Off and Running (not cycling)

I’m currently out of the blogging and twitter loop but 2 quick items:

Sanofi, JDRF, Glucose Responsive Insulin.  Yes, please and let’s keep things moving forward!

I should have posted this long before now but JDRF New England is holding their TypeOneNation Summit tomorrow in Boston.  You can find the registration info here and the programming info here.  They are expecting 675 people.  How exciting!  I will also be speaking along with some incredibly amazing people. (675. so. many).

As I’ve written before, JDRF Type One Nation Summits are an incredible opportunity to learn more about advances in T1D, connect, and meet some remarkable people.  There is programming for everyone… kids, tweens/teens, adults with T1D, parents of T1Ds, and spouses/significant others.

My presentation is: Closing the Loop with Sneakers and Spokes: My T1D and JDRF Story.

This is one of my slides.

If nothing else, I bring the pizzazz (and enthusiasm).

IMG_0483

See ya soon Boston!

“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.”

—Diane Ackerman
American Writer

Southfork Ranch (bonding with Dallas)

My bond with Dallas:

Sue ellen AW

1.  The TV show Dallas premiered in 1978.  A few months later, I was diagnosed with T1D.  Yay the 70s!

2.  Who shot JR? Was a cliffhanger which became a pop culture phenomenon.  The episode where the shooter was revealed was the second highest rated prime telecast ever (it was Sue Ellen’s sister who revealed she was pregnant with JR’s child and used that to keep herself out of prison).  During the time this episode aired, I too was taking shots (well of insulin… no bullets were involved).  Shots!

3.  Season 9 of Dallas was revealed to be a dream sequence of Pamela Ewing’s (she thought Bobby died.  It was awful.  When she “woke-up” the next season, she freaked when she found him taking a shower).  Bobby’s “return” (he left for a season but was persuaded to come back due to declining ratings) effectively eliminated everything from the previous season.  I wish T1D was a just a dream, but alas, my dream is to be part of The CURE, and eliminate T1D.  On a side note, I’m a huge fan of long showers too!

4.  Dallas won 4 Emmy awards.  I’ve won 4 Best of the Betes Blogs (so close to an Emmy… if only the blog were a TV show).

5.  Sue Ellen was a former Miss Texas.  Sierra Sandison is a fellow T1D and a current Miss Idaho (this part will make sense in a minute).

6.  Dallas was know for ending every season with a cliff hanger.  Diabetes is a series of ups and downs too (especially with blood glucose levels)

7 . I was once lost in South Fork… well the south fork of Long Island.

8.  Dallas originally aired on Saturday nights, was switched to Sunday nights and then switched to Friday nights where it stayed, until the series ended in 1991.  I will be in Dallas this Friday night to attend and speak at The JDRF DALLAS Type ONE Nation Summit on Saturday 6/6.

Incredible right?  So are you anywhere near Dallas/ Ft Worth?  Do you have T1D?  Do you love someone with T1D?  Do you care about someone with T1D?  Are you enemies with someone with T1D (ok that part’s a joke.  Cheeky.)?  Here’s the Registration Info (yes, FREE).

JDRF Type One Nation Summits are happening throughout the country.  If you would like to find one near you, click HERE.

These Type One Nation Summits create some really amazing opportunities and I have met such amazing people and lots of new friends.  I’ve been to 2 so far (3’s the magic number right?  Yay Dallas… or should I say Yee Ha?).  The presentations and speakers are different for each Summit.  In Dallas, there will be an outstanding group presenting and also hosting a series of break-out sessions.  The list is available HERE and includes Miss Idaho, Sierra Sandison who brought so much awareness to diabetes with her #ShowMeYourPump campaign and also professional snowboarder and founder of Riding on Insulin, Sean Busby.  You can also hear me attempt to say, “Mission Message” which is absolutely impossible to say 3 times fast.

This post was a bit more of a stretch than the Britney Spears/Vegas post but hey, the “shots” part was pretty solid.  Just remember, EVERYTHING’S bigger in Texas y’all.

 

 

 

 

I Wanna Go (My Bond With Britney Spears)

My bond with Britney Spears:

1.  Britney has had her fair share of ups and downs.  My blood sugar also has had (and continues to have) its ups & downs.

2.  Britney is currently performing on “The Strip”.  I happen to find test strips EVERYWHERE.

teststrips

3.  Britney and I were both child brides.

Brit bride

4.  We have both rocked bunny ears (my grandmother made mine.  Not so sure about hers).

Brit bunny

5.  I have a Yorkie.  Brit Brit also has a Yorkie (I think I look a bit happier with my little guy though).

Brit york

6.  Brit knows Michael Strahan.  I explained Continuous Glucose Monitors to Michael Strahan (and we participated in an incredible JDRF’s Fund-A-Cure together…. “Gimme, Gimme More”).

Brit strahan

7.  Britney was married to a prick.  I have to “prick” my finger multiple times a day (please note: I did not come up with this one myself.  My friend M did and I laughed myself silly, said I could never use it in this post, and yet here it is, lucky #7).

8.  Biker Babes (Britney looks cute, I will be THE sweaty mess of all messes after my 100 mile JDRF ride… Oh My God what have I gotten myself into???  Anything to cure T1D right?).

Brit bike

9.  Britney and I both like our bedazzling (I tend to limit mine to arm Dexcom sites… most of the time).

IMG_7743

10.  Britney Spears wears pumps.  I wear a pump too (slightly different version).

image1

 

11.  Britney shaved her hair extensions off her head.  I briefly had extensions, they were a nightmare (hurt and would pop off).  I get the head shaving Brit, believe me, we all need a break sometimes.

12.  This is the most important one.  Ready?  Britney will be on stage in Las Vegas on February 28th… I will ALSO be in Vegas on February 28th but instead of singing, I will be speaking on a stage (although if need be, I’m willing to sing/maybe rap.  I’m not opposed to dancing but really my moves are pretty much weak break dancing).  I am THRILLED to be the opening speaker at JDRF Nevada’s Type One Nation Summit In Vegas!  I am so honored to be able to share what it’s like to participate in a diabetes clinical trial, my Artificial Pancreas experience and some other insights, but wait until you see all the incredible presentations (and presenters) involved!  Check this out!  TypeOneNation Nevada Summit agenda

Incredible right?  So are you anywhere near Las Vegas?  Do you have T1D?  Do you love someone with T1D?  Do you care about someone with T1D?  Are you enemies with someone with T1D (ok that part’s a joke.  Cheeky, I know)?  Here’s the Registration Info (yep, free).

JDRF Type One Nation Summits are happening throughout the country.  If you would like to find one near you, click HERE.

If this post leaves you singing Britney Spears on automatic repeat, please know I’ve had Oops I Did It Again, Toxic and my fave, My Prerogative in my head for 3 weeks now (and have had many a morning shower dance-off to my girl Brit Brit).  I know, You Drive Me Crazy, right?  Also this post has been a project for my friends for weeks and one funny friend who put all these ridiculous photos together and came with all sorts of connections (Thank you!).  Diabetes may suck sometimes, but I appreciate that this blog post brought me (and a few others) a lot of silly laughter.

See ya in Vegas!