A bell's not a bell 'til you ring it... -- Oscar Hammerstein II

Much like the opening lines of the "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" reprise ⁽¹⁾, knowledge -- like love: doesn't exist "'til you give it away." Data become knowledge when they are shared, analyzed, verified. Or like money in Hello, Dolly!, knowledge "is like manure -- it doesn't do good unless you spread it around, encouraging young things to grow."

While sharing everything you know may, perversely, show up everything you don't know, knowing what you don't know gives you the option to learn it. Of course, there will be someone who will take that opportunity to say that it's your posterior, not your cranium, that has the intelligence,⁽²⁾ but y'know what? That's just him (or her) sharing his (or her) lack of knowledge. (READ MORE)

I am not a number. -- "Number 6", The Prisoner

One of the questions asked in a recent #dsma chat had to do with the people we live and work with who are familiar enough with our diabetes care to support us, make sure we have appropriate food and drink as needed, who know how and when to administer glucagon, and what to tell the folk at 911 about us. Some debate arose over the common patient-community designation of these individuals as "Type 3s".

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Whether or not we recognize it explicitly, we are all caregivers (aka, T3s). Whether we serve a family member, someone in our neighborhood or church, or just others on the dLife forums and in the dLife community, we are each part of someone else's diabetes support team.

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I have had neuropathy in my both of my feet for a while now. I have almost gotten used to the tingling and burning pains that come now and then.

Almost.

The tingling is not nearly as bad as the feeling as if a lighted match is being held under your foot and it can be on the heel, at the arch or near my toes. Anywhere is free game and at any time. I hate it.

Lately I have noticed something different. My feet are cold, ice cold. I check for color to make sure blood is present and my pulse is there which is seems to be good but this temperature change freaks me out.

As I was going to bed I started to grunt in pain. My wife asked what was wrong and I told her how just the blankets rubbing on my feet hurt. And how no matter what I did, my feet felt like they were cold.

I lifted my right foot and pushed it up against my left shin to feel the cold and felt nothing. (READ MORE)

Earlier this week I posted about how diabetes can get in the way of life. There are many times when you want to put your disease on the back burner.

So often we have to stop what we are doing to check our blood or count carbs. We have to draw up syringes with the right amount of insulin. We have a lot to do and it can get in the way especially when we are in a hurry.

But have you ever had a moment when you realized your disease has seeped into the lives of others?

We went to dinner the other night. It was my wife, son, daughter, and her friend. We typically have someone over at our house hanging out playing on the Wii, watching movies, or even board games. Our home is a happening place.

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Last night after a grueling workout with my best friend in The Slimmons Gym I was spent. My buddy Matt and I get together a few nights a week to exercise in my garage. We have a treadmill, heavy bag, speed bag, and a weight bench in there so I let Matt decide what exercises we are going to do and how many.

This has always worked out well since my only exercise of late has been Wii bowling. Matt used to play football in high school and was often found in his school workout room strapped to some machine. Basically Matt would have hated me in high school since I was all about band. We said the football game was the opening act for our half time show! How I do miss band. (READ MORE)