I’m taking today away from my main message till November 14, World Diabetes Day – watch the Big Blue Test to learn about the importance of exercise managing diabetes, and to get life-saving supplies to children with diabetes in need – in order to participate in Gina Capone’s 6th Annual D-Blog Day. 

Our blogging mission – Write the 6 things I want people to know about diabetes. There are so many but these came to mind and they’re in no particular order:

1.Diabetes is a second job, one I’ve had for almost 40 years and much as I’d like to, I don’t plan to ever retire

2.Diabetes requires I do something every day, almost every hour, that’s invisible. 

   Spend an inordinate amount of time examining and dissecting food

   Calculate carbs

   Run carb:insulin algorithms in my head

   Wonder where to fit my walk into the day 

   Conceptualize my next meal

An endo said “ordinary” people think about food 9 times a day. Diabetics, 250 times a day. That sounds about right.

3.Diabetes has made me better – healthier, more purposeful and given me a ton of great friends and acquaintances 

4.Diabetes affects my husband who very privately worries about me. After all, he’s sitting in the passenger seat while I’m driving. And while I’m a good driver, there are other cars on the road I can’t control.

5.Tons more people will get diabetes before we ever cure it

6.It’s preventable. If type 2 is in your family, get tested. You don’t have to be overweight to get type 2 diabetes. If type 1 is in your family get your kids screened.