The Days Grow Short When You Reach September

Maybe it is the start of the new school year that got everyone writing, but this group of the Best of the ‘Betes Blogs is the best we have seen so far. There is a record number of blogs nominated by a record number of people. Please visit every blog listed in this post. They all deserve our attention, encouragement, and comments as they represent what is best about the diabetes community.

Best Use of Humor

Meri and her kids help us create a new word when we don’t see the number we expect on our meters – it’s shockaprising!

Best Vlog

Warning: When you click on this vlog, make sure you have some Kleenex. Nicole takes us on the emotional journey of her daughter’s doctor’s appointment and first A1c result since pumping. (p.s. Remember, we are more than our numbers)

Best Recipe

I stand by my verdict that there is no better recipe than the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Scully further proves my point with her killer peanut butter chocolate fudge.

Best Use of Photography Pictures

So it isn’t technically a photograph, but Bob’s picture for Diabetes Art Day is an amazing representation of the burden of diabetes control.

Best Advocacy

Ableism is the discrimination against people with diabetes. In part one, C encourages us to use our voices to educate more and in part two she reminds us that we are all beautiful.

Best Story of a D Meet-up

It wasn’t a D meet-up in the traditional sense, but Susi R. found that when you need the community the amazing DOC is there for you.

Best non-D Related Post

I don’t know what to say. I wish Kelly never wrote this beautiful post about her mom.

Best Post by a Type 1

She has been using the terms for twenty-one years, but Jacquie feels like she only recently began learning the language.

Best Post by a Type 2

Guilt? Forgiveness? Brenda Bell writes about how we can try to find a balance.

Best Post by a Type Awesome

I am not sure how many fathers of children with diabetes are out there, but Scott writes an amazing description of what it feels like to carry the burden of his daughter’s numbers and Arden’s unprompted thoughts on the issue.

Best Post by a LADA/ Type 1.5/ Not otherwise specified

Has anyone ever said to you – well, at least it’s not cancer? For Babs, it is cancer.

Best Story of a D-mistake

It wasn’t the day the music died, but on Holly’s blog it was the day the DexCom died.

Best Motivational Post

It started with a tweet and turned into a blog post. Jess helps to show us the power of just five words.

Best Diabetes Art

Since September contained Diabetes Art Day, I thought for sure the Best Diabetes Art would be posted on that day but a different day brought out the best. Jeff’s poems on September 11th are beautiful and painful to read.

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Thank you to those in the diabetes community who nominated posts this month including:
Joanne
Brian
Jess
Cherise
Dave (Sowerbee)
Caroline
Briley
Kim
Robbie
Martin
Bob Pedersen

According to the random number generator, Robbie (who is the parent of a child with diabetes and a “faithful blog reader”) has won the PAK BARA organizer. Additionally, I put the 14 categories listed above into the random number generator and Bob will also receive a free PAK BARA organizer. I will forward your information to PAK BARA so you both can pick your design. Congratulations!

There are only fourteen posts featured above, but THIRTY ONE blogs received nominations this month! Be sure to check out all of these great blogs too!
A Consequence of Hypoglycemia
Arden’s Day
Arnold and Me
Bab’s Blog
Bitter-Sweet
Brenda Bell on dlife
C’s Life With D
Canadian D-gal
Climbing Diabetes
DeeJay’s ‘Betes
Diabetesaliciousness
Diabetically Speaking
Every Day Ups and Downs, A Diabetes Blog
Instructions Not Included
Jeff Mather’s Dispatches
LADA Life
Lisa From Scratch
Me and D
Moments of Wonderful
Our Diabetic Life
RFamHere’s Ramblings
Six Until Me
Strangely Diabetic
Sweet Success: My life with Type 2 Diabetes
T Minus Two
Tales of Rachel
Texting My Pancreas
The Tales of Princess Mikkimoto
The We CARA Lot Blog
Typical Type 1
Victoria Cumbow
with a side of insulin

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If you are one of the Best ‘Betes Blogs for this month and would like to add a badge to your blog, you can find the information for the badge below.

Replace all [ ] with < >. [div align=”center”][a href=”http://www.bestofthebetesblogs.com&#8221; target=”_blank”][img src=”https://momentsofwonderful.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/bbblogo-final-e1309479808835.png”%5D%5B/a%5D%5B/div%5D

Can’t wait to see what you guys will find in October! Remember to continue to submit your nominations to bestbetesblogs@gmail.com.

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Faith Friday – How Great Thou Art

A man was walking home from church in Sweden and listening to the church bells ringing when he was amazed by an approaching storm. Living in Florida, I think I know a little how he felt. Even yesterday, I left my house under bright blue skies but within a few miles I was in the pouring rain. Not even ten minutes later, the sun was shining again.

This is how the night in Sweden was described

Nature was at its peak that radiant afternoon. Presently a thundercloud appeared on the horizon, and soon sharp lightning flashed across the sky. Strong winds swept over the meadows and billowing fields of grain. The thunder pealed in loud claps. Then rain came in cool fresh showers. In a little while the storm was over, and a rainbow appeared.

That beautiful scene inspired Carl Boberg to write the poem that eventually became the hymn “How Great Thou Art.”

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“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
~ Luke 19:40

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Wordless Wednesday: Before and After

Before

After

What can I say? Jess inspired me!

Moments with my mom

I have always enjoyed reading posts from around the blogosphere from the parents of people with diabetes. Whether it is someone raising a child with diabetes right now (like Reyna, Joanne, Lorraine, Meri, Alexis, and so many more) or posts from Jess’ or Kerri’s mom posted on their blogs. Every time I see those types of posts it makes me wonder what my mom would say.

As you know, she didn’t grow up with a child with diabetes. I was not diagnosed until my senior year of college, at which point I has been out of the house for four years. Due to the cost of graduate school, I moved home for the next two years. However, the majority of my life with diabetes has been out of her house.

Instead of just continuing to wondering what she thinks, this weekend I decided to ask her. Living across the country, I had to use technology and send her the questions by e-mail. Here are her responses with some of my favorite pictures from past and present mixed in.

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What is your favorite thing about having me for a daughter? Now that you are an adult, my favorite things about having you for a daughter have changed. I enjoy your zest for living, your passion to help others and the fact that we enjoy each others company and can laugh together and share on those precious occasions.

What did you know about diabetes before I was diagnosed? Very little. Mostly about type 2 that could be controlled through diet and that it was a pancreas related issue [Her mom has had type 2 diabetes for many years, unfortunately with complications].

What do you remember from my diagnosis? I remember how frustrated we were by the lack of follow-up and straight answers until it was way too late. I remember distinctly your bugging eyes and skinny body weeks before you were hospitalized.

What is the biggest thing you have learned about diabetes in the past 8 years? I have learned how all consuming it can be not just monitoring what food goes in but also activity levels, sleep == everything to stay on an even keel. I’ve learned many little things too regarding technology and advances, but you asked for the biggest.

What do you think about blogging? I think it has a huge value to bring people together for a common interest.

What do you think about the diabetes online community? In reading your entries and the comments of others, you are a huge support system for each other. Then having the privilege to meet some of the people face to face I am convinced they are responsible for your navigating the diabetes experience so successfully. As a type 3 it is helpful for me to read periodically to know where your thoughts are and action steps you are taking; since we don’t get to talk too often — I feel like an eaves dropper but it is all I’ve got.

Most of my diabetes friends were diagnosed when they were little and their parents felt (and still often feel) a great responsibility for their care. How did/does it feel to be the parent of an adult with diabetes? Especially considering I live across the country from you now. I feel very powerless to help except through prayer. When I read about your discouragements or challenges, my heart breaks but I have to trust God to bring you through and to allow you to prosper. I also have to know that you are blessed with an intelligence and determination beyond the norm and you will make the right decisions for your care.

Any specific worries you have related to my diabetes? Living alone and experiencing a low so low that you can’t make the right decision to remedy it. Also I am concerned about the long term effects on your body but the man that is the head of the Disney conference (aka Jeff Hitchcock) was very encouraging in that regard at the last conference [she met him when she came to visit me after Roche].

Have you seen any positive aspects of my life with diabetes? In some respects it has made you more disciplined and definitely more caring for others and aware of giving people grace because we may not know their story.

Any final thoughts? I wish with all my heart that you did not have diabetes but I think it has made you a much stronger person and definitely pushed you outside your comfort zone to connect with a broader base of people as a result of the online community.

Thanks for your help Mom!

P.S. My mom hates that last picture but I LOVE it! Everyone thinks my youngest nephew looks the most like her, so we make him make the faces she is famous for.

Faith Friday – In the moment

Do you replay conversations in your head as much as I do?

I am usually regretting all the things I didn’t say. Sometimes though, there are just conversations that make me smile or laugh because the memory is so good. Those times when someone truly listened to me, when me felt heard. Or even more so, those times when I read something or hear a message and I know it was meant just for me.

That feeling gives me a .0000001% perspective on what it must have felt like for the disciples when they realized they had spent hours traveling down a road with Jesus after his resurrection.

They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?”
~ Luke 24:32

How many times do I miss the importance of the moments in front of me because I am so worried about what is coming next? This week my goal is to pay attention.