Logging. It is something every diabetic should do. It is important in terms of identifying patterns and making decisions about dosing - and it is vital to figuring out when you need to be paying more attention and where your problem areas are in the course of a day. I remember the bad old days of handwritten logbooks. They were cumbersome and not at all useful, even when they were kept up and brought to the doctor. Technology has come a long way and there are many great tools available for logging everything we need to be tracking. But, for me at least, logging is still an excruciating task. (READ MORE)

Children with Diabetes

I called my supply company today. A very good company that provides me with all of my pump supplies - including batteries and IV preps - thank you very much! Here's how the call went:

"Hello, this is Nicole Purcell calling, I'm due for my supplies so I'm just calling in."

"Oh, OK, hold on a second."

I hold on, hearing her type-type-typing.

"Oh, you're a pump."

"Excuse me?"

"You're a pump, just hold...o..."

"Excuse me, before you transfer me, I need to tell you that I am not, in fact, a pump. But I am a person that wears a pump..." Letting that little gem hang out there for an uncomfortably silent few seconds. "Hello, are you still there?" (READ MORE)

To describe diabetes in three words is very difficult. That's because at any given time, your thoughts and feelings about this disease are changing. So I guess one word that comes to mind is unpredictable . It is important to note, however, that with better control comes more predictability. I think I view my diabetes as little bit more unpredictable because I have trouble keeping my sugars regulated. I feel a person who can maintain an A1C of 6 can predict their blood sugar a lot more accurate than a person with hemoglobin of 8. Maybe I'm wrong though. Another word that I would use to describe my diabetes is unfair.
(READ MORE)

I know, I know, I know. People with diabetes must exercise. People with diabetes must stay fit. This is especially true for those of us with Type 2.

And you know it. I know it. You know you know it. I know you know it. Who needs to tell you this?

Reuters and Dr. Ronald Sigal of University of Calgary and colleagues at the University of Ottawa, as announced in this article, do feel the need to tell us. Specifically, they're telling us that lifting weights and resistance exercise also helps to reduce blood sugars, just like aerobic exercise does. Aerobic exercise, that would be the sweaty kind.

This is good news.

This means that ANY and ALL exercise you do counts for good diabetes points. It all counts! I love this. (READ MORE)

Some days, my diabetes control is like a sleek, hot-pink BMX. It takes me for smooth, yet daring rides and lets me, in the words of Napoleon Dynamite "take it off some sweet jumps."

What's great is having several of those days in a row - as I've had lately. Only two or three bloodsugars out of range - and even those were mere blips - a 62, a 159... Nothing outrageous. That's when I start to get comfortable. I settle in for the ride, enjoy the air on those jumps. (READ MORE)

I am on the eliptical trainer, rather lost in the music coming from my Ipod. I'm into the second half of my one hour of cardio for the day. I'm starting to feel a little weak - so I keep my legs moving and grab my test kit from the water bottle slot. I fumble my hands through the test, while my poor legs struggle to remain coordinated. Damn it. 73 mg/dl. This is not good. If I want this work out to continue, I best act fast. Legs still moving, I open the hammer gel pack I'd brought for just such an occasion. (READ MORE)