That one resident

It took about a year to resolve all the outstanding bills from Paul's birth. I had foolishly hoped that, since this particular hospital stay was quasi-routine (I mean, so many people have babies, right?!) the billing/payment for it would be straightforward. It was anything but. It started out normally enough: we got a bill that … Continue reading That one resident →

Oh… hi?

uh, hello? nice to see you again? I say that because if you're reading this right now, I'm guessing that you are a long-time reader of this blog. You may have even "subscribed" long ago, and just got a confusing notification in your inbox that some blog—"Type what now"? What was that one?—had an update. … Continue reading Oh… hi? →

Reflections on 7 weeks with a service dog

Is this "reflections" post a poorly-disguised excuse to share as many pictures as I can of Mickey? (PS follow him on instagram @mickeytheservicedog. HASHTAG SHAMELESS.) Yeah, I think it pretty much is, but whatever. Who doesn't need more dog pictures in their life? It's been just about 7 weeks since we got Mickey, and the … Continue reading Reflections on 7 weeks with a service dog →

What an infected pump site looks like

I put in a new Omnipod on Friday. By Saturday, it was hurting pretty bad. This is not uncommon for me; depending on how badly it hurts and how much insulin is left in the pump, I usually "stick it out" because it's a huge waste of insulin to toss pods before they're depleted. By … Continue reading What an infected pump site looks like →

That diabetes guy from The Bachelor

I have a long-overdue apology to make. As a perennial hate-watcher of The Bachelor and related franchise shows, I get a lot out of passing violent judgment on anyone insane enough to opt into a reality dating show. Stefan and I debate vociferously about why anyone would ever, ever, ever do it. He doesn't believe my argument that, ultimately, … Continue reading That diabetes guy from The Bachelor →

Birthdays

In the span of just a few days, we're celebrating a range of birthdays in our house. On February 26th, my diabetes turned 4 and my niece turned 2. Then, on March 6, I turn (gulp!) 31. One of the three of us got a blowout party, featuring hats, music, and cake. Although I reminded … Continue reading Birthdays →

Thank you, diabetes

I've watched enough cheesy Youtube videos put up by people with chronic illnesses to be suspicious of demonstrations of gratitude towards one's disease. Maybe I'm just an old grump/fart, but your saccharine list of the 10 Things You Love About Your Disease has always struck me as a bit strained. It's tempting to want to … Continue reading Thank you, diabetes →

A really awesome thing

Full disclosure: I have been completely chicken shit about posting this; in fact, I've put off posting it for about 6 months. Because we've made a Big Decision, and the thing about Big Decisions is that everyone tends to feel like they have the right to an opinion on them. In researching this Big Decision we … Continue reading A really awesome thing →

Dear Animas

Dear Animas, Just got your letter; thanks for sending. You don't know this, but I'm actually getting married next week, and the thing about planning a wedding is that it forces you into a thousand-and-one interesting, challenging, and at times excruciating social confrontations. There's the people who don't RSVP to your wedding who you have … Continue reading Dear Animas →

when preparation is empowerment

I'm not sure I've had diabetes long enough to be dispensing advice, but 2.5 years in, I can't help myself, so bear with me. I love to travel. My love for travel, while not necessarily unique among humans, is powerful—bestowed on me by a wanderlust-filled family. And while I won't say that I ever thought, … Continue reading when preparation is empowerment →