Hello, November.

November is American Diabetes Month. The ADA is on a mission to ‘Stop Diabetes’. Yay! Their goal is to spread awareness and communicate the seriousness of this disease. The latest statistics are that close to 24 million people currently have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Another 57 million have pre-diabetes and are at risk for Type 2. AND 1 out of every 3 children will have diabetes if we do not act now to stop this disease. You can find this information and tons more on the American Diabetes Association website.






I also have the JDRF Walk to Cure on November 14th at UNLV. This will be a great event for Vegas peeps who have diabetes and those who are affected by diabetes to join together to support a great cause. Every year we have a blast and every year I am overwhelmed by the amount of care, concern and support that I see. It’s amazing and makes my cross a little easier to bear. My team, ‘Insulin: Shaken, Not Stirred’ is close to reaching our goal. We are currently at 94% and have 10 days left. So, if you’d like to donate or join the team, you’d be a superhero in my book.











November 14th is also World Diabetes Day. World Diabetes Day is a campaign that also spreads the message of diabetes. Know your risks. Know the warning signs. Know how to treat. Know how to manage. Know how to control.











Diabetics are mostly responsible for their own care. In fact, diabetics are typically more knowledgeable about the disease than most endocrinologists. Crazy, right? What’s crazier is that diabetics only think they have control. We can eat the same exact thing every single day with the same doses of medication and the body reacts differently every time. There is a semblance of routine but the response is never predictable. That’s one of the greatest challenges a diabetic faces.

So, November is a really big month for Diabetics of all nature; Type 1, Type 1.5, Type 2 and Gestational. It’s our opportunity to raise consciousness and awareness. To get involved and make a difference. To educate ourselves, our friends and our families. To give, if possible, to organizations that fund the research that will hopefully lead us to a cure. Diabetes Education and Prevention is the theme for 2009-2013. Please take the time to educate yourself regarding this chronic disease.

All of this is actually very ironic since November is also the month of overindulgence for American’s. Thanksgiving! For me, this day is a nightmare. I lose all control and stuff myself like the fowl placed in the middle of the table. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls, pies….it is a never ending smorgasbord of carbohydrates. Egads. My sugar just rose thinking about it. Talk about gobble gobble. What used to be a time for family and friends to give thanks for the harvest and everything life had provided, in general, has changed a bit. We have turned it into Fatty McFatterson’s and the High Blood Sugars grazing, watching football and napping. Of course, we go around the table and say thanks for one special thing, lest we forget the true meaning of the holiday.

Hello, November.


















*Peace.