Tag: T1D

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Dishing About Diabetes

Type 1 Talk with Kerri Sparling

It’s Facebook Official!!! I’m super excited to announce that I get to host an upcoming JDRF Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico Type 1 Talk staring the ever-so talented, witty, and beautiful Kerry Sparling!!! Kerri recently launched her new book, Rage Bolus & Other Poems and she’ll be sharing more about it at this event!

I may be having an adult beverage during this time and attendees that are old enough can too!

Y’all have no idea how excited and honored I feel to share the Zoom stage with such a dia-badass writer!!! Register now my Adult T1D’s in Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico!!! If you know any Adult T1D’s in those states please feel free to invite them!

See you there!

Click here to RSVP!

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Dishing About Diabetes Indycar

Cut the BS Interviews IndyCar Driver and Fellow T1D Charlie Kimball

What an honor it was to chat with Charlie Kimball about IndyCar Racing and T1D!

I recently had the honor and opportunity to do an interview the driver of this year’s AJ Foyt #4 Novo Nordisk Tresiba car, Charlie Kimball. Charlie Kimball is the first licensed driver with diabetes to win a race in the NTT IndyCar Series. If you know me, you know I was an IndyCar fan before my own T1D diagnosis. I woke up from DKA and thought, “Whoa, they’re using insulin to to lower my blood sugars? I hope they gave me Novolog, because that’s what Charlie Kimball uses!” And now we’re doing an interview together. I’m totally fan girling over here!

Please watch our interview above and please be sure to catch the Genesys 300 from the Texas Motor Speedway live on NBC on Saturday, 8:00pm Eastern! It’ll be such a rush! I look forward to seeing that giant screen one day!

Thank you to Charlie Kimball for taking the time to speak with us at Cut the BS…I Mean Blood Sugar! I had a blast doing this interview so let me know in the comments below who we should invite next!

Thanks so much for reading as always remember to

Love Deeply,

Laugh Often,

and always Cut the BS!

Categories
D-liciously Diabetic

Deliciously Diabetic: Unicorn Cauliflower Mash

I used to love mashed potatoes as well as mac and cheese. Now don’t get me wrong, if I want to eat either of those things, I bolus for it and eat it. When I got diagnosed though, I found that they just weren’t worth the insulin I had to take to eat it.

Cauliflower seems to be the in vegetable these days but then saw purple cauliflower in the grocery store.  I had to have it!  And since unicorns became the in animal…I thought I’d name my cauliflower mash after the magical being!  Anyhow enjoy!

Here’s the steps I take to make some awesome Unicorn Cauliflower Mash!

1. Pick a cute head of purple cauliflower. And wash thoroughly:

2. Chop it up into pieces. I found out after taking these pictures that it is easier to cut them into big pieces, microwave it and then chop it into smaller pieces. I find that chopping it up into tiny pieces has been therapeutic for me so depending on your level of time or patience you’d like to spend on this piece…go for it!

3. Add 2 tablespoons of water and heat in microwave about 4 minutes.

It’s crazy how dark the cauliflower gets when it cooks!

Next thing we do is we mash that bad boy up!!! I like it lumpy so I don’t mash it up as much as others.  Or if it find that we will have super mashed up cauliflower mash when I’ve had a particularly stressful day!  Makes for a great win win situation…yummy food and the release of stress!

Then, add the good stuff that you love adding to mashed potatoes; sour cream, cheese, etc.  I love adding cream cheese to cauliflower mash, although I don’t think I’d ever add cream cheese to mashed potatoes.

And boom…done!!! Now-a-days, I’d probably add some chopped up fresh green onion or chives on top to give it some contrast…or maybe to get your peeps that don’t like unicorn things to eat something that is Joker themed!

Here’s the throwback picture of me back when I was using Afrezza!

Thanks for reading and let us know in the comments below if you tried making this dish and how you liked it!!!

Remember to…

Eat well.

Laugh often.

And always, Cut the BS!

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AttituDe of GratituDe getting eDucateD inSOULin

10 Reasons Why it Rocks to Hang with a T1D Parent!

I was invited by a T1D mom (that means her child has T1D) for a night out since her amazing daughter with T1D was away at Diabetes Camp. Basically this means that she can have a little break from managing her daughter's diabetes (the camp counselor and nurses assist with that during that week.). I had an amazing time and thought…T1D parents rock and I just had to share or with my Cut The BSers…so here is:

10 reasons why it rocks to hang out with a T1D parent!

1. They're so ready for a night out. Having the opportunity to let your hair down and have fun is rare for a parent of a T1D child…so when it does happen…ya wanna be around!

2. They know what you're doing at the happy hour table. No questions as to what we are doing and why there's blood on my finger.

3. They know how to carb count!!! Since they do all the carb counting for their child…they can do it for you too! Bolus me!

4. They're always in mom/dad mode. Adulting can be hard…adulting with T1D…can be even harder. Sometimes it's a relief to pass the torch on to someone who understands because I won't argue with them they way their T1D child might. Tell me what to do…it's cool! I'm soooooo ok with that!

5. They always have a juice box ready! They also have glucose tabs and other random treats on them. They are always equipped in case of a low!

6. They probably volunteer and are members of the same community you are in. So those days when you can't go on…they're there to remind you to keep going…but not before we enjoy this happy hour!

7. They have a sense of humor about diabetes. Sometimes we have to and they have some of the best stories! I'll drink to that!

8. They don't judge…ever. I've never heard, "Should you be eating that?" from a T1D parent. It could be because they have spent so much time helping their own T1D kid(s) live normal lives and bolusing for normal things that they don't blame us one bit for ordering that elephant ear!

9. We can be a resource for them. We can be here to be sounding boards. They can ask us if we were rebellious at their kid's age and why, or how they can be supportive of their child. They can ask us to describe what a low feels like and how we may need to be helped. It feels good to be able to give back to the people who take care of us.

10. They have the biggest hearts ever! Their hearts are overflowing with concern, advocacy, and love. They are true crusaders to our cause.

Cheers to all the T1D Moms, Dads, Brothers, Sisters, and Friends out there! You inspire me and empower me to continue on this T1D journey. Until our next outing…line dancing perhaps?

Donate to my JDRF One Walk Page by clicking here!

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AttituDe of GratituDe inSOULin

5 Years a Diabetic, Where Did The Time Go? 


This week I celebrated my 5 year Diaversary.  I can’t believe it has already been five years.  I’d like to ask where did the time go, but I know exactly where it went.:

  • 1 visit to the ER. 
  • Over 9125 finger pokes.
  • Over 10,950 insulin injections/inhalations.
  • Hundreds of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (my quick sugar of choice when treating a low BS)
  • 2 Research Studies.
  • Over 20 blood draws and endo appointments.
  • 5 glucose meters
  • 3 generations of Dexom Continuous Glucose monitors. 
  • 7 different insulins.
  • Over 350 followers on Instagram @cutthebsgirl.
  • Over 400 Likes on the Cut the BS Facebook Page.
  • Over 45 blog posts with over 2300 visits to the Cut The BS Blog. 
  • 1 5K run completed…slowly but complete! 
  • 4 JDRF OneWalks walked and one more on the way! 
  • Almost 50 walkers recruited.
  • $16,699.30 raised for T1D research from hundreds of donors!
  • 3 cruises.
  • 5 Wedding Anniversary Trips.
  • 10 Indycar races 
  • 1 Diabetes unConference.
  • 1 radio show.
  • A community of my peeps. 
  • Countless laughter.
  • Immense love.
  • So much pride.

I say “celebrate” because the last five years have truly been a gift.  Every single day has been a gift.  It’s been a gift to me.  It’s been a gift to my family. I hope it has been a gift to anyone my life and efforts have touched.

I’m so grateful to those before me that relentlessly raised funds and conducted research so that I can have these five years.  I’m so thankful that they didn’t give up on finding insulin.  It has been an absolute honor to benefit from better treatments and I am extremely hopeful for a cure.  I have to be.

I’m so stinkin excited for what the next 5 years have in store!

Cut the BS y’all! Much love.

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AttituDe of GratituDe inSOULin

Rest In Sweet Peace Mary Tyler Moore

Mary Tyler Moore died today.  I knew I wanted to write something because she meant too much to me.  I couldn’t quite find the words so I began procrastinating by looking for images to use for this post.  Then I came across the quiz: Which “Mary Tyler Moore Show” character are you?  I already knew the answer, but I thought I’d enter my answers and get a confirmation from the gods at MeTV.com : I got Mary Richards.

 

No, I didn’t look like her.  No, I wasn’t an actress.  No, I wasn’t a trained dancer.  But so much of me can relate to the real Mary Richards – Mary Tyler Moore.  First of all, we both went to Immaculate Heart High School.  Yes, believe it or not, we both went to an all girl school and came out on the other side still smiling.

          

Next, Mary Tyler Moore provided me with role models that I wanted to be like when I grew up.  Through her role as Mary Richards and through the different shows produced by MTM Enterprises, her name and influence brought strong, articulate, intelligent, and funny female characters to life at a time that it just wasn’t common.  As a young woman in the 80’s, I tightly embraced the idea that I could be a TV producer or the mastermind behind a private investigating company like Remmington Steele.  Did I turn into any of those characters? No. But I knew I could if the desire struck.


Lastly, we were both diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in our early thirties. She was 33 and I was 32.  It wasn’t only the fact that she was diagnosed at 33 that amazed me about her.  It was what she was able to accomplish after that diagnosis.  The work she has done with the JDRF and the commitment she gave to our cause is nothing short of great and it’s something I will forever appreciate.  


Her transparency and honesty with how she lived her life with diabetes is an  inspiration to me and it helps me to live my best life with Type 1 Diabetes.  I only hope that I can help others in the same way she helped me.  Every day I celebrate little victories where I feel like I can  twirl around the throw my hat in the air like times when my blood sugars are in check.

So thank you, Mary Tyler Moore. Thank you for being a pioneer in television, female empowerment, and living a long, full, and eventful life with diabetes.   I now have hope that I can live well into my 80s.  I have been inspired and empowered by you to continue doing my own share of the work in volunteerism, fundraising, and advocacy with JDRF.  I will keep your spirit alive by working to “turn the world on with my smile” and continue the legacy of encouragement you began decades ago.  

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D-liciously Diabetic inSOULin

I’ve Never Done This Before…The Diabetes Mistake I Made Today


This morning I made the epic mistake of taking my fast acting insulin, Humalog, in place of my long acting insulin, Lantus.

What does that mean?  It means that I have given myself an accidental overdose of insulin.  It means that I now have to consume 150 grams of carbohydrates this morning when I typically eat 25-60 or else I may suffer from extreme blood sugar lows that can result in shakiness, crankiness, coma, or death.  

Why this is so frustrating for me: My family had plans today.  I had plans today.  And now, we have to rearrange stuff because I’m not sure how my body will react.  In addition, I am making efforts to lose weight, exercise more, and be better at my eating.   I have to take added quick sugars to this morning’s meal.  Added sugars equals added calories.  In addition, because working out can lower my blood sugars, I will have to table my plans and wait out the result of my stupid mistake.  

Another frustrating thing, I just wasted about 20 units of precious insulin on a boo-boo. Costly.

I was making breakfast at the time.  Waffles.  So now I have added every syrup we have in the house and am drinking a glass of orange juice.

So when someone looks at a plate like this and labels it, diabetes, they may be right.  But this plate of sugary waffles will probably be what saves my life today.

Ok, I know that I will probably bounce back from this setback by lunch and can work out then.  I am just extremely frustrated with myself and quite frankly, I’m embarrassed that I’ve made this mistake.  (I’ve had diabetes for almost five years at the time of this post.)  

As embarrassed as I am to make this mistake, I cannot keep it a secret.  This is one of the many reasons I fundraise and work to bring awareness.  I know will be ok.  I know what I have to do to get myself to baseline.  But there are others out there who will not be ok due to these accidental overdoses and complications with diabetes treatment. 

I’m hopeful that one day I won’t have to worry about making mistakes like this.  

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AttituDe of GratituDe inSOULin

My second most memorable Long Beach Gran Prix!

In honor of this year’s Indy 500, I thought I’d finally post this blog I’ve been sitting on for 2 years!  This was the first Long beach Gran Prix I’d been to since I was diagnosed.  I’ve gone pretty much every year since 2003.  Here’s the post: 

I just had the most amazing weekend!

So, I’ve become quite the Indycar fan by association.  My husband was a huge fan when we met and he started going to the Long Beach Gran Prix 2000.  I started going shortly after in 2003.  Needless to say, I was very excited as it was my first race I attended since my diagnosis on June 28, 2012.  Going as a newly diagnosed T1D, you know I was there as a huge Charlie Kimball fan.  I was a fan of his before my diagnosis, but now it’s personal.

On Friday, we walked the pits, and I found Charlie Kimball’s pit box…so I had to get a picture while sporting my Super Duper Handy Dandy Novolog FlexPen!

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On Saturday, We went to the Indycar fan village where the Race with Insulin tent was up. There, I got to sign up for a chance to win a VIP trip for four to the final race of the year in Fontana, CA. After entering, I was able to sign this shell of Charlie’s car.  

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I love this guy.  I’m so happy, Ryan introduced me to this sport.

As I was there talking to the Novo Nordisk people, I told them that I was gonna come back for the Question and Answer Session with Charlie and have him sign my Novolog Flexpen. They told me that there would be a special line for Novolog Users and to see their marketing person to make sure I was in the right line!  Oh boy! Oh boy!

I was the only adult in the special VIP (Very Insulin-dependent Person) line that day!  I got to tell him my story of the fact that I had been diagnosed last year and that when they told me I had diabetes, I hoped I was prescribed Novolog so I can support Charlie even more!  The weekend I came home from the hospital after being diagnosed, Charlie drove to his first podium finish in Toronto.  He placed second.  I like to think he did for me.

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I had to make sure I took another picture after getting my Charlie swag!

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As always, it was a gret race day.  What made this one even better was at the end of the day, Ryan and I were able to sail away into the sunset with a great friend. 

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…And then this happened…about a month later!  I thought they skipped my part since they showed Charlie with all the kids that day but, nope, check for this Cut the BS Girl’s story at 13:14!

Some of you may be wondering what my most memorable Long Beach Gran Prix is.  It was in 2003 when I got engaged to the most amazing man after the race! I’ve been quite the fan ever since.  The only two Long Beach Gran Prix I’ve missed are the years we welcomed our daughters into the world.