November Is American Diabetes Month!

November is American Diabetes Month®, a time to bring even greater awareness and attention to the seriousness of diabetes, its deadly complications, and the importance of proper diabetes control. This year, the American Diabetes Association is asking the American public, "Why should you care about diabetes?"

Throughout the month, the American Diabetes Association will conduct activities – and encourage others across the country – to get involved in efforts to raise awareness about diabetes and its serious complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and amputations.

As you all know, my husband, Matt, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 9, when most of us were running around eating whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, he was spending a week's stay in Cincinnati Children's Hospital learning about how his life would NEVER be the same. Learning that he would always have to think about what he was eating and when he was eating. Learning that he would have to check his blood sugar (via a needle) at least 10 times a day for the rest of his life. Learning that he would have to take insulin forever. His life changed. I suspect that he had to grow up pretty quickly and learn that the most important thing he needed to take care of was his health. I know when I was 9 I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and never thought twice about it.

Matt is certainly the strongest person I know. Since his diagnosis in 1986, he has seen a lot, I'm sure. He started out using insulin from pig's. Today, he uses a synthetic insulin that is fed through a pump, then enters a tube that is inserted into his body. I'm sure he didn't imagine that he would ever have something like an insulin pump, like he has today. He was very used to giving himself daily injections via syringes and insulin pens. Technology has changed and will continue to change. And the reason it changes is because of amazing doctors and researchers who work tirelessly every day to help find a cure. I certainly hope, in my lifetime, that they will find a cure or at least a way to make to make it more manageable.

Please take some time to consider learning more about diabetes! It affects 10% of the population. Over 24 million American's are living with this disease. 1 and 3 children born after the year 2000 will develop diabetes. This has to stop. This disease is growing each and every day and affecting more people than ever before. For more information, please visit www.diabetes.org. And if you feel compelled to donate to further the mission of finding a cure, you can certainly do so by visiting my Step Out to Fight Diabetes website. Our event was on Saturday, but we are still accepting donations. Go to www.diabetes.org/stepout and click on Ohio, then Cincinnati, then enter my name.

Thank you all and hopefully someday there will be a CURE!