Cherise Shockley joins me this week to talk about the upcoming year for the Diabetes Community Advocacy Foundation, reflect on the past year of #dsma Twitter chats, share her strategies for a work-life balance, and her love of economics (both micro and macro). Enjoy.
Follow Cherise on Twitter @SweeterCherise and diabetescaf.org.
In light of some of the conversation happening on and around My Diabetes Secret, Cherise decided to use the platform she built to address some of the topics presented without giving an opportunity for the negativity to invade the weekly tweetchat.
One afternoon a car pulled up next to me and the driver rolled down his window gesturing to get my attention. He was holding up a small electronic device that turned out to be a Medtronic insulin pump. He wanted to say hello after seeing my license plate.
Image links to DSMA Live.
Dayle was featured on DSMA Live tonight.
I spend the next hour catching up with Cherise Shockley, founder of the Diabetes Community Advocacy Foundation. We discuss how her life has changed after getting a dog, the unexpected value in having a second grader take a personal finance class, the calculated growth of the Diabetes Community Advocacy Foundation (DCAF), and knowing when to establish healthy boundaries. Enjoy!
You can learn more about DCAF diabetescaf.org and be sure to follow Cherise on Twitter @SweeterCherise.
Diabetes blogger extraordinaire, Scott K. Johnson is back on the podcast this week. After spending some time catching up since his first podcast appearance over three years ago, we talk about his recent recognition and awards: the Friends for Life Award from Children With Diabetes, and the Athletic Achievement Award from Insulindependence. Scott shares the journeys that lead to each of those respective awards, life as a full-time blogger, and the excitement he gets out of working for MySugr. Enjoy.
You can follow Scott on Twitter at @scottkjohnson and scottsdiabetes.com.
First and foremost. This is not the end of the world. I know someone who recently climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro with type 1 diabetes – http://kaylaslifenotes.blogspot.com/2013/09/success-on-kilimanjaro.html. There will be adjustments, some immediate, others you can’t predict, but this is totally doable.
Starting with your endocrinologist, don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as possible. Contrary to belief, they are just *one part* of your diabetes team. And if they aren’t working with you, find someone that will.
Support is key with this disease, which is why I rely on social media. If you’re on Twitter, this list: https://twitter.com/iam_spartacus/lists/wilfordbrimley, is a good place to start if you’re looking to connect with other PWDs (people with diabetes). A popular hashtag that people use when sharing thoughts and comments is #dsma – I encourage you to lurk on that hashtag, particularly on Wednesday nights at 9pm eastern (there’s a weekly Twitter chat that centers around that hashtag) to reinforce the thought that you are not alone with this disease and find likeminded people to connect with.
Because it’s completely normal to leave work an hour early to catch a train to Philadelphia to moderate a Twitter chat and to give as many hugs as possible. Even if it ultimately means getting back on a train home a few hours later and getting to sleep by 2am.
If ever it were appropriate to say “it makes sense if you have diabetes”, this is the time.
A Consequence of Hypoglycemia. 