The Fabric of our Lives.
With the sand still stuck to my Reefs and the sunshine of the weekend still warm on my face, Six Until Me. proudly present the Patient-Consumer Parade: Volume 6(UntilMe.)
Gold Medal Post: Diabetic Guilt at Beanie Baby
It’s relatively common knowledge in the blogosphere that with diabetes comes the tangled web of blood sugar balancing, insulin administration, and maintenance medication. Not often discussed, however, is the impact of this routine on the environment. Andrea writes, “I'm not just a diabetic, I'm not a selfish bitch who cares about nothing as long as I can stay alive; I'm part of the world and I care about it.” Her post stopped me in my tracks, prompted a lively discussion with my Inner Environmentalist, and was brilliantly written.
Silver Medal Post: Most Difficult at CuriousGirl
Diagnosed with diabetes as a young girl, Nicole once thought that the toughest part of her condition was the daily finger sticks to test her bloodsugar. Now an eloquent adult, she discusses the chaos of cost in maintaining her diabetes and grappling with the healthcare system. “Everyday I live. Everyday I test my bloodsugar 12 times a day. Everyday I brush my teeth, brush my hair, get dressed in something I like. Everyday I also wear an insulin pump.” The fibers of her diabetes and her life are so closely stitched that you barely see the seams.
Bronze Medal Post: I’m Just a Bill at Scared to Health
Have you ever received a bill from your insurance company that just doesn’t make sense? Not that you’re unable to make sense of the presentation of the bill, but that you can’t conceptualize how your medical procedure/prescriptions cost that much? Kim made my jaw drop with her description of a bill for over forty thousand dollars and her perceptions of the final accounting. The cost of healthcare in this country is enough to make anyone sick.
Honorable Mentions are awarded to:
The Mom & Me Journals offers “The Three F’s” of Being Where You Are Now.
The Wilcox Zone discusses how the devil of diabetes is in the details.
Tales of my Thirties talks about being a “foodie” even after a diabetes diagnosis.
Somebody Heal Me feels as though her “bad choices” are a direct result of her desperation to find treatment for her chronic illness.
The Gimp Parade pens her reflections on the little things having help with daily tasks changes.
The Tangled Neuron writes about issues that crop up in the daily lives of caregivers.
Innovations in Healthcare discusses the effects of internet resources on doctor’s visits.
A Chronic Dose deals with the transition from crisis-recovery mode to the everyday maintenance of chronic illness.
And The Daily Headache slips in with her commentary on the challenge for a consumer to muddle through the media in search of the Truth about medications.Thank you to everyone who submitted entries! They were fantastic and the perfect way to invigorate my mind up after a menacing three hour ride home in Connecticut traffic.
The next Patient-Consumer Parade is September 4th at InstaHealth. Email them to host your own Parade.
Oh and as promised:
Soft serve ice cream,
bears on unicycles,
and fancy socks for everyone.
Comments
Groovy socks, Kerri!
Thanks for including Scared to Health in your selections (and Bronze Medal, too! If it's good enough for Kristi Yamaguchi it's good enough for me!)
I linked to you on Emergiblog and Scared to Health, as my "patient" blog is also diabetic related.
So much wonderful information out there....
Posted by: Kim | August 21, 2006 08:39 AM
I'm honored to be in such fine company. I've added links to PCP6UntilMe and PCP from my site.
We've got to touch base when you're back in RI again.
Posted by: Nicole | August 21, 2006 09:06 AM
Wow! Great parade Kerri! And thank you to all that contributed!
Posted by: Scott K. Johnson | August 21, 2006 10:53 AM
so glad that you like the creek too. i've not even seen the last season so i'm getting through all 34 dvds with great anticipation.
:o)
Posted by: vicki | August 21, 2006 01:43 PM
Thank you. I've never won a gold medal before....
IT's not real gold, is it?
Posted by: Andrea | August 21, 2006 02:39 PM
I seem not to be able to figure out how to comment directly on the "Diabetic Guilt Post", so I'm hoping Andrea will catch my comment here.
Excellent, excellent post! Although my mother is "only" a type 2 diabetic, developed at the age of 82 (she is now 89), she also has a variety of chronic conditions the maintenance of which constantly argues with the environment. Within this extremely environmentally conscious community in which we live, I have been admonished directly and indirectly about whether the continuation of my mother's life is "worth" the life of the earth. Whether I want to or not, I am always thinking about this. I'm so glad you are discussing this out loud, Andrea. Chills me to my bones!
Thank you! --Gail Rae
Posted by: Gail Rae Hudson | August 21, 2006 02:43 PM
Oh, Kerri, I got so involved in clicking into the participants' posts, I forgot to mention until I checked my link at my website to this edition, Wonderful PCParade this week! Very topical! Great selection of posts! I'm applauding! Thanks to you and everyone who sent in posts!--Gail Rae
Posted by: Gail Rae Hudson | August 21, 2006 03:11 PM
Kerri,
Thanks for including my post in Patient-Consumer Parade #6! What a great collection of posts - I plan to visit these blogs often!
Posted by: Mona Johnson | August 21, 2006 08:27 PM
Thank you, Gail.
I've had a few people tell me the commenting can be confusing--I think I need to fix that.
Posted by: Andrea | August 22, 2006 06:42 AM
Hi.
I'm a long-time lurker and new-time pumper. Actually, infant pumper. As in, one week (I’ve been diabetic for 15 years). I have a couple of questions and I’d appreciate practical advice.
1. How long do you actually leave your site in? If you leave it in longer than 3 days and you run out of insulin, do you just change/refill the reservoir without changing the infusion set?
2. I think I remember reading that you’ve used pen cartridges to refill a reservoir? I tried unsuccessfully to do that and then gave up because I didn’t want to waste any more insulin. But I also don’t want to waste my leftover cartridges.
Maybe you could do a post about things you wish you had known or had been told when you first started pumping? Not that you need ideas. I don’t have any diabetic friends, but I really enjoy reading your blog and the blogs that I found through Six Until Me. There is always something there that I can relate to.
Thanks!
Em
Posted by: Em | August 22, 2006 09:42 PM
great posts you have chosen!
thanks for including me.
Posted by: Rachel | August 23, 2006 07:36 AM