Today's D-Blog Week Prompt:  "It seems the most popular thing about Diabetes Blog Week is that it helps us find blogs we weren’t reading yet and connect with some new blog friends.  With that in mind, let’s kick off Diabetes Blog Week by making some new connections.  Think about the d-blogs you read that you think we may not know about and introduce us to one that you love!!  Let’s all find a new friend today!"

When I started blogging, I could count my diabetes blogger counterparts on one hand.  Now, over seven years later, there are more diabetes blogs and diabetes social media resources than I can count, nevermind keep track of.  So many people telling their individual stories ... it's amazing. There's truly something out there for everyone to identify with.

I've highlighted some of these bloggers in the past, but wanted to give them an extra nod for today's D-Blog Week post, because this week, I'm keeping it Rhody-local with some of my favorite Rhode island diabetes bloggers:

Bigfoot Child Has Diabetes:  Written in a style that's in homage to Graham Roumieu, Bigfoot has a child with diabetes who was recently diagnosed.  Her writing is funny, poignant, and whenever she mentions some of my favorite Rhode Island spots, I want to hug her. 

The Diabetic Cyclist:  Ryan and I actually went to school together (he's a few years younger than me, and his wonderful older brother was a classmate of mine), and I remember meeting him just after I was diagnosed.  Decades went by before we reconnected, and it was after he had been through some tough times with diabetes. Now he's making changes for the better and has a story that inspires the hell out of me.

Tales of Swagging: Even though Ashley isn't currently living in Rhode Island, she's all Rhody at heart.  From our shared love for Bess Eaton coffee and synthetic insulin, her blog is about her diagnosis at the age of 25 and her ambitions of becoming a healthcare professional.  

Nicole on Blogabetes:  Nicole was one of the very first PWDs I met, in person, after starting my diabetes blog, and she's remained a friend and an inspiration over the last seven years.  She currently writes, beautifully, at dLife's Blogabetes meta-blog, and her words are never short of inspirational. 

There you have it.  Some of my favorite diabetes bloggers, hailing from the land of coffee milk, Del's, and lovely beaches.  Rhody pride!