Tips and Tricks – Friday 5/20 Link List.
Let’s round out the week by sharing our best diabetes tips and diabetes tricks. From how you organize supplies to how you manage gear on the go/vacation (beach, or skiing, or whatever). From how you keep track of prescription numbers to how you remember to get your orders refilled. How about any “unconventional” diabetes practices, or ways to make diabetes work for YOU (not necessarily how the doctors say to do it!). There’s always something we can learn from each other. (Remember though, please no medical advice or dangerous suggestions.)

Dawgs for Diabetes, Fall of 2014

 

LUCKILY- I have written blogs about some of my favorites- so I’ll use links to those to elaborate. But here are some of my favorite tips and tricks. 

POLI- Pumper on Long Acting Insulin.

I LOVE POLI! 70% basal insulin is Lantus and 30% is through my pump (that way  I can fine tune it during the day). Helpful for my diabetes and my anxiety- two birds one stone!

TSA Pre-Check

Because of opting for pat downs, and because it makes me feel like I have my life together- I feel that TSA Pre-Check is one of the best investments I have ever made.

Exercise

(I do not have a lot of posts on this yet. But I will be writing about my 1/2 marathon training soon). But- Sprinting while running to help with the lows- and those cliff energy gel shots! A running fanny pack for all of your diabetes supplies.

Pump and MDI site rotation- they have a point!

You know that favorite place for shots, your pumpsite, or your CGM? Yeah… it probably will need a break because eventually it will stop being your favorite site because of scar tissue. Your doctor and the pump companies have a point. Now that I actively pay attention to site rotation, it can be anywhere from 3-4 months before I revisit an area. You know what the impact was? Less scar tissue and less pumpsites failing. (Blog post to come at some point…)

Let yourself acknowledge that this can suck.

I’ve said this a lot in my mental health blogs, but allowing myself to say that diabetes does in fact suck sometimes, has done WONDERS for my mental health. 

Appreciating the little thing.

Does that need anymore explaining?

Always asking for a supervisor and be a self-proclaimed expert.

Whenever I am talking to an insurance or medical company (actually almost any situation- not just related to diabetes), I turn myself into a self-proclaimed expert and ask for the supervisor. No offense to the first person on the phone (usually), but I find I can get a little further and what I need or want. I also find they know more about whatever is going on. It’s much faster for me, and I usually get less angry. I also make sure I know about company policies, laws, etc. and I have phone numbers, employee info, dates, etc in this big book of what I call “The Book of When Shit Happens.” I don’t play- I come (or call) to win.

Give your supplies some flair. 

If we have to look at some of these devices on a very regular basis... we might as well enjoy what we are looking at and make it show off our personality too, right?

Carrying extras with me

I always try to carry extra pump supplies, insulin, low supplies, etc- with me wherever I go, and I have it “hidden.” In my gym bag, in my purse, in my office, etc. I carry short acting insulin pens with me because I run out of insulin at the worst times! I also write the date when I open any insulin, and for example with my short acting pens- when I get close to one month- I use it to fill my cartridge. But sometimes… I forget to replenish… But mistakes happen.

Do something about it. 

Whenever I have a not so great experience, get upset, something bad happens, etc, the BEST way for me to deal and process and cope- is to do something- try and do some advocacy– like I firmly believe- there can always be the big and the little things within advocacy. I don’t want to have to go through whatever it was again, but I also don’t want others to have to go through either- no sense in always recreating the wheel.

Find your me too’s!

I would have to say the most important tip for me is to find the me too’s and to find your voice as not only a person with Type 1 Diabetes but a person in general.

Whether that is in the form of diabetes camp. The DOC. Local diabetes organizations. Diabetes conferences.

But especially during those young adult years get involved in The College Diabetes Network by joining or starting a chapter or one of the many other ways to get involved. I got so much out of my involvement– more than I could have ever imagined. I was able to do what I call “bring diabetes camp to college” and be surrounded by me too’s all year long on campus, but then I learned there are me too’s all across the country. 

Find your me too’s- find your people. Because that in my mind is one of the most powerful and one of the best “tricks” of all. It’s good for your mental health, but it helps you discover other tips and tricks by the people you interact with. There’s always something to learn-especially from people who get. 

 

Happy Diabetes Blog Week! Until next year! ❤ 🙂

Hey you! Yes, you! 

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We’ll both be glad you did! -Mindy