Holy cow exciting times ahead

Holy cow exciting times ahead

Like I’ve said in previous posts — yes, this site is about Diabetes awareness, advocacy and education. BUT (that’s a big but…) diabetes is in every part of my life. I don’t get to take a vacation from it, I don’t get one day off, and I certainly remember it when things are stressful, exciting or just downright boring. All that being said — the next two weeks are crazy exciting packed. (My definition of crazy exciting might be slightly skewed, because well, I’m just like that).

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Holy cow exciting times ahead

Like I’ve said in previous posts — yes, this site is about Diabetes awareness, advocacy and education. BUT (that’s a big but…) diabetes is in every part of my life. I don’t get to take a vacation from it, I don’t get one day off, and I certainly remember it when things are stressful, exciting or just downright boring. All that being said — the next two weeks are crazy exciting packed. (My definition of crazy exciting might be slightly skewed, because well, I’m just like that).

This next week is my last week as a Graduate student. Kinda sad, who am I kidding — KINDA AMAZING! Not that anything was a breeze for me in my undergraduate degree, but it just seemed to fly by and I got through the required courses and I had my degree. But honestly, with my Master’s, it has been blood, sweat, tears (lots of tears) and hard work for this degree. I believe it is an amazing accomplishment and I’m so excited to have my Master’s in Emergency Management Administration!Other then that, my scary 27th birthday is coming up. No, I’m not superstitious, but I’m not a fan of the 27th year. I think I’ll stick with 26 and holding for about 5 more years.

Between finals (Practicum, Statistics and Terrorism), papers and my job, the next two weeks are going to fly by. I’m trying to reflect on the past two years of Grad school, the opportunities I’ve had, the awesome people I’ve had a chance to work with and meet and I just want to say how incredibly blessed I am. This journey of life has taken some unexpected twists and turns, but I can honestly say I have not let my diabetes hold me back from my dreams. Sure, there have been moments of frustration and the inevitable why me? moments, but I’ve gotten through them. With the help of my amazing husband, my unbelievably amazing family and my friends, I have made it through another chapter of my life. This is just a thank you to all those that have had a footprint on my heart and soul and I can never thank you for what you have taught me in this game called life.

Welcome to Megan’s Touch

Welcome to Megan’s Touch

Wow – what a labor of love this site has, and is going to be! Thank you for visiting my site and I hope you check back often. This is going to be a updated newsletter/blog of what YOU can do to help us find a cure for diabetes. Please excuse if I use this as a ranting board sometimes too…For those of you who have diabetes….you will understand So, you may be asking– What is Megan’s Touch and how does it affect me? Megan’s Touch was set up with the help of my family to support the American Diabetes Association’s Research Foundation, meaning 100% of the proceeds will go DIRECTLY to diabetes research. Now, how do you support? You can donate directly through us, OR, you can purchase Mary Kay Cosmetics and we will donate all profits to the Research Foundation. We are using our family business as the vehicle to donate as much as we can for diabetes research. This is just the start–I will keep updating as much as possible as to HOW DIABETES EFFECTS YOU! Even if you don’t have, or personally know someone, it does effect you….through your tax dollars at work. Thanks again for check out my site! Look around–there are articles and interviews that I’ve done in the past related to all of my familes work for the ADA. ~j~ megan

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Everything has a purpose- I’ve learned enough….

Everything has a purpose- I’ve learned enough….

So, just as I was thinking through my life today, I realized something…Where would my life be without diabetes? Now I know no one would ask for this disease, but honestly, would I be doing what I am in my life without it? Probably not. It has opened so many doors, and made me that much more aware of the world around me. But saying that- I’ve had enough. I’m ready for a cure. I’m ready to not have to think about if I have enough syringes on me, or that my insulin stays cold all the time. I’m ready to not have to think about if my blood sugar is high before a test and what it might do to my concentration. I think I’ve learned enough from having a chronic illness…don’t you agree?

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Congress Needs to Pass Funding for Diabetes Programs

Congress Needs to Pass Funding for Diabetes Programs

(This article was written for a Tulsa World editorial by my amazing Mom, Kim Koleber)

Congress Needs To Pass Funding For Diabetes Programs!

Two groups stand to gain – or lose – a great deal from one piece of legislation now before Congress: people with Type 1 diabetes and Native Americans with Type 1 or Type 2. The Special Diabetes Program represents a significant proportion of the commitment from federal government to combat, cure and prevent diabetes. Without it, diabetes research will suffer substantially.

Under the bill, research into Type 1 and programs to prevent and treat Type 2 diabetes in Native Americans (nearly 17 percent of whom have diabetes, the highest of any U.S. racial or ethnic group) would each receive $1 billion in federal funding over five years, starting in 2011. This funding originally went into effect in 1998 and is due to expire in September 2011. There has not been an increase in funding for this program in 6 years, meaning each research dollar is stretched thinner and thinner and funding will end next year unless Congress takes action.

This is a program with a proven track record of success. Current funding has supported major clinical trials and other research being done on Type 1 diabetes, as well as programs that have prevented Type 2 diabetes and its complications for those most at risk.

Diabetes is an epidemic that affects nearly 24 million Americans, and another 57 million are at high risk for developing this devastating disease. These are incredibly high numbers that must be dealt with immediately. Here in Oklahoma 1 in 4 residents have already been diagnosed or will be in their lifetime. It cost our state nearly $2 billion in direct and indirect costs to treat this disease last year. My family is personally affected by this disease, as my daughter, Megan Ashley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes a month before her 3rd birthday. That was 22 years ago and there is still NO CURE. She wears an insulin pump to stay alive and never takes “a day off” from diabetes. We want to “Stop Diabetes”, that is why we continue to share information, act by volunteering with the American Diabetes Association, and give to the cause…………..until there is a cure!

The re-authorization of the Special Diabetes Program is currently pending before Congress. Congress must act quickly to ensure continued advances in diabetes treatment and prevention. 24 million American lives depend on it today.

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Almonds…good snack for diabetes?

Almonds…good snack for diabetes?

Almonds – the healthy choice!

Ok, here goes my crazy creative side – NOT. This is purely for educational value – NOT. Actually, I don’t know what this is about other then I like my almonds and it’s an easy snack for those of us with a broken pancreas!

DID YOU KNOW:

The almond tree (Prunus dulcis) is native to the Middle East and is also commercially cultivated in California. An almond may also be the edible seed of the almond tree and is an important food crop. You can eat almonds whole as a snack and they have many other culinary uses, especially in desserts. Almonds contain very few carbohydrates, so the flour is commonly used in baked products for diabetics. (OH I HATE THAT WORD – Don’t you know it’s pancreas challenged, people?!)
Serving Information
Calories

Almonds may be prepared for consumption in a variety of ways. This nutritional information is for the whole kernel of the almond seed. The almonds are raw and the outer shell has been removed. The following nutritional information assumes a serving size of 1 oz., which is equal to approximately 23 whole kernels.

A serving of almonds contains a total of 164 calories. Fat accounts for 129 calories, carbohydrates contribute 11 calories and proteins provide the remaining 24 calories. A serving of almonds provides 8.2 percent of the daily value (DV) for calories, assuming a diet of 2,000 calories per day, which I am not — I’m on about 1,100! GO ME 🙂

Fat
A serving of almonds contains a total of 14.3 g of fat, which is 22 percent of the DV for fat. This total includes 1.1 g of saturated fat, which is 6 percent of the DV for saturated fat. Almonds don’t have any cholesterol.
Carbohydrates
A serving of almonds contains a total of 5.6 g of carbohydrates, which is about 2 percent of the DV for carbohydrates. This total includes 0.9 g of complex carbohydrates, 1.4 g of simple sugar and 3.3 grams of dietary fiber. This provides 13 percent of the DV for dietary fiber.
Protein and Minerals
A serving of almonds contains 6 g of protein, which is 12 percent of the DV for protein. It has 206.4 milligrams (mg) of potassium, which is about 5.9 percent of the 3,500 mg DV for potassium. A serving of almonds also contains 70.3 mg of calcium, which is about 7 percent of the 1,000 mg DV for calcium.

So, as I’m eating my delicious snack this morning, I just wanted to remind you of how good these little suckers are. BTW, Thank You Granma for roasting me such a delightful treat!

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Diabetes: It scares the ever lovin’ crap outta me

Diabetes: It scares the ever lovin’ crap outta me

OK, here it goes. I’ve always (I mean ALWAYS) tried to have a positive outlook on my diabetes…and not make it seem to anyone around me that I battle with my emotions on it, every single day of my life.I was the “poster child” for Type 1 Diabetes….as you can see. I had to be an example to everyone else….See? I can do it- So can you! I talked the talk and walked the walk…still do. I can tell you upside down and backwards anything about Type 1 (Type 2 for that matter as well) and insulin pumps, pods, where it goes, how it does it and what I do about it everyday. I put on a VERY good face when people make ignorant comments about my diabetes.

My family has always been about EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION. People only make those comments because they don’t know better. (At least in my mind that’s why..) I mean, we (the Type 1 Diabetes community as a whole) have to deal with the typical jokes about “diabeetus” –>

There has always been role models that I have looked up to about my diabetes:

I mean, how appropriate that Anne Rice writes about Vampires and blood? 🙂

And I would hope you know, if you know me for any length of time that Bret Michaels is not only a Rock God to me, but a person that I can truly identify with and understand that ups and downs of Type 1 diabetes.But recently, I haven’t had such a great attitude about my diabetes, to be perfectly honestly. I hate this disease. I absolutely !@#$%^&*( hate it. I hate having to think about it, deal with it and know that no matter what I do that sh!t can still happen to me. I know, I’m one of blah blah million people that have it, I’m not the only one. But once in awhile I just need a release. Do you know what irritates me the most?? People (to remain nameless…) who say I want to help you, I wish I could do it for you. Thank you I appreciate your understanding, but I know that they can’t do anything. They can’t take it away, they can’t prick their finger for me, they can’t take an insulin shot for me and they can’t know the guilt that I carry every single day with this dang disease.

I was told that the cure was “right around the corner” in 1988….great. Goody. Now 23 years later it’s still not here. I have hope…I really do. But today, I’m just not feeling it. I’m scared of the low blood sugars. I’m scared of not being in control of my body. I’m scared that no matter what I do to be in control, that it’s still not enough.

My career is my life…my education is everything I’ve ever wanted. I’m in the job and the field that I am absolutely in love with….Emergencies make my world go round. But the worst thing that I could imagine has happened. I want more then anything to be able to go help in a disaster (mostly help the animals…but people possibly too!) But anyway, to be able to be on OK-DMAT 1 you cannot have Type 1 Diabetes. No matter that I am completely self efficient, no matter what I do, I cannot be deployed. I feel defeated. I feel like someone pulled the rug out from under me. I feel like everyone in the Emergency Management world is pointing and laughing at me and saying….”HAHA! You just thought you wanted to make a difference”

I am just trying to deal with these thoughts one day at a time. I’m trying to be the best damn person with diabetes that you have ever met. But just today, let me HATE it.

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Diabetes Blues….Diabetes Shoes?

Diabetes Blues….Diabetes Shoes?

To anyone that knows me, you know this to be true: I LOVE SHOES!

These are just fabulous!

Some say I might have a slight obsession….
Just to show, these are the shoes I have recently purchased…

Such cute booties!

This go with something…I know they do!

A true SATC Fan– “Carrie” shoes!

I know Miss America, so I must own Miss America shoes!
(It is only logical)

Every girl must own Red Patent shoes!

If you live in OK, you must own Cowboy boots!

Oh, and I just got in my new Coach shoes to match my purse and a 5 1/2 inch heel Jessica Simpson that will look amazing this summer! 🙂

All of this leads me to my ORIGINAL point…I promise I’m getting to it….Promise!

Women’s “Diabetic” Shoes

I DO NOT WANT TO END UP IN THESE!!!!

I am to completely in love with my shoes and my future Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik’s to ever have to wear these. I might be COMPLETELY selfish in my motivations….but this is why I must take care of my Diabetes!!

Do I want to live a long and normal life? YES
Do I want to grow old with the man I love? YES
Do I want to wear fabulous shoes for the rest of my life? YES

I might have the wrong idea here, and I’m a little wacky, I admit it. But I want to be around, healthy and have my feet and legs in a state where I can wear these fabulous things.

DIABETES, YOU WILL NOT HOLD ME BACK!

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Diabetes and Disasters

Diabetes and Disasters

Where will you, your family, your friends or personal care attendants be when an emergency or disaster strikes? You, and those you care about, could be anywhere – at home, work, school or in transit. How will you find each other? Will you know your loved ones will be safe? Emergencies and disasters can strike quickly and without warning and can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services – water, gas, electricity or telephones – were cut off? Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away. You are in the best position to plan for your own safety as you are best able to know your functional abilities (though we may not want to admit it— People with Diabetes need to plan AHEAD!) and possible needs during and after an emergency or disaster situation. You can cope with disaster by preparing in advance with your family and care attendants. You will need to create a personal support network and complete a personal assessment. You will also need to follow the four preparedness steps:

1. Get informed
2. Make a plan
3. Assemble a kit
4. Maintain your plan and kit
Knowing what to do is your best protection and your responsibility.

Diabetes IS NOT a Diability, but we have to deal with the “government wording” during a disaster, and YES, Diabetes is classified under a “Functional/Special Need” population.

THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN DO BEFORE A DISASTER:
Those with disabilities or other special needs often have unique needs that require more detailed planning in the event of a disaster. Consider the following actions as you prepare:
• Learn what to do in case of power outages and personal injuries. Know how to connect and start a back-up power supply for essential medical equipment.
• Consider getting a medical alert system that will allow you to call for help if you are immobilized in an emergency. Most alert systems require a working phone line, so have a back-up plan, such as a cell phone or pager, if the regular landlines are disrupted.
• If you use an electric wheelchair or scooter, have a manual wheelchair for backup.
• Teach those who may need to assist you in an emergency how to operate necessary equipment. Also, label equipment and attach laminated instructions for equipment use.
• Store back-up equipment (mobility, medical, etc.) at your neighbor’s home, school, or your workplace.
• Arrange for more than one person from your personal support network to check on you in an emergency, so there is at least one back-up if the primary person you rely on cannot.
• If you are vision impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, plan ahead for someone to convey essential emergency information to you if you are unable to use the TV or radio.
• If you use a personal care attendant obtained from an agency, check to see if the agency has special provisions for emergencies (e.g., providing services at another location should an evacuation be ordered).
• If you live in an apartment, ask the management to identify and mark accessible exits and access to all areas designated for emergency shelter or safe rooms. Ask about plans for alerting and evacuating those with sensory disabilities.
• Have a cell phone with an extra battery. If you are unable to get out of a building, you can let someone know where you are and guide them to you. Keep the numbers you may need to call with you if the 9-1-1 emergency number is overloaded.

A GREAT SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND WHAT TO HAVE IN YOUR FAMILY PREPAREDNESS KIT: http://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/pfd_all.pdf

And as always, social media (Twitter and Facebook) are all becoming prevelant during disaster situations. It may be your only way of communication. Texts and tweets are the easiest to get through! Just FYI 🙂

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