Leighann Calentine's Blog, page 32

Jerry 2.0: There’s A New Bear In Town…now with diabetes and allergies

There is good news on the Jerry the Bear front. Jerry has been updated with a new look…and a new medical condition. Jerry is now available as a bear with type 1 diabetes or a bear with food allergies. I know that the price point of the original Jerry was out-of-reach for most families (and many did fundraising to get one), but the price has come down with this second version and is now $99-149 with a pre-order discount.

Even though it’s my daughter who has type 1 diabetes (and also a tree nut...

The Seven Dollar Diabetes Challenge

Join me in giving just $7 to the diabetes charity, walk, or ride of your choice and encourage others in the Seven Dollar Diabetes Challenge (#7forDiabetes).

I have long looked up to D-Mom Tiburon Erickson and her son Ethan for their fundraising and awareness raising efforts. (Please read her “Meet a D-Mom“profile I did way back in 2010.) I consider the two of them to be rock stars in the diabetes world. Tiburon is a parent, just like you and me, who took on the monumental task of a centennia...

How Many Carbs Should Your D-Kid Eat Each Day?

Please remember that I never give medical advice. Ask your endocrinologist or pediatrician for advice about your own child. Make your own informed decisions for your own child.

Dietary Guidelines

I’m going to refer to the 2010 Health.gov dietary guidelines. The 2015 guidelines are forthcoming. I’m also going to use my own child’s age and gender when referring to the suggested calories and carbs. The following two tables I’ve taken from “Dietary Guidelines For Americans, 2010” linked to above...

Difficult (but not funny) TV

(I’m not trying to incite people with this. I’m not even angry or the tiniest bit mad. I’m just wondering why it always has to be about diabetes.)

(Image courtesy Coca-Cola)

We made the choice about a year and a half ago to cut cable and we’ve never looked back. We get our TV from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime, and a pretty good antenna. I’m always looking for great new shows to watch and I love a good comedy.

Since it’s between TV seasons right now and I’m Jones-ing for a good PBS series...

{Kids First, Diabetes Second} Training School Staff

When I wrote the school chapter of the book Kids First, Diabetes Second, I think Q was in second or third grade. She has definitely become more independent in her care since then, but I still do the same training and make sure that her 504 plan is followed. In the book I have a list of supplies to stock at school, information about 504 plans, as well as quite a few tips you might find useful to navigate diabetes at school. The section “Training School Staff” is part of the chapter called “S...

{Bookshelf} Sugar Linings by Miss Idaho Sierra Sandison

Along with many of you, I first found out about Sierra Sandison when she wore her insulin pump on stage during the Miss Idaho pageant. I showed my daughter the photo of Sierra with her pump attached to her swimsuit, thinking she would be totally impressed, and she said “that’s cool” and that was it.

You see, for us, seeing a diabetes device, such as Q’s insulin pump or continuous glucose monitor (CGM), are such an everyday and normal thing that we don’t give it a second thought. (Please read...

Back-To-School With Diabetes

Please remember that I never give medical advice. Ask your endocrinologist or pediatrician for advice about your own child. Make your own informed decisions for your own child.

I know I say this every August, but where did the summer go? Seems like I was just lugging home all her diabetes supplies and making an End of the School Year Checklist. This year we have uncharted territory as Q begins middle school. With this comes different logistics because she’ll be changing classes all day long,...

{YouTube Tuesday} Ed Damiano’s TED Talk On The Bionic Pancreas

The iLet bionic pancreas was recently revealed at Friends For Life. Here is a video of Ed Damiano giving a TED talk about the bionic pancreas. He gives a quick history of the treatment of diabetes and why the treatment can actually be deadly. (But please don’t let the thought of “dead in bed” consume you!)

The iLet is a dual chamber bionic pancreas, meaning it has both insulin and glucagon chambers.

Ed wants his son to have it before he goes to college…I want Q to have it before she goes to...

{JDRF Children’s Congress} Watch the Senate Hearing

The 2015 JDRF Children’s Congress culminated with a senate hearing led by Senator Collins focusing on people living with type 1 diabetes and addressing the recently renewed Special Diabetes Program (SDP) and the bill currently going through congress on CGM access for people on Medicare.

Here is a photo that Senator McCaskill shared on social media during the hearing:

Not your typical audience for a hearing. Proud of these kids living with Type 1 diabetes and here w/#JDRFcc @JDRF

A photo po...

{Kids First, Diabetes Second} Advocacy

Since we are winding down from our trip to Washington D.C. for the 2015 JDRF Children’s Congress, I thought it appropriate to share a section of the book about advocacy. Our advocacy efforts wax and wane over the years. Sometimes we have a lot of time and effort and motivation to advocate. And sometimes we are so busy with our regular lives that advocacy takes a back seat. Here is the section called “Advocacy” from the chapter “Getting Involved.”

Advocacy

For me, advocacy takes on two mean...