Memorial Day

Perhaps the most amazing thing that we do as a cub scout family is to participate in the Luminaria at the National Cemetery in Fredericksburg.

Fredericksburg was a key city in the Civil War. Right smack between Washington DC (aka the Northern Capital) and Richmond, VA (aka the Southern Capital), it was the scene of several battles. On a hillside overlooking the Rappahannock is a cemetery that serves as the final resting place of nearly 15,000 Union Soldiers.


Each Memorial Day weekend, local cubscouts and girl scouts (and their parents) pitch in to place a flag and two luminaria at each grave. Because some graves contain one soldier, and others contain many, this averages out to one luminaria for each soul buried on that hill. It takes four hours to fill the sandbags, and another 3 hours to place them graveside.

On Saturday evening, the boy scouts light each candle during the hour-and-a-half before dusk. Taps is played on the half hour, and scouts lead tours of the cemetery, stopping at stations to tell Civil War stories. As the sun sets, the entire hillside becomes a glowing tribute to lives lost.

It's beautiful, and amazing to know that we had some small part in making it happen.

Enough with the Diabetes Already

Recently, I had the opportunity to do a practice TV interview. I left the session with a DVD copy of the interview, along with pointers and tips on how to improve my presentation skills.

I was reviewing it last night, and Ryan came over to watch. He got quite a kick out of seeing Mommy 'on TV'.

After watching for less then 2 minutes, Ry turned to me and said,

"Mommy, when are you gonna be done with diabetes?"

Now, this was not the precocious pinings of a concerned child or sweet wishes for a cure for his mommy. It was more like, "When are you going to stop talking about this stuff?"

But what do y'all think about the timing of this little gem?

When Hope Creeps In

We've all been promised a cure at some point in our lives with type 1 diabetes.

We've watched with a keen eye as researchers have unravelled some aspects of the disease, adding bits of information to the jigsaw puzzle that holds the answer.

We've walked and cycled and chain-emailed in our efforts to raise money to find a cure, to undo the damage to our small blood vessels, to protect our bodies against the long term ravages of hyperglycemia, and to spare our children.

For the last 15 years I haven't thought about a cure arriving in time for me(that's 20 years with diabetes, minus the first five years when some part of me bought the 'there'll be a cure for this in five years' line). It might, and I'll be quick to admit I was wrong if it does, but I usually think of a cure as something for the next generation of people with diabetes. A prevention, perhaps, or a way to stop the disease process before it steals the ability to produce insulin. A way to save my children if their 85% chance of not developing diabetes turns out to be insufficient.

Maybe my resistance to hope is a way to protect myself from disappointment. On second thought, scratch that, there's no 'maybe' about it. Along these lines, let me just say that I don't mope around feeling hopeless - I just resist getting excited about the latest research or development. It lets me keep an even keel, in a way.

The other day, however, I woke up low at about five in the morning and something snapped. I got angry. I did the math and realized that I'll need to earn my fifty year medal - and then some - if I want to be part of my grandkids' lives. And the daily grind of insulin, food, exercise, blood tests... well, even if I do it well for any length of time, I could be one of the unlucky ones.

In true Kassie fashion, I treated that low and shoved those fears aside for the time being. But there's no denying that I'm at a key point in my life as a person with diabetes. Nearly twenty years in, I'm the mother of someone who will barely be out of college in another twenty years. There has to be a way to take diabetes out of the equation.

This morning, while trolling Google news for diabetes-related information, I came across an article entitled, UVa lab creates possible diabetes treatment. I read the article, and now (dammit) I'm saddled with Hope.

Let's wait and see how long it sticks around.

Question for you all

I asked this of my two interviewees last week, and I'm curious to hear what others have to say. So, de-lurk and riddle me this, bat-readers:

Describe a low or high in 10 words or less.

If you have diabetes, no problem, right? If you care for someone who has diabetes, what's it like for you when they are low? And if you don't fit either category, what do you imagine a low feels like?

edited to add: I should share my own, too!

Low for me: energy drains from head to toes, hollow and shaky buzz

High for me: sticky eyeballs, cotton mouth, leaden body

Watching John Low: panic, anger, guilt at anger: masked by apparent efficient calm

Questions from Kerri

1. What is the most bizarre dream you’ve ever had?

I have bizarre dreams all the time, John thinks I'm crazy.

I recently had a dream that involved an ex-boyfriend, his ex-wife, a quaint cottage in the middle of downtown Providence, a new friend from Virginia, a trained monkey, and a Beverly Hillbillies style pick-up truck full of furniture.

2. When you were the CBC Camp Director, what was the hardest part of your job?

Leaving.

Twelve years later, I'm still trying to go.

3. When your children are grown up and asking you about your childhood, what will you tell them?

I will tell them about my sister and brothers, the Park and our adventures there, my creative and loving parents, our mutt Max, the swim club, the church bells on a summer night, the siren that called the volunteer fireman out, the box of books that arrived once a month, trick-or-treating as 1/4th of a four-headed monster, running track and playing baseball and field hockey, and Nana. Lots of stories about Nana.

4. If you had to reveal the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you, how would you tell the story as though it happened to someone else?

I've actually revealed the most embarassing thing that ever happened to me, in front of a camp full of kids and via my blog. If it were a secret though, I'd urban legend it ("This happened to a friend of my aunt's boss") and forward it to my entire address book.

5. Why do you blog?

I started as a way to stay in the habit of writing. So far, so good.

As a bonus, I find it is one place in my life where I can always finish a thought.

May 13th

I woke up Saturday morning at about 6, tossed some clothes on, and headed over to Walmart (ugh) to pick up a helium tank and a few last-minute items for Ryan's 11am Baseball Birthday Party.


It wasn't until I was driving back home that I remembered it was also my birthday. How's that for denial?

Ryan's party was a blast. I owe that to my insanely wonderful Mom, who came down for the weekend to help. Thanks to her, lunch actually got made while I ran the games for the kids.

Saturday night, I threw a book launch party for family, friends and any of my interviewees who could get themselves to north central VA. It was held at The Wounded Bookshop, a non-profit venture in a 200+ year old building downtown. One of the women from my favorite on-line support group drove up from North Carolina for both parties, which just blows me away! I've met her before, but it's still amazing to me that these internet connections can be so darn strong.

I was also delighted to meet the mother of one of my interviewees, who came because her daughter was out of town. I really think that my book will be helpful to the moms of women with diabetes, who have to sit by and worry while their kids become parents (and must worry more than the average mom!). We fiercely independent women with diabetes, out to prove that we can have kids and determined to keep our own parents from worrying, don't often keep our folks in the loop, and I hope my book will be a source of information and comfort for the grandmoms-to-be who raised a daughter with diabetes back in the day when pregnancy was actively discouraged.

My dad made the trip to attend and photograph the event (we call him the PopPopRazzi), and my sister surprised me by flying down from NYC. My Mom ran the whole darn show, seemlessly and elegantly. I don't even know how to begin to thank them.

To top it all off, three of my friends from camp surprised me by flying down from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I cried when I saw them. I still can't believe they made the trip - on Mother's Day weekend, no less. If you had asked me before the party what one thing I would have wanted to cap off this celebration, it would have been a way to include the people from camp who encouraged and supported me when I entered the Dream Fund contest. Three of the biggies were there, and it was a perfect gift.

Five of us went out for a bite to eat after the party, strolling the streets of Fredericksburg on a cool spring night under a full moon. I was proud to show off my new home town (though clueless as to where to go at 10PM on a Saturday night.)

And of course, there was a song to fit the moment. I found myself humming this simple camp ditty as I drove home, remembering the sweet voices of campers singing it in a round at campfire:

Make new friends but keep the old
One is silver and the other, gold
A circle's round, it has no end,
that's how long I want to be your friend.

I couldn't sleep when I finally got home, I was too happy and excited. I was reminded just how wonderful my life is in so many ways, with good health, an amazing family, and such good friends - old and new, near and far.

It was the best birthday ever.

Interview Questions

Sarah, anyone else... here are 5 questions for you:

) You have $1000 for a 1 hour shopping spree. Where would you go, and what would you buy?

2) How would you describe a low in 10 words or less?

3) Where would you most like to visit?

4) If you had 2 uninterrupted minutes to speak with the President, what would you say?

5) You're in charge at Ben & Jerry's for the day: what flavor ice cream do you invent?

Happy Birthday, part 2

Today is the anniversary of the day that Jake became a big brother. In some circles, this is also known as Ryan's birthday.

My second pregnancy was unplanned. We had been talking about a second baby, and I was taking steps to rein in my diabetes management, but I wasn't there yet. I tell people this, particularly women with diabetes, because it is so important to have your diabetes in great shape before you conceive. Women with diabetes should know that a normal or near-normal A1c reduces your baby's risks of birth defects to that of the non-diabetic population. And when you conceive a baby with an out-of-range A1c, the risks loom disproportionately large, exaggerated and stressful.

The first word out of my mouth when that second line appeared on the pregnancy test was, "shit."

The response from my endo (passed on to me by a nurse) was, "will you consider terminating?"

A planned pregnancy helps mitigate the worry that comes with conceiving with a high A1c. However, let me also say this: if you do get pregnant without being under 7, and you wish to continue the pregnancy, understand that a high A1c doesn't guarantee problems, it just raises the risk. Your response to any health care professional who berates you should be, "Let's talk about how to do the best we can from here on out." Once my endo knew I was proceeding with the pregnancy, he and the CDE in his office were 100% on board with getting down to some serious diabetes work.

This time around, we caught the pre-eclampsia early enough to stall it. Modified bedrest and a reduced work schedule (have I mentioned how terrific my employer is?) allowed me to go from 29 weeks to 34 with minimal progression of pre-e. At about 34, my OB decided that delivery might be warranted. But I wasn't ill enough to force the issue, so I went in for an amniocentisis to check the baby's lungs.

Week 34: amnio = "no go".

Week 35: amnio = "no go".

Week 36, my 34th birthday, I had an amnio at 8:00 am, then up to L&D to await the results. My Dad had made the trip to either meet his new grandson or take me out for dinner (depending upon amnio results). Dad's a photographer and had his digital camera and laptop there, ready to go. While we waited, and I snoozed, he took a picture of my bare feet. Later, when I saw that picture, I apologized to everyone I knew for telling them that I wasn't that swollen.

At about 12:30, my OB came in with the amnio results, and the fun began. Forms to sign, pre-op things to be done, rush rush after so much waiting. At about 1:30 I walked down to the OR. John, armed with Dad's digital camera, took his seat by the anesthesiologist, and asked him if he was a Sox fan. Ah, tradition.

My OB came around to take his place by the table. I was giddy at this point, so when he accidentally knocked up against an IV pole, I said, "I hope your fine motor skills are better than your gross motor skills." It was only when the nurse dissolved into laughter that I realized I'd said it out loud. Way to piss off the guy with the scalpel.

1:54 PM, Ryan arrived, and the doctor held him up for us. This time, I got to see my baby a second after he was born, not after he'd been examined, cleaned up, and swaddled. All I could do was sob and cry with relief and joy.

10lbs 10oz, four weeks early (before you ask, my A1c's were all under 6.2, after that first one).

John went to daycare to pick up Jake, armed with "It's a boy" buttons and a bright red "I'm the Big Brother" tee shirt. I'll never forget the first time Jake stood next to Ryan's bassinet and spoke to him. Ryan immediately turned to the voice he already knew so well.

He had a hard time regulating his own breathing at first, not uncommon in c-section babies. Because he couldn't be brought to me, I was up and about 8 hours after surgery (if you can call standing up and taking 3 steps to a wheelchair "up and about") and down there to sit with him. By the next day, he was released from special care, and in my room with me. After a little bout with jaundice, he came home with us on May 17th. It was snowing when we left the hospital. That's New England for you.

Today, we are having the "Baseball Birthday Party" that he's been talking about since last September. I can't believe he's four years old, today. Happy Birthday, Baby Boy.

s1955

Senate bill #1955 died today on a procedural vote. Thank you to all who took action!

Interview Meme

Questions courtesy of Nicole ...

1. Tell me about the best job you've ever had. Tell me about the worst part of that best job.

The best job I've ever had is the one I have right now. I work part time, from home, as a web/database developer for New England INDEX. We develop websites and databases for non-profits. In MA, people with disabilities or special health care needs can go to http://www.disabilityinfo.org to locate services and providers. I also worked on the development of the Massachusetts Accessible Housing Registry, a database of affordable and/or accessible apartments in Massachusetts that has been replicated in New York and Nevada. It's very cool to work on projects that have such a positive impact. I enjoy solving programming problems, and trying to translate what the end-user needs to a method or specification for software. It's creative, in a weird sort of way. I also have a great boss (who reads this blog, and hates to be called 'boss', but too bad boss-man!)

The worst part of that job, right now, is the major lack of interaction. I'm 500+ miles away, working from home (which is great, of course) but I miss having other people around. I'm a people person, you see. Plus, I'm on the office-wide email list, and whenever the boss brings in bagels, I get the email but no bagels!

2. What is your greatest achievement to date?

Becoming and being a mom, hands down. I'm really proud of my two boys. They are smart and funny and so kind. I know I'm making mistakes as we go, but they seem to be turning out pretty darn well, if I do say so myself.

3. Name a historical figure to whom you can really relate. Tell me why.

Clara Barton leaps to mind, to be honest. I love the fact that throughout her life, even as a school teacher, she insisted on equal pay, yet she wasn't in the forefront of the fight for a woman's right to vote. It was the way she lived her life. I have always had a feminist approach to things (I had, as a kid, a tee shirt that read, "A Woman Needs a Man like a Fish Needs a Bicycle". Might explain the lack of dates in high school. But I digress.)

People think of Clara as a nurse, but really she was all about supplies and logistics and filling a need. I get that way, too - when I see something not being done that needs to be done, I tend to barge in. Clara didn't make a lot of friends that way and, in fact, late in her life she was pushed out of the organization she founded (the American Red Cross) because she lacked the political and financial skills necessary to run such an endeavor. I'm sort of that way too, all fire and passion but sometimes without the skills and training to back it up. Doesn't stop me from diving in, though, and figuring out the details later.

Clara also had the same sort of timid/bold mix that I see in myself. I have no problem standing in front of 400 people giving a speech, but I get terrified at the thought of small talk at a dinner party. I fear rejection, yet I do crazy things like enter national contests that require me to put my dream up for inspection by strangers. Yeah, me and Clara, we're simpatico.

4. As a parent with diabetes, what is your greatest challenge? Your biggest worry?

For more information on this topic, pick up my book, available on Amazon for $9.95 plus shipping and handling...

My greatest challenge is remembering to take care of myself in the chaos of raising two active boys. My biggest worry is that diabetes will cut me down before my boys are able to make it on their own (which, as any Mom will tell you, is like not until they are 40. At the earliest.)

5. I hear you make a mean cake. Share with me your best -- or your favorite -- cake recipe...

"The Cake that Didn't Beat Vadim" was the best by far. Second place would be the coconut cake that my colleague and I made for our boss's birthday. That was actually the first one I'd made from scratch and it turned out fantastic, right down to the toasted coconut topping. Yum. And I don't even like coconut. It was a recipe from Cook's Illustrated, sorry to say I don't have it anymore.

I find that torting (sp?) the cake into 4 layers instead of two and spreading a thin layer of icing or thinned-out jam between each layer makes an ordinary cake much yummier. (I sound like Sandra Lee.)

And real buttercream icing. It's the reason I own a Kitchen Aid stand mixer.

I'm happy to interview anyone who requests!

s1955 Moves Forward

Yesterday, the senate agreed to debate the Enzi Bill, aka Senate 1955, aka The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act.

Today, I read an article that clearly leans in favor of the bill. According to this article, opponents with something to gain by keeping things status quo (um, yeah, I have something to gain!) are resorting to 'scare tactics' to drum up opposition to the bill.

Well, as I've mentioned, s1955 *does* scare me. But not because someone looking to make a buck has waved the Boogie Man in front of me. I am scared because I know the value of diabetes education, frequent blood glucose monitoring, contraception, and cancer screenings, among other things. And I also know that, under our current health care system, I cannot afford these things unassisted.

A note on contraception, by the way: It wasn't covered by most insurance companies until states mandated coverage. Now, at the same time that the CDC is urging women to not get pregnant unless they are receiving good preconception care, the Senate is tinkering with allowing insurance companies to drop coverage of contraception. Sort of like the fact that at the same time that we are recognizing the national health and financial crisis that is diabetes, the Senate is not expanding or even protecting the tools that people with diabetes need. See why I just want to scream about all of this?

The article I read this morning ends with, "A report prepared by the Milwaukee firm of Mercer Oliver Wyman, Inc. for the National Small Business Association found that the Enzi-Nelson-Burns bill would reduce health insurance costs for small business by 12 percent. In today’s dollars - about $1,000 per employee; and, would reduce the number of uninsured in working families by 8 percent - or approximately 1 million people." (Note: I've read that there are 46 million uninsured people who need coverage.)

To that, I say this: OF COURSE IT WILL. But not because the bill mandates coverage, because the bill allows for the removal of state-guaranteed coverage. A health insurance plan doesn't cover illness is bound to cost less! It's like looking at a group of people on a bitter cold day, some of whom have coats, and saying: well, we all need coats so let's cut up the ones we have and everybody gets a piece. That way, everyone freezes.

What we need is more coats, more coverage, more affordable health care. This won't get us there.

Gutting the insurance regulations of 45 states is not the way to reduce costs and expand coverage.

Oppose s1955.

Some Big Splashy Family Pics

Ryan and I went to Philly this weekend for the 60th birthday of a family friend, while Jake and John entertained big wigs in the suite at the Richmond Race. Ryan and I had some time alone, without the distraction/competition of his big brother, and I must say it was really nice.

At the party, Ryan ran around for the better part of four hours with his cousin Nolan (1 year older) and my friend's kids, Nicholas (7) and Lauren (a mere 2 weeks older than Ryan). The best part: they didn't need us AT ALL. What a delight to hang out with adults while the kids were off playing. It makes me officially old, of course, but it was a very nice afternoon.



Visiting with Girlfriend



Baby girl cousin



Nolan Ryan - not the pitcher

It's almost my Birthday Meme

Swiped from Major Bedhead.

Go to Wikipedia and type in your birthday. Don't include the year. Record three events, three births and three deaths that happened on the day you were born.

1958 - Velcro's trade mark is registered.
1981 - Mehmet Ali Ağca attempts to assassinate Pope John Paul II in St. Peter's Square in Rome.
1985 - The mayor of Philadelphia orders police to storm the radical group's MOVE headquarters to end a stand-off. The police drop an explosive device into the headquarters, killing 11 MOVE members and destroying the homes of 250 city residents in the resulting fire.

I remember the Pope being shot and MOVE. Wasn't around for the invention of Velcro.

1717 - Empress Maria Theresa of Austria (d. 1780)
1957 - Alan Ball, American screenwriter, director, producer
1961 - Dennis Rodman, American basketball player and actor

An Empress, The dude who wrote Six Feet Under, and a freak. Not bad. But, Dennis Rodman: actor?

1573 - Takeda Shingen, Japanese warlord (b. 1521)
1937 - Ekaterina Geladze, mother of Joseph Stalin
1961 - Gary Cooper, American actor (b. 1901)

I chose Takeda because I talked to someone from that pharmaceutical company about a job last year. Ekaterina = Kathryn. And Gary? Well, c'mon, why not?

Six (Short) Random Things Meme

Thanks to Erin, I'm tackling this again. I'm just honored to be tagged, really :)

1) I can still remember a poem that I wrote in first grade. I think I even have the oversized newsprint paper that the teacher used to display it in our classroom.

2) My first college crush developed diabetes 6 years after we dated. Some of his friends actually thought he'd caught it from me.

3) I'm 5'9 1/2" tall. I mention this because until this week at the doctor's office, I thought I was taller than that. Regardless, only a handful of guys were taller than me in high school. In fact, I could probably name them all, 20 years later. But that would be weird.

4) For the last 12 or so years, I've had two cats, Kasper and Gracie. Both are all white, and both are deaf (not uncommon in white cats). They meow louder than any cat I know.

5) My sister buys me things with the name "Darlene" on them, because you can never find stuff already stamped with the name "Kassie".

6) When I was camp director at Barton, I used to strive to be able to know every kid by name. We had four sessions of about 80-90 campers at a time, so it usually took me the whole 10 days to pull it off. By the end of one summer, the staff caught on to my trick for naming kids: I'd do it in the dining hall, when they sat by cabin groups, and I'd usually know the cabin lists well enough to figure out by process of elimination who was who. Since there was a free soda for everyone in camp riding on whether or not I could pull it off, they were out to trip me up, and just before I started... every kid in camp got up and sat somewhere else. Free soda for all!

Unexpected in Baltimore

My mother, sister and I travelled to Baltimore for a girl's weekend of shopping, relaxing, and eating fancy food. We decided on a relatively pricey Inn in the Fell's Point shopping district (I won't name it, I'll just call it "The Captain Tripped Inn") for the experience of not staying in a cookie-cutter hotel. We splurged on two rooms for two nights, at a hefty price tag.

Upon our arrival, it became clear that we weren't going to get what we expected out of this place. Despite our best efforts, we were generally miserable by 6PM our first day.

The good news is that we decided to skip the second night, and the hotel management saw fit to comp both rooms for the first night. And our Parking. And I think if our cars broke down, they would have fixed them just to get us the heck out of there.

The unexpected disappointment of the hotel did, however, set us up to be dazzled by another aspect of our weekend. Bear with me as I savor that experience.

Sunday morning we walked around the corner to Kali's Court, a pretty little restaurant tucked at an angle away from the street. We were early for our 11:30 reservation, and lucky enough to be seated in a beautiful window alcove with a view of the cobblestone courtyard dotted with lush plants in all manner of urns and plant stands.

We settled down to a four course brunch. It made me realize that in all my years of dining out, I have never eaten truly exceptional food. Oh, sure, a great dish here or there, but this meal was so exquisite, so satisfying, so utterly unexpected that, after the second course, I actually thought I might cry.

And when our attentive-yet-not-overbearing waiter responded to our tale of hotel woe by bringing me my second mimosa with his compliments; well, I think I did actually tear up briefly.

I intended to describe each course in exquisite detail, but words fail me, and the sentiments seem hollow.

The skewered tenderloin and potato appetizer melted in my mouth in waves of flavor.

The Asparagus salad with poached egg was sweet and sharp and suprising. I'd start each bite unsure of the combination, only to be reminded by the end of the mouthful that it was genius.

The grilled salmon sitting in a green sea of pesto sauce? Perfection.

Even better than all of that was the polenta topped with slow roasted plum tomato quarters. Layers of taste and texture so perfect I had to close my eyes against the distractions of the setting and be alone with each bite. I'm told the spices included garlic, salt, thyme and rosemary. To me it just tasted like heaven.

And for dessert, raspberry spongecake with buttercream. So good I actually didn't feel the need to finish it.

We left the restaurant over two hours later, and I felt satiated and content and happy to be alive on such a beautiful spring day.

Two hours after that, my blood sugar was a glorious 127. And I felt as if I had a new understanding of the power and purpose of food.

Not to mention a new definition of 'bolus worthy'.

Pick up the Phone!

Families, USA is hosting a National Call-In to oppose s1955 today.

Call 1-800-828-0498.

Ask for your Senator's offices and ask them to represent you and all of their constituents who have health challenges (temporary or chronic) by voting NO on the "Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act". Express your concern that state-protected insurance benefits will be lost (check out this list of threatened benefits). It's not just about diabetes!

According to the ADA, this is likely to be a close vote. Letters, phone calls, emails or even visits to your Senator's offices if you can swing it... these things do make a difference.

If you want more information on how the bill works, and how it threatens coverage of diabetes supplies, click here.

Extending health insurance coverage to more people who need it is a good idea. But this bill makes insurance more accessible by offering a watered-down version that doesn't help you when you are sick! What's the point of having health insurance if it won't cover you when you need it?! And we all know how important it is to have access to the tools necessary to maintain our diabetes.

Pick up the phone and call today, email, write a letter, or show up at their offices. If you have diabetes (or any other chronic illness, or are a woman, or have a child with special health care needs) and are silent on this issue, this bill will pass.

Chicago

I spent about 28 hours in Chicago and really, really want to go back. I'm not sure why, but it struck me as a very cool town, despite the fact that I experienced probably only a 10 block radius.

The book signing went well, I think (I've nothing to compare!). I personally handed out about 100 books over the space of 3 hours and had some great conversations with endocrinologists about the challenges of "following doctor's orders."

I had a few great moments. One woman, who received the book Thursday night, told me Friday morning that it's an "easy read." I was very happy about that, because I wanted the book to be conversational and anecdotal, like talking with a group of friends.

After speaking with one doctor for a few moments about the book, I glanced up ten minutes later to see that same doc showing the book to a colleague. I can only take that as a good sign.

There was a little bit of confusion over the title (not unexpected) as the term "Parent with Diabetes" has become synonymous in some circles with "Parent of a child with diabetes." Once we got over that hurdle, though, folks seemed genuinely interested.

And they all actually wanted me to sign the books. How funny is that?