Dear Family, Friends, Loved Ones, and Colleagues,
I
am asking for your help. I ain't askin nobody for nothin, if I can't get it on my own. So goes the song, but I can't get this on my own. I hope you can offer some kind of financial
support to bolster the great research happening today which is bringing a
cure for diabetes a bit closer. For those who are interested to know
more, please read on. I have tried to help someone on the outside of
the problem appreciate a bit of the reality of life with diabetes.
Nine
years ago our family experienced a profound transformation. We became a
family with a type 1 diabetic child. Our first child, Eleanor, was
diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while she was still only two. Each day
since then, each hour, has included some chore, task, reference,
thought, or responsibility demanded of us by diabetes. Please do not
think of this as an exaggeration, because if I err, it will be in making
the demands less pressing than what they are.
And so
we live. We focus on life with as much positive energy as we can. Nora
does an excellent job of accepting her circumstances on most days. The
rest of us do as well. Blood sugar checks number into the
multi-thousands that have been endured so far. Daily shots have given
way to the self enclosed delivery device called an OmniPod. This device
still has to be monitored, though, and changed no less than every three
days. This involves having a spring loaded needle inject the delivery
line under the skin. It hurts. The insulin that we have put into the
pod then gets gradually delivered into the blood as programming
suggests. Who programs it? We do. The programming is based on
experience and ever-changing needs of the user. Nothing is automatic;
not really.
And so we plan. After nine years we are
getting pretty proficient with our knowledge of food and its various
carbohydrate counts. Nora gives herself more insulin, called a bolus,
whenever she eats. This is based on the carbohydrates in the food.
Again, formulas are used, but life is inexact. We still practice a
refined form of guess work when needed. When the birthday parties,
sleepovers, field trips, celebration dinners, etc. arise, we try our
best to plan for it, or at least react well to what is being offered.
Nora is growing and changing, and her insulin demands continue to change
accordingly. She has completed a kids’ triathlon, and she wants to do
more, proving that her limits are still far on the horizon.She has
chosen to play cello now in the school orchestra, so her fingers, the
parts she uses for checking BG, will endure more stress.
And we educate. Nora is another year older, and we all are
slightly wiser. Still we find ourselves dealing frequently with
misconceptions and ignorance about diabetes. Since Nora’s pod is
sometimes visible she gets asked about it. She explains the situation
quite well, but I wonder when she might get sick of saying it all. Well
meaning people, both family and friends alike, still make comments that
amaze me. Recently we were asked again if it is OK for Nora to have
chocolate. I have heard someone telling another that she is not allowed
to eat sugar. Others persist in these outdated assumptions that come
from times when diabetes was not understood well, and its management
tools were severely limited. I was happy to help my friend, Lizmari Collazo, again this year in promoting the Diabetes Ice Cream Social, just to combat some of those outdated ideas.
And we hope. Our lives
are woven with the demands of type 1 diabetes. But the reason we ask
for help and support is because we hope for a day when we can let go of
that part of life. We hope to leave behind our diabetic lifestyle one
day soon. Please help us to reach that important goal.
We
are walking again this year on October 6th at Military Park,
Indianapolis. The Walk for a Cure is a great day to bring together
hundreds of people in one place to support JDRF and its efforts fund
research. If you wish to donate, you can do so online by following the
links I have listed below. You may also write a check payable to JDRF.
Any size of donation is useful and appreciated, and all are tax
deductible.
Please visit my walk fundraising page at
the following link. This will allow you to make an online donation if
you should choose to do so. Of course, it would be very exciting and
helpful if you would want to join our walk team. Information is also at
this link:
http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/Walk-IN/Chapter-IndianaState4195?px=1434058&pg=personal&fr_id=1900
We are hoping to do well for Nora’s team this year. Thanks for your time in reading this. You are part of the cure.
http://www2.jdrf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=walk_homepage
Sincerely,
Andy Blythe,
Nora’s Crocodile Rockers, 2012
Showing posts with label Type-1 Diabetes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Type-1 Diabetes. Show all posts
Monday, August 6, 2012
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Nora's Crocodile Walkers in 2011
Dear Family, Friends, Loved Ones, and Colleagues,
I am asking for your help. Asking for nothing would be my fondest wish right now, but I simply can’t abide my life if I have not made efforts to help my own family. I hope you can offer some kind of financial support to bolster the great research happening today which is bringing a cure for diabetes a bit closer. For those who are interested to know more, please read on. I have tried to help someone on the outside of the problem appreciate a bit of the reality of life with diabetes.
Eight years ago our family experienced a profound transformation. We became a family with a type 1 diabetic child. Our first child, Eleanor, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while she was still only two. Each day since then, each hour, has included some chore, task, reference, thought, or responsibility demanded of us by diabetes. Please do not think of this as an exaggeration, because if I err, it will be in making the demands less pressing than what they are.
And so we live. We focus on life with as much positive energy as we can. Nora does an excellent job of accepting her circumstances on most days. The rest of us do as well. Blood sugar checks number into the multi-thousands that have been endured so far. Daily shots have given way to the self enclosed delivery device called an OmniPod. This device still has to be monitored, though, and changed no less than every three days. This involves having a spring loaded needle inject the delivery line under the skin. It hurts. The insulin that we have put into the pod then gets gradually delivered into the blood as programming suggests. Who programs it? We do. The programming is based on experience and ever-changing needs of the user. Nothing is automatic; not really.
And so we plan. After eight years we are getting pretty proficient with our knowledge of food and its various carbohydrate counts. Nora gives herself more insulin, called a bolus, whenever she eats. This is based on the carbohydrates in the food. Again, formulas are used, but life is inexact. We still practice a refined form of guess work when needed. When the birthday parties, sleepovers, field trips, celebration dinners, etc. arise, we try our best to plan for it, or at least react well to what is being offered. Nora is growing and changing, and her insulin demands continue to change accordingly. She recently completed a kids’ triathlon, proving that her limits are still far on the horizon.
And we educate. Nora is older, and we all are slightly wiser. Still we find ourselves dealing frequently with misconceptions and ignorance about diabetes. Since Nora’s pod is sometimes visible she gets asked about it. She explains the situation quite well, but I wonder when she might get sick of saying it all. Well meaning people, both family and friends alike, still make comments that amaze me. Recently we were asked again if it is OK for Nora to have chocolate. I have heard someone telling another that she is not allowed to eat sugar. Others persist in these outdated assumptions that come from times when diabetes was not understood well, and its management tools were severely limited.
And we hope. Our lives are woven with the demands of type 1 diabetes. But the reason we ask for help and support is because we hope for a day when we can let go of that part of life. We hope to leave behind our diabetic lifestyle one day soon. Please help us to reach that important goal.
We are walking again this year on October 29th at Military Park, Indianapolis. The Walk for a Cure is a great day to bring together hundreds of people in one place to support JDRF and its efforts fund research. If you wish to donate, you can do so online by following the links I have listed below. You may also write a check payable to JDRF. Any size of donation is useful and appreciated, and all are tax deductible.
Please visit my walk fundraising page at the following link. This will allow you to make an online donation if you should choose to do so. Of course, it would be very exciting and helpful if you would want to join our walk team. Information is also at this link:
http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/Walk-IN/Chapter-IndianaState4195?team_id=24644&pg=team&fr_id=1486
We are hoping to do well for Nora’s team this year, just as my wife Lisa’s cycling team efforts have been such a huge success, thanks to the generosity of others. Thanks for your time in reading this. You are part of the cure.
Sincerely,
Andy Blythe,
Nora’s Crocodile Rockers, Team Captain
For further information, here are some truths that you should remember…
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic, debilitating disease affecting every organ system. There are two major types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. Type 1 diabetes usually strikes in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood, and lasts a lifetime. Just to survive, people with type 1 diabetes must take multiple injections of insulin daily or continually infuse insulin through a pump. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which a person's body still produces insulin but is unable to use it effectively. Type 2 is usually diagnosed in adulthood and does not always require insulin injections. However, increased obesity has led to a recent rise in cases of type 2 diabetes in children and young adults.
Taking insulin does not cure any type of diabetes, nor does it prevent the possibility of the disease's devastating effects: kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, amputation, heart attack, stroke, and pregnancy complications.
The Scope of Diabetes
• Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes (7.8 percent of the population):
Diagnosed: 17.9 million
Undiagnosed: 5.7 million
• As many as three million Americans may have type 1 diabetes.
• Diabetes currently affects 285 million people worldwide and is expected to affect 435 million by 2030.
• In the U.S., a new case of diabetes is diagnosed every 30 seconds; more than 1.6 million people are diagnosed each year.
The Cost of Diabetes
• Diabetes is one of the costliest chronic diseases.
• In 2007, diabetes accounted for $174 billion in health care costs in the U.S.
• Diabetes accounts for 32 percent of all Medicare expenditures.
• The nation spent $11,744 annually on each person with diabetes in 2007 compared to $2,935 on each person without diabetes.
• Americans with diabetes incur medical expenses that are approximately 2.3 times higher than those incurred by Americans without diabetes.
• U.S. hospital stays related to diabetes totaled $58.3 billion in 2007.
• An estimated 22 percent of hospital inpatient days in the U.S. were incurred by people with diabetes in 2007.
The Harm Caused by Diabetes
Damage to Many Organ Systems: Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness, and non-traumatic amputations. It is also a leading cause of nerve damage.
Increased Heart Disease Risk: People with diabetes are two-to-four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than people without the disease.
Shortened Life: Diabetes kills one American every three minutes and is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Life expectancy for people with diabetes has historically been shortened by an average of seven to 10 years, and the risk of death for people with diabetes is about double that of people of similar age without diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes, 2004; KRC Research for JDRF, Jan. 2005
For more information, visit the JDRF web site at http://www.jdrf.org/ or call 800-533-CURE.
I am asking for your help. Asking for nothing would be my fondest wish right now, but I simply can’t abide my life if I have not made efforts to help my own family. I hope you can offer some kind of financial support to bolster the great research happening today which is bringing a cure for diabetes a bit closer. For those who are interested to know more, please read on. I have tried to help someone on the outside of the problem appreciate a bit of the reality of life with diabetes.
Eight years ago our family experienced a profound transformation. We became a family with a type 1 diabetic child. Our first child, Eleanor, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes while she was still only two. Each day since then, each hour, has included some chore, task, reference, thought, or responsibility demanded of us by diabetes. Please do not think of this as an exaggeration, because if I err, it will be in making the demands less pressing than what they are.
And so we live. We focus on life with as much positive energy as we can. Nora does an excellent job of accepting her circumstances on most days. The rest of us do as well. Blood sugar checks number into the multi-thousands that have been endured so far. Daily shots have given way to the self enclosed delivery device called an OmniPod. This device still has to be monitored, though, and changed no less than every three days. This involves having a spring loaded needle inject the delivery line under the skin. It hurts. The insulin that we have put into the pod then gets gradually delivered into the blood as programming suggests. Who programs it? We do. The programming is based on experience and ever-changing needs of the user. Nothing is automatic; not really.
And so we plan. After eight years we are getting pretty proficient with our knowledge of food and its various carbohydrate counts. Nora gives herself more insulin, called a bolus, whenever she eats. This is based on the carbohydrates in the food. Again, formulas are used, but life is inexact. We still practice a refined form of guess work when needed. When the birthday parties, sleepovers, field trips, celebration dinners, etc. arise, we try our best to plan for it, or at least react well to what is being offered. Nora is growing and changing, and her insulin demands continue to change accordingly. She recently completed a kids’ triathlon, proving that her limits are still far on the horizon.
And we educate. Nora is older, and we all are slightly wiser. Still we find ourselves dealing frequently with misconceptions and ignorance about diabetes. Since Nora’s pod is sometimes visible she gets asked about it. She explains the situation quite well, but I wonder when she might get sick of saying it all. Well meaning people, both family and friends alike, still make comments that amaze me. Recently we were asked again if it is OK for Nora to have chocolate. I have heard someone telling another that she is not allowed to eat sugar. Others persist in these outdated assumptions that come from times when diabetes was not understood well, and its management tools were severely limited.
And we hope. Our lives are woven with the demands of type 1 diabetes. But the reason we ask for help and support is because we hope for a day when we can let go of that part of life. We hope to leave behind our diabetic lifestyle one day soon. Please help us to reach that important goal.
We are walking again this year on October 29th at Military Park, Indianapolis. The Walk for a Cure is a great day to bring together hundreds of people in one place to support JDRF and its efforts fund research. If you wish to donate, you can do so online by following the links I have listed below. You may also write a check payable to JDRF. Any size of donation is useful and appreciated, and all are tax deductible.
Please visit my walk fundraising page at the following link. This will allow you to make an online donation if you should choose to do so. Of course, it would be very exciting and helpful if you would want to join our walk team. Information is also at this link:
http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR/Walk-IN/Chapter-IndianaState4195?team_id=24644&pg=team&fr_id=1486
We are hoping to do well for Nora’s team this year, just as my wife Lisa’s cycling team efforts have been such a huge success, thanks to the generosity of others. Thanks for your time in reading this. You are part of the cure.
Sincerely,
Andy Blythe,
Nora’s Crocodile Rockers, Team Captain
For further information, here are some truths that you should remember…
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic, debilitating disease affecting every organ system. There are two major types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin, a hormone that enables people to get energy from food. Type 1 diabetes usually strikes in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood, and lasts a lifetime. Just to survive, people with type 1 diabetes must take multiple injections of insulin daily or continually infuse insulin through a pump. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which a person's body still produces insulin but is unable to use it effectively. Type 2 is usually diagnosed in adulthood and does not always require insulin injections. However, increased obesity has led to a recent rise in cases of type 2 diabetes in children and young adults.
Taking insulin does not cure any type of diabetes, nor does it prevent the possibility of the disease's devastating effects: kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, amputation, heart attack, stroke, and pregnancy complications.
The Scope of Diabetes
• Nearly 24 million Americans have diabetes (7.8 percent of the population):
Diagnosed: 17.9 million
Undiagnosed: 5.7 million
• As many as three million Americans may have type 1 diabetes.
• Diabetes currently affects 285 million people worldwide and is expected to affect 435 million by 2030.
• In the U.S., a new case of diabetes is diagnosed every 30 seconds; more than 1.6 million people are diagnosed each year.
The Cost of Diabetes
• Diabetes is one of the costliest chronic diseases.
• In 2007, diabetes accounted for $174 billion in health care costs in the U.S.
• Diabetes accounts for 32 percent of all Medicare expenditures.
• The nation spent $11,744 annually on each person with diabetes in 2007 compared to $2,935 on each person without diabetes.
• Americans with diabetes incur medical expenses that are approximately 2.3 times higher than those incurred by Americans without diabetes.
• U.S. hospital stays related to diabetes totaled $58.3 billion in 2007.
• An estimated 22 percent of hospital inpatient days in the U.S. were incurred by people with diabetes in 2007.
The Harm Caused by Diabetes
Damage to Many Organ Systems: Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, adult blindness, and non-traumatic amputations. It is also a leading cause of nerve damage.
Increased Heart Disease Risk: People with diabetes are two-to-four times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke than people without the disease.
Shortened Life: Diabetes kills one American every three minutes and is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. Life expectancy for people with diabetes has historically been shortened by an average of seven to 10 years, and the risk of death for people with diabetes is about double that of people of similar age without diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes, 2004; KRC Research for JDRF, Jan. 2005
For more information, visit the JDRF web site at http://www.jdrf.org/ or call 800-533-CURE.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Ten Years of Fatherhood
It's been ten years since my first child was born. I would like to say I have become a great father, but I think this is just one of those jobs that you keep on doing without becoming great. You can be good once in a while, but never great. Great is reserved for the mom, who rightly deserves the praise.
I thought about writing about my own dad here today, but that would take more time than what I have to give right now. Another blog for the future.... I can't believe how much love I have for my kids. It just hardly seems possible when you don't have children to realize that your heart will grow enough for the love you need to share with them.
Nora has been the source of tremendous pride so far these ten years. I know her best is far in the future. Taking on type 1 diabetes like she has for the past seven years has been amazing to see. I can hardly predict or imagine what the next ten years will bring for all of us in this party of five.
It should be fun.
I thought about writing about my own dad here today, but that would take more time than what I have to give right now. Another blog for the future.... I can't believe how much love I have for my kids. It just hardly seems possible when you don't have children to realize that your heart will grow enough for the love you need to share with them.
Nora has been the source of tremendous pride so far these ten years. I know her best is far in the future. Taking on type 1 diabetes like she has for the past seven years has been amazing to see. I can hardly predict or imagine what the next ten years will bring for all of us in this party of five.
It should be fun.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas Wishes
If a wish is a request for something that you just can't manage to get on your own, or for something that really is not possible to get, then I have a few to put on record.
1. A cure for Type-1 Diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Many lives are lost or altered due to dozens or hundreds of illnesses or diseases that medical science cannot combat. I suppose I could wish for a universal cure, but these specific disorders have a personal impact on me and my family. It is my most selfish wish.
2. Wisdom within our nation's politicians and leaders: Students of history know how rare it is to see wise leaders in the world. They also know how powerful and dramatic social changes can come from the leadership of wise men and women. Corruption tempts all leaders. May our current world leaders find the strength to avoid corruption in all its forms.
3. Sincere adherence to religious teachings: Among all people who claim faithfulness to a religious tradition, please be mindful of the essence of those teachings in your daily lives. No legitimate leader or founder of any major world religious movement has ever advocated hatred or philosophies of destruction in order to achieve a divine purpose. Religious devotion is not a matter of convenience. Always practice your espoused faith. Through such practice, love will dominate life.
4. A daily recognition of our common humanity: No matter what we do, everything can be done and should be done with attention to humanity. To be humane means to consider the overall condition of those lives you have become involved with. Ask always if what you are about to do will add to the improvement of humanity, or reduce our collective greatness. This is at the heart of all religion, but outside of religion, it also has meaning. We all should have a personal interest in the collective well-being of everyone around us. While it is true that some among us profit from the depravity and misery of others, it is my wish that we each make every effort to elevate humanity and ease others' burdens. Do this and you will be happy in your work, and happier in life.
5. Share your knowledge, and happily learn from others: Talk about what you know, and listen to others when they do the same. Keep your mind open to new learning. Ideas inform dialogue, and dialogue shapes opinions. Opinions and ideas are behind any action. So be active in the dialogue around you. Use your education, and always add to it. Knowledge is one of the most reliable keys to power and influence. Everyone does the best he or she can do based on what they know. If you know more, you can do more.
6. Appreciate the life you have now: Even if you are striving to improve your situation, or that of others, don't forget to appreciate the happiness and beauty that exists around you in this moment.
There are more wishes, but these few make up the majority of the sentiment. I can do many things for myself, but I cannot control the actions of others. This is the intent, I think, of the wish. There's nothing original on my list, but that does not make them unimportant. What it does mean is that there is an urgency behind unrealized wishes.
Whoever can read this, please make your best effort to make one or more of these wishes a reality, if only in your own life.
Merry Christmas!
Live Well.
1. A cure for Type-1 Diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis: Many lives are lost or altered due to dozens or hundreds of illnesses or diseases that medical science cannot combat. I suppose I could wish for a universal cure, but these specific disorders have a personal impact on me and my family. It is my most selfish wish.
2. Wisdom within our nation's politicians and leaders: Students of history know how rare it is to see wise leaders in the world. They also know how powerful and dramatic social changes can come from the leadership of wise men and women. Corruption tempts all leaders. May our current world leaders find the strength to avoid corruption in all its forms.
3. Sincere adherence to religious teachings: Among all people who claim faithfulness to a religious tradition, please be mindful of the essence of those teachings in your daily lives. No legitimate leader or founder of any major world religious movement has ever advocated hatred or philosophies of destruction in order to achieve a divine purpose. Religious devotion is not a matter of convenience. Always practice your espoused faith. Through such practice, love will dominate life.
4. A daily recognition of our common humanity: No matter what we do, everything can be done and should be done with attention to humanity. To be humane means to consider the overall condition of those lives you have become involved with. Ask always if what you are about to do will add to the improvement of humanity, or reduce our collective greatness. This is at the heart of all religion, but outside of religion, it also has meaning. We all should have a personal interest in the collective well-being of everyone around us. While it is true that some among us profit from the depravity and misery of others, it is my wish that we each make every effort to elevate humanity and ease others' burdens. Do this and you will be happy in your work, and happier in life.
5. Share your knowledge, and happily learn from others: Talk about what you know, and listen to others when they do the same. Keep your mind open to new learning. Ideas inform dialogue, and dialogue shapes opinions. Opinions and ideas are behind any action. So be active in the dialogue around you. Use your education, and always add to it. Knowledge is one of the most reliable keys to power and influence. Everyone does the best he or she can do based on what they know. If you know more, you can do more.
6. Appreciate the life you have now: Even if you are striving to improve your situation, or that of others, don't forget to appreciate the happiness and beauty that exists around you in this moment.
There are more wishes, but these few make up the majority of the sentiment. I can do many things for myself, but I cannot control the actions of others. This is the intent, I think, of the wish. There's nothing original on my list, but that does not make them unimportant. What it does mean is that there is an urgency behind unrealized wishes.
Whoever can read this, please make your best effort to make one or more of these wishes a reality, if only in your own life.
Merry Christmas!
Live Well.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving is upon us in the greatest country in the world. We have much to be thankful for as a nation, even though we are struggling through a financial crisis. I have faith in our nation's leaders that they will guide us through the fog, and that once again we will persevere and resume our former greatness on the world stage. But I write today to explore for a moment just how fortunate we are, even during a relatively critical recession.
If you fly one and a half hours from Florida to the southeast, covering 1,975 miles, you will arrive in Haiti. This country, one of our neighbors in this hemisphere, is among the poorest in the world. More than eighty percent of the population lives below the poverty level. What does this mean? Poverty means that basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter can not regularly be acquired. Consider the per capita GDP, or gross domestic product. To get this number add the total dollar value of all goods and services produced in a year and divide that total by the population. Haiti's per capita GDP is $1,300 after converting into US dollars. Remember that figure is an average, so many will earn less than that amount in a year. The same figure for the USA is $43,444. The average American family will spend seven percent of their income on entertainment, over $3,000. The computer I am writing this blog entry with had a purchase price of $1,000.
Poverty exists in our own land as well, to be sure. The essential difference is, though, that in our country there is at least a theoretical possibility that an impoverished family might one day gain economic mobility and strength. The future for most Haitians today is bleak. With an average life expectancy that hovers around 50 years, the misery of poverty is relentless and fatal.
We will go on complaining about our economy, which is truly salient on a global scale, but as we fret and worry, remember our less fortunate neighbors for whom the essence of life is often beyond reach.
This Thanksgiving I will spend many quiet moments reflecting on my own blessings and bounty. I have a healthy and loving family. Type-1 diabetes is a daily reality for one of my children, but, because I am employed and have health insurance, the life-saving supplies we need are available to us. With my own strength of body and mind, I am able to provide many comforts for my family. My career gives me as much job security as any other could provide. Being an educator also provides the kind of job satisfaction that many others lack. I am helping young people to appreciate the power of learning. In our world knowledge is power. Everyone does the best he or she knows how to do; those who know more can do more.
Nothing is guaranteed. Nothing, not even tomorrow, is promised. The life that we are blessed to live in the moment is all we can be sure of. Be thankful for what you have, and then make time to appreciate and enjoy it.
Blessings be upon you.
If you fly one and a half hours from Florida to the southeast, covering 1,975 miles, you will arrive in Haiti. This country, one of our neighbors in this hemisphere, is among the poorest in the world. More than eighty percent of the population lives below the poverty level. What does this mean? Poverty means that basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter can not regularly be acquired. Consider the per capita GDP, or gross domestic product. To get this number add the total dollar value of all goods and services produced in a year and divide that total by the population. Haiti's per capita GDP is $1,300 after converting into US dollars. Remember that figure is an average, so many will earn less than that amount in a year. The same figure for the USA is $43,444. The average American family will spend seven percent of their income on entertainment, over $3,000. The computer I am writing this blog entry with had a purchase price of $1,000.
Poverty exists in our own land as well, to be sure. The essential difference is, though, that in our country there is at least a theoretical possibility that an impoverished family might one day gain economic mobility and strength. The future for most Haitians today is bleak. With an average life expectancy that hovers around 50 years, the misery of poverty is relentless and fatal.
We will go on complaining about our economy, which is truly salient on a global scale, but as we fret and worry, remember our less fortunate neighbors for whom the essence of life is often beyond reach.
This Thanksgiving I will spend many quiet moments reflecting on my own blessings and bounty. I have a healthy and loving family. Type-1 diabetes is a daily reality for one of my children, but, because I am employed and have health insurance, the life-saving supplies we need are available to us. With my own strength of body and mind, I am able to provide many comforts for my family. My career gives me as much job security as any other could provide. Being an educator also provides the kind of job satisfaction that many others lack. I am helping young people to appreciate the power of learning. In our world knowledge is power. Everyone does the best he or she knows how to do; those who know more can do more.
Nothing is guaranteed. Nothing, not even tomorrow, is promised. The life that we are blessed to live in the moment is all we can be sure of. Be thankful for what you have, and then make time to appreciate and enjoy it.
Blessings be upon you.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The Invisible Chimp
My daughter has had type 1 diabetes since just before she turned three. She will be in high school next year. I have learned about diabetes in the last decade like no other topic before. My former wife has learned more than I because she is usually the one around giving treatments and making observations.
I have become an in-house diabetes liaison in my school, partnered with our nurse. It's incredible to learn of all of the different levels of understanding and competency surrounding those afflicted with this disorder. Misunderstandings almost always must be dealt with before effective treatments will be used. Mishandling diabetes can be fatal, and yet a shocking number of people are not handling themselves or their condition correctly, or even with regularity.
We had been living with the insulin pump for about three years, then moved on to the OmniPod, and it makes things easier to be sure. What a brilliant use of technology! We have participated many times in the Walk to Cure Diabetes. This is sponsored by JDRF, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and many other big organizations. Indianapolis is a great city when it comes to hosting wonderful events. Something is going on nearly every weekend while the weather allows for it. The walk this year is set to start at Military Park. I hope the fundraising event will be the most successful yet. JDRF also manages an auction each year that has been held at the Colts training complex. Everyone seems to have a special charity or cause that needs your support, but this is the biggest one for me. (You can learn more, or make a donation at www.jdrf.org.)
There's never a break from the concerns and demands of diabetes. You know how ducklings will imprint and follow around the first living thing they see? Imagine that an invisible chimpanzee had imprinted onto you. It would follow you everywhere, and you have no choice but to accept its needy presence. However, other people would not recognize or see it. They would never suspect anything to be amiss until maybe one day the chimp decided to ride on your back. How frustrated and tired you would be! You would know how to manage the chimp through many training techniques, but ultimately this invisible rider will still do unexpected and harmful things to you. You can bring it back under control, but you are never allowed to ignore it. This invisible companion will seize your attention by force if need be.
People often diminish the critical nature of diabetes. They say it is only something that means you need to watch what you eat. They assume the old wisdom about eating "sugar" still holds true. But few realize that it is potentially fatal if not managed properly and constantly. Other folks speak with me about it and wonder why my daughter can't just take an "insulin pill" like their uncle takes. First, insulin doesn't exist as a pill, and second, those who take pills are dealing with type 2 diabetes, not type 1. Insulin is broken down by stomach acids and rendered useless by the body. It must be delivered directly into the bloodstream. No choices. The new inhaled insulin system is not very reliable when it comes to delivering specific dosages of insulin.
I don't know if anyone will read this. I just started doing the blog mostly for myself, because I know that it helps to get some of these monologues out of my head. Most people in my circle of influence understand these issues. The folks who drift in and out, they are the ones I wish could read this one day and begin to understand.
Above all I want there to be a cure for type 1 diabetes. I want my daughter at some point to be able to do some of the things that kids should be able to do. Eat a pound of Halloween candy all in one sitting. Find out how much pizza is too much. Swim all day long if it suits you. She really can do this now. What I mean is for her to do it all without the intervention measures that must go along with it. Ironically she is probably living a healthier life because of diabetes.
As a father you wonder constantly about doing the right thing. Try as I might, this thing is beyond any real control or influence of mine. I can be the best provider, the most wise adviser, the funniest jokester, and the most caring role model ever, and this obtuse intruder into the family can still ruin it all. I want a cure, and I want it now.
I have become an in-house diabetes liaison in my school, partnered with our nurse. It's incredible to learn of all of the different levels of understanding and competency surrounding those afflicted with this disorder. Misunderstandings almost always must be dealt with before effective treatments will be used. Mishandling diabetes can be fatal, and yet a shocking number of people are not handling themselves or their condition correctly, or even with regularity.
We had been living with the insulin pump for about three years, then moved on to the OmniPod, and it makes things easier to be sure. What a brilliant use of technology! We have participated many times in the Walk to Cure Diabetes. This is sponsored by JDRF, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and many other big organizations. Indianapolis is a great city when it comes to hosting wonderful events. Something is going on nearly every weekend while the weather allows for it. The walk this year is set to start at Military Park. I hope the fundraising event will be the most successful yet. JDRF also manages an auction each year that has been held at the Colts training complex. Everyone seems to have a special charity or cause that needs your support, but this is the biggest one for me. (You can learn more, or make a donation at www.jdrf.org.)
There's never a break from the concerns and demands of diabetes. You know how ducklings will imprint and follow around the first living thing they see? Imagine that an invisible chimpanzee had imprinted onto you. It would follow you everywhere, and you have no choice but to accept its needy presence. However, other people would not recognize or see it. They would never suspect anything to be amiss until maybe one day the chimp decided to ride on your back. How frustrated and tired you would be! You would know how to manage the chimp through many training techniques, but ultimately this invisible rider will still do unexpected and harmful things to you. You can bring it back under control, but you are never allowed to ignore it. This invisible companion will seize your attention by force if need be.
People often diminish the critical nature of diabetes. They say it is only something that means you need to watch what you eat. They assume the old wisdom about eating "sugar" still holds true. But few realize that it is potentially fatal if not managed properly and constantly. Other folks speak with me about it and wonder why my daughter can't just take an "insulin pill" like their uncle takes. First, insulin doesn't exist as a pill, and second, those who take pills are dealing with type 2 diabetes, not type 1. Insulin is broken down by stomach acids and rendered useless by the body. It must be delivered directly into the bloodstream. No choices. The new inhaled insulin system is not very reliable when it comes to delivering specific dosages of insulin.
I don't know if anyone will read this. I just started doing the blog mostly for myself, because I know that it helps to get some of these monologues out of my head. Most people in my circle of influence understand these issues. The folks who drift in and out, they are the ones I wish could read this one day and begin to understand.
Above all I want there to be a cure for type 1 diabetes. I want my daughter at some point to be able to do some of the things that kids should be able to do. Eat a pound of Halloween candy all in one sitting. Find out how much pizza is too much. Swim all day long if it suits you. She really can do this now. What I mean is for her to do it all without the intervention measures that must go along with it. Ironically she is probably living a healthier life because of diabetes.
As a father you wonder constantly about doing the right thing. Try as I might, this thing is beyond any real control or influence of mine. I can be the best provider, the most wise adviser, the funniest jokester, and the most caring role model ever, and this obtuse intruder into the family can still ruin it all. I want a cure, and I want it now.
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