Siwgrstorm

Walk #1 Done, Can't wait for #2 too!

2006-10-01T18:13:00.000-04:00

Here was the star member of my team in NYC this morning, a labradoodle named MARTIN! We had a great walk, and I was particularly proud to have my daughter with me, enjoying the fun. Her favorite was the big blow-up fire engine slide, at the end, of course! It was great to see so many people make it out despite the weather. It rained like a %^&*! for the walk to Brooklyn on the bridge, but the walk back was amazing - 69 degrees, Sunny and gorgeous. Hope all you New Yorkers enjoyed your walk as well. I'm heading up for the Oct. 7th walk in Boston, if you see me say hello.

Frozen Shoulder

2006-09-30T21:03:00.000-04:00

So....after about 6 months of trying to ignore a problem with my shoulder, I finally stopped in to the Spine Institute to get an exam. I have a frozen shoulder, which I learned was not uncommon in diabetics. A few small exercises and a possible cortisone shot and its over, whew!~ Other diabetics out there with a frozen shoulder? I am really curious about whether it has recurred or moved to the other shoulder. Thanks for you comments!

2006-09-30T20:33:00.000-04:00

This year I decided to walk in NYC and in Boston in order to support my Type 1 brother, who I don't think has ever done a walk for JDRF. I am also walking in honor of a friend whose brother died of Type 1 this year, and for all of the people I know who are affected by this disease. To my huge suprise, when I reached out to my work community for the zillionth year in a row ...they were so supportive that I was moved to tears. People who work with me everday notice that I'm a diabetic and sometimes that makes me uncomfortable. However, when I realize how much they care about my health, and how much they hope to see research lead to a cure, I feel a lot less like a freak! I am really lucky to work with such amazing people. I hope those of you who are reading this are participating in a walk for JDRF too...have a great walk! (Here is my walk site...they are very easy to set up and use online! http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=86442347 )

Diabetes Got My Gold...IHT

2006-09-25T19:44:00.000-04:00

A fascinating article at the International Herald Tribune...
click here.

Being "High Maintenance"

2006-08-22T17:07:00.000-04:00

The new pump is wonderful, much more of an improvement than I expected. I am learning to fine-tune the Bolus Wizard features, something that has forced me to more closely evaluate my ratios and basal rates - it's also provided me with a good test of my carb counting (ahem estimating) abilities. A little frustrating, but all for the better! However, with the new BD Logic meter, I am now the proud owner of well, too many meters! What to do, what to do.

My little story goes like this - while whiling away the hours at a pals lake house, I noticed that my pump tubing was filling with blood. And, because it was a Murphy's Law kind of day that began with me trying to squeeze 2 ml of shampoo out of a bottle, my spare kit of stuff was safely stored in - - my kitchen cabinet 2 hours away. I have a kitchen cabinet dedicated to all things medical. Looking in, you might consider me a neglectful parent as the Snoopy Bandaid box is smushed below a mountain of infusion sets, but such is the nature of medical packaging. Anyway, I got home and hooked back up without incident. Looking into my mountain of over-plasticized goodness, I decide to solve this problem with one of the tips I read in "Diabetes Burn-Out." I decided to create not just one extra kit but 4; one for work, one for the car, one for the "road," and one for my colleague who I've given the glucagon schpeil to. That way, I will never forget to move the one from the car back to the house and vice versa. Over the years I'd gotten several new meters, so each kit would have an infusion set, meter, some old strips, a few syringes, a bottle of Novolog with enough "dregs" in it to get me home, and some other obvious things. After packing them, I looked at all my black and jewel-toned cases with pride.

All I needed now were old test strips. I was formerly using a LifeScan OneTouch meter, and I still had some strips on my prescription. I called them in and headed to the pharmacy, deftly avoiding the meltdown my daughter would have if we passed the Teen Titans backpack in isle 3. When I got there my very kind pharmacist had some news for me.....I'M NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THEM. Apparently, one can only have strips from one company (or for one meter?) at a time - I cannot be currently using a BD meter and at the same time order a LifeScan strip. What??? I called my insurance company, who forwarded me to my prescription company. They said that I will have to file an appeal to have "duplicate therapy." Pointing out that if I tested my blood sugar twice as much that would probably save them money in the end didn't help. This was going to require calling the insurance company again, the prescription company again, the pharmacy again, etc. Oh well - I'll keep those reading posted...

Its here~

2006-08-08T20:03:00.000-04:00

Well, the new 522 (I think I had the model # wrong before) is now - on me....I have a lot of reading to do, more than I expected! I'm very impressed with the Bolus Wizard calculator, which is new to me. Have any of you had to adjust your "active insulin time?" I read an interesting article on Diabetesnet.Com about how the timing is often underestimated. Any thoughts? Hope all is well out there in the IDDM-world for you all.

New Pump Coming in the Mail Today.....

2006-08-08T14:22:00.000-04:00

I am excited about getting this new pump (pump system?) today. My 511, apparently, is out of date, no longer servicable. Anyone have tips for the upgrade?

Summer Pumping Issue #2

2006-08-01T09:56:00.000-04:00

On the way to my "surprise birthday event" with my husband he said something hilarious - "I don't want to give my secret away, but how would you keep your pump dry for 2 hours anyway?"....Hmmmmm. Driving by a huge billboard for white water tubing down the Esopus Creek gave the whole thing away. We stopped in a local camping store and bought a water proof bag and double wrapped my pump. I wore a pair if cargo pants and put my pump into the side pocket, took the bus to the drop off point and WHOOSH! I was hurled down the river 2 1/2 miles. It was insanely fun. I thought it would be leisurely, but it was like an amusement park ride! I was bumped out of the tube twice and even got stuck in a tree!! Anyway, when we returned to the river bank we checked on the pump status - - NOT DRY. Not soaked, still working, but not dry. I was relieved that my pump was water resistant. But if you've ever considered a canoe bag for your pump, I would suggest getting that gummy earplub material to wrap around the tubing and then using a hard case with a hole drilled in it instead of a flexible one. And then, definitely go down the river!!!

Lifestyle Changes Vs. Management

2006-07-17T21:59:00.000-04:00

A response to a post of mine got me thinking about the ways people deal with blood sugar control - via management (counting carbs, adjusting ratios, choosing the right endocrinologist, selecting equipment, calculating X-carbs, etc) and lifestyle issues (reducing stress, having good communication with your healthcare team, self-confidence, sense of community, etc). I've tried to keep an "eye" on which approach is dominating my thinking at any given time. Am I checking every post-prandial number or am I getting enough sleep? Am I sticking to the numbers and checking my daily averages and totals in chart form, or am I taking that precious half hour to talk to a loved one about how being a diabetic makes me feel? Am I carefully monitoring my blood sugar through out a work out or am I taking my friend up on an offer to go for long walk without focusing on being a diabetic? Sure, one can do both, but it isn't as easy as it sounds, and its in these little moments that balances shift. The management approach has clear results that can be easily quantified. The other approach, when not directly related to carbohydrates and insulin, is not easily quantified, and yet seems to be more than just subjective. While this dichotomy is being used to make a point, I think it is interesting that one "mindset" - management - can induce stress more easily - it can feel like a game that you keep trying to "beat" but never succeed at conquering. The other "mindset" - changing lifestyle choices - by its very nature is supposed to reduce that sense of failure.

Diabetes Obituary

2006-07-12T10:03:00.000-04:00

Robert Barrett (Syd) passed away this week. I remember listening to early Pink Floyd a lot when I was 16, around the time I was diagnosed with Diabetes. I didn't understand either of them (diabetes or Pink Floyd) very well at the time, but they spoke to me on 'another level.' I still love songs like Arnold Layne and Bike and See Emily Play, even "Careful with that Axe Eugene." I think I understand them both a little better. Both sad stories, at times.

Yoga and Diabetes

2006-07-11T12:57:00.000-04:00

Why yoga? "Type 1 diabetes is caused by No production of insulin and this is very difficult to treat with Yoga."
From the Yoga Journal: "But because people under stress have elevated blood sugar levels, it's difficult to determine whether asanas and meditation work because they relax patients or because specific poses stimulate the pancreas, causing it to release more insulin." I've found that any time I spend on being "focused," a very difficult time spent indeed, it seems to effect my blood sugar positively. However, Yoga always seems to get aerobic when I do it, even just strength exercises. See previous post on 10/1/05!

Beach Pump

2006-07-02T11:10:00.000-04:00

This beach nix (pictured above) was kindly reminding me to take off my pump at the beach yesterday. She's tuned in to its existance in a gentle way - it makes me feel great to know she takes it all in stride.

I was happy to have a long time Type 1 come up to me at the beach and ask about the pump. Even though we were strangers, the pump seemed to make us instant compadres. She had been considering getting a pump, but being a big fan of the beach, didn't like the idea of having a delicate instrument to cart around. I was happy to explain that having the pump at the beach is relatively easy, you just have to take it off and cover it up once in a while for swimming and move it to the shade while you're lying down.

But that bratty pump! What a stinker, it started having problems as soon as my impromtu advertisement was over. The battery case has slowly been cracking and I'm calling in for a replacement. Anyone else have 'sandy pump' issues? This wasn't actually a beach problem, per se, but I feel like I've been taking good care of the thing by keeping it wrapped at the beach, and everywhere else. The battery case is easily harmed by a mindless bump on the kitchen counter, bathroom sink, or the inevitable tiny bits of sand and dust. How many replacements have you had to get? It still works, but that thin plastic is not very durable. Anyway, happy summer! I'm sticking by my endorsement, its really not a big deal to have at the beach. And thanks for the sticker recommendation, Kerri! I'm definitely getting some! http://www.groovypatches.com/

Whole Foods on the Road

2006-06-28T21:51:00.000-04:00

If anyone needs this book, its a diabetic parent. Goofy cover aside, its widely available, and can help you out of many bad eating situations while you are on the road. Its hard to count the carbs in batter-fried mozzarella! Try stopping into a local Whole Foods or Healthy Diner instead! An interesting article from Nutrition Action discusses why deciding on carbs (and their spooky glycemic indices) can be hard for the average American. Ask yourself these questions.

"If whole grains are so healthy, why do an estimated 80 percent of us eat them less than once a day? It doesn't help that many people don't even know what whole grains are.

1. Which breads are usually all or mostly whole grain? (a) whole wheat, (b) multi-grain, (c) rye, (d) pumpernickel
2. Which grains are whole? (a) bulgur, (b) quinoa, (c) couscous, (d) oatmeal
3. Which cereals are whole grain? (a) Total, (b) Product 19, (c) Special K, (d) corn flakes, (e)shredded wheat, (f) cream of wheat

The answers:

1. a. In theory, multi-grain, rye, and pumpernickel breads can be all or mostly whole grain. In most of the U.S. and Canada, however, only whole wheat bread is (see "The Bread & Cracker Box").
2. b, d. Quinoa and oatmeal are whole grains. Bulgur and couscous sometimes are and sometimes aren't.
3. a, e. Total, Product 19, and Special K have healthy reputations. Of the three, only Total is whole grain "

20th Anniversary with Diabetes

2006-06-26T10:56:00.000-04:00

The end-of-the-year school blitz is over, I can once again blog to my heart's content. I have been catching up on my reading and come across so many great ideas/news items, etc. Here's a question I liked; I am coming up to my 20th anniversary with Diabetes in September '06 (thanks Kassie!)

"Twenty pretty cool things that I have done in the twenty years since I was diagnosed with diabetes..." These are chronological, and I'll try to keep it short!

1. Dealt with the news as a 16 year old, and went right back to school in one week.
2. Left my parents in Boston and New Jersey and went to Queens University in Canada, got a Bach. of Science in Biology, and experienced Canadian Health care for Type 1s
3. Moved to New York City (good) and found out how much the American Medical System sucks (bad)
4. Traveled around the world, was able to take 2 small lunch bags full of hypodermic needs through every airport without one question!! Not even in Thailand.
5. Worked for about 4 billion environmental organizations in NYC trying to find myself
6. Got a graduate degree from NYU in my "spare" time.
7. Moved all over New York City and explored every corner of this megalopoplis - Williamsburg was the most fun.
8. Walked into a classroom full of 13 year olds, never expecting to find myself, and did.
9. Met Super Hot Cartoonist Man
10. Survived 4 seizures and started to experience long-term diabetes issues.
11. "Discovered" my favorite vacation spot and started going there to bike, camp, whale watch and star gaze when ever I could.
12. Married Super Hot Cartoonist Man, who turned out, under the mask, to be Super Supportive Cartoonist Man
13. Survived a diabetic pregnancy through sheer will while working the entire time
14. Had my sparkling-tornado-super-star daughter, who was healthy, thank the powers that be.
15. Got an insulin pump and mostly got over my fear of seizures
16. Survived the tornado being an infant
17. Got a grant to take pictures for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration in Portugal and Spain
18. Kept on being a mom, diabetic, commuter, teacher, writer, artist, wife, vegetarian, liberal, etc.
19. Kept on going. This deserves two!
20. Started some therapeutic venting through Siwgrstorm - soon to be move the Sugarstorm!!! (www.sugarstorm.blogspot.com) [announcement following soon]

More HFCS tidbits

2006-05-15T22:56:00.000-04:00

I was not aware that HFCS was relatively new, and I have been surprised to learn, though reading reports about the WTO litigation about the industry, that it is taking over the sugar market in the US and other countries. Here is an interesting summary from the Washington Post reviewing the relationship between sugars, insulin and sweetener production:

"For example, consumption of glucose kicks off a cascade of biochemical reactions. It increases production of insulin by the pancreas, which enables sugar in the blood to be transported into cells, where it can be used for energy. It increases production of leptin, a hormone that helps regulate appetite and fat storage, and it suppresses production of another hormone made by the stomach, ghrelin, that helps regulate food intake. It has been theorized that when ghrelin levels drop, as they do after eating carbohydrates composed of glucose, hunger declines.

Fructose is a different story. It "appears to behave more like fat with respect to the hormones involved in body weight regulation," explains Peter Havel, associate professor of nutrition at the University of California, Davis. "Fructose doesn't stimulate insulin secretion. It doesn't increase leptin production or suppress production of ghrelin. That suggests that consuming a lot of fructose, like consuming too much fat, could contribute to weight gain." Whether it actually does do this is not known "because the studies have not been conducted," said Havel.

Another concern is the action of fructose in the liver, where it is converted into the chemical backbone of trigylcerides more efficiently than glucose. Like low-density lipoprotein -- the most damaging form of cholesterol -- elevated levels of trigylcerides are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. A University of Minnesota study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2000 found that in men, but not in women, fructose "produced significantly higher [blood] levels" than did glucose. The researchers, led by J.P Bantle, concluded that "diets high in added fructose may be undesirable, particularly for men."

NY Times Op-Ed about Subsidies and Health...

2006-05-12T10:02:00.000-04:00

When a writer was accused describing a healthy diet that was "elitist" he responded with this thoughtful message about why eating poorly (and in our situation this means eating in ways that are unhealthy for diabetics) is actually economically easier:

"The question is, how did energy-dense foods become so much cheaper in the supermarket than they are in the state of nature? This is not a function of the free market. It is very simply a function of government policy: our farm policies subsidize the most energy-dense and least healthy calories in the supermarket. We write checks to farmers for every bushel of corn and soy they can grow, and partly as a result they grow vast quantities of the stuff, driving down the cost of the processed foods we make from those commodities. In effect, we’re subsidizing high-fructose corn syrup. And we’re not subsidizing the growing of carrots and broccoli. Put another way, our tax dollars are the reason that the cheapest calories in the market are the least healthy ones.

That situation is a public problem and can be addressed only through public action — by rewriting the rules of the game by which we eat. We need farm policies that will somehow right this imbalance, so that healthy calories can compete with unhealthy ones — so that it becomes rational for someone with little to spend on food to buy the carrots instead of the cookies, the orange juice instead of the Sprite. Until that happens, eating well will remain “elitist." Michael Pollan

Strange Coincidence?

2006-04-11T12:57:00.000-04:00

In a spam message with the subject "easy" (it seemd to be advertising some oil investments, but who knows) the first few lines were as follows:

"self-important diabetic malevolence, of overthrew an court is aerospace drank but urbane a happily platitude adapt: concession stand, predator a swear. nights octopus of hint VCR as enigmatic [Image] fail-safe the bullfight: suffocate that electoral as astonish a blender elude an chancellor symmetry hasn't the of usefully, and eclair, of as undergrowth the "

Is spam poetry happening or what!

Customized Pump Cases

2006-04-09T18:52:00.000-04:00

How to Wear a Pump With Gauchos:

Sugar Keeps the Poor Poor and then...makes them even more poor

2006-04-03T10:35:00.000-04:00

While looking at articles about middle class economics, I ran across this amazing quote. I guess today you could substitute "Big Sugar" for the owners of health care companies - a la S. 1955 and its so-called "affordability" scheme. But when the ultra-rich companies diminish the ability of the average American to care for its health (via diet, or test strips, or access to parks (see below)), they are guarunteed a pay-out. We have to buy more healthcare from them or die. Remember, only 10 U.S. senators reported a net worth of under $100,000. They cannot relate to this problem without hearing from us.

"In 1924, the mansions of Long Island's North Shore were still in their full glory, as was the political power of the class that owned them. When Gov. Al Smith of New York proposed building a system of parks on Long Island, the mansion owners were bitterly opposed. One baron -- Horace Havemeyer, the ''sultan of sugar'' -- warned that North Shore towns would be ''overrun with rabble from the city.'' ''Rabble?'' Smith said. ''That's me you're talking about.'' In the end New Yorkers got their parks, but it was close: the interests of a few hundred wealthy families nearly prevailed over those of New York City's middle class" - Paul Krugman, 2002

"We'll sue the pants off of them! And then sell them pants." - Mr. Show

MY 'BIG SUGAR' MANIFESTO

2006-03-25T10:45:00.000-05:00

During the past few days, I have had a little “big sugar;” just the lingering effects of cold, corrected for easily with a little bolus or two. But what to do about the United States’ High Blood Sugar problem? Charlie Rose’s show inspired me to do some research about “Big Sugar,” an industry that is able to put a stranglehold on the political process, most insidiously as it affects the WHO - World Health Organization’s - recommendations on the global epidemic of diabetes and obesity. While I may not count as the “media” – I decided to take my own advice and put some of those contrasts between the food industry and diabetic care I mentioned in my previous post on this blog.

SIX REASONS WHY TYPE ONE DIABETICS ARE A CAUSE FOR HOPE

1 – Who Are the Sugar Experts Now? WE ARE
We as Type 1s have to get our own mini-master’s degrees in self-care and carbohydrate digestion, despite a poor climate for good science education in the US. “Both children and adults like me who live with type 1 diabetes need to be mathematicians, physicians, personal trainers and dieticians all rolled into one. We need to be constantly factoring and adjusting, making frequent finger sticks to check blood sugars, and giving ourselves multiple daily insulin injections just to stay alive.” — Actress Mary Tyler Moore (JDRF) The general public is not there with us yet, and indicators suggest that leaders are in short supply. But we can get them there. “Not since the Soviet Union’s launch of the Sputnik satellite has the need to improve science and mathematics education in America been as clear and as urgent as it is today. And never has it been more apparent that the pivot point for change and improvement is the nation’s teachers and the institutions that train them.” National Science Foundation “Talking Points”

2 – We Don’t Have a Choice, But They Do, And WE SHOULD LET OUR REPS KNOW.
All Types of Diabetes cost the US a lot of money, but we are not committed to education;
Cost of diabetes care to the US in 2002: Total (direct and indirect): $132 billion - NDIC
The new budget for the Diabetes and Digestive Health arm of the National Institute of Health is going DOWN by 11% in the 2006-2007 budget. The new budgeted number is 1.8 billion. But, the doubling of co-payments for prescription drugs that some of us have experienced in the past 5 years results in a 10 to 12 percent reduction in use of medications for chronic disease conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. National Center for Health Care Check out Curious Girl's post about what you can do right now.

3 – We Exercise, We Eat Right, WE ARE THE NEW LEADERS
One key to good control is increased aerobic activity, but it is much more than just good HgA1c’s that we are promoting when we dedicate ourselves to healthy lifestyles. "According to analyses by Graham Colditz, a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, the direct medical cost of inactivity is at least $24 billion a year. An analysis of health-care costs by a team from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that because individuals who are physically active have significantly lower annual direct medical costs than those who are inactive, getting people to become more active could cut yearly medical costs in the U.S. by more than $70 billion" HSPH Harvard

4 – How former GA rep Zell Miller and other ‘Sugar-Beholden’ Congressional Reps Want to Blame Families – WE ARE SMARTER THAN THAT.
From Ruskin and Schor’s article in the Nation; “During child nutrition reauthorization hearings, the man some have called the Senator from Coca-Cola, Georgia's Zell Miller, parroted industry talking points when he claimed that children are "obese not because of what they eat at lunchrooms in schools but because, frankly, they sit around on their duffs watching Eminem on MTV and playing video games." And that, of course, is the fault not of food marketers but of parents. Miller's office shut down a Senate Agriculture Committee staff discussion of a ban on soda pop in high schools by refreshing their memories that Coke is based in Georgia.” As parents, we know that no matter how healthy our household, we are faced with an overwhelmingly poor media environment to counter. BUT WE DO KEEP GOING. WE CAN OUTLAST THEM.

5 – The Money Is Out There, But Big Sugar Gets It, Not Families – A LOT OF IT, WE CAN GET IT BACK
We make sugar ourselves in the US and yet….US Sugar Imports in 2001 were $480 million while US Sugar Exports 2001 were $3 million USDA, According to Wikipedia, in 2004, Coca-Cola made $21.9 billion. Diabetes costs approximately $1,000 per patient per year. For type one: that means we are spending: $980 Mill. So, they could pay for all of us to be treated each a year and still have 19 Billion. Slate.com “Growing industry influence is also apparent at the President's Council on Physical Fitness. What companies has the government invited to be partners with the council's Challenge program? Coca-Cola, Burger King, General Mills, Pepsico and other blue chip members of the "obesity lobby." (Ruskin and Schor) These companies, however, are being forced to pre-empt the disaster that was Big Tobacco but implimenting new programs for health and wellness, and avoiding kid-marketing. Will it work? Well, a lot teenagers I see still smoke, but the adults are getting the message. And the more often the JDRFI gets people front-and-center in congress, the better. "Not since AIDS activists stormed scientific meetings in the 1980s has a patient group done more to set the agenda of medical research."
— Wall Street Journal, March 31, 2004.

6 – A Sweet Family Fortune SUCKING OUR COLLECTIVE PANCREAS DRY, AND BOTH PARTIES ARE GETTING SICK OF IT
Where to begin? With the Fanjuls? "Despite its small size, accounting for just 1 percent of American farm receipts and 61,000 direct jobs, sugar is the single largest agricultural donor to political campaigns. The Fanjul family, descendants of a Cuban sugar baron who was forced out after the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power, operates the nation's largest cane-growing and refining operation through the Flo-Sun Company, based in Palm Beach, Fla. While Alfonso Fanjul Jr. donates to the Democrats, his brother, Jose Fanjul, contributed more than $200,000 for George W. Bush's re-election effort." (New York Times - see below) The sugar industry’s heavy handed lobbying efforts to change WHO recommendation about reducing sugar in children’s diets have been nasty and, according to the reporters, typical of their tactical style. They succeeded in keeping the recommendations weak and vague. (think: “new food pyramid” - ??) But recently, politicians of all stripes are considering letting CAFTA and other free trade negotiations look past sugar...that's a sign of hope right there.

Recommended Reading:
* New York Times
* Common Dreams
* The Nation
* Mother Jones
* (had to find a non-liberal news source so…..) The Heritage Foundation
* VANITY FAIR
** Photo from www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com

2006-03-23T16:18:00.000-05:00

Thanks Simpsons(!), and thanks Amy T for suggesting that D-bloggers post about the Charlie Rose show from March 16th. To begin, I used to be a regular "Charlie Rose" viewer, until I decided that most of his interviews felt canned, uninformative, and self-referential. HOWEVER, I still feel that his list of guests is consistently relevant, and must give the old gas-bag some credit where credit is due. I downloaded the show with high expectations, in other words....

Like the New York Times series, "Bad Blood," this panel discussion had its work cut out; distinguish between two (3?) highly misunderstood diseases, describe the landscape diabetics and diabetic care exist in today, and then project, project, project until someone is scared into getting on a treadmill.

I think the fact that the speakers had to explain such basics is part of the hurdle to getting anything done. Arguing about diets has never worked. If Charlie Rose had to ask "What are carbohydrates?" (I'm sure he was already aware but he's asking for his audience, WHO SHOULD ALSO KNOW) then how can we get to actually adding gym time to schools?!?

Lets think big - What about those CORN SUBSIDIES mentioned by Marc Santora - what are those for? High Fructose Corn Syrup! For example did you know that: "The United States is the largest producer of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Corporations that also receive the majority of farm subsides produce most of it. Most of the corn they grow is genetically modified. Such corn cannot find a market in many places in the world, as in the European Union, Uganda, and until recently Brazil, all of which refuse the import of genetically modified products." (navdanya.org) WE ARE EATING IT - A LOT OF IT. Check your pantry.

We need more of these types of stark contrasts in the press: what multinational companies in the food industry are marketing food to the poor (poor in time, money and resources), how much of this food is unhealthy based on a diabetes-prevention diet. What kinds of subsidies are they getting and how does this compare to our health education programs? For example, have you seen the Seva Foundation's Native American Diabetes Prevention Program .

I choose to eat more labor-intensive food (i.e. unprocessed things I cook myself) when I can, in order to avoid this conglomerate of poor farming/poor economics/poor health. The trade-off is simple; it takes time I don't have and money I don't have to do so. No wonder so many people are having trouble with their diets.

One interesting "global" solution would be adopting the Slow Food style of dealing with digestion. Another would be to walk more. But as the authors of these studies demonstrate, this message "calories in - energy out" - is very hard to get across, even to the "converted." Even if you've been well educated, the pace society requires does not reward your efforts a lot of the time. This isn't all doom and gloom, however. If you've attempted to live with even a little more "cruchiness" in your life, you are probably doing a lot more good than you realize.

Mott Street Sugarstorm or Why I Should Always Carry Glucose

2006-03-21T21:15:00.000-05:00

VS

Standing at a Quest Diagnostics counter in Chinatown I have a realization. There is no way in hell that the receptionist's estimate of a 30 minute wait is possible. The people in the waiting room are even sitting slowly, somehow, and some über-stylista is having trouble with her forms while she tries to call Quest on her cell phone and rudely yells at the over-worked receptionist at the same time....I have 45 minutes.....I start feeling a little low....ugh. This was one of my precious 45 minutes, one that won't come again for days, one that I already resented wasting in a waiting room and was now going to waste on NOT getting the test I needed in that waiting room. Start feeling lower. I remember that I worked out a little more that usual (i.e. at all) at the gym this morning. OK, I think, I'm outta here. I go downstairs to that strange curvy part of Mott. I need sugar. I ate my tube of InstaGlucose and forgot to replace it last week. I search between the dangling good luck dogs and knock-off toys. My brain on glucose would know what I was looking at, but I am feeling dizzy and dazzled by the tchokes. I don't know what any of this stuff is! My glucose-free brain is confused; is there candy in that store? in that one? is that candy? is that???? Finally I see an enourmous red smoothie thing at an ice cream shop. I order it, I drink it. I walk away. Eww. Eww Eww Eww. In one more block I realize I was right next to a store with juice. JUICE! Insta-glucose "1", random candy "0."

Sugar Culture

2006-03-18T15:40:00.000-05:00

I am constantly debating how to create the appropriate "Sugar Culture" in my house. The extremes, perhaps: Anything goes just bolus 'till you drop or Alexandra Jamieson's (girlfriend of Super Size Me's Morgan Spurlock) organic, caffeine-free, animal liberation inspired, sugar-free, millet-popping herbal tea bonanza. We fit somewhere inbetween, being vegetarians, but the sugary edges are blurry, and I wonder how influential a young child's diet is on their future habits and health. It is undeniable however; families adopt an attitude towards consumption that kids follow. Sometimes it bleeds into other realms; material objects, environmental stewardship, cultural diet, etc. Being a type 1 diabetic, I've tried to be neutral about sugar some days, I rage against its chemistry the next, decide its worth the bite now and again on other days.

Web pediatrician Dr. Green's article on sugar and kids is annoyingly uncommitted: "The effect of sugar intake on children's behavior is a hotly debated topic in pediatrics. Parents and educators often contend that sugar and other carbohydrate ingestion can dramatically impact children's behavior, particularly their activity levels. Physicians, on the other hand, have looked at controlled studies of sugar intake and have not found hypoglycemia or other blood sugar abnormalities in children who are consuming large amounts of sugar."

Everything is good in moderation, including moderation, they say. But is there reason to ban things from the house (such as high fructose corn syrup). How have you managed to "contain" the madness? Have you had your cake and eaten it too??

How Do You "Do It On The Road?"

2006-03-12T21:11:00.000-05:00

Here are the contents of my emergency kit. Now all I need is an instant shrinking machine. How do you stuff it all away while still holding onto The Lorax, the stuffed hedgehog, one small mitten and an unsatisfactory assortment of broken crayons? If you are a diabetic Mom, you probably have some tricks up your sleeve...share them!

The Evil Genius figured it out...

2006-03-11T21:52:00.000-05:00

I've let my daughter play with my Minimed pump before, thinking that she shouldn't be told it was completely strange and off limits. I assumed that she could not push the buttons in the right order to deliver an unintended bolus. But eventually I knew that day would come.....I caught her just in time. She's also figured out when my blood sugar is low, and which types of sugar will help it get better ("Remember you said chocolate won't help mommy...") I remember when she would wear a block in her back pocket and talk about wanting a pump one day, but these days are over.

Speaking of which, I am wondering if any Moms/Dads out there have screened their children for Type 1. I learned of the two methods on 'genetichealth.com's' Amy Adams article recently; Does anyone have an experience to share about this?

If a child has a parent or sibling with Type 1 diabetes, they are at about 15 times higher risk than the general population for developing the disease. There are two tests a doctor can use to find out if a child has inherited a high risk for diabetes. However, because knowing a child's risk does not help doctors prevent the disease, the American Diabetes Association only recommends using these tests in children who have a parent or sibling with diabetes and who are entering to a scientific study that requires the information.

HLA Typing
Certain genes in the HLA (human leukocyte antigen) region of the genome can increase a person's risk for developing diabetes. These genes make proteins that are located on the outside of some immune cells. Doctors can screen a child's immune cells to determine which form of the HLA proteins are present. If the child has high-risk forms of the protein Â— called DR3 and DR4 Â— that child has a higher than average risk of developing Type 1 diabetes.

Antibody Screening
In Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreas cells. When the immune cells attack the pancreas, they make proteins called antibodies that are designed to fight against pancreas tissue. These antibodies are present as much as eight years before the onset of diabetes. If doctors find these antibodies, the child is at higher risk for developing diabetes than the general population.

An Almost Stunner - Most Connected Diabetic Mom on Earth Shares Her Experience

2006-03-03T21:18:00.000-05:00

Diabetes Talkfest had a chat with Nicole Baker Johnson, Ms. America 1999, the transcript is here: Nicole Johnson Chat . Her comments were generous and interesting, but I was most interested to learn that she had trouble finding a Dr. that could help with the pregnancy details. When I had trouble getting more medical advice than "keep your sugars in control!" I was sure it was because I hadn't enough connections, but if Nicole Johnson had to search for more that 3 minutes, it must be a tough job. I would love to find out more about the studies she became involved with. Check out her website for updates.

Type 1 Meeting - Isolation Over!

2006-02-24T18:54:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday night I experienced my first NYC type 1 meeting, and got to see the JDRF offices for the first time as well! It was a wonderful session, with David Weingarten, who is an IronMan triathelete and is starting a company that will help diabetics achieve fitness goals: Fitness for Diabetics. It was exciting to meet other diabetics, I think I've heard many times now that people can easily become isolated with this disease, and the palpable relief people feel at the JDRF walk, Type 1 meetings, etc. is new to me but a great thing to join in on.

Longest Living Type 1? Who Knew?

2006-02-05T16:17:00.000-05:00

Today's New York Times cover had a story about 2 diabetic brothers. click here for article While I cringed at learning that one is the oldest person to survive so many years with Type 1 (I didn't know it was so rare), it was never-the-less an encouraging article. The nod to hard work was well placed, and the optimism in tune. My younger brother was diagnosed at 7, and I at 16. I'm grateful to have been born later in the century, however, when blood testing and insulin pumps are available, and of course I hope to live to see a cure.

P.S. Check out diabetestalkfest.com's blog site: the divas
Here we are - electronic AND in real life....

Divabetics Laugh It Up

2006-02-05T15:52:00.000-05:00

I attended the most recent Divabetics event in New York - (www.divabetic.com). What a crazy night! While I didn't exactly get a make-over, it was fun to meet so many of the people I've talked to online at the event. Here is a place where I've found other Type 1's in New Yorker. If you are a New York, sign on!

Click to join typeIdiabetes

New York Times Series "Bad Blood"

2006-01-21T22:36:00.000-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/nyregion/nyregionspecial5/

It was painful to read the articles about living with Type 2 in New York. While most of the article's content was about Type 2, the difficulties with coordinating care and figuring out insurance certainly cross-over. I was excited to see the attention brought to the issue, but not encouraged that New York will aggresively fund new centers. That would be ideal, and why not put them downtown......

The Wabi Sabi Dream

2006-01-07T20:30:00.000-05:00

The dream is to find a place where I can house all of my "stuff" - infusion sets, instruction manuals, diabetic cookbooks, etc. A doctor that can understand how difficult it is to make appointments with my "diabetes team" when many other teams need my time (the family team, the school team, the building team, the public team) and to never have to think "I've lost site of the concept of doing it for myself." To combine a career, motherhood, and a healthy life sustainably.

So, if I keep that in mind, will I get closer, or should I scrap the whole idea get wabi-sabi about diabetes?? (Wabi Sabi Primer Here Live with imperfections proudly?

"Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. It is the beauty of things modest and humble. It is the beauty of things unconventional."

I don't know much about this newly popular trend (Wabi-Sabi) but it certainly sounds more realistic than the mode i was working in as a parent, as a diabetic, and as a person.

Happy Holidays!

2005-12-23T12:12:00.000-05:00

Hello! Reporting blitz is going well - I am still trying to find a database software program that will allow me to do daily records that can be reported on - FOR MACINTOSH!@!!#&*()_*&^%$#. I've managed to get Excel to do most of what I want, but I may have to delve into programming...Anyway, I hope you all have a great holiday. I survived the sugarstorm once again, making gingerbread houses and such with my daughter, not feeling too deprived (its a great project for diabetic parents because they don't taste so great....!) Take care everyone, see you in the new year.

Software for your busy life

2005-12-01T15:09:00.000-05:00

Have you tried the sites on: http://www.mendosa.com/software.htm. I have found a few really good logbooks there, but usually end up modifying them to make sure it includes my other medical and family issues. Anyone feel like they have the perfect system? In an ideal world, I would be able to add note and numbers to a book while covering all the other bases. I found that if I involve my daughter in the process, asking her to pick the colors, etc, then she lets me take the time to write my numbers in.

Thanksgiving Inspired Recording Binge!!

2005-11-27T18:13:00.000-05:00

Feeling like you need to count the carbs just one more time? During December, I think I am going to go on a recording binge - I usually wait until winter has really set in for this - but since keeping 100% vigilant with numbers and ratios isn't easy to do 24/7, perhaps I can call a Thanksgiving - to - Christmas number recording marathon. And if I keep it up?? What will I reward myself with? A trip....to.....hmmmmm.........

Imaginary Battles - Type 1 vs. Type 2

2005-11-27T18:03:00.000-05:00

Recently I heard some sad news about a friend's brother who died of several complications at a young age, including type 1 diabetes. After talking about other things, the brother and I had a conversation that I've heard several times now, about children with type 1 who have parents that have developed type 2. The sentiment? Rage! We all know, of course, that this another manifestation of "blaming the victim" and that no one can be blamed for developing a disease. As for the rage, I've heard it stated in many ways, but the idea is that the parent, friend, grandparent, etc. has brought the disease on themselves, while the child who gets diabetes was dietarily innocent when diagnosed. Do any of you have similar stories? The type 1 children feel angry about the complaints heard from a Type 2 diabetic about blood testing ("You know, they may tell you, I have to use that thing once a day!") I think the concept is fascinating, it seems a strange way to access the feeling that we (people who've had the disease since childhood) feel cheated. No one deserves diabetes.

I've hardly slept a wink...

2005-10-17T08:38:00.000-04:00

Children, chronic illness, working full time and living in NYC don't add up to a good night's rest. The solution? Try harder to get to bed early? Well, if you've tried it, you know it isn't easy, plus the "trying harder" part seems antithetical to the effort. Exercise? It works, but finding the time to do it regularly is not easy. I've tried opting for the multi-tasker's dream solution: do it all, just not that much of it all! Although the guilt I feel for not being able to do everything recommended is hard to overcome, I am trying to be satisfied with the idea that if everyday I'm trying at least one of the things on the list, I'll be OK. I try to exercise regularly, but sometimes that only adds up to once or twice a week. Going to bed early? Maybe three times a week if I'm lucky. Taking multi-vitamins? I can do that everyday. Eat a completely healthy diet? I'd say that if pizza's not completely healthy, then I get a good 6 days in. Check my basals, bolus ratio and correction ratio? On Sundays I try to sum up my week's numbers and re-adjust, it just isn't easy to do it everyday. All together that's not too bad. When I think of one thing at a time, I feel like I haven't done much, but when I add it all up, I get a little relief. And of course, if I've stayed up late to read Peter Pan to a hyper tornado sweetheart so that school will be fun tomorrow, I can forgive myself for not being able to do it all.

NYCIDDMDIY - If you know what than means, you are in the right place!

2005-10-13T09:41:00.000-04:00

I find that I either can't afford or can't stand a lot of the pump accessories. In addition, with kids grabbing and kicking at me all the time, I need stuff that is truly durable. After accidentally breaking my minimed clip 3 times, I gave up and started making my own! Here's how to make your own leg band - with your own style. NYCIDDMDIY stands for "New York City Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Do It Yourself!" So....go to it! Post your creations.

http://homepage.mac.com/kimchaloner/NYCIDDMDIY.html

Girls who wear glasses...

2005-10-09T20:10:00.000-04:00

Got a great suggestion from a friend who dealt with her mother's illness! I asked how she would handle it if her daugher was interested in getting her own pump when she gets older, and she suggested comparing the pump to my daughter's glasses - something you need to wear, but not too much to worry about. It worked like a charm. Instead of asking when she's going to get a pump like me, she asks me to make sure I have it whenever she puts her glasses on.

Work, Work, Work

2005-10-08T21:05:00.000-04:00

After a long day at work that involves paying attention to 120 children, then a long evening at home that involves somehow more attention paid to 1 child, I wonder how I ever get around to paying attention to myself! Needless to say, it ain't easy. I have a few things I do to make mental and physical space for myself. All parents have trouble finding time for themselves, I imagine that parents with chronic diseases that require their attention need more tips than most. One of the best tips I read was in the book "Diabetes Burnout." It suggested little things that make being a diabetic more tolerable. For example, I've tried to say to myself that I am "checking" my blood, not "testing" it - as a teacher I can see how using the word test adds a little pass/fail moment into the day that doesn't need to be there! Another great tip from "Diabetes Burnout" - slow down when you eat. After my daughter was born, my husband and I noticed that we gulped down our meals as if they were prison food, knowing that we were not going to last long at the dinner table without a spill, splash or scream! Well after our daughter got over this stage, we were still eating like hounds at a kill (of vegetables, but still). Now we try to consciously slow down, taste our food, etc. For more on this way of thinking, check out http://www.slowfood.com/ - an intelligent movement who's subtle message probably has a lot of meaning for stressed out diabetics.

Moms and Stress - Inducing Type 1 in Kids?

2005-10-07T18:06:00.000-04:00

An interesting new article (http://www.lifescan.com/diabetes/news/20051006elin021/) suggests that extreme stress in a Mother's life can induce an autoimmune disorder (Type 1). I have found that reducing stress, with my health and parenting, is incredibly tough. This article is inspiring me to move to Maine! At least it would be a bit less stressful. What do you think? To tell the truth, it seems misleading and incredibly negative to title in such a blaming tone - perhaps "Stress Reduction Could Reduce Incidence of Type 1?" Much better....

My Last Seizure, or Why I Got a Pump

2005-10-05T15:03:00.000-04:00

See previous post for "part 1" of this story! Entitled; "Yoga and the Homeless Diabetic."

Well, a fainting episode is one thing. Next, even after trying very hard to control my low reactions, I was soon to experience seizures. (see other posts, like Seizures and Why I Loved the Red Sox for 2 Minutes, for some hilarious, in retrospect, stories there.)

After having my daughter, I was still trying to keep my sugars low, and still experiencing too many reactions. When she was 4 months old, I'd had enough. I had to quit breastfeeding, it took too much unexpected sugar out of me. I had a seizure induced by a flu one night while my little cutie was vomiting all over the place and my husband, the lifeguard that day, had to get us both back on our feet. I woke up the next morning and started making phone calls. It took me months of fighting my health insurance company (via the various faxes, permissions, etc) to approve the pump, and thanks to a dedicated clinic endocrinologist, I was in the "Minimed" program as of Dec. '01. Ever since, I've felt like my life is much safer, much more predictable. Not entirely, but better is better.

The Bake Sale

2005-10-03T14:10:00.000-04:00

I would be interested to hear about your attitudes toward diets in general. For example, I find myself wanting to make whole-wheat cookies and low-sugar treats when I'm called upon to make my daughter a bake sale item. Not just for her, but for the whole darn world! America is fat, they say! Once I've gotten on this self-righteous bandwagon, the gig is up. That is a bit exaggerated, but when you see the plate of healthier snacks drying out in the late summer sun, you wonder why you don't just indulge and make butter cookies with macadamia nuts and chocolate chips. Are you finding that you have the urge to cure the world?

Background Info: Seizure Number One, or Why I Loved the Red Sox for 2 Minutes

2005-10-02T19:34:00.000-04:00

There's a long lead-up to this story, but the short version goes like this: I eat a huge dinner (Thai food) and have a long walk. I must have miscalculated something somewhere - the walk? the rice noodles? I get sleepy after dinner. Then I realize I can't move. I'm conscious, but I can't move. I've landed on the couch, and I can't say anything, or move my muscles.....eventually I'm in the hospital, and I am still listening to the people around me organize to revive me. I'm stunned by the whole process, and frustrated beyond belief that my body's stopped working.

There were two attending physicians at the time, young guys having a laugh while they worked on their "unconscious" patient. They start arguing about baseball, and whether or not Boston's had a 'chance.' This is 1999. The Doctors are funny, but to them I was just another wacko in a NYC emergency room. No reason to keep me in the loop, right. I desperately wanted to communicate but my mouth wouldn't move.

To tell the truth, I have usually been a Yankees fan, but I spent my summers in Boston and as the Glucagon kicked in....instead of saying who I was or what my condition was....I shouted "I'm From BOSTON!" The doctors had a good laugh. They had no idea I was listening.

Background Info: Yoga and The Homeless Diabetic

2005-10-01T19:24:00.000-04:00

I have so many funny, sometimes bittersweet, stories to tell about reactions. This one is the one the put me on the road to getting an insulin pump. Before I was married, I decided to take Yoga classes to get a little exercise. I was under the mistaken impression that it wasn't at all aerobic, and that I was going to just "stretch" a lot. I ignored being tired after class, thinking it was the cumulative effect of a long day, not the rigorous workout. I took classes at a truly lovely spot in Brooklyn, and I was terribly impressed with the teacher. I didn't want to do anything wrong, I wanted to be "in the moment," etc. Well, during one great session, I started to loose track of what was going on with my body. I ignored the signals. I just thought, "breath." My teacher asked if I was ok, and I said, "sure!" thinking my problem was totally internal, a matter of mood. ------------then I wake up surrounded by people, and I see my local homeless liquor store loiterer giving my teacher some juice. I drink it. I come too. What just happened? Well, it turned out that this man, whom I'd walked by many times every day, was also a type one diabetic. Someone in the class knew this, and went to get him for help. He instructed my teacher in how to handle the reaction, and Viola, he was gone. I tried many times after that to buy him a meal, get him some new shoes, keep him company. But like the fable this experience seemed like, he refused my help. He nodded hello, sympatico, but wouldn't take anything from me. It taught me a lot.

Screening Children for Type 1

2005-09-24T13:14:00.000-04:00

Physicians recommend that children and silblings of type 1 diabetics get screened for evidence of the disease. Have any of you had your children screened? At what age? How did they respond to the process? I am very curious about the best way to approach this. Thanks for you ideas!

Kid: "I hope I get diabetes when I grow up." Mom: "Uhhhhh"

2005-09-21T18:48:00.000-04:00

I began looking for an online group when my daughter decided that she wanted to be a diabetic. While this was mildly flattering, it concerned me that I wasn't prepared to explain diabetes to her. She has recently become aware of my blood sugar status and I have been hoping to hear more about how other fathers and mothers have coped with this.

Type One Moms

2005-09-21T18:21:00.000-04:00

Dear Type One Moms,

I am hoping to create a space to talk about the unique issues type 1 parents face, particularly those who have had diabetes since childhood and who have been learning to manage sharing their healthcare with a family. I chose the name Sigwrstorm (sugar storm in Welsh) because it reminds me not only of the way I sometimes feel when things get overwhelming, but it also describes the world my non-diabetic child lives in. Looking forward to reading your ideas - learning when I'm lucky, teaching when I'm able.

Tsunami Effect

2005-09-12T09:11:00.000-04:00

While I usually have problems with low blood sugar, highs are occasionally in the picture. Last night, I must have had a site problem; I became extremely lethargic so I whipped out the meter - 425????? It had been 65 before I changed my site that afternoon so I assumed it was in an old scarred up spot where I used to do injections. I changed my site and bolused but woke up high still, 295. I thought, I am in a hurry, I'll give myself one more bolus and see how it does - within 15 minutes it was down to 179, I was feeling like crap due to the intense swing. How does parenting fit in? This was all happening while I was getting my groggy kid ready for school. My options were to stop everything and hang out at home until I "settled" or keep going and assume things would sort themselves out. I imagine that many parents feel reluctant to stop their child's routine for their issues, but sometimes they should when their care is so important. The compromise - interruption - inconvenience, etc is a tough one to call. Any similar experiences out there?