The a1C: Golden Trophy or Scarlet Number? Time to take away the shame

I’ll be interested to hear what readers think about this one. The a1C is such a touchy topic, and impacts us in such a profound way. Let me know what you think. I recently took on the project of sorting through old files on my computer (I am definitely a data hoarder). I came across an email that I’d written almost a decade ago, and it made me cringe. I was bragging – no; crowing – about my daughter’s 6.2 a1c. I was lording it over the other parent like I was some kind of supermom. I’m sure at that … Continue reading The a1C: Golden Trophy or Scarlet Number? Time to take away the shame

Revisiting an old theme: Food, comfort and the D-Mom (or Dad I guess too!)

Note: Since I’ve finally gotten back to being on a good fitness plan and eating quite well, I decided to look back to what I was writing in my recent “epic fitness year,” 2009 (I won my club’s “Fitness Challenge” which was like the Biggest Loser only it included tests in fitness and strength improvements too. Bummer . . . I let myself slip recently, but I’m heading back in the right direction again (partly thanks to the food and fitness diaries I kept back then — just following them all again!) But I learned then this was an emotional … Continue reading Revisiting an old theme: Food, comfort and the D-Mom (or Dad I guess too!)

A crash, a life saved, a life found: Using your own personal trauma to change the world

It was Thanksgiving night 1983 and while I had no idea at that moment, my world was about to come (almost) crashing down around me. The night before had been classic early-20’s folks Thanksgiving Eve stuff: bars in Boston; friends home to visit; lots of partying. So much, in fact, that at Thanksgiving dinner at my grandfather’s house, I’d stuck to the apple cider rather than wine (and been teased about it by my gabillion cousins). Now I was on my way out again. I’d swung by home to sneak on a really cute new sweater my sister had just … Continue reading A crash, a life saved, a life found: Using your own personal trauma to change the world

How to choose a charitable organiztion? It’s as unique as you

It might be neat if after reading this, readers talk about their choices and how they came to them. I think it would be interesting to hear — and learn — from others. A D-world friend called me recently with an interesting question: how do you choose what charity to support? How do you know that the place you choose to give your time, support, advocacy and dollars is the “right” one? And it got me thinking: really, the choices in the D-world are multiple, and very few are “wrong.” Let me explain how I came to be a JDRF … Continue reading How to choose a charitable organiztion? It’s as unique as you

Another D Candle Day: How is a mom to let her child with Diabetes live her life?

  It is what we call here in D-world, another “Blue Candle Day.” If you are in the D-world, you know what that means. If you are one of my friends and readers who is not, let me explain: When a person with Type 1 passes away from a situation related to Type 1 diabetes, folks around the world change their FB profile pics to blue candles. I don’t, only because my daughter and I communicate on FB constantly and I just don’t think she wants to stare that kind of thing down at this point in her life. Doesn’t … Continue reading Another D Candle Day: How is a mom to let her child with Diabetes live her life?