Technical issues over here kept me from taking part in Diabetes Blog Week this year. Basically, the part on my WordPress site where I type the words disappeared. That’s not good.
While I missed sharing my thoughts on each topic (and you can see the list of everyone who did here), I did have some good stuff going on this week. Instead of trying to catch up, let’s just move forward. Okay? Okay.
I produced two Diabetes Connections podcast episodes this week. Regularly scheduled Tuesday episode was with the anything-but ordinary Moira McCarthy Stanford. Honored by her JDRF chapter, she turned her dress into a statement of inclusion and celebration by having “names of T1D heroes I love” embroidered into the lining. I talked to Moira about the dress and to her daughters and her chapter about the impact she and her husband, Sean, have had on the diabetes community:
I also released a bonus episode on the issue of access for people with diabetes. In early May, United HealthCare announced that Medtronic would be its exclusive in-network provider of insulin pumps. Adults over the age of 18 who have UHC insurance will have a very difficult time getting any other brand of insulin pump covered. This set off lots of discussion within the diabetes community and prompted a round table episode with Christel Aprigliano of Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition (DPAC), Gary Scheiner, a diabetes educator with Integrated Diabetes Services, and Mike Hoskins, managing editor of DiabetesMine.
(You can watch the video of that episode here)
I also posted over on Animas about guilt. I recently developed and held a session for moms and their daughters with type 1 during a JDRF conference. I separated the two groups and had them answer the same fill in the blank questions. When we got back together, both groups were surprised; it was pretty emotional. This would have been my post for Tuesday’s “The Other Half” topic (mental health). I’m looking forward to doing this talk again for my chapter and, hopefully, for other groups that may want it.
DBlogWeek is always amazing and I can’t wait to go back and read the posts I’ve missed so far. Thank you again, Karen, for putting together such a terrific project. Of course, it’s also the inspiration for DPodcastWeek, which I will definitely be repeating (look for more info/signups in the fall).
Technical problems come and go, but the DOC is always there. Thanks for letting me sneak in under the wire!
