Diabetes awareness

There is more than one kind of diabetes. This isn't a knock on type 2 and gestational diabetes people, but definitely a knock on society's perceptions at large. People have one musty, old perception of what diabetes looks like, and it's always someone older, heavier, and lazy. Wouldn't they be surprised to meet our fit type 2 friends, or the 20 year old gestational diabetic? Or a "juvenile diabetic" who is only nine years old? Diabetes doesn't have "a look." This disease does not discriminate.

Diabetes affects more than just the person playing host to it. Hannah is the one wearing the insulin pump, and actually feeling these blood sugar highs and lows. But she's not the only one affected by diabetes. We as parents have to care for her when she is young, acting as her pancreas. Her friends have been affected by her lows and highs while playing, school nurse takes care of her during the day and certain family and friends have played a role in caregiving too. Diabetes isn't just hers. It belongs to everyone who cares about her.

Diabetes isn't just a physiological disease. It's an emotional one, too. It's not just a question of blood sugar levels and insulin supplementation. It's about managing the emotions that come as part of life with a chronic illness. It's about the guilt of complications. The pressure to control an uncontrollable disease. The hope that tomorrow will come without incident. I feel that the emotional aspects of diabetes need to be attended to with the same care and diligence as an A1C level. Maybe more so, because life needs to be happy, whether it's a short life or a very long one.

Diabetes isn't easy. We just make it look that way sometimes. Some of the perceptions that the general public has is that diabetes is easy to handle. "You just wear the pump, test your blood sugar, and watch your diet and you'll be fine, right?" Wrong. You can do the exact same thing every day and still see varying diabetes outcomes. It's never all figured out. Diabetes is a daily dance of numbers and emotions and even though we make it look easy sometimes, it sure isn't.

No diabetes is the same. Even within a community of diabetics, there are still widely varying ways of treating diabetes and even more ways of dealing with the emotional aspects. There's no winning combination and no "right" way to deal with this disease. Being on a pump means you use a pump to infuse your insulin - this doesn't necessarily mean you are taking better care of yourself than the person who opts for injections. Low-carb doesn't work for everyone, and neither do certain medications. Your diabetes may vary and what works for you may not work for everyone. It's important to remember that this disease doesn't have a predictable path, so there are plenty of "right' ways to handle it.

Just because we don't look sick doesn't mean we don't deserve a cure. That statement pretty much sums it up. We might make it look easy, but it isn't. There's no rhyme or reason to this disease, and even with the best care and the best intentions, complications can sometimes still come calling. And their effects are devastating. Diabetes, of all kinds, deserves a cure. No one asked for any of this. We deserve better than society thinking that diabetes isn't worth their attention. We deserve a cure.



excerpts taken from Six Until Me blog by Kerry Sparling

2011 JDRF Walk for a Cure - The greatest Walk on Earth

Head over to our JDRF 2011 Walk for a Cure page and sign up to join team Hannah's Hopeful Hearts". Walk day is February 26, 2011 at the Mall of America, Bloomington, MN. If your not able to make the walk, please consider a donation to JDRF, every little bit makes a difference. Together we CAN make a difference.

http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=87761209

natural healing

UPDATE:
It's been 7 weeks today since my accident. I don't like to keep dwelling on it, and soon it will be a memory, but I am still healing so it's still fresh for me. I have been on the natural approach to healing, and I'm really not sure why, but the more I learn about it, the more sense it makes to me....it's a whole nother world, and kinda overwhelming since it's not what I am used to. I try to explain to my husband the benefits my chiropractor and their views has given me so far, and he isn't buying into much of it, and more so makes a joke out of it. He's a hard one to change his thinking. I am just touching the surface of it all, but at least I am open to new ideas to improve myself and health. Have been down from twice a week to going to my chiropractor once a week now, for the last several weeks.

I don't think medical doctors would have been much help to me anyway during this time... and at least this way I feel "taken care of" without the use of drugs to keep me comfortable. I took 2 full bottles of Arnica Montana, which is a natural remedy to help reduce swelling and inflammation. I'm not postive how much it actually helped, since I never have been though something that caused so much bruising and swelling, to know if I healed faster with or without it...it was cheap, so if I think it worked or not, well the price was right anyway. I felt better taking something to help with some swelling and soreness that wasn't some medication that causes constipation or diarrhea or some other side effect.

I have been out of "rest mode" for several weeks now too. I find myself not able to sit around as much and keeping up with my personality to keep things organized keeps me busy around the house. I have been on walks with the dog, to workout at the fitness center several times and back to working at the hotel part time. I still don't have a exercise routine down, which makes me get down on myself alot. It's something I really want to get back to, but I have things holding me back...I will keep trying.

My swelling/bruising is mostly gone in my knees. I know in one of my posts early on, that I thought my knees were doing good and that it would take a few weeks to heal. I kinda laugh at how I thought that, since I am still struggling with my knees. Even though walking is going good now-- excessive walking makes them sore, I found that out after attempting the Mall of America over MEA break.

I have had pretty minimal problems walking, stairs and bending since about the 2nd week post accident...BUT kneeling that is another story. I find myself in situations all the time where I would plop down to kneel and then realize I'm still not ready. There is still some tissue damage below my knee cap, which when it is touched lightly it feels numb, and when it's bumped is sore. It was very painful to kneel or touch them at first and unthinkable, so I didn't do it, and now I can finally put pressure on my left knee and and just starting to try my right knee more often. As the weeks go by, each week seems to be getting better. It's been 7 weeks though, and I still can't kneel for more than 5 seconds. Since I can put slight pressure on my knees for a few seconds, it is consistant progress...just slower progress than I initally thought. My chiropractor (Dr Chris) has mostly been working on my right knee and right hip and neck. He says my back is looking good, but continues to make some minor adjustments.

Besides my knees taking it's own sweet time to heal, my neck is my only other area of not being the way it used to be. Pretty much since the accident there has been off and on tension-soreness in my neck and shoulders (upper back)....never had any pain or terrible discomfort. Have had neck "grinding" or just noises that sound like my neck is grinding when I turn it side to side...it has never went away. Dr Chris rotates each visit which way he adjusts my neck, but nothing has seemed to make a difference....YET. Still waiting for the day my neck doesn't make any noise. It's mostly annoying.

I have a feeling my treatments with Dr Chris are winding down, and the once a week appointments may get to be further apart. I am doing that good. I am hoping to have more of a plan of attack on the workouts this next week because my weight is getting depressing.

I should start to tackle the yard work too as the weather gets colder I am reminded that winter and snow is just around the corner.

"Golden Ruler of the Month"

Hannah was choosen by her "Care Group" class as the golden ruler of the month of October. Students in grades 1-4 participate in Care Group each day. They are group of kids from all grade levels. Each year they get the same care groups with added 1st graders and minus last years 4th graders. It gets them to interact with different age groups and make friends of all ages. The letter below explains this in more detail..




This is the first time Hannah has been choosen. It really is an honor, and hopefully the last 2 years for Hannah and all of Bailey's 4 years they still showed respect and carried out their Care Group rules even though they weren't choosen then.

So Congrats to Hannah for being choosen in her group to be the Golden Ruler of the Month.





Hannah and her 3rd Grade teacher-- Mr Stang.


Dassel Elementary- "Home of kids who care"

You're never alone

Love is with you.

He knows your name.

He numbers the hairs on your head.

He records the cares in your heart.

Every morning, He's by your side.

Every night, He watches over you as you sleep.

There's never a moment you're not in His thoughts...

never a day you're not in His care.

"You're not on your own,"

He whispers to your heart,

"You're forever my own."

No matter what.



by Holley Gerth

(Based on Isaiah 43:1, 1 John 4:8, Luke 12:7, Psalm 56:8, Psalm 139:13-18, Deuteronomy 31:8)

Chosen

By your grace, O God, you chose me to be your very own. Through the gospel message, you brought me to faith in Jesus and gave me the gift of salvation. Lead me to gladly hear and learn your word so that by the power of the gospel my faith in Jesus is strengthened and my life reflects my gratitude for your great love. Amen.

Hannah is 9-- Birthday Party photos

Hannah had her 9th birthday party at Collinwood Park in Cokato on Sunday
Sept 5th,....it was a little windy but turned out well.

Hannah by the lake


(back)Peyton, Hannah,(holding Mackenzie), Mileka, Elizabeth, Sydney, Brynna, Anna (Front) Audri and Lydia



Hannah with her horse cake


blowing out candles


cake eating


doing a project


opening gifts