Blinded Me With Science

 

IMG_9580Thomas Dolby wrote and sang a song called “She Blinded Me With Science” which was released in 1982.  I have always liked the song and am currently waiting at The Joslin Diabetes Center donating all sorts of parts of myself (a lot of blood in the photo above and DNA stuff) and having all sorts of tests for a clinical trial.  I am now waiting for the 2.5 hour eye exam (actually waiting for my eyes to dilate) and the Thomas Dolby’s hit is totally stuck in my head (ear worm) and making me smile like a lunatic banging away on my laptop.

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Little known facts about the song (Thanks Wikipedia):

The song features interjections from the British scientist and TV presenter Magnus Pyke who repeatedly shouts “Science!” (thanks Google).  Thomas Dolby wrote the song because he had an idea for a music video and needed a song to go along with it.  There are a lot of interesting parallels here today.

One of the first lasers to treat diabetic retinopathy

One of the first lasers to treat diabetic retinopathy

The lyrics:

It’s poetry in motion
She turned her tender eyes to me
As deep as any ocean
As sweet as any harmony
Mmm – but she blinded me with science
She blinded me with science
And failed me in biology

When I’m dancing close to her
Blinding me with science – science
I can smell the chemicals
Science
Science

Mmm – but it’s poetry in motion
And when she turned her eyes to me
As deep as any ocean
As sweet as any harmony
Mmm – but she blinded me with science
She blinded me with science
And failed me in geometry

When she’s dancing next to me
Blinding me with science – science
Science
I can hear machinery
‘Blinding me with science – science
Science

It’s poetry in motion
And now she’s making love to me
The spheres are in commotion
The elements in harmony
She blinded me with science
She blinded me with science
And hit me with technology

‘Good heavens Miss Sakamoto – you’re beautiful
I don’t believe it
There she goes again
She’s tidied up and I can’t find anything
All my tubes and wires
And careful notes
And antiquated notions

But – it’s poetry in motion
And when she turned her tender eyes to me
As deep as any ocean
As sweet as any harmony
Mmm – but she blinded me with science
She blinded me with science
And failed me in geometry

She blinded me – with science
She blinded me with

For more information on clinical trials in the US I encourage you to visit www.clincaltrials.gov

Lab Mouse Center

Lab Mouse Center

Bye Phife – A Funky Diabetic

“Now here’s a funky introduction of how nice I am.

Tell your mother, tell your father, send a telegram.

I’m like an energizer cause, you see, I last long.

My crew is never ever whack because we stand strong.”

 

Five years ago I attended a screening of Michael Rapaport’s documentary “Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest”. Tribe had been one of my absolute favorite Hip Hop bands (still is).  I went to a TCQ show shortly after college when I moved to New York City.  Busta Rhymes made a guest appearance and I remember fondly how everyone went bananas-cuckoo-crazy when he jumped on stage.  It was at THAT very show where A Tribe Called Quest announced that they were breaking-up.  It was shocking.

Years later I learned Michael Rapaport (actor/director) was at the very same NYC show in 1998.  He was so fascinated by the break-up and was a super fan, that he decided to make a documentary or “rapumentary” about the group’s rise to fame and subsequent feuding and break-up.  I made it my mission to go to the opening screening of the movie at the Tribeca Film Festival.  I knew Phife Dawg (member of TCQ) was diabetic, person-with-diabetes, and had undergone a kidney transplant.  i was quite curious to see how he was doing.

What I didn’t know, and was surprised to find while viewing the movie, was the significant role diabetes played in the break-up and conflicts within the band.  Diagnosed in 1990, Phife made it clear in both the movie and in the Q&A with the audience, that he struggled with his diabetes diagnosis.  Phife had problems with hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia as the fame of the band grew.  He also addressed how fluctuations in glucose levels led to moodiness which also led to conflicts with his bandmates.  I sat in the theater next to my college roommate, as Phife spoke, we both cried.

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Can I kick it?

Yes you can!

This morning, I read that Phife passed away.  I just saw a release from his family that he passed from complications of diabetes.  One of my brothers contacted me about whether Phife was T1D or T2D.  Over the years, I have seen reports of both.  All I know, is when I hear of a loss of life from diabetes, I am flooded with feelings and then ideas. Today, I think of my many happy memories listening to and seeing a Tribe Called Quest while in college, when I was a brand new New Yorker, and at a film screening.  I think of the massive influence TCQ had on so many of today’s musicians.  I think of all the times I giggled listening to the incredibly creative lyrics of Tribe songs.

“When’s the last time you heard a funky diabetic?”

Mayor

Art and Helicopters

I was 13 minutes late for plans last evening (I just need a helicopter.  I live a few blocks from a helipad.  I would also like Inspector Gadget spring bounce shoes.  I would not use both at the same time though, jump out of the helicopter, turn on spring shoes, bounce back too far and be decapitated by helicopter blades. No bueno.)

13 minutes late and as I tripped, but did not fall, in the street I looked up and saw this:

insulin train

I haven’t seen a Appleton Pictures piece in a while, and my heart skipped a beat.

A fun evening and as I headed home, lo (I was not low at the time) and behold:

appleton chelsea

Like a diabetes Batman symbol.

#diabetesawareness

Paths Crossing – The BETES

There’s this woman who’s path and mine continually cross, more than she actually knows. It involves a whole substory from Spiegeltent (love) in 2006 to ringing in the New Year at La Soiree in 2014 (both were cabaret/vaudeville shows in NYC).  It’s a bizarre story but this woman, Marina, and I keep crossing paths in T1D Land too.  We have friends in common, are sometimes at the same events but never have more than a few minutes to chat (I did get to see her in action once at a JDRF TypeOneNation Summit in Long Island and was intrigued).  I follow her on all sorts of social media platforms (clearly, I’m a stalker), and with all of that said, I am quite disappointed I will not be in NYC this coming weekend to see her work with The BETES Organization.  So instead of trying to describe this myself, Marina sent me some information (she is the Founder, Executive and Artistic Director of The BETES Organization), and I share it with you below:
Our work is about the lived experience of living with chronic illness- the mental health, the emotional well being, and the social. Our programming currently focuses on the Type 1 space.
 
Whatever your story is – coming to understand and express the rewards and hardships of living with a chronic condition, surrounded by community. The act of expression gives validity to our narratives, and strengthens all of our voices, simultaneously helping those who we are surrounded by better understand the patient experience, strengthening communication and building compassion.
 
What we add to the mix is the transformative power of puppetry- suddenly, all of this invisible stuff has form and shape, and we can all see it, talk to it, cry and laugh at it.  Its a powerfully unique creative tool.
 
Our honorary event co-chair is Dr. Henry Anhalt, DO of T1D Exchange
Our honorees are Dr. Jason Baker, M.D. of Marjorie’s Fund and Dr. Barbara Anderson, PhD.
 
The event will hold a 45 minute section of our creative, participatory programming followed by a heated discussion with a leading panel of clinicians, advocates and patients, and will be followed by an award ceremony for our two honorees.
This is in-between a wine reception with a top-notch live jazz trio.
Here are the details:
Event: The Patient Voice 2016: Bridging the #Diabetes Gaps
Date: Sunday March 20, 2016
time: 1:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Location: 417 e. 61st street, Manhattan
3 minute video: http://wi.st/1QpMu08
event registration page: http://bit.ly/PatientVoice
And click HERE for more general information on The Betes.

Advocacy TODAY.  ‪#‎JDRFGovDay‬

Today is a big day.

More than 170 JDRF Advocates are currently (today and tomorrow) meeting with Members of Congress in Washington DC to support the ‘Medicare CGM Access Act’ (H.R.1427 and S. 804).  To deprive seniors of CGM technology can have devastating results and is financially costly. Medicare does not consider CGMs to be ‘medical’ necessity. Over 95% of health insurers DO cover CGMs.

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Thirty-seven Members of the Senate and 184 Members of the House of Representatives are currently signed-on in support of bipartisan legislation to provide Medicare coverage of CGMs for people with diabetes. This legislation isn’t just for our seniors however – it will in fact benefit everyone – by helping to pave the way for reimbursement of next-generation artificial pancreas technologies when made available.

Make a difference today:

  • Email your Senators. This form asks your Senators to co-sponsor S. 804, the ‘Medicare CGM Access Act.’
  • Email your Representative. A form that asks your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 1427, an identical House companion bill.

EVERYONE who has ever been touched by T1D can help advocate.  If you have done this before, PLEASE do it again.

And I beg you to share this information with others.

Reach out, take action, create a better future.

Buddy and fellow T1D advocate Brandon Denson. http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2013/jul/brandon-denson-pro-football-player.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

Buddy and fellow T1D advocate Brandon Denson.