Sleeping Over with Diabetes

The dreaded sleepover; it can be a d-parent's biggest fear. Putting your trust in another parent, let alone one who doesn't know your child as well as you do, can be scary. Terrifying in fact. At the same time, Dylan having as normal a life as possible is critically important to me. I have always made it a rule to never let diabetes get in the way of his doing anything and this has forced me to relinquish a bit of control and trust him to take responsibility for his diabetes when I am not with him.

Sleepovers were one of the last things I allowed. For years, I would permit friends to sleep at our house, but the idea of Dylan staying somewhere else was simply not an option for me. Even his dad's house and grandparents' houses frightened me. Over time, however, as he has become more and more responsible with his own diabetes care, my trust in him has increased accordingly.

His first few sleepovers at friends' houses were with his best friend, who lives a block away from us, and whose parents are very familiar with diabetes and Dylan's care. They know to remind him to test frequently, they know how to treat his lows, and they recognize his low symptoms. And when they're not sure about something, they call or text me. In short, I am comfortable when Dylan is at their house.

Last Friday night, on the other hand, marked the first time I've allowed him to sleepover at the house of a friend whose parents (in this case a single mom) I don't know well. Dylan desperately wanted to stay there, and though every part of my being wanted to say no out of fear, I really had no rational reason for denying him this privilege, so we came up with a plan. Dyl was to text me every few hours with bg readings, especially before eating anything, and if anything was out of the ordinary, we would address it, and bring him home if necessary.

I dropped him off at 4:30pm, with a blood glucose level of 6.2 mmol/l. His pre-dinner text revealed that he was 5.1 mmol/l, and another text before bed showed he was 7.8 mmol/l/. At home, we would bolus for 7.8 mmol/l, if it was at any time other than before bed, as that's a tiny bit high for my liking. But we've always kept a marginally higher "acceptable" range for bg readings immediately before bed because Dylan has had nighttime hypoglycemic seizures in the past, though not in years. His nighttime bg levels have been very steady as of late, and he wakes up if his sugar nears 4.0 mmol/l, so I let him skip the middle of the night test for the sleepover. Yes, I really other parents would think I'm crazy for skipping a 2:00 am check, but with no variation in activity for the day, and bg readings steady for the previous few days, I felt confident that he would be fine. An early morning text showed a bg of 9.0 mmol/l, which he followed with a breakfast bolus for the french toast he was about to eat, and an insulin correction for the 9.0 mmol/l, all on his own. That's my guy; a true rock star when it comes to managing his diabetes.

So am I more comfy with sleepovers now? Not a chance. Yet baby steps are getting us there slowly but surely.

Full Circle

What do 23 months, blood and urine tests, an echo-cardiogram, full allergy testing, a pediatric urologist, cardiologist, and 2 allergists give you? In our case...nothing. Since Spring 2011 we, with the help of Dylan's endo, have been trying to determine what is causing him edema in his face, hands, feet, and sometimes stomach and we are no closer to figuring it out now, than we were 23 months ago, except for knowing what it's NOT.

A round of blood and urine testing revealed it's not his thyroid, nor is it a simple hormonal or nutritional issue. The kidney ultrasound and additional urine testing told us that Dylan's kidneys are in perfect condition. Great news considering we're now 7+ years living with diabetes, but not getting us closer to an answer. The echo-cardiogram revealed Dyl's heart is functioning properly, so it's not a matter if poor circulation. And the 2 allergists agree that Dylan has NO allergies, even minor. He was tested for everything, including foods, and no reaction whatsoever. And it's not celiac or angioedema. For more details on the tests we've endured so far, click here.

His endocrinologist is now out of ideas; she's eliminated everything that can cause edema. Could it be hormones due to the possible onset of puberty? Dylan is almost 13 after all, but he's had this edema for almost 2 years...

The second allergist that we saw, just last week, said that some of us carry a higher than normal amount of protein in our blood and that it can cause edema in the extremities. It's not an indication of a kidney problem, it's just something unexplainable that some people have. She was not overly concerned about it, and gave us yet another lab requisition to have Dylan's protein levels measured at various times over the course of a day. So that's next, and hopefully it will give us some answers.

Big Blue Test!

It's back! Once again, the Diabetes Hands Foundation is running the Big Blue Test, from Oct 14th to Nov 14th. Participate and help those around the world with diabetes in need.

How Does it Work? Simply test your blood sugar, exercise for 14-20 minutes, test again, and fill out the super-simple form on the Big Blue Test website. It's that easy! Don't have diabetes? No problems, simply track your exercise only!

Why? The average person participating in the Big Blue Test sees a reduction in their blood glucose level of 20% after 14-20 minutes of exercise. And if that's not enough reason to get you motivated, how about this? Every test gets the Diabetes Hands Foundation one step closer to their goal of 20,000 entries.And if they achieve 20,000 entries, Roche Diabetes Care will donate $100,000 to organizations that provide supplies and services for people with diabetes in need.

Quick, easy, and effective. This is a no-brainer. Test today. Test every day between now and November 14th.

Trends Don't Lie

Up and down, up and down. Just when I think I have pump rates set so that "in range" is a reasonable goal for the immediate future, diabetes goes and changes everything again. Call it Murphy's Law, call it karma, call it whatever you want, I call it living with diabetes. At it's best, it's manageable; at it's worst, it's a roller coaster, but it's always uncontrollable. And the more we try to control it, the more elusive that control becomes.

After some pretty decent bg readings for most of September, we have seen some consistent highs for the first half of October. And not "high" highs, which are so much easier to correct, in my opinion, with a nice, big, well-measured bolus. No, we've been dealing with what we call "low" highs in our house - those pesky high blood sugar levels that don't appear to be have an obvious cause. The ones that hover just a little above the "ideal" range; too low to continually correct, to high to ignore. The 11's were our battle for Thanksgiving. Not just one, not two, not even three, but a solid 48 hours of blood glucose readings ranging from 11.0 mmol/l (198 mg/dl) to 11.5 mmol/l (207 mg/dl). Furthermore, Dylan felt fine. He didn't feel high and wasn't showing any symptoms of hyperglycemia. It didn't seem to matter what he ate, or how many times we corrected the highs, the next reading was another 11. We changed infusion sets, tried a new vial of insulin, double checked against multiple meters and the result was still the same...11s. It became a bit of joke with Dyl after a while, as he'd test and then say to himself, while waiting for the number to appear on the meter screen, "anything but 11."

What does one do in that situation? Personally, I am always hesitant to adjust basal rates because so many things can cause a temporary increase in blood glucose levels. Maybe Dylan was under a bit of stress, or fighting the early stages of a virus. Perhaps he had a decreased amount of exercise for that 48 hour period. Or maybe it's the beginning of puberty - something I've been dreading, from a diabetes standpoint, for a while now. The point is, it's so hard to determine what causes a rise in bg, that basal adjustments are not always the best answer.

So I did what I usually do in this situation, after I've tried the obvious solutions (bolus, increased water, bout of exercise, infusion set change, new insulin, different meter) and haven't seen success - I look to the numbers to tell me. After all, numbers don't lie. And while a single number, or even a day's worth of data, can't always provide a clear picture, trends over time can reveal a lot. So I sat down at the computer, uploaded the last two weeks of pump data, and stared long and hard at the information, looking for trends, patterns, or anything that would shed light on the situation. Sure enough, I quickly discovered a number of problems. Twice during the day, for the past 2 weeks, Dylan's bg levels had been quite elevated (prior to the 2 days of 11's). It was always at the same time each day, and always a similar level of elevation. So I increased the basal rates for the few hours prior to those 2 times, in the hopes that it would help to curb the spike.

I then texted the endocrinologist to let her know that I had uploaded new data, and increased two of Dylan's six basal rates. I also asked if could she please let me know if any other changes were required. Yup, after almost 7 years of parenting a child with diabetes, I still ask the endo about every change to pump settings. And I probably always will.

10 Diabetes Goals for 2012

Yesterday I posted about some personal goals I have for 2012, and today I want to highlight some of our d-goals for this year. After all, this a diabetes blog.10 goals in a nutshell...

1. Test more often.

2. Get Dylan's A1c to below 7.5, or at least closer to it.

3. Start using a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS).

4. Become more knowledgeable about the glycemic index and post-prandial blood sugar.

5. Connect with more d-moms and d-dads, and hopefully meet up with some!

6. Continue to spread awareness by participating in the Cyclebetes National Relay, this time going coast to coast!

7. Test more often.

8. Know that while diabetes is a part of our life, it does not define us.

9. Do my best and know that is enough. Dwelling on the bad numbers will only drive me crazy.

10. Test more often...did I mention that one already? 

World Diabetes Day 2011 ~ Open A Book

Open a book. Point to a page. Free write for 10-15 minutes on that word or passage.

Today has been an emotional day. It is World Diabetes Day, and the anniversary of Frederick Banting's birthday and I have found myself thinking about diabetes constantly today. Yes, diabetes occupies my thoughts for a large portion of every day, but today it's different. Today my focus has strayed from the typical worry about Dylan's blood sugar levels and carbohydrate intake, to an overwhelming feeling of gratitude towards the  man who discovered insulin, and thus subsequently saved my son's life. Without Banting, Dylan would not be alive today. Period.

So I thought it fitting to choose a passage from a book about Banting for today's prompt. I am currently reading "Breakthrough; Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle" by Thea Cooper and Arthur Ainsburg. I am only about halfway through the book, but I flipped ahead and picked a passage, that I believe is perfect, for today's post. The passage describes the conversation between Banting and Hughes the first time they meet. Banting is performing a basic medical examination of Hughes, then 14 years old, and she, in her precocious manner, is asking him more questions than he is of her. Approximately halfway down page 197, the text reads, 

Banting dragged the chair from the desk over to the examination table. He turned it around and sat on it backward, resting his arms over the back. He looked seriously at Elizabeth.

"How do you feel generally?"

"Hungry."

"Besides that."

"Thirsty."

"How long have you felt this way?"

"Three years and nine months." Elizabeth turned serious for the first time during the examination.

"You look sick but you don't act sick. Why is that?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and leveled her gaze at the young doctor. 

"Dr. Banting, have you ever known something, just known it in your bones? And even though everything may seem to point to the opposite, you still know it's true?"

"As a matter of fact I have."

"Really?"

"Truly."

"Well I know that I am going to get better. Do you believe me?"

"Yes, I do."

"Really?"

Banting nodded solemnly.

"Then you're the first one ever."

A mere minute or two later, Banting proceeded to inject Elizabeth with her first ever insulin shot. The first of over 42,000 such shots she would receive in her lifetime; more than anyone on earth at that time.

The honesty and simplicity of this passage speaks to me. Not only as a mother of a child with type 1 diabetes, but as a human being, because against all odds, even after living on a starvation diet for over three and a half years, Elizabeth believed in her recovery. And, perhaps equally important, so did Banting. There was never a doubt in either of their minds that the newly discovered treatment would work. They had so much hope, and it paid off.

Diabetes is a scary disease. It can be terrifying at times, but I can't help but think about Elizabeth and how she must have felt in those first few days of treatment, as she rapidly gained weight and began to eat foods forbidden for the previous three and a half years. She believed in Banting. So did her parents, and soon after so did the thousands of other children and adults living with diabetes.

Fast forward to today, over ninety years later. We are still using the same basic treatment for type 1 diabetes and it's still working. Still saving lives. Every single day.

Thank you Frederick Banting, and happy birthday.

Automatic Low Glucose Suspend Pump

I am going to deviate from the #NHBPM prompt for today and write about something new and exciting that's happening in our family!

Until recently, the phrase Low Glucose Suspend, or LGS, would have been a thing of the future; a feature I'd love to have on Dylan's pump, but didn't. Well, that is about to change. Today I started the process of upgrading Dylan's pump, as the 4 year warranty on his current pump has just expired. 

Dylan currently wears the Minimed Paradigm 522 and he loves it. It's super easy for him to use on his own and it fits with his lifestyle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that Minimed is a superior pump or anything. We have simply never tried anything else and considering Dylan does most of his diabetes care himself, it's easier to stay with what works for us, rather than switch to something different. I have looked at other options, but the new Minimed VEO just can't be topped for me. This new pump, available in Canada and Great Britain, but not yet in the United States, has a feature unlike any other pump: it has a low glucose suspend option. And when you have a type 1 child who is prone to hypoglycemic nighttime seizures, this feature is music to my ears.

So how does it work? Basically, you program your target zone and if your blood sugar level falls to the bottom of this zone (or below the target zone), the pump automatically suspends insulin delivery for 2 hours. Now clearly there are few things wrong with this. First, 2 hours may be more time than needed, but if that's the case, you can manually restart insulin delivery. Second, blood sugar may continue to fall after insulin suspension because of the amount of active insulin already in the body. Third, it is definitely not a replacement for nighttime blood sugar testing; I will continue to test at night no matter what. Albeit the system is not perfect, it sure is a heck of a lot better and more advanced than anything else on the market today. And if it can help to prevent Dylan's nighttime seizures, then I'm a very happy mama.

Stay tuned as I report back in a few weeks once we have the new pump and have been using it for a while!

And for more information on the Minimed Paradigm VEO, visit their website.

Truths and Lies

Tell us 3 things that are true about you, your condition, your Health Activism, or your life. Now tell us 1 lie. Do you think we will be able to tell the difference?

I've decided to just keep it simple today and go with 3 truths and 1 lie about Dylan and his diabetes.

1. Dylan has had 4 hypoglycemic nighttime seizures since he was diagnosed with diabetes.

2. Dylan is a Youth Ambassador for JDRF and has also done promotional work for the Canadian Diabetes Association and for Accu-chek.

3. At the age of 10, Dylan is able to do his own infusion set changes and pump refills all by himself. I supervise but he does it all on his own.

4. Dylan is 1 of 3 people in our extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc) who has type 1 diabetes.

I'll let you figure out which statements are true, and which is false!

A Health Activist's Dreams

Don’t restrict your imagination here – because they say if you dream it you can achieve. it. Imagine money is no longer an option. And now you’re able to really accomplish your biggest, grandest, and most fabulous Health Activist goal. What is it? How can you [now] get there? Does your biggest dream goal focus on awareness, a cure, treatment, access, or a combination of other things? Now, quickly, before we get lost in dreamland – let’s bring our aspirations back down to size. How much of this can you accomplish now, in a year, in five years?

So many ideas, it's hard to choose just one. One of my goals would obviously be to find a cure for diabetes. Another goal would be to ensure that every person in the world with type 1 diabetes have access to insulin. Or even loftier, that every person with type 1 diabetes have an insulin pump and CGMS, and access to the same care, regardless of income. But I think for today's purposes, I'm going to start closer to home and focus on awareness. 

There are too many people who simply do not understand diabetes; there is so much misunderstanding and lack of knowledge/information that as a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes it can get very frustrating, to say the least. As a teacher myself, I believe that the best way to combat ignorance is with education, so that it my dream goal: to educate everyone about diabetes. Every member of society needs to know that diabetes is not self-inflicted, and not a result of poor diet or lifestyle choices. They need to know that insulin is a life saving drug that is necessary to stay alive; that every human being requires insulin but that a diabetic does not produce any/enough to maintain stable blood glucose levels so they need to inject insulin into their bodies multiple times per day via syringes, or continuously via an insulin pump. They need to know that diabetes is random; it is not hereditary, and can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, or sex. They need to know that diabetes is not something one outgrows and that insulin is NOT a cure. They need to know these things so that they can be part of the solution; part of the ultimate goal: a cure.

So how do we get there? Well, we're already on our way. Each and every diabetes advocate is helping to do their part to spread awareness. We are educating people, sometimes even one at a time. I have been advocating for diabetes since my son was diagnosed almost six years ago, but I want to do more and I have an idea as to the "how."

For the past 2 years I have been involved with an organization called Cyclebetes (recently changed to Cycle4) which promotes awareness of type 1 diabetes through cycling events. They have a number of different programs, ranging from small, school based spin-a-thons, to mid-length community rides, to long distance cross country team rides. I have ridden as part of the National Relay team in 2010 and again in 2011, and plan to ride again next year, but I would like to get way more involved with the organization and help them take it to the next level. I'd like to see way more spin-a-thons, community rides across the country, and celebratory events in each major town/city as we ride across the country. I'd like to see media support of all of their events, and lots more corporate sponsorship. This is how I'd like to get the message out.

For previous Cyclebetes posts, see: Delivering on a Promise, Cycling to Find A Cure, Cyclebetes National Relay 2011, The Countdown is On, Cyclebetes Live Updates During the Ride, Cyclebetes Day 1, Cyclebetes Day 2, Cyclebetes Day 3, Cyclebetes Day 4, Conquering Fear.

5 Things That Changed My Life

5 in honor of the 5th. What are 5 things that have changed your life? Were they events? People? Succinct moments or things that progressed over time? Feel free to write a few things that changed your life as a patient, caregiver, or Health Activist and how.

5 things that have changed my life as a health advocate. Easy...

1) Dylan's type 1 diabetes diagnosis, November 21st, 2005.

Would I be a diabetes advocate if I didn't have a type 1 child to advocate for? I doubt it. I mean, yes I have a marketing background and used to work in the public awareness and fundraising industry for various different non-profits, but my advocating now is personal. From the moment Dylan was diagnosed almost 6 year's ago, I have done everything I can to spread awareness and help find a cure for type 1 diabetes.

2) The insulin pump

Not a lot to say that hasn't already been said by others. Next to the discovery of insulin itself, the insulin pump is the greatest invention ever for those with type 1 diabetes. We functioned okay before having a pump, but Dylan's diabetes is much better managed and his blood sugar levels are much more stable now than they ever were on MDIs. I love his pump. Literally.

3) JDRF and Cyclebetes

Two great organizations that have motivated and encouraged me to do as much as I can to make a difference. JDRF is a rock solid organization that is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with type 1 diabetes. Their staff are passionate about what they do, and truly care about the families they work with.

Cyclebetes (now named Cycle4) is a nonprofit organization that organizing cycling events ranging from school spin-a-thons to cross Canada rides. They promote awareness through physical activity and donate all of the money they raise to diabetes research.

4) A great diabetes education team

We have an awesome pediatric endocrinologist and an equally great diabetes educator/nurse. They are available for questions anytime and have been extremely helpful and supportive since Dylan's diagnosis.

5) The DOC

Where would any of us be without the ongoing help and unconditional support of the DOC?? A big thank you to everyone involved with the DOC.

My TV Show

The internet has become the go-to talent pool for Hollywood and the entertainment industry at large. What better way to get ideas than to see what’s already out there and piggypack? Well, in continuing with this trend – your blog, life, or community is being turned into a TV show.


When I first saw the prompt for today, I thought, "Uh-oh. My life or blog as a TV show? I don't think so, at least not one anyone would watch. My life is busy, but boring..."


But then I started thinking about different formats and lengths; reality vs drama, documentary vs feature film, and then it hit me: If my life was a tv show, it would have to be a telethon. And not a tacky telethon, but one of those weekend events sponsored by a national news channel. You know, the ones that bring in tons of celebrities to help raise money for a great cause. My telethon would run all day for two days and have a variety of different acts, interspersed with doctors, representatives from JDRF and CDA, advocates, diabetes educators, parents, and members of the DOC. Plus it would have stories the audience would connect with; real, practical stories told by people living with diabetes: men, women, kids, parents, siblings, caregivers, teachers. Anyone and everyone who has a story to tell about diabetes.


And that's it. No big production, no repeat airings, just one simple but effective telethon to raise awareness and funds for diabetes research.

"Excuse Me, Where is the Banting & Best Museum?"

Until recently, this questions went unanswered, as there was no museum dedicated to Banting & Best, the Canadian researchers who discovered insulin and forever changed the lives of millions of people around the world.

This week, however, that finally changed. The exhibit, entitled "Insulin: Toronto's Gift to the World," opened yesterday at the MaRS center in Toronto, Canada. It not only shows how the scientists discovered insulin, back in the summer of 1921, but outlines the continuing legacy of their work both in Toronto and around the world.

Those visiting the permanent exhibit can see a video, plus items from Banting and Best's laboratory, including scientific equipment used by the pair, as well as a collection of photographs, letters, and documents. There is even a selection of vials of insulin dating back to the 1920's.

Insulin vials from the 1920's to now

Banting and Best's discovery is one of the most important medical advances in history, and remains today one of the "most spectacular therapies that medicine has in its arsenal." (Bliss, The Discovery of Insulin). \

Banting won the Nobel Prize in October of 1923 for his incredible contribution to medicine, but creators of the exhibit hope that it will inspire a new generation of diabetes investigators to help find the ultimate grail: a true physiological insulin replacement.

For complete article, visit http://www.healthzone.ca/health/article/1076505--exhibit-celebrates-insulin-toronto-s-gift-to-the-world.

The Diabetes Coaster

We've all been there; the blood sugar highs and lows that are so extreme, it feels like riding a roller coaster. This past weekend we had an extended ride on the diabetes coaster. With highs up to 23.0 (414) and lows down to 2.2 (39.6), it was a wild wild ride, leaving both Dylan and I feeling exhausted and beat up this morning. 

I can't wait to upload all of the weekend pump data and have a good look at it tonight. But until then, this picture illustrates the weekend perfectly.

The Maze

Saturday adventures are one of my favorite things; I love to break out of my comfort zone and explore new places with my family. This afternoon we decided to take the kids out to a corn maze, which is literally a maze created out of corn stalks. Corn season is over here but the stalks remain until mid-October, so some farm owners cut paths into their corn fields, in the form of creative shapes and designs. The design that we tackled today was the Grey Cup 2011 logo (the championship event for the CFL, which happens to be next month in the city in which I live). Looks simple? I assure you, it is anything but...

The entrance and exit are in the same place, on the right hand side of the photo, near the buildings. Once you enter the maze you follow the paths in search of numbered posts, in order from 1-10. The first 8 we found very quickly, and I was starting to think we were pretty darn good at this! Then sign #9 took a little longer than the rest, and then we got totally stuck. Towards the top right corner of the maze is a lookout (1 of 2 lookouts in the maze) and from there we kept going around in circles, trying to find our way out. We tried every possibly path and turn (or so we thought) and yet kept returning to the lookout again. To add to our frustration, there was another family lost in the same spot, so every time we took the wrong path, we'd run into them, again, meaning that we were going the wrong way. The corn stalks are about 12 feet high and densely planted, so not only can you not see anything but the sky above you, you must stay on the path or you'll get really lost.

Eventually we found our way out, with the entire task taking us just under an hour and a half. It was loads of fun and a great way to get out in the fresh air and get some exercise with the kids (I love those activities in which the kids are having so much fun that they don't realize they're exercising!). But of course, me being a D-mom, kept thinking, what if Dylan was to get low while we're literally lost in a maze? Yes, I had dextrose tabs with me, and glucagon, but still, it was a very vulnerable feeling nonetheless...

The Unicorn ~ A Perfect Metaphor for the DOC

For some time now the Unicorn has been the metaphor for the DOC, so what a great surprise it was to see the unicorn featured on GLEE this week!

The show, entitled "I am Unicorn" opens with a conversation between Brittany (Heather Morris) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) in which Brittany is offering to help Kurt with his campaign to be student body president because she believes that he is "the biggest unicorn." Kurt, of course, doesn't understand her reference, so she explains the story behind the unicorn (keep in mind this is a 16 year old girl who still believes in Santa Claus). "When a pony has done a good deed he gets a horn, so he becomes a unicorn. Then he poops out cotton candy until he forgets he's magical and his horn falls off...The point is, a unicorn is someone who knows they're magical and isn't afraid to show it."

Albeit Brittany's explanation is a bit silly, I couldn't help but think what an accurate description it was for the DOC (Diabetes Online Community). Its members are truly magical, in the ways they support each other, are there for each other, and take care of each other.

I cannot think of a more perfect metaphor for the DOC.

The first part of the above mentioned episode is available below.

"Mom, What's Wrong With Having Diabetes?"

Watching "Biggest Loser" is a longstanding Tuesday night tradition in our household. My husband and I have faithfully watched the show since its early days with Bob Harper and & Jillian Michaels, through Jillian's departure after Season 2, her return for Seasons 4 to 11 (and corresponding rise to "fitness diva" as I like to think of her), and her departure again at the end of Season 11, to the current Season 12 with new celebrity trainers. It is a weekly family event in our house; sometimes our kids watch the first hour with us and then my hubby and I watch the second hour after putting the kids in bed. Other times we tape the entire 2 hour episode and watch it later in the week. The kids love to witness the contestants' extreme transformations and I love the healthy lifestyle message promoted by the show and its trainers.

With each new season we watch the new contestants face the grueling workouts, the dramatic weigh-ins, and the before and after health evaluations. Early in each season, all of the contestants undergo a full medical exam by "Biggest Loser" doctors, and some of the findings are shared on the show. Most, if not all, of the men and women are told that they have some kind of health condition as a result of their weight; for some its high blood pressure, for some its early signs of heart disease, for some its asthma. There is usually at least one contestant who is told they have diabetes (or that they show early signs of diabetes and will develop the disease unless they make some major changes to their diet and lifestyle).

Don't get me wrong, I love the show and I have the utmost respect for the colossal challenge that its producers and trainers have taken on. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in North America and if a big television network show with celebrity trainers and Cinderella-style weight loss stories can motivate people to make positive changes in their lives, then power to them! After all, every little bit helps, right?

Where I do take offense is when the show promotes incorrect and/or insufficient messages about diabetes. At least two contestants in this week's episode were informed by "Dr. H" that they had diabetes. There was no mention of what kind of diabetes, not even a brief explanation of what diabetes is. The doctor presented the information to the contestants as if it was a death sentence and with each diagnosis the receiving contestant began to cry. My son, upon watching the scene, asked, "Mom, what's wrong with having diabetes?" My heart broke at his question and my eyes welled with tears. Yes, diabetes is a scary, unpredictable, life-threatening disease. But there is nothing "wrong" with it, and there is nothing "wrong" with someone who has it. It is a manageable disease that does not prevent a person from doing anything. Furthermore, my type 1 diabetic son (as with all type 1's and many type 2's) does not have diabetes because of obesity, lack of exercise, or poor lifestyle choices, and there is nothing he, or I, can do to change it. And I know that Dr. H is referring to type 2 diabetes, just as I'm sure he knows he is referring to type 2 diabetes, so WHY CAN'T HE SAY THAT? Why promote ignorance when this show has the ability and the reach to educate millions of viewers? This is a great teachable moment that "Biggest Loser" has simply let go to waste.

Okay, end of rant for today.

For full info about the show, visit their website.

"Best of the 'Betes" Blogs

It's that time again, when we can nominate some of our favorite blogs from earlier this month for a "Best of the 'Betes" award! Sara, over at momentsofwonderful.com, has put together this great recognition system to highlight, honor and/or pay tribute to some of the month's top blogs in the following categories:

Best Use of Humor

Best Vlog

Best Recipe

Best Use of Photography

Best Advocacy

Best Reference to a D-Celebrity

Best Story of a D Meet-up

Best non-D Related Post

Best Post by a Type 1

Best Post by a Type 2

Best Post by a Type Awesome

Best Post by a LADA/ Type 1.5/ Not otherwise specified

Best story of a D-mistake

Best Motivational Post

Best Diabetes Art New category (Sept 2011)

Between the 21st and the 28th of each month send your nominations to bestbetesblogs@gmail.com and visit http://bestbetesblogs.com to see the winners!

"30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know"

I'm really excited to be participating in "Invisible Illness Awareness Week" for the first time. And while my responses are a week late (doh!), the process has been not only thought provoking and reflective, but cathartic.

1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 Diabetes. My son has type 1 diabetes, but our family lives with it each and every day.
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: Dylan was diagnosed November 21st, 2005, at the age of 4.
3. But I had symptoms since: About a week prior to diagnosis.
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Letting go of doing all of the diabetes care myself, and realizing that Dyl is responsible enough to start doing some of his own care. 
5. Most people assume: That we have Dyl's diabetes "under control" (man do I hate that phrase. There is nothing controllable about type 1 diabetes).
6. The hardest part about mornings are: Everything. Mornings are crazy in our house; diabetes simply adds an extra element to the madness.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House M.D. Love his sense of humor.
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Dyl's insulin pump. I never want to go back to syringes.
9. The hardest part about nights are: The worry. Need I say more? Every D parent knows EXACTLY what I mean...
10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins. Just insulin; lots and lots of insulin.
11. Regarding alternative treatments I:  Would try anything for a cure.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Invisible, I think. That's a tough question and I have mixed feelings on both sides.
13. Regarding working and career: I work on call (teacher) so that my schedule can be flexible.
14. People would be surprised to know: That it DOES get easier.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: The unpredictability. That one day everything can seem ok, and the next day diabetes kicks you in the butt.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: N/a. We have never let diabetes prevent Dylan from doing anything, and we never will.
17. The commercials about my illness: What commericals? They're all for type 2 diabetes...
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Leaving the house without all of the extra supplies.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: n/a, see #16.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: cycling to raise awareness and funds for type 1 diabetes. 
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: n/a, see #16. This is our "normal".
22. My illness has taught me: That life is the most precious gift we are ever given and needs to be cherished as such.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: oh boy, don't get me started, there are too many things people say about D that bug me...
24. But I love it when people: Understand what we're going through.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away."
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: You can do this and you are not alone.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: That we have never let diabetes define us, or stand in our way.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Listen.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I am passionate about spreading awareness about type 1 diabetes and will never give up until a cure is found.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: Grateful. Not alone. Understood.

"Stripless" Blood Glucose Meter: How Does it Work?

A few months ago, my family did a promotional video for Accuchek's new "stripless" meter, called the Mobile. Dylan absolutely loved the meter right away, and I was pretty amazed too, with its ease of use. I mean, let's be honest, those strips are messy, finicky, and just a plain nuisance. But how does the "stripless" meter work, you might be wondering? The Mobile has a cassette inside it, similar to an old music cassette tape popular in the 80's and 90's, only smaller. Inside it has a long tape that collects the blood samples and advanced itself each time you open the meter. Each cassette is good for 50 tests and costs slightly less than 50 strips.

Tonight when we were changing the cartridge, Dylan pulled out the tape in the used cartridge to see what it looked like inside. Pretty neat. So neat, in fact, that I had to take a quick picture and share it here! You can see that it's very long and has the blood collection sections separated by clear tape. For scale, the actual cassette (seen in the bottom left corner) is just under 2 inches tall.

For my original Mobile blog post, including the promotional video featuring Dylan and our family, click here.

*At the time of this post, the Mobile is available in Canada and the United Kingdom only.

To Fund or Not to Fund; the Shenanigans of the Alberta Diabetes Debate

Tuesday night I was watching my local 11:00pm news, reading a book while watching, paying limited attention to the stories until my ears perked up at the mention of the words "diabetes" and "insulin pump." I quickly found myself getting quite upset at the content of the story, so much so that I rewound the article twice to ensure that I had heard everything correctly. I then even hit record on the PVR so that I could re-watch the story in the morning with fresh eyes.

A bit of factual background presented at the offset of the article:
1) "Every 7 seconds somebody around the world dies of diabetes and that number is rising, even though the disease is largely preventable"
2) by the year 2030 there will be an estimated 5 million diabetes diagnoses
3) Diabetes is expected to rise 3% within the current decade
Now the story did not differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, but I am assuming (hoping) that point 1's reference to "preventable" was meant to describe Type 2 only, and that points 2 and 3 refers to all forms of diabetes, be it Type 1, Type 2, LADA, etc.

So here's the deal. In Canada, most provinces provide funding, at least in part, to help offset the outrageous cost of purchasing an insulin pump. They also help with the cost of maintaining the pump (including covering the cost of infusion sets and reservoirs. Sensor/CGM costs are not covered). In BC, where I live, this funding is a recent change, but a much needed one. The current issue involves the province of Alberta (next door to BC, and directly north of Montana) where the government has been debating whether or not they should join the majority of the other provincial and begin to cover insulin pump costs.

It all came to light Tuesday when the CDA (Canadian Diabetes Association) released a report stating that the Alberta gov't will not be providing any funding for insulin pumps, even though they have one of the highest rates of diabetes in the country. The reason stated by the government is that they would prefer to focus on "preventing diabetes" in the first place and that because type 2 makes up 90% of the diagnoses in Alberta, the government feels it's in their best interest to focus on prevention rather than treatment. The CDA has argued, and rightfully so, that over the next 20 years, an insulin pump program could save the province up to $10.8 million. 

The outcome: The Alberta health minister agrees that the statistics presented by the CDA are convincing and the government will continue to keep the issue "on its radar."

My questions for readers are twofold: What type of funding/subsidy options are there for insulin pumps where you live? And do you believe that the government should be responsible for helping families with the costs of an insulin pump and its supplies/maintenance?

Both the footage of the television segment, as well as the print article, can be found here: Alberta has high diabetes rate but won't fund insulin pumps.