photo friday

this week, i wore red every day to support the LOUISVILLE CARDINALS in the final four tomorrow. 

hubers . fun chair . day in the life

beyonce's friends . red . new shoes

red . derby hunting . red

hail! . red . GO CARDS! 

insulin pen thoughts

i saw a tweet that made me think of this ... i've never used an insulin pen.

humalog.com

when i was diagnosed, i used a bottle of insulin and a needle/shot to do injections. for six weeks. then i started on my insulin pump.

the few times (maybe three) i have had to take injections since i got my pump - due to a malfunction or something, while waiting for my replacement pump - i used the same thing.

i've never been given an insulin pen as an option. i don't even really know how they work. is it still a needle? does it just shoot insulin in so fast it doesn't need a needle?

not that i need one, or am planning to use one, just a random thought i had. i've had diabetes for almost 12 years, and i've never used (or even seen in person) an insulin pen.

wordless wednesday

hail.

alert day

today is american diabetes association alert day, and if you know someone who may be at risk for type 2 diabetes, you should send them over to facebook to take a quick test that will help determine their risk for developing it. AND, for every test taken between today and april 27, boar's head will donate $5! so, send someone now! 

here's a little more info from ada:

American Diabetes Association Unveils New Diabetes Risk Test

Updated Algorithm Makes Test Simple to Take; Facebook Makes it Easy to Share

Alexandria, VA (March 27, 2012) – Today marks the 24^th annual American Diabetes Association Alert Day® and the Association has released a new and improved Diabetes Risk Test to help Americans determine whether they are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Updated with a more sophisticated algorithm and available on Facebook, the test can be taken in less than a minute, and easily shared with family, friends and loved ones. To encourage individuals to take and share the new Diabetes Risk Test, Boar’s Head_®, manufacturer of premium delicatessen products, will donate $5 to the Association for every risk test taken, up to $50,000 from now until April 27, 2012.  

The Diabetes Risk Test requires users to answer simple questions about weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors for diabetes. Their results are reported as a numerical score indicating low or high risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Those at higher risk are encouraged to speak with their health care provider to learn more about ways to help reduce their risk or delay onset of the disease.

The latest diabetes statistics show that one in three American adults are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.  79 million American adults have prediabetes, which means that their blood glucose (sugar) is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. What’s more, out of the nearly 26 million Americans with diabetes, one-fourth of them, or about 7 million, do not realize they have the disease.

“The more people who take this first step in knowing their risk, the closer we will become to stopping this disease that has reached epidemic proportions,” stated Geri Spollett, MSN, ANP-CS, CDE, President- Elect, Health Care & Education, American Diabetes Association. “The time to act is now. Taking one quick minute to learn your risk today could lead to a much healthier tomorrow.”

In addition to Facebook, people can find this free test (in English or Spanish) by visiting stopdiabetes.com or calling 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). 

Diabetes Awareness and Prevention

The primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes are being overweight, sedentary, over the age of 45 and having a family history of diabetes. African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are at an increased risk, as are women who have had gestational diabetes or had babies weighing more than nine pounds at birth.

Diabetes symptoms can include frequent urination, blurred vision and excessive thirst. However, these overt warning signs may not become manifest for many years. As a result, for many, diagnosis may come seven to ten years after the actual onset of the disease. Closing the diagnosis gap is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications such as heart disease, blindness kidney disease, stroke, amputation and death.

Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by losing just 7 percent of body weight (such as 15 pounds if you weigh 200) through regular physical activity (30 minutes a day, five days a week) and healthy eating.

Alert Day in Your Community

The American Diabetes Association’s local offices are working with their community organizations and partners to promote Alert Day. To find out what activities are happening locally, visit www.stopdiabetes.com.

Alert Day is nationally sponsored by Boar’s Head_® Provisions Co., Inc., and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.  The Association would also like to thank the following supporters for joining us in promoting Alert Day includingAmerican Medical ID, American Pharmacists Association, BD Medical - Diabetes Care, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., BrightSky, Bristol Myers-Squibb, Bumble Bee Foods, Colgate Total^®, Dignity Memorial^®, Eli Lilly & Company, Gold’s Gym, HearPO^®, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Medtronic, Inc., Merisant Company, maker of Equal^® and Pure Via^®,  Miracle-Ear^®,  National Basketball Association (NBA),  Novo Nordisk Inc., Nutrisystem^® D™, Quest Diagnostics, Roche Diabetes Care, sanofi, Sonus^®, Walgreens and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

blood sugar success

so, this isn't exactly a no-hitter, but let me share my 24 graph from my dexcom (took this picture last night).

it's a little up and down (a little? ok, it's a lot up and down, but in range at least.) but i have lowered my high alert to 160 - NOTICE that it is BARELY over 160!! and there are two lows, but that second one i checked with my meter and i was 71 and i ate so i could prevent that drop, i don't know how low it REALLY went before going back up (dexcom doesn't always have a perfect reading).

it made me really excited! i didn't go over 200 and i barely dropped, and i knew to treat so i could prevent going really low.

my little dexcom friend is really coming in handy. :)

photo friday

working hard . being lazy . art 

mythbusters live . morning tea . birthday ideas

big birthday . just dance . afternoon activity 

meeting . spring . celebrating 

dirty girl

earlier this week, allison posted a link to the dirty girl mud run on facebook. i've seen other events like this before, but this one is a little different.

godirtygirl.com

it's for women only. sure, men can come hang out and take pictures, but only women can participate. i kind of love this idea. and i have wanted to try one of these fun courses, just not on as an intense of a level like the rugged maniac runs. i miss my bootcamp, and it's time to get my ass in gear ... this is a good reason! another good reason to participate is the money raised is donated to the national breast cancer foundation. (ohhh, how awesome would it be if JDRF had an event like this??? LIGHT BULB!)

godirtygirl.com

we're going to do the one in indianapolis, so i have until may 12 to get ready. i'm going to pretend i don't have some issues going on with my hip right now and i am not going to tell you that i went to the chiropractor this morning to start getting that straightened out (literally). shh. it'll be fine, right now i'm more worried about cardio. i need to get moving and get my endurance up or i won't make it through the course because i won't be able to breathe.

if you want to join us to do the run in indy, let me know! shoot me an email or a tweet!

wordless wednesday

meeting downtown

guest post on inDpendence

today you can find me over on briley's blog doing a little guest post. stop by and check it out! :) 

when briley came to louisville

more dexcom thoughts

i have seen tweets about people who have been wearing their dexcom for almost three weeks and have always thought, WOW, i wish my dexcom would stick on that long ... so far i'm at two and a half weeks, longest EVER!

it is just starting to peel off at the edges. it's still reading very accurately too, i think i'm about three or four days into the second week. (i should probably remember the day i start them.)

last week, i got some new tape to put over my sites to help them stick on longer. i've been using OLD tape (i'm talking 11 years old) that i used to put on over the first infusion sets i ever used to hold them on and it has been working fine, but i wondered if using tape that was made, i don't know, in this decade, might hold better.

i haven't used it yet, but i'm thinking i might need to slap some on there tonight or tomorrow. i'm setting my own record for how long i'm wearing a dexcom sensor! go me!

photo friday

veggies . chicken bundles . new art

rainy day treat . homemade wreath . pedi 

new shirt . sunrise . beyonce at work!

lunch . dessert . basketball watching accessories

lots of food pics this week ...

[almost] wordless wednesday

 who doesn't love a good themed work event?

photo friday! (and a special extra)

i was interviewed by aaron with calling all types about this lovely blog and my life with diabetes, and my interview is posted today! head on over and check it out. :) 

work treats . helping henryville . first birthday gift shopping

birthday party . supply stock up . making eggrolls

snow in march . my favorite tea . hundy! 

rain . signs of spring . moving day

i don't get it.

yesterday i was loving my blood sugar, it was in a good range, even after dinner it was okay ... except dexcom didn't think so. for about an hour it kept beeping, telling me i was low - but i was in the 80s and 90s.

so to be safe, i had a small snack before bed so i didn't drop too low, i had a level arrow on my dexcom but the numbers were slowly dropping a bit.

annnnnd this morning when i woke up dexcom said i was 352. WHAT?? when i checked, i was 311. WHY? i just don't get it. (i'm not that high anymore. thank god.)

11 years later, and this disease still baffles me.

nutella: my review.

so i just tried nutella. i got it at big lots on sunday because the whole store was 20% off and they had it - score!

all i had to try it with (besides a spoon. or my fingers.) were these frosted animal crackers ... at first i felt like the frosting was throwing off the taste a bit, so i just ate some by itself.

it's pretty good. i fall under the category of 'that tastes good and i'll have it occasionally but i don't need to have it on hand at all times and make sure i buy more when i'm about to run out.'

yes. i just made that a category.

party on, nutella lovers. you don't have to share much with me.

photo friday!

flowers . fancy night . sleepy cat

busy day . free pancakes . early spring

cookie stock . new planner . fresh bottle

hope on my hand . snack . markers

write hope on your hands for diabetes

today is Write Hope on Your Hands for Diabetes day! i've been overwhelmed by my friends and family posting pictures on facebook and sending them to me with hope on their hands!! thank you everyone :)

(if you want to take one, send it to me or post it on facebook and i'll keep adding til the day is over!!)

janet

devon

rebecca

mom

dad and my niece 

daniel 

deborah

robin

crystal

allison 

jason

deborah

tessa and her baby girl 

elizabeth

christine

tony

jeanne

lindsay 

lindsay's students

lindsay's student

lindsay's students

aj

ashley

bethann

amanda

stephanie

nikki (and her cupcake!)

bella

kelsey

eric