It's A Party Post!!!!!

Managing Type 1 Diabetes can feel all consuming at times.

Sometimes I forget that I'm not an insulin pump...or a pancreas.

I'm just a mom.

Yup.  A random mom with dinner to make, laundry to fold, kids to taxi, and a dog that needs to be fed.

I'm joining the Ultimate Blog Party 2011 and branching out to meet some other Blogging Mamas.  Not because I don't LOVE my D Mamas....just because it's something different...and different is nice sometimes :)

But don't be fooled.  I have motive.  The truth is that I want to make sure every mother everywhere knows the signs of Type 1 Diabetes.  Where thousands of mothers gather, so must accurate information about a disease that many know very little about.  Let's face it....before the end of this year, a few of those mothers will probably come to realize that Type 1 Diabetes has become their reality....and, if they're lucky, they'll recognize the situation before it becomes life threatening.

BUT FIRST...here's 5 random tidbits about myself that have nothing to do with diabetes advocacy....

1)     I'm not materialistic.  I could care less about name brand purses, snazzy shoes, or expensive jeans.  I'm happiest when surrounded by the people I love and it doesn't matter how much cash is in our pockets.

2)    I have a weakness for Cheetos.  The puffy kind.  I can't explain it.

3)     I have been a R.N. since 1995.  I've worked ER, PACU, and L&D.  Now I work from home as a telephone triage nurse.  

4)     This is my real hair color.  People ask me all the time if I color my hair.  No.  I don't.  I never have.  It's strawberry blonde -- more strawberry in the fall/winter (that picture was taken in November) and more blonde in the spring/summer.

5)     I like to dip my food.  My ideal meal would be made up of a variety of cut up veggies and crackers with a plethora of flavors to dip them into....dressings, cheese dips, salsas, olive dips, and on and on and on!!!

And, before I go....if you're checking out this blog for the first time, please take a minute to print off the signs and symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes.  Type 1 Diabetes doesn't discriminate regarding age, gender, race, or socioeconomic status.  It can affect any child (and also some adults, though usually under the age of 40) regardless whether or not there is any history of any type of diabetes anywhere in the family.

Be aware...

Taken from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's website:

Knowing the warning signs for type 1 diabetes (medically known as diabetes mellitus) could save a life.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes (these may occur suddenly):
Extreme thirst Frequent urination Sudden vision changes Sugar in urine Fruity, sweet, or wine-like odor on breath	Increased appetite Sudden weight loss Drowsiness, lethargy Heavy, labored breathing Stupor, unconsciousness

If you or someone you love exhibits one or more of these symptoms, call a doctor immediately.

Education about the symptoms of type 1 diabetes is critical because type 1 can easily be mistaken for more common illnesses, such as the flu, and misdiagnosis can have tragic consequences.

Approximately 3 million Americans have type 1 diabetes.  Each year, more than 15,000 children - 40 per day - are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the U.S.

Knowing the symptoms of type 1 diabetes can save a life. Please share what you've learned with everyone--family, friends, teachers, doctors. Until a cure is found, the more who know, the more lives will be saved.