Wicked Awesome!

A shout out to Moira McCarthy and her latest book Raising Teens With Diabetes: A Parent’s Survival Guide.  If you don’t know who Moira is….you need to find out!  She is a d-mama, JDRF advocate, writer, blogger, and the list goes on and on.  I didn’t “meet” Moira until the 2012 World Diabetes Day Postcard exchange connected us.  Cyber mom that I am, I quickly checked her out on Facebook and messaged her.  That was a great day!  I can’t believe it has only been 6 months since that first contact….I feel like I have known her forever!  She is my go-to gal for anything teen parenting related.  She is my touchstone….

As I read the book, I found myself nodding my head, saying “yes, exactly” over and over again.  Her common sense approach to parenting a teen with Type 1 diabetes is so much more than a diabetes book.  Having been a high school teacher, long before becoming a parent, and parenting a teen before my T1 kiddo got there, I can honestly say that her style works for teens in general.  I don’t want to be a spoiler so I won’t say more….buy the book!

And while you are waiting for it to come, check out Moira’s blog Despite Diabetes.  You won’t be disappointed.

Moira McCarthy, you are ‘wicked awesome”!

Diabetes Blog Week 2013 Day 1 Share and Don’t Share

Our Endo and Diabetes Clinic team are so supportive.  I appreciate that they talk directly to KC and spend time getting to know her beyond her disease.  We share all kinds of things with them…especially her successes-everything from being elected Student Council treasurer to science fair awards to volleyball MVP.  I know her Endo is proud of her hard work at maintaining an a1c that has averaged 6.5 for almost two straight years, but I also want them to know that she does that while excelling at life, as well.  So we do share!

What don’t we share…the days when veggies are forgotten!  So glad they only ask  for a three day food log!  We also don’t share the rare times when she has forgotten to bolus for a meal!  Or that we may or may not have followed FDA guidelines regarding the number of days a cgm sensor may be used….”yeah, site changes are every three days…that’s right….”  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

But overall, we share and share and share…and are so grateful that they take the time to listen!

#HAWMC Day 25 Learning

What have I learned from Health Activists bloggers?  Whew! Where do I start?

Probably the most important thing I learned is not from one specific Health Activist blogger but from them all….

I am not alone in this battle.

#HAWMC Day 4 Sharing and Caring

I have written recently about some of the best blogs/on-line resources for Type 1 Diabetics  in my Navigating the D O C post.  I categorized the listings to make it easier to find blogs specific to where you are on the Type 1 Journey.  But I did forget  to mention that JDRF, American Diabetes Association, Tudiabetes, Juvenile Diabetes Cure Alliance, and Children With Diabetes also have valuable information.  And another great site is Integrated Diabetes–Gary Scheiner is the author of  Think Like A Pancreas and is part of Integrated Diabetes.  His pump/cgm comparisons are very helpful and the site also addresses many other needs.

I haven’t connected those of you looking for resources for food allergies.  So now is the time!  First, you need to check out FARE – the Food Allergy Research and Education foundation (formerly known as the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.  The next stop should be Kids with Food Allergies (and check them out on Facebook).  These two sites will direct you to more resources that specifically address your food allergy.

My son’s allergy is to milk (specifically the proteins that are present in milk in all forms—cheese, butter, etc.).  A favorite blog of mine is Milk Allergy Mom–and I follow her on Facebook as well.

A new resource for me is Allergic Girl–great advice for dining out etc. She is another source I follow on Facebook.

One last resource, just for fun, is Chocolate Covered Katie–a healthy dessert blog.  She has vegan (dairy-free), gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free options.  So indulge!

Navigating the D O C…..

Recently, I have connected with a number of families of newly diagnosed T1 kiddos. Each newby breaks my heart….it’s like the scab is ripped off again. I remember that feeling of being overwhelmed. Late nights, surfing the internet looking for something….

And I found a wonderful world of amazing families who are facing the same struggles we face. Families that know just how it feels to be battling the beast that is Type 1 diabetes. Each wonderful blog lists a roll of blogs they follow or suggest, which is really helpful. But I’ve come to realize that it can be hard to find the right blog. While I love reading blogs of the d-mamas with the little ones, and we do share so many of the same emotions, we aren’t at the same stages of development. For example, I have no idea how to potty train a toddler using an insulin pump and a d-mama of a toddler doesn’t know how teen hormones can affect bg. So I sat down and started listing some of my favorites and categorized them. I hope this will help people find blogs they can connect with or that can address specific areas of concern.  If you have suggestions of blogs to add, please let me know!

Parenting children 10 and under with Type 1

The Princess and The Pump   mom of daughter dx’d 2009 age 3

Virginia Beach Duck Family  mom of daughter dx’d 2010 age 4 1/2

D-Mom Blog:  The Sweet Life With A Diabetic Child mom of daughter dx’d 2008 at age 3

Bigfoot Child Have Diabetes mom of son dx’d 2011 at age 8

Arden’s Day dad of daughter dx’d 2006 at 2 years old

Parenting pre-teens/Teens with Type 1

Despite Diabetes  mom of daughter dx’d 1997 at age 6

Don’t Call Me Sugar parents of daughter dx’d 2010 at age 10

KC & Company mom of daughter dx’d 2010 at age 10

Parenting/Living with Multiple T1’s

Our Diabetic Life  mom of 4 sons 3 of whom are T1 dx’d at ages 8 months, 5 1/2 years, and 2 1/2 years old (now 14, 10, and 8 respectively)

Daddybetes  dad of daughter dx’d 1997 at 18 months old; his wife is a T1 as is her father, grandfather and brother.

Parenting Diabetic Kids  parents of a daughter dx’d 2005 at age 4 and son, dx’d in 2007 at age 6

D-Dads

Diabetes Dad  dad of daughter dx’d in 1992 at 2 years old and son, dx’d 2009 at age 13

Daddybetes  dad of daughter dx’d 1997 at 18 months old; his wife is a T1 as is her father, grandfather and brother.

Arden’s Day dad of daughter dx’d 2006 at 2 years old

Adult living with Type 1

Bitter-sweet diabetes  dx 1979 at age 11

Six Until Me dx 1986 at age 6

Teens/Young Adult T1 Bloggers:

Big Heart, Bigger Choices Follow college student Taylor (dx’d 1997) as she pursues a nursing degree

Something Sweet and Special

Family with Diabetes Alert Dog  Journey into Type  1

Jewelry designed by Type 1 Rachel, Proceeds go to JDRF. Rachel’s Cure By Design

PJ’s For A Cure

Mom of two T1’s designs and sells a pump pouches at My Own Style Pack

Great Etsy store and Type 1 Tuesday blog by a D-mama of a daughter dx’d 2011 at age 5  One Happy Mama