Happy Belated World Diabetes Day!!!

Hey everyone! Yesterday I got a text message from my mom during school saying "Happy World Diabetes Day!" I completely didn't realize it was yesterday until my mom sent that. Like I knew it was on November 14, but didn't make the connection I guess... So, if you weren't aware like I kinda was yesterday was World Diabetes Day. Here is what the International Diabetes Federation says about it:

"World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14. The World Diabetes Day campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2007 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight. 

World Diabetes Day is a campaign that features a new theme chosen by the International Diabetes Federation each year to address issues facing the global diabetes community. While the themed campaigns last the whole year, the day itself is celebrated on November 14, to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1922."

I know in Cincy there was a party at Fountain Square...sadly I couldn't go, but I definitely plan on it next year if there is one! 

Did anyone do anything special for World Diabetes Day?

Ironically, I had to go see my nurse practitioner at Cincinnati Children's yesterday for clinic. It was just a normal check-up type thing. After waiting for over an hour, she came in checked me out and did normal check-up stuff. She gave me an A+! She said she couldn't complain at all except me changing my sites every 4 days instead of the recommended every 2-3 days. And my A1C was 6.5! I'm not quite sure how it was, but it's still awesome! So, yesterday was a success for me. I was her last patient yesterday and she said she loves to end her day with someone doing such a good job....she said the same thing last time too.. lol :)

How is everyone doing with their care? Anyone else get an A+ at their last clinic??

Any questions?...comments?...

<3 Sam!

Insulin Pumps

I'm not sure if you have an insulin pump or not, but I do :) and it's pretty amazing :)

I have the Animas "Ping." I seriously love it! It's awesome because it came with a One Touch meter that acts like kind of a remote to the pump. I'll be honest... I don't usually use the remote whenever I enter in for food or for a correction. I will sometimes if I'm wearing a skirt or dress. It comes in handy for that. Another reason I love it is because it's completely waterproof. I can seriously swim in my pool without taking it off.. which is awesome :)

OmniPod Insulin Pump

When I went to the pump classes at my diabetes center, there were 3 different ones I could choose from. One option was the OmniPod. The OmniPod is really unique because it is the only insulin pump that doesn't have wires. The insulin is in the Pod which is attached to your skin. In each Pod there is a little computer. You enter in using the remote for it. It was also waterproof. The more I look into the OmiPod, the more I like it. So maybe this will be my next pump....who knows??

What it looks like on

There was also the Medronic MiniMed Paradigm. Pretty much the only reason I didn't get this one was because it was water resistant and not waterproof. Other than that I really liked it. With the MiniMed you can use a CGM with it, which is pretty awesome :)

What it looks like on along with the CGM

So, if you don't have a pump and are thinking about getting one, I would definitely call your diabetes center and they can help you like they did for me!

Have a fantastic day!

Children's Congress 2013

So, I got an email the other day from Juvenation(kind of like facebook for diabetics through JDRF). It was about the 2013 Children's Congress. I had never heard of this before so I decided to look it up. It's held every two years in Washington, D.C. 150 applicants from across America meet there with members of Congress. The representatives explain to members of Congress what life with diabetes is like and why research to find the cure for diabetes and its complications is so critical. They urge Congress to take action to help cure, treat, and prevent type 1 diabetes. 

I think that this is awesome. Just saying. 

So...I am in the process of applying to be a representative for Indiana. I'm really hoping I get chosen. I have no idea what the chances are of me being selected, but I thought I may as well try. The deadline is on Thursday, November 1. If you haven't applied, you should! Even if I don't get chosen, it would be pretty cool if you did!! If you'd like to apply the link is:  http://www.jdrf.org/index.cfm?page_id=115193

Have any of you ever gotten to be part of the Children's Congress before? What's it like? Let me know!! :)


Good night!!

Love, 
Sam :)

:)

School!

So as I've mentioned before, there are quite a few t1 diabetics at my school. So like all of my teachers know what it is but don't really know anything about it or how we take care of ourselves. Even the nurse asks me if I need to do a correction when I'm like in the 80s or 90s... Obviously I'm not going to do a correction for that...

Probably the worst thing about school with diabetes us the number of other students who don't know I'm diabetic and act super shocked when I tell them I am. If I say something about having diabetes they act COMPLETELY shocked and usually treat me slightly different after. I mean I don't advertise to everyone that I am one and I got diagnosed over summer break so I guess that's why they don't realize it...

I hate it if I get a low insulin warning in the middle of a lecture or test or something, too. My teachers always think it's a cell phone and yell at me to turn it off. So when I tell them it's my pump they have this like "oh crap" look on their face and get embarrassed. Then the whole class looks at me which is just super awkward... One time it went off while a was taking a test in my English class and my teacher turned around and yelled, "Seriously?!?!" I told her what it was and she didn't even say a word.... The whole class looked at me and were like "OMG I can't believe she yelled at you and then isn't going to apologize!!" yeah that was the absolute most awkward thing that's happened to me...

Does anyone have any super awkward things that have happened to you? Comment and share your awkward moment!

Love you all!
  ~Sam :)

Lows and Highs...

Hi there!! 

So...lows and highs...where do I even begin???

First off, I hate my BGs being off. It's great when they're normal or even a tad bit high, but I hate it when they're low/really high...

My BG is probably below 70 1-3 times a week depending on what I'm doing that week. Over the summer when I was in marching band, I would always be super careful to make sure I didn't go low, so I would probably only go low no more than once a week. But, not since school started it's a bit different. For some strange reason I was low yesterday and today when I checked before lunch after band. I have literately been eating the same thing for breakfast every day since school started. I've been eating Goldfish (I don't like normal breakfast food and they're so delicious) on the bus and I never do insulin because I have learned last year and the year before that I would be in the 50s everyday. This whole year my numbers have been great...until yesterday.. I absolutely hate being low at school, mainly because I can't focus on anything. And I feel like I could eat like 3 lunches. And because people think it's cool that I get to drink a CapriSun when I'm low...umm...yeah. I think they're crazy, but I guess they just don't understand what it feels like. 

Now for high BGs.. I actually have never had a BG above 375ish in the 2 years I have had diabetes. I don't know why... But it's a good thing. A lot of people talk about how high they go, but I never do for some reason. Most of the time I'm not above 180. If I'm anywhere above 200 though my mom absolutely freaks out and thinks I didn't do enough insulin and blames me for it. Or, she thinks there is a major problem and wants to call the Diabetes Center. It's kind of annoying... Yes, sometimes I do go high because I didn't do enough insulin, but it's not all the time. And I know she's just trying to make sure I'm staying healthy. Whenever I go to the Diabetes Center for clinic they are always shocked when they see how well controlled I am, and so I can't complain. They have actually called me the poster child for diabetes before which is kind of weird, but weird in a good way. 

I've actually wondered before if the reason I am so controlled is because we caught the diabetes early. I don't know if it has to do with anything or not, but everyone I know that got diagnosed was pretty sick and I never really was. I had ketones but never went into ketoacidosis. They told me I would have if we would have waited though. So, I don't know.. I would think someone would have came up with that idea before, but I've never heard of it.. Hmmm...

Well, I hope you had a great week and that you have an awesome weekend!

Love, Sam