A Diabetes Meme and ASweetLife Turns One

This month ASweetLife celebrates its one-year anniversary.  It has been wonderful to become part of the online diabetes community, and I am extremely grateful to all of ASweetLife’s bloggers, contributors, and readers.  A huge thanks to all of you!   I was trying to think of a good way to mark the anniversary, and after reading (and enjoying) a number of diabetes memes, like Kerri’s, Scott S’s and most recently, Amy’s, I decided this might be a good way.  So here you have it, my diabetes meme.

What type of diabetes do you have?
LADA – technically.  But I always say type 1 because no one knows what LADA is.

When were you diagnosed?
December 2008, years after being undiagnosed/misdiagnosed

What’s your current blood sugar?
122

What kind of meter do you use?
Freestyle Freedom Lite

How many times a day do you test your blood sugar?
It varies.  If I eat what I know, then 4 or 5 times a day.  If I eat something different, 8 or more

What’s a “high” number for you?
I aim to be under 140 after meals.  140-160 frustrates me.  Over 160 makes me panic.

What do you consider “low”?
I start to feel shaky in the 70s

What’s your favorite low blood sugar reaction treater?

Dried fruit.

Describe your dream endo:
Dr. Mariela Glandt

What’s your biggest diabetes achievement?
Actually getting the correct diagnosis was a pretty big achievement.  Also, my last pregnancy, as well as maintaining a good marriage between two people with diabetes- that is, not letting diabetes rule the house.  I also feel really good about ASweetLife  and some of my other diabetes writing like this, and this where I shared some musings on whether or not to test my sons for diabetes.

What’s your biggest diabetes-related fear?
Yes, I agree with the others… not waking up in the morning.  And I’m terrified of complications.

Who’s on your support team? My husband, over and over and over again.  Also, my father, my brother,  Mariela Glandt, and my fellow diabetes writers Karmel Allison and Catherine Price.  But even with all of these amazing people – and others, too – oftentimes I feel very alone with diabetes.

Do you think there will be a cure in your lifetime?

Sadly, I don’t.  I think prevention methods have more promise.  I believe in vitamin D.

What is a “cure” to you?
Beta cells that are safe and sound.  Sometimes I imagine them in little suits of armor.

The most annoying thing people say to you about your diabetes is:

But you’re not overweight.

What is the most common misconception about diabetes?

From people with diabetes themselves, that you can eat whatever you want, as long as you take your medication.

From anyone else, that using insulin isn’t a big deal.  Or that the only drawback to insulin is that you have to inject it.  And of course… that eating too much candy causes diabetes.

If you could say one thing to your pancreas, what would it be?

To my beta cells, one word: Resurrection.

Jessica Apple

Jessica Apple grew up in Houston. She studied Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan, and completed an MA in the same field at the Hebrew University. She began to write and publish short stories while a student, and has continued to write essays and fiction while raising her three sons (and many pets).

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Jessica Apple

Jessica Apple grew up in Houston. She studied Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan, and completed an MA in the same field at the Hebrew University. She began to write and publish short stories while a student, and continues to write essays and fiction while raising her three sons (and many pets). Jessica’s work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Financial Times Magazine, The Southern Review, The Bellevue Literary Review, Tablet Magazine, and elsewhere. She is the diabetes correspondent for The Faster Times. In 2009 she and her husband, both type 1 diabetics, founded A Sweet Life, where she serves as editor-in-chief. Jessica loves spending time with her sons, cooking with her husband, playing with her cats, reading, biking, drinking coffee, and whenever possible, taking a nap. Follow Jessica on Twitter (@jessapple)