I submitted a prescription to my medical supply home delivery place. 

Back at my old job, I was paying the difference for the strips that my insurance wouldn’t cover.  I spent a lot of money on these little suckers that my old insurance company deemed “unnecessary more than 4x per day,” despite letters from my doctor.  (This goes back to my whole “paying to treat complications vs. paying to prevent them” mentality, but what do I know?)  Regardless of cost, I knew that frequent testing worked best for me and I was sticking with it.

Cue dLife.  Then cue happily chucking the finger to my old job.

The medical insurance is far superior here than at my last job.  However, diabetes company or not, medical insurance is still medical insurance.  You can only do so much.

Back to the beginning:

I submitted a prescription to my medical supply home delivery service for 90 days worth of test strips at 18x per day.  I received a phone call from the supply company today.

Representative De Jour From Medical Company:  "Yes, I'm calling to speak with Kerri More-Own-Eee?"

Me:  "It's More-own ("Soon to be Sparling," I thought gleefully).  How can I help you?"

RDJFMC:  "Yes, I am calling about your prescription for One Touch UltraSmart test strips."  Pause.  "It says here 18 times per day."

Me:  "That's true.  That's the correct prescription."

RDJFMC:  "Okay."  Pause again.  "Do you really test your blood sugar that often?"

Me:  "I do.  I realize that seems a bit much, but it's what my doctor and I have decided works best for me." 

(Closer.  I'll have him on the same page by the end of this call.)

RDJFMC:  "I have a note here from the pharmacist to make sure it's necessary that you test this often."

Me:  Starting to get annoyed.  "I double-checked all the scripts before I sent them to you.  I am actively involved in my diabetes management and I can assure you that the script my doctor wrote is both necessary and accurate."

RDJFMC:  "Oh.  Okay, I just wanted to check before we sent this order out.  It will be shipped to you by Tuesday.  All "  He pauses again.  "That's a lot of testing.  Doesn't that get expensive?"

(Oh, much closer!  Maybe he gets it now!)

Me:  Laughing.  "Yes, it does.  Good thing I have you guys!"

RDJFMC:  "Good thing indeed, Ms. More-Own-Eee."

(Sigh.  So close.)

Posted by Kerri. at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBacks (0)

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Right off the plane, we trot over to Budget to pick up the keys to our rental Jeep.

"Reservation for Chris Sparling, please."  Chris leans against the counter and we revel briefly in the fact that we're now in our tropical paradise.

"We don't have a car for you."  The customer service representative behind the counter snaps her gum.

"Excuse me?  I have a reservation.  I gave my credit card weeks ago to hold this Jeep."

"Reservation doesn't guarantee a vehicle, sir." 

Re-serve (verb): to retain or secure by express stipulation.

After much discussion, Chris and I ended up in a Taurus instead of a Jeep Wrangler.  Not the best arrangement for our hilly St. John adventure, but we were determined to keep it from ruining our vacation.  (By the way, an eight page letter is en route to Budget as we speak.) 

However, we weren't the only "bulls" on the road.  Driving along the windy streches of road in St. John, we were accosted by wild pigs charging from the woods, a handful of bleating goats, and a few big ol' Road Cows. 

We stayed for part of our trip with one of Chris's friends, enjoying the beer he and his business partner created and drinking into the wee hours of the night at their bar - The Tap Room.  You have to try the Virgin Islands Pale Ale.  I'm not a beer drinker, but this stuff is so nice and mango-infused that it tastes much better than the regular "carbonated bread" tasting beer nonsense.  Note:  0.8u Humalog per one beer, for me. 

For the other part of our trip (the engagement part!), we stayed at the Concordia Eco-Tents, which were tucked into the southern part of the island and provided the most spectacular views.  We  hiked out to Ram Head and saw both breathtaking shorelines ...

And yes, of course I was sure to test along the way.  I tested all across the nine miles of St. John - on the beach, on the hiking trails, in the eco-tent, and on the Red Hook ferry.  And I did my best to keep all test strips contained, though I fear that one may have leapt out as I traveled.  But damn it, I tried!  (Chris, my fiance - yay! - kept snapping diabetes-related pictures as we traveled.  "For the blog, baby."  Ever my content editor.)

We had such a terrific time.  And now we have the next year to plan our wedding.  Do you think Ms. Sausage will be able to behave herself as she traipses down the aisle?  (Yes, I'm kidding.  Mostly.  Damnit, now I have to go get Larry's address so I can send him an invitation.  He's going to be thrilled!)

Posted by Kerri. at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (16) | TrackBacks (0)

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This whole place looks like postcards. 

White sand beaches, (Which, Shannon was completely right.  They are a product of fish poop, or at least a large percentage of the sand is.  I was impressed and horrified, all in one fell swoop. A poop swoop.  Oh dear, I've already digressed.)  towering palm trees, and the clearest, most crystalline water I have ever seen.

St. John is a small island and very hilly (read: we drove up mountains at a 60 degree incline in a Ford Taurus ... more on that rental car later), so every clearing in the road provided a new, more spectacular view than the last. 

Out of the dozens of beaches on the island, we stopped at as many as possible.  Armed with our bookbags, a beach blanket, and bathing suits, Chris and I tanned at Hawksnest, snorkeled with trumpet fish in Trunk Bay, and climbed down a secret staircase to Gibney's beach.  My insulin pump joined us on these excursions, laying sand-free and safely in a little zipper bag by my side.  Funny thing is, we were so active and swimming around most of the day that I remained disconnected for 45 minutes stints at times.  I tested frequently, but blood sugars stayed stable for the most part.  (However, infusion sets did not.  All that salt water had my sites peeling back after barely three days.) 

At these postcard beaches, we snorkeled, after a fashion.  Being a little wary of sharks and other sea critters, Chris and I found ourselves with masks, snorkels, and about eight inches of water.  It was kind of silly, despite the fact that we were having a blast.  We saw little tropical fish scooting around near their coral homes, trumpet fish (that we called "baby barracudas" because it made us sound tougher), and these white, tropical fish that kept circling our heads.  Despite the fact that we're a little bit chicken, we eventually ventured out into the deep.  All was well until we heard two small children excitedly exclaim, "Hey Mom!  We just saw a hu-uuuge octopus!"  Huge?  Octopus?

It was at that point we swam like hell back to the shore.

But there was also our frequent visits to The Tap Room.  And then there was that freaking car.  Oh, and I can't forget the wild road pigs.  How about that Eco-Tent?  And the hike to Ram Head?  More to come.  :)

(And thank you so much for your congratulations messages!  We are so excited and are already in the planning phases of our wedding.  Bridezilla, here I come!)

Posted by Kerri. at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

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He insisted on making dinner, cooking up a meal of pasta accompanied by a bottle of wine, and we dined on the porch of our cabin, overlooking Salt Pond Bay and out to the southern-most tip of the island.  We talked about our hike to Ram Head that afternoon and tried to decide what beach we wanted to visit the next morning.

We cleaned up our plates and enjoyed our wine on the patio, listening to the waves crashing against the rocky shore.  This Tuesday night was brilliant and clear, with thousands of stars in the inky blue sky.  We had seen so many gorgeous beaches and had so much fun, and we were barely half-way through our vacation.  Chris's birthday was the next day.  We were sun-warmed and relaxed. 

This was the easily the best, most relaxing vacation ever.

I ducked back into the cabin for a minute and when I came back out onto the patio, Chris got up from the table and dropped to one knee, a little red box in his shaking hands.

"Kerri, I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.  Will you marry me?"

"Oh my God.  Oh my God, are you serious?  Are you really serious?"  My hands flew to my mouth and my eyes welled up.  "Are you serious?"

He smiled at me.  He was serious.

"This is the part where you say yes."

"Oh my God, yes!!" 

He slid the ring on my finger, where it remains (and the sparkle keeps distracting me as I type). 

I am very, very proud to announce that I am engaged to Chris - the man who inspires me, makes me proud, makes me smile every day, and writes my name in the peanut butter.  I love him dearly and am so proud to be his girl.

There are plenty of stories to post about our trip, but this one ... well, I just couldn't wait. 

Posted by Kerri. at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (107) | TrackBacks (0)

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Bullet points barely even cover it, but here goes:

We're leaving tonight to go spend the evening in NYC, then fly out to St. John tomorrow morning.  I am SO EXCITED that I almost forgot to pack extra pump supplies.  (Never fear - I remembered last minute.)  I tried on everything I owned last night in efforts to weed out what I "really need" and to be able to pack light.  So far, my suitcase weighs about 48 lbs.

• This Sunday, I will be featured in a dLife segment called "Diabetes 911," in which I tell the story of my one experience with the paramedics.  (I wrote about it here, way back when I first started the blog.)  It's airing this Sunday on CBNC at 7 o'clock.  Here's a link to a portion of the clip, for a sneak preview!  I sound very serious, but at least I'm speaking slowly, for once.



• There are new d-blogs cropping up every time I turn around.  There are some recent additions ones on the blogroll today - check out Lori over at Bittersweet Surrender, or EstrogenMoment, or Diabetes Self-Care.  Everytime I turn around, there's another blog or website that has joined the chorus.  Cheers to all of these new voices!  Welcome to the blogosphere.  (If I'm missing your blog from Ye Olde Blogroll and you want to be added, please send me an email.  The more the merrier!)



• "Charlie, Charlie!  Come with us to Candy Mountain!"  Please tell me you've seen this ridiculous YouTube clip.  It makes so little sense that I've watched it seventeen times, with glee.  (Hey Tom - it's Charlie!)



• I spent the entire day yesterday bouncing from the trenches of a low to the crispy peaks of the 200's.  Today has been a significant improvement, leaving me content and in the mid-hundreds.  I can't figure out those completely random blood sugar days - it's like there's no rhyme or reason to any of it.  But I'm hoping that some relaxation will make it all a little smoother.  Nothing says "calm" like rolling around in a bunch of clown fish poop.  (Shannon, I can't think of beaches the same way anymore.  You've officially corrupted me.)

That's it.  I'm out of here in t-minus 6 hours.  No email, no internet, no ringing phones or jampacked PO boxes or anything that even remotely resembles work.  And I have no intention of blogging from the beach, but I can't guarantee it - I think I may be addicted.  (And as far as the meet-up in NYC goes, I'm doing my best to make it there on Sunday!) 

I'll see you on the 26th!

Posted by Kerri. at 08:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBacks (0)

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Fitness4Diabetics is a service that provides personalized nutrition and exercise programs designed to meet your fitness goals.  (I am currently in a trial membership.  I'll have a full synopsis of the services after I return from vacation.)  I had the pleasure of talking with David Weingard, founder and CEO of Fitness4Diabetics, at the Divabetic event in NYC and he agreed to an interview here on SUM.  Let 'er rip!

Kerri:  As the founder and CEO of Fitness4Diabetics, what inspired you to start this company?

David Weingard:  I began running at age fifteen, raced my first marathon at age seventeen and about ten years ago started racing triathlons (swim/bike/run) as well. I always appreciated the positive mental and physical benefits of exercise. Seven years ago, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and set about to rebuild my life. I thought that I would simply incorporate diabetes into my existing life. Little did I know!

I learned that putting that plan into action wasn’t that simple. I had to find people to learn from (doctors, nurses, nutritionists, exercise physiologists and other people with diabetes) and make an effort to stay in contact with them on a regular basis. As committed as I was to the plan, I found it very challenging to pull it all off while balancing my diabetes, job, family and life in general.

I also wanted to find a way to help the diabetic community and the search for a cure. In 2003 and 2005, I raced Ironman triathlons (the big ones with a 2.4M swim, 112M bike and 26.2M run) and raised charity for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s (JDRF) New York City Chapter. I received tremendous media exposure and along the way learned from the hundreds of people with diabetes who contacted me from around the world how my efforts inspired and brought them positive energy in their lives.

I was humbled and then inspired by their messages to me and set out in search of a more significant way of helping the larger diabetes community cope with the disease. I knew that for the most impact -- any idea would need to scale to reach as many people as possible.

I also learned that many of the reasons that diabetics didn’t exercise or work on their nutrition included a lack of a support system, knowledge/training, access to Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE) and often motivation issues.

I was actually in the Denver airport on the way to race my second Ironman triathlon -- when the idea of leveraging the internet to provide ease of access to CDE certified nutritionists, exercise physiologists and , nurses who were collaborating to provide people with diabetes the professional guidance and support that they needed -- clicked in my mind.

From that point on, my energies were focused on building a company with people as passionate about helping people with diabetes as I am. I am very fortunate to have a phenomenal team of people working with me in Fitness4Diabetics.com. I am also blessed with a terrific wife Andrea as well as three sons Steven, Daniel and Jacob who have given me constant support.

Kerri:  Can you tell me a little bit about what Fitness4Diabetics has to offer to potential clients?

David Weingard:  Fitness4Diabetics provides exercise and nutritional coaching to people with diabetes designed to meet their individual goals. Our coaching team is comprised of CDEs who are also nurses, exercise physiologists, registered dietitians and personal trainers. Working with our coaches gives people with diabetes the tools to pursue their fitness goals while minimizing the uncertainty and apprehension around balancing insulin, food intake, blood glucose (BG) levels and the exercise activity.

We also began offering bi-monthly web/phone seminars on key topics related to exercise and nutrition. The seminars are led by our CDE coaching team who present the content and then host an open question/answer discussion. Besides the educational benefits received – participants feel a sense of support and community on the call.

Wednesday, March 21 at 7 PM EST, Strength Training and Diabetes

Tuesday, April 3 at 7 PM EST, Goal Setting/Achieving Our Goals

Wednesday, April 18 at 7 PM EST, Stress Management Techniques/Effect of Stress on Blood Sugar

Kerri:  Fitness4Diabetics is a very unique approach to health management for diabetics. What do you think sets F4D apart from other similar services?

David Weingard:  While there are many web sites with exercise/nutrition-related tools and individual people providing services – Fitness4Diabetics  is the first company to provide integrated nutrition and exercise coaching by a team of Certified Diabetes Educators leveraging the Internet. We are committed to providing the knowledge and support services for diabetics without them needing to travel repeatedly to a hospital and clinic. We also work closely with their Doctors and medical team in order to provide the best guidance and coaching to our members.

Kerri:  You have a remarkable team assembled, including several people living with diabetes. Is it important for you to have the input of other on-staff diabetics in your development process?

David Weingard:  Actually, I completely rely on the Fitness4Diabetics.com team to provide the coaching services as they have the depth of knowledge in the fitness and nutrition disciplines --- as well as the practical experience working with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics.

Delaine Wright and Jessica Dair are terrific Exercise Physiologists who work with people with diabetes all day. Susan Meeke is a phenomenal Registered Dietician and Laurie Anderson, nurse practitioner, do a great job integrating the programs all together and keeping in contact with our members and their Doctors. Kate Puddu, a leading Personal Trainer in New York, also provides input and depth to the personalized coaching programs.

The team members work together to remember that our higher purpose is to provide these critical services to the global diabetic community and to have empathy for the challenges that every person with diabetes faces 24 hours/day - seven days/week.

Kerri:  Okay, so people are interested now. How can they find out more about your program, and what does it take to sign up?

You can meet us in person at our booths at the Boston and Connecticut American Diabetes Association Expos in March and April. Please stop by and say hello!

Kerri:  David – humor me on this last one - If given the chance to grab an aerial perspective of anywhere, what would you choose to fly over in your hot air balloon trip?

David Weingard:  The beginning of any Ironman race where 2000 people all jump into the water at the same time and try to swim in the same spot for the 2.4 miles. For that reason, that part of the Ironman race is also called "the washing machine". :)

Posted by Kerri. at 08:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

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I've been putting off this appointment for a few months. 

I hate needles.  Any needle I'm not controlling makes me feel faint.  (I've talked about this irony before.)  So the idea of offering up that sensitive little fleshy crease of my arm to the phlembotomist makes me pale with panic.  Also, blood sugars have been a little nutty lately, fluctuating wildly after Grammie passed away and taking several months to sort of reclaim their sanity, so I haven't been feeling like a well-controlled diabetic. 

In fact, I've been feeling a little crummy about the whole thing entirely.

It's hard to avoid paying attention to diabetes, considering where I work and what I do for a living.  It's a large part of my life and one that, even if I didn't want to pay attention to it, I don't have much of a choice.  Ignoring it for a morning is one thing, but ignoring it for more than a few hours is non-negotiable. Eventually, it forces you to listen, one way or the other. 

So I had the paperwork for my A1c blood work sitting in my desk drawer for a few weeks.  I called and made an appointment, but then rescheduled it due to the weather, my weekend plans, my mood, the cat's mood ... anything that seemed like it could stand for a second as a reason to reschedule, I rescheduled.  I ignored.

An A1c, to me, is my diabetes report card.  Even though I know I should have this test every three months or so, I haven't had one since last June.  I haven't wanted to find this number out because I'm afraid it will be higher than I'd like.  But it's always higher than I'd like.  I'm diabetic.  I just needed to suck it up and find out what that blasted number is and move on.

I made an appointment for this morning, 7:30 am.  No excuses.  The alarm went off this morning and I thought about snoozing through, but I woke up.  I got dressed.  And I drove there. 

"I'm here for an A1c and microalbumin test.  I'm Kerri."  I stuck out my hand, insurance card at the ready.  Paperwork filled out.  Consent form signed.

In the chair, I pulled up the sleeve of my sweater and closed my eyes.

"I can't watch.  It makes me feel weak.  So I'm going to look over here, okay?"

The lab technician started laughing.  "Lady, you said you had diabetes?"

"Yes, since I was a kid, but I'm scared of needles.  I know, I know."

The elastic band snapped tight arouind my arm.  "Okay, quick pinch ..."  I felt the hot spike of a needle against my inner arm and my stomach leapt in response.

"So tell me about yourself," I said to the corner of the wall, hoping my words would bounce back to the man who was holding my arm.

"My mom has diabetes.  Type 2.  She's on insulin twice a day.  You take insulin?"

"I do.  I have an insulin pump, though."  I gestured flailing towards the pocket of my jeans, where my pump was clipped. 

"No kidding!  That's cool.  I thought it was a beeper.  I'm gonna have to tell my mom about that.  Damn, no more shots?  That's cool."  The pinch in my arm shifted a bit.  "We're almost done.  I used a butterfly needle instead of the big needle, so it would hurt less."  His smile bounced off the corner of the wall and into my ears. 

"Thanks.  'Butterfly' makes it sound so cute and nice, even though it's still a needle."

"Yeah, but it's important that you have your A1c checked, diabetes and all.  You need to take good care of yourself."  He removed the elastic from my arm and slipped the needle out of my skin.  A bandaid was applied to my "wound."

"All set.  You did a good job.  And you know what?  That didn't hurt a bit, right?"  He asked me, taking off his gloves and folding his arms.

"Not a bit.  Thanks."

Back in the car.  Driving to work early, watching the morning commuters traveling beneath me as I crossed the overpass of 95 southbound, into New York.  The sun warmed the seats of my VW and caused the windows of the houses I passed to wink at me. 

My A1c result may not be what I'm hoping for.  It won't be "perfect."  It won't be ideal.  But knowing it will give me the chance to change it. 

Posted by Kerri. at 09:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

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What makes a writer a writer?  I've mused about this a bit over at EXIST and discussed it with my boyfriend at length.  Is it recognition?  The ability to spell?  Owning an old, almost rusted typewriter that inspires you to spin out crime novels?   

Hmmm ... maybe I'm on to something with that typewriter.

Last weekend, NurseBestFriend and I ventured into NYC to explore the flea market circuit.  We checked out one on Columbus Street (The Flea and Green Market?  I can't remember what it was called.) and I saw it. 

Buried in a metal working kiosk, a tray of rings made out of actual typewriter keys waited for me to come and find my "K."

And now, in a fit of unbridled ridiculousness, I feel like a real writer.  I also feel like a goofy fool, but I'm trying to ignore that glitch.  I love this ring.  I think it's cool, despite the fact that it keeps getting stuck on my gloves.

Also, it's my complete pleasure to annouce that there are two new Viewpoints columnists over at dLife:  Christel of DiabeticFeed and Rachel from Tales of my Thirties.  Welcome to the fray, guys!  And congratulations on joining the dLife team. 

Posted by Kerri. at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

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Leave work early to travel north to pick up Chris at the airport.  As soon as I leave Westport, the sky opens up and throws down fistfuls of snow at the highway, making it not unlike driving through an enormous down comforter.  Traffic crawls to a halt. 

In addition to the literal snowfall, a flurry of phone calls, emails, and text messages comes streaming into my phone.  Flight delayed.  Flying into JFK.  Delays due to the weather.  Not sure when arriving in RI.  Gives me the flight number.  I plug it into the Delta alert system so I'll get automatic emails on my phone with his itinerary.

Snow falls and sticks to my windshield.  The wind is whipping my little VW around like a kite.  Despite the raging, random blizzard, I decide now is the time to test my blood sugar.  185 mg/dl.  Reach like a gymnast into my sock for the pump.  Lace in a few tenths.  Continue the arduous drive.

Arrive in RI.  What do I do now?  I have no idea where he is, or when his plane is arriving, or where it's even coming in to.  I feel like Donnie Darko, in a completely tangled time/space pocket.

Call my friend Batman. 

"Hey.  Chris's flight is completely screwed up.  I have no clue where he is.  Can I come crash at your place for a few hours?"

"Um, I'm not home."

"Okay, where are you?"

"Dude, come to the Providence Place Mall and meet me.  Jodi Picoult is doing a book signing.  I already bought you a book.  It was supposed to be a surprise!  Now you can just do it yourself."  Her grin comes through the phone and melts some of the snow on my windows.

Jodi Picoult?  Only one of my favorite authors.  (I've read everything she's put out and I'm currently knee-deep in her latest, Nineteen Minutes.)  And now she's 30 minutes from where I'm sitting on the highway?  Can't think of a better way to kill time waiting for Chris to touch down.

I have to admit - I like talking to pretty much anyone.  I don't become very nervous.  But when I was standing next to Jodi and introducing myself, I definitely felt my knees buckle a small bit. 

Awesome.  

Went back to Batman's house and stole her computer to do some work for a few hours.  The phone continued to holler out updates as to Chris's status:  Departing at 9:39 pm.  Arriving at 11 pm.  Arriving at 12:47 am.  Arriving at 1:49 am.  Holy delay.  Chris will be flying the plane himself.  Arriving at 2:59 am. 

At three in the morning, the phone finally rang.  I unraveled myself from Batman's couch, where I had been trying to catnap, and grumbled out a muffled "Eh?"

"I am finally, finally here, baby."

At three-thirty in the morning, after almost 24 hours of traveling, Chris was finally home.  And, like the lunatics we are, we drove home from RI to CT, arriving back here at 5:45 in the morning.  I drove back, existing solely off of the adrenaline of meeting Jodi Picoult and the excitement of having my boyfriend back home.  We crashed into bed, upsetting two small kitties who were sleeping and earning dirty looks from their furry selves.  

Posted by Kerri. at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

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UPDATE:  The call for RoundTable Participants has been updated.  The people have spoken! 

First off, dLife is looking for some people to join in a dLife Round Table Discussion, to be aired on dLifeTV.  Here's the lowdown:

"dLifeTV is looking for people with diabetes to participate in a few 'Roundtable Discussions' that will be taped for television. We’re looking for people over the age of 18 who are living with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Age, gender, race, profession, and marital status do not matter although, ideally, we’re looking for a diverse group of people.

What does matter is that you’ve been living with diabetes for at least three years and are eager to share your stories about the ongoing struggle of living with diabetes. We want people who have discovered habits, routines, support systems, and other treatment tips that they would like to share with the nation’s diabetes community.

dLife is also searching for some 'type 3' people—spouses, life partners, significant others, parents, or children of people who live with diabetes. In other words, people who do not have diabetes themselves but who play a significant role in keeping loved ones healthy."

This will be filmed in Westport, CT in the first week of April, so if you live near here, this could be wicked fun.  Drop me an email by March 14th with your name, home address, telephone number, as well as your age, your diabetes type, and a short bit about why you think you would be an asset to these discussions.  And act fast - April is just around the corner!

Secondly, the new fitness intitiative, Fitness4Diabetics is offering up a free web seminar tonight, March 6th, at 7 PM EST.  The web seminars are free, informative, and hosted by a certified diabetes educator.  The topic is 100% Fad Free Dieting and Glycemic Index and is hosted by Susan Meeke, who is a registered dietician and CDE.  To join the live visual presentation, click here.  The web seminar's call number and access code is:

Phone No.  1 605 725 1900

Access code # 678678

Look for my interview with David Weingard, founder and CEO of Fitness4Diabetics, in the next few days.

And thirdly, Chris is home safely.  I met Jodi Picoult last night.  And I drove home to CT at 5 in the morning.  More on that tomorrow.  In the meantime, I'm taking a freaking nap.

Posted by Kerri. at 02:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

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Grump No. 1:  There's a stye in my eye, I think.  I don't see anything yet, but my eyelid is a little tender and looks slightly puffy.  No eye make up, washing hands compulsively (but not compulsively enough, apparently ...), convinced this is a result of my being up so late this weekend and spending the entire day yesterday rubbing my eyes.  Ugh.  I hope it doesn't become unsightly by the end of the day because I have a very important fella to pick up at the airport tonight. 

Grump No. 2:  I spent yesterday in NYC (more on that tomorrow) and the weather was biting cold.  My hands are a little cracked, so I put some lotion on them.  I tested my sugar at 10:12 am and registered a crispy 343 mg/dl.   What the ... okay, so I whip my pump out of my sock, lace in a few units, and refill my water bottle.

Trot off to the ladies' room.  Wash hands.  Come back to my desk.  Test again, just to see if I'm starting to come down.  10:33 am - 145 mg/dl. 

"Hey, that's great!  The insulin is already wor ... wait a minute."  Falling almost 200 points in 15 minutes?  Oh shit. 

Apparently I forgot about the hand lotion.  Damn it.

Now chasing insulin with juice to ward off the low I am currently cruising towards.  Foolish Kerri.  Thank goodness dLife has a constant stash of cranberry-apple juice at the ready.  I may need it today. 

Footnote of Happiness:  Chris is coming home tonight!  His girlfriend, who will have a ripe little eye infection and a belly full of cranberry juice by tonight, is happy to improve this crummy day with the sight of him.

Posted by Kerri. at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

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I hear the tousling and her thrashing. 

Easing one eye open and listening to the sounds in the hallway, I toss back the covers and slowly climb out of bed.  I wanted to catch her in the act.   

The sounds from the hallway crescendo to a frenzy, then stop.  I grab my camera from the bureau and slide open the shutter.  Peeking out into the hallway, I see Abby and her kill.

Apparently Ms. Sausage is rubbing off on the fat cat.

In other news, I will be laying out on a white-sand beach in St. John, drinking Virgin Island Pale Ale, and not even thinking about my email exactly two weeks from today. 

And in other, other news, I'm giving some thought to taking yoga for a spin.  Does anyone out there do yoga?  Or practice yoga?  (And can you explain the difference between practicing and doing?  Can "yoga" be both a noun and a verb?)  I'm very anxious about the idea of trying out a new workout that may require being graceful and flexble - two things I am not - but I like very much the concept of long, lean muscles.  What's your take?

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March ... something about in like a lion, out like a lamb, right?

So in roars March, with a new edition of EXIST Magazine, my boyfriend in LA, and a blood sugar of 345 mg/dl after eating only a 20g organic granola bar.  What the hell caused that?  I hope the end of the month is nice and lamb-like.

Nothing cures this chaos like a meme, right?  So here’s the “7x7” one, stolen from ChickenYogurt.

Seven Things To Do Before I Die:

Posted by Kerri. at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

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