Tag Archives: diabetes blog week

19May / 2013

Diabetes Blog Week #7: Lurrrrrv

As another Diabetes Blog Week draws to a close, let’s reflect on some of the great bloggers we’ve found this week. Give some love to three blog posts you’ve read and loved during Diabetes Blog Week, and tell us why they’re worth reading. Or share three blogs you’ve found this week that are new to you. (Thanks to Pearlsa of A Girl’s Reflections for inspiring this topic.)

NEW LOVES:

Not new, but usually Carey hard to googlefind bc Bigfoot not understand dLife; blog week/Karen G. make easier (<–links to bunch of things)

esp. this: the message conveyed to us has always been, “don’t test so much.” Don’t worry so much. Why test at so-and-so time? Why not just bolus? I’m always waiting for our NP to light up fat joint, pull out an acoustic guitar and start playing Three Little Birds…

Glamour of mmol/l + teapots + coarse language

Panther Winnie doesn’t like any sort of cat
T-Rex Arms too short
Raven Might poop on me

Told in 1970′s “you won’t live past 40″ but alive + post fun pictures + excellent taste in fabric

This adorable + super-famous person new to Bigfoot

Adorable hilarious trapeze artist + exotic chips clean hands

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18May / 2013

Diabetes Blog Week #6: Biscuits

Theme today ART!

Do some “traditional” art like drawing, painting, collage or any other craft you enjoy. Or look to the literary arts and perhaps write a d-poem or share and discuss a favorite quote. Groove to some musical arts by sharing a song that inspires you diabetes-wise, reworking some song lyrics with a d-twist, or even writing your own song. Don’t forget dramatic arts too, perhaps you can create a diabetes reality show or play. These are just a starting point today – there are no right or wrong ways to get creative!

This going to be a stretch. For art, Bigfoot choose biscuit baking because strawberry shortcake season. Shortcake require biscuit. This low-carb biscuit = Bigfoot lazy riff on Elena’s Pantry gluten-free biscuits. Perfect for slice in half, place in bowl, top w. sliced strawberries + whipped cream. Also perfect for next day breakfast w. jam. 6g CHO/biscuit. (S i x   g r a m s.)

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I always like to show my arithmetic, because I make a  lot of mistakes. Combine dry ingredients in Cuisinart, then pulse in butter until you see evenly-sized coarse crumbs, then mix in eggs/honey until cohesive lump of dough forms. I’m sure you could do this without a food processor, by whatever method normal Southern people use to make biscuits.

Roll dough between two sheets parchment to about 1″ thick or thicker. Very easy, very compliant dough.

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Yum yum flecks of butter.

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I cut the rolled dough into rough 8 squares. You could use a biscuit cutter, but then you have to reform the scraps, etc. etc. infinity. I like square biscuits.

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Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. Rotate pan & bake 3-5 minutes more, until golden brown. These smell like absolute ass while warm. Somehow they are delicious once cool. While the biscuits bake, slice up a large amount of strawberries and sprinkle with a little (insert name of least controversial sweetener in your life) and stir. For me it was one packet of Truvia.

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I had no whipped cream so we used the tail end of this very delicious vanilla ice cream.

biscuit (6) + berries (5) + 1/4c ice cream (12) = 23g CHO

biscuit (6) + berries (5) + 1/6c ice cream (10) = 23g CHO. Would be much lower with whipped cream instead of ice cream. I think.

Verdict = three snob-thumbs up. (Bigfoot thumbs up too but not have snob-thumbs.)

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17May / 2013

Diabetes Blog Week #5

Just like in the movie, today we’re doing a swap. If you could switch chronic diseases, which one would you choose to deal with instead of diabetes? And while we’re considering other chronic conditions, do you think your participation in the DOC has affected how you treat friends and acquaintances with other medical conditions? (Thanks to Jane of Jane K. Dickinson, RN, PhD, CDE and Bob of T Minus Two for this topic suggestion.)

Bigfoot maybe OK site-specific alopecia, or OCD house-cleaner. One week only, right? Probably should instead choose disease swap for child. T minus 2 nail it.

I once heard a story…about “the trouble pile”. It concerns a man who felt deeply burdened by his problems. He hears about a place called “the trouble pile” where you can exchange your sack of problems for another sack that somebody else has left. This sounds like a great plan to him, but when he gets to the pile and comes to understand the things others deal with, he ultimately decides to keep his own.

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I don’t even want to trade cars or hair colors.

Not many diseases make good trade—Type 1 pretty good deal if used to it & chronic disease required!

Seems OK:

  • asthma
  • the ADHD that is handled with sit on yoga ball instead of chair @school (F-U-N)
  • Hashimoto’s Thyroidosis (every person make this seem like could handle w. eyes closed, hands tied behind back. Actually already have this but never do anything with/for. Kind of interested see how HT work, Friday to Friday)

Interested in sample if promise switch back T1D next Friday—because interesting—though realize none is disease:

  • deafness
  • transgender
  • kid obsessed with football/hockey
  • supertaster
  • Down Syndrome

Pass:

  • celiac (because constant battle get people believe real)
  • ditto peanut/nut/mango allergy
  • autism spectrum disorders
  • Type 2 diabetes (too much blame mother/stigma)
  • cystic fibrosis (this short film!)
  • extreme shyness
  • anything else

This exercise make Bigfoot adore diabetes. Already know language & customs. Who knew T1D = such a keeper.

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16May / 2013

Diabetes Blog Week #4

We don’t always realize it, but each one of us had come a long way since diabetes first came into our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 weeks, 5 years or 50 years, you’ve done something outstanding diabetes-wise. So today let’s share the greatest accomplishment you’ve made in terms of dealing with your (or your loved one’s) diabetes. No accomplishment is too big or too small – think about self-acceptance, something you’ve mastered (pump / exercise / diet / etc.), making a tough care decision (finding a new endo or support group / choosing to use or not use a technology / etc.). (Thanks to Hillary of Rainie and Me for this topic suggestion.)

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I took this today, because I knew the topic in advance, because so many Day 4 posts were in my inbox first thing in the morning. Happy blog week!

Bigfoot greatest D-achievement is chill the fern out. CTFO skill come and go, Bigfoot strengthen and develop like atrophied muscle.

PHASE 1: Bubs bicycle to school & Bigfoot bicycle too AND before even click into helmets test BG even though within hour tested/ate breakfast. (Can see now why Dr. Doughnut found test excessive. Live + learn! Still think Bigfoot needed all them strips, because how else parent learn CTFO?) PHASE 2: Bubs bicycle, Bigfoot walk dog entire route to school as excuse for scan side of road for child in coma.  PHASE 3: walk dog but not all way to school, but then call school make sure Bubs arrived. PHASE 4 (current phase) = walk dog, Bubs pedal off out of sight, no call school. Just walk dog until dog freak out because golden retriever OR cat OR Fed Ex. Now it more dog problem. Dog really need CTFO.

Difficult Bigfoot CTFO because seem born no internal anxiety gauge. Everything equal anixety. Everything red alert. Try instead everything beige alert. I.e. alert, but not continuous fret.

 

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15May / 2013

Diabetes Blog Week #3

Today we’re going to share our most memorable diabetes day. You can take this anywhere…. your or your loved one’s diagnosis, a bad low, a bad high, a big success, any day that you’d like to share. (Thanks to Jasmine of Silver-Lined for this topic suggestion.)

Some parts diagnosis day fuzzy; other parts so, so clear and more, more details rise up from murk of brain if pause consider. Already say normal parts this story here. But now find photo from diagnosis in archives & remember quirky details!

ouch.

Ouch. I must have snapped this one just after we got to our room after the ER, because B is still in his own clothes. But I can see the rejected hospital macaroni and cheese (nice choice, dieticians!) in the background. So this must have been in between dinner and bedtime.

Bedtime put on hospital-issue shortie pajamas with pattern of dogs, bears, or dog-bears. Bubs so tired, not complain fabric scratchy/dog-bears babyish. No photo available dog-bears, because by that time in hospital journey realized inappropriate/callous document child in agony when should stroke hair or hold straw to lips. Wish could see dog-bears again. Feel like maybe could determine: dog or bear if could glimpse one more time.

Remember Bubs finally sleeping, and nurse wake up for finger poke with machinery every 2 hours, and make get up/pee in toilet hat for measure ketones, and as soon as nurse gone Bubs whimper please tell her to let me sleep. Lot of time for Bigfoot bravely not cry + look at fabric of pajamas, imagine children every disease, every color, every socio-economic situation wear same dog-bears. Remember feeling of don’tcrydon’tcrydon’tcry.

Another vivid part = watch skinny Bubs push IV wheelie pole cart along floor to bathroom in dog-bear pajamas/hump in floor between bedroom and bathroom/laborious get IV cart over hump, remember think this obvious design flaw! Why hospital not correct hump? Too hard for sickly IV pole children make way over hump! Floor hump total disaster! Priorities.

Also remember late that night Joe went home gather toothbrushes, clean clothes, etc. for next day. Arrive back hospital 2AM or similar and then drive all way home again (not so bad, 40 minutes round-trip) because forgot Bigfoot requested cosmetic bag which contain tweezers and Bigfoot afraid Bubs permanently scarred if wake up and see stray eyebrow hair on mother which seem extremely significant in fluorescent-lit hospital bathroom. But not give tweezer reason, because then maybe spouse unwilling make return trip. So say something for my contact lenses in urgently needed small Le Sportsac bag on bathroom shelf. Priorities + lies.

Glad that’s over. Happy blog week!

PS Asked Bubs what remember from diagnosis. I remember that Daddy brought Blueberry Pancake** from home, and you gave me a red velvet cupcake from Au Bon Pain and it had 75 carbs. And they made me do that stupid workbook, remember? And Daddy wrote sarcastic comments in it we were afraid we would all get in trouble.

**The teddy bear

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14May / 2013

Diabetes Blog Week #2

TODAY: Recently various petitions have been circulating the Diabetes Online Community, so today let’s pretend to write our own. Tell us who you would write the petition to – a person, an organization, even an object (animate or inanimate) – get creative!! What are you trying to change and what have you experienced that makes you want this change? (Thanks to Briley of inDpendence for this topic suggestion.

Nothing juicy come to Bigfoot mind but not want miss Blog Week Day #2.

  • Consider petition for ban Palagi’s lemonade truck from sell lemonade in front of public school at dismissal time (but it how Palagi family make living!)
  • Consider petition for free iPad per T1 child/year for easy patient access DOC, D-apps, etc (too silly!)
  • Consider admit really, really like name change idea but know not supposed to because all admired persons are against it. Assume Bigfoot outgrow desire distance self from Type 2, grow into “we’re all in this together (even though you have it so much easier and Paula Deen’s sheen of cheesiness makes us all look bad)” acceptance one love/one disease like Dr. Bronner soap bottle (too bitchy!)

Bigfoot got nothing. But love Blog Week.

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13May / 2013

Diabetes Blog Week #1

In his hungover state, B really didn't want his picture taken.

Glamour Don’t: don’t have diabetes and eat rolls at Bertucci’s

Happy Diabetes Blog Week! Topic today:

Often our health care team only sees us for about 15 minutes several times a year, and they might not have a sense of what our lives are really like. Today, let’s pretend our medical team is reading our blogs. What do you wish they could see about your and/or your loved one’s daily life with diabetes? On the other hand, what do you hope they don’t see?  (Thanks to Melissa Lee of Sweetly Voiced for this topic suggestion.)

Not matter if endocrinologist think Bigfoot smart, kind, wise, clever, pretty, all-around put together. But not able stop hope endo notice how very super-superior operation capable Bigfoot running over here. Current endo so gentle soul, cat hair on yoga pants, sends own appointment reminders instead of have secretary. Attitude-free person. No reason think endo judgmental, but Bigfoot always concern w. impress this nice woman. Ideally, publicly acknowledge Favorite Patient Parent of the Year—possibly small ceremony among New England medical elite, smattering applause, maybe honorary degree Harvard Medical School.

That why hope Endo day off from surveillance yesterday. It Mother’s Day.

Bigfoot kind of unorthodox Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day kick off week-long marathon of Forced Special Fun because same week wedding anniversary and birthday. So much pressure have fun. So for Mother’s Day wish instead of spend time family in motherhood tableau, ask Joe can you take them out for Jack’s honor roll celebration (know Jack always choose Bertucci’s Satantic Pizza & Dinner Rolls) while I go out to Garden Grille with the Famous Librarian? Wish granted. Kind of hurt Jack’s feelings but worth it for avoid The Diabetes Torture Chamber that is Bertucci’s.

Bigfoot free! Not contact Joe re how look up carbs on Bertucci’s web site. Not text remind disaster if eat rolls + carby meal, better try steer Bubs toward chicken. That how Bigfoot really let go. Eat beet latkes w. peanut harissa, tempeh tacos, steamed kale w. sunflower seeds gomashio, fiddlehead ferns, baby parsnips, raw chocolate. Briefly thought how many carbs beet latke but quickly put out of mind. Par-tay  and yum.

Arrive home same time guys walk in. Immediate buzz kill. Joe enter w. large pizza box. That signal for ate so many rolls, unable eat pizza.

UH-OH MATH: if X goes out for pizza and comes home with the entire pizza, how many rolls did X's diabetic child eat?

UH-OH MATH: if X goes out for pizza and comes home with the entire pizza, how many rolls did X’s diabetic child eat? ANSWER: X = despicably mellow.

JOE: He had so many carbs

BIGFOOT: Well, Bertucci’s. That’s why I didn’t want to go

JOE: No. I mean a lot of carbs

BFOOT: Like how many?

JOE: One hundred and sixty-two

BF: (displays double middle fingers)

JOE: It was just so easy to look up the carbs online. I didn’t even have to guess

Bigfoot look at notes. 10+ units bolus. Holy shit. Begin rant This is serious! This is your child! His eyeballs are going to shrivel up because of this. It’s like…child abuse. Or at least child neglect. This is so stupid.

JOE: The waiter kept bringing more rolls

BF: So you can tell the waiter to stop bringing them!

JOE: But Jack loves them so much. And it was 78 grams for the mac and cheese from the kids’ menu

BF: ?!?!?

JOE: I know!

BF: Well now we’re going to be up all night and I know you don’t care because you took the day off tomorrow, but that was supposed to be for our anniversary and now you’ll just be sleeping all day and who knows when you’ll ever be able to take the day off for our anniversary ever again? And he’ll feel shitty tomorrow and he won’t be able to concentrate at school, and then he’ll be embarrassed, and this whole thing just has a domino effect and you’ve probably ruined the entire week for our whole family!

JOE: I know

Probably carry on this dramatic vein few more paragraphs while Joe solemnly nod, all the while know when Bigfoot take Bubs Fro Yo World 100+g CHO “snack”, Joe never release peep of disapproval. Because Joe = saint? Or Joe = despicably mellow? Either way, Bigfoot know dramatic ranting not help win imaginary endocrinology award. Favorite Patient Parent award surely demand grace.

As predicted in my rant, Joe was up all night. However, no dried up eyeballs occurred.

As per my prescient rant, Joe was up all night. However, no dried up eyeballs occurred.

Bedtime check of the Dex reveal small spike, speedy recovery, current #150-ish w. arrow diagonally down. NBD. Then Bigfoot think Joe is so fucking lucky! He has the Midas touch! One big bolus and it all balances out. That never happens to me! Everything works out for him! Being the uptight one is really not paying off! Not say any this out loud.

Wake up 4AM. Joe sitting up, headphones on, engrossed in computer screen.

BIGFOOT: Why are you up?

JOE: Oh my god. He’s been over 300 for hours. It won’t go down. I just checked again. He’s down to 294.

BF: (picks up same rant from earlier, as if no time has passed ending with…) and now you’ve ruined our day, his day, and his health forever and everyone’s going to be grouchy tomorrow and this totally sucks!

The stretched-out view of poor Joe's night.

The stretched-out view of that poor Joe’s night. Stupid Bertucci’s.

Also threw in something re even if we rented that house in Tuscany with the chef, I wouldn’t let him eat that many carbs. And you did it at a chain restaurant in Warwick! Bigfoot kind of trouble with dropping it.

JOE: I know. I’m never going to Bertucci’s again. Does that house really come with a chef?

Bigfoot ramble off topic. Topic part is: don’t want medical team see Bigfoot complete dick. Want medical team see Bigfoot low-carb pancake flipping angel. Meanwhile, medical team priority = A1c < 7, hardness of thyroid gland, and no infection on pump site. Barely notice mother tap-dancing with spatula in angel costume.

Just stumbled across this from Jessica Apple re Joslin re high fat dinners.

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20May / 2012

Diabetes Blog Week #7: Hero

this was a picture of the W. Alton Jones sign
Feels like the middle of nowhere or Northern California with more Dunkin Donuts. I did not take this picture.

Bigfoot complete set! Diabetes Blog Week end today. High five. Meet many new friend, read many new blog. FUN. Thank you Bittersweet Karen! This post re Let’s end our week on a high note and blog about our “Diabetes Hero”.  It can be anyone you’d like to recognize or admire, someone you know personally or not, someone with diabetes or maybe a Type 3.  It might be a fabulous endo or CDE.  It could be a d-celebrity or role-model.  It could be another DOC member.  It’s up to you – who is your Diabetes Hero??

Bigfoot not able stop mental churn/review what happen this morning Camp Surefire open house.

PART ONE: Drive drive drive, new area Rhode Island, never recall see, so pretty–big tree like forest, funny name: Wickaboxet, quite bit further down road: Alton Jones, feel so far away everything, only see trees.

PART TWO: Upon arrival Camp Surefire after chatty (I can’t see anything but trees! Where’s the water? I feel like we’re in the middle of nowhere!) one-hour car ride, Bubs abruptly decide not want see camp, not want attend camp. Main articulated sticking point, What if someone thinks I’m a girl? Refuse leave parking lot.

Happy! Relaxed. Also: doesn’t this picture make you feel so much better about non-fisheye lens pictures of yourself where your nose looks inordinately large?

PART THREE: Bigfoot say let’s just peek inside of a cabin and not talk to anyone! Peek inside slightly icky mildew cabin. Bigfoot begin think he’s right–he shouldn’t go to camp here. Overhear counselor telling English as second language family, “We never force nobody to do nothing, we only encourage.” Oh, Bubs  is totally right. This place is a disaster. I can’t BELIEVE I was going to let him come here. Meanwhile, Bubs meet camp director wife: Ali. Ali show Bubs Fox Den cabin (Fox Den = boy cabin. Mildew cabin with grammar/ESL insensitivity nightmare = unknown purpose). Glossy wood floors (just refinished), clean walls (just painted), shiny clean bunks (must be new). Overhear Bubs asking Ali what kind of battery-op light bring for attach bed/read at night.

I highlighted the waggly tubing (in white). In the red circle you can see the two bags of Baked Cheetos that serve as a souvenir of the afternoon.

PART FOUR: Ali introduce Bubs returning camper, also 3rd grade. So similar Bubs. Must be West Bay Bubs. This boy glasses/braces, maybe only way tell apart. Both: long hair–but West Bay Bubs’s even longer!–, pump clipped pocket, flip-floppy shoe, 3/4 length Mini Boden pants. Both enjoy experiment banana peel, determine if slippery as clown cliche. WestBB ride banana peel like ski. Bubs slip, skid, fall. Hilarious! Find out as get know WBB: also hate when dentist offer sticker of smiling tooth, hate wear name tag, hate sand cling wet feet beach, love Lego, love Star Wars, suffer recent experience mistaken for girl. (But WBB mistaken “Princess;” Bubs “Sweetheart.”) (WBB despite wear Batman shirt; Bubs, despite Darth Vader shirt.)

Now counting days until camp. (100?) No dread. Only happy. Therefore Bigfoot choose Ali (camp enchantress) and WBB (new friend. Kind of like Liberace boyfriend plastic surgery goal: resemble Liberace, but organic occurrence) for diabetes hero.

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19May / 2012

Diabetes Blog Week #6: snapshots (paper tape + notes)

I am perpetually afraid I will forget to do something. I leave notes for myself everywhere on the kitchen counter. Most of them are jumbles of numbers. I am sorry I ripped your birthday card in half to make scrap paper.

Paper (washi?) tape used to be available only via Japanese specialty boutique and Curatorium, but now there’s paper tape at Target! Paper tape adheres much better than post-it notes for jars/fridge/wall/door/lunchbox containers. Also, it peels off easily and leaves no ick behind. AND it comes in cute colors/patterns. Don’t forget to include that extra 0.5 carbs per cookie or everything will be terrible! Paper tape!

—–

For your own copy of Frequently Asked Carbs, send a SASE to 19 Martin Avenue, Barrington, Rhode Island. This comprehensive list includes everything diabetes parents need to know about nutrition: pasta, oatmeal, a rice cake with banana and peanut butter, the weight (20g) of a T of maple syrup (14g carbs), and a little bit more! Fits on one 4 x 6″ scrap paper.

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18May / 2012

Diabetes Blog Week #5: Wish Know

Let’s do a little advocating and post what we wish people knew about diabetes.  Have more than one thing you wish people knew?  Go ahead and tell us everything.

there was a picture of the bumble bee girl from the blind melon video here.
This was you?! Tell me more.

Bigfoot feel pretty bad this topic–notice burble rage toward non-D persons when try write. Apologize.

  • Diabetes not so big deal. That not sarcasm. Bigfoot &co. remain supreme for luck/society/general awesome, incl. health
  • No need mention experience with dead/blind/amputee relative &/or grandma wean self off insulin
  • Member general population only achieve douchebag status when suggest fish oil treatment/similar. Diabetes parent already know everything normal person has say this topic. Same feeling when listen persons rave Trader Joe’s, as if sharing obscure news

Suggested topics to avoid & replacements

RE: TREATMENTS

NO: fish oil (for Type 1 diabetes)

YES: argan oil (for damage hair)

RE: GETTING TO KNOW YOU STORY

NO: My Blind Grandpa’s 3rd Toe Amputation Surgery

YES: What it was Like Growing Up as the Bumble Bee Girl from that Blind Melon video

RE: COMMISERATION

NO: I Am Like You Because I Have Hypoglycemia/Lactose Intolerance/Peanut Allergies

YES: tell about boob job gone awry/cheating spouse/raccoon infestation. Problem unrelated diabetes much better than attempt jump on diabetes bandwagon w/Bigfoot. Bigfoot shove you off wagon at busy intersection

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Bigfoot say other thing

Bigfoot sure this not right placement Pinterest button

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