours I have spent trying to eliminate this huge misconception.

You have no idea how many times I have said " No type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease" "No there is no cure for type 1 diabetes, healthy eating or exercise will not cure my daughter"  

You have no idea how many people think that it is something that I did to cause this life threatening disease of my daughters.

You have no idea how many time people do not support our hopes to find a cure because they believe that with healthy eating and a little exercise my daughter will be cured.

You have no idea the pain and hurt that you have caused do to your little slip up.


So congratulations CBC on your first episode of Village On A Diet it sounds like you have a big hit on your hands!  Changing people’s lives and educating people about diet, exercise and the importance of living a healthy life is wonderful.  However please understand that you are also touching on a very misunderstood and very confusing topic of “diabetes” and within the word diabetes people make misconceptions and generalizations that affect my daughter’s life.  Unfortunately for our type 1's you have only strengthen the most frustrating and most damaging misconception about type 1 diabetes out there.

HERE is the link to the episode of Village On A Diet around 24:25 minutes the teacher is interviewed and makes the most frustrating comment!

I have sent a letter to CBC basically the same thing that I have written in this post
and I have a friend who has made a phone call to the station.  She called and asked for audience relations at
1-866-306-INFO (4636)

   

It Just Blows My Mind

Looking back at this year and reflecting on all that has taken place in 2010, the one most single thing that has stood out in 2010 was all the ignorance surrounding type 1 diabetes.

The most dangerous and unbelievable ignorance was found within our own school systems and all school systems in this province.  In schools all through out the province of Ontario each and every school makes their own rules and policies (or no policies) around type 1 diabetes.

Some schools are marvelous, understanding the ins and outs of care for type 1 children.  They understand the signs of highs and lows, they know what to do in any situation, they allow children to eat their snacks when needed, go to the washroom and take drink breaks as required, there is a clean and safe area for the child to take their blood sugar, some school have nurses who visit through out the day, teachers and principals go the extra mile and will check blood sugar if needed, other schools are just the opposite.

It is these schools and the province of Ontario that do not understand the dangers of type1 that just blows my mind. 

In a province that has over 7,000 school age children living with type 1 diabetes, each and every time a T1 child enters the doors to a school that does not understand what type 1 diabetes is, that child's life is in danger.

What blows my mind is that if I offered that kind of care that these schools and the province of Ontario is offering type 1's in school my children would be taken away from me.  I would be found unfit to care for my children. 

What blows my mind is that type 1's are in school from 8:30am-3:30pm 5 days a week.  This time period includes 2 snack times and lunch all very crucial times for children with type 1 diabetes, not to mention the activity and exercise during recces and gym class all combined with the inconsistency of type 1, but still principals, teachers, schools and the province of Ontario still do not see the dangers that our T1's face on a daily basis.

What blows my mind is the lack of education and ignorance and the close mindedness from individuals that are in position of power.  These people are making huge decisions, decisions that effect lives and they are just not "Getting It" 

What I really do not understand and what truly blows my mind is when the province of Ontario is informed of the danger that they are putting our children in and are offered steps to help improve the safety and steps that would  allow for the rights that our children deserve the only response you get is that we are working on it with no proof of this statement.  I want to see actions not words.


This is something that I would like to see changed in 2011


Oh and something else that just blows my mind is the New Year Bash Sugar Bolus Giveaway that Candy Hearts is hosting click HERE and check it out.  It is sure to blow your mind too!