Christmas is Coming!

Christmas is definitely coming! How do I know? Well, besides the fact that Christmas is on the 25th and it the 21st, Winter break has officially started!

Winter break means that I don't have to write anymore lab reports (I've written six lab reports already), take reading notes, or do anything that requires intellectual effort. I don't think I've ever been happier for Winter break in my life.

My new, green pump!

I think this is going to be the best Winter break ever because Dexcom called today and asked what color CGM I wanted today! That means that insurance approved it and that I will be getting the G4 Platinum, not the Seven Plus that I used on my trial. They said that they shipped it today and it will be arriving next week, so I will probably have it by next Saturday.

Moral of Story: Next week is going to be amazing!

P.S. In case you didn't get the memo, the apocalypse, or alpacalypse, didn't happen.
P.P.S I have this alpacalypse picture on my wall.
P.P.P.S I got my new green pump last Thursday! C:

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas is Coming

My blood tester is ready for Christmas!

Are you decking out your diabetes gear for Christmas/Hanukkah?

Changing Sites

We all know that a lot of people use their Dexcom sensors WAY past the 7 day "limit." (I would have found more links, but that requires 10 minutes of looking per blog. :P)

My pump has 12 units left, but is still being festive.

But what about pump sites? Do you keep your site in until you are getting the no insulin alarm? Or, do you change it every three days, no matter what? I'm guilty of leaving my site in until the last possible moment, because I am lazy. For example, right now, I have a measly 12 units left in pump, and should really go change it, but I had homework to do, I wanted to check my e-mail, (Yes, I still use e-mail. *GASP*) and I wanted make a blog post. I try to tell myself that I am super lucky to be on this pump, and I should really change my site, but I just don't want to most of the time.

Do you change your sites on a strict schedule or are you lazy like me?

Moral of Story: I'm going to change my site now, I promise!

One Year Blogiversary/The Anti-Wordless Wednesday

Yesterday was actually my one year blogiversary, and I didn't even realize it! I was thinking about it today, so I checked to see what day I posted my first post on this blog, and it was December 4, 2011! Creepily enough, I posted 1 year and exactly 12 hours after my first post. Yesterday's post was posted at 10:33 PM and last December's post was posted at 10:33 AM. *DUN DUN DUN*

My pump battery also decided to give me the low battery alarm last night, so I decided I would change it tomorrow (which is now today) after school. My pump thought otherwise. It gave me the alarm at 9 AM-ish, so I had to walk all the way across the practice football field to get a lithium battery. (My high school has two campuses because it used to be a middle school and separate high school, but a new building for the middle school was built, so now my high school has to building separated by a practice football field.) Then I had to completely rewind/load cartridge/prime my  pump, even though I have to change it tonight.

I also have a new idea. I was reading Rachel's blog post and came up with an awesome idea. What if I made a diabetes starter kit for newly diagnosed children and teens? (I would make one for each group.) This could be an amazing Silver/Gold Award project, and maybe the DOC adults could work together to make a diabetes starter kit for adults! It would probably be a binder with printed pages about diabetes, what it is like, and actual quotes from people their age with diabetes. There would also be plenty of blog links/online resources on a website for my starter kit. I'll keep you guys updated on the current status of that project.

If you read yesterday's blog post, you would know that I wrote a piece for this year's yearbook. It ended up being way too long. (It was one full page typed...) It ended up being this paragraph instead:

Hi, my name is Sarah, and I am a type 1 diabetic. I've had type 1 diabetes for almost 9 years now. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease caused when the beta cells in the Isle of Langerhans inside your pancreas attack themselves. These beta cells usually produce insulin, a hormone your body makes to convert the carbohydrates from food into the energy you use. Since I have diabetes, I have to give myself insulin through an insulin pump. An insulin pump is a cell phone sized device that gives me insulin with a few clicks of a button through a tiny tube (called a site) inserted into my arm, leg, or stomach. It probably seems like an annoying disease to you, but it has introduced me to so many amazing opportunities! I am part of the DOC (Diabetes Online Community,) an amazing group of diabetics that are there for each other all of the time. To connect with the DOC, I have a blog where I talk about the crazy diabetes-related stuff that goes on in my life; I participate in Twitter chats with other diabetics; and most importantly: I support other diabetics as they go through hard times. On the other hand, diabetes can be annoying. I have to visit the endocrinologist every three months. I also have to constantly prick my finger to test my blood and change my site every three days. I may have type 1 diabetes, but I'm okay with that because I can still have fun. 

Yep, that is a lot shorter, but I fit it into the fourth of a page I was given. C:

Oh, here is my picture for this pretty much Anti-Wordless Wednesday:

I forgot to take the blue thing off before inserting my site. I didn't realize this until a few hours later...

 Moral of Story: I type a lot.

School + Blog = Fun Homework?

Sorry I have disappeared from from my blog for so long; I've really had a lot of homework and, unfortunately, school comes before my blog. I've decided I'm going to write ideas in a little notebook for my blog posts and details for the post, so I can actually write stuff on my blog when I have small amounts of free time.

You are probably wondering about the title of my post by now, so let me explain. The yearbook committee is making a "Student Spotlight" section and they want me to write about being diabetic. I also have to choose a favorite quote and give them a picture of myself. (Thank cupcakes that they aren't using my yearbook photo... But, that's beside the point.) This section of the yearbook is their midterm, so basically, this piece is super important for them. I'm typing and publishing this on my blog because I fell that I write much better on my blog, and in a less serious, more fun style. So here I go!

Hi, my name is Sarah, and I am a type 1 diabetic. I've had type 1 diabetes for almost 9 years now. (I was diagnosed in January of 2004 when I was in kindergarten.) You probably think that this going to be a sob story about the hardships I have faced and how I got over those "walls," but it won't be. Instead, I'm going to tell you a little bit about type 1 diabetes and all of the doors it has opened up for me.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease caused when the beta cells in the Isle of Langerhans inside your pancreas attack themselves. These beta cells usually produce insulin, a hormone your body makes to convert the carbohydrates from food into the energy you use. Because the beta cells in my pancreas attacked themselves, they no longer produce insulin; this condition is called type 1 diabetes. Remember that those beta cells did not attack themselves because I had eaten too much sugar one day, it happened because it was in my genetic code; remember that before you make fun of a type 1 diabetic. Anyways, because I have diabetes, I have to give myself insulin through an insulin pump. An insulin pump is small cell phone sized device that gives me insulin with a few clicks of a button through a tiny tube inserted into my arm, leg, or stomach (I insert the tiny tube with a small needle, but I take the needle out after insertion and I have to take the tube out every and insert a new one every three days.) My insulin pump has specific ratios used to calculate how much insulin I need according my blood sugar (how many milligrams of sugar are in one deciliter of my blood,) and/or how many carbohydrates I ate. This insulin pump is basically my robotic pancreas because it gives me insulin that my pancreas cannot produce. It is literally a life-saver and because of the fact I have diabetes, I have been introduced to amazing things.

Diabetes probably seems quite annoying to you, and it is, but it has introduced me to so many amazing opportunities! I am part of the DOC (Diabetes Online Community,) an amazing group of diabetics that are there for each other all of the time. To connect with the DOC, I have a blog (insulinpensink.blogspot.com) where I talk about the crazy diabetes-related stuff that goes on in my life, I participate in Twitter Chats with other diabetics every Wednesday, and most importantly: I support other diabetics as they go through hard times. I get to raise money for research for the cure of type 1 diabetes, and as a diabetic, I get to advocate about diabetes as well! I also get to use amazing new technology for diabetics and got to the best camp ever for diabetics. On the other hand, diabetes can be annoying as well. I have to visit the endocrinologist (a doctor that specializes in autoimmune diseases like diabetes and hypothyroidism) every three months. I also have to constantly prick my finger to test my blood, and I have to change my insulin pump site (the little tube) every three days. As you can see, diabetes may be annoying, but it isn't all bad!

I may have type 1 diabetes and it may be a permanent condition, but I'm okay with that. I may have to spend a lot of time at the doctor's office, but I don't mind too much. Because of my diabetes, I also get to bond with amazing people and go to a fantastic diabetics only camp! As the awesome blogger Kelly said, "My greatest weakness (my broken pancreas) has become my greatest strength - and for that I am grateful."

Well, there is my wonderful piece about being diabetic and etcetera. And yes, Kelly Kunik, your words are probably being permanently printed into my freshman year high school yearbook.

Moral of Story: Diabetes has its perks.

P.S. That quote is also going to be used as my favorite quote.