AUSTIN FREEMAN HAS DIABETES

Yet another All-Conference player with diabetes. No big deal. Dudley (Yale), Schlakter (Harvard), Farrell (Lafayette), Morrison (Gonzaga) and now Freeman (Georgetown). Best of luck, you're in a good line of players. Seems like you have a good head on your shoulders, you should be fine. Work has hard as you always have, and never use it as an excuse.

dh.

WORLD WIDE TESTING DAY

I came across an interesting thing today on Twitter: Kelly Rawlings (@kellyrawlings) had suggested that every diabetic "tweet" their blood sugar at 4 PM Eastern Time. Twitter and blogger TuDiabetes.com did a great job of spreading the word (I heard about it through them). The goal was to get 14,000 'betics to post their number.

Unfortunately, I had a meeting run almost an hour past the 4:00 bell, but still posted my scrumtrulescent score of 94 (as Stu Scott screams Boo Yeah at my glucometer). Not that it mattered to those following diabeteshappens on Twitter or the hash tag of #14kpwd (my guess, 14k people with diabetes). I got comments on my Herculean number long after it was posted. For many, I think it represented a bond with fellow diabetics, and created a sense of community among those of us who have to test; some actually looked forward to it (the article was written by a guy named Farrell so you know it has to be good).

I agree it was a great show of support, and it makes me happy to think that at the end of this month I'll be checking my sugs with some tremendous diabetics in Vernonia, Oregon. It's nice knowing that I've got a whole week of testing and comparing and not just a day with a hash tag.

THE_REAL_DIABETESHAPPENS

Big news on the DH home front kiddos. We got ourselves a Twitter account. Hit the user name diabeteshappens up and follow along. TB and I will be sharing our latest blood sugar levels, our travel plans (and what that means for the old BS) and thoughts we have on articles relating to the 'betes.

Also, after having seen TB's film (and not wanting to give too much away), I would like to be the first person to congratulate him for an excellent job. The film - though I only saw a rough cut that wasn't in it's full Cinescope beauty - is a tremendous achievement and speaks on many levels of what we all, not just diabetics, go through in life.

I love the message. Don't let your chord hold you back. Great job Tyler. You're my boy, blue.

Extension, Graduation, Anticipation

Its been a long time since I've posted on the diabeteshappens blog. But I intend to change that. Here are some long overdue thoughts from a diabetic on the verge of real life:

Having finished all undergraduate academic commitments at Wesleyan University and getting ready for Graduation on Sunday, I find myself a little bit antsy. Sure, its great to relax all day, but maybe free time is over rated. Senior year has been a very busy one, mostly due to my thesis for Film Studies, a 16mm short film that I wrote and directed called "Extension." Its is a very personal project that I've been working on for a year, and it is very closely related to not only my academic and creative work, but my everyday mindset, my health, and of course, diabeteshappens.

"Extension" is, very simply, about a boy who is electric. His name is Elliot. He must be plugged into the wall via an extension cord to survive. Elliot does not want to be limited by his cord. So he does something about it. If you haven't figured it out, "Extension" is very much based on my personal experience with Type 1 Diabetes, and my philosophy on how it should be dealt with. As diabetics, we can't let our cords hold us back. But its not as simple as unplugging. Even if we are "unplugged" and comfortable with our disease, we still have to wear insulin pumps or give injections. The fact is, we can be free, but we still have to be aware and be responsible and live in a world where most others don't have to do what we do. There is one thing that has helped me to get over this obstacle-- and that is the power of shared experience. Communicating and interacting with other people that are going through the same things has given me the individual strength to keep trying-- to keep doing my best. Here at diabeteshappens, we are all about a positive and proactive outlook on life with diabetes: it happens, so we make the best of it. Our cords don't hold us back. But most importantly, we believe in "extending" this attitude to others, and that's what we challenge you to do every day.

The ideas behind "Extension" do not only apply to diabetes. It is about overcoming any kind of adversity. Its about finding someone else like you. Its about shared experience. And dare I say-- its even about love. "Extension" will be up for viewing on the internet and available on DVD very soon. Please keep checking this blog and diabeteshappens.com for updates.

**
As this year-long project is finally about to see the light of day, I face a pretty serious transition: Exiting the college bubble, saying goodbye to college living habits (good for the 'betes), entering the real world and dealing with jobs, bills and rent. Diabetes won't hold me back. But the hardest and most important part about the beginning of this new chapter: remembering my "cord" exists, making my diabetes management a priority, giving myself the best chance to live a long, healthy life, and never forgetting to extend a positive outlook in the new (for me) post-grad world.


EXTENSION - COMING VERY SOON.

JMA IN MAY

April showers bring May flowers. JMA just brings the motivation. All May long.

ARTICLE THIS MORNING

I finally got around to reading the newspaper today after finding out about the death of one of my favorite baseball players of all time. My list includes two players, the first being Jim Abbott, the one handed hurler who pitched for the University of Michigan and then had a stellar career with the Angels before moving on to the Yankees (for whom he threw a no hitter). The second, also a pitcher, was from my favorite team and has to be one of the biggest sport personalities ever. Mark the Bird Fidrych talked to the ball as he wandered the mound preparing for his next pitch. His untimely death occured on his farm in Michigan. Rest in peace Bird.

However, as big of a story as that is, it wasn't in this mornings paper. What was, was an article written by Linda Johnson entitled "Diabetics skimping on care in recession." You can guess what most of the article is about just from the title. Folks with diabetes (both type 1 and 2) are not seeing their doctors or are using less of their prescriptions because of the downturn in the economy. Cutting back on jobs means fewer people have health benefits, or at the very least severely reduced health care. As this happens more and more the overall cost to the average American citizen will only increase as these people will eventually end up in the emergency room (with no health insurance to cover).

Clearly the Obama administration has made health care a priority, but with partisan bickering still running the House and Senate the issue has a long way to go. I understand the the reason America has provides the world with most of the cutting edge medical research is that it is so cut throat. Doctors and researchers have monetary stake in advancing science.

But, there has to be a point where we collectively say it's not OK for people who have disabilities (especially those of us who have no control over getting the disease) to suffer the consequences because of job losses in an economy that is failing. I am fortunate enough to be employed at the moment and to have savings enough to pay for COBRA when I wasn't employed, but clearly that is not the case for everyone.

Let's make a change so that everyone can be taken care of.

JMA BRINGS APRIL SHOWERS

Just do it. We didn't coin it; we just live it. All day. Every day.