Things We Forget

Written by Mike on April 23rd, 2012

Hot:

 Today is day 23 of the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge and since it is a writer’s choice day, I’m revisiting a prompt I skipped yesterday.  Things We Forget.  Here’s my post-it reminder.

Chicago Diabetes Expo 2012

Written by Mike on April 20th, 2012

Hot:

Today is day 20 of the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge and I’m going off prompt to talk about the Chicago Diabetes EXPO.

The American Diabetes Association hosted their annual Chicago Diabetes EXPO last Saturday and, for the second year in a row, I made the drive from Fort Wayne to Indianapolis to catch a ride to the EXPO on the bus charted by the good folks at the ADA’s Indiana office, went to Chicago and back to Indy, and then drove back to Fort Wayne.  All in the span of 24 hours.  Yes, the definition of insanity is repeating the same actions over and over and expecting different results to follow, and if you look that up in a dictionary you’ll see a picture of me beside it.

And this year, April took part in the insanity with me after having worked second shift the evening before.  That’s love, or something like that.  We left Fort Wayne around 5:00 a.m. Saturday morning and reached the ADA office just in time to fill out the required paperwork and load the bus for the interesting trip ahead of us.

The DOC at The EXPO

The Diabetes Online Community was out in force at the EXPO this year.  Fellow Indiana DOC members Mike Hoskins and Jeff Neitzel also took the bus trip from Indianapolis to Chicago, and we met up with Marie Smith and explored the offerings of the the event together.  And we were joined by our friend Missy during the cooking demo by Jamie Deen.

It was great getting to meet Marie and Missy in person for the first time, and sharing the EXPO experience with fellow DOC members.  And it was definitely fun explaining to people who asked how we all knew each other.  That we had all met online and arranged out meetup via Twitter.  All hail the power of social media.

April, Mike Hoskins, Marie, Me, and Jeff

Jamie Deen

Jamie Deen and Dr. Anita Swamy

This year’s celebrity guest was Jamie Deen, son of Southern cooking queen Paula Deen, who recently announced that she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes a couple of years ago.  Jamie and his brother Bobby have been traveling the country to demonstrate how they’ve transformed their mother’s traditional southern style meals into more diabetic friendly offerings as part of the “Diabetes in a New Light” campaign sponsored by Novo Nordisk.

On this day, Jamie demonstrated a vegetarian gumbo recipe while a Chicago area doctor talked about the health benefits, etc…  It was an “OK” performance but, frankly, I wasn’t overly impressed by it.  I, like pretty much everyone else, wanted to hear Jamie talk about what he was doing during the demo, his thoughts on the campaign, his mom, etc…  If I wanted to hear a doctor lecture on the benefits of eating low fat, low sodium, and low carb foods, well… I’d go visit my own doctor.

Perhaps my expectations going into it were a bit too high, but if I had paid to see that presentation I would be asking for my money back.  I was there to see and hear from Jamie.  Not the doctor.   And, I’m not the only one in the DOC group who felt that way.

After the cooking demo was finished, Mike Hoskins had a chance to meet Jamie and sit down for an interview with him.  And since I had a camera with me, I went along and snapped a few photos to help Mike with his story.  You can find the story and photos over at the Diabetes Mine.  Great job, Mike.

The Red Bracelet

During the cooking and interview, Mike and I took note of a red bracelet that Jamie was wearing, but we didn’t think to ask what it was about until later.  While we were looking at the interview photos, we agreed that we needed to know.   And when I noticed Jamie walking toward the Novo Nordisk booth for his meet and greet, I took off after him to get an answer.

The Red Bracelet is part of a charity project that Jamie started, and it benefits a food bank in Savannah, Georgia.  One side of the bracelet says, “Malice Toward None.”  The other, “Do Good Things.”  The message, be nice to people, do what you can to help someone, and pay forward the good things that others have done for you.  It’s a good idea, and one that I can support.

Malice Toward None

Do Good Things

Now, I just wanted to know what the bracelet said, but as he was explaining it, Jamie removed the bracelet from his wrist and gave it to me. “Welcome to the club,” he said.

Part of me thought that was a cool and classy thing for him to have done.  On the flip side, I also thought it was probably all for show because there were so many people around, including his PR person and the handlers from Novo Nordisk.  Whatever the motivation, I was really just appreciative to have gotten the answer to my question.  And, of course, a cool story to tell.

Jamie and Me

The Freebies

What would a health fair of any kind be without boatloads of brochures, goodies, and other assorted freebies?  April and I ended up with three or four bags a piece by the time we left the EXPO.  And the best catch of the day in my mind was the Contour USB meter and vial of 50 test strips handed out by Bayer.  I got one as a backup and April got one to take home for her mom.  Oh, and I can’t forget the enormous pill sorting box given to folks who pre-registered for the EXPO online.  Given the number of pills I take each day, that could come in handy.  We’ll see.   Now we just have to sort through the rest of our loot.

Back to Indy & Fort Wayne

We were all sufficiently wore out and ready to go home by the end of the EXPO, and we boarded the bus back to Indianapolis a little after 4:oo p.m. Chicago time.

Just as we did last year, we had a bit of fun on the ride home in the form of a diabetes trivia game and a prize drawing.  Everyone ended up with a prize.  I got a water bottle and a stress ball.  Pretty cool.

We got back to Indy around 8:30 p.m. or so, and since it was raining, the goodbyes were short and sweet.  April and I got dinner a little north of Indy and then hit the road back to Fort Wayne.  Since she slept on the bus, April got to drive home.  I don’t remember much of that two hour drive.

That’s all, Folks!

Overall, this year’s trip to the Chicago Diabetes EXPO was a great experience and I’ll more than likely take part in it again next year.  I thoroughly enjoyed sharing the experience with friends from the Diabetes Online Community.  At the end of the day, it was the people I was with that made the day enjoyable.

And, we had twice as many people on the bus this year as last year.  Clearly there is interest in these types of events, and this should serve as encouragement for the continuing this trip in the coming years.  And as I said last year, consider this my RSVP.

Good things come from bad situations

Written by Mike on April 17th, 2012

Hot:

Today is day 17 of the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge and the prompt is: Learned the hard way.

I spent a bit of time looking through the archives in search of a bit of inspiration to help with responding to today’s prompt, and I came across one of my posts from the Diabetes Blessings Week event back in November.  The message of that post seemed to fit, so I wanted to share it again.

One of the biggest blessings that has come my way since diagnosis is a healthier life.

Now, I realize that it may sound strange for me to say that I have a healthier life considering that I live with type 2 diabetes and congestive heart failure, so let me explain.

There are three things that are key to my management of these conditions: eating well, getting as much exercise as my heart will allow, and taking my medications.  And I do all three of those religiously.   I generally eat between 1,500 and 2,000 calories a day,  walk 5 to 10 miles a week, and take about 12 medications each day.  That regimen has led to a stronger heart, lower A1c numbers, and significant weight loss.  All of which contribute to a healthier me.  And that’s just the physical side of the coin.

I’ve said it many times that being diagnosed with diabetes and congestive heart failure has helped me to better understand just how short and precious life really is, and the importance of slowing down enough to enjoy the little things and living each day to the fullest. The joy of spending time with family and friends, going on dates with my special someone, and just having fun in general are all important to a mentally healthier me.

Essentially, my diagnoses led me to start taking better care of myself.  And they serve as a constant reminder of the fact that it really is OK to stop and think about what I need.

Better physical health + better mental health = a healthier me.  And that really is a blessing!

And the lesson learned… Good things come from bad situations.

Dear Mike

Written by Mike on April 10th, 2012

Hot:

Today is day 10 of the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge and today’s prompt is: Dear 16-year-old-me.

Today’s challenge was to write a letter to ourselves at age 16.  As I sat pondering how to respond to the prompt, I remembered the letter I wrote to an 18-year-old-me during National Health Blog Post Month back in November.  After reading that post and giving it some thought, I concluded that nothing would change between the letter I wrote then and what I would write now.  So, today I’m sharing that letter again.  Enjoy!

Dear Mike,

I am the ghost of your wild and crazy future.  I’m writing today to tell you about some exciting and horrifying events that will unfold in your future.  Let me tell you, you’re in for one hell of a ride.  So, lets begin.

I regret to inform you that your 18th year will be a rough one.  The day of your birthday, you’ll be at the hospital with a beloved uncle, hoping and praying that he’ll recover and be home soon.  A couple months later, just an hour after you’ve called the hospital to relay the news that you’ve aced your senior project presentation, your uncle will die with you having the chance to say good bye.
You’ll go to your senior prom two days later, but it won’t be a joyous occasion.  Two weeks after that, you’ll graduate high school.

You’ll head to college in August, 250 miles from home.  You’ll be lonely and scared, but you’ll adjust rather well over time.  And you’ll meet the love of your life on the first day your on campus.  And 9 years later, you’ll still be in love with her.

You’ll experience some tough breaks in college.  Like the broken leg you’ll endure just the first semester of your junior year.  You’ll question your ability to complete the semester and graduate on time because of this injury.  Yet, in your usual  stubborn way, you’ll trudge through that storm like every other.  You’ll have plenty of help, of course, but your own resilience will amaze you.  And everyone else.

You’ll graduate from college on time, and with honors.  You’ll struggle to make ends meet for a while, like so many will, but you’ll land a decent job.  And you’ll enjoy what you do. For a while anyway.  Like everyone else.

Then, just months after finally becoming eligible for health insurance at work, you’ll develop an infection.  A yeast infection.  And it won’t go away.  You’ll finally relent and go to the doctor.  The doctor will subject you to a battery of tests, and will diagnose you with type 2 diabetes and congestive heart failure.

You’ll fear for your life and lose much sleep because of haunting thoughts of dying in your sleep because your heart will be so weak.  You’ll learn to manage your diabetes quickly, and get into a routine of testing, medicating, and eating properly.  And you’ll use your knowledge of the internet to seek out information about your conditions.  And to find support.

After discovering social networks and blogs devoted to diabetes, and seeing the value of them, you’ll launch a blog of your own.  You’ll tell your story, eventually be published in a national diabetes magazine, and travel the country to meet other people with diabetes.

And through the experiences with your health, advocacy efforts, etc… you’ll find a reason and purpose for living.  And finally, you’ll realize how short and precious life really is.  You’ll commit yourself to living each day to the fullest.

So, there you have it.  A glimpse into your future.  Probably not at all what you expected, but it is what it is.  And you’ll learn to deal with it.  And maybe even be thankful for the experiences you have along the way.

And remember, “Life is not a journey to the grave with intentions of arriving safely in a pretty well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming … WOW! What a ride!”

Sincerely,
An Older, Wiser You.

Just Post Something

Written by Mike on April 8th, 2012

Hot:

So, today is day 8 of the Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge and today’s prompt is: Best conversation I had this week.

For some reason or another, I’ve struggled with writing a response to this prompt today.  When I tweeted that fact earlier today and a brief exchange between Kerri, Ashley & I followed.

Not the most exciting of conversations, but I did get a reminder that I needed.  The point of #HAWMC is to write every day.  The prompts are there to inspire us; to help get us started.  Some times they help.  Some times they don’t.  If it not, find something else to write about.  Just post something.

Honestly, I think that’s why I never seem to complete these blogging events.  The perfectionist in me wants to respond to every one of the prompts.  And I get overwhelmed by trying to do that and eventually just stop.

Now that I think about it, I’m reminded of a bit of advice that I’m always hearing from someone at work, yet never seem to remember.  I’ll leave you with it.

“Never let the quest for perfection keep you from getting the job done.”

PS: Thanks, Ashley!