Six Until Me: Essays from a life with diabetes

I felt alone with diabetes.

I didn’t have any friends who understood the weird triumph of a soft blood sugar landing after pizza. I didn’t know anyone else who had treated a low by having to eat the dirt-covered Swedish Fish candies from the floor mats of the car. I was the only person who was counting carbs and calculating insulin doses.

Everyone I knew made their own insulin. But when I started writing about diabetes online, I wasn’t alone anymore. What I’ve learned by connecting with the diabetes community has been nothing short of life-saving.

This collection of essays from the award-winning blog SixUntilMe.com shows diabetes through a lens of levity, empathy, and lived experience.


Print copies and e-books available on Amazon. Signed copies are available for purchase through Square! Thanks for your support.


43 thoughts on “Six Until Me: Essays from a life with diabetes”

  1. keri-
    I am looking for some help for a friend of mine that is 16 and is a competitive volleyball player. She is struggling with post delayed lows after intense evening practices. They are using all the guided maintenance and doctor directions and she is still going low every night after practice. Herr mom is my best friend and I am just researching some different sources to try and find someone who has experienced this and might have some suggestions to try.
    Any thoughts?
    Donna FLoyd

  2. Donna –

    I have a very active 10 year old son and we struggled with this during football. A couple of things we found:

    1. the first hour of practice was intense conditioning and he would tend to go low during that time – so we were fixing that during practice.

    2. the 2nd hour of practice was drilling – therefore causing an adrenaline rush for him – so he was usually high after practice.

    3. he was hungry after practice so it was time to eat.

    4. to help avoid the post practice low – knowing that he had adrenaline pumping through his veins, we found that blousing for the meal only – and not for a high BG correction – helped eliminate the post practice low. He would eat and bolus for the meal and then we’d check 2 hours later and if he was still high we’d correct then – usually he was right on target.

    Don’t know if she gets the same adrenaline rush with volleyball but it’s worth a try.

    Laura

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  4. Kerry, I just finished reading your book. Awesome read!!! Way to go!!!

    I loved the way you included the experiences of other T1D. It was very interesting & I learned a few tips on different ways to manage my day to day diabetes activities.

    Thanks for writing such an amazing book! I thoroughly enjoyed every word!!!

    Thank you for doing all you do to advocate for all types od diabetes!!

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  6. Dear Kerry,

    I ‘ve ordered your book yesterday and just have finished reading it.
    It is amazingl! It came in a moment when I needed to hear all those stories and remind me that I am not alone and there are others who felt the same way.
    Your words made me smile and cry, and I trully thank you for that.
    I thank you for your positive energy and motivation. Keep smiling and be healthy! 🙂

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  19. Hi Donna.

    I am a Type 1 diabetic of 28 years, and a competitive racquetballer, and deal with similar issues. I didn’t notice if your friend is insulin dependent.

    If so, take less insulin on the day of any competition. How much less needs to be tested, but err on the side of too little insulin, and then over time you will be able to pretty closely monitor your dosages, and high energy foods (sugars) prior to and following any high energy competitive activity.

    I’ve been able to maintain a less than 6.0 A1C over the years.

    Jim Guarnera
    Jim.guarnera@2020brands.com

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  21. I have not tested my cholesterol since august ’09. I plan to do it again in august of this year. The way I eat, is the best way to maintain cholesterol in my opinion… I’m not concerned what the numbers say.

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  27. Hi, Kerri!

    I’m reading your book now! My sister is struggling to lose weight due to diabetes.

    I expect to find some good material related to food and meals, hormones and also exercises.

    I’m more healthy savy them the rest of my family, so I’m the one who look for good sources of information for everybody, lol.

    Thanks for your time writing this book!

    Thanks!

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  30. Hi, Kerri!
    I’m reading your book now! My sister is struggling to lose weight due to diabetes.
    I expect to find some good material related to food and meals, hormones and also exercises.
    I’m more healthy savy them the rest of my family, so I’m the one who look for good sources of information for everybody, lol.
    Thanks for your time writing this book!
    Thanks!

  31. My mother has diabetes already do a few years, plans to help her control this evil, his book came at the right time

  32. Reading this article, I wonder, how warriors are those people who fight against diabetes. My congratulations to them and to you, for making quality content

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