An Indecisive Title

I feel like since I started this blog, I've had nothing to say. Well, nothing to say on a weekly basis. This is more commonly referred to as writer's block. I just can't think of anything interesting that people would want to read about... And in that respect I feel like a failure as a blogger as of this moment. And since I don't have anything else to talk about, here is what is on my mind:

YTF global!

I'm going to see them when they come to San Diego on March 31st with my best friend, Wellifer. They are all youtubers who are really, really funny and are extremely good break dancers. I mostly follow Ryan Higa (the one who wont do the challenge till the very end), D-Trix (the one who is wearing the letterman's jacket) and Kevin Jumba (the only one wearing a baseball hat). They are such funny people and Wells and I get to meet them. We are both so super duper excited! And I know this is going to sound really lame when I say this, but this made my day yesterday. So I tweeted (a facebook post, but on twitter) to D-Trix and he tweeted me back! Twice! In 5 minutes! And that's a big deal because he has 135.4 K followers! So I'm super special, and I caught him at a good time with something good to say! So anyway.... I'm super excited and that's all that I'm thinking of right now.

And that concludes today's diabetic (and super boring unless your nickname is Wellifer Goosey Potter) rant!

Interesting Diabetes Related Things I Learned While I Wasn't Blogging

So last weekend, I went to a JDRF event at UCSD in the "Diabetes Research Department." We (my mom and I) went a tour of the labs and attended some seminars about the research they are doing and the dilemmas they are having with the research. There was also a question board of college students with diabetes; they talked about what tips they had about dealing with diabetes in their classes and in regular college life.

Things I Learned About the Research and the Disease Itself:
The problem with researching diabetes is that once a person is out of the honeymoon stage (where you pancreas is still making insulin, but the beta cells are still killing them; usually the first few months of diabetes), they can't do as much research because you pancreas isn't making insulin anymore. They can't figure out why they T1 (the part of your immune system that attacks the pancreas beta cells) are attacking the beta cells. Another challenge in the research is that the pancreas is in the middle of your body, so its harder to get samples to do research. Its not like skin cancer, where you can easily get samples because it has easy access. And the biggest reason that they aren't moving as quickly to find a cure is because insulin treats diabetes. Yes, it does have certain side effects in certain situations, but the cure they have right now (for mice) has so many side effects, that its not even worth distributing. Other things I learned about diabetes is that your immune system can kill a pancreas beta cell in 15 seconds. And that even if you get a Pancreas transplant, its not going to work because its a malfunction of the immune system, not the pancreas; it will still just keep killing the beta cells.

Things I Learned From the College Board:
The main thing I learned from this is to just live normal college life, just make sure that people know that your diabetic. If you need help, either because your passed out or because your having a simple low blood sugar, or high blood sugar, and if people don't know that, you could be in some serious trouble. That's why I always wear my medical ID bracelet, just in case someone finds me and they don't know that I'm diabetic. Other useful tips for college life that they gave me is what to expect when you drink and how you are most likely to react to it. (not that I'm ever going to drink;)  ). They told me that you blood sugar is going to go really high, then go really low.

So that's what i learned.

And that concludes today's really ranty diabetic rant!

Dishing It Out

Sorry about going all crazy on everyone in my last post, but I thought it needed to be said. So anyway, my dad and I got the first part of our new dishes! Well the part that we got were mostly new cooking utensils and silverware. But me and welly got these amazing mugs. They also have kittys and other cute puppies! This one is waving. Mine is in a purple mug, of course, and it has the same puppy, only I made mine diabetic. So I finally took down my Christmas tree. Ha ha. And instead of just putting my tinsel and lights on the walls of my room! Yes, I'm lazy... But my room is prettier now!

So I started this blog thinking I would have a lot of hard times with diabetes, but since I started it, I haven't had all that much trouble, so sorry, but I guess that's a good thing. So until I start getting problems again, I'm not really going to post all that much about diabetes, because there isn't really anything to report as of late.

Problems of the Mind

Today's topic is the lack of tolerance from other people. I know its kind of random, but it seems to have come up a lot today. Of course its going to come up when you are learning about World War II, but it comes up a lot outside of my World's History Class too. I am watching this week's episode of Glee and the subject of people not being fair to everyone and their social preferences. Honestly, as long as you don't make stupid decisions and blame them on people being intolerant, you can do and be whoever you want to be. You are born the way you are, and you should be able to be who you are without people judging or doing anything else negative. It doesn't affect anyone else's life. No matter what you heritage is, or how you dress, or who you like or hang out with, just be proud of who you are and stick up for what you believe in.

Sorry I haven't been on the topic of diabetes lately, but today I don't feel like putting up prejudice people today. I guess its just one of those days where you feel like you have to give a stand. I feel like if one person takes a stand, it will inspire some one else. And I hope that someone somewhere sees this and stands up for someone their ideas.

And that concludes today's (inspiring) diabetic rant!

My Lovely Friends

O how I have lovely friends! My diabuddie gave me a valentine gram! Which was a lovely surprise! I just wish I could have giver her one! And my BFF wellifer gave me the cutest turtle ever!!!!!!! And I do hope she loves her sloth. She is obsessed with sloths. And I think that's an understatement. So contrary to my prior thoughts, today was pretty good. I would like to thank my chem buddies and my dance buddies for making today amazing!

Here is my turtle. Hes supposed to be a ball baby, so that's why hes so plump. He's so cute and I love him so much! Thank you wellifer!

Diabuddie ^ this is for you! My valentine from me to you!

And that concludes today's diabetic rant.

Fixing Boredom

As you can see, I wasn't able to post yesterday. Yesterday is what I call an Epic Friday. I probably won't be posting on Fridays unless I happen to have nothing to do. But anyway, last night i went to my school's music club concert. And let me say, my school has some amazingly talented musicians. The concert, called Flashback, had songs from every decade starting with the 50s and ending with Lady Gaga's You and I. It was so much fun hanging out with my friends, listening to awesome music and supporting my school. I guess I killed three birds with one stone.

So today my mom and I embark on the first home emprovement that we are actually doing ourselves. We are painting my bathroom a lovely purple! But its becoming a little tough because the lady that lived here before us who painted it blue used the worst possible paint ever because its peeling of. We peeled it off a large amount like it was a window sticker. It just cracks me up. So hopefully it ends up looking good. And I can have an awesome bathroom. Wish me luck!

And that concludes today's (very short) diabetic rant!

Single's Awareness Day

Yes it's that time of year again... When all of your happy friends and their sweetheart of choice facebook about what they are doing and how they had a great time and that they love their honey-bunches-of-oats sooo much. Valentine's Day. And I have nothing against anyone with a love, but I, however, do not... And it makes me feel pretty alone. Yes I have my amazing friends, but when it comes to Valentine's day, I realize why some call it Single's Awareness Day. Like me, I'm single. I had hoped that this year would be different than all of the rest. Yea.... So much for that.

OK! Massive subject change here. My mom showed me something Disney did that I thought was amazing! http://www.diabetesdaily.com/edelman/2011/07/meet-coco-1st-disney-character-with-diabetes/ Disney made a diabetic character! Shes an adorable monkey named Coco. I hope that she helps kill a few stereo-types. Or at least gives kids with diabetes, who are newly diagnosed a little more hope and someone to look up to. I hope that she is a success and that she becomes a park character. I already love her! And I haven't even read the book yet. I hope her all the best and I hope to see her soon!

And that concludes today's diabetic rant!

Yesterday's Thoughts and Activities

Today (as my mom's friend M would say) I sucked it up like a buttercup, while at the same time I coughed up a lung. But I had my favorite teacher today! Profe L-J! She's my Spanish teacher and she's crazy. We are learning about how to talk about our childhood in Spanish. I love talking about my childhood and the things I did as a child when I wasn't diabetic.Which was mostly alot of amazing one liners. Like when my mom got me the Disney Princess CD when I was 5: "Oh Mommy! You made all of my dreams come true!" Or after my Dad let me watch Cops when I was two and I started telling everyone that my mom was arrested even though she never has been. Its quite a good party conversation topic actually. One other odd thing that seems to come up quite often is my ability to get my head stuck in a fence in the Tommowland Train Station at Disneyland. Where the firefighters had to cut me out. That day I got two identical Minnie Mouse dolls, which I'm proud to day I still have. I like looking back on all the awesome shows I used to watch and the things I played with and the things I do now which I wasn't into until last/this year (Lego's and star wars).

I don't really have much diabetes news because my blood sugar refuses to be interesting. Whenever I'm sick it always goes weird and I'm unable to ever fix it except for this time. It bugs me for reasons I don't understand nor can be explained. Like the show Victorious.

And that concludes today's diabetic rant!

Amusing Things I Do While I'm Sick

As you can see by my very explanatory title, today I'll be blogging about the things I do to amuse myself while I sit at home being sick. Right now I'm reading the Hunger Games which is very very addicting. If you've even read the first page you know what I'm talking about. I love just relaxing and reading a good book. I also love watching TV shows made for preschoolers, like Bubble Guppies! Yea... That's what I've resorted to. I will be watching Drive later, but I'm saving it for when I'm desperate. Which is going to happen soon because I've just learned what an actor is! I am one smart 16 year old preschooler! I also play Sims. Lots and lots of Sims. Thanks to by best friend Wellifer Goosey Cowell (that's not her real name, of course. Its the name I gave her and that she accepted). And most of the time I watch Princess and the Frog because its the best princess movie ever! Tiana is the only princess who doesn't wait around for a prince to sweep her off of her feet! So I posted a picture of Louis. Haha. He is my favorite!

Today is my least favorite day in terms of Diabetes. It's the day I change my pod. Yes, that sounds funny, but my pod is my insulin pump. Its a device that's attached to my body by a tube and pumps insulin into my body. I use the onmi pod system. OK back on topic. So yes I have to change my pod and I hate it so much. I don't know why though. I guess it's because if I wasn't diabetic I wouldn't have to do it in the first place. Oh well. I still have to do it anyway.

And that concludes today's diabetic rant!

Big Opener

Hi! I'm Maddie and I'm diabetic. I'm 16 and I'm on a mission to help others who are in my situation because I know its hard. So since this is my first blog post this is going to be an introduction to me and how i deal with things. Of course everything isn't going to be about diabetes because my life isn't all about diabetes. This is just about my teenager life and the extra challenge I've been given to take on.

So! In the spirit of challenges, I'm sick this weekend.... well... I guess isn't the weekend anymore. But on Saturday I had a super sore throat and was extremely fatigued. but the weird part was my blood sugar wasn't effected till last night and today. Last night I had a fever, but have no fear, it went away. I know... extremely exciting. Its because I haven't been to school yet and nothing exciting has happened yet. But it will. O it will....

And that concludes today's diabetic rant!