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A Ghost In The Machine, Or Is It A Ghost Ate My Machine? Whatever, Who Cares, Where's My Damn Machine?



I'll admit it, sometimes I just get stupid - regardless of the blood sugar level.

Yesterday I was once again under the weather - trying to fight off whatever has been going around as of late. Wednesday was a roller coaster ride of blood sugars (something I'm not really used to) and I have to say, it got the best of me around 7 pm last night.

I was catching up with paper work, doing laundry, cleaning out my refrigerator (because today was trash day and something didn't smell quite right in there,) and taking mucho blood sugars to try and reach a normal level down so I could eat dinner.

Somehow, in all that activity - yours truly misplaced her B.S machine.

I looked everywhere and could not find it.

I tore the place apart. Over, under, and on the couch, between the cushions, on the table and counter tops, in the bed and bathroom, even in my walk-in closet. Nothing.

Finally, I eyed the trash I was about to take to the curb & remembered that I had just emptied out my fridge. "YUCK.” I put on some rubber gloves and fished through coffee grinds and milk cartons. NA-DA.

It totally disappeared - A ghost in the machine, or is it a ghost ate my machine? whatever, who cares? Where's my damn machine?

Now usually, I have a backup B.S. machine - just in case. Because you never know and my motto is "Be Prepared." Of course my backup happened to be in Jersey at my mothers, on the bathroom sink. Exactly where I left it two weeks ago.

I was hungry, tired from a long day, and tired from battling those pesky highs that up until that point, had been by my side all day.

Now, next week I see my Endo, who would give me a few blood sugar machines no problem, but I needed one now.

I started to get upset. Upset that I didn't feel well, upset that my blood sugars had been high, and upset that in rushing to do a million things, I had somehow managed to lose something so important to my well being.

My eyes started to fill with tears of frustration. I try so hard to take care of myself and be well. Usually I'm upbeat and Diabetes is really just an everyday part of who I am.

But tonight I was just so exhausted...I wanted to eat, relax, and get some sleep. I had cut my hand on Saturday and had to get stitches. They hurt (note to self, by an electric can-opener,) & I just wanted my life to be uncomplicated. "SNAP OUT OF IT KEL," I said out loud. "Find the funny. This is nothing but a minor inconvenience resulting from a very blond moment. This is totally fixable. Acknowledge it, get over it, and get on with it."

So I did. I put on my coat, jumped in my car, drove to the CVS and bought a hot pink One Touch Ultra Mini. Sleek, ultra thin, easy to use, and only $19.99. I also bought an electric can-opener.

15 minutes later I was back home, my blood sugar was damn near normal, and I was making some delicious spicy black beans with veggies and brown rice.

All was right with the world again and it could always be worse. ;)

2/1/08***UPDATE: found it! The sucker must have have slid off the couch and under the radiator behind the couch. I swear that things got a mind of its own or there really is a ghost in the machine!
Posted by Mr. Boy at 14.30, Add Comment
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6



Six more lost
Six more lives dimmed
Six more blue candles lit in their honor
Six more souls to pray for
Six more families who will never be the same
Six more people who lost their lives to type 1 diabetes this week.

Six who range in ages from 18 months to 57 years. Including an 18th month old who was misdiagnosed and died from dka, a 9 year girl in France who committed suicide by jumping out a 5 story window because she was tired of living with diabetes.
A 16 year old boy who I believe had dka, and three women ages 24, 27, and 57.
The 24 year woman lived in Australia and never woke up.
The 27 year old was a mother of two small children.
And this morning I found about the sixth - A 57 year old woman from the state of Washington whose name was Jamiyya Laner.

Six strangers to us in theory, but family members none the less because of diabetes.

Six too many.

Six more reasons why we need a cure.
Posted by Mr. Boy at 12.25, Add Comment
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Beta Blockers kill 800,000 patients in 5 years!

Beta Blockers kill 800,000 patients in 5 years!
"Beta Blocker drugs are well tolerated".

This is what my doctor told me in May 2007, meaning that they have few side-effects or adverse reactions. I wrote a blog about this here in 2010, and this is what I wrote at the time.

"Now, Beta Blockers have been found to cause fatal heart attacks, alongside SSRI drugs like Proxac, and Cox-2 pain-killers (research conducted by University of Rochester, New York, and reported in the magazine What Doctors Don't Tell You, April 2010). So I was being offered the usual ConMed deal - swop an illness with a more serious disease, and perhaps even death".

I declined the 'deal', and fought for homeopathic treatment instead. Now my heart palpitations are a thing of the past. Had I not done so it is more than likely that I would still be taking these drugs.

What concerned me at the time was that the NHS were not telling patients about the DIEs (disease/death inducing effects) of their drugs, or perhaps not even aware of them, even though Beta Blocking drugs had been around since the early 1960's.

"I will leave you to decide which is worse - that they (doctors) know about the DIEs and don’t tell us; or they don’t know or understand the workings of their own drugs after several decades!
Now, new research (mentioned in this WDDTY article, click here, and taken from the European Heart Journal (but quickly withdrawn apparently), demonstrated that Beta Blocker drugs have caused 800,000 deaths in just 5 years - including 10,000 from the UK alone.

"Patients undergoing surgery are routinely given a beta-blocker in order to reduce stress on the heart—but the research that led to the adoption of the practice was falsified, and doctors reckon that 800,000 people have died as a result.


The problem started following trials conducted by Don Poldermans, a cardiovascular researcher in Holland, who was later sacked for 'scientific misconduct' in 2011, as he was: 

"…careless in collecting the data for his research. In one study, it was found that he used patient data without written permission, used fictitious data and that two reports were submitted to conferences which included knowingly unreliable data."

Polderman's study had been used as supporting evidence for the use of beta blocker drugs in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Alone this would have been bad enough - falsified evidence about drugs leading to patient harm. 

But it took the European Society of Cardiology two years from the Polderman scandal to withdraw the beta blocker recommendation. As the Mercola article says:

"This is absolutely scandalous as nearly a half of a million people died unnecessarily due to the delay".

It would seem that within the conventional medical world patient safety comes a poor second to so-called 'scientific' research whose purpose is to recommend drug use for commercial Big Pharma profit! And even when fraud is discovered, patient safety appears to come a poor second to attempts to cover up that the fraud and corruption that appears to be rife within the conventional medical establishment.

In short, it would appear that the Conventional Medical Establishment is quite unable to protect patients from drug harm, and situations like this raise serious questions about their willingness and commitment to do so. 

I also find it quite incredible that the mainstream media never seems willing to tell their viewers, listeners and readers this kind of information. The media appears to place patient safety in second place to the financial interests of their main advertisers, and financial supporters.

I also find it quite difficult to understand why our government, and our politicians, appear to place patient safety in second place to Big Pharma investments in our economy, and goodness know what other financial incentives used to obtain compliance.

Silence from the NHS is perhaps more understandable. The NHS has become little more than a monopoly distributor of Big Pharma drugs and vaccines, its doctors no more than sales staff, tasked to distribute them to us - quite regardless of the harm they do.



Posted by Mr. Boy at 07.05, Add Comment
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A case of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

A case of Hidradenitis Suppurativa
CA is 43 years old, and she had suffered from Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), mainly in her groin area, for over 15 years. During that time she had a multiplicity of conventional treatment, including several operations to remove the lesions, a hysterectomy, and she said she had taken innumerable doses of anti-biotics. But nothing that conventional medicine did made the condition any better. Indeed, by the winter of 2010, CA said that she was worse than she has ever been.

HS is a chronic skin condition which appears primarily on the arm-pits, breasts, and groin. It is an inflammatory condition of the sweat glands, and the lesions are often deep-seated, and very painful nodules.

The hospital had told her there was no other treatment that they could offer her. And when she asked her GP for a referral to a homeopath she was refused (as normally happens in 'our' drug-oriented NHS).

So on a bitterly cold December day, in 2010, just over a year ago, CA came to see me, and we began the voyage to recovery. One year later, in December 2011, CA wrote this to me in an email.

"Isn't it fantastic that my body is learning how to deal with the hidradenitis! I'm over the moon".

What had caused this dramatic cure? The homeopathic remedy Elaps Corallinus, with a little help from Medhorrinum, a homeopathic nosode, and initially, some Penicillinum, to counter some of the anti-biotics she had taken over the years. 

Why this remedy? First, the remedy has been used successfully for this condition before. Second, CA's physical symptoms matched closely with the remedy description. But most important, CA told me during our discussion that "she liked her own company, liked isolation, and felt she was 'forced' to live in society". This matched descriptions of Elaps, the the Homeopathic Materia Medica - that people who needed the remedy had 'a desire for solitude'. When there is a close match between both physical and emotional symptoms, I have found that the remedy is usually successful.

And Elaps worked well from the beginning, although for a time it never cleared the condition completely, or prevented a series of 'relapses'. After all, this condition was 15 years old, and was by this time well established. It was not going to disappear overnight - not even with the power of homeopathy! We had to play around a little with potency; I thought she would respond best to high potency but she was best on repeated low-to-moderate potencies. Then, sometimes, the remedy did not work as well as we expected; something seemed to be 'getting in the way' - hence the use of one of the major miasmatic nosodes, Medhorrinum, to clear the path to allow Elaps to work better.

And gradually, the remedy did work. New lesions did not grow so big; they were not so painful, and they did not re-occur so regularly. Each time there was a relapse I asked CA to take either Medhorrinum or Elaps. 

And then, eventually, there was CA's comment - which came after my suggestion that she should see, with the next relapse, whether her body had learnt to correct itself without a remedy.

As a case example, this is not remarkable or even unusual. Homeopathy works powerfully once the 'correct'. closely matching remedy has been found. Yet many questions arise from it.

* Why did conventional medicine treat her for 15 years - entirely without success?
* Why did the NHS not refer CA to other medical therapies and treatments, even when she asked for this to be done?
* Why did the NHS refuse to pay for CA's treatment, especially when they had nothing else to offer her, and told her so?

Certainly, the NHS has failed CA. The blind commitment of the NHS to one type of medicine, even when that treatment does not work for 15 years, is a clear demonstration that the NHS has been taken over by a medical elite that have formed a medical monopoly. 

Moreover, it has created a medical monopoly that prefers patients to suffer rather than to open itself up to other medical therapies.








Posted by Mr. Boy at 09.04, Add Comment
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Peanut Allergy Treatment - another success for Homeopathy.

Peanut Allergy Treatment - another success for Homeopathy.
The BBC may have thought that by heralding the successful treatment of peanut allergy (30th January 2014) it was promoting the success of the conventional medical establishment.

However, the BBC were actually confirming that the homeopathic principle of "Like Curing Like" works. The BBC will be bereft once it realises that it has inadvertently broken its editorial policy of opposing and attacking natural CAM therapies, like homeopathy.

"Doctors say a potential treatment for peanut allergy has transformed the lives of children taking part in a large clinical trial. The 85 children had to eat peanut protein every day - initially in small doses, but ramped up during the study. The finding, published in the Lancet, suggest 84% of allergic children could eat the equivalent of five peanuts a day after six months".

It is good to see that the conventional medical establishment has, after more than 200 years, caught up with something Homeopaths have known, and been doing for all this time.

Whilst Homeopathy prefers to use peanuts in potency (high dilution), the researchers and doctors used small doses of peanut itself - which is not as safe as homeopathy, and probably produces results more slowly,

Clinical verification in Homeopathy and allergic conditions.

Of course, neither the doctors, the researchers, the Lancet, the BBC, or indeed anyone else has mentioned that this is 'homeopathy in action'. No doubt they don't want to admit it. And no doubt they will deny any suggestion that they are using Homeopathy in this treatment.

But if an animal looks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and behaves like a duck, it is probably a duck!

Likewise, a treatment that cures a condition by using a small dose of the substance that causes the condition IS homeopathy.

Yet homeopaths have long realised that by curing a peanut allergy, in this direct way, may not get to the cause of the individual's problem. As the American College of Homeopathy's website says:

"Homeopathy views nut allergy as an expression of a disturbance in the patient's immune system".

So deeper treatment is necessary - if the underlying cause of the allergy is to be cured. People with nut allergies often have allergies to many other substances, and homeopathy is adept at doing this. So whilst conventional medicine must be applauded in utilising homeopathic principles, it has a way to go before it catches up on the safety and effectiveness of homeopathy!

Posted by Mr. Boy at 06.08, Add Comment
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"Diabetesalicious Lite"- Totally Short & Some What Sweet. And Ironically - Bolus Worthy To Boot~

"Diabetesalicious Lite"- Totally Short & Some What Sweet. And Ironically - Bolus Worthy To Boot~
Happy Friday- I'M SO GLAD IT'S HERE!!!!

Today's post is totally "Diabetesalicious Lite"- totally short, some what sweet, and ironically, a bit bolus worthy too boot~ ;)

First: Please check out a post I wrote Called: "A Love Story Amongst The Islets of Langerhans" over at ACT1Diabetes. Let's just say it's a love story from a "pancre-o-logical" point of view.

ACT1Diabetes is a fantastic org for adult Type 1's and I was all types of happy when they asked me to write a post for them- take a look, I think you'll like it!!

Craving a Starbucks drink but not sure of the carb count? No worries, because it's no longer an issue.

When I stopped by my local Starbucks on Monday- I was craving a hot chocolate, BIG TIME.
But I was worried about the carb count and almost didn't order one. Then the Barrista pointed me in the direction of a handy-dandy little handout that Starbucks has at all their locations titled: Nutrition By The Cup.

It's awesome! Everything you need to know about every single solitary drink that Starbucks has to offer is in there. Including; All fat cholesterol; sodium, carb, calories, fiber, sugar, vitamin & caffeine information. I absolutely enjoyed my 2% Short Hot Chocolate & it's 26 grams of carb/chocolate goodness!

Like I said, this post is totally short and sweet - and BOLUS WORTHY!

Posted by Mr. Boy at 09.12, Add Comment
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The homeopathy denialists, and a 'mass overdose'

The homeopathy denialists, and a 'mass overdose'
There is to be an anti-homeopathy demonstration outside several Boots stores on Saturday (30th January). They are trying to prove that homeopathic remedies don't do anything, regardless of how much you take. This blog is based on a press release I sent to all mainstream news media outlets on behalf of the Alliance of Registered Homeopaths today.

"Homeopathic remedies are safe to take. You cannot ‘overdose’ on them. The demonstration by a small group of anti-homeopathy skeptics, perhaps more accurately described as ‘homeopathy denialists’, will have proved this point quite conclusively.

It is a pity the denialists know so little about the system of medicine they seek to denigrate. Whilst understanding they speak for the Pharmaceutical Drugs industry, any homeopath could have told them that homeopathy works only when there is a close similarity between the symptoms of the patient’s illness, and the known therapeutics of a particular homeopathic remedy.

If there is no match there will be no reaction.

The real question that needs to be addressed is not the safety of homeopathy, but why homeopathy is such an effective medical therapy, and why so many people throughout the world, and for over two centuries now, have used it with such success.

There are numerous high quality scientific studies that clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of homeopathy. The challenge facing the bona- fide scientific community is to discover why homeopathy is so effective.
Posted by Mr. Boy at 05.07, Add Comment
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Nearly 2 Million from 1 State...Not To Shabby

Nearly 2 Million from 1 State...Not To Shabby
2 million dollars - That's a lot of cash.

To put it into perspective:

2 million dollars would buy approximately 30,300 bottles of short acting insulin at the no insurance cost of $66 per bottle.

2 million dollars would buy 333 insulin pumps, assuming that the median cost of a pump is $6000.

2 million would buy 1,111 MAC BOOK Airs

2 million dollars is the cost of approximately 100,000 parking tickets for expired meter parking from the City of Philadelphia's Parking Authority. The cost of an expired meter ticket is approximately $20.00

2 million dollars is the amount of money that the Philadelphia/Bucks County Chapter of the JDRF expects to raise from their WALK TO CURE DIABETES.

Yesterday, I had the amazing opportunity to speak in front of, and be inspired by those teams who raised 1000.00 dollars or more.

I was in awe of these families. Not only did they "walk the walk," but they knocked on doors,; sent out letters, approached their employers for matching corporate funds,reached out to members of their communities and places of worship, recruited their children's teachers and classmates, not to mention family and friends. Those efforts payed off BIG TIME .


87% of those dollars go directly towards funding research for a cure.

The Top Fundraising family in Eastern PA, also happened to be the top fundraising team in the Nation. Sydney's SuperSTARS brought in over $400,000 dollars in donations and a team of 150 people.

When I spoke with Sydney after the event, she told me her classmates were already saving penny's for next years walk. This Kid is going to give Steve Jobs & Donald trump a run for their money. OUTSTANDING !!!!

The kids I met were confident, active, stylish, beautiful, energetic and funny. The picture of health -Your typical kids with a not so typical disease.

Not only do they OWN their diabetes, but they decided to actively pursue the cost of a cure.
The results were phenomenal.

It was an awesome day and I'm so glad I was able to be a part of it!
Posted by Mr. Boy at 16.46, Add Comment
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Diabetes Expects So Much From The People Whose Lives It Infiltrates.....

Diabetes Expects So Much From The People Whose Lives It Infiltrates.....
"Diabetes expects so much from the people whose lives it infiltrates, regardless of the decade of diagnoses."

I tweeted that to my friend Ellen @CureT1Diabetes last night before I went to bed- and I absolutely believe it to be true.
I've seen diabetes effect every single member of my family, whether they had diabetes or not. And I know you have too.

The other day, I ran a post originally (and improperly titled) Did You (Or Did Your Parents) Take An Active Part In Your Diabetes Management.

I was at my contract job- and wrote the post between projects. The title should have read more along the lines of: Grown Up CWDs & Todays Parents of CWDs- Did You/Do Your Kids Participate In Their Diabetes Care?

I tried fitting different variations in the subject line- and all of them failed, including the one I used for the title.

But even with an iffy title, the post generated lots of discussion on my blog and a forum on ChildrenWithDiabetes.com. I WAS SO grateful to read what others have to say, and I learned so much from every single comment I read.

Many parents thought giving a cwd some responsibility (depending on their childs individual level of maturity) was good, others thought my parents were nuts. And I totally get where they're coming from, but honesty, that couldn't be further from the truth.

My parents had 6 children, and three of those children developed Type 1 diabetes.

My oldest sister who is 20 years my senior developed diabetes at the age of 12, in the early 60's. She went on to get married and have three beautiful boys, and 4.5 years ago, she became a grandmother for the first time.

My second sister (we have 4 girls in my family) was diagnosed at the age of 12 in the late 60's, and she had lots of issues- not all diabetes related. She grew up in a time when diabetes care was restrictive- and she also was a person who developed substance abuse issues as a teenager.
It was the early 70's, the country was going though lots of changes, and she was doing EVERYTHING a teen shouldn't do, let alone a teen with diabetes.

MY parents tried, but when she moved out at the age of 20, her life took a downward spiral.
She was unable to care for her diabetes on her own - and alcohol and mental issues continued to play a big part in her life.

She moved back home the summer before I entered 3rd grade, which happened to be the summer right before I was diagnosed.

She died from diabetes complications in January of 1991- she was in her early 30's. I was in my early 20's. My mother missed her funeral because she worked so hard caring for my sister, that her heart went into Arrhythmia 4 days before my sister died. She was in the hospital for a month- and we couldn't tell her my sister had died. My dad never got over it.

When I was diagnosed in October of 1977, my parents were devastated, and the worked round the clock to care for both my sister and I.

I think one of the reasons my parents allowed me to actively participate in my own diabetes experience was because they saw how incapable my sister was of handling her diabetes when she moved out. I think I also saw how incapable my sister was and was determined not to make her mistakes.

I was a kid. I played pretend, took Tapdancing and Jazz lessons, played Barbies, and climbed trees. I wasn't calling my endo with my number, or planning out meals. But I was able to feel like I was helping - and that made me feel confident regarding my diabetes.

Bottom line, my parents worried, they watched me like a hawk, put their own health in jeopardy to make sure mine was OK. Mistakes were made on both our parts, but they did their best.

Today- diabetes management is SO DIFFERENT. Nothing is off limits, glucose monitors take all of 5 seconds to work and insulin pumps have made all our lives either.

Today, Endo's; parents, and PWDs are so much more informed and educated. Today both parents, PWds & CWDs have a voice. SO WONDERFUL!

And today, just like years ago, parents of CWDs work incredibly hard to take care of their children 24 X 7. AND IT NEVER ENDS FOR THEM - Even when we grow up and leave the nest- they still worry 24 X7 about us!

With that being said, I've decided to repost (again) one of my favorite Letters to Diabetes ever. I wrote and originally posted this Thank- you to my parents- and every parent of a CWD out there on 3/28/2010.

Thanks to all the parents of CWDs, from the bottom of my imperfect pancreas!

Dear Mom and Dad -
I don't think I ever said it before, but THANK- YOU so much for taking care of me;
Debbie, and Donna.
God give you 6 kids and 3 girls with Type 1 Diabetes- I don't know how you did it.
How did you take care of us all those years ago, before the technology and research?
Before the open forum of communication on the net and the freedom of carb counting and insulin pumps?
Back in the days when urine testing required fizzy pills and glass tubes, a clumsy and and inaccurate way that was used to measure our sugars way back when...
Until Blood Sugar machines the size & weight of a brick came about.
These antiquated "machines" took 5 minutes to calibrate and another 5 minutes to measure your sugar.
They were far from portable, required metal lancets that hurt like a bitch, and God only knows how accurate they really were.
They were also VERY expensive.
You bought one with money that we didn't have so that we could gain control. Instead of thanking you, I bitched about it.
I wanted to be NORMAL & fought you tooth and nail. I'm sorry.
I don't ever remember you crying when I was diagnosed.
I know you did, but you kept your tears behind closed doors and in the dark.
You always entered my hospital room with a smiling face and a bunch of new "Romona" books for me to read.
I just did the Diabetes math. I was 8 at my diagnoses, Donna & Debbie we're both 12.
Donna is 20 years older than me and Debbie was 14 years older.
So, if I've got the math down correctly, 1st came Donna at the age of 12.
When she was 18, Debbie was diagnosed at the age of 12.
Which means you had 6 years before 1 Diabetic daughter became 2.
You had 10 years before 2 Diabetic daughters became 3.
Donna had married and moved out four years earlier by the time of my diagnoses.
Your daily diabetes family life was just getting easier when I joined the Club of D.
It must have been so hard for you to handle...And even harder for you to hear.
Mom and Dad, I'm so sorry that my diagnoses hurt you, and for what all our combined diabetes has put you both through.
You never let us feel sorry for ourselves. I never grew up with a hatred of diabetes.
Though deep in my heart, I hated what it did to you.
I think it really helped when dad sat me down long ago in my hospital room and said; "Kelly it is what it is, do what you have to." And I did.
Daddy knew from experience, because he was a T1 as well.Mom, you posted the ADA diet on our kitchen wall, right behind my seat at the kitchen table.
You measures portions fanatically, right down to the grape.
You'd dole out 12 grapes for my snack & I'd give them back and say in a venomous Tone:
"Keep Em! Who can eat 12 grapes?!"
But u were just doing your job and never wavered.
I never experienced chicken with the skin on it until I was 21,
and to this day, have never had a class of OJ that was more than 1/4 of a cup.
I don't even drink juice anymore..
Dad, you body surfed and swam in the ocean every summer, and you shared your love of all water sports with me.
Together we became part of the waves, while maintaining good numbers.
You rode your bike every morning, and when you passed by my bus stop Freshman year, I was embarrassed instead of proud.
I'd give anything to see you peddle your bike one more time. I'm sorry.
You and mom took long walks every evening with the dog and you always said exercise was the key.
You were meticulous, bordering on the insane, about what you put in your body.
A militant soldier when it came to food.
Only skim milk, fruit, and eating only whole grain bread before it became the rage.
While I longed for "Wonder Bread," you put the kibosh white bread of any kind.
I thought you were mean, but you were smart because you still let us enjoy ice cream.
Diabetes took so much from you both, most namely your daughter Debbie.
Daddy, you never recovered from her loss. Every time you spoke of her death, I heard sadness and anger all mixed together.
It broke a part of you that all my jokes couldn't fix.
Mom, you cared for her (for all of us,) with such gusto that you're heart literally started to skip beats.
The scariest moment of my life was when you and Debbie were both in separate hospitals.
I came home from school to an answering machine full of voice mail that told me nothing and everything.
I knew one of you had gone to heaven. I was so scared it was you.
I felt so guilty (yet relieved, because I still had a mom) when I heard it was her.
What got me thinking about what you both did for me?
All the parents of Diabetics kids whose blogs I read.
I hear what they go through everyday and I immediately think of you both.
They tell me what you wouldn't.Parents of diabetics are a different breed entirely.
They are strong, keeping a smile on their face when they take care of their kids, even when they feel like crying out in pain.
These parents have the strength to say "no" to their kids, even when every fiber of their soul wants to say yes to them.
Strong enough to take their kids blood in the middle of the night, insert infusion sets that make their babies cry,
give-up gluten with a smile that never seems forced, and count carbs until it becomes second nature to everyone in the family.
These moms and dads have the fortitude to let their diabetic children grow to become independent young adults.
Even when they know that independence means that their kids will make conscience mistakes in order to fit in.Diabetic parents hate the disease, but are strong enough to not let their kids hate it.
Because if they did, their children would never learn to accept and love themselves.
To every parent in D-blog land, THANK-YOU.
I know when your kids are old enough, they will tell you themselves, and they will have meant from the bottom of their hearts.
To my parents, THANK YOU.
I wouldn't be here today if you hadn't worked so hard to keep me healthy.
You taught me to pick myself up by my bootstraps and move forward.
I hope I'm making you proud.
Love You Both!
Kelly#6
Posted by Mr. Boy at 06.25, Add Comment
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Last Chance to Get A Free Glaucoma Screening If You Don't Have Insurance

Last Chance to Get A Free Glaucoma Screening If You Don't Have Insurance
Apparently, January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, WHO KNEW? In honor of that fact, Eye Care America (Otherwise known as the American Academy of Ophthalmology) is offering free Glaucoma Screenings for people without insurance until the end of January.

I've tweeted about this over the month, as have many others- and some have mentioned it in blog posts. Now, I'm putting up a post in a last ditch effort for you to get your eyes screened!

So, let's just say you've been putting off an eye exam for the past 365 days because you don't have insurance, your too busy or scared, and the economy has had you cut back in areas you shouldn't. No judging friends- but here's your opportunity to get screened for Glaucoma and ease your mind in the process.

Your vision is irreplaceable, so please get screened.

Click HERE to read all about it!
Click HERE to watch a video on the subject~
Posted by Mr. Boy at 08.47, Add Comment
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Medical Research mostly flawed

Medical Research mostly flawed
Dr John Ioannidis, who Natural News describe as the foremost expert in assessing the credibility of medical research, has stated that up to 90% of published medical information is either misleading, exaggerated, or quite often just wrong!


"... both theoretically and empirically that 80% of non-randomized studies (the most common type), 25% of the "gold-standard" randomized trials, and nearly 10 percent of the "platinum-standard" large randomized trials were incorrectly executed.

He found that even 49 of the most highly regarded and cited research papers published in the past 13 years, 41% had later been disproved, and 24% hadn't been retested! Even studies that had overturned the original findings were ignored, with scientists more likely to refer to the original, inaccurate study.

What did be think the reason for this has been?

"Economics appears to be an underlying cause of the research inaccuracies. A successful scientific career depends upon your research being funded and published. This intellectual conflict of interest motivates scientists to pursue and produce results that will be funded. Scientific journals are naturally biased towards publishing new, exciting research; they rely upon a vetted peer review process that is frequently commandeered by scientists in pursuit of career advancement. Worst of all are drug studies, funded by pharmaceutical companies and commonly corrupted by a much stronger financial conflict of interest.

The Natural News article cites several drugs that have been marketed under these circumstances, including Vioxx, Zelnorm, and Baycol, all removed from the market for safety concerns, and anti-depressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil which are now known to be no more effective than placebos.

So much for 'evidence based medicine'. There is increasing confirmation coming to light that ConMed is a sham, and money-making concern that has little or nothing to do with our health.

Original article
http://www.naturalnews.com/031121_medical_research_fraud.html#ixzz1CFKaeFL6
Posted by Mr. Boy at 06.48, Add Comment
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Electro-Convulsive Therapy - and 'Evidence Based Medicine'

Electro-Convulsive Therapy - and 'Evidence Based Medicine'
"Don't use homeopathy, there is no evidence" the homeopathy denialists tell us. Well, not only is this nonsense - there is plenty of evidence, empirical (patients getting better) and even RCTs. But the implication of this criticism is that ConMed treatments are based on good evidence.

Electro-convulsive therapy has been used by ConMed to 'treat' mental health patients since the 1950's, and apparently still goes on. What evidence is there for this treatment, that must have been practiced now for over 60 years. None whatsoever

"Despite ongoing controversy, there has never been a large-scale, prospective study of the cognitive effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)" Dr Harold Sackeim, et al, 2007

This is a quotation from an article by the Alliance of Human Research Protection, who have reported on the first trials, which were conducted by Dr Sackeim, and reported in Neuropsychopharmacology (32:244-254. 2007), 'Cognitive Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Community Setting'. It states that:
“ This study provides the first evidence in a large, prospective sample that the adverse cognitive effects can persist for an extended period, and that they characterize routine treatment with ECT in community settings.”
The study confirmed that ECT can induce long-term memory loss, and other cognitive problems, especially in women (the majority of people subjected to this treatment are women).

So, no evidence for it being effective; but plenty of evidence that it can cause harm. It seems that this is the norm for ConMed.

The full Alliance for Human Research Protection article on this barbaric treatment can be found at



Posted by Mr. Boy at 06.07, Add Comment
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Gardasil (and Cervarix) - the most dangerous vaccine ever?

Gardasil (and Cervarix) - the most dangerous vaccine ever?
To gain this title, a vaccine has to be fairly destructive; but this is what it has been called in this Natural News article, which you should read to be aware of the dangerous of this vaccination.
http://www.naturalnews.com/031098_Gardasil_risks.html

In the face of increasing reports of adverse events and death rates that are 400% higher than other vaccines, Merck continues to maintain that its controversial Gardasil vaccine is safe and continues to push for wider use. One group Merck would especially like to gain approval for is older women (currently, the vaccine is not approved for women over 27 years old). Despite Merck's claims to the contrary, studies have actually shown that Gardasil and its sister vaccine Cervarix (from GlaxoSmithKline) provide no protection for women already exposed to the HPV virus and in fact present highly elevated risks for already exposed women as well as for expectant mothers.


It is not long ago that all our young girls were 'offered' this vaccine. Parents were told it was safe. My grand-daughter did not have the vaccination, and was told off by her teacher! We know that the drug companies will continue to defend their drugs and vaccines, until the evidence is overwhelming, and they are forced to act. But why does the government, the Department of Health, the NHS, and our GPs fail to tell us? Why do our mainstream media say nothing about this?


One state in the USA is now acting, well, almost!
http://www.naturalnews.com/031124_HPV_vaccines_Virginia.html

Let's hope the financial resources of the drug companies are not instrumental in changing their mind!

Posted by Mr. Boy at 05.00, Add Comment
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Homeopathy and Mental Health

Homeopathy and Mental Health
People suffering from mental health conditions should consider using homeopathy. The rise and rise of mental health problems has been astronomical in recent decades, and represents one of that long list of chronic illness that has increased alongside pharmaceutical drug taking. If anyone doubts that statement, they only have to look at the known (and accepted) adverse reactions to most pharmaceutical drugs, where 'depression' routinely occurs.

The use of homeopathy has been highlighted in two new articles appearing in the e-magazine Hpathy.

The first discusses the amazing prevalence of Mental Health issues, particularly in the USA and the UK, but throughout the developed world. A real epidemic. And it goes on to outline the research that has gone into how homeopathy helps with two conditions, ADHD, and Drug Abuse.
http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-papers/exploring-the-role-of-homeopathy-in-reducing-the-global-mental-health-burden/

The second article deals with some of the most frequently used homeopathy remedies, and some of their main indications. This article was written by Robert Medhurst, who has considerable experience working with people with mental health problems.
http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-papers/is-there-a-role-for-homoeopathy-in-depression/

Again, what we see here is a medical condition which is in large measure caused by ConMed; and which can be treated successfully with homeopathy.
Posted by Mr. Boy at 04.32, Add Comment
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" I Confess - Guilty As Charged!" & I'm totally OK with It!


OK – I have guilty pleasures related to food – and I’m TOTALLY willing to admit it.

My guilty food pleasures are surprisingly simple – for the most part.

Peanut Butter and Jam on a spoon and a big old glass of Low Fat Vanilla Silk Soy

Nutella and Peanut butter on a spoon and a big old glass of Low Fat Vanilla Silk Soy

Nutella on a spoon and a big old glass of Low Fat Vanilla Silk Soy

Dark Chocolate and a big old glass o Low Fat Vanilla Silk Soy

A Cocoa Jones Brownie (Jr Jones individual serving size) and a big old glass of Vanilla Silk Soy

2 Reese’s Peanut butter cups and a big old glass of Vanilla Silk Soy – can you see a running theme here?

Olive & Sun dried Tomato tapenade with goat cheese (or without) on crackers, or on celery stalks

Cheese and Crackers

Pan popped popcorn with Chili powder & Sea Salt.

And every once in a while – Ice Cream, which does not cause nearly the mental or blood sugar stress that a serving of pasta does, at least for me. I don’t crave ice-cream much in the winter though, so as of late, it really hasn’t been an issue.

I test & count carb accordingly and bolus and the fact that I let myself indulge usually means (note the word USUALLY) I won’t go over board on a daily basis.
The fact that I don’t ban these foods entirely means that I don’t always crave them, and don’t feel as guilty when I have them.

For instance: I bought a two Cocoa Jones Brownies at my neighborhood health food store last week.
I tested, and bloused for the first serving of 28 grams of chocolate goodness right away. It was heaven in the form of a chocolate brownie. I kept the other one in my desk for a week before I ate it. I didn’t forget about it, I knew it was there, calling my name and reminding me of its existence on a daily basis. But the fact that I could eat the brownie whenever I wanted made me crave it…LESS. It still tasted as delicious as the first a week later when I finally answered its call to "Eat me.”

I'm not talking about going totally bat- sh*t with your food choices, I'm talking about learning how to handle food related guilty pleasures - incorporating them so they no longer hold the power that "off limit" foods have over us. I can't make it happen for all my guilty food choices - far from it -Just the ones mentioned above.

Pasta or a big bowl of rice and beans can rock my world for days, and not in a good way.
And unless the pizza is a super thin crust, I still got lots of issues!!!!
Don't even get me started on the bread basket at restaurants -I have no control there!

Are you able to reach "Blood Sugar Nirvana" (achieving text book numbers after, testing, carb counting, and bolusing for tough to figure foods such as pizza, brownies, etc) after indulging in any of YOUR forbidden foods?

What’s your guilty pleasure as far as foods concerned? Have u learned to bolus for it so your not 300 two hours later?

Do you find that by allowing yourself to have the “forbidden fruits” makes them easier to refuse?

What "forbidden fruits" are no longer off limit and which ones are still a riddle to you?

Is this post totally annoying, or only marginally annoying?
Posted by Mr. Boy at 10.54, Add Comment
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Founding DiabetesSister, Brandy Barnes Talks About The 2011 Weekend For Women Conference



In 2007 Brandy Barnes was a wife and new mother who had lived with her type 1 diabetes for 18 years and felt a strong desire to connect with other women living with diabetes. In 2007 she created DiabetesSisters, a sisterhood/ organization for all women with diabetes to connect with, learn from, and become empowered by, one another.

This year, DiabetesSisters from all over will gather for the 2011 Weekend for Women Conference, at the Marriott City Center in downtown Raleigh, NC, April 29th - May 1st. And the ladies in attendance can expect a weekend of learning, understanding, empowerment and Diabetes Sisterhood.

I first met Brandy B at the Roche 2009 Summit and I thought she was down to earth; articulate, bright and easy to talk to - In my neck of the woods, we'd say that Brandy was "good people." More recently, I had the chance via email to ask Brandy some questions about the 2011 Diabetes Sisters Weekend for Women Conference, and here's what she had to say.

######


DiabetesSisters founder, Brandy Barnes

KK: Why did you create Diabetes Sisters?

B.B: My first 18 years with diabetes were pretty lonely. I was never ashamed of my diabetes or tried to hide it, but I just wasn't ever able to connect with another woman with diabetes for a long-term friendship. Of course, I had friends, but it always seemed like there was this one aspect of me that was hidden away, not because I wanted it to be, but because it had to be. All through high school and college I quietly wished for a friend with diabetes who could understand what my life was really like. I was ecstatic to meet the diabetes educator who had diabetes at my new endocrinologist's office. For years, I looked forward to my quarterly check-ins with her...and always went in with my list of questions that could only be answered by another woman with diabetes! My pregnancy in 2004 was met with mixed emotions of excitement and anxiety. Excitement because I was responsible for bringing a new life into this world...and anxiety because I was responsible for bringing a new life into this world-- with the added challenge of diabetes-- and I knew no other woman who had accomplished this feat. The diabetes educator had never had a child, so the loneliness and frustration set in again. My web searches for information and support were lackluster at best. I asked my endocrinologist and my high-risk OB to connect me with another woman who had achieved a successful pregnancy, but unfortunately, they were not able to do so. After the successful birth of my daughter, Summer, in 2005, I knew something needed to be done to address the unique challenges faced by women with diabetes, but I didn't know exactly what the solution was. It was in the Fall of 2007 when I was blessed with the vision for DiabetesSisters... and the rest is history!

KK: In your own words describe the "Sisterhood" of Diabetes.

BB: I am so proud of and grateful for our Sisterhood! It is made up of women throughout the world with all types of diabetes who want to support, empower, and educate their "Sisters" with diabetes and receive the same in return. As women, we are naturally social, look to others for support, and want to help others. There's a certain comfort found in talking to someone who has walked in your shoes. Every day, we walk by women with diabetes on the street and we have no way of knowing that they have diabetes. Our website and our in-person meetings encourage women with diabetes to step forward with pride and "own" their diabetes, ask for support and education when they need it, and offer support and practical advice to Sisters who are in need. It's very much a give-and-take-- like any healthy relationship! As a woman with a biological sister, I know the power of the bond that we share because we grew up in the same household and have certain things in common. My hope is to create an environment that replicates that same kind of bond among women with diabetes. After all-- we all need a Sister who shares those special inside jokes and funny stories that only they could understand. It's no different for women with diabetes!

KK: If it's my first time attending the 2011 Diabetes Sisters Weekend for Women Conference, what's the ONE thing you think a Diabetes Sister newbie will take away?

The one think that a DiabetesSister newbie will take away from the Conference is that she is not alone in this disease! In fact, she has a huge, supportive sisterhood to empower her and educate her about all issues related to being a woman with diabetes.

KK: Our healthcare system tends to overlook women in general, and women with diabetes specifically. DiabetesSisters wants to fill this void created in our system. Can you give us some examples of how?

BB: Our current healthcare system has so few resources to help women with diabetes deal with the challenges that the hormones of menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause throw at us. In addition, the vast majority of women with diabetes are unaware that they are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, depression, osteoporosis, eating disorders, body image issues, and ketoacidosis when compared to their non-diabetic female peers and their male peers with diabetes. Finally, (before DiabetesSisters) there was no single national organization out there that was focused on fighting for women with diabetes to ensure their voice is heard. DiabetesSisters' programs and services focus on filling these voids in three different areas: patient support, community education, and advocacy.

Women’s Forum- a place for women to talk openly, share stories and ask questions about diabetes among their peers without fear of judgment; SisterMatch- an international buddy program designed to connect women with a friend to support them on their diabetes journey; SisterTALK Blogs- information about the nuances of living successfully with diabetes from those who understand it best- type 1, type 2 and pregnant women who are living with the disease; From the Experts Columns- offer dedicated professionals in the diabetes healthcare and legal fields to answer reader’s questions and offer evidence-based advice; Monthly e-Newsletter- a free publication contains women’s diabetes articles, organization news, and links to news and research updates.

Our In-Person programming, such as our PODS Meetups and our National Conference Series offer women the opportunity to meet the women they have been chatting with online or for those who aren't involved in our online programs, they offer the opportunity for women to come together and support each other in person. We now have PODS Meetups in locations throughout the US- and are launching new locations on a weekly basis. We also have Conferences on the East Coast and West Coast this year! In terms of advocacy, in 2010, we launched the "orange: will" campaign to raise awareness about the unique issues faced by women with diabetes. Orange will empower women with diabetes to make their voice heard!

KK: If I'm experiencing Diabetes Burnout OR have decided to put myself first and make my diabetes a top priority in 2011, how will attending your Weekend for Women help me??

BB: Not only will you be educated on gender-specific diabetes topics, but you will be in a life-changing supportive environment surrounded by 200 women with diabetes. There's nothing like sitting down to a meal and hearing meter and pumps beeping all over the room and overhearing light-hearted debates about the number of carbohydrates in a specific food. Most importantly, the Conference offers new ways to think about nutrition, physical activity, and all of the things that have become mundane/second-nature in our lives. It also offers sessions on the emotional aspects of diabetes- that are often overlooked. So, it nurtures your health and nourishes your spirit- ensuring that when you walk away from the conference you feel rejuvenated and re-focused on the things that should be a priority in your life.

KK: How has being a member of Diabetes Sisters helped you live your diabetes life?

BB: In 2007, I was an average woman with diabetes and I literally knew no other women with diabetes (besides by diabetes educator). Fast-forward four years and now my life has done a complete 180-degree turnaround. I am surrounded by so many women with diabetes-- who are successful and inspirational. I am never at a loss for who to contact when a diabetes-related question arises.... because I have thousands of women in the Sisterhood to email or call on at a moment's notice. None of us are perfect in our diabetes management, but we know we can lean on each other and get practical advice from each other.

By being involved with DiabetesSisters, I've also learned a lot of important health information about being a woman with diabetes that I was unaware of previously. I also feel like DiabetesSisters has given me, and all women with diabetes, a much-needed voice in America! I feel so much more connected to women with diabetes around the world! I have to pinch myself on a daily basis because it's quite unbelievable that this is what I get to spend my days doing now!

WHEN: April 29 - May 1, 2011 WHERE: The Marriott City Center in downtown Raleigh,NC.

What You Can Expect: The weekend is open to all women with diabetes age 18 and older. Participants will have the chance to attend educational sessions on gender-specific topics related to diabetes treatment and management (such as pregnancy, body image, concurrent illnesses, nutrition, physical fitness), and engage with other women living successfully with diabetes. Attendees will receive unbiased information on the emergence of new equipment and medications, and learn new tactics and coping mechanisms to improve their mental and physical health.

REGISTRATION DETAILS: Registration is offered at a subsidized rate of $100 and includes all meals and snacks on Saturday (including the Celebration of Strength Dinner), breakfast on Sunday, and admittance to all eight educational sessions, and many other giveaway items.Conference registration must be made online at www.diabetessisters.org . Discounted group rate of $99 per night has been secured at Marriott City Center. Hotel reservations can be made by calling 1-888-236-2427 and

using group code DSSDSSA.

DiabetesSisters 2010 Weekend For Women Attendees


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