November 2015

Happy World Diabetes Day to all my fellow comrades. While in previous years I really celebrated this day like a holiday, things have changed for me and that’s okay. These are a few things I’m thankful for:

I’m grateful to be alive. There have been quite a few close calls over the last 28 years of living with Type 1 diabetes.

I’m grateful for medical insurance and a can’t-be-beat healthcare team including my awesome endo and super caring and smart holistic providers.

I’m grateful for insulin and the medical supplies which keep me alive.

I’m really grateful for my continuous glucose meter (CGM) which makes life with diabetes much more sane.

I’m grateful for a kick-butt local natural foods co-op just a few miles from my home which gives me access to an abundance of organic fruits and vegetables, many locally grown, and grass-fed meats, etc.

I am grateful for my knowledge and love of cooking which allows me to nourish my body with healthy foods.

I am grateful for my love of movement. Long walks, yoga, cycling and although not fun — the elliptical machine, help me feel so much better physically and emotionally.

I am thankful for a pup who likes to take long walks with me. Although sometimes he can be a little stubborn and just wants to go home right away.

I am extremely grateful for this community and each of you. Thanks for being here and sharing this journey with me as I/we do our best to move toward health and wholeness of body, mind and spirit.

On this World Diabetes Day, I am not thankful to live with diabetes. It makes my life more difficult in so many ways. But I manage, some days better than others. 🙂 And it has taught me a lot. I love to share everyday on Facebook things I do to help make life not only bearable, but healthy and fun. While we may be continually challenged in this life with diabetes and/or other health conditions, I’m here to make the most of it! And hopefully inspire you to do so as well.

Getting ready now to rejuvenate by going for a long walk in nature at a local regional park with my husband Jaim and dog Jonah.

Last but not least, my heart is very heavy today for the tragic events unfolding around the world. My heart is with all. <3

A touching quote and picture from the page, Illuminating Souls on Facebook.

Blessings to you,

Cynthia

Wow! Such a great day, but I’m tired! I posted a pic earlier on the Facebook page for Diabetes Light, but today was the JDRF Type One Nation event. I go every year and love it! My CGM woke me up in the night with an alarm (high… I took insulin) but because I was excited for today’s event, I could not fall back asleep for at least 2.5 hours! Ugh! I I got a lot of reading done and had two cats pestering me for pets as long as I was awake… They finally settled for lying next to me while I read.

Being up so long in the night meant functioning on about 5 hours sleep today instead of the 8 minimum that is a MUST HAVE for me to feel well and have a shot at decent blood sugars. I really pushed myself to the limit and sometimes when I’m tired like this I tend to be extra chatty which feels kind of awkward….. I guess that explains the length of this post too! 😉 Originally this was meant for Facebook but due to the length I decided to put it in an actual blog post.

The reminder email said the event was from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Running late, I skipped washing my hair, instead piling it into a bun and just took a quick hot shower. Jaim helped out by cutting up collard greens for me to sauté quickly before leaving with the breakfast in hand I’d eat there — the usual: veggies, homemade breakfast sausage, squash and delicious green tea which is something I savor every morning.

I rushed into the event, fortunately only about 6 miles from my house, to learn that I was of all things, early!! Anyone who knows me knows this never happens! Especially for something in the morning. Turns out the vendor booths were from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM and the keynote speaker wasn’t until 10:00 AM! With time to spare, I introduced myself to the keynote speaker, Gary Scheiner, who said he had heard my name before as a blogger which was a pleasant surprise.

JDRF always brings us top speakers (previous years: Natalie Strand, Kerri Sparling, Moira McCarthy Stanford) and this year was no different. Gary Scheiner, author of “Think Like a Pancreas” (& exercise physiologist + Type 1 himself) was one of the best speakers I’ve heard! His afternoon talk was on the CGM and his earlier one was comparing Type 1 diabetes from 30 years ago to now. He is both funny and so knowledgeable and his books are definitely on my list to read. For anyone else who wears a CGM and may have wondered, I asked about calibration and he said to not calibrate more than 2-4 times a day.

I had the opportunity to connect with so many wonderful Type 1’s and others I know which was a lot of fun. While I love and appreciate the diabetes online community, there is something so special about spending the day in person with people you share such a major part of your life in common with. Unfortunately I did not get photos of everyone I had the pleasure of visiting with, but here are a few. 🙂 And while I came home completely zonked and cannot wait to get to sleep tonight, Type One Nation always fills my spirit with so much joy and gratitude.

A special thanks to JDRF for bringing us this spectacular event each year. If you have not yet attended, I highly recommend checking out a Type One Nation event near you! #JDRF #blessed #typeonenation

In Peace & Light,

Cynthia