When my diabetes marked it’s 25th birthday, I wrote a bulleted of stuff I’ve learned since diagnosis. Another handful of years later, most of that list still holds up, with a few tweaks: Sometimes I can’t believe this is still A Thing. That diabetes is still a thing that requires attention, work, and patience. I used to believe in the…
Thirty One Years with Diabetes.
Diabetes and Emotions, Diabetes and Family, Diabetes Community, Diabetes Complications, Diabetes Memories, Diabetes Online Community, Psychosocial Support, Real Life DiabetesTo my tomato, A year ago today, I was driving up to Boston for another prenatal appointment to check on you. At 38 weeks and 2 days pregnant, a slightly spikey blood pressure was enough for the medical team at Beth Israel to decide that August 23rd would be your birthday. It was late in the afternoon when they prepped…
In Sickness and in Health: My Partner Has Diabetes.
Diabetes and Emotions, Diabetes and Family, Diabetes Online Community, Psychosocial Support, Real Life Diabetes, RelationshipsA week or two ago, I received a message from a reader asking about the influence diabetes has on my marriage. I took to Facebook to get some broader feedback, but the question forced me to drop into the weeds to see how my diabetes touches my marriage. This will be part one of a two part post, with today’s…
In Sickness and in Health: I Have Diabetes.
Diabetes and Emotions, Diabetes and Family, Psychosocial Support, Real Life Diabetes, RelationshipsA week or two ago, I received a message from a reader asking about the influence diabetes has on my marriage. I took to Facebook to get some broader feedback, but the question forced me to drop into the weeds to see how my diabetes touches my marriage. This will be part one of a two part post, with today’s…
Diabetes Pregnancy: Now and Then, Part Two.
Diabetes and Family, Diabetes Complications, Diabetes Memories, Diabetic Mommy, Infertility and PregnancyWelcome to the continuation of Laddie’s pregnancy story, showing what pregnancy with type 1 diabetes was like back in 1979 and 1982. Today is a continuation of her story, with details about her sons’ births, the cost of care, and how diabetes did, and didn’t, play a role in bringing her sons into the world. For more about Laddie’s life…
Twelve Years Old.
Diabetes and Emotions, Diabetes and Family, Diabetes Community, Diabetes Online CommunityMy blog turns twelve years old today. Twelve years ago, I was a twentysomething mess wondering if I was the only PWD who wanted to connect with other like-pancreased people. Twelve years later, I’m a thirtysomething mess who has found her peers and benefitted from those connections in ways that far surpass any drop in A1C. Grateful doesn’t even begin…
Since they’re local to me here in Rhode Island, I drove up to the Jerry the Bear office to meet with my friends Aaron Horowitz and Hannah Chung, creators of Jerry the Bear. “It’s awesome to see you guys! Where have you been the last few years?” After hugs and hellos, I realized my question was unfair. Because they haven’t…
“Mom, why do you wear that bracelet again?” She knows why, but every few months, she asks again. Why do I wear a medical alert bracelet? Why is that thing as important to leaving the house as having my keys? “I wear it because it says I have diabetes, just in case someone needs to know.” “Why would they need…
Mr. Guy Smiley, Hallelujah!!! You have started SLEEPING and it makes me want to hit the caps lock and sing your praises. Thank you, sweet boy, for finally deciding that nighttime is the best time to sleep. I don’t even care if you ever nap predictably during the day because you sleep at night. (Remind me I said that.) Your…
Diabetes’s needs are incessant. WAAH I need to have my blood sugar checked WAAH I need a snack WAAH the Dexcom sensor needs swapping WAAH what do you mean, reorder insulin WAAH chronic illness is forever WAAAAAAAAAAH. This disease whines and cajoles for attention all day long. Over the weekend, I stood at the bathroom counter changing my infusion set…
Muted.
Diabetes and Emotions, Diabetes and Family, Diabetes Community, Diabetes Online Community, Diabetic MommyAhh bullet points. Ye be the only(e) way I can process things at the moment. I don’t have a lot to say over here lately, and there are a dozen different reasons for that. One is that the new baby kiddo keeps me extremely busy, what with his cluster feeding and chatty ways, and also the fact that he is…