A voice for living well with Type 1 Diabetes

Recent Posts

60 Years with Type 1

I don't post much on Facebook, but today is an exception as it's my 60th D-Day ... here's what I posted: Those who know me well are aware of my life’s journey with diabetes. Diagnosed at age 3, today marks my 60 year milestone living with type 1.  It’s taken a village...

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World Diabetes Day – 2022

Hello World Diabetes Day 2022!  November is diabetes awareness month ... our day was started in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization and then reinforced by the United Nations in 2006. This is all about raising awareness of...

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Icebreaker’s Lessons on Managing Diabetes

Yesterday was our company's monthly management offsite meeting and, of course, we started with an ice breaker. This one was more thought provoking than most ... here's the question that was posed: "What advice would you give to a new manager of people?" Here's my...

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Best (and Worst) Practices

This is not a comprehensive list of how to live well with T1D. (You can find those in the categories that make up the Living Well Model.)  But here are the handful of moves I consider the best - and worst – for living with type 1 diabetes. Best 5 Moves #1:  Getting...

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Summer has arrived and a great day to cycle, but wait …

It's Saturday morning and the summer heat and humidity has hit Kansas City.  Was looking forward to cycling 30 miles with friends until ... I woke up with a blood sugar of 320.  Crap ... what to do?  Try and bolus it down with insulin?  That means active insulin...

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Chillin’ Sans Dex

My Dexcom sensor expired this past Sunday. I haven’t replaced it … it’s now Wednesday and I feel more relaxed and at ease. Blood sugars are in the background; less front stage and center. I’m one to dig into, interpret and work with data. I try to let go and have the...

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Dexcom on Garmin

I started cycling in 2007 after a JDRF staff member asked me to be our chapter’s first type 1 to ride a JDRF sponsored century. I was also in search of a low impact workout as a substitute for high impact running. I hadn't been on a bike since college, but trained and...

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The Grammys

I watched The Grammy’s last weekend and was amazed at the talent and creativity present in the room.  The music and energy created in Las Vegas made their way into homes across the world, including ours. As I watched, I thought about how artists make and perform their...

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Closed Looping – Round III

This month I took another walk with closed loop tech. The first was with Medtronic’s 670G in 2017 and then the Loop IOS app with an older Medtronic pump & Riley link. This third attempt was with a TSlim X2 pump loaded with Control IQ. The ride was like a hockey...

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Crud Day

I’m having one of those days.  Woke up with a blood sugar of 325. Proceeded to give a correction bolus on my pump to move it down.  I look in the mirror and want the tag number of the truck that ran me over.  I skip breakfast due to the high number, get ready for work...

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Living Well Model – 2021 In Review

Whew … 2021 is in the books!  It was a second year of respecting and navigating life with Covid. Doing that with diabetes adds another layer of complexity  I’m a pretty resilient type, but I missed in person social connections and conversations with friends. Doing...

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Novolog Results

Last week, my Endocrinologist provided a sample of Novolog so I could compare results to Humalog. I tried Novolog twenty years ago when it was the chosen (read less cost) fast acting insulin provided by my medical insurance plan.  It’s the same situation now.  Anyway,...

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Endo Visit results

Doctor visits went well this week.  The first on Wednesday was more of a walk in ... get the second shingles vaccine ... and walk out.  Felt puny the first night, but better the next day.  The nurse said that the reaction to the second shot is usually milder if the...

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Prep for Endo Visit

This week is full of doctors visits.  Tomorrow I get the second (and final) shingles vaccine.  Not real excited as the first one had more pain that other vaccines I've had, including tenanus & covid.  Oh well ... a little short term pain for long term protection...

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Tips for Navigating Your Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis

If you are new to type 1, this is for you. You didn’t ask for type 1 diabetes and it certainly didn’t arrive with much notice. I am sorry for all the change going on now. Life isn’t a straight line and some turns don’t come with much warning. Type 1 is one of those!...

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26 Years together!

26 years ago today Kendra and I tied the knot in St. Louis.  I am so grateful for our love and relationship.  I am honored to be married to her, her kindness and generosity, patience (especially with me) and difference she makes with our family and others. Honey,...

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Acceptance

Acceptance. That’s the other word that I believe describes how to live well with type 1 Wikipedia says acceptance is a person’s assent to the reality of a situation, recognizing a process or condition (often a negative or uncomfortable situation) without attempting to...

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Resilience

... is the one (of two) words that describe (what I believe) are essential to living well with type 1.  Let's take a closer look at the meaning of resilience. It's an adjective - used to describe a person place or thing. And that person it's describing ... is us. As...

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Sick day … oh those blood sugar levels!

Came home from work on Friday not feeling well. Went out to dinner with Kendra, Connor and the Groovers.  I wasn't hungry, split a reuben with Connor and barely ate my half.  Came home and didn't feel right. Blood sugar was 255 - and I don't do 255!  Bolused to get it...

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Changing It Up

Grounding Yoga & Meditation:  Morning stretch; silent breath and body Mindfulness:  burgers on grill for company pot luck luncheon (great temps!) Gratitude:  conversations with coworkers during pot luck luncheon (first after pandemic) July 2, 2021 Daily Changing...

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About Reed

1st Insulin Prescription Label
50 yr. Joslin Medal

This Is Not Medical Advice

This site shares my learning & observations over 50 years of living with type 1 diabetes. At the top of that list is that diabetes is unique and requires a relationship between a patient and medical professional to develop a personalized treatment plan. One size does not fit all and nothing on this site should be construed as medical advice!