Lifting Me Higher

Spread the Love - Sunday 5/19 Link List

Today's Prompt: As another Diabetes Blog Week draws to a close, let’s reflect on some of the great bloggers we’ve found this week. (Thanks to Pearlsa of A Girl's Reflections for inspiring this topic.)

What a great week! I'm going to list my favorite post from each day.

Day 1 - Sharing
Heather at Unexpected Blues is someone you should be reading. Brilliant, lush writing. Gorgeous images. Beautiful human being. Her post on Monday reminded me of the relationship I had with my endocrinologist in my early 20s.

Day 2 - Petitions
Meri begged diabetes to get a few hours sleep, kick up its feet, relax once in a while. Oh, how lovely that would be.

Day 3 - Memories
The post that moved me the most this week was Karen and her Grape Jelly.

Day 4 - Accomplishments
Ilana reminded me that I don't exist separately from my body. Accepting diabetes as part of my personal definition is something I've struggled with for a long time and she stated a solution so matter-of-factly.

Day 5 - The Trade
In his post about "the trouble pile," Bob shared an allegory about realizing that your own sack of troubles is not worth changing out for someone else's. He also points out how often we probably all joke inappropriately about situations or conditions which might be genuinely painful for others.

Day 6 - Art
Heidi wrote a poem that spoke to me. I loved her lines about "maybe tomorrow will be better...maybe the same...maybe worse." And Reva made some awesome D-body art.

Podetry

Diabetes Art - Saturday 5/18 Link List

Disease is never beautiful,

But the human condition is.

Compassion, Dignity, Determination,

Blossoming in adversity.

Pied Beauty

Freaky Friday - Friday 5/17 Link List

Today's Prompt: Just like in the movie, today we’re doing a swap. If you could switch chronic diseases, which one would you choose to deal with instead of diabetes? And while we’re considering other chronic conditions, do you think your participation in the DOC has affected how you treat friends and acquaintances with other medical conditions? (Thanks to Jane of Jane K. Dickinson, RN, PhD, CDE and Bob of T Minus Two for this topic suggestion.)

As many of my bloggy brethren are pointing out today, chronic conditions often come in boxed sets. You might not get just type 1 diabetes. You can end up with its pesky autoimmune family members, too - its little cousin Celiac, its uncle Hashimoto, its crappy sister Crohn's, or grandpa Arthritis. The list goes on.

Me? I got Diabetes' sweet great aunt - Vitiligo.

As chronic conditions go, I'll be honest, she's a peach. Well, not a peach so much. Maybe a speckled peach.

She's quiet. She wouldn't hurt a fly. She's just a little odd-looking. You rarely even notice her. Maybe you'll walk past a mirror and catch her there. Or she'll photobomb you when you're working on your best duckface.

Seasons of Love

Accomplishments Big and Small -Thursday 5/16 Link List

Today's Prompt: We don’t always realize it, but each one of us had come a long way since diabetes first came into our life. It doesn’t matter if it’s been 5 weeks, 5 years or 50 years, you’ve done something outstanding diabetes-wise. So today let’s share the greatest accomplishment you've made in terms of dealing with your (or your loved one’s) diabetes.

5 weeks, 5 years, 50 years... I'm somewhere in between.
I'm going on 23 years into this.
Nearly 1200 weeks, over 8,000 days now, with a chronic disease.
How many days do I have left to go? What have I done so far?
Is having kids my ultimate accomplishment?
Will I ever see a Joslin medal?
Am I halfway through my life with diabetes? Or am I just beginning?
What will I do yet?
How do you measure?

In the words of Innigo Montoya, "No, there is too much. Let me sum up."
And let me do it in an ever-so lovable and slightly cheesy, Broadway style.

12 Million 29 Thousand 8 Hundred Minutes
12 Million 29 Thousand since my start
12 Million 29 Thousand 8 Hundred Minutes
How do you measure a diabetic heart?

In doctors, in blood tests,
In midnights, in cups of coffee,
In carb counts, in shots, in laughter, in strife,
In 12 Million 29 Thousand 8 Hundred minutes.
How do you measure my diabetic life?

How about love? How about love?
How about love? Measure in love
Seasons of love, seasons of love.

12 Million 29 Thousand 8 Hundred Minutes
12 Million 29 Thousand rises and falls
12 Million 29 Thousand 8 Hundred Minutes
How do you measure a hundred thousand close calls?

In truths that she learned,
Or in times that she cried,
In babies she birthed,
Or the way that she'll die?

It's time now, to sing out though the story never ends
I want to celebrate the love and support of my online friends.

Remember the love
(Oh, you got to, you got to remember the love)
Remember the love
(You know that life is a gift from up above)
Remember the love
(Share love, give love, spread love)
Measure in love
(Measure, measure your life in love)

Seasons of love
Seasons of love
(Measure your life, measure your life in love)

That's how I measure mine.

Low Point

Memories - Wednesday 5/15 Link List

Today's Prompt: Today we’re going to share our most memorable diabetes day. You can take this anywhere.... your or your loved one's diagnosis, a bad low, a bad high, a big success, any day that you’d like to share. (Thanks to Jasmine of Silver-Lined for this topic suggestion.)

This is the story of my most epic overtreat.

I had to be 12 or 13 years old. My mom was in charge of orchestrating local Cub Scout leader trainings for much of my childhood. Saturdays were often spent keeping myself entertained in some empty community room of some local church while watching the adults buzz around doing their thing. I'd help carry supplies in and out, help sign people in at the registration table, help keep the donut and juice table stocked.

Well, I was alone, I was low, and Domino's had just delivered dozens of pizzas for lunch.

You see where this is going.