Lilly Diabetes Book GiveAway

added, November 17 - 9:36pm

The winners have been chosen at random by Arden, watch the video to see if you won - good luck!

 Winners please send your mailing address to ardensday@me.com

original post -I have six wonderful books from Lilly Diabetes/Disney that are geared toward children from the ages of about 8 to 12. Each book features a character who lives with type I diabetes. I've grouped the books together by gender, three in each group. These books are available for free from your Endo's Lilly rep - if you are interested and don't win the giveaway.

To enter the drawing, simply leave a comment that includes your email address and a choice of either the boy or girl group. Arden will be drawing one name at random from each group. Entries will be excepted until midnight eastern time on World Diabetes Day (November 14, 2013). 

You can enter in both groups but can only win in one. US residents only, sorry postage to Canada is steep. Good luck!

for the girls

and for the boys
 

Expired Glucagon

I think that we can all agree that the best Glucagon is the one that you never open. I understand how uplifting it is to toss a Glucagon kit into the trash, nothing feels better than knowing that it was never opened - but what if I told you that there was something better? Something easy and awesome that you can do with your expired Glucagon?

Practice. Practice. Practice.

My best advice for what to do with your expired kits, practice. Parents, siblings, friends and relatives will all benefit from being able to learn how to help in a severe low blood glucose situation. I know that we all hope and want to believe that we will never have to use Glucagon in an emergency situation, but just in case, the first time you hold one shouldn't be during a seizure. 

This I know from experience.

Not long after Arden's diagnosis back in 2006 we tried to eat Chinese food for the first time since diabetes entered our lives and well, that didn't go very well. I injected too much insulin and about two hours later, Arden was having a seizure. We placed Arden on the floor, Cole called 911 and Kelly began to rub glucose gel into Arden's cheek while I was frozen and staring at the Glucagon. "I never thought I was going to need to know how to use it", I mumbled. Thankfully, the gel Kelly applied brought Arden out of the seizure but I'll never forget the sickening feeling of having the tools to help my daughter in my hands but not the knowledge of how to use them.

So practice with your expired Glucagon until it doesn't feel awkward. Then once everyone in your life is proficient -- donate them to your child's school nurse or a local school. 

Glucagon is the only thing in the world that I buy hoping that I will waste, but you don't have to throw it away. School nurses, Glucagon proxies and other school personnel will be grateful for the opportunity to get comfortable with the process. Speak with your school nurse and ask if an expired Glucagon kit is something that they'd be interested in having and you'll feel twice the pleasure the next time a kit expires.

In Need of a Vacuum Cleaner Recommendation

My life really is strange sometimes. Yesterday I was in a Manhattan studio for a Lilly Diabetes satellite media tour where I was interviewed, along with Amy Hess-Fischl, twenty-nine times by different television and radio stations from all around the country. It was a whirlwind day that began at four in the morning. We gave one interview right after the other for almost seven hours, it was a really fun day of talking about sleepovers, diabetes management ideas and the Lilly/Disney collaboration at Spoonful.com/type1. 

The bright lights of the big city didn't last too long for this stay-at-home dad. When I arrived home yesterday my son was sick, the laundry was piling up and Arden had homework to do. I got back into my routine pretty quickly and this morning things were back to normal here at home.

I found the kitchen counter this morning after the kids left and gave it a polish, then I thought I'd do a bit of vacuuming before I had breakfast but something terrible happened. My closest comrade in this life, my partner, the yin to my yang - she passed away suddenly. I don't know what I'll do without my little buddy, but I guess I'm just going to have to press on. Sure she sucked at her job and I never liked the yellow jacket that she wore, but Eureka... she tried. 

Anyway, here's some pictures from yesterday's media tour and audio from one of the radio interviews. After you take a look, if you have a good one, can you please leave a vacuum cleaner recommendation? I need a sturdy upright that does wood and carpet and I like a nice wand for the corners and such. Not too expensive but I'll spend some money for a vacuum that'll last. Thank you!

Audio - Radio Interview with WIBC Indianapolis 

Oh Lilly: Coco, Sleepovers and Me

Remember back in August when I gave away ten copies of 'Coco's First Sleepover' and I told you that sometime way in the future, I'd be participating in a Lilly Diabetes press junket to talk about sleepovers and diabetes? Well, time sure does fly because I'll be leaving Monday for The Big Apple, Metropolis, site of the 1964 World's Fair, the city that never sleeps... if I can make it there... Okay, you get it, I'm going to New York City.

On Tuesday, September 24th I'll be participating in a satellite media tour for Lilly Diabetes. I arrive early in the morning armed with only my knowledge of being the parent of a child with type I diabetes and my urbane wit. Throughout the day I, along with Amy Hess Fischl, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., BC-ADM, C.D.E., will answer questions as they are asked by the following media outlets. List subject to change.

TV:

WNEM/Flint-Saginaw, MI

WBTV/Charlotte, NC

WTVG/Toledo, OH

NEWS AROUND AMERICA

CONN TV

LOUISIANA HOMETOWN

KOLC/Reno, NV

KHQA/Quincy-Hannibal, MA

WSAW/Wausau-Rhinelander, WI

KAZT/Phoenix, AZ

WDTV/Clarksburg-Weston, WV

WGGE/Springfield-Holyoke, MA

Radio:

WDIS/Boston, MA

Main Street Radio

WCBC-AM/FM/Washington, DC

WFMY/Greensboro-High Point, NC

KLTF-AM/Minneapolis, MN

KXFN-AM/St. Louis, MO

WIBC-FM/Indianapolis, IN 

KOGA-AM/Denver, CO

WXGM-FM/Norfolk-Portsmouth, NH

WARM-AM/Wilkes Barre-Scranton, PA

WYYZ-AM/Atlanta, GA

WCAP-AM/Boston, MA

 

I'm excited to be helping Lilly and Disney to get the word out about their diabetes themed children's books and grateful that they thought of me when the opportunity arose. All that's left is to find out if I fit into the jacket that I wore on Katie Couric.

Lilly will provide transportation to and from New York (car ride), a stipend for expenses and one nights lodging. The Coco books are free through your Endocrinologist, just ask your doc for a copy (they can get them through their Lilly sales rep).

Who wants a copy of Coco's First Sleepover?

So I have ten copies of the new Coco book to giveaway - who wants one?! Nothing fancy about this offer, how about the first ten residents of the U.S or Canada that leave a comment asking for a book, get one. Don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you for a mailing address.

and while I'm on the subject of Coco and sleepovers...

Coming in late September, Lilly Diabetes will be embarking on a satellite media tour focused on providing tips and guidance for parents when preparing a child with type I diabetes for sleepovers. These radio and TV interviews will be given by Amy Hess Fischl, a CDE and dietitian and some guy named Scott who writes a blog or something. The advice will be based on my personal experiences and the learned advice of Ms. Fischl.

Here's a little more about Amy, me you've heard enough about this year to last a lifetime.

Amy Hess Fischl, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., BC-ADM, C.D.E.

Coordinator, Teen & Adolescent Diabetes Transition Program

University of Chicago Comprehensive Diabetes Center-Chicago, Ill.

For more than 15 years, Amy Hess Fischl, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., BC-ADM, C.D.E., has been educating and inspiring children and families living with diabetes. A Certified Diabetes Educator(r), registered dietitian and current coordinator of the Teen and Adolescent Diabetes Transition Program at the University of Chicago's Kovler Diabetes Center in Chicago, Amy has travelled across the country and around the world raising disease awareness and promoting the importance of proper diabetes care, particularly for children and young adults.   

Lilly will provide transportation to and from New York (car ride), a stipend for expenses and one nights lodging. I don't yet have all of the details about the day, but I do hope that they are planning on feeding me at least twice. The Coco books were provided by Lilly but they are free through your Endocrinologist, just ask your doc for a copy (they can get them through their Lilly sales rep).