Those were happy words when the hotel called to let me know the Dexcom G4 receiver had been found. A call to the hotel the day before turned up nothing. When the hotel room was cleaned that night, the “ipod” was found and turned into the lost & found. Since the “ipod” was labeled with my cellphone number, a woman at the lost & found called me the next day. So I am glad I label everything… oh the power of a label maker!
Tag Archives: diabetes
Concerts, Shows, and Parades- Oh My!
When your child is in a show, concert, or parade, diabetes won’t take an intermission.
Your child will be on stage perhaps separated from an adult who can help them if he or she is having a low blood sugar. Will the excitement, stress or extra activity required for the performance cause the blood sugar to go up or down? Beats me. And you can bet the show will be during dinnertime, further complicating the routine.
Who will carry the diabetes supplies, or where will they be if needed? Will there be medical supervision backstage for the duration of the show? And how do you keep the stress from all the issues above from ruining your ability to enjoy your child’s show, while trying not to wonder the whole time whether your child is having a low blood sugar and is about to collapse on stage?
For a Memorial Day parade in which my 6-year-old daughter rode her decorated scooter, I walked along side of her. No worries, and I got some exercise, too.
For a dance show, I kept my daughters, ages 4 and 7, in the audience with me, their costumes hidden under their clothes, until it was time for their dance number. This required an assertive conversation with the dance director who didn’t understand that supervision backstage didn’t equal medical supervision.
For a concert where my eight-year-old daughter’s diabetes supply bag stayed backstage with her violin case, I felt better knowing she had a pack of smarties hidden in her pump belt.
And when my daughter, who was 6 years old at the time, was in her first tumbling show, I watched her perform log rolls across the stage, grateful for a pump that could tolerate all that rolling without incident, and for a daughter who didn’t let her diabetes keep her from rolling with the punches.
Diagifts: A Holiday Gift Giving Guide
My toddler daughter was thrilled one year when Santa brought her a tiny pump and pump belt for her doll. Santa gets it!
Here then is my holiday list of diagifts for kids:
The stuffed pancreas by iheartguts. My daughters adore these soft pancreatic pillows. iheartguts also sells a pancreas lapel pin and a pancreas T-shirt.
The ultimate girl’s bag for carrying diabetes supplies: the lovebug bag by Myabetic. It’s cute on the outside- and the inside.
The toy pump and pump belt for dolls from Pump Wear. We use a small clip-on pedometer for the doll’s CGMS.
Spibelt belts in cool colors and patterns – the pump and CGMS belts that don’t fall off when you run. My girls swim with them on, too.
A pretty medical alert bracelet with beads, or a sporty sports band medical alert bracelet.
Books on diabetes such as…
The Dinosaur Tamer And Other Stories for Children with Diabetes, by Marcia Levine Mazur, Peter Banks, and Andrew Keegan, or
It’s Time To Learn About Diabetes, A Workbook on Diabetes for Children, Jean Betschart, MN, RN, CDE or
Explaining Diabetes, by Anita Loughrey.
For stocking stuffers:
The syringe ink pen and syringe highlighter– shots that don’t hurt!
Insulin vial covers in bright colors – they’re just so cute, and useful, too!
Of course, a cure for diabetes would be nice too, Santa, and until that time comes, an artificial pancreas under the tree would definitely be appreciated (make that two)!
Happy Holidays!
Diabooks: Updates to the Diabetes Bookshelf
Three new books added to the diabetes bookshelf this year are Not Dead Yet, My Race Against Disease from Diagnosis to Dominance, by Phil Southerland and John Hanc, The Sweet Life: Diabetes Without Boundaries, by Chef Sam Talbot, and Coco and Goofy’s Goofy Day, by Susan Amerikaner. All three books could appeal to those without diabetes as well.
Not Dead Yet tells the story of Phil’s diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 7 months, his bike race in Race Across America, and his founding of the professional bike racing team, Team Type 1. The Sweet Life is not only a beautiful coffee-table styled cookbook but also advice from Chef Sam Talbot on managing diabetes. Coco and Goofy’s Goofy Day is a Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse book with more books planned for a series.
More diabooks from the diabetes bookshelf are below. Some are inspirational, some instructive, and some are ideal for reading to your child’s class to help other kids understand what diabetes is.
For learning about diabetes and managing it:
There is a 12th edition of Understanding Diabetes by Peter H. Chase, MD (2011) published by the Children’s Diabetes Foundation at Denver, as well as a 12th edition of the First Book of Understanding Diabetes by Peter H. Chase, MD (2011) and a 2nd edition of Understanding Insulin Pumps and Continuous Glucose Monitors by Peter H. Chase, MD (2010). There is also an 11th edition of Un Primer Libro Para Entender La Diabetes by Peter H. Chase (2008). More information on these books is available at the Children’s Diabetes Foundation at Denver.
Think Like A Pancreas: A Practical Guide to Managing Diabetes With Insulin, by Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE
The Ultimate Guide to Accurate Carb Counting, by Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE
Pumping Insulin: Everything You Need For Success on a Smart Insulin Pump, by John Walsh and Ruth Roberts
Taking Control of Your Diabetes, Education, Motivation, Self-Advocacy, by Steven V. Edelman, MD and Friends
50 Secrets of the Longest Living People with Diabetes, Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, and Steven V. Edelman, MD
The Sweet Life: Diabetes Without Boundaries, by Chef Sam Talbot (2011)
The Everything Parent’s Guide to Children With Juvenile Diabetes: Reassuring Advice for Managing Symptoms and Raising a Happy, Healthy Child, by Moira McCarthy and Jake Kushner, MD
487 Really Cool Tips for Kids with Diabetes, by Spike Nasmyth Loy and Bo Nasmyth Loy
For reading to a class:
I’m Tougher Than Diabetes, by Alden Carter and Carol Carter
Taking Diabetes to School, by Kim Gosselin
Rufus Comes Home, Rufus, the Bear With Diabetes, by Kim Gosselin
Disney’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Coco and Goofy’s Goofy Day, by Susan Amerikaner (2011)
Memoirs on diabetes:
Not Dead Yet, My Race Against Disease from Diagnosis to Dominance, by Phil Southerland and John Hanc (2011)
Growing Up Again: Life, Love, and Oh Yeah, Diabetes, by Mary Tyler Moore
Reflections on Childhood Diabetes, A Mother’s Story of Hope and Encouragement, by Mary Silverberg
On the discovery of insulin, and the remarkable story of Elizabeth Hughes:
The Fight to Survive: A Young Girl, Diabetes, and the Fight to Survive, by Caroline Cox.
Breakthrough, Elizabeth Hughes, The Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle, by Thea Cooper and Arthur Ainsberg
The Discovery of Insulin, by Michael Bliss
Something different:
A diabetes poetry book. I blogged about the No-Sugar Added Poetry Book previously here.
Additional books are listed on my website under the link Bookshelf.
Now tell me what is your favorite book on diabetes?
10 Juicy Traveling Tips
1. Make a list of your diabetes supplies and use it as a packing list. Continue reading 10 Juicy Traveling Tips
No-Sugar Added Poetry
It’s hard to believe anyone can make diabetes poetic.
But that’s exactly what the Diabetes Hands Foundation did with a book of poetry called No-Sugar Added Poetry, A Diabetes Poetry Book.
One of my favorite poems in the book is “Ode To A Perfect Pancreas” by Alan Eastwood. “What Matters” by Kerri Morrone Sparling is another favorite.
The Diabetes Hands Foundation has an online community for people affected by diabetes called TuDiabetes. TuDiabetes lets people post their own haiku poems on diabetes called haiku-betes.
The proceeds from the book support the Diabetes Hands Foundation.
Now that’s using your words to raise money for diabetes!
Using Words To Advocate For A Cure
The American Diabetes Association has an advocacy program in which anyone can email their senators or congressmen to request support for programs like the Special Diabetes Program, which provides funding for diabetes research. Continue reading Using Words To Advocate For A Cure