For several months, a bunch of us have taken part in Wednesday night Diabetes Social Media Advocacy (#dsma) chats on Twitter. Run by Cherise Shockley, these sessions are about an hour long and cover a number of predesignated topics ranging from support groups to diabetes-related conferences to relationships to insurance issues. A week ago this past Wednesday, talk centered around the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test: how important it is (or should be) in determining our treatment, how accurate it is as a measure of our diabetes control, whether or not we consider current best-practice A1c goals to be realistic or not (and why), and what sort of self-treatment we use to achieve (or try to achieve) those goals.

  (READ MORE)

For the first time ever I've created a list of things I want to accomplish in a year. Not New Year's resolutions, though the list was created with the New Year in mind, and not lifestyle changes, though there are some behaviors I'd like to change that are on the list.

No, these are really a bona fide list of things I want to do in 2010 -- with a sprinkling of lifestyle adjustments.

I felt good about making the list. I felt good about writing down the things I want to do this year. I felt good about creating a plan for the things I want to do. For example, instead of just writing "Clean Garage" and then waiting until the 11th hour to do it so I can say I marked it off the list, I wrote "Clean Garage -- January." (And Go Me! for getting that done this weekend!)

  (READ MORE)

I am a firm believer in goals. Without striving towards something I lose focus. I need to have that bell to ring, button to push, or number to reach to motivate myself.

Currently I am working on losing 40 pounds. I put up a spot on my blog that is titled "Where's the 40?" and beneath it I post a picture of the number I am at in relation to the 40 pounds. Right now I am still in the high 30's but seeing that number motivates me. It gets me to want to make changes so that number changes, and so I will reach my goal.

  (READ MORE)

If nothing else, diabetes has provided me with stories to tell.

Like the time before diagnosis when I peed my pants.  Or the time I told a classmate if they weren't careful, I'd put insulin in their milk and make them diabetic.  Or the time I socked a kid who called a diabetic friend of mine "sugar-freak."  Or the times I've made a donkey of myself during a low.  

  (READ MORE)

It's already 3 days into the new year and I am still not "with it." In my defense I have battling a cold so my brain is a little foggy.


I used to make new year resolutions but is it just me or do we all seem to make the same ones each year? I always say that I am going to eat better, exercise more, yadda yadda yadda. I hear myself and sound like a broken record.


So this year is about goals. in 2006 my goal was to get on an insulin pump and quit smoking. I accomplished both of those. Last year my big goal was to lose weight and I finally joined Weight Watchers in August of 2007. So far I have lost 36 pounds but still have a way to go. On my personal blog I post my progress every week for all to see which helps a lot. (READ MORE)

I think (man I hope I'm not jinxing this!) that I have nailed my walking routine. Not like I have figured out my route or when to go or anything like that. What I mean is that I think it's close to being a habit.

For example, several days last week my alarm was not set right--I'm pretty sure it was human error (*blush*)--but my internal clock (or my angels) still woke me up at 5:30 a.m. and I was able to go for a walk. Although I was running a few minutes later than usual, I didn't take the bait to just say "screw it" and roll over for an extra 20 minutes of precious sleep.

Yesterday, I could have very easily avoided the walk and was actually quite close to do so, but having skipped Friday (I went to all school mass with No. 1) and Saturday (No. 2's birthday party) it was actually pretty easy to convince myself to get out the door and go. (READ MORE)