Your Source for Healthy Living with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease
Easter is the one-two punch that comes immediately on the heels of Valentine’s Day; it creates another few weeks of fending off the candy aisle at work, school, parties, banks – and quite frankly, everywhere you turn.
Luckily, there are ways to make Easter morning and the Easter basket less of a ‘candy-fest’ and still have your kids feel like they aren’t being jipped-off. [Read more...]
It’s always fun to bake homemade dog treats and distribute to dog loving friends at the holidays. This recipe is lovely because it doesn’t contain wheat flour. If you have celiac disease in your house you will relish this recipe and let your kids go hog wild with it.
My girls were very excited to get to work on these dog treats. Kids always love making anything that involves cut outs and icing- especially when the cookie cutters are dog bones. All of the recipes ingredients are safe for people and have no flour, you can feel free to roll the dough all over your kitchen counter- (which is a total BONUS with celiac disease). [Read more...]
Tuesday May 15th, “One Great Thing”
Today is my second day of blogging for the 3rd annual Diabetes Blog Week. Along with over 100 diabetes bloggers we are all writing about today’s topic -“One Great Thing”.
“Living with diabetes (or caring for someone who lives with it) sure does take a lot of work, and it’s easy to be hard on ourselves if we aren’t “perfect”. But today it’s time to give ourselves some much deserved credit. Tell us about just one diabetes thing you (or your loved one) does spectacularly! Fasting blood sugar checks, oral meds sorted and ready, something always on hand to treat a low, or anything that you do for diabetes. Nothing is too big or too small to celebrate doing well! “
I immediately find myself renaming this entry: “Many Great Things”. I not only have type 1 diabetes, but my daughter has it as well. I function as a cheap pancreas for my daughter and myself day in and day out. I am really not one to self criticize about managing a disease such as diabetes. I prefer to compliment myself and my daughter. Diabetes can be punitive enough, even when you are giving it 100%, it may choose not to give back.
Diabetes is 24/7. It goes to sleep with us, it may wake us at night and when rising in the morning it greets us again. The little black zippered pouch on the bedside, beckoning my name to check first thing. Creeping down the hall, I take a peek at my daughter and her little black bag at her bedside. My diabetes mind speaks to me again, should I check her now too or let her sleep? And the process starts that way every day, 365 days a year, every year, until a cure is found. Diabetes has invaded my household, my body and my mind.
Am I diabetes?
Diabetes has its own rhythm, its own alarm clock, it’s own sights and sounds. Sometimes I see diabetes as a living, breathing thing. Diabetes pours out of my cabinets, fills my recycling bin, litters every small crevice a strip can fit in and even occupies an entire condiment shelf in my refrigerator. When we travel I forfeit my luggage space to diabetes. How much more can you give to a disease? It occupies two bodies in my house and I can only hope for a cure before it takes over another.
As for all of the great things I do for diabetes, they are countless.
I live and breathe diabetes.
My mind is full of numbers, percentages, carb counts, and things many other people never give a thought about.
I care for all of the “behind the scenes” diabetes things no one ever sees.
I have had to accept diabetes twice.
Uninvited, diabetes seized my body, then my daughters.
I have learned to live with diabetes, parent to it and attempt perfection with it.
I talk to diabetes.
One day I would like to say goodbye to diabetes.
I would be really good at waving goodbye.
No more lows, no more highs.
To just eat. To just exercise. To just be.
I do “many great things” for diabetes.
July 26, 2011 is a very memorable day for Jake Seff, age 11. Almost as unforgettable as 
the day he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes five years ago at age 6. This is the day Jake brought his 3 year old newly appointed assistance dog home to Flagstaff, Arizona. Quake is a faithful, content and beautiful yellow labrador retriever. Quake came from Power Paws Assistance Dogs, Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona where she was trained as an alert dog for people with Type 1 Diabetes. [Read more...]
Celiac disease is a hereditary autoimmune disease. Because it’s in our genetics it is suggested to test 
throughout our extended family. Remember, celiac can be a symptomless disease.
Most family members may balk at this information if they feel well, intimidated by knowing the truth and the diet changes that will ensue if diagnosed themselves. [Read more...]
Dear She Sugar
A question I frequently receive from other parents is - What does hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) really feel like? 
Many parents feel frustrated at times trying to interpret their child’s behavior with Type 1 Diabetes. Are they being a kid that needs to be reprimanded or are they feeling poorly? Could they be playing me? I mean really, how terrible could high blood sugar make you feel? Are they tired from staying up late last night or from their busy day today? Any of these questions ring a bell? [Read more...]
Type 1 Diabetes and bedwetting in children can be a common issue, see Part 1 of this article from yesterday. There is not much to identifying that you have this going on in your house, right? Here are some thoughts that may improve your success with toilet training at night.
“Mooooommmmm my bed is wet!”
Sound vaguely familiar from the fog in your head at 1am?
Taking a deep breath you jump out of bed, all the lights go on and the cleanup begins.
(You may be thinking)
“Do they make beds that are 100% water repellant?”
“I just washed all those sheets, pajamas, and comforter LAST night”
“Why is this happening every night?”
Or with a pathetic moan of self pity… “I have to get up for work in a few hours” [Read more...]
