National Diabetes Month

[Knelly]

Hi Everyone,

Just in case you didn't know, November is National Diabetes Month. It is a great time to raise awareness and educate as many people as we can. You might not know but this hits home for me. Exactly 4 years ago my brother Rob was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 26. Not only did it change his life forever but my families and mine as well. Since then I have been doing everything I can to raise money, awareness and fight towards a cure.

I am sure there are many athletes out there trying to manage their diabetes while leading a healthy/physical lifestyle. It's hard enough keeping your glucose count normal. But when you are working out and lifting heavy weights it's much harder.

Again since November is National Diabetes month I thought I would list a few facts and raise our awareness. If you would like to be active and help towards finding a cure I will list some websites on the bottom that are always hosting events and raising money.

Please feel free to tell us your story if you are a diabetic or know someone who is. I am sure people fighting diabetes could use all the support/advice they can get.

FACTS:

Every 10 seconds, someone dies from diabetes related causes and 2 new cases are diagnosed.



Every 30 seconds, a leg is lost to diabetes somewhere in the world. That’s more than 1 Million amputations a year!


Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in adults worldwide



Since the 1980’s diabetes has risen by 300%!



Every parent, school teacher, school nurse, doctor and anyone involved in the care of children should be familiar with the warning signs and alert to the diabetes threat.


**Know the diabetes warning signs**

Frequent urination
Excessive thirst
Increased hunger
Weight loss
Tiredness
Lack of interest and concentration
Blurred vision
Vomiting and stomach pain (often mistaken as the flu)
*In children with type 2 diabetes these symptoms may be mild or absent.



Thank you for taking the time to read this information. There is so much to know about diabetes.


Here are some websites that I find very useful:



www.jdrf.org

http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp

http://www.childrenwithdiabetes.com/



Thanks again!



Kristin L. Nelson

Please check out my myspace page solely dedicated to educating millions!


www.myspace.com/fighting_diabetes (http://www.myspace.com/fighting_diabetes)






Some 130 landmarks and buildings around the world have currently joined the World Diabetes Day 2008 Monument Challenge. Participants in the initiative light in blue to help raise awareness of diabetes and World Diabetes Day.

I attached some pictures below..........

[Ann Collins]

Thanks for the post.

Both my brother and I have been insulin dependent (Type 1) for 45 years (I was 13 months old and my brother 9 years old) and have outlived doctor's predictions of not making it past 21. Things have certainly changed in the way diabetes is managed, including home glucose monitoring and insulin pumps. I was able to do long distance running before the advent of home glucose monitoring and it hasn't stopped me from being a PT for 20 years in a fast paced outpatient clinic. Sure beats having to autoclave glass syringes, have dad sharpen the needles with a file and use urine testing to inaccurately determine how well you are controlled . It's not perfect, but a whole heck of a lot easierto manage things.

The 300% increase is mostly in Type 2, commonly known as adult onset. Unfortunately, many children are now being diagnosed with Type 2 and are afflicted with many of the same problems as their adult counterparts including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, early coronary artery disease. The signs for non-insulin dependent diabetes can be very subtle and often overlooked. Not cool.

So folks, if there is a family history of diabetes, you are overfat, fatigued, consuming excessive amounts of fluids and have excessive urination get it checked out. All it takes is a little sample of blood for a fasting blood sugar and a hemoglobin A1C (3 month measure of blood glucose control) to determine if you have diabetes or even what is termed pre-diabetes.

If it turns out you do have diabetes, or pre-diabetes, it's not a death sentence. It will take a bit of work and lifestyle changes, but the more of a committment you make the better chance of forestalling, if not avoiding, many of the diabetes related complications. GET IT CHECKED OUT!!

[Ron May]

Yes, thank you. I have been reading this site for several months now but never posted. My 6 y/o son is diabetic, he was diagnosed a month before his 2nd birthday. It turned my family's world upside down for a short time, but now everything is second nature. He's on his second year of using a pump.

Anyone who has met Rhett knows what a wonderful and gifted child he is. He lives a very active life by playing basketball, baseball, golf and about any other sport put in front of him. He loves coming to the gym with me to hang with the guys, whether it's straight lifting or strongman days. He likes pulling the sled, push ups, pullups with mini bands, and the occasional bench press. Rhett has also started cheering for the Denver Broncos ever since Jay Cutler has joined his "club". Yes, we had to buy a Cutler jersey.

Rhett's grandparents (my in-laws) have been blessed with the sale of their successful company. They are using some of their financial abilities to build a room at the hospital in Parsons, KS that will be used to educate people that don't normally get a chance to be educated and need it. This could mean extended family members, teachers, day care providers, babysitters, etc. They are also planning to provide grants for insulin pumps to people that can't afford it. A lot of this has stemmed from the frustrations we have had as parents trying to find places to provide childcare for an insulin dependent child, especially when you're dealing with a 3 y/o that needs shots after every meal, and maybe in between. They have been working in conjunction with KU med and Children's Mercy. The hope is that if it is successful it will provide a model that can go statewide, and hopefully further.

In closing, I have to say that I wouldn't have things any other way. I can remember when we were first dealing with it, praying to God to pass this affliction to me, rather than my son. But now when I look at him, it's not a consideration. I thank God for my healthy children.