DBlogWeek 2017: The Cost of Chronic Illness

Diabetes Blog Week prompt for Tuesday:  Insulin and other diabetes medications and supplies can be costly. Here in the US, insurance status and age (as in Medicare eligibility) can impact both the cost and coverage. So today, let’s discuss how cost impacts our diabetes care. Do you have advice to share? For those outside the US, is cost a concern? Are there other factors such as accessibility or education that cause barriers to your diabetes care?

Oh boy.  The cost of a chronic illness.  What a hot button issue that is. 

DBlogWeek 2017: Diabetes and The Unexpected

 

Diabetes Blog Week prompt for Monday: Diabetes can sometimes seem to play by a rulebook that makes no sense, tossing out unexpected challenges at random.  What are your best tips for being prepared when the unexpected happens?  Or, take this topic another way and tell us about some good things diabetes has brought into your, or your loved one’s, life that you never could have expected?

Diabetes.  What isn’t unexpected about this disease?  The onset.  The guessing.  The what’s going to happen next.  The everything.

Well Shiz…

I just signed up for the 8th Annual Diabetes Blog Week.  Let’s be honest here.  It has been awhile.  Since I was laid off almost 2 years ago my drive went, well….

All Tricks no Treats

 

So I’ve been without a working Dexcom transmitter for months now.  I really miss having it.  Like REALLY miss.  Though some how I’ve been able to keep my sugars in check and still keep my a1c in the mid to low 6’s.  Perfectly fine.  But I just entered a study that gave me a sensor to wear for a week.  I’ll take it!

Stick to Your Own Field

I was at another kind of doctor appointment last week and we were talking about babies and the future.  I said I was still on the fence.  She told me, “Well if you want to you really need to sit down with us and your endocrinologist so we can make sure you are healthy and ready for it.”  I’ve read many a pregnant type 1 blogs, have personal friends who have had multiple children while a type 1, even read up on the matter myself.  I feel fairly informed.

Diabetes Blog Week Day 5: Foods on Friday.

Today is the fifth day of Diabetes Blog Week, hosted by the amazing Karen at Bitter-Sweet.  Each day I will attempt to blog about the topic put forth to diabetics across the world.

Click for the Foods on Friday – Friday 5/15 Link List. 
Taking a cue from Adam Brown’s recent post, write a post documenting what you eat in a day!  Feel free to add links to recommended recipes/shops/whatever.  Make it an ideal day or a come-as-you-are day – no judgments either way.  (Thank you, Katy of  Bigfoot Child Have Diabetes for this topic.)

Diabetes Blog Week Day 4: Changes.

Today is the fourth day of Diabetes Blog Week, hosted by the amazing Karen at Bitter-Sweet.  Each day I will attempt to blog about the topic put forth to diabetics across the world.

Click for the Changes – Thursday 5/14 Link List.
Today let’s talk about changes, in one of two ways.  Either tell us what you’d most like to see change about diabetes, in any way.  This can be management tools, devices, medications, people’s perceptions, your own feelings – anything at all that you feel could use changing.  OR reflect back on some changes you or your loved one has seen or been through since being diagnosed with diabetes.  Were they expected or did they surprise you?

Diabetes Blog Week Day 3: Clean it Out.

Today is the third day of Diabetes Blog Week, hosted by the amazing Karen at Bitter-Sweet.  Each day I will attempt to blog about the topic put forth to diabetics across the world.

Click for the Clean it Out – Wednesday 5/13 Link List.
Yesterday we kept stuff in, so today let’s clear stuff out.  What is in your diabetic closet that needs to be cleaned out?  This can be an actual physical belonging, or it can be something you’re mentally or emotionally hanging on to.  Why are you keeping it and why do you need to get rid of it?  (Thank you Rick of RA Diabetes for this topic suggestion.)

Diabetes Blog Week Day 2: Keep it to Yourself.

Today is the second day of Diabetes Blog Week, hosted by the amazing Karen at Bitter-Sweet.  Each day I will attempt to blog about the topic put forth to diabetics across the world.

Click for the Keep it to Yourself – Tuesday 5/12 Link List.
Many of us share lots of aspects of our diabetes lives online for the world to see.  What are some of the aspects of diabetes that you choose to keep private from the internet?  Or from your family and friends?  Why is it important to keep it to yourself?  (This is not an attempt to get you out of your comfort zone.  There is no need to elaborate or tell personal stories related to these aspects.  Simply let us know what kinds of stories we will never hear you tell, and why you won’t tell them.) (Thank you Scott E of Rolling in the D for this topic.)

Diabetes Blog Week Day 1: I Can.

Today is the start of Diabetes Blog Week, hosted by the amazing Karen at Bitter-Sweet.  Each day I will attempt to blog about the topic put forth to diabetics across the world.

Click for the I Can – Monday 5/11 Link List.
In the UK, there was a diabetes blog theme of “I can…”  that participants found wonderfully empowering.  So let’s kick things off this year by looking at the positive side of our lives with diabetes.  What have you or your loved one accomplished, despite having diabetes that you weren’t sure you could?  Or what have you done that you’ve been particularly proud of?  Or what good thing has diabetes brought into your life?  (Thank you to the anonymous person who submitted this topic suggestion.)

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There are so many activities out there that people are afraid to do.  Run a marathon, sky dive, scuba dive, have a child.

As a diabetic, sometimes things that already scare us make us even more nervous.  How will my sugars react to: prolonged exercise, adrenaline, altitude, pressure, raging hormones?  Will I go low and not be able to treat myself?  Will I go so high I pee mid-flight?

I am proud of many accomplishments in my life but there is one that truly sticks out above all others.

My greatest accomplishment as a diabetic was being a part of the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps.  If you don’t know what Drum Corps is here are a few videos and articles on what it means to be a musician that is also an athlete.

Marathon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL79z1Aw87g

Bobby Knight:  http://halftimemag.com/articles/09-2010/09-2010-features/musicians-as-athletes.html

Part of my show from 2000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNR1vL7zgXs

I would train at least 14 hours a day from May through August .  I would run, dance, perform on a football field over and over and over again wearing nothing but pretty much a swimsuit.  I would be in all sorts of climates from a hot desert in Modesto, California to the swamp lands of Louisiana, to the raging heat of Texas… all in the middle of summer.  I slept on a tour bus or on a hard gym floor.  I ate whatever food was prepared for me with no idea of a carb count.  Lots of sugary Kool-Aid type drinks, Hamburger Helper, cereal.  All while having T1D.   And this was before CGMs or before I wore a pump.  (Not really an option back in 2000 with the tubing and what I was doing) Plus the added stress of not wanting to let down the other members or my instructors and have them think I was weak or not able to keep up.  But I did.  For three years I trained like a finely tuned athlete in her peak for hours a day.  I kept everything stable and together.  Sure I had some bad highs and lows but nothing that stopped me from what I loved to do.

So that’s that.  I personally think all diabetics can do anything they want.  It might take some time, some training, some help, but you can do it.  If I can, you can!