MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'helps'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:12:11 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709292&cid=t_163299_129_f&fid=27216&url=http%3A%2F%2Flifewithadhd.com%2Fadhd-research%2Fmeditation-helps-students-with-adhd-new-study.php The Transcendental Meditation technique may be an effective and safe non-pharmaceutical aid for treating ADHD, according to a promising new study published this month in the peer-reviewed online journal Current Issues in Education. The pilot study followed a group of middle school students with ADHD who were meditating twice a day in school. After three months, researchers found over 50 percent reduction in stress and anxiety and improvements in ADHD symptoms. %26lt;b%26gt;Effect exceeds expectations%26lt;/b%26gt; ‘The effect was much greater than we expected,’ said Sarina J. Grosswald, Ed.D., a George Washington University-trained cognitive learning specialist and lead researcher on the study. ‘The children also showed improvements in attention, working memory, organizat... Life With ADHD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709292 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4709292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4470465&cid=t_163299_117_f&fid=38856&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timemastermd.com%2F%3Fp%3D2046 Do you have a Potty Mouth? Boys with the baddest breath may have the biggest erections! Giving your guy some mouthwash might make for a really good kiss, but later in the bedroom, it’s his erection you may miss! Why?  Well, bacteria in the mouth convert nitrates into nitrites, and when we swallow them, gastric acids convert nitrites into the essential metabolic chemical nitric oxide (N.O.). Nitric oxide can act as an antioxidant, but also the body uses it to keep arteries properly dilated. This is how Viagra works  - by raising nitric oxide levels and thereby easing blood flow to the penis.  So killing these important bacteria can have some significant side effects. Maybe we don’t kill the germs, we just mask the smell? Maybe a little gum might freshen the breath?  No... Timemaster MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4470465 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:20:07 +0100 4470465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4414681&cid=t_163299_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fhelping-others-helps-alcoholics%2F Stay on the Road to RecoveryResearcher Pagano Reports Findings in Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, Says Other Chronically Ill Patients May Benefit Too Participating in community service activities and helping others is not just good for the soul; it has a healing effect that helps alcoholics and other addicts become and stay sober.In a review article published in the Volume 29 issue of Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, Maria E. Pagano, PhD, sheds light on the role of helping in addiction recovery, using the program of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a prime example. She cites a growing body of research as supporting evidence.“The research indicates that getting active in service helps alcoholics and other addicts become sober and stay sober, and suggests this approach is applicable to al... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4414681 Sat, 29 Jan 2011 15:38:00 +0100 4414681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858387&cid=t_163299_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fdetachment-with-love%2F Alcoholism is a family disease. Living with the effects of someone else’s drinking is too devastating for most people to bear without help. In Al-Anon we learn individuals are not responsible for another person’s disease or recovery from it. We let go of our obsession with another’s behavior and begin to lead happier and more manageable lives, lives with dignity and rights; lives guided by a Power greater than ourselves. In Al-Anon we learn: Not to suffer because of the actions or reactions of other people; Not to allow ourselves to be used or abused by others in the interest of another’s recovery; Not to do for others what they could do for themselves; Not to manipulate situations so others will eat, go to bed, get up, pay bills, not drink; Not to cover up for an... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858387 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 06:35:47 +0100 3858387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3480936&cid=t_163299_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2F3wCr6OWF6as%2F Remembering the good times helps alcoholics stay sober Recovering alcoholics who remember positive experiences in their past may be more successful in managing their addiction. This is the finding of a study by Sarah Davies and Professor Gail Kinman of the University of Bedfordshire that was presented on the 16th April 2010, at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference in Stratford-upon-Avon. A hundred and one members of Alcoholics Anonymous (53 per cent male) completed questionnaires that assessed the extent to which they were oriented towards the past, present or future, and whether this orientation was mostly positive or negative. They were also asked about their spiritual experiences, level of abstinence, compulsion to drink and anxiety. The results showed that problem... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3480936 Sun, 18 Apr 2010 04:04:12 +0100 3480936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2649075&cid=t_163299_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fj3sTjGAJ9Xg%2F This is some of the most exciting news I’ve heard recently, and at first glance it sounds too fantastic to be true. But it is. Researchers have experimented with rats suffering spinal cord injuries and have found a way to have them walk again with a limp. The “cure” for these rats came in the form of blue dye. Brilliant Blue G (BBG), a compound that gives blue M&Ms and Gatorade its color, was used to “thwart the function of P2X7.” P2X7 is a molecule in the spinal cord that allows Adenosine triphosphate access to the spinal cord after an injury occurs. Motor neurons in the spinal cord then die, causing the patient paralysis. While this research has allowed rats the ability to walk again, researchers stress that it may not do the same for humans. However, ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2649075 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:59:29 +0100 2649075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260316&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2009%2F03%2Fim-reading-a-really-great-book-about-how-humans-make-decisions-or-more-precisely-how-irrational-we-are-about-choices-the-bo.html   Recently, I've been struggling with the unending nature of diabetes. Wondering about how I can stay motivated when there's no real ending to this disease in sight. Working hard and remaining vigilant means I feel better day to day and hopefully staves off worse things in the future. But the fact is, that today is now and with so much time having past, an ongoing clarity as to why I do this the way I do it can sometimes be elusive. When I was first diagnosed I felt terrible. I knew something was really wrong with me so the incentive to take shots and blood tests was very clear in mind. I wanted to feel better, so much so that I was more than willing to take shots and weigh my food and prick my fingers multiple times a day. And once I did these things, the results... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260316 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 01:39:40 +0100 2260316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2206129&cid=t_163299_117_f&fid=38158&url=http%3A%2F%2Famericanacupuncture.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fcauses-of-alzheimers.html As a medical physician for over 50 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects and let you the reader come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary with astounding results.Visit http;//www.americanacupuncture.com/ for more super information.         CAUSES OF ALZHEIMERS, DIET HELPS REDUCE RISK The dominant view of Alzheimer’s is that deposits of beta-amyloid accumulate in the brain, and destroy memory nerve cells.  It is the result of normal processes out of balance and going wrong. Excess nerve cells and nerve fibers are pruned from the brain of fetuses and become reactivated in... Dr. Needles Medical Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2206129 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:12:00 +0100 2206129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190700&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2009%2F02%2Ffor-a-long-time-ive-been-thinking-about-how-i-like-to-have-a-way-to-acknowledge-all-the-small-milestones-of-living-with-this.html  Recognize Victories. Consider Lightness. Celebrate Courage. Embrace Kindness. Aim for Grace. For quite a long time I've been thinking about how I'd like to have a way to acknowledge all the small milestones of living with this disease. Little markers, badges if you will, that are earned every day, every hour, every minute, by countless people living with chronic illness. Merit badges to acknowledge all the grace in light of struggle, the courage in light of unending challenge, the everyday victories people with chronic illness have every day. The older I get the more I'm convinced of the importance of celebrating and marking them in some small way. Because of my love for all things girl scout, what came to mind was a token, a kind of merit badge for all the small m... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190700 Sun, 15 Feb 2009 18:22:09 +0100 2190700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2067690&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F12%2Fso-much-of-growth-or-change-is-about-little-things-adding-up-to-new-behaviors-or-outcome-last-night-just-a-moment-occurred-f.html   So much of growth comes from the little things adding up to new behaviors or outcome. Last night just a moment occurred for me. Nothing huge in it's own right but on balance, a pretty big shift in the scheme of things. We were at my best friends house for Christmas dinner last night. A nice tradition that's developed over the years. It's been crazy snowy, icy, wintery weather here this last week, and yesterday was really the first day we'd ventured out in a serious way. We're just not equipped for this kind of weather here in the northwest, so the fact that we actually made it to my friends house at all (she lives at the top of a very steep, very high hill) was something amazing in it's own right. We were determined not to miss our annual dinner and gi... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2067690 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:29:33 +0100 2067690 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2040142&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F12%2Fthere-it-is-enough-said-have-i-said-everything-there-is-to-say-about-my-experience-with-diabetes-is-there-anything-more-to.html   Enough said? There it is. I wonder, have I said about everything there is to say about my experience with diabetes? Is there anything left to be said about the subject, at least by me?Well of course there is, even if it's repeating a point that's been said before. Even if I have to say it over and over again, as long as saying it helps in some way.I read this essay about the evolution of blogs the other day. The author was lamenting about the ever increasing monetization of blogs (among other things) and how it's changed the landscape, the charming, wacky, almost naive aspect of blogging in it's earlier days. And though I see his point and in some cases agree, in terms of this kind of blog, this place of release and exploration of an experience associated with... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2040142 Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:34:01 +0100 2040142 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2033098&cid=t_163299_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F12%2Fblogging-helps-improve-friendships%2F This study builds upon that finding, suggesting that the mechanism for reducing isolation may very well be a feeling of increased social support, and being able to count on others for assistance. Reference: Baker, J.R. & Moore, S.M. (2008). Blogging as a Social Tool: A Psychosocial Examination of the Effects of Blogging. Cyberpsychology & Behavior, 11(6), 747-749. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2033098 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:01:28 +0100 2033098 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908852&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F10%2Feverybody-hurts.html I stumbled across this video last night. It feels like it's about diabetes to me. Of course it isn't specifically about diabetes but it certainly captures a very particular aspect of it that I've described in the past. The use of subtitles as a metaphor to capture the underlying dialogue and narrative that plays in our heads as we maneuver through our day. "Am I high, am I low, when did I last eat, how many carbs in that dish?" And here it is, so beautifully used to bring to life this sad, poignant, truthful song by an old favorite, REM. And though this particular song from them hasn't always been my favorite, after seeing this video I've come to appreciate its universal message of human struggle in a new light. In that way too, this song for me, feels like it... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908852 Sun, 26 Oct 2008 16:36:49 +0100 1908852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895066&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F10%2Fi-just-got-back-from-a-short-business-trip-to-the-midwest-only-2-nights-away-3-hour-time-difference-though-traveling-conti.html   I just got back from a short business trip to the midwest. Only 2 nights away. 3 hour time difference though, which is always a challenge. Ah yes, traveling continues to pose some particular challenges for my diabetes control. It's as if I step into an airport and until I return, my blood sugars are out of whack, pure and simple. No matter what I try, to carry the right food with me, to stay on west coast time throughout the trip, to switch my pump to east coast time as soon as I land, at the end of the day, nothing ever really works. I'm always high on the plane no matter how much insulin I take, or how little I eat. Meal schedules are off once I get where I'm going so regardless of how vigilant I am about bolusing to cover the food I'm eating "off my schedule... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895066 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:24:28 +0100 1895066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1837310&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F09%2Fmy-friend-and-i-visited-this-place-this-weekend-a-half-an-hour-away-fields-of-dahlias-row-after-row-like-a-striped-painti.html   My friend and I visited this place last weekend. A half an hour away, fields of dahlias, row after row, like a huge striped painting made of flowers. Eye popping beauty on a gorgeous early fall day. It's been warm again, as it often is in the northwest at this time of the year. And with the warmth comes late summer flowers like these, big and small, variegated and solid, simple and frilly. The variety and bawdiness of it all literally took our breath away. It was a wonderful small adventure.I've been wrestling with the realities of my life with diabetes, wrestling with it for most of the time I've had it. Trading off between what I'd like to do and what happens when I actually do it. I've landed on both sides of the equation, sometimes not caring about the r... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1837310 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:36:05 +0100 1837310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1812843&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F09%2Fi-love-my-husband-very-much-not-only-is-a-terrific-person-whos-company-i-never-cease-enjoying-hes-also-been-an-amazing-part-1.html   I love my husband very much. Not only is a terrific person who's company I never cease enjoying, he's also been an amazing partner to me when it comes to my life with diabetes. Supportive, understanding, he's always seemed to strike the perfect balance between actively participating in my care and yet respecting the fact that I will ultimately make the decisions about my disease. I feel incredibly lucky to have him in my life. Which isn't to say that we don't struggle with the presence of diabetes in our lives at times. At the end of the day, we each are very differently impacted by the disease and not surprisingly those differences can cause friction and misunderstanding.  As in any marriage, there are particular assumptions on the part of each pa... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1812843 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:33:25 +0100 1812843 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1773262&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F09%2Ftodays-ny-times-magazine-featured-a-terrific-article-by-clive-thompson-about-how-newsfeeds-twitter-and-other-forms-of-incess.html Today's NY Times magazine featured the terrific article I'm so Totally, Digitally Close to You by Clive Thompson about how "newsfeeds, twitter and other forms of incessant online contact have created a brave new world of ambient intimacy". It feels like we've been blogging and facebooking and twittering long enough now that we're starting to see more mainstream dialog around what this behavior looks like and means to us as individuals as well as the culture at large. This excellent article explores many aspects of how this relatively new activity culturally speaking is changing peoples lives in profound and meaningful ways.A couple of months back, Amy at Diabetes Mine kindly invited me to write a guest post about why we blog, where I spoke of the surprisingly comf... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1773262 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:59:46 +0100 1773262 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1701167&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2FlBvzijQEq8A%2F Here is a way to improve your chance at combating diabetes… by eating!  Researchers examined 24 common herbs and spices in order to determine this data. Besides having high levels of antioxidant rich compounds, ie. phenols, they also revealed a direct correlation between phenol content and their ability to block the formation of compounds that contribute to damage caused by diabetes and aging. Well hot dog! How does this happen? When blood sugar levels are high, a process known as protein glycation occurs in which the sugar bonds with proteins to eventually form what are known as advanced glycation end products, also known as AGE compounds. Guess what the properly coined AGE compounds then do? These compounds activate the immune system, resulting in the inflammation and tissue damag... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1701167 Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:53:32 +0100 1701167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1692223&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F08%2Fthis-is-a-wonderful-article-about-chronic-illness-by-loren-berlin-from-the-new-york-times-though-not-specifically-about-diab.html When the body decides to stop following the rules is a wonderful article by loren berlin from the new york times. Though not specifically about diabetes, this beautifully written story of the author's own struggle with ulcerative colitis touches on some universal themes around chronic illness. "Before my illness...if I followed certain rules, I would get the desired outcome." Ah yes, I vaguely remember what that feels like. "...Generally, if I made the investment, I got the return." Yep, a familiar concept too. One of the hardest parts about diabetes for me is that all the hard work, all the attention to detail never adds up to a cure, an accomplished ending. At best, it staves off disaster in the future which, don't get me wrong, is a good thing, a very worthy thing indeed. But still in ... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1692223 Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:32:00 +0100 1692223 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1535828&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F06%2Fi-been-thinking-about-gentleness-lately-i-realize-that-it-isnt-the-first-place-that-i-go-when-im-dealing-with-my-diabetes-f.html  I been thinking about gentleness lately. Gentle isn't the first place I go when dealing with my diabetes that's for sure. For so long I've felt hindered by the regimen of my life with this disease, annoyed by the many tasks it imposes and all the little details I have to attend to because of it. I've lived with a low grade feeling of irritation in my life because of all the little physical intrusions and the unending nature of diabetes. Well just recently it's started to occur to me that a lot of that irritation I feel has actually been directed at myself. I've internalized the feeling to such a degree that in a very real way, I blame myself for having got this disease and worse yet, for having to live with all the annoyances and worry and discomfort th... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1535828 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:43:55 +0100 1535828 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522248&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F06%2Fits-been-a-couple-of-weeks-since-ive-posted-here-i-keep-asking-myself-if-theres-something-i-want-to-write-about-vis-a-vis-di.html It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted here. I keep asking myself if there's something I want to write about vis-a-vis diabetes and the answer keeps coming up no. Not no emphatically or full of emotion. Just a quiet no, like there's nothing much to say about it right now. Which a good thing quite frankly, because it represents a new level of acceptance and equilibrium around the subject of this disease in my life. Diabetes still rocks and rolls, it still messes with my plans and my day but for some reason that fact doesn't seem to upset me quite so much lately. And I think that is, in great part, because of being able to write this blog to a caring audience and in return, receive such kindness and support from so many people out there. This blog started out as a ... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522248 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:02:48 +0100 1522248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1433799&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F05%2Fim-heading-back.html I'm heading back from the art center design conference at the moment, sitting in the airport, bone tired. It was a pretty good conference in a number of ways, interesting speakers, a wide range of topics discussed and the opportunity to see people I've come to know over the years but only see at this sort of event. As with any of experience like this, there were some very special presentations and insights I'm taking away and will ponder for days to come. Tops on that list for me was an unexpected exchange between the moderater john hockenberry and one of the last speakers of the event, aimee mullins. john hockenberry is truly the best moderator I've seen at the many conferences I've attended in my career, bar none. He's brilliant at providing insightful analysis and personal thoughts th... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1433799 Sat, 10 May 2008 23:42:47 +0100 1433799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1403020&cid=t_163299_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F279038085%2Fwhatre_you_laughing_at.html  If you’ve laughed much lately … you’ve also likely learned sometime new … or landed a cool business deal. Without laughter … people often find themselves alone or discouraged. One busy manager recently lamented that he’d lost his zest for work and life. His peers recognized his loneliness … almost before he described the problem. “We knew something was terribly wrong … because you rarely laugh anymore” … one colleague said. Would peers say the same of you? It doesn’t have to be that way. Regardless of on-the-job-pressures … laughter’s still alive in stories … like the red fox who swipes golf balls in Montana. It permeates experts’ tips to survive work. It dilutes bad news … ... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1403020 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:50:07 +0100 1403020 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1386078&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F04%2Fnutrition-data.html I'm totally intrigued with the amazing site nutrition data. Though it's actually pretty complex in it's breadth and depth, it's goal is to make the science of food more understandable and usable through simple presentation and information graphics. The content on the site requires some time to investigate but the result is hopefully a deeper understanding of what foods do, the value they bring individually and how in the end, they interact together for overall nutritional impact. There are many tools to play with here, to help understand the nutritional value, glycemic index rank, even the "fullness factor" of a particular food as well as to tailor recipes and food combinations to help a person meet their individual dietary goals. They also have a section for diabetes which tells me at fi... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1386078 Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:26:57 +0100 1386078 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1369135&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F04%2Fi-heard-a-woman.html I heard a woman speak recently about the need to ask for what you want, to ask for the kind of recognition and feedback you need from the people who matter to you. It wasn't a long speech, 3 minutes perhaps, but it really struck me deeply nonetheless. Her point was that it's our responsibility on some level, to bring visibility to the things we need, to ourselves and others. Though people might not always respond to us in the way we want the most important thing is that we've made our needs known to ourselves, out loud, in the light of day. I like that. I think it makes sense. So in that spirit, I approached my 22nd anniversary of my diagnosis a little differently this time. Normally I don't tell anyone about it. My husband knows and now, thanks to this blog, I can tell my friends in the ... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1369135 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:37:35 +0100 1369135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1289313&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F03%2Fmaking-somethin.html I owe Amy a big thank you for her kind review of my new little book aiming for grace: 20 things I know about diabetes. To be honest, I'm feeling a bit funny about even talking about it. More than anything, making this series of posts into a self published book has been a terrific exercise, a healing process, to be honest. The fact that there's a book that people can have if they'd like, is a very nice result of a personal exercise that's been helpful and positive to me as an individual. Making something from nothing has always really helped me for some reason. A piece of art, a story, a blog post, a book. Taking an idea or feeling from inside and pushing it outward into a real form that I can see and feel has always made sense to me. It's always made hard things less difficult to deal with... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1289313 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:24:57 +0100 1289313 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1287872&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F03%2Fa-while-ago-i-d.html So much of being understood and heard is determined by how an idea is presented. "Know your audience" is one of the first rules of good presentation. With that idea in mind, I drew this silly chart as a way I might communicate to my doctor or nurse about how I was feeling about my diabetes. There are so many factors that go into the answer to that question that it's hard to explain succinctly and with clarity at a short doctors appointment or phone call. When I see my doctor we have only so much time to talk. We review my latest A1C, discuss lows and highs, check my feet, you know, the usual stuff. If we have any time left after going over all my numbers, my doctor will sometimes ask how I'm feeling about my diabetes overall. But because it's at the end of our visit, there's never much tim... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1287872 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 01:40:24 +0100 1287872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1237779&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F02%2Fwere-having-our.html We're having our usual tease of spring here in the Northwest. It seems to happen every February. Cold mornings, followed by glorious sunny afternoons in the 50's and 60's. It will pass soon enough and we'll be back to the low, grey cloud cover and incessant drizzling we know so well. But for now it's amazing. It was like that yesterday most of the day, with blasts of sunshine breaking through soft, diffused clouds on and off. It was a day for gardening, cleaning out overgrown beds, pruning of roses and soil amendment. It's been a long time since I've worked so hard physically and I'm feeling it this morning. Even my hands hurt. But oh, not my spirit. Everything feels right in the world when it's sunny and I've spent a day in the fresh air with birds singing and the earliest signs of spri... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1237779 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:46:24 +0100 1237779 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1220698&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F02%2Fi-was-talking-t.html I was talking to a friend the other day about living with diabetes. That it's kind of a never ending assault of sharpness on your body, all so that you can live. That it's about enduring the actual hurting of yourself, because it's good for you in the end. That on a primal level at least, it's all very counterintuitive. Which prompted my friend to raise an interesting question. If you have to do all tis unpleasant stuff to live, in that light, what's the opposite from that necessary fact, she asked? What's the antidote to diabetes if you will? What's the physical antidote to the reality of the physical experience of diabetes, she asked? Hm. Now there's an interesting question I'd never quite considered in that way. I'd always thought about what would help me to live with this disease, but ... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1220698 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:31:38 +0100 1220698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1126245&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2008%2F01%2Fvisibility-is-a.html Visibility is an important thing. It highlights similarities and differences. It introduces us to diverse cultural experiences within our society and it reflects our own cultural experiences back out to the larger society. It's through visibility that we see the small stories of people's lives and the big stories that come from the patterns revealed through the small ones. Visibility can also shine the light on struggle, suffering and injustice. It can reveal what has been invisible before. Yes, visibility if very important indeed. I remember when I was studying the history of civil rights in this country and the discussion around of the absence of people of color in media. The argument went that if people of color weren't shown and they didn't see themselves in mass media, television, fi... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1126245 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:07:43 +0100 1126245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121748&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F12%2Fi-went-to-the-p.html I went to the portland art museum yesterday to see the chuck close prints: process and collaboration exhibition. The artist chuck close is one of my favorite contemporary artists because of his amazing study of color as well as his exploration of the wide range of materials and production methods he uses to make his art. The exhibit features many of his prints and paintings but what was most exceptional was the fact that they showed the various process' he uses to make his art. Etching plates, carved wood panels, and a series of screen prints shown in stages, with each progressive screen adding yet another color, revealing how the final idea emerged over time. This exhibit highlighted Mr. Closes technical mastery, his meticulous attention to detail and unrelenting dedication to a complex ... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1121748 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:42:16 +0100 1121748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1113429&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F12%2Fmy-friend-who-g.html My friend who got diabetes last year is now on the insulin pump. She's so cool. She's an inspiration to me in many ways, especially in her grace in dealing with all the changes that diabetes has brought to her life. I can't say enough about her because she's just so cool. Like how she wears her pump. Out in the open, clipped to her jeans back pocket, there for the world to see. Not like me who discreetly clips it to my waistband, conscious of every time my sweater rides up and reveals my clunky, not so pretty friend. Conscious and constantly tugging to cover it up and keep it as much out of view as possible. It's not that I'm ashamed of the pump but rather that I just don't want to lead with it. "Hi there, I have a pump, oh by the way, did you know I was diabetic", you know, that kind of ... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1113429 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 01:02:26 +0100 1113429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1045969&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F11%2Fhappy-thanksgiv.html Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am so thankful on this day for all the support, insight, confirmation, visibility, humor, ideas and solidarity I receive from you! I am thankful for a more bouyed, less lonely journey with this disease because of you. I am deeply thankful to you. Have a wonderful day full of celebration, joy and health! (Source: aiming for grace) aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1045969 Thu, 22 Nov 2007 18:18:18 +0100 1045969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=971464&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F10%2Fthe-longer-i-ha.html The longer I have diabetes the more I feel like I live somewhere in between. In between how the world defines sickness and health. In the last few months I've had a number of people say to me that they don't think of me as having health issues because I'm so energetic and full of life. They think of me as healthy. Which I am. Healthy, with diabetes. I'm glad that's how they see me, don't get me wrong. I strive for vibrancy and try to lead with my whole self rather than my disease. Having said that, I've worked incredibly hard at finding the right visibility for my diabetes, first to myself and then to the world around me. There's too much stuff I have to do as a diabetic to just get to square one. I'm not going to erase that reality just to fit in or pretend that I'm like other people wh... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=971464 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 01:27:10 +0100 971464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=918955&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F10%2Fthings-are-even.html Things are finally getting a bit more predictable again, thank goodness. Nothing a little radical change in your insulin dosage can't fix. Lot's less insulin during the day (and significantly less insulin reactions as a result) and lot's more insulin in the night (which unsurprisingly means less highs as a result). You know, totally flip what's worked for the last 2 years. Logical results to an illogical change. Why have my insulin needs changed so profoundly? Why now? I just don't know. I can't fathom a guess. It's yet another unsolved diabetes mystery. But at least it's better. Honestly, that's all I care about. I've been thinking a lot about what helps during times like these. I realized that when I'm actually in a time like I've been going through, it's pretty hard to remember what wi... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=918955 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:18:23 +0100 918955 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=830032&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F08%2Fwhat-is-it-with.html What is it with numbers? Why do I feel so bad about certain numbers and good about others? Why do I compare mine to other peoples? And why do people feel so compelled to share theirs, unsolicited but worked into the conversation nonetheless? Why do we care about numbers so much? I know we're trained to notice numbers, and to track them, and to understand their meaning. I've been trained to use numbers as guides and tools in my health care. I've been trained to shoot for certain numbers and to react to certain numbers and to notice the patterns of the numbers, to change my behavior, my choices, my life in relation to numbers. But no one has ever come out and said I should feel anything beyond the information they provide. Even so, I realized recently how much more meaning I attach to my num... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=830032 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:18:08 +0100 830032 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=781377&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F08%2Fhead-in-the-clo.html I love this image of sky from ace jet 170, because it reminds me of so many helpful metaphors. The benefits of "looking up". The importance of "blue sky" thinking. The idea that it's normal for things to constantly change, like "clouds in the sky". These are all useful adages for me lately in terms of my diabetes. It's been a bit better over the last week, a little more reliable, though still wonky at times too. I'm really trying to take the long view where I can and ride the inevitable waves, rather than sweat each particular up or down. To be frank, it's actually helping. The one constant of my disease is that it ebbs and flows, easy some days, not so much on others. Focusing on the long view seems to be helping me be gentler on myself when it's not going so well. It's also helping me be... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=781377 Mon, 06 Aug 2007 02:00:19 +0100 781377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=770753&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F07%2F3-fun-list.html Ah, the goal of more fun. I realize that it's easy to say, but not always easy to figure out how to achieve. Especially with diabetes in the mix. But still it's a fine goal to have. And a smart one to pursue. In that spirit, I recently stumbled on a great post at happy silly that I keep thinking about. Just like noticing what helps, maybe getting into the habit of noticing what's fun, making a top 3 fun things list (a variation on the happy silly happy list) every once in a while, will help me focus on fun more. Knowing what's fun, having it top of mind, makes it a lot easier to lean towards it and maybe even attract a bit more of it my way. I know it sounds woo woo, but heh, it's worth a shot right? So here goes, my top 3 fun list for today: *gardening on a cool summer morning, *going... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=770753 Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:50:43 +0100 770753 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=743363&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F07%2Fok-so-i-know-iv.html Ok, so I know I've complained alot about the state of design in the medical industry in general and in the world of diabetes in particular. I'm a designer by training and the idea that life can be made better through design problem solving is fundamental to my approach to the world. I believe that great design can improve quality of life, pure and simple. There are countless examples of this in the world, too many to list here. I take it for granted that if something is just "good enough" it's ripe for reinvention or redesign. It's just the way I think about things. The reality that the stuff I have to use as a diabetic could be better designed has been a source of real frustration and sadness to me. The pump design is ok, but oh, it could be so much better. The other reality is the abili... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=743363 Thu, 19 Jul 2007 03:25:19 +0100 743363 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=733835&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F07%2Fi-had-an-appoin.html I had an appointment with the nutritionist at my diabetes clinic recently. It was so great. I always learn something new about food and how to deal with all it's implications to my diabetes. I also learn stuff about myself in the process of learning about food and my diabetes. Like the fact that over time, and in the effort to keep my life and diabetes regimen simple, I gradually narrow the choices I think I have. A few bad experiences with pizza for example, and over time pizza comes off my list of foods I want to eat. Which on one hand makes logical sense. There is no sense in continually going back for more of the same bad result. What's interesting to me though is how I decide that no pizza is the way to do that. After all, I wear the pump and it has the ability to do dual wave bolus',... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=733835 Fri, 13 Jul 2007 02:12:28 +0100 733835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=711751&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F07%2Fmore-ya-hoo.html I've been in a bad mood about my diabetes lately. Feeling extremely sorry for myself. I've gone down the rabbit hole of self pity and though it's totally understandable, it's not a fun place to be. I know this happens on occasion but today it stops. Half empty is becoming half full. Feeling the way I've been feeling only makes me lonelier and grumpier and harsher. And ultimately it only hurts me. Though I understand why it happens and I can even justify it, I woke up this morning realizing that I had a choice here. So enough of the boo-hoo and on to the ya-hoo. It's sunny and gorgeous and the day is young. Happy day. (Source: aiming for grace) aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=711751 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 16:15:59 +0100 711751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=692634&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F06%2Fdanas-art-in-th.html I just stopped by the diabetes made visible flickr pool and wow, it's just cooking along. I haven't been by for a bit so was I ever thrilled with all the activity that's been going on there. We're up to 114 members and there are lot's and lot's of amazing photos too (495 at this posting to be exact). Like this particular stunner from dana showing her incredible thesis project. I absolutely love it, both as a visual statement and a piece of art. Art like this helps break down the barriers of language and intellectualism, allowing the viewer to feel the story rather than distance themselves from it. Not only is this visually compelling, it's also so important because of the message it conveys. Wow! (Source: aiming for grace) aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=692634 Sun, 24 Jun 2007 01:13:52 +0100 692634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676374&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F06%2Fim_convinced_th.html I'm convinced that a key part of taking care of myself with diabetes is small (and at times, big) indulgences. I'm watching my brave, dedicated friend go on the pump and through the observation of her experience, I remember mine. The shock associated with the realization that I was becoming attached to a machine, 24/7. The reaction to having this clinical, medical tubing hanging off my body at all times. The dehumanization of being beeped at day and night. I know in my head, that the choice to go on the pump was smart and helpful and the right one for me, but in my body and heart, I also know that this process is strange. I know that the "rightness" of my choice, doesn't mean that all the other feelings are invalid or unreal. Making the smart and better choice to live attached to a machine... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676374 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 14:52:08 +0100 676374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676375&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F06%2Fdiabetes_twitte.html Modern life is so interesting. You've got to love this aspect of new technology. Better connections can bring support, insight, new understanding and shared experience. So very cool. (Source: aiming for grace) aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676375 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 16:06:24 +0100 676375 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=676376&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F06%2Flife_is_full_of.html Life is full of choices. Big ones and small ones. We are raised to take responsibility for our lives and the choices we make. And if we are from America, we are raised in a culture that celebrates personal choice at the highest level. The underlying message goes that if you make the right choices, happiness, health, fortune all await you. It's up to you. But luck plays into the equation too. As does personality and circumstance. It's not like we're all born at the same starting line, given the same tools and set on our way. There are lot's of variables to contend with along the journey. Like whether you get diabetes for instance. A few of us are handed that variable, which brings with it a lifetime of additional choices and challenges and opportunities, and yes, even on occasion, gifts. ... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=676376 Sun, 10 Jun 2007 15:23:22 +0100 676376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=659049&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F06%2Fim_in_new_york_.html I'm in New York City on business for a few days. I arrived yesterday after a long flight from the west coast. Luckily it was non-stop and even though I was stuck in the middle seat, it was a relatively pain free flight. I actually like flying, once I'm finally through all the security lines and stuffing of bags above my head. I like the quiet, uninterrupted time to think and listen to music and read. It's kind of a rough time with my diabetes lately as I've posted about a few times. I was thinking about that on the plane. I was tired because I hadn't slept well the night before, trying to plan for all the inevitable unknowns of a trip. I know that sounds lame, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, but after 20 years of living with diabetes, I know that there are lot's of possible "situations"... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=659049 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:11:39 +0100 659049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=650904&cid=t_163299_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F01%2Fstarbucks-to-set-a-new-low-fat-standard%2F Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Diet, Lifestyle, Daily News, Products, SupportThe lords of coffee have spoken and they're saying less fat. Starbucks plans to make all espresso-based drinks with reduced fat milk, switching from whole. This new standard is planned to take effect by the end of the fiscal year, 2007 and will affect locations in the United States and Canada. The company stated that the new conversion would establish reduced fat milk, also known as 2% milk, as the standard dairy in all beverages served in its North American coffeehouses. Never fear - the company said customers can still request whole milk, but if no request is made, consumers will receive 2%. The fat trimming decision warrants applause. Starbucks is consciously working healthier choices into their business mo... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=650904 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 650904 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=651249&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F05%2Fsometimes_i_fee.html Lately I've noticed that I spend a lot of time navigating between feeling different and feeling like I'm just like everyone else. Normal in my living with diabetes. Different in my living with diabetes. Fully inhabiting my world, yet also tweaking my bloodsugars on the side, catching a low here, counting carbs there. On, off. Diabetes, email, meeting, lunch, diabetes, more email, more meetings, blood test, continue. Different, the same, the same, then different. It's like a lens on a camera focusing tight on a detail, then pulling back again to see the whole picture. Sometimes normal, sometimes different, whichever it is, I know on one level it doesn't seem to really matter. But then I remember what a long journey it's been to get to a place where I can see my life with diabetes, in all it... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=651249 Thu, 31 May 2007 03:38:41 +0100 651249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=620372&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F05%2Flike_everyone_t.html Like everyone these days, I take a yoga class now and then. It's at yoga that I learned about the idea of practice. Not just the concept of practicing a pose but also as a personal process. My practice. Like blogging, which has become a kind of a practice for me. A touchpoint. A rhythm that weaves through my thoughts and days. I like the idea of practicing the things that bring joy and health to your life. I like the idea that I have some say and control over the tone of my life. I was thinking about the idea of practice this morning. I had to change out my set and as usual, I pushed it to the very last minute. I've never liked doing it for some reason. I love the freedom from shots, the freedom for 2-3 days of not having to deal with all the stuff associated with the pump. I don't know w... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=620372 Wed, 16 May 2007 16:41:35 +0100 620372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=620374&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F05%2Fi_just_got_the_.html I just started reading the book, the five gifts of illness, thanks to amy's recent review at dlife, and already it's reminded me why I like well written, thoughtful analysis and focused consideration on a subject. The author, jill sklar, articulates a really interesting idea that I've never seen framed up so clearly. She points out that living with chronic illness is a relatively new experience, when looking at the history of humankind. Thanks to medical advances and technological breakthroughs, people with diseases like diabetes are able to live long lives now, where before they would be diagnosed and die soon thereafter. This was an ah ha moment for me. I got to thinking about the state of chronic illness, or living life with disease, and realized that if viewed as a relatively recent ph... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=620374 Sun, 13 May 2007 01:53:39 +0100 620374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=592740&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F05%2Fi_found_this_fu.html I found this funny, old book while I was packing up stuff from my basement for my new studio. Most of the quotes inside are what you'd expect, but I still love the title and all that it promises. The book of courage. A little book of brave thoughts. I like the idea of having a little book of brave thoughts on those days when I loose my courage or feel burdened by diabetes or tired from this long journey with chronic illness. "Keep your courage up, and conversely, it will keep you up." Ah, they say that hope floats and according to this little book, courage, it seems, does too. (Source: aiming for grace) aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=592740 Mon, 07 May 2007 03:41:25 +0100 592740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=592741&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F05%2Fcyborg_girl.html I've been on the sensor for the last 5 days. Checking it out to see if I like it. Getting some better feedback about what happens to my blood sugars throughout the day and more importantly, at night. It's been quite the cyborg adventure. Overall good, in the sense that I was surprisingly fascinated by the information it provides as well as loving the idea of getting more accurate data about trends. On the downside was the obvious bummer of one more thing stuck in my body and the fact that at times, there was some real disconnect between the numbers on my meter and those on the sensor when I went to calibrate. The good news is that I'm upgrading my pump because it needs to be anyway. The new one will have the ability by design, to wear the sensor when I want without needing the 2nd brick t... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=592741 Sun, 06 May 2007 18:37:29 +0100 592741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=565812&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F04%2Fi_read_amys_pos.html I read amy's post, living with it a few days ago, and I have thought of it often ever since. I'm so grateful for the web and the OC and the dedicated, open people, whose generosity of spirit has reminded me that I'm not alone in this journey with diabetes. amy's recent post articulated a particular, specific moment, that I have experienced numerously over the past 20+ years with diabetes. One that is so real and frankly, so important in reminding that I am still a person first. A person who is still capable of feeling shock and despair about having diabetes. Yes, I'm also a diabetic. Yes, I'm used to it. Yes, I live with it and make the best of it. But yes, I also can't believe it in my soul, that I still have it and will so forever, unless there is a cure. That momentary breathlessness, l... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=565812 Tue, 24 Apr 2007 03:41:44 +0100 565812 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=509679&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F03%2Fmy_last_post_wa.html My last post was, yet again, all about design. Obviously, design matters a lot to me. It's turned out to be very cathartic to have a place to let my love of design and my life as a diabetic converge in conversation. Integration of these 2 important parts of my life has really helped. (And thanks to everyone for listening, by the way). So as I said, I blathered on for quite a while about design in my last post. I felt better afterwards. It was Sunday so the New York Times was on the driveway, waiting for me to finish. I love the special Style magazines that periodically show up in the Sunday Times. Fashion, Home, Travel. This week it was all about travel and one of the features was about Dallas, of all places. All the fabulous places to go there, all the great resources and experiences, ba... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=509679 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 15:34:25 +0100 509679 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=498078&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F03%2Fmy_skin_has_bee.html My skin has been feeling a bit raw for the past few months. Tired, over-used, abused by the pump. I was grumpy about it, but I tried some new sites on my legs, in the hope of giving my "favorite" spots a bit of a rest. It has worked to some degree, but the leg sites seem to get more irritated for some reason. Maybe it's the seams of the jeans rubbing against them or the inevitable tugging they endure from the snagged tubing as I'm getting dressed or undressed. Whatever the reason, it's meant a couple of infections at the site, which is a new delight to have to deal with. Great! Now my legs and my hips feel beaten up. The arms won't work, the stomach, not so much. So what to do? Luckily I'm a girl so the answer, in a word, is skirts. I realized that less tight, heavy denim with seams and w... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=498078 Sat, 24 Mar 2007 01:39:41 +0100 498078 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=494793&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F03%2Five_been_thinki.html I keep saying that design matters. Well lately I've been thinking about what I would do if I could redesign the insulin pump. I know that engineering matters first, but for this exercise, let's assume that the engineering works. At this point I'm interested in what I would actually change to make an insulin pump better. Better to live with. Better to interact with. Better integration into everyday, 24/7 living. What doesn't work? What bugs the crap out of me. What is the actual design problem? A friend of mine who's an accomplished designer put it perfectly. Don't focus on the solution. Define the problem. So that's what I'm going to do. I want to create a design brief for the people who could do something about this. It takes the identification of the problem for the problem to be solve... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=494793 Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:49:28 +0100 494793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=494795&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F02%2Fi_went_to_bed_a.html I went to bed a little blue last night, hoping that today would be better. I expected it to get better once I woke up, but instead it got better in a dream beforehand. I've had animals my whole life, and they rank as one of my greatest sources of joy. I'd place them tops on my list of what helps me in living with diabetes. I have 2 dogs now, Ruppert and Flora and they are just the bees knees. Before them we had a wonderful, funny dog named Cookie (her name before we got her). We got her at the local humane society when she was 6 years old and had her for 5 delightful years. My husband used to call her the "dog of good cheer" and oh, she was just that. It's like she smiled with happiness, and was up for pretty much anything. Having said that, it was obvious too, that she'd been treated p... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=494795 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 02:44:50 +0100 494795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=494797&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F02%2Ffun_with_food.html I love this illustration by keri smith. A list doesn't have to be boring. Yes, this takes time, but it could be fun to do once in a while. Draw all the food I've eaten, with a note about all the insulin I've taken too. Or take pictures of everything eaten in a day with a tag in the picture with how much insulin I've taken to cover the corresponding meal. Funny. Fun with boring diabetes routine. Might as well try to make it entertaining once in a while, right? (Source: aiming for grace) aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=494797 Sun, 25 Feb 2007 05:10:55 +0100 494797 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=494799&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F02%2Fa_little_funk.html One of the things that really helps is a little funk. Or sass, or groove. Wherever you can get it. Like in music, or clothes, or humor. I'm not very funny so that's not where I get it. I guess I mostly get it from clothes or music and right now I seem to be getting it a lot from gwen stefani's new album sweet escape. More specifically, the title song, which I play on my way to work, loud. Very loud. Sometimes twice in a row. Totally fabulous. Get's me up. Inspires me. Gives me an excellent funk hit. Makes me happy. Gives me joy. And does that ever help! (Source: aiming for grace) aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=494799 Wed, 21 Feb 2007 17:04:23 +0100 494799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=494800&cid=t_163299_134_f&fid=35165&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdearada.typepad.com%2Fgrace%2F2007%2F02%2Fyesterday_was_o.html Yesterday was one of those magical days. Start to finish. It started out with a project I've been asked to participate in with some colleagues from work. A rebranding exercise for a local non-profit who works with childern who have cancer, their families and friends as well as the hospitals, doctors and staff who care for the child. They "fill in the gaps" between services offered by the hospital, other non-profits and the state. The woman who started the organization, lost her 5 year old to cancer many years ago and one of her ways of dealing with her horrible loss, was to build a place of comfort, joy and support for others who have to go through what she had to. She's created a remarkable organization, focused on joy. Their working principle is that whatever time anyone of their clients... aiming for grace blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=494800 Sat, 17 Feb 2007 21:34:10 +0100 494800