40 Years with Type 1: What I’ve Learned
NOTE: Since this was published, Eli Lilly has announced they’re capping the price of insulin at $35 a month! However, that doens’t change the fact that they’ve been price gouging for years and still should be ashamed of themselves. OK, now carry on!
My goodness. It’s been four years since I’ve posted to this blog.
To the best of my knowledge and recollections, Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, marks the 40th anniversary of my type 1 diabetes diagnosis. It’s absolutely been a whirlwind and educational on so many levels. Here are a few things I’ve learned over these past 40 years.
Read more…Why I’m Being an Advocate for T1Ds
I’ve had type 1 diabetes for 36 1/2 years, and, for the majority of that time, it’s been a fairly invisible condition for me. For the past six years or so I’ve had a (somewhat) noticeable insulin pump on my waist, but, all in all, if you looked at me, you probably couldn’t tell I have diabetes.
But, over the last year or so, I’ve been active across social media spreading the word for change in the way people with diabetes are treated. Over the past few months, I’ve been reaching out and meeting with state politicians to push for legislation to control the companies that are taking advantage of me and my fellow T1Ds.
Why? Mainly, because I’m tired of being treated like nothing more than a commodity.
Read more…
5 steps to create a content marketing campaign
Content marketing–the practice of using relevant content to provide value to a target audience with the goal of increasing business–is, in essence, a pull instead of a push. It’s the process of using material to draw customers in to learn about you, whether it’s your product, your brand, your company.
Which Channels Should You Use in Your Social Marketing Campaign?
Your social media strategy will determine how your organization uses content to achieve its social marketing campaign goals. For most companies, an effective social media strategy can:
- Build brand engagement and awareness
- Drive traffic to your website
- Generate leads
- Grow revenue
Happy Diaversary to Me
On this day, 36 years ago, my life changed forever. I was in seventh grade and was coming off a week of being sick with a virus.
I went to school that Thursday, but was called out of class in the early afternoon. My mom was at the principal’s office and met me with a somber look. I had to go to the hospital, she said.
It was diabetes.
What’s in the Bag(s)?
Some of my lifesaving gear is kept in these bags.
As everyone with diabetes knows, we are slaves to the medications and equipment we use. If you’re a multiple daily injection (MDI) diabetic (meaning, someone who uses syringes or insulin pens), having your meds and testing gear available is an everyday necessity.
If, like me, you use an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor (CGM), you know how finicky (and, sometimes, inaccurate) the CGM can be, and there’s nothing worse than running out of insulin.
So here’s where the case comes into play. But what all do I keep in my go bags?
Rolling With My Pancreas: Making My CGM Stick
The products I use to keep my CGM secure: Medtronic-issued tape, Smith & Nephew pre IV wipes, and GrifGrips.
My ability to train Brazilian jiu-jitsu effectively over the last year is directly related to my use of the Medtronic 670G with Guardian CGM. (Note: Medtronic really needs some help in naming their products; Additional Note: I’ll be complimenting Medtronic and their products in this post, but I’ve had some issues with them in the past. You can learn what I’m talking about by checking out these past posts.)
When I have a water break, I’m able to consult my pump, which has been getting readings from the CGM that’s in my abdomen or thigh or upper arm. That info will then inform whether I need some sports drink, or water, and keeps me fueled for the next bit of training. It also keeps me conscious and able to learn.
But I found out that training BJJ while wearing a CGM can sometimes be a frustrating–and expensive–proposition.
Rolling With My Pancreas: Fighting the Hypos
I sat there, sweating and shaking, trying to make sense of where I was.
“You OK?”
It was my coach. I was in the locker room, alone and thoroughly confused.
“I’m good,” I lied.
“You almost got locked in here,” he said, still trying to figure out what was going on with me.
NDAM 2017: Diabetes and the Gym
It’s been a while. Since my last post, I’ve continued to train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (very poorly at times), have settled into something of a rhythm at work, and kept experiencing the diabetes roller coaster.
Rolling with My Pancreas: Riding Out the Highs and Lows
One way in which diabetes and jiu-jitsu share some similarities is in the need for practitioners of each to maintain a balance. Don’t let the highs get too high; don’t let the lows get too low.
Read more…
Type 1 Philly 