A Rose By Any Other Name #dblog

When I started this blog, I wasn't thinking long term. It was on a whim. Someone on the Type 2 message board at the American Diabetes Association website asked who had a blog since Type 2 blogs were so hard to find. I decided right then that I wanted to start a blog of my own.

What to name it though?

Not being a very patient person, I didn't want to wait long enough to come up with a catchy blog title. RFamHere was the user name I had for several websites, so I used it in my blog name. Because I like alliteration and I've been told that I often ramble on and on, RFamHere's Ramblings was born.

However my blog has expanded further than I ever though possible. I've become part of the Diabetes Online Community (DOC), Diabetes Advocates, The Type 2 Experience, and several other diabetes related groups online. I decided to make my blog title reflect the content of my blog.

From here on out, this blog will be called Diabetes Ramblings.

There are two ways to get to this blog now. The original RFamHere's Ramblings url of http://rfamhere.blogspot.com is still active. The new url fro Diabetes Ramblings http://www.diabetesramblings.com will redirect you to this blog.

I am very excited about the name change and the added web link.

Type 2s at #FFL? #MasterLab!

This probably sounds silly, but for the last few years I've been jealous of Type 1s and their families. Why? Friends for Life (#FFL). This conference is sponsored by Children With Diabetes (CWD) and is designed for people with Type 1 diabetes and their families. I felt like a kid not invited to a birthday party.

This year there is an event at FFL with Type 2s on the invite list: Diabetes Hands Foundation's MasterLab. Want to spend a day talking about advocacy? MasterLab is for you! Recently I was made aware of this day of advocacy discussion and asked to attend as a person with Type 2 diabetes (see disclaimer below). After looking at the schedule, how could I say no?

I would love to see more Type 2s at this event so I wanted to help put the word out. Here's a special deal for those attending FFL already:

Diabetes Hands Foundation offers this MasterLab in collaboration with Children with Diabetes (CWD).  Registered participants in CWD’s Friends for Life conference are welcome to join the MasterLab as part of their experience at no additional cost. Separate registration for the MasterLab is required.  

(Note: There's more information on the MasterLab page if you want to take advantage of this offer.)

The excitement and anticipation grows as I try to figure out what to pack, find out which of my diabetes online community (DOC) friends will be there, and figure out what bag will fit under the seat in a 16"x14"x12"  space to carry my clothes and laptop.

Are you going to FFL or MasterLab? Let me know! Maybe we can meet up!

Disclaimer: I have been offered a scholarship by the Diabetes Hands Foundation as part of my participation in the Diabetes Advocates program to attend the MasterLab. My travel and hotel are being covered by the scholarship, but the opinions and ideas (as well as excitement and anticipation) I will report on are my own.

#DBlogWeek - Break In the Action

Since my second child will be graduating from high school tomorrow, I'm going to pause my participation in D-Blog Week and set my focus on my child, family, and our guests. I hope to resume either Sunday night or Monday.

Thank you for your understanding!

To those who are graduating, whether from high school, college, trade school, or the military, my thoughts and prayers go with you as you transition to the next phase of your life. God bless!

Mantras and More - #DBlogWeek

Today's prompt: Yesterday we opened up about how diabetes can bring us down. Today let’s share what gets us through a hard day. Or more specifically, a hard diabetes day. Is there something positive you tell yourself? Are there mantras that you fall back on to get you through? Is there something specific you do when your mood needs a boost? Maybe we've done that and we can help others do it too?

There are times I have to depend on little phrases as a pep talk to help me through the day, whether or not it's diabetes related. One of my favorite phrases right now is "Just smile and nod." It works for so many situations.

Diabetes related, my favorite phrase is "Moderation not deprivation." I learned that from a dietitian during one of my pregnancies. I had gestational diabetes with all five of my children, so this bit of advice came in handy while I was stressing about dealing with diabetes during pregnancy. Since my Type 2 diagnosis, I've kept this mantra.

Moderation is the key to every part of my life. I try not to keep our schedule too full. I try to eat healthy, while letting everyone had special snacks now and  then.

Life is a balancing act, and sometimes diabetes throws off that balance. However a smile, a nod, and all things in moderation can help get through most situations.

What Brings Me Down - #DBlogWeek

Diabetes stinks. Ok, it sucks. All too often we ignore the emotional side of chronic illnesses. If I had the flu, I would deal with the symptoms knowing that the condition was only temporary. However, by definition a chronic illness will not go way. It's here for good.

When I was diagnosed, there was a small time where diabetes was a novelty. I like gadgets, so picking out a glucose meter was almost fun. Testing was fun at first. Counting carbs was fun at the beginning. The novelty quickly wore off.

The permanence of a chronic disease started to sink in. I realized that this wouldn't go away. Diabetes would be with me for the rest of my life whether I liked it or not.

Most days I can deal with diabetes. However there a too many days where I'm in denial. Those days are often followed by days where I get down about having diabetes. Thankfully when I'm having a rough time, I know I can call upon my family and the DOC (diabetes online community). 

One step at a time...

Poetry - #DBlogWeek

I've written poetry before. As a teen, I wrote it on a regular basis as a way to express myself. Unfortunately I have not kept up with my poetry writing. Luckily no one will care how "good" of a poem I write. It's the attempt that matters, right?

Well, here it goes....

My Diabetes Journey

Spring day
Phone rings
Get the news
Diabetes
Type 2
No surprise

   Take it on
   Head first
   Counting carbs
   Exercise
   Finger pokes

      Newness wears off
      What carbs
      Too tired to walk
      Absent meter

   On again
   Off again
   Sometimes counting
   Sometimes checking
   Sometimes walking

Wanting to be good
Example for my kids
Live a long life
A healthy life
Count those carbs
Find the meter
Get out of the chair

Change the World - #DBlogWeek

For my first post as part of Diabetes Blog Week, I decided to not think too much about the topic and prompt questions. I'm just going to take the title as I see it related to diabetes and go with it. Since my blog's name is RFamHere's Ramblings, I'm going to... well... ramble...

How do I want to change the world? My world. My world with diabetes. Well the obvious would be a cure. Yes, I want a cure. I need a cure. I deserve a cure. However, a cure isn't here yet. YET! It's coming. It has to be on the horizon. That hope for a cure is what I hold onto every day.

Hope for a cure is what I hold onto when I'm wanting to eat a whole box of Girl Scout cookies. Hope is what I hold onto when I'm sad, depressed, and angry at this monster we call diabetes. However, I also hold onto hope when I have an amazing A1c. Hope is what I hold onto when I (willingly) chose a low carb snack. Hope is what I hold onto when I have an amazing diabetes day.

How do I want to change the world? I want to help others find that hope. I want to see that hope in my children. I want to keep the hope alive in myself.

My hope isn't to cure Type 2 diabetes. My hope goes beyond that. My hope is for a cure for all types of diabetes - Type 1, Type 2, gestational, LADA, and the many other types that are often forgotten.

How do I wan to change the world? I want to help dissolve stereotypes and misconceptions about diabetes. I want to help pull the whole diabetes community together, regardless of type, to work together for a cure.

I want to give hope.

Diabetes Blog Week is coming! #DBlogWeek

Well the semester is not officially over. I can put my textbooks away. What great timing! Next week is Diabetes Blog Week! If you'd like to join or find out more information, just click on the picture below:

Please join us! If you don't want to blog, have fun exploring all of the awesome blogs. I'm planning on using this opportunity to kick start my blog writing this summer. I can't wait!