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I Got Issues - As in Absorption! OR Infusion Set Nirvana Just Did Not Happen!

So here's the thing - the past few days have been filled with "absorption issues."

You know, having to do with my cannula. Normally, I'm good for two or three days, sometimes more - But don 't tell my Endo. However, this past weekend, I've had to replace my infusion set 4 times! Ledges and doorknobs had nothing to do with it!

I won't even mention the fact that Minimed does not sell the infusion sets separate from the tubing, so yeah, I''ll be short a few infusion sets at the end of my current supplies.

Do pump companies not realize that we use more infusion sets than tubing?? Are they clueless or just greedy?

I don't mean to complain, and it certainly could be worse....BUT it's just such a pain in the arse - Or in this case the stomach & thigh. I need to bitch to the masses and get some much needed validation.

Sometimes, we reach "infusion Set Nirvana." And I know you know what I'm talking about.
It's when we manage to stick the infusion set in a spot/angle that is perfect. Not only does the insertion not hurt, but we are barely aware that it's there and are numbers are perfect.
No redness or soreness in the said area, and we wish that we could keep that infusion set for life.

That was not the case this weekend. I worked & having to deal with absorption issues was just not on my top 10 list.
Maybe it wasn't the cannula, maybe it was really an insulin or a blood sugar thing. I don't really know. It might have been a Trifecta effect involving all three.

With diabetes, we just have to listen to what are body is telling us. Mine, as usual was making me guess. Today, all seems to be back to normal. Blood sugars are good, and hopefully my infusion set will remain intact for another 24 hours.

Of course the day is still young and all that could change. But for right now, my biggest issue is that my Apple Keyboard is on the fritz, but that's a story for another day.

We All Have A Voice ~

We All Have A Voice ~

I loved the movie," The King's Speech." It made cry, it made me laugh, and it me think.
First, watching Prince Albert (Bertie) go through all that work and heartache to find his voice, his confidence,and his way in the world made me thing of a of a boy I went to grade school with, M.

M stuttered terribly and struggled to get every single word he spoke out & heard by others. M was sweet and kind and loved to sing - We were in Chorus together grades 3 through 7. Like many who struggled from stuttering, M never stuttered when he sang, and he had a beautiful voice. Years later, when I was a college Deejay, M called me up on the request line and said how he envied what I was doing. "Speaking is not a gift I possess, Kelly. But if it was, I'd be a Deejay."

I remember telling him what a gifted writer he was and what wonderful singing voice he had. "Thanks Kel, but I would still love to be able to speak out loud." I never forgot what he said to me, and was immediately reminded of it years later when we ran into one another in the isle of our home town's CVS.

M: Hey Kelly, how are you? Long time, no see!
Me: M, I'm great, how are you??
M: GREAT.
Me: M, you're not stuttering anymore!
M: Nope, I went to Therapist and and turns out, I had some issues that happened to me as really young child that caused me to stutter.

I literally had tears in my eyes when I left CVS! Knowing that M had found his voice made me happy and gave me hope in the broadest and best sense of the word.

M and I reconnected on Facebook last year, and guess what? M became a Deejay at our college, years after he graduated! He's also the General Manager and has his own radio show!

And to this day, M still continues to give me hope.

"The King's Speech" also made me think of the DOC- And why it's so important.
Prince Albert was a patient after all, even if the methods used to help him with his stutter were not typical treatments of the day - And were prescribed to him by an Orator, not an MD.

And like Bertie & M, each of us goes through a tremendous amount of work and heartache to find our voice and our confidence, so we can navigate our way in the world and in our diabetes life.

There's one scene in the King's Speech that reminds me of the DOC and why I love it so much.
Bertie screams at his vocal coach& gets so mad that he says: I have a right to be heard - I HAVE A VOICE!

YEP, the "I HAVE A VOICE," line took my breath away & made me sob out loud at the same time.

That line pretty much sums up what the Diabetes On-line Community has given each and every one of us. All of us in the community have a voice, and each is distinct and unique. And whether we read blogs or write them, shout out loud and advocate from the rooftops or quietly share our thoughts and live our lives to the fullest, our patient voices are so incredibly important.

For the longest time, we never had our diabetes/patient voice, and if we did, it didn't count to those in the medical community.
We were talked "at" not "to" and rarely "with." We were considered secondary to our disease and our opinions on the subject didn't matter.

Here's the thing: Whether you shout or whisper, your voice counts. Your voice helps others and your voice helps you to help yourself.

I'm not going to judge you on how loud voice is or isn't. But I will encourage you to find your voice, and use it in a way that works for you.

We all have a voice and all of our words are important - And each one of us deserves to be heard & respected~

Diabetes: WWMD?

Diabetes: WWMD?

“MADONNA. Simply saying the word aloud makes me feel powerful, even in voice over! How I have worshiped her ever since I was a little girl! Sorry Angie Joie, Catherine the Great — Madonna is the most powerful woman ever to walk the Earth.” — Sue Sylvester

“Culturally, Madonna’s legacy transcends her music because by and large the subtext of her songs are about being strong, independent and confident no matter what your sex. But more than anything, Madonna’s musical message is about equality and that is something you guys need to work on.” — Will Schuester

As most of you are aware, I’m a GLEEK and I’m more than loud and proud about it.

As I stated in last weeks post, I’m also a huge Madonna fan and have been for years. I’ve always found an empowering message in her music and her attitude - and let’s be honest kids, she’s got some kicking dance tracks!

Last nights episode of GLEE was all about MODONNA and her message of Empowerment to women of any age. I could relate to that on many levels.

Sue Slyvester, (played to perfection by the remarkable Jane Lynch) the show’s villain and Cheerleading coach, a maniacal MADONNA fan who turns her MADONNA obsession into a theme and war cry. Wil Shuster carries that theme over to the Glee Clubs female members and encourages them to “express themselves” through MADONNA’s extensive music catalogue.

Sue makes her “Cheerio’s where Bracelets “WWMD” emblazoned on them.

“WWMD – What would Madonna do? The answer to that question is usually date a younger man …” — Sue Sylvester

I’m not going to do an episode play-by-play, but I do encourage you to WATCH it on Fox or HULU. Hell, you can go a step further and download it on iTunes, which is what I plan to do~

What I have decided to do is give the shows WWMD reference a diabetes spin.

What Would Madonna Do Regarding Life With diabetes?

I’ll tell you what Madge would do my friends. She’d kick diabetes ass and take no prisoners in the process.

Madonna would learn all she could regarding diabetes and own her life with diabetes outright.

Madonna would educate herself on the disease of diabetes and then she’d educate the public in the process.

Madonna would empower and “Express herself” on every level regarding life with diabetes and I guarantee that John and Jane Q. Pubic would no longer think diabetes could be cured by eating a sugar free diet, and the public would FINALLY learn the difference between the various types of diabetes.

The question would no longer be (WWMDRLWD ) "What Would Madonna Do regarding Life Diabetes?" It would be, (WWMDRLWD) "What Wouldn’t Madonna Do Regarding Life With Diabetes?" Let's face folks, she'd do EVERYTHING and then some!

So go ahead, “express” and educate yourself regarding YOUR life with diabetes and become empowered in the process!

This gift will not only benefit you in the long run- but absolutely everyone you come in contact with!