Tea of Thanksgiving

First, I would like to apologize for taking a surprise vacation. And on WORLD DIABETES DAY! That wasn't intentional. I could give legitimate excuses, but I will skip that and just share with you how me and my family "celebrated" World Diabetes day. If that day can be celebrated.

My church does an annual "Women's Tea of Thanksgiving." At this event, 40 different women will decorate a table in their own way. It reveals the creativity of the women and it is absolutely beautiful to behold. Because the Tea was held on November 14th this year (National T1D Awareness Day), my Mother, Autumn and I decorated our table in blue and silver--it was a Diabetes awareness table! (Blue and silver are the colors that show support/raise awareness for T1D.) We had blue ribbons on the table and I got to hand them out to the women at the Tea. Most of them already knew what the ribbons were for, but I was able to spread awareness anyway. Some of the women were also able to spread awareness after the event, because people asked about their ribbons.

Below are some pictures of the tables. The pictures are not very elaborate and they do not capture the beauty of the individual tables, but they do show you the variety. This year, there were 40 different tables. It covered the entire gymnasium in the church. Photos are courtesy of Aschlii Ryerse (my big sister), and they were taken in the upstairs balcony that wraps around the gym.

Below I have included pictures of my centerpiece (also taken by Aschlii Ryerse). I was very proud of that! Before I show you the centerpiece, I feel like it is necessary to explain what the blue candles mean. Whenever a diabetic loses their battle against the disease, the rest of us light up a blue candle in their honor. The candles on my table were in honor of all of the diabetics that have lost the battle. My centerpiece, and the candles is still sitting on my dresser as shown below. The candle in the center is not blue yet, because that one is me. I am still fighting. The photo shown immediately below this paragraph shows the display on my  dresser since November 14th.

Now, I can show you the centerpiece! Two of the centerpiece images were taken in the dark, to show off the candles, and two were taken with a flash or light on so you can see the colors on the centerpiece.

The above images were taken in my kitchen, while we were still playing around with the centerpiece and finishing up with the details. I have more pictures of the completed table below.

The first few pictures were taken from the same balcony above the gymnasium. That is why they look so dark. But I am fascinated by how the silver plates light up...

These pictures also give you a good idea of how the blue candles worked out. They looked pretty and I was very proud of them.

 The ribbons had a sticker on them ("Take 1 please!") so that people knew that they could wear one.

 Like I said, the centerpiece, candles and ribbons are still on my dresser. I put them there to remind me how loved I am. I was given the opportunity to share my story in a very creative way. Neither my family nor my church had to offer me that opportunity, but they loved me enough to support me with that. I am very blessed, and when I look at dresser I am reminded of that.

Different Kinds of Sugar

Something that hit me the other day that people might not realize is that there are several different kinds of sugar. I don't necessarily mean ploysaccharides, disaccharides and monosaccharides. I suppose that has something to do with it, but I'm talking more about how different sugars affect diabetes and the body.

Quick-sugars are like most fruit juices, sweet foods and stuff like that. These kinds of sugars get my blood sugar to spike fast, but the sugars also work quickly so it doesn't last for very long. I like to use this as half of my correction for lows because I will go up in less than five minutes. Quick sugars are sometimes hard to correct for, though. This is because the insulin will be working for 45 minutes to an hour and the the sugar will have worked and been gone for at least 40 minutes by the time the insulin is done. This is where the false belief that diabetic's cannot have sugar comes from. It is not that we cannot have sugar, it is that quick sugar can be dangerous or hard to correct for. If we could not have sugar, then we would not be able to eat. Because there is sugar in everything. I do try to avoid having too much of this kind of sugar because it can be very hard to manage diabetes on a quick-sugar diet, but I can have cake, candy, or apple juice if I want to.

Long-lasting sugars are usually breads, pastries, milk and other such things. Pizza is a long-lasting carbohydrate/sugar, and it is more dangerous for me than any quick-sugar is. The yeast hits me repeatedly, so sometimes it is like no amount of insulin will be enough. It can continue to affect me for 8 hours after a meal. Not all long-lasting sugars/carbs are like that. A biscuit in the morning is a good idea especially for a long day with a lot of activity. It will keep my sugar steady so I don't have to worry about dropping. Usually. Milk isn't quite as long lasting as bread, so it's good to keep my sugar up after a low. I usually try to couple quick-acting and long-lasting sugars when treating a hypoglycemic event, because one will bring me up almost instantly and the other will help me maintain the good blood sugar.

Something else that people might not consider is foods that do not typically have an overabundance in carbs/sugars. I can eat bacon all day long and it doesn't have any affect on my blood sugar, because there are no carbs/sugars in it. Same thing applies to other kinds of meats, cheeses, most vegetables and water. On high blood sugar days I try to stick to this kind of diet. Especially if I am having a consistent stream of highs and can't seem to figure out what the problem is. I can't really fast, so this helps me figure out if it is a basal (amount of insulin the pump gives me over a 24 hour period of time), food or under correction issue.

I just wanted to raise awareness about the different kinds of sugars and the different affects they can have on my body. Since it is Diabetes Awareness Month and all. I guess I hadn't really considered that people don't know how it affects me. But now you know!

Hyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar)

I have more of a problem with hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) than hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Most things cause my body and diabetes to react with high blood sugars. Anger, pain, stress and other emotions have the most effect and can cause my diabetes to remain high for a significant amount of time. Under correcting for a meal or snack can cause high blood sugar as well. If a site is not working properly or if my pump is having internal issues that can definitely cause a high blood sugar. When I was on shots the insulin would sometimes come back out of the body after receiving a shot. We didn't know how much insulin I received until about 45 minutes later, so that would usually cause a high blood sugar.

I usually get very snappy when my sugar is high and I don't want to listen to anyone. Especially if they are telling me to check my sugar because they recognize I'm high. That makes me feel like they are telling me I am a terrible diabetic and I don't know how to take care of myself (I'm crazy, I know). I start hurting almost everywhere at about 250-300. I feel really achy and lazy because of that. I am unable to process things like I can if my sugar is good (or even low). I can't think straight at all, so doing math or giving a speech is next to impossible. I am usually very thirsty and I feel sick to my stomach. I also feel sleepy, but that doesn't start until about 400. I can't sleep if my sugar is too high because my body won't let me. That's probably a good thing though. If I am asleep I can't take care of the problem, and it isn't something I want to let go unattended. I have never been in DKA and I would like to keep it that way!

If my site isn't working or if I have been high for a significant amount of time I usually use a shot of insulin to bring it down quickly. My pump is great when I can keep it in range, but if it gets too out of control I need a shot to fix the problem. That is a personal preference that most diabetics do not follow. Sometime exercise can fix the highs, but that isn't a certain deal. If I eat something really high in carbs or something bready, then I take a long walk after eating. That helps to keep my sugar in range, rather than having to correct for a high later. Most likely that is because the insulin takes longer to work, and breads have longer-lasting carbohydrates than candy or other simple sugars.

High blood sugars can cause major complications after a long time with this disease. It can shut down my eyes, my nerves, my liver, my heart and pretty much everything else in my body. I try to keep it under control as much as possible to avoid all of these complications.

Some (Free) Ways You Can Show Your Support This Month!

So, as a college student I can understand that money is sometimes tight. I wouldn't want you to donate money you don't have, even if it is for a good cause.

Instead, let me share with you some easy, (mostly) free ways you can show support and raise awareness this month!

First, you could follow Project Blue November on facebook or other social media sites and share their awareness posts. This is totally free and it doesn't take very long to do. A lot of people are just misinformed or uninformed about the disease, so sharing some facts could benefit everyone. Use #projectbluenovember if you decide to share these posts. If you would, use #fightlikeataylor (my own hashtag) as well! I would greatly appreciate that!

Second, and a variation of the first, you could join us in doing the blue streak challenge. This is so much fun, especially if you enjoy being a little bit crazy! Either get a blue hair extension to wear for a little while or dye a bit of your hear blue. When people ask you why you have an opportunity to share with them! It might cost a little bit of money, but it is a lot of fun! If you decide to follow the link above and look at the photo album for the blue streak challenge, I am in the album twice! (I thought that was pretty cool!!)

Third, wear blue on Fridays. If you own a lot of blue this is really easy. If you don't, just experiment a little and play with your options. There is a movement going on currently that is claiming Fridays in November as blue Fridays. Project Blue November has t-shirts for sale if you feel like purchasing one. In addition to this, you could wear a blue ribbon on pretty much anything. If you know me personally, ask me for one! I am always giving some out in November!

If you are a diabetic, JDRF is doing something very cool. T1D Looks Like Me is quick and easy to operate. You can upload a picture and it will cover it with a bluish haze and add the slogan (see picture below). It's free and you can share it anywhere you want to.

 
I am giving a few speeches at my school this week to share my story. This definitely spreads awareness. If you are comfortable giving a speech or two, pursue that option as well! I'm here to encourage you!

November 14th is an especially important day to me this month, as it is WORLD DIABETES DAY. If you cannot do anything any other day this month, but still want to show some support, mark this day on your calendar! This would be a great opportunity to spread awareness everywhere! Go crazy! Do whatever you can to show your support on this day! Let me know, so I can join you! 

In case you didn't already know... You can always share my blog posts. If you find something interesting, feel free to show anyone you want to! I definitely wouldn't mind!

Momma

There are two people that I give credit to the fact that I am still alive. My mother and my little sister. Both of them have saved my life more times than I can count, and God gave me both of them to help me fight diabetes. This post will talk a little about my mother, but in tomorrow's post I will talk about my sister.

My mother probably didn't sign up for all of the different things that come with Type 1 Diabetes in infancy. The pre-dawn-phenomena, the infinite amount of needles and blood, the many sleepless nights because of a roller-coaster of blood sugars. I don't blame her. I wouldn't have signed up for it either! But she still took care of me. Even though it wasn't fun, she still loved me enough to persevere and take care of me when I couldn't take care of myself. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank her enough for that.

Growing up she pretty much did everything for me. She logged my blood sugars, she stayed up until midnight to check my sugar so that I could sleep, she changed my pump sites and everything else. The only thing I did until I was about seventeen was check my own blood sugar when I was awake. Because she wanted me to be able to enjoy my childhood (and be like any other kid), she did the rest herself. After I turned seventeen I started logging my own blood sugars and changing my own pump sites to take some of the responsibility from her. I didn't realize just how hard it all was until them, but I'm so amazed at her strength and willingness now. At this point in my journey I'm doing most everything. Sometimes I need help inserting a pump site, but I try to give my mother as much freedom as possible because she let me experience that while growing. 

The photo below I had posted on my facebook page (Fight Like A Taylor) with this caption:

"And He knew that I would need a mother that was okay with all nighters, pre-dawn-phenomenon, mood swings, homeschooling madness and everything else we have gone through because of diabetes. He knew that I would need a very amazing role model, and He knew that He'd better give me to her because she is part of the reason I'm still alive today. He blessed me with a wonderful Momma and I couldn't be happier to be her daughter."

I strongly believe that that is the case. God gave me a mother that He knew was going to be strong enough to take care of me. I'm forever grateful to both Him and her for that gift. Without her, I probably would not be alive today.

Treatment facts

So I was doing some math the other day for a speech I'm giving. I was trying to figure out how much stuff I've used since my diagnosis. This does not include anything that has failed or that I do not use consistently. For example, the insulin pens that I have used over the years I won't count in this because I only use those when I am sick or when my pump is not working. I'll share what I found here.

Test strips are a big one. I check my sugar 10-12 times daily. This is not counting when I am sick and I have to check more often, or when there is a meter error so I have to check again. So that is 12*365*18= 78,840 test strips (in a perfect world) since my diagnosis. Also not counting the strips that have been used since my "anniversary" in August of last year. Each box costs on average $70 and has 50 strips in it, so that is (78,840/50)*70= $110,376 in test strips in the past 18 years.

As far as shots go, I used to use 10-12 daily. I did that for five years. That is 12*365*5=21,900 shots in my first five years of diagnosis. The needles alone are $25/box, and there are about 50 in the box. So (21,900/50)*25=10,950. That is how much money 5 years worth of shots (not including the insulin I use with them) will cost. $10,950. That just pays for my insulin pump ($9000).

Insulin is very expensive as well. Assuming I use two vials of insulin every week and I have been a diabetic for 18 years, that is 2*52*18=1872 vials of insulin. Each vial costs between $75 to $100. So that is 1872*100= $187,200 on insulin, not including vials that did not work or times that I had to use more than average. Also not including the time between August and now.

I haven't had a dexcom for very long, so I can't really include that in my list of supplies I've used. I have used about three months worth of supplies for the dexcom. I know that each month is about $900 worth of medical supplies, and the receiver itself costs somewhere between $1500-$2000. I don't even know what to figure for the transmitter.

My insulin pump is a $9000 machine that I have had since I was 5. Actually, I've had several since I was 5. I've upgraded twice, and the most recent pump has been replaced at least 4 times for various reasons (under warranty, thankfully).

I don't know how to account for other supplies (like lancets, meter and lace, etc.) and their costs. I know I've used them, but I have no idea how many lancets I've used. I don't even have a rough estimate!  

I'm a very expensive kid! But I am also a very blessed one. God has taken care of me beyond my comprehension. He gave me parents that were willing to take care of me--unconditionally--and he gave me the strength to get through this. Yeah, I cost quite a bit. But to the people who matter, I'm worth it. (Apparently.)

Some Ways I Will Be Showing My Support This Month

So I thought I would share with you all some of the ways I intend to show my support or raise awareness this month.

First--and I enjoy doing this--at least on the 14th (International T1D Day) I will be dying my hair blue!! That way, every time someone asks me about it I can tell them what it is for. This helps to raise awareness, as well shows how fun I can be.

Second I am giving several speeches at my school. Two different teachers have agreed to let me give a 15-20 minute speech during class about what I go through daily. I plan on giving my personal story, some information about insulin and different treatments/medical equipment, and statistics. I am both nervous and very excited about these opportunities. I also plan on making blue ribbons to give to the students in the classrooms if they want them...

Also, my big sister (Aschlii) has set something up with some different groups she is in on the social medias. She has told her "Dart buddies" that this is National Diabetes Awareness month, so they are supporting me in many different car-creative ways. (As a side note, you should check out her blog! The link is attached to her name above.) This will reach people nation-wide and on a totally different level than I am capable of doing alone, so I am very blessed by her willingness to do that for me.  (THANK YOU DARTSOFMERICA!)

I would like to see how many of my readers are showing their support as well. If you have done something to show your support or help raise awareness this month (even if it is just wearing blue) and you are willing to do so, post it on social media using the hashtags #fightlikeataylor and #projectbluenovember (also try #nationalt1dawarenessmonth or #diabetesawareness). I would be very blessed to see how many people love me!

Later this month I will be setting up a way to donate money to JDRF (the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). I'm hoping for at least $1 a day to be able to go toward research for a cure for this disease.

If anyone has any questions they would like me to answer this month, or something that they would like to see posted, please do let me know by commenting! I would love to answer questions to help spread awareness! (If you do not want to comment your question below, feel free to message me on my facebook page or email me at trryerse@gmail.com)

Also, if you have a different way to spread awareness please let me know! I want to hear your ideas!

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