Social Media is Amazing (and so are you!)
Follow the Butterfly...
One June evening Arden walked into our living room and commandeered our TiVo remote. As she settled into our sofa she announced, "The softball World Series is on TV"... we all sat together and watched Alabama take on Florida.
Follow the Butterfly...
One June evening Arden walked into our living room and commandeered our TiVo remote. As she settled into our sofa she announced, "The softball World Series is on TV"... we all sat together and watched Alabama take on Florida.
The next day I received a Facebook message from an Arden's Day reader telling me that Alabama's catcher, Molly FIchtner, has type I diabetes.
That message prompted me to reached out to Molly on Twitter the next day, I asked her if she would be interested in doing an interview with me for Arden's Day and Huffington Post Sports.
A few days later Molly and I spoke on the phone where, for over an hour, I found Molly to be inspirational, clear-minded and in possession of a drive that one doesn't often come across. I immediately sat down to write her story and posted it on Arden's Day the very next morning, Huffington Post Sports followed a few days later.
Molly's story received thousands of Facebook shares and likes and hundreds of tweets were sent from people who wanted to spread the word about Molly. In the diabetes community, the JDRF tweeted, as did The Joslin Diabetes Center and countless people who live with diabetes. In kind, the softball community got the word out too. Players, colleges and travel teams alike all spread the word about Molly. The NCAA even sent a tweet that included a photo of Molly, complete with a quote that she gave me during our interview. - "Be determined to take your ability as far as it can go."
Molly
Then yesterday I received a new message on Facebook, one that delighted me and showed the power of community, positive influences and the power of sharing online. The message was from a mother who's child does not have diabetes, she told me that her daughter's softball coach recently emailed his entire team a link to an interview that he wanted them to read... My interview with Molly.
I'm proud to be a diabetes blogger, and I'm touched that you all take the time to read and share. I wanted you to know that your participation in our community does more than just help you and your family. You are part of something that is much larger, an interconnected process that is bringing hope, relief and guidance to families just like yours and mine - and beyond.
Have a wonderful weekend!
My best,
Arden's Day RSS Link has Changed
So it turns out that when I redesigned Arden's Day a few months ago the RSS Feed address changed... and I didn't realize.
If you currently receive blog updates (Like this one) via RSS, there's nothing to do - but if you've been staring at your feed for weeks and wondering what happened - like Erik, (Thanks for emailing me Erik!) - you will need to resubscribe to resume the notifications. I've included a link here to make this as easy as possible.
I'm sorry for the confusion and invite you to use the Blog Post Calendar over on the main page to find out what you missed. I'm off to work on my web site building skills (Actually, that's not true, I'm getting in the shower). Have a great day!
'Life Is Short' shout-out on FEaB
There I was two weeks ago minding my own business on the sofa, watching television out of one eye and looking at Twitter out of the other. I saw that Matt Mira (From The Nerdist) was asking if anyone wanted to ask Scott Mosier (Film producer and all around great guy) a question for the next episode of their PodCast, FEaB. I had no context for his question, but as it turns out, they were about to sit down to record an episode and wanted listener questions.
I, having taken a photograph of Scott in the distant past, replied...
Scott Mosier
@MattMira Does @smosier remember/still have this photo that I took of him? #preDogmaand just as I was about to press send I thought, "What the hell" and added, ...& Would you guys read my book?
I haven't thought about sending the tweet since that moment, until today when I heard this.
Anyway, how mind-bending is it that a photo I took in 1998 when I was twenty seven, at a Kevin Smith film festival, would lead to a book mention in 2013? The Internet is indeed a strange and wonderful place.
Day Of Diabetes: World Diabetes Day Edition
Six years ago I began this blog with the intention of sharing every diabetes related moment that happen to us over a twenty-four hour period. I planned to share our day with diabetes with my friends and family but didn't have one idea about what I was going to do after that day ended. I had never read a blog, didn't know another family who lived with type I diabetes and only ever saw two message boards in the Internet. I had no idea what my sharing would introduce me to or what meeting all of you would one day mean to me. So many diabetes related events happened in the first few hours of August 16, 2007, that I had to stop before the day was over - but that was on my first day.
Today, I think I can make it for twenty-four straight hours... One full day of sharing to help bring awareness to the the world of type I diabetes. Every moment of our World Diabetes Day that is touched by type I diabetes, I will share as an update here on Arden's Day and other social media portals that lend themselves to the moment. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr
If you want to follow along or share the posts, I'll be hashtaging them with #DayOfDiabetes - Many other DOC members will be doing something similar today, please support them as much as you can. Here we go!
#DayOfDiabetes - Just 39 minutes in and diabetes is already making noise.
#NDAM #WorldDiabetesDay
3hrs 30min since snack time insulin. Going to wait up a little longer. Tonight may just go well. #dayofdiabetes
1:33 am. Arden's BG is drifting lower. Temp basal, off for 30 mins. I'll listen to some music and check again in 30 mins. Eyes starting to hurt.
BG is steady at 95. One last temp basal, off to sleep. now. getting up in 4hr 45min. #DayofDiabetes
I overslept. Sometimes staying up until after 2 am can do that to me. Was woken finally by Arden's DexCom. Not only did her BG slowly drift to 196 by 8am but it wanted me to know that the sensor needs to be replaced in four hours. Thing is, we use that sensor to get through the school day. Going to have to reset it and set timers for extra testing.
Arden couldn't take her chewable vitamin this morning because her BG was 200 and they are 6 carbs, would require .45 units of insulin and hinder the bolus that is working for the elevated BG - vitamins. #DayOfDiabetes
Currently trying to decide what caused morning rise.#dayofdiabetes
The popcorn Arden ate before bed resolved almost perfectly. I set a decreased temp basal at 1am that seemed to work (Happy enough with the 150 range). Guessing the AM rise was not due to temp basal at 1am. If I hadn't overslept I could have boluses it just as it began and I think the 8 am number would have been around 140ish.
Timer just sounded. Arden will be testing in class and sending me a number in a moment. #DayOfDiabetes
Working on high BG from AM & getting ready for snack.#dayofdiabetes
On the phone with DexCom to deal with transmitter battery message. #DayOfDiabetes 10:28am
Arden just texted, CGM is ready to calibrate. She is testing now. #DayofDiabetes
I’ll have a #Dblog up in 20 mins about the last 1/2 hour. edit: Here it is LINK
#DayofDiabetes
Arden is at lunch, CGM is back and new DexCom transmitter has been ordered. This looks like a safe time for me to take a shower. #DayofDiabetes
Post Gym CGM check 97. #DayofDiabetes
I just entered Arden’s post gym BGs in the #BigBlueTest #DayOfDiabetes
Arden is on her way to the bus port. Just sent her CGM, we made an adjustment/bolus and she will be home soon. #DayofDiabetes
CGMnow 90 mins after Chinese food, 84. Small snack going in. #DayOfDiabetes
Arden is in bed, had to bolus again for an elevated BG. I’ll check on her in a little bit. #DayodDiabetes
'Like' Arden's Day on Facebook
'Likeing' Arden's Day on Facebook is a great way to make sure that you never miss a blog post, picture or giveaway. If you love the blog, you'll 'Like' the blog on Facebook. See what I did there? Now, you don't want to miss out on more magical word play like that do you? ;)