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By shannon, February 8, 2010 9:19 pm

I know I’m completely slacking with the blog posting thing lately.  We’ve been snowed in since last Thursday night, and I’m starting to crack under the continued lack of human interaction (well, except for Brian).  Now, with the expected addition of another 12-18 inches of snow to the already 30+ inches we got last weekend, it’s possible that I won’t be able to leave the house until spring.

I’m just so completely sick of myself that I have absolutely noting to say (or write).  I promise to be back to normal by the spring thaw

Comments (9)

By shannon, February 5, 2010 9:13 am

Oh, Oprah, you had an amazing opportunity to do a show on diabetes. It could have been well-researched, with experts in endocrinology providing accurate information and dispelling the many myths that are floating around. You could have had CDEs and representatives of ALL types of diabetes.

Instead, you chose to have (your fellow cash cow) buddy, Dr. Oz, confront a room full of overweight, Type 2 diabetics, telling them that their lifestyle is to blame. Where was the discussion of genetics?Oh, that’s right. Dr. Oz said Type 1 was genetic. He also said a person is born with Type 1. And that the amount of insulin a person takes is an indication of how bad their diabetes is. All untrue.

But, what really pissed me off was the blatant exploitation of Laureen. You were doing a show about Type 2 diabetes (because they’re the majority, after all), but to really scare the shit out of everyone, you send Dr. Oz to visit Laureen in the hospital. You show graphic images of the absolute horror that diabetes has done to her body. She obliges by breaking down and sobbing accordingly. Then, as an afterthought, you make the distinction that Laureen is a Type 1. Why was she your example? Couldn’t you find a Type 2 to exploit?

7.4 million people watch your show every day. Many of them take your word as gospel. If you’d taken just a few hours  and actually researched the different types (yes, there are more than two) of diabetes (or actually read the email I sent you weeks BEFORE the show), you would have presented a show that was truly groundbreaking. Instead, it was a joke.

There are many in the diabetes community who have spent years trying to raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes, its cause, its treatment, and the fact that it is not preventable or curable. You set us back years.

So, thanks Oprah.  Your shoddy research and irresponsible reporting did more harm than good.

Comments (6)

By shannon, February 4, 2010 11:11 am

Evidently, it’s going to snow this weekend.  Not just a little, annoying snowfall.  Nope, we’re expecting a Snowpocalypse with 18-to-24 inches predicted.

Normally, I don’t have a lot of faith in the weathermen of the world, but this storm seems to be right on track, and all computer models are agreeing.   Since my car doesn’t move in the snow (seriously, it just sits there with wheels spinning.  And where the fuck was all of this snow for the last two years when I drove a freaking Tahoe? </rant>), I won’t be going anywhere once it starts. 

So, the question is, am I absolutely insane even to be considering going to the grocery store after work today?  Probably, but I’m gonna do it.  If I don’t make it out alive, thanks for the good times!

Comments (14)

By shannon, February 3, 2010 2:20 pm

In an attempt to come to terms with our situation and to be proactive in finding an alternative, I began researching adoption. 

Adoption scares the hell out of me.  Maybe it’s the horror stories I’ve read about birth mothers changing minds, or learning that a child has been severely abused prior to adoption, or even the enormous costs associated with the adoptive process.  I don’t know what it is, but I’m afraid.

But, since Brian and I are two good people who could provide a stable and loving environment to a child, I am willing to give it a try.  Or at least I was. 

As I spent hours reading about the adoption process, I learned a thing or three:

Adopting a child through the state is going to be a challenge.  I know that there are lots of older kids out there who need homes, but given my trepidation about it all, I really want to adopt an infant.  I want the opportunity to help shape a child and teach him or her right from wrong.  I fear that many older children have already been defined by their experiences, and while they deserve no less than a loving home, I am not prepared to undo any damage that has occurred. 

Adopting a child through a private agency (via an adoption attorney) is going to be expensive.  Probably more expensive than Brian and I could afford.  While this is the scenario most likely to provide us with an infant, it is the one that’s going to be the most difficult to pursue.   Moreover, since the process usually begins before the child is born, the chance of the birth mother changing her mind is real.

Adopting a child internationally is going to be nearly impossible.  I located a very reputable agency that handles international adoptions on a regular basis.  They have a list of countries that they work with (China, Russia, Bulgaria, Columbia, etc.), as well as the criteria that potential adoptive parents are required to meet.  On nearly every one, there is the following requirement:

No current medical conditions, chronic illnesses, infectious diseases, or severe deformities of applicants.

So, does this mean that as a Type 1 diabetic, which is a chronic condition, I am excluded as a potential parent?  I fired off an email to the agency to get the bottom line, but I have an awful feeling about it.

If anyone has any positive (and recent) adoption experiences to share, please do so.  If you know of reputable agencies or attorneys, please share that info, as well.  We’re really starting from scratch here, and it’s hard to separate fact from fiction.

Comments (20)

By shannon, February 1, 2010 1:53 pm

Last week, my world changed forever.  As Brian and I left the doctor’s office, completely numb, we talked about mundane things like where to go for dinner and the DC Auto Show.  Neither of us really acknowledging the finality of the visit; both content to wait for the results of additional testing.  But knowing, deep down, that any further hope was gone.

Together, we will never have a biological child.  That’s it; game over. 

We tried to talk about things like donors and adoption, but it was all so forced and transparently optimistic. 

I’ve often asked “why me?” when it comes to diabetes. I’ve wondered what I did to deserve this kind of life.  It’s gotten me down sometimes, but I always managed to dust myself off and continue doing what has to be done.  

There is nothing to be done, now.  We got dealt this shitty hand, and there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it.  I feel helpless, hopeless, and simply devastated.

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By shannon, January 29, 2010 10:28 am

Inspired by Kerri’s recent Search Engine Optimization (SEO) post, I decided to delve into that mystical world and check out my own SEO results via Google’s Webmaster Tools.  These are the searches that led folks to my blog.  I bet some of them were surprised when they got here.  My favorites are:

Roddy Pippin – I’m glad this is bring people to my blog.  I want everyone to know about the injustice taking place in Texas right now. 

Happy Birthday Man – Just for fun, Google that one and see what you get.  Oh, boy (literally!).

Inside Boxing Ring – I’ve always known I’m a bit scrappy, but seriously?  How is this related to my blog?

S my D Shirt – I have absolutely no idea.

Gross Veggies – Well, duh!

You can kick and scream all you want but it’s gonna happen – I love this one because it reminds me of Doug Heffernan.

Pregnant never feel full – How about Full never feel Pregnant?

LADA sucks – No shit!

Weight scale funny – No, weight scale scary!!!

And, my personal favorite: Fun with breast – I’m not kidding.  People are coming to my blog by searching Fun with breast.  Wait, was that you, Brian?

Comments (2)

By shannon, January 28, 2010 9:00 am

On October 27, 2007, I walked down the aisle in my beautiful wedding gown, with all of our closest family and friends present.  Brian and I exchanged wedding vows, danced our first dance, and cut our delicious wedding cake.  What almost no one knew was that we were already married.

When I decided to freelance, my insurance coverage went out the window.  My diabetes, considered a pre-existing condition, excluded me from private insurance.  I considered going without insurance for a while, but although I’d managed to stockpile about three months of pump supplies, I knew that when they ran out, I was on my own.  Brian proposed in January, and with our wedding plans well underway, we decided to legally marry beforehand so that I could get on his work-sponsored insurance plan.

So, we requested our marriage license, and on a sunny Friday in June, I became his legal wife.  There was no wedding gown or bouquet, no exchange of rings, and no champagne toast.  There were no witnesses other than the officiant who performed the ceremony.  It was just Brian and me, and it was perfect.

What I realized that day was that I really couldn’t have cared less about a wedding.  What mattered to me was that I was marrying the man of my dreams. It was an emotional and scary moment when we exchanged vows.  It meant forever.  It still does, and it always will.

The best part of our secret marriage was that our *wedding* day was so much more fun because we’d already done the scary part.  It was exciting having a secret that few people knew about (including some in our wedding party).  I don’t think I’d have changed a thing.

Comments (1)

By shannon, January 27, 2010 9:00 am

What exactly is Catnip?

When did “catsup” become “ketchup?”

Why does no one in the Mid-Atlantic area know how to drive properly?

Why do I make deals with myself?  Seriously, I always cave anyway.

How is it that this woman has kids, but I don’t?

Why do we need House Committee hearings about athletes and steroids?  Is it because Representatives want to meet athletes?

Why is the escalator I need always on the other side?

When my cat just stares at me, is she plotting my demise?

Does Brian ever regret marrying a T1 diabetic?

Why are American Idol updates on the news?  This is not news.

Why do I hate American Idol so much?

Where the hell are my tax dollars going?  I’m dishing out tens of thousands of dollars per year for what?

When I get my nails done, and the technicians start talking to each other in another language, are they talking about me?

How is it possible that my BG can be high all day no matter what I do (including using a syringe and a new bottle of insulin)?

Why do people Facebook friend request me when I have no idea who they are?  And why don’t they include a little note to refresh my memory?

How is it possible that I’m going to be 36 in a few weeks?  THIRTY-SIX?

Does anyone actually find the Verizon FIOS commercials funny?  Their Mac vs. PC -like schtick is just annoying.

Does anyone look at those inspirational posters in offices and not roll their eyes?  Is it just me?

Am I just a cynical bitch because I love these instead?

When was basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation removed from high-school curriculum?

Is it weird that Brian and I have conversations FOR our pets (no, not with our pets)?  We actually have voices for them and say what we think they’re thinking.

Does *anyone* other than a fashion model have the body of a fashion model?  No?  Then why the fuck are clothes made for fashion models?

What is the proper way to tell someone at work that their cologne stinks?

And, last but certainly not least, when will diabetes finally be cured?  I’m tired of it.

Comments (0)

By shannon, January 26, 2010 10:03 am

I know I’ve been a slacker with my blogging.  Truth be told, I haven’t really had much to write about.  Things are, well, boring.  But … (oh, you knew I’d have a “but”)

For the past few months, I’ve been getting these weird dizzy spells.  Although, dizzy isn’t even the right word; it’s more like a light-headed feeling.  

My initial thought was that it must be related to my blood pressure because I’m hypertensive, and one of the symptoms of high BP is dizziness.  So, I checked my BP when I was feeling fine (it was slightly elevated) and when I was dizzy (it was slightly elevated).  This tells me two things:

1. It’s not related to my BP.
2. I need to increase my BP meds because I shouldn’t be elevated at all.

So, BP ruled out, I started to wonder if it was some inner ear disturbance.  I’m horribly prone to ear infections (been that way since I was a little squirt), but after a few visits to the ENT doc, I seem to be keeping them at bay.  So, while I’m not ruling inner ear disturbance out completely, I’m thinking it’s unlikely.

Then I started to think about when this dizziness nonsense first started.  It was in November, but I can’t remember exactly when.  A few things happened around that timeframe:

1. I caught a pretty nasty cold, which resulted in my doctor putting me on antibiotics.  The symptoms went away quickly, but I’ve had this residual stuffiness/sinus issue ever since.
2. I got my H1N1 vaccine. 

I keep expecting the dizziness to just go away, but it’s not happening.  So, I’m going to make (yet another) doctor’s appointment to (hopefully) figure it out.

And before you ask, I’m not pregnant.

Comments (5)

By shannon, January 22, 2010 10:44 am

This blog has been cooking for a while.  It’s not diabetes related AT ALL, so if you’re waiting for the tie-in, it’s not happening.

I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I’m a fiscal conservative.  Since I was old enough to vote, I’ve voted Republican.  It’s not that I’m against Democrats; it’s just that my views aligned more with Republicans.  I do not want the government involved in any aspect of my personal life, as long as I obey the law.  They should have no say in who I am, who I love, and what I do to my own body.  They can’t tell me what to wear, where to work, or what to write.  

My reasons for being a registered Republican were always related to matters of money.  My husband and I make fairly decent money.  We’ve both worked extremely hard to advance our careers and earn enough cash to live comfortably.  What I do not like is when the government takes that money and gives it to people who have neither the drive nor the desire to better their lives.  I fully support helping those in need, but I cannot condone laziness or greed.

I believe in a small government.  I believe in capitalism.  I do not support socialism in any form.  Any time government size is increased, freedom is sacrificed.  This belief in freedom was the hallmark of the Republican Party.  Until recently.

Over the past decade or so, the Republican Party has lost touch with its core principles.  The “Religious Right” has taken over and turned it into something it used to be so vehemently against:  unconstitutional.

The First Amendment specifically addresses the rights of religious freedom.  This includes the right to practice no religion at all.  Obviously, this is a biggie – it’s THE FIRST AMENDMENT. 

Thomas Jefferson wrote it best:

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.

So, why is it that conservatives today feel so strongly that religion has a place in government?  

Yesterday, I got sucked into a debate on foxnews.com (yes, I watch and read Fox News) regarding Cindy McCain’s recent photographic support of gay marriage.  While I’m not gay, I strongly believe that homosexuality isn’t a choice.  After all, why would anyone choose to be subjected to the kind of ridicule and discrimination that gays and lesbians face on a daily basis?  However, even if it was a choice, the government has no LEGAL basis to oppose the LEGAL joining of two people.  

Most of the forum posters were staunchly religious and felt that homosexuality is in direct violation of God’s word.  They base this argument on the bible (i.e., a collection of STORIES that contradicts itself with regularity and has been so mangled by translation that it makes little sense).  They argue that the bible is some sort of moral code that must be followed and enforced by the government.  Obviously, this is in direct violation of the First Amendment.

So, I calmly and rationally attempted to explain this in a well-crafted response.  Instead of being even remotely amenable to the concept, the responses consisted mostly of various bible verses.  WTF, Republicans? 

So, from here on out, I am a Libertarian.  I will no longer vote for or support a party that has strayed so far from its core values and become nothing more than a bully, Sunday morning preacher, spewing fire and brimstone nonsense.

Wake up conservatives.  You lost the last election because of this religious nonsense, and if it continues, you’ll lose more and more votes.  This is not Colonial America, and we are not Puritans.  We are the United States of America, and if you’re unclear about what that means, I suggest you give the Constitution a thorough read.